The Stone Roses

Tracks:

I Wanna Be Adored
She Bangs The Drums
Elephant Stone
Waterfall
Don't Stop
Bye Bye Badman
Elizabeth My Dear
(Song For My) Sugar Spun Sister
Made Of Stone
Shoot You Down
This Is The One
I Am The Resurrection
Fools Gold

Amazon.com

Some albums really can change the world, and in 1989 this was one of them. The psychedlic dance extravaganza that was The Stone Roses ushered in the era of Madchester, baggy trousers, Kangols, and the Hacienda. From the magnificent protracted opening of "I Wanna Be Adored" (where, for once, the arrogance wasn't overdone) to the dying seconds of "Fools Gold," every note was perfect. Jon Squire's guitarwork was a thing of magic, a new hero for a new age, Ian Brown sang with gusto, and the rhythm section had paid attention during the second summer of love (1988 version). Essential. --Chris Nickson

Customer Reviews:

The Stone Roses & their Brilliant debut.......2007-06-30

Highly influential was this Manchester band, the Stone Roses.
They only put two albums out in their whole 12 year career, but this one marked the Stone Roses as a very important Rock band who crafted a style that was all their own. Combining 60s guitar pop with dance beats and a bit of psychadelia. Very innovative, since no other band was doing this, with the possible exception of the Happy Mondays. Of course they were nowhere near as good.

The Stone Roses s/t debut is definitely an 80s classic. One of the best from the decade. Pure Brit/Pop that re-energised the movement.
A movement in which later inspired bands like Blur and Oasis. Still no one does it better than the Stone Roses! and their debut is pure gold.
To me, it sounds like this record is from a band who had a seasoned career, not just a first time effort as this. One of the best debut albums I have ever heard.
John Squire is a Master at the guitar, superior throughout, especially on the band's epic - "I Am the Ressurection" and "Fool's Gold" which isn't on my early used copy. The song was released on later editions and I first heard it on 'The Complete Stone Roses' album.
Every song on this Cd Rocks! Not a stinker on all of these 11 or 12 tracks depending on which version you have.
- "I Wanna Be Adored" - "She Bangs the Drums" - "Made Of Stone" & "This Is the One" are my highlights.
If you are a fan of Rock music or just music in general and you don't have this in your collection, What are you waiting for ? Buy it.

If only I could give it 10 stars!.......2007-04-26

Unbelievably brilliant, well ahead of it's time! I can't get Waterfall out of my head. I'm only sorry that I didn't clue into this band when they made this album but I don't think I would have been mature enough to appreciate it's brilliance. Rarely in the history of music do collaborative artists produce such magic together squire/brown have made a masterpiece. It's shocking that they didn't produce much more material together, but I can think of 100's of bands that have 10's of albums out and not one of them equal this. John Squire's guitar and Brown's vocal are a match made in heaven. If the legacy of The Stone Roses is this and very little else then so be it, at least they went out on a figurative and no doubt literal high.

Rubber Soul, Dark Side, Stone Roses.......2007-03-11

I was initially sceptical of the Stone Roses and for a long time I never really gave them a chance. However after numerous recommendations i finally decided to giv ethis album a go and found (to my surprise) uplifting and repetitivly entertaining album.

From the opening of I Wanna Be Adored to Waterfall to Bye Bye Badman to I Am The Ressurection and the bonus track on this disc Fool's Gold. What most impresses me about this album is it's ability to not only keep your intention for 10 minutes plus (Both Fool's Gold and I Am The Ressurection push double figures) and still leave you yearning for more like The Velvet Underground's I'm Waiting For The Man you could just keep listening for hours.

All in all this is a fantastic album well worth the title of Greatest album of all time (If not close), A+ for Squire's boys.

