Johnny Marr - "The Messenger" (48:22)
"The Right Thing Right" (3:41) - ★
"I Want The Heart Beat" (2:48) - ★★
"European Me" (3:56) - ★★
"Upstarts" (3:38) - ★★★
"Lockdown" (3:58) - ★★★★
"The Messenger" (3:58) - ★★★★
"Generate! Generate!" (4:21) - ★★
"Say Demense" (5:37) - ★
"Sun And Moon" (3:23) - ★★
"New Town Velocity" (5:11) - ★★★★★
"Word Starts Attack" (3:29) - ★
As someone who discovered The Smiths in very recent years, I too have developed the psychological trauma that is realising the impossibility of a reunion. I know, I know - but we still dream, don't we? To avoid disappointment, I have since engrossed myself in Morrissey's catalogue and loosely followed Johnny Marr's work with Electronic and The The, but chosen the frontman's solo years over the guitarist's simply on the basis that they resemble more of what I loved about the Manchester quartet than the indie ramblings of The Cribs or Modest Mouse. Sadly, a victim of chronology, I found myself instantly at a loose end, as Morrissey's latest, "Years Of Refusal", was already over a year old by the time my fandom flourished - as we know, the Morrissey release front has been but a barren wasteland since 2009, occasionally graced by the presence of reissue tumbleweed and very little else. For this reason the onslaught of "The Messenger" has been a very eager wait indeed, especially for me, as I waited an extra month for my Sire LP import from the US. And, for the first time, it's Johnny doing what he does best without the influence of others, a factor that makes his other work less bearable.
So, having heard the track "The Messenger" in November, I hurriedly set about ordering my vinyl from the US. I got home from school on evening in March, cast aside homework duties and whipped this onto my turntable, setting the dial to 33 RPM and kicking back on my bed with my headphones on, the world outside locked away. What I got was a surprise...
"The Right Thing Right" is an explosive opening to the album, sure, but it quickly becomes apparent that Johnny Marr's first moments as a genuine solo artist are sadly, not his finest. The track is marred (pardon the horrendous pun) somewhat by little annoyances scattered throughout it's largely punchy sonic aesthetic, which is, disappointingly, without much in the way of jangle. Perhaps the most jarring of all, is the falsetto 'woop!' within the first minute which, frankly, just doesn't work, exposing the guitarist's rookie vocal phrasing horribly, despite the initial surprise; that Marr's voice is one which is rather nice to listen to otherwise. The nonsensical lyric is very upsetting as well, the confusing, Lewis Carroll style madness of the thing repeating throughout the entirety of the album. This wouldn't normally be such an issue, but, given that Marr's previous songwriting partners have included Billy Bragg and Morrissey, one cannot help but expect that some lyrical know-how rubbed off on the instrumentalist. It's understandable then, why finding this not to be the case seems, for a short while at least, to be so devastating. Most of the tracks suffer from this, though some ("New Town Velocity" and "European Me" noteworthily) stand out as stronger lyrics. Those aside, the album is very weak on the words front.
By "I Want The Heart Beat", it's punchy rock again, and still not the jangle we've come to know and love, but, that said, it's intricate, electrifying and explosive, and not in a dull thumping way like before. It's got an equally silly lyric, but Marr's voice acts more like an accompanying instrument here amidst the heavier chaos of the music, so it's easier to forgive. There's some nice solo action around the 1 minute mark, and the layering of musical voices is nicely varied, with the sparser, more delicate verses acting as breathing spaces between the more violent electric foray of the choruses, banging wildly in your ears with seemingly unrelenting energy.
"European Me" opens with a slightly more familiar jangle audio aesthetic, and sounds altogether more like the calculated accomplishment of The Smiths, with similarities, in the lead guitar part especially, to the trademark bass hooks of New Order's music (another shocking pun if you can spot it), whose Bernard Sumner was a member of Electronic with Marr in the late 80s/early 90s. It drags a little at almost 4 minutes in length, and when it ends, you are more than ready for it.
"Upstarts" could just be another mediocre, trip-up moment on a record side that has essentially comprised said moments, exclusively, in it's first 10-ish minutes. To be critical, it only isn't because of how many times I've heard it already; I was so excited a few months ago, when the video was released, that I listened and listened and really, blinded myself with delusion of genius. What I was actually witnessing, in realism, was a mere fraction of Marr's capability rising a million feet above the standard set by the UK's top 40 that week. In short, "Upstarts" feels, just as the other tracks, as though something's missing.
