posted by davidt on Friday November 02 2001, @09:00AM
BlueGirl writes:

Here's the write-up from the Rhino site - hot off the press!
NOVEMBER SPAWNS A MONSTER CD!
First U.S. BEST OF MORRISSEY Collection Due November 6
Every day will be like Sunday when Warner Archives/Rhino Records releases THE BEST OF MORRISSEY on November 6. Assembled with Morrissey's direct involvement, the CD is the first-ever U.S. greatest hits package from one of alternative rock's most distinctive voices.

The 21 recordings on this collection include tracks from all six of Morrissey's solo studio albums (1988's Viva Hate, 1991's Kill Uncle, 1992's Your Arsenal, 1994's Vauxhall And I, 1995's Southpaw Grammar, and 1997's Maladjusted) as well as the compilations Bona Drag and My Early Burglary Years. THE BEST OF MORRISSEY also includes the non-LP U.K. single "Lost" from 1997.

No less than eight of these songs reached the Top 20 in Morrissey's native England, and you can still hear alternative anthems like "The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get," "Suedehead," "The Last Of The Famous International Playboys," "Interesting Drug," "We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful," and "Alma Matters" all over modern rock radio here in the U.S. In addition to these more familiar tracks, Moz himself selected a complement of choice album sides. Available for $17.98 from retail outlets and www.rhino.com, THE BEST OF MORRISSEY also includes Michael Bracewell's illuminating liner notes, full lyrics, and numerous rare photos sure to thrill fans.

Born Steven Patrick Morrissey in a suburb of Manchester, Morrissey set the British music scene on its ear in the mid-1980s as frontman for The Smiths. Though that group's lifespan was brief, its influence was enormous and Morrissey emerged from its ashes in 1988 as a college rock icon. His solo career continues to reflect the sexual ambiguity, luxuriantly indulgent lyrics, and inimitable crooning style he made famous with The Smiths while allowing him greater freedom to drape them in musical textures like synth-pop, Latin or rockabilly.
---
Also, there will be promo CD / poster giveaways courtesy of Rhino at tonight's (Nov. 2) record release party in Los Angeles (flyer, original story).
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough:
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
  • May I be the first to point out that "Lost" was never a single in the UK ... it was a b-side. Do these people not check their facts? And when did Morrissey record a song with a Latin sound? Huh?
    noelbows -- Friday November 02 2001, @09:57AM (#20963)
    (User #2232 Info)
  • Latin sound? At one of the Rhino secretary desks there's a nose stuck in the white-out bottle.

    I know a lot of people here are offended by this compilation, but it's plausible that Morrissey got involved with it due to the "Very Best of Smiths" fiasco. Think about it... Moz clearly likes his canon of songs and really cares about how those songs are presented. He latest Smiths compilation really bothered Moz because it (re)presented a good chunk of his work very badly. My guess is he doesn't want a repeat of that experience.
    s-man -- Friday November 02 2001, @10:22AM (#20967)
    (User #1233 Info)
  • and why is he writing the liner notes. and the term "alternative anthems" really leaves a bad taste in my mouth. and who else laughs when the press release states that these anthems can be heard all over US radio.
    eugenius -- Friday November 02 2001, @10:25AM (#20968)
    (User #1665 Info | http://www.cherryplucker.com/)
    I'm almost sure you can do better than that.
    • who the hell is michael bracewell? by s-man (Score:1) Friday November 02 2001, @10:43AM
      • Re:who the hell is michael bracewell? by eugenius (Score:1) Friday November 02 2001, @10:45AM
        • Re:who the hell is michael bracewell? by LawrenceM (Score:1) Saturday November 03 2001, @11:44AM
          • Re:who the hell is michael bracewell? by algernon (Score:1) Sunday November 04 2001, @07:18AM
            • I read that book and I didn't find any "brilliant insights into Morrissey and The Smiths". Please - is there something I should know? If the book proferred something in relation to M' psyche and his work please reveal the reveal the nuggets of wisdom you mined from the book.

