Doubt (album)

Last updated

Doubt
Jesus Jones doubt.jpg
Studio album by
Released21 January 1991
RecordedEarly 1990
StudioMatrix, London
Genre Techno-rock
Length40:39
Label Food
Producer
Jesus Jones chronology
Liquidizer
(1989)
Doubt
(1991)
Perverse
(1993)
Singles from Doubt
  1. "Real, Real, Real"
    Released: 26 March 1990
  2. "Right Here, Right Now"
    Released: 24 September 1990
  3. "International Bright Young Thing"
    Released: December 1990
  4. "Who? Where? Why?"
    Released: 18 February 1991

Doubt is the second album by British rock band Jesus Jones, released on 21 January 1991 through Food Records. The label witnessed the success of their debut album Liquidizer (1989) and wanted more hit-sounding music from the band. Frontman Mike Edwards wrote new material on their tour bus and in hotel rooms; they recorded some of it in early 1990, before touring resumed. After the conclusion of a tour of the United Kingdom, the band spent a week in May 1990 recording the bulk of their next album at Matrix Studios in London. Edwards produced the majority of the tracks, with Food Records co-founder Andy Ross and Martyn Phillips producing one song each.

Contents

Doubt is a techno-rock album that refines the sample-heavy approach of Liquidizer. During the making of it, they listened to music from the likes of the KLF, Janet Jackson and Mel and Kim. Edwards, who had been consuming a large amount of popular music wanted it be a reaction to Liquidizer, exploring the influence of dance music had over rock. His lyrics had been compared to that of the Kinks frontmant Ray Davies, while the album's psychedelia overtones evoked the Beatles' late 1960s period and contemporary baggy acts the Charlatans and Happy Mondays.

"Real, Real, Real" was released the lead single from Doubt in March 1990; over the next few months, Jesus Jones performed at various festivals, before embarking on their first tour of North America in September 1990. That same month, "Right Here, Right Now" was released as the second single from the album, which was later promoted with a UK tour. The track would be released in the United States in December 1990, while "International Bright Young Thing" became the third single from Doubt that same month. Following an appearance at the Great British Music Weekend, "Who? Where? Why?" was released as the album's fourth single in February 1991. The band promoted it with tours of the UK and US; MTV would help to give the band a boost in popularity in the latter territory.

Doubt received generally positive reviews about the songwriting, though some critics were less enthusiastic about it. It reached number 25 on the US Billboard 200 and topped the UK Albums Chart, and later certified platinum in the US. "Real, Real, Real", "Right Here, Right Now", "International Bright Young Thing" and "Who? Where? Why?" all reached the top 40 in the UK, with "International Bright Young Thing" charting the highest at number seven. In the US, "Real, Real, Real" and "Right Here, Right Now" peaked at number four and two on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively. Toledo Blade included it on their list of the year's best releases; it and "Right Here, Right Now" would be nominated for Grammy Awards. The song earned an award from the BMI and PRS for being the most played track at college radio.

Background and writing

Jesus Jones released their debut studio album Liquidizer was released through Food Records in October 1989. The band's emergence happened concurrently with the Madchester movement that birthed Happy Mondays and the Stone Roses. Jesus Jones were being tagged as grebo by the music press, alongside contemporaries Gaye Bikers on Acid and Pop Will Eat Itself, much to the chagrin of frontman Mike Edwards. Despite this, the band received acclaim from publications, [1] while the album would peak number 32 in the UK Albums Chart. Its singles "Info Freako" and "Never Enough" both charted at number 42 on the UK Singles Chart, while "Bring It Down" reached number 46. [2] By the end of the year, they had a publishing deal and a manager; [3] Edwards was confident about this success, though mentioned that it quickly shifted into scrutiny, "doubt and a lack of self-confidence. I looked around at what we'd done and thought 'Have we just fooled everybody? Are we really that good?'" [4]

Spurred on by this initial success, Food Records wanted to make Jesus Jones even more popular, urging them to make hit-sounding music. [5] Edwards had started writing material for the next album while the label was busy with releasing Liquidizer, [6] which had been issued in the United States by SBK Records. [7] In that territory, three of the album's songs received significant airplay from alternative radio stations. [8] They did not have much time to work on songs as they toured incessantly, forcing them to write while travelling. Edwards brought along a Roland sampler and keyboard to craft tracks on their tour bus. Off-days were spent in hotel rooms, where they were able to have a writing set-up. [5]

Recording

Jesus Jones recorded new material in early 1990 prior to touring in Romania, shortly after the revolution, and across mainland Europe with the Cramps. [6] Jesus Jones embarked on a short, five-date tour of the UK in May 1990, with support from Ned's Atomic Dustbin. [9] According to the album booklet, the bulk of the album was recorded in seven days in May 1990, but the mixing process "took a bit longer". [10] In an interview with the Orlando Sentinel , Edwards said that recording took only six days. He said it was listed as seven to "make it seem credible, and also there's that tiresome religious connotation, 'On the seventh day we rested.'" [11] Food Records gave the band unlimited funds, with them opting to recorded in a cheaper studio, using only a portion of the time they took on the first album. More money was spent on the mixing process and making remixes than recording itself. [11] Keyboardist Iain Baker said Edwards was in a stressful environment, having to deliver on expectations placed on him. As such, practically every demo they had was "pressed into service, every idea had to be used" for the album. [5]

