Reviews (page 2 of 8)
Cringe
just like the Smiths but worse, and more racist
I liked this more than any of The Smith’s albums that I’ve heard so far. He’s definitely not subtle about his political views. I enjoyed his song about America. It sounded as though it were written specifically for the Trump Era with that line about “you big fat pig” but it predated his presidency.
Morrissey's in pretty great form here, but he's really missing someone as good as Johnny Marr to bounce off of
Oh, Mozzer they could never make me hate you. You yourself certainly can with you militantly defending baffling stances - but the nay-sayers and the critics most defintley can't. This isn't a fantastic record, but Morrissey's lyrics and charm (a word used begrudgingly) stop me from damming it any more the neccesary. I think a lot of people take the blokes lyricism a bit too seriously. Taken tounge in cheek this record has some of the funniest moment of songwriting I've ever come across.
À Little too depressing
I do not like Morrissey. The lyrics here are bith obvious and not that well-thought out. It’s like he penned some letters on different topics (mostly, as always, unrequited love) and, without any editing, had someone else write music to his prose. Even when i agree with him (“America is not the World”), the lyrics are clumsy at best. As ever, there is little effort to integrate vocals and music. Then there’s the arrogance — Morrissey has forgiven Jesus. I bet JC is much relieved. GTFOH. A 1.
I gpt bored after some time. I don't really know what Morrissey said or did, but this album just didn't interest me in the slightest.
Some are lowkey masterpieces and other are like "yeah thats morrissey for you"
Honestly I didn't want to like this because my little indie loving self told me the Smiths are better and he's bad for thinking he can do solo work. But honestly I love a lot of these songs so I guess Morrissey still had it in 2004
So this is the Morrissey everyone talks about! I recognize a lot of the lyrics from Tumblr posts as a teenager. This album rocked! Why didn't anyone tell me?
I wish the music was more engaging so that I paid attention to the important messages. I did like the pan flute though.
Morrissey is right about everything and I'm glad he's never owned a cell phone. This review doesn't reflect my opinions on his politics.
2,5
The First of the Gang to Die might be my favourite Morrissey solo song, but nothing else on this album quite matches it.
Sigh… I like Morrissey in spite of his ego, his assholery, his pretension. No one can sing the word “hamburger” like him. He’s got a beautiful and weird voice, and such an interesting musical ear. This album doesn’t live up to the quality of some of his stuff with the Smiths, but I really like it. I just wish he chose to be a better person. I saw David Byrne perform a few nights ago, and was struck by his graciousness, kindness, and humanity. Morrissey could have been that, but he chose not to be.
Too racist, didn’t listen. Even the song titles have the same level of thuggish, knuckle dragging obscenity as the people who paint roundabouts and shout at hotels. Absolute bobbins.
His solo work kinda sucks compared to what he did with the Smiths
I love The Smiths and really like a lot of Morrissey, but this is one of his lesser works and does not belong on this list.
Maybe it’s age, maybe it’s the glacial grind of the 1001 loading him on me, but I find myself mellowing towards Morrissey. I am never going to love his voice, but I have to give him credit for being distinctive and also lyrically very funny in parts. Again, not sure whether it’s some form of Stockholm Syndrome, or whether this was genuinely better, but musically this felt more lively than some of his work I’ve come across previously.
Perfect! Very-very nice vocal!
I like his voice.... A lot.
4.5 - I am a fan of Morrissey but still surprised how much I enjoyed this particular album.
Morrissey has been one of my favorite singers since I discovered The Smiths as a kid, and I'm also one of those die-hard fans that actually prefers his solo work. It's a storied career full of ups, downs, and everything in between. You Are The Quarry is certainly a standout, serving as a major comeback after the album Maladjusted didn't perform well seven years prior. It's full of verve, swagger, and self effacing humor, like any good Morrissey album should be, but it loses a little steam on the flipside. With no actual glaring faults, You are the Quarry is a treasure in his "modern era" discography.
Pish
Sieben Jahre Funkstille, dann das hier: You Are The Quarry, aufgenommen in den Sarm Hook End Studios in Berkshire und bei Conway in Los Angeles, produziert von Jerry Finn. Ich hätte nach so langer Pause mit einem vorsichtigen, abgeklärten Morrissey gerechnet. Bekommen habe ich das Gegenteil. Schon der Opener „America Is Not the World" holt aus, als wäre nie Zeit vergangen. Finns Produktion gibt dem Album einen amerikanischeren, druckvolleren Sound, als man es von Morrissey gewohnt war – das merkt man sofort. „Irish Blood, English Heart" ist der Song, an dem sich die Geister schieden, weil er so unverblümt politisch war wie kaum ein Stück zuvor in seiner Karriere. „First of the Gang to Die" dagegen tanzt fast, während der Text vom Sterben handelt – genau diese Reibung macht Morrissey aus. „Let Me Kiss You" wurde später sogar von Nancy Sinatra gecovert, noch vor Morrisseys eigener Single-Auskopplung. Bitterkeit in Pop zu übersetzen, ohne dass es larmoyant wird: Das kann außer ihm kaum jemand. Nach dem Hören hatte ich das Gefühl, ein Gespräch fortzusetzen, das nie richtig unterbrochen war. Sieben Jahre Pause, keine Sekunde Rost angesetzt.
"The album was a huge comeback for Morrissey' - did he dictate this to his publicist, or did he sully his hands on the internet himself? Was the keyboard sticky, Steven? If Morrissey is your thing, this sounds like him, decently-made apart from some wince-inducing Casio drums. Instrumentally, the band come up with some sticky shapes. If, on the other hand, you find him a bigot, a bore, a purveyor of waspish nothings masquerading as life insight, you can happily skip on.
Well past his sell-by date here. Cringeworthy in places and quite dreary. I could mock specific lyrics but it's like shooting fish in a barrel, depressingly.
Decent.
This was alright. I’m Not Sorry if you disagree.
i actually love "first of the gang to die" and i still have the 7" from when it was released. the rest of the album isn't great and the production's not holding up that well these days.
Bien.
I enjoyed some songs, but I'm never going to listen to it again. Some tunes were fine, but I just don't connect with him and his lyrics, despite being a hardcore The Smiths fan.
First of the Gang to die is a big highlight
Lighten up, Morrissey. (Irish Blood, English Heart sounds atrocious in 2026. Reform UK battle song.)
Сольник Морріссі - це цікаво)
I already stalled this listen cause I know I don't care for this dude's voice. But I'm 2 songs in and listening; I really do like his message. The music also isn't bad, but the dude's voice just isn't for me. Yeah, the music sounds decent but dont care for this guys voice too much. I HATE slow songs. AaAhHHAATeeee. so i'm second to last song now and yeah lot of the lyrics are super great, the melodies are ok, and i think it's just not for me. Too slow and broody/moody for my taste. TOOSLOW. 2/5
I was surprised by how anti everything the lyrics were. Usually I would find this very appealing but somehow the voice and sound did not mix as well with the message as I would have liked. Still interesting just not my bag.
Why the fuck are so many Jim Morrissey albums on this list. Like, the Smiths were great, and I haven’t gotten any, but I got 3 Morrissey albums. They honestly just sound like discount Smiths
guets album, wöri glaub weder lose. sehr abwechsligsriich. aber wenig woni so komplett gfühlt ha. es esch meh eif en nice experience gsi das album z lose.