              The continuous references to Arcadia reminded me more of Duran Duran than the Smiths. Truthfully, was it really wise to line up Oscar Wilde with Goldie in the book title? At this point Goldie is so last year - will anyone remember him in six months time?

              The copy I read was borrowed from my local lending library in South London - placed in the Sociology section of all places. To me it was the usual academic/turgid/high brow prose essay stuff written for other snooty scholarly types like Mr Bracewell.

              Saying that I have read the interview Bracewell did with M in his LA home two years ago with pictures taken by Linder - I found that more enlightening - but then it was commisioned by a bog standard newspaper.

              I'm so pleased Steven's intellect is supremely aroused in the company of Linder and Bracewell - I bet the conversations they have at afternoon tea are absolutely scintillating!
              Lazy Sunbather -- Sunday November 04 2001, @05:35PM (#21084)
              (User #843 Info)
    • Re:who the hell is michael bracewell? by Anonymous (Score:0) Friday November 02 2001, @11:23AM
  • It's so funny that Rhino are so proud to release this like there was never one before. They can sugarcoat it as much as they want but that fact is that it is another fucking best of. Morrissey should be just as ashamed as Rhino for releasing this. Cash cow! (He's still the greatest though:-)
    Anonymous -- Friday November 02 2001, @11:47AM (#20979)
  • It's only a record guys...
    mozbald -- Friday November 02 2001, @12:56PM (#20985)
    (User #2973 Info)
  • I know I will not be alone when I purchase this. Sure I have every track already but it will make me feel good to have everything so nicely packaged. Plus, it will be a great CD to have on a road trips that my non die hard MOZ fans will be happy to listen to. If this gets them buying, hopefully a record deal will be not too far behind.
    Dagenham Dave -- Friday November 02 2001, @01:41PM (#20988)
    (User #953 Info | http://randumbs.blogspot.com/)
  • Collections of this type are created not for die-hard fans with every album and single. This type doesn't contain unreleased material. There are other types of compilations for that. "Best of..."s are created for people to see on end display units at their local CD store. These are for people who have heard of the artist, but are too scared and/or feel to ignorant to pick out an album, in fear that they'll accidentally choose the worst one. (And they're too shy to ask the snobby clerk.)

    They're created for people who want a nice mix of an artist's songs from different albums for their car. They're created for the college student to give his little sister for her birthday, in hopes that she gives up her Backstreet Boys obsession. They're created for the guy whose first girlfriend used to play her Morrissey tapes in his car. He walks into Tower, sees the Rhino display, sees the *new* Morrissey compilation, thinks of her, and suddenly has a yen to hear those songs again. Would he have rooted through the Morrissey section on his way to pick up the next "Jock Jams"? No.

    This type of collection has worth. It allows people who might not root through the racks like many of us do to access some really great songs that we all love. Morrissey hasn't released anything new in a really long time. His name doesn't appear on Billboard's charts too often in recent months. *THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE WHO AREN'T EXPOSED TO HIS MUSIC!* His involvement with this compilation shows that he's still interested in opening his music to them.

    Repackaged, yes. (Quite nicely, I might add.) For evil reasons, not likely. Rhino is a well-respected label for this sort of thing. They have it front and center on their website, which is nice. I hope this collection makes some new fans for Morrissey.
    BlueGirl -- Friday November 02 2001, @02:36PM (#20998)
    (User #63 Info | http://www.thebluegirl.com/)
    "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are."- Anais Nin
  • What should I do? Pay somewhere in the region of £10 for the genuine article, or pay £5 for a copy? I'm just getting the same material, minus the actual cover and booklet.

    What should I do?

    By the way, if you join the club that the URL is there for, there's a rather interesting Morrissey/Smiths discussion beginning there just now. Join! You won't regret it...
    JacquesTheLad -- Friday November 02 2001, @03:50PM (#21007)
    (User #3569 Info | http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/handinglove)
    "She doesn't even like me...And I know because she said so..."
  • Here's one for you all - where do you seriously think this compilation will reach in the scale of things, nominally the British album chart? I can see it scraping into the top 20 at best.

