Seven months after fellow Smiths founding member Morrissey released his critically panned solo album Make-up Is a Lie, Johnny Marr returns with his fifth solo album, The Age of Everything, his first since 2022’s Fever Dreams Pts. 1–4. The record finds Marr reflecting on the world around him, a theme reinforced by its cover art, which shows him observing as the world passes by. The imagery feels somewhat self-serious, suggesting that Marr sees something in the modern world that others might be missing. Unfortunately, despite a pleasing blend of jangle pop and Britpop, along with some impressive guitar work and vocals, the legendary musician doesn’t have much new or meaningful to say.
Although the album lacks lyrical depth, Marr’s distinctive musical talent remains evident. “It’s Time” and “Ophelia” showcase his ability to craft compelling grooves, while “How Come” and “That Feeling” demonstrate that he remains a capable vocalist. The vocal arrangements are particularly effective on the chorus of “It’s Time” and toward the end of the closing track, “All In a Life,” where backing vocalist Meredith Sheldon adds a welcome layer of texture. The album’s strongest moments, though fleeting, are memorable. “In and Out of Love” moves away from the Britpop sound that dominates much of the record, embracing a more melancholic descending melody. Its delicate guitars complement Marr’s reflections on the passage of time and the love that fades with it, resulting in the album’s most engaging and substantive lyrics. “Just Once More” features some of Marr’s fine guitar work, with layered melodies that gradually dissolve into a muddy mix and delicate guitar lines woven between the vocals of the final bridge.
“All In a Life” opens with synths and drums reminiscent of new wave, offering a refreshing change of pace. Unfortunately, the song quickly abandons this direction, reflecting the broader lack of ambition that characterizes much of the album. Too often, the songwriting feels formulaic, as though Marr is working from a familiar template rather than exploring new ideas. “That Feeling” and particularly “Fire With Fire” suffer from predictable structures that do little to distinguish them from the surrounding tracks. “Fire With Fire” begins with a promising guitar arpeggio before introducing a tighter, palm-muted rhythm beneath Marr’s vocals. The contrast adds some welcome texture, but the song never quite develops its initial ideas into anything particularly memorable. Instead, it settles into a familiar pattern, relying on Marr’s guitar work to carry a composition that offers few surprises.
The lyrics are similarly underwhelming. Much of Marr’s social commentary feels surprisingly simplistic for an artist with such a long and influential career. “It’s Time” urges listeners to recognize the abuses of those in power, while “How Come” questions why people seem incapable of agreeing on anything. Neither sentiment is particularly revealing, and Marr rarely takes these observations far enough to make them compelling. There is certainly room for straightforward political commentary in music, but these songs offer little beyond familiar frustrations with the state of the world. The result is an album filled with inoffensive statements delivered with enough musical polish to momentarily distract from their lack of substance.
Ultimately, The Age of Everything is a sonically pleasing album that struggles to deliver on its broader artistic ambitions. Marr remains an accomplished musician whose guitar work and vocals provide moments of genuine enjoyment, but his reflections on the modern world rarely move beyond the obvious. For an artist with such an influential musical legacy, the lack of a more distinctive perspective is disappointing. Perhaps focusing on one aspect of the “everything” he seeks to address would have allowed him to develop a more powerful statement. Instead, The Age of Everything offers sweet guitar grooves and impressive performances without the lyrical depth or creative ambition needed to make them truly resonate.
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