Johnny Marr – The Age of Everything

Arguably best known for his prolific time with The Smiths, revered guitarist Johnny Marr has contended with keeping that esteemed legacy alive whilst continuing to collaborate far and wide (including The Pretenders, Modest Mouse, Gorillaz and Hans Zimmer, just for starters), feeding into the music eventually released under his own name in 2013. And it’s all led up to potentially Marr’s best solo album to date, The Age of Everything.

Since 2022’s double LP Fever Dreams Pts 1-4, the musician has indisputably remained active – there’s been a Best of in Spirit Power, a live recording, a book, plenty of touring and a recent £3.6m guitar auction through Christie’s, all while still finding time to write, road-test and record the new songs. Describing this album as the most cathartic he’s made, Marr explains further: “[The title] seemed to sum up the way I think a lot of people are feeling… a sense of overwhelm in the culture brought about by technology, but looking at it with a different light, there could also be a sense of possibility.”

Lead single Spin, with its sharp musicality and introspective lyrics (“There’s too much coming into my mind / Days keep running through my head”), opens by neatly encompassing these themes, before immediately pivoting into more dramatic territory with Beyond the Rain. For fans of early solo favourite New Town Velocity, this track presents itself as a possible companion piece, echoing that yearning for more outside of its northern landscape.

It’s satisfying to find Marr embracing his roots, with It’s Time deploying rapid-fire Smiths-like guitars, and Ophelia’s shimmering yet subtle disco rhythm. Now five solo LPs in, the confidence in his songwriting is the most assured it’s ever been; it’s clearly heard in That Feeling’s anxious uncertainty and the confrontational nature of Fire with Fire. Also, the sublime How Come conveys its plaintive anguish in a slow burn to crashing chords any songwriter would be proud of, with his band clearly understanding each song’s needs.

Yet Marr is unafraid to explore new possibilities; In and Out of Love, for instance, is a stunning, sweeping waltz unlike anything else in his solo career, while closing track All in a Life expresses weary resignation – “This dream don’t come back” – in a brooding, almost threatening synth-laced stomp.

Throughout the record, Marr’s iconic fretwork naturally shines, cleanly glistening one moment and pulsing with thunder the next. It’s a testament to having road-tested most of these songs, with singalong elements (perhaps a nod to his stint supporting The Killers?) nestled neatly alongside well-timed guitar breakdowns. Yet it must also be acknowledged that Marr’s vocals have never sounded better, having grown since 2013 into a strong instrument in their own right and ably carrying the lyrics’ conviction.

Somehow, amidst all the noise and confusion that inspired it, the result is an album that feels remarkably clear in its purpose. In The Age of Everything, this reviewer absolutely recommends countering that commotion with Johnny Marr’s new record.

Gem Hurley
Image: Andrew Cotterill

The Age of Everything is released on 2^nd October 2026. For further information or to order the album, visit Johnny Marr’s website here.

Watch the video for Spin here: