We keep going back to 'Viva Hate'. Maybe it's because of it being 20 years, etc. Anyway, the only Moz solo work that reminds me at all of the Smiths is "Viva Hate' because I know some of those lyrics were what Moz had written for future Smiths songs. Also, I was a smiths fan when the group broke up and I remember 'Viva hate" came out and there was a real hope that they would all get back together. I also remember when you could see videos from 'Stangeways' and from 'Viva Hate' (back to back sometimes) on MTV in Prime Time! Remember, that was back when MTV played videos!!!! Anyway, NOTHING Morrissey does these days sounds anything like the Smiths and that is not a good or a bad thing. It's just different music.
thetexasbloke

Am I the only one that believes the only reason Morrissey doesn't do "Smiths-sounding" songs these days is because he simply doesn't want to?

He could easily spend more time writing lyrics with more depth. He could easily be more picky about what his writers submit. He could easily ask for his song writers to come up with something that is "Smiths-like" (or find new writers who could). He could also easily call up Johnny Marr and ask him to write a "Smiths-sounding" song for him. But he doesn't do any of these things...

I think Morrissey wants to make music that is a departure from how The Smiths sounded...he wants his own identity that is separate from (and greater than) The Smiths. I imagine he must be annoyed how every article ever written about him has the obligatory "former Smiths frontman" tacked onto it. It seems to me he wants his solo career to be a stand alone legacy apart from The Smiths..one that he can look back on fondly and know it wasn't tainted by a drug-addled drummer...

Of course he could do it if he WANTED to...but then he would be just catering to nostalgia and the fan's will rather than his own and moving on artistically (even if it's not for the better)...

Anyway, that's just my two cents.

Am I the only one that believes the only reason Morrissey doesn't do "Smiths-sounding" songs these days is because he simply doesn't want to?

He could easily spend more time writing lyrics with more depth. He could easily be more picky about what his writers submit. He could easily ask for his song writers to come up with something that is "Smiths-like" (or find new writers who could). He could also easily call up Johnny Marr and ask him to write a "Smiths-sounding" song for him. But he doesn't do any of these things...

I think Morrissey wants to make music that is a departure from how The Smiths sounded...he wants his own identity that is separate from (and greater than) The Smiths. I imagine he must be annoyed how every article ever written about him has the obligatory "former Smiths frontman" tacked onto it. It seems to me he wants his solo career to be a stand alone legacy apart from The Smiths..one that he can look back on fondly and know it wasn't tainted by a drug-addled drummer...

Of course he could do it if he WANTED to...but then he would be just catering to nostalgia and the fan's will rather than his own and moving on artistically (even if it's not for the better)...

Anyway, that's just my two cents.

.....for the bad language?

Irish blood English heart has a little ,mind you little rock a billie that The Smiths had.. and is the only to be hmm even closest to The Sound the Smiths gave.. All the rest of the songs here, has been Oh I don't know maybe Frank Sinatra?

Not that I do not and have not listened to them..
But I truly wish he'd sing a little
Sing your life style...Which was a hit and It is Morrissey...

Some Things Changed:/

Yet, some things no matter what, Can be good.

Smiths , Morrissey, and yes Sinatra.

Let Me Kiss You.

No wonder it is the best of the bunch.

I wish they would write better music. I don't care if it sounds like the Smiths or not. They need music that sounds alive and inspiring. I look at the back cover of Ringleaders, excited because it's been a while, and I cringe at the song list. There's nothing there I really want to hear, and I want there to be! I just hate the way the guitars are produced and how cold Morrissey's vocals sound. Also the guitars are such standard dirge rock overall...Although some of the B-Sides were quite good. (Maybe "If you don't like me...Don't look at me" sounds like the Smiths)

"In the Future" starts off great but is killed by the chorus "I thank you with all my ha ah ar ha ah ar... heart" It's such a cop out with all these chorus's about his heart.

Anyway...much of Viva Hate, Bona Drag (which I consider an album)....hell, everything up to Southpaw has elements of the Smiths. We know that. This new Moz cyborg we got back in 2004 is not the same fella.

