Reviews (page 6 of 8)
Nothing that even touches the Smiths on here. And I don’t have even faith in Morrissey to follow him down these rabbit trails.
Morrissey recorded this album at Hook End Manor in Oxfordshire during the summer of 1993, immediately after his longtime producer Mick Ronson died of cancer. He responded to this loss the way Morrissey responds to everything, by making it about Morrissey. The result is an album described by critics as a swansong, a masterpiece, an elegant midlife crisis, and a windowless hallway of nonstop self pity. All of these descriptions are correct simultaneously, which is the particular magic trick Morrissey has been pulling since 1983 and which I find approximately as charming as a persistent car alarm. The album debuted at number one in the UK. Thom Yorke later said it was all over The Bends, which means Radiohead owes Morrissey a debt they will never publicly acknowledge and Morrissey has almost certainly mentioned this in an interview. The lead single became the only Morrissey or Smiths song to crack the American top fifty, which tells you everything about America and also about Morrissey. Hold On To Your Friends, is a song about the importance of not abandoning the people closest to you, written by a man who has spent thirty years being abandoned by or abandoning virtually everyone closest to him. Johnny Marr left. Mike Joyce sued him. His manager quit. His label dropped him. The list of people who have played on a Morrissey album and then given a carefully worded interview about it is long enough to form its own support group, which they would probably enjoy more than working with Morrissey. One critic described the experience of listening to this album as being tossed down a windowless hallway of self pity with a surprisingly good groove underneath it. This is the most accurate sentence written about Morrissey since Johnny Marr handed in his notice. The orchestra is beautiful. It is Morrissey with more instruments. This changes nothing fundamental about the experience of listening to Morrissey, which is the experience of being cornered at a party by someone who is genuinely witty and completely exhausting in equal measure and will not let you leave until the song is over. Morrissey has seventeen albums, a voice like a man sighing in a library, and a songwriting catalogue of documented grievances against people who have since moved on and are doing fine. This is the first I have been subjected to so far for this project, I'm afraid there will be more. 2 out of 5. One star for Now My Heart Is Full, which is genuinely beautiful and almost made me forget who made it. One star for the band, who recorded a number one album at Hook End Manor with a man who titled a song I Am Hated For Loving and apparently did not find this exhausting. The remaining three stars are holding onto their friends somewhere, which is more than can be said for the artist.
Un par de melodías buenas pero la mayoría son zzz 2.7 ya qué no hay ni una canción memorable
There seems to be more than enough Smiths and Morrisey albums on this list and every time one comes up I think it might explain the hype. Still none the wiser after this.
It wasn’t until I’d listened to 300 albums that I actually realized Robert Dimery’s mission with his book *1001 Albums* is to demonstrate the greatness of British musicianship over the ages. There’s hardly any other explanation for why a total of seven albums by Morrissey and The Smiths are included - none of which, however, are better than mediocre. Especially in the ’90s, the British scene had fallen somewhat behind internationally, and “Vauxhall and I” must have sounded really odd back in 1994. Instead of being contemporary, this is… well, what exactly? Weird singer-songwriter stuff that wasn’t cool in any decade I’m familiar with - not really bad, but dead boring. Interestingly, before this project, I didn’t know who Morrissey was, which I’d previously considered a gap in my education. Good to know that’s not the case and that I can continue to skip him in the future.
Softer gently-er Morrissey. A little boring but a few tracks stand out like “the more you ignore me…”
another morrissey album... I listened to more morrissey albums than the smiths. music aint that bad, but can bro please be happy for once? (3.0/5.0) music wise
I listened to this as a teen but my tastes have changed
This was an okay album. It had a relatively old-ish vibe but also somehow relatively new-ish. Leaving it in the background was alright and some might even find it enjoyable for active listening.
Can someone please tell me why Morrissey is still so famous? He doesn't write any songs, he's a monotonous singer and by accounts a complete ahole in real life. I can see some Smiths on this list but solo stuff? Really? To paraphrase Charles Bukowski in Barfly, it's not that I don't like Morrissey, I just that like it better when he's not on the stereo.
At long last, the last Morrissey (solo) album in the collection! (Sadly, still one more Smiths album to go, though.) Not too much to add beyond that factoid and sentiment, honestly, other than this album didn't seem to be all that distinctive or different from the others. Oh, and each Morrissey infliction revises my Cure estimation upward.
Boring...
Ok
It’s a shame Morrissey is such a knob, because it dilutes how much of my hatred is purely from his music output.
1.55
Dimery has limited musical taste
🎧Decent album. Shit human.
Der Engländer Steven Patrick Morrissey, einst Stimme und Kopf der Smiths, veröffentlichte sein viertes Soloalbum im März 1994 über Parlophone – aufgenommen im Sommer 1993 in Hook End Manor, einem herrschaftlichen Landsitz in Oxfordshire, der sich als Aufnahmestudio etabliert hatte. Produzent Steve Lillywhite entwarf einen Klang von ungewohnter Zurückhaltung: akustische Gitarren, gedämpfte Streicher, kaum ein aufgesetzter Effekt. Das Ergebnis klingt, als hätte Morrissey beschlossen, endlich leise zu sprechen. Thematisch kreist das Album um Abschied, Freundschaft und die erschöpfte Würde des Alleinseins. „Now My Heart Is Full" trägt eine fast zärtliche Dankbarkeit in sich, „Hold On to Your Friends" ist ein seltener Aufruf zur Loyalität statt zur Selbstbezogenheit, und „The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get" gelang der größte kommerzielle Einzelerfolg von Morrisseys Solokarriere. Selbst die dunkleren Tracks – etwa „Spring-Heeled Jim" oder „Why Don't You Find Out for Yourself" – wirken weniger theatralisch als auf früheren Alben, was ihnen mehr Gewicht verleiht. Vauxhall and I gilt weithin als Morrisseys stärkstes Solowerk, und dieser Ruf ist verdient. Es ist eines jener seltenen Alben, bei denen die Reduktion kein Mangel ist, sondern die eigentliche Aussage. Wer von Morrisseys späteren Irrwegen enttäuscht wurde, findet hier den Künstler in seiner ruhigsten, konzentriertesten Form – und das ist mehr als genug. Wer hier zum ersten Mal zuhört, wird verstehen, warum eine ganze Generation diesen Mann für unverzichtbar hielt.