I think I'd rather listen to pissy cats fighting outside my bedroom window than listen to another fucking song from this wank.
Tried to listen to the pompus twat, Turned off 60 seconds into the cringe inducing lyrics.
I'm at the 3rd stage of grief when it comes to Morrissey, so I really wanted to hate this album. Instead, I quite enjoyed it - way more than Vauxhall and I. I will definitely revisit this.
I feel like I could talk about this album for like an hour - self-pitying in the extreme, it feels like the kind of album a 16 year old in 2004 would’ve really liked, and now seriously regrets as a 38 year old in September 2026.
pretty rough. in the immortal words of Ron and Russell Mael, lighten up, Morrissey.
I can’t see a world where Morrissey warrants 4 solo albums on this list. I’m guessing it gets a nod for having a couple notable singles with Irish Blood English Heart and First of the Gang to Die but not enough to wade through the rest of the insufferable nonsense that comes out of his mouth. Also unlike other artists with very distinct changes across their careers like Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave, Johnny Cash, all the Morrissey solo albums are more or less the same enough other than his lyrics and feels the need to tell us about. We could have kept Viva Hate on the list and forgot the follow ups. Hell I’d take the smiths self titled as a replacement for the 3 subsequent albums (I’m assuming the others are viva hate, your arsenal, and vauxhall and I since I haven’t gotten them yet) because at least the smiths wrote 4 good albums that only are worse because you have to listen to Morrissey whining over Marr’s riffs.
4 out of 5. For all the hate Morrissey gets he does write catchy, if also self-indulgent, songs.
rym 3.54 Alternative Rock/Pop Rock 硬摇滚的底子，灵魂乐的歌声，乍一听割裂地格格不入，实则越听越意外地合拍。啊，真是醇厚，像是某种秘密又隐晦的情感，借着喧闹的曲调，终于得以公之于众。有几首还是比较流行摇滚的，略有掉价吧，但整体还是非常浪漫的。 pick: The World Is Full of Crashing Bores, Let Me Kiss You
I'm not generally one who is put off by crooning, but a Morrissey album will always test my limits. With an effort as musically solid as this one, I did find myself wishing for less of crooning so that I could enjoy the experience more.
I did not like or enjoy this album. But it was so much better than Prefab Sprout.
It's 2004 and Morrissey is still feeling sorry for himself. There are a few tracks I like but I'm not sure why he needed to make an album that sounded like 1994 +/-.
Morrissey generally annoys me, but it turns out he annoys me a lot less as a solo artist. This one, I outright like. (Apologies, Jason.)
1/5 - I'll be fucked if I'm gonna listen to Morrissey croon-complain about hamburgers.
First Listen Favorites: Come Back to Camden I'm Not Sorry First of the Gang to Die Honorable Mentions: All the Lazy Dykes
Hah, I just mentioned Morrissey as a controversial figure in a Kanye West review a few days ago. Anyway, his writing here seems way more on the nose than other material I'm used to. I guess it works as a reflection of where Morrissey was at this point in time but I still do prefer the more poetic nature of his earlier Smiths work. Besides that, the instrumentation is fine but it's no Johnny Marr, Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce. This review will come off very comparative to Smiths but it simply can't be understated how much I prefer their combination over their respective solo work. For these reasons, You Are The Quarry didn't leave much of an impression on me, however it did fulfil the criteria of entertaining me for its duration, so I can't fault it too much.
Un peu de dur de faire l’écoute à Montréal donc les notes seront un peu faussées. Mais je préfère les rattraper
Why does this talentless freak have 4 albums on this list?
Self fellating overly political lyrics but the music kinda slaps
It's so hard to get into his solo act when I like the Smiths so much more. But this was a pretty good project. 3.5 rounded up
I'll be honest, I didn't hate this album as much as I thought I would given the Morrissey of it all. I don't think it's fantastic and it definitely does live up to the Morrissey reputation (as mentioned by many of the other reviews). So 2.5 stars, rounding down, because if nothing else "Good Luck, Babe" is an orders of magnitude better take on denying your sapphic feelings than "All the Lazy Dykes" (which I also really struggled with whether or not I needed an corollary to my f-slur rule for).
앨범 커버 미쳤네; 노래까지 아리땁게 들린다
Just a bit too dramatic for my liking. He sounds like he’s trying too hard to get laid. But he does have a great voice.
Please, give me some Who Quadrophenia.
Morrissey has slow pronounced airy vocals with a Cure sound and feel. Standard beat tracks and ramped up guitar chords fills most songs. The piano cords and electric organ sound seem similar to Supertramp, especially Morrissey's "I Have Forgiven Jesus" and Supertramp's "Goodbye Stranger" downbeat bass piano notes. Much of the albums feels like a poetry jam session possessing melancholy beginnings that builds to an emotional intensity. Maybe I could connect with this album if I was at a crossroads wrestling with life's struggles but for now, I'm happy to leave this album on the shelf collecting dust.
I enjoyed it.
He’s a weird fecker and some of the lyrics on this are appalling, but overall it’s an enjoyable album and probably his best solo work.
Oh Morrissey what an absolute bellend you are but I can’t help but like you! Or your music anyway, I’m sure if I met you I would want to punch you.
boring
Look, I really liked The Smiths. But Morrissey without Johnny Marr is just a whiny little bitch. There, I said it.
Meh
This felt very "croony". I was surprised that I didn't hate it. I feel like I've been trained to hate Morrissey pretty solidly. It was ok and quite good in parts, but it is still Morrissey, which means that it is very self centred, and whiny and pretentious.
Not my favorite Morrissey that has been on here but still a solid album. 3 1/2
Production is fine. I thought I liked Morrissey but man does his writing suck here
Mid
I enjoyed this album. His word usage was interesting and humorous at times.
While he may act and sound depressing this album did not seem that way
Wow. What a pretentious prick. I like Morrissey's voice but that did not even remotely save this album. How can one man be so self-centered, arrogant, and stuck up. You live in LA for a bit and think you know all there is to know about America?! Excuse me? Who starts off an album railing a country they aren't even from, what's up with that? Does Morrissey like anything at all because he spends the whole album hating on everything and everyone and making himself the victim. He is the embodiment of "Everything to Everyone" by Everclear. Dear Lord I want to beat the ever-loving crap out of this man after this. Gross.
Oh my word. He’s got 4 (!!) solo albums on here in addition to 3 with The Smiths. How/why?? Please just give me whiny, depressed, mopey Morrissey rather than this pretentious, pseudo-intellectual political drivel on here. 1.5 stars
Gear: Grado Hemp Artwork: 🕴🏼🪮🔫 Production: 🔪🚮💩 Music: 📝🤡📉 Rating: 🪨/5
few cool moments but overall not an interesting album really.
Morrissey pole minu maitse, aga ma saan aru, miks ta nii paljudele meeldib. Poliitiliselt laetud ja kohati ka catchy, kohati liialt jutustav vokaal. Kummitama ei jäänud ükski lugu, aga põnev kuulamine oli ikka. 3.49/5
I've had enough Morrisey, tyvm.
