Morrissey - Greatest Hits (Deluxe Version)
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Free Music Notes for Greatest Hits (Deluxe Version)
Free Music Review: Shoplifters of the World . . . er, don't bother, really.
Hit: 3 Stars
I bought this, and while I'm not ashamed as I am a bottle of Open Pit shy of Waco for all things Mozzer, in comparison with the first best of, the heavy reliance of his past two albums from which this best of's content draws, and the old standard draw of 1-2 new songs, along with a great, albeit nonessential live album in light of Moz's previous live CDs either with the Smiths or solo (Apparently, he hates Bush. (Um, Steve. We kind of suspected that anyway. OH, YOU MEAN DUBYA!) unless you just really, really, REALLY need all things Morrissey, I'd go pick something else up, maybe for someone you care about. Then, if you have the cash to spare (who does these days?), grab this.
Signed,
epsteinsmutha
Free Music Review: a powerful tasteful selection but with "loudness wars" treatment
Hit: 5 Stars
Morrissey's Greatest Hits is an extremely well arranged album which sounds very impressive as a complete unit. It's a thoroughly enjoyable journey right through to "I Have Forgiven Jesus" which perfectly sets up "The First Of the Gang To Die" - so the strong temptation is to just leave the CD on repeat (as my car stereo does by default).
The two new tracks are certainly of the same calibre as the other 13 and are right at home here. I couldn't imagine anyone doing a better job of collating and arranging a representative selection to celebrate Morrissey's 20 solo years.
It is important to be aware that the tracks from before the worldwide "loudness wars" which are "Everyday Is Like Sunday" (1988), "Suedehead" (1988), "The Last Of The Famous International Playboys" (1989) and "The More You Ignore Me The Closer I Get" (1994) - all have been doubled from their orignal volume (and equalised) in order to compete with the loudness of the 21st century tracks. That huge volume increase comes at a cost - making them sound significantly muffled (especially "Everyday Is Like Sunday") when you compare them to the original CD versions.
I'm quite happy to live with that compromise in order to have the whole album sound as good, and as powerful, as it does. The main point is that even if you already owned all of these tracks on CD, you wouldn't be able to re-create the sound of this compilation without a great deal of trouble (and skill).
Morrissey's Greatest Hits is a valuable addition to any Morrissey collection - and the bonus live disc is just icing on the 20th anniversary cake.
Free Music Review: The incredible 'Indian summer' of Morrissey.
Hit: 4 Stars
Supposedly presenting the finest moments of his solo career, it consists primarily of songs from his last two albums. There's no room for "November Spawned A Monster", "Piccadilly Palare" or "Boxers", while a ropey live version of Patti Smith's "Redondo Beach" does make the cut. And yet, strictly speaking, commercially, "Greatest Hits" does almost exactly what it says on the tin: collect all his Top 10 (and thereabouts) singles of the past two decades.
Twenty one years after splitting with The Smiths to pursue a solo career, Morrissey releases a 2CD compilation that's sure to have the fans queuing to buy it - but which also demonstrates why the singer has occasionally struggled to remain as influential as he was as the figurehead of that band.
Maybe this is all a way of demonstrating to his new label (Decca) that, far from trading on former glories, as he approaches 50, Morrissey is more popular than ever.
Morrissey has somehow contrived a solo career technically more successful than that of his former band.
How on earth has he managed it?
While his solo career has spawned seven studio albums, running from 1988's "Viva Hate" through to "Ringleader of the Tormentor" of 2006, his back catalogue now includes no less than five compilations, pulling together everything from singles to album tracks to B-sides, with a "Best Of" having turned up in 2001.
While this admittedly means it did not include anything from Morrissey's latter two albums of rejuvenation, the release of a new collection - under the reliable but often misleading old moniker of "Greatest Hits" - still seems a little unnecessary, not really something the world has been desperately crying out for.
But aside from any scepticism of the market for this CD, it does inevitably still include plenty of top class tunes, tinged - as ever - with a majestic melancholy.
Every song on the album is a UK Top 20 single and nine of these are Top 10 hits.
Both of the two new songs - the single "That's How People Grow Up" and "All You Need Is Me" - were recorded with Jerry Finn, producer of 2004's widely acclaimed No.2 album "You Are The Quarry".
"Everyday Is Like Sunday" is every bit as much a timeless classic as the likes of Smiths classics "How Soon Is Now" or "Bigmouth Strikes Again", the newer songs do not feel out of place, and the track-listing does not grate in the way that detracts from many of these sorts of releases.
However, there are few artists who could write songs with titles like "We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful", and without some of those more original but somewhat less commercial moments, the true heart of Morrissey's craft does not feel fully represented.
This is not to mention a completely forgettable cover of Patti Smith's "Redondo Beach", adding nothing of note to a borrowed song in the way that Morrissey previously achieved on "Suedehead" with his wistful, melancholic take on the Jam's "That's Entertainment".
A second CD is comprised of tracks recorded live at the Hollywood Bowl and is notable for including a handful of selections not on the main greatest hits CD, most notably "Life Is A Pigsty" and "The National Front Disco". It helps to ensure the Greatest Hits collection becomes more of a collectors' piece.
Nevertheless, it's an album that's worth hearing, if only to understand what the fuss is all about whenever Morrissey opens his mouth.
For all this, there's still plenty to tap your foot to - if that's really all you want from Morrissey...
Highlights : "I Just Want To See The Boy Happy", "The Last Of The Famous International Playboys", "Everyday Is Like Sunday", "First Of The Gang To Die" and "You Have Killed Me".