YOUR ARSENAL

I've had this on a few times this week. It stands up well I feel - certainly the best of his solo albums that I've heard.

The songwriting is really strong, the first four tracks in particular. There's a useful air of menace and muscle, without which Morrissey solo is often a bit lifeless, but it's not crude - 'National Front Disco', for example, builds beautifully through the verse and bridge, and many of the tracks have lovely little codas. There's obviously been a lot of care put into the music all round - the playing is excellent, especially the bass, and there some old sound effects that are very Morrissey.

― Ismael Klata, Saturday, 15 August 2009 21:40 (3 years ago) Permalink

yes best moz solo rekkid. every song is a winner. v tough poll

― Roberto Spiralli, Saturday, 15 August 2009 21:42 (3 years ago) Permalink

probably the best solo record along with Vauxhall. i've always had a soft spot for We'll Let You Know. so that wins.

― Jamie_ATP, Saturday, 15 August 2009 21:46 (3 years ago) Permalink

Not at all sure what I'd vote for myself, one of the first four I expect. It's not without flaws - it sags badly round the turn (including the two lead singles, oddly enough) with Morrissey lapsing into the sort of whining and whimsy that might be interesting to him, but is hard to imagine speaking to anyone else.

― Ismael Klata, Saturday, 15 August 2009 21:46 (3 years ago) Permalink

I mean, two straight tracks with mocking laughter for a chorus? Come on.

― Ismael Klata, Saturday, 15 August 2009 21:48 (3 years ago) Permalink

imagine real hard with the aid of my post where i say every song is a winner and you should get there

― Roberto Spiralli, Saturday, 15 August 2009 21:48 (3 years ago) Permalink

Yeah ok, 'sags badly' is probably a bit harsh - those songs are fine musically and I do have a soft spot for 'Fatty', it's really that the lyrics are so disappointing after the album had started off on quite rich territory

― Ismael Klata, Saturday, 15 August 2009 22:03 (3 years ago) Permalink

I HATED this on first listen in summer '92 -- I loved the languorous, reverb-drenched Kill Uncle at the time, so the glam pretensions of this one struck me as a betrayal. But "We'll Let You Know" and "Glamorous Glue" stuck their talons in me after a few weeks, and I started to appreciate the glam glaze on the guitars.

― Anatomy of a Morbius (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 15 August 2009 22:11 (3 years ago) Permalink

Here's why I voted for 'You're The One For Me, Fatty:" I couldn't recall a bit of any of the other songs! I know I heard this album at least five times all the way through when it came out, then once or twice around 2003. I now believe Morrissey cleverly designed these songs to forgotten utterly, then rediscovered with delight by means of an ILX poll!

― Dr. Joseph A. Ofalt, Sunday, 16 August 2009 02:30 (3 years ago) Permalink

"The National Front Disco" has tremendous hooks: the bass line on the chorus, "the wind blows", the skipped initial chorus, how Morrissey delays saying the song's full title on the first chorus and coos instead, the kick drum sound, the chime of the main guitar riff on the chorus. I like the album a lot but this is the song I come back to again and again. "Certain People I Know" is pretty Morrissey-by-numbers but it's great too; I love the way Morrissey's voice cracks on "danger" at :47.

― deep olives (Euler), Sunday, 16 August 2009 07:07 (3 years ago) Permalink

Morrissey's fourth best solo album!

― DavidM, Sunday, 16 August 2009 07:38 (3 years ago) Permalink

tie between We'll Let You Know & National Front Disco. In the end I went with National Front Disco just to seem tough.

― ABSOLUTELY NO SCRUBS WHATSOEVER, Sunday, 16 August 2009 10:46 (3 years ago) Permalink

Cesc Fabregas.

― Tied Up In Geir (Geir Hongro), Sunday, 16 August 2009 15:47 (3 years ago) Permalink

"The National Front Disco" has tremendous hooks: the bass line on the chorus, "the wind blows", the skipped initial chorus, how Morrissey delays saying the song's full title on the first chorus and coos instead, the kick drum sound, the chime of the main guitar riff on the chorus.

so otm

― Anatomy of a Morbius (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 16 August 2009 15:51 (3 years ago) Permalink

That's my favourite as well. I like how he sings "You wonder if the thunder is ever really gonna begin."

― Sundar, Sunday, 16 August 2009 16:31 (3 years ago) Permalink

This album had the best promo editions for its singles!

― Mark G, Monday, 17 August 2009 15:05 (3 years ago) Permalink

and these for "Fatty" and "Successful" (same formats)

― Mark G, Monday, 17 August 2009 15:08 (3 years ago) Permalink

Tomorrow

― Y tú, y tú, dime lo que bailas! (daavid), Monday, 17 August 2009 16:25 (3 years ago) Permalink

The correct name is Arse, not Arsenal.

― Tied Up In Geir (Geir Hongro), Monday, 17 August 2009 22:59 (3 years ago) Permalink

Keep it clean, commode mouth.

― Ismael Klata, Tuesday, 18 August 2009 10:15 (3 years ago) Permalink

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

― System, Wednesday, 19 August 2009 23:01 (3 years ago) Permalink

I finally went for 'The National Front Disco'. Can't improve on Euler's reasons.

One thing that always annoys me about Morrissey solo is feeling that the bandnever come across as well as they deserve. It's not about measuring them against Marr and Rourke, which would be a bit unfair, it's that the music is always mixed too far below the voice. The band always sounds pedestrian on the slow numbers, and you rarely get any push & pull where they're rocking out. The effect is of complete separation of music and singing. It's only on 'Tomorrow' that I get the full band feel here - it's possible that they were all jamming together day and night, but it really doesn't sound like it.

― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 20 August 2009 19:27 (3 years ago) Permalink

did i vote? i don't tink so. i liked this abum when it came out. but now it just doesn't seem to click anymore. i am listening to shitty youtube clips, maybe that's the reason. what an incredible steep fall it was from the smiths to morrissey. like a jump into the grand canyon. actually the only thing i ever liked about morrissey seems to be the nostalgic effect, he brought back to mind the smiths and that was good. but really his solo stuff was just good for the trash bin. 95% of it at least. suedehead wasn't though. morrissey got more forgettable with every new album. he slowly completely lost it.

― alex in mainhattan, Thursday, 20 August 2009 19:43 (3 years ago) Permalink

i voted for Glamourous Glue, but overall one of my least favorite albums of his...

― rentboy, Thursday, 20 August 2009 20:19 (3 years ago) Permalink

People, it is still time to vote for "Tomorrow", if only for the beautiful piano outro!

― Y tú, y tú, dime lo que bailas! (daavid), Thursday, 20 August 2009 22:57 (3 years ago) Permalink

1 min...

― Y tú, y tú, dime lo que bailas! (daavid), Thursday, 20 August 2009 22:58 (3 years ago) Permalink

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

― System, Thursday, 20 August 2009 23:01 (3 years ago) Permalink

Almost voted for "Someone on your side". I'm surprised it got no votes.

― Y tú, y tú, dime lo que bailas! (daavid), Thursday, 20 August 2009 23:12 (3 years ago) Permalink

The Bowiesongs blog hits a certain cover:

http://bowiesongs.wordpress.com/2012/10/26/i-know-its-gonna-happen-someday/

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 26 October 2012 16:05 (6 months ago) Permalink