It's a 6. Sorry.

There is nothing to grab on to here...
just one bad tune after another
I'v stuck up for him for soo many yrs
not on this one- "YOR" is a "BOR"

It's a 10 from me. I have listened to it, in its entirety, everyday since it was released. Love it, it's a fine album. :)

After the hysteria dies down, it'll be appreciated for what it is: a mediocre release.

Ten. The best yet.

But the poll should go to eleven.
One louder.

And I'm being generous.

It would have been much better had he included Shame is the Name... a truly interesting song on both a lyrical and melodic scale. That said, as much as I love Moz... as much as I wanted to love this CD... it's about a 7. It's thoroughly... OK.

I do like the fact he's left behind what one reviewer referred to as, "the precious voice" for a more edgy, muscular tone and that helps, but the tunes just aren't there this time.

The good news is that it makes it that much easier for him to make a stronger CD the next go round. And who knows, maybe Moz invested with Bernie Madoff and he'll now have to tour and release tracks into his late 80's.

I don't mind an artist making consitently alright albums.
It's good but I'll need to find my works of genius elsewhere.

After the first listen or two, I might have given it an average rating. It has definitely grown on me, though. A solid 8 rating from me. As usual, including one of the b-sides probably knocks that up to a 9.

I gave it a couple of weeks of almost constant listening and then lost all interest in it. I have listened more to ROTT over the last few weeks to be honest, just to make this one less painful. I'd give it a 3 overall!

This is even better than 'YRTQ'. At least a 9. Now before you all try to call me a new fan, I was a fan back in the 80's when the Smiths were still together. This is not his best album but it's one of his best. I'm stickin with him. I don't care how many shows he cuts from the tour. Oh, and the new U2 is nothing to write home about. I'd give it a 5.

VAI - 10
YA - 10
VH - 9
KU - 9
SG - 7.5
YOR - 7.5
ROTT - 7.5
YATQ - 7
Maladjusted - 6.5

imight be able to strech those 7.5s to 8s ona good day and maybe stretch YATQ and Maladjusted up by .5 too- and ican make KU a ten on a lot of days.

some good - some bad
birthday great

YOR was anxiously awaited by all of us who knew it was done but not being released. We were primed for it, disappointed when it was held back and then got all worked up again. When I first heard the album, I was not instantly taken with all the tracks on it. There were one or two that I found more intriguing than the others. However, I think it was because it didn't really sound like anything Moz had done before to me. Now after listening to it every day for about 3 weeks, I can say, I think, it is a strong 8. It is different than what I expected and Moz's voice even sounds different, but I really do like it. Yet another dimension of the man, I guess. In my humble opinion, save for about 4 songs, ROTT is my least favorite album. I thought Quarry was excellent and could not stop listening to it, but find myself when I want a real Moz fix reaching for Bona Drag these days. He is evolving, and that is a sign of true talent to me. YOR is much more of a "rock" album, and that may detract from its appeal to some Moz fans. Overall, though, a great album. Can't wait to see him perform some of these songs live as some of them really do lend themselves to a live performance.

good, nothing less, nothing more, but I complaining agin, it's just 2 weeks, ask again about a year or 5, hope inbetweens he does at least record 1 album

The flow seems to be interrupted by THPGU and AYNIM. I resisted the urge to download tracks before the release so it was all fresh except for those two - and the ones heard live I soon forgot about.
That said I really enjoy 'SISMS' 'Black Cloud', 'mama', 'farewell'. It's a seven for me.

Im new here so someone be nice and post a nice reply!

It's definitely grown on me. Remember we've heard a lot of these tracks already over a year ago in some cases so they're not all new / fresh - the three singles are all really good songs. The only one out of the lot I'm not keen on is Mama. However my favourite is Im OK By Myself it's an absolute cracker. Love it!

Excellent. The best thing he has EVER done (including The Queen Is Dead) Yamaha

It's a very good album for several reasons. First of all, it sounds "Morrissey", unlike Ringleader. Second, we are spared the ridiculous opening titles in Quarry and Ringleader. Also, several songs are as good as many in Vauxhall and Arsenal (Mama is far better than Used to be a sweet boy or Certain people..., to name just two. Finally, it is not revolutionary, but Moz is not suppossed to be. Were Vauxhall and Your Arsenal revolutionary in the music scene?

for a morrissey album, i'd say its an 8/10, decent album, better than the ringleaders, similar to 'quarry' for me, but it's way better than any other albums i've bought recently.

i love the songs on the CD
i find they become stronger the more i hear them
i do rate this as one of his greats ,you were good in your time ,carol ,etc will be classics and i feel a realism in some of them that only morrissey can do(apart from the french!)
but
this is just my view i agree to disagree, no psycho mail please !

I think 7 is fair. I do quite like the album, but in a superficial "this sounds nice" way. There's nothing wrong with that - but to justify a higher score I would have to feel that the album had something enduring to say.

9 for me; absolutely love it.

Why people criticize this masterpiece is beyond me.

