Years Of Refusal is a classic

[Emotional Guide Dog]

It's Not Your Birthday Anymore had slight potential, but fizzled out fast with lame lyrics and out of place chorus and vocal melodies.

I didn't really agree with the above post but that's a good point regarding It's Not Your Birthday Anymore. Why does he have to howl the second chorus instead of singing some words? Without the howling I think it could've been a hit, one that may have even got played on daytime local radio. Alas, there was Skull which is a fine song but about as likely to be played on the radio as a medley of songs from Scott Walker's' The Drift'.

To answer the question, I think YOR is a very solid collection of songs. As much as I hate to admit it, the reason I have all of Morrissey's albums & bought them so freely is that he's just so damned consistently 'good' as opposed to occasionally 'outstanding'.

 

[dizzywhore_1804]

My opinions are mixed - on first listen I was crushingly disappointed but I've grown to accept the album now. The songs are all 'good' but there is really nothing amazing on there.

I've qualified it in my own head as Morrissey's touring album, full of punchy fun songs but nothing that's really meant to be classic. I kinda want him to take a few years off and then come back with something else personal and important - enough of the vague Morrissey-by-numbers mediocrity.

I acutally quite like almost all of the songs on there (except for THPGU and 'Sorry Doesnt Help') but they're, to me, kind of Own-Brand Morrissey. All the ingredients are the same, but it doesn't taste quite how it should.

 

[Vauxhall95]

is there really the need for such histrionics? we're all allowed to criticise Morrissey's work round here and we all do, frequently.
That's How People Grow Up is an appalling song - one of his worst ever, and most of us agree. there was also tons of criticism for the choice of 'Squeezing My Skull' as a single.
But Years of Refusal did pretty well critically http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/morrissey/yearsofrefusal
gathering considerably more acclaim than ROTT and Quarry.
most of us probably agree that Morrissey's lyrical skills have been on the wane in the last 10 years. the humour and insight has indeed diminished in recent years.
but the idea that ROTT was full of profound observation and wit is absolute nonsense. lyrically, it was his clumsiest, dreariest album to date. Father Must Be Killed, On Streets I Ran, Kegs Between Legs, Entered Me With A Key; these songs are just dreadful, lyrically (and the music ain't much better in the first two).
the reality is that most of the recent Moz stuff hasn't been that great - but there are still a few really good songs, if you're happy to search for them (e.g. on the b-sides of singles).
but claiming that ROTT is a work of genius and YOR is an all-time low is nonsense.
they're both kind of ok-ish, and criticism of either is fine.

I have to disagree with you on ROTT. The only train wreck of a song was "The Father Who Must Be Killed" which musically I rather enjoy, lyrically it was clumsy, childish, and rather ghoulish really. The remaining songs all deliver the (until then) usual Morrissey wit and humor. "On the Streets" had the very funny line about Pittsburgh, PA, "Dear God Please Help Me" is a wonderful song considering the source: for Morrissey to out himself and admit to longings of the flesh was a revelation in its own right, that he ups the lyrical ante to describing his genitalia as "explosive kegs" was typical Morrissey. His penchant for the overly theatrical is what made so many of his songs so amusing. Lest we forget: "Far off Places," "In the Future," "Life is a Pigsty," and of course "Youngest" which he fleshes out the plight of the youngest child who grows up to be a killer with a childrens' chorus in the background: awesome! "At Last I Am Born" demands historians to take note Morrissey is a full participant in the flesh rampage while he name drops more than a Noel Coward play. No, ROTT is lyrically rich.

For me, the Morrissey train went off the tracks with "That's How People Grow Up." Since, he has had a few bright spots: "My Dearest Love," "Children in Pieces," "Squeezing my Skull," "You Were Good in Your Time" but all the tracks suffer from some flaw that prevents them from being solid Morrissey songs (perhaps Skull is the exception).

I appreciate your take. When you write, "most of us probably agree that Morrissey's lyrical skills have been on the wane in the last 10 years. the humour and insight has indeed diminished in recent years." I don't think the problem goes back ten years. I'd argue it has been the time Morrissey has been with Decca. I'd also argue that the decline has been rapid and precipitous. Thus my "histrionics." I desperately want the old Morrissey back and I cannot for the life of me see how pointing out that YOR is lyrically Morrissey-lite is not being a "true fan." I've admitted umpteen times that YOR is a good pop record, but I don't listen to Morrissey because he is a pop artist. He has always been so much more to me, thus this departure to the average saddens me deeply. The marketing ploys of the past year haven't helped much either.

As for "Swords," I just don't get "Swords" and why more fans wouldn't want something more substantial? It's not going to sell well - that's just common sense and not meant to be mean spirited. If "Greatest Hits" couldn't move many units among the "casual" Morrissey fan why does Decca think "Swords" will? Yes, Morrissey b-sides are awesome but to the average music fan b-sides are cuts not good enough for the album. "Swords" could have been a near retirement cleaning out of the vaults. Even studio versions of "Redondo Beach" and "I'm Playing Easy to Get" would have been welcomed. But to simply reissue everything most of us have already bought (IMO) just seems to take his fans for granted: "Oh, they'll buy whatever I release." A sickening reality from an artist who once sang with disdain for these "re-issue, re-packages."

Lastly, why do supporters of YOR point to the fact that it was reviewed well? If anything it just proves the point his lyrics have teetered to the average: Morrissey has finally released an album that these morons could wrap their minds around. If these are the same people who trashed Morrissey's previous work, why pay their opinion any credence whatsoever?

Finally, I want to apologize for the offensive comments I made when I referred to fans purchasing "Swords" as tools. Not cool. It crossed the line and I do regret it.

 

[spinelessswine]

Were this not the internet I would totally buy you a beer right about now.

A cracking post that was a pleasure to read.

 

[MyDoppelganger]

At first I wasn't overly fond of YoR. I really liked several tracks and others I dismissed almost immediately. However, I've grown to like the album quite a lot. I just listened to it twice again, and I find that it's getting better and better with each listen.
Morrissey's vocals are pretty damn amazing in YoR.
Also, some of the bass lines make me want to scream, they're so fat and powerful.

 

[jwizjam]

YOR is a very strong album. It rocks! Morrissey's vocals are as good as ever if not better. Musically, however, I don't think it has quite the range of YATQ. Don't get me wrong, I love the album. It has more balls than YATQ, but I do prefer YATQ. My favorite track on YOR is You Were Good In Your Time. I think the words are just beautiful and I really like the way it is done. The way it ends so abruptly like a final breath. Brillant work!

 

[Deleted member 6503]

Didn't think this deserved a brand new thread as such, but was in my local Tesco's last night, and guess what they had in their bargain CD section for £3..?

Yep, a pile of brand new copies of 'Refusal'. Ok, so many of us will have it already, and paid £8 or so for it (yours truly from iTunes), but ideal for any of you who do not yet have a copy...