Loaded Album of the Week
By Darren Croft
Johnny Marr : The Age Of Everything ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Johnny Marr has never been short of ideas, but on his latest record, there’s a sense that everything has come together with particular clarity and purpose.
The result is an album that feels both familiar and fresh. Across ten tracks, Marr leans into the shimmering guitars that have defined his work for decades.
Opener “Spin” sets the tone with its propulsive rhythm and chiming guitar, while “Beyond the Rain” and “It’s Time” provide the kind of big, immediate choruses that have become increasingly central to Marr’s solo work. This is Marr at full throttle.
“Ophelia” adds a subtle disco pulse, “That Feeling” builds atmosphere through reverb-drenched guitars, and “In and Out of Love” takes a more unexpected, sweeping approach.
Closing with the atmospheric “All in a Life”, the record leaves the impression of Marr looking at a noisy, complicated world and responding with another set of beautifully constructed guitar songs.
Lyrically, it sounds like he had a lot to get off his chest. His legendary guitar style is present throughout the album, and his underrated vocals shine through. It’s clear he’s put absolutely everything into this.
Fans won’t be disappointed. In fact, the whole album is a collection of Marr doing what Marr does best, which has resulted in perhaps his best solo work to date. For us, the sign of a great album is one for which it’s impossible to pick a favourite track, and that’s exactly what we have here.
A definite contender for our Album of the Year.