Morrissey | ||
| Allmusic Biography : As the lead singer of the Smiths, arguably the most important indie band in Britain during the 80s, Morrisseys theatrical crooning and literate, poetic lyrics -- filled with romantic angst, social alienation, and cutting wit -- connected powerfully with a legion of similarly sensitive, disaffected youth. These fans turned the Smiths into stars in Britain, exerting tremendous pull over much of the countrys guitar-based music for many years after their breakup. Even if the group remained underground cult artists in the States, they had a fan base that slowly, steadily grew larger over the years. Indeed, within a few years after Morrissey began his solo career with Viva Hate (1988), his American cult had grown to the point where he became more popular in the U.S. than in his homeland, where he nonetheless remained a perennial headline maker in the music press. After a quiet period around the turn of the millennium, Morrissey launched a comeback in 2004 with You Are the Quarry, an album whose success proved that he was still one of the most beloved figures in alternative rock. Stephen Patrick Morrissey was born May 22, 1959, in Manchester, England; not surprisingly a shy, awkward youth, he became obsessed with music and film as a teenager and devoted his writing talents to penning a New York Dolls fanzine (he was the president of their U.K. fan club), as well as a tribute to James Dean and numerous opinionated letters to the weekly music paper Melody Maker. During the explosion of punk in the late 70s, Morrissey unsuccessfully auditioned for Slaughter & the Dogs and sang for a brief period with a band called the Nosebleeds. He met guitarist Johnny Marr in 1982 and the two began writing songs together, forging one of the most productive partnerships British pop had seen in quite some time. The Smiths 1983 debut single, "Hand in Glove," a love song filled with oblique references to homosexuality, made them an underground sensation in the U.K. and as Morrissey attracted more attention, he demonstrated a flair for manipulating the media. His interviews were filled with blunt, unpredictable opinions and intentionally outrageous statements, and his notoriety wasnt hurt by his stage presence (he performed wearing a hearing aid with flowers sticking out of his back pockets) or his self-proclaimed celibacy in the wake of much speculation about his sexuality. Possessed of a darkly cynical bent as a lyricist, he was often misinterpreted as advocating some of the more disturbing things he sang about, which only added to the furor surrounding the band. The Smiths eponymous 1984 debut was a smash in the U.K., and in its wake, Morrissey began promoting his political views, heavily criticizing Margaret Thatcher, and advocating vegetarianism (hence the title of the follow-up LP, Meat Is Murder). The Queen Is Dead (1986) was acclaimed as a masterpiece, but friction between Morrissey and Marr was growing. Marr departed after 1987s Strangeways, Here We Come and Morrissey broke up the rest of the band to begin a solo career. Feeling betrayed by Marrs defection, Morrissey channeled his frustration into creating new material with producer Stephen Street. His first two solo singles, "Suedehead" and the gorgeous "Everyday Is Like Sunday," were significant British hits in 1988 and his first album, Viva Hate (its title a reference to the Smiths breakup), was commercially and critically well received. He released several more high-quality singles, including "The Last of the International Playboys" and "Interesting Drug," but spent an inordinate amount of time laboring on the follow-up album, issuing the stopgap compilation Bona Drag in 1990. In the meantime, the Madchester fad was sweeping British indie music, and when the lackluster Kill Uncle was finally released in 1991, it only magnified the disappointment. U.K. reviewers took Morrissey to task, suggesting that the record marked the end of his glory days and that he would never be able to match the songs hed written in tandem with Marr. A misperceived flirtation with British nationalism (not helped by a couple of seemingly racial caricatures in recent songs) tarnished his image even more in the U.K. press during 1992, this coming amid even more frequent reports of feuds with his managers, business associates, and ex-bandmates. All the controversy overshadowed the fact that 1992s Mick Ronson-produced Your Arsenal was a smashing return to form; Morrissey used his new guitar tandem of Alain Whyte (who co-wrote much of the material) and Boz Boorer (formerly of rockabilly revivalists the Polecats) to full advantage in crafting a crunchy, glammed-up record. It easily ranked as the hardest rocking of his career. Meanwhile, over in the U.S., tickets for his upcoming tour were selling like hotcakes and he managed to sell out L.A.s Hollywood Bowl even faster than the Beatles had. His confidence renewed by his American success (to the point where he permanently moved to Los Angeles), Morrissey delivered an equally strong follow-up in 1994s calmer Vauxhall and I, which even got him his first Top 50 singles chart entry in the U.S. with the MTV-supported "The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get." A hit-and-miss compilation, The World of Morrissey, followed in 1995, after which he switched labels (from Sire to RCA) for the first time since the Smiths debut album. Also issued in 1995 was the prog rock-informed Southpaw Grammar, which confounded many and perhaps prevented him from expanding his American audience past a now-sizable group of longtime listeners. In 1996, he moved to another new label, this time Island, and released Maladjusted the following year. It failed to sell well outside of his most fanatical followers and his relationship with Island ended in 1998. In the years that followed, Morrissey remained a massively popular touring attraction on the strength of his singular identity, despite the fact that he had yet to land another record deal. Finally, he signed his Attack label to Sanctuary, and released his first studio album in seven years, 2004s You Are the Quarry, featuring production by Jerry Finn (blink-182, Sum 41, and Green Day). The albums leadoff single, "Irish Blood, English Heart," garnered considerable press, radio, and music television attention, and established a comeback of sorts. The concert recording Live at Earls Court followed one year later, as did the DVD concert Who Put the "M" in Manchester?, which saw a brief theatrical release. His second full-length for Sanctuary, Ringleader of the Tormentors, was produced by Tony Visconti (T. Rex, David Bowie) and released in spring 2006. Recorded in Rome, the album also featured some orchestration by famed composer Ennio Morricone. Around this time, Morrisseys longtime guitarist and writing partner Alain Whyte left the band. Although Whyte continued to contribute songs for Morrissey, he was largely replaced on album and in live shows by guitarist Jesse Tobias. In 2009, Morrissey released Years of