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Thursday April 20, 06
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06:29 AM - The Ringleader Was The Most Loved
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And so...
Eighteen years into his solo career, and with his eighth official studio album, Steven Patrick Morrissey delivers his greatest solo work with "Ringleader Of The Tormentors". In fact, if truth be told, it is his greatest work since 'The Queen Is Dead".
Vocally opulent, lyrically ambiguous and mischievous, this is a truly stunning work. And after all the slagging I've given The Lads over the last year or two on this very website, I doff my cap to them for turning out a solid, yet perplexing and surprising batch of music.
There is an almost eerie amount of references to death and killing on the album. Two songs have the word 'killed' in the title, yet just as this was the case with The Smiths eponymous debut album, this album is never morose or dour.
The whole thing revolves around what may be the greatest song of his solo career, maybe even since 'I Know It's Over', 'The Queen Is Dead' or 'There Is A Light That Never Goes Out', all from 20 years ago.
So...
Here is my track by track review of the album:
"I Will See You In Far Off Places": Astonishing start. Eastern style instrumentation and thunderous percussion usher us in, recalling in a strange way 'Kashmir' by Led Zep. Opening line, "Nobody knows what human life is", practically sums up the whole album. This is Morrissey questioning the ambiguities and complexities of human nature. Possibly the most existential opening line of his career. A stunning opener, it's an absolute joy when he starts scat-singing at the end of the song in a way he hasn't done in years, you can hear the infectious enthusiasm he is feeling as his voice becomes totally impassioned.
"Dear God, Please Help Me": Before the album's release, this was the most talked about track, thanks to the maestro Ennio Morriconne's contribution. The song, while utterly beautiful, is also the most lyrically dubious. "There are explosive kegs between my legs" he tells us. Hmmmm....it's not quite "Why pander lifes complexities when the leather runs smooth on the passenger seat" now is it? A love poem to the city of Rome, it's a soothing balm after the bluster of the opening track.
"You Have Killed Me" Foolishly derided by many of the faithful, this is actually a fine single and is perfectly placed in the running order of the album.
"The Youngest Was The Most Loved": Another highlight, and I'm delighted to hear that this has been chosen for the second single. Thematically similar to "The National Front Disco", this time the baby of the family grows up not to be a racist, but a killer. But...there is nothing more poignant or startling than the childrens choir intoning "There is no such thing as normal" that just leaves me breathless no matter how many times I hear it. I CANNOT wait to hear it blasting from peoples radios this Summer. And finished off with the kind of 'yodelling' he used to do all the time but seems to have left behind in his solo career.
"In The Future When All's Well": Another possible single, and another highlight. A glam-rock stomp accompanied by another fantastic vocal performance, with more of that 'yodelling'.
"The Father Who Must Be Killed": Nobody come up with song titles like Morrissey...nobody!!! Great drumming and a tune built almost solely upon descending minor chords, this is very Smiths-like. The way he begins every verse with the word 'Stepchild' is almost haunting. And the ending...wow..."Just as motherless birds fly high then....so shall I.....so shall I(the music stops)...so shall I.....so shall I" The voice soaring and beautiful. This is the perfect build up to what is coming.....the centerpiece of the whole album.
"Life Is A Pigsty": I DO NOT BELIEVE IT!!! This far into his career and he delivers his masterpiece. The greatest song of his solo ouvre.
A thunderclap.....then synthetic rain that recalls his greatest EVER song "Well I Wonder", then a dischordant keyboard tone, and you begin thinking "What is going on here?" Then the song begins(or so we think)...majestic opening line, expertly delivered sotto vocce "Its the same old S.O.S" and the song progresses understated for two verses, then....it stops. And we're back with the rain and the weird keyboard.....(pause)....then a strummed acoustic guitar informs us we are in a different song, with a different time structure. "Life is a pigsty" he intones over and over again. then the vocals become truly incredible. The way he sings "Every second of my life, I only live for you" almost stops your heart, but this is nothing, for coming up is the most immaculately delivered line of his career so far. The way his voice CRYS when he sings "And I've been shifting gears all of my life" just KILLS me. It is utterly magnificent. And when he sings "I can't reach you, I can't reach you, I can't reach you anymore", there is genuine heartbreak in the voice. "Can you please stop time? Can you stop the pain"....it just builds and builds, until the kiss-off, "Even now, in the final hour of my life, I'm falling in love again". This is the high water mark of his career, this is how I imagined The Smiths would have sounded if they had survived beyond 1987.
Beyond superlatives.
"I'll Never Be Anybody's Hero Now": It's almost a blessing that the track that follows is one of the weaker tracks, for it allows a bit of breathing space. This reminds me of the average songs that filled out 'Maladjusted' and 'Southpaw'. Not bad, just not special.
"On The Streets I Ran": Lyrically and musically this is very Smiths-ish, and for some reason was picked on quite mercilessly by some critics, but this is a good solid song where he reflects upon his entire career, "Forgive me, on the streets I ran, turned sickness into unpopular song".
"To Me You are A Work Of Art": The only other weak song here, yet this is beloved by a huge number of the website loyal. Some people want it released as a single, but I can't see it myself.
"I Just Want To See The Boy Happy": Another potential single, and another song built upon minor chords, giving the song a very melancholic feel despite it being one of the faster songs on the album. The children's choir return, their presence again infusing the track with a strange poignancy.
"At Last I Am Born": Just as the album began with a diverse music style, so does it end. All timpani and slashing Bernard Hermann-esque strings. even going all weird and muted as Morrissey mutters "Look at me now, from difficult child to spectral hand, to Claude Brasseur....blah blah blah blah", before ending stridently with crashing percussion.
Where as 'You Are The Quarry' seemed to be thank you to his Chicano fan-base for keeping his name alive during the wilderness years, so this appears to be his 'European Existentialist' work.
Better than 'You Are The Quarry'? Definitely. Better than 'Viva Hate'? Without doubt. Better than 'Vauxhall & I"? To be honest, this is better than "Strangeways, Here We Come".
Morrissey has delivered, and we are truly thankful.
Now roll on Sunday so I can hear all of this live and in the flesh.
"I was once a mess
Of guilt because of the flesh
It's remarkable what you can learn
Once you are born...."
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