Stone Roses - Turns Into Stone (Music On Vinyl)

Manchester's Stone Roses released just two albums but those albums tell only part of the story. The missing bits can be found on Turns Into Stone, originally released in 1992. This collection scoops up early singles and B-sides that didn't appear on the debut album.

The album's provenance speaks nothing of it's quality: here can be found some of the greatest songs the four-piece ever recorded, from their poppets single, "Elephant Stone" to the towering "One Love" and the anthemic "Fools Gold" the track on which their hybrid of atmospheric indie and acid house found it's most perfect balance.

Quite why The Stone Roses chose not to put these songs on an album is a mystery, but Turns Into Stone itself was controversial at the time. In a protracted battle with record label Silvertone, the band were unable to release any new material for several years due to an injunction against them, and Turns Into Stone was released without input from the band.

Highlights include the 12” version of “Elephant Stone” which was absent from the original UK release of their debut. This version skips the wah-wah and pulls the drums forward, creating a more aggressive sound than the album version. Then, of course, there’s “Fools Gold,” in its full, nearly 10-minute glory, probably the most instantly recognizable song by The Stone Roses, it is also the most anomalous in their discography, akin to The Smiths “How Soon Is Now?”.

Heavyweight audiophile vinyl produced by Music On Vinyl for Silvertone Records in 2012. UK Import.