Customer Reviews

Marshall's House

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

It's been a frustrating few years for fans of The Stone Roses and their awesomely gifted guitarist and chief songwriter, John Squire. At the time of the band's breakup in 1996, it was widely assumed that singer Ian Brown was a talentless nobody who'd swiftly disappear into obscurity while Squire (the only Roses member to be retained by Geffen after the split) would go on to bestride the world of rock like an all-conquering guitar god. The huge gulf in status between Brown and Squire and that time was shown by their two main live appearances in the summer of '96: Brown appeared at Reading with the shortlived Stone Roses Mark II (featuring Aziz Ibrahim on guitar - to be fair, he's almost as brilliant a guitarist as Squire, but critics and fans just weren't prepared to give a Squire-free Roses a chance) and was derided; Squire joined Oasis, then at the height of their powers and success, at Knebworth, and helped them end the evening with awesome renditions of "Champagne Supernova" and "I Am the Walrus". Brown, it seemed, was yesterday's man, while Squire was the future.

In fact, things played out the opposite way. Starting with 1998's "Unfinished Monkey Business", Brown released three solo albums that, stunningly, were actually pretty darn good, and suggested that he, and not Squire, had retained the soul and spirit of the Roses. A review in a British music weekly proclaimed that, while Brown was not as talented as Squire, at least, unlike Squire, he wasn't making "safe, conservative" music. Such was the perception of Squire's efforts with his shortlived post-Roses band, The Seahorses, who recorded just one, so-so album (and a far superior followup that never saw the light of day - tracks are downloadable from certain sites, though) that sold well but was seen as a huge comedown from Squire's glory days with the Roses.

So where is Squire now? Well, on the evidence of "Marshall's House", his second solo album (a speedy followup to 2002's lacklustre "Time Changes Everything"), he's at long last once again inspired by the music he's making. Moreover, with almost ethereal keyboard sounds on the opener "Summertime", and gorgeous piano on "People in the Sun", he's realised the importance of instruments other than the guitar (the rhythm section on this album is excellent throughout, too). It's more "left field" and adventurous than "TCE" (which plays like a dry-as-dust exercise in guitar technique), and more tuneful, too - which is a roundabout way of saying that, while it certainly doesn't sound like the Roses, it's recognisably cut from the same cloth. Squire seems to be discovering his own sound as a solo writer and performer, rather than just going through the motions. That said, the spirit of Ian Brown hovers good-naturedly in tracks like "Summertime" and "Tables For Ladies", and Roses diehards looking for a fix of the old magic will find it here. Elsewhere, while there are none of the ferocious virtuoso solos of Squire's all-time masterpiece, the Roses' "Second Coming" (1994), Squire's guitar groupies will find the exquisitely dirty-sounding "Hotel Room", "Marshall's House" and "Automat" more than sufficient for getting their rocks off.

Will it win new converts? Doubtful. It's a little too arch in places ("Marshall's House" happens to be a *shudder* concept album - taking inspiration from different Edward Hopper paintings), and Squire's singing is occasionally even worse than Ian Brown's on a bad night. But at the very least, it's a great return to form for a genius guitarist and songwriter who looked for a while back there to be on the verge of "Where Are They Now?" status. No, it ain't the Stone Roses - but, as George Michael said, listen without prejudice, and you may be pleasantly surprised.

as a huge Stone Roses fan, believe me i wanted to like this album. and i do dig John's guitar work and song structures, it's just his vocal stylings that i can't get into. as someone who is so softspoken its hard for me to believe that that's actually John singing. and i have nothing against croaking type of vocals. i'm a big Dinosaur Jr. fan. but what worked for J. Mascis, does'nt work for John unfortunately. i had hoped that "time would change everything" this time around, but that album's vocals and this one's are virtually the same. that being said "Cape Cod Morning" and "Gas" are quite good and deserve a listen. where's Reni??

Seriously John, don't sing on your great albums - it's not even clever to mess with people like that. You rock everything else but the vox. Please send me the album before presstime and I will add vocals to your lyrics... Elmo would do better. Wot's withat?

So close... Great songs, impressively played - could have been as good as the Seahorses album. He's written a wonderful bunch of songs, much better than his first solo album. But I wish he had not sung them. Even though the vocals are thankfully mixed way down, the painful rattle of Squire's voice kills the songs he has put so much work into. He should have asked someone else to sing them. Anyone. Because, sadly, for all his incredible musical talent, almost anyone in the world can sing better than him.

What a shame, and a waste of good music.

Well, the sensitive dude John made his second single album. I don't want to talk more about the roses, seahorses or his first album here. But just one thing I have to say: although roses was a band with 4 people, it had been always this guy, the guy with a quiet-looking and unruly blood, who gave the band a soul. He's not only a great guitarist, but also an outstanding album maker.

If you're still trying to find "a roses' ghost" in his music today, well, you will not be satisfied with his current music pattern. Even if roses were still there by now, John - the leader of it - would be practicing his old magic art like always, to keep the band changing, and I'm pretty sure no one could keep him away from practicing the plans in his mind. Now he stands alone in the studio, he got no barrier.

<Marshall's house> is to some extent just like <stone roses>. It's something brand new. The idea and the method are both already very mature, and become a new style, --in spite of a short making-term. 20 years passing by, John's style went from simple to rich and go back to purifying again. And that is the beauty of this album.

If you don't like John's albums because of his rough voice, I get it. But as a singer, I applaud his singing attitude, and the ability to express the mood and idea in the songs. It's just brilliant and experienced.
Time never goes back. We could just look forwards. It's not words to comfort the heart, no, it's just the reality, and let's face it strongly. To repeat the trail of roses is not smart and not the right thing to do. What John accomplished is a progress of fulfilling himself, not a roses-journey again.

There is some rewards on this CD musically, if you can get past this man's voice. He has incredible fortitude to actually sing and release the results for posterity. His voice is a cracked whine that must pain him to emote. I love the guy though, and it is a guilty pleasure to give it a spin when no one else is around (you won't win friends forcing this one on unsuspecting guests).

IF ONLY HE'D STOP SINGING!!!!!!!!

The heartening thing about Marshall's House is any fear the listener had that John's talent for songwriting maybe slipping away is erased with the first lick of "Summertime". BAM the elegantly simple riff that instantly tells you the ears on your head are about to hear musical genius (note:musical not vocal!).

The problem occurs when he opens his mouth and scratches the chalkboard with what can only be described as "PAINFUL" vocals. Don't get me wrong its ALL there for a great album only surpassed by the legendary work of his early years...its just somebody else ANYBODY ELSE PLEASE should be doing the singing. In a country as populated as England any commercial jingle singer would do and I guarantee you with anyone else singing the lyrics this album would rock with the best of them. Find the lyrics and sing them yourself, I bet you most of the population would sound better than John Squire does. I hate to be harsh because its very sad like Hemingway being unable to read, but really John please please find any warm body to do the singing for you (your girlfriend, one of the kids...maybe the guy doing back up vocals on this album?)

Thankfully somebody in the studio had the sense to pot down the vocals from time to time to reaquaint us with the John Squire we fell in love with over 15 years ago. Unfortunately, they don't do it enough.

Not as obviously horrible as Time Changes but those terrible vocals can hardly get me to give it anything beyond a 1 star. Only a true John Squire fan should even think of buying this record and be prepared for disappointment.