Morrissey • I'm not a Dog on a Chain: Professor Skye's Record Review

[@lewismurphy3692]

As a huge fan of morrissey and the smiths I went into listening to this album with some apprehension. Pleasantly I was blown away with the entire thing, after seeing him live a few weeks back in Leeds, he sang Jim Jim Falls for the very first time and I left the gig saying “wow, what on earth was that song” it had that classic Moz sound and of course lyrics that no other artist (i believe) is capable of capturing, or should i say would dare to try and create. Although this album is a world away from the classic solo sound of morrissey such as viva hate and your arsenal etc i think it matches up to the best of his more modern sound and is on a similar level to “low in high school”, an album which i really do love. Ps brilliant review and really insightful explanation of your feeling towards the album. All the best mate👍🏻

[@edwoodsnowden]

You should treat yourself and buy this on red limited edition vinyl, and "Once I Saw the River Clean" will be your favourite track after a few listens of the album, i hated it initially and a song about walking with your Grandmother, well say no more.

[@erlineandrews]

You're saying a lot of questionable things. Morrissey has worked with the same musicians and producer for many years. That suggests he isn't hard to get along with. Other musicians collaborate with him despite the controversy surrounding him and seem to like doing so,

[@professorskye]

Yeah, maybe I overstated it a bit.

[@roblinnbailey2359]

Yes, Morrissey certainly has upset the thought police. Viva Moz!

[@Stevenc1970]

The Moz police are out in full force

[@twitchygiraffe4636]

Upsetting the thought police is the ONLY good thing about him! His music’s been shite since refusal in 2009!!!!

[@d.hpeterson5802]

@Professor Skye's Record Review "Booby don't you think they know": A back up singer?? Dude, It's Thelma Houston !!! Legendary ex-Motown singer!!

[@29memyselfandi]

A fantastic song and gives lie to the “ Morrissey is racist “ crap.

[@erlineandrews]

Also - Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong was featured on vocals on Wedding Bell Blues from California Son. But the Thelma Houston collaboration was much more successful. Bobby, Don't You Think They Know is a wonderful track. One of my favorites of the year so far.

[@professorskye]

Yeah, I love that track.

[@petemozzasafc7176]

Sorry but if your such a big fan,same producer for last 4 albums,and by the way he doesn't vote

[@professorskye]

Fair criticism. I tried to make it clear that my super fandom is filled with ignorance and I welcome this kind of point. Thanks.

[@dazpearce2096]

Vauxhall and I was one of the best albums of the 1990s - and as good as the Smiths' four studio albums for sure.

[@eddie1thyme]

Great review. For me I definitely prefer Morrissey's solo work over the Smiths. The Smiths first two albums are great for about half but are inconsistent. The final two albums are excellent, especially the Queen is Dead which is flawless and the best Smiths/Morrissey album ever, and some non album songs were great as well. However, Morrissey solo from Viva Hate to You are the Quarry wins hands down. Albums like Your Aresenal and Vauxhall and I are masterpieces. Even his weakest albums during that period such as Kill Uncle and Maladjusted contain a number of really good songs. Not to mention some of the great compilation albums like Bona Drag and World of Morrissey. While I love The Smiths, for me Morrissey's solo work is if not better at least just as good.

[@boogiewoogie9770]

The reissue of Maladjusted with the different tracklist that came out a few years ago is really great and worth tracking down. I think his output over the past 10 years has been pretty strong over the past 15 years or so. So many great songs...up there with his best.

[@dirkbogarde44]

Enjoyed the review......just disagree with your opinion of his political opinions.

[@TomCwimpRock]

I haven’t heard this album yet, but I really appreciated hearing your insights and opinions on Morrissey and his work... and I think that you really nailed it with your points on “the bitterness of old age vs the bitterness of youth”, and his tendency of being angry at people that said bad things about him as increasingly frequent content in his songs... Very interesting review - take care..

[@professorskye]

Thanks for the kind comment.

[@emreformulacao]

I disagree with your comments to some extent.

