JSU Album Review
Ian Brown
Solarized
Release Date: 13th September 2004 on Ficton
So this is Ian Brown's 4th studio album then and it's been a fair while coming with initial release dates pencilled in as early as January 2004 and 2 years since the release of 'Music Of The Spheres'. Brown's back and now he's got twice the back catalogue of The Stone Roses. The album is very nicely presented and looks a lot better in my hands than any early pictures suggested. All artwork comes from Kazuki, original collaborator of BAPE clothing.
The album starts with pure Aziz-style as the intro of 'Longsight M13' is packed with Eastern riffage like 3 out of 4 of Brown's solo albums. Passed the intro, the song's chorus makes you want to thrust arms in the air as per Ian Brown's instructions at the Claremont gig.
'Time Is My Everything' or 'T.I.M.E.' (the obvious acronym) occupies the track-two slot and is no doubt the 2nd most known tune on release day being the only new track that Brown performed at his Claremont gig, back in July. From the start it's uplifting and flooded with the 'majestic' trumpets that he's been talking about fusing with his music in recent years. The song is as captivating on record as his live performance and stands a very good chance of being the 2nd single off the album.
Eight years on from the split of The Stone Roses (and since he and John Squire parted company) is it too much to assume that Brown has stopped communicating with Squire via song or is 'Time Is My Everything' too much of a coincidence not to be a reply to Squire's (2002) 'Time Changes Everything' "So many moons have Passed/Since our paths last crossed/And did you maybe lose your way?/'Cause Time is my everything."
Guitars are provided by Ian himself (& Tim Wills) on 'Destiny Or Circumstance' and not since 'Second Coming' have Brown's vocals been so overpowered by guitar! The powerful chords struck throughout add a stirring new sound to an Ian Brown track.
'Upside Down' takes things down as only the deep bass accompanies Brown's vocal in the foreground as he tells an important tale of the balance and state of the current world order, especially on the near-spoken word "7% own 84%/Of all the wealth on earth/Oil is the spice to make a man/Forget man's worth/Right here on earth."
Title track 'Solarized' is one of the most enthralling on the album, opening with a dub-style bass and creeping guitars, it's full of backwards instruments and effect but it is much eerier than anything the Roses achieved using similar effects. The whole song maintains a very dark sound, reflected in the lyrics "The light that she lives for in the dark she'll always find".
"I feel fantastic/You make me feel majestic". 'The Sweet Fantastic' is another slow, dark sounding track with a fantastic guitar lick starting every trumpet-filled chorus, Brown sounds cool here with a thoroughly relaxed vocal which just glides out for the choppy outro.
First single 'Keep What You Got' (out next Monday), based on an old Noel Gallagher instrumental but with more of Noel's signature guitar, Brown takes the music and provides the perfect lyrics, fusing the track and making it impossible to see where each artist's contribution starts and ends. The chorus and song title are pure Brownie philosophy "Keep what ya got/By giving it all away/Remember where you came from". The track ends with simple piano reminiscent to Brown's collaboration with UNKLE, 'Be There' (1999).
'Home Is Where The Heart Is' is one of the few low points in the album, it's translates to a bit of a nothing track, both lyrically and musically.
However, this is rectified by the heavy eastern guitar fuelled 'One Way Ticket To Paradise' track which is co-written by long-time collaborator Aziz Ibrahim. Brown's vocal throughout is less sung/almost spoken word and reminded me of his early track 'See The Dawn' (Brown/Ibrahim, 'My Star' B-side 1998) in that respect.
Electro-mad 'Kiss Ya Lips (No ID)' starts with a drum loop that sounds like a Stone Roses remix. The track has a lot going on throughout, including harmonica from Brown, loads of electro beeping and sweeping sounds. The track, lyrically is about the potential introduction of I.D. cards "Cause I, I ain't no number/Don't need no ID round my neck/So Mr number maker/ID cards won't stop no hijack jet."
Outro track on the album comes in the form of 'Happy Ever After', an instrumental track written by Brown, Ibrahim and Goldfinger and has the perfect, dark yet optimistic sound that the album maintains throughout.
Standout Track: 'Time Is My Everything'
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