RANDOM MUSINGS, OBSERVATIONS AND NEWS INVOVLING THE WORLD OF MUSIC

+ New Wombats video for "My Circuitboard City" on their website. The song's actually grown on me a bit...still can't equal anything from the debut though

(Not real video, obv.)

+ I'm sure I walked past Dan Haggis (of The Wombats) in American Apparel in town the other week.

+ White Lies' album is possibly the best of the year. Despite there being 356 days of it left. It'll take a third Arctic Monkeys LP/the return of Richey Edwards/a collaboration between The Clash, The Smiths and The Beatles, with God on keyboards to better it.

+ I'm sure Danny Boyle and Morrissey are the same person. Just with a pair of glasses as the difference.

MORRISSEY - YEARS OF REFUSAL
Well I've calmed down from my initial dancing around the room at finding this and I'm ready to review. The Mozfather has returned with his highly anticipated (by me at least) 9th solo album. The sleeve is extremely puzzling but we'll move past that. There's been a Moz revival of late thanks to two outstanding albums in the shape of "You Are The Quarry" and "Ringleader Of The Tormentors", the former a confident, biting modern rock classic and the latter a moody, Rome-influenced ode to the wonders of love in Morrissey's inimitable style. And on "YOR" the two styles are combined for Morrissey's most interesting album since.... well "Ringleaders" to be honest

"Something Is Squeezing My Skull" is a pounding rockabilly opener that changes mood, lyrically, as much as Tottenham change their manager. And a middle eighth that lists a hell of a lot of prescription drugs. There may be a connection there.... We then move onto the wonderfully titled "Mama Lay Softly On The Riverbed". Military-style drums power the track, although it's mostly typical Moz fare, apart from a brass section which may have escaped from whatever studio Foals are recording in at the minute. Track number three; "Black Cloud". Possibly one of the most apt titles of his career, it features Jeff Beck on guitar and is perfect for the oncoming world tour and any festival slots this year (fingers crossed).

Lead single "I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris" could definitely fit right in on either of Morrissey's 21st century albums or possibly even a Smiths album, being part glam guitar stomper and part yearning, whimsical orchestral pop. On to another single now, with "All You Need Is Me" (he's a modest one, isn't he?) was previously released to coincide with last year's "Greatest Hits" compilation, along with other album track "That's How People Grow Up". Both songs are route one for Morrissey, but they're both perfect examples of his sharp tongue and way with words, as well as slotting in perfectly on the album. Separating the two former singles is the strangely-titled "When I Last Spoke To Carol" which is sees Il Mozalini transforming into Scott Walker for three and a half minutes, with Spanish guitars, even more brass and a wealth of melodrama thrown into the track. Somehow it comes off like a mix between "Bigmouth Strikes Again" and "November Spawned A Monster", but it works, by gum (did I really just type by gum?...)

"One Day Goodbye Could Be Farewell" is up next with it's galloping drums and an explosion of guitar from Boz Boorer, as well as possibly the best line since the songs on "The Queen Is Dead"; "And before you know, goodbye will be farewell/And you will never see the one you love again/And the smiling children tell you that you smell". You can always rely on Morrissey for a giggle. After the rollicking throwback first two-thirds, the album gets slightly more experimental for a bit (for Morrissey anyway). "It's Not Your Birthday Anymore" (you've got to love these titles) begins as a calm chilled-out ballad in the vein of "Dear God, Please Help Me" but the chorus is killer, and the music is possibly the best of Morrissey's solo career. "You Were Good In Your Time" is ever more Scott Walker-esque than before. A sombre, laid-back lament that would be perfect for, in the words of Johnny Borrell, walking home from school in the rain wondering why you don't have a girlfriend. The orchestration seems lifted straight from a 1950's romance film, but it suddenly stops and what replaces it is two minutes of creepy industrial noise, eerie horror-film strings and strange newsreel clips. It's dragged out a bit too much though.

The final two songs of "YOR" return once again to the distorted-guitars-and-sharp-tongue combo which has served so well, after the diversion to Experimental Town. "Sorry Doesn't Help" is possibly the weakest track here but it's still good enough to keep your attention until the end. Album closer "I'm OK By Myself" sounds like the quintessential anthem to describe Morrissey fans, which is a pretty good way to describe it. A perfect distillation of The Smiths and Morrissey's solo work, Boorer's guitar comes pretty close to Johnny Marr's chiming sound whilst the chorus of "I'm OK by myself!/and I don't need you/and I never have, I never have/Noooooo!" deserves to be shouted from rooftops, terraces, pubs, festivals and bedsits across the globe.