Sessions were held at Matrix Studios in London, and due to the short time they had, they ended up completing three tracks per day. [5] Edwards produced the majority of the songs with Clive Goddard acting as the engineer. Food Records co-founder Andy Ross produced "I'm Burning", while Martyn Phillips engineered and produced "Right Here, Right Now". [10] The latter collaboration came about as the band enjoyed his work with the Beloved. Edwards showed Phillips a version of the track, which had samples taken from "Sign o' the Times" (1987) by Prince. As Phillips had previously got into trouble for using a sample without authorization with the Beloved, he went about altering "Right Here, Right Now". [4] John Fryer mixed the songs, while Phil Harding and Ian Curnow remixed and did additional production on " International Bright Young Thing" and "Real, Real, Real". [10] Baker said the latter two individuals offered "some pop gloss" to the two tracks. He remarked that the rest of the band were more enthusiastic about the production since it provided "some bass as well as treble", compared to the "tinny blast" of Liquidizer. [5]

Composition and lyrics

Janet Tour 01.jpg
2K Barbican performance (Fuck the Millennium).jpg
Jesus Jones listened to the works of Janet Jackson (top) and the KLF (bottom) prior to and during the making of Doubt.

Music and themes

Doubt continued the sample-heavy direction of Liquidizer, but refined it; where the latter had found sounds and other miscellaneous audio clips, the band wanted the tracks on Doubt to be anchored around samples. The advancement of technology allowed gave them more ways of toying with samples, ranging from reversing to pitch shifting and altering the structure. [5] The members of Jesus Jones had slowly become aware of what Baker dubbed "the sample wars", exemplified by the Turtles suing De La Soul. He said that they wanted to showcase that sample was not about stealing someone else's music, but instead making new sounds from it. [5] Nick Duerden in The Rough Guide to Rock wrote that it melded "screaming guitars with samples, white noise and techno dynamics", [12] while PopMatters critic Matthew Chabe said they "drop[ped] the wall-of-noise for chiming guitars and Beatle-esque melodies" after the first track. [13] The New York Times 's Jon Pareles wrote that the album "layers on swirls of sound that recall late-1960's psychedelia," in particular the Beatles late 1960s period, [14] which Doug Iverson of Toledo Blade compared to baggy acts the Charlatans and Happy Mondays. [15] While complimenting its cohesive nature, Baker saw it was their "most disjointed" release due to its creation and having to ask Food Records if it was to their liking. [5]

Musically, the sound of Doubt has been described as techno-rock. [16] Parry Gettelman of Orlando Sentinel said that the "melodies are stronger, and the mixes are more radio-friendly – with vocals right up front", giving the album "stronger pop leanings" than what was heard on Liquidizer. Edwards said the band intentionally made Doubt to serve as a reaction to its predecessor: "making a strong statement about what rock music should be about in the '90s, which I think has less to do with the dance-rock sound than the influence of dance music on rock music, the techniques of dance music". [11] Edwards had been consuming a substantial amount of popular music, from Mel and Kim to Janet Jackson, which he tried to emulate with the album. Alongside this, Baker said they would often be listening to Chill Out (1990) by the KLF while on tour. [5]

Edwards said the album's title partially stemmed from the intensive interviews, where he was being quizzed on "everything the band and I had done and were doing" when promoting Liquidizer, which coincided with him dealing with depression. [4] Steve Hochman of Los Angeles Times wrote that Edwards' lyricism came across with an "wit and sentimental eye in the tradition" of Ray Davies from the Kinks. [17] Baker thought that the stressful process of making the album shaped its narrative direction, explaining that in lieu of the tracks themselves "telling a story, the process of writing actually became the story". [5] He went on to say that the songs were representations of the locations they visited, individuals they interacted with, the uplifting outlook which they had from being a new act, alongside the "uncertainty, the fear of failure, and the doubt" they faced. [5]

Tracks

Doubt opens with "Trust Me", the shortest song on the album, recalling the sound of Liquidizer [18] and Time's Up (1990) by Living Colour [19] with its acid house groove and wall of sound guitarwork. [13] The song was influenced by samples of Formula One racing cars driving on a race track, [5] which Edwards had taped off a television with a cassette recorder. Baker said they sped up the sound bites until they "sounded like demented wasps." [20] "Who? Where? Why" uses an Eastern melody, [13] extrapolated from an African-esque chant [5] that Edwards found on a tape of African music that he learned from the Willesden Library in London. [21] Baker said that a portion of that sample is played normally before it loops itself repeatedly. [5] They had written it shorted after getting signed, as they became aware of the expectations from press outlets. [20] The dance-rock track "International Bright Young Thing" [22] mixes the tape loop experimentation of "Tomorrow Never Knows" (1966) by the Beatles with the contemporary beats from dance music. [23] The song remained lyric-less until the band were on a flight from Tokyo, Japan, serving as a summarization of fans they encountered while traveling around the world. [20] Edwards described "I'm Burning" as a "re-occurrence of the B-side that was too good syndrome", [10] where he tried to sound like the Icicle Works. [24] Select writer Neil Perry thought that it showed an evolution of the band's sound, "now a little tighter with the bluster and rush but still full blast on atmosphere". [19]

Baker saw "Right Here, Right Now" as an attempt by Edwards to create a mature track, adding that audiences considered them as a flash-in-the-pan act. [25] The song refers to the collapse of the Berlin Wall. Edwards said he came across a cover of "Sign o' the Times" that Simple Minds had done, liking their "enthusiasm for the song but not necessarily their version, but also thinking that Sign O’ The Times is a very down song, it has a very bleak view of the times". Scott Rowley of Louder said Edwards then went out to remake the song for "the, like, actual times" with "Right Here, Right Now", crafting a demo that used loops from "Sign O' the Times". [4] "Nothing to Hold Me" features a sample of the TARDIS sound from Doctor Who , [26] and has Edwards and Baker "speaking [from] our hearts", with Edwards saying Baker was a "man for whom tuning is only a concert for others. Like me". [10] Baker commented that it referred to a girl he was dating while the rest of the band "put a wedge between us"; he wrote it after they visited the Berlin Wall. [27] "Real, Real, Real" was reminiscent of the work of Happy Mondays, [19] and has a note of a female voice edited to sound akin to an organ. The initial demo of it was influenced by Sly and the Family Stone and Jackson's Rhythm Nation (1989), as they tried to make a swingbeat track in the style of Teddy Riley, [5] giving it the working title "Janet". [28]

