Darklands (album)
# Darklands (album)

Professional ratings :

| Review scores ||
| - | - |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
| Mojo | |
| Paste | |
| Pitchfork | 7.8/10 |
| Q | |
| Record Collector | |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | |
| Select | 4/5 |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 8/10 |
| The Village Voice | B+ |

Darklands is the second studio album by Scottish alternative rock band the Jesus and Mary Chain, released on 31 August 1987 by Blanco y Negro Records. The album is the band's first to use drum machines, replacing live drummer Bobby Gillespie, who had left to pursue a career as the frontman of Primal Scream. Lead vocals are performed by Jim Reid, with the exception of "Darklands", "Nine Million Rainy Days" and "On the Wall", which are sung by William Reid.

Darklands reached number five on the UK Albums Chart, the band's highest-peaking album on the chart to date. The album was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Primal Scream later recorded a cover version of the album's title track as a B-side to their 1998 single "If They Move, Kill 'Em".

## Track listing

All tracks are written by William Reid and Jim Reid.

## Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Darklands.

### The Jesus and Mary Chain

* Jim Reid – vocals (all tracks except 1, 5, 9)
* William Reid – vocals (tracks 1, 5, 9); production (all tracks)

### Additional personnel

* Bill Price – production (tracks 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9)
* John Loder – production (tracks 5, 7, 10)
* Tony Harris – engineering (track 2)
* Tim Broad – video photography
* John Maybury – video photography
* Helen Backhouse – design
* Andrew Catlin – photography

## Charts

Chart performance for Darklands :

| Chart (1987) | Peak position |
| - | - |
| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) | 81 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) | 64 |
| European Albums (Music & Media) | 38 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) | 20 |
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) | 38 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) | 23 |
| UK Albums (OCC) | 5 |
| US Billboard 200 | 161 |

## Certifications

Certifications for Darklands :

| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
| - | - | - |
| United Kingdom (BPI) | Gold | $100,000^^$ |
| $^^$ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |||
