Morrissey Central RINGLEADER DELUXE ! (July 17, 2020)


Morrissey’s third UK number 1 album ‘Ringleader of the Tormentors’ will be issued this year by BMG for the first time.The album is presently being ‘rebooted’ by producer Tony Visconti and will feature more sections by Ennio Morricone and his orchestra from the 2005 sessions in Rome, plus a photographic booklet.The original album featured four UK hit singles, ‘You Have Killed Me’ (Number 3), ‘The Youngest Was The Most Loved’(Number 14), ‘In The Future When All’s Well’ (Number 17), ‘I Just Want To See The Boy Happy’ (Number 16).

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Do I need to be? I was only saying that they have different musical styles. They've both got their share of flimsy songs. Is "At Last I Am Born" worse than "The Secret of Music"? Both dreadful to my ears. Dog might be more diverse and musically adventurous than chug-by-numbers Ringleader but that doesn't automatically make it great - "Darling, I...", "The Truth about Ruth"... those songs have no redeeming qualities, they are dire.
Secret of Music is obviously an experimental song. It doesn't have a conventional structure. It's ok for what it is but I think it should have been a b-side, or it needed more than one musical section. On Ringleader, most of the song structures are conventional- they're just not very good. The trumpet part in Darling I is grating but the coda is flipping gorgeous. Ruth has bad lyrics which ruin the song. But other than those, Dog on a Chain is an absolute musical feast - Ringleader is, for the large part, just a joyless forgettable plod.
 
i like how what you claim, to be actual facts.
boyish Amy speaks, and facts are born.
Southpaw isn’t a disaster: WP is bobbins, I agree. Opinions, Opinions
I know know you love to be the phantom of all knowledge but, you’re not.

I just posted that it comes down to preference ...then I stated my opinions, yup.
Phantom of knowledge, I like that one. Could be a Moz title.
 
Secret of Music is obviously an experimental song. It doesn't have a conventional structure. It's ok for what it is but I think it should have been a b-side, or it needed more than one musical section. On Ringleader, most of the song structures are conventional- they're just not very good. The trumpet part in Darling I is grating but the coda is flipping gorgeous. Ruth has bad lyrics which ruin the song. But other than those, Dog on a Chain is an absolute musical feast - Ringleader is, for the large part, just a joyless forgettable plod.
I really like Darling, haunting ending is fantastic! I don't mind Secret of Music, reminds me of the track Maladjusted in a way and that's no bad thing. Weakest two songs on Dog are title track itself (musically poor) and the weird The Truth About Ruth, I realise Moz has creative thoughts beyond us mere mortals but the story within the song is very weak imo.
 
I really like Darling, haunting ending is fantastic! I don't mind Secret of Music, reminds me of the track Maladjusted in a way and that's no bad thing. Weakest two songs on Dog are title track itself (musically poor) and the weird The Truth About Ruth, I realise Moz has creative thoughts beyond us mere mortals but the story within the song is very weak imo.
Darling, I Hug A Pillow was the only song on Doggo that I didn't like at first. But it has grown on me SO MUCH. The coda is fantastic, I don't know why I didn't notice it at first. Even the trumpets make sense to me now.

Can't understand why people don't like The Truth About Ruth. I love the lyrics and musically it reminds me of The Harsh Truth Of The Camera Eye, which I've always liked for its eerie atmosphere.

Not one bad/mediocre song on the latest album imho.
 
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Darling, I Hug A Pillow was the only song on Doggo that I didn't like at first. But it has grown on me SO MUCH. The coda is fantastic, I don't know why I didn't notice it at first. Even the trumpets make sense to me now.

Can't understand why people don't like The Truth About Ruth. I love the lyrics and musically it reminds me of The Harsh Truth Of The Camera Eye, which I've always liked for its eerie atmosphere.

Not one bad/mediocre song on the latest album imho.
Darling is a really great track so pleased it made sense after some listens, the trumpets absolutely fit in as you say. It kinda reminds me of a bleak relationship outcome in a spaghetti western or something and the music overall is gorgeous. I do love the ending when Moz's vocals slip into the 'otherworld' with seemingly no way back.
 
Darling, I Hug A Pillow was the only song on Doggo that I didn't like at first. But it has grown on me SO MUCH. The coda is fantastic, I don't know why I didn't notice it at first. Even the trumpets make sense to me now.