There aren’t very many things that I find less convincing than a picture of Morrissey holding a tommy gun. Unless that tommy gun fires dildos and this picture was taken right before he put the barrel in his mouth…I guess then this picture would make a bunch of sense. Anyway, Morrissey is the worst, and in this case, the unintentionally hilarious album cover is the only thing worth talking about. Again, Morrissey just sucks so hard. 1/10
I inexplicably just do not like this. I can’t point out why but something about this ain’t right
Review - better than I expected for a '00s Morrissey album. But the cheek of a guy like Morrissey having so many songs about other people being irritatingly smug and self obsessed is grating. Some great dumb Morrissey lyrics in the mix though, the song with a hook about imagining someone you physically admire is admittedly hilarious. Rating - 5.5/10 Need to listen? YES
Très bon! Surprenant meme!
I don’t know how I feel about this album.
Obligatory "Morrissey is a twat"... OK, now that's out the way, I genuinely couldn't wait for this insufferable, pretentious chore of an album to end. Listening to this feels less like enjoying music and more like being cornered at a pub by the most exhausting, self-satisfied twat imaginable. From the painfully on-the-nose, youth-hostel geopolitics of "America Is Not The World" to the blatant Reform UK dogwhistling of "Irish Blood, English Heart," the whole thing reeks of a miserable narcissist desperate to play the victim while spewing reactionary nonsense. He moans about being called out for his own bigotry, masking his contempt for the rest of humanity behind a veil of pseudo-intellectual martyrdom. And without Johnny Marr around to inject some actual artistry into the proceedings, the music itself is relentlessly dull. It’s just generic, lifeless backing tracks that exist solely as a vehicle for his droning, self-pitying lectures. Half the time, it sounds like he’s just awkwardly cramming too many syllables into a bar, stretching random words out with that signature croon that has long since lost any of its charm. It's an utterly joyless, musically bankrupt slog from a deeply unpleasant man who really just needs to shut up and retire already.
So Morrissey. Great lyrics and moody ascetic
Unfortunately I kinda liked it
His voice is beautiful. I enjoyed the upfront subject matter. Not everything needs to be a Shakespearean allegory....Apparently he's a jerk now, but I liked the album.
Went in to this one open minded and honestly I didn't hate it as much as I wanted to. Genuinely felt sorry for him at first, he could have called this "Why Can't I Find Real Love"... Then I really listened to what he was saying and it became clear. I particularly enjoyed the songs "All of My Opinions Are Correct", "The World Has Always Been Out To Get Me" and "Everyone is Ontologically Bad (Except For Me)"
The fact that I have now heard 4 Morrissey albums makes me feel great shame, but thankfully now I am done diving through this absolute dick wad's discography once and for all. This isn't the first time Morrissey has tried a more "Pop" adjacent sound, but on You Are the Quarry he dives headfirst into it in what I believe is one of his first attempts at chasing a more mainstream sound. Do I think as a 40s man Morrissey can make it big? Absolutely not, especially not with the flaming pieces of shit he spews out of his mouth. There is not a single song on this album I could pretend to care for. This is easily some of his weakest production mixed with his most hollow lyrics to date. You Are the Quarry is nothing short of phoned in and easy, and personally I couldn't give less of a fuck about that. Sorry Morrissey fans, I simply don't give a damn.
The Good: Seems less mopey than the typical Morrissey album. The Bad: Everything else. Pretentious and bad. God Morrissey sucks.
Dude. What are we doing here. The best I can say is that the arrangements are competent. The songwriting might be some of the worst I've heard in a while. If I closed my eyes and listened to this again, I would presume it was a Weird Al album of Morrissey parodies.
Morrissey has always been an insufferable twat, and this album might be the diarrhea icing on top of the shit cake. I’d give it zero stars if could. How out of touch and far up your ass can one dude be? Imagine coasting this long off of 5 years of a mid ass 80s band with 3 hits (only in England) Fuck this guy. ⭐️
There are a lot of ups and downs on this album. I like the more upbeat tunes with a tongue in cheek feel and Morrissey's trademark asshole attitude. Some of it though is a little lounge heavy for my taste. Even that sound started to grow on me a bit, but not enough to save this one from the "Meh." pile.
So the whole time listening to this I kept thinking, "if this was not Morrissey would I like it better?" and I think the answer was yes pretty much every time. But the guy's just such a self important dick. I’m calling this a 3.5/5 but rounding down because Morrissey.
First listen of any of Morrissey’s catalog. The voice was so familiar, I couldn’t place it until I looked it up - lead singer of The Smiths. Love the “kitchen sink realism” of the social commentary within in this album’s lyrics. Nice mellow groove to accompany. Solid 4.5/5.
Before listening to this album, I thought Morrissey was a whiny self-indulgent arrogant turd, and he wasted no time in confirming that here. That being said, side B grew on me. Not the worst Morrissey I’ve heard.
I was entertained. His vocals get a bit whiny after a while.
The instrumental and vocals are actually good. But, like many the people, I find the lyrics to be too whiny. He sings about how much better his life is than everyone else’s and how terrible the world is around him, then looks for sympathy because he’s lonely. I haven’t heard them yet but I hope the smiths have much better lyrics than this
This guy's got problems
(4/7) wasn't enthusiastic about listening to this but it was ok
Gross. I just gave Morrissey 4 stars
nah
Pretty decent, but nothing too special. I enjoyed it, but the songs bled into each other too much. The lyrics jumped out a little, with too much politics for my taste, not subtle at all.
Three artists I'm tired of because of this list. Radiohead. The Smiths. And Morrissey. But I gotta admit, his stuff is always good. Lotta great lyrics. Distinct voice. Just solid all around. How about a little Motley Crue, though, huh? 4
I tried to listen. No thanks
The music is pretty good, Morrissey seems to know his way around instrumentation. But the guy also writes songs like a 14 year-old 4chan user, and it's all a bit cringe. So much so that it becomes funny at times, and a part of me believes it's all parodic, but I know it isn't, and the guy really believes that he's some kind of rebel martyr that nobody understands. Still pretty enjoyable music, unfortunately. I wish I could hate it. Shout out to that bit about Americans being "big fat pigs" with their "hamburgers". Truly poetic.
Čak, a ni bil glih v Lj? Mal me je mikal it, sam po drug stran pa ne (plus, na redditu sm vidla, da je ful enih koncertov skenslal zadnje cajte, pa se mi ni dal zajebavat with the uncertainty. Plus, itak sem un teden že šla na drug koncert and I'm old.). What's with the Tommy gun? "America Is Not the World". Ha. Morrissey ni bil big on metaphors at this point, a? Pa js nism človek, ki se ful obeša na besedila, to men ni najpomembnejši del komada. Pa je še men mal preveč on the nose. Ma, zj (mal kasneje na albumu) vidim, da je očitno na splošno v tem obdobju pisal zelo dobesedno. Fak, a se js sam ne spomnim, oziroma nism nikol povezala, da je že v The Smiths blo tko? (Mmm... Ne vem. Kokr sm napisala, niso mi najpomembnejša besedila, torej tudi nism 100% časa poslušanja totalno pozorna na njih. Komot sm zgrešila ful enga subtexta pa wordplaya.) Anyway, na konc mi je bil ful enjoyable album. Besedila included.
