Article: "World Peace..." reviews (musicOMH, The National, Toronto Sun, The Arts Desk, The Upcoming,

Belligerent Ghoul posts the links:

Review by Neil Dowden (3 1/2 of 5 stars) - musicOMH

Defiant, unapologetic, vindicated: Morrissey breaches the peace again by John Robinson - The National

Album of the week - review by Darryl Sterdan (3.5/5) - Toronto Sun

Review by Guy Oddy (3/5 stars) - The Arts Desk

Review by Donna Mackay (4/5 stars) - The Upcoming

Review by Sarah Jamieson (3 stars) - DIY

Review by Kirstyn Smith (4/5 stars) - The List



Review by Alejandro De Luna (4/5 stars) - Gigslutz / The Sense Of Doubt
 
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Re: Article: "World Peace..." reviews (musicOMH, The National, Toronto Sun, The Arts Desk, The Upcom

Toronto Sun article highlights, as to new releases, what will invariably be the battle for
the U.S. Billboard contest for which new release will break into the top 10. Given the positive reviews and the fact that strangely American magazines and newspapers are reviewing this album as much as U.K. publications, breaking into the Billboard chart in 10th place (something Moz has never done) seems likely.
 
Re: Article: "World Peace..." reviews (musicOMH, The National, Toronto Sun, The Arts Desk, The Upcom

Overall the reviews have been highly positive and recognize this album as being something special in the Morrissey canon, at least as good as Quarry and hearkening back to the immortal Vauxhall and I, while not necessarily eclipsing it.

But it gets a bit odd when *every* single review of the album has to recount Morrissey's last five years, and ZOMG TEH CONTROVERSY and THE CANCELLATIONS, and how, oh, he's such an odd bird and an old curmudgeon, etc. I mean, many do go on to look at the album and see a storyline in Moz's rejuvenated approach, the musicality, the innovativeness, etc., but that it the real story here. The last five years have been like nearly every year of his career outside of the studio. Good lord, back in 92-93 when I discovered Morrissey, it was much the same, and you couldn't turn anywhere without people lecturing on how horrible a person he was, how he hadn't been any good since the Smiths, how his big mouth was always getting him in trouble, etc.

Then again, reading every single review of the album isn't necessarily normal behavior...
 
Re: Article: "World Peace..." reviews (musicOMH, The National, Toronto Sun, The Arts Desk, The Upcom

Overall the reviews have been highly positive and recognize this album as being something special in the Morrissey canon, at least as good as Quarry and hearkening back to the immortal Vauxhall and I, while not necessarily eclipsing it.

But it gets a bit odd when *every* single review of the album has to recount Morrissey's last five years, and ZOMG TEH CONTROVERSY and THE CANCELLATIONS, and how, oh, he's such an odd bird and an old curmudgeon, etc. I mean, many do go on to look at the album and see a storyline in Moz's rejuvenated approach, the musicality, the innovativeness, etc., but that it the real story here. The last five years have been like nearly every year of his career outside of the studio. Good lord, back in 92-93 when I discovered Morrissey, it was much the same, and you couldn't turn anywhere without people lecturing on how horrible a person he was, how he hadn't been any good since the Smiths, how his big mouth was always getting him in trouble, etc.

Then again, reading every single review of the album isn't necessarily normal behavior...

What else is there to say about the last five years of Morrissey's career? Cancellations and controversy seems to sum it up pretty accurately. What else was there? In fact, when you consider some of the things he has come out with during that time smoothing it over with a neutral word like controversy seems very kind. They could have revisited the sheer toe-curling awfulness of some of those quotes.

I wouldn't say World Peace was as good as Quarry, but it is his best since, and in the world of the music review, many of which start with the framework of press release hyperbole and ramp it up from there, 3.5 out of 5 is hardly highly positive.
 
Re: Article: "World Peace..." reviews (musicOMH, The National, Toronto Sun, The Arts Desk, The Upcom

What else is there to say about the last five years of Morrissey's career? Cancellations and controversy seems to sum it up pretty accurately. What else was there? In fact, when you consider some of the things he has come out with during that time smoothing it over with a neutral word like controversy seems very kind. They could have revisited the sheer toe-curling awfulness of some of those quotes.

I wouldn't say World Peace was as good as Quarry, but it is his best since, and in the world of the music review, many of which start with the framework of press release hyperbole and ramp it up from there, 3.5 out of 5 is hardly highly positive.

I know. Since 1983 it's been so easy for journalists to talk about How weird he is, his big mouth, the animal rights thing, etc. just talk about the music!
 
Is statistics a problem subject for you? Was I talking about a single 3.5 review, or did I not write the word, "Overall..."???
 
Re: Article: "World Peace..." reviews (musicOMH, The National, Toronto Sun, The Arts Desk, The Upcom

The National - best review yet. Not because it is overly positive or negative but because it is so clear the reviewer really listened to the album. Look at these last two paragraphs below. Don't you agree with the sentiment expressed?

----

It’s a moment of poignant humanity on an album that hasn’t always seemed particularly supportive of the frailty of human beings – if we believe I’m Not a Man, Morrissey feels more compassion for a sausage than he does a soldier – the very foundation on which his reputation is built. Perhaps, as he suggests on Smiler with Knife, one of the more experimental tracks here, he’s simply voicing the opinions everyone holds, but remain unuttered. Perhaps his eccentric worldview has simply evolved into right-wing libertarianism. Don’t expect life to do you any favours, he sometimes seems to be saying. You can either tough it out as I have done, or perish.

Back amid the jokes of Neal Cassady Drops Dead he asked: “Victim, or life’s adventurer – which of the two are you?” It’s a fair question. But having bested his tormentors, the challenge of Morrissey’s next act may be to make sure he doesn’t become a bully himself.
 
Re: Article: "World Peace..." reviews (musicOMH, The National, Toronto Sun, The Arts Desk, The Upcom

I would argue he cares about the animal that was turned into sausage, not the sausage itself. That's a pretty important distinction.
 
Re: Article: "World Peace..." reviews (musicOMH, The National, Toronto Sun, The Arts Desk, The Upcom

Pretty sure Morrissey loves sausage.
 

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