Morrissey • California Son (Video Essay): Sweaty Record Review

After a brief review of the mediocre covers album by Morrissey, Skye goes on an extended riff on the nature of history, political memory and popular music. Yes, Johnny Hallyday will be featured prominently.

[@nosyjoe]

You make it sound like Morrissey has become Lee Greenwood! I don't think Mike Pence is going to start listening to Morrissey's Dylan cover anytime soon, or that it's going to be played before the National Anthem. I think California Son is just a collection of songs that Morrissey likes from American artists. I don't think he's projecting or injecting himself or his politics into them. But I enjoyed your review and found the comparison to the French music interesting for sure - keep up the good work!

[@robertsnowdon1257]

Morrissey's support for Britian first was largely due to the vegan beliefs of Marie Waters, it is fair to say however he has become something of an old English cultural conservative (and I could go on about this) but without responding with an essay of my own it's interesting that 5 yesrs on he hasnt shown any further support for any right wing parties of any shades and has said he respects his mulisim friends or brothers, I'm not commenting this to try 'one up'you though as at the time your opinion was commonplace. However, in northern England there are those that do sense a papable change in our culture due to immigration and other negative consquences like the Rotherham grooming gangs and the terror attacks over the last decade, and your average latte drinking LA hipster music journalist who writes for stereogum would never understand this.

[@patrickquigley9732]

This is a very interesting hypothesis; and brilliant bite size history lesson on wartime France. The juxtaposition of Halladay and Moz is an intriguing one, certainly the kind of artist that would be on the Moz radar. Similarly very true that Ms recent albums suffer with overly glossy production along with some truly unmemorable, bitter and inappropriate songwriting. However the last album that reached the standard set in the 80s and 90s was Ringleader of the Tormentors, in my opinion. Since then I’ve checked out on new Morrissey releases after a first listen. It’s disappointing watching someone who was comically and amusingly misanthropic in the 80s become plain misanthropic and increasingly unpleasant. And like you mentioned, the music isn’t good enough anymore to paper over those dubious cracks. Thanks for this video

[@easytigeruk123456789]

it`s a 1 out of five because it`s really bad music Personally, I`d give it 0.1

[@michaelcooper1018]

I’m having a really tough time trying to process one of my idols being diametrically opposed to my personal world view. Once a template for my ideal embodiment of masculinity: sweet, tender, and at once a hooligan with sharp wit (and killer hair), Morrissey is as cringe-worthy as they come. The issue of being able to separate the art from the artist is so common lately, it’s a “Dial a Cliche.” I’ve yet to hear the new album, but I wonder if the Dylan cover is really just his sincere way of saying, “you guys, I’m really not a racist.” Perhaps I’m hopelessly naive. In any event, I’m glad I skipped his recent NYC stint, and went to FonzCon!!!

[@eddiesongss]

Morrissey is not Far right nor any political affiliation. Also, if you actually listen to his full interviews and let him explain you'd realize that he isn't racist. Wearing the pin on Fallon was a bad decision, but if you listen to him you'll see that he was just trying to make point and does not support that party. So what exactly has he said/done that's racist? And who from the far right is listening to a vegan and asexual/celibate/bisexual man who for a while represented the far left if anything.

[@professorskye]

I see your point and I really WANT to agree with it. However, I just can't read what he has said and observed what he has done without seeing that he has taken a pretty sharp turn to the right. Your larger point is correct, though. He may have taken a turn to the right, but it is not like he is a right-wing icon or anything. And, I don't think that it invalidates his genius or his past work . I do think that his work has taken a turn for the worse since Maladjusted, but that is purely on music and not politics. But it is hard to see him speak and not just see that he has become the kind of stern, conservative bloated blow-hard that he used to decry in his earlier music.

[@eddiesongss]

@@professorskye I definitely can agree that he acts very stiff and can come across as maybe just an old conservative, but I think he truly is his own separate entity and that he does not belong to any politicalal affiliation. I also believe that he has been mis-represented and unfairly taken out of context on multiple occasions in the media. When it comes to the music, you're completely right that by far his is best stuff is his pre-Maladjusted era, although he has had his moments here and there since, and I think his voice has held up well.

[@Harpdashian]

Professor Skye's Record Review Morrissey is left wing on all issues except immigration, hardly a massive turn to the right

[@KalvinMauveMusic]

MORRISSEY HAS NOTHING TO SAY ANYMORE.PATHETIC.

[@karasu9]

I posted this to r/breadtube

[@professorskye]

EmmanuelMacaron2002 thanks! I think it sent some people this way.