Morrissey – Make-up Is A Lie – Album Review
by Killian Laher
After his well-publicised difficulty in finding a record company to release his albums, this is the first Morrissey album to receive a release in five years. Look beyond the frankly weird album cover and his pretty awful politics and opinions, and you’ll find a songwriter who knows how to write good melodies and sing them. The production this time out, courtesy of Joe Chiccarelli, is notable – previous albums had been a little… busy. This time, his voice gets to breathe, and indeed dominate at times.
It opens with You’re Right It’s Time, a catchy, upbeat number, and it’s followed by the title track. This one is vaguely flamenco-tinged, but the production allows his voice to take centre stage here. Notre Dame is one of his finer songs, leaving aside the terrorism-implying lyrics, with a killer pop melody and chorus.
He covers Roxy Music, and Amazona is a typically offbeat choice, a deep cut off their 1973 Stranded album. The song is built on a quirky little guitar riff, and Morrissey renders the song faithfully. He seems inclined to look back to the seventies, with another song called after the deceased rock critic Lester Bangs. He paints a picture of the rock critic as something of a neanderthal, but marries it to a fine melody, referencing Roxy Music again and the Dolls (New York, I guess).
It’s not all good; it sags a little in the middle, with odd tunes like “Zoom Zoom The Little Boy” and “The Night Pop Dropped.” However, slow ballads Headache and Boulevard suit Morrissey’s voice well, and he saves two of his best songs for the end of the album. Penultimate track Many Icebergs Ago is a compellingly dark and brooding strum. The Monsters of Pig Alley aims for the kind of singalong tune (First of the Gang To Die, I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris) that he still does as well as anyone, with some excellent guitar work for good measure.
There’s nothing wrong with any of these songs; they stand up with anything he’s released in the last decade or two. It seems that, despite his right-wing politics, the old contrarian can still pen great tunes and sing them well.
Make-up Is A Lie
Categories: Album Reviews, Header, Music
No More Workhorse 
I bought the album in Golden Discs on yesterday. Vinyl (blue) and CD like I’ve done with all Morrissey albums since 1988. The guy serving me had a beard and looked like he disapproved as I handed over my €51. Why I wonder? Was it the fact I bought the CD version or was it because it’s Morrissey product?
It’s a pretty solid album and very well-produced – The Monsters Of Pig Alley is an instant classic while Kerching Kerching and Boulevard are also very strong. Amazona is an unusual track to cover and I’m not sure if it fits here. It’s too early to rank the album but it’s probably mid-table of the 14 LPs. I still think Low In High School is in the relegation zone. It would be good if we got a second one later on this year, get that unreleased material out sooner rather than later.
I don’t like or agree with a lot of his political views but it never stopped me enjoying the music. I find it very easy to separate the art from the artist.
Sound quality wise the vinyl is a nice pressing and plays well. No inner groove distortion. The CD has nice dynamic range and sounds great turned up. I really wish jewel cases were mandatory as this type of cheap cardboard packaging is really annoying. I’d gladly pay a few euro more. €36 for a single LP is a reflection of the times and shows how prices have changed over the years. Your Arsenal, Vauxhall & I, Southpaw Grammar & Maladjusted CDs all cost me twice as much as what I paid for them on vinyl. Funny how there seems to be a general acceptance of high vinyl prices whereas in the 1990s many were rightfully complaining about the cost of new CDs.
I think if you were in Golden Discs buying Gary Glitter’s back catalogue, you might deserve the disdain of the bearded man! Morrissey’s opinions might not match with most of his fans, but he hasn’t done anything criminal. The most surprsing thing is the personal journey he’s been on. Can he really be the same man that wrote…
“It’s so easy to laugh, it’s so easy to hate
It takes strength to be gentle and kind
Over, over, over, over”