Jesus And Mary Chain Principals Reunite For Sister Vanilla LP

12/20/06 2:30pm

by Jason MacNeil (CHARTattack)

Although The Jesus And Mary Chain aren't reforming, fans of Jim and William Reid might have the next best thing coming in March.

Chemikal Underground, the British record label founded by members of the now defunct Delgados, is releasing Little Pop Rock, the debut album by Sister Vanilla, a group featuring Jim, William, JAMC guitarist Ben Lurie and Linda Reid, Jim and William's younger sister. The record was originally released in Japan in 2005 through P-Vine Records, but has not been officially released in North America or Britain.

According to the label's site, the album is described as "an exhilaratingly fresh pop record which also serves as a timely reminder of just how essential the seminal group from East Kilbride actually were." The record is also the first to have both William and Jim Reid together since The Jesus And Mary Chain's 1998 swan song, Munki.

"With Little Pop Rock, we have an album to cherish that is every bit as good as its illustrious predecessors and if it provides us with the best opportunity of welcoming Jim and William Reid back to the table, we only have their sister Linda to thank," the statement says.

The Japanese version of the album contained 11 songs, such as "What Goes Around," "Can't Stop The Rock," "Kissaround," "Pastel Blue" and "Two Of Us."

Jim Reid has kept busy with some projects, including working on new material for a solo album. He released a debut single in November 2005 titled "Song For A Secret" and released another single called "Dead End Kids" this past July. "Dead End Kids" can be heard on his MySpace page.

Reid also had another album, Back On The Water, released earlier this year by Freeheat, a group including himself and Lurie.