The only Smiths-sounding record he's made since the turn of the decade is "Mexico". The beautiful voice, the wispy guitars, the gentle rhytms...for a moment I thought it was an outtake from the same session as "Stretch Out And Wait".

...that the Los Angeles Dodgers will win the World Series this year. Lets go Dodgers!!!

Anyone else notice that the chords used in the verse of Something Is Squeezing My Skull are the same as the outro of You're The One For Me, Fatty? It's just a bit extended, that's all.

Suedehead is obviously the most Smiths-sounding of his output; could add Will Never Marry, November, and Piccadilly Palare to this group. The production is the key to sounding like the Smiths, imo.

Although not a single, I think this song is most reminiscent of the Smiths. It is musically similar to Wonderful Woman. I sometimes wish the Smiths had gone further down that route rather than shifting up a gear into the (mainly) major chords.Yamaha

comes close IMHO

short guitarladen track, good lyrics

one minor thing is that Johnny put more variety
in his guitarplaying than the ones he worked
with solo, though Boz & Alain are thumbs up

What??? You've never HEARD it?

Then by all means visit www.myspace.com/morrisseysavedourlives

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

None of Morrissey's solo songs sound like Smiths ones..which is sad because we can all agree that the actual MUSIC of The Smiths is far far far superior to anything Boorer, Whyte etc have ever come up with.
This isn't to say they are awful guitarists, they're not, but Johnny Marr could create all kinds of different sounds, from HSIN? to Some girls are bigger..Whereas 98% of mozza's songs sound like grinding rockabilly.

.... to deliver the goods for the next album.

Still think Moz needs new collaborators though.

The number of great songs coming even from the pen of Alain dwindled significantly after 1995. As for Boz, again since 1995 he has mostly contributed dirges, though "Goodbye/Farewell" is very good - Boz's best in ages.

Anyone else hoping that Gustav Santaolalla was involved in the whole album, not just the next two b sides? In fact, can anyone confirm/refute that he has contributed to the next album rather than just the next single? I don't know a great deal about Santaollala, but anything that broadens Morrissey's musical pallette is good.

boasts a fine bit of Marr-esque 'chordal lead' guitar, and a classic Moz vocal to beat.

otherwise, much of the solo stuff has just been bland, indistinguishable, indie-pop.

M

none of the YATQ or ROTT singles are really reminiscent of The Smiths, besides their being sung by Morrissey (but he sings so different now, even that doesnt count for much). thats not necessarily a bad thing in and of itself, but ithink most would agree theyre not nearly of that quality either.

some of Moz's early solo work was Smithsish, especially when Street was still involved, but it is fairly distinct (iused to think somewhat otherwise, but now ireally hear the difference as significant). still, thats not automatically saying that Morrissey's solo work is worse- objectively speaking imight say The Smiths were better, but ithink istill prefer Moz circa 88-95 to anyother period.

the biggest distinction between his work now as compared to his work with The Smiths is that there are very few (if any) subtlties to what Morrissey is doing now- everything is so loud and deliberate and theres far less charm and wit. it's not all so terrible, but there is certainly something lacking since Vauxhall And I that was made up for on SG and partly on Maladjusted, but not so much on YATQ and ROTT.

the newest singles are really dreadful and idont really hold out much hope anymore, but you never know, he could surprise once again. the biggest reason idoubt a true return is less about the music and more about the attitude that has produced it- since '97, Morrissey has become so increasingly hostile and bitter and arrogant that it juste seems that any genuine tenderness that once existed in him has completely disappeared. that and his lack of appreciation for anything beyond himself in contemporary music leads me to believe that he will simply continue on recycling the same old clumsy and cold numbers (with the odd near-gem thrown in) until people stop buying in.

Before it got the Jerry Finn (mis)treatment, How Can Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel sounded very Smiths like to me, especially live.

Have-A-Go Merchant.