And then, seemingly from nowhere, perhaps the saving grace of the entire record. "Lockdown" is great. It's loud. It's kind of brash. But it's not jangly. Instead, swooping into earshot with swaying rhythm, the track is comparable to The Smith's "I Don't Owe You Anything" in terms of it's pacing, but with regard to it's energy and volume, rich and tuneful, "Lockdown" soars above the former. The best part is easily the unexpected key change for the chorus section, though most elements of the track are pretty damn good. The lyrics don't stink so badly, the spiky intricacy of the lead is more audible in the background, and the bass and drums are more rhythmic. It's also got a really nice, simple solo which amplifies the raw straightforwardness of the song as a whole, an aspect, which I personally find, especially pleasing. In even further basic terms, it does the job of the first four songs collectively, but better; it's like the style and energy of all of them, compounded...
With it's discordant crunch in the introduction, some might even be forgiven for saying that "The Messenger" has the jangle quality that listeners endured side A of this record for. In my opinion, it isn't really jangle, so much a slowed down, indie solo played out over 4 and a half minutes with a tempo akin to what I imagine a speedy waltz might sound like. Again, the lyrics make no real sense, and, ironically, convey no messages as it were (let's keep these puns rolling...). The guitars are loud and brightly galvanising, with even the bass getting a moment in the spotlight during the bridge section, though contrary to my more naive and blindly loyal review of the song from last November, my reckoning is that "The Messenger" is (still) very good, but not perhaps as good as I made it out to be. It is possibly the best song on the album, and, following "Lockdown", which surely is second if this is to be the running order, it shines more than it would have done had it preceded, let's say, "The Right Thing Right". Does that mean it's a good song in it's own right though? The lyrics are below par and the guitars aren't Smiths standard...where does that leave things? I'd say that, in terms of the package, it's brilliant. But look at things differently. Would this track stand out on the radio? I'm not sure. It might just be my Johnny Marr fandom that means it sounds good to me. Equally, it might be my Smiths fandom that makes me so critical. Ultimately, it's hard to say.
"Generate! Generate!" should be mentioned for it's slightly less conventional chord changes and ever-so-slightly more jangly backdrop guitars. That said, it is a hopeless rehashing of "The Messenger" formula; clobbering rock songs with moderately evolved solos here and there, even if it is a tad faster than the other songs. The bass and drums drive at a speed consistent with opening of the album, and Marr's vocal clambers alongside, literally just as before. There really isn't much to say other than it continues the suitably boring sound of side A.
It would seem, as the funeral march of "Say Demense" evolves grudgingly forward, that Marr means real instrumental business, as a bassy synth goes off at 0:15. There's light twinkling of electric lead somewhere in the background and, though I couldn't hope to understand what 'say demense' means, it sounds good. The vocal is deep and soft, and sonically, has a Depeche Mode type quality to it. Unfortunately, the remaining 'music', which I have at this point begun to affectionately label 'the moulding fruits of the backing band from hell', crashes down in a monotonous clout of sluggishly repetitive rhythm section din. Only the synthesiser, which later, is accompanied by a violin, saves the song, which, at almost 6 minutes long, really, really drags - quite a bit.
"Sun And Moon" is the same as the majority of the 8 songs before it; repetitive and a bit rubbish. And that is it. A particularly good solo, maybe the best on the album, just a bout saves the song from the condemnation of a one star rating.
With "The Crack Up", once again, and perhaps unsurprisingly, the same formula gets rolled out, but this time, with a bit of twist; it seems all the more danceable than the remainder of the album's tracks. Unfortunately, I just didn't feel it was that different. This record revealed itself to have two pace settings early on; fast and slow, with only "Lockdown" in between. This one's also an inbetweener in that sense, but just not to the same degree; just like with every song, nothing is awful or unbearable, but it just seems so samey. It can't be helped, the songs just sound like that; especially after you hear the whole album.As per all of these songs, there's a little solo bit which is quite good, and the song doesn't badly suck or anything - remember these star rating are in the context of the album.
