Morrissey - Greatest Hits

Jul 9, 2008

It's difficult to comprehend exactly what the intentions of Morrissey's new record label, Decca, were in releasing this, Morrissey's 721st compilation. With 9 of the 15 tracks here taken from his last two LPs, plus two new songs, only four berths remain for his most fertile period as a solo artist in the early to mid 1990s.

Though Morrissey has enjoyed a remarkable renaissance sales-wise over the last five years, it is difficult to claim that You are the Quarry or Ringleader of the Tormentors are truly comparable to Viva Hate, Your Arsenal or his non-Smiths masterpiece, Vauxhall & I. What this compilation suggests more than anything is that I am becoming my Dad - it really is easier to have a hit nowadays.

How else to explain the tracklisting here, compiled purely from chart positions? 'Irish Blood, English Heart' was a comeback single worthy, in terms of defiant attitude at least, of comparison with 'Reverend Black Grape' in the unexpected treasure stakes. 'First of the Gang to Die' is a pleasant enough glam romp touching on Morrissey's age-old obsession with violence. But compared to his 1989 ode to those lovely Kray twins, 'Last of the Famous International Playboys', thankfully also included, it seems tired and uninspired.

The remaining trio of older tracks present stand out over the newer inclusions so vividly that it's difficult not to conclude that Morrissey's resurgence owes more to a combination of a notoriously obsessive and loyal fanbase and a soundbite hungry press, than it does to a creative rebirth. 'Everyday is Like Sunday' still manages to make seaside drudgery sound a vital lyrical concern. The sheer disdain of 'The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get' ("Beware, I bear more grudges / than lonely high court judges") simply isn't matched by anything he's put out since.

As is so often the case with these compilations, two sub par new tracks have been included for the diehards among us. 'All You Need Me' is a listless thrash, all conceit and no discernable tune, while the riff heavy 'That's How People Grow Up' hardly augers well for a classic next LP.

Morrissey is a genuine British treasure. And the sheer audacity of titling a Top 10 single 'I have Forgiven Jesus' (dressing as a vicar for the cover, naturally) shows that the mischievous troublemaker that has released some of the best records the UK has produced still lurks within. But there isn't enough of it in his recent work, and thus, while a 'Greatest Hits', this compilation contains little of what makes Morrissey great.

Oliver W J Rock

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