Refusal, his first under Decca after label changes found Sanctuary being absorbed into the Universal Music Group (which owned Decca). Produced by Finn and once again showcasing guitarist Tobias, Years of Refusal found Morrissey going for a more stripped-down, back-to-basics rock approach. Sadly, Finn suffered a cerebral hemorrhage just after wrapping production on the album. He fell into a coma and died just over a month later on August 21, 2008. Despite the tragedy surrounding it, Years of Refusal was largely hailed as Morrisseys best album in years. Over the next few years, Morrissey busied himself with rejigged reissues of his solo material, and various other compilations surfaced, including the 2009 B-sides collection Swords and the 2011 set Very Best of Morrissey; he also played live with semi-regularity. Early in the summer of 2012, he announced in an interview with JuiceOnline.com that he was tentatively planning to retire in 2014. Morrissey then spent much of 2012 and 2013 touring the world. For a time in 2013, he had a bout with bad health that saw him hospitalized first for an ulcer and then for pneumonia. A film of a March 2013 show at L.A.s Hollywood High School was released as 25Live that August, and was issued on DVD and Blu-ray before the end of the year. His autobiography -- published by Penguin Classics that October -- was well-received and became a number one best-seller in the U.K. In January 2014, despite his earlier proclamation of retirement, Morrissey signed a new record deal, this time with Capitol. Six months later, he released his tenth studio album, World Peace Is None of Your Business, on Capitols Harvest imprint. In promotion of the album, Morrissey shot several short films that he released online, in which he delivered spoken word versions of the title track as well as the singles "Istanbul," "Earth Is the Loneliest Planet," and "The Bullfighter Dies." By August 2014 Morrissey was once again without a label, having parted ways with Harvest. He also revealed that hed undergone treatment for an undisclosed type of cancer. Nonetheless, he continued touring, wrapping up the year with a two-month stint in Europe. In January 2015, following several live shows in the U.K., Morrissey appeared in a high-profile concert at New Yorks Madison Square Garden supported by Blondie. That March he released a fifth single from World Peace Is None of Your Business, the digital download "Kiss Me a Lot." Also in 2015, Morrissey announced the publication of his debut novel, List of the Lost, for Penguin. In 2017 he returned with the Low in High School LP; the album entered the British charts at five and the Billboard charts at 20. Two years later, Morrissey delivered California Son, a collection of covers that concentrated largely on folk-rock and pop tunes from the 1960s. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 25 Title: Viva Hate Released: 1988-03-14 Tracks: 13 Duration: 46:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Alsatian Cousin (03:13) 2 Little Man, What Now? (01:48) 3 Everyday Is Like Sunday (03:33) 4 Bengali in Platforms (03:55) 5 Angel, Angel, Down We Go Together (01:40) 6 Late Night, Maudlin Street (07:40) 7 Suedehead (03:54) 8 Break Up the Family (03:55) 9 Hairdresser on Fire (03:50) 10 The Ordinary Boys (03:10) 11 I Don’t Mind If You Forget Me (03:17) 12 Dial-a-Cliché (02:28) 13 Margaret on the Guillotine (03:41) |
| Viva Hate : Allmusic album Review : Following the breakup of the Smiths, Morrissey needed to prove that he was a viable artist without Johnny Marr, and Viva Hate fulfilled that goal with grace. Working with producer Stephen Street and guitarist Vini Reilly (of the Durutti Column), Morrissey doesnt drastically depart from the sound of Strangeways, Here We Come, offering a selection of 12 jangling guitar pop sounds. One major concession is the presence of synthesizers -- which is ironic, considering the Smiths adamant opposition to keyboards -- but neither the sound, nor Morrisseys wit, is diluted. And while the music is occasionally pedestrian, Morrissey compensates with a superb batch of lyrics, ranging from his conventional despair ("Little Man, What Now?," "I Dont Mind If You Forget Me") to the savage political tirade of "Margaret on a Guillotine." Nevertheless, the two masterstrokes on the album -- the gorgeous "Everyday Is Like Sunday" and the infectious "Suedehead" -- were previously singles, and both are on the compilation Bona Drag. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 25 Title: Bona Drag Released: 1990-10-08 Tracks: 14 Duration: 49:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Piccadilly Palare (03:26) 2 Interesting Drug (03:27) 3 November Spawned a Monster (05:25) 4 Will Never Marry (02:22) 5 Such a Little Thing Makes Such a Big Difference (02:51) 6 The Last of the Famous International Playboys (03:37) 7 Ouija Board, Ouija Board (04:25) 8 Hairdresser on Fire (03:50) 9 Everyday Is Like Sunday (03:33) 10 He Knows I’d Love to See Him (03:08) 11 Yes, I Am Blind (03:45) 12 Lucky Lisp (02:52) 13 Suedehead (03:54) 14 Disappointed (03:05) |
| Bona Drag : Allmusic album Review : As he was toiling on Kill Uncle, Morrissey released Bona Drag, a compilation of singles and B-sides, including "Everyday Is Like Sunday" and "Suedehead" from Viva Hate. While the record conveniently overlooks some rarities, the selections on Bona Drag are uniformly first-rate and many of the songs -- "Picadilly Palare," "Interesting Drug," "November Spawned a Monster," "The Last of the Famous International Playboys," "Lucky Lisp," "Disappointed," "He Knows Id Love to See Him," and "Ouija Board, Ouija Board" -- are Morrissey classics, arguably making Bona Drag a more consistent and entertaining record than Viva Hate. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 25 Title: Morrissey at KROQ Released: 1991 Tracks: 3 Duration: 18:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Theres a Place in Hell for Me and My Friends (02:27) 2 My Love Life (04:26) 3 Sing Your Life (11:52) |
 | Album: 4 of 25 Title: Kill Uncle Released: 1991-03-04 Tracks: 10 Duration: 33:01 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Our Frank (03:25) 2 Asian Rut (03:22) 3 Sing Your Life (03:27) 4 Mute Witness (03:32) 5 King Leer (02:55) 6 Found Found Found (01:59) 7 Driving Your Girlfriend Home (03:23) 8 The Harsh Truth of the Camera Eye (05:34) 9 (I’m) The End of the Family Line (03:30) 10 Theres a Place in Hell for Me and My Friends (01:52) |
