Solarized [Japan] |

Personnel: Tim Hutton (guitar, trumpet, horns); Tim Wills (guitar, piano); Frankie Brown, Pat Murdoch, Aziz Ibrahim (guitar); Noel Gallagher (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, background vocals); Dave McCracken (keyboards, drums, programming); Sean McCann (bass guitar); Dan Bierton (drums); Inda Goldfinger (percussion); Tracey Ray (background vocals). Audio Mixer: Steve Fitzmaurice. Recording information: Jacob's Studios, Surrey, England; Strongroom Studios, East London, South Africa; The Pierce Rooms, Hammersmith, West London; Townhouse Studios, West London; Wheeler End Studios, Buckinghamshire, England. SOLARIZED is former Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown's fourth solo outing. Like his legendary first band and previous solo albums, SOLARIZED combines heady electric guitar sounds, club-derived dance beats, winding Middle Eastern-themed melodies, and memorable pop hooks. There are idiosyncratic flourishes here and there, like the loungy, down-tempo trip-hop of "The Sweet Fantastic" and the mariachi-styled horns on "Time Is My Everything," but, for the most part, Brown sticks to the groovy, swirling guitar-based Brit-pop he does best. Opener "Longsight M13" leads off with a snake-charmer verse, orbiting guitar leads, and electronic frippery before sinking into the heavy dance groove of the chorus. The expansive melody of "Destiny or Circumstance" proves Brown has retained his ability to construct durable tunes, while "Kiss Ya Lips (No I.D.)" rides a jumpy, infectious house beat. "Keep What Ya Got" was co-written by Oasis figurehead Noel Gallagher, and the resulting single (which bears traces of both Oasis and the Stone Roses) is a textbook example of minor-key Brit-pop. The album is shot through with deeply textured production and effects, backwards guitar, and massive solos in ways that should please Brown fanatics.

• Format: CD
• Genre: Rock and Pop
• Released: 09/13/2004