Here’s what you need if you listen to Morrissey (I never will again): a stuffy black turtleneck, a vodka martini with a green olive, and a butt plug.
The opening track wad worrying ok and i might even stretch to say enjoyable, albeit could have been shorter. Up to ‘the more you ignore me…’ this is actually quite a good album, but the tracks after that dont really maintain that level and its all a bit meh. Overall its a 2.5/5 but as that’s not possible i think it’s possibly slighter more a 2 than it is a 3
I don’t know who I annoyed in a previous life to have to listen to Morrissey again so soon, but I clearly upset someone. It was alright. Inoffensive, as far as Morrissey is inoffensive (so not very).
There has been too much Morrissey lately... I don't particularly like the timbre of his voice, but I think I have a much bigger issue with the way he delivers lines: how he holds notes and jumps around all over the place. Plus he's an arsehole. I think this is another situation where if someone else was singing the songs, I might really enjoy some of them a lot more. There is some good songwriting here, it's all just not to my taste when sung by Morrissey. 2/5
After awhile, Morissey’s shtick just sounds the same.
Found this album generally dull and forgettable. Maybe you had to be there at the time, but it just doesn't stand out to me as particularly interesting. Not to mention that Morrissey is a raging asshole.
Kind of boring and not really emotionally resonating with me. And to be honest I think it's the worst thing one can say about a Morrissey album.
Um… Morrissey without Marr really is pretty insufferable. And there’s four of these! FOUR. That’s ALOT of Morrissey without Marr. Not sure how I feel about it. I was going 3, but I am feeling salty.
I like individual songs by the smiths but this album felt like too much of the same. Nothing resonated with me.
That was pretty mid.
meh
I NEVER connected with the Smiths or Morrisey and try as I might, it is not clicking now. Like who cares. Why does he sing like that. No rhythm.
2.3 Johnny Marr > Morrisey
Another Morrissey album that did nothing for me .
Not very impressed. Another bland Morrissey album. Let's keep it to the Smiths and that's it.
The thing I struggle with, with Morrisseys solo stuff, is the actual music itself. Morrisseys voice sounds great, just like it always does, and he sings some great lines with the same self pity that could be found in the Smiths stuff, but I find the dynamic between him and the music not good, it falls flat, so that it all feels pointless.
I feel like I have heard this album atleast 5 times before on this list. It is genuinely boring and uninspiring. The old heads that made this list should get their heads out of their asses and listen to anything made after 1990.
This is just more of the smiths, I am not particularly fond of the smiths, and particularly I never really enjoyed the vocals. That having said I can hear the actual songs are pretty good, and perhaps if someone else had sung them I would've enjoyed them more. Though I cannot imagine them ever being my favourite.
Don't care about this man at all
what i expected from a morrissey album it was Fine
i wanted to like this more because i enjoy morrissey’s voice and some of the sound was fun but i think without the nostalgia, his "i am hated for loving / i am haunted for wanting", "used to be a sweet boy" shtick makes me roll my eyes. like, is that sincere? i hope not. as my previous reviews have established i’m not in a big "self-pity" era but if i were this would probably appeal to me more. HATED all the fucking whispering on the track about the drowning girl, felt like an HR report. overall fine but probably not something i would go back to. fav: billy budd
had to search up if this guy was in the smiths and he was
I'm not sure we needed four Morrissey albums (and maybe more to come) on this list. This was probably the one I was able to sit through without being completely annoyed, but overall its the same issues I have with him; overwrought but simple lyrics, these big sweeping musical numbers behind him with the most uninspired monotone vocals.
Yeah I just don’t think I like Morrissey and despite this lists best efforts I don’t see that changing
I might just not be a Morrissey kinda guy
bore off 2/5
With the caveat that I came into this liking the smiths and disliking Morissey, it was difficult to come into this without bias. That being said, the lyrics were torturous, the melodies passable and the vocals draining
A bit forgettable. Not really the classic morrisey vibe.
Not pleased about being made to listen to solo morrissey. He somehow has the worst taste in album artwork ever. Speedway did kind of knock my socks off though so credit for that
More jangle slop Nothing interesting really happened ngl 2
It's alright. I found it a lot better than "You Are the Quarry" Would rather listen to the Smiths than just this guy.
Not a huge fan of Morrissey's voice, delivery or general vibe. Didn't recognize anything off this album and so it just sort of slid past me.
Ugh. Morrissey. Again. If you've heard one Morrissey album, you've heard them all. There's usually a decent song (two if you're lucky) and then back to Morrissey being miserable.
Like Blood and Chocolate from Costello, like it more than the usual Morrissey 2.4
Again, Morrissey. Not quite my jam though better than the Queen is Dead by the Smiths - bit less monotone.
Wanker
Just kind of sad and mopey
You know the type of guy that has no reason to be sad all the time but he's being a downer anyway just for the sake of it? Morrissey strikes me as that type Sad in a bad way
Not worth it.