    Nobody here cares about Morrissey now, because he's too lazy to get up off his arse and find a record contract. He thinks his massive reputation (which, don't get me wrong, he so rightfully earned) will be enough to see him through. Wake up - it won't.

    Case of Same Old, Same Old...I'll probably buy it though. I think it'll enter at #19. Better than The Smiths "Very Best Of", but hardly awe-inspiring. Steven Patrick, please get a grip soon!
    JacquesTheLad -- Friday November 02 2001, @05:58PM (#21015)
    (User #3569 Info | http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/handinglove)
    "She doesn't even like me...And I know because she said so..."
  • My, oh, my, I can't wait till the Best of Morrissey comes out! I just tell myself, "it's only 4 to 3 days and you'll be the only one in the trown with this great Cd!"

    There is not very much Morrissey fans in my little trown. The one friend that get into Morrissey only knows one song, "Frankly, Mr. Shankly", then she hates all of his other songs, but she is in love with his look, her room covered with her printed pictures of The Great Moz. I really can't stand wanna-bes like that.
    star-wilde <[email protected]> -- Friday November 02 2001, @06:26PM (#21016)
    (User #2958 Info | http://www.stormpages.com/moodswings)
    • Re:Can't Wait by MozGirl18 (Score:1) Sunday November 04 2001, @05:09PM
  • What WOULD make them happy?
    Anonymous -- Friday November 02 2001, @09:01PM (#21020)
  • I'm glad that so many people here are going to buy this compilation, because I won't. But I never wanted *my opinion* to be considered, of course.
    Havfine -- Saturday November 03 2001, @08:51AM (#21035)
    (User #284 Info)
    "Have you forgotten how to love yourself?" Red House Painters
  • He should pull the old Brian Ferry trick and do an album of cover songs when writer's cramp proves paralyzing.
    A beautiful voice can make any song seem wondrous.
    I think true fans can appreciate these types of albums. Elvis Presley's "Latest Flame" would be good. A revision of a revision (Rusholme Ruffains).
    It seems Morrissey is most notably influenced by Brian Ferry, and the reason I found Roxy Music - a Morrissey interview. They have truly artistic covers as part of a band, but as solo artists, plaster their fine faces on the cover. Viva! Viva!
    My faith in love is still devout!
    loveslabormoz -- Sunday November 04 2001, @10:40PM (#21089)
    (User #3886 Info)
  • It's good to hear at least a positive news story written about Moz other than this site,even though it is the record company that is in it just to make a couple of bucks. What I wonder is if Morrissey really needed the money couldn't he of added something to the Greatest Hits package with alternate versions of the same songs or live versions, or even perhaps a rare song here or there, that would of made much more sense than to release songs that all his fans already own. This is where i must say "The Cure" has beaten out Morrissey because they are releasing a Greatest Hits album also,the following week, but they have included "acoustic" versions of all their greatest songs. Morrissey, Morrissey get with the game, give us something different.
    mozzer14 -- Sunday November 04 2001, @11:29PM (#21092)
    (User #3660 Info | http://www.theimmaculateloner.com)
    last night I dreamt that somebody loved me...
  • Philly's *amazing* public radio station WXPN (xpn.org) featured "The Best of Morrissey" among the new CDs which debuted the States today. (Every Tuesday, they pick a song or two off of their favorite new releases and play them on the morning and evening shows.) XPN plays Morrissey every now and then, but this plug for the new collection was a nice bonus. :) I'd love to hear an interview of Morrissey by XPN's David Dye...
    BlueGirl -- Tuesday November 06 2001, @09:55AM (#21143)
    (User #63 Info | http://www.thebluegirl.com/)
    "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are."- Anais Nin
  • huh
    Anonymous -- Thursday November 08 2001, @08:05AM (#21269)
  • :cringes:
    That phrase makes me twitch...and I'd like to ask that guy, where exactly are they hiding these alleged Moz-friendly modern rock stations..?
    18th pale descendant <[email protected]> -- Thursday November 08 2001, @01:32PM (#21286)
    (User #3874 Info)
    a little cloak-and-dagger


[ home | terms of service ]