Second Coming (The Stone Roses album)

Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |{{#if: Template:Start date<ref name=VoxFeb1995>Template:Cite news</ref> | Template:Short description}}}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Turns into Stone1992The Complete Stone Roses1995studioSecond ComingSecondcomingroses.jpgthe Stone RosesTemplate:Start date<ref name=VoxFeb1995>Template:Cite news</ref>1992–1994*Alternative rock

• blues rock
• funk rock
• Britpop<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>72:50Geffen*Simon Dawson
• Paul Schroederx|2=</?t[drh][ >]|nomatch=}}|Template:Main other}}Template:Main other}}

Second Coming is the second and final studio album by English rock band the Stone Roses, released through Geffen Records on 5 December 1994 in the UK.<ref name=VoxFeb1995 /> It was recorded at Forge Studios in Oswestry, Shropshire, and Rockfield Studios near Monmouth, Wales, between 1992 and 1994.Template:Citation needed It went platinum in the UK, sold over 1 million copies worldwide, and was dedicated to Philip Hall, the band's publicist, who died of cancer in 1993. Although the band eventually reformed in 2011,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and subsequently released two new singles in 2016,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> it did not materialize into a new studio album, as the band disbanded again the following year in 2017,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> leaving Second Coming the band's final album to date.

Background

The second album by the Manchester four-piece suffered greatly at the time from the sheer weight of expectation generated by the 5½ years since the band's eponymous debut, and the band's withdrawal from the live arena for 4½ of those years. There had been speculation in the British press that the high expectations from their debut record had left the band "paralyzed with self-doubt," according to LA Times pop music critic Robert Hilburn.<ref name="LA">Template:Cite news</ref> In addition, the Stone Roses returned to a changed musical environment, competing with a new generation of Britpop bands. The album reached number 4 on the UK Albums Chart.<ref name="OCC">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Three singles ("Love Spreads", "Ten Storey Love Song," and "Begging You") from the album were released in the UK.

Artwork

The album cover, created by Squire, features a dark, fabric-like collage of photographs, artwork, text, and symbols. Most notable is a stone cherub, taken from a photograph of those found on the Newport Town Bridge, smoking a cigarette. The original photograph was later used for the "Love Spreads" single and featured in the monochrome CD.

The liner notes feature black and white photographs of the band members as children.

Critical reception

Template:Album ratings Second Coming was released to generally mixed reviews in the UK and US.<ref name="LA"/> Rolling Stone awarded the record two out of five stars, calling its songs "tuneless retro psychedelic grooves bloated to six-plus minutes in length."<ref name="LA"/> Robert Hilburn of the Los Angeles Times was more positive, praising John Squire's "inspired guitar work" and concluding that "while the album's impact is undercut by some tunes that seem little more than fragments, the standouts offer a soulful earnestness as they speak of the search for salvation and comfort amid the tension and uncertainty of contemporary life."<ref name="LA2"/>

Select ranked the album at number twelve in its end-of-year list of the 50 best albums of 1995.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Track listing

• The CD was pressed with tracks 13 through 89 and 91 through 99 as four-second silent tracks. However, the vinyl version includes neither "The Foz" nor the silent tracks.

Personnel

The Stone Roses

• Ian Brown – lead vocals, harmonica, recording of running water on "Breaking into Heaven"
• John Squire – electric and acoustic guitars, vocals on "Tightrope," backing vocals on "How Do You Sleep," recording of jets on "Begging You," collage
• Mani – bass guitar
• Reni – drums, backing vocals, vocals on "Tightrope," recording of running water on "Breaking into Heaven"

Technical personnel

• Simon Dawson – keyboards, Jew's harp on "Straight to the Man," castanets, Wurlitzer electric piano on "Straight to the Man" and "Tears," acoustic piano on "How Do You Sleep" and "Love Spreads," production, engineering on tracks 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 12
• Paul Schroeder – production on tracks 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, engineering on tracks 1, 2, 6, 9
• John Leckie – partly responsible for recording on tracks 3, 7, 11, recording on "Breaking into Heaven" intro
• Mark Tolle – initial recording on tracks 4, 8, 10
• Al "Bongo" Shaw – initial recording on tracks 4, 8, 10
• Nick Brine – assistant engineering; tambourine on "Love Spreads"

Charts

Template:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chart

Chart performance for Second Coming

Chart (1994–1995)	Peak position
UK Albums (OCC)<ref name="OCC"/>	4

External links

• Second Coming at YouTube (streamed copy where licensed)