| Kill Uncle : Allmusic album Review : With Kill Uncle, Morrissey descended into the ranks of self-parody, churning out a series of pleasant but tired alternative jangle pop songs that had neither melody nor much wit to distinguish them. Part of the problem lies with his choice of collaborators. Producers Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley dont provide the appropriately sympathetic backdrop for Morrisseys sly humor, while guitarist Mark E. Nevin is incapable of developing hooks. A few cuts, such as "(Im) The End of the Family Line" and "Theres a Place in Hell for Me and My Friends," stand out, but Kill Uncle is Morrisseys least distinguished record. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 25 Title: Your Arsenal Released: 1992-07-22 Tracks: 10 Duration: 39:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Youre Gonna Need Someone on Your Side (03:34) 2 Glamorous Glue (04:01) 3 Well Let You Know (05:13) 4 The National Front Disco (04:23) 5 Certain People I Know (03:12) 6 We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful (02:28) 7 Youre the One for Me, Fatty (02:57) 8 Seasick, Yet Still Docked (05:05) 9 I Know Its Gonna Happen Someday (04:20) 10 Tomorrow (04:17) |
| Your Arsenal : Allmusic album Review : Morrissey bounced back from the lackluster Kill Uncle with the terrific Your Arsenal. A dynamic, invigorating fusion of glam rock and rockabilly, Your Arsenal rocks harder than any other record Morrissey ever made. Guitarist Alain Whytes riffs swagger with a self-absorbed arrogance, and producer Mick Ronson gives the music a tough, stylish sheen -- it may be a break from Morrisseys jangle pop, but the music is sharper than at has been since the Smiths, and so is Morrisseys pen. Running through his trademark litany of emotional, social, and personal observations, Morrissey is viciously clever and occasionally moving. And the songs -- whether its the rush of "Youre Gonna Need Someone on Your Side," the menacing "Well Let You Know," the spare rockabilly bop of "Certain People I Know," the gospel-tinged "I Know Its Gonna Happen Someday," or "Tomorrow" -- are uniformly excellent, forming the core of Morrisseys finest solo record and his best work since The Queen Is Dead. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 25 Title: Beethoven Was Deaf Released: 1993-05-10 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:00:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Youre the One for Me, Fatty (03:05) 2 Certain People I Know (03:14) 3 National Front Disco (06:04) 4 November Spawned a Monster (05:19) 5 Seasick, Yet Still Docked (05:12) 6 The Loop (03:49) 7 Sister Im a Poet (02:23) 8 Jack the Ripper (04:10) 9 Such a Little Thing Makes Such a Big Difference (01:51) 10 I Know Its Gonna Happen Someday (03:46) 11 Well Let You Know (04:02) 12 Suedehead (04:07) 13 He Knows Id Love to See Him (03:16) 14 Youre Gonna Need Someone on Your Side (03:35) 15 Glamorous Glue (04:02) 16 We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful (02:43) |
| Beethoven Was Deaf : Allmusic album Review : Recorded on the English Your Arsenal tour, the 16-track album Beethoven Was Deaf is an effective argument for Morrisseys capabilities as a live performer. Although none of the songs, which are all drawn from his solo career, are drastically different than their original studio incarnation, they are performed with skill by Morrisseys pseudo-rockabilly band, giving the singer ample opportunity to flaunt his charisma. But its not just charisma -- Morrissey is a powerful, if unconventional vocalist, capable of squeezing out all the wit and exaggerated emotion from each song. While many of his great solo songs are here ("Suedehead," "Certain People I Know," "Sister Im a Poet"), it relies a little too heavily on Your Arsenal to be a good career overview, yet it remains a fine souvenir for hardcore fans. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 25 Title: Vauxhall and I Released: 1994-03-14 Tracks: 25 Duration: 1:32:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Now My Heart Is Full (04:57) 2 Spring-Heeled Jim (03:46) 3 Billy Budd (02:08) 4 Hold On to Your Friends (04:02) 5 The More You Ignore Me the Closer I Get (03:44) 6 Why Dont You Find Out for Yourself (03:20) 7 I Am Hated for Loving (03:41) 8 Lifeguard Sleeping, Girl Drowning (03:42) 9 Used to Be a Sweet Boy (02:49) 10 The Lazy Sunbathers (03:08) 11 Speedway (04:29) 1 Billy Budd (02:29) 2 Have-a-Go Merchant (02:42) 3 Spring-Heeled Jim (03:17) 4 London (02:21) 5 Youre the One for Me, Fatty (02:54) 6 Boxers (03:24) 7 Jack the Ripper (04:30) 8 Well Let You Know (04:07) 9 Whatever Happens I Love You (03:10) 10 Why Dont You Find Out for Yourself (03:28) 11 The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get (03:49) 12 National Front Disco (07:12) 13 Moon River (03:51) 14 Now My Heart Is Full (05:10) |
| Vauxhall and I : Allmusic album Review : While it isnt a gutsy rock & roll record like Your Arsenal, Vauxhall and I is equally impressive. Filled with carefully constructed guitar pop gems, the album contains some of Morrisseys best material since the Smiths. Out of all of his solo albums, Vauxhall and I sounds the most like his former band, yet the textured, ringing guitar on this record is an extension of his past, not a replication of it. In fact, with songs like "Now My Heart Is Full" and "Hold on to Your Friends," Morrissey sounds more comfortable and peaceful than he ever has. And "The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get," "Speedway," and "Spring-Heeled Jim" prove that he hasnt lost his vicious wit. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 25 Title: World of Morrissey Released: 1995-02-06 Tracks: 14 Duration: 55:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Whatever Happens, I Love You (03:06) 2 Billy Budd (02:08) 3 Jack the Ripper (04:10) 4 Have-A-Go Merchant (02:42) 5 The Loop (04:16) 6 Sister Im a Poet (live) (02:15) 7 Youre the One for Me, Fatty (live) (03:00) 8 Boxers (03:30) 9 Moonriver (extended) (09:39) 10 My Love Life (UK version / video edit audio) (04:24) 11 Certain People I Know (03:12) 12 The Last of the Famous International Playboys (03:37) 13 Well Let You Know (05:17) 14 Spring-Heeled Jim (03:46) |
 | Album: 9 of 25 Title: Southpaw Grammar Released: 1995-08-28 Tracks: 8 Duration: 47:51 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The Teachers Are Afraid of the Pupils (11:20) 2 Reader Meet Author (03:43) 3 The Boy Racer (04:45) 4 The Operation (06:53) 5 Dagenham Dave (03:16) 6 Do Your Best and Don’t Worry (04:07) 7 Best Friend on the Payroll (03:43) 8 Southpaw (10:01) |
| Southpaw Grammar : Allmusic album Review : If Vauxhall and I represented a more mature Morrissey, Southpaw Grammar superficially presents a more rough and tumble version of the singer. As his previous single, "Boxers," indicated, Morrisseys fascination with boxing and violence has reached full fruition. The music appropriately reflects this, with growling, distorted guitars and martial rhythms. But Southpaw Grammar doesnt rock as hard or with as much style as the rockabilly-inflected Your Arsenal -- instead, its his art rock album, complete with strings, drum solos, and two ten-minute songs. Of these, the winding, menacing "The Teachers Are Afraid of the Pupils" works the best, and it represents a significant change in Morrisseys outlook; instead of the children being outsiders, "the teachers" are. Throughout Southpaw Grammar, the privileged are oppressed by their fortunes, while working-class toughs are celebrated for their violence. However, there is no cohesive glue to the record. "The Teachers" uses its 11 minutes effectively, but "Southpaw" is merely ponderous. "Reader Meet Author" and "Dangenham Dave" are classic three-minute pop songs, but "Do Your Best and Dont Worry" is strictly by the books. Nevertheless, there is plenty of enjoyable music on the record, even if the concept is flawed. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 25 Title: Maladjusted Released: 1997-07-30 Tracks: 11 Duration: 43:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Maladjusted (04:42) 2 Alma Matters (04:48) 3 Ambitious Outsiders (03:56) 4 Trouble Loves Me (04:40) 5 Papa Jack (04:33) 6 Ammunition (03:38) 7 Wide to Receive (03:53) 8 Roy’s Keen (03:36) 9 He Cried (03:21) 10 Sorrow Will Come in the End (02:51) 11 Satan Rejected My Soul (02:56) |