ok, diferentemente dos outros, esse aqui eu vou tentar avaliar de forma séria é extremamente fraco comparado com os outros trabalhos do morrissey né tem uma pegada de guitarra ao longo desse que conseguiu me lembrar jota quest é bem ruinzinho, mas tem umas que servem só pra evitar que o álbum seja um fracasso completo xD vai tomar no cu morrissey
4/10 - hmm i bit depressing and typical Morrissey whininess
Oh great. Another Morrissey album. 🙄 Just the other day, I was chatting with the creator of this app, thanking them for all the work in keeping it up-and-running. I mentioned how, over 200 days into this, I still look forward to seeing what my album of the day will be, while crossing my fingers that it won't be another Morrissey day. Now this comes up. Coincidence? If not, then well played Alexander. [insert Leo clapping gif] I just can’t see the appeal. In fact, quite the opposite. Morrissey’s voice and general being is so off-putting that I find I can’t get past it all to even enjoy The Smiths. And The Smiths have Johnny Marr’s brilliantly creative guitar work. So, Morrissey’s solo stuff doesn’t stand a chance with me really. But, trying to understand the appeal and be as objective as I possibly can, I gave this a few listens to make sure I wasn’t missing anything. I wasn’t. OK, the opening song “Now My Heart Is Full” has some pretty nice-sounding orchestration, “Spring-Heeled Jim” has interesting guitar textures and “Billy Budd” is lively. But it seems, to my ears at least, that Morrissey is just singing the same vocal melody over every single song. And there’s something about those vocals that clashes with my soul. I just can’t get past it to anything decent that might be lurking underneath. Another Morrissey day done. I’m sure there’s more to come. But maybe give me a bit of a breather for a while Alexander.
bastante flojo, estilo bruce springsteen, como epico de fondo con cantautor por encima, meh en general, 2/5
starts strong but trails off
Fue tan intrascendente que no me acuerdo si me gustó alguna canción.
This is album 105 for me and it’s my third solo Morrissey album. This is starting to feel abusive. This is one of the better Morrissey solo albums, though that isn’t saying much. The thing about The Smiths is that if you wanted to put Morrissey to the side because of the self-loathing xenophobe he turned out to be—a difficult thing to do, granted—The Smiths were a great, musically interesting band. Morrissey’s solo band isn’t, and musically this barely rises above the level of an average bar rock band. Fittingly, this suits the vocals. Morrissey isn’t fully into the stage where he effectively became a parody of himself yet, but nor is there a sense of the sparkling wit that we heard with The Smiths. It’s all very middle of the road. Nothing about this is an essential listen.
Not for me, I get it, wasn't in the mood.
Very annoying sound effects / audio clips that mean I skip about 3 songs due to autistic annoyance
How many of his albums am I supposed to care about? Even his good ones are just ok. He also seems like a bit of an ass.
Damn, I guess I don't hate him as much as I assumed.
Torn on this. There is the same sardonic wit here that is a hallmark of The Smiths sound but it is definitely neutered without Marr’s presence and so becomes a little dry musically as the lyrics can only carry it so much. Turns out (and who would have thought!) that Morrissey is an insufferable cunt and so hard to judge this without that hindsight.
Like always, whether with the Smiths or solo, Morrissey's long-winded crooning is a no go for me. this is just background music to me.
I don't know what to make of this. I really like the lyrics. I really like the music. But the singing just makes it so unbelievably boring and lulls me to sleep. There is no range whatsoever. Every song ends up sounding the exact same regardless it Metallica or Simon and Garfunkel are the backing band. It sounds so manufactured and uninspired in the end. Theres a song called lifeguarding sleeping, girl drowning. Yeah, it was probably because the lifeguard was listening to this album!!
Meh
Mom rock.
Wait. Haven’t we already listened to this album? More of Morrissey feeling sorry for himself. (2.1*s) Four albums from Morrissey is three too many
We get it, Robert Dimery loves Morrissey. Unfortunately that gives him way too much representation on this list and makes us suffer through way too many of his albums. To echo prior reviews, on surface level they aren't the worst, but I certainly don't need 4 Smiths albums and 4 Morrissey albums. Any enjoyment I may have had from his work is completely washed away from having to sit through too many of them. Heard one, heard 'em all so any novelty is gone. Morrissey and The Smiths have carved out a style that works in the right time and place. The melodramatic disjointed vocal style makes them somewhat unique in an alt rock setting. I get that some people identify with his lyrics, but they don't do much for me. I don't actively dislike Morrissey but I'm tired of his albums as a result of this list. After too many albums they all have blended together and unfortunately dragged them all down. 2.06 stars
2 - not horrible, just very lame
geht so
Meh.
2/5 - This is more for the real Morrissey fans. I like a couple tracks, but that's about it.
Well. I'm not writing all that again. This website is really the enemy of changing around tabs like a big fucking tweaker. Rest assured that the review was my most soaring literary work yet. It took the reader from the caverns of despair to the astral plane of total euphoric bliss and back down again to a place where your body was new to you. A rebirth through prose. You'll just have to trust me on this one. I can remember one passage, but without the surrounding context, your proximity to greatness will only vex you. Morrissey, ya big ol' racist, this isn't a very good album. 1.5-2 HIGHLIGHTS: Having the beautiful words whisked from my page like so much dust in the wind.
I understand how someone would like Morrissey, or potentially have him as their favorite singer. But for me, it’s all a bit boring. To be sure, there are a few decent songs on here. I enjoyed Why Don’t You Find Out For Yourself the most. The rest of this kind of floated along, not really affecting me much either way. Underwhelming, if I'm being honest, but not unlistenable.
Having to listen to Morrissey is one of my least favourite things about this challenge. Admittedly I really liked Your Arsenal but I hated …The Quarry. This falls somewhere in between. It was ok, with some good-to-great music but often ruined by Morrissey’s annoying poncy singing and generally being a complete and utter dickhead.
Fine and sweet but dull. If I’m gonna listen to this bastard it might as well be with the full Smiths.
There were a few songs here that caught my attention, but it's a two for the incredibly ugh-lyrics - which were bad enough to spoil the experience of the song. The more you ignore me the closer I get was particularly bleh.
Must say this feels like the weakest Morrissey albumwe've had here. Feels more pretentious than before, and exists just for the sake of it. Felt like they've had some justification for existence before, but not this. Can't articulate that well what I dislike. Maybe it's just gotten one two many of Morrisey's albums. If something is on this list, it should be deserve to be so and bring something new to the table. This doesn't do any of that. Same old Morrisey, with more boring melodies than before, devoid of interesting hooks or lyrical themes.
