I know the album doesn't come out until next week, but I have been listening to it constantly over the last several days on his page on myspace.com. And, I can say without reservation, that it is absolutely amazing. Ringleader of the Tormentors (great title, by the way) was recorded in Rome, where Morrissey is still residing. And, while he may still be melancholy, this album rocks like I haven't heard since Your Arsenal came out. But, perhaps most shocking of all, we get a little bit of overt sexuality from the cagey(is he gay or asexual?) singer.
Tracks like the first single, You Have Killed Me, are as classic a Morrissey track as you will ever find. But, it is the song, Dear God Please Help Me, that has all the critics and people talking. With the lines "there are explosive kegs/between my legs", "I am spreading your legs/with mine in between " and "he motions to me/with his hand on my knee", the song of longing and lust seems to have everyone in a tizz. So, take it seriously or not, it definitely helps set the tone for the soaring and, at times, upbeat record. The 7 minute mini-epic Life is a Pigsty divides the record and takes the listener on a twisting journey. Overall, there are really no let downs on this record, and may be one of his strongest in years.
So, come April 4th, I will be picking up the new Morrissey, and be praying that he will come to my town soon, to grace us with his shirt-tossing stage theatrics. Until then, I will just have to settle for listening to the CD. . . wearing all black. . . with the lights off. . . in the rain. . .
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