"Welcome Back Victoria" evoked the sound of XTC [22] and "Sunny Afternoon" (1966) by the Kinks. [14] It features acoustic guitar parts over synthesizers and the ticking of a programmed snare drum, [13] and talks about the double standards of the Victorian era. [14] With "Are You Satisfied?", Edwards wanted to make a track he considered "metal house". [29] "Two and Two" is a punk rock and pop metal song, [19] where the band tried to evoke the sound of Sonic Youth. [30] "Stripped" is influenced by a message that a Romanian journalist was adamant that Edwards returned home with: "Everybody is hungry / Everyone needs to know". [18] Perry referred to it as a "nightmare soundscape that changes from tortured screaming to a super-funky freak-out", [19] while Baker remarked that it was the "sound of a band who are listening to way too much Big Black" and attempting to distil that into a pop song. [5] The album concludes with "Blissed", a mellow track anchored by a synthesizer part and bird sounds, [19] influenced by Chill Out. Inspired by a John Lennon quote about wanting to have thousands of voices on a recording, Edwards wanted to make something that fit that using a sampler. He wrote the words to it after a van trip to the Swiss Alps in Switzerland; [31] Baker considered it to be about living in the moment. [32]

Release

Album promotion and touring

Despite its quick recording time, Baker mentioned that Jesus Jones did not have the time to release an album as they had to go back on tour. [5] Throughout 1990, their popularity increased as they trekked across other countries. [12] Over the next few months, they appeared at various festivals, [33] including Glastonbury and Reading. [34] In September 1990, the band embarked on their first tour of North America. [34] The following month, the band played a Andy Kershaw session for BBC Radio 1, where they performed "Right Here, Right Now", "International Bright Young Thing" and "Trust Me", [5] and went on a tour of the UK. [33]

Doubt was released in the UK on 21 January 1991 through Food Records; [35] "Are You Satisfied?" was included on the US copies of the album, but was absent from the UK editions. [22] SBK Records would gave the band a large amount of promotion in an attempt to break them in America, despite them being an alternative act amongst a roster of Wilson Phillips and Vanilla Ice. [7] The band performed at the Great British Music Weekend, a tie-in with the Brit Awards which featured leftfield acts, including the Farm and Ride. [36] In February 1991, the band went on a tour of the UK with support from Soho. [37] Jesus Jones embarked on a US tour, which lasted until June 1991, [34] with support from Ned's Atomic Dustbin. [38] MTV helped to boost the band's career in the US, with Edwards remarking that he could only considering himself a success if he made it in that territory. [39]

Jesus Jones released their first video album, Big in Alaska, on VHS through Picture Music International on 1 June 1991, [40] which collected the music videos from Liquidizer and Doubt. [41] Upon returning home to the UK, they supported INXS for a show at the Wembley Stadium to a crowd of 72,000, before returning to the US to appear at the MTV Video Music Awards. [33] Jesus Jones ended the year headlining a Food Records Christmas show alongside labelmates Blur, Diesel Park West and Whirlpool. [34] In January 1992, they played two shows in Brazil in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, respectively, [39] as part of the Rock in Rio festival. [33]

Singles

"Real, Real, Real" was released as the lead single from Doubt on 26 March 1990. [42] Its various CD, seven-inch and twelve-inch vinyl configurations included remixes alongside "Dead People's Lives" and "Info Freako". [43] [44] [45] The music video for "Real, Real, Real" features, as Baker describes, the band "dressed up like Muppets covered in vomit"; an alternative video was shot for the US market, directed by Pedro Romhanyi. The band performed the song on Top of the Pops on 12 April 1990. [5]

Coinciding with their first North American jaunt, "Right Here, Right Now" was released as the second single from the album on 24 September 1990. [46] The CD version featured "Are You Satisfied?", "Damn Good at This" and "Move Me" as the B-sides, [47] while the twelve-inch edition included "Are You Satisfied?" alongside remixes of "Right Here, Right Now" and the Liquidizer track "Move Mountains". [48] The music video for "Right Here, Right Now", which was filmed at Pinewood Studios, [5] shows footage of the band, cut with conflicts from across Europe in the late 1980s. Images of political figures George H. W. Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev and map of central Europe can also be seen. [49]

"Right Here, Right Now" sat outside of the UK top 30 single chart. This position, which was lower than "Real, Real, Real", did not concern SBK Records, who were waiting to issue Doubt in 1991 and push "Right Here, Right Now" soon afterwards. A group of US radio programmers had seen the band live in the UK and were ecstatic about "Right Here, Right Now", to the point they purchased copies of it and were subsequently playing them over the US airwaves. SBK's radio promoter Mike Mena called the stations, and while appreciative, asked them to stop until it went on sale. A week after this, Mena was contacted by one programmer who said their listeners were complaining about not being able to hear the track. The programmer said he was putting the track back in rotation and told Mena that the label should rush release it. [50] SBK officially sent the song to radio stations in December 1990. They had planned to issue an EP of live recordings until this happened, which eventually was made available at retail, [51] consisting of versions of tracks from Liquidizer. [52]