Can't understand why people don't like The Truth About Ruth. I love the lyrics and musically it reminds me of The Harsh Truth Of The Camera Eye, which I've always liked for its eerie atmosphere.

Not one bad/mediocre song on the latest album imho.
Yes musically Truth ain't bad so credit there, just not sure about the 'transvestite' storyline, just seems a weak idea. For me Dog has nine tracks I like and two maybe not so much but I'll take that all day long.
 
I still think Bobby is one of the strongest tracks, but I'd love to hear a version with just Moz singing it.
 
Yes musically Truth ain't bad so credit there, just not sure about the 'transvestite' storyline, just seems a weak idea. For me Dog has nine tracks I like and two maybe not so much but I'll take that all day long.
I believe The Truth About Ruth is about a trans person and not about a "transvestite" and I don't think that's a weak topic at all. The second verse in particular is very strong.

"The life you lead, straightforward and bland
Everything happens according to plan
But some people fight just to take root
In a world ill-equipped for the truth about Ruth"

To me it's a very interesting and poignant vignette and reminds me of some of his early solo lyrics.
 
I still think Bobby is one of the strongest tracks, but I'd love to hear a version with just Moz singing it.
I like Bobby a lot, but I feel like it's a bit too long and doesn't quite fit with the rest of the album. When it was first released it really stood out because it's so different from everything else he's ever done but on the album it pales a little bit in comparison to other very strong songs like What Kind Of People Live In These Houses? or Once I Saw The River Clean.
 
I like Bobby a lot, but I feel like it's a bit too long and doesn't quite fit with the rest of the album. When it was first released it really stood out because it's so different from everything else he's ever done but on the album it pales a little bit in comparison to other very strong songs like What Kind Of People Live In These Houses? or Once I Saw The River Clean.
Hmmm, I don't believe it 'pales', but I agree it's different to the others; it's a powerful track.
 
Darling is a really great track so pleased it made sense after some listens, the trumpets absolutely fit in as you say. It kinda reminds me of a bleak relationship outcome in a spaghetti western or something and the music overall is gorgeous. I do love the ending when Moz's vocals slip into the 'otherworld' with seemingly no way back.
Another song that was a bit difficult to get into for me was Knockabout World, because it seemed so very trivial. I still don't love it but it's really catchy and builds up nicely.
 
Another song that was a bit difficult to get into for me was Knockabout World, because it seemed so very trivial. I still don't love it but it's really catchy and builds up nicely.

Only song on Dog that doesn’t sit right with me. The changes come too quick, and don’t relate or compliment each other in a smooth transitional manner. It has some good parts, but doesn’t really work as a whole, a bit cobbled together.
 
Another song that was a bit difficult to get into for me was Knockabout World, because it seemed so very trivial. I still don't love it but it's really catchy and builds up nicely.
For me, it’s the best track on the album. It perfectly executes the retro electronic vibe. It reminds me a little of Saint Etienne. It probably sneaks into my all time Morrissey top ten. And it should’ve been a single.
 
For me, it’s the best track on the album. It perfectly executes the retro electronic vibe. It reminds me a little of Saint Etienne. It probably sneaks into my all time Morrissey top ten. And it should’ve been a single.
Yeah, Knockabout is an absolute dream. I'd pretty much give it a 10/10. The chorus melody is gorgeous and the lyrics are simple but sweet. Love the last bit of the middle eight, just before "And by the way..." comes in. Such a lovely warmth to it.
It effectively was a single. It was released and offered up before the album came out. Radio stations could have playlisted it and, pre-2018, it would have been all over Radio 2, Xfm, 6 Music, Absolute etc. It's a bit heartbreaking, really. The only thing that can get these songs out to a wider audience now is if they are released on a film soundtrack.
 
Another song that was a bit difficult to get into for me was Knockabout World, because it seemed so very trivial. I still don't love it but it's really catchy and builds up nicely.
For me, it’s the best track on the album. It perfectly executes the retro electronic vibe. It reminds me a little of Saint Etienne. It probably sneaks into my all time Morrissey top ten. And it should’ve been a single.

The only thing that saves it for me besides the first verse and the vocal melody, delivery, is that Morrissey may
have had Cliff Richard on mind when writing it.

Gives it a bit more dimension for me.


 
As long as its free seeing as Morricone is no longer here to get a share of any profits
 
I just want to leave this here for the obvious lyrical similarity in You Have Killed Me and because Moz likes to pose in front of graffiti, especially around the time of Ringleader.
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