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Author Jonathan Coe talks about 'You Are The Quarry'

posted by davidt on Sunday September 12 2004, @09:00AM
An anonymous person writes:

Jonathan Coe, author of 'The Rotters Club', talks about 'You Are The Quarry' in this month's edition of 'Word' magazine. It's clear he's a Smiths/Morrissey fan but he expresses his disappointment with the new record. Sadly, I'm afraid I largely agree with his sentiments. Here's what he says:

"I've been trying to like the new Morrissey album. Lyrically he's still on fantastic form and there are two or three wonderful lyrics, particularly the one about forgiving Jesus. But I just think that musically it's so many notches below what he did with Johnny Marr. It's so unexceptional that it just grates on the ear after a while. He's one of the great English comic versifiers, but it's been heralded as a huge comeback and if you listen with a bit of objectivity, you can see that's hype. It's a good record but not as special as the Morrissey machine has been making out".

How very true those words are. Time for some new musicians, then...... (I know I can expect some stick for that comment, but I'll take it!!!).
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  • agreed! (Score:2, Insightful)

    morrissey needs a new band! - the band are good but they are not good enough.
    goodbye_a_go_go -- Sunday September 12 2004, @09:35AM (#123847)
    (User #10175 Info)
    • ..exactly! by Anonymous (Score:0) Sunday September 12 2004, @10:45AM
    • Re:agreed! by Anonymous (Score:0) Sunday September 12 2004, @06:53PM
  • didn't he write "the dwarves of death"?
    I remember reading it, each chapter starts with a smiths/morrissey quote...
    sweetnesss <[email protected]> -- Sunday September 12 2004, @10:15AM (#123853)
    (User #4385 Info | http://www.sweetness-online.de/)
    Life can only be understood in reverse.
  • sorry can't agree, the quarry is an excellent album, right up there with his best work, if the writing carries on in this vein, then we are in for some happy days, the recent tour (uk) has been fantastic. Recently i saw johnny marr on some late night north west t.v. show, with his new band and before playing there new song he said this was the best music he'd ever written, well i could'nt believe my ears, it was to be blunt- shit, i'd say out of the two smiths hero's, morrissey's done a damn sight better, the fact is the smiths will never reform, why because, the rest of the smiths may need morrissey, but he doesnt need the smiths, carry on mozz, boz, gary, deano & alain?
    wrightytheman -- Sunday September 12 2004, @10:53AM (#123859)
    (User #7063 Info)
  • Just been listening to the album in the car.

    I love it. Perhaps because I'm not constantly trying to compare it to past work.

    I find the album absolutely refreshing compared to a lot of the music around today. I find it bold, ambitious and beautiful.

    OK, he falls a bit flat with "America". I can see what he's trying to do but he doesn't quite pull it off, but at least he's trying and at least it got people talking which is more than most music does these days.

    He could so easily have served us up a rehashed Vauxhall just to keep us and the critics happy. I'm so glad he didn't.
    Anonymous -- Sunday September 12 2004, @11:18AM (#123867)
  • I really like the album. I don't love it, but it IS really good. Better than I expected, and Alain, Boz and the boys have done alright. But I do agree that, musically, it's quite formulaic and predictable. Not the meandering, sweeping compositions that Marr used to provide. As a musician myself, I tend to over-analyse music, often without realising it, and I can see the flaws in "You Are The Quarry". When I was learning the guitar, years ago, Johnny Marr was my musical hero (still is) as his compositions were so inspired - unpredictable, beautiful, haunting, sometimes mould-breaking, sometimes cheekily derivative - but always inspired. As much as I like Alain's songwriting (and I really do) he's far less consistent, and there is as much dross as brilliance in Morrissey's latest albums. Just my opinion - but Moz needs to collaborate with a less predictable songwriter. If he does, Alain need only provide a few songs for each album: no doubt they'd be a few of his best. I'm not suggesting Alain be replaced, just subjected to a bit of quality control!!!
    I was a good kid -- Sunday September 12 2004, @01:02PM (#123885)
    (User #12035 Info)
    "Please let me lose, it's nothing to you"
  • plenty of good music on Quarry and its B-sides. I can't remember a Smiths single quite as upbeat as FOTG or a Smiths song quite as gorgeously melancholic as Never-played symphony.
    No, what lets YATQ down are the duff lyrics. Smelly uniforms, face dragged through shit, taxment, magistrates, accountants etc.
    It has to be one of the most lyrically charmless albums in the history of recorded music.
    J
    Anonymous -- Sunday September 12 2004, @01:34PM (#123891)
  • Either you are a fan or you are not!

