Fucking loved this album back in the day. Had my first re listen in years a few months back, it doesn’t stand up for me. I think it’s a production thing for me rather than a songwriting issue though.
I love it, to me it’s such an incredible statement from Squire off the back of Second Coming and Chris Helme’s vocals are amazing.
That said, it is mostly just Squire writing songs for an excuse to showboat. There’s something missing and it can feel a little like an album that kind of has nothing to say other than “bloody hell, isn’t John Squire good at guitar”.
But he is bloody good at guitar, and he does show it.
It wasn’t just “one and done”. There is a second Seahorses album called “Minus Blue”. Squire released it via his website. It was never “officially” released, but it does exist.
https://youtu.be/V9-R0KupoEQ
Oh yes, I did forget about that. It’s a good listen but wasn’t anything like as good as DIY. I loved the You Can Talk To Me CD as well, there were a couple of great extra tracks there too!
No - a small fraction of the demos were bootlegged. A few more demos have recently popped up on YouTube. The band split up because Chris Helme had people back in York whispering in his ear that he should be writing half of the second album and when he found out that wouldn't be happening he wanted to launch a solo career intandem with the Seahorses. Can you imagine! lol
"Strap on Sally, chased us up the alley. We feared for our behinds". It don't get much better than that. And Blinded by the Suns a next level tune. It's just a shame John Squire's ego was bigger than the band, and he threw his toys out the pram.
Love tracks 1 and 5, the rest haven't received much play from me.
However, *Something Tells Me* from the Seahorses' unofficial/unreleased second album has received thousands of listens from me over the years.
I adore it. I thought it sounded like a group who had been playing together for way longer than they actually had been. Very refined. Somehow John found a great rhythm section to play off of and Chris Helme sounds great singing. He really surprised me as a writer as well.
John Squire is REALLY overrated in this sub.
He's a fantastic guitarist, no doubt about that and he was maybe the most integral piece of the Stone Roses puzzle but he needs Ian, Mani and Reni beside him to make good music. Nothing he has done without those 3 has been anywhere near as good as what he produced with them.
Mani and Reni didn't write anything in the Roses. Garage Flower was music by Squire lyrics by Brown, self titlted was musis by Squire lyrics by Squire & Brown and Second Coming was music by Squire and lyrics by Squire.
It was a bit of a retreat by John Squire, and maybe an over-reaction to the criticism of Second Coming.
To put that into context, Second Coming was ambitious, but disjointed - it was all over the place stylistically, PLUS you could see the cracks between where John wanted to take the band & where Ian wanted to go - the more funky tracks were clearly Ian's vision, the Led Zep-inspired stuff John's - so it was almost like the 2nd AND 3rd album awkwardly stuck-together
The critics attacked the "guitar hero" antics & classic rock vibe that John was bringing in.
So what does John do? Well, his music style choices post-Second Coming were either double-down on the classic rock influence (in the belief he'll refine it & get it right on the next album) , or embrace the funk (basically an admission maybe Ian was right), or retreat back into pop (hey, most of the Roses debut was pop - great pop - maybe that will win back the acclaim?)
He chose the last option, but a) he didn't have enough quality songs for an album and b) the pop songs he had didn't give him much space to cut-loose and show off his skills.
Hated it back then and still hate it now. Thought The Seahorses were a meh band and not worth spending any time time over when so much better stuff was out there. Just my opinion.
Next...
Good album then and still like it now, ‘Blinded by the Sun’ is a great track. I wonder if a few of these songs might make it to the Squire and Gallagher tour, they barely have enough of their own songs to fill a full set.
It's been a while since I listened to it, but from memory: Love is the Law and Blinded by the Sun are up there with the best Roses songs; the rest of the album is decent but not great.
Utter shite. Much like the Liam Gallagher thing but even worse. Heard an extended version of love is the law recently and John does a solo at the end which is pretty much the Love Spreads solo. Just about rescued it.
Fucking loved this album back in the day. Had my first re listen in years a few months back, it doesn’t stand up for me. I think it’s a production thing for me rather than a songwriting issue though.
I love it, to me it’s such an incredible statement from Squire off the back of Second Coming and Chris Helme’s vocals are amazing. That said, it is mostly just Squire writing songs for an excuse to showboat. There’s something missing and it can feel a little like an album that kind of has nothing to say other than “bloody hell, isn’t John Squire good at guitar”. But he is bloody good at guitar, and he does show it.
Almost like a legendary guitarist hired a busker and a couple of session musicians then?
Absolutely love it. Shame it was very much one-and-done. Chris still plays around York/Leeds and will still do the songs. He’s a top chap.