You have to wait 10 tracks for it, but it's so very rewarding when it finally turns up. "New Town Velocity" is the (only?) shining gem of "The Messenger" and retains all the jangle-pop marvel of Johnny Marr's Smiths songwriting with only hints of the pummelling sonic that the rest of the album lays before it's listener. The lyrics are a bit corny, as you might expect, but the guitars have this real glistening sheen; there's a flanged up solo and the bass meanders murkily in the background, with the rhythmic pace of the drums banging along at justthe right velocity (last pun, I promise). To top it all off, there's a great instrumental section towards the end that shows this off brilliantly. One quick thing worth mentioning, is that this isn't actually the best version of the song. Have a look on YouTube, and you should find the Dermot O'Leary BBC Radio 2 session recording, in which the riff is louder and after which a spine-tingling and hugely extended rendition of "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want" is played. This song is miles in front of any other track from the album, and for me, it just about made the LP worth keeping. Though it's lyrics still leave a little to be desired, the production is great on the whole, especially after the spooky backing vocals come in at the end, and every instrument shines. Basically, it's great, proper pop music. Done.
And then, as a final kick in the teeth "World Starts Attack", finishing the album as it started - on a low. Marr's vocal is again the perpetrator of the crime, ripping tunelessly through the senses after only a few seconds of bland and familiarly pounding rock 'n' roll nonsense, lyrically about as advanced as an amoeba. It's tragic, but also quite satisfying to see the album end so badly; it makes anythingdecent in the middle seem trapped, and subsequently, that bit more winsome, stranded in a sea of mediocrity. Even the solo didn't save this one, and, though it pains me to say it, as the needle lifted for the last time, the final reverberations of "Word Starts Attack", cemented my opinion that the only real merit here on this record overall, had been my consistent disappointment with my favourite guitarist's solo efforts...
The Verdict - ★★
Overall, "The Messenger" was hugely disappointing; a few decent tracks here and there, but mostly mediocre filler-type stuff, which, I have to be honest, I didn't expect from Johnny Marr of all people. A clumsy, clobbering, forgettable, and lyrically weak mess of a rock record. A shame, truly...
"The Right Thing Right" (3:41) - ★
"I Want The Heart Beat" (2:48) - ★★
"European Me" (3:56) - ★★
"Upstarts" (3:38) - ★★★
"Lockdown" (3:58) - ★★★★
"The Messenger" (3:58) - ★★★★
"Generate! Generate!" (4:21) - ★★
"Say Demense" (5:37) - ★
"Sun And Moon" (3:23) - ★★
"New Town Velocity" (5:11) - ★★★★★
"Word Starts Attack" (3:29) - ★
As someone who discovered The Smiths in very recent years, I too have developed the psychological trauma that is realising the impossibility of a reunion. I know, I know - but we still dream, don't we? To avoid disappointment, I have since engrossed myself in Morrissey's catalogue and loosely followed Johnny Marr's work with Electronic and The The, but chosen the frontman's solo years over the guitarist's simply on the basis that they resemble more of what I loved about the Manchester quartet than the indie ramblings of The Cribs or Modest Mouse. Sadly, a victim of chronology, I found myself instantly at a loose end, as Morrissey's latest, "Years Of Refusal", was already over a year old by the time my fandom flourished - as we know, the Morrissey release front has been but a barren wasteland since 2009, occasionally graced by the presence of reissue tumbleweed and very little else. For this reason the onslaught of "The Messenger" has been a very eager wait indeed, especially for me, as I waited an extra month for my Sire LP import from the US. And, for the first time, it's Johnny doing what he does best without the influence of others, a factor that makes his other work less bearable.
So, having heard the track "The Messenger" in November, I hurriedly set about ordering my vinyl from the US. I got home from school on evening in March, cast aside homework duties and whipped this onto my turntable, setting the dial to 33 RPM and kicking back on my bed with my headphones on, the world outside locked away. What I got was a surprise...
