‘Call The Comet’ is easily Johnny Marr’s most confident solo album. Lead single ‘The Tracers’ sets the tone, executing a perfect balance between Marr’s iconic guitar style and more experimental production. Unfortunately, this balance is sometimes lacking on the rest of the album. ‘New Dominium’ is far too self-aware in its attempts to be different, while penultimate track ‘My Eternal’ also suffers from an ambitious backdrop that isn’t helped by Marr’s overly distorted vocals.
The strongest moments come from Marr’s uniquely colourful guitar arrangements – ‘Hi Hello’ and ‘Day In Day Out’ are the closest to the ex-Smiths man’s early era that we hear, and his ability to put together evocative canvases with just a guitar are as awe-inspiring as they have been for the last three decades.
‘Call The Comet’ doesn’t quite reach the heights it sets out to, as the execution on some tracks falls flat despite some interesting ideas. That being said, there are enough moments throughout the record to remind you that the Marr magic is alive and well.
7/10
Words: Will Rosebury
Dig it? Dig deeper: The Smiths, Ian Curtis, Morrissey
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