Morrissey-solo | Years Of Refusal reviews: Q (3 stars), Spin (4 stars), Uncut (4 of 5 stars), Mojo (3 of 5)

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Years Of Refusal reviews: Q (3 stars), Spin (4 stars), Uncut (4 of 5 stars), Mojo (3 of 5)

posted by davidt on Tuesday January 27 2009, @10:00AM

James writes:

YoR gets a pretty good review in Q magazine - 3*s. The author's main gripe is that Morrissey has become obsessed with his legacy and that this is becoming a bit of a yawn (I think some of us will agree). She raves about Something is Squeezing My Skull and rates Mama, Lay Softly, When Last I Spoke to Carol and One day Goodbye..but complains about to much self-pity and overdriven guitars. Incidentally Bruce Springsteen's new album also gets 3*s.

---
julieboboolie sends the link (via Morrissey reddit):

FOUR STARS for Years of Refusal (SPIN Magazine) - Lost Highway Morrissey press
---
thecondy also posted summaries of reviews in the forums:

Uncut (4 of 5 stars)
MOJO (average 3 of 5 stars)

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Related Links

· Morrissey reddit
· FOUR STARS for Years of Refusal (SPIN Magazine)
· Uncut (4 of 5 stars)
· MOJO (average 3 of 5 stars)
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· Also by davidt

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Years Of Refusal reviews: Q (3 stars), Spin (4 stars), Uncut (4 of 5 stars), Mojo (3 of 5) | Log in/Create an Account | Top | 58 comments | Search Discussion

The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.

Overall (Score:1, Funny)

It seems that sorry doesn't help is universally hated.

SidNettle -- Tuesday January 27 2009, @10:50AM (#319548)
(User #14252 Info | http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=473903&id=622820624#/group.php?gid=74725266851&ref=mf )
Driving along in my automobile, with Sid Nettle beside me at the wheel...

Well ... by LawrenceM (Score:1) Tuesday January 27 2009, @10:55AM

Re:Well ... by SidNettle (Score:1) Tuesday January 27 2009, @11:01AM
- Re:Well ... by Anonymous (Score:0) Tuesday January 27 2009, @12:19PM
  - Re:Well ... by SidNettle (Score:0) Tuesday January 27 2009, @12:43PM
  - Re:Well ... by boredhousewife (Score:1) Tuesday January 27 2009, @04:48PM
    - Re:Well ... by SidNettle (Score:1) Wednesday January 28 2009, @10:57AM
      - Re:Well ... by boredhousewife (Score:1) Wednesday January 28 2009, @02:33PM

Re:Well ... (Score:2, Insightful)

I disagree. Viva Hate had magical moments, 'Everyday','Suedehead', 'Maudlin Street'and great 'b' sides ' Will never Marry' etc but the album was unremarkable after 'Suedehead'.
'Your Arsenal' was widely welcomed after the disaster that was ' Kill Uncle' and was a good album especially 'National Front Disco', 'Seasick' and ' I know its gonna happen Someday' but the album was let down by three light singles and lumpiness elsewhere.
'Vauxhall' was of course a masterpiece and should have convinced any doubters that they were in the presence of a lyrical genius.It was also his most consistent solo album bookended by 2 all time Moz classics.
'Quarry' and 'Ringleader' were both blessed with remarkable tracks, 'Camden', 'First of the gang', 'Never played Symphonies'(criminally only a b side' and 'Dear God' and 'Pigsty'. Unfortunately both records were not as consistent elsewhere.
'Years of Refusal' is Morrissey's best solo album bar ' Vauxhall' . It has real highlights like 'Birthday','You were good in your time', 'Carol', 'Mama', 'Skull' and in my opinion no 'good god i can't believe he's put that on the album' tracks( think 'Roys keen','On the streets', 'Fatty' etc.
Elsewhere i gave this album a 9/10 rating and though i suspect that we will as usual find some superb tracks on the b sides that may even have improved the album further, i reckon time will be kind to Years of Refusal'.

nevr playd symphony -- Wednesday January 28 2009, @03:12AM (#319621)
(User #21571 Info)

[ Parent ]

Re:Well ... by boredhousewife (Score:1) Wednesday January 28 2009, @02:35PM
- Re:Well ... by nevr playd symphony (Score:1) Thursday January 29 2009, @03:37AM
Re:Well ... by king leer (Score:1) Thursday January 29 2009, @09:23AM
- Re:Well ... by nevr playd symphony (Score:1) Friday January 30 2009, @07:00AM

The Q ratings etc (Score:2, Interesting)

