Track Listing

1. Intro Under The Paving Stones: The Beach
2. My Star
3. Can't See Me
4. Ice Cold Cube
5. Sunshine
6. Lions
7. Corpses In Their Mouths
8. What Happend To Ya Part 1
9. What Happend To Ya Part 2
10. Nah Nah
11. Deep Pile Dreams
12. Unfinished Monkey Business

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #19615 in Music
• Released on: 1998-02-01
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 53 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Former Stone Roses front man Ian Brown's first solo album, Unfinished Monkey Business is a lo-fi indie offering. A raw, slightly unfinished feel pervades throughout, which can probably be attributed to Brown's insistence on playing even those instruments with which he is not really an expert, lending the album an irresistible unrefined ambience. Brown and co-writer Aziz Ibrahim, who was briefly John Squire's replacement in the Roses, draw on influences from the East with the use of tabla on tracks such as "Sunshine". There are also guest appearances by ex-Roses colleagues Reni (drums) and Mani (bass) on third single "Can't See Me", and Primal Scream/ Electronic chanteuse Denise Johnson on the fabulously unhinged "Lions". While there are a few misguided and self-indulgent noisy meanderings--"What Happened to Ya Part 2", for example--this is a great debut, notwithstanding the constant jibes at John Squire, whose dreary album with The Seahorses this eclipses on every count. --Ronita Dutta

Customer Reviews

Class
The man, the legend - I'm 35 and lets be honest 'The Stone Roses' IS the greatest album ever recorded. I remember this album when I bought it and I remember saying to my mates 'Corpses In Their Mouths' its just like the roses! I recently bought the rest of Ian Brown's albums. Quality - this man is the real front man! the absolute legend - Ian Brown is class and in years to come his albums will gain more recognition, makes you realise who the creative one was in the Roses - pure genius!

The fine line of genius...
I'm ten years too late but this is impressive stuff from the Monkey King.

This album dispells all doubts about who was the true genius behind the Roses - Master Ian Brown!

I've read some comments about the albums alledged lo-fi production values; don't let that put you off. There is real quality here.

After four listenings (for real!), stand out tracks are 'My Star', 'Lions', 'Corpses in their mouth', 'Nah Nah' and 'Ice cold cube'. It shouldn't really be that surprising but the lyrics are inspired. 'My Star' in particular (I vaguely remember it as a single) is awesome. That perfect mix of sci-fi, cosomology, imperialism and political comment. By the way, Aziz Ibrahim's guitar is a great foil to the great man's voice.

I'm off to buy up the rest of the back-catalogue.

A Stone Rose
Ian Brown the best frontman since Johnny Rotten and the inspiration for Liam and Oasis.
This is a fantastic album from the singer with the velvet voice and silky moves.
The best thing to come out of Manchester since George Best...