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Morrissey: Irish Blood, English Heart

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by Andrew Future
The legacy of The Smiths stands as firm as Morrissey’s inconsistent solo work. But although we can lay the blame for The Ordinary Boys directly at his feet, ‘Irish Blood, English Heart’, is a chilling indictment of everything Morrissey has ever offered comment on and a comeback full of patriotic venom and intent.

Co-written with guitarist Alain Whyte and produced by Blink 182 and Green Day knobsman, Jerry Finn, it’s Morrissey’s most guitar-heavy solo piece to date. Its slow, drum-driven intro verse gives way to fiery, descending guitar spirals (typified by the likes of AFI et al), over the same rigid rhythms that have underpinned all of his music.

Ever Morrissey, it’s an anti-political, republican rant, dreaming of a time when people ”spit upon the name Oliver Cromwell”, refute current politics and regime, and stamp out the ‘pollutant’ Monarchy. His voice, as creeping and beautiful as ever, controls the mix like always, replete with his brooding, dark and ever infectious sense melody.

It’s not exactly 'Suedehead' but still, it remains an intelligent, relevant and wonderful return to form. More than that, it’s something undeniably British that will hopefully re-introduce one of the all-time greats to a whole new generation.

  • Morrissey 8 / 10

Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

ah, it's produced by Jerry Finn. suppose that explains why it sounds like he's been backed by Nada Surf

Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

Its alright ain't it.

Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

...but it does sound a little emo...

Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

"Inconsistent solo work", laying blame for the Ordinary Boys, pining after suedeheadesque material.

Got any other Moz related cliches for us? his alleged gayness or percieved racism perchance?

Without wishing to put a straw anywhere near your arse, I'd say you're possibly one of the best writers on here Mr Future, but next time please leave the music hack populism to the gutter rock press -one nameless three letter abbreviated publication immediately springs to mind but I won't mention it cos that too is a tired old cliche and I'm not a hypocrite (hold on a minute, did I not do just that anyway, if only by implication? Dagnamit!).

You're usually so original but never mind though, everyone's entitled to their off day. I Look forward to your next effort...


Re: Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

Moz's solo work is inconsistent to say the least. That's a fact. Ever heard "Kill Uncle"? 33 minutes of shite. What about "Southpaw Grammar"? bad bad bad. And as for "Sorrow Will Come To You In the End"..... please. no.

Re: Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

you missed the point he was saying that it was a cliche to call Morrisseys solo work inconsistent, not that it wasnt true.

Re: Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

I have all Morrisey's solo work and love everything. Kill Uncle is one of my faves, Asian Rut, Mut Witness, Found Found Found, There's A Place In Hell for me and My Friends and, in particular, Sing Your Life are all genius.

The idea of inconsistency is not by any means a fact, it's a media spun opinion that many elitist, overly nostalgic Smiths fans also hold. True fans of dear Stevie P love all his stuff and can see merits in everything he does (yes, even the lyrics to King Leer!). Visit the messageboards on morrissey-solo.com (the best Moz site on the net) for evidence of this.

'The Teachers Are Afraid of the Pupils' on Southpaw Grammar is by far one of his best songs, I think its as good as his strongest work with the Smiths. Maladjusted, Viva Hate, Your Arsenal and Vauxhall and I are all amazing albums also. I think the weakest morrissey/smiths album is probably 'Strangeways Here We Come' (with the exception of I Won't Share You which is majestical) because you can tell in the music by that point band relations were sour...

Re: Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

This has to be the most convoluted thinking I've ever heard in my life. It's absurd to blame "media influence" for forging in someone a musical opinion that doesn't correspond with yours. It's obnoxious to imply that, although media has tainted most peoples opinions, your opinion somehow remains lucid and unspoiled, because it's OBVIOUS just how GREAT all Morrissey albums are.

I think you liken the concept of a "true" Morrissey fan to the right-wing conservative "nationalist" that Al Franken refers to. You love Morrissey in the way that a 3-year old loves his mommy. Anybody who says anything negative about mommy is BAD!!! I like to think of myself as a real fan, but in a grown-up kind of way. I love Morrissey, but I understand that he's mad mistakes, and that he doesn't always make the right choices. I love him in an understanding, accepting way, warts and all.

