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As Ian Brown is not exactly renowned for his lack of self-belief, The Greatest is an appropriately egotistical title for the first compilation from the Madchester scene's golden boy. Brown is always more consistent as a singles artist, and so this 2005 collection, which gathers 15 tracks from his patchy first four albums, is perhaps the ideal showcase for the former Stone Roses frontman's talents. Kicking off with three tracks from 1998's Unfinished Monkey Business, debut single "My Star" set the blueprint for his solo career, combining cod-mysticism, Middle Eastern instrumentation, and psychedelic indie rock with his trademark languid vocal delivery, a formula Brown clearly adheres to on the likes of the space rock of "Longsight M13" and the sole new composition, "All Ablaze." However, the Morricone-inspired Spaghetti western vibes of "Time Is My Everything," the authentic brass-fused reggae of "Lovebug" (previously only available on the U.S./Japan edition of 2004's Solarized), and the jangly Americana of "Corpses in Their Mouths," a bitter diatribe against former bandmate John Squire, proved that the self-described "monkey man" was no one-trick pony. All the singles are here (bar his lowest-charting release, "Whispers"), including the two Noel Gallagher collaborations ("Can't See Me," "Keep What Ya Got"), unexpected Top Five hit "Dolphins Were Monkeys," and his two guest spots with UNKLE ("Be There," "Reign"), but it's 2001's "F.E.A.R.," a haunting string-soaked slice of baggy hip-hop cleverly creating a series of acronyms from the title, that remains his defining moment. Brown very rarely lives up to his self-aggrandizing claims on his studio albums, but with only the lazy Hendrix pastiche "Forever and a Day" missing the target, this comprehensive retrospective finally puts his money where his mouth is.
© Jon O'Brien /TiVo
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Simon Moore, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Terry, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ian Brown, Producer, Mixer, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Aziz Ibrahim, Producer, Drums, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Additional Producer, Tabla, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Nigel Luby, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Hyatt, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1997 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Nick Terry, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ian Brown, Producer, Mixer, Vocals, Harmonica, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Aziz Ibrahim, Producer, Drums, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Additional Producer, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Nigel Luby, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Hyatt, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Noel N. Walters, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1997 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Kevin Bacon, Producer, Mixer, Guitar, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Ian Brown, Producer, Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Gary "Mani" Mounfield, ComposerLyricist - Andy Cook, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Jonathan Hugh Quarmby, Producer, Mixer, Keyboards, Organ, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1998 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Unkle, Producer, Music Production, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Josh Davis, ComposerLyricist - James Lavelle, Producer, Arranger, Co-Arranger, Additional Producer, Work Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Ian Brown, Vocals, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 Mowax Recordings/A&M Records Ltd.
Dave McCracken, Keyboards, Programmer, AssociatedPerformer - Neil Tucker, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Stephen Fitzmaurice, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Tim Wills, Engineer, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Dan Bierton, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ian Brown, Producer, Drums, Recording Arranger, Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Simon Wolstencroft, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Sylvan Richardson Jr., Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1999 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Dave McCracken, Composer, Producer, Drums, Keyboards, Programmer, AssociatedPerformer - Stephen Fitzmaurice, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Tim Wills, Composer, Keyboards, Recording Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Dan Bierton, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ian Brown, Drums, Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Inder Mathuru, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1999 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Michael Bennett, ComposerLyricist - Dave McCracken, Keyboards, Programmer, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Neil Tucker, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Stephen Fitzmaurice, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Tim Wills, Engineer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Dan Bierton, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ian Brown, Producer, Drums, Recording Arranger, Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Mike Bennett, ComposerLyricist - Simon Wolstencroft, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Inder Mathuru, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2000 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Dave McCracken, Producer, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Everton Nelson, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - David Daniels, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Andy Green, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Paddy Lannigan, Double Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Dermot Crehan, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - mary Scully, Double Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Anthony Pleeth, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Perry Montague-Mason, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Peter Lale, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Damon Iddins, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Stephen Fitzmaurice, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Tim Wills, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Emlyn Singleton, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Patrick Kiernan, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Frank Schaefer, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Bruce White, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Martin Loveday, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Berrow, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - David Woodcock, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Boguslav Kostecki, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Maciej Rakowski, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Jackie Shave, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Rita Manning, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Roger Chase, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Katie Wilkinson, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Miffy Hirsch, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Ian Brown, Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Francis Dunnery, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Bill Hawkes, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Helen Hathorn, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Dave Colquhoun, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Cathy Thomson, String Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Philip Dukes, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Philippa Ibbotson, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Dan Liebermann, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2001 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Dave McCracken, Producer, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Andy Green, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Damon Iddins, Engineer, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Stephen Fitzmaurice, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Tim Wills, Engineer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Ian Brown, Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Francis Dunnery, Guitar, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Euphemia Dunnery, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2001 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Tim Hutton, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Dave McCracken, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tim Wills, Producer, Engineer, Co-Producer, Co-Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Ian