[@kylevaldes3974]

Knockabout World was the best song on the album. I came to Morrissey for his crooning.

[@Dive-the-world]

Isn't this a good time to revisit 1 of his most 'notorious' quotes? "Did you see the thing on the news about their treatment of animals and animal welfare? Absolutely horrific. You can't help but feel that the Chinese are a subspecies." Won't the world listen now? The world is crippled now by the practices of wet markets in China. This was his point. Appalling abuse and exploitation of wild animals in filth and horror that is well below what ought to be considered acceptable human behaviour in 2020. Instead, 100% of the focus was not on his point, but on the unfortunate label he used (to reinforce his point and ruffle a few feathers) and to build the news-world's arsenal of hate against him. They paint a more vulgar picture than the reality methinks.

[@markcolebrook6096]

Yes ....l ove your review my friend. I am also about to start working online- is this the end of the world that Moz predicted - Moz is back on form but I listen to all his ideas - the main thing about this album is the production - much better than his others; he has been lazy in the past. I do not have any problems with his views; his main gripe, of many, is that social justice pc culture has become like 1984 Big Brother and that is his problem - i think Hug a Pillow is amazing!!!! It is the best! having said that Morrissey has said some dodgy things I agree - but if you are a fan you know that he is a provacatuer - right from the off: I think sometimes it is a cheap trick to get attention.

[@benjaminhorton8013]

I completely agree with your take on Morrissey, excellent comment, well said.

[@erlineandrews]

"He started dedicating more and more songs to people who said bad things about him." This is not my observation at all. I like most of Morrissey's post-2000 albums and think they're just as good as his earlier ones.

[@professorskye]

thats cool. It seems that a lot of people disagree with much of what I'm saying.

[@Stevenc1970]

I think that up until this album, post-You Are The Quarry, the albums are considerably worse than before. One thing we need to come to terms with is: changing and taking musical risks doesn’t necessarily result in growth or progress. Some of the songs on “World Peace”, for example, are terrible and fans pretend they like them out of obligation. The dull and plodding “World Peace Is None of Your Business” is tuneless and not good. The flamenco rubbish on “The Bullfighter Dies”. The embarrassingly awful lyrics on “Neal Cassidy Drops Dead”, I’m a massive fan of the beat writers yet “the little fella has got rubella” - yikes! As massive a fan as I am, it entitles me to be critical. This album is much better than anything since, maybe, “Ringleaders”, yet more consistent than “Ringleaders”.. Those 6 thumbs downs are from the Moz soliders.

[@Stevenc1970]

@@professorskye I don't think people disagree; it's more of the devout Morrissey soldiers that feel he can do no wrong and attack anyone who criticizes him. I got a request to have me blocked from a post on the Steve Hoffman forum because I was critical of the album "World Peace Is None of My Business", which I grade about a D+ overall. "Stairway at the University", and "One Of Our Own" save it from being a D-. Anyway, the original poster was reviewing his entire catalog and I got banned over this comment "Wait, you think the Bullfighter Dies is a 5/5? Same score as the songs on Your Arsenal and Vauxhall and I? You need to have your heads examined." :) I thought your review was well-researched and too honest for the Morrissey soldiers...

[@Harry123tv]

Very enjoyable review! You mention not being sure what "Bobby" and "Ruth" mean so I thought I'd give my opinion. I am more confident on Ruth, which I think is about someone born Ruth who wants to transition to become John but is in the closet, with Moz lamenting that the "world is ill-equipped" to accept this but one day it might "all calm down". On Bobby I am less sure, but there are certainly plenty of drug references. The "torture down below" line indicates that perhaps Bobby is also in the closet about his sexuality, and maybe hides this with drug use? Who knows, really!

[@benjaminhorton8013]

interesting interpretations, I agree with your take on both songs!

[@julietjones1310]

He sang duets with David Bowie and Souixsie Souix, I believe.

[@jshphysicistatyahoo]

Terrific review Prof. Skyes. Doesn't mean I entirely agree with everything you say, but you do have good attention to detail.