That said, "Kill Uncle" is one of the most atrocious excuses for an album I've ever heard. "Mute Witness"? Give me a fucking BREAK!! That song is horrible. "Asian Rut" ? Laughable. It was evident that, after the strength of the "November Spawned.." single, Moz got into a little bit of a rut. These are just BAD ideas, lyrically, from an artist who is capable of very GRAND poetic efforts! It happens!

Of course, your closing statement merely hastens the tightening of your self-created hangman's noose. I know PEOPLE who think "Strangeways" is one of the BETTER Smiths albums, an think it vastly superior to "The Queen Is Dead". Perhaps YOU are the victim of the perpetually one-sided media smear that deems "Strangeways" inadequate, and "TQID" as the holy grail of alternative rock music. I think every other song on TQID is poor, and NOBODY is a bigger Smiths fan than I. I consider them the most indelible aspect of my rock perspective, hands down. I bought the "Louder Than Bombs" CD 14 years ago. It is the oldest CD (in terms of purchased date) in my collection, which began when CD's first hit the RACKS. Every CD that came before it in my collection has been sold, traded off for other CD's. I'll NEVER part with that CD, because, to me, it represents the APEX of songwriting. It's appreciating an artist's SUCCESSES, and acknowledging and being constructively critical of their FAILINGS that makes you a true fan.

Re: Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart


Your first two paragraphs were excellent, you were entirely right in that I did make the fatal mistake of generalising by assuming that every 'true' Morrissey fan appreciates 'all' his work. I apologise duly for ignoring the fact that you can be a critic and fan at the same time.

However, I and thousands upon milliions of others, appreciate all his work, not because we have to on a "because it's morrissey" basis, but because it all genuinely appeals to our tastes.

After that you descend into a stupid opinion based rant with little substance. I didn't say Sstrngeways was bad, I love it, I just think it's a little effette compared to all the other stuff, given the circumstances at the time of recording. That's just my opinion, not a fact.

Yes, you may dislike 'Kill Uncle', but your word is not the gospel I like it and others do too.

And by the way, the 'Arrogant Cunt Quote of the Year Award' goes to You for:

"NOBODY is a bigger Smiths fan than I"

Get over yourself. Have you met every Smiths fan out there? There'll be loads of people in the world more fantatical about them than either you or I. Can you imagine what sort of Moz loving weirdos are out there? Can you imagine the sort of things they do to prove their love of the great one and his band? I dread to think....




Were you born wrong?

'I have all Morrisey's (sic, u retard) solo work and love everything.' Okay, well, thanks for establishing, before we've even begun, that you have absolutely no critical facilities whatsoever.
'I have all Morrisey's (sic, u retard) solo work and love everything.' Okay, well, thanks for establishing, before we've even begun, that you have absolutely no critical facilities whatsoever.

AND WHAT'S THIS?!?!? Are you purposefully trying to humiliate yourself? You think 'Strangeways' is the weakest album? It's as good as anything else that they did; it's a fantastic pop album with wonderful pop songs on it, and try listening to the lyrics. Oh, but what? Apart from 'I Won't Share You'? 'I Won't Share You' is an awful song with lyrics you or I could bang out in five minutes while having our lunch. And I'm sure no-one else on the site will need me to highlight your stupidity after you said 'Kill Uncle' was genius...

By the way, I liked the way you tried to emphasise just HOW MUCH of a Morrissey fan(ny) you are by calling him by his first name and middle initial - oh how devoted you must be! So, you managed to read the first two paragraphs of 'The Severed Alliance', did you?

So, Jared, what I'm basically trying to say is...

You're a fucking spastic.
AND WHAT'S THIS?!?!? Are you purposefully trying to humiliate yourself? You think 'Strangeways' is the weakest album? It's as good as anything else that they did; it's a fantastic pop album with wonderful pop songs on it, and try listening to the lyrics. Oh, but what? Apart from 'I Won't Share You'? 'I Won't Share You' is an awful song with lyrics you or I could bang out in five minutes while having our lunch. And I'm sure no-one else on the site will need me to highlight your stupidity after you said 'Kill Uncle' was genius...

