SISTER VANILLA LITTLE POP ROCK ALBUM CHEMICAL UNDERGROUND, BORDER RELEASE: APRIL 2, 2007 REVIEW: APRIL 14, 2007

Somehow, I’m not surprised that William and Jim Reid decided to become friends again and make a record with their sister Linda. Remember the song "Moe Tucker" on brilliant Jesus and Mary Chain album "Munki"? Well, that’s her singing. This album has been in the making for ten years (when did the troublesome duo of William and Jim ever do something straight forward?). Somehow it has been out in Japan for at least a year already.

It’s all trange and awkward, just at it should be.

Not surprisingly either, but very gratifying for a huge JAMC fan as myself, the album actually sounds very much like JAMC, but sadly with less feedback and more melodies. Think something between "Darklands" and "Stoned & Dethroned" and you get the idea. The album doesn’t really pick up pace until fifth song "Can’t Stop the Rock", but that’s OK as long as you’re not expecting a real JAMC album. That, it isn’t. "Little Pop Rock" is more of a mellow story, with sweet honey dripping and sunny songs. Better suited for lazy afternoons with a drink or two on the porch than for the club.

What puzzles me though, is that they don’t make more of this opportunity. Make a grand pop rock album instead of a little one, to make fun of the title “Little Pop Rock”. Make great rock songs, not cute ones like "Pastel Blue". One of the best songs on the album is "The Two of Us"; actually an old tune from the Reid project Freeheat, and that says quite a lot about the record. It is half finished with some borrowed ideas.

And, of course, the album gets better when William or Jim sings. But that’s just the die-hard JAMC-fan speaking again. Not surprisingly at all, actually. And when that fan compares "Little Pop Rock" to sonic masterpieces "Psychocandy", "Automatic" and "Munki", it finds it lacking.

KALLE MALMSTEDT