"International Bright Young Thing" was released as the album's third single in December 1990. [53] Its various CD, twelve-inch vinyl and picture disc configurations included remixes alongside "Maryland" and "Need to Know". [54] [55] [56] Baker said the music video for "International Bright Young Thing" has the band jumping on a boxing ring with a camera position above them. Though, as it was made using a green screen, the band had no clue what video would be like until it was finished. They performed the song on Top of the Pops on 10 January 1991, and then on Going Live! nine days later. [5]

"Who? Where? Why?" was released as the fourth single from the album on 18 February 1991. [57] Its various CD, ten-inch and twelve-inch vinyl configurations included remixes alongside "Caricature" and "Kill Today". [58] [59] [60] The band performed "Who? Where? Why?" on Top of the Pops at the end of the month. [5] "Right Here, Right Now" was reissued in July 1991 [53] with remixed versions of "Broken Bones", "Info Psyscho" and "Welcome Back Victoria" as its B-sides. [61] "Real, Real, Real" was released in the US on 30 July 1991. [62] "Welcome Back Victoria" was released as a promotional radio single in 1991, with the album version and a CHR remix done by Gary Hellman and John Luongo. [63]

A two-CD and DVD set of Doubt was released in 2014, collecting various B-sides, remixes, live performances and demos. [5] In September 2014, Jesus Jones went on their first UK trek in a decade, where they performed Doubt in its entirety. [64] [65] They subsequently repeated this in March 2015 with a trip to Australia [66] and New Zealand. [67] The regular version of the album, alongside 2014 bonus material, was included on the career-spanning box set Some of the Answers in 2022. [68] It was re-pressed on vinyl through Demon Records in 2022. [69]

"Who? Where? Why?", "International Bright Young Thing", "Right Here, Right Now", "Real, Real, Real" and "Welcome Back Victoria" were featured on the compilation album The Greatest (1998). [70] "International Bright Young Thing", "Right Here, Right Now" and "Blissed" were included on the compilation Never Enough (The Best of Jesus Jones) (2002). [71] "Right Here, Right Now", "Real, Real, Real" and "Stripped" were featured on the compilation The Collection – A Selection of Band Favourites and Rarities (2011). [72] "Trust Me", "Who? Where? Why?", "International Bright Young Thing", "Right Here, Right Now", "Real, Real, Real", "Welcome Back Victoria", "Are You Satisfied?" and "Blissed" were featured on the compilation Zeroes and Ones – The Best Of (2022). [73]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [74]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [75]
Entertainment Weekly B [76]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [77]
New Straits Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [78]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [79]
Select 4/5 [19]

Several critics praised the songwriting of Doubt. AllMusic reviewer Steve Huey said it "benefits greatly from Mike Edwards' improved songwriting, as well as a better idea of how to effectively fuse guitar-rock with samples and dance-club beats". [74] In a review for Entertainment Weekly , journalist Simon Reynolds added to this, saying it was "close to a perfect fusion of rock and house" music, [76] with Chabe singling out "International Bright Young Thing" as a prime example. [13] Iverson, meanwhile, considered the band to be "more than your usual musical smorgasbord", adding that they are able to "coax your carcass out on to the dance floor". [15] Perry was impressed that the band could avoid being pigeon-holed, ignoring trends of the day, but complained that many of the tracks were "too short. As soon as you sink into any particular rhythm that's it, too late". [19]

A few reviewers were less impressed with the songwriting. The Washington Post writer Mark Jenkins wrote that with Edwards "layering sing-along refrains over hammering synthetic rhythms and associated racket," the album "retains the sass and savvy" of Liquidizer. He thought that "Right Here, Right Now" and "Real, Real, Real" were significantly "less catchy than the ones [singles] that preceded it"; [18] Gary Graff and Doug Brod Trouser Press thought that the album lacked the "bursting freshness (or repetitiveness) of its predecessor". [22] In a retrospective piece for Pitchfork , contributor Chris Ott thought that the album's "techno-rock synthesis has aged disastrously"; despite this, he mentioned that it was "agonizingly samey and overflowing with filler". [16] New Straits Times 's R.S. Murthi wrote that "too often, the stylistic welding leads to some blurred moments where you don't know if there's a common thread holding it all together". [78]

Commercial performance

Doubt topped the albums chart in the UK; [2] in other territories, it peaked at number six in New Zealand, [80] number ten in Europe, [81] number 23 in Australia, [82] number 25 on the US Billboard 200 [83] and number 35 in Canada. [84] It was certified silver and gold by the British Phonographic Industry on the same day two weeks after release, [85] while the Recording Industry Association of America certified it gold in June 1991, and platinum by November 1991. [86] In other countries, the album was certified platinum by Music Canada [87] and Recorded Music NZ. [88]

"Real, Real, Real" charted at number 19 in the UK. [2] In the US, it peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100, [89] number five on Dance Club Songs, [90] number 26 on Alternative Airplay [91] and number 30 on Radio Songs. [92] In other territories, it peaked at number ten in Canada, [93] number 37 in New Zealand, [80] number 48 in Europe, [94] number 59 in the Netherlands [95] and number 117 in Australia. [82]

"Right Here, Right Now" charted at number 31 in the UK, both on original release and its reissue. [2] In the US, it peaked at number two on the Hot 100, being kept off the top spot by "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" (1991) by Bryan Adams. [96] It also reached number one on Alternative Songs, [97] number three on Radio Songs, [92] number seven on Mainstream Rock Airplay [98] and number 29 on Dance Club Songs. [90] In other territories, it reached number 18 in Canada, [99] number 29 in New Zealand, [80] number 35 in Australia, [100] number 61 in the Netherlands, [95] number 84 in Germany [101] and number 87 in Europe. [102]