[@adamharris7383]

Really enjoyable and in depth review. I feel the same way about marrying his politics and his music, and struggle more and more to parse one with the other. But A select few of these tracks have reminded me why i became a Morrissey fan in the first place. Some of the tracks remind me why he is becoming more and more of a guilty pleasure. Overall really like Knockabout, What kind of people, Hurling days and the album as a whole seems to be somewhat of a move away from his tackling of global politics on Low in High school, which can only be a good thing. I'm going to be watching a lot more of your stuff, really admire your approach and delivery, cheers!

[@sergonioradze]

You have not heard Morrissey & Siouxsie "Interlude"? Hmmm... weird for a Moz fan.

[@nz0mgw]

You're spot-on except I have to correct you on one thing: Alain Whyte was the driver of Morrissey's Golden Age, not Boz Boorer. Oh sure, Boz had great moments and co-wrote some of Morrissey's best songs during the Golden Age, but Alain wrote the entirety of Your Arsenal (except the two leftover Nevin compositions) - and continued to write the bulk of Morrissey's songs through You Are the Quarry. Give credit to the exiled one!

[@professorskye]

Awesome, thanks.

[@fliptag]

The albums from Your Arsenal to World of Morrissey as good as The Smiths? Give me a break! Viva Hate is in my opinion his best solo album (it has the second best guitarist - Vini Reilly - Morrissey ever played with), and although "Dog Chain" is not as good, I'm glad the synthesizers are back and I hope they stay.

[@krotart]

Viva Moz ...

[@Dawndylion]

I remember clearly running to the record shop when Queen Is Dead came out and the moment that I put it on the turntable it was wonderful! As an avid Smith's fan, I think every Smith's album is wonderful from The Queen Is Dead and before . The Smith's after The Queen Is Dead? There are a several good songs,yes. As far as his solo career goes, Suedehead is great! To be honest I have only peeked in on his career a few times since Viva Hate,only to find he's just a shadow of his former self. This last album with the iam not a dog on a chain goes.. it's just ridiculous. Did he have a contract obligation he's got to fulfill? Every song title is the first lyric of every song! How hard was that to create? it's embarrassing really,to hear that song at all, compared to everything else that he's done in his career. I was really shocked and embarrassed for him.

[@benjaminhorton8013]