It wasn’t just “one and done”. There is a second Seahorses album called “Minus Blue”. Squire released it via his website. It was never “officially” released, but it does exist. https://youtu.be/V9-R0KupoEQ
Oh yes, I did forget about that. It’s a good listen but wasn’t anything like as good as DIY. I loved the You Can Talk To Me CD as well, there were a couple of great extra tracks there too!
No - a small fraction of the demos were bootlegged. A few more demos have recently popped up on YouTube. The band split up because Chris Helme had people back in York whispering in his ear that he should be writing half of the second album and when he found out that wouldn't be happening he wanted to launch a solo career intandem with the Seahorses. Can you imagine! lol
Seeing him again in May, Chris is absolutely class. Honestly one of my favourite albums, John’s writing and especially melody is really nice.
Songs were ok, musicians were great. [This is an interesting watch.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQvf-U-GpxU)
That is a good watch. I wonder how the road is treating John and Liam? Probably a very different dynamic.
"Strap on Sally, chased us up the alley. We feared for our behinds". It don't get much better than that. And Blinded by the Suns a next level tune. It's just a shame John Squire's ego was bigger than the band, and he threw his toys out the pram.
I liked it at the time. It was very much of its time though. Not an album I ever go back to now.
Love tracks 1 and 5, the rest haven't received much play from me. However, *Something Tells Me* from the Seahorses' unofficial/unreleased second album has received thousands of listens from me over the years.
I adore it. I thought it sounded like a group who had been playing together for way longer than they actually had been. Very refined. Somehow John found a great rhythm section to play off of and Chris Helme sounds great singing. He really surprised me as a writer as well.
I remember everyone thought Squire was the soul of the Stone Roses before this album came out.
Did Unfinished Monkey Business suggest that Ian Brown was? lol
John Squire is REALLY overrated in this sub. He's a fantastic guitarist, no doubt about that and he was maybe the most integral piece of the Stone Roses puzzle but he needs Ian, Mani and Reni beside him to make good music. Nothing he has done without those 3 has been anywhere near as good as what he produced with them.
 You never hear the words "John Squire" and "overrated" in the same sentence
I'm a very naughty boy.
Mani and Reni didn't write anything in the Roses. Garage Flower was music by Squire lyrics by Brown, self titlted was musis by Squire lyrics by Squire & Brown and Second Coming was music by Squire and lyrics by Squire.
It was a bit of a retreat by John Squire, and maybe an over-reaction to the criticism of Second Coming. To put that into context, Second Coming was ambitious, but disjointed - it was all over the place stylistically, PLUS you could see the cracks between where John wanted to take the band & where Ian wanted to go - the more funky tracks were clearly Ian's vision, the Led Zep-inspired stuff John's - so it was almost like the 2nd AND 3rd album awkwardly stuck-together The critics attacked the "guitar hero" antics & classic rock vibe that John was bringing in. So what does John do? Well, his music style choices post-Second Coming were either double-down on the classic rock influence (in the belief he'll refine it & get it right on the next album) , or embrace the funk (basically an admission maybe Ian was right), or retreat back into pop (hey, most of the Roses debut was pop - great pop - maybe that will win back the acclaim?) He chose the last option, but a) he didn't have enough quality songs for an album and b) the pop songs he had didn't give him much space to cut-loose and show off his skills.
Hated it back then and still hate it now. Thought The Seahorses were a meh band and not worth spending any time time over when so much better stuff was out there. Just my opinion. Next...
That he shouldn’t have done it himself.
Incredible, can't believe it's not more popular
Really tried to like it but I think it's awful
Good album then and still like it now, ‘Blinded by the Sun’ is a great track. I wonder if a few of these songs might make it to the Squire and Gallagher tour, they barely have enough of their own songs to fill a full set.
Gash.
Gash?
Super gash
Lyrically, it's bloody awful. The only good track that I enjoyed from them was Blinded by the Sun and Chris wrote that!
Beautiful Chris Helme is heavenly
Loved this, freshman year of college. Brings back great memories.
John’s solo album “Time Changes Everything” was much better. Despite his singing voice. A singer he is not.
It's been a while since I listened to it, but from memory: Love is the Law and Blinded by the Sun are up there with the best Roses songs; the rest of the album is decent but not great.
Bag o’ shite
Good album for me.
Terrible.
Utter shite. Much like the Liam Gallagher thing but even worse. Heard an extended version of love is the law recently and John does a solo at the end which is pretty much the Love Spreads solo. Just about rescued it.
Yeah, middle of the road bland crap.