guitar motifs, and the spacious element that is somewhat reminiscent of the intro/outro of The Smiths’ ‘Still Ill’, dare I say. When asked about the song, Johnny himself went on record saying: ‘’When I wrote the song ‘Back In The Box’, I knew it would be the opener because it’s a celebration of euphoria and ecstasy. I’m singing about transcendence, euphoria and ecstatic states, either hearing a record you like, waking up on a sunny morning, being in love. Or schizophrenia, drugs, all these things that can make you have a euphoric experience.’’ I certainly feel, as a fan and listener, that Johnny has managed to successfully transcend those very feelings and emotions artistically. I’m lucky enough to have seen this song performed live three times, and it never fails to move the audience. We now have that live listening experience bought to us via the medium of a recording, which is one
to savour: Baby’.
‘Adrenalin
‘Back In The Box’ is a solid representation of how I see Johnny Marr the artist in the here and now: crafting catchy g u i t a r- d r i v e n a r r a n ge m e n t s , leaning on particular styles and elements that no doubt influenced him on his journey, tapping into the mythical and the modern for inspiration and occasionally saluting the past, - all the while moving forward and keeping his stylistic trademarks and identity intact. Johnny, we look forward to hearing more new material from you soon, but in the meantime we shall continue to delve into the treasure trove for enjoyment, enlightenment and inspiration. Waking us up for the first time and the last time...
By Chris Barry
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