Stateside industry dismisses yet another brilliant album........2007-02-22

Don't get me wrong I'm an Ex-pat that lives in the States, I love the country, but the recording industry here has me scratching my head sometimes. There is a definitive belief in my mind that the industry here is very closed minded, or perhaps just biased. It's only really Radiohead and Coldplay that has made it in recent times. The dullest, most boring bands I have ever heard. Sure they each had a couple of good tunes, but come on!! Oasis had some success, but they were not even a quarter of the band The Stone Roses were. For those of you out there who say I'm just another Brit who reads the NME or just thinks Brit bands are better, I say to you its not the case I'm making. I think the UK is open to all American Music, but it just doesn't work the other way around and it could. I've played close friends here Shed Seven, Dodgy, and Kula Shaker, the Roses, and even The Happy Mondays. Many have stated that he could not believe these bands had never made it in the States, and that they made excellent records. Whatever your point of view. I can confidently state that this album is one of the best of all time.

Amazing - one of best CDs ever!.......2007-02-10

I think I must have listened to this CD hundreds of times - it never gets old. This is one of the few CDs where every track is absolutely amazing. Surely one of the best 10 albums ever made.

Average customer rating:

awesome album
What the world is waiting for
missing one song
Fantastic remastering job
Delectable

The Very Best of the Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
Manufacturer: Jive
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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21 Singles
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ASIN: B00008MHAE
Release Date: 2003-03-18

Tracks:

I Wanna Be Adored
She Bangs The Drums
Ten Storey Love Song
Waterfall
Made Of Stone
Love Spreads
What The World Is Waiting For
Sally Cinnamon
Fools Gold
Begging You
Elephant Stone
Breaking Into Heaven
One Love
This Is The One
I Am The Resurrection

Customer Reviews:

awesome album.......2005-10-30

She bangs the drum is my fav song on this incredible album. I love the psychedelic dance pop sound. What a great album.

What the world is waiting for.......2005-09-20

Normally I wouldn't recommend buying a best-of compilation for a band whose proper albums are readily (and cheaply) available, but this particular disc has two things going for it:

One, the track selection is impeccable. Of course there are additional songs that could have been included, but CDs only hold 80 minutes and it is impossible to quibble with any of the tracks that made the cut. It also works great as an album; the tracks are sequenced smartly and flow smoothly for a satisfying listen with no awkward transitions.

Two, the remastered sound is jaw-droppingly great compared to the original CDs. I am talking night-and-day difference; you don't need to be an audiophile to appreciate it. This CD makes the original albums sound like hissy, worn-out cassette tapes in comparison, and in fact it's hard to go back and enjoy listening to them once you've heard this.

For those two reasons, this CD is what I usually reach for when I want to hear some Stone Roses. Until "The Stone Roses," "Second Coming," and "Turns into Stone" are remastered with acceptable sound quality, this CD is the best way to experience the Stone Roses, despite some great material not included on the compilation.

Oh yeah, and the music itself is spectacular! These songs are ground zero for Britpop; a must-hear for any fan of Oasis, Blur, or great rock music in general. Buy this now!

missing one song.......2004-08-28

i love love love this album. the stone roses are such a good band. the only problem i have with this album is that it doesn't include mersey paradise. it's by far my favorite song by the stone roses, closely followed by love spreads. otherwise. it's an awesome and you should definitely buy it.
p.s. i'm not david neilson. that's my dad. i'm a girl. i just felt i needed to clarify this. :P

Fantastic remastering job.......2004-07-12

What the previous reviewers have said about the excellent remastering job on this compilation is an understatement. The remastering is easily 10 times better sonically than the original and 100 times better than "The Complete Stone Roses" on Silvertone which sounds terrible next to the standard first CD or this compilation. I'd also wager that John Leckie (producer/engineer of the best Roses material) actually remixed "She Bangs the Drums" with more background vocals and better reverbs/outboard gear...it sounds like an actual remix-check it out...it's that good!

This band is easily one of the best English bands of all time. There's a reason why fellow musicians and the critics continually rate the first Roses CD as one of the top 10 English rock CDs ever released.

Delectable.......2004-06-06

Me oh my, what an outrageously good record this is. I had never heard of The Stone Roses until my brother played me "I Wanna Be Adored" a few years ago. I loved the song, but I thought they would be a band very much like The Smiths or The Cure (which isn't a bad thing at all, I just wasn't interested at the time), so I never followed up and bought any of their albums. Thankfully, my father received this cd from my brother for his birthday a few months ago, and I've had the pleasure of listening to it everyday since then. All of these songs exude an indomitable vitality that lends an extra cachet to the already stellar music. There is a distinctive 80s sounds to The Roses, but after listening to all the material present on The Very Best Of, it's apparent that these songs transcend their era and will always remain as timelessly great pop confections. Highlights of this recording include the ebullient "What the World is Waiting For", the dreadfully pleasing "I Wanna Be Adored", and the anthemic numbers "Made of Stone" and "I am the Resurrection". I highly recommend this to all.