By the way, I liked the way you tried to emphasise just HOW MUCH of a Morrissey fan(ny) you are by calling him by his first name and middle initial - oh how devoted you must be! So, you managed to read the first two paragraphs of 'The Severed Alliance', did you?

So, Jared, what I'm basically trying to say is...

You're a fucking spastic.

Re: Were you born wrong?


You're Damn right I'm a Spastic. And I'm proud of the fact.

You however are a malignant little bigot who should seek proffessional help immediately.

I'd like to help you out, but I honestly don't give a shit. What can I say? Some people inspire me; and others make me wish for a huge comet to come hurling towards earth. Now, I realise that as you sit there stuck to your seat from last night's uncontrolled fecal emission with flies swarming around your glasses made from polished Coke bottle bottoms, wire coat hanger, and sticky tape, that you could have mistaken me for someone who cares about your cuntish opinions. However, I suggest you dip your glasses in a little ammonia to clean the fly ejaculate off them; and then maybe realise that your entire existence is worth nothing and crawl under a rock and die.

Love and Kisses,

Jared

Were you born wrong?

'I have all Morrisey's (sic, u retard) solo work and love everything.' Okay, well, thanks for establishing, before we've even begun, that you have absolutely no critical facilities whatsoever.
'I have all Morrisey's (sic, u retard) solo work and love everything.' Okay, well, thanks for establishing, before we've even begun, that you have absolutely no critical facilities whatsoever.

AND WHAT'S THIS?!?!? Are you purposefully trying to humiliate yourself? You think 'Strangeways' is the weakest album? It's as good as anything else that they did; it's a fantastic pop album with wonderful pop songs on it, and try listening to the lyrics. Oh, but what? Apart from 'I Won't Share You'? 'I Won't Share You' is an awful song with lyrics you or I could bang out in five minutes while having our lunch. And I'm sure no-one else on the site will need me to highlight your stupidity after you said 'Kill Uncle' was genius...

By the way, I liked the way you tried to emphasise just HOW MUCH of a Morrissey fan(ny) you are by calling him by his first name and middle initial - oh how devoted you must be! So, you managed to read the first two paragraphs of 'The Severed Alliance', did you?

So, Jared, what I'm basically trying to say is...

You're a fucking spastic.

Were you born wrong?

'I have all Morrisey's (sic, u retard) solo work and love everything.' Okay, well, thanks for establishing, before we've even begun, that you have absolutely no critical facilities whatsoever.

AND WHAT'S THIS?!?!? Are you purposefully trying to humiliate yourself? You think 'Strangeways' is the weakest album? It's as good as anything else that they did; it's a fantastic pop album with wonderful pop songs on it, and try listening to the lyrics. Oh, but what? Apart from 'I Won't Share You'? 'I Won't Share You' is an awful song with lyrics you or I could bang out in five minutes while having our lunch. And I'm sure no-one else on the site will need me to highlight your stupidity after you said 'Kill Uncle' was genius...

By the way, I liked the way you tried to emphasise just HOW MUCH of a Morrissey fan(ny) you are by calling him by his first name and middle initial - oh how devoted you must be! So, you managed to read the first two paragraphs of 'The Severed Alliance', did you?

So, Jared, what I'm basically trying to say is...

You're a fucking spastic.

Re: Were you born wrong? (Clearly, yes...)

I am very drunk and I feel the need to apologies for posting this same thing three times. It's just that the first couple of times it wasn't quite right...

Anyway, at least it will provide you with an insight as to how I draft my replies...

Should I even bother????

Re: Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

I think you missed the intentions behind it, Jared. The very point of Morrissey himself is that he's one beautiful cliche.

Thanks for your kind words.

Best

Re: Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

He's not a cliche by his own making though. He is just himself, he can be nothing else.

He's been turned into a cliche by the media and his fans. Where are the genuises like him in today's music? Why aren't there any guys in bands right now, in their early 20s, writing with any sort of visceral wit, lovelorn aloneism or astute social commentary?

Present lyricists bore me somewhat...



Re: Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

I agree with the above^

Re: Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

Anyway, once and for all...

