The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
    • Shows & On demand
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Fund us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Cannes
      • Sundance London
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • Tumblr

  • RSS


CultureMusicAlbum reviews

Johnny Marr – The Messenger

Johnny Marr – The Messenger | Album review
27 February 2013
Eleonora Ricotta
Avatar
Eleonora Ricotta
27 February 2013

Recently awarded by NME with its Godlike Genius award, famous indie-pop era guitarist Johnny Marr finally releases his much anticipated debut solo album, The Messenger, making the long wait utterly worthwile.

With effervescent tunes, and insightfully modern lyrics that reflect on our uber-communicative, yet more-isolated-than-ever world, Marr’s debut makes for a stand-out solo album, revealing him as a terrific frontman, and definite rival for his long-lost ex-bandmate Morrissey.

Released on the 25th of February through Warner Bros. Records, The Messenger is a 12-track LP, based on everything worth saving from the 90s, while hinting, with hope, at what will be awaiting us in rock music in the near future.

Album opener The Right Thing Right is a Madchester-esque piece with haunting hooks, while the riffs on I Want The Heartbeat raise spirits with their pure rock ‘n’ roll attitude. Upstarts and The Messenger resonate with typical British nostalgia, leading listeners towards the album’s core, which reaches its peak with the pumping, cascading track, Generate! Generate!.

Synth-influenced Say Demesne deals with teenage prostitution, while retaining an 80s vibe, while New Town Velocity wistfully plays upon memories of infancy.

The Messenger is an acute critique of the modern age panorama, revised with Marr’s 49 year-old perspective. He hasn’t lost his youthfulness – better yet, he uses it to create something sharper than we are maybe accustomed to, as only a great musical genius could do.

Leaving Electronic, The The, and Modest Mouse behind him, The Smiths’ ex-guitarist and co-songwriter launches himself in an undoubtedly satisfying endeavour, majestically bringing out one of 2013’s greatest albums, thus far.

Verdict: ••••

Eleonora Ricotta

The Messenger was released on 25th February 2013. For further information about Johnny Marr visit here.  

Watch the video for The Messenger here:

Related Items

More in Album reviews

Vance Joy – Nation of Two

★★★★★
Mark Mukasa
Read More

Franz Ferdinand – Always Ascending

★★★★★
Ella Navarro
Read More

Noel Gallagher – Who Built the Moon?

★★★★★
Ed Barnes
Read More

Taylor Swift – Reputation

★★★★★
Laura Boyle
Read More

The Killers – Wonderful Wonderful

★★★★★
George Kazakos
Read More

Haim – Something to Tell You 

★★★★★
Amber Medland
Read More

Kendrick Lamar – Damn

★★★★★
Mark Mukasa
Read More

Keston Cobblers Club – Almost Home

★★★★★
Alex White
Read More

Jamiroquai – Automaton

★★★★★
Catherine Sedgwick
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Tickets

Theatre tickets

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Project Gastronomía: How will Londoners eat in 2050? A symposium on gastronomy and multisensory design
    Food & Drinks
  • Bat Out of Hell at the Dominion Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Clare Smyth crowned the World’s Best Female Chef 2018
    Food & Drinks
  • Tribeca Film Festival 2018: On the red carpet with the stars of Westworld season 2
    Cinema
  • Tokio Myers at the Forum
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • The Wound (Inxeba)
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Clare Smyth crowned the World’s Best Female Chef 2018
    Food & Drinks
  • Strictly Ballroom at Piccadilly Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • The Writer at the Almeida Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Avengers: Infinity War
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • The Wound (Inxeba)
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Strictly Ballroom at Piccadilly Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • The Writer at the Almeida Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Avengers: Infinity War
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Sherlock Gnomes premiere: A chat with James McAvoy, his co-stars and the film’s creators
    Cinema

Instagram

Something is wrong. Response takes too long or there is JS error. Press Ctrl+Shift+J or Cmd+Shift+J on a Mac.
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Fund us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • New London restaurant openings and pop-ups
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Subscribe
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2018 FL Media Ltd

Claerwen James at Flowers Gallery | Exhibition review
Atoms for Peace – Amok | Album review