I'm Not A Man

A

Anonymous

Guest
It strikes me that there is so much expectation (and latent vitriol) around a new Morrissey release that the songs aren't really given an open-minded airing in many quarters. The dissection starts before the listening truly begins.

Hearing 'I'm Not A Man' at the moment, and it sounds absolutely excellent. The lyrics are funny ('beefaroni'), cleverly playful ('two-fisted hombre, olé'), passionate ('ways to sit / And of course, ways to stand'), and deeply principled ('I would never kill or eat an animal')

I can't help wondering that if some of the stronger songs had been placed on Viva Hate or Vauxhall they might well have become oft-cited classics.
 
It strikes me that there is so much expectation (and latent vitriol) around a new Morrissey release that the songs aren't really given an open-minded airing in many quarters. The dissection starts before the listening truly begins.

Hearing 'I'm Not A Man' at the moment, and it sounds absolutely excellent. The lyrics are funny ('beefaroni'), cleverly playful ('two-fisted hombre, olé'), passionate ('ways to sit / And of course, ways to stand'), and deeply principled ('I would never kill or eat an animal')

I can't help wondering that if some of the stronger songs had been placed on Viva Hate or Vauxhall they might well have become oft-cited classics.


this is an interesting observation.

bold

the times are changing :(


new generation will interpret it in its own way




p,s. %
 
Mountjoy was my original favourite from the new album, but now I'm Not A Man takes that title. What a fantastic song, I've even grown to love the bizarre intro. A fantastic lyric, and the synth line at the end with pound guitars, bass and drums is a musical highlight.

Bravo SPM and Jesse.
 
this is an interesting observation.

bold

the times are changing :(


new generation will interpret it in its own way




p,s. %

Indeed they will. It's difficult, because knowing an artist so well, and spending years with the back catalogue, it is impossible to approach a new record with objectivity.

Hindsight makes a vast difference - Southpaw, for example, has come to be seen as something of a triumph in most quarters, and the musicianship really is extraordinary. Yet it was pilloried on the back of Vauxhall.

It just disappoints me that so many are apparently waiting to decry, rather than giving the thing some air.
 
'I'm Not A Man' absolutely sounds like it MUST be played live for full appreciation.
 
It strikes me that there is so much expectation (and latent vitriol) around a new Morrissey release that the songs aren't really given an open-minded airing in many quarters. The dissection starts before the listening truly begins.

Hearing 'I'm Not A Man' at the moment, and it sounds absolutely excellent. The lyrics are funny ('beefaroni'), cleverly playful ('two-fisted hombre, olé'), passionate ('ways to sit / And of course, ways to stand'), and deeply principled ('I would never kill or eat an animal')

I can't help wondering that if some of the stronger songs had been placed on Viva Hate or Vauxhall they might well have become oft-cited classics.

Absolutely. "I'm Not A Man" sounded like a classic on first listen, and it still sounds like a classic on the 1000th. It's a defiant, funny, melancholy, late-period anthem highlighting the pitfalls of too much testosterone. The screams at the end are appropriately horrific.

I don't think he could have come up with it in the Viva Hate era, and (to my ears at least) it doesn't suit the tenor of Vauxhall. It's just right for right now, and it shows that, while older and wiser might never apply to Morrissey, age does have its advantages.

I'd give my right arm to hear it live.
 
Absolutely. "I'm Not A Man" sounded like a classic on first listen, and it still sounds like a classic on the 1000th. It's a defiant, funny, melancholy, late-period anthem highlighting the pitfalls of too much testosterone. The screams at the end are appropriately horrific.

I don't think he could have come up with it in the Viva Hate era, and (to my ears at least) it doesn't suit the tenor of Vauxhall. It's just right for right now, and it shows that, while older and wiser might never apply to Morrissey, age does have its advantages.

I'd give my right arm to hear it live.

Agree entirely. I think it could prove to be something of a show-stopper live. It occurs that songs don't really 'enter the fold' until they've had a live airing.
 
It strikes me that there is so much expectation (and latent vitriol) around a new Morrissey release that the songs aren't really given an open-minded airing in many quarters. I can't help wondering that if some of the stronger songs had been placed on Viva Hate or Vauxhall they might well have become oft-cited classics.

What do you mean by 'many quarters'? It's a bit vague. The British music press greeted the new album as his best since Vauxhall and I.
I'm Not A Man was singled out by most reviewers as a highlight - one even described it as worth the price of the album alone.
How much more praise does it need?
 
Best song on the album by a mile.

I disagree, the intro takes way too long. The lyrics and singing are good but the music is dumb.
Jesse ruins it and morrisseys voice saves it just like he does on Neal Cassidy
Jesse should be let go. Money grabbing user
 
In all fairness, maybe this album will receive a warmer reception in time. Southpaw was not well received if I recall correctly. However, I liked it upon its release. I can say that in all honesty. However, I just do not like the new album nor Years of Refusal (with the exception of a few songs.) Perhaps that will change with time, but for now, when I hear YOR as well as WPINOYB I do not hear a cohesive album, I hear a collection of sub-par songs or what would normally be 'filler' on other albums.

Get back to me in a year and maybe I will have a different take on it. This is a shame as I thought Quarry and Ringleader were excellent albums. They were not just excellent Morrissey albums, I felt that they were strong albums all around.
 
Funny, I feel the exact same way about Quarry. I simply don't listen to it anymore.

ROTT remains my favourite of the 'comeback' albums.
 
Back
Top Bottom