    YATQ is wonderful. Each album is a separate masterpiece.

    Truly,

    Ken Stavitzke
    sycophantic_slag -- Sunday September 12 2004, @01:43PM (#123893)
    (User #3940 Info)
    "And I just can't explain/ So I won't even try to."
  • is just not that good

    period

    avg record and too comercial for a moz cut

    there is no question it about it....2 or three great tracks the rest is real empty superfluous blather
    Anonymous -- Sunday September 12 2004, @03:12PM (#123914)
  • i find it so odd people keep talking about morrissey's charity work with a 2 bit songwriter named johnny marr...

    people, this is the same guy who has an album called boomslang... BOOMSLANG! which IS the worst thing ever put on disc...

    i just feel sorry for moz who had to deal with e.t. for that long... so sad... i am glad he is free now... YATQ fascinates me, i love it... it speaks to me more than some cheesey 80s guitar riff
    devoted101 -- Sunday September 12 2004, @07:24PM (#123931)
    (User #10724 Info)
    • Re:why why why by Anonymous (Score:0) Monday September 13 2004, @12:51AM
      • Re:why why why by gonzax (Score:1) Monday September 13 2004, @06:51AM
        • Re:why why why by fishnet_monkey (Score:1) Tuesday September 14 2004, @12:56PM
  • Hey, I've been trying to "tone down" with my violent tendencies, especially over the net, but let me say this: You Are The Fucking Idiot! First of all, Your Books suck ass and you know Nothing about Good Music. Johnny Marr Was Great...WAS. But have you heard what he's done since the Smiths????????? Garbage (no offense to Johnny)!!! Garbage, I tell you, there's a few gems, but mostly garbage. Alain Whyte, and Boz Boorer, Gary Day, Spencer Cobrin, Johnny Bridgewood, Dean Butterworth, Stephen Street, Vini Reilly, and especially Jessie Tobias... etc...etc.. All have done an Outstanding job. Do you hear me? Outstanding, you idiot. Get a life. Go listen to you old Smiths CD's and remember one thing...no matter how hard you try, the Smiths will NEVER attain the chart placings that Morrissey's singles have. So in closing, Kiss Alain & Boz' asses and shades and remember again they haven't walked out on Moz like you and Johnny the Prick so easily did and have done. Piss OFF, dork!
    PiccadillyJim -- Sunday September 12 2004, @10:00PM (#123936)
    (User #20 Info)
    "Otherwise, kill me..."
  • Don't blame the band, we've seen what they can do, as past producers have brought magic out of them on past solo classics...it's all about the crap that Finn made them do (and I'm a big fan of YATQ)...Finn made'em slow down Crashing Bores and try some new trender stuff, although MOZ's lyrical prose is once again brilliant! We know the boys can rock...so blame it on Jerry Finn and hope he's not invited back for the next album....Morrissey never needed Finn to "update" his sound for the mall-punk crowd!
    defari -- Monday September 13 2004, @01:03AM (#123951)
    (User #10050 Info)
  • I agree. Compared to Moz's solo peaks - "Your Arsenal" and "Vauxhall & I" - "Quarry" sups from the same trough as "Maladjusted". "Return to form"? Bollocks! It's a lame duck.
    Max Mingus Jnr -- Monday September 13 2004, @02:41AM (#123960)
    (User #5009 Info)
  • Don't people get bored of recycling the opinions of particularly tedious music journalists?

    Anyone with ears can hear "Quarry" is one of his finest albums. There are a couple of fillers in "I'm Not Sorry" and "America" but as a whole, it's fantastic.