The album before this was Neil Young, who has way too many albums on this list. On to someone with the same problem. I feel like I’ve said all I have to say about Morrissey in the last umpteen albums he’s had on this list. The gist of it is this: I don’t like it. I’m so tired of Morrissey. Somewhere in the middle, I started wondering if I was having a stroke because I was kind of digging the album. That surprised me. Have all these albums finally brainwashed me into liking him? Luckily, the very pretentious and stupid “Life Guard Sleeping, Girl Drowning” came on and snapped me out of my trance. Strong 2 star.
I've never had any time for The Smiths and Morrisey is such a pompous arse that I'm not holding out much hope for this, but I'm giving it a go anyway. After listening, not entirely as terrible as I was expecting, but chances of a visit are minimal.
It's Morrissey, just not the best Morrissey,
nooooo don't make me listen to morrissey again..... ok this is better on the ears maybe but less interesting like, nothing stands out to me
Nothing really captured my attention, Morrissey's solo albums are just not it I guess. 4/10 Favourite track: N/A
The fullness of this man’s voice is gorgeous. However either he has very little range or the songs have no range. In any case they all sounded extremely similar. And they are nothing special, sadly. Plodding.
I didn't love this one, or even really like it. Not sure why it didn't really gel with me.
i liked i am hated for loving gave will byers other than that all sounds the same to me
Dull
*yawn*
Turns out he is a real jerk and crappy person... Prior to learning I still did not like this album. This all felt a little stalker, serial killer to me. His voice dragged through the album and he was just so whiny but in a full of himself kind of way.
The music and the lyrics are good, but I don't like the singer's voice and this popy melancholy doesn't work for me.
Fairly dull music exhausted by Morrissey’s bored vocal. It’s pretty low effort and uninspiring.
Solidly below average, just like Morrissey without the other members of The Smiths
Didn't love those, bit whiny and dull, felt derivative of Jeff Buckley in some ways
Indulgent and mostly unnecessary.
didn't like it at the time, but it aged well, but morrissey didn't age well.
Ugh
Love the Smiths, love morrissey a little less
minus points for the jd vance-esque stare on the cover art. and also for being morrissey in general. music's alright i guess, albeit whiny
I can appreciate Morrissey for the music he made, but I can't help but find it a little whiny these days.
Not a Morrissey fan- this was an OK listen, I just don't resonate with much here.
I like his voice, but this album is dull. Then, just as a dull song ends, another follows. Finally, after all that, it closes and the dullness turns to beautiful silence.
God, why is there so much Morrissey on this list?? He's fine, I don't need to listen to 4 solo albums and 3 Smiths albums to reach that conclusion, they all sound the same anyway. Just listen to "The Queen is Dead" and you've got the gist of it, no need to belabor the point. There are so many actually good and interesting albums that could have had this spot instead!
Decent album - shame hes a cunt
I think I'm just not his target audience. This style of music -- the indie-pop rock melancholy of the early 90s -- just falls so flat for me.
This isn't really anything special. It gets some special treatment, probably, because it's Morrissey. But the album itself is fairly forgettable and definitely doesn't belong on this list. It's not bad, per se, but it's not really any good either. Favorite Song(s): Now My Heart is Full
Inte lika bra utan Marr tyvärr
sad. just talking. slow.
Didn’t do much for me
Just a bit slow, boring and repetitive. Can’t hold a candle to his work with the Smiths
Et par ok numre imellem og generelt meget Morrissey. Men alligevel lidt skuffende, at der ikke var noget, der mindede om en banger på.
Didn’t know much about Morrissey or The Smiths. I’m happy to not find out anymore.
Was originally going to write “I don’t know who I want to kill more, myself or Morrissey (the answer is always Morrissey),” but this wasn’t as awful as I was anticipating. Still don’t like the man or his music though.
Interesting.
This album wasn’t life changing for me. He sang good, the band was good, the flow was good. But every song sounded similar.
2.5 Uninspiring album, definitely not as good as his work with The Smiths, but I can bear it. The guitars and vocals flow well enough and can be easy and infectious to listen to. But I’m generally not a fan of an album full of this much depressing and pretentious music.
Edgy?? I paused at one point, and came back to it, and thought that I was listening to Radiohead.
Surprisingly more upbeat than his other albums. Still not totally into it. Not bad, just not for me. 2.5/5 Probably won’t listen again
Meh.
I never really got Morrissey when all the alt kids in high school were into it. And I still don't. It's okay. Not anything life-changing.
More melodic than I would've thought but his monotonous tone grates.
Meh... somewhat forgettable. Just didn't do it for me.
Not particularly my jam. I'd have to be in a very specific headspace. But there are a couple of tracks I'd listen to.
I approached this album without much familiarity with Morrissey's work besides a passing familiarity with the sound of the Smiths. Having not had the right combination of melancholy and moderate angst in my teenage years, they never quite clicked with me. But if there's any piece of the Smiths that stands out to me, it is Morrissey's vocals, so I was still ready to give this a shot. On my first listen through this album, most tracks struck me as unremarkable but well-polished, with the lush rhythm guitar standing out to me. About half of the songs wouldn’t draw any eyes as slightly offbeat material for an AOR radio station. With the instrumentation coming across as solid but relatively safe, the focus here is clearly Morrissey's lyrics. Of the album's singles, the standout on this front is Now My Heart Is Full, which opens the album on a touching note about finding belongingness among a group of what I take to be outcasts with fun Dickensian names. Other high points are Lifeguard Sleeping, Girl Drowning and The Lazy Sunbathers, which pair caustic lyrical criticism with Morrissey's most convincing vocals on the record. But some songs missed the mark lyrically. I Am Hated for Loving lacks self-awareness, and points on The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get are overwritten and self-absorbed at best, and moreso come across as creepy. To my ears, though, what started to drag the album down was a disconnect between the lyrical content of the songs and Morrissey's vocal delivery. Speedway serves as the best example of this from the album. It’s supposed to be an angry, defiant song. The lyrics are clearly personal, argumentative. The backing instrumentation is as driving as anything on this record. It even has a chainsaw! And yet, Morrissey’s vocals sound the same as any other song on the album - no bite, no anger, just the same soft, floating delivery. And as I listened through the album again, what ultimately hit me is that Morrissey comes off as a very one dimensional singer. He does very well with ballads, and sometimes these can be beautiful. But he doesn't bring much to anything upbeat or with an emotion other than a moderate depression, and can sometimes detract in those situations. He's the vocal equivalent of a wet blanket, and that's not always what is needed. Ultimately, the lack of emotional range, coupled with the relatively benign instrumentation and production on most of the tracks hinders the album. Gone are the more forward-driving jangle-pop rhythms of the Smiths, which can create a strange dynamic with Morrissey's vocals on some songs, but also helps to balance the emotional palette. Here, the tracks seem to fall into a bit of a rut; many of the songs are melancholy but not outright depressing, a little frustrated but not angry. I imagine it's like walking outside for 15 minutes on a misty, overcast spring day; it's a bit of a bummer, but not very notable. It's just not going to stick with me at all, unfortunately, and even the better songs on the album aren't enough to keep me coming back.