| Maladjusted : Allmusic album Review : In theory, Maladjusted should have been a readjustment to standard indie rock territory for Morrissey after the prog rock detour of Southpaw Grammar, but Morrissey isnt that simple. From the opening title track, with its menacing, swirling paranoia, its clear that Maladjusted isnt a simple return to form. That isnt to say that the album is devoid of the jangly, maudlin pop songs that are Morrisseys trademark -- in fact, the lead single, "Alma Matters," is a quietly catchy tune that ranks as vintage Morrissey. Nevertheless, its a little misleading, because Maladjusted isnt strictly by the book. Morrissey has incorporated his newfound fascination with prog rock into his trademark sound much better than he did on Southpaw Grammar, as the lumbering beat of "Papa Jack" and sawing strings of "Ambitious Outsiders" illustrate, but that fascination signals how insular Morrisseys world has become. Things are rarely more insular -- or weirder -- than "Sorrow Will Come in the End," a spoken word, neo-classical rant about his loss to Mike Joyce in a Smiths royalty suit (the song was pulled from the British version of the album, due to legal reasons), but "Roys Keen," an ode to a keen window cleaner, isnt far behind. The remainder of the album -- particularly the lovely "Wide to Receive," "He Cried," and "Trouble Loves Me" -- may be similarly self-obsessed, yet the music is warm and welcoming, thanks to strong craftsmanship and fine performances. Theyre charming songs, but theyre subtle charms, offering the kind of pleasures only longtime Morrissey followers will find irresistible. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 25 Title: Suedehead: The Best of Morrissey Released: 1997-09-08 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:11:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Suedehead (03:54) 2 Sunny (02:43) 3 Boxers (03:30) 4 Tomorrow (04:06) 5 Interlude (extended) (05:50) 6 Everyday Is Like Sunday (03:33) 7 That’s Entertainment (03:56) 8 Hold On to Your Friends (04:02) 9 My Love Life (04:26) 10 Interesting Drug (03:27) 11 Our Frank (03:25) 12 Piccadilly Palare (03:26) 13 Ouija Board, Ouija Board (04:25) 14 Youre the One for Me, Fatty (02:57) 15 We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful (02:30) 16 The Last of the Famous International Playboys (03:37) 17 Pregnant for the Last Time (02:42) 18 November Spawned a Monster (05:25) 19 The More You Ignore Me the Closer I Get (03:44) |
 | Album: 12 of 25 Title: Rare Tracks Released: 1998-04-01 Tracks: 6 Duration: 27:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Lost (03:55) 2 Heir Apparent (03:57) 3 The Edges Are No Longer Parallel (05:08) 4 This Is Not Your Country (07:24) 5 Now I Am a Was (02:36) 6 I Can Have Both (04:06) |
 | Album: 13 of 25 Title: My Early Burglary Years Released: 1998-09-15 Tracks: 16 Duration: 58:14 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Sunny (02:43) 2 At Amber (02:43) 3 Cosmic Dancer (03:55) 4 Nobody Loves Us (04:50) 5 A Swallow on My Neck (02:50) 6 Sister I’m a Poet (02:27) 7 Black‐Eyed Susan (04:08) 8 Michael’s Bones (03:09) 9 I’d Love To (04:46) 10 Reader Meet Author (03:43) 11 Pashernate Love (02:22) 12 Girl Least Likely To (04:52) 13 Jack the Ripper (04:10) 14 I’ve Changed My Plea to Guilty (03:13) 15 The Boy Racer (04:45) 16 Boxers (03:30) |
| My Early Burglary Years : Allmusic album Review : Possibly left without a record contract, working without a manager, living in self-imposed exile, Morrissey returned to what he knew best in the fall of 1998 -- recycling his own material. My Early Burglary Years was released under the pretense of offering American-audiences songs, such as "Sunny," previously unavailable on U.S. shores -- which is kind of ridiculous, since anyone still buying Morrissey records in 1998 likely buys every single, regardless of their country of origin. That leaves My Early Burglary Years as another odd collection of rarities, singles, and album tracks. There are undoubtedly some fans who havent bought every single, but this disc wont necessarily help them, since the rarities are mixed in with familiar material. That said, My Early Burglary Years is a better bit for lapsed collectors looking to pick up some rare songs than World of Morrissey, since it has such non-LP items as the entire "Sunny" single and "Cosmic Dancer" (which is a previously released version, contrary to the cover stickers claims) that have never appeared on a comp or as bonus tracks. Its not quite enough to excuse the repeat appearances of the seemingly ubiquitous "Sister Im a Poet" and "Jack the Ripper" (as well as album tracks from Southpaw Grammar), or the lack of a comprehensive B-sides and rarities collection, but at least its a step in the right direction. | ||
 | Album: 14 of 25 Title: ¡The Best Of! Released: 2001-11-06 Tracks: 21 Duration: 1:18:13 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The More You Ignore Me the Closer I Get (03:44) 2 Suedehead (03:54) 3 Everyday Is Like Sunday (03:33) 4 Glamorous Glue (04:01) 5 Do Your Best and Don’t Worry (04:07) 6 November Spawned a Monster (05:23) 7 The Last of the Famous International Playboys (03:37) 8 Sing Your Life (03:27) 9 Hairdresser on Fire (03:50) 10 Interesting Drug (03:27) 11 We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful (02:30) 12 Certain People I Know (03:12) 13 Now My Heart Is Full (edit) (04:08) 14 I Know Its Gonna Happen Someday (04:20) 15 Sunny (02:41) 16 Alma Matters (04:48) 17 Hold On to Your Friends (04:02) 18 Sister Im a Poet (02:25) 19 Disappointed (03:05) 20 Tomorrow (radio remix) (03:54) 21 Lost (03:55) |
