The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses
The best British debut album of all time? Maybe, but I’m sure fans of the Beatles would have something to say about that. The best British debut of the last 25 years? Certainly. Although bands like the Smiths had previously drawn of sixties influences earlier in the decade this was the album they signalled British guitar music had got its soul back. While this is essentially a guitar based album it is difficult not to under estimate the contribution of drummer “Reni” (Alan Wren) that transforms this from just another guitar based rock album. I dare you to try and listen to this album without your foot starting to tap or your head nodding to the funky beats laid down here.From opening song “I Wanna Be Adored” right through the sensational closer “I Am The Resurrection” not a moment is wasted and there is no sign of the over indulgence that would scar their long awaited follow up “Second Coming”. The rumbling bass tones of the opening track give way to Reni’s relentlessly pounding drums augmented by licks of John Squire’s guitar you know are in for something special. Even Ian Brown, whose vocals have been called into question manages to sound melodic. And that is the trick here, melody. Second track “She Bangs The Drums” makes me feel like I’m falling in love with someone, the heading mix of Mani’s bass and Squire’s guitar provides the perfect backdrop to Ian Browns vocals, just listening to it now makes me come over all giddy!Throughout the course of the album the listener feels involved, as if you were on voyage of discovery with the band themselves, credit for this has to go to producer John Leckie for guiding the band through their first full length recording. “Waterfall“, and its cousin “Don’t Stop” make you feel as if you were in the middle of a dreamscape partly due to the fact that they are essentially the same song. “Don’t Stop” is, in fact a demo of the former played backwards, and it is experimentation like this that draws further comparisons with another band from the Northwest some 30 years earlier! Infact, the comparisons don’t stop there, listen to the lyrics to “Bye Bye Badman” and “Sugar Spun Sister” the imagery such as “every member of parliament trips on glue” sound remarkably similar to that painted Lennon in “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds”, and the sixties references don’t stop there, listen to “Elizabeth My Dear”…..Simon and Garfunkel anyone?
You can’t talk about this album without mentioning the Manchester music scene at the time (known as Madchester) and other bands such as the Inspiral Carpets and The Happy Mondays. Together with the Stone Roses and a newly discovered drug “Ecstasy” they laid the foundations for the UK’s second summer of love along with the acid house scene.
It is perhaps ironic that possibly the most famous song on the album “Made Of Stone” is probably the most traditional rock song here. I say that with a sense of hesitancy, but it is still a wonderful track, John Squire once described it as scoring the winning goal at a Wembley cup final whilst riding a Harley Davidson motorcycle…..he may well have a point as this was what got the Roses noticed by the wider public. The album closes in style with “This Is The One” and “I Am The Resurection”, the later with its thumping drumbeat and spine chilling instrumental. Indeed this song was released as a single sounding very tiny and shorn of the ending and was very much the poorer for it. My advice….stick to the album version!
At the end of the day the best compliment I can give this album is that whenever I listen to it, where ever I am and whatever mood I am in it always, without fail reminds me of a hot summers day. Who can want more than that? I certainly don’t!
The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses
1989 Silvertone Rocords
Producer: John Leckie
Players:
Ian Brown - Vocals
John Squire - Guitar
Alan “Reni” Wren - Drums
Gary “Mani” Mounfield - Bass
I Wanna Be Adored
She Bangs The Drums
Waterfall
Don’t Stop
Bye Bye Badman
Elizabeth My Dear
(Song For My) Sugar Spun Sister
Made Of Stone
Shoot You Down
This Is The One
I Am The Resurrection
Just to pass on my eternal thanks for introducing me to this album while at Uni buddy, and the great many beers we enjoyed while listening to it. I echo your sentiment that it’s album for any time and keeps it’s freshness. The only annoyance I have is with Don’t Stop, but I guess that was a bit of an experiment.
Just a pity they took ages to produce a disappointing follow-up, and then they pretty much split after that……………….
Comment by Ed — May 2, 2008 @ 5:46 pm