Album review: Johnny Marr, The Messenger (Warner Bros.)

Offhand, it's hard to think of any rock'n'roll sidekick who has successfully made the move to bona-fide frontman/star, and Johnny Marr's album exemplifies the problem.

A guitarist of genius in his various bands (from The Smiths to Modest Mouse), Marr struggles to invest these songs with compelling identity. Lacking the lyrical subtlety to convey his Big Ideas (identity and statehood, sensation versus contemplation, etc) persuasively, he's further hobbled by a lack of vocal character, which leaves one clutching at riffs. Some of the riffs are winners, but it's just not enough to carry the album.

Download: The Right Thing Right; Sun and Moon; Word Starts Attack

The Fall ‘Darkness Visible’ – Series 1, episode 2

There is a good many moments in the second episode of this psychological thriller that deserve refle...

‘Vicious’ – Series 1, episode 4

The opening titles squeal ‘Never Can Say Goodbye…’. Oh Lord how I wish I could heave this series off...

Game of Thrones ‘Second Sons’ – Season 3, episode 8

Even though there was a complete absence of our favourite odd couple Brienne and Jaime, we got anoth...

Most Viewed
Most Shared
Most Commented

Get your summer started with British Military Fitness

BMF is the UK’s biggest and best loved outdoor fitness classes

Visit York Prizes & offers Business videos

Visit York

Find out what The Independent's resident travel expert has to say about one of the most beautiful small cities in the world

Military Fitness Prizes & offers Business videos

Enter the latest Independent competitions

Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.

Military Fitness Visit York Business videos

Business videos from commercial thought leaders

Watch the best in the business world give their insights into the world of business.

Military Fitness Visit York Prizes & offers

Watch out Watford: Here comes the secretive Bilderberg Group

A meeting of global power brokers in a Hertfordshire hotel is exciting conspiracy theorists, but what are they really about?

'The ultimate all-in-one home entertainment system'

Microsoft finally unveils its Xbox ONE console

Plenty of Fish dating site founder pulls 'Intimate Encounters' option to ward off sleazy men

Plenty of sleaze

Dating website pulls intimate 'hook-up' section to curb harassment

Inferno author Dan Brown 'honoured' to be invited to join the Freemasons

The Freemasons’ Code

Dan Brown reveals the message that told him door to the lodge is open

Not secure any more: G4S boss heads for exit at last

Nick Buckles survived the Olympics débâcle and a £5bn bid fiasco but a profit warning finally triggered his downfall

How to say ‘I’m a sellout’

Tumblr’s David Karp’s message of reassurance to his staff sounded very familiar

Why clubs are keen to take a stand

There's a real desire around the grounds for safe standing. But will the authorities listen?

In the end the fans decided Tony Pulis had made a pig's ear of the job at Stoke City

Disillusion with a siege mentality and negative playing style made change inevitable

James Lawton: The James Hunt I knew is the subject of a new F1 movie

British driver was fascinating man whose epic duel with Niki Lauda in 1976 was typical of an era of glamour and glory – but also the ever-present threat of death

Stuart Hogg: Ready to climb his own Everest

Lions' cub, 20, joins long line of players from Scottish borders club Hawick given opportunity to make his mark at highest level

Steve Bunce on Boxing

Carl Froch handed rare chance of revenge with dream rematch against Mikel Kessler

Masculinity in crisis?

'There is a battle going on inside us that is never discussed'

Have US shock jocks gone too far?

An incendiary remark from Rush Limbaugh may be the beginning of the end for outspoken right-wing US broadcasters

The ‘Beverly Hills’ of Surrey

Elmbridge pays more income tax than big cities of the North

Heavenly Bodies

Michael Landy's artistic marriage made in heaven... and hell