Automatic

Automatic is the third album by the Jesus and Mary Chain, released on Blanco y Negro records in 1989. William and Jim Reid are the core of the group on this album, along with a drum machine and synthesizer. Richard Thomas (who filled in as the touring drummer) drums on “Gimme Hell.”

The sound of the album combines the band’s typical noise rock with more traditional Rock ‘N Roll riffs and song structure. The band also heavily used a drum machine for the majority of the album to make up for their lack of a drummer.

The album was initially met with poor reviews, partially due to the synthesized bass and drums, but critical reception has improved over time. In 2006, Pitchfork wrote:

conventional wisdom wrongly calls this the dud of JAMC discography.