Average customer rating:

I agree with Shaun of the dead...
Excellent Second Offering
What Can You Say?
great riffin & drummmin....
It's Like the Evolution of the 60s

Second Coming
The Stone Roses
Manufacturer: Geffen Gold Line Sp.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Stone Roses
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ASIN: B000000OT7
Release Date: 1998-11-17

Tracks:

Breaking Into Heaven
Driving South
The Storey Love Song
Daybreak
Your Star Will Shine
Straight To The Man
Begging You
Tightrope
Good Times
Tears
How Do You Sleep
Love Spreads
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Customer Reviews:

I agree with Shaun of the dead..........2007-06-16

I like this album too! This was my first exposure to the Stone Roses - I heard "Love Spreads" in a music store and it sounded good to me. Eventually I picked up the Complete collection which is good too, but I guess I can see why fans of their earlier stuff wouldn't like this album.

Excellent Second Offering.......2007-05-27

I did indeed like the self titled debut from The Stone Roses, but "Second Coming" is much more to my liking. John Squire's guitarwork is so much more on this offering, with his styles ranging from rock, funk, blues, and much more. Ian Brown's vocals are excellent, and provides a nice balance between music and song. A little more upfront than the debut, but with perfect range. Gary "Mani" Mounfield's bass is fantastic. One of the better bassists, who has a more faster, rhythmic rock pace, yet subtle enough when needed. Alan "Reni" Wren, in my opinion, was (and still could be if he ever surfaced again) one of the best drummers to sit behind a kit. Reni depended on shear ability, rather than the flash of monsterous sets of equipment.

I loved "Second Coming" from the first time I listened to it. Every song is a good one, and the following are some of my favorite tracks:

As many people have said, to have an 11+ minute intro is rare, but to have an 11+ minute intro like "Breaking Into Heaven" is pure genius. From the ambient jungle sounds, jungle drums, to the guitar entry, and then Ian vocals, this track is amazing. It truly shows how great this band is. And many times I just want this song to go on and on and on.
"You can have it all anytime you want it. Yeah, the kingdom's all inside"

"Driving South" comes right at you and allows John to really shine. A great piece of guitarwork for sure. So many times John's style is compared with Jimmy Page's sound and style, but being an original Page lover, I can honestly say that John's work is more crisp and sharp, with a more edgy sound, which definately sets him apart.
"I'm only here to see if I can steal your soul"

"Ten Storey Love Song" is a softer track, which melds together an eastern and western flavor, along with steady vocals, and a great melody.
"Oh well I built this thing for you and I love you true"

And then from another direction "Daybreak" kicks up the funk. John, Mani and Reni pull out the funk for sure on this one. The trio lead you on a great ride, while Ian keeps you comfortable all the way thru. And Simon Dawson's keyboards round out this song just right. This song stands out to me a one of the songs that allows The Stone Roses to really shine, showing off their true talent and ability.
"Yeah Yeah Yeah"

And then, "Begging You" comes from an even different direction, pumping you up into a psychedelic club-like frenzy. Ian really shines on this track, letting you know his true ability of vocal talent. You are truly hypnotized and treated to a musical thrill ride. Another song that sets this band apart.
"Make all the dust that you can, king bee in a frenzy ready to blow"

"How Do You Sleep" turns everything around, and gives you a taste of good ole fashion blues and soothing rock. Ian's vocal give you an almost Grateful Dead sound, while John and the guys treat you to a melody reminiscent to the Allman Brothers. Together, this makes for a wonderful song. And to me, for a UK band, this is true genius!
"When the angel of death comes knock knocking and banging at your door"

"Love Spreads" is the one song that actually got a lot of airplay here in the states, and still does on occasion. Im glad for this, as it keeps The Stone Roses alive, and may make some casual listeners check out the rest of their offerings. This track is another good example of John's true talent, with some nice bluesy slide riffs, and straight up good guitarwork. Also Reni gets in on the vocals as well.
"The messiah is my sister, ain't no king man she's my queen"

An excellent offering from The Stone Roses. I just wish this band could have done more, and allowed us to experience more of what they had to offer.

