Morrissey A-Z: "Kit"

In my opinion, something that makes Maladjusted a particularly interesting album is the way that its intention seems to be at odds with itself. There are sort of two versions of Maladjusted uncomfortably coexisting within one LP. There's this late afternoon, melancholy pop (Alma Matters, Trouble Loves Me, Ammunition, I Can Have Both, Wide to Receive, etc.) and then there's this parallel strain of bizarre, synthetic, quasi-gothic songwriting we hear in Ambitious Outsiders, Sorrow Will Come in the End, This is Not Your Country, Kit and Heir Apparent.

It is what it is and it all holds together better than anyone gave it credit for back in 1997, but I sometimes think of the album as two strong, cohesive EPs that collided haphazardly.
 
In my opinion, something that makes Maladjusted a particularly interesting album is the way that its intention seems to be at odds with itself. There are sort of two versions of Maladjusted uncomfortably coexisting within one LP. There's this late afternoon, melancholy pop (Alma Matters, Trouble Loves Me, Ammunition, I Can Have Both, Wide to Receive, etc.) and then there's this parallel strain of bizarre, synthetic, quasi-gothic songwriting we hear in Ambitious Outsiders, Sorrow Will Come in the End, This is Not Your Country, Kit and Heir Apparent.

It is what it is and it all holds together better than anyone gave it credit for back in 1997, but I sometimes think of the album as two strong, cohesive EPs that collided haphazardly.

:eek:

2 Maladjusted inside Maladjusted? AND 2 EPs as well?
all inside Maladjusted?:crazy:
 
To me the music is too driving and grandiose for the lyrics subject, doesn’t really fit. Maybe he felt the same way too?

Perhaps he could not come up with a vocal harmony that was both reflecting the more intimate sentiment of the words and working well with the grandiose music. And the music wasn't fitting in with the prevailing mood at the time of Maladjusted.

He should have saved the tune for another album when he was more interested in blowing out, ROTT or LIHS come to mind.
 
Perhaps he could not come up with a vocal harmony that was both reflecting the more intimate sentiment of the words and working well with the grandiose music. And the music wasn't fitting in with the prevailing mood at the time of Maladjusted.

He should have saved the tune for another album when he was more interested in blowing out, ROTT or LIHS come to mind.

Maybe.

I’m not talking about the melody he’s chosen or his vocal take. I just
think the subject matter clashes in places with the backing music.
 
In my opinion, something that makes Maladjusted a particularly interesting album is the way that its intention seems to be at odds with itself. There are sort of two versions of Maladjusted uncomfortably coexisting within one LP. There's this late afternoon, melancholy pop (Alma Matters, Trouble Loves Me, Ammunition, I Can Have Both, Wide to Receive, etc.) and then there's this parallel strain of bizarre, synthetic, quasi-gothic songwriting we hear in Ambitious Outsiders, Sorrow Will Come in the End, This is Not Your Country, Kit and Heir Apparent.

It is what it is and it all holds together better than anyone gave it credit for back in 1997, but I sometimes think of the album as two strong, cohesive EPs that collided haphazardly.

Are you saying that Maladjusted is
maladjusted?


:)
 
Maybe.

I’m not talking about the melody he’s chosen or his vocal take. I just
think the subject matter clashes in places with the backing music.

True, and Morrissey may have felt the same way.
It's not a random decision not to release it after all.
 
In my opinion, something that makes Maladjusted a particularly interesting album is the way that its intention seems to be at odds with itself. There are sort of two versions of Maladjusted uncomfortably coexisting within one LP. There's this late afternoon, melancholy pop (Alma Matters, Trouble Loves Me, Ammunition, I Can Have Both, Wide to Receive, etc.) and then there's this parallel strain of bizarre, synthetic, quasi-gothic songwriting we hear in Ambitious Outsiders, Sorrow Will Come in the End, This is Not Your Country, Kit and Heir Apparent.
My main issue with 'Maladjusted' (general quality of songs aside) is that it seems to be stuck between competing styles - a good chunk of it seems to hark back to the lush, relaxed, soothing sound of 'Vauxhall', and yet another part of it is still trying to 'rock out' (eg: the end of Papa Jack, Satan Rejected My Soul, Roy's Keen and the title track - which sounds like it would have been more at home on 'Southpaw'). As a result, the production seems stuck in no man's land between these extremes, and unfortunately often ends up feeling like muted 'middle-of-the-road' Dad rock. It just needed a clear direction, as the previous few albums did, as it feels slightly aimless and unsure of itself.
 
It is curious how the weakest thing about the Maladjusted era is the album itself. In my opinion the first four tracks are up there with anything Moz has ever done: Maladjusted, Alma Matters, Ambitious Outsiders, Trouble Loves Me... four very strong and different tracks. then everything after that on the album is pretty unremarkable or just not very good. Basically anything after Trouble Loves Me could and in some cases should have been replaced with songs left for b-sides or just unfinished.
 
Both KIT and IHTWTWYAS are unfinished studio outtakes, that would never have been released. Morrissey is still carefully feeling his way through the instrumentation. He doesn't have the conviction in his voice, that you would normally expect from a master take . It's really surprising, that the finished track "I know who I love", which was taken off the record at the last minute, hasn't surfaced yet. The title is so deceptive, especially in the backlash of the breakup with Jake Walters. Maybe it was too personal after all, or maybe Morrissey just forgot about it, which would be really profane. Jonny Bridgwood has it on his hard drive but you don't want to make a fool of yourself begging him or his wife on Twitter to publish at least a snippet. I'll gladly wait another 16 years instead. Sigh!

P.S.
Boz's live rendition of "Kit" is pretty good.
 
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If you've been following the A-Z series, you wouldn't need to ask.

If you pick up only on the songs I don't like, are monumentally stupid and can't be arsed checking my form before posting things like the above, then no.
i havent missed a day of the a-z,just cant remember you liking many of the songs.all about opinions.
 
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