Sensational Debuts: The Stone Roses' Self Titled LP
I figured: in for a penny, in for a pound when it comes to producing articles covering sensational debuts. I released an article on an album from the nineties, now it’s time for a LP from the eighties.
The Stone Roses (as well as The Smiths to be fair - I may be teasing a Smiths article at this rate) transformed the British musical landscape. Their inventive mix of psychedelia, jangle pop, indie rock, and alternative rock pioneered the Madchester sound, which inspired Britpop bands abound including legends such as Blur and Oasis.
Formed in 1983, Ian Brown’s (lead vocalist and songwriter) nonchalant, charismatic persona as well as John Squire’s (lead guitarist) virtuosity and swagger, accompanied by the consistency in Mani (bassist) and Reni’s (drummer) performances led to the Roses getting a record contract that has proved inspirational to many British indie bands looking to make it big.
The band released their eponymous album in 1989. It divided opinion at the time, given that many of their hardcore fans thought the band were selling out, whilst many contemporary critics had mixed views, believing the LP failed to capitalise on the growing reputation the Madchester sound was garnering at the time. But, as aforementioned, it proved to be one of the most seminal albums to be released in that decade: how does it hold up 35 years later?
It holds up very well. The opener ‘I Wanna Be Adored’ is an undisputed classic - it’s vintage Stone Roses. It’s such an honest proclomation of the desire for fame, and it proves to be all the more pertinent and relatable given the dating market nowadays: the hook is doubly amusing too given that it sounds like Brown is saying I wanna be a door.
The second track ‘She Bangs The Drum’ has a real groovy riff: it’s so eighties in terms of sound that it’s clear the band had their ear on the ground regarding the pop sound at the time despite being the kings of Indie. ‘Waterfall’ is probably the most iconic track off the LP. Squire’s riff is irresistible and the song generally has such a great psychedelic, hydraulic sound. The bridge is amazing too: Reni’s drumming is amazing.
The Mancunian swagger comes through in songs such as ‘(Song for my) Sugar Spun Sister’ and ‘This is the One’. The latter was played at the start of every Man United match for the longest time and for good reason: it has an epic feel to it. The melody on the former is unpredictable and it leaves you wanting more in a very good way. Generally speaking, the project has an unmistakeable sound that producer John Leckie harnessed very well.
‘Bye Bye Bad Man’ is a really charming song, with its delicious soundscape: it’s psychedelic and melodic in a delightful way. ‘Made of Stone’ is probably the Roses at their most dramatic on the album: it’s musically very well-written, the guitar crescendo at the chorus is particularly memorable.
The album is not perfect, of course: ‘Don’t Stop’ is the worst track on the album right from the jump. It’s an experiment gone wrong: it’s a track that reverses ‘Waterfall’. It was a bad idea from the start and unsurprisingly the result is poor to say the least.
However, the closer ‘I Am the Resurrection’ is glorious. The melody, especially at the chorus, is infectious and John Squire’s guitar work holds the song together: his solo at the last half of the track is amazing. This is probably my favourite track despite it being quite blasphemous.
Overall, I recommend The Stone Roses’ debut LP, especially given that it’s a rock album from the eighties, which, in all honesty, was a lean period for popular rock music, let alone guitar pop music. It’s an album that still defines a city’s sound 35 years later, which is no mean feat.