Déjà écouté avant. Sans doute le dernier album véritablement notable du Moz, qui, par la suite, va devenir progressivement la pire caricature de lui-même, une espèce de vieux crooner protofasciste geignard... Bien loin des sommets atteints avec les Smiths, Morrissey se contente ici d'un bon album de pop rock rétro, étonnamment musclé, où sa voix fait souvent des merveilles et qui contient d'authentiques grands morceaux. Malheureusement, les ferments de son futur naufrage sont déjà en partie présents sur You Are the Quarry, notamment dans certains textes lourds et patauds, et dans cette prétention sans borne qui peut devenir irritante. Quelle tristesse, quand même... Top : How Can Anybody Possibly Now How I Feel? Flop : America Is Not the World
Didn't know this album, but quite liked the vibe.
Je kiffe
Morrissey ✅
Look, it might not be in the spirit of things but this album was removed and Morrissey’s a prick so I’d rather just save myself the time if I’m being quite honest.
ehh...
3 - ok
2,4/5
The older Morrisey got the less I liked him. Really not bad stuff, but the thought-provoking lyrics are often tainted by nearby cringe-inducing ones. Still good music with a lot to say.
This guy sucks
This is becoming a game of chicken as to whether the guys who run this establishment are gonna run out of Morrisey albums before I run out of 2s to give them. I'm feeling pretty confident in my infinite stockpile of 2s, but I'm getting a tiny bit concerned that there may also be an infinite number of Morrisey albums on here.
I'm sick of hearing this dude's voice. 3/5
It's a good album, I prefer a few of his older stuff, maybe even from the Smiths. 3 stars
I haven’t bothered to listen to any of his solo stuff cause he was only tolerable with Johnny Marr’s charm. I’m honestly surprised that the music around him is actually decent and not just a complete smiths rip off sound. His lyrics continue to be devisive I see. I don’t need to revisit this but it’s better than I expected.
He is talented but this is rather self-indulgent. This makes me think that Morrissey always believes he is the smartest or most enlightened person in the room.
1. "First of the Gang to Die" 2. "America Is Not the World" 3. "Irish Blood, English Heart"
Mozza had lost it by now. The lyrics are churlish the music unimaginative.
Boring music and bad lyrics
Honestly, this isn't all that terrible musically. The production sounds pretty great, even! Unfortunately, this is completely wasted on the fuckhead Morrissey, who doesn't even have the grace of being backed by Johnny Marr and the other members of The Smiths this time. It's just pure, pigheaded Morrissey, delivering everything in his trademark, super smug tone. Hard pass. (This is without even mentioning the song with the lesbian slur in it...)
This is just good enough musically for me to not give it a 1 star but holy shit it would be so much better if Morrissey wasn’t on it. Just shut up, man!!
Not sure what to even say about this... There are moments where he gets personal and even somewhat introspective, but I’m guessing they’d land harder with someone who’s more familiar with Morrissey and his background. He touches on his unashamedly inflated ego on a few songs, and in a way it reminded me of Kanye - a similarly controversial name that I can at least connect to more. Drawing that parallel, and from that perspective, I could see how fans of Morrissey’s music could regard this album highly. Could this perhaps be his own MBDTF? ... Maybe if it was more musically impressive. As genuinely listenable as this is, it isn’t reinventing the wheel, and it certainly isn’t making me crave more Morrissey. Standouts: How Can Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel? • I Like You
I have to give this a 2 because the production is absolutely immaculate and everyone not named Morrissey is doing a great job. The guitar solo on Irish Blood, English Heart and the backing band on I Like You really make me wish he could get his head out of his ass long enough to honor their effort. However, much like Taylor Swift, Morrissey has made a career out of being a perpetual victim and lacks the insight to realize it might be more interesting to try something new once in a while. I thought he was getting there on "The World is Full of Crashing Bores" when he says "And I must be one". I naively thought we would get some self examination. Instead, he decides once again at the end of the song that everyone else is the issue. Morrissey could be a great satirist. He definitely has the voice for it and he certainly feels that he is seeing what's wrong with society, but the problem is that he takes himself way too seriously. There is no way I can believe that any adult could hear him harmonizing with himself on the words "fat pig" and say "My god, this guy is the voice of a generation." Right?
How are there 1001 albums on this list and I keep getting the same 3 or 4 guys? I'm craving some variety here. I'm not really in the mood for Morrisey's mopey BS today. Some pretty cringy lyrics on this album. He sings exactly the same way on every track. I've listened to a few of his albums now and they're all pretty much the same shtick. Some of the melodies are nice, but like, I can only do so much of this. Eh. 2/5
Yesterday’s album was Metallica. The main takeaway was, the world is unfair and is going to screw you over. We’re all going to die, and that’s very bleak, so get angry and do something. I immediately went to the gym and powerlifted like I never have before, guitar solos melodically guiding me through pain to triumph. Today, I got Morrissey. Even though I like Smiths-era Morrissey ok, independent old Morrissey is completely insufferable. He whines about how alone he is, how he’ll never find love, and how he’s old and hasn’t found love. It seems self fulfilling, doesn’t it? Maybe if he stopped singing about how much better he was than other people/ entire countries of people, someone might open their hearts to him. The takeaway, I did not return to the gym. My inflated rippling muscles deflated. I became a weak helpless school boy, crying because I got picked on. I wet my bed. I ate a salad.
Morrissey singing in 2004 about how the US "president is never black" might prove that he's not a wise seer. Overall the lyrics are a bit shit, but it's still alright musically. This is my second Morrissey already, and I do have to wonder if he really needed to have four albums in this book (+ The Smiths ones too). Also, that cover art is atrocious.
I found this surprisingly good. I've known Morrisey more by his reputation than actual music–the bad political takes, the MST3K "Did I tell you that I cried?" parody etc.; In some way, this is what I expected, but there's a lot of craft shining through, the song length matches well with the topics, not overstaying their welcome so even if a particular topic is a bit grating, it's on to the next little ballad. It doesn't get boring, which is more than I can say about other albums I've been presented here. Favorite track: "I Like You"
I am generally not a huge fan of Morrissey. He seems to be a huge narcissist whose attitude seems to infuse his music. Having said that, this is not bad.
This guy might have just topped the list for personal I most want to punch in the face. Actually, no. There is no might about it. Come and get it you limey.
It’s actually brilliant music, surprisingly enough :-) Four stars...
Fantastic
Boring.
Too slow. The first song felt very relevant which is yikes. I liked the message of that one but none of the other songs pulled me in the same way.
If I understand this correctly, Morrissey was SO in peoples faces for so long that even the boring-as-sin British media turned on him. He disappeared for 7 years, then came back and made exactly the same music he was making prior to being excommunicated, but this time we're supposed to love him? He's a wanker - forget 'Britain is fed up with Labour and Tories' - we're fed up with the worst musicians in the world being lauded as national heroes!!
What a douche. This does not belong on this list. MI6 you win again.
Un retorno al mejor Mozzer. Inesperado porque no había estado muy acertado en anteriores entregas y además había estado demasiado tiempo sin publicar cuando soltó esta maravilla. Let me kiss you con Nancy Sinatra, Irish blood England heart y sobre todo First of the gang son los temas más destacados de un disco de nivel muy alto.
