Ranking The Moz Studio Albums

[nicky wire's legs]

too hard to do, cant do it, so i will simply do my top three:

you are the quarry
vauxhall
bona drag

 

[Anonymous]

Interesting. Makes sense. For some if one was raised on the Smiths then looked at 'Viva' suspiciously when it arrived,a different angle.

I listened to various punk(as a punk would do),then a friend lent me 'Queen is Dead'. It was just so different,and I wasn't sure what to think of it actually. Then soon after another friend played me the video 'Suedehead' and well,everything just clicked,the clouds parted and I was born ! Just seeing him,the way he carried himself,etc... I just felt,oh,I'm not alone then. Of course I had to get everything immediately! Then the singles 'Drug' 'Playboys',etc,followed,which was so exciting,the anticipation of each release. Ah,ill-spent youth!

So this is one of the reasons 'Viva Hate' is at the top for me. It really is a magical record and I can't see how one would place it lower! boggles the mind!

Getting the queen is dead first after listening to a lot of punk must have been difficult as the tempo in the song sequencing can just vary so much. After shankly I was always skipping to the more uptempo side. I think If id gotten mim first it would have been an easier transition and a better first album for me and others in that position

 

[Life_Is_A_Pigsty]

1. Vauxhall And I
2. Your Arsenal
3. Viva Hate
4. World Peace Is None Of Your Business
5. You Are The Quarry
6. Ringleader Of The Tormentors
7. Years Of Refusal
8. Southpaw Grammar
9. Maladjusted
10. Kill Uncle

2-5 are quite difficult to place

 

[Musician]

Interesting. Makes sense. For some if one was raised on the Smiths then looked at 'Viva' suspiciously when it arrived,a different angle.

It works like this for some, and not for others. I also got to know Morrissey first (via ''Playboy'' single) then got into The Smiths retrospectively, still it never felt for me as his backing band.

 

[Anonymous]

Don't know if it was the tempo. Might have been the crooning that threw me off at first. There are some hard songs on that record,such as 'the Queen is' which Marr likened to his Stooges song. And 'Bigmouth'. But I see what you're saying. Maybe MIM would have been a smoother transition. Though it wasn't until seeing the 'Suedehead' video that it clicked... maybe because he's such a handsome devil ? Could be. I think it was just relating to the strangeness and what's more punk then cows,playing a conga,and driving a tractor? ...never mind.

For me I know it's over and never had no one ever back to back was a bit of a momentum killer for me, especially as tracks three and four of the record. I never got the stooges comparison myself. Not heavy enough for my ears or loud enough

 

[Calamine Lotion]

Interesting. Makes sense. For some if one was raised on the Smiths then looked at 'Viva' suspiciously when it arrived,a different angle.

I listened to various punk(as a punk would do),then a friend lent me 'Queen is Dead'. It was just so different,and I wasn't sure what to think of it actually. Then soon after another friend played me the video 'Suedehead' and well,everything just clicked,the clouds parted and I was born ! Just seeing him,the way he carried himself,etc... I just felt,oh,I'm not alone then. Of course I had to get everything immediately! Then the singles 'Drug' 'Playboys',etc,followed,which was so exciting,the anticipation of each release. Ah,ill-spent youth!

So this is one of the reasons 'Viva Hate' is at the top for me. It really is a magical record and I can't see why one would place it lower! boggles the mind!

That period from Viva Hate to Kill Uncle will never be matched, as good as the next three records were.

 

[Flibberty]

1 - Viva Hate - Lots of interesting lyrical ideas, a couple of great singles and the music is very varied. A shame that Morrissey and Stephen Street couldn't do a second album together.
2 - Vauxhall and I - A massive lyrical return to form. There are no joke songs and the Morrissey/Boorer tracks are mostly the standouts. A deserved No. 1.
3 - Ringleader of the Tormentors - Very well produced by Tony Visconti with numerous strong songs.

4 - World Peace is None of Your Business - Difficult to say whether this album should be judged based on the regular or extended version. Across the 18 tracks there are certainly a lot of great moments and it is another fine collection of songs.
5 - Your Arsenal - Mick Ronson is the hero of this album. He had to work with a very inexperienced band and his production is superb. The 3 (U.K.) singles let the record down.
6 - Years of Refusal - Another good, solid collection of songs. 'It's Not Your Birthday Anymore' is probably the highlight and Morrissey's voice sounds very strong throughout.
7 - You are the Quarry - Jerry Finn did a great job in my opinion and I have very fond memories of this album bringing Morrissey back to the public. Some excellent singles and 'Come Back to Camden' is great. A few weaker tracks let it down.

8 - Maladjusted - The title track and 'Trouble Loves Me' are very good. Much of the album isn't. If 'Lost' and 'The Edges are no Longer Parallel' could have been finished in time, they would have improved the album.
9 - Southpaw Grammar - Morrissey simply needed to write a lot more words. Most of the songs are twice as long as they should be.
10 - Kill Uncle - Weak lyrics, poor production and what sound like half-finished backing tracks.