Unfinished Monkey Business [Import]

Ian Brown

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 9, 1998)
• Original Release Date: February 1, 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Polygram UK
• ASIN: B000007WJX
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #173,455 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Intro Under the Paving Stones: The Beach

2. My Star

3. Can't See Me

4. Ice Cold Cube

5. Sunshine

6. Lions

7. Corpses in Their Mouths

8. What Happened to Ya, Pt. 1

9. What Happened to Ya, Pt. 2

10. Nah Nah

11. Deep Pile Dreams

12. Unfinished Monkey Business

Editorial Reviews

Spin

As the title Unfinished Monkey Business suggests, the results are tentative. Cheesy drum programs, sprawling space rock, awkward bass lines, cheap dubby sonics, and various guitar twangings rub up against cutie pops songs disguised as trippy jams.

Product Description

1997 solo debut by the former Stone Roses leader. Features the single 'My Star'. 12 tracks total. A Polydor release. Brown wrote all tracks & produced the album himself. Fans hoping that a third Stone Roses album would have picked up where 'The Second Coming' left off are sure to be more satisfied with Brown's endeavors here than what Stone Roses guitarist John Squire's band The Seahorses have concocted sofar.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars an extremely erratic, scattershot debut solo album from the former Stone Roses vocalist, July 23, 2005

By	Dave "missing person" (United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

1997's "Unfinished Monkey Business" is the debut solo album from the former Stone Roses lead vocalist Ian Brown, and man, this is a damn weird album. Others have poked fun at the album title saying it's very appropriate--however, although "unfinished" isn't a bad word to describe this album overall, and even better word is "aimless".

Many of the tracks here are Brown solo 'compositions' that feature him on all instruments, and none of them fail to get you thinking, "What the hell is this?"--his instrumental skills seem rudimentary at best, his keyboard/ programmed drumming is at times hilarious, and you're left wondering what the hell he's trying to get at. The album opening "Intro Under The Paving Stones: The Beach" is a baffling sound collage. "Sunshine" is a sloppy, dull lo-fi acoustic ballad with a brief tacked-on keyboard 'coda'. "Lions" features an annoyingly, endlessly repeated chorus line and overblown "soulful" vocals from Denise Johnson, and it wasn't exactly a great idea to mix her to the far left channel while Brown's vocals are to the far right; thankfully, much of the track is instrumental, and it does have some entertainment value despite all the annoyances. "Deep Pile Dreams" is half-baked and thinly performed. The baffling instrumental title track features hilariously amateurish keyboard playing over programmed drums. My CD copy also contains a 'bonus' track called "Come Again" which is basically 7 more minutes of Brown horsing around and it makes annoying use of sampling.

As for the remaining tracks, a majority of them find Brown co-writing with Aziz Ibrahim who also handles a large chuck of the instrumental work. The Indian-flavored "My Star" has a neat little guitar solo although it's extremely brief, and the song just kinda drags along in a frustratingly aimless and repetitive fashion. The main song portion of the sludgy, hard-rocking "Ice Cold Cube" is strong with ear-catching guitarwork, but it proceeds to beat you over the head with the never-ending instrumental stuff going on, and when it finally does end, it does so in 'sudden death' fashion and annoyingly segues abruptly into "Sunshine". "What Happened To Ya Part 1" is a nice, catchy ditty with acoustic rhythm and acoustic slide guitars; it's followed by "What Happened To Ya Part 2" which is basically a lengthy instrumental jam with some voiceovers, and although it's not unlistenable and does have nice guitarwork, it reeks of filler. "Nah Nah", a Nigel Ippinson solo composition, is an acoustic guitar-based tune with a singalong chorus--it's pleasantly catchy, though it's rather slight.

With all of that out of the way, we are left with a pair of hands-down gems. "Can't See Me" finds Brown reunited with his old Stone Roses mates Mani and Reni for an infectiously funky looping groove tune--slamming beats, great Brown vocals, uncannily note-perfect lead guitar from Brown, and great lead bass guitar licks; it's a clear attempt at creating another gem along the lines of the Stone Roses' "Fools Gold", and it works big time. Then there's the mellow-yet-creepy "Corpses In Their Mouths", written by Brown and Ibrahim, with terrific moody lead guitar work and hushed Brown vocals; it does have some rather out-of-place harmonica work from Brown, but it's a minor quibble.

If you're a diehard Stone Roses fan, "Unfinished Monkey Business" is worth checking out--there are lots of intriguing ideas floating around on here, but it sure is wildly erratic and very tough to listen to all the way through.

4.0 out of 5 stars Amazing and Funky; not meant to be a Stone Roses Album, September 18, 2007

By	A. Perer (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This totally unique album has a really excellent low-fi vibe except for the vocals which were done on high end mikes. Its so well recorded and the songs hold up so well. All of Ian's albums are really funky and this is no different. The guitarist Aziz gives it this amazing and unique middle eastern vibe on guitar. This album doesn't quite sound like anything else I can think of. Check it out for yourself rather than listen to the reviews of people who don't get it. "Can't see Me" is particularly funky as it features Mani and Reni but the whole thing stands as a coherent statement. Hey he co-wrote all the songs on the first Stone Roses; He's got a lot of talent. Very modern funk/pop album that sounds unique. I listened over and over when it came out. But its not a Stone Roses album. Its its own thing.

5.0 out of 5 stars Ian Brown is not God, but he is very close!, July 31, 2005

By	K. Pinkham "emma" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I think it helps alot if you already like indie/brit rock, you will enjoy this album, it became one of my favourites very fast! my favourite tracks are corpses, deep pile dreams, cant see me, nah nah, what happened to you part 2 and my star. fookin cool, catchy, unique sounds...I recommend it.