"World Peace..." review by Marc Hogan - Pitchfork

 

[fredkocherpepsi]

We knew this was coming. I made the mistake of making a comment on the FB link about the review. Made some Kanye West fans angry. Which isn't hard I guess.

 

[bagface]

Trite, dull lyrics don't matter if it is a good song.

what a defense! seems we have an intellectual in the room. there are a lot of things that i do like about WPINOYB, but i think the lyrics are a completely indefensible disaster. seems strange to be reading something along the lines of "poor lyrics don't matter" on a board for an artist who has been praised for clever lyrics arguably above all else. i'll still listen to the album now and then but have to agree that the quality of the lyrics is pretty distracting.

 

[Peterb]

what a defense! seems we have an intellectual in the room. there are a lot of things that i do like about WPINOYB, but i think the lyrics are a completely indefensible disaster. seems strange to be reading something along the lines of "poor lyrics don't matter" on a board for an artist who has been praised for clever lyrics arguably above all else. i'll still listen to the album now and then but have to agree that the quality of the lyrics is pretty distracting.

Thank you for your contribution Bagface.
So, you consider yourself an intellectual?
Congratulations!
And no, lyrics are just words that fit the song. They do not need to have meaning or profundity.
You poor dear being all distracted.
That's the price you pay for being clever and smart.

 

[the raytownian]

Gosh, I'll make it clearer.
Who gives a f*** about 'thought provoking' (unless you're 14).
I want good songs.
Would you prefer thoughful lyrics and dull songs? (may I suggest Manic Street Preachers?)

What's wrong with wanting both, especially when it comes to Morrissey of all people?

"It's about the music, man" might fly when it comes to one's enjoyment of NSBM bands or Lady Gaga, but it doesn't really add up when you say it about an artist who's recognition and acclaim comes from their abilities as a writer as much as (if not more than) anything else.

Some of the lyrics are f***ing weak on WPINOYB, and I don't see why pointing that out is such an insult to people. No, I don't really agree with Agharta. I think it's mostly excellent in terms of music, and I don't believe that even the album's worst lyrics severely diminish the overall experience, but to act like bad lyrics are completely irrelevant to the Morrissey "experience" is just absurd.

Even if I don't agree with it, I can understand very well why some people are disappointed with it based on some of the lyrics alone. Not holding Morrissey accountable for substandard lyrics is tantamount to calling him another disposable pop singer who's only value comes from how many people he can get to do the Macarena.

Furthermore, there's a big difference between being "thought-provoking" (which can be done in perfectly plain speech) and just being terribly ham-fisted and prosaic when writing about a subject (any subject).

 

[the raytownian]

You're so late to the party, you shouldn't have been let in. His writing style changed a long time ago (hadn't you noticed).

Yeah, but this album has some of his most cringe-worthy lines since "Quarry" (which everyone thinks is lyrically amazing for some reason).

I can't stress it enough how minor a point I consider this, seeing as there's only maybe 3 songs on the whole album who's lyrics make me cringe in parts. I still think it's fair to point out that certain lyrics are well below his standards, even for post-Quarry releases, many of which I think have very, very good lyrics AND music.

Regardless, who didn't already know that Pitchfork sucks?

 

[Peterb]

What's wrong with wanting both, especially when it comes to Morrissey of all people?

"It's about the music, man" might fly when it comes to one's enjoyment of NSBM bands or Lady Gaga, but it doesn't really add up when you say it about an artist who's recognition and acclaim comes from their abilities as a writer as much as (if not more than) anything else.

Some of the lyrics are f***ing weak on WPINOYB, and I don't see why pointing that out is such an insult to people. No, I don't really agree with Agharta. I think it's mostly excellent in terms of music, and I don't believe that even the album's worst lyrics severely diminish the overall experience, but to act like bad lyrics are completely irrelevant to the Morrissey "experience" is just absurd.

Even if I don't agree with it, I can understand very well why some people are disappointed with it based on some of the lyrics alone. Not holding Morrissey accountable for substandard lyrics is tantamount to calling him another disposable pop singer who's only value comes from how many people he can get to do the Macarena.

Furthermore, there's a big difference between being "thought-provoking" (which can be done in perfectly plain speech) and just being terribly ham-fisted and prosaic when writing about a subject (any subject).

What's wrong with Lady Gaga?
She's an excellent songwriter.
I suppose you see yourself as elevated because you like 'quality' artists like Moz but keep away from such pop rubbish as Lady Gaga.
And who said anything about 'bad' lyrics. I was talking about lyrics that are not 'meaningful' or 'profound'.

