"Low In High School" review by Pat Gilbert (3 stars) in Mojo

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Yes, it certainly reads like a 4/5 star review - only When You Open Your Legs is perceived as a negative and even that's not so bad. Yet the rating and the headline and the "B+ for music, C- for attitude" line don't quite match the article itself. It seems like they don't want to be seen to praise him too highly because of his perceived views. So perhaps the reviews editor knocked off a point. Lord knows what the Guardian will have to say about it. But anyway having read such a positive review that I am rather optimistic about the album.

the Guardian review will start with.... 'The new album by former Smiths front man ....' etc

 

[g23]

But it says the standard of songs is "undoubtedly high" and they are "partisan, powerful, and controversial". There's barely a word of criticism. Even the songs criticised in Uncut are praised here. This doesn't exactly suggest an average record or rating. I think as many here suspected from the Uncut review that Morrissey is being, a little ironically given the album title, deliberately marked down. Which doesn't alter the quality of the album, of course.

I question whether or not the album was even given a listen by the reviewer. That's where my suspicion lies.
I'll be the most important reviewer I know when the time comes.

 

[BrummieBoy]

Very poor review indeed.
‘Great album but remember what outrageous things Morrissey has said recently, kids’.
Hideous what has become of the once Great British music press.

Yes, it certainly reads like a 4/5 star review - only When You Open Your Legs is perceived as a negative and even that's not so bad. Yet the rating and the headline and the "B+ for music, C- for attitude" line don't quite match the article itself. It seems like they don't want to be seen to praise him too highly because of his perceived views. So perhaps the reviews editor knocked off a point. Lord knows what the Guardian will have to say about it. But anyway having read such a positive review that I am rather optimistic about the album.

Most people do not want to entirely separate the Artist from their public pronouncements and behaviour. Sometimes it's impossible to do so. At the extreme, Gary Glitter is now a total pariah and hardly anybody listens to his music due to his personal behaviour. At the other extreme, tiresome media trolls like Morrissey are now finding that in an age of viral social meida, their old strategies either don't work or they back-fire. Morrissey is entirely responsible for his public persona. He has wilfully taunted & trolled the liberal media whose reviews are crucial to his career success. He can hardly now complain when they troll him in return, giving his mediocre reviews whilst failing to respond to anymore of his silly provocations.

Morrissey was an expert at gaming the supposed 'Great British music press' at the outset. It was a mutually beneficial relationship as it shifted both newsprint and physical media. Now? They know they must go along with the online viral consensus about Morrissey: that he is 'problematic' in his politics and that no 'progressive' person or publication should give him any more oxygen to publicise his ravings other than what is procedurally necessary. In other words 'damnation by feint praise'.

'Morrissey makes pleasant sounding album with dumb lyrics which echo his media trolling. 3/5. Ignore'

 

[Uncleskinny]

I question whether or not the album was even given a listen by the reviewer. That's where my suspicion lies.
I'll be the most important reviewer I know when the time comes.

He quotes lyrics from unaired songs.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, it certainly reads like a 4/5 star review - only When You Open Your Legs is perceived as a negative and even that's not so bad. Yet the rating and the headline and the "B+ for music, C- for attitude" line don't quite match the article itself. It seems like they don't want to be seen to praise him too highly because of his perceived views. So perhaps the reviews editor knocked off a point. Lord knows what the Guardian will have to say about it. But anyway having read such a positive review that I am rather optimistic about the album.

I'm optimistic as well. I feel that given the reviewers ambivalence towards morrissey the mans public statements I think if he had any ammunition like poor songs they'd have eagerly been used against him here. The fact that that the best the biased music reviewer can do is ignore the music bodes well for fans

 

[bored]

Yes, it certainly reads like a 4/5 star review - only When You Open Your Legs is perceived as a negative and even that's not so bad.

I think this is an interesting song. The way I take it lyrically is that he loves someone who doesn't love him but is having sex with a lot of people.. but not him.

It's a different take on unrequited love with a humourous way of stating it. On the flip side, Home is a Question Mark and wrapping legs around his face feels to forced and lacks nuance for me.

 

[docinwestchester]

Clever title

 

[BrummieBoy]

I think this is an interesting song. The way I take it lyrically is that he loves someone who doesn't love him but is having sex with a lot of people.. but not him.

It's a different take on unrequited love with a humourous way of stating it. On the flip side, Home is a Question Mark and wrapping legs around his face feels to forced and lacks nuance for me.

Autofellatio is a difficult skill to master. Morrissey should do more yoga to loosen his hips.

