Play Very Loud???

[Orson Swells]

Once, I believed Morrissey fans to be warm, intelligent, sensitive, amusing types... the release of this album seems to have proved me wrong.

 

[Not Right in the Head]

Oooh, I love that line. I can honestly say that's the first time I've read a line by Morrissey where I could actually envision him as a sexual being.

As opposed to before, when you were able to envision that without the help of lyrics?

 

[Hidden By Rags]

I'm cool with the rock swagger, but not for the whole album. While I enjoy YoR, I will agree that too many of the songs go for the loud sound, which makes some of the songs very samey.

That's what I came away with. Couldn't enjoy it with headphones, but enjoyed it loud in the car today. I might actually like it slightly better than Ringleader or Quarry in that respect, but in the end there's not enough variety as a whole.

 

[King Leer]

"More weaker" would be wrong, but "more weaker-minded" is not incorrect. Moz said "more lonely" in the Zane Lowe interview, which some people would argue over.

Infatuation is even picking up Morrissey's grammar tics.

You just might be the Mozzer after all (see other thread) - I note your use of the word "concuss" and that Moz seems to love that word. I do take issue with "more weaker minded" - now that ain't proper grammar!

 

[King Leer]

The criticisms of the lyrics on this record (and on the previous two to a slightly lesser degree) is confusing to me.

Whether channeling famous poets in the early days, fashioning his own timeless words in mid-career or just telling it like it is as he's wont to do now it's all Morrissey.

It's easy to slag off "professional" critics because so many of them are not worthy of a per-word rate, but they're quoting Morrissey's lyrics in the reviews for YoR. Why? If you can't answer that...I don' t know.

Didn't Picasso "devolve" from epic portraits of war into line drawings and painting on dishes?

 

[ganglord in ny]

I'm not really digging the loudness either...More Paris's & Birthdays!!!! It doesnt have to be loud to rock!!

 

[alma matters]

I like the loudness, actually. It reminds me of Southpaw Grammar, another album I am a pretty big fan of, but people are rather critical of the loudness.

I usually skip "You Were Good in Your Time", I just think it is boring and drags on. I don't find it beautiful the way I find a lot of his other "softer" songs, like Pigsty, Now My Heart is Full, Seasick, I Know it's Over, etc. It's the only song on the album I really just can't listen to.

That being said, my favorites are probably Skull, Mama, Black Cloud, and Goodbye/Farewell. Honorable mentions are Carol and Paris. I am neutral on AYNIM, Sorry and OK. I don't care for Birthday, THPGU, and YWGIYT.

 

[Worm]

The criticisms of the lyrics on this record (and on the previous two to a slightly lesser degree) is confusing to me.

Whether channeling famous poets in the early days, fashioning his own timeless words in mid-career or just telling it like it is as he's wont to do now it's all Morrissey.

It's easy to slag off "professional" critics because so many of them are not worthy of a per-word rate, but they're quoting Morrissey's lyrics in the reviews for YoR. Why? If you can't answer that...I don' t know.

Didn't Picasso "devolve" from epic portraits of war into line drawings and painting on dishes?

It's worth watching the Russell Brand interview just to hear him explain that he thinks the voice, and not the words alone, convey a lot of the meaning in the songs. Always true with Morrissey but never more than now. The incredibly dynamic vocals on YOR make his vocals in the days of The Smiths sound like dial tones in comparison. Consequently he can get away with writing more plainspoken song lyrics without losing any of his "Morrissey-ness".

I'll admit I prefer his wordier style, but both fit within the total body of his work really well. One complements the other.

 

[Worm]

As opposed to before, when you were able to envision that without the help of lyrics?

Yes. Without the help of lyrics. With the help of a Polish Syrah, latex gloves, and an old VHS copy of "Flesh" on repeat.

 

[joe frady]

spartan.

I like this word.
All that needs to be said, now.

 

[Worm]

I like this word.
All that needs to be said, now.

Oh jeez. Yeah, that was an unintended allusion. Is your emoticon imagining Gerard Butler's bronzed abs?

 

[brutalityobscene]

I find it difficult not to play it very loud. YOR might be my new favorite Moz record and I think it's because its loud and rocking. I think Jerry did a fine job personally. To me, nothing sounds louder or better than "I'm OK by Myself", namely due to the mixing and volume of the drums. And I like the distorted bass sound as well on previous tracks but mostly on "Goodbye...".

Play Very Loud....Gladly!

Agreed. . . I friggin love this album. Moz has spent more than enough time swooning softly, and I think it's been a great direction change over the past two albums. Well, I'm still not that big into Ringleader. . .

