Genre: Rock/Pop, Sub-Genre: Brit Pop

The Stone Roses: Ian Brown (vocals); John Squire (guitar); Gary Mounfield (bass); Reni (drums, background vocals).

Producers: John Leckie, Peter Hook, Paul Schroeder, Garage FloWers.

Manchester's most likely to, who escaped independent status after a lengthy court battle, signed to Geffen and then promptly disappeared for five years. They came back, and then Went pop. Quite simply, their debut album is a superlative record. A Byrds-like listlessness caused listeners to swoon in wonder and slip quietly beneath the surface. 'Waterfall' and 'She Bangs The Drums' Were sublime and quietly brilliant, 'I Wanna Be Adored' teased with its epic intro, and, of course, created incredible and impossible pressure for that all-important second album. A classic album, already seen as one of the finest records of the '80s.

 

Q (6/00, p.74) - Ranked #29 in Q's "100 Greatest British Albums"

Q (10/01, p.100) - Ranked #7 in Q's "Best 50 Albums of Q's Lifetime"

Q (12/99, p.164) - 5 stars out of 5 - "...pure pop alchemy....[it] still fascinates....it remains clear that here was a band - and an album - in a million."

Mojo (12/99, p.103) - "...Set the tone for rock music in the '90s; nostalgic and unable or unwilling to communicate any message except feed your head, question nothing, look elegantly vacant....this really is a record you need to own..."

Alternative Press (7/95, p.89) - Ranked #49 in AP's list of the 'Top 99 Of '85-'95' - "...The album that sent devotees of the baggy trouser (not to mention a number of others) into delirium. For once, all the hype was right; this is a record that lasts..."

NME (9/25/93, p.18) - Ranked #1 among the 50 Greatest Albums Of The '80s - "...a shining embodiment of everything rock music should be: arrogant, elegantly crafted and imbued with a rare ability to make its listener feel mighty..."

NME (10/2/93, p.29) - Ranked #5 in NME's list of the 'Greatest Albums Of All Time.'