Combining the lyrical hubris of Ian Brown, the blinding guitar playing of John Squire with the incredibly funk drumming and bass lines of Mani and Gary Mountfield respectfully, the Stone Roses is one of the most confident debuts of all time.

The record starts off not with a song, but with seeminlgy random snippets of industrial background before the magnificent 'I wanna be adored' emerges from the chaos. we start off with that wonderful easy funky rhythm section and some chiming guitar, before Ian Brown starts singing as he does for the rest of the album, in hushed yet the supremelt confident tones of one who knows he is making history.

Its gorgeous stuff awash with treated guitars, and apparently treated vocals. Funky as hell and blissful as the other place.

Next comes the joyous 'She bangs the drums', an optimistic belter to the girl and to the future. Possibly the sound of the idealistic love of youth. Some brilliant guitar bass solo in here.

'Waterfall' is the third track and starts with another classic and unmistakeable guitar intro. Chiming, it rings out and gets you moving. Keeps you happy. A dreamy vocal by Brown completes the wonder. Could it be about the same girl as the last song.

For 'Don't stop', the roses had the cheek to play 'Waterfall' backwards and add a vocal over the top. It still sounds better than most of the dross in the charts, then or now.

Bye bye badman sounds wonderfully youthful again. Innocent, maybe. An incredibly jaunty upbeat rhythm to it. Straight from teh text book of classic 60's pop. Striked of bass come bouncing around the song, and then again, that delightful ringing guitar. There's reminders of the Byrds here for me. Although I could never dance this much to the Byrds.

'Side two starts off with a minor fold sitty about the Queen of England, 'Elizabeth my dear'. That's ironic.

'(Song for my) sugar soun sister' sounds similarily republican in its outlook. The Stone Roses, from Manchester, would not have been fans of teh political status quo ruled over by the queen and the almost fascist Margaret Thatcher. but none of those songs will do anything but make you smile and move your hips.

'Made of stone' sounds a bit like Ride. All treated guitars and echo. But Ride never had this type of rousing singalong chorus. The Stone roses should be sung out loud on football terraces. In ways the stone Roses were the precursors to Oasis, but with far more talent.

'Shoot you down' is more psychedelic. Based around the bass(sorry!) it could have been recorded underwater. By early Fleetwood Mac.

'This is the one' repeats its title over and over again, hypnotising you untile you believe, that yes, this really is the one. Its magnificent in its determination, its purpose, its contrast between hushed vocals and forceful guitar, untile we end up confidently shouting it out...

that would be the perfect end to one of the best albums of all time. Except it isn't. The Roses give us another classic to entrap our souls. just in case you hadn't already decided, the albums ends off with ''I am the ressurection' and I am the life. I couldn't ever bring myself to hate you as I like'. This song has everything. It sounds like the singer is blessing us all as he ascends into heaven. It completely takes your break away. Not content with giving us a magnificent song in the form of the rest of the album, it then transmogrifies into the most brilliant funk workout. on a par with the best of Parliament or james Brown or anyone. Its rock hard and rock solid and sounds simply magnificent at volume.

The Stone Roses, the album, is best known for 'I wanna be adored', 'Waterfall' and 'I am teh resurrection'. They are beyond reproach. But teher isn't a shoddy moment on the album. If you were to criticise it, you might complain that it doesn't include 'Fool's Gold'. But the record is perfect as it is. 'Fool's Gold' would have disturbed the flow of the album, and anyway, you want to search that out on golden coloured vinyl 12".

Blissful, dreamy, astounding, immodest, joyous, boastful, swaggering, catchy, rousing,

If you don't already have this albun, get it off GEMM or ebay now.

The Roses were at the forefront of a British movement that combined the more modern dance scene with the genius of 60's pop, making for an irresistible combination. The so called baggy scene also gave rise to the happy Mondays, and for a brief while, the Mock Turtles, the Farm, James and others. But the Stone Roses, with this album, were well ahead of the rest.

Before escaping the Silvertone record label in acrimonious circumstances, they also gave us 'Fool's Gold' an incredibly pop-dance hybrid which still sets the coolest dancefloors alight all around the world and remains a student favourite nearly 20 years later.

They finally bowed out with 'Second coming' a massively awaited and disappointing album. Its not bad. Its just not the genius that is the Stone Roses.

Packaging is standard, Black vinyl in an inner picture sleeve within the main album. I think I have the second pressing(A2/B2 in the deadwax) which sounds great to these ears. However it is not a hi-fi demonstration album. It is just lovely to listen to. At one stage I also had a double 45rpm 12" set. I no longer own it and can not do a direct comparison. But I remember thinking at the time that the sound was quite harsh, which is why I sold it. This single LP version is the one I preferred to play.