 

[001]

'Give me an order, I'll blow up your daughter'.

If this indeed a lyric...LOL! It's hilarious & nonsensical. Who would order their own daughter blown up? It's like an iron Maiden lyric.

Soldiers will follow orders Brummie. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Lai_Massacre#

 

[Anonymous]

I think this is an interesting song. The way I take it lyrically is that he loves someone who doesn't love him but is having sex with a lot of people.. but not him.

It's a different take on unrequited love with a humourous way of stating it. On the flip side, Home is a Question Mark and wrapping legs around his face feels to forced and lacks nuance for me.

Jealousy is an interesting angle I hadn't thought of. As to home is a question mark I think that line very funny mostly because of it's absurd goofy bluntness. I mean it's not exactly vulgar or anything by most bands standards. The fact that it sorta comes out of nowhere also makes it funny to me. If the whole song was in this vein I might agree but as a one liner in this song it just amuses me

 

[BrummieBoy]

Soldiers will follow orders Brummie. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Lai_Massacre#

Are you claiming that a soldier killed his own daughter on the orders of a superior at My Lai? That's news to me but if true would provide context for a seemingly silly lyric. Do you have any evidence?

 

[Johnny Barleycorn]

The reviews serve to prove what we’ve known for a long time. His stated opinions have damaged his career as badly, if not worse, than the decline in his writing.

Personally I wouldn’t care if he was a member of the Socialist Workers Party or UKIP. Neither organisation are proscribed and we are and should remain a pluralistic political nature.

Journalists do care, however, as they are largely of the centre left if not further still. It’s why his calling repeatedly for the death of the British Head of State is never criticised, but his support for Brexit is somehow considered beyond the pale. We see it also in the bristling of the Mojo reviewer at the very mention of references to Israel in song titles.

Where Morrissey has fallen down is in his more ludicrous comments. We all know what they are. He might have gotten away with it if he was still producing music of the quality seen on Vauxhall or even Quarry, but doing so and at the same time lapsing into what has been on occasion turgid mediocrity does not mix well.

 

[Sidnettle]

I agree the review is positive; so what are people getting so uptight about. Would probably have given 3 and a half stars if he could and might be worried if he gives it too a good a score will be condoning the comments most right-thinking people don't like.

 

[Sidnettle]

Are you claiming that a soldier killed his own daughter on the orders of a superior at My Lai? That's news to me but if true would provide context for a seemingly silly lyric. Do you have any evidence?

The lyrics says 'Give me an order/I'll blow up YOUR daughter', not 'MY daughter'.

 

[Sidnettle]

The reviews serve to prove what we’ve known for a long time. His stated opinions have damaged his career as badly, if not worse, than the decline in his writing.

Personally I wouldn’t care if he was a member of the Socialist Workers Party or UKIP. Neither organisation are proscribed and we are and should remain a pluralistic political nature.

Journalists do care, however, as they are largely of the centre left if not further still. It’s why his calling repeatedly for the death of the British Head of State is never criticised, but his support for Brexit is somehow considered beyond the pale. We see it also in the bristling of the Mojo reviewer at the very mention of references to Israel in song titles.

Where Morrissey has fallen down is in his more ludicrous comments. We all know what they are. He might have gotten away with it if he was still producing music of the quality seen on Vauxhall or even Quarry, but doing so and at the same time lapsing into what has been on occasion turgid mediocrity does not mix well.

Note: Quarry is his worst album.

 

[001]

Are you claiming that a soldier killed his own daughter on the orders of a superior at My Lai? That's news to me but if true would provide context for a seemingly silly lyric. Do you have any evidence?

'Give me an order, I'll blow up your daughter'

Not his own daughter Brummie. "Your daughter"

 

[BrummieBoy]

'Give me an order, I'll blow up your daughter'

Not his own daughter Brummie. "Your daughter"

Still doesn't make sense. How are the two phrases connected with a comma? Surely it should be 'Give me an order, I'll blow up their daughter?' Or 'They give me an order, I'll blow up your daughter'?

NB: Morrissey is a 'lyrical genius'.

 

[Sidnettle]

Still doesn't make sense. How are the two phrases connected with a comma? Surely it should be 'Give me an order, I'll blow up their daughter?' Or 'They give me an order, I'll blow up your daughter'?

NB: Morrissey is a 'lyrical genius'.

Not a word that applies to you.

 

[BrummieBoy]

Not a word that applies to you.

You haven't answered the question......

 

[Sidnettle]

You haven't answered the question......

Maybe it's because I don't know the answer. I was just correcting your error.