Really hard for me to give this video a 'like', even though I agree with and share your enthusiasm for everything Smiths/Morrissey, and find myself agreeing with the majority of your review of this album. I also absolutely can't get enough of 'Darling I Hug a Pillow', as well as the final two songs, and I believe this is Morrissey's best album, start to finish, since "Vauxhall and I' (by the way, Boz Boorer is/was an integral part of Morrissey's music, but you failed to mention the incredible Alain Whyte, who left before Jesse Tobias came aboard ... when you have the time, do a KZbin search of Alain Whyte's channel and enjoy his solo renditions of many of Morrissey/Whyte's creations of the 90's, he has been greatly missed since leaving). I also don't think much of the song 'I am not a dog on a chain', but everything else (even the truth about ruth) is unskippable to me. Where I really differ and disagree with you are your feelings about his politics and what you think he has become (a right wing voter??!!). Like many of the comments to this video, I really like how you articulated "the bitterness of old age vs the bitterness of youth, etc.", and I agree Morrissey has displayed this. But is that any reason to like him less?? Do you love your grandparents less because they may watch Fox News? I understand you wish for him to think and have opinions that are similar to yours, and there is nothing wrong with that (I feel that way too at times), but I also see and hear the same sentiments (especially on this album) that drew me to his music thirty plus years ago. I feel that Morrissey has been terribly mistreated by the press (especially the British press [The Guardian]) over the last decade, and I don't mind if he writes a song trying to defend himself from the news ('Spent the Day in Bed' was one of the only highlights of his last [non cover] record, and I couldn't agree with him more when he sings "stop watching the news, cause the news will try and frighten you, ..."). Have you had the chance to read his uncut interview that he uploaded to his official website? He does not vote, has never voted, and doesn't like politics. Is it wrong to have the feeling or even express the sentiment that you wish your town/country was like it was when you grew up? Ben Gibbard and Death Cab for Cutie wrote and recorded an excellent song with this very sentiment from their latest full length album (song called 'Gold Rush'), but no one is throwing them under the bus and shunning them. Morrissey wears a "For Britain' pin on the Fallon show and the press and far left (I consider myself liberal/progressive and vote that way) immediately call him a racist because they assume he stands for everything the "For Britain' party stands for. On a side note, being American, I didn't know much about that party and went to their website and listened to their female leader (forgot her name) who Morrissey has said he admires for her intelligence and wit, and to be honest, nothing written jumped out at me as being terribly unreasonable or even racist. Whatever happened to criticizing an idea but not demonizing the person without being considered racist? Do you really think Morrissey doesn't like humans who are Muslim? Can't someone criticize an ideology while also still loving and having an appreciation of the humans who subscribe to that ideology (by the way, nowhere have I read or seen an interview where Morrissey states he hates Muslims, or says anything that a Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh would say about Muslims, yet he is lumped in with them when being labeled 'far right views'.) This is what is wrong with the current far left, one can't have a civil conversation before someone is called racist. The not so recent spat between Ben Affleck and Sam Harris on the Bill Maher show several years back is a great example of this knee jerk response to label someone a racist without actually listening to the point that is being made. To me, Morrissey is still the same Morrissey in that he is very opinionated, and he still says cringeworthy/obnoxious quotes to get his point across (watch some of his early interviews in the 80s and you can't help but cringe at times, especially the video where he was on a talk show/game show), except now he is older, doesn't look the same, and has been painted by today's youth as uncool and 'right wing'. What right wing nut job do you know is also a [likely] bisexual/gay militant animal rights activist???!! That seems like the antithesis of someone who is right wing. What right wing voter (again, Morrissey states he has never voted) would write and perform a song called "Ganglord" that condemns police brutality in the ghettos???? I'm sorry to ramble, but just like the passion you exuded about his music and in this review, I also felt that passion as I listened to what I feel is a jaded and tunnel visioned opinion of who you think Morrissey actually is. After saying all this, I feel that you have given a great review of an album as a fellow true fan. I respect your opinion, and will likely peruse more of your videos as I feel I'll likely align with many of your thoughts/opinions, and it's always great to find another passionate Smiths/Morrissey fan. Stay well during this pandemic! Forgot to mention, totally agreed with your sentiment of him being 25 years late on the electronic composition wagon, the moment I first heard "Jim Jim Falls", I thought I was listening to the U2 song "Mofo" from their mid nineties album 'Pop' (!)

[@benjaminhorton8013]

p.s., I'm surprised you didn't mention by name the great Thelma Houston during your review of "Bobby ..." I can listen to her hit song "Don't Leave Me This Way" repeatedly and never grow tired of it. I agree with you, she made a wonderful addition to that song!

[@professorskye]

Thanks for your well thought out comment. I definitely should have mentioned Whyte in my comments. I don't think that Morrissey should be cancelled and I don't think that he is is as bad as the far left paints him to be. I especially hate that people who don't even understand him or his importance all of a sudden become experts on him just through the Fallon thing. But, I think that there is enough nationalist/racist smoke to say that there is at least a little fire there. Thanks for watching and hope that you dig my other videos.

[@oscillatewildly6553]

I apologize for only writing about the negative, I can see some enthusiasm and good insights! Moz has said he's much happier now and he doesn't even care about showing belly on stage, I think it's the "passing of time and all of its sickening crimes" not age that saddens him, he wrote that 30 years ago, as you know. He was asked in a radio interview about getting old so I'm not pulling this outta my arse!

[@liammoore2479]

hey good review, really enjoyed it, can you tell me where you got the CD sleeves from? they look great

[@arricammarques1955]

Morrissey former singer of the nosebleeds.

