The Stone Roses

It was always going to be impossible to live up to the expectations set by their classic first album, and sure enough, after five years of waiting, this LP dropped like a lead balloon (ahem) onto the English music scene in 1995. The impeccable rhythm section is beefed up, although it's sometimes hard to appreciate when they're playing second fiddle to John Squire's endless cocaine-fueled guitar solos. The album is a grower, but anyone raised on classic rock knows where it all came from and when it was done better. Highlights include "Tears" and the gorgeous "How Do You Sleep?"

Three words: "next," "big," "thing." The British press occasionally strings these words
together, capitalizes them and slaps them like a mailing label on some new rock act about
to debut in America. Some survive; some don't. But all wear the label long after delivery,
and almost all are affected by the hype. So tagged, the Stone Roses debuted on the
independent Silvertone label in 1989. The Roses were fun: groovy guitar awash i... More >