Meh.
I thought my dreams had come true while I listened to Breaking Into Heaven for the first time. And, by all rights, it's a spectacular song, one of their best. But, as the album progressed, I began to wonder why I had even gotten so excited. Yes, the songs are better than a lot of other songs by a lot of other artists, and this album still ranks up there in one of the best Brit Rock albums. But, I would probably put it in the 120s or 130s in ranking. I expected way more than I got.
Yes, I still collected all the singles and all the b-sides, and I know this album inside and out. But, when I think of the best of the Stone Roses, hardly anything comes from this album. Sorry, guys.
But, if you are a Ian Brown/Stone Roses completist, you have to have it. I even have those shitty albums by John Squire, too....