MORRISSEY
Greatest Hits
Decca
Don’t you just want to crack Morrissey in the nose? No? Well, just look
at that sleeve, and tell me he doesn’t deserve at least a light knee
to the peas. Morrissey seems to revel in his Marmite world in which his acolytes
worship at his altar while others want to cause physical damage. He knows he’s
far from universally applauded and he asks, “Do you hate me? Do you hate
me?” in First Of The Gang To Die. This Greatest Hits collection shows
up in sharp relief a long-held music world belief that (like Lennon-McCartney,
Elton John-Bernie Taupin and er… Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman) Morrissey
and Marr were a far greater musical force combined than they could be solo.
Marr’s jangly guitar fireworks made Morrissey’s studied, English
social commentator lyrics and ‘unique’ vocal style tolerable. Solo,
he’s just annoying. Sure, there are some interesting, dare I say enjoyable,
moments: Irish Blood, English Heart and the hits Every Day Is Like Sunday and
Last Of The International Playboys.
But is it enough to offset his annoyance factor? No – but thousands will
disagree. And that polarisation is the secret of his success.
BOB MOULD
District Line
Beggars Banquet
The third of this month’s releases by blokes who used to sing for better-known
bands, this album is by the frontman of highly-influential American bands Husker
Du and Sugar. Bob Mould – a sometime scriptwriter for WCW wrestling, no
less – is something of a veteran as he approaches 50, and has eschewed
the hardcore punk of his early years. District Line traces a line back to the
big-hearted, expansive melodic indie rock of Sugar. It’s full of tight
explosions of pop hooks and joyous guitar lines, none more so than Who Needs
To Dream. The Silence Between Us is another astounding big rock anthem and this
is the sound of a respected US songwriter proving his consistent worth.
THE EELS
Meet The Eels – Essential Eels Vol. 1 1996-2006
Geffen
More geek rock indie on the face of it, but hang on here: unbeknownst to most,
The Eels seem to have written more songs you know than, like, you’d know.
They’ve spent more than a decade not being well known but writing well-known
songs.
This greatest hits collection starts with their break-through hits Novocaine
For The Soul and Susan’s House. Early on, The Eels established a completely
safe, slightly quirky, quite humorous reputation. So it’s no surprise that
by the end of their first decade My Beloved Monster was a key song on Shrek’s
soundtrack. But they had a bit of a dark side, which shows up in Your Lucky Day
In Hell and the creepy nursery rhyme melodies of Flyswatter. Mr E’s Beautiful
Blues declares “Goddamn
James McLaren gives Morrissey a good kicking