I didn't think that much of "Your Arsenal" but I did think it was worth three stars. That in itself surprised me because I've always found Morrisey's solo efforts to be as dull as dishwater. This album didn't offer any surprise at all, and I was pretty happy when the final track played out, just so I could go and listen to more interesting music.
I find the vocals whiny and depressing.
troncho
It’s weird, I don’t know if my expectations were too high or what but I was pretty disappointed by this album. It wasn’t bad, I mean as much I hate Morrissey, the dude has an incredible voice. I just wasn’t really blown away. I thought the album was overall a little underwhelming. The production isn’t bad I just found everything to be bland, like there wasn’t anything quirky, or silly. Like say what you want about the “80s sound” of The Smiths, I just prefer that sound coupled with Morrissey’s voice.
I got this album yesterday but I was really tired and could not bring myself to listen to that insufferable prick. Today I got to song 8. Bonus star for not being Kid Rock.
I’ve heard worse. That’s the only thing saving this from 1 star.
What are these lyrics about Morrissy??!!
Listenable, nothing special, the track where someone is talking over it is really annoying.
I was aware of Morrissey but never actually listened to his music. This feels pretty forgettable.
Not into it 4/10
Too miserable, get over it bro. Some decent ideas here and there. Not really my thing but not terrible
Neither timeless or memorable. I'm struggling to relate to those who claim this is an essential album. For me this is nice background music that passes through without any impact whatsoever.
-lowkey stop making me listen to every single one of Morrissey’s solo albums i think i get the picture now -pretty middle of the road by his standards, every song kinda sounded the same for the most part. -it wasn’t all bad but it was simply not interesting enough to warrant even 3 stars idc -Favorites: Now My Heart Is Full, I Am Hated for Loving
Listened to the whole album and barley noticed it. I do like his voice but this was a nothing album to me
Rating: 2.1 This is going to be the least controversial thing I’ve ever said on here: man he is a pussy.
He needs Johnny Marr. And to not be racist.
Hørte det en enkelt gang. Starten var fin men synes egentlig bare at kvaliteten af sangene faldt. Hvilket er irriterende fordi der var sjove og dejlige lyde brugt igennem albummet. 4/10
probably the best morrissey i've ever been subjected to but i still won't listen to this ever again LMAO
Disliked a bunch, and I wonder.. I think this is the only Morrissey solo album I didn't listen to when it came out. I think Nostalgia has a lot to do with my like of Morrissey
90s bands always sound so same-y and derivative of previous decades.
I have a soft spot for the smiths and some of Morrissey's stuff, but I really didn't like this. It's just so whiny. Plus I now have to look at his stupid face whenever I open my Spotify.
Rock, 1994 -> 2
I have to say the I much prefer the Morrissey albums from the 2000s. Added them more you ignore me to playlist.
One of life’s mysteries is why does he sound like that?
It was ok. Nothing too memorable. Can we all agree that one Morrissey album on the 1001 list is plenty???
Jeg har i utgangspunktet ikke noe imot Morrisey og the Smiths, men dette syntes jeg var slapt. I motsetning til andre her likte jeg Morrisey bedre enn bandet. Beste låta er nok "I m hated for loving"
Why on Earth is there so much Morrissey on this list? It's just not that great. It's mediocre at best and this album is no different.
Fortsatt ikkje knekt Morrissey-koden
Meandering.
Liked maybe one song
Soy fan de los Smiths y en parte de Morrissey por continuar en cierta forma con lo que hacía en el grupo. Este disco me parece de los más aburridos que tiene y del que solo salvaría "The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get". Para alguien que no le guste tiene que ser un suplicio encontrarse este tipo de discos en la lista.
Boring
The perfect album for the guy whose super hot girlfriend just broke up with him after realizing he is a pathetic, whiny, insecure, bitch and he wants to spend the rest of his life being a total fucking bummer everywhere he goes. I think this album was the birth of Emo.
Eh. His eyebrows are unsettling 2.6/5
I feel like I've already said as much as there is to say on Morrissey's music in the other reviews I've done for him/The Smiths. This one is again just too much bland and melancholy for me to say I really enjoyed it, even if it's not bad. I'd probably appreciate him more in a non-album listen since it wouldn't grate as much in a shorter session. Maybe it's because I've heard a few already, but I liked this less than the other albums I've had of his. Hard to say how I would've felt had I heard this one first. Apparently there are still quite a few to go, so we'll see how I feel about those. Overall: 2.3/5
I've never actually listened to the Smiths before either. If they're anything like the lead singer solo here, I made a good choice. What a whiny boring album. My Spotify stopped at the third-to-last song, and I am okay with that. I don't need more of this whispery shit.
Great, more Smiths. This list is like 1001 Smiths and Bowie albums to listen to before you die, plus a few bonus albums from other non-Smiths and non Bowies. 2/5
Lead singer of The Smiths Not the best
Sorry. I don't get Morrissey. ★★
Props to Morrissey for turning one song into so many different albums
Har aldrig lyssnat på Morrissey. Väl hört nåt så och då. Men/och det låter precis som jag befarar. Det är extremt generiskt. Som långsamt dansband. Det är musikaliskt slätt. Trummor och gitarr tuggar på grått. Sången ovanpå är sen en berättelse utan att avvika särskilt mycket från resten. Lifguard-låten är bäst, där händer något lite annat. Men nej, jag hade nog lika tråkigt jag anade att jag skulle ha.