Interesante portada. No recuerdo nunca haber escuchado a este artista vamos viendo que nos trae... Wow me sentí muy rebelde escuchando este disco. Me gustó la verdad, lo escucharé de nuevo.
Morrissey is definitely zero fun at parties
Listening to this I'm reminded of what Tchaikovsky said about Brahms. "What a giftless bastard!"
I'm a Morrissey apologist and even I don't like this album. After the singles it's all pretty blah, and not in the "Moz is sad" type blah, but in the "I don't want to listen to this anymore" type blah. First of the Gang and Irish Blood are good though. Ringleaders is a better album, and his last great release.
I didn't want to enjoy it but it was actually alright. I ate some yummy chicken afterwards.
Maybe the last time Morrissey wasn’t someone you could easily ignore as a hateful loser. The cracks are already showing but he’s still somehow keeping it together. The politics in the first two songs are a bit cringy, especially in hindsight but you can appreciate what was going on at the time but criticizing America for not electing a black president and inventing hamburgers. Guess what Moz, those are the least of their transgressions lol First of the Gang is a good track and there are a few other moments despite it overall being pretty mid and some outdated trip-hop beats thrown in for good measure.
I always love his voice/tone. But the politics on this album- yuck.
Musique meh, ça s'écoute mais c'est des paroles de comptoir, je n'ai pas réussi à réellement rentrer dans l'album
Several flying scissor of a fight on this album, but after much thinking, I’ll give it a four for the rest of the album
Pop off.
Very on the nose but wouldn’t expect anything less from Morrissey.
I like his music. He has a great voice & the lyrics are good to great. But why does he behave like a cunt so much? 5/5
I really loved the guitar work throughout the album. More importantly, I found myself relating to Morrissey’s reflections on identity and loneliness, especially on How Can Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel?
Morrissey is very clever and very earnest and it's all a bit much
I ended up liking this more than I originally thought I would. It was what it said on the tin, and I had never heard of this artist before. I found the main single a little on the nose, but then again the English public needs to be hit on the nose. I don’t share its nostalgia, but I do admire its music.
America Is Not The World sounds like it's been written by a 14-year-old. Irish Blood, English Heart and I Have Forgiven Jesus are both similarly teenage contrarian, and all these are just Morrissey complaining. The lyrics, to me, seem to be all surface level, very little subtlety or depth. I also find it laughable that the album ends with a song where Morrissey complains about music critics. This is from 2004, what the hell!? Morrissey is absolutely not that important or relevant. Another baffling inclusion for this list, especially considering that there are at least 3 Smiths albums and another Morrissey solo album on here.
I love Morrissey, but this not my favorite album.
3.5 it's fine
These lyrics are hot garbage. But God help me the music is solid and I like Morriseys voice (though I despise him as a person).
Married to a goth woman, I've heard plenty of Morrissey in my day. I actually bought this record myself, though, and really enjoy it, which is good, because if I rate Morrissey poorly on this site, she'll know, and murder me in my sleep. "Steely blue eyes with no love in them scan the world." OUCH. Come Back to Camden is the song after which our son is named. I also believe it was the tour for this record during which my wife got on stage and rushed Moz while pregnant with the same kid.
🤮 again?!?!?
Better than I’d thought
7 - GOOD
Morrissey’s You Are the Quarry is a perfectly fine listen, even if it sometimes feels like being cornered by someone who really wants you to hear their politics. The songs are solid and his wit is still there, but the social and political shots can be a little too blunt. I didn’t dislike it, but compared to The Smiths and the other solo albums we've heard of his so far, this is probably the one I’m least likely to revisit unless the album generator makes that choice for me.
This was fine to listen to. It's nothing I would purposely come back to, but it was fine.
stop whinging
Didn’t know this guy had a solo career. The sophistication of the smiths is in stark contrast to these songs. Lyrics are bad, composition is mediocre, vocals are basic and flat and whiney. Also, cringe album art.
Malheureusement j’ai pas pu l’écouter dans des conditions optimales
“A good friend will always stab you in the front.” - Oscar Wilde
Thinks he’s so great. He’s just ok. As an artist. Better in a band than alone. As a person, he sucks.
This kinda sucks? The lyrics feel written by a 14 year old who just discovered politics. It's bad, overtly obviously with no nuance. It's crazy how I gave an album by The Smiths 5/5 and this one is absolutely bothering me. I don't know if the music from The Smiths was drowning out the lyrics enough that it made it better.
I surprisingly enjoyed Vauxhall and I despite my dislike of Morrissey's vocals, his personality and his politics. You are The Quarry is less charming and more overtly whinny and you can see the beginnings of shift rightwards. Did not enjoy.
I approach all these reviews separating the music from the artist, but this album is so pretentious and self-focused, its difficult to listen without it being Morrisey the person, which is not a pleasant experience. The First of the Gang to Die is a decent tune, the rest is not.
No Morrisey
Morrissey at his best! Reasonably maybe
Annoying lyrics. How Can Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel stood out as him being a dick. I don't get how this is anyone's favorite artist. 2/5
Better than Coldplay
Really like the overall sound of Morrissey, very angsty - reminds me of my youth during my angsty teenage years.
Alt pop rock British
Late Morrissey
You can take only so much of his whiney, woeful coco.
Equal parts melancholy, wit, and theatrical self-pity. Like spending an afternoon with the world’s most charmingly miserable auntie.
Overall Rating - 1.20/5 (2.42/10). Full of self-indulgent, hypocritical, whiny navel-gazing. An unpleasant album by a garbage human. I really had to follow Jimi Hendrix with THIS?
Morrissey has his fangs out for everyone on his comeback record. Even when Morrissey takes a political stance that I agree with (something that's unfathomable these days!), he delivers it in such an unlikeable way that it is hard to get behind him fully. Some of the songs here are good, whilst others feel like post-Britpop hangovers, with Morrissey being a decade too late to the party. I've never been one to wish for an artist to not be political, but this album is at its strongest when Moz solely focuses on putting out catchy bangers. See "First Of The Gang To Die" for example. "Irish Heart, English Blood" is another highlight, with the guitars giving the song a James Bond flavour and Morrissey coming across more tolerable as he delivers his musings. This is a frustrating record, despite its high points. I can see myself coming back to individual tracks, but not the full record anytime soon as Morrissey here makes it too damn hard to spend more than 15 minutes with him.
He’s an absolute fud but you can’t dispute there’s some bangers on here. Not quite Smiths level of course.
As far as Morrissey albums go, this is pretty good. I love the song titles.
Jojo, det va fint og greit og alt det der (æ hørte ikke på tekstan), men det e nokka med å vite ka slags menneske Morrissey e som gjør at alt forsvinn litt i lyttinga. (Æ va usikker på om æ kanskje bare ikke skulle høre på den her, men så blei det nu likevel.)
I set the bar really low for Morrissey and he still stumbled to get over it here....
I imagine this is on the list because, at the time, it felt like something of a return to form - Morrissey sounded (and still sounds) motivated in a way he hadn't for a bit. Nothing here really qualifies as essential but the marriage between Moz and pop-punk producer Jerry Finn is fruitful in the ways you'd expect. Lyrically this is mostly ground Morrissey has treaded before, and better - and the exceptions, such as "America Is Not the World," feel like uber-period pieces. But this still belongs on the better end of his solo work. (Also, where's his left arm on the album cover?)
