Single Review: The Stone Roses – ‘All for One’
1 min read
As far as reintroductions go, All for One is just about the best it could possibly be. The Stone Roses’ self-titled debut album was hugely influential in the UK, and is often credited with getting rock kids listening to rave music (although the record itself has more of a dance “feel” than actual sound), but their overhyped follow up was critically maligned, and was presumably responsible for the band’s subsequent implosion.
A comeback more than 20 years in the making, All for One splits the difference between the sounds of the band’s two albums. It retains the jangly guitars and funky rhythms of their debut, and the distorted guitar histrionics of Second Coming, albeit in a much more digestible form (a fantastic guitar solo in the bridge). Simply put, the track is lots of fun, with catchy hooks and riffs complementing simple, but enjoyable lyrics. Said lyrics don’t contain much (if any) depth (“All for one, one for all / If we all join hands we’ll make a wall” is the central refrain), but the band has always been at their best when expressing themselves vaguely, just relying on gravitas and a sense of communal spirit to communicate their message. All for One is an impressive return to form for The Stone Roses, and hopefully this excellent song marks the beginning of a full-fledged comeback.
