Maybe you expect your favorite artists to churn out album after album in the exact same style. That's a narrow minded approach in my eyes. Except for AC/DC.
Basically, Ian solo, does whatever he thinks of, and the results are erratic, often intriguing and sporadically excellent. His former guitarist writing partner is an intense introverted perfectionist who only wants to release stuff if it's absolutely perfect. Sound familiar? These two personalities reminds me of another band....one the Roses were compared to when Second Coming came out!
Incidentally, I wonder when the Nigel Ippinson "what it was like in the post-95 Roses" book is coming out?
Yup. I mean, really, you have an entire second Roses album with Turns Into Stone. Sure, I'd love a little more in that style, since their catalog is so frustratingly small, but if they'd done Roses-soundalike stuff as solo artists they'd have been ridiculed, I think. There's no winning. Brown's solo stuff is frustratingly uneven, but each album has a few keeper tracks that are enough to keep me checking out what he does.
And the reunited band quickly realized they had nothing to win by releasing new material. I mean how much fun is it to have the world dump on your creative endeavours? All For One was rather simplistic, but Beautiful Thing was rather good and showed promise to me. So, it sounded too much like old Stone Roses. If they'd tried something even slightly radical new the world would still have aimed its collective poo at them .
I'm still super bummed about that. But certainly there was an insane amount of pressure on the new material. Problem is, it just wasn't good. I mean, "Beautiful Thing" graded on a curve is an okay b-side, but your first new music in 20+ years...needed to be better. They had plenty to win, I just don't think they were up to the task. I'm going to be sad about this till I die.
Well they sort of did do that.... some of The Seahorses songs were written whilst Squire was in The Roses, and half of Brown's first solo album is effectively re-recorded versions of unissued Roses songs, including one - "Ice Cold Cube" - The Roses played live in 1996.
Yeah, but I don’t think any of it sounds like early Roses. I had Squire’s solo albums back in my CD days but I couldn’t tell you at all what they sounded like at this point.
I have Time Changes Everything. It sounds more like Dylan than Stone Roses, very few quitar solos. I think it's quite good, better than Seahorses, who didn't really have a strong identity.
Maybe that's why I don't remember it. I mean, I love Dylan, but Squire doing Dylan...probably didn't register with me. I certainly don't want him to repeat himself over and over again stylistically, but if I listen to an album with Squire on it, I'm there for some kind of guitar stuff.
He's an incredible guitar player, so it's a bit sad he's only ever found one good creative outlet for that - Stone Roses. And there he had to contend with Ian's frequently out of tune vocals.
If you listen to the solo artist Brown became, its a long way from singing for a guitar hero. His 'vocals' can survive in atmospheric soundscapes
That's a valid point; the more guitar heavy approach on Second Coming required vocal skills Brown did not possess. His limited range and wavering pitch works best with "atmospheric" music as you put it...
Proving they weren't a 1 album wonder? I really liked the Blur reunion album and that was also a protracted effort. Plus Suede. Even a really nice reunion live release with 3-4 new songs could do wonders for them. Heaton Park blu ray would be jaw dropping judging by the 13 minute clip.
My post was about the reaction from fans and critics to the new material. They murdered it and voted NO to any further new stuff essentially. And the band listened. Everyone should be happy. People are far less precious about Blur or Suede.
the seahorses weren't that awful. the solos especially on "love is the law" and the live versions of it, were ace
A couple things I have come across lately The Jon Savage Comp on the era is great. It has an underground Stone Roses Instrumental on it that I had never heard before. It must have been their trip song. The Stone Roses Full Fathom Five (CD Version) is the song Jon Savage - Perfect Motion (Jon Savage's Secret History Of Second Wave Psychedelia 1988-93) Also the Music on Vinyl edition is awesome for Turns Into Stone it is an incredible listen. Fool's Gold has never sounded so good.
Anyone know what Reni has been up to since the most recent split? It would be such a shame if he never did anything again.
If I saw it in a store I'd probably pull the trigger, but I haven't been able to justify it online. My old CD rip sounds okay, but it'd be fun to have all these on vinyl, i just question how much better it'd sound than the old 1992-ish CD I ripped.
Way better it is an incredible listen. No way the cd sounds as good after hearing it. Also it is still cheap on Discogs. The Stone Roses - Turns Into Stone