Thankfully I know nothing about this guy's politics, but the music was still right down the middle. Moments it was good, moments I wanted to slap him, and moments where I don't know if I was even listening anymore.
Some good tracks.
Setting aside Morrissey as a person, his music is fine, and nothing more. I can't protest about including one of his solo albums on this list, but it just isn't nearly as good as anything by The Smiths.
Morrissey again. For 20 seconds it was ok but then…how can he always be so bloody miserable, though to be fair he’s seemed to have mellowed since the smiths, never going to be a fan, lots are. I listened to it all - 2 Star
get this fucker off my screen omgg. actually the most overrated artist of all time
414/1001
El tipico señor que le mola a tu madre fisicamente (en plan chayanne o george clooney) cantando canciones de series de los 2000 como embrujadas o smallville, en ese sentido me he sentido una joven adolescente empezando a descubrir los libros de fantasia oscura, de brujas, vampiros, hombres lobo, criaturas angelicales y demoniacas. Me da mala vibra el tio, me recuerda al protagonista de You.
This was quite a long 39 minutes; felt like I was listening to the same song on repeat
Listened Before? N Meh. Morrisey. Don't care. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: None
I experience Mossissey as less as a god, more as a master of Misery. His wales defy me. Sometimes, I can bop along to a catchy hit. But if I listen too much of him, a familiar teenage despondency rises like a nauseating bile pond. By track 3 on this album I had to shut it down. Never waste listening time. Off!
Vauxhall and I is often considered one of Morrissey’s most cohesive and mature solo works, marking a shift from the more glam-influenced sound of his earlier albums toward something more subdued and introspective. The production, handled by Steve Lillywhite, is notably restrained, with rich but understated arrangements that put Morrissey's voice front and center. It creates a moody, melancholic atmosphere that suits his lyrical themes, but also makes the album feel quite static in places. Lyrically, Morrissey is reflective, drawing on themes of aging, disillusionment, and identity. “Now My Heart Is Full” opens the album with a sense of weary grandeur, while tracks like “Hold On to Your Friends” and “Used to Be a Sweet Boy” explore personal loss and faded connections. The tone remains fairly uniform throughout, and while that lends the album a sense of unity, it also contributes to its occasional sluggishness. There are moments of wit and poignancy, but the musical palette feels limited, with few dynamic shifts or standout instrumental ideas. While Vauxhall and I is often praised for its lyrical depth and emotional honesty, its subtlety may come across as dull to listeners expecting the melodic flair or sharper contrasts of The Smiths or Morrissey's earlier solo output.
Sad boy whined.
He was great with the Smiths but I can't hang with solo Morrissey. Waay too whiny.
Moments of glory don’t make up for a lack of new ideas, sonically or lyrically.
not this mfer
I was impressed initially. I've never quite been a big advocate for The Smiths besides the hits. Morrissey is also not the best human being, so the idea of me forcing myself to sit through a full project of his was a challenge. But there's good material here that I'm glad to at least know exists. There's that but then the rest of the album keeps going and I go back into that "Why am I listening to this, I would never listen to this" mode. What's the point sometimes? I liked the weird gnome elf psych record from Wednesday more than this but fine singles nonetheless (5/10, 2/5 on this scale)
Beter dan verwacht, maar als nog wel edgy
Boring album!! The only standout song was “The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get”. Everything else was just background music.
like a worse smiths album
I recognize it, but it was standard 90s radio fare.
Got tired oh him quite soon.
Meh. Strong production value, the music has good sound. Some of the lyrics are decent but I’m not a fan of the lead singer’s voice.
Eurgh, I so wanted to hate this but I couldn't quite do it. Close though 😏
J’ai un feeling U2… j’haïs U2
Hey c'est le dude de the smiths! J'avais pas catché avant d'entendre sa voix sur la première piste. En voyant la pochette j'avais des préjugés Chris de Burgh meets Rufus Wainwright. Ça sonne the smiths
More droning
It's really funny how Morrissey's music is only interesting in the smiths.
annoying voice decent songwriting
Depressing - only listened to one or two songs as I wasnt in the mood but may come back to it
Ugh Slightly better than his other album I listened to - I'll give him that Can't stand his voice to be honest. And the whiny ass lyrics. No thanks 2 ⭐️
i was in danger of liking this too much, but then the second half was a snorefest/bad so it took down the rating a bit 2/5
Idk if it was the mixing or production or something else, but this sounded like someone doing karaoke in a bar rather than a studio-recorded album.
Morrissey has a style of singing that kind of makes all of his songs sound the same. This was OK. I didn't dislike it but I didn't especially like it either. 2.5/5
Morrisey - Smiths = Sykurlaust kók
Was a Smiths fan when they hit the scene. Could occasionally listen to them today if the mood struck. Morrissey’s music seems to be a bit bitchy, and this album whines on. Not for me.
Oh good, another Smiths/Morrissey project. I like this one no more than I liked any of the others.
Looks at this smarmy twat. Get over yourself.
Nudne jak flaki z olejem
Mid af
Johnny Marr >>> 2.4
2/5
Not for me.
Keywords Smiths, Solo, Lyrics, Hate, Fine, Boring, Guitar, Decent, Morrisey, Sleeping, Interesting, Johnny Marr, Racist, Guy, Shit, Sad, Singing, British, Meh, Artist, Viva, Prick, Stand, Single
Really slow. Fine but no draw card for me.
More morrissey? I just had one of his albums. I don't hate him as much as I thought I did. It's passable background music. 2.5 rounding... I can't decide.... down
For most of this I was bored, just a man who feels sorry for himself is the vibe I got but honestly didn’t really listen to the lyrics that deeply.
This dude sounds like a pretentious twit. The music is tolerable but the vocals are like the kid in high school show choir who was trying way to hard to get the solo.