| ¡The Best Of! : Allmusic album Review : As any Mozzer fan knows, his catalog is cluttered with compilations -- some good, some middling, many unnecessary. So, why the need for Rhinos 2001 collection The Best of Morrissey? Well, according to the press release, its because there is no Morrissey hits collection available in the U.S., which is technically true, but compilations like Bona Drag, World of Morrissey, and My Early Burglary Years have certainly been on the American market (the catch is theyre not hits compilations; actually, I have no idea what they are, since theyre always album tracks, singles, and B-sides, playing like your resident Morrissey fanatics favorite mix tape). This, however, is a genuine hits collection, attempting to gather the best of the EMI/Parlophone years and his tour of U.K. major labels (most of which were released on Sire/Warner in the U.S.). There are singles missing here, but theyre by and large minor hits and personal favorites (Southpaw Grammar gets slighted, with no "Dagenham Dave" or "Boyracer"), and nearly every iconic Morrissey song is here. They might not be in chronological order, but theyre present and accounted for, and it flows nicely, proving that Morrissey could always deliver gems, from "Suedehead" and "Everyday Is Like Sunday," through "Tomorrow," "I Know Its Gonna Happen Someday," and "The More You Ignore Me the Closer I Get," to the brilliant, underappreciated "Alma Matters." So, this very well may be the Morrissey album for those who dont need every Morrissey album -- but since this is a Morrissey compilation, it does have one piece of bait for collectors, the final Island single, "Lost," from 1998, which I cant even remember coming out and I collect these things. And you know what -- I really wouldnt want Morrissey any other way (which is why us Morrissey fans are considered a sado-masochistic lot, I guess). | ||
 | Album: 15 of 25 Title: You Are the Quarry Released: 2004-05-17 Tracks: 12 Duration: 47:19 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 America Is Not the World (04:03) 2 Irish Blood, English Heart (02:37) 3 I Have Forgiven Jesus (03:41) 4 Come Back to Camden (04:14) 5 I’m Not Sorry (04:41) 6 The World Is Full of Crashing Bores (03:51) 7 How Can Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel? (03:25) 8 First of the Gang to Die (03:38) 9 Let Me Kiss You (03:30) 10 All the Lazy Dykes (03:31) 11 I Like You (04:11) 12 You Know I Couldn’t Last (05:51) |
| You Are the Quarry : Allmusic album Review : At his core, Morrissey has always been conservative -- not in his politics, of course, but in how he romanticizes the past and plays by the rules of a different time. His passions, whether its the New York Dolls or 60s British cinema, exist out of time, and hes gone to great lengths to ensure that his music also cant be pinned to a particular era, which means all his solo albums share similar musical and theatrical traits, and theyre subject to the whims of fashion. In the years following the Smiths, he could rarely set a foot wrong, but sometime after releasing his best solo album, Your Arsenal, in 1992, the British music press turned on him and he was not much better than a pariah during the mid-90s heyday of Brit-pop, the very time that he should have been celebrated as one of the great figures of British pop music, particularly since the Smiths inspired every band of note, from Suede and Blur to Oasis and Pulp. By the time he released Maladjusted in the summer of 1997, he was a forgotten legend, not even given approval of his album art, and instead of cranking out records to the diehards, he chose to move to Los Angeles and wait out the storm. He stayed quiet for seven years. During that time, fashions changed again, as theyre prone to do, as Brit-pop turned toward the sullen art rock of Radiohead and Coldplay, the mainstream filled up with teen pop, and American rock music was either stuck in the death throes of grunge and punk-pop or in emos heart-on-sleeve caterwauling, which owed no little debt to Mozzers grandly theatric introspection in the Smiths. Instead of being seen as a has-been, as he had been in the latter half of the 90s, Morrissey was seen as a giant, name checked by artists as diverse as Ryan Adams and OutKast, so the time was ripe for a comeback. But Morrissey had waited long enough to do it on his terms, rejecting major labels for Sanctuary (on the condition that they revive the reggae imprint Attack Records) and recording You Are the Quarry with his longtime touring band, with producer Jerry Finn, best-known for his work with neo-punk bands blink-182, Sum 41, and Green Day. Finns presence suggests that Morrissey might be changing or modernizing his sound, designing a large-scale comeback, but that runs contrary to his character. Apart from some subtleties -- the glam on Your Arsenal, the gentleness on Vauxhall and I, the prog rock on Southpaw Grammar -- hes worked the same territory ever since Viva Hate, and theres no reason for him to change now. And he doesnt. There are no surprises on You Are the Quarry. It delivers all the trademark wit, pathos, and surging mid-tempo guitar anthems that have been his stock-in-trade since the beginning of his solo career. Its not so much a return to form as it is a simple return, Morrissey picking up where he left off with Maladjusted, improving on that likeable album with a stronger set of songs and more muscular music (even if no single is as indelible as "Alma Matters"). If You Are the Quarry had been delivered in 1999, it would have been written off as more of the same, but since its coming out at the end of a seven-year itch, hes back in fashion, so its reception is very warm. Frankly, its nice to have his reputation restored, but that oversells the album, suggesting that its either a breakthrough or a comeback when its neither. Its merely a very good Morrissey album, living up to his legacy without expanding it greatly. But after such a long wait, thats more than enough. | ||
 | Album: 16 of 25 Title: Live at Earls Court Released: 2005-03-29 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:14:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 How Soon Is Now? (04:35) 2 First of the Gang to Die (03:48) 3 November Spawned a Monster (05:15) 4 Dont Make Fun of Daddys Voice (02:57) 5 Bigmouth Strikes Again (03:20) 6 I Like You (04:36) 7 Redondo Beach (04:07) 8 Let Me Kiss You (03:36) 9 Subway Train / Munich Air Disaster 1958 (03:16) 10 There Is a Light That Never Goes Out (04:50) 11 The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get (03:52) 12 Friday Mourning (04:32) 13 I Have Forgiven Jesus (04:06) 14 The World Is Full of Crashing Bores (03:55) 15 Shoplifters of the World Unite (03:21) 16 Irish Blood, English Heart (02:49) 17 You Know I Couldnt Last (07:10) 18 Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me (03:57) |
| Live at Earls Court : Allmusic album Review : Live at Earls Court finds British rock icon Morrissey and his band performing in London at the end of the You Are the Quarry tour. Not to be confused with the DVD Who Put the "M" in Manchester? recorded at the beginning of the tour in May, Live at Earls Court is a completely different concert from December 2004 and features a vastly different set list. While past live Morrissey albums such as Beethoven Was Deaf featured the singers penchant for beautifully ragged ersatz rockabilly, Earls Court showcases the more polished group sound developed out of the You Are the Quarry sessions, which isnt to say that Morrissey has lost his edge. On the contrary -- such songs as "I Have Forgiven Jesus" and "The World Is Full of Crashing Bores" prove that his legendary wit and sardonic tongue are fully intact and as sharp as ever. Similarly, his burnished baritone vocals have arguably never sounded better and the lush, muscular band arrangements frame him with a glam regality befitting his late-career resurgence. Although newer songs off You Are the Quarry are the focus, longtime Moz fans will be delighted at the amount of Smiths songs included here. In fact, the mix of the old, the new, and the unexpected -- he also performs some rare B-sides -- makes Live at Earls Court one of the most successful albums of Morrisseys career. | ||
