SPIN review of Years of Refusal

David

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"Mayor of Mope is Back for Another Term"

Pop music doesn’t allow for many third bites at the apple, but here’s Stephen Patrick Morrissey’s chomping away. It’s the Dr. Dre career path: Both led epoch-defining groups, both sustained smart, healthy solo careers that collapsed with a thud in the mid-90’s, and both came roaring back to life. We look forward to a possible collabo on Detox.

Ever since You Are the Quarry in ’04, our man from Manchester has been weirdly unstoppable, making vital music, throwing exhaustingly energetic live shows, and honing in on 50 as well as or better than any rocker this side of Neil Young. Produced with you-are-there vigor by the late Jerry Finn, who helmed Quarry, Years of Refusal thunders with noise-rock bass lines, enormous drums, and big swaths of guitar distortion. Though Moz’s vocal range has narrowed with age, he still delivers brilliantly titled odes to depression (“Something Is Squeezing My Skull”) and hanging out on his own (“I’m OK By Myself” –do tell).

As a zine nerd who got onstage and changed the world, Morrissey loves reflecting on fandom and idols. “All You Need Is Me” feels aimed at his lifelong cult (“You don’t like me, but you love me / Either way you’re wrong / You’re gonna miss me when I’m gone”), while “You Were Good in Your Time” might as well be about his own bad self, always and forever a go-to topic. He’s the light that never goes out.


Years of Refusal - Four Stars


Available via the Lost Highway website.
 
I certainly agree with the rating, but this isn't a very well written review at all.
 
Agreed. SPIN sort of sucks nowadays but it's an influential magazine to some extent, so it's still welcome news.
 
i have oneor two spin mags and was amazed that practially the whole mag contains of ads
pages...:mad:

ehhh what?
though Moz’s vocal range has narrowed with age,
:mad::mad:
 
i have oneor two spin mags and was amazed that practially the whole mag contains of ads
pages...:mad:

ehhh what?

:mad::mad:

In the magazine publishing industry, a magazine thick with ads is a good thing. When your favorite magazine starts getting thinner, you start to worry that it won't be around for long.

Anyway--why can't anyone spell the poor man's name correctly? It's so annoying. Decent review, though. :)
 
In the magazine publishing industry, a magazine thick with ads is a good thing. When your favorite magazine starts getting thinner, you start to worry that it won't be around for long.

Anyway--why can't anyone spell the poor man's name correctly? It's so annoying. Decent review, though. :)
yes i know but the spin mag (as well as the US -Rolling stone mag)
(a least in the late 90 ties- the mags i have stem from this era )
I have never experience the summit of ads pages as extreme as in these two mags elsewhere when you compare that what these mags did cost
 
yes i know but the spin mag (as well as the US -Rolling stone mag)
(a least in the late 90 ties- the mags i have stem from this era )
I have never experience the summit of ads pages as extreme as in these two mags elsewhere when you compare that what these mags did cost

Like September Vogue? May Bride's? That's why they're still in print. (Yes, I am a little bitter.)
 
Like September Vogue? May Bride's? That's why they're still in print. (Yes, I am a little bitter.)
now im just talking about MUSIC magazines here
the huge amount of fashion ads was irritating in these pointed which i dont saw in that extreme amount elsewhere in other music mags
 
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now im just talking about MUSIC magazines here
the huge amount of fashion ads was irritating there

Yes, I'm just pointing out that all those ad pages finance the publication of the magazine. Subscription and newsstand sales do not cover printing costs, let alone editorial costs. It's all about the ads. Without them, there would be no magazine. They are annoying, but when they start to dry up, the magazine will soon die. (DSM, 2007-2009, RIP.)
 
"As a zine nerd who got onstage and changed the world" made me laugh.

Very off the cuff, but at least they like the album!
 
It’s the Dr. Dre career path
yeah, the parallels with DR.DRE- ENDLESS. DIDN'T YOU SEE THE QUARRY SLEEVE-- MOZ IS GANGSTA.

maybe this is their way of making him ~relatable to the kidsS~



Though Moz’s vocal range has narrowed with age


EXCUSE ME, WHAT??? have they HEARD 'it's not your birthday anymore'?? (or any of the the old quarry b-sides....??) GRR.

overall, i'm pleased they were nice. what do you want, it's spin! :rolleyes:
 
>>Though Moz’s vocal range has narrowed with age,


EXCUSE ME, WHAT??? have they HEARD 'it's not your birthday anymore'?? (or any of the the old quarry b-sides....??) GRR.

overall, i'm pleased they were nice. what do you want, it's spin! :rolleyes:

Yeah I spotted that, :confused: The quality of Moz's vocal has just increased with each album. Like a good wine he gets better as he gets older. :)
 
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Hey, that is one bitchin' review dude......
Like, seriously....
:rolleyes:
 
Though Moz’s vocal range has narrowed with age...

Say what?????? Did he skip "It's Not Your Birthday Anymore"?
 
Morrissey has really come down in the world; he was the Pope of Mope, now he's just the Mayor? :confused: :rolleyes:

This feels like it was written by someone who's done a bit of research on Moz, but never actually listened to him.
 
I agree that the review is badly written. I was willing to go along with the strained Dr. Dre comparison, but Neil Young? Mr. Young is over 60, he's by no means a contemporary of Morrissey's.

And even a casual listener - let alone someone who writes for a music magazine - can tell you that Morrissey's vocal range has very much improved with age, rather than narrowed.

Last but not least - no "ph" in Steven, how many times do we have to tell ya?!
 
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