You are the Quarry vs. rest of Moz solo

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How does it compare? Where does it rank?

― greenmozzastate, Sunday, 30 May 2004 23:16 (twenty-two years ago)

i heard 'first of the gang to die' the other day, i thought it was Spearmint until his voice came in. it's nice

― the surface noise made by people (electricsound), Sunday, 30 May 2004 23:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, I think First of the Gang to Die might be the best song on the album...though Never Played Symphonies is fantastic (Why is it not on the album?).

I'd rank it above average for him...whatever that means...

― Kevin Gilchrist (Mr Fusion), Sunday, 30 May 2004 23:46 (twenty-two years ago)

It's excellent

― David Simpson (David Simpson), Monday, 31 May 2004 10:49 (twenty-two years ago)

I'd rank it #3 (behind Vauxhall and Your Arsenal) assuming Bona Drag doesn't count because it's a comp. If so, I'd rank it #4.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Monday, 31 May 2004 14:17 (twenty-two years ago)

JF; you are forgetting "Viva Hate", surely? A very fine record, that; on a par with "Vauxhall" as my favourite Mozzer solo. He worked very interestingly with Vini Reilly; ought to do so again, or at least work with someone else, musically... I'd like to see him paired with Reilly or some sort of mournful old northern brass band backing and an arranger like the 60s Scott Walker had. :)

― Tom May (Tom May), Monday, 31 May 2004 14:51 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm not necessarily anti-Viva Hate, but most all of the songs from it I like ended up on Bona Drag.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Monday, 31 May 2004 14:53 (twenty-two years ago)

I'd rank: viva hate, vauxhall, then quarry slightly edging out arsenal.

― kyle (akmonday), Monday, 31 May 2004 16:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Only "Suedehead" and "Every Day Is Like Sunday", I believe are on BD... "Viva Hate" has much more on it than those two singles, which are of course great in themselves; even better in the original album's context.

― Tom May (Tom May), Monday, 31 May 2004 16:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Hairdresser on Fire was on both VH and BD no?

― Shooz (shooz), Monday, 31 May 2004 17:26 (twenty-two years ago)

no.

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 31 May 2004 17:27 (twenty-two years ago)

If the Smiths had stayed together would their next album been as good as Viva Hate?

I think not.

― bham, Tuesday, 1 June 2004 08:06 (twenty-two years ago)

their last album was certainly nowhere near as good as viva hate.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 1 June 2004 08:16 (twenty-two years ago)

well, its practically the same band innit? I mean, johnny was gone, but vini isnt really some sort of hack replacement.. and yeah, strangeways was a kinda tapering off kind of record.

― bill stevens (bscrubbins), Tuesday, 1 June 2004 16:06 (twenty-two years ago)

well, its practically the same band innit?

Er? Neither Rourke nor Joyce were on the album, were they?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 1 June 2004 16:07 (twenty-two years ago)

apparently Im way off the mark. For some reason I thought those dudes contributed to viva hate, but according to amg it was only on a handful of songs. d'oh.

― bill stevens (bscrubbins), Tuesday, 1 June 2004 17:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Jerry the Nipper has pointed out that Maladjusted was quite good, and that the new LP is new better.

I think I am prepared to believe him, or agree with him.

― the bellefox, Tuesday, 1 June 2004 17:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Hairdresser on Fire was on the American Viva Hate...not the original / British.

But anyway, I'd rate it about 5th. A bit of a disappointment, given the return-to-form hype. Most of it is musically unadventurous, and his lyrics are strangely sub-par this time around. He seems to have lost a little of his wit.
Songs about mean judges and hamburger-eating Americans also feel a little...base.

― paulhw (paulhw), Tuesday, 1 June 2004 18:12 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm pleasantly surprised.

I can't stop playing I'm not sorry and Come back to Camden, they're both very gorgeous.

― holojames (holojames), Tuesday, 1 June 2004 18:18 (twenty-two years ago)

None of the Smiths contributed to any of Viva Hate. Except Morrissey, I am told.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 1 June 2004 19:03 (twenty-two years ago)

I like how "You are the Quarry" has received the usual "it's his best album for 10 years" treatment in the NME. Morrissey's solo albums now must really be something! Each one just gets better!

― Keith Watson (kmw), Tuesday, 1 June 2004 19:24 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm listening to this now. It's OK, but I can tell I'm not going to be listening to it again - much like every other solo Morrissey LP.

― Keith Watson (kmw), Tuesday, 1 June 2004 19:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Got tickets to see Morrissey this past weekend. I can't get into the new LP though. It is without doubt the least of all his work.

― C-Man (C-Man), Monday, 14 June 2004 00:45 (twenty-two years ago)

three years pass...

i'm very pleased to announce that i find 'you are the quarry' to be a huge grower. all the tracks are starting to make sense, and there were more than a couple that i disliked initially. 'all the lazy dykes' is strangely affecting, 'let me kiss you' and 'i'm not sorry' are really elegant and restrained, and there are some absolute stone cold scorchers like 'i have forgiven jesus' and 'last of the gang to die'. some of the lyrics are a little undeveloped and throwaway, but i'm happy enough to let that slide.

i'd call this my favourite morrissey solo release

― Charlie Howard, Thursday, 16 August 2007 13:56 (eighteen years ago)

Gotta say that I prefer Ringleader of the Tormentors to YATQ. ROTT just has more great songs, I feel. Also, I caught Moz three times this past tour and can't wait until next time.

Oh yeah, and best Moz album = Beethoven Was Deaf

― Bus Driver Stu, Thursday, 16 August 2007 18:00 (eighteen years ago)

best recent Morrissey song not involving Morrissey still = "The Studded Cinctures," by Nightmare of You

― nabisco, Thursday, 16 August 2007 20:47 (eighteen years ago)

This is a very good album.

― Soukesian, Thursday, 16 August 2007 21:23 (eighteen years ago)

The lyrics ruin it for me. Also the production; if only "The First of the Gang" sounded more like the live versionhe was doing befor it came out... the studio version was too produced IMO. Yet it by far the best track on Quarry, mostly because it has the best lyrics (Morrissey's "tragic romantic" mode is the one I still find appealing). "America" (especially the last bit) would be great if it wasn't about America.

― daavid, Friday, 17 August 2007 03:47 (eighteen years ago)

To answer the original question, "Quarry" ranks below all of his solo albums except "Maladjusted" and "Ringleader".

― daavid, Friday, 17 August 2007 03:56 (eighteen years ago)

thirteen years pass...

I've played YOU ARE THE QUARRY twice for the first time in ages, and really quite enjoyed it!

'I'm not sorry' still the deep highlight for me. But appreciating things like 'come back to Camden' a bit also. And 'America is not the world' always appealed in a way. So odd for Morrissey to have sung, 2004: 'where the President is never Black, female or gay'.

― the pinefox, Tuesday, 30 March 2021 10:06 (five years ago)

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