bedsitter23 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
bedsitter23) wrote2020-04-01 04:13 pm
bedsitter23) wrote2020-04-01 04:13 pm
On the Shelf 207: Morrissey
Those who know me personally know that I am a near-obsessive fan of the singer Morrissey.
In recent years, his words and actions have tarnished his reputation to all but his most dedicated fans. Were he born at a different time, he would have likely been like his antecedent Larkin likely found out only after discovery of letters after his death.
I admit to having a hard time boycotting work by artists who should be censured. My favorite artists of all my time were horrible at some point in their lives (Lou Reed, Richard Thompson, John Lennon), though we brush it off as 'being the times'.
It is rather easy to dismiss Morrissey of course. His recent work is absolutely inessential, and you can justify listening to the Smiths, as Johnny Marr appears to be an above-and-beyond great human being.
One wonders why after periods of great absence (1997-2004, 2009-2014), Morrissey picks now when his talent appears to be on the wane to be suddenly prolific.
For me, there's a clear drop in quality when Morrissey start working with producer Joe Chiccarelli (an incredibly diverse resume of Zappa, White Stripes, Alannis Morrisette, Cafe Tacvba, and The Strokes to name a few). It may also stem to this also being the point where Alain Whyte was no longer writing or contributing to the band. Whyte had been responsible for most of the beloved songs from the Mozzer from the time of Your Arsenal on.
Similarly, Boz Boorer is here but has become a diminishing presence and this is the first album without a Boorer credit in over 25 years.
Which isn't to blame the current band members- guitarist Jesse Tobias (stints playing with the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Alannis Morrissette), keyboardist/multi-instrumentalist Gustavo Manzur and bassist Mando Lopes (who played with punk legends Fear in the 90s and Title TK-era Breeders) or Chicarelli. Chicarelli always makes the Mozzers voice robust.
His lyrics betray everything else. He sounds like he is using a rhyming dictionary and on "The Secret of Music" just listing off the names of instruments.
It is an album that is easy enough to dismiss with one listen, and I only suspect the diehards like myself will find anything more in it.
The album's lead single was a song called "Bobby Don't You Think They Know" which is the best way to capture the mess that the album is.
Presumably, Bobby's secret is sexual, though it is unstated, and Moz is joined by Thelma Houston (Yes, that Thelma Houston, best known for "Don't Leave Me This Way") as they build to an almost six minute later crescendo.
It will be ridiculous to many listeners. It is to Houston's credit that it builds up into something worthwhile. The combination of two voices is really a great thing. One wishes that they could have collaborated much earlier when the material to work with was better. Manzur's music is also to be credited. Somehow pulling from Gospel and the Stranglers, he actually pulls it off.
The album is front-loaded with the strongest songs. Tobias writes an anthemic tune in Jim Jim Falls and Mozzer is in fine form. It would have made a good single back before people dissected his lyrics in these current times. Of course, Luke Haines got to something like If you're going to Kill yourself...get on with it" first, but it is within the Mozzer's wheelhouse.
Manzur takes over with "Love is on its Way Out"- the lyrics could be from a Moz Generator. It's not a bad song by any means, but I doubt he used 40 words in writing it. It ends up being more of a fragment than anything- though once again, Manzur's music is nice.
"Bobby" is the third track and the title track is fourth. Like the much earlier Moz tune "Roy's Keen", it succeeds despite itself. The lyrics are close to comical. It helps to know Canada Goose is a clothing company that Moz got in a verbal spat with.
Tobias again provides a backing track that is quirky and builds. Moz's voice is in fine form, and if the lyrics don't make you laugh (unintentionally) then this is one of the better tracks on the album. As the song builds to its anthemic closing, one wonders why Moz chose "Louder than Blows" rather than the much better "Louder than Bombs".
"What Kind of People Live in these houses" is one of those problematic Morrissey tracks where you are wondering what exactly he is getting at. Tobias's backing track would probably be fine, but this one is largely forgettable. Here is a case where Moz has written too many lyrics, and would probably be better served with being economical.
Knockabout World is another minimal lyric song over a Tobias beat that evokes New Wavy synths meeting Orchestra; pop. It seems to have some promise, but is over before it goes anywhere. The ending "You're going to be okay with me" likely works fine in a live setting. As it stands, it still feels like a sketch.
