"Low In High School" released (Nov. 17, 2017)

Low In High School is out now.
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Very interesting album, and much better than I expected (after reading in this thread.)

My solo album ranking:

1. You Are the Quarry
2. Vauxhall and I
3. Low in High School
4. Viva Hate
5. Kill Uncle
6. Your Arsenal
7. World Peace is None of Your Business
8. Ringleader of the Tormentors
9. Years of Refusal
10. Southpaw Grammar
11. Maladjusted
 
love STDIB. like IWYL. listened to clips of all the other tracks on itunes & decided not to take the plunge & purchase the album. very happy i'm getting to see him in nyc in december though. i guess i'm part of the problem?
 
Anonymous said:
You're having a giraffe Sir. Outside from 95 is one of Bowie's best albums. If only Moz had such daring - the subsequent tour was also very special. David managed a blistering 2 hour set, Morrissey today struggles with 50 minutes. And Earthling from 97 features great songs Dead Man Walking; I'm Afraid of Americans; Little Wonder; and The Letter. I was at the Hollyweird Bowel show and was beyond disappointed. The band are so ernest, there seems no joy amongst the players, it's a slug fest. And the songs are musically uninspired with such asinine lyrics you wonder if Moz is having us on.
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'Outside' was a fantastic album and I loved the Bowie/Moz Outsiders/Southpaw tour in Dublin. Moz looked great, like a better looking Stanley Baker.
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This is the Low in High School review from The Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/wh...gh-school-reviewmisanthropy-superbly-elegant/

They say it's great and give it 4/5 stars. I think it's very telling that a right-leaning, pro-Brexit, anti-immigration paper gave the album a very favourable review. A lot of left-leaning organs are saying the album is shit for ideological reasons... I think. I don't think The Spectator has reviewed it yet, but I expect they will praise it very highly. Why can't critics judge art by it aesthetic value??
 
At first, I want to say that if I would depicte my first impression when I listened "Low" the first time I would say that I hated it. The sound, the production over-worked for me was a blaspheme for the melodies. I thank that it was the worst album released by Moz. Usually, with his last records, I was excited to listen them and after 1-2 months, I forgot them on the table and returned to his classic. For example, I liked so much World Peace for titles like "I'm not a man".... and others (but I don't remember already which ones I liked so much before I listened them more than 20 times).

I was so disappointed with this one than I would compare it with "Maladjusted", ever worst.

But with more listening, I could compare it more with"Southpaw".

It is an experimentation with his new band like Southpaw was in its time.

And I couldn't feel how much World Peace opened a new period in his career. Now it's clear for me.

And I can see 5 periods in his solo career (5 bands) :

1- Viva Hâte (post-Smiths)

2- kill Uncle (transition)

3-Your Arsenal -Maladjusted

4- Quarry-Years of Refusal

5- World Peace- Low


And so I hope that we didn't jump his masterpeace (his Vauxhall) in this new period because the next one can be his new Maladjusted (for me Kill Uncle was more attractive with classics but if I'm honest I was disappointed like this new realessed when I listened to it the first time).... but after Viva Hate... you can understand !!!

So for the moment, more and more I listen this next one and more and more it touches me. Of course no all titles. And it helps me that I'm French because the lyrics can't stop my emotion. For example, Israel is emotional (no it's true that the canevas is known with its sense of drama : I know it's over, speedway, I'm not a man...).

So the list:

  1. my love : I was shocked with the production (it was more electric in live and I waited more the sound from Years of refusal in it) but it's ok 3/5
  2. I wish : very disappointed by the production because It was a good surprise in live. It's ok too 3/5
  3. Jacky : it don't touch me like Mama in its time
  4. Home : mmmm... I don't know. Nothing new in it. We listened so many times this kind of melody... and listen in lyrics "guillaume cannet" is so sad (I'm French like I said and I haven't any reconnaissance for his work! What a f***ing shite actor! ) But ok 2,5/5 (for production the same)
  5. Spent the day: catchy and no more. It works on me 3/5
  6. I bury the living: Experimental (the first impression : what is it? Shite... like Pupils...) but I tried to listen it (I didn't spend the time to understand lyrics) and it 's not so bad (the voices behind like opera rock are sounded like electronic... and I'm not fan with the end): for his originality 3,5-?/5
  7. In your lap : perhaps the future success from Moz will arrive with only piano and his voice (but I can make a suggestion : less electronic effects from production !) 4/5
  8. The girl : at the first listening, I wondered "does he loose his self judgment ?" Ok his voice is wonderful but bossa nova is not for him. And the sound again is so artificial. I like Latin music but our singer from Manchester and it sounds funny. But after 2-3...4 listenings and I feel it like Carol, why not? 2,5/5
  9. All the young : it could be a good song if he didn't abandon it after the refrain. When he sings "all the young..." we can dream about a new tube but sadly the rest is so poor !!! It's no professional. I guys I have an idea "All the young people..." oh yes it's cool. Record it now and we improvise. For me, it could be the best one and it's the worst... a shame with a such melody in the refrain ! 1/5
  10. When you open : the production and the effects are so loud that they break the melody. It's ok but not good 2/5
  11. Police : Aiiii the worst ! How could they let this song in an album? The sound is awfull, the melody indigest. One positive point: the first time that I listen his voice with a tremolo at the end. I don't recognise it. But 0,5/0
  12. I told already about it: it touched me but I don't understand lyrics and I prefer. For many reasons, foreigners can like it more than English . I like the melody and the drama. It's Morrissey. 4 /5 (Because of "Isra hell" repeated so many times...)
So like you see, the road is long to fall in love with it.