[@davidtellett179]

Interesting you have a problem with the title I Am Not A Dog On A Chain. If he’d used his first solo album title for this one - “Viva Hate” - I’m sure you’d feel even more negative about it, and assume he was hunkering down as a kind of “nasty right winger”. Weird

[@29memyselfandi]

The title track is one of the strongest tracks on the album too. I love it. Everyone’s gone so soft. These days if you’re not very left wing you’re considered to be a far right head case. It’s very tiresome.

[@bradleysmith7170]

When are we going to get some more Morrissey reviews? I would love to hear your take on his prime 90s years. Especially Southpaw and Vauxhall

[@mathewkolakwsk]

Thank you for the review. Although taste is subjective, I think you have great taste and made an enjoyable review of Mozzer’s new album (which I’ve listened to, mostly, via KZbin). That said, I believe you’ve oversimplified Morrissey as “kind of a right wing pig”. It would take a while to outline why he has been painted as a right winger... to get to the point, from what I can tell, he is a very unique voice with a sharp intelligence and an understanding of the outsider, even to this day. I’m a progressive and this makes it hard to tolerate certain views BUT we need to listen and try very hard to understand what people are trying to say and why... freedom of speech must involve criticism of our government’s big policy decisions: our food systems, our propagation of wars, how we manage healthcare, our collective response to religions like Islam or Catholicism... in this particular recent case, Morrissey has criticized Islam (*in the past it was Catholicism; “I Have Forgiven Jesus”). Views related to sensitive topics like religion are nuanced and should not be so quickly used to paint a person or group of people into a corner. I don’t know the man, and I’m obviously a fan of his so bias is likely but having looked at this as objectively as I can, he is not a racist, as far as I can tell. After having read much of his own words about his support of the For Britain party... he seems to support the head of that party as much as anything else, and is clearly concerned about cultural Islam damaging the long standing British culture of his upbringing... and is she, the head of the For Britain party, a racist? Sure, that’s possible for sure and I’m not well versed in all of her views but why assume that she is racist and hates Muslims when she adamantly claims that she isn’t and some of her views seem to clearly suggest she wants the best for minority groups living in Britain. The For Britain Party is almost certainly flawed but is it really “hard right” in most ways or just in one or two ways? Finally, we need to have sense enough to understand that British politics has its own unique context. Finding the truth of a situation is hard most of the time. Maybe this isn’t a perfect analogy but Joe Rogan was recently called transphobic... I saw him address this accusation and again, as far as I can tell, he isn’t (it is common for things to be taken out of context, and some of his jokes were taken out of context; pretty much anybody can be labeled as awful if you look to do that, especially people that talk a lot)! One more important example: Bernie Sanders was called a sexist by many within the Democratic Party, and that label stuck and many still feel he is sexist despite that if you research his policy and words over literally decades of pushing for a progressive agenda to help the working class, the man isn’t sexist (again, as far as I can tell). Let’s all try to be more careful with our words. In the end, we’re all in this together and we should be more careful labeling people left-wing radicals or right-wing pigs... as Bernie has said, is it really radical to push for a Medicare-for-All single payer system here in the US? Is Canada a radical place for having universal healthcare? Come on people... labeling Sanders a radical left wing nut is just wrong... get my point??? Thanks for reading.

[@professorskye]

And thanks for the comment. I’ve tried my best to understand the nuance of his position and not just fall into the knee jerk cancel response, but I still ultimately find the nationalist stuff intolerable. but, he is a great artist with much to say and has helped the world (and continues to help the world) in way more ways than a few disagreeable (to me) opinions can change.