 

[the raytownian]

What's wrong with Lady Gaga?
She's an excellent songwriter.
I suppose you see yourself as elevated because you like 'quality' artists like Moz but keep away from such pop rubbish as Lady Gaga.
And who said anything about 'bad' lyrics. I was talking about lyrics that are not 'meaningful' or 'profound'.

You're being awfully hostile and assuming a lot of nonsense based on nothing. What have I done other than politely disagree with you and argue my point?

Furthermore, I'll have you know that I like plenty of mindless pop music:

You seemed to miss the point entirely: I don't put Technotronic (or Lady Gaga, for that matter) on the same lyrical pedestal as Morrissey just because I think they're both capable of good music.

 

[oliver]

Because the reviewer chose that to reflect their view of the album. Presumably it's better than 5.8 but worse than 6.

Why 4 stars for other reviews?

With 4 stars (out of 5) you can say (or something close to it):
1 = disaster
2 = bad
3 = average
4 = good
5 = excellent

To come up with such a level of granularity to say "5.9" is just bizarre to me. Make it a 6 and be done with it. What would it need to be a 6?

I'm not bashing the review itself (although I don't think it's particularly insightful) just the score being so precise.

 

[Anonymous:]

The album is poor, containing lazy guitar riffs, mediocre lyrics at best and only half-saved by his amazing vocals. After a 5-year wait. I'm disappointed!

 

[evennow]

I love the seemingly arbitrary nature of the score. 5.9. Why not 5.8 or 6?

I think I have the answer. It is obvious from this guy's writing that he has ten personalities so nine of them gave it a 6 and one a 5 for an average of 5.9. Kind of like Olympic judging only for the mentally handicapped

 

[George the 23rd]

This review is ridiculous. World Peace deserves at least a 5.95

 

[evennow]

Yeah, but this album has some of his most cringe-worthy lines since "Quarry" (which everyone thinks is lyrically amazing for some reason)./QUOTE]

There may be a few of his usual complain about a country, hate the man, hate the industry songs on Quarry, but Camden (to me) is one of the most lyrically beautiful songs of his career. It is so descriptive, but leaves everything to the imagination (unlike most songs on the new release.) It allows you the freedom to paint in your mind how the scenes he describes might look.

I feel like an artist drawing these pictures around his words. The music moves me equally with a certain melancholy feel that first attracted me to his music. I don't feel he has brought the same level of quality to his more recent work. If you don't find the lyrics to Camden "lyrically amazing" then we will have to just agree to disagree. There are several other songs on Quarry I quite enjoy as well. Interested in your thoughts.

Come Back to Camden

There is something I wanted to tell you
It's so funny you'll kill yourself laughing
But then I, I look around
And I remember that I am alone
Alone
For evermore

The tile yard all along the railings
Up a discoloured dark brown staircase
Here you'll find, despair and I
Calling to you with what's left of my heart
My heart
For evermore

 

[the raytownian]

well, shit! My session timed out and the site ate my post when I tried to log in instead of clicking back.
Ugh... I spent a good while trying to explain why I don't dig Quarry, and now I can't remember it all.

The short version is: "Camden" in particular is an alright song, but I think the worst lyrics on the album are the worst he's ever written, and the musical accompaniment of the album just leaves me cold. Together, these factors really sour my enjoyment of the album as a whole.

Sorry that response is so brief... I can't be bothered to try to remember everything I attempted to say before, though.

 

[Kewpie]

Re:

well, shit! My session timed out and the site ate my post when I tried to log in instead of clicking back.
Ugh... I spent a good while trying to explain why I don't dig Quarry, and now I can't remember it all.

You should tick "remember me" box when you log in.

 

[the raytownian]

Re:

You should tick "remember me" box when you log in.

I wasn't even aware of this feature. Thanks, I will do that next time.

 

[George the 23rd]

Re:

Never noticed that "remember me" box either. Thanks for highlighting it

Come Back To Camden is wonderful. The worst lyrics in Quarry are in the likes of America Is Not the World, How Can Anyone Possibly Know How I Feel?, and Crashing Bores, with "big fat pig", "fifteen miles of shit", "smelly uniform", "thicker than pig shit" etc. (He really doesn't like pigs, does he?)

I don't think anything on World Peace plunges to those depths, though Neal Cassidy runs it close.

 

[Anonymous]

This review is ridiculous. World Peace deserves at least a 5.95

That's a 5.6 from the Russian judge.

 

[Peterb]

You're being awfully hostile and assuming a lot of nonsense based on nothing. What have I done other than politely disagree with you and argue my point?

Furthermore, I'll have you know that I like plenty of mindless pop music:

You seemed to miss the point entirely: I don't put Technotronic (or Lady Gaga, for that matter) on the same lyrical pedestal as Morrissey just because I think they're both capable of good music.

Yes, I was being hostile.
Apologies.