"International Bright Young Thing" charted at number seven in the UK; [2] in other territories, it peaked at number six on Alternative Airplay in the US, [91] number 22 in New Zealand, [80] number 29 in Europe, [103] number 58 in Canada, [104] and number 79 in Australia. [82] "Who? Where? Why?" charted at number 21 in the UK, [2] number 48 in New Zealand [80] and number 82 in Europe. [105]

Accolades and legacy

Toledo Blade included Doubt on their list of the best releases from the year. [106] Jesus Jones had two Grammy Awards nominations: Doubt for Best Alternative Music Album and "Right Here, Right Now" for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. [107] "Right Here, Right Now" earned a BMI and PRS award for the most played track at college radio. [108] The band won the Best New Artist in a Video award for appearing in "Right Here, Right Now" at the MTV Awards. [109]

In July 1991, EMF, [110] an act that had been viewed as an imitation of Jesus Jones, had commercial success in the US with "Unbelievable" (1991), with it topping the Hot 100. [7] The concurrent Madchester movement had previously failed to crack the North American market, with the Charlatans having returned home from a US tour early in the first half of the year and the Stone Roses refusing to tour the country outright. [110] Similarly, the latter had been occupied with record company issues while the members of Happy Mondays had lost themselves in hedonism. Publications in the UK noted that Jesus Jones commercially outdid these two acts in the US. AJ Ramierz of PopMatters wrote that both "Right Here, Right Now" and "Unbelievable" would date "obscenely fast, a trait that relegated those singles to the status of curious novelties not long after", with their respective follow-up releases being "forgotten cast-offs of a big Brit-led dance-rock intersection which never materialized". [111]

Duerden said there was speculation of another British Invasion of the US charts, [12] with God Fodder (1991) by Ned's Atomic Dustbin following shortly after, though this did not ultimately occur. [112] Capitol Records' representative Jeffrey Shane, who attributed the band's cross-over success to his album-oriented rock (AOR) department, [113] said they made radio stations more conscious of the demand for alternative tracks on rock stations, and as such, aided the careers of Nirvana and School of Fish. [114] The staff at Toledo Blade said Jesus Jones' success, alongside that of Nirvana, helped to obscure the lines between alternative and mainstream music in 1991. [115] In a 1992 interview, Mark Arm of Mudhoney credited Jesus Jones' success for giving grunge its commercial breakthrough. [7] Christopher Lloyd of Louder Than War wrote in 2014 that the band "pioneer[ed] the use computers and samplers to create intelligent indie pop music, and history never really paid them their dues for doing so". [65]

Track listing

All songs written by Mike Edwards, except "Nothing to Hold Me" by Edwards and Iain Baker. [10]

  1. "Trust Me" – 2:08
  2. "Who? Where? Why?" – 3:35
  3. "International Bright Young Thing" – 3:12
  4. "I'm Burning" – 3:20
  5. "Right Here, Right Now" – 3:09
  6. "Nothing to Hold Me" – 3:21
  7. "Real, Real, Real" – 3:08
  8. "Welcome Back Victoria" – 3:37
  9. "Are You Satisfied?" – 3:52 (bonus track; not on all versions)
  10. "Two and Two" – 2:53
  11. "Stripped" – 3:51
  12. "Blissed" – 4:49

Personnel

Personnel per booklet. [10]

Charts and certifications

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Presence</i> (album) 1976 studio album by Led Zeppelin

Presence is the seventh album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. It was released by the band's own label Swan Song Records on 31 March 1976 in the United States and on 2 April 1976 in the United Kingdom. While the record was commercially successful, reaching the top of both the British and American album charts, and achieving a triple-platinum certification in the United States by the RIAA, it received mixed reviews from critics and is the lowest-selling album by the band.

<i>Achtung Baby</i> 1991 studio album by U2

Achtung Baby is the seventh studio album by the Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, and was released on 18 November 1991 by Island Records. After criticism of their 1988 release Rattle and Hum, U2 shifted their direction to incorporate influences from alternative rock, industrial music, and electronic dance music into their sound. Thematically, Achtung Baby is darker, more introspective, and at times more flippant than their previous work. For his lyrics, lead vocalist Bono was partly inspired by the marital issues of guitarist the Edge.

<i>Violator</i> (album) 1990 studio album by Depeche Mode

Violator is the seventh studio album by English electronic music band Depeche Mode. It was first released on 19 March 1990 by Mute Records internationally, and by Sire and Reprise Records in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jesus Jones</span> English alternative rock band

Jesus Jones are a British alternative rock band from Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire, formed in late 1988, who continue to record and perform, as of 2024. Their track "Right Here, Right Now" was an international hit, and was subsequently globally licensed for promotional and advertising campaigns. The single was also nominated for a Grammy award at the 34th Annual Grammy Awards in 1991, as was its album, Doubt. They also achieved chart success with the songs "Real Real Real", "International Bright Young Thing" and "Info Freako".

<i>Hope Is Important</i> 1998 studio album by Idlewild

Hope Is Important is the debut studio album by Scottish rock band Idlewild, released 26 October 1998 through Food Records. After finalizing their line-up and releasing two singles in 1997, the band released their mini album Captain in early 1998. Afterwards, the band signed with Food Records, and recorded their debut album between February and June 1998 at Chapel Studios in Lincolnshire and Westland Studios in Dublin with producer Paul Tipler. Described as a grunge and punk rock album, Hope Is Important was compared to Bleach (1989) by Nirvana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Clouds (Australian band)</span>

The Clouds are an indie rock band from Sydney, Australia formed in December 1989. The core of the group consisted of frontwomen Jodi Phillis and Patricia "Trish" Young. The line-up of The Clouds has changed several times with different drummers and lead guitarists. The Clouds' music is distinguished by rapid and unusual chord changes, creative bass guitar, and Phillis and Young's vocal harmonies. They released 4 albums and numerous EPs and singles before breaking up in 1997. They reformed in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Calling (song)</span> 1979 single by the Clash

"London Calling" is a song by the British punk rock band the Clash. It was released as a single from the band's 1979 double album of the same name. This apocalyptic, politically charged rant features the band's post-punk sound, electric guitar and vocals.

