Kill Uncle appreciation thread

I love this album. I always have. Maybe because it was the first one I ever heard, and it was brand new when I discovered him. But I don't think it's nostalgia. I actually really do love the album. And I think that Asian Rut is an interesting song because it's occasionally heralded as proof of his openness to multiculturalism (by those who try to claim he's not a racist) but it's actually about a drug addled violent vengeful Asian guy waging an impotent war on skinheads. Morrissey, the fly on the wall, is simply wondering why the violence needs to occur at all...in other words, why the problem has to exist in the first place.

I think it's definitely possible Morrissey has racist proclivities. I'm not even going to try to say otherwise. But I also think he's much more a nationalist than a dyed in the wool "racist" and I think too that to a certain degree in MOST people (of any color) racism is a natural instinct. I'm not saying it's good; I'm just saying it's there. I do not think he'd ever condone violence or segregation.Well. Not violence anyway.

Regarding his views on nationalism or Islam or whatever...I think that when he called out May and Sadiq Kahn two years ago with his retort "an extreme what? An extreme rabbit?" because they admitted the attack was by extremists but stopped short of saying extreme Islamists (who proudly took credit for the attack immediately) his point was that the PC culture sanitized the truth to a point he could not stomach.

He's not a racist. Well, maybe he's a bit of a racist. But there are good racists with no hate in their heart. Look at the true blue eyes of Archie Bunker in the night.

Anyway I love Kill Uncle.






Y U SO DUMB THO?
I came here to say I always liked this record and get away from all the posts about politics and it's all about how he's not a racist. Or that maybe he is, but that he might be a good one.

There is an exhaust leak in the ice cream van and you need to get that checked. Might need a new muffler. Good luck.
 
Y U SO DUMB THO?
I came here to say I always liked this record and get away from all the posts about politics and it's all about how he's not a racist. Or that maybe he is, but that he might be a good one.

There is an exhaust leak in the ice cream van and you need to get that checked. Might need a new muffler. Good luck.

There ya go! Nice!
 
Good thread. I liked Kill Uncle at the time. I think Kill Uncle's failings became more obvious by the superiority of the 2 albums that followed. Your Arsenal & Vauxhall presented a much more mature sounding Morrissey and KU seemed kind of directionless in hindsight. In any case, I wish he'd see fit to add a few KU gems into his live set list. Mute Witness or Driving would still play very well.
 
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Underrated, yes, but the criticism towards it isn’t that far out either. The songs are to a large extent very good, but there are some one could do without. Also, as other people have pointed out, the production is a bit flat and almost plastic sounding. The songs really came alive on stage, which makes me wish they had recorded them with the same rockabilly oumph in the studio.
Also, it feels like less of a statement than Viva Hate, Arsenal or Vauxhall. It’s mostly more...light hearted (not an ideal way to describe it, but still). Quirkier. I understand why some people felt it was a bit lackluster seeing as it was released three long years after Viva Hate.
 
Mute Witness is great, especially live. The entire album is great live, just lacks a bit of energy on the studio versions, the whole thing sounds like it needs sped up.

End of the family line is one of my fave Moz tracks too, so, points scored there. But all in all it is pretty weak and lacklustre imo.
 
Kill Uncle is a strange album, because the track selection feels like an act of self-sabotage. The first four tracks are generally strong, but everything after that (bar admirably understated Driving Your Girlfriend Home) is very flimsy. With the running time barely over 30 minutes, one gets the impression that Moz and the band had difficulties in scraping enough material together -- which is not true according to what I've read. Langer, Winstanley and Nevin must be annoyed, because their name is now attached to the least loved Morrissey album, although a much stronger one could have been compiled from all the stray singles and b-sides they were involved with.

I still prefer Kill Uncle to California Son though.
 
"Recording something for the sake of recording delivered Kill Uncle unto the world, and I am finally up against the limits of my abilities...Having been so right, it is suddenly shocking to be so wrong." (from Autobiography)

It's a fairly rare example of Morrissey being bracingly honest about his own artistic creations. (Although was he at the time it came out? I can't remember.)

I just recall feeling it was a flimsy album - although as others have noted there were some cracking songs floating around in that period - The Loop, Pregnant, Sing Your Life, etc.
 
(Although was he at the time it came out? I can't remember.)

Feel free to correct me if necessary, but I recall him being more subdued than normal at the time. He said something about the album shows where he is right now -- which was different, because his usual schtick is to claim that the latest album is always the best one he has done so far.
 
It’s a fun little album that just seems to be Morrissey being Morrissey for the sake of it. None of the songs really seem to be about much. I like the music hall vibe and some of the rockabilly starts here but it’s a slight album that only appeals to those who like morrisseys persona. Asian rut sounds great though and very dramatic which is kinda at odds with the rest of the album
 
I enjoyed the build up to it at the time. It seemed an age for the next album after Viva despite the singles in between.
I liked it simply because it didn't follow on from Viva in any predictable way (NME gave it 8/10 :) )
Yes, Clive & Allan didn't do the greatest of jobs in the booth, but you can see this album as the foundation/inspiration for later seeking out people like Boz & Alain. If it was the stepping stone towards Your Arsenal, then I'm grateful for that fact alone. A bit of an odd flow to the track list, but with Family Line & There's A Place... I was happy enough in my youth to consider it a credible Morrissey album despite the reviews.
Nevin's guitar is actually a nice addition in places. Linder's backing vocals are (as per today still with others) mixed very quietly. You can see they were trying hard in the creative department, but Street's absence is much lamented by some and perhaps it shows.
That said, we got 4 singles including the wonderful My Love Life from that recording session (and yes, the contentious Journalists... & Tony... also). With Boz being added to the roster here for Pregnant...
The real joy of this album were the live versions - delivered by a band full of energy (plus I'm a sucker for slap bass).
The new band adopted some of these tracks and injected life in to them.
Not an album I dip in to that often, but still worthy of note. I'm certain if he played any of it in the Fall, people would enjoy it (after recovering from the shock).
Regards,
FWD.
 