My top list

  1. viva hate
  2. Vauxhall
  3. Quarry
  4. Kill uncle - Southpaw
  5. Years of Refusal
  6. World Peace
  7. Ringleader
  8. Low in high school - Maladjusted
 
There is something, something I can’t quite put my finger on, that makes this album feel disjointed, pedestrian perhaps. The common theme throughout is the rather bitter, nasty edge to the lyrics. When we’re preached at that the wars are all about oil, as if it never had occurred to us, I feel like singing back, “No shit, Sherlock!”

Foolishly, perhaps, I have 6 copies of this album. I bought all the vinyl versions and also the CD one so I could get early access to UK concert tickets, but it isn’t my favourite and I’m almost dreading seeing it performed live (although saying that, I really fell for WPINOYB after seeing it performed on tour).

However, in The Smiths, Morrissey wrote only with Marr, Viva Hate, just with Street and the more revered solo albums with just Boorer and Whyte. Just maybe, there are too many songwriting partners now and the tightness that characterised earlier work is lost a little.
 
I see this thread has already gone to shit. Only 1 in 10 comments have anything to do the album.

'The girl from Tel-Aviv' gets better with each listen. (Just keeping the ratio up)
 
Tbevie said:
I see this thread has already gone to shit. Only 1 in 10 comments have anything to do the album.

'The girl from Tel-Aviv' gets better with each listen. (Just keeping the ratio up)
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Looking forward to hearing it. The reviews do make it sound like one of the more intriguing songs...
 
Been a longtime fan since 1st seeing The Smiths in 86, have not missed a single solo show in Boston area. I own everything by him and have weathered the ups and downs of what it is to be a Morrissey fan. I generally have enjoyed all of his albums, I can always find something interesting and applaud his spirit, independence and creative risks.

However, this album sucks dog balls. It is the most desperate I've ever heard him. The writing, delivery and the incessant need to be controversial for the sake of being controversial.

I still have my tickets and look forward to the next show, but for the 1st time I have no interest in hearing the new material live.
 
 
Anonymous said:
Been a longtime fan since 1st seeing The Smiths in 86, have not missed a single solo show in Boston area. I own everything by him and have weathered the ups and downs of what it is to be a Morrissey fan. I generally have enjoyed all of his albums, I can always find something interesting and applaud his spirit, independence and creative risks.

However, this album sucks dog balls. It is the most desperate I've ever heard him. The writing, delivery and the incessant need to be controversial for the sake of being controversial.

I still have my tickets and look forward to the next show, but for the 1st time I have no interest in hearing the new material live.
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Eric Hartman said:
The absolute worst Morrissey album to date.

Morrissey acts like a condescending know-it-all. His lack of education and insight makes him sound childish and out of touch with reality.

Low in High School is nothing more than political rants put to mediocre music.

He’s a singing Donald Trump.
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Do you still think that now after a few listens? How about 'Israel' or 'Home is a question mark' or 'Jacky'? I think they are great songs.
 
davidt said:
Low In High School is out now.
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"Morrissey is, as usual, eminently quotable, his elegant lyrics mixing elevated and colloquial language in ways that trip off the tongue. What is often overlooked, though, is his musical flair, but the best of his solo work is easily a match for what he achieved with The Smiths." - 2017, LIHS Review

I would like to say what a fantastic job these musicians have done in layering these arrangements together. The piano - a Yamaha I think from it's tone - is superb. The drums too. I guess non-musicians perhaps may not hear. May not know. The skill that has gone into these arrangements (and putting it all back together) in the studio is breathtaking. Plus we also have a stripped-back Morrissey and a piano. Stunning.

Home Is Where The Art Is,

Hazard
x
 
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