Munki

The album that almost never was – the first version of the album was rejected by their label; they returned to the studio, kept recording (through a drink and drug haze), and ended up back on the label that released their debut single. Listening back, it’s wild to think anyone could refuse to release Munki. It’s a weird triumph, an album that harnesses all that’s good about the Mary Chain – exquisite pop; lacerating noise; sleazy rock; music as meta-commentary; lyrics so dumb they’re brilliant – and adds in a strange, destabilising experimental edge, with electronics and found sound cut-ups jumbling the picture. It also gave the world two of the Mary Chain’s greatest singles – the disaffected sneer of “I Hate Rock ‘n’ Roll,” and perhaps their finest moment, the late night, hot-under-the-collar scrawl of “Cracking Up.” Which is what the band were doing – the Reid brothers were fighting constantly – but it made for great rock music.