Call the Comet is a resounding success, the first of Marr’s three solo albums to feel properly crafted.
This is a record steeped in both the chilly yearning of Bowie’s “Berlin” albums and Ziggy Stardust’s glam apocalypse, as well as the science-fiction paperbacks by the likes of JG Ballard which inspired them.
It’s not a faultless record by any means: Marr’s vocals can be a little ineffectual meaning the political thrust of many of his songs is lost, and the album would be much sharper with a bit of pruning ... but on the whole it’s a huge leap forward from 2014’s workmanlike Playland, and has a warmth, a generosity of spirit and a genuine concern for humanity that show exactly where the true spirit of The Smiths now dwells.
If The Messenger and Playland saw him dedicated to writing precisely concise and askew new-wave post-punk pop, and occasionally giving the impression he would very much have liked to compose the first Franz Ferdinand album, here he gives free rein to a more grandiose spirit, channelling some of the sublime scale of his soundtrack work with Hans Zimmer.
Call the Comet is a terrific album in its own right. In context, it’s a triumph.
Marr doesn't disguise the skill fueling his craft, so Call the Comet is more accomplished than compelling, but there is pleasure in hearing how all the parts fit together so tidily.
Call The Comet has Marr’s personality stamped on it all the way through. Recorded with his band and self-produced at his Crazy Face Studios in Manchester, it’s a substantial album lasting almost an hour.
Though he occasionally slips into some fairly simple rock, much of this new record from Johnny Marr is a mix of powerful risk taking and reinvigorating his own classic riffs.
‘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.
He’s writing with compassion, not anger on Call the Comet; this isn’t protest music so much as a plea to our better angels. Such an open heart is uncommon in these combative times, and Marr’s sincerity gives his flawed album some appeal.
When reviewing records on this site, I normally listen one time through and move on, but Johnny Marr's third solo effort, Call the Comet, is so good I'm at three plays so far and will probably make it four. Strong melodies and Marr's signature sparkling guitar sound permeate the album. If not for two songs that I thought were on the mediocre side (Bug and Actor Attractor), this would be a perfect record.
Favorite songs: Rise, Hey Angel, Hi Hello, Day In Day Out, Walk Into the Sea, Spiral ... read more
The best work of Marr as a solo artist so far. His previous work are good but this is, in my opinion, his most solid record. He mix prefectly his previous collaborations with bands like The Cribs and Modest Mouse with his "Smiths Touch" (melodies and arrangements) plus his experience with electronic music (Electronic, collabs. with the Pet Shop Boys) creating different ambients and moods with synths.
Fav. songs: Hi Hello, Day In Day Out.
Massive improvement over all his previous solo work. Marr's lyrics are earnest and optimistic but often come off as naive and a bit hokey.
1 | Rise 5:03 | 80 |
2 | The Tracers 4:35 | 80 |
3 | Hey Angel 5:37 | 70 |
4 | Hi Hello 4:23 | 80 |
5 | New Dominions 4:24 | 60 |
6 | Day In Day Out 4:43 | 95 |
7 | Walk Into the Sea 6:02 | 100 |
8 | Bug 4:39 | 85 |
9 | Actor Attractor 5:36 | 90 |
10 | Spiral Cities 4:07 | 90 |
11 | My Eternal 3:16 | 60 |
12 | A Different Gun 5:28 | 100 |
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