It's a great album!
But there's no such thing as a bad Morrissey album!


Don’t know. Though I do believe that ordinaryboy86 would give it a 10/10,
considering he has still sealed copies of it on every f***ing format.


:cool:
 
I love this album. I always have. Maybe because it was the first one I ever heard, and it was brand new when I discovered him. But I don't think it's nostalgia. I actually really do love the album. And I think that Asian Rut is an interesting song because it's occasionally heralded as proof of his openness to multiculturalism (by those who try to claim he's not a racist) but it's actually about a drug addled violent vengeful Asian guy waging an impotent war on skinheads. Morrissey, the fly on the wall, is simply wondering why the violence needs to occur at all...in other words, why the problem has to exist in the first place.

I think it's definitely possible Morrissey has racist proclivities. I'm not even going to try to say otherwise. But I also think he's much more a nationalist than a dyed in the wool "racist" and I think too that to a certain degree in MOST people (of any color) racism is a natural instinct. I'm not saying it's good; I'm just saying it's there. I do not think he'd ever condone violence or segregation.Well. Not violence anyway.

Regarding his views on nationalism or Islam or whatever...I think that when he called out May and Sadiq Kahn two years ago with his retort "an extreme what? An extreme rabbit?" because they admitted the attack was by extremists but stopped short of saying extreme Islamists (who proudly took credit for the attack immediately) his point was that the PC culture sanitized the truth to a point he could not stomach.

He's not a racist. Well, maybe he's a bit of a racist. But there are good racists with no hate in their heart. Look at the true blue eyes of Archie Bunker in the night.

Anyway I love Kill Uncle.







í could go off on this topic for days, but, suffice it to say, that í am in a similar situation. í, personally, love this LP.
í know all the reasons why í should not love it, but, sometimes, knowledge is not enough. Like you, it was my first proper Morrissey album, as in , his first all-new collection of songs after first falling for him in late '88. After all the funny little singles and their compendium in "Bona Drag", and especially after his performance of "I've Changed My Plea to Guilty" on tea-time telly a couple of months prior to release, í was ready for my world to be rocked by "Kill Uncle"...
Instead, í swooned and staggered and fell hard for it. And, despite it's urchin runt of the litter status, it still cowers in a special place in my heart. There is a particular patina of English Autumnal melancholy and wan wintered slightness that Morrissey deployed here, by intent or accident, that warms my cockles even now.

So much so, that í just recently acquired this empty little treasure; a sheaf of typewritten lyrics for the record {& "Journalists Who Lie"}, plus songwriter credits with hand annotations, that was posted to Jo Slee by Moz {Cheshire postmark ~ 10th November 1990} ~

MORRISSEY_OUR%2BFRANK%2B%26%2BKILL%2BUNCLE%2B%2D%2BLYRIC%2BSHEET%2BPROOF-709548.jpg

MORRISSEY_OUR%2BFRANK%2B%26%2BKILL%2BUNCLE%2B%2D%2BLYRIC%2BSHEET%2BPROOF-709548b.jpg

MORRISSEY_OUR%2BFRANK%2B%26%2BKILL%2BUNCLE%2B%2D%2BLYRIC%2BSHEET%2BPROOF-709548c.jpg
MORRISSEY_OUR%2BFRANK%2B%26%2BKILL%2BUNCLE%2B%2D%2BLYRIC%2BSHEET%2BPROOF-709548d.jpg
MORRISSEY_OUR%2BFRANK%2B%26%2BKILL%2BUNCLE%2B%2D%2BLYRIC%2BSHEET%2BPROOF-709548e.jpg



No significant variations in the lyrics {but laid out exactly as intended in the gatefold sleeve}, other than that last extra verse on "Journalists Who Lie".

í must go.

.
 
Is it tight up there in Morrissey’s bum hole? Say hi to thewlis & ketamine sun for me.
It’s true, though, isn’t it? Even the weaker ones each have a few killer tracks you wouldn’t want to live without. A bit harsh to call any of them an all out BAD album.

Edit: I am, however, not a fan of WPINOYB and find LIHS a bit hard to swallow, but both undoubtedly have a few belters.
 
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Never understood the hate for this album. I didn't get into Moz until around 09/10, so by that time I had a lot of music to consume, but in going back through the catalog KU never jumped out at me as being particularly bad. For me, KU > LIHS, WPINOYB, YOR, SG, and Maladjusted.
 
you are correct and I think people like us who love this album are better fans than those that don't :thumb:
sort of like those of us that can separate love of so much of his music from his highly questionable politics :cool:
 
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