Morrissey: Years of Refusal
Morrissey’s latest album begins not with a whisper, but with a scream. There are loud guitars, crashing drums and a thumping bass. These are not sounds that people equate with Morrissey. Morrissey’s guitars jangle, not crunch. The backbeat is simple and precise, not loud and abrasive. This is a major departure from his last album, 2006’s Ringleader of the Tormentors, and it works really well.
The most remarkable thing about Morrissey is his voice, which shows no signs of age. On “Something is Squeezing My Skull” he hits the high notes in the chorus seemingly without effort. Even more impressive, the high notes are never overwrought. He lingers for two seconds at most before dropping into his normal cadence. Morrissey’s usually overdramatic vocals work surprisingly well against the heavier backdrop.
Guitarist Boz Boorer is a student of glitter rock. His guitar swings with the same swagger former Bowie axe-man Mick Ronson brought to Moz’s 1992 classic Your Arsenal. Another welcome addition is former Jellyfish frontman Roger Joseph Manning Jr., whose keyboard flourishes perfectly compliment the music. This is the best backing band Moz has had in ages. Producer Jerry Finn, who passed away last year, also deserves a large amount of credit. His experience producing pop punk bands gives Years of Refusal a sharp, immediate production. You are able to isolate every instrument and actively hear the part they are playing. It really makes the music pop out of the speakers.
Lyrically, Morrissey’s pen is as sharp as it ever was. The title is a sly nod to Morrissey’s celebrated celibacy, which supposedly ended around the release of Ringleader of the Tormentors. As usual, Morrissey’s lyrics are both verbose and ambiguous. It’s never exactly clear who he is talking about, which is what makes him such a compelling writer. For example, on “I’m OK By Myself,” he mentions that he “doesn’t need you or your morality.” It seems like a straightforward line, but what is the deeper meaning? Is Morrissey finally admitting his long rumored sexuality? On “That’s How People Grow Up,” he is even more melodramatic than usual, mentioning that breaking your spine is worse than not falling in love. At his core, Morrissey is still the romantic that we first met in The Smiths.
It’s pretty amazing that Morrissey’s act remains fresh, especially now that he’s pushing 50. I think the key is his ambiguousness. He’s never revealed all of his secrets to us, so he’s still compelling. This is not the usual “girls won’t date me” fare that emo bands have been shoving down our throats. His music has continued to be complex, so Years of Refusal becomes better with each listen. Morrissey just gets better with each release. As usual, it’s impossible to tell where he is going to go with the next record. My one nagging question: Who is the baby on the album cover?
