Rate the new Morrissey songs out of 10 & discussion

[MILKISMURDER]

I Am Veronica - 7
Sure Enough, the Telephone Rings - 6
Rebels Without Applause - 7
I Live in Oblivion - 7
Bonfire of Teenagers - 8
Saint in a Stained Glass Window - 9
Without Music the World Dies - 7
The Night Pop Dropped - 7.5
Kerouac's Crack - 6

 

[brody]

“Without Music”, to my odd ears, is an absolute scorcher. The guitar interplay between Jesse and Alain is stellar; the rockabilly groove is infectious. The band fires on all cylinders until the very end, as it reaches an abrupt halt.

The lyrics, however, are not much to write home about- the typical ramblings of late-career Moz. Still, the vocal delivery and melody are, as always, very good. I found myself singing it earlier, funnily.

Solid 8/10 and will make for a good album track

 

[Anonymous]

I Am Veronica - 8
Sure Enough, the Telephone Rings - 7.5
Rebels Without Applause - 8
I Live in Oblivion - 8
Bonfire of Teenagers - 8
Saint in a Stained Glass Window - 7
Without Music the World Dies - 8
The Night Pop Dropped - 8
Kerouac's Crack - 7.5

 

[Thewlis]

I Am Veronica - 9
Sure Enough, the Telephone Rings - 7.1
Rebels Without Applause - 8,2
I Live in Oblivion - 7,4
Bonfire of Teenagers - 9,2
Saint in a Stained Glass Window - 9,5
Without Music the World Dies - 8,7
The Night Pop Dropped - 8,2
Kerouac's Crack - 6,5

 

[Born to Harangue]

Without Music the World Dies - 7.5 (it has the potential to be on par with songs like Death at One's Elbow and Nowhere Fast if Alain's permitted to sing background vocals during the chorus in the studio version as he is in the live version, and as long as the studio version retains the live version's brisk tempo)

Bonfire of Teenagers - 7 (while some of the lyrics miss the mark and come across as crude at times - e.g. "vaporized" - I give him credit for attempting to tackle this subject. I didn't mind the fact that he directed some of his ire at those among us who insist on living their lives on their knees, although I would have preferred if he had targeted the architects of mass immigration who profit from the immigration system being the way it is now and have blood on their hands. Plus, I'd hold this song in higher regard if it wasn't coming from a pro-Zionist who has already made his biases clear and doesn't comment publicly on bonfires of teenagers when the bonfires are lit by members of his preferred groups. If he hadn't penned that stomach-turning love letter to Israel - a career lowlight - then this song might really mean something.)

Rebels Without Applause - 6.5 (I've seen it compared with Cemetry Gates and as of right now I believe it's near the same standard; I don't consider it a pale imitation)

The Night Pop Dropped - 6 (I like the movement from the verse into the chorus and the keyboard + guitar chords in the instrumental break but there's a chance the repetition of the line "remembering the night pop dropped" will begin to grate on me after a while -- the line is sung five times, about three times too many. I can take it the first two times, past that point I'd like the song to move along and returning to the line an additional three times after that is bordering on lazy in my opinion)

I Am Veronica - 6 (I appreciate this song slightly more now than when I first heard it but I can't imagine that appreciation will continue to grow from here, I think 6 is its ceiling for me)

Sure Enough, the Telephone Rings - 5.5 (this song is simply okay; when Morrissey's career is over and someone undertakes the task of ranking all the songs in his solo catalogue, this one might just about squeeze into the top 150. That's not meant as a dig; it's not a shameful addition to his catalogue there's just nothing at all remarkable about it)

I Live In Oblivion - 5 (blunt in the worst possible way with nothing redeeming musically to counteract the bluntness. It's like a true life story in Take a Break magazine, or someone telling the story of the last days of their parent to Phillip and Holly while a guest on This Morning, sampled and set to music. I'll never be able to enjoy listening to this song but I'm giving it a 5 because I can't decide to what extent I dislike it. It might remain at 5, an apathetic rating which is arguably worse than a 0 or 1 because to rate it that low you would at least have to feel somewhat strongly about it, and the only thing this song makes me feel is mild discomfort)