 | Album: 17 of 25 Title: Ringleader of the Tormentors Released: 2006-04-03 Tracks: 12 Duration: 50:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Will See You in Far‐Off Places (04:13) 2 Dear God Please Help Me (05:51) 3 You Have Killed Me (03:08) 4 The Youngest Was the Most Loved (02:59) 5 In the Future When All’s Well (03:54) 6 The Father Who Must Be Killed (03:53) 7 Life Is a Pigsty (07:22) 8 I’ll Never Be Anybody’s Hero Now (04:14) 9 On the Streets I Ran (03:51) 10 To Me You Are a Work of Art (04:01) 11 I Just Want to See the Boy Happy (02:59) 12 At Last I Am Born (03:33) |
| Ringleader of the Tormentors : Allmusic album Review : Few comebacks are ever as expertly executed as Morrisseys 2004 return to the stage, You Are the Quarry. It may have not sold gangbusters but it was certainly a hit, proving that he still had legions of devoted fans who would follow through hell and high water (or at the very least, seven years between albums), and earned his best reviews in years, elevating him to the status of well-respected elder statesman. It also gave him the opportunity to return to regular record-making, an opportunity that he seizes with Quarrys quickly delivered sequel, 2006s Ringleader of the Tormentors. Despite its near-genius title, perfect artwork, and pedigree -- instead of working with modern punk producer Jerry Finn as he did last time around, Moz has hired the legendary Tony Visconti, best known for his work with T. Rex and David Bowie, and even has the iconic Ennio Morricone provide orchestration for the epic "Dear God Please Help Me" -- Ringleader of the Tormentors is about as close to standard-issue Morrissey as it gets. Theres always been a certain similarity to his work, particularly on his solo recordings, but each of his records either had a distinct sonic or aesthetic point of view or, at the very least, was graced by a handful of songs distinguished by a particularly sharp turn of phrase, whether it was lyrical or musical. It would seem that Ringleader has all the elements of being a cut above an average Morrissey LP, since not only are his collaborators storied themselves, but its supported by a press campaign where the once celibate, often miserable singer has declared that hes abandoned L.A. for Rome, where he is living happily and living in love. All of these elements seem to be the core ingredients for a classic Morrissey record, but there is little about Ringleader thats distinctive: whether its the standard-issue single "You Have Killed Me" or the grinding seven-minute art rock centerpiece "Life Is a Pigsty," each tune has an all-too-clear antecedent elsewhere in Mozs catalog. Again, since Morrissey often works within a strict formula, this familiarity isnt necessarily bad, but the songs lack memorable moments. Not to say that there arent highlights -- the dirgeful opener, "I Will See You in Far Off Places," is dreamily evocative, "In the Future When All Is Well" and "On the Streets I Ran" are nicely propulsive -- but there is nothing noteworthy or fresh here besides Morrisseys new tendency toward blunt words. He writes candidly about his personal life on this record in a way that he never has before -- he implicitly outs himself on "Dear God Please Help Me" -- and while this outburst of frank emotion may add some resonance to his declarations of love and rebirth, his words are clunky, lacking his trademark elegant wit ("I see the world, it makes me puke" and "there are explosive kegs between my legs" are a long way from "Why pamper lifes complexity/When the leather runs smooth on the passenger seat?"). That is also true of the very sound of Ringleader of the Tormentors, which is just a shade too slick and sequenced, veering too close to comfort to the overly glossy 80s productions Morrissey routinely denounced during his days with the Smiths. These are subtle flaws, something that only the Morrissey diehard can dig out, but thats pretty much the only kind of fan Morrissey has in 2006. And since these flaws are not enough to derail the record, just enough to annoy, its easy to enjoy Ringleader of the Tormentors as merely an everyday Morrissey record, but its hard not to shake the suspicion that this album is the closest hes ever been to forgettable. | ||
 | Album: 18 of 25 Title: Greatest Hits Released: 2008-02-08 Tracks: 15 Duration: 51:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 First of the Gang to Die (03:38) 2 In the Future When All’s Well (03:54) 3 I Just Want to See the Boy Happy (02:59) 4 Irish Blood, English Heart (02:37) 5 You Have Killed Me (03:08) 6 Thats How People Grow Up (02:59) 7 Everyday Is Like Sunday (03:33) 8 Redondo Beach (03:56) 9 Suedehead (03:49) 10 The Youngest Was the Most Loved (02:59) 11 The Last of the Famous International Playboys (03:37) 12 The More You Ignore Me the Closer I Get (03:44) 13 All You Need Is Me (03:11) 14 Let Me Kiss You (03:30) 15 I Have Forgiven Jesus (03:41) |
| Greatest Hits : Allmusic album Review : Apparently the key to Morrisseys complaint about endless repackages and reissues in "Paint a Vulgar Picture" is that theyre done without the artists consent. As long as the star is in on the game, those releases can keep on coming, as the 2008 release of the rather pointless but harmless Greatest Hits suggests. Purportedly, Greatest Hits has been assembled according to the British charts, concentrating on singles that reached the Top Ten, but the logic behind that approach is flimsy: chart placement is a mere guideline to both merit and popularity, especially for cult artists like Morrissey whose earliest records didnt sell as well initially as his latter-day albums, so Top Ten hits arent quite an accurate indicator of how long a record stuck around, either in the charts or in the memory. And so it is with Greatest Hits, with the great majority of the 13 songs here -- there are two new tracks, one the brand-new OK "Thats How People Grow Up" and the other a live cover of Patti Smiths "Redondo Beach" -- dating from the 21st century. Nine, to be exact. Thats a lot, especially when you take into account that hes released just two albums in the course of the decade -- solid records both, but picking out highlights from them hardly constitutes a satisfying greatest-hits collection. Instead, it plays a bit like expanded label sampler, really, and on that level, its all right -- it has solid singles like "First of the Gang to Die," "Irish Blood, English Heart," and "I Have Forgiven Jesus" buttressed by the classics "Everyday Is Like Sunday," "Suedehead," "Last of the Famous International Playboys," and "The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get," shortchanging such superb albums as Your Arsenal and Vauxhall and I, not to mention all those various singles that never popped up on an official album. So, if that kind of hodgepodge is what youre looking for, well, youve now got it. Enjoy, then go out and get The Best of Morrissey, which comes closer to fulfilling its title promise than this. | ||