Morrissey's new song is lyrically not bad (it's very Morrissey, I suppose) but the production is FUCKING AWFUL!

It's a bit like...
'So that's what Blink 182 would've sounded like with Morrissey as a frontman.'

Jerry Finn should be gruesomly murdered (killed in a pile-up on the M62?). Turning Morrissey into an American college faux-punk hero is a hanging offence, isn't it...?

So there you go; that's all you need to know about the new single. Final thought: buy it (in bulk, if you wish), but don't listen to it.

Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

I don't know what emo typically sounds like except Weezer. I expect to like this but not buy it - much like most Morrisey singles

Re: Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

Anyone noticed the similarity between this and Cooper Temple Clause's 'Promises Promises'?

Re: Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

i don't think weezer are emo, emo is like funeral for a friend or dashboard confessional, ie. it blows

Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

i dont care if its not that great (which i think it is)
i'll just buy it so that my friends listen to it, then they think, hey, the smiths, wonder what theyre like. Then they discover music...

Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

Ordinary Boys is a great song. I think Moz is at his best with slow, highly emotional stuff. That's why "Vauxhall" has soooooooo much more lasting power than "Your Arsenal".

Morrissey Last Night at the LA Wiltern

Hello England

Saw Mozza last night at the LA Wiltern.

Best gig I ever did see. Will bring you all back photos after Coachella. Glad you're all still appreciating my writing.

Hope you're all well, enjoy the next Biffy Clyro gig.

Cheerio

Andyx

Re: Morrissey Last Night at the LA Wiltern

Pretentious, overrated, melodramatic, like the Smiths.

The guys posting here kinda sum up the whole prentious 'holier than thou' shit that gets thrown around with the smiths. It doesn't make you a better person than me because you like the smith's and I like emo, get over yourselves.

I thought the song was a joke when I heard it, it's so melodramatic it sounds like a pisstake. even emo lyrics aren't THAT bad

Re: Morrissey Last Night at the LA Wiltern

No Emo is lacking the wit , majesty and social commentary that pervades the smiths work. Also The Smiths had tunes emo doesnt......

Re: Morrissey Last Night at the LA Wiltern

The Smiths are over-rated?

Why you sad little man.

Re: Morrissey Last Night at the LA Wiltern

"I thought the song was a joke when I heard it, it's so melodramatic it sounds like a pisstake"

So you think a song has to be 100% heartfelt and serious or otherwise it has no substance at all; a view that means you just miss out on or ignore all the glorious self-aware complexity and humour of the best songwriters. yes on one level, singing about your "irish blood" and Labour and the Tories is utterly ridiculous, but that hardly stops it from being unsettling, moving and meaningful all at the same time.

bascically, no wonder you support kiddie rock.

Re: Morrissey Last Night at the LA Wiltern

'Prentenious, overrated, melodramatic?

As opposed to you? Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

morrissey = good.
smiths= great.
ELO= good.
biffy clyro = okay.
LA = good.
weezer=great.
funeral for a friend = hahahahahaha
CTC = okay.
dashboard confessional = erm.
smiths = great.

Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

i love this song.. but um...is morrisey racist? i heard somewhere he was and never found out more...

Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

hes not racist - he just refused to answer NMEs accusations as they would probably mis quote him anyway

sam

Re: Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

hmm.... i think, given that there are at least some v. plausible indications that Moz did go bizarrely racist at the end of the 80s, he kinda owed the world some kind of explanation. it didn't have to be through the medium of the nme - there are other media outlets.

as a smiths fan, i find his measured and complete silence on the matter a bit disturbing: it almost says that expressing anti-asian or ultra-nationalistic sentiment isn't serious, that it can legimately be the subject of silly cat-and-mouse innuendos followed by blank denials.

Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

i think its fab. very now. what now should be.well done moz.no, he's not racist.
x

Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

'king hell, it's over 20 years since hand in Glove got released and the kids still talk about him like some falsetto version of dear St Nick.

I thought Moz was a victim of the same NME policy that got Swells trying to make out mark from the Bluetones was Enoch Powell Mk 2. His last few albums have been most enjoyable with Vauxhall and I being my favourite (although I readily admit to camply dancing to 'Dagenham Dave' at times in my life). Kill Uncle isn't that great. The Toronto Maple Leafs are playing the Philly Fliers tonight. Cheese is a good thing. Ciao!

