Greatest Hits or The Best of albums. There are/were two ways of looking at them. The first, a commercial exploitation of the fanbase with possibly the hint of one or two ‘additional’ tracks that can’t be found anywhere else.
The second, as a gateway to an artist you might not be too sure about, to get a flavour of their body of work, and from there delve into the back catalogue of previously released albums.
However, with Spirit Power : The Best of Johnny Marr, I’ve realised there is a third reason, and that is to recognise the breadth and depth of musical talent that someone of the standing of Johnny Marr has unleashed on the world since he first went solo.
Johnny Marr’s exploits with The Smiths, The The, Modest Mouse, The Cribs, Electronic, The Pretenders is well known and there are many other collaborations where his guitar skills have leant more than a ‘guest appearance’ to the final output.
Spirit Power : The Best of Johnny Marr though is Johnny Marr on his own terms. They are terms I hadn’t appreciated until now though.
While the songs are predominantly guitar driven, the melodies demonstrate an affection for the up tempo funk/dance tunes of one of his own favourites Nile Rogers.
Listening to the album, I’m struck by how his guitar playing is allowed to sit inside each song rather than dominate them.
A couple of favourites stand out for me, a Best of within a Best of, Priest with Maxine Peake, The Depeche Mode cover, I Feel You and Easy Money.
As we head to The Barrowlands, tonight as part of his Spirit Power tour, I’m sure the songs here will reverberate around the iconic venue.
Also sure that there may be a review of Johnny Marr’s back catalogue in greater detail to see what other hidden gems can be found.
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