Morrissey's Quarry

April 26, 2004 8:12 PM

A Bigger Splash: What Sunny California Did To Miserable Manchester Man Morrissey. His new album, "You Are The Quarry", is released on May 17th in the U.K. and the next day in the U.S. But the problem is: does anyone still care? I do! [More inside.]
posted by MiguelCardoso (27 comments total)

The gist of the new album can be well divined from the samples in the main link and on the official web site. Complete live versions of the older songs (some of which didn't make it) are available here and the "You heard it first on MeFi" angle is covered here, here and, more remotely, by my my previous Morrissey post, which may well provoke a feeling of dejá entendu in the cognoscenti.

The music, though produced by punky-deluxe producer Jerry Finn (Green Day, Blink-182, AFI), is entirely predictable and sound-alike. Boring even. But the singing and the lyrics, imho, are better than ever. Well, still very good anyway. One of the songs, "America Is Not The World" memorably defines the emotions most modern, liberal Europeans feel towards current U.S. foreign policy. Another, "How Could Anyone Possibly Know How I Feel?", is probably the most natural and direct lyric he's ever written. Egomania never had a better rap.

All in all, it reminds me of the reaction of Bradford's own David Hockney when he settled in California, commonly summarized (and traduced, but never mind) by his famous "A Bigger Splash".

Morrissey seems to have mellowed, matured and, hey - deal already! - come into his own. Even during my more negative moments, I tend to think (as a fan) that boring old farts rarely are as interesting as he is. Is California a positive influence on misanthropic British Northerners? It certainly seems so.
posted by MiguelCardoso at 8:13 PM on April 26, 2004

"don't forget the songs
That made you smile
And the songs that made you cry

don't forget the songs
That made you cry
And the songs that saved your life

And when you're dancing and laughing
And finally living
Hear my voice in your head
And think of me kindly"

Thank you God, thank you Moz. I`m uncontrollably happy about the new album and the current tour.

Remember kids

"You have never been in love
until you've seen the stars
reflect in the reservoirs"
posted by 111 at 8:34 PM on April 26, 2004

I stopped caring after "Strangeways." How sad to be middle-aged and still full of yourself.
posted by Mayor Curley at 8:41 PM on April 26, 2004

I don't know how widely known it is, but I found this smiths fan site a few weeks back. Although I never cared for the band or any of Morrissey's solo stuff it's definitely a good site on the subject worthy of note all by itself. Until now I haven't had an excuse to post it anywhere.
posted by wobh at 8:47 PM on April 26, 2004

Morrissey sucks.

(Actually, I don't think so -- I never got into the Smiths or Moz's solo stuff, but I never really disliked 'em either. And I've quite liked a couple of his songs. I'm mainly just pulling a pre-emptive Jonmc.)
posted by Vidiot at 9:35 PM on April 26, 2004

I love the new single! (view the video here)
posted by Quartermass at 9:42 PM on April 26, 2004

I'm mainly just pulling a pre-emptive Jonmc.

how could anyone possibly mention the smiths and the cure in the same breath...

england for the english!
posted by luckyclone at 10:44 PM on April 26, 2004

When you cycled by
Here began all my dreams
The saddest thing I’ve ever seen
And you never knew
How much I really liked you
Because I never even told you
Oh, and I meant to

posted by chunking express at 11:01 PM on April 26, 2004

He was on TOTP last Friday. I was suprised, I must add
posted by ajbattrick at 11:30 PM on April 26, 2004

I experienced a simply bout of pop-angst when Robyn Hitchcock fell in love.
posted by Dagobert at 12:11 AM on April 27, 2004

I was a massive fan of The Smiths but gave up on Morrissey for Kill Uncle and everything after the Boxers single ...... I strongly suspect that any impact his return has is based on 1. the fact that he is returning after 7 years 2. Nostalgia and goodwill based on past performance. 3. Lazy journalists being able to write lazy articles about him.

Take away the backing of the other smiths, mellow him out and you are left with someone that sounds interesting by contrast with the current pop and rock crud. He uses a different turn of phrase and vocabulary, but when you listen to it it really sounds kind of hollow....
posted by kenaman at 12:18 AM on April 27, 2004

I thought he was dead.
posted by bingo at 4:03 AM on April 27, 2004

i was hoping he was dead.
posted by t r a c y at 4:44 AM on April 27, 2004

I'm not the biggest fan of his solo work, but The Smiths had some great songs.
posted by bargle at 5:11 AM on April 27, 2004

He used to be a sweet boy. Anyone agree with me that "Vauxhall and I" was his best solo album? (followed closely by Viva Hate). I have to say though that a lot of his solo work has been pretty average, particularly Southpaw Grammar and Kill Uncle.
posted by SpaceCadet at 6:45 AM on April 27, 2004

Thank you, vidiot, I wasn't sure I could summon up the energy.

[perfunctory]

morrissey sucks, I hate him, I want to boil him in oil along with Robert Smith and Dave Gahan

[/perfunctory]

ok, back to work.
posted by jonmc at 7:31 AM on April 27, 2004

Mr. Cardoso, is there a better time for an expression of dramatic angst? And anyone better than Morrissey to express it? Maybe it is the surreal seeming world we are living in now that feels so much like the 80's (and I feel as helpless as a fifteen year old again). Just say no, ketchup is a vegetable. War is peace.

I have been listening to Hatful of Hollow and the Queen is dead for the last month. Coincidence or a case of brain wave marketing?
posted by chrismc at 7:55 AM on April 27, 2004

Although completely subjective of course, I've always found Morrisey's solo work to be sub-par, particularly the music. The new single is no exception.

I remember Morrisey describing how Smiths songs were written. Marr would compose some music and give it to Morrissey and then Morrissey would write the lyrics (possibly from a collection of lyrics he'd already been writing prior to hearing Marr's composition.)

As a result, I've always felt that Marr's music had a good deal to do with the quality of Morrissey's songs and singing style.

Vice versa of course. The Healers didn't impress me.
posted by juiceCake at 7:58 AM on April 27, 2004

^I am looking forward to this, but I would be even more excited if the Nosebleeds reformed.^
posted by thirteen at 9:04 AM on April 27, 2004

As a result, I've always felt that Marr's music had a good deal to do with the quality of Morrissey's songs and singing style.

Maybe you have a point. IMHO, Electronic are "better than" Morrissey (more listenable).
posted by SpaceCadet at 9:22 AM on April 27, 2004

IMHO, Electronic are "better than" Morrissey (more listenable).

hahahahahahahahahahaha.

hahahahahaha.

*explodes
posted by luckyclone at 9:41 AM on April 27, 2004

But it was Johnny Mar's sweet guitar that made it magical.
posted by _sirmissalot_ at 2:19 PM on April 27, 2004

Thank you Miguel. I just found a copy of Morrissey's 1983 book "James Dead is Not Dead" for just $1.00! I'm attributing my good luck to you creating this thread.
posted by gluechunk at 3:59 PM on April 27, 2004

gluechunk, where?
posted by 111 at 4:04 PM on April 27, 2004

At a nearby store :)
posted by gluechunk at 4:12 PM on April 27, 2004

It could have been me
It should have been me
posted by 111 at 4:14 PM on April 27, 2004

Morrissey "comeback" topic + references to and from jonmc + wandering mind = wish for "comeback" by JAMC
posted by britain at 4:56 PM on April 27, 2004