What solo album has the best vocals?

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Which album has the best vocals?


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Deleted member 1074

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On what album do you think Morrissey's vocals were at their peak?
 
Vauxhall, Quarry and Ringleader are the only real choices here.
 
I voted for Vauxhall; his voice has never sounded as powerful and emotive as it does on that record, and it saw him adventurously stretch his vocal palette to great effect ("Lifeguard Sleeping, Girl Drowning" is a wholly unique song in Morrissey canon and continues to give me chills after years of listening).

As for late-period Morrissey, his singing on Years of Refusal really surprised me. It's muscular, full and resonant, and at several points in the album it sounds like he's pushing it to its absolute limit. "It's Not Your Birthday Anymore" immediately comes to mind.
 
Very good question. I voted 'Quarry.' To my memory, the least vocal fob-ups, and strong, clear singing that isn't yet the shouting of YoR.
 
viva Hate. His vocals have that naturalistic, compassionate timbre which he had with The Smiths. His last few albums sound like his false teeth need gluing back in.
 
viva Hate. His vocals have that naturalistic, compassionate timbre which he had with The Smiths. His last few albums sound like his false teeth need gluing back in.

His teeth are real.

I still don't understand the lisp in Paris, however.
 
WPINOYB he sounds great! But I can’t really vote for that yet, can I? I’ll vote for Vauxhall.
 
Vauxhall. I don't need to go any further than "there's gonna be some trouble…" to know that!
 
Wpinoyb
 
I actually prefer his voice now more than I ever did...the older he gets, the more I like what he does to compensate for the fact he can't hit the high notes like he used to.

His voice has been the best on his last 4 albums, I think, because he's tried different things...of course, I think I'd have to go with either "Ringleader" or "World Peace" as being my favorite...my only reluctance about "Ringleader" is that half the songs are garbage.
 
World Peace is None of Your Business, by far. Listen to the vocal on 'Scandinavia', it's genius. The vocal on 'Mountjoy' and 'Drag the River' is as moving as anything he's ever sung. The way he stretches out "Kiss me all over the play-ay-ay-hace!" is hilarious and gladdens the heart; the way he sings "Pinned to a crime in Trondheim" and "Let the people burn/Let their children cry and die in blind asylums" is both genuinely scary and hilarious. There's so much to praise about the vocals on this album; they're inspired, uplifting, unique, moving, hilarious, brilliant, brilliant, brilliant!
 
Only one person gone for Kill uncle, I'll make it two. Not the greatest songs or album, we know that but as far as clean vocals go it's up there. "End of the family line" is a pure a vocal you're gonna hear. I do like ringleader for his later albums.
 
'Vauxhall And I'? It's a great album but the vocals are nowhere near as exciting, diverse and dramatic as most other albums. Not to me anyway.

My vote goes to 'World Peace Is None Of Your Business', the vocals on 'Staircase At The University' (and on many other songs) put a lump in my throat.
 
'Vauxhall And I'? It's a great album but the vocals are nowhere near as exciting, diverse and dramatic as most other albums. Not to me anyway.

My vote goes to 'World Peace Is None Of Your Business', the vocals on 'Staircase At The University' (and on many other songs) put a lump in my throat.

I get what you're saying, even though I voted for Vauxhall. I do think WPINOYB definitely showcases his vocal capabilities/range really, really well (someone mentioned him sounding almost Sinatra-like in another thread, and I agree), but where's just something about the vocals on Vauxhall that makes me feel like he's right there in the room. It's intoxicating!
 
Has to be 'Years of Refusal'. Say what you like about the song quality, but his vocal performance is amazing, especially on 'It's Not Your Birthday Anymore', which even Moz couldn't replicate live when he tried it. His voice still sounds good on 'World Peace', but there is nothing that stretches it in that way, at all.
 
I get what you're saying, even though I voted for Vauxhall. I do think WPINOYB definitely showcases his vocal capabilities/range really, really well (someone mentioned him sounding almost Sinatra-like in another thread, and I agree), but where's just something about the vocals on Vauxhall that makes me feel like he's right there in the room. It's intoxicating!

Yes that was me! I noticed it in places (the dip on the word "while" in "I hadn't seen her smile in a while" in "Staircase at the University" jumps out. "Drag the River" is the most vocally Sinatra-esque thing he's done (think "submersible stone". God there really are some of his best ever vocals on the new record.

"Drag the River", "One of Our Own", or "Istanbul" are more like songs he'd sing in Vauxhall.

"Mountjoy" reminds me vocally of "Late Night, Maudlin Street" from Viva Hate.

"Julie In the Weeds" sounds a lot like a Southpaw-Boxers/Maladjusted era b-side (which is of course a good thing).

"Art Hounds" has his classic Smiths-esque falsetto.

"The Bullfighter Dies" sounds a bit like "First of the Gang to Die" (Cry-hy-hy-hy-hies/Away-a-hey-a-hey-a-hey).

"Neal Cassady Drops Dead" showcases the tough, muscular voice he used on lots of Your Arsenal and Southpaw Grammar.

In "Oboe Concerto" the "round round the rhythm goes round..." bit is sung like something from Viva Hate. And it's so appropriate because it's like he's bringing his solo career full circle.

There's more to mention I'm sure but that'll do for now. The new album is very vocally diverse and really showcases singing styles from throughout his career pretty well.
 
Has to be 'Years of Refusal'. Say what you like about the song quality, but his vocal performance is amazing, especially on 'It's Not Your Birthday Anymore', which even Moz couldn't replicate live when he tried it. His voice still sounds good on 'World Peace', but there is nothing that stretches it in that way, at all.

Maybe I'd like YOR if the production was different because whenever I listen to it I feel like it's overall pretty solid even if there is some redundancy in some of the themes but the one thing that ruins it is the shouty quality of his vocals.

Kind of like Southpaw it was a bold album and all and it's not poor but it's never been my cup of tea.
 
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