On the Shelf 131: Johnny Marr
Oct. 31st, 2014 04:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bedsitter23Last year's "The Messenger" was a bit of a revelation. After years of speculating on what a Johnny Marr solo career would have looked like (as opposed to be a hired hand for the likes of The The, Modest Mouse, the Cribs, and others), we finally had our answer.
"Messenger" wasn't better than anything by the Smiths, but it was an enjoyable album that showed a true lineage from Marr's original band onto a slew of imitators.
It's hard then to say what is so disappointing about the follow-up "Playland".
Maybe, the novelty is gone.
Indeed, "Playland" seems more musically ambitious than it's predecessor. Why is it (or maybe it indeed is why) that the vocals and lyrics seem ill-suited. Marr seems a poor comparison to Bernard Sumner (maybe because these songs sound so Electronic-ish).
"Messenger" wasn't particularly strong in those departments, but it did seem more than passable. Whereas, here maybe it is the strength of the music that demands as strong of a lyrical and vocal counterpart.
One also can't help but think of what a Smiths reunion might sound like (with Morrissey also releasing new material) and one feels we might be led to an Indie Cindy style disappointment.
Morrissey recently announced he has cancer (http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/oct/07/morrissey-reveals-series-of-cancer-treatments-if-i-die-then-i-die) and we would take even an "Indie Cindy"
from the duo, I am sure.
"Playland" isn't a bad album. One just wishes it didn't feel like such a throwaway disc.
"Messenger" wasn't better than anything by the Smiths, but it was an enjoyable album that showed a true lineage from Marr's original band onto a slew of imitators.
It's hard then to say what is so disappointing about the follow-up "Playland".
Maybe, the novelty is gone.
Indeed, "Playland" seems more musically ambitious than it's predecessor. Why is it (or maybe it indeed is why) that the vocals and lyrics seem ill-suited. Marr seems a poor comparison to Bernard Sumner (maybe because these songs sound so Electronic-ish).
"Messenger" wasn't particularly strong in those departments, but it did seem more than passable. Whereas, here maybe it is the strength of the music that demands as strong of a lyrical and vocal counterpart.
One also can't help but think of what a Smiths reunion might sound like (with Morrissey also releasing new material) and one feels we might be led to an Indie Cindy style disappointment.
Morrissey recently announced he has cancer (http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/oct/07/morrissey-reveals-series-of-cancer-treatments-if-i-die-then-i-die) and we would take even an "Indie Cindy"
from the duo, I am sure.
"Playland" isn't a bad album. One just wishes it didn't feel like such a throwaway disc.