I certainly think Speedway is the most Smiths-esque tune that Moz has ever done. The guitar work on there is very Johnny Marr!

not long after he filmed the November Spawned a Monster video, he went from longing and missing the Smiths to a bitterness and turning his back on the whole thing and made a complete departure... I think Kill Uncle and Your Arsenal was a very difficult time period for Smiths fans. I also think to this day Morrissey prefers his newer fans that got turned on to him through his solo work than any appreciation he has for original Smiths fans... I also think that his love affair with his Mexican/Hispanic/Latino fans stems from the fact that they are nothing like original Smiths fans... they are part of a new chapter in his life that has nothing to do the Smiths... If my assessment is correct, this leaves me feeling that Morrissey is petty and as a original Smith fan it leaves me feeling scorned... The Mexican fans were never accepted whole heartedly by the original Smiths fans and became very territorial at shows. So going to see Morrissey live had tensions and hostilities to deal that makes the shows uncomfortable to say the least... If a Mexican elbows an original Smiths fan at a show, well that is just about as good as giving a bonk on head to Mike Joyce as far as Morrissey is concerned... While I use to be able to just enjoy the music, it's hard to separate the music from the deep disappointment... It like watching a film that started out great but the plot became absurd yet you still watched it to the end... Morrissey's personality use to strike me a witty and clever. Now he just seems old and bitter... I don't know it's hard to be objective when you are so passionate...

theres, of course, no comparision.
Like Moz (i guess) said he have change so the lyrics too; i reacently heard all the GREATEST HITS and at the end i was in shock of what i sang (such a huge change made all this years!! the old feelings are complety gone = no more "remin")

I think Vauxhall has had the most Smiths feel of all the solo stuff. Maybe Lillywhite/Boz/Alain were able to work it in without it feeling like a burden from the past for Moz.

Of YATQ, I'd like to think 'I'm Not Sorry' would've still been written if he'd evolved with The Smiths. Crashing Bores, How Can Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel (a bit of Strangeways to the tune, imho), All the Lazy Dykes are quite political so I think those might've come out one way or another solo or Smiths. First of the Gang is uniquely his own, and a great song at that, imho. Maybe it's just being from LA, but I love that it screams Los Feliz/Silverlake/Echo Park, though you'd never know it now since the reservoir is drained (oh snap!) and everything's super gentrified/hipster. But the 'home for the blind' (Braille Institute) is still affectionately there :) Moz driving around exploring LA in relative anonymity... I love it. In this self-obsessed city, I think it's still possible. Unless you've hit their car, no one gives a damn :)

Morrissey in his solo career does not put a lot of inspiration in his lyrics. Compare the lyrics he has put in his most recent albums to the lyrics he put while in the Smiths (+Viva Hate).
Dont know if everyone agrees.

what else? picadilly palare!

As I've commented before, put in Johnny's harmonica instead of that trombone and you've got a bona fide early Smiths classic that would have melded seamlessly into Hatful of Hollow.
Why else do you think he persists with it in live performance despite its inexplicable unpopularity in polls?

I do believe in all Moz catalogue, the closest song he has recorded that could remind us of the intimacy, loneliness and sense of despair that Smiths brought us would be Wide to receive from Maladjusted album...very good album by the way, no matter what the critics must have said in the past...

Actually...I think "If you don't like me...Don't look at me" and "Sweetie Pie" are the closest by far in recent times. Sweetie Pie reminds me of Asleep and a few other slightly more obscure Smiths songs...

whatever your comments.....
i just want to say...
i luv MoRRiSSeY....
Happy birthday...

Frankly I think that there is such a difference to the lyrics these days now cos Morrissey no longer is referencing Shelagh Delaney in his music. All his old Smiths had cut and paste lines from other works.
I would never call it plagarism, cos Morrissey regularly acknowledged those he honored so highly and also, he used them so brilliantly. Honest-to-goodness, if it wasn't for Moz, I as an American would have never know the beauty of kitchen-sink realism!
Morrissey's new music, still rocks though!

(drum roll)

What songs are ALMOST as good as the Smiths because Morrissey has gone down so far can we look for something similar to the Smiths to make us feel just a little better? Please! Fact is that I dont even listen to Smiths stuff anymore! Whats the point? No more than I listen to the Clash(as an example)....I'm interested in Morrissey's next album, not the Smiths last one.

OK. At ease all!