How can someone with such a soothing voice and taste for interesting lyrics become a right-wing nutcase?
Call me old fashioned but I'm going to review the music, and not the person. "You Are The Quarry" is a strong and captivating album. It covers the Morrisey staples of alienation, political disdain, and romantic frustration - but with a heavier sonic palette. This is due to the production, by Jerry Finn, which although polished, gives the guitars bite and puts Morrissey’s vocals cleanly at the centre of the mix. The material is strong from start to finish. There are some quite lovely ballads on this album, such as 'Come Back to Camden' and some truly great up tempo numbers - 'Irish Blood, English Heart' and the outrageously catchy 'First of the Gang to Die' - the juxtaposition of a sunny pop melody and the tragic lyricism is classic Morrissey writing at its best, very much in the spirit of his finest work with Johnny Marr. 'The World Is Full of Crashing Bores' could have easily been a Smiths number - I particularly like the vocal runs and melodies on this track - all very Morrissey. 'America Is Not the World' is very apt for today's world. "You Are The Quarry" was Morrissey's best album since "Vauxhall and I" and though he has released a good run of albums since (they really shouldn't be dismissed) he hasn't yet manged to equal or better those two albums. The high points are exceptionally strong, offering a balance between aggressive up tempo singles and delicate, atmospheric ballads. Five stars. 1 "America Is Not the World" (4/5) 2 "Irish Blood, English Heart" (5/5) 3 "I Have Forgiven Jesus" (4/5) 4 "Come Back to Camden" (5/5) 5 "I'm Not Sorry" (4/5) 6 "The World Is Full of Crashing Bores" (5/5) 7 "How Can Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel?" (4/5) 8 "First of the Gang to Die" (5/5) 9 "Let Me Kiss You" (4/5) 10 "All the Lazy Dykes" (4/5) 11 "I Like You" (5/5) 12 "You Know I Couldn't Last" (5/5) Total - 54 Average - 4.50 354/1001 189/354 albums reviewed were new to me.
Surprisingly powerful songs from a man growing more reactionary and chauvinistic with time
3 stars for the Morrissey's band. The song writing did nothing for me.
Some of the most amusing lyrics I’ve heard in a while!!
Ok, Morrissey, you're depressed and misunderstood. We get it. He's talented but the lyrics wear thin.
Morrissey annoys me in general. I've never understood the appeal of The Smiths or the man himself. This album is O.K. but it's also the longest 47 minutes of my life and I still have 2 tracks to go. Save Me. 2.5 rounded down for a generous 2 stars, mostly because I know when I have to suffer through some of the other albums by him on this list it's going to get a lot worse
fuck me this cunt knows how to complain fr
Standard Morrissey.
Not my favourite Morrissey album, but still pretty decent. At least, without the lyrics it's still pretty decent. The lyrics are... well, indicative of Morrissey's opinions on the world. Which nobody wants to hear by this point.
хз ну морисей и морисей песни не цепляют переслушивать не стану 2.7
Meh, Morrissey just falls short for me.
“He said he wants to befriend me, which means he can’t possibly know me” At least he was self aware
szczerze świetny, bardzo mnie zaskoczył będę go słuchać
uuuuuuuugh i just need to get through one more album from this prick, thankfully America Is Not the World - 1/5 Irish Blood, English Heart - 3/5 I Have Forgiven Jesus - 3/5 Come Back to Camden - 2/5 I'm Not Sorry - 3/5 The World Is Full of Crashing Bores - 2/5 How Can Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel? - 4/5 First of the Gang to Die - 2/5 Let Me Kiss You - 2/5 All the Lazy Dykes - 3/5 I Like You - 3/5 You Know I Couldn't Last - 4/5 Average score: 2.6/5 ⭐️⭐️ my least fav of his solo work i've heard so far. very little redeeming tracks in comparison to Your Arsenal I Cannot Fucking Wait Til Morrissey Dies
Preachy lyrics damn
I wasn’t all that impressed with this album - it’s fine, but I don’t really feel like it’s one that “needs” to be heard.
Morrissey bad guy
"You Are the Quarry" resembles the Smith's music if they added more instruments than the guitar and lost the reverb. It's just like Morrissey to make 2000s guitar rock sound theatrical, which doesn't really pair well for me. This is probably one of the first times I paid a little more attention to his lyrics because they come off as whiny and embittered. This resulted in a bit of disconnect for me where simple rock hooks clash with the "woe-is-me" mood.
As you’d expect from Moz there are some good lines scattered around, some droll and some obviously about how miserable he, the world and others are. That American song isn’t great but if he thought it was bad back then…. Highlights - The First Of The Gang To Die, I Have Forgiven Jesus and I Like You. I think the sterile production and lacklustre backing band on a lot of songs makes this a 3 rather than 4 territory.
Good singles. It's no Vauxhall and I though.
Another good Moz album - it may not be the view of the bien pensant but wondering if I prefer his solo stuff to The Smiths - I largely appreciated his anomie on display here.."'I've been dreaming of a time when The English are sick to death of Labor and Tories"!!
It open strongly, finishes well, and reaches a zenith with the first of the gang, but there’s a fair bit of mediocrity interspersed around those high points. Not as good as some of his other solo work
we didn't need this yawning mississey album. the songs behind it aren't even good
I'M FINALLY DONE WITH MORRISSEY ALBUMS (not the Smiths), I CAN BLOCK HIM ON SPOTIFY. This album is a pretentious mess with, honestly, not great lyrics. I'm sick of his voice, and it gives me the serious ick. I'm hoping that one particular JPEGMafia song title happens sooner than later...
It was fine, not his best work.
3.5
America Is Not The World - 3/5 Irish Blood, English Heart - 3/5 I Have Forgiven Jesus - 3.5/5 Come Back To Camden - 2.5/5 I'm Not Sorry - 2.5/5 The World Is Full Of Crashing Bores - 2/5 How Can Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel - 2.5/5 The First Of The Gang To Die - 3/5 Let Me Kiss You - 3/5 All The Lazy - 1/5 I Like You - 2/5 You Know I Couldn't Last - 2/5
Say what you like about Morrissey, he knows how to pick a guitarist. Some of the guitar lines on this absolutely fucking rip. I liked this a lot when it came out, but it doesn't hit the heights of The Smiths. Also, obviously, fuck Morrissey.
Morrissey has always been a bitter heart and his ability to create an emotional bond while expressing his nearly Nietzschean ressentiment was one of his greatest strengths from early on. And while this part of his artistry seems foundational, You Are The Quarry marks a turn. I can appreciate Moz putting America in its place (in song at least) and his desire to articulate a sense of self that is unashamed. But I think it's plain that the success of this comeback album has encouraged him to engage in more divisive politics over time. The step from identity to nationalism is not a great leap. And, while I try to resist letting the author's life into a reading of a work — this album is so very personal — now that he's become aggressive and anxious in ways he cannot contain, it's ultimately this record that's the most noxious of his (but perhaps only because Bonfire of Teenagers currently remains unreleased).
he has better
not bad/listenable. I thought I took a stand on Morrissey but the more I listen to his music the more I respect it. He may be a "wanker" by British terms but I don't actually know the guy or even know the controversies well enough to be a true critic. I wish you could comment on these reviews so someone could tell me the history of his personality/opinion on the man so I wouldn't have to go digging. all this rant to say is that this is good enough of an album. not my favorite but not bad.
