Ian Brown – Ripples (2019)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/48 kHz | Time – 42:47 minutes | 533 MB | Genre: Indie Rock, Britpop
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © EMI
Release from the former Stone Roses vocalist. Ripples is Brown’s first solo album in 10 years and serves as the long-awaited follow-up to 2009’s My Way. Brown self-produced and wrote a majority of Ripples, as well as created the artwork and played most of the instruments heard throughout the record. His sons have co-writing credits on three songs and provided additional instrumental contributions. Ripples was recorded in Liverpool and “enhanced” at London’s Abbey Road Studios before undergoing mixing by longtime collaborator Steve Fitzmaurice. Includes the single “First World Problems”.
It’s been years since Ian Brown has released anything, but here the illustrious singer from The Stone Roses returns to the record with Ripples and everything is homemade. He plays the guitar, drums and several other instruments himself, while leaving his sons David, Frankie and Casey to the keyboard, bass, glockenspiel (Soul Satisfaction), percussion, guitar, tambourines and even Tibetan bowls (It’s Raining Diamonds) or güiro (Break Down The Walls). He’s the producer, the director of his music videos, and the artist of his album cover. His work is still just as funky, like on The Dream And The Dreamer with its simple yet magical synths and chords. And he makes sure to include the ‘made in madchester’ pop nonchalance from the late ‘80s (Breathe And Breathe Easy). The album was recorded in Liverpool and then completed at Abbey Road Studios. Clearly influenced by reggae, Ripples gives Barrington Levy’s famous track Black Roses (2002) a facelift. He also covers Mikey Dread’s Break Down The Walls (1982), an artist who was well-known for his work with The Clash. The ex-Stone Roses member mimics his (Dread’s) accent to conclude that “We’ve got to break down the walls/Down inna Babylon around and beside us/We’re from the righteous tribe/Down inna Babylon, and Jah Jah will guide us.” This record just goes to show that Ian Brown is still just as relaxed. – Charlotte Saintoin
Tracklist:
1. Ian Brown – First World Problems (05:57)
2. Ian Brown – Black Roses (02:38)
3. Ian Brown – Breathe And Breathe Easy (The Everness Of Now) (03:27)
4. Ian Brown – The Dream And The Dreamer (05:37)
5. Ian Brown – From Chaos To Harmony (04:01)
6. Ian Brown – It’s Raining Diamonds (03:10)
7. Ian Brown – Ripples (03:43)
8. Ian Brown – Blue Sky Day (05:10)
9. Ian Brown – Soul Satisfaction (04:08)
10. Ian Brown – Break Down The Walls (Warm Up Jam) (04:52)