"Darling I hug a pillow" has great trumpets, though Moz seems tapped. "Why can't you give me physical love" seems like a lyric written by an AI version of The Man. A tribute to the talented Danny Levin- American Music Club member circa 2008, has worked with everyone from GWAR to 21 Pilots and on Iggy's Post Pop Depression. It's a shame this one isn't quite up to snuff.
"Once I Saw the River Clean" is over an electronic Tobias beat so good that Morrissey could read a telephone book over it, and he just about does. It doens't mean anything but it is a nice song.
"The Truth About Ruth" starts off with a lot of potential to be a Marc Almond-style spanish guitar melodrama. The truth is that Ruth is John, and in Moz's mind, that is a horror. It's a sentiment that would have been a good plot for Morrissey's 60s idols, but seems a bit outdated, and Like some of Moz's earlier solo work, it's unclear whether he's fine with this fact.
I like the work Manzur puts in to make this so dramatic. It's a shame he couldn't have gotten this over to Steven Patrick some 20 years earlier, where it could be put to good use.
The Secret of Music is not good and too long at 8 minutes. It makes a play at the nightmarish, but there isn't anything there.
My Hurling Days is a typical Moz ballad to end things. It almost works. Tobias has the melody right and Chicarelli surrounds it with the correct drama, but again,it never lives up to its potential.
Critics have given this album all sorts of reviews from it's his best solo work in years to it's trash. I admit I wasn't enamored with it at first.
On the plus side, Mozzer's voice is as solid as it has ever been, and the music is certainly adventurous.
On the other hand, Moz is no longer a sympathetic fellow and it's hard to give him a fair shake. There hasn't been much in the last few albums to indicate that there is anything left in the cannon. Any chance of a late career resurgence like Cohen or Reed seems slight.
The world certainly doesn't need any more Morrissey albums, and this is for the hardcore fans only. As a hardcore fan, will I listen. Yeah, I will probably for a few weeks. It's better than California Son and likely as good or as better as Low in High School. The Moz was always destined for self-parody or worse if he continued. In the modern music industry, he will likely only see a flow of pennies from streaming and minimal album sales. I guess I can't quit the Moz.
In recent years, his words and actions have tarnished his reputation to all but his most dedicated fans. Were he born at a different time, he would have likely been like his antecedent Larkin likely found out only after discovery of letters after his death.
I admit to having a hard time boycotting work by artists who should be censured. My favorite artists of all my time were horrible at some point in their lives (Lou Reed, Richard Thompson, John Lennon), though we brush it off as 'being the times'.
It is rather easy to dismiss Morrissey of course. His recent work is absolutely inessential, and you can justify listening to the Smiths, as Johnny Marr appears to be an above-and-beyond great human being.
One wonders why after periods of great absence (1997-2004, 2009-2014), Morrissey picks now when his talent appears to be on the wane to be suddenly prolific.
For me, there's a clear drop in quality when Morrissey start working with producer Joe Chiccarelli (an incredibly diverse resume of Zappa, White Stripes, Alannis Morrisette, Cafe Tacvba, and The Strokes to name a few). It may also stem to this also being the point where Alain Whyte was no longer writing or contributing to the band. Whyte had been responsible for most of the beloved songs from the Mozzer from the time of Your Arsenal on.
Similarly, Boz Boorer is here but has become a diminishing presence and this is the first album without a Boorer credit in over 25 years.
Which isn't to blame the current band members- guitarist Jesse Tobias (stints playing with the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Alannis Morrissette), keyboardist/multi-instrumentalist Gustavo Manzur and bassist Mando Lopes (who played with punk legends Fear in the 90s and Title TK-era Breeders) or Chicarelli. Chicarelli always makes the Mozzers voice robust.
His lyrics betray everything else. He sounds like he is using a rhyming dictionary and on "The Secret of Music" just listing off the names of instruments.
It is an album that is easy enough to dismiss with one listen, and I only suspect the diehards like myself will find anything more in it.
The album's lead single was a song called "Bobby Don't You Think They Know" which is the best way to capture the mess that the album is.
