Morrissey Central "ANNIVERSARY/SADIVERSARY" (March 11, 2025)

It is now five years since the last Morrissey record release. On 20 March 2020, I Am Not A Dog On A Chain was released by BMG Records, who then dropped Morrissey. The album reached number 3 in the UK, and number 18 in the USA. No single releases were issued from this album.

ANNIVERSARY/SADIVERSARY - MESSAGES FROM MORRISSEY - MORRISSEY CENTRAL - ANNIVERSARY/SADIVERSARY

MESSAGES FROM MORRISSEY

www.morrisseycentral.com

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There were 2 videos, 3 digital 'instant grat' releases from this album and a remix 'single'.
(Besides the album, selling physical products and gigging pretty much ceased during Covid).
FWD.

 

[Johnnie Ray]

Let's not forget the unreadable lyrics on the inner CD cover cardboard. What a ghastly design.

It looks like a homemade cd sold out of the back of a van for $5 by some shitty emo band playing a local bar. He used to have impeccable taste which makes it even more striking.

 

[luiz felipe scolari]

When I Am Not A Dog On A Chain came out, I had low expectations, and was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. Especially in comparison with the stodgy and portentous Low In High School, it had a lightness of touch and a breeziness that made it feel like Moz was actually enjoying himself. For me, Jim Jim Falls is one of his all-time classics, and not far behind that are What Kind Of People Live In These Houses (some of his most amusing lyrics in ages), Knockabout World and Darling I Hug A Pillow. There is a bit of a drop off in quality towards the end of side 2, but that's something he's often guilty of. Definitely in my top five Moz albums.

 

[gashonthenail]

When I Am Not A Dog On A Chain came out, I had low expectations, and was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. Especially in comparison with the stodgy and portentous Low In High School, it had a lightness of touch and a breeziness that made it feel like Moz was actually enjoying himself. For me, Jim Jim Falls is one of his all-time classics, and not far behind that are What Kind Of People Live In These Houses (some of his most amusing lyrics in ages), Knockabout World and Darling I Hug A Pillow. There is a bit of a drop off in quality towards the end of side 2, but that's something he's often guilty of. Definitely in my top five Moz albums.

You have said it very well. He appeared to be enjoying himself again on this album. LIHS was indeed stodgy and portentous. The Secret of Music is definitely an 'oddity' to say the least. It's Marmite. But overall Dog is my favourite Moz album of the 21st century.

 

[Thewlis]

You have said it very well. He appeared to be enjoying himself again on this album. LIHS was indeed stodgy and portentous. The Secret of Music is definitely an 'oddity' to say the least. It's Marmite. But overall Dog is my favourite Moz album of the 21st century.

LIHS was great, too, the first 5 songs especially.
Combined it would have been an absolute masterpiece

 

[TsarCaesar]

You have said it very well. He appeared to be enjoying himself again on this album. LIHS was indeed stodgy and portentous. The Secret of Music is definitely an 'oddity' to say the least. It's Marmite. But overall Dog is my favourite Moz album of the 21st century.

TSoM is my 2nd favourite on the album LOL. Only behind River Clean, which for me is probably in my overall top 5 Moz songs.

 

[gashonthenail]

TSoM is my 2nd favourite on the album LOL.

Marmite. Some people love it. Some people hate it.

 

[Girl Who Wouldn’t Kneel]

IANADOAC debuts in Billboard album sales charts (US) - #19 in Top Album Sales

According to the Billboard weekly charts for April 4, 2020, I Am Not A Dog On A Chain debuts at: #19 in Top Album Sales #18 in Top Current Album Sales #44 in Independent Albums #17 in Vinyl Albums #6 in Tastemakers It did not make the Billboard 200 Billboard Chart History - Morrissey

www.morrissey-solo.com

Exactly it did NOT make the Billboard Top 200 charts!

Morrissey discography - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[SuedeMoz]

Much like one shouldn't blame the child for acting bad when the parents are the ones to be blamed, I don't blame EL Jefe for Dog on a Chain (or Low in High School), he did his part -- he wrote the lyrics, which were very good-to-great for the most part. I blame the hired players, the songwriters, and the producer. Especially the producer. A more sterile record has never been made. Joe Chiccarelli really knows how to suck the life out of a tune.

So Morrissey is the Boss and the child? I completely disagree, Morrissey is the parent in this scenario. He's not some lyric-writing monkey kept in a closet unaware of what's happening around him. His "part" is also to control the quality of the product that comes out under his name and hire/fire personnel as needed (or have competent management that will act on his behalf). It's this kind of excuse-making and lack of accountability that keeps his newer music squarely in the mediocre lane.

 

[nothing to declare]

Exactly it did NOT make the Billboard Top 200 charts!

I'm not arguing. You're right. I just thought you were wondering what #18 he was talking about.

 

[TheSmiths_1985]

An album I might listen to!

 

[gashonthenail]

View attachment 153836
An album I might listen to!

