1001 Albums Summary

The Stone Roses are one of the most recognisable Madchester groups, and this album was arguably one of the biggest influences of the Britpop genre that soon emerged out of the UK. The album has everything one would expect from a post-punk era rock band from introspective lyrics to intelligent, melody-driven guitar playing, incorporated with a touch of original production that led to truly unique moments such as the opening of 'I Wanna Be Adored' and the reversed ostinato of 'Don't Stop.' The album captures a sound that can only be described as quintessentially Manchester, and there is some genuine virtuosity on the guitar from John Squire that mixes the overdriven sound of the 60's with the more subtle melodies of post-punk. Tracks to look out for include Waterfall, She Bangs the Drums, and I Am the Resurrection.

You would be forgiven for mistaking Fiona Apple's voice for the likes of Amy Winehouse at times, or at others for Patti Smith's. In truth, her powerful, jazz-inspired vocals are really the strongest part of this record, with impressive variations in pitch and tone throughout. This album captures a dark and mysterious mood which is driven by the sullen, meandering piano chord progressions which seem to always take you in a different direction to one you were expecting. However, given the fairly similar tempo and soundscape of most tracks this mood arguably becomes monotonous, with few variations of style to break this up. As stand-alone songs, many of the tracks in this album hold their own and are genuinely unique, but when played consecutively on a 50-minute long-player, I found myself looking for a breath of fresh air.

The most successful band in history, the most influential group of all time, the greatest artist ever - all are things often said about the Beatles - and there is plenty of truth to it. However, this makes it extremely difficult to listen to their music in a way that is not clouded by these opinions. Attempting to listen to their music in absence of any of its contextual significance would be like trying to review Hamlet whilst ignoring the fact that it was written by Shakespeare. It is an album that has become so revered over the decades that it seems to have transcended criticism, and anything less than adoration of it will surely be met with scorn and disbelief ("You don't like the Beatles...?"). So what does one do when listening to Abbey Road for the first time? Do you try to drown out the endless stream of praise that fills every music forum and review? Or do you try to drown it out and listen objectively? The crowning glory of this album is not 'Come Together' or 'Here Comes the Sun,' but is its second half of nearly continuous music that starts with 'You Never Give Me Your Money' and runs through until the penultimate track. Given the complexities involved with analogue recording at the time, this must have been a genuine technological achievement, and musically it is just as impressive - some of their best harmonies are found here, and motifs from previous tracks in the 'medley' spring up sporadically and offer a homogeneity reminiscent of a concept album. Despite this, some tracks do not live up to the reputation that this album has garnered, (e.g. Maxwell's Silver Hammer, Octopus's Garden) and are at times almost laughably formless and cheesy. For the greatest album of all time, I was disappointed. Of course, some would argue it was deliberate and genius - but it has left me wondering whether people would say that if it was released by another band. Their influence, prolificity, and impact can not be understated, but it is all too often that context alters our view on what is actually there. At the end of the day, the music should answer for itself: if, when standing on its own two feet, it falls short of expectations or does not speak to us in a meaningful way, then it is worthy of criticism all the same... Beatles or not. Tracks to look out for include 'Old Darling,' 'Come Together,' 'Golden Slumbers.'