Oh, how quaint. Another album where Morrissey is having a self-indulgent moan.
Not a fan
The Good: We are going on a road trip, in a Vauxhall! The Bad: I am more of an Opel kind of guy… The Ugly: the flat tire we got 3 minutes in… Somewhere there is a parallel universe in which I appreciate Morrissey, just haven’t found that universe. So, I need to be grateful that this is the 4th album that includes his vocal shenanigans for me to not enjoy… 2* because I am gangster like that...
This album isn’t as bad as his modern, racist politics but it’s not much better. A few good songs mired in a lot of twee singing.
It wasn’t bad, but I tuned out pretty fast.
Wasn't bad, liked most of it with my fave being Hold On To Your Friends. Just not the same without the Smiths tho
This was not great. I already am a Smiths Hate and Morissey on his own is just bad. They all sounded the same except some were slower tempo than others 😭😭 Fave Songs: - I Am Hated For Loving (he was so close to self realisation)
So i thought i was finished with The Smiths and Morrissey. I was wrong.
Lame soft
After such great bums they had to remind us how bad British 80s music was
Really don’t think we need any more (issey) of Morrissey
Jesus. We done with this asshat yet? Annnnnnnywaaaaay……I liked it alright. Here’s your 2.
zzzzzzzzzzz... Si j'avais besoin d'entendre ça avant de mourir, j'ose pas imaginer ce que j'ai pas besoin d'entendre. Instrumentation boring au pas possible. Prod stérile. Quelques tounes correctes qui baignent dans des guitares qui évoquent un pichet de Quick aux fraises.
This one was fine, even had a nice nostalgic vibe at times, but there was nothing musically, lyrically, or vocally that really stood out.
It is evident that the magic from The Smiths came from the collaboration between Morrissey, Marr, and the rest of the boys. This is a dull album.
It's fine, typical Morrissey fare.
I quite like the smiths but for some reason that fondness doesn’t translate to morrissey.
Next. Couldn’t do it.
morrissey ei parastaan vuoda tässä..
feels a bit emotional and sometimes a bit resentful. flows nicely but has that 90s london sound & feel. the more you ignore the closer i get & hold on to your friends are the best ones on the album
Morrissey is right on the pulse here, of something long dead. A couple of pretty decent songs, but mostly his least interesting melodies and his least playful or introspective lyrics. Poor attempt.
The trouble with Morrissey being such a total bell-end these days is that it's hard to be objective. Ok in parts but I'm glad the Smiths didn't keep going because this sort of stuff doesn't stand up well.
I'm just not that into Morrissey.
I'm not sure we need 3 Morrissey albums on the 1001 list. I didn't hate it, but it didn't entice me much either. 2.5
It's fine, Morrissey sounds pretty good but the album itself doesn't feel all that special. Interesting that I got the Smiths and then Morrissey straight after. Whilst the Smiths album doesn't lose a star for containing Morrissey, his solo album will.
I think I just didn't care for Morrissey's voice.
jahas mitäs tänään.. käyppäs salilla, opiskelemaan jooh, muista viedä roskat joojoo... maxa laskut prkl seki oli.. jahas ja kuuntele morrissey albumi voi perkele.. voi perkele kun pitää käydä asioilla.. joojoo ymmärretään herra on niin saatanan idietä indietä ollaan niin poristellaan sitä indiesoopaa joka saatanan reiästä. jojoo vittu olette englannin kansalaisia big up vittu big up nandos. haistappa kukkanen. arvaa mitä sanon sinulle: haistappa kukkaken!!!!!! samaa paskaa jauhaa kokoajan. nielaseppa ja ota jotain eri soorttia suuhun että voi jauhaa vähän eri paskaa eri pala paskaa vois hampaissa sahata kiitos. spring heeled-jim
I don't get the appeal
I don’t care for Morrissey. Or his music. Are we done yet?
Can we be done with Morrissey please. His vocals just suck.
He did the same thing as he did with The Smiths. So nothing that special.
Maybe 2.5? No notable tracks, kinda bland sounding, although I did enjoy listening to it. I read a lot of the reviews, some of the ones that aren't attacking his character just say that the music is bland and depressive, point is that he can't function without the rest of The Smiths. idk, don't care for this album at all, although it's probably better than some other albums I've given a 3. Am I going to go adjust everything down because it feels like everything approaches 3 as x limits to infinity? idk
It doesn't sound bad, but it's quite "basic," so to speak. I didn't really pay attention to the lyrics, but from a glance they didn't seem all that special. I would never listen to this, but I don't have any quarrel with it. 2?? Check global reviews btw, people HATE this guy
Not as good as The Smiths but a couple good tracks
I knew a lot more about Morrissey's politics and all of the reasons people normally dislike him than I did about his actual music. I am a little different, I allow people to have their own beliefs without me judging them too harshly without knowing their grounds for believing the things they do. I am also different because I don't believe musicians, movies stars, billionaires, or any other type of famous person has any better understanding of societal issues than I do. In fact, I think they are usually so far removed from normal society that they are completely clueless as to what is appropriate and normal. Therefore I treat them more like a naïve child instead of some potential danger that might influence people or hold opinions opposed to mine. So a lot of the reviews I have read about Morrissey talk about how great his music is and how terrible his opinions are. Well in my opinion, these people's opinions are just as bad as Morrissey's, because his music sucks too.
I didn't enjoy this one nearly as much as I enjoyed his You Are the Quarry from 10 years later.
It's official: I don't like Morrissey
Too soft for my taste
The more I listen to Morrissey's solo albums, the more I realize Johnny Marr was the true talent of The Smiths.
I don't like him as a human -- horrible political beliefs, obnoxious personality -- and his solo material just isn't even remotely as good as the early Smiths records. I'll reserve one star for albums that have no redeeming qualities, this is listenable.
I don't know what people like so much about this guy. His shit is so whiney. Very british. Meh.