Go easy on the quangos.

 

[yesnowinlose]

The strong points of IANADOAC are the quality of the lyrics and the delivery of the vocals in general. The musical accompaniment is unbalanced: sharp jumps from thunder to a sound on the verge of minimalism, it's difficult to perceive. My favorites are "Once I Saw The River Clean" and "Knockabout World", although some of the other songs also caught my attention at different times. "The Secret Of Music" grates on the ear, the only song in which everything is bad. Someone thinks that the vocals in Southpaw Grammar are weak, but in my opinion TSOM broke all records for misses. I think this song hit many Morrissey fans hard on the head, because I have not seen positive reviews for it yet. It would seem, can Morrissey have frankly unsuccessful songs? Of course he can, and TSOM is a striking example of this. Well, Morrissey is not perfect, but you can live with it.

I would like to think that Bonfire will be more powerful in sound. The live recording of "Without Music The World Dies" is definitely encouraging.

 

[barbino]

Quando uscì I Am Not A Dog On A Chain, avevo basse aspettative e rimasi piacevolmente sorpreso da quanto fosse bello. Soprattutto in confronto al noioso e solenne Low In High School, aveva una leggerezza di tocco e una spensieratezza che facevano sembrare che Moz si stesse davvero divertendo. Per me, Jim Jim Falls è uno dei suoi classici assoluti, e non molto dietro ci sono What Kind Of People Live In These Houses (alcuni dei suoi testi più divertenti da anni), Knockabout World e Darling I Hug A Pillow. C'è un leggero calo di qualità verso la fine del lato 2, ma è qualcosa di cui è spesso colpevole. Sicuramente tra i miei cinque migliori album di Moz.

 

[eugenius]

So Morrissey is the Boss and the child? I completely disagree, Morrissey is the parent in this scenario. He's not some lyric-writing monkey kept in a closet unaware of what's happening around him. His "part" is also to control the quality of the product that comes out under his name and hire/fire personnel as needed (or have competent management that will act on his behalf). It's this kind of excuse-making and lack of accountability that keeps his newer music squarely in the mediocre lane.

The reason why El Jefe thinks his recent outpouring passes the smell test is because he's financially comfortable, and surrounded by people (the entire band, the nephew, the last several management teams) who are knowingly way out their depth, yet rely on him for a paying gig. (Perfect example: No one in the band said, "Do we really want to ruin I Am Veronica -- which has the faint potential of cracking the Billboard 200 -- with the braying of Miley Cyrus?")

Sure, El Jefe's taste level is the final line of defense when it comes whichever mediocre lane his newer music travels, but if you surround yourself exclusively with people who only say your latest song is your best, you begin to believe them.

 

[Johnnie Ray]

The reason why El Jefe thinks his recent outpouring passes the smell test is because he's financially comfortable, and surrounded by people (the entire band, the nephew, the last several management teams) who are knowingly way out their depth, yet rely on him for a paying gig. (Perfect example: No one in the band said, "Do we really want to ruin I Am Veronica -- which has the faint potential of cracking the Billboard 200 -- with the braying of Miley Cyrus?")

Sure, El Jefe's taste level is the final line of defense when it comes whichever mediocre lane his newer music travels, but if you surround yourself exclusively with people who only say your latest song is your best, you begin to believe them.

if you surround yourself exclusively with people who only say your latest song is your best, you begin to believe them... But only if you're delusional.

 

[TheSmiths_1985]

if you surround yourself exclusively with people who only say your latest song is your best, you begin to believe them... But only if you're delusional.

Why would you not think your latest work was your best (or at least claim to think it)? Otherwise, what’s the point in going on? If he came out and honestly said, “it’s not a patch on Your Arsenal, I’m afraid”, I can’t imagine him selling many albums.

 

[eugenius]

if you surround yourself exclusively with people who only say your latest song is your best, you begin to believe them... But only if you're delusional.

Thank you, someone understands me!

 

[Girlmostlikely]

I'm aware of BOT and WMTWD (since renamed)... what is the 3rd album?

Morrissey said he re-recorded as well as renamed WMTWD, so in my book that is another album! I'm not sure if the tracklist is gonna be the same, I don't think so.

 

[Girlmostlikely]

Possibly World Peace, since he made news of buying it back last year.

I'm not even including World Peace. But that would be nice to be released as well. That one I have so I don't care as much. Lol.

 

[Johnnie Ray]

Why would you not think your latest work was your best (or at least claim to think it)? Otherwise, what’s the point in going on? If he came out and honestly said, “it’s not a patch on Your Arsenal, I’m afraid”, I can’t imagine him selling many albums.

If your latest stuff is truly your best, great! Say it loud. But if he honestly believes his latest songs are better than the songs we've all heard from Viva Hate, Your Arsenal, Vauxhall, Bona Drag compilation, even Southpaw, Quarry, etc. he'd have to be nuts. So what you're saying is he should just lie so that he can sell more albums? Most people are smarter than that.