<i>Psychocandy</i> 1985 studio album by the Jesus and Mary Chain

Psychocandy is the debut studio album by Scottish rock band the Jesus and Mary Chain. It was released in November 1985 on Blanco y Negro Records. The album is considered a landmark recording: its combination of guitar feedback and noise with traditional pop melody and structure proved influential on the forthcoming shoegaze genre and alternative rock in general.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Better the Devil You Know</span> 1990 single by Kylie Minogue

"Better the Devil You Know" is a song by Australian singer-songwriter Kylie Minogue, taken from her third studio album Rhythm of Love (1990). The song was written and produced by Stock Aitken Waterman and was released as the album's lead single on 30 April 1990 by PWL and Mushroom Records. "Better the Devil You Know" is known as the song that re-invented Minogue with more sex appeal, as her previous albums were presented with her "girl next door" persona. Her music onwards presented a more independent approach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hella Good</span> 2002 single by No Doubt

"Hella Good" is a song by American rock band No Doubt from their fifth studio album, Rock Steady (2001). Written by Gwen Stefani, Tony Kanal and the Neptunes, and produced by Nellee Hooper and the band, "Hella Good" was released as the album's second single on March 11, 2002, and received positive reviews from contemporary music critics, who made comparisons to the work of a diverse range of artists such as Afrika Bambaataa and Madonna.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Train in Vain</span> 1980 single by the Clash

"Train in Vain" is a song by the English punk rock band the Clash. It was released as the third and final single from their third studio album, London Calling (1979). The song was not originally listed on the album's track listing, appearing as a hidden track at the end of the album. This was because the track was added to the record at the last minute, when the sleeve was already in production. Some editions include the song in the track listing. It was the first Clash song to reach the United States Top 30 charts and in 2010, the song was ranked number 298 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shocked (song)</span> 1991 single by Kylie Minogue

"Shocked" is a song by Australian singer Kylie Minogue from her third studio album, Rhythm of Love (1990). Written and produced by Stock Aitken and Waterman, "Shocked" was released as the album's fourth and final single in May 1991 by Mushroom and PWL. The song later appeared on most of Minogue's major compilations including Greatest Hits (1992), Ultimate Kylie (2004) and Step Back In Time: The Definitive Collection (2019). The DNA 7-inch mix of the song also includes a rap in the bridge by Jazzi P.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Real Real Real</span> 1990 single by Jesus Jones

"Real Real Real" is a song by UK band Jesus Jones from their second album, Doubt (1991). It was released in March 1990 as the first single from Doubt, just prior to the release of the album. "Real Real Real" peaked at No. 19 on the UK Singles Chart and became the band's second top-10 US hit, peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1991.

<i>Liquidizer</i> (album) 1989 studio album by Jesus Jones

Liquidizer is the debut album by British rock band Jesus Jones, released in October 1989 through Food Records. After various line-up changes, the members of the band moved to London, where frontman Mike Edwards would diversify his musical tastes. Guitarist Jerry de Borg joined soon after; in May 1988, Edwards acquired a sampler which would further his songwriting. With the addition of keyboardist Iain Baker, the band signed to Food Records by the end of the year. Initially enthusiastic about working with producer David Motion, recording sessions with him were fruitless. Craig Leon then produced Liquidizer in mid-1989, helping to give the album its signature tone, though the members would later be disappointed by the mixing.

<i>Perverse</i> (album) 1993 studio album by Jesus Jones

Perverse is the third studio album by British rock band Jesus Jones, released in 1993 on Food Records. After their international success following the release of Doubt (1991), Jesus Jones, especially band leader Mike Edwards, conceived Perverse as a darker, more contemporary album. Fusing rave and techno music into more traditional rock and pop song structures, the album is heavier than its predecessors with a much greater inclusion of industrial music and features lyrics that concern the future. Edwards wrote the lyrics of the album during the band's 1991 tour, using a Roland W-30 sampler to conceive songs in their earliest stages.

<i>Already</i> (Jesus Jones album) 1997 studio album by Jesus Jones

Already is the fourth album by the British rock band Jesus Jones, first released in 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Right Here, Right Now (Jesus Jones song)</span> 1990 single by Jesus Jones

"Right Here, Right Now" is a song by British alternative rock band Jesus Jones from their second studio album, Doubt (1991). It was released as the album's second single on 24 September 1990. Although it spent only nine nonconsecutive weeks on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 31, it became a top-10 hit in the United States; it topped the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 1991. The single sold over one million copies, won a BMI award, and was the song most played on college radio in 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">How Can I Love You More?</span>

"How Can I Love You More" is a song by British band M People, released as the first single from their debut album, Northern Soul (1991). The song was written by band members Mike Pickering and Paul Heard, and produced by M People. It was first released in October 1991 by Deconstruction Records, peaking at number 29 on the UK Singles Chart. Then it was re-released on 25 January 1993 by same label with several new remixes, this time becoming a bigger hit, peaking at number eight on the UK Singles Chart.

<i>Never Enough: The Best of Jesus Jones</i> 2002 compilation album by Jesus Jones

Never Enough: The Best of Jesus Jones is a compilation album/greatest hits album by British alternative rock/dance band Jesus Jones, released by the band's former record label EMI on 27 May 2002.

"International Bright Young Thing" is a song by British alternative dance band Jesus Jones. It was released as the third single from their second album, Doubt. The song was included on Jesus Jones's compilation album Never Enough: The Best of Jesus Jones, released in 2002.

