All You Need is Moz?

Finally after a prolonged wait for his new album, Mr. Stephen Morrissey has finally released his new album, titled Years of Refusal. But after all this time, has the Pope of Mope still got it?

Morrissey: The next Madonna?

You'd think after 25 years in the music business that Morrissey's music may go through one of those ever so awkward reinventions that never really work: Madonna with her *ahem* rapping, Gary Numan with his whiny Goth phase and the vocoded mess that is Britney's new stuff, the years haven't ever been kind to those veterans of music. But no, Morrissey has never really strayed from his well worn path of self pity, irony and killer riffs. Just as well really, I don't know about you but the very thought of Moz turning all electro is enough to give me the chills.


Years of Refusal is an album full of potential singles, each as attention grabbing and vibrant as the next. Something is Squeezing My Skull and One Day Goodbye Will be Farewell are both energetic anthems that show that there's life in the old man yet.


There is a definite feeling of progression from the last album, each track seems to draw in the listener, incrementally leading to a climax during the chorus which, for the most part, is just a splurge of emotion. There's the usual themes of death and loneliness in tracks When Last I Spoke To Carol and You Were Good in Your Time, the ultimate line in the latter ("Are you aware, that you have just died?") being so haunting you are left somewhat surprised, even by Morrissey's standards. And the Mexican Carol.. song sounds oddly apt for this tale of suicide; the distant howls in the background conjure up images of this lady wandering through the valley of the dead, inches away from taking her own life. Or at least that's how I picture it, being a ray of sunshine and all.

The only track I am not so thrilled about is That's How People Grow Up. The live version of this track was released sometime last year and, in comparison to the studio version, had a lot more oomph. It's not often that I side with a live track, but I feel the album version of this track to be slightly too pristine for my liking.

Other than that though, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this new album, and I had to admit although a faithful disciple, I was somewhat sceptic about how his new album would compare to his previous work. Thankfully though, he failed to disappoint and his album has even beaten Frank Turner's on my most played list for the past 3 months. If that's not a sign of a good record, I don't know what is.

"You're gonna miss me when I'm gone" Morrissey taunts during the magnificently powerful All You Need Is Me- with recent news that Moz is contemplating retirement at the grand age of 50, I can safely say that we certainly will.
9/10