joe frady
Vile Refusenik
I've had it on repeat for a couple of days now. I have to say, the re-master is astonishing: Bill Inglot and Dan Hersch have done a sterling job. (Amongst an endless list of previous projects they worked with Morrissey on his Jobriath compilation) It's most definitely not just a case of cranking up the volume. All of the tracks sound fresher and cleaner and immaculately separated, as if they could be recorded tomorrow. But at least a couple of the tracks sound like entirely new works. 'Last of the Famous International Playboys' now sounds absolutely gargantuan. The vintage analogue synths now ooze and squelch ominously in surround sound, with Gannon's sharp metallic guitar scratching away in the foreground, perfectly delineated. The drums are a series of beautiful ricochets whilst the Voice has never sounded warmer. It's extraordinary.
'Everyday is Like Sunday' is now bigger than God. It is monumental. Never mind the facebook campaign for #1; I say let's get this as the British national anthem. Just imagine it - at every national event the massed ranks welling up with tears, stiffening their lips as they reach the crescendo of 'Share some-greased-tea-with-me' (rubbing their bellys in a circular motion a-la Moz on TOTP)
The excising of the 's.t.e.v.e.n...p.u.s.h.o.f.f' section from 'Ouija Board' is a little odd, but hardly ruins the flow of the song. Neither does the removal of the 'Suedehead' fade-in. The addition of the extra 'Piccadilly' verse adds a further note of poignancy to the song.
As for the extra traclks, my favourite is 'Lifeguard'. It seems the most complete and confident, lyrically and vocally. 'Happy Lovers' seems half-finished and reminds me a little too much of Noise Is The Best Revenge - not the song, but Moz's nephew's band
- not a recommendation. 'Please Help The Cause..' is fine, but I have to confess to a preference for the version with extensive Sandie backing vocals. All trace of Sandie Shaw has been deleted.
As for 'Oh Phoney' - that's just nuts. It sounds like they forgot to finish the mix and left off the drum and piano tracks. What you get is an acceptable Morrissey vocal and some occassionally heavy guitars. The best version I've heard is 'Oh Phoney!' (note the exclamation mark) which features the whole kit and caboodle - clumsy drums, stonking piano, heavy guitars - the whole Madness rendering. The only reason I can think for the inclusion of this version is that no-one's ever heard it before, cos why would anyone even leak this version? It's nonsensical.
'Bed Took Fire' is only slightly different to 'At Amber', but lovely enough.
My own take on why 'Let The Right One Slip In' is here is two-fold - as a possible nod to the vampire book/film of recent years. It was widely publicised that it was a refernce to a Morrissey song, which most people hadn't heard. Perhaps it was included here to make people aware of its existence. Otherwise, I had theorised that as the final track on the album, perhaps it was Morrissey's way of saying that was my sound back in 1990, but 'Let the right one slip in', although only 2 years later, fairly closely approximates Morrissey's current power pop sound, particularly in this heavier version. Who knows?
So, all in all - a pristine endeavor.
Roll on 'Kill Uncle' {Redux} by this time next year.....
'Everyday is Like Sunday' is now bigger than God. It is monumental. Never mind the facebook campaign for #1; I say let's get this as the British national anthem. Just imagine it - at every national event the massed ranks welling up with tears, stiffening their lips as they reach the crescendo of 'Share some-greased-tea-with-me' (rubbing their bellys in a circular motion a-la Moz on TOTP)
The excising of the 's.t.e.v.e.n...p.u.s.h.o.f.f' section from 'Ouija Board' is a little odd, but hardly ruins the flow of the song. Neither does the removal of the 'Suedehead' fade-in. The addition of the extra 'Piccadilly' verse adds a further note of poignancy to the song.
As for the extra traclks, my favourite is 'Lifeguard'. It seems the most complete and confident, lyrically and vocally. 'Happy Lovers' seems half-finished and reminds me a little too much of Noise Is The Best Revenge - not the song, but Moz's nephew's band
- not a recommendation. 'Please Help The Cause..' is fine, but I have to confess to a preference for the version with extensive Sandie backing vocals. All trace of Sandie Shaw has been deleted.As for 'Oh Phoney' - that's just nuts. It sounds like they forgot to finish the mix and left off the drum and piano tracks. What you get is an acceptable Morrissey vocal and some occassionally heavy guitars. The best version I've heard is 'Oh Phoney!' (note the exclamation mark) which features the whole kit and caboodle - clumsy drums, stonking piano, heavy guitars - the whole Madness rendering. The only reason I can think for the inclusion of this version is that no-one's ever heard it before, cos why would anyone even leak this version? It's nonsensical.
'Bed Took Fire' is only slightly different to 'At Amber', but lovely enough.
My own take on why 'Let The Right One Slip In' is here is two-fold - as a possible nod to the vampire book/film of recent years. It was widely publicised that it was a refernce to a Morrissey song, which most people hadn't heard. Perhaps it was included here to make people aware of its existence. Otherwise, I had theorised that as the final track on the album, perhaps it was Morrissey's way of saying that was my sound back in 1990, but 'Let the right one slip in', although only 2 years later, fairly closely approximates Morrissey's current power pop sound, particularly in this heavier version. Who knows?
So, all in all - a pristine endeavor.
Roll on 'Kill Uncle' {Redux} by this time next year.....
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