 

[Harsh Truth]

I really like YOR.

Even "Thats How People Grow Up" has grown on me.

So there.


On another note, some people pine for the quietness of V&I. Great album for sure, but if you look over Morrissey entire career, there isn't really another "quiet" album. Plenty of quiet songs here and there but as far as albums go, the majority of them tend to be rockers (YA, SG, ROTT, YOR.) I guess you could make a case for Kill Uncle being quiet and subtle, but its also one of the most maligned he has released. Maladjusted had a good chunk of quiet numbers, but again, not exactly a fan favorite.

I've never been a huge Quarry guy. Sure, I love a few of the songs but overalll as an album it really hasn't aged well. The same can be said for Viva Hate. "I Don't Mind if you Forget Me"??? Ugh. I'll take Maladjusted over these two anyday.

Also, lets not forget that Morrissey live shows have NEVER EVER been quiet affairs. Thats why I love them so much. Even the slow songs are loud and powerful.

I'm not really sure what my point is, other than I feel some people envision Morrissey as this quiet, gentle, foo-foo poet but in my view, that is never what he has been about. To me, he comes from a hard background playing hard music about hard subjects.

 

[EastOfEden]

"Also, lets not forget that Morrissey live shows have NEVER EVER been quiet affairs. Thats why I love them so much. Even the slow songs are loud and powerful".


Very True! I really like the sound of YOR - and there's plenty of older stuff to dig out if you fancy a more gentle sound!

 

[Worm]

Very True! I really like the sound of YOR - and there's plenty of older stuff to dig out if you fancy a more gentle sound!

Yep. "Rank" has been my favorite Smiths album for about a decade now.

 

[anon x]

The incredibly dynamic vocals on YOR make his vocals in the days of The Smiths sound like dial tones in comparison.

Agree the vocals on the album are good but live(the radio 2 session thingy)he
sounded more like Rex Harrison sing/talking.
His live singing peak was def the early part of the YATQ tour.

 

[biru]

I actually thought that the loudness was great.

 

[joe frady]

Oh jeez. Yeah, that was an unintended allusion. Is your emoticon imagining Gerard Butler's bronzed abs?

O God no ! I didn't intend any reference to that 'film' by the "visionary director Zack Snyder" (even though he did direct 'Tomorrow')
No, I just love the word, the way it sounds. Since listening to 'Years Of Refusal' I'd been searching for the correct word to capture the modernish Moz lyrical style and, as ever, you are my thesaurus.

 

[King Leer]

Were the first few dates of the Quarry tour that brilliant, vocally? He's only just getting warmed up, concert-wise. Wait until he hits Texas in April and things should be very well oiled by then..

Agree the vocals on the album are good but live(the radio 2 session thingy)he
sounded more like Rex Harrison sing/talking.
His live singing peak was def the early part of the YATQ tour.

 

[EPbabe]

I really like YOR.

Even "Thats How People Grow Up" has grown on me.

So there.


On another note, some people pine for the quietness of V&I. Great album for sure, but if you look over Morrissey entire career, there isn't really another "quiet" album. Plenty of quiet songs here and there but as far as albums go, the majority of them tend to be rockers (YA, SG, ROTT, YOR.) I guess you could make a case for Kill Uncle being quiet and subtle, but its also one of the most maligned he has released. Maladjusted had a good chunk of quiet numbers, but again, not exactly a fan favorite.

I've never been a huge Quarry guy. Sure, I love a few of the songs but overalll as an album it really hasn't aged well. The same can be said for Viva Hate. "I Don't Mind if you Forget Me"??? Ugh. I'll take Maladjusted over these two anyday.

Also, lets not forget that Morrissey live shows have NEVER EVER been quiet affairs. Thats why I love them so much. Even the slow songs are loud and powerful.

I'm not really sure what my point is, other than I feel some people envision Morrissey as this quiet, gentle, foo-foo poet but in my view, that is never what he has been about. To me, he comes from a hard background playing hard music about hard subjects.

You can't really go quieter (or more quiet? ) than Lifeguard Sleeping Girl Dying, can you?

I agree with you word by word, even with what you said about That's How People Grow Up. I find the sound quality and the volume of the album great, it really suits me, I can hear it properly in the house and outside, when I listen to it on an mp3. I mean, at last I don't have to put the volume on maximum when I travel on the underground! I don't really understand the complaints about the volume of the vocals, I can hear no fault there, and believe me, I have a good ear for human voice, though not a very good musical hearing, I have to admit.