His vocals: better then or better today?

Moz's Voice Was Better?

  • Pre Vauxhall And I

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Post Vauxhall And I

    Votes: 12 100.0%

  • Total voters
    12
I think he is quite struggling with the high notes of Art Hounds. Maybe that's why he doesn't sing it in concert.

Probably so but honestly his falsetto was never great. Like I said above I do think he's lost some of the high notes which is typical as you age but his lower register has come in strong and suits a lot of the song new and old. As to lyrics I don't know.its a discussion had on here a bunch of times but in general his lyrics have never been as detailed as they were in the smiths but I thought world peace was great myself. It's the south paw era for me and some of vauxhal that kinda sounds meh. He's a lot more direct these days as are the songs to go with them for the most part but on world peace I found him at times very funny and moving. Same with quarry which also had some superb lyrical moments
 
Probably so but honestly his falsetto was never great. Like I said above I do think he's lost some of the high notes which is typical as you age but his lower register has come in strong and suits a lot of the song new and old. As to lyrics I don't know.its a discussion had on here a bunch of times but in general his lyrics have never been as detailed as they were in the smiths but I thought world peace was great myself. It's the south paw era for me and some of vauxhal that kinda sounds meh. He's a lot more direct these days as are the songs to go with them for the most part but on world peace I found him at times very funny and moving. Same with quarry which also had some superb lyrical moments

Agree with a lot of what you say here.
And I can also understand that for you some of Vauxhall sounds meh.
But for me Vauxhall is still top off the list because of the strange, mysterious and very intimate atmosphere, throughout the whole album. As if a spirit used Moz as a medium.

I still feel he has never opened up so much and dared to show so much of his inner world as an artist.
The weaker songs become stronger than they are due to that strange, almost supernatural atmosphere.
I mean, I really like the Lazy Sunbathers, it's moving, witty and funny but also a tragic observation.
But it almost seems like the song becomes more meaningful due to its sequence on the album.

The melancholy feeling on Vauxhall is not the same as on other Moz-albums.
It's special and one of a kind.
 
Take even a song like kiss me a lot which is one of the most out and out pop songs on the album and his voice is fantastic. The way it goes from booming to a whisper and soars up and down before the chorus kicks in is not something I can see him doing years before. Even world peace the song with its controlled even walk down dip and climb to the next walk down is a vocal I find hard to imagine him doing in his youth

Kiss me a lot is a wonderful song

 
Agree with a lot of what you say here.
And I can also understand that for you some of Vauxhall sounds meh.
But for me Vauxhall is still top off the list because of the strange, mysterious and very intimate atmosphere, throughout the whole album. As if a spirit used Moz as a medium.

I still feel he has never opened up so much and dared to show so much of his inner world as an artist.
The weaker songs become stronger than they are due to that strange, almost supernatural atmosphere.
I mean, I really like the Lazy Sunbathers, it's moving, witty and funny but also a tragic observation.
But it almost seems like the song becomes more meaningful due to its sequence on the album.

The melancholy feeling on Vauxhall is not the same as on other Moz-albums.
It's special and one of a kind.

I agree about the melancholy feel which is probably due to all those people dying I'm only guessing and I find half of the songs really striking. Hold on to your friends though simple is directly powerful especially when you know the real life context and speedway lazy dykes find out for yourself and of course the more you ignore are all really good imo but spring heeled Jim billy budd I am hated for loving girl drowning are just at meh level for me. Even now my heart is full I think sounds better than it reads on paper. Not trying to change your mind but it's how the album strikes me. Something about how that album sounds was recorded also puts me off it some and could be affecting judgement. I rate it as really uneven. Good but not great
 
But for me Vauxhall is still top off the list because of the strange, mysterious and very intimate atmosphere, throughout the whole album. As if a spirit used Moz as a medium.
The melancholy feeling on Vauxhall is not the same as on other Moz-albums.
It's special and one of a kind
.

Steve Lillywhite :thumb:. Should one wonder why he was chosen to produce 3 albums? I think M would agree with you and he himself liked Steve's work and approach. Though he did try to get Eno to produce 'Maladjusted' (i believe) and Lillywhite (according to M)wasn't too keen to work with M again from what I read in 'Autobiography'.

Anyhow I'm pretty sure 'Vauxhall' and around that time was a good one for M. The confidence shows through the work on that album but on the way to 'Maladjusted' things take a bit of a turn. All great records in the 'Lillywhite trilogy' but 'Vauxhall' is the best out of them.
 