Re: Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

'I thought Moz was a victim of the same NME policy that got Swells trying to make out mark from the Bluetones was Enoch Powell Mk 2'

But they had a single cover with a bear! In Brick Lane! Named after a war song!! Surely there is nothing more convincing?

Re: Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart


"Keep the home-fires burning,
While your hearts are yearning,
Though your lads are far away
They dream of home;
There's a silver lining
Through the dark cloud shining,
Turn the dark cloud inside out,
Till the boys come home."

(lyrics by Lena Ford, music by Ivor Novello)

Maybe NME translated that as 'All foreigners are dole-scrouning filth and must die before they taint our precious white society' and Swells found proof that the Bluetones were training former circus bears to act as foreign assassins.

Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

You Smiths fans are really bitchy aren't you? So much steam to let off! I think you could all do with a weak lemon drink and a day at the beach.

morph x

Re: Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

You think this lot are bad? Check how band a fair few nu-metal fans seem to get when their bands and slagged off :P

Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

What the fuck are you on about?

Theres no such thing as emo, Emo is a cliche made up by journo's to easily label a style of punk.

F4AF And Dashboard Confessional? if that is your nolege of emo then fuck off,

Perhaps Morrisey's new sound has something to do with the fact that any self-respecting 'EMO' song writer would have at least one smiths/morrisey is his collections, Thus giving thanks to the people who have bought the material in the last 10/15 years. ie. EMO kids.

PS. Weezer aren't emo.

Re: Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

Of course emo exists. Just as much as indie or hip hop exists. And either way, there's easily more controversy about the use of "punk" as a word to describe music than there is about "emo" these days. Although, to be fair, one of the earlier definitions of emo did pretty much imply that all buyers of Smiths material were big emo kids at heart.

Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

Nice song, but a bit short, isn't it? Saw it on MTV2 and it hardly seemed like any time passed between the title coming up at the beginning and then at the end.

Re: Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

That is exactly what I thought! I've only seen it a couple of times so barely remember what it sounds like - if anyone asked me about the next Morrissey single the only thing I'd be able to say is "uh, it's a pretty short". Hah. Beautiful.

Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

I've just watched Morrissey play IBEH and a couple of other new songs on Jools Holland's "Later" (for non-brits, this has long been the best music prog on the BBC), and I think the single is great! It really goes to work on you once you've given it a few spins. After half-deciphering the lyrics I wondered what the hell he was doing singing about Cromwell, but I guess his point is that the English got so fed up with the puritans that they actually RESTORED the monarchy after Cromwell died. And we've had them ever since.

On the other hand, we did send the puritans packing. Westward, I believe. (snicker)

I also like that, at a time when Englishness is rather unfashionable in the UK, Mozzer stubbornly (and honestly) refuses to talk up his Irish roots. Right now, you only need to have an in-law in Swansea to qualify yourself as having Celtic blood, it seems. Brave man.

Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart

I have to admit, this song Irish Blood, English Heart's one of his best offerings to date since The Smiths of course. I have stopped listening to his music for several years until I just recently saw a concert on DirecTV satellite channel: LOGO (Hey, I was scanning with my remote. How was I supposed to know it was a gay and lesbian network?) The concert was supposedly on his 40th bday. I tivo'd the broadcast and watched it later. I was impressed with the ferocity of Boz guitar work on this song. Now, I am going through all of of Moz' CD's to date.

I recall from my US Marine Corps Gulf war days of 1990, Viva Hate, Kill Uncle, Bona Drag, and other Smiths material really saved my ass! ---- from shear fucking boredom at night during OP (observation post) in Kuwait City.

Would I say I am a fan? Quite possibly so. On stage and I suppose in real life, he projects an arogant pressence. This is lyrically relected in his percieved martydom - I'll bet hanging out with him is fun. That's about the only thing I can - if you will, complain about. On almost every level, he is a gifted songwriter and he should be rewarded by future listeners for some time to come. Additionally, he seems at best when his guitars and songs are dreary and hardcore.

Peace, I'm out of here. Good day!

pretty.