Fans here generally agree that Your Arsenal and Vauxhall are Morrissey's masterpieces. Here Years of Refusal is often badly criticised. Do so many of you think that songs such as "Fatty" "Certain people" "We hate it when..." or "The lazy Sunbathers" are such huge songs with such huge lyrics? In my opinion the minor songs on Years of Refusal have nothing to envy to those old songs.

It's early doors and over 80% have polled 7+...at this point it's a strong 7 from me but come back in 6 months please...time changes everything.

Only for "It's not your birthday anymore", one of his best written songs, I'm cycled, keep listening all day (just as I was with "The edges are no longer parallel"). And for all those people who keep writing things like JGHTY LOPRT KNFHY and HCVD ADRTM HNVYT JNGRT, you can GTFY.

Music is all about opinions.

If you asked me for my favourite albums of the nineties then "Vauxhall and I" would come behind "Passive Soul" by OrlandO and only just ahead of "Dog Man Star" by Suede.

That, of course, will not sit well with lots of people...some people would have yelped with joy when M-People won the Mercury Prize while I sat weeping in the corner of my room.

That said I just don't see how anyone can feel anything other than positively about "Years of Refusal". It is a much more complete album than "You are the Quarry" or "Ringhole of the Torpedoes" and manages not to include anything as embarrassing as "America is not the World" or "All the Lazy Dykes" nor does it include anything as hideous as "The Father who Must be Killed".

People slate "All You Need is Me" and "That's How People Grow Up" but they are much better than "Fatty" or "We Hate It..." and to these ears it forms a much better piece of work than either of the past three albums.

What do I know!

Kimura

It took me a few listens to really get into YOR but there are some blindingly good tracks on it -esp. 'Carol' and 'OK' but listening to it really took me back to Southpaw Grammer and Maladjusted - i think i must just have a soft spot for the rocker Morrissey! Saying that i really wish he'd penn a ballard as good as 'Wide to Recieve' again which YOR really lacks. A solid 8 for me but we all know he can do better.

Points deducted for:
1 - "That's how people..". Never liked that song, the rather in-your-face 'I crashed and broke my spine' lyric is a bit toe-curling
2 - "I'm OK..". Again, pretty adolescent lyrics. Not the sentiment but the phrasing, which used to be his strength.
3 - The slightly heavy-handed production style, although I think the actual sound quality is rather better than Visconti's effort.

On the whole though, I find the tunes and the lyrics (above exceptions excluded) much stronger and more resonant than ROTT.

It's just a shame that, while he seems to be on the vocal form of his life (IMHO), Moz seems to be past his best in terms of his turns of phrase. He seems to be writing 'punchlines' (puns, vitriolic asides, etc) rather than heart-felt sentiment these days. 'Carol' is the lyrical highlight here; it tells what seems to be a complex story using very few words, by allowing you to read between the lines: we know what's wrong with Carol and how she died, but he never explicitly says it. And it's all the more resonant for that fact. That's very old-school Morrissey. A return to form?

Then again, my initial reaction to ROTT was also a seven, and my affection for that album has wained somewhat. Let's hope it doesn't happen again.

Years of Refusal is like bolt out of the blue. It's an unexpectedly vital, angry outburst.

"Something" is an illustration of how far the band have come, bolstered by superb production values. For the first time since "Rank" gave us "The Queen is Dead" live, Morrissey delivers a moment of staccato, expansive PUNK. "Mama" is beautifully maudlin, driven by battery-powered military drums, gritty singing and tender hooks. This is a great Morrissey album and a rare opening gambit.

There are issues, as ever. Tracks 3 and 11 are turgid and some of Morrissey's recent videos and sleeveart has been a little embarrassing; however, this album is among his finest ever collections of songs. "It's Not Your Birthday" recalls the glossy melancholy of VAI and yet has that oh-so-English rock feel that was never quite realised in Southpaw Grammar's 8 songs. There are moments of delicacy of touch among these songs recalling the sensitivity with which his early 90s output was crafted and melodies among his finest. The occasional presence of Spanish Guitar on 'Carol' and moments of almost electronic rhythms bringing in a couple of tracks and the use of organ and flute add something slightly magical to the overall package, somewhat reminiscent of Neutral Milk Hotel's great "Aeroplane."

Perhaps the highlight is his take on "Diamonds are Forever." "You Were Good in Your Time" smoulders and mocks and then dies. The words that spring to mind are, "no one does it better."

A flawed masterpiece, which equals Vauxhall, Viva Hate and Quarry as well as much of his Smiths output.

9/10

broken

I'm not sure what the criteria is that we are assessing it on. In comparison to what? I gave it an 8 based on what i'd rate it against any LP.

I liked the "yor is a bor" comment.
C'mon, Morrissey isn't a rock star and shouldn't be doing these one song sounds just like the other albums!
There's a couple of moments on YOR, but, to me, he's not there anymore.
He knows what he should do and he does it....
It has become quite boring.
Is he referring to years of referring to a new idea?
C'mon Morrissey, you can do better than this.

I wonder if I am the only one here who has a hard time putting an objective score on this album (or any other for that matter.) Overall, I dislike rating stuff, but rating Moz's work is particularly difficult. First, much of his work, for me at least, is quite personal. Also, I am not a musician, so I can't tell if this album is technically-speaking a masterpiece or not. All I can say is whether it grabs me or not. But it usually does. Sure, there will always be weaker and stronger songs, gradations of all sorts, but I find these things not that important.

