Vocal melodies on 'World Peace is None of Your Business'

[Anonymous]

One thing that I haven't seen mentioned much is the extraordinary vocal melodies that Moz has done on this album.
It's the biggest, most impressive thing on an album full of wonderful elements, to me.
Every now and then the music itself, the instruments etc do something that matches Morrissey's vocals, but nothing on here surpasses them.
The album is full of little melodies as well as the main ones, plus the inflection in Morrissey's voice and here and there just pure soaring emotion (both serious as in 'Scandinavia' and hilarious as in 'Kiss Me A Lot'). In some songs he carries the melody alone, in others he plays off the band.
It seems Morrissey is always praised for his lyrics but usually never given enough credit for his genius at the mic.
Foxy vox too.

My favourite vocal melody at the moment is on 'Mountjoy'.

 

[Thomas__Dunn]

I like this thread. It's a nice thread.

 

[Anonymous]

i love the melody of the title song as its difficult to sing unusual and sounds awesome. as ive said before it starts high and then descends so evenly and the crescendo is great. neal cassaddy is also super super catchy and if the lyrics werent so beyond some people that they would just cause confusion id say thatd make a nice single as well. a nice cover shot could be envisioned as well

 

[marred]

I like this thread. It's a nice thread.

Soon to be shat on by the usual suspects. Predictable as ever.

And yes there are some beautiful melodies on this album, especially on the bonus disc.

 

[Anonymous]

i think i like you. pretty sure of it

 

[Chickpea]

"Scandinavia" seems to be at the bottom of most people's lists for the bonus tracks, but I think it's got some of the best vocals Moz has ever done on it.

 

[hand in glove]

I think his vocals are amazing throughout this whole album, but between 4:33-4:50 of I'm Not A Man, I get really weak in the knees...

 

[Chickpea]

I think his vocals are amazing throughout this whole album, but between 4:33-4:50 of I'm Not A Man, I get really weak in the knees...

YES. Yes.

 

[Orson Swells]

I can only agree wholeheartedly with the sentiments of this thread.

 

[Anonymous]

The gorgeous vocal melodies are really what pulled me into the album.
It was the opening lines of 'Drag the River' that just made me immediately melt on hearing it for the first time and affected me in a way that Morrissey hasn't affected me for years (apart from tears no bodily fluids were involved, before anyone starts). Then more and more began to affect me in the same way. I began to listen to 'Mountjoy' over and over and I realised then, while listening to that song, that this album was one of his best - this song reminds me of Vauxhall & I era. It makes me feel similarly to 'I'd Love To' in a way.
Then I began to notice more and more of the music, the beautiful instrumentation, and more of Morrissey's vocals became apparent. The whole album began to open up on each new listen. However, what always grabbed most was Morrissey's vocals and his melodies.
The way he sings "Her head split three waaa-hay-haaaaaaaaaaaays" on 'Staircase at the University'. The terrifying way he sings with fury and then demented love on 'Scandinavia'. The way he sings the chorus on 'Kiss Me A Lot', which seems a little awkward on first listen but just sounds perfect, absolutely perfect, and truly inspired on repeat listens. "Kiss me all over the play-hay-hay-hace!" is one of the most joyous, life-affirming moments on a Morrissey song; but the whole song is a gorgeous melody.
The truly beautiful, delicate melody on 'Smiler with Knife'. The playful melody of 'Julie in the Weeds'. Oh my God, what about 'Kick the Bride Down the Aisle'? Especially the way he sings "She'll order you to tidy your room" (the way he holds that last syllable so delicately), not to mention that gorgeous chorus - quite literally a chorus (of disapproval) with the added female vocal.
I haven't even mentioned 'Forgive Someone', which really lifts the heart; or 'Earth is the Loneliest Planet of All' one of the best melodies and also one of the only songs on here where the music surpasses Moz's vocal, I think, with that gorgeous break, one of the most incredible stretches of music on any Morrissey song.
Even my least favourite song on here - the title track - has one of the most gorgeous vocal melodies on it: esp the way he sings "Oh Egypt, Ukraine/So many people in pain" and my absolute favourite part is the non-Morrissey (Gustavo?) vocal at the end. That's just so perfect with the foot stamping rhythm and the voice sounds like it's so taken with the song it sings that it's not even conscious of the microphone is completely engaged with life - beautiful.

The album is just extraordinary.

 

[A none E mouse]

I think his vocals are amazing throughout this whole album, but between 4:33-4:50 of I'm Not A Man, I get really weak in the knees...

That's a full 17 seconds

 

[Anonymous]

I completely forgot 'Istanbul' - the melody on that is so beautiful. "Oh what have I done?" the melody is then repeated by the lead guitar and taken further, all the time that chugging rhythm underneath.
The Broadwayesque vocal melodies on 'I'm Not A Man' which eventually give way to something more savage.
&c.

 

[Anonymous]

I was just thinking about 'Scandinavia' again on another thread and I love the way that basic, incredibly dramatic drum pattern sets the atmosphere and then stops for a beat as Morrissey comes in with that great opening line, but also I really love the way the opening line supersedes the rhythm by stretching out "bored" and "fjord" across the beats, but the next lines fit the rhythm perfectly. It's like the vocal initially sets itself apart and then joins in with the onward march.
For me, the persistent rhythm is like something totally primal and you hear Morrissey's vocal struggling against it with the melody which rises above every now and then but ultimately seems doomed to its fate.

 

[marred]

That's a full 17 seconds

There's turd drop #1.

 

[Hornyssey]

Yes beautiful voice, the music in YOR is so agressive that doesn't fit Morrissey's voice, but here, specially in "I'm not a man" and "Art-hounds" is just perfect, sounds like WPINOYB was made just after QUARRY