One point about these magazines ratings is that even if you think 3/5 to 4/5 is a fair rating for YOR ( I personally go slightly higher) you have to see the absolute dross that they dish out top marks to. Mundane , middle of the road soft, formula rock a la Coldplay, Snow Patrol,Embrace etc get 4/5 just for cobbling anything together.At best their efforts are background supermarket music which is entirely inoffensive but doesn't exactly stretch or move the listener.
These mags hate Moz as through the years he has hacked off the entire music media but they know that they couldn't get away with giving him an obviously vindictively low score so they go for middle of the road 3/5 as Q has for the past 3 albums. NME gave him 8/10 for the last 2 when they were all friends but have a look and see what they give him this time after their fallout.I predict 6/10 for similar reasons to above, if they hadn't fallen out it would be a 8 or 9/10.
If you compiled the best tracks out of The Queen is Dead,Vauxhall, Viva Hate, Strangeways and the rest and put out a definitively perfect album these journalists would stretch to a 4/5 at best!
Basically Moz is right. He may be getting paranoid but that doesn't mean that they don't all have it in for him.

nevr playd symphony -- Wednesday January 28 2009, @05:17AM (#319629)
(User #21571 Info)

[ Parent ]

Re:The Q ratings etc by IRONSOUL (Score:1) Wednesday January 28 2009, @09:53AM

Re:Overall by wemissumoz (Score:1) Tuesday January 27 2009, @11:06AM
- Re:Overall by psillery (Score:1) Wednesday January 28 2009, @02:16AM
Re:Overall by Anonymous (Score:0) Tuesday January 27 2009, @12:28PM

High profile for Morrissey 2009 (Score:0)

He'll have people eating out of the palm of his hand. Like it or lump it - and no doubt many people here can't cope with this fact. Only Morrissey can do it. Fucking hell, what a man!

Anonymous -- Tuesday January 27 2009, @12:13PM (#319560)

Anyone noticed... (Score:1, Interesting)

The common thread in songs 'raved about' on Years Of Refusal. They are all written by Alain Whyte. No surprise there...Morrissey better hang on tight.

Anonymous -- Tuesday January 27 2009, @12:20PM (#319563)

Re:Anyone noticed... by SidNettle (Score:0) Tuesday January 27 2009, @12:45PM

Expect YOR on the radio (Score:3, Informative)

This evening Today FM played Something is Squeezing my Skull, and now the urgent-sounding Black Cloud. DJ compared general thrust and energy of the album to Your Arsenal. Busy days ahead for Morrissey bringing up baby...

Btw dj Paul McCloone was funny yesterday, planning calculatedly to play New York Dolls' Personality Crisis immediately prior to ...Paris, going on to fumble it some.

goinghome -- Tuesday January 27 2009, @12:46PM (#319572)
(User #12673 Info)

Re:Expect YOR on the radio by goinghome (Score:1) Wednesday January 28 2009, @12:30PM

I likes it (Score:3, Interesting)

Hullo.

I haven't listened to anything else since receiving a copy of "Years of Refusal" some two weeks ago.

I really likes it.

A lot.

"It's Not Your Birthday Anymore", "Something is Squeezing my Skull", "Black Cloud", "When Last I Spoke to Carol", "I'm Throwing my Arms Around Paris", "All You Need is Me", "You Were Good in Your Time" are all really wonderful...the rest of the tracks are all much better than almost anything on "Quarry" and "Tormentors".

This is Morrisseys best album since "Vauxhall and I" and is easily the match of "Your Arsenal".

It is also the first Morrissey album since "Vauxhall" that I can listen to in its entirety. I hated "America", "Dykes" and "Bores" from "Quarry" and I couldn't even listen to "The Father Who Must be Killed", "At Last I Am Born" and "Hero" from "Ringleader"

It's raw and punchy...alive.

I am genuinely excited to buy it and to see him in Spring...not something I have been able to say with any conviction for quite some time.

Hurrah.

Kimura-san

Kimura-san -- Tuesday January 27 2009, @01:28PM (#319579)
(User #21832 Info)

Re:I likes it by SidNettle (Score:0) Tuesday January 27 2009, @01:31PM
Re:I likes it by Anonymous (Score:0) Tuesday January 27 2009, @01:35PM
- Re:I likes it by nevr playd symphony (Score:1) Wednesday January 28 2009, @03:32AM

Yor (Score:0, Flamebait)

probably the Best Moz album so far? Vauxhall & Arsenal had their best points - but they weren't consistent albums either. Listen to "Life guard" - simply a filler.

YOR it is! Loves it.

