CD - The Greatest - Ian Brown

From the archive, first published Wednesday 28th Sep 2005.

WHILE I was never a big fan of the much-loved Stone Roses, I have to admit to a passing admiration for former frontman Ian Brown.

The snarling Mancunian was at the forefront of a whole new musical genre and after turning his back on the band, refusing point blank to even consider a reunion, he is still producing the goods.

Brown's four solo efforts since the break-up of the Roses have been a mixed bag - one moment hitting the heights achieved by the four-piece while at other times hitting the lows more akin to his

time spent behind bars. But that's why this collection of songs is such a success.

The bosses at Fiction Records have cherry-picked the tracks, leaving the dodgy bits behind in the mixing room.

Dolphins Were Monkeys has to be the pick of them while Golden Gaze is another excellent offering. But there are other fine tracks, comeback single My Star, F.E.A.R and Time Is My Everything to name just three. There are also two new tracks, All Ablaze and Return Of The Fisherman.

The Stone Roses may have passed me by but Ian Brown can now add me to his devoted fanbase.

DL

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