"Years Of Refusal" shows the Pope Of Mope in fine form, with an album which expands on his recent work and definitely improves on it. You can even imagine some radio airplay for the singles lifted from the album, especially if Moz grabs a few key festival spots in the summer, and if this happens then the crowd will be eating out of his hand.
ESSENTIAL TRACKS: "I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris", "All You Need Is Me", "One Day Goodbye Will Be Farewell", "It's Not Your Birthday Anymore", "I'm OK By Myself"



9/10

Morrissey - I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris

Mozza. The Mozfather. The Pope of Mope. Il Mozalini. Steven Patrick. He goes by many names, but you'll always know it's him by the music. Ninth album "Years Of Refusal" is out next year on the 23rd of Feb (a nice birthday present for moi *hint*) and has a slightly odd cover. Make of that what you will. Anyway, back to the music. Lead single "....Paris" is a return to the "You Are The Quarry" territory instead of the calmer, loved up material of "Ringleader". It's typical Moz fare really; a hint of whimsy, good old glam rock guitar, a naggingly familiar melody and the usual feelings of longing, as exemplified in the chours "I'm throwing my arms around all of Paris/Because only steel and stone accept my love". It's slightly obvious that Mozza might have gone through a bit of relationship trouble over the last few years. Long may it continue if this prime piece of rock is the result. A case of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

8/10

Mainly for my own benefit.....

...as I'll hopefully be going next year, but here's some possibilities for headliners and big acts playing Reading & Leeds 2009.

Kings Of Leon

• Firmly planted in the mainstream as the new, big stadium band
  
• Proven headliner credentials at Glasto last year
• "Only By The Night" is specifically aimed for a sea of drunken festival goers
  Playing?: 9/10 Headlining?: 9/10
  

Muse

• Festival veterans having headlined in 2006, and played two other times
• Currently working on fifth album out in the second half of 2009 or early 2010, so might need a break from the studio
  Playing?: 6/10 Headlining?: 8/10

Franz Ferdinand

• New album out early next year, their first in four years
• Also headlined in 2006 and also played two times before
  Playing?: 7/10 Headlining?: 8/10
  

Oasis

• New album
• Haven't played a festival in a while
• It's Oasis
• ...but might clash with their stadium tour
  Playing?: 6/10 Headlining?: 9/10?
  

Blur

• Recently reformed
• Huge fanbase
• Possible clash with a future tour or may be headlining Glastonbury?
  Playing?: 5/10 Headlining?: 9/10
  

Radiohead

• First British festival since the release of "In Rainbows"
• Haven't played the festival in over a decade
• Might headline Glasto instead
• May not play any shows next year
  Playing?: 4/10 Headlining?: 9/10
  

Arctic Monkeys

• It's Arctic Monkeys...
• Possible third album next year
• Haven't headlined Reading and Leeds yet
  Playing?: 7/10 Headlining?: 8/10
  

MGMT

• Apparently the biggest band of this year
• Popular live
• Good set at this years festival
  Playing?: 9/10 Headlining?: 6/10
  

The Cribs

• Festival regulars
• Possible new album; first with Johnny Marr
• Not big/popular enough to headline
  Playing?: 8/10 Headlining?: 5/10
  

Manic Street Preachers

• New album out; all lyrics written by Richey
• Headlined the NME stage last year
• Big enough back catlouge to headline
• May not be touring next year out of respect to Richey.
  Playing?: 6/10 Headlining?: 6/10

Foals

• Very popular
• Not big enough for the main stage?
• Not enough songs?
  Playing?: 8/10 Headlining?: 3/10

Glasvegas

• Big sound, perfect for festivals
• Britain's best-loved band, according to NME
• Either love them or hate them.
  Playing?: 8/10 Headlining?: 5/10
  

Kaiser Chiefs

• Popular
• Perfect festival band
• Haven't played since 2006
• New album not as good/popular as previous two
  Playing?: 7/10 Headlining?: 6/10
  

Morrissey

• New album out next year
• Becoming a regular on the festival circuit
• Has only played R&L once in 2004, but didn't headline
  Playing?: 6/10 Headlining?: 6/10
  

The Strokes

• First album in 3 years out next year possibly
• Popular choice for headliner
• Big enough back catalouge Playing?: 7/10 Headlining?: 6/10
  

Vampire Weekend

• Highly popular at festivals this summer
• Summery sound
• Possible new album?
• Not big enough to be main headliner?
  Playing?: 8/10 Headlining?: 6/10
  

The View

• Popular at festivals
• New album out early next year
• Have never played the main stage
  Playing?: 7/10 Headlining?: 6/10