New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Johnny Marr will release a 16-track compilation album, Spirit Power: The Best Of Johnny Marr, on Nov. 3 via BMG. It features material from the former Smiths guitarist's 10-year solo career alongside unearthed demos and a cover of Depeche Mode's I Feel You. He said:
"It's a conversation I have from time to time with [Pet Shop Boys'] Chris Lowe, about how much harder it is to write songs that you want to listen to in the daytime. It's easier to do something that's perceived as cool if it's a bit moody. But, for me, the mission with these records was to make songs that you could listen to on the way to school, on the way to the gym, on the way back from work - you know, in the way that you had with, say, Blondie."
Aside from songs featured on his four solo albums - 'The Messenger' (2013), 'Playland' (2014), 'Call The Comet' (2018), and the double album 'Fever Dreams (Pts 1-4)' (2022) - the collection will incorporate his standalone singles, "Armatopia" and "The Priest" featuring Maxine Peake. Additionally, it will introduce two fresh tracks, "The Answer" and "Somewhere," co-produced by Marr and James Doviak, with the latter available for streaming below.
Speaking about the catchy, driving indie-rock track, which written in 2022 while on the road with The Killers and Blondie, he explained: "I've played a lot of arenas over the years, and in terms of songwriting, there's nowhere to hide. For a song to work, it has to be a banger. I know it's almost uncool to think in those terms, but I grew up in a house where my parents listened to Motown, where you couldn't get a song released if it wasn't full of hooks."
Marr will celebrate a decade as a solo artist with two shows at Manchester new venue Aviva Studios on December 7 and 8, which will see him accompanied by a 30-piece orchestra conducted by Fiona Brice.
Additionally, on October 17, Marr will release a new photography book titled Marr's Guitars.
'Spirit Power: The Best Of Johnny Marr' Tracklisting:
1. Armatopia
2. New Town Velocity
3. Easy Money
4. Spirit Power & Soul
5. Hi Hello
6. Somewhere
7. The Messenger
8. I Feel You
9. The Answer
10. Dynamo
11. Spiral Cities
12. Night and Day
13. Sensory Street
14. Walk Into The Sea
15. Candidate
16. Tenement Time
17. Hi Hello (Demo)
18. Somewhere (Demo)
19. The Answer (Crazy F Version)
20. The Messenger (Demo)
21. Speak out Reach Out (Crazy F Version)