What Can You Say?.......2007-05-26

There is a great temptation as an artist who has just had a lage commercial break through to turn in a bloated over produced sophmore effort, and the temptation is just as strong for reviewers to call these albums master piece. Look no further then The Killers Sam's Town or Oasis' Be Here Now for evidence. This album on the other hand was never headed as a masterpiece rather, well a drug fueled ecclectic mess worthy of the garbage bin.

In truth it is no question that this album is neither a masterpiece or garbage material but rather the remarkable efforts of a band who were well and truly on their last legs and whose main songwriters were torn apart by a bitter rivalvry over control of the band and Ian Brown's drug use, which occording to John Squire "Left him useless in the studio".

John Squire pushed The Stone Roses in a slightly heavier direction this time around, his riffs wind their way around overly confused medolies which, on certain tracks, work brilliantly. The problem however is that the album has no direction, no meaning, nothing to keep listeners coming back.

Of course this album was always going to be dissapointment, quite simply because the first album was one of the greatest albums of all time, and nothing was going to top it.

great riffin & drummmin...........2007-02-28

I read the following from Andy Grubb in a recommend disk list:
"Just put it on repeat and go about your life."

one of the best disks in the last 40 yrs of rock. I like it as much if nt more than their first great CD.

cover is perverse unless it means to say soemthing.

the music however, is excellent. Variety of great songs and rock and music styles. If you like the Raconteurs, Wolfmother, or Led Zepp or even the Beatles you should enjoy this very much. A little psychedelia, a little pop, a little raver, a whole lot of riffin and drummin that ties everything together.

imho these guys were years ahead of their time.

oh well, only time will tell.

It's Like the Evolution of the 60s.......2006-11-14

Think about it: Imagine the first Stone Roses album as The Yardbirds. After a few years of gestation, what pops up? Led Zeppelin.

Similarly, "Second Coming" sees a band stepping out of its psychedelic haze and plunging into hard, blues-inflected rock. Those expecting to see 1967 rehashed again will be sorely disappointed. This is more like watching Zeppelin circa '69. Indeed, Driving South and Love Spread come straight out of the blues rock playbook that Zeppelin and others wrote. I think that John Squire's attempt to be Page just irked those who weren't prepared for the sound's natural evolutionary course.

I reckon that other factors also fed into some people's disdain for this album. The CD itself is more of a mixed bag than the first album. Breaking into Heaven has a patience-depleting intro that consists of ambient jungle sounds. Its only when the funky guitar and Ian Brown pop up that one is truly roused. Tracks like Straight to the Man and Begging You, although sequenced right next to each other, expose constrating elements of this band's abilities. The distinction is quite apparent, but captivating. Other songs, however, just lack the "it" factor embodied in the first album's compositions.

The album's production might have something to do with it. While the first album boasted a hazy, psychedelic production that emphasized an aloof character, their album is much more down to earth. As such, things are brought to the fore and part of the mystery and ambiance just dissipates. It also makes the album harder to digest.

This album isn't perfect. However, it's not a carbon copy of its predecessor. If anything, the saga of the two Stone Roses albums echo the course of psychedelic music. Alas, many tracks don't stand up as well as they should, and the production removes some of the allure associated with the debut.

Still, if you liked the original and if you like early Zeppelin, this is worth checking out.