"The Right Thing Right" is an explosive opening to the album, sure, but it quickly becomes apparent that Johnny Marr's first moments as a genuine solo artist are sadly, not his finest. The track is marred (pardon the horrendous pun) somewhat by little annoyances scattered throughout it's largely punchy sonic aesthetic, which is, disappointingly, without much in the way of jangle. Perhaps the most jarring of all, is the falsetto 'woop!' within the first minute which, frankly, just doesn't work, exposing the guitarist's rookie vocal phrasing horribly, despite the initial surprise; that Marr's voice is one which is rather nice to listen to otherwise. The nonsensical lyric is very upsetting as well, the confusing, Lewis Carroll style madness of the thing repeating throughout the entirety of the album. This wouldn't normally be such an issue, but, given that Marr's previous songwriting partners have included Billy Bragg and Morrissey, one cannot help but expect that some lyrical know-how rubbed off on the instrumentalist. It's understandable then, why finding this not to be the case seems, for a short while at least, to be so devastating. Most of the tracks suffer from this, though some ("New Town Velocity" and "European Me" noteworthily) stand out as stronger lyrics. Those aside, the album is very weak on the words front.
By "I Want The Heart Beat", it's punchy rock again, and still not the jangle we've come to know and love, but, that said, it's intricate, electrifying and explosive, and not in a dull thumping way like before. It's got an equally silly lyric, but Marr's voice acts more like an accompanying instrument here amidst the heavier chaos of the music, so it's easier to forgive. There's some nice solo action around the 1 minute mark, and the layering of musical voices is nicely varied, with the sparser, more delicate verses acting as breathing spaces between the more violent electric foray of the choruses, banging wildly in your ears with seemingly unrelenting energy.
"European Me" opens with a slightly more familiar jangle audio aesthetic, and sounds altogether more like the calculated accomplishment of The Smiths, with similarities, in the lead guitar part especially, to the trademark bass hooks of New Order's music (another shocking pun if you can spot it), whose Bernard Sumner was a member of Electronic with Marr in the late 80s/early 90s. It drags a little at almost 4 minutes in length, and when it ends, you are more than ready for it.
"Upstarts" could just be another mediocre, trip-up moment on a record side that has essentially comprised said moments, exclusively, in it's first 10-ish minutes. To be critical, it only isn't because of how many times I've heard it already; I was so excited a few months ago, when the video was released, that I listened and listened and really, blinded myself with delusion of genius. What I was actually witnessing, in realism, was a mere fraction of Marr's capability rising a million feet above the standard set by the UK's top 40 that week. In short, "Upstarts" feels, just as the other tracks, as though something's missing.
And then, seemingly from nowhere, perhaps the saving grace of the entire record. "Lockdown" is great. It's loud. It's kind of brash. But it's not jangly. Instead, swooping into earshot with swaying rhythm, the track is comparable to The Smith's "I Don't Owe You Anything" in terms of it's pacing, but with regard to it's energy and volume, rich and tuneful, "Lockdown" soars above the former. The best part is easily the unexpected key change for the chorus section, though most elements of the track are pretty damn good. The lyrics don't stink so badly, the spiky intricacy of the lead is more audible in the background, and the bass and drums are more rhythmic. It's also got a really nice, simple solo which amplifies the raw straightforwardness of the song as a whole, an aspect, which I personally find, especially pleasing. In even further basic terms, it does the job of the first four songs collectively, but better; it's like the style and energy of all of them, compounded...
With it's discordant crunch in the introduction, some might even be forgiven for saying that "The Messenger" has the jangle quality that listeners endured side A of this record for. In my opinion, it isn't really jangle, so much a slowed down, indie solo played out over 4 and a half minutes with a tempo akin to what I imagine a speedy waltz might sound like. Again, the lyrics make no real sense, and, ironically, convey no messages as it were (let's keep these puns rolling...). The guitars are loud and brightly galvanising, with even the bass getting a moment in the spotlight during the bridge section, though contrary to my more naive and blindly loyal review of the song from last November, my reckoning is that "The Messenger" is (still) very good, but not perhaps as good as I made it out to be. It is possibly the best song on the album, and, following "Lockdown", which surely is second if this is to be the running order, it shines more than it would have done had it preceded, let's say, "The Right Thing Right". Does that mean it's a good song in it's own right though? The lyrics are below par and the guitars aren't Smiths standard...where does that leave things? I'd say that, in terms of the package, it's brilliant. But look at things differently. Would this track stand out on the radio? I'm not sure. It might just be my Johnny Marr fandom that means it sounds good to me. Equally, it might be my Smiths fandom that makes me so critical. Ultimately, it's hard to say.