No thanks.
Minus 2 for attitude and opinions.
It's a shame that Morrissey ended up being such a POS because this is a pretty good album about isolation and antiestablishment. It kind of makes sense though, he seems to have a lot of self loathing and that tends to be a common theme with bigots.
I'm a big fan of separating the art from the artist, even if I struggle occasionally. The Smiths were fine, some great albums there, but I think everyone knows that this was mostly down to Marr, especially with what both have done since. Steve is quite obviously and blatantly a fucking idiot, and it's very hard to try and move away from this, and he almost gets there half way through the album. However, this album is mid-tempo mojo magazine dad rock that fades into nothingness, just as I wish he would.
Cracking.
Rockig und angenehm zu hören. Interessante Songs, gute Stimme. 4/5
The world would be better if music made by fascists always sounded bad.
Of course Morrissey is a douche, let met get that out of the way first (since everybody in this review section is doing this). If you have an interest in melancholic, absurd, sardonic humour, then you'll love this. For that, I can happily distinguish from Morrissey the twat and Morrissey the singer who did wonderful stuff with The Smiths, keeps his style, but changes it. The fan notices that his sings higher and lower, rolls better, but flows. It's often even better than The Smiths because some instrumentals work with him. I do think that some tracks don't work as well as others. That's why I rank this close, but not as good as "Viva Hate" or "Vauxhall and I" which are also on this list.
My two thoughts: Why am I listening to this? And yet, it actually sounds kind of good. And I hate that I feel this way.
Good but not his best
Highlights: America Is Not The World, First of the Gang to Die, I Have Forgiven Jesus and Let Me Kiss You. 3.8
I so disliked the first few songs, there was no coming back from the hamburger line... I have no issue with political songs, but at least be smart with your lyrics.
Amo The Smiths y amo la voz de Morrisey, pero este álbum no mas no la dio (para mí). Ya sé que sus letras son muy buenas y profundas, y esto desde The Smiths, y es lo que rescato del disco, pero fuera del sencillo no me encantan el resto de las canciones.
I liked it. 3.5/5. Raising to 4.
Very good album. Great lyrics. 3,5
I thought America Is Not The World was fine, and then after that this just became super whiny as all hell. Somewhere around How Can Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel? I looked at the album and tried to figure out what I was listening to. I feel like Morrissey thinks he's really deep, but this is super surface level at best. First of the Gang to Die was maybe the only song I enjoyed.
I was on the fence about Americans, but the hamburger lines really changed my perspective
Didn't like at all.
I couldn't finish it. He sounds like a parody of himself
Fín, en enginn fjarki.
A bit childish ! The lyrics are quite dumb and so is the message ! The melodies are good but nothing exceptional. My least favourite from him
Not sure this was needed amongst the other Morrissey/smiths albums, but still a good selection of songs
The music is alright but I have never liked the Morrissey delivery.
I'm trying to be more positive in life. I am positive Morrissey is in the top 10 cunts of history. If I close my eyes and tune out the vocals, the album isn't terrible.
This is definitely a Morrissey album. A couple of really good songs, one or two “meh” tracks, and the rest is either not great or super depressing.
Kinda boring but a great voice
I love the Smiths. And though his music never approached the magic of the Smiths, I love early Morrissey in the wake of their breakup. But sometime in the late 90s I kinda lost track of Morrissey, and up until today had not heard this album. Sometime in the 90s Morrissey made a public statement about being celibate, and I remember thinking that seems like the kind of thing someone who really craves attention would say. More recently he has spouted some pretty off the wall racist, xenophobic and far right political supporting rhetoric. This leaves me wondering if that is the real Morrissey or if it's simply the rantings of the attention hound that I detected years ago. At any rate, I tried my best to separate the art from the artist while listening to You Are the Quarry. The opening track sounds great, though I found the lyrics to be pretty ham-fisted. I found it funny that Morrissey sings that America has a big head. Which may be true but fits him equally as well! The other up tempo tunes on here are definitely the strongest -- Irish Blood, How Can Anybody, First of the Gang, Let Me Kiss You. While some of the slower selections like Come Back to Camden, All the Lazy and You Know I Couldn't Last feel stodgy and plodding.
I struggled to give this my full time and energy, knowing it would require a true exercise in separating the art from the artist, especially with this being Morrissey’s first solo work I’ve heard. I just couldn’t get into this. It’s not poorly executed lyrically or musically at all. Morrissey is his poetic self on here, without a doubt. I just had a lack of personal interest, today, in what he had to say, which were mostly fair and sharp criticisms from a man worthy of just as much himself. Time to move on from this one. 1 listen
After listening: "-> 2004. One of the busiest years of my life and part of a near decade where I essentially lost music and movies. In the first song I hear a familiar 80s vocal sound. Took a look and sure enough, the Smiths lead singer, the song ""How Soon Is Now?"" " This is solid. I like this album's sound, especially the vocals. Excellent song writing, some beautiful songs. On the fringes of 5. Track ranking: America Couldn't Last Like you Sorry Irish Kiss Boxes Jesus Camden Dykes Gang How
There was no subtlety at all with these lyrics, they just felt really try hard to me. The music was okay but the "america is stupid" over and over was jarring, and I'm usually not one to pay much attention to lyrics.
morrissey, the smiths… poco más que decir es estado chill puro
Couldn’t finish
Old man yodeling "get off my lawn!"
You know, I don't take back that there are WAY too many Smiths/Morrissey albums on the list. After one or two, you get the point. But gosh, this wasn't bad. Not as deep as Morrissey thinks it is, but the music is not bad.
It's just really good isn't it. Complicated. Funny old world.
yea morissey is annoying yet i can’t help but sigh agree with his lonely whimpers
I am a pretty big Smiths fan (I don't like Morrissey as a person), but this album feels the most inconsequential out of every Smiths/Morrissey album on this list. It is fine. There was really no reason to put this over Hatful of Hollow (my favorite Smiths album) or any of the other Smiths albums for while we are at it. Anyways, the music is fine, no more, no less. Mid 3.
It sounded a little more upbeat, but it is still hard to get past his voice, the lyrics and how he delivers them. I'll just have to accept that I'm never going to be a fan of his music. 2.5/5 Won't listen again
Morrissey sucks, and this self-important album where he bitches about all the things that annoy him from his high horse would've been all right, maybe a 3.3 if it wasn't Morrissey singing and wasn't so pretentious. 2 for the melodies and the sound of the vocals if not the content.
I find it difficult to rate Morrissey’s *You Are The Quarry* because the mix of pretty good rock songs and cringeworthy ballads doesn’t give me a consistent impression. I could just give it three stars, but I’ll try a different approach first. Here are the rating criteria: The songs: for the reasons mentioned, they don’t help much. The production: good arrangements, professional sound—but that means less for an album released in 2004 than it does for recordings from the ’60s. The vocals: I somehow remembered them being better from The Smiths. The lyrics: dark humor is certainly something special, but Lou Reed definitely could have done that better. Hmm, so still mediocre after all.