Brown, Producer, Co-Producer, Vocals, Co-Mixer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Francis Dunnery, ComposerLyricist - Darren Moss, Producer, Co-Mixer, StudioPersonnel - James Brothers, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Robert Maxfield, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Inder "Goldfinger" Matharu, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Davidson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Frazer Clark, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2005 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Noel Gallagher, Bass Guitar, Electric Guitar, Piano, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Dave McCracken, Producer, Drums, Keyboards, Co-Producer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Stephen Fitzmaurice, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Tim Wills, Producer, Engineer, Co-Producer, StudioPersonnel - Ian Brown, Producer, Co-Producer, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Casey Brown, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Sedgewick, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2004 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Tim Hutton, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Horn, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Dave McCracken, Producer, Drums, Keyboards, Co-Producer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Stephen Fitzmaurice, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Tim Wills, Producer, Engineer, Co-Producer, StudioPersonnel - Ian Brown, Producer, Co-Producer, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Steve Sedgewick, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2004 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Dave McCracken, Producer, Drums, Keyboards, Co-Producer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Frankie Brown, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Stephen Fitzmaurice, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Tim Wills, Producer, Engineer, Guitar, Co-Producer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Ian Brown, Producer, Guitar, Co-Producer, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Aziz Ibrahim, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Charlie Waddington, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Sedgewick, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2004 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Gavyn Wright, Orchestra - Howie Weinberg, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Richard Flack, Programmer - Luke Bullen, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Damian Taylor, Programmer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Wil Malone, Strings, AssociatedPerformer - Unkle, Producer, MainArtist - James Lavelle, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Ian Brown, Vocals, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Cameron Craig, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Richard File, Synthesizer, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Antony Genn, Producer, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Scott Engel, ComposerLyricist - Mani, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Richard Barrie, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Cameli, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rich File, Producer - Richard Matthews, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tom Taterson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Chris Wilcock, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Psycho-Pab, Programming, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2003 A&M Records Limited
Tim Hutton, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tim Wills, Producer, Engineer, Co-Producer, Co-Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Ian Brown, Producer, Co-Producer, Vocals, Co-Mixer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Darren Moss, Producer, Keyboards, Co-Mixer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - James Brothers, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Robert Maxfield, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Inder "Goldfinger" Matharu, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Frazer Clark, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2005 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Tim Hutton, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Tim Wills, Producer, Engineer, Co-Producer, Co-Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Ian Brown, Producer, Co-Producer, Vocals, Co-Mixer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Darren Moss, Producer, Keyboards, Programmer, Co-Mixer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Paul Da Costa, String Arranger, Guitar, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - James Brothers, Producer - Robert Maxfield, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Inder "Goldfinger" Matharu, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2005 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Tim Hutton, Bass Guitar, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Tim Wills, Producer, Engineer, Co-Producer, Co-Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Ian Brown, Producer, Co-Producer, Vocals, Co-Mixer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Aziz Ibrahim, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Darren Moss, Producer, Keyboards, Programmer, Co-Mixer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - James Brothers, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Robert Maxfield, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Inder "Goldfinger" Matharu, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2005 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Kevin Bacon, Producer, Mixer, Guitar, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Ian Brown, Producer, Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Gary "Mani" Mounfield, ComposerLyricist - Andy Cook, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Jonathan Hugh Quarmby, Producer, Mixer, Keyboards, Organ, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1998 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Tim Hutton, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Horn, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Dave McCracken, Producer, Drums, Keyboards, Co-Producer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Paul "P-Dub" Walton, Mixer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tim Wills, Producer, Engineer, Co-Producer, StudioPersonnel - Ian Brown, Producer, Co-Producer, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Scratch Perverts, Remixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2005 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Album review
As Ian Brown is not exactly renowned for his lack of self-belief, The Greatest is an appropriately egotistical title for the first compilation from the Madchester scene's golden boy. Brown is always more consistent as a singles artist, and so this 2005 collection, which gathers 15 tracks from his patchy first four albums, is perhaps the ideal showcase for the former Stone Roses frontman's talents. Kicking off with three tracks from 1998's Unfinished Monkey Business, debut single "My Star" set the blueprint for his solo career, combining cod-mysticism, Middle Eastern instrumentation, and psychedelic indie rock with his trademark languid vocal delivery, a formula Brown clearly adheres to on the likes of the space rock of "Longsight M13" and the sole new composition, "All Ablaze." However, the Morricone-inspired Spaghetti western vibes of "Time Is My Everything," the authentic brass-fused reggae of "Lovebug" (previously only available on the U.S./Japan edition of 2004's Solarized), and the jangly Americana of "Corpses in Their Mouths," a bitter diatribe against former bandmate John Squire, proved that the self-described "monkey man" was no one-trick pony. All the singles are here (bar his lowest-charting release, "Whispers"), including the two Noel Gallagher collaborations ("Can't See Me," "Keep What Ya Got"), unexpected Top Five hit "Dolphins Were Monkeys," and his two guest spots with UNKLE ("Be There," "Reign"), but it's 2001's "F.E.A.R.," a haunting string-soaked slice of baggy hip-hop cleverly creating a series of acronyms from the title, that remains his defining moment. Brown very rarely lives up to his self-aggrandizing claims on his studio albums, but with only the lazy Hendrix pastiche "Forever and a Day" missing the target, this comprehensive retrospective finally puts his money where his mouth is.
© Jon O'Brien /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 19 track(s)
- Total length: 01:18:29
- Main artists: Ian Brown
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Polydor Records
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 2005 Polydor Ltd. (UK) ℗ 2005 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
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