Average customer rating:

that 60s retro sound
This is best suited to sitting alongside the bands debut....
Worth the price.....
Turning into stone
PLEASE listen to Pete's Review

Turns Into Stone
The Stone Roses
Manufacturer: Jive
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000004ZW
Release Date: 1992-10-27

Tracks:

Elephant Stone
The Hardest Thing In The World
Going Down
Mersey Paradise
Standing Here
Where Angels Play
Simone
Fools Gold
What The World Is Waiting For
One Love
Something's Burning

Customer Reviews:

that 60s retro sound.......2005-12-28

The Stone Roses' "Turns Into Stone" includes an alternative take of "Elephant Stone" (interesting, but not as good as the one on the band's monumental debut), the full version of "Fool's Gold" (same as the one heard on the version of the debut that is commonly available), b-sides, and songs written before and after their first album. Except for "Simone" (one of their trademark backwards songs), all of this is available on "The Complete Stone Roses" (together with more alternative takes), though, as pointed out in previous reviews, some of the songs are truncated on "Complete" in order to fit 21 songs in. So, the question of the day is whether it's worth it to get "Turns into Stone."

Before we answer that query, I want to talk about the album itself. It's in some of these early tracks that we hear the band's biggest influences. On the one hand, there's no question that they borrowed from some of the more poppy, dare I say bubblegum bands of the mid-sixties, such as Herman's Hermits and Gerry and the Pacemakers. On the other hand, one clearly hears the influence of mid-sixties psychedelia such as the Byrds and Jefferson Airplane. Of course, The Roses' first album expanded on these sounds and gave birth to the late 80s Brit-pop movement (i.e Blur, Oasis, Happy Mondays), and had great influence (together with My Bloody Valentine) over the "shoegazer" sound (i.e. Catherine Wheel, Ride, Slowdive).

I really like all of the Herman's Hermits type songs, especially "Mersey Paradise" (which I wish had a spot on the first album, together with "Sally Cinnamon"). "Something's Burning" reminds me alot of a mellower version of "Fool's Gold," whereas ""One Love" comes dangerously close to self-parody.

The answer to the question posed above is it depends on how big a Stone Roses fan you are. To die-hard fans, listening to shortened version of "One Love" and "Something's Burning," seems inadequate and almost cruel in that the rocking instrumental part of the songs, basically showcasing John Squire (and perhaps Reni too), are edited out. For the rest, "The Complete Stone Roses" supplies enough to supplement the Roses' two primary studio recordings, making this album somewhat superfluous.

This is best suited to sitting alongside the bands debut...........2005-05-11

The Stone Roses burst onto the U.K. indie scene during 1989, with their landmark debut "The Stone Roses", and their blend of dreamy & confident indie Rock, and summertime 60's styled jangle-pop pushed it to top of alot of critics end of year lists. And although the second album "Second Coming" failed to scale the heady heights of the first album, it had it's moments....which begs the question, "Why do you need this??". Well, it's a brilliantly compiled 'Best of', with various excellent B-side track added for inclusion, as well as Singles, that made up the bands brief output. What is fantastic about this album, is that unlike other compilations such as "The Complete Stone Roses", this release doesn't attempt to cram in as much material as possible by 'Editing' down tracks, such as "Fools Gold" which had virtually half its 9:55 running time loobed off. "Elephant Stone" only gets a minor cut, missing around 2 mins in the edited version. "Listen Now" manages to have 4 mins missing on the lesser compilation, and "Something Burning" also manages to lose just over 4 minutes of its 7:51 running time.

Although seemingly a moot point to those that only have a passing interest in the bands music, and will mention that the lesser compilations actually contain more tracks....this is only really of concern for those that truly embraced / enjoy the bands music, and the fact that alot of this revolved around "John Squires" beautiful, melodic gutiar hooks, you'll largely miss the exceptional extented playing on the edited versions, which was a substain part of their 60's Jangle-pop appeal, and not forgetting that full versions were how the band intented them to be (not cut down versions, with huge chunks of instrumental sections missing). And its only when you compare the two versions, you realise just how much your missing.

But not forgetting that this best of, also comprimises of B-Sides / Singles, which have listened to these tracks several times, easily confirms that their debut album wasn't a fluke. Tracks such as "Where Angels Play", "One Love", "What the world is waiting for", "Mersey Paradise", "Going Down", "The Hardest thing in the World", or the backwards spinning fun of "Simone", all brim with that exbuerantly confident swagger that coupled with their catchy neo-psychedelia, was a defing trait of the band. And although the B-Sides themselves probably won't take pride and place over your orginal favourites, there is a great deal to enjoy here, and digest if (like me) you only know the band through their debut album.

