Morrissey's peak singing?

[uwotm8]

I have read a lot of comments from people who say Morrissey is sounding better than he even has on the last couple of albums, listening to ringleader of the tormentors though I love how he sounds on that one even if his voice sounds kind of fragile. The songs on that album seem to push him out of his comfort zone vocally and I like how it sounds. What would people say is Morrissey's peak vocal era or the album they like his voice the best on?

 

[Anonymous]

The songs on that album seem to push him out of his comfort zone vocally and I like how it sounds.

I dunno - I find it a bit painful listening to him struggle to hit the notes in something like 'On the Streets I Ran' - always slightly flat and sounding like his vocal chords are about to snap at any moment. For me, he peaked on 'Years of Refusal', specifically 'It's Not Your Birthday Anymore' - even he couldn't replicate it live when he tried.

 

[Gregor Samsa]

Most of Vauxhall, It’s Not Your Birthday, You Were Good In Your Time. Stuff like that.

 

[DaggerDave]

California Son for me

 

[JoeSellMozza]

On California Son his singing is absolutely fab!

 

[MozIsGod]

I've always had a soft spot for "Congested Moz," i.e. the Southpaw/Maladjusted era.

 

[Anonymous Person]

Early 1990s, as in the live television version of I've Changed My Plea to Guilty

 

[brody]

“Years Of Refusal” offers some of his worst songwriting and some of his best ever vocal performances. His voice just sounds so powerful on every song, namely “Skull” and “Birthday”

 

[NealCassidy]

 

[Amy]

I love all of the Moz vocal periods for different reasons - even the early Smiths songs where he really couldn't sing at all.
For me, Maladjusted was the transition album between the 'younger' Moz voice and the richer, deeper voice on YATQ - in the same way that Meat is Murder was a transition between M essentially being unable to sing and then coming into TQID with a much more refined, controlled sound.
He doesn't yet have that 'older man' voice - the one that McCartney has had since he was 65 or so - so maybe there is one more change yet to come.

 

[Mick Daly]

California Son is his best singing to date, this is especially evident on songs like 'It's Over' and 'Morning Starship'. There was a vast noticeable improvement on his vocal capabilities when You are The Quarry came out, which lead me to suspect he had some vocal training. No idea if he actually has but it's something I wonder about.

 

[robertw93]

On record he's always been fairly consistent but post Quarry he hit new highs. Ringleader, California and Dog are all worthy of praise in particular.

Live the Ringleader era was a bit ropey at times.

 

[everydayslikesunday]

I think his vocals on the Miraval Southpaw session is the best he has ever sounded.

But then I love his voice on every Smiths track, it's not perfect but those flaws suit the songs.

 

[Ryan]

I dunno - I find it a bit painful listening to him struggle to hit the notes in something like 'On the Streets I Ran' - always slightly flat and sounding like his vocal chords are about to snap at any moment. For me, he peaked on 'Years of Refusal', specifically 'It's Not Your Birthday Anymore' - even he couldn't replicate it live when he tried.

Spot on!

 

[laservampire]

I personally love the live Oxford '85 version of Meat Is Murder. Probably the closest thing to a "punk" delivery Morrissey ever did with The Smiths.

 

[uwotm8]

Early 1990s, as in the live television version of I've Changed My Plea to Guilty

I've seen that video on YouTube I agree his voice was great here. Young I guess. Really love how he sounds on he's knows I'd love to see him for example around that time that song has really grown on me over the past couple of years