7/10

Over the last few decades, Johnny Marr has spent the majority of his time rebuilding his image away from his formative group The Smiths. After several stints as a member of other groups since, including The Pretenders, Modest Mouse, and The Cribs, he has recently begun to fully realise himself as a frontman to his own project, regularly knocking out solo records these past ten years. But now it feels like he is finally pursuing his own distinctive direction as he drops his new studio album 'Fever Dreams Pts 1-4', a record that reinvents everything we used to know about him.

Comprised of four EP releases he shared over the last few months, 'Fever Dreams Pts 1-4' instantly establishes him as a bold and inventive artist throughout. While his work in the past always ended up being compared to his former self, this new collection is a far more forward-thinking and originally conceived release. While sticking very much to the vein of traditional indie-rock tropes, there is this adventurous spirit to what he creates, delivering a broad and sprawling array of vibrant offerings that show him in a far more comfortable and progressive light.

While his solo venture is still very much in its infancy, despite a decade of individual LPs, 'Fever Dreams Pts 1-4' feels like the next bold step in his career to date. There is a rich and textured aesthetic to these songs, something that shows he is still very much engaged within his guise, and showing his driven soul throughout.