the music on YOR is generally stronger than the last two studio albums. there's nothing as melodically feeble as Father Must Be Killed, How Can Anybody Possibly Know, At Last I am Born or See You in Far Off Places.
thankfully the lyrics aren't quite as cringey as many of those on Quarry/ROTT either; thank heavens Moz has returned to the unrequited love theme (e.g. Paris, Black Cloud) and is steering clear of the embarrassing bluntness of kegs between legs, it makes me puke, being entered with a key, 15 miles of shit etc.
however, there's still way too much anger, clumsiness and humourlessness in the lyrics for my liking (e.g. Mama, That's How People Grow Up, One day goodbye).
I would say though that there are three brilliant songs in the 2009 batch; to wit, Shame is the Name, Not your Birthday, and When I Last Spoke to Carol.
there was only genuinely great song on both Quarry and ROTT but the Quarry singles had several fantastic b-sides so, for me, 2004 was a slightly better Moz year than 2009...