 | Album: 19 of 25 Title: Years of Refusal Released: 2009-02-13 Tracks: 12 Duration: 43:24 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Something Is Squeezing My Skull (02:38) 2 Mama Lay Softly on the Riverbed (03:53) 3 Black Cloud (02:48) 4 I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris (02:30) 5 All You Need Is Me (03:11) 6 When Last I Spoke to Carol (03:23) 7 That’s How People Grow Up (02:59) 8 One Day Goodbye Will Be Farewell (02:56) 9 It’s Not Your Birthday Anymore (05:09) 10 You Were Good in Your Time (05:01) 11 Sorry Doesn’t Help (04:03) 12 I’m OK by Myself (04:47) |
| Years of Refusal : Allmusic album Review : All the heavy lifting of his comeback finished, Morrissey settles into a robust middle age on Years of Refusal, an evocation of his thick Your Arsenal sound that doesnt feel like a conscious re-creation -- rather, this just is who Moz is, an old brawler who refuses to hang up his gloves or settle a grudge. The sound remains the same but the songs dont quite: although this is also produced by Jerry Finn, this isnt the deliberate revival of You Are the Quarry, all sharp edges and metallic sheen, the better to rope in the young emo kids who came of age after Maladjusted, nor is it the gentle prog pretensions of the Tony Visconti-produced Ringleader of the Tormentors. Years of Refusal is comfortable in its settled nature, in its roaring guitars and swaying melodies, sometimes ratcheting up the aggression -- especially so on the tight, compacted opener, "Something Is Squeezing My Skull" -- but often just riding along, assured in its might and wit, never feeling the need to change for changes sake. Such conservatism has long been part of Morrisseys makeup -- when everybody pined for a synthesized future in the Thatcher/Reagan years, he sought refuge in the past -- and now that he has people paying attention again, hes fine with not changing the sound and writing songs about his happy middle-aged miserablism, a miserablism that increasingly feels like a device to fuel Morrisseys satire. Morrissey has never been reluctant to turn his wit upon himself but he relishes sending up his moping persona and advancing age here, resulting in some excellent quips and asides, along with some nicely honed ballads like "You Were Good in Your Time." Along with "Thats How People Grow Up," where the perennially broken-hearted Moz acknowledges that there are worse things in life than never being someones sweetie, this song is the best example of how Morrissey is feeling his years -- contrary to the implications within the albums title, hes not fretting about his age but throwing his arms around it, giving Years of Refusal a nicely comfortable feel thats welcome after the slightly strident overtones of its predecessors. Nothing here is surprising, of course, but Years of Refusal is a full-bodied, full-blooded album that also happens to be fully realized -- even if it is on a rather modest scale. | ||
 | Album: 20 of 25 Title: The HMV/Parlophone Singles ’88–’95 Released: 2009-10-12 Tracks: 62 Duration: 3:41:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Suedehead (03:54) 2 I Know Very Well How I Got My Name (02:02) 3 Hairdresser on Fire (03:50) 4 Oh Well, Ill Never Learn (02:00) 5 Everyday Is Like Sunday (03:33) 6 Sister I’m a Poet (02:27) 7 Disappointed (03:05) 8 Will Never Marry (03:37) 9 The Last of the Famous International Playboys (03:37) 10 Lucky Lisp (02:52) 11 Michael’s Bones (03:09) 12 Interesting Drug (03:27) 13 Such a Little Thing Makes Such a Big Difference (02:51) 14 Sweet and Tender Hooligan (live) (03:57) 15 Ouija Board, Ouija Board (04:25) 16 Yes, I Am Blind (03:45) 17 East West (02:34) 18 November Spawned a Monster (05:25) 19 He Knows I’d Love to See Him (03:08) 20 Girl Least Likely To (04:52) 21 Piccadilly Palare (03:26) 22 Get Off the Stage (03:05) 23 At Amber (02:43) 1 Our Frank (03:25) 2 Journalists Who Lie (04:07) 3 Tony the Pony (04:11) 4 Sing Your Life (03:27) 5 That’s Entertainment (03:56) 6 The Loop (04:16) 7 Pregnant for the Last Time (02:43) 8 Skin Storm (02:59) 9 Cosmic Dancer (live) (04:11) 10 Disappointed (03:25) 11 My Love Life (04:26) 12 I’ve Changed My Plea to Guilty (03:43) 13 Theres a Place in Hell for Me and My Friends (02:24) 14 We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful (02:30) 15 Suedehead (live) (03:54) 16 Ive Changed My Plea to Guilty (live) (03:13) 17 Pregnant for the Last Time (live) (02:32) 18 Alsatian Cousin (live) (02:20) 19 Youre the One for Me, Fatty (02:59) 20 Pashernate Love (02:22) 21 There Speaks a True Friend (02:21) 1 Certain People I Know (03:12) 2 Youve Had Her (03:01) 3 Jack the Ripper (studio version) (03:28) 4 The More You Ignore Me the Closer I Get (03:44) 5 Used to Be a Sweet Boy (02:49) 6 I’d Love To (04:46) 7 Hold On to Your Friends (04:02) 8 Moonriver (03:18) 9 Moonriver (extended) (09:39) 10 Interlude (03:48) 11 Interlude (extended) (05:50) 12 Interlude (instrumental) (07:36) 13 Boxers (03:30) 14 Have-A-Go Merchant (02:42) 15 Whatever Happens, I Love You (03:06) 16 Sunny (02:43) 17 Black‐Eyed Susan (04:08) 18 A Swallow on My Neck (02:50) |
 | Album: 21 of 25 Title: Swords Released: 2009-10-26 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:07:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Good Looking Man About Town (02:52) 2 Dont Make Fun of Daddys Voice (02:51) 3 If You Don’t Like Me, Don’t Look at Me (03:40) 4 Ganglord (05:16) 5 My Dearest Love (03:54) 6 The Never-Played Symphonies (03:03) 7 Sweetie Pie (04:19) 8 Christian Dior (03:58) 9 Shame Is the Name (03:49) 10 Munich Air Disaster 1958 (02:30) 11 I Knew I Was Next (03:46) 12 Its Hard to Walk Tall When Youre Small (03:31) 13 Teenage Dad on His Estate (04:04) 14 Children in Pieces (04:01) 15 Friday Mourning (04:07) 16 My Life Is a Succession of People Saying Goodbye (02:53) 17 Drive-In Saturday (05:01) 18 Because of My Poor Education (03:23) |
| Swords : Allmusic album Review : The latest in a long line of stray track compilations that stretches all the way back to Bona Drag, if not Hatful of Hallow, 2009s Swords gathers up 18 highlights from the B-sides of singles from You Are the Quarry, Ringleader of the Tormentors, and Years of Refusal -- the three albums that constitute the great Moz comeback of the new millennium. Not all the flipsides are here, but all the noteworthy ones are, including a cameo from Chrissie Hynde on "Shame Is the Name," a cover of David Bowies "Drive-In Saturday" with new lyrics all about the New York Dolls. These little pieces of flair dress up a pretty drab selection of songs that sound like leftovers, cut from the original albums not because they didnt fit the mood, but because they didnt quite work -- covering similar territory as the proper album, only just not as well. Nothing here is quite an embarrassment, but compared to his other albums of this nature, including the muddled World of Morrissey, theres a distinct lack of humor and hooks, or anything else memorable. | ||
