Whether you noticed or not, Johnny Marr has been cranking out a killer string of solo singles over the past several years, dating back to 2014’s indie dance floor crusher “Easy Money.” He found a high watermark with his excellent 2018 album Call The Comet, and dabbled in electronics on the following year’s eco-disco banger “Armatopia” before unleashing “The Bright Parade”.
The former Smiths guitarist and rock and roll legend has been making it easy to still love his former band all while forgetting all about its embarrassing frontman, pushing forward with his own sense of sound, class, and creativity. Today (August 31), Marr extends his winning streak with a massive new single called “Spirit, Power And Soul”.
The pulsating ripper is the first offering from a new double album titled Fever Dreams Pts 1-4. Marking his fourth solo album, the 2LP begins to take shape with a four-track EP titled Fever Dreams Pt 1, which hits October 15 via BMG. So there’s a lot of Marr magic on the way, and he’s giving it to us in digestible bites.
“‘Spirit, Power And Soul’ is a kind of mission statement,” he says. “I had an idea about an electro sound with gospel feeling, in my own words… an electro soul anthem.”
Few can pull off that type of ambition, but Marr seems to have succeeded already. Details on the full double album release are forthcoming, and Marr will spend time in 2022 opening for The Killers on their North American tour. It’ll be good to hear this new track as part of Marr’s growing live arsenal, and it should sound absolutely massive in those big rooms.
Fire it up below.