    It's interesting too that recently in the music magazines they've recently been referring to "Quarry" as his "return to form." The glowing MOJO and NME reviews, as well as all the other positives seem to have outweighed the one critical and self-indulgent whine from John Harris. It received a mixed reception initially - could it be that it's starting to grow on a few of the more critical voices?

    Either way, it's a definite "grower."
    broken -- Monday September 13 2004, @04:53AM (#123971)
    (User #12260 Info)
    It took a tattooed boy from Birkenhead
    • Re:the same old critical line by Anonymous (Score:1) Monday September 13 2004, @05:40AM
      • Dear anon:

        Excellent non "bipartisan" account of someone with that "blind"(in this case deaf?) worship...

        When I was 15 or even 19 or 20 I may have defended YATQ like our friend Broken whom Im sure is a very decent person but as we grow (and not indifferent as he Im sure will argue)more evolved as human beings, as listeners, as adults no longer star-struck but rather, now many of us realising we struggle through life and are afforded glimpses of the divine only occasionally in music and certainly in the SMITHS on more than one occasion, it is then at that further point do WE REALIZE when an artist is not reaching their own former standards. In other words, this album doesnt really reach the soul as easily it would when we were twenty. We recquire more than what Morrissey writes about these days, it simply doesnt "hit home" as it once did. Morrissey has not grown with us Im afraid. As my most inarticulate friend recently summarised: " I love the Smiths but his depressing lyrics dont relate to anyone anymore". I guess what he means is, The discerned listener hears the laziness of pen and definately of instument in this record. The only element which is as good if not better than what Morrissey has done in the past is his voice, which is what keeps me listening and enjoying because its a great one...but to say this record is anywhere near the Smiths or Vauxhall, Arsenal etc is just completely jaded.

        Cheers,

        Giant
        giant -- Monday September 13 2004, @06:19AM (#123993)
        (User #430 Info)
        I Like You
      • Re:the same old critical line by broken (Score:1) Monday September 13 2004, @01:14PM
        • Typical Harris by Anonymous (Score:0) Tuesday September 14 2004, @02:39AM
    • jonathan coe by MontyClift (Score:1) Monday September 13 2004, @10:40AM
  • Why, why, why always these complaints about this album not being as good? I'm sick of these moaners.

    We've waited for seven years, for a fucking decent album. Ok, it may not be his best, but it's still further away from his worst.

    It wouldn't have mattered what he'd done, they would've slagged him off anyway.

    Just enjoy it or shut up.
    Spineless Swine <[email protected]> -- Monday September 13 2004, @05:22AM (#123978)
    (User #4968 Info)
    Leave your future behind you.
    • Re:Shut up by Anonymous (Score:0) Monday September 13 2004, @05:36AM
      • Re:Shut up by Anonymous (Score:0) Monday September 13 2004, @06:01AM
        • Persuasion? by Anonymous (Score:0) Tuesday September 14 2004, @02:16AM
          • Re:Persuasion? by Anonymous (Score:0) Tuesday September 14 2004, @02:21AM
            • Thank You by Anonymous (Score:0) Tuesday September 14 2004, @03:12AM
              • Re:Thank You by Anonymous (Score:0) Tuesday September 14 2004, @03:18AM
              • Re:Thank You by Anonymous (Score:0) Tuesday September 14 2004, @03:44AM
  • Moz and Stephen Merritt.....

    Merritts work with the Magnetic Fields, the 6ths, Future Bible Heros, and his other projects is amazing.....

    wasnt he quoted as saying morrissey needs new musicians but that he was one of the most brilliant writers around?
    Anonymous -- Monday September 13 2004, @09:58AM (#124026)
  • Typical i expect this all the time now, how easy is it to say morrissey solo work is not up to smiths material,rubbish YATQ has rekindled my love for his music. Unlike mccartney,lennon,Morrissey since the split of the smiths has blossomed both musically and lyricaly with wit and wisdom to match any previous work,I do not wish to dismiss morrissey and marr i just think the subject of solo v ex band debate is a silly one and is not really worth talking about, Because you lose always if you cannot understand the lines, Self deprecating bones and skin.Do you now understand.
    Anonymous -- Monday September 13 2004, @11:32AM (#124040)

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