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Album Details

• Artist: Morrissey
• Album: Ringleader of the Tormentors
• Label: Attack
• Year of Release: 2006
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: dadair on 2006-04-20

The modern day Philip Larkin of Manchester wastes no time on using a chugging accompaniment and his yearning vocals to convey searching darkness, by way of opener 'I Will See You In Far Off Places'. His appetite for self destructive lyrics is as voracious as ever, yet the way he manages to change the tone to fit in with the variety of accompaniments on this album, makes his work eerily compelling. This diversity is aptly illustrated by the slow and mournful nature of 'Dear God, Please Help Me', and the buoyant backing provided in previous single 'You Have Killed Me'.
Morrissey has recently revealed that he turned down a lucrative deal to reform the Smiths for an American show. He answers the inevitable question as to why? By producing the same downtrodden music with an uplifting vocal kick and continues to scatter bleakness around, as though it were confetti. Something that 'The Youngest Was The Most Loved' spells out with the power of gritty and snappy lyrical punches;

"There is no such thing as normal."

As he did with the Smiths, Morrissey continues to surround himself with a bevy of broadly talented musicians, who know just how to build the foundations for his slightly outrageous, yet heartfelt song-writing skills. With help from instrumental storm effects and thundering percussion in 'Life Is A Pigsty', the working class Salford boy takes the listener on a 7 minute plus journey through life's downpour and you get the impression that he is enjoying the stroll. Like it or not? (Maybe he'd prefer the latter?) This love or hate character is not going to fizzle out in a shower of nostalgia, just yet.

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