This is the Morrissey I love. Not the guy who is giving opinions out like he's a Donald Trump, but the brilliant songwriter, performer, and quite aware of recorded music history. "This is Morrissey" is a new compilation of music of his the late solo 1980s/early 1990s material. Seeing this album, I know there are traces of the great wit/artist that is still with us. As if one who either reads Discogs as a narrative or is a fan of Morrissey, there are a lot of compilations of his music out in the market. On one level, and on a surface one at that, it seems he floods the market of releases perhaps for the financial stake in doing so. Which may be true, but it is also the aesthetic of Morrissey to do a compilation album like this.
The label, Regal is very old school compilation where they released music by an artist, and usually not expensive to purchase on a consumer front. "This is Morrissey, just cost me under $20, and the selection of his music is excellent. I'm not sure if Morrissey himself selected the songs/tracks or someone from his record label/management, but whoever did an excellent job. The key tracks to purchase "This is Morrissey" is the Ron Mael/Russell Mael remix of "Suedehead," which is really the bastard child of Sparks and Morrissey. It's already a beautiful song, but Ron and Russell give it another dimension, and in their mix, they make it into a Sparks piece - but still in spirit, very much of Morrissey. It is one of the great re-mix recordings, just because it's not a DJ overshadowing the artist, but another artist's approach to something that is already fantastic. It is never meant to replace the original. The other great song here is "Whatever Happens, I Love You," which initially was on another compilation album, and I'm not sure if it was ever released as a single, or b-side, but it is one of the Morrissey classics. Beautiful production, and just a wonderful Alain Whyte collaboration with the singer.
Morrissey's brilliance is not always just the music. His witty appreciation for the practices of record labels from the 1960s and so forth is very much honored here with this release. It's Morrissey looking back at his past, and his habitual record buying practices. So yes, one may have these songs in different formats, but I feel Morrissey is sincere in that he wants to present these collections as an art object, or a work to be admired or thought of in such manner. Even the liner notes which are in French shows an absolute love for the medium. And this is the Morrissey I love.
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