Oh, I didn't mean to imply it was inauthentic. I think it's been documented by a number of sources that he was often sick with head colds at the time. I just meant to demarcate it from the rest of his vocal presentation in the 1992-1997 era because his limitations audibly stick out in 1995.

Ah okay. I remember in the liner notes of the re-issued Southpaw Grammer Moz says something like "I can point to this and say 'this was my 1995'". Later he said "You have to document everything. The good and the bad". So, in a way, I like it that Moz decided to record in 1995 with his unhealthy voice because it reflects a certain moment in his life.
 
Steve Lillywhite :thumb:. Should one wonder why he was chosen to produce 3 albums? I think M would agree with you and he himself liked Steve's work and approach. Though he did try to get Eno to produce 'Maladjusted' (i believe) and Lillywhite (according to M)wasn't too keen to work with M again from what I read in 'Autobiography'.

Anyhow I'm pretty sure 'Vauxhall' and around that time was a good one for M. The confidence shows through the work on that album but on the way to 'Maladjusted' things take a bit of a turn. All great records in the 'Lillywhite trilogy' but 'Vauxhall' is the best out of them.

Agree 99% with you Ketamine Sun !
The one percent missing I don't know. I guess it is my reservation against anything 100% perfect. :o

How do you value the production of WPINOYB?
I like it a lot as much as it does allow more different musical influences and the use of unusual instrumentation. Musical influences from more different cultures.
Maybe just a tiny bit overproduced.
And making some of the songs a bit longer than they deserve.
But still very good and amazing good songs on the bonus cd as well.
Cheers :thumb:
 
'Vauxhall and I' is easily the best produced Morrissey album to my ears. It sounds like it was recorded underwater, with everything nestled in cotton wool. It's pure dreamy bliss. And Morrissey performs his best sustained falsetto in 'Boy Waving, Girl Drowning'.

The whole thing is supremely unsuitable to be performed live, but as an album it's his peak. If Morrissey's career ends today, then from the solo era this and 'Viva Hate' will be held up as the two undisputed 'classics'.
 
Agree 99% with you Ketamine Sun !
The one percent missing I don't know. I guess it is my reservation against anything 100% perfect. :o

How do you value the production of WPINOYB?
I like it a lot as much as it does allow more different musical influences and the use of unusual instrumentation. Musical influences from more different cultures.
Maybe just a tiny bit overproduced.
And making some of the songs a bit longer than they deserve.
But still very good and amazing good songs on the bonus cd as well.
Cheers :thumb:

I'll chime in. I think the production on WPINOYB is superb. Very varied. Very creative. Dig the Spanish flourishes. Pity it has the awful "Kick The Bride Down The Aisle" on the album. It's just not very witty so therefore comes across misogynistic or worst and just bitter at best.
 
When I think of someone mentioning production I myself tend to think of sound engineering and mica etc things along those lines. Wouldn't the Spanish guitars be a choice of the band and the song writers and not credited to the producer
 
Agree 99% with you Ketamine Sun !
The one percent missing I don't know. I guess it is my reservation against anything 100% perfect. :o

How do you value the production of WPINOYB?
I like it a lot as much as it does allow more different musical influences and the use of unusual instrumentation. Musical influences from more different cultures.
Maybe just a tiny bit overproduced.
And making some of the songs a bit longer than they deserve.
But still very good and amazing good songs on the bonus cd as well.
Cheers :thumb:

WPINOYB ? The production is good, maybe a little too perfect. Sounds 'glassy' to me, don't know. You can have the best top producer but that doesn't mean you're gonna capture the magic. Who's fault is it then? or is it just chance?,
again I don't know. Good songs, but as a whole it's not one high on my list. I feel that way about 'Quarry' and 'Refusal' good songs,but somethings missing.I like a bit of mystery in the sound of a record not a polished recording. 'Viva','Arsenal','Vauxhall',and 'Ringleader' have that for me. :)
 
Ah okay. I remember in the liner notes of the re-issued Southpaw Grammer Moz says something like "I can point to this and say 'this was my 1995'". Later he said "You have to document everything. The good and the bad". So, in a way, I like it that Moz decided to record in 1995 with his unhealthy voice because it reflects a certain moment in his life.

Certainly. And it seems that he thought the band was in a "zone" at the time - having come off a strong tour - and wanted to strike while the iron was hot, vocal strength be damned. Personally, it adds to the appeal of the album. There is a resigned quality to his performances that is reflected in the themes and viewpoints of the lyrics. He (or the characters he is singing as) often sounds ill at ease, no pun intended.
 
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