Johnny Marr: The Messenger

According to the man himself, whilst recording he kept in mind the styles of his three favourite guitarists: The Stooges’ James Williamson, Pentangle’s Bert Jansch and Chic’s Nile Rodgers. A more disparate rogue’s gallery one could not imagine. It is testament to Marr’s diversity as a guitarist and songwriter that his own playing is shaped by such divergent forces.
Amidst the grooves Marr doffs his cap to the ‘60s US pop troupes to which he is so in thrall on ‘The Right Thing Right’. He switches gear on the dense, langourous orchestrations of ‘Say Demesne’ and draws inspiration from closer to his roots on
‘Words Start Attack’ whose angular guitar lines come straight from the Glasgow School. All good...