The Stone Roses Clear

The Stone Roses' first album is an undisputed landmark of the pre-BritPop / `Madchester' era - one that would prove enormously influential on the early to mid-90's Britpop bands like Oasis, Blur, etc. This new remastered edition (2cd's/1DVD) is a very good value for the money (I paid around $20-22), as you get:The debut album itself, which sounds FAR better than the original CD. The original cd sounded a bit `thin', and this reissue sounds clearer, with more bass, and an overall higher sound level - I A/B'd it on my home system, and the reissue thundered. The only drawback to the album itself in this package is the omission of `Elephant Stone', which, I found out, was not on the original UK release, but was on the US cd that I have, as a bonus cut. `Elephant Stone', which is a very good cut, IS on disc 2 of this collection, albeit in demo form, so if you have the original CD (or the Complete Stone Roses cd), don't get rid of them just yet as they have the 'real' versions of the song, which you'll want to have.The 2nd disc is of demos - quality (sonics and artistic) vary a bit, and there's some good material here of both album and non-album songs, so for the hard-core Stone Roses fan, it's an interesting, insightful document.Disc 3 is a DVD containing the August 1989 Blackpool show that is generally acknowledged as a crucial show in their history. I don't think every song from the show is actually on this (judging by the running time of around 55 minutes and the setlist you can see in shots of Reni's drumkit), but it's very good, and the end raveup (last 10 min of the show) is probably what cemented their reputation. Film quality is decent - some grain, but more than ok for viewing on a big screen (as I did). This DVD sealed my satisfaction with the package, as I believe it was only previously available in the US on hard-to-find VHS and import DVD's (I have it on my PAL version of the Complete Stone Roses). There are also six videos from the era on this DVD, which were also on The Complete Stone Roses. So versus the Complete Stone Roses import DVD I have, we're basically missing the TV appearances on disc 2 of that set, but for what you get here, it's probably more important to have the Blackpool show.Excellent packaging, nice notes from the principals, with the notable omission of having no comments from John Squire, who doesn't appear to have participated much in this project (Producer John Leckie and Ian Brown supervised the remastering) - apparently, Squire and Brown still aren't seeing eye to eye (putting it mildly), after all these years. Too bad - it'd have been nice to have some insights/narrative from Squire, who is arguably the best guitarist of that generation. All in all, though, a nice packaging/remaster of one of the key rock albums of the last 20 years - if you've never owned it, this is a terrific edition to get just for the album itself and the DVD, and if you only have the original edition, this one is a near-revelation.

Highly influential was this Manchester band, the Stone Roses.They only put two albums out in their whole 12 year career, but this one marked the Stone Roses as a very important Rock band who crafted a style that was all their own. Combining 60s guitar pop with dance beats and a bit of psychadelia. Very innovative, since no other band was doing this, with the possible exception of the Happy Mondays. Of course they were nowhere near as good.The Stone Roses s/t debut is definitely an 80s classic. One of the best from the decade. Pure Brit/Pop that re-energised the movement.A movement in which later inspired bands like Blur and Oasis. Still no one does it better than the Stone Roses! and their debut is pure gold.To me, it sounds like this record is from a band who had a seasoned career, not just a first time effort as this. One of the best debut albums I have ever heard.John Squire is a Master at the guitar, superior throughout, especially on the band's epic - "I Am the Ressurection" and "Fool's Gold" which isn't on my early used copy. The song was released on later editions and I first heard it on 'The Complete Stone Roses' album.Every song on this Cd Rocks! Not a stinker on all of these 11 or 12 tracks depending on which version you have.- "I Wanna Be Adored" - "She Bangs the Drums" - "Made Of Stone" & "This Is the One" are my highlights.If you are a fan of Rock music or just music in general and you don't have this in your collection, What are you waiting for ? Buy it.

Everyone has their own Stone Roses story, and I am no different. I was only nine when this album came, and obviously was too busy with my Batman fetish to follow the Madchester scene. As a 14 year old alt-radio fan, I dug "Love Spreads," but assumed it was the work of minor, almost one-hit-wonder caliber band.Thus, I was caught by surprise when, in the course of reading up on the British scene throughout the '90s, I learned that these same Stone Roses were responsible for one of the most significant albums of the past 15 years.On reputation alone, I ordered the album, not having heard a single track. It is now among my 3 or 4 favorite albums. It is nothing short of magic."I Wanna Be Adored" is powerful enough to give me chills. It contains essentially one line, yet that line speaks volumes. "She Bangs the Drums" is typical Roses - the chorus is practically perfect. I dare you to try escaping the pure pop catchiness of "Elephant Stone." "Bye Bye Madman" features wonderfully subtle tempo changes. "Made of Stone" is both brutal and beautiful, again with a genius of a chorus. "This Is the Stone" is pure bliss. "I am the Resurrection" features a great build-up, followed by a wildly different jam session, yet closes the album perfectly. Included here also is the greatest white-boy funk song of all, "Fools Gold."This is the perfect album for a sunny summer day. If only I had been old enough in that glorious summer of 1989 to discover the magic firsthand. Buy this now and recreate your own Summer of Love.