Presumably, Bobby's secret is sexual, though it is unstated, and Moz is joined by Thelma Houston (Yes, that Thelma Houston, best known for "Don't Leave Me This Way") as they build to an almost six minute later crescendo.
It will be ridiculous to many listeners. It is to Houston's credit that it builds up into something worthwhile. The combination of two voices is really a great thing. One wishes that they could have collaborated much earlier when the material to work with was better. Manzur's music is also to be credited. Somehow pulling from Gospel and the Stranglers, he actually pulls it off.
The album is front-loaded with the strongest songs. Tobias writes an anthemic tune in Jim Jim Falls and Mozzer is in fine form. It would have made a good single back before people dissected his lyrics in these current times. Of course, Luke Haines got to something like If you're going to Kill yourself...get on with it" first, but it is within the Mozzer's wheelhouse.
Manzur takes over with "Love is on its Way Out"- the lyrics could be from a Moz Generator. It's not a bad song by any means, but I doubt he used 40 words in writing it. It ends up being more of a fragment than anything- though once again, Manzur's music is nice.
"Bobby" is the third track and the title track is fourth. Like the much earlier Moz tune "Roy's Keen", it succeeds despite itself. The lyrics are close to comical. It helps to know Canada Goose is a clothing company that Moz got in a verbal spat with.
Tobias again provides a backing track that is quirky and builds. Moz's voice is in fine form, and if the lyrics don't make you laugh (unintentionally) then this is one of the better tracks on the album. As the song builds to its anthemic closing, one wonders why Moz chose "Louder than Blows" rather than the much better "Louder than Bombs".
"What Kind of People Live in these houses" is one of those problematic Morrissey tracks where you are wondering what exactly he is getting at. Tobias's backing track would probably be fine, but this one is largely forgettable. Here is a case where Moz has written too many lyrics, and would probably be better served with being economical.
Knockabout World is another minimal lyric song over a Tobias beat that evokes New Wavy synths meeting Orchestra; pop. It seems to have some promise, but is over before it goes anywhere. The ending "You're going to be okay with me" likely works fine in a live setting. As it stands, it still feels like a sketch.
"Darling I hug a pillow" has great trumpets, though Moz seems tapped. "Why can't you give me physical love" seems like a lyric written by an AI version of The Man. A tribute to the talented Danny Levin- American Music Club member circa 2008, has worked with everyone from GWAR to 21 Pilots and on Iggy's Post Pop Depression. It's a shame this one isn't quite up to snuff.
"Once I Saw the River Clean" is over an electronic Tobias beat so good that Morrissey could read a telephone book over it, and he just about does. It doens't mean anything but it is a nice song.
"The Truth About Ruth" starts off with a lot of potential to be a Marc Almond-style spanish guitar melodrama. The truth is that Ruth is John, and in Moz's mind, that is a horror. It's a sentiment that would have been a good plot for Morrissey's 60s idols, but seems a bit outdated, and Like some of Moz's earlier solo work, it's unclear whether he's fine with this fact.
I like the work Manzur puts in to make this so dramatic. It's a shame he couldn't have gotten this over to Steven Patrick some 20 years earlier, where it could be put to good use.
The Secret of Music is not good and too long at 8 minutes. It makes a play at the nightmarish, but there isn't anything there.
My Hurling Days is a typical Moz ballad to end things. It almost works. Tobias has the melody right and Chicarelli surrounds it with the correct drama, but again,it never lives up to its potential.
Critics have given this album all sorts of reviews from it's his best solo work in years to it's trash. I admit I wasn't enamored with it at first.
On the plus side, Mozzer's voice is as solid as it has ever been, and the music is certainly adventurous.
On the other hand, Moz is no longer a sympathetic fellow and it's hard to give him a fair shake. There hasn't been much in the last few albums to indicate that there is anything left in the cannon. Any chance of a late career resurgence like Cohen or Reed seems slight.
The world certainly doesn't need any more Morrissey albums, and this is for the hardcore fans only. As a hardcore fan, will I listen. Yeah, I will probably for a few weeks. It's better than California Son and likely as good or as better as Low in High School. The Moz was always destined for self-parody or worse if he continued. In the modern music industry, he will likely only see a flow of pennies from streaming and minimal album sales. I guess I can't quit the Moz.