References

  1. Lester, Paul (9 February 2023). "Jesus Jones – keeping up with the Jonses". Classic Pop . Archived from the original on 22 March 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Jesus Jones / full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 28 November 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  3. Edwards 2019, p. 22
  4. 1 2 3 4 Rowley, Scott (21 May 2018). "The music press killed Jesus Jones. But did the band have the last laugh?". Louder . Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Jesus Jones (2014). Doubt (booklet). Edsel Records/Rhino Entertainment. EDSG 8059.
  6. 1 2 Edwards 2019, p. 23
  7. 1 2 3 4 Raggett, Ned (3 October 2011). "Right There, Right Then: Jesus Jones' Alternative History of 1991". PopMatters . Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  8. Mena 1998, p. 44
  9. Mann ed. 1990, p. 37
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Jesus Jones (1991). Doubt (booklet). Capitol/SBK Records. CDP-95715/K2-95715.
  11. 1 2 3 Gettelman, Parry (23 August 1991). "Jesus Jones". Orlando Sentinel . Archived from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  12. 1 2 3 Duerden 2003, p. 542
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 Chabe, Matthew (23 September 2002). "Jesus Jones: Doubt". PopMatters . Archived from the original on 9 October 2002. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  14. 1 2 3 Pareles, Jon (14 October 1991). "Review/Rock; Getting Some Pop In the Gum". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 25 May 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  15. 1 2 Iverson 1991, p. E3
  16. 1 2 Ott, Chris. "Castoffs and Cutouts: The Top 50 Most Common Used CDs". Pitchfork . Archived from the original on 2 October 2003. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  17. Hochman, Steve (3 March 1991). "England's Jesus Jones Transcends Its Acid-House Beginnings". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  18. 1 2 3 Jenkins, Mark (6 March 1991). "Recordings". The Washington Post . Archived from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Perry 1991, p. 70
  20. 1 2 3 Baker 2022, p. 6
  21. Jesus Jones [@jesusjonesband] (11 May 2020). "WWW - Mike - I got the samples off a tape of African music I borrowed from Willesden Library" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 12 May 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2023 via Twitter.
  22. 1 2 3 4 Graff, Gary; Brod, Doug. "Jesus Jones". Trouser Press . Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  23. Doggett 2015, p. 554
  24. Jesus Jones [@jesusjonesband] (11 May 2020). "I'm Burning Mike - Well, this is me trying a little too hard to be like The Icicle Works. Andy Ross from Food Records loved this and wanted it on the album" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 13 May 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2023 via Twitter.
  25. Baker 2022, p. 5
  26. Jesus Jones [@jesusjonesband] (11 May 2020). "Nothing To Hold Me - Alan - I thought it sounded like a toilet flushing, but then Mike said it was a sample of the Tardis" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 16 May 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2023 via Twitter.
  27. Jesus Jones [@jesusjonesband] (11 May 2020). "Iain - it's about the girl I was going out with - Emma. I loved her to bits, but the band put a wedge between us. Then we went to Berlin, and I saw the wall, and wrote this. Symbolism, huh?" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 12 May 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2023 via Twitter.
  28. Baker 2022, p. 8
  29. Jesus Jones [@jesusjonesband] (11 May 2020). "Are You Satisfied - Mike - I was trying to write "Metal House", so, to mix up Rock guitar, and beats, and see what happened. I never quite got there, but I'm happy enough that Satisfied emerged, as a result" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 11 May 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2023 via Twitter.
  30. Jesus Jones [@jesusjonesband] (11 May 2020). "Two and Two Iain - it was codenamed 'Yaag' and was basically the sound of Mike trying to emulate Sonic Youth. Didn't work, obviously. Our career has been forged by a series of glorious mistakes" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 13 May 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2023 via Twitter.
  31. Baker 2022, p. 9
  32. Jesus Jones [@jesusjonesband] (11 May 2020). "Blissed is about being in the moment, and happy in that moment, but it's also about never forgetting that moment. About holding on to it, so you'll always have something to be thankful for (2)" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 12 May 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2023 via Twitter.
  33. 1 2 3 4 "Biography". Jesus Jones. Archived from the original on 24 January 1998. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  34. 1 2 3 4 "Jesus Jones - Chronologically Speaking". Jesus Jones. Archived from the original on 21 January 1997. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  35. Redmond ed. 1991a, p. X
  36. Harris 2004, p. 154
  37. Redmond ed. 1991b, p. 8
  38. Hard ed. 1992a, p. 43
  39. 1 2 So 1991, p. o7
  40. Redmond ed. 1991d, p. 21
  41. Jesus Jones (1991). Big in Alaska (sleeve). Picture Music International. MVR 9900933.
  42. Dalton ed. 1990, p. 33
  43. Jesus Jones (1990). "Real Real Real" (sleeve). Food Records. CD FOOD 24/20 3795 2.
  44. Jesus Jones (1990). "Real Real Real" (sleeve). Food Records. 12 FOOD 24.
  45. Jesus Jones (1990). "Real Real Real" (sleeve). Food Records. FOOD 24.
  46. Anon. (8 September 1990). "Advertisement". Record Mirror . ISSN   0144-5804.
  47. Jesus Jones (1990). "Right Here, Right Now" (sleeve). Food Records/EMI. cd food 25/20 4051 2.
  48. Jesus Jones (1990). "Right Here, Right Now" (sleeve). Food Records. 12food 25/20 4051 6.
  49. Osborn 2021, p. 19
  50. Cavanagh 2000, p. 366
  51. Ryan 1990, p. 47
  52. Jesus Jones (1990). Live (sleeve). Food/SBK Records. K2-19727.
  53. 1 2 "Jesus Jones UK Discography". Jesus Jones. Archived from the original on 24 January 1998. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  54. Jesus Jones (1991). "International Bright Young Thing" (sleeve). Food Records/EMI. CDFOOD 27/20 4181 2.
  55. Jesus Jones (1991). "International Bright Young Thing" (sleeve). Food Records. 12 FOOD 27.
  56. Jesus Jones (1991). "International Bright Young Thing" (sleeve). Food Records. 12 FOOD PD27.
  57. Redmond ed. 1991c, p. vi