 | Album: 22 of 25 Title: Very Best of Morrissey Released: 2011-04-25 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:15:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Last of the Famous International Playboys (03:37) 2 Youre Gonna Need Someone on Your Side (03:35) 3 The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get (03:42) 4 Glamorous Glue (04:01) 5 Girl Least Likely To (04:52) 6 Suedehead (03:54) 7 Tomorrow (US remix radio edit) (03:55) 8 Boxers (03:30) 9 My Love Life (US mix) (04:48) 10 Break Up the Family (03:47) 11 I’ve Changed My Plea to Guilty (03:43) 12 Such a Little Thing Makes Such a Big Difference (02:49) 13 Ouija Board, Ouija Board (03:46) 14 Interesting Drug (03:27) 15 November Spawned a Monster (05:23) 16 Everyday Is Like Sunday (03:33) 17 Interlude (solo version) (03:39) 18 Moonriver (extended) (09:39) |
 | Album: 23 of 25 Title: World Peace Is None of Your Business Released: 2014-07-11 Tracks: 12 Duration: 56:04 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 World Peace Is None of Your Business (04:32) 2 Neal Cassady Drops Dead (04:05) 3 I’m Not a Man (07:48) 4 Istanbul (04:41) 5 Earth Is the Loneliest Planet (03:37) 6 Staircase at the University (05:27) 7 The Bullfighter Dies (02:03) 8 Kiss Me a Lot (04:03) 9 Smiler With Knife (05:17) 10 Kick the Bride Down the Aisle (05:17) 11 Mountjoy (05:02) 12 Oboe Concerto (04:07) |
| World Peace Is None of Your Business : Allmusic album Review : Arriving on the heels of Autobiography, a 2013 memoir that reveled in the cadences of revelation without ever laying bare his soul, World Peace Is None of Your Business feels curiously bereft of Morrisseys lyrical elegance. This, like so many of Mozs moves, is certainly deliberate. There is a directness to the lyrics on World Peace Is None of Your Business that initially feels unsettling, contradicting Morrisseys long history of obfuscation and sly winks. Such broad strokes accentuate his political beliefs -- he has no desire to be part of the voting process, he stands firm on animal rights, he disdains conventional masculinity while still feeling a pull toward pugilism -- while dulling the edges of his typical wistfulness. Perhaps Morrissey decided to wield his words as blunt instruments to offset the wildly off-kilter music of World Peace. Coming after a decade of albums where Morrisseys consistency was almost a fault, the untidiness of World Peace feels rather thrilling, holding the attention even when the record doesnt necessarily work. Producer Joe Chiccarelli -- an alt-rock vet whose credits run from Oingo Boingo to Alanis Morissette and Café Tacuba -- gives the record a big, forceful sound that is occasionally too crisp (its possible to see the digital guitar effects push into the red on "Neal Cassidy Drops Dead"), but he also allows Moz to indulge his every whim, whether its the ominous, churning heavy rock of the title track and "Istanbul," or the flamenco flourishes of "Earth Is the Loneliest Planet" and "The Bullfighter Dies." Elsewhere, Morrissey sticks to some tried and true -- "Staircase at the University" hearkens back to Viva Hate -- but the album is characterized by its aural eccentricities, which infect even relatively staid pop songs like "Kiss Me a Lot." Such willful weirdness is oddly endearing even when it doesnt hold together, which it often doesnt; itll develop a head of steam that quickly dissipates as it veers in another direction, playing almost like a series of conjoined EPs. Perhaps this doesnt add up to a record as forceful or coherent as either You Are the Quarry or Years of Refusal but that messiness is also its charm: Morrissey isnt living up to what he should do, hes doing whatever he wants to, whether it makes sense or not. That fearlessness may be reckless but its also welcome. | ||
 | Album: 24 of 25 Title: Low in High School Released: 2017-11-17 Tracks: 12 Duration: 53:24 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 My Love, I’d Do Anything for You (04:43) 2 I Wish You Lonely (02:58) 3 Jacky’s Only Happy When She’s Up on the Stage (04:19) 4 Home Is a Question Mark (03:59) 5 Spent the Day in Bed (03:31) 6 I Bury the Living (07:25) 7 In Your Lap (04:35) 8 The Girl From Tel‐Aviv Who Wouldn’t Kneel (04:57) 9 All the Young People Must Fall in Love (03:36) 10 When You Open Your Legs (03:17) 11 Who Will Protect Us From the Police? (04:05) 12 Israel (05:55) |
| Low in High School : Allmusic album Review : In the years following the 2014 release of World Peace Is None of Your Business, Morrisseys ornery contrarianism curdled. Once he embraced Brexit and flirted with xenophobia, he began to shed fans, including such prominent musical acolytes as Genes Martin Rossiter. Defiant as always, Morrissey leans into these criticisms on 2017s Low in High School, populating the album with swipes at the mainstream media and contrived news -- words that deliberately echo arguments emanating from the right wing in both the U.S. and the U.K. Despite this, it cant be said that Morrissey is a newborn cultural conservative, not with an anthem that asks "Who Will Protect Us from the Police," the antiwar "I Bury the Living," and a host of carnal imagery that dredges up memories of how poorly he wrote about sex on his 2015 novel List of the Lost. All of these provocations are hard to ignore, as is the fact that Low in High School is one of Morrisseys most musically adventurous records. Opening with the churning, horn-spiked "My Love, Id Do Anything for You," Low in High School touches upon several familiar Morrissey obsessions -- theres prog and glam alongside Smiths-ian jangle -- but the album also serves up swinging continental jazz, clomping electronics, drum circles, and even a feint at disco. None of these choices seem to stem from lyrical content, which means that Low in High School can seem as aurally conflicted as it is politically, and that may be an appropriate look for Morrissey in 2017: hes opted for a mad world of his own creation and doesnt much care whether his fans follow or not. | ||
 | Album: 25 of 25 Title: California Son Released: 2019-05-24 Tracks: 12 Duration: 40:02 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Morning Starship (03:29) 2 Don’t Interrupt the Sorrow (04:06) 3 Only a Pawn in Their Game (03:46) 4 Suffer the Little Children (03:31) 5 Days of Decision (02:55) 6 It’s Over (02:52) 7 Wedding Bell Blues (02:56) 8 Loneliness Remembers What Happiness Forgets (02:09) 9 Lady Willpower (03:07) 10 When You Close Your Eyes (03:29) 11 Lenny’s Tune (03:30) 12 Some Say I Got Devil (04:09) |