2LP, Compilation
Silvertone Records – 88725406221 (2016) EU
The Stone Roses were the full package: they had the tough demeanor and insular mentality of any group of friends from a rugged city, they had a unique look comprised of bucket hats, Adidas sportswear, baggy jeans, and oversized T-shirts, and they talked a mean fight in interviews. But musically they were groaning with talent - Gary ‘Mani' Mounfied (bass) and Alan ‘Reni' Wren (drums) made complex rhythms seem effortless, guitarist John Squire could give his beloved Jimmy Page a run for his money, and frontman Ian Brown balanced a punk sensibility with a hippy mentality.
Leading a classicist renaissance in rock, The Stone Roses sparked the "Madchester" scene in 1989, lighting a fire that would be kept lit by the likes of Oasis. Their first comprehensive anthology, 2002's The Very Best Of The Stone Roses has key cuts from the band's lone but legendary two studio LPs The Stone Roses ("I Wanna Be Adored," "She Bangs the Drums," "Waterfall," "Made of Stone," "I Am The Resurrection") and Second Coming ("Love Spreads," "Ten Storey Love Song") plus their best one-offs like "Fools Gold," "One Love," "Made of Stone," and "Elephant Stone" among others!