Forgot it was on
just kinda bland
Decent Morrissey, but doesn't come close to Smiths level. 2/5
2.5
First song that really stands out so far is I am Hated for Loving. Really pretty song that reminds me in some ways of Japanese Breakfast instrumentally -- it is both beautiful and sad sounding at the same time. Otherwise, this one kind of washed over me without evoking much feeling. I'm not a big Morrissey fan to begin with, but this really wasn't anything special to me. 2 / 5.
Boring shit. This dude is creepy. I'm sure in 1994 he was a hotty. 2 stars
Never been a big Morrissey fan and this didn't change it. The worst 80's sound with his dumb voice. Some instrumentals were alright I suppose.
So bland. Don't really get the appeal here. The low breathy vocals in "Lifeguard Sleeping, Girl Drowning" is so bad. Standout was "Billy Budd".
Morrissey leek zich met dit album steeds meer los te rukken van The Smiths. Waar eerdere albums nog wel de jangle rock punch en post-punk energie omarmden waar de band om bekend stond, is dit werk steeds meer gericht op dromerige, introvertere, of akoestischere muziek. Op een fase na in het middenstuk kwam ik er nooit echt goed in. Waar muziek vanuit het Smiths-universum altijd wel beweegt, kan ik hier niet meer van maken dan aangename achtergrondmuziek. De opener en vooral de afsluiter - die uit de toon valt met zijn opgeladen sfeer, spanning die je op de rest van de plaat zelden hoort - zijn de enige twee nummers die echt meekunnen met het niveau van het reeds beoordeelde album van Morrissey, ''Viva Hate''. 6/10 Highlights: Now My Heart Is Full I Am Hated for Loving Speedway
Morrissey heeft een unieke stem en heeft ook na the Smiths sterk solowerk afgeleverd. Op Vauxhall and I geen echte sterke nummers (zoals Suedehead of First of the Gang to Die). Ben tijdens de luistersessie ook echt volledig afgedwaald. 6/10 Highlights Now My Heart is Full
J'ai découvert The Smiths grâce à la liste, je découvre maintenant un album solo de leur chanteur. Quelques morceaux intéressants : Billy Budd+ un peu plus dynamique I Am Hated for Loving, harmonie un peu originale et fin instrumentale. Mais les autres sont plus standards et peu originaux. =>2/5
Never been a big fan. Didn't grab me.
I Used to Be a Sweet Boy until I heard this album. Don’t listen to this on the Speedway…
Eugh. Definitely putting this one off. I’m gonna be honest this genre of sad shit just does nothing for me. The biggest hurdle to the smiths is already Morrissey’s whining, but it’s saved by stellar instrumentals. This though…nothing can save this. I already know it’s gonna be filled with lyrics about being sad, and kinda being a jerk but because life is hard! WAH. Fuck. I don’t know, 2 stars it’s boring, it’s probably replacing a way better album from Japan or somewhere. Shut up
No strong feelings
I gave it a chance. It just felt mediocre at best. Wouldn't listen again but I can appreciate its composition.
Not sure why I needed to listen to a random Morrissey album before I died. There are actually a couple of pretty strong songs on here, but most of it is just him warbling away trying to recapture his Smiths cool. Not really my cup of tea, though.
With his other albums on the list I’ve been able to enjoy them despite him being a prick. This one is just boring AND he’s a prick.
The best Morrissey I’ve ever heard.
i really don't like this man, or his music.
Ffs...... Why does this tool have like 5 records on this goddamn generator. Oddly enough, the first four songs on this album were quite upbeat, but then he has descended into his depressive moaning again for the rest of the album. God what an irritating twat. Favourite songs: Now My Heart is Full, Billy Budd, Spring-Heeled Jim Least favourite songs: "Lifeguard Sleeping, Girl Drowning" 2/5
I love when artists release solo work that helps us realise that they actually not so interesting without the right people around them, whatever they think of themselves. Morrissey minus Marr? Meh. Oh, and last time I checked he was still a racist prick.
I don't really get the appeal of Morrissey. I feel like I've seen him pop up as an influence for various artists that I like, but his music doesn't do it for me personally. 2.1
Dull
This album is propped up by a single good tune.
Reißt mich nicht vom Hocker
Hold Onto Your Friends The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get I Am Hated For Loving
I didn't hate it
As Morrissey albums go this wasn't that bad. The two previous ones I listened to on this list were insufferable. It's not something I would go out of my way to listen to.
Previously rated: Your Arsenal (3/5) ********************* This is more what I expected from Morrissey. Nothing memorable except some of the lyrics, but I his voice is a turn-off.
Good singer. Didn’t get the airplay here in the US to make him a star. Shame.
Meh. I don't like Morrissey's whining and whining.
Average album, or slightly less than. A little bleaker than yesterday’s album, “Your Arsenal”, which I think I enjoyed a little more because it seemed to have a little more pep. Once again, give me The Smiths over his solo stuff thus far. 2.5/5
Two days in a row of Morrissey might be too much for anyone. Interesting production on this one due to Steve Lillywhite known for his work with U2, Simple Minds, The Pogues, etc. That plus the lead single “The More You Ignore Me…” are still not enough to move it up the rating scale. Just another sad moody experience with not much stand outs.
This one from Morrissey? Not so much. After being surprised at how much I enjoyed the first one we got from him, this reminded me why I was surprised. Pretty boring.
Bumped this down to a 2 for his voice during lifeguard sleeping.
1. heart - 1.5 2. zpring - 1 3. billy - 1 4. friendz - 1.5 5. ignore me - 1 6. yourzelf - 1.5 7. loving - 1.5 8. drouuning - 1 9. boy - 1 10. lazy - 1.5 11. zpeeduuay - 1.5
There is far too much Morrissey on the list we didn’t need this one too.
It brings me deep deep shame to say that I found this album overall listenable, with a couple of songs I genuinely enjoyed. It does still mostly sound like Morrisey though.
Honestly went into this record expecting to just hate it. I don't care about the Smith's... The last Morrissey record I had was God awful. This one? Actually wasn't terrible. It was mediocre at best. But that's a lot coming from a hater. Kind of boring in parts. Still dislike his voice/lyrics. But the music held the album together.
# 229 : SNORE!