Music is one of the most in-flux and transient forms of media that exists within our fast-paced world today. With an industry that is categorized by its ability to adapt and evolve based on current world affairs, pop culture, and many other defining pillars of modern media, the partiality towards the idea of “the next best thing” is heavily favored by both those who work in the music industry and its consumers, or people like you and me. However, behind all of the most iconic bands and/or artists whose sound served as a keystone for their corresponding genre or style, we often fail to recognize the evolution process that resulted in the establishment of that sound. What does that process look like? And when I ask this question, I’m not referring to the actual process of curating songs by adding a synth beat here, and background vocals there - no, I’m referring to the formation of that band’s signature style. What special trait do they possess that other artists can’t replicate? How does the public regard their sound? What are they known for? Obviously, these answers are rhetorically subjective; however, one must wonder: how did they do it? The objective answer is this: their debut album. The first piece of their art was released into this constantly evolving stratosphere of the music realm. Even more specifically, I want to discuss self-titled debut albums and why their harmonious simplicity is superior.
The band The Stone Roses is easily considered one of the most influential British bands, often credited to the rise of the “Madchester” movement, or the musical and cultural scene that overtook the English city of Manchester during the late 1980s, pioneered by the band themselves. Their discography proves this feat even more impressive, as they sport only three released singles and two compiled albums. Their most popular and arguably best work is their debut album titled The Stone Roses, a gorgeous collaboration utilizing psychedelic nuances deeply rooted in classic ’60s rock. The instrumental usage; melodic and entrancing. The lyrics and use of repetition; hauntingly nostalgic, coupled with the perception that you’ve stumbled upon an era of rock that was way ahead of its time during initial release. To summarize, this is considered one of the greatest albums of all time for its notable contribution to a new era of music and for its unique and ambitious sound within the alternative movement. However, I’d like to argue another hidden layer of beauty exists within this compilation: the unforgettable fact that this is their first release. To take it one step further, I believe that the most crucial factor to this album’s success is the fact that it is a direct product, that upon close analysis and consideration of this album and five other self-titled debut albums, of a three-ingredient recipe, intentional or not, for a lasting mark upon the face of music indefinitely.