I didn't care for the Smiths album I listened to, so what are the chances that I'm going to like a solo Morrissey album? Okay, just finished it. Musically I enjoyed this a bit more than the Smiths album. Lyrically I'm still not impressed. There are a few decent songs when Morrissey quits whining about how nobody understands him. But about half of his lyrics are just insufferable. I honestly don't understand all the fuss over this guy. The general consensus seems to be that he's some kind of musical and lyrical genius, but people get tripped up by his problematic political views. Did you have to hear him in the eighties to feel this way? Because coming at him for the first time in 2026 I find his music to be pretty uninteresting and his lyrics not particularly clever. I guess the plus of it is that I don't have to struggle over whether or not it's "okay" to listen to him.
I’m a fan of The Smiths and generally like solo Morrissey. This one is a bit more laid back and down tempo. I found it ok but not particularly noteworthy other than the First in the Gang song, which is a banger.
Imagine picking this over The Smiths first album. That's the real quarry
over hyped average singer who built his reputation on a great guitar player. change the first word of the first song to Morrissey and you get where I'm sitting on this one. I loved the smiths but think yer man has a bit of a Bono complex
There’s something about the production of this album that irks me, and I’m not sure if I can articulate what it is. Maybe it’s jarring to hear Smiths-style songs in such a clean, polished format? It’s a lot less “jangly” than I’d like. I also hate how self-important many of these songs feel, and though I’ve come to expect that from Morrissey, I think it’s a little more egregious on this particular album. First of the Gang to Die still bangs though, and so does I Have Forgiven Jesus, despite how repulsively egocentric it is.
Much better than I remember. The first song is still very relevant!
Desperately mediocre. I have no idea why anybody thinks it belongs on this list, unless it's to serve as a bad example. The music tries its best but it mostly not very inspiring. Only The First Of The Gang To Die is any good.
That flute solo in I'm Not Sorry was good! Other than that this album is mostly boring and pretentious. Definitely a 2 star album and I'm pretty over Morrissey by now. Paraphrasing a track from this album here for my review: I've had my ears dragged in 12 tracks of shit, and I do not, and I do not, and I do not like it.
The whine and mope morrissey can produce is truly a great accompaniment to his horrendous song writing, they go hand in hand. Truly, I find the lyrics unlistenable and the musical backing has not a fighting chance to reclaim any sort of dignity
I'm sure I would enjoy this more if I was still an angsty teenager - but it just doesn't have the same effect anymore. I would say standard Morrissey fare, but it does feel a bit like the beginning of the end
Bastante bien el disco. Me gustó. Me suena el nombre Morrisey, pero nunca había escuchado nada suyo creo.
I found this record to be fairly representative of most rock/indie/alternative albums released in the early 2000s: Larger-than-life singles that remain amazing 20 years after, and filler songs that you will forget they exist five minutes after listening to the album.
Just not a fan of his voice or style.
Kind of boring, but not quite as terrible as I expected. Merely falls into the "whatever" category. As a matter of fact, it's so bland and uninteresting that I don't have much to say about it. Lyrics were either childish or cringey. A couple of almost good musical moments... but most of the songs just faded into oblivion the minute I finished the album. 3/10
Thet texts are nice, and sometimes obsolete ;-p "America(...) where the President is never black, female or gay", but who would bother to listen?
Argh… again. A few pretty solid melodies and almost actual riffs here and there, surprisingly leaning more into rock for a comeback album. The voice is less instantly recognizable too, Morrissey sounds a bit less The Smiths this time. “Irish Blood…”, “The World Is Full Of…”, “How Can Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel?” (the most dramatic and emotionally effective one), or “You Know I Couldn’t Last” are genuinely inspired moments, but not enough to make the album really stick. Very average and generic one for me, still …better than most Brit pop.
Not my thing. He's lost the great music of the Smiths and, whilst toning down his dreary voice and lyrics, still not completely gone
i’ve never listened to a morissey album before but I enjoyed this a lot! real lyrics that spoke on a lot of different topics
I was so ready to just absolutely dread this album. I'd heard about Morrissey and I thought he was some crazed alt-right nutjob. And I was kiiinda right. But to be honest, I did some reading before listening to this album, and a lot of the quotes I read were very tame. Sometimes he's deliberately obtuse or contrarian, but the vibe I got from him wasn't "crazy Trumpie uncle." It was more "that one kid in my class in high school that said really stupid shit but it made sense to him and he was genuinely confused as to why everyone was laughing at him." Looking at you, Max. So that's not why I disliked You Are The Quarry. It was mostly because, well, the songs just aren't good. They should've been! All of the instrumentals here are well-produced, they're pretty, they're rockin' and they just sound good. I liked them. I did not like Morrissey's lyrics at all. His voice is fine, but for every single song, it sounds like he wrote the lyrics without ever hearing the accompaniment, and then forced himself to apply his lyrics to the song unchanged. They just don't mesh whatsoever. It sounds very awkward, especially when Morrissey is singing the least subtle lyrics known to man. And oh my god, why won't be shut up about how single he is? Every other song, he's complaining about how unloved or unloveable he is. Maybe if he stops bitching about it, he'll find someone. He even blames Jesus for it in track 3. He seems to blame everyone except himself. What a loser. I really didn't like it, but at least the instrumentals were serviceable. I'm giving it 2 stars because I know it can get worse.
My favorite: first of the gang to die
Frankly, I could write a review alone about the cover itself that has absolutely nothing to do with the music. Morrissey, with a machine gun in hand and a striped suit, looks like a low-cost model for a Spirit Halloween rendition of a mafia costume. The songs are all over the place, some more interesting than others. All the song titles are memorable, if not wacky. Nobody can accused this album of being boring.
It's ok. It's Morrisey and it's the 4th solo album I've had by him on here? Massive over representation. So marks down for that and it's not his strongest era.
As an American, I’m all for shitting on America, but you have to do it better than rhyming hamburger with hamburger. And really, another Morrissey album?
Are there more Morrisey albums on here than Smiths albums? Why?
If you have this on in the background then this is an ok album. Start to pay attention, though, and you realise it is just all the early 2000 musical tropes, alternatively invoking The Corrs, The Killers, maybe throw in some Suede and Kinks and even Robbie Williams in there, with all the while the self-pitying wank-balladry of Steve-o mewling over the top. He really thinks his lyrics are cutting and inciteful and oh-so-very sharp. They are not.
Love morrissey’s music, his lyrics are silly
I don't want to listen to Morrissey anymore. I'm not quick to label music pretentious but the irony of a Brit telling another country to stay where they belong was quite the kick-off. Morrissey continues to whine over uninteresting backing tracks through the entirety of the album. There are a couple of decent tracks here but even the less pretentious songs aren't special in any way.
The music behind the jackass was good.
Eh, I guess Morrissey just isn’t my bag.
Aw poor Morrissey!? STFU. He has interesting melodies and a nice voice but he might be, as the English say, a “twat” The Irish Blood song sounds like a Killers ripoff, fun fact this album was released on the same day as hot fuss.
Kinda like the smiths? But worse
For a long time, this was the first of Morrissey's solo albums I liked and what got me into his solo work at all. The 80's and 90's albums are such a different style that I didn't connect to when I was younger, and I still don't like it as much as what started with "You are the Quarry." There are so many great songs on this album, and his wry, witty lyrics are completely on point.
★★★¹