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MORRISSEY - YOU ARE THE QUARRY
'You Are The Quarry' is considered by many to be up there with Mozza's best work, and it's a fair call. First up is 'America Is Not The World' - a beautifully melodic, but barbed and perceptive attack on the US, while 'Irish Blood, English Heart' is a powerful attack on England being stuck in the mire, and people supporting those not worthy of it. It's also a cry for an England to be proud of. What follows is the mysterious, ambivalent, gentle 'I Have Forgiven Jesus', asking the questions we all ask about Jesus, God, and religion. Morrissey's vulnerable vocals, a chugging groove, and inspired chord changes make this the stand-out track on the album. 'Come Back To Camden' is one of the weaker songs on 'You Are The Quarry'. Lyrically it's vivid, but musically it drags. 'I'm Not Sorry' is dreamy, and has the "the woman of my dreams/she never came along" lines, which no doubt made tabloid journos eyes light up. 'The World Is Full Of Crashing Bores' sees Morrissey at his most vitriolic, while guitar traces of 'Here Comes The Sun' are deceptive on the self-deprecating 'How Can Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel?' The most famous song on the album is the catchy 'First Of The Gang To Die', which, lyrically, is like a 'West Side Story' tale for the early 21st Century. 'Let Me Kiss You' is another dreamy track, with some magical musical touches. The witty 'All The Lazy Dykes' is a beautiful song, and sees Mozza and band in top form. The quirky 'I Like You' is the penultimate track, and 'You Know I Couldn't Last' closes things. Some interesting mood changes here, as well as Morrissey's cynical take on the music industry - and maybe some poison darts aimed at some of his personal acquaintances... There's no doubt that 'You Are The Quarry' keeps Morrissey at the forefront of English singer/songwriters. Very few artists retain the sort of freshness past 40, Morrissey displays here. Paul Rance/booksmusicfilmstv.com. |
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