release date: Mar. 4, 1991
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,22]
producer: Clive Langer, Alan Winstanley
label: HMV - nationality: England, UK
Track highlights: 1. "Our Frank" - 5. "King Leer" - 6. "Found Found Found" - 7. "Driving Your Girlfriend Home" - 8. "The Harsh Truth of the Camera Eye"
2nd solo studio album by Morrissey. The album was a big disappointment, I remember. Not that the lyrics are very different from what Morrissey did on the debut 3 years earlier but the music is his most pop-influenced album and perhaps due to a production seat occupied by the duo Langer-Winstanley who has almost become synonymous with mainstream pop / rock through their work with various artists like Madness, Dexy's Midnight Runners, China Crisis, Hothouse Flowers, and Elvis Costello in his most polished period. Not that these artists are only associated with pop / rock nor mainstream music, but the albums produced by Langer-Winstanley often happen to be in a category of 'teeth-less' [dull] pop, regardless what other styles the artists have been known for. So no, I wasn't glad about this album. Luckily, it remains the only album with this duo in charge of the production.
Another negative point is the fact that the fabulous work with Vini Reilly wasn't continued as Reilly wanted no part of the fuss with a shining star and simply was more interested in pursuing his own musical ways, so what's really striking on this, is the lack of guitars. Instead of having Stephen Street writing the music Morrissey worked together with Mark E. Nevin (former Fairground Attractions guitarist) who composed most of the music on the album. After this Morrissey released Your Arsenal which in many ways would prove to be more of a natural successor to his fine debut.
[ allmusic.com, Blender, Rolling Stone 2 / 5 stars ]
