MORRISSEY: Swords

Oct 25 2009 by Tony Larner, Sunday Mercury

MORRISSEY

Swords

(Polydor)

wI’M an obsessive, devoted fan of The Smiths, but only a big fan of Morrissey the solo artist.

So I wasn’t expecting brilliant things from a compilation album of his single b-sides – usually seen as just ‘filler stuff’.

And I was wrong!

Swords is arguably the finest collection of Moz musings since those great days with a certain Johnny Marr.

There are some tracks that, whisper it, would easily sit alongside anything created by The Smiths.

The Never-Played Symphonies is sublime in its poignant beauty, while Don’t Make Fun of Daddy’s Voice is a throwback to the comic classics like Frankly, Mr Shankly.

There are also inspired darker tracks that really stand out. Children in Pieces highlights child abuse at Irish Catholic institutions, and Munich Air Disaster 1958 is a surprising bow to the lost Manchester United legends.

Swords is a double-CD and the second disc is a recording of a lively show in Warsaw, including I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris, I Just Want to See the Boy Happy and Smiths anthem You Just Haven’t Earned It Yet, Baby. TL