Boomslang [Extra tracks, Import]

Johnny Marr, Johnny Marr + the Healers | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 27, 2003)
• Original Release Date: 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Import
• Label: EMI Japan
• ASIN: B00007FOXD
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #975,497 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. The Last Ride

2. Caught Up

3. Down On The Corner

4. Need It

5. You Are The Magic

6. InBetweens

7. Another Day

8. Headland

9. Long Gone

10. Something To Shout About

11. Bangin On

12. Here It Comes (Japan Only Bonus Track)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Johnny Marr = Genius, February 18, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Boomslang (Audio CD)

Johnny Marr. The name is synonymous with guitar god. When The Smiths called it quits in 1987, it caused a widespread depression that swept across the alternative music world like few band breakups ever could. (Imagine U2 breaking up right after recording The Joshua Tree, and you get the idea). But as much as we all wore out our knees out in prayer for a reconciliation, it was never to be. Oh well, some elements of life just [stink].

The release of Johnny Marr's first real solo project is not one of those elements. Johnny Marr has just given us a good reason to finally put the loss of The Smiths behind us. His "Boomslang" is the best album to come out (by any group except U2) in years.

Johnny is back to his old studio brilliance, stacking multi-guitar layers of varying textures to create soundscapes that only he could put together. As usual, he never adds too much, but just enough, and his guitars only serve the overall arrangement and never get in the way of his unique vision of song structure.

Many people I've read seem to be disapointed that Johnny doesn't write lyrics as clever as Morrissey's, but hey people, who can? Would you expect Morrissey to play guitar like Johnny? It's just not gonna happen. If you want genius lyrics and music together in one place by a solo artist, go buy a David Sylvian CD.

Anyway, I digress...

The big surprise here is how great Johnny's pipes sound. He is a natural singer, and to my taste, his vioce sounds like a better fit to his tunes than Morrissey's ever did. I'm sure there are many who won't agree with that, and I have respect for that opinion.

Alas, the closest Johnny comes to jingle-jangle on this album (my favorite of his many styles) is on the song "Down On The Corner." It sounds a little different in this context because the song is such a groove oriented track, but it is pure Johnny Marr heaven.

Like all of the Smiths' tunes, the subtlety of Johnny's arrangement is only revealed with repeated listening. Johnny's pretty crafty...on a 10th listen to a given track, you might hear a guitar part you never heard before that winds up being one of the highlights of that song for all future listenings.

Yup, Johnny is a genius. The notes he chooses to add color to a chord, or the tone of a guitar for a given line, or any fine detail of an arrangement are utterly unique to him. Now, thanks to the release of Boomslang, we all have the ability to once again celebrate his unique and overwhelming talent.

P.S. I understand that music is subjective and all, but I have read a few reviews here at Amazon that have left me dumbfounded at best. Look Spanky, if you only listened to the first 20 seconds of each of this CD's tracks, said "it [stinks]", then came in here and wrote a poo-poo review, well, your opinion isn't worth a rip. Try listening to it again, all the way through, and do yourself a serious favor. ...

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid effort all the way through...., April 18, 2003

By 

DDinNTK "DD" (Natick, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Boomslang (Audio CD)

I'll admit that I was very much into the Brit scene back in the early 90s, and that probably makes it very easy for me to love this CD. It's not breaking any new ground, but it is a solid effort all the way through. It's one of the few CDs that I put in and just let it play. Sadly, that's rare these days for me. If you are looking for a good alternative CD that will bring back memories of Stone Roses and Charlatans, get this CD!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Profound, January 29, 2005

By 

Rob (Germany) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Boomslang (Audio CD)

I totally dig Johnny's new stuff - I like the electronics thrown in, combined with the acoustic and the dreamy guitars. Don't you dare to compare this to Oasis - it's what Oasis ought to be.

Standouts: Caught Up, Bangin' On, You Are The Magic, Down On The Corner.

Good stuff!