Anonymous -- Tuesday January 27 2009, @02:05PM (#319585)

Re:Yor by Anonymous (Score:0) Tuesday January 27 2009, @02:28PM
Re:Yor by Anonymous (Score:0) Tuesday January 27 2009, @02:42PM
- Re:Yor by psillery (Score:1) Wednesday January 28 2009, @02:14AM
  - Re:Yor by nevr playd symphony (Score:1) Wednesday January 28 2009, @03:43AM

SPIN - off (Score:0)

The SPIN review is obvious and a bit stupid. It's spot on about 'All You Need Is Me' though.

Anonymous -- Tuesday January 27 2009, @02:17PM (#319586)

it's at least a 4 star record (Score:1, Informative)

the more i listen to it, the more i love it. energetic, rocking, great melodies and hooks, a solid piece of work. kudos to the band and moz, and jerry finn (rip).

Anonymous -- Tuesday January 27 2009, @02:53PM (#319592)

I'm close to giving it 4.5 stars. (Score:1)

Love for 1-10. Indifferent to 11 and 12.

alainsane * -- Tuesday January 27 2009, @07:08PM (#319607)
(User #460 Info)

Re:I'm close to giving it 4.5 stars. by nevr playd symphony (Score:1) Wednesday January 28 2009, @03:54AM

3 out of 5 (Score:0)

That's the standard score for everything, including pancakes.

Anonymous -- Wednesday January 28 2009, @05:48AM (#319630)

These Things Take Time (Score:1, Interesting)

The Smiths handed it to us on a plate. Whereas solo, Morrissey is a totally different beast. You really have to work hard to engage with his music. But it's worth it. It would have become rather boring if everything he released was instantly accessible, as it was in his glorious Smiths days. People who insist that he's 'lost it', are just idle in my opinion. Yamaha

Anonymous -- Wednesday January 28 2009, @06:51AM (#319631)

Re:These Things Take Time by Anonymous (Score:0) Wednesday January 28 2009, @01:11PM

well he's an artist of one league (Score:1)

and gets he kick at the butt, or he's Brittain's
living legend

there's no grey area, love him or not

sums up it up short simple and sharp ...because WE must...

Celibate Cry <vauxhall@mail2uk.com> -- Wednesday January 28 2009, @07:13AM (#319632)
(User #220 Info)
and the hills are alive with celibate cries

Honestly, it is a GREAT album, but..... (Score:0)

a gem that he left out was My Dearest Love, B-side to All You Need is Me on vinyl. This would have catapulted the album. What a beautiful song to leave out.

Anonymous -- Wednesday January 28 2009, @10:12PM (#319668)

Re:Honestly, it is a GREAT album, but..... by SidNettle (Score:0) Thursday January 29 2009, @05:40AM

israel should be blown off the fuckin map (Score:0)

irene liverpool

Anonymous -- Thursday January 29 2009, @01:56AM (#319670)

Re:israel should be blown off the fuckin map by Celibate Cry (Score:1) Thursday January 29 2009, @07:14AM

israel should be blown off the map (Score:0)

irene
liverpool

Anonymous -- Thursday January 29 2009, @02:02AM (#319671)

Think maybe... (Score:0)

He should have used that pic
of him on curb for cd cover(nice hedges)
although I know it doesn't relate to tile.
its way better then "rott"
great screen saver of moz

markmustb1 -- Thursday January 29 2009, @08:38AM (#319685)
(User #13161 Info)
cos no one ever turns to me to say ...

Re:solow.net (Score:0)

There's some sad sad sad people.....

Anonymous -- Tuesday January 27 2009, @03:01PM (#319593)

[ Parent ]

Re:solow.net by Anonymous (Score:0) Wednesday January 28 2009, @07:58AM

Re:Mistake? (Score:1, Insightful)

Listen to it again.

Dabb-Hands -- Tuesday January 27 2009, @08:54PM (#319609)
(User #7271 Info)
"... Marr was ill advised."

[ Parent ]

Re:Zionists want a gob full (Score:0)

Rupert is not a jew Irene, dearest. Do get your facts straight. And perhaps die whilst your at it.

Anonymous -- Wednesday January 28 2009, @11:52AM (#319649)

[ Parent ]

Re:For all the jews (Score:0)

no sod wanted ye
you didnt get the message so impinged yourself on palestine
they want you to fuck off as well

does that tell ya something

wheres hitler when hes needed?

Anonymous -- Thursday January 29 2009, @03:22AM (#319675)

[ Parent ]

Re:For all the jews (Score:0)

Once all the rest of us wake up and see through the paris hilton hotels/ jewish subterfuge
newspapers/jewish subterfuge

watch the massacre in gaza by the jewish subterfuge

thats it

irene free palestine kelly

Anonymous -- Thursday January 29 2009, @03:44AM (#319677)

[ Parent ]

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