"Generate! Generate!" should be mentioned for it's slightly less conventional chord changes and ever-so-slightly more jangly backdrop guitars. That said, it is a hopeless rehashing of "The Messenger" formula; clobbering rock songs with moderately evolved solos here and there, even if it is a tad faster than the other songs. The bass and drums drive at a speed consistent with opening of the album, and Marr's vocal clambers alongside, literally just as before. There really isn't much to say other than it continues the suitably boring sound of side A.
It would seem, as the funeral march of "Say Demense" evolves grudgingly forward, that Marr means real instrumental business, as a bassy synth goes off at 0:15. There's light twinkling of electric lead somewhere in the background and, though I couldn't hope to understand what 'say demense' means, it sounds good. The vocal is deep and soft, and sonically, has a Depeche Mode type quality to it. Unfortunately, the remaining 'music', which I have at this point begun to affectionately label 'the moulding fruits of the backing band from hell', crashes down in a monotonous clout of sluggishly repetitive rhythm section din. Only the synthesiser, which later, is accompanied by a violin, saves the song, which, at almost 6 minutes long, really, really drags - quite a bit.
"Sun And Moon" is the same as the majority of the 8 songs before it; repetitive and a bit rubbish. And that is it. A particularly good solo, maybe the best on the album, just a bout saves the song from the condemnation of a one star rating.
With "The Crack Up", once again, and perhaps unsurprisingly, the same formula gets rolled out, but this time, with a bit of twist; it seems all the more danceable than the remainder of the album's tracks. Unfortunately, I just didn't feel it was that different. This record revealed itself to have two pace settings early on; fast and slow, with only "Lockdown" in between. This one's also an inbetweener in that sense, but just not to the same degree; just like with every song, nothing is awful or unbearable, but it just seems so samey. It can't be helped, the songs just sound like that; especially after you hear the whole album.As per all of these songs, there's a little solo bit which is quite good, and the song doesn't badly suck or anything - remember these star rating are in the context of the album.
You have to wait 10 tracks for it, but it's so very rewarding when it finally turns up. "New Town Velocity" is the (only?) shining gem of "The Messenger" and retains all the jangle-pop marvel of Johnny Marr's Smiths songwriting with only hints of the pummelling sonic that the rest of the album lays before it's listener. The lyrics are a bit corny, as you might expect, but the guitars have this real glistening sheen; there's a flanged up solo and the bass meanders murkily in the background, with the rhythmic pace of the drums banging along at justthe right velocity (last pun, I promise). To top it all off, there's a great instrumental section towards the end that shows this off brilliantly. One quick thing worth mentioning, is that this isn't actually the best version of the song. Have a look on YouTube, and you should find the Dermot O'Leary BBC Radio 2 session recording, in which the riff is louder and after which a spine-tingling and hugely extended rendition of "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want" is played. This song is miles in front of any other track from the album, and for me, it just about made the LP worth keeping. Though it's lyrics still leave a little to be desired, the production is great on the whole, especially after the spooky backing vocals come in at the end, and every instrument shines. Basically, it's great, proper pop music. Done.
And then, as a final kick in the teeth "World Starts Attack", finishing the album as it started - on a low. Marr's vocal is again the perpetrator of the crime, ripping tunelessly through the senses after only a few seconds of bland and familiarly pounding rock 'n' roll nonsense, lyrically about as advanced as an amoeba. It's tragic, but also quite satisfying to see the album end so badly; it makes anythingdecent in the middle seem trapped, and subsequently, that bit more winsome, stranded in a sea of mediocrity. Even the solo didn't save this one, and, though it pains me to say it, as the needle lifted for the last time, the final reverberations of "Word Starts Attack", cemented my opinion that the only real merit here on this record overall, had been my consistent disappointment with my favourite guitarist's solo efforts...
The Verdict - ★★
Overall, "The Messenger" was hugely disappointing; a few decent tracks here and there, but mostly mediocre filler-type stuff, which, I have to be honest, I didn't expect from Johnny Marr of all people. A clumsy, clobbering, forgettable, and lyrically weak mess of a rock record. A shame, truly...