Somewhat bizzarely (or not, depending on your stance) their appears to be nothing from their second album ("Second Coming") contained here....but arguably most consider that album to be the band least focused and confused work, and which probably explains their exclusion. Something I am very happy about, is the sound levels on this record sound noticably louder than the debut album, which I found, I had to crank the volume up, to clearly hear, what was going on...(or is it just me??). But before you all start trading in your Stone Roses albums for this compliation, it's important to bear in mind that ultimitely, this release isn't supposed to replace your debut album, it's supposed to sit alongside it (and seeing as it purely focuses on B-Sides, and U.K. Singles....you'll miss most of the best known tracks), instead it's complements the debut perfectly and will please fans no end with its superb compiling and sequencing. This is Probably not suited to those that just want one disk of the bands work, on one tidy disk (for that refer to "The Very Best of the Stone Roses"), but the more committed fan, will absolutely want to add this alongside their other Stone Roses albums.

Worth the price............2004-12-16

....solely for the full versions of One Love and Something's Burning, which feature some churning John Squire guitar work. Also includes an alternate version of Elephant Stone.

Turning into stone.......2004-10-09

Perhaps no British rock band was as deservedly beloved as the Stone Roses, a band whose complex brand of rock shot them to meteoric fame (which ultimately wrecked the band). "Turns into Stone" is something fans will adore -- various B-sides and unedited tracks, some of which never were released before in the US.

The albums opens with a panoramic mix of "Elephant Stone," laced with warm riffs and a thunderous percussion finale. "Fools Gold" gets the full treatment in a ten-minute cut of funky guitar rock, while "Where Angels Play" is an enchantingly soft-edged pop song. The remainder is mostly the gritty, mildly psychedelic rockers, before ending with the eerie experimental "Something Burning."

In truth, "Turns into Stone" is one of THE most underrated albums it has been my pleasure to hear. Even their B-sides are rich, enticing and beautifully performed -- In a nutshell, this patchwork of B-sides is better than the majority of rock albums out there.

Quite a few of the songs wouldn't seem out of place in the debut album -- and that is saying something. It drags a little in the middle, with songs like the ponderous "What the World Is Waiting For." It's too ordinary an indie-rock track for the Stone Roses. However, it's outweighed by the dancy "Fools Gold" and shimmering "Simone," and several others. "Turns into Stone" is dancier in places than their debut, while retaining their driven guitar-rock sound.

Ian Brown's perpetually downbeat vocals are in excellent form here. "You can't see the wolf in the trees," he murmurs ominously in the last song. John Squire's guitar riffs range from the soft undercurrents of "Something Burning" to the bright riffs of "The Hardest Thing in the World," and drummer Reni outdid himself with stuff like "Elephant Stone's" grand finale.

It lacks the cohesion of their debut album -- how COULD a collection of B-sides have cohesion anyway? -- but "Turns into Stone" is a must-have, whether for fans or newcomers. Powerful, magical and magnificent.

PLEASE listen to Pete's Review.......2004-01-25

Thanks to Pete (below, from Canada) for his dead-on comparison of Turns to Stone and Complete Stone Roses. The very fact that 4 of the best Stone Roses songs are cut in half on the Complete Stone Roses, renders that CD almost worthless. The most awesome parts of the songs (arguably) are the parts they cut on The Complete Stone Roses. Yes, Sally Cinnamon is on there, but it's still not worth the cut in Fool's Gold, One Love, I Am The Resurrection, and Something's Burning.

I apologize to the reviewer who recommends The Complete Stone Roses over this CD, but he's doing a disservice recommending that CD. Of course, us fans shouldn't quibble amongst each other, it's the stupid record companies that have hacked their music into so many incomplete versions and compilations.

Contrary, however, to Pete, I think the mix of Elephant Stone on this CD is pretty darn good! It doesn't quite have the pounding rhythm effect of the "The Stone Roses" version, it is an interesting and enjoyable mix to my ears.

I echo most other's recommendations in saying to buy "The Stone Roses", then Turns to Stone, then, if you love them like the rest of us, get "Second Coming" which is an above average and really enjoyable CD, but can't quite reach the heights of "The Stone Roses".