I wonder if approaching a new album with a 'rating' attitude actually takes away from the experience? Or am I, in my ignorance, missing some pleasure?

I bought the vinyl record and have been listening to it for 1 week straight at home.

YoR has grown on me. I previously ranted that YoR was a disappointment. Today, I rate it a 9.

AMAZING work by Moz and the gang. GENIUS album.

Don't give up on it.

the name, stand head and shoulders above the rest, some of which is pretty good. overall a 7.

Better than Quarry and Ringleaders (although I prefer the production on Ringleaders), not as good as Your Arsenal (8 and a half), nowhere near as good as Vauxhall (10).

The songs on YOR are sometimes excellent (Skull, Mama, Carol, Good In Your Time), sometimes good (Paris, Goodbye Farewell, Birthday) but offset by too many dirges (Black Cloud, People Grow Up, Sorry Doesn't Help, I'm Ok By Myself) or tracks that are just average (All You Need Is Me). They do not hang together well as a collection, in my opinion.

I gave it 2. It's his worst album by a mile, even worse than Quarry and Maladjusted. I gave it a few spins upon release, but I've filed it away now and will never listen to it again. Moz is not only squandering his immense talent, he is also devaluing his whole career by releasing yet another relentlessly mediocre record. Surely he's scraped the barrel with YOR, it can't get any worse now. Or can it?

If this came out following vauxhall or viva hate or arsenal, It would be a 3... In which case all those albums were reasons to shout in the streets, Put it next to the last few albums, ehhh a 6. maybe. I remember buying those above mentioned records on the days they came out, and my initial reaction has never been quite met in the same way over the last few years.. I'll always love moz, There's always gonna be a spot in there, but with each new album lately, I sometimes end up finding myself having to remind myself why. oh and bring back Gary Day :)

This album rocks! Morrissey hasn't kicked this much ass since Southpaw! The dude is, like, 50 or somethin', but he's kinda on a roll now. Much better than that Dear God Oh Please Help Me stuff. That was gross.

theUShillbillybloke

I think this album is a very considerable effort for many reasons. But if Morrissey chooses "Black cloud" for the next single, I'm afraid this album won't sell...The weakest song, clearly not a single. I think Morrissey deserves what he gets from the charts.

I'm terrible at judging songs or albums on the basis of one or two listens. Unless something is truly breathtaking, it always takes me a little while to really appreciate things. (This is also the reason I never trust music reviews too much)

Anyway, now I've given the album a few listens I'm really starting to get into it. A definite grower.

but it sounds like a lot of people here are just long time Moz supporters unwilling to admit that he put out a crap album. I love the man and have even liked his recent efforts, but this album is trash. Every song bleeds into the next, there is no passion, nothing new. It's total shite and in his heart, I think he knows it.

morrissey is, and has always been, a rocker. I am so pleased that YOR sounds like it does; on this album, they sound like a band...not just morrissey and a couple of backing musicians. i really like that.

YOR is the 2nd "9" in morrissey's catalog in my opinion. compared to the other crap albums being released nowadays, however, YOR is an 11.

and anyone who thinks YOR isn't an album of complex high imagery and craft isn't listening -- or looking -- closely enough.

Too much snare you fucking idiot!

Interesting to see so many different views on the new album. And everybody's entitled to their opinion of course...

I must say, having listened to Morrissey almost every day for the past twenty years, I am really disappointed with this record. It's boring - and I never thought I'd say that about Morrissey.

The signs have been there for a while though: Ringleader was no Hatful or Viva Hate after all. Quarry was better.

It's the 'samey' songs that have graced Morrissey albums of late that frustrate me most. Virtually the same chord patterns and the same old tired subject matter. Laziness? A lack of ideas? Or maybe it's just me!

On this showing (and I genuinely am one of his biggest fans when he's on the ball) I think Moz should stop making records or sack his band and move on.

Why not try something different? Go electro (e.g Leonard Cohen's 'I'm Your Man') or even disco - just do something new and outside of the box. Above all, he needs to take a few risks like he used to.

1/10 from me I'm afraid...

I would have voted 10/10 but it was "Mama Lay Softly On The Riverbed" that stopped me. That song scares me.

Where can I get the big albun cover.. I saw Moz with it, in the BBC Radio2 show.

As of this posting it looks like 78% of you think YOR is a 7 or better; I rated it a 10, however a 10 should connotate YOR as a classic. I do think its great but a classic? Only time will tell.

  I really enjoy the overall feel of the album, YOR is sort of the younger and hipper brother of YOUR ARSENAL. On YOR Moz's voice is greatness as usual and the songs are fantastically written; as usual. I find no fault with YOR at all. The second to last song is a little bit on the mundane side, so actually I should have rated this a 9.

To those who rate it lower all I can say is perhaps this is a "grower" of a CD for you and after 40 or 50 listens it will click and you will appreciate it more. Keep listening and tell your friends to buy it!!