Years of Refusal
I'll admit even as a Moz fan i approached this album with some trepidation. Reviews were mixed (although Pitchfork loved it, go figure), there were previously released tracks on it and there was a dark cloud over the whole thing due to all the racism/cancelled gigs/yet-another-greatest-hits and his producer Jerry Finn sadly dying soon after the recording. Whereas his comeback with You Are The Quarry was critically applauded overall now it seems the honeymoon may be over.
Then i put the new album on and i'm instantly blown away by the first track. Something Is Squeezing My Skull is nothing less than a kick in the balls, a powerful glam strut finding Moz so confident you'd never think he'd be on all the drugs he namechecks (who knows if he is..). The track comes to a crashing finale with guitars screeching and drums exploding and my first disappointment is that it ends.
One thing i felt listening to this is that his influences are more clear than ever, i can hear elements of some his favourites all over the record. The Dolls aren't too far away from proceedings ever, It's Not Your Birthday Anymore has all the grandeur of Sparks best songs and Mama Lay Softly On The Riverbed, a brilliant marching band-drums led hymn to suicide, might as well be called Redondo Beach Mk II. Morrissey's done well though to create this sound that, while may be borrowed from all over the musical spectrum past and present, could only ever be his. Even if he wasn't singing you know it's him.
Lyrically he is always going to be assessed and i must say i'm a little disappointed overall. Ringleader of the Tormenters had this brilliant flavour to it where he hinted lyrically to more han his usual heartache and sang about God, *** love, father killing and occasionally feeling good about stuff for once, but here he seems to have gone back a step and gone to the old 'i'm really lonely and no-one loves me but it's ok because i'm brilliant' formula. That's not to say the album doesn't have it's moments, lyrically All You Need Is Me would be my favourite, sure he's a cocky arsehole but he does it with such style ("There's a naked man standing laughing in your dreams, you know who it is but you don't like what it means"). You Were Good In Your Own Time is another highlight, musically the biggest grower on the album, and it's clearly a song from the fan's perspective which puts the last year for him in perspective. Moz is always the last to laugh.
More song highlights for me would be the aformentioned It's Not Your Birthday Anymore, this album's 'epic' song which is full with with as much angst as all the others before it and is home to his best vocals here. 'First' single I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris didn't catch me at first since it's more of a swooner than the likes of Irish Blood but it can't be faulted melody wise and contains one of those gorgeous romantic Moz lyrics (only stone and steel will accept my love...). The closer I'm OK By Myself is a call to arms for all those singletons and is a brilliant end to affairs fading with rumbling drums and bass and Moz warbling all his worries away. Probably on the floor.
There are a fair few average songs, Black Cloud has it's moments but is largely dispensable and even after all those listens i can't really remember how Sorry Doesn't Help goes. The main gripe really is it's not as ecclectic. The glam feel is great but i can't help but miss the gorgeous strings that were peppered all over ROTT. It's certainly the worst of the last 3 albums, although i'm not sure if thats saying much.
It's a very solid album and is certainly great in it's own right. Am I little disappointed? Yeah a little bit but he set too high a benchmark i think with the last 2. It's not a failure by any means as there's some classic Moz here and is completely deserving of 40-odd minutes of your time. I've played it God knows how many times and i'm not bored yet and with any luck i won't be.
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