Saint In a Stained Glass Window - 4.5 (tedious, reminds me of the alternative version of It's Hard to Walk Tall When You're Small that was played live a few years ago)

Kerouac's Crack - 4.5 (musically it's fine but lyrically it's badly underwritten and takes me back to his 'Kid's a Looker' days)

 

[No 27]

Of the two new songs, it's hard to decide which is worse. The one about the world dying, or whatever it is, has lyrics that are beyond boring. I had to turn the other one off half-way through.

Why does Alain Whyte insist on making the tone of his guitar sound so "tinny"? Albeit that he used to be able to come up with some good tunes, he's never been a particularly good player, and the signature sound of his guitar (which he's had, live, since the 90s) just makes him sound even much more amateurish.

 

[gordyboy9]

its impossible to rate these songs till we hear the studio versions,a live version is like a half finished version.

 

[alainsane]

I'm not sure I can rate them still. But, loved Without Music The World Dies. I was a bit underwhelmed by The Night Pop Dropped.

Mmm...
Without Music The World Dies 8/10
The Night Pop Dropped 5/10

I'd bump "Pop" down to a two just on the basis of lyrics (have not heard any version of it).

"So sad for me, for us
So sad for the universe
So sad for me, for us
So sad for the universe

So sad for me, for us
So sad for the universe
So sad for me, for us
So sad for the universe

He said the best thing you can do is be yourself
The best thing you can do is just be yourself
The best thing you can do is be yourself
The best thing you can do is just be yourself"

I'm not sorry. If I wanted to hear a line repeated four times in two successive sections, I'd go listen to Katy Perry or some other crap. This is the proposed album opener, too!!

 

[Crisstti]

I'd bump "Pop" down to a two just on the basis of lyrics (have not heard any version of it).

"So sad for me, for us
So sad for the universe
So sad for me, for us
So sad for the universe

So sad for me, for us
So sad for the universe
So sad for me, for us
So sad for the universe

He said the best thing you can do is be yourself
The best thing you can do is just be yourself
The best thing you can do is be yourself
The best thing you can do is just be yourself"

I'm not sorry. If I wanted to hear a line repeated four times in two successive sections, I'd go listen to Katy Perry or some other crap. This is the proposed album opener, too!!

The song has actually grown on me quite a bit, I'd probably give it a 6.5 or 7 now. But yeah, repeating the same lines so many times does seem a bit lazy.

 

[Dead Girl]

I always give Moz very high grades. He does a lot of extra credit alone with me after class so he's earned these high marks.


I Am Veronica - 10
Sure Enough, the Telephone Rings - 9
Rebels Without Applause - 10
I Live in Oblivion - 8.5
Bonfire of Teenagers - 8.5
Saint in a Stained Glass Window - 10
Kerouac's Crack - 8
Without Music the World Dies - 10
The Night Pop Dropped - 9.5

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

The song has actually grown on me quite a bit, I'd probably give it a 6.5 or 7 now. But yeah, repeating the same lines so many times does seem a bit lazy.

agree. But strange that member thinks they can make a fair judgment of a live song without hearing it.

Sometimes the repetition can work musically and sometimes not, it’s not that bad here for Pop.

 

[Crisstti]

agree. But strange that member thinks they can make a fair judgment of a live song without hearing it.

Sometimes the repetition can work musically and sometimes not, it’s not that bad here for Pop.

That's true for sure:



I do like Pop now, 7/10. Would love to hear the studio version. Hopefully we will soon!

 

[skull]

I still can't accept Bonfire exists and we can't have it.

 

[Ryan]

Kerouac's Crack - 4.5 (musically it's fine but lyrically it's badly underwritten and takes me back to his 'Kid's a Looker' days)

Very accurate.