  58. Jesus Jones (1991). "Who? Where? Why?" (sleeve). Food Records/EMI. CD FOOD 28/20 4237 2.
  59. Jesus Jones (1991). "Who? Where? Why?" (sleeve). Food Records. 10 FOOD 28.
  60. Jesus Jones (1991). "Who? Where? Why?" (sleeve). Food Records. 12 FOOD 28.
  61. Jesus Jones (1991). "Right Here, Right Now" (sleeve). Food Records/EMI. CD FOOD 30/2043922.
  62. "Real Real Real - Jesus Jones / Release Info". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  63. Jesus Jones (1991). "Welcome Back Victoria" (sleeve). SBK Records. DPRO-05423.
  64. Baines, Huw (14 April 2014). "Jesus Jones To Play 'Doubt' In Full On September UK Tour". Stereoboard. Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  65. 1 2 Lloyd, Christopher (13 September 2014). "Jesus Jones, Doubt Live 2014: Birmingham – live review". Louder Than War . Archived from the original on 29 July 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  66. Hassan, Darren (10 February 2015). "Interview: Jesus Returns To Australia!". Glam Adelaide. Archived from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  67. McNaughton, Mac (10 February 2015). "Live Review: Jesus Jones, The Killer Hipsters". The Music . Archived from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  68. Jesus Jones (2022). Some of the Answers (booklet). Edsel Records/RT Industries. EDSL0120X.
  69. Jesus Jones (2022). Doubt (sleeve). Demon Records. DEMREC953.
  70. Jesus Jones (1998). The Greatest (booklet). Toshiba EMI. TOCP-51062.
  71. Jesus Jones (2002). Never Enough (The Best of Jesus Jones) (booklet). Liberty EMI Records UK. 7243 537508 2 4.
  72. Jesus Jones (2011). The Collection – A Selection of Band Favourites and Rarities (booklet). EMI/Food Records. 7243 537508 2 4.
  73. Baker 2022, p. 3
  74. 1 2 Huey, Steve. "Doubt - Jesus Jones | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  75. Larkin 2007, p. 1997
  76. 1 2 Reynolds, Simon (24 May 1991). "Hybrid sounds". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on 5 May 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  77. Durchholz; Graff eds. 1999, p. 601
  78. 1 2 Murthi 1991, p. 29
  79. DeCurtis; George-Warren; Henke eds. 1992, p. 367
  80. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "New Zealand chart peaks". Charts.nz. Archived from the original on 29 March 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  81. 1 2 "Eurochart Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media . Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 January 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  82. 1 2 3 4 Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mount Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  83. 1 2 "Billboard 200". Billboard . Archived from the original on 14 October 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  84. 1 2 "Image : RPM Weekly". RPM . Archived from the original on 17 January 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023 via Library and Archives Canada.
  85. 1 2 "British album certifications – Jesus Jones – Doubt". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  86. 1 2 "American album certifications – Jesus Jones – Doubt". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  87. 1 2 "Canadian album certifications – Jesus Jones – Doubt". Music Canada . Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  88. 1 2 "New Zealand album certifications – Jesus Jones – Doubt". Recorded Music NZ . Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  89. "Jesus Jones Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 14 January 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  90. 1 2 "Jesus Jones Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 14 January 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  91. 1 2 "Jesus Jones Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 12 January 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  92. 1 2 "Jesus Jones Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 14 January 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  93. "Image : RPM Weekly". RPM. Archived from the original on 1 February 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2023 via Library and Archives Canada.
  94. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 January 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  95. 1 2 "Dutch chart peaks". Dutchcharts.nl. Archived from the original on 29 May 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  96. "The Hot 100". Billboard. 27 July 1991. Archived from the original on 3 January 2015. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  97. "Alternative Songs Chart 25th Anniversary: Top 100 Songs". Billboard. 9 September 2013. Archived from the original on 29 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  98. "Jesus Jones Chart History (Mainstream Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 14 January 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  99. "Image : RPM Weekly". RPM. Archived from the original on 17 October 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2023 via Library and Archives Canada.
  100. "Australian chart peaks". Australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on 29 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  101. "Jesus Jones Right Here, Right Now". Offiziellecharts.de. Archived from the original on 18 October 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  102. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 October 2020. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  103. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  104. "Image : RPM Weekly". RPM. Archived from the original on 9 April 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2023 via Library and Archives Canada.
  105. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 October 2020. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  106. Anon. 1992b, p. G3
  107. Anon. 1992a, p. B3
  108. Ahrold ed. 1992, p. 16
  109. Burns ed. 1991, p. 18
  110. 1 2 Wills; Sheehan 1999, p. 56, 60, 61
  111. Ramierz, AJ (16 June 2020). "The Year Alternative Rock Went Massive and Defined a Decade". PopMatters . Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  112. Unterberger, Andrew (11 January 2017). "Nirvana Topped the Billboard 200 25 Years Ago, But Garth Brooks & MC Hammer Still Dominated the Charts". Billboard. Archived from the original on 29 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  113. Hard ed. 1992b, p. 25
  114. Hard 1992, p. 34
  115. Anon. 1992b, p. G2

Bibliography

AV media and books

Journals and magazines

Further reading