Sad to say that I agree. It's a weak album and the set list at Sunday's gig in Dublin was awful -when you consider we are talking about a songwriting genius with a truck full of brilliant songs.
Of the 17 songs played on Sunday, we got seven from ROTT. Unlike on the Quarry tour(when the new material was as strong or stronger than the older stuff), these songs are very average by Morrissey standards.
I feel he probably knows it as well. I mean he 'falls back' on getting the crowd going by opening with a single from the last album (First of the Gang) and closing with another single from that album (Irish Blood).
In between we get so-so cover (floorboards) and a weaker song from the Quarry sessions (My life is a succession). I also would have preferred to see 'How soon is now' dropped. We had it on the last tour. Morrissey doesn't need 'crowd-pleasers'. The folks who go to his gigs have most if not all of his back catalogue. If he's going to play a Smiths song, then why not pick something many in the audience will not have heard him play live before? Maybe a great ballad like 'Asleep' (lights low, just Morrissey and piano) or the under-rated 'Death of a Disco Dancer'.
The only songs from the Dublin show that are 'great' Morrissey songs are:
First of the Gang
Still Ill
Reader Meets Author
Girlfriend in a Coma
Let Me Kiss you
Trouble loves me
How soon is now
That's seven out of 17. I know, I know, people will say the new stuff sounds great 'live' - that's just cause it's loud and it's exciting to share the same oxygen as our hero.
Oh well, I suppose there's always Vicar Street to look forward to in 2018 when he is nearly sixty and is doing an 'intimate' acoustic night....
Ross
Tuesday Suffocation....
