(Single from album, "World Peace Is None Of Your Business")
When I first happened across the musings of Steven from Salford, I fell immediately in love with the perverted musical poetry and jangly musicianship that, as I would later discover, had come to define the first age of indie-rock. I took a particular liking to the sharp wit and dark humour of The Smith's lesser known album tracks and B-sides, the 'tough kid who sometimes swallows nails' from "I Want The One I Can't Have" being one of my express favourites; 'he killed a policeman when he was thirteen, and somehow that really impressed me'.
What impressed me most, and continues to, is the way Morrissey goes on existing in the world's flaccid musical landscape, a charming oasis of topical honesty and hilarious pessimism. I was late getting into the solo material, labouring over The Smiths for about a year before stumbling upon "Viva Hate" and a catalogue of new wonders to fall in love with. Quickly though, I reached 2009's "Years Of Refusal" and realised, 'oh no - there isn't any more'.
Then, in the last week, a couple of live dates in America gave us our first glimpse of new songs. Yes, we've had new live songs in the last five years; "Action Is My Middle Name", "The Kid's A Looker", "People Are The Same Everywhere", "Scandinavia", and "Art Hounds". But these US audience recordings were of new songs that weren't just for teasing, but which matched the titles of those we knew would be on 'the new album', revealed earlier this year to include such top 40 friendly numbers as 'Kick The Bride Down The Aisle' and whose fantastically 'fuck-off' title has us questioning our social purpose from the offset. Funnily enough, "Scandinavia" and "Art Hounds" have just been revealed as bonus tracks on the upcoming album's deluxe issue - maybe the others are potential B-sides; we can hope.
That said, I was immediately speculative as to the lyrical quality of all this new Moz output. Hearing "Scandinavia" last year, I was greeted in the opening line with "I was bored in a fjord", which, its limerick-like qualities aside, lacks the complex social commentary of "Piccadilly Palare" or the tongue-in-cheek appreciation of life and death that soundtracks "First Of The Gang To Die". My worries of 'does Steven now think he's too funny' were certainly present...
But 'no more you poor little fool' says the man himself as I listen to title track and brand spanking new single, "World Peace Is None Of Your Business", for the 345th time today. Opening with a bizarre, didgeridoo-like atmospheric, echoed in the tribal drumming, there are thirty seconds of primordial suggestion before the jangles of piano and guitar bound effortlessly into earshot, their gallant tenor gripping the reigns with a sardonic sense of humour at his side, the caveman-esque opening quickly reflecting the very suggestion that any humble mortal could ever hope to fix the endless wrongs of the world. Between being curtly reminded that 'each time you vote, you support the process', the listener is subjected to social commentary on 'Brazil and Bahrain, Egypt, Ukraine' and then thrust rudely before a distorted guitar solo, whose shredding feedback, straight out of a Pixies record, juxtaposes the stomp of the slow-time Mondays beat and adds savage bite to the patronising delivery - 'work hard and sweetly pay your taxes, never asking whatfor'.
At first, I didn't know what to think. I was initially sceptical - 'does it live up to "You Are The Quarry"?', I'm thinking; 'are his best days behind him?'. Even the spoken-word video bothered me - that maybe things were getting too tongue-in-cheek, too serious, as Morrissey abshes the piano and Nancy Sinatra delivers an ambiguous suitcase. And then I take a look around. A look, specifically, at the current state of matter that is the UK chart. Suddenly, I realise, as I have many times before, that I am alone - that anyone, as a fan of the man, will always be, pondering isolation, political disenfranchisement, sexual frustration and even annoyance with the endless length and lies of miserable life. I take another hard look at the rompous music, at the sarcastic boundary-crossing animal conversation in the artwork - at those ever-important words. And then I remember. I remember what most matters when it comes to doubt with Morrissey's music - those feelings that make you so outcast from Gaga's Little Monsters and the hoards of One Directioners aren't quite so bad when you've got someone that gets you.
And so for now, whilst it's by no means his sharpest and perhaps can't surpass the genius of The Smiths as every artist is surely aware of, it's an incredible start and, considering things contextually, an earth-shattering relief that he's back.
Viva Hate.
★★★★★
Versions of "World Peace Is None Of Your Business"
Single/Album Version - 4:32
Spoken-Word Video Version - 1:25