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 As I've discussed before, I'm a fan of the artist Morrissey from back when he was still the lead vocalist for The Smiths. Although I don't always agree with his politics or his take on life, I do very much appreciate his vocal performances and his songwriting skill. Few artists are able to convincingly discuss the subjects he does with a touch that is poetic in nature.
"Ringleader of the Tormentors" is Morrissey's newest album, scheduled to be released on April 4th. Because I pre-purchased it through Amazon.com (click here to buy your copy), I was given the ability to listen to the entire album in advance through the Amazon Digital Locker service. This album seems a little bit of a departure for Morrissey in that there are orchestral bits, backing vocals, and some different instruments in the background that I don't think I've heard in his recordings before. It "updates" his sound a little, while still keeping that sound very clearly "Morrissey".
I Will See You In Far Off Places: This also sounds more like a "typical" Morrissey song, though it includes some instrumentals that give it a more Middle-Eastern feel. One of the more memorable parts is this one: "If your god bestows protection upon you and if the USA doesn't bomb you, I believe I will see you somewhere safe, looking to the camera, messing around, and pulling faces." I assume this is a less-than-subtle attack on the Bush Administration's war in Iraq. Dear God Please Help Me: The opening of this song is a very soft synthesizer piece, very minimally done, and Morrissey singing with what sounds like an echo. This song is perhaps best summed up in the line "Now I'm spreading your legs with mine in between. Dear God if I could, I would help you. And now I am walking through Rome and there is no room to move but the heart feels free, the heart feels free..."
You Have Killed Me: If you've heard a Morrissey song on the air recently, this is probably it. I heard it on the radio the other day, and it's what sparked me to buy the album from Amazon.com. It's a very "Morrissey" song, though it does have a sort of "updated" feel to it. "As I live and breathe, you have killed me, you have killed me. Yes I walk around, somehow, but you have killed me." The Youngest Was the Most Loved: This starts off with what sounds like traffic sounds. These lyrics give you a pretty good feel for the song's theme: "There is no such thing in life as normal...The youngest was the most loved, the youngest was the cherub, a small boy from a poor house, he turned into a killer." In the Future When All's Well: This song sounds a bit more upbeat than some of Morrissey's earlier works, though there is of course the usual touch of melancholy to it, as seen in the lyrics: "Armed with wealth and the best of health, in the future when all's well. I will lie down and be counted in the future when all's well. I thank you with all of my heart." The Father That Must Be Killed: A rather severe song title if I've ever heard one. I took a bit of offense to the fact that the song suggests that a stepchild should kill his stepfather (seeing as I am one). On the other hand, there is an implication that the stepfather this song is about is an abusive one. Not the happiest or most upbeat song that Moz has ever done. Life Is A Pigsty: This is a softer song, with the sound of rain, thunder, and lightning in the background and tinkling glass. I really like this one, especially with headphones on. There's something almost eerie but really cool about it. "It's the same old S.O.S. but with brand new broken fortunes and once again I turn to... you." I don't quite get the point of the song's title (and if he explains it, I'm not getting it), but I like the song nonetheless. I'll Never Be Anybody's Hero: This song doesn't sound as much like the Morrissey of the past, yet it does because of the lyrics and vocals. The memorable part for me is this: "I am a ghost and as far as I know, I haven't even died. And my love is under the ground. My one true love is under the ground and I'll never be, I'll never be, I'll never be anybody's hero now." On the Streets I Ran: This is more like a traditional Morrissey song. It's another song with a lot of energy to it, electric guitars, and a very slightly "pop-ish" sound to it. That fits in with the lyrics, which include "A working class face glares back at me from the glass and lurches. Forgive me on the streets I ran to sickness into popular song." As a former a former resident of the Pittsburgh area, I chuckled at the line "Dear God take him, take them, take anyone, the stillborn, the new born, the infirm, take anyone, take people from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania just spare me." To Me You Are A Work of Art: This song features violins (or synthesized ones) in addition to electric guitars. The chorus to this track is pure Morrissey tongue-in-cheek material: "I see the world. It makes me puke. But then I look at you and know that somewhere there's a someone who can soothe me. To me you are a work of art and I would give you my heart - that's if I had one."
I Just Want to See the Boy Happy: This sounds much more like a "typical" Morrissey song, with the addition of some backing vocals and a horn section. It features louder electric guitars that the two previous songs. My favorite part from this one is "Before I die, I have one final dream. For my own life, I don't care anything. And I just want to, I wanna see this boy happy. Why is this such a bad thing?" At Last I Am Born: This track starts with a string section and cymbals, giving it a very powerful edge. It has a lot of energy to it. Near the end of the track is a chorus of voices that sound like young children singing. The memorable line for me from this track was: "I once thought that time accentuates despair, but now I don't actually care because I am born, born, born..."
I've listened to the album several times now and I am really fond of it. I think it might even be better than his last album, "You are the Quarry". On a 1-10 scale, it's easily a 9. If you're a Morrissey fan, I recommend it. It's a little different from his earlier works, but it's a "good kind of different".
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