- Label
- Fiction
- Release date
- 24th September 2007
- Genre
- Indie
Ex-Stone Roses frontman excels musically but frustrates lyrically
Since The Stone Roses split in 1996, Ian Brown has forged a highly unlikely, but successful solo career over the course of four well-received albums. Evolving a cocksure dance-rock sound that swaggered like the man himself, Brown has also developed a taste for fancying himself as a Manc Bob Marley – all cod-religious proclamations and sociological platitudes that felt swathed in a haze of spliff smoke.
The irony is that while this fifth effort, we are told, was made during a cannabis-free nine months, "King Monkey" has wrenched up the stoner mysticism another notch. Brown tackles Iraq (Illegal Attacks, with a whispering Sinead O’Connor), downtrodden kids (Street Children) and Africa (Save Us) - and there’s nothing wrong with that. Only that he struggles to find wit and insight beyond war is bad, kids need love, you get what you give etc. This is a shame because the music is absolute quality. Lush string arrangements glide across blunted hip hop beats and rumbling basslines with delicious menace – best seen on Sister Rose, beefed up by guitar and drums from Steve Jones and Paul Cook from the Sex Pistols. That voice remains unmistakeable but it’s its sound, rather than words, that will keep you hooked.
More to try: Ian Brown: Music Of The Spheres Unkle: Psyence Fiction The Stone Roses: The Second Coming
