The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses - Review

What can I say about this album that hasn’t already been said a million times?

‘The Stone Roses’ is an album often hailed to be ‘the greatest British album of all time’ by critics, and I for one, deem it to be worthy of such an accolade.

Having spent the best part of the 90’s worshipping The Stone Roses; I’ve known this album inside out since my early teens and it’s been a long time since I’ve re-visited it in its entirety.

One thing I’ll say is I can’t really tell the difference between the original and the new re-mastered version, so don’t be expecting a new sounding album to jump out of your speakers. 
Perhaps it might take a few listens for to notice subtle differences and why would you want to tinker with perfection in the first place?

The main thing that excited me with this new package is the bonus demo versions of a number of songs. Much like the Sex Pistols ‘Spunk’ album, the opportunity to hear one of the finest bands of all time in a much rawer form enables you to hear them in a way that creates a picture of a band with all their potential yet to be harnessed.

Although Sony may be packaging these demos as being ‘unheard’, I remember being given a very bad quality cassette tape whilst still at school entitled ‘...And on the sixth day whilst god created Manchester...The Lord created The Stone Roses’ which contained demo songs that sounded suspiciously similar to the one featured on this disc.

5 out 5

 

Tim Forrester