Will the kids remember? Will the kids even care? NME writers poll the chances of the most eagerly-awaited single of the last, er, five years….
THE STONE ROSES: Love Spreads (Geffen)
Chariots? Thunderbolts? The dawn of a shining new era? If only. 'Love Spreads' is nothing more epochal than a good record - about half as stratospheric as 'Resurrection' or 'What The World Is Waiting For', and surrounded by the distinct odour of anti-climax. Strangely, it hardly matters: the lazy bastards still manage to sound like the coolest band in Britain. (Chart placing: 4) John Harris
And so it came to pass. On the 1,603rd day Throbert Young crept back under his leatherette sheets and whimpered, Noel Gallagher furrowed his cosmic brow and checked career prospects for John The Baptists, and Jimmy Page woke up one more time, and nodded knowingly. God looked up from downloading samples to His prophets on the internet, and he said, "Well, y'know 'Fools Gold' never had much of a chorus either….." (9) John Mulvey
John Squire's debut solo single is a ragbag of well-worn guitar riffs we've heard hundreds of times before, a bit like theme music to The Rock'n'Roll Years. Bucking the trend set by The Clash and Stiltskin, The Stone Roses will reach Number One before the song becomes a Levi's commercial. (1) Terry Staunton
As comebacks go, it's sexier than 'Rocks', less surprising than Weller's 'Sunflower' and as relevant as George Foreman. If this doesn't sting The Verve into some kind of retaliatory trademark theft (a 30-minute version of 'Waterfall'?) then everybody really is smoking way too much something. You can't kick that chorus, but did we really wait five years for flashy 12-bar blues? (2) Ted Kessler
Snorkelling through Hades with Elmore James ripping up the Walkman speakers. Big bottleneck fun - John Squire is still the iceman string-abuser. Dopey words, boss dynamics. The swagger is still mighty. A full-ripe golden lemon. Suck it or squeeze it, baby. (1) Stuart Bailie
Clever. Instead of trying to move with the times, the Roses have relaxed and let the times move back around to them. 'Love Spreads' is like 'One Love' revisited, more influenced than influential, which is so totally 1994. It's cool and it rocks. (8) Steve Sutherland
'Love Spreads' is the Roses stone cold high in Afflecks Palace, racing around a freezing Manchester in a beaten-up Jag with 'Led Zep II' on the stereo and a head full of dreams about messiahs, kings'n'queens and reclaiming dusty thrones. A Satanic travesty? Nah. Music to lose your mind to while the world crashes slowly outside your window…. (5) Paul Moody
The expansiveness of 'Fools Gold', the classicism of any other Roses track, 'Love Spreads' is remarkable for what it is not: no great departure, no great revelation. The real speculation, though, is about their trousers. Just how wide are they? (12) John Robinson
Anti-climax? Well, of course, but how could it be otherwise? It doesn't sound like there's been a five-year gap between 'One Love' and 'Love Spreads'. Brilliant, but is it too early to say that Oasis' 'Whatever' is miles better? (3) Tommy Udo
The sound of one feller who loves playing guitars and another who hates singing - it's that simple. Of course, to expect fireworks to light up the sky at first airing is a bit much, but this? Bring back Andy Couzens, all is forgiven. (8) Iestyn George
There's a line in there somewhere about having "cheese with a picnic" or something. Five years and this? S'pose many will suffer huge anti-climax, but it could never be that good. Free, Cream, old granddads of blues rock spring to mind, it would suit a Legs & Co dance routine, you can do a good air guitar to it. Yet, yet….. it's quite good, the more you hear it the more you forgive them. (9) Johnny Dee
'Love Spreads' is akin to waking up the next day after The Stone Roses went away. The passing of time means nothing. Guitars meander like a stream as bluesy rhythms shore up a blasphemous lyrical equation of a female lover with The Messiah. Business as usual. (5) Dele Fadele
Given the circumstances - surprising, audacious…. but confused, deflating and ultimately disappointing. Timing is everything in the nasty old pop game and the Roses have fannied about for so long that, tragically for them, Led Zeppelin are now doing a high profile job of reviving their own music themselves, thanks very much. (8) Brendon Fitzgerald
That 'Led Zeppelin meet The Stone Roses' line is true. John Squire rocks out in blooze guitar heaven while the rest become bit-part players to his Jimmy Page-like majesty. So does it take us to the promised land? Sadly not. But was it worth the wait? YES, YES, YES. (1) Andy Richardson
The Roses are now a pub Zeppelin with a mumbling singer reading from a piece of paper, even including a quiet bit just like the middle of 'Whole Lotta Love'. Curiosity aside, it's more B-side than huge single; OK so far as it goes, which isn't very far. (5) Ian McCann
They promised to take us to the gates of Paradise, but in the end made it no further than Spike Island. So it's no surprise, then, that 'Love Spreads' - a better sounding, exasperatingly competent sibling of 'One Love' - finds The Stone Roses locked in stasis while those they inspired have picked up the baton and raced way ahead. Altogether now: one Verve, we don't need another Verve….. (1) Keith Cameron
Back To Media 1994