"I Am Not A Dog On A Chain" released (March 20, 2020)

I Am Not A Dog On A Chain - tagged articles
I Am Not A Dog On A Chain - tagged reviews
Please note: for fans of reviews, the above tag will update as new reviews come in and is a good way to check any you may have missed.

Morrissey's 13th solo studio album being recorded was first mentioned in SER's interview with Morrissey June 24, 2019 and then formally announced November 28, 2019.
It was recorded at Studio La Fabrique in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France and additional work (like Thelma's vocals) was done at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California. It was produced by Joe Chicarelli who stated about his 4th Morrissey album:

“This is his boldest and most adventurous album yet. He has pushed the boundaries yet again - both musically and lyrically.
And once again proving that as a songwriter and singer, he is in his own category.
In truth, no one can be Morrissey but… Morrissey!”


The official Morrissey mailing list email from March 20 cites the following reviews in its promotion:

"PRAISE FOR ‘I AM NOT A DOG ON A CHAIN’

“Morrissey delivers his best music in years” - AP*
"His best album in years." - NME
"As great as anything he has ever written." - THE TELEGRAPH
“A mature work, the album stands apart in his catalog, displaying a hard-fought air of confidence that defies his roots in misery.” - RIFF MAGAZINE
"Hungry, tenacious & valid" - XS Noise
“Arguably his strongest collection in years.” - Louder Than War Magazine
"Ideal quarantine record.” - The Post Millennial
“An 11 track outing which quite frankly is one of his best albums to date... it sees him in fine form, with witty and acerbic lyrics, and a rich baritone voice that appears to be actually getting stronger the older he gets." - Wall Of Sound"

(*AP = Associated Press)


Album promotional poster (Leeds):

( clever.swine / IG)

The main 3 formats available today:
(Clear vinyl, 'Test Presses" & cassettes haven't been sighted yet).

( Denisc1 / IG)

There is no matrix message on either version of the above vinyl.

The front cover art is credited, again, to Liam Lynch (using an image by Christopher Stewart of Morrissey at Manchester G-MEX, December 22, 2006).
The rear cover is by John Fekner and is described on his site as:

"In the summer of 1980, John Fekner stencils Broken Promises, Falsas Promesas, Decay, Broken Treaties, Last Hope and Save Our School on the walls and buildings of Charlotte Street in the South Bronx. The message of the Charlotte Street Stencils focuses on pointing out the deteriorating conditions and issues that plagued the community since the 1960s. Fekner’s main purpose is to bring attention to inadequate housing, poor services and deplorable social problems that afflicted the neighborhood residents for decades."

For a gallery of this project and further details - please see: here.

For the liner notes and lyrics - see: here.

The initial assertion that the red vinyl was 'indie' record shops only changed later to include HMV - who are selling all 3 formats above.

More reviews are expected and please see the tag link to follow them as they come in.

Regards,
FWD.

 

[Deleted member 29417]

Is anyone else really disappointed with the artwork/packaging on both the CD and Vinyl. Really flimsy, especially the lyric sheets. And the grainy image especially on the vinyl is so bad. Of all the images he could have chosen, old or new why pick one with such low quality?

He said he didn't see the image for Low In High School before it was sent to the printers, so maybe he doesn't look anymore? He's in a bit of a rut, it might take a while to get himself out of it.

 

[GodEmperorMorrissey]

Is anyone else really disappointed with the artwork/packaging on both the CD and Vinyl. Really flimsy, especially the lyric sheets. And the grainy image especially on the vinyl is so bad. Of all the images he could have chosen, old or new why pick one with such low quality?

Mine looks good to me?

 

[Daddys Voice]

I'm really happy with the album for the most part. Here's my individual opinion at present.

Jim Jim -9
Love is -6
Bobby -5
Dog -9
What Kind Of -5
Knockabout -8
Darling -7
Once -8
Ruth -4
Music -6
Hurling -8

 

[Tbevie]

He said he didn't see the image for Low In High School before it was sent to the printers, so maybe he doesn't look anymore? He's in a bit of a rut, it might take a while to get himself out of it.

It’s such a shame he doesn’t have the same interest anymore. The way he used to plan and lay out the designs himself, it was clear that the Artwork was almost as important to him as the music that lay inside. I wonder what changed.

 

[TheSmiths_1985]

Some interesting discrepancies between the lyric sheet and what actually appears on the record.

 

[earlofnowhere]

Even after all these years I still get a buzz out of a new Moz album on release day. I have been listening to this all day, it is so good, he has absolutely nailed it. A brave and brilliant departure. A side follows B side, follows A side, follows B side.

 

[Deleted member 29417]

It’s such a shame he doesn’t have the same interest anymore. The way he used to plan and lay out the designs himself, it was clear that the Artwork was almost as important to him as the music that lay inside. I wonder what changed.

I'd guess depression & finding it hard to concentrate with the internet bombarding him. I'm hoping he realises he's swapping one propaganda machine (newspapers/tv) for an even more sophisticated propaganda machine (blogs/vlogs) & then gives it all up & goes back to art.

 

[carlislebaz]

Some interesting discrepancies between the lyric sheet and what actually appears on the record.

I can’t read the lyric sheet, even with my reading glasses on. Time is no friend of mine!!!

 

[Harsh Truth]

For me, on three full listens, this exceeds expectations. I'm liking a lot of it.

 

[DreamingofStew]

Holy shit! I've been listening to the album. It's good! The second half is absolutely solid. Soaring, even. A couple of weak spots in the first half, at least to my ears so far.

 

[NealCassidy]

Err...what?

Where’s your review

 

[NealCassidy]

Hi Moz

Where’s your review?

 

[Three-Bar-Fire]

Fabulous return to form even on first listen, no question.
Great to see the vast majority on here agree and yes, no duff tracks.
Lots of influences - Sparks (Chain), Bragg (Houses), Beck (Secret), even Les Mis (Ruth)
Lots of new - electro / beats / bass
Lots of Moz - Quarry / Uncle
4/5 stars minimum and will only get better as we acclimatise to it’s wonders.
River is the outstanding one for me.

Good on ya Esteban, you ain’t foolin’ nobody!

 

[Mayfly]

Thanks for putting this together.

One question though: is the complete MoJo review available somewhere?

 

[carlislebaz]

Holy shit! I've been listening to the album. It's good! The second half is absolutely solid. Soaring, even. A couple of weak spots in the first half, at least to my ears so far.

Other way around for me, much prefer the first half to the second...

 

[Anonymous]

is it ok now to discuss how much a non-song ‘the secret of music’ is? ugh.

 

[Jim Jim Falls]

This album makes me smile so much! I thought that with the album title and the first 3 releases maybe being the best this was going to be a disaster - how wrong I was! Jim, Bobby, Dog, Houses, Knockabout, Darling, River and Hurling are just so good! For the first time since Refusal there are also some fantastic lyrics and maybe since Vauxhall some defiant lyrics. Very surprised and very surprised at how brilliant this album is! He’s still got it!

 

[Famous when dead]

Thanks for putting this together.

One question though: is the complete MoJo review available somewhere?

C'est tout:

Regards,
FWD.

 

[Moznymous]

This album is a mix between old Morrissey and Morrissey (specially in IANADOAC track) for me is a 8/10 (the secret of music and the secret of ruth are the two songs that make me rank like that)

 

[Erik]