release date: Jul. 27, 1992
format: cd (2014 remaster)
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,28]
producer: Mick Ronson
label: HMV - nationality: England, UK
Track highlights: 3. "We'll Let You Know" - 4. "The National Front Disco" (4,5 / 5) (live) - 5. "Certain People I Know" - 6. "We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful" (4,5 / 5) - 7. "You're the One for Me, Fatty" (4,5 / 5) - 8. "Seasick, Yet Still Docked" (5 / 5) (live) - 9. "I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday" - 10. "Tomorrow"
[ full album ]
3rd studio album by Morrissey is indeed a strong return to form. Initially, I recall the album as weaker than his debut but more interesting than Kill Uncle (1991), but soon I found that it was actually much better and not just on par with his solo debut but I have come to see it as a more homogeneous album, and ultimately making it Morrissey's best album ever. Stylistically, he has returned to a more rocking output, which balances his softer and melancholic vocal very nicely. Producer and guitarist Mick Ronson, who among other things produced Lou Reed's perhaps most legendary album, Transformer (1972), probably should be credited for bringing Morrissey back on track. The album more or less opened the door to the American market. The Smiths had always had an enthusiastic but small crowd of fans in the US and Morrissey's previous two solo albums didn't sell anywhere close to top 10 as they peaked at number #48 and #52 on the American albums chart list, but with Your Arsenal Morrissey reached position #21 and it was also nominated as Best Alternative Music Album at the Grammy Awards (won by Tom Waits for Bone Machine).
The more guitar-based energetic tracks are not the only forces as the album also contains some of Morrissey's best ballads, like "We'll Let You Know", "I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday", and the absolute wonderful track "Seasick, Yet Still Docked". This album would be my first choice, If I was to pick one of his solo albums. The album is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]
1992 Favourite releases: 1. Morrissey Your Arsenal - 2. 10.000 Maniacs Our Time in Eden - 3. Adrian Borland Brittle Heaven