[@benjaminhorton8013]

Wow, excellent response Mathew. Really wish I read this before I spent near a half hour pecking away at my keyboard trying to formulate a similar feeling into words. I should've just replied to your comment and said "what he said". ;) It's clear you've also attempted to do a little deeper dive into what Morrissey is actually trying to say instead of just being lazy and jump on the 'he's a racist right winger' bandwagon that seems so prevalent in the online press these days. No one cares to actually listen anymore. Thank you for a well thought and articulated response! I'm a big Death Cab for Cutie fan as well, and their lead singer, Ben Gibbard, has been posting daily videos of acoustic mini concerts on his channel. This past Sunday he did an all cover concert and played Morrissey's "Everyday is Like Sunday" (pretty good cover too), unfortunately he prefaced the cover by saying that he doesn't agree with Morrissey and his politics and said 'sometimes you have to separate the artist from the art', ... which disappointed me to no end. Then I come across this review, and the disappointment multiplied, ... I feel like people's minds are already made up, whether they understand Morrissey or not, and they just follow the zeitgeist of the period.

[@edwoodsnowden]

Hes not out of tune, at least he wasn't at Wembley SSE on the 14th March, he had never sounded better!

[@richb687]

Morrissey has not presented ANY controversial views in this album. Including 'dog on a chain'. I've no idea why you would object to that message. This is the best album since Vauxhall. It's cringy to me to have people who object to opinions make reaching accusations about what is in someones heart. Do you really believe he has racist views!? Absurd, seems your views are questionable and perhaps out of tune.

[@d.hpeterson5802]

I wish people would focus on the elusive as opposed to the character! We all know he's gonna bit weird! But I'm tired of hear about the so called controversy and what has become! The man has changed, we all have to get over it!

[@michaelcooper1018]

Spot on about Boz! He seems like such a lovable and “normal” guy, the complete antithesis of Morrissey. Alain White’s contribution to the Morrissey songbook can’t be over-stated as well. I’ll give this album a spin. I kinda let old Mozzer go around “Ringleader”. However, I trust your endorsement.

[@kevinericsongs]

i think it's fair to say morrissey is not a dog on YOUR chain!

[@frankdarwiche1471]

thank you, a very precise and enlightening review!

[@DGSE]

You wrong this song is great

[@twitchygiraffe4636]

......Oh! And by the way Mozzer hasn’t released anything spectacular since he moved to the states! And that’s the view from most mancunian’s like myself!!!!

[@theboywithathorninhisside.4179]

No offence. But you at best as a so called historical Fan should possibley adhere and understand Morrisseys basic and Original Left Wing Roots. Anti War. Anti Nuclear. Anti Live Hunt. Pro Union. Pro Animal Rights. Pro Vegan. Pro Sexual Rights. So now how does that equite to Right Wing. Your kinda getting confused my Man.

[@twitchygiraffe4636]

Jim Jim falls, I am not a dog on a chain, and “What kind of people live in these houses?” Are the only good tracks on this tripe of an album! If he just put them out as one double A sided single and a single with a new b-side on 7”, then I could forget buying this joke of an album!!!!

[@Stevenc1970]

the best song is THE SECRET OF MUSIC

[@29memyselfandi]

I think you need to listen to the album again.

[@boogiewoogie9770]

Oh and Jim Jim Falls is a critique of himself no?

[@boogiewoogie9770]

A fine album from start to finish imo. Morrissey has never said anything racist as far as I'm aware...happy to be proven wrong. I'm also not aware that he has aligned himself with 'far right' groups...that's quite a claim.

[@professorskye]

Here is a pretty good summary written by the (Manchester) Guardian. It hits on most of the points. www.theguardian.com/music/2019/may/30/bigmouth-strikes-again-morrissey-songs-loneliness-shyness-misfits-far-right-party-tonight-show-jimmy-fallon

[@betomarques7635]

you are the quarry is Moz best work

[@northerncorner]

Knockabout world is my favorite on the album, it’s simple and sweet. Not a bad review but when you demonize decent people who think differently, maybe like morrissey, it’s really boring and I wonder about what you’re telling students.

[@professorskye]

Thanks for the thoughtful comment. That said, did I really demonize Morrissey? I believe that I ended the video saying that he has done more for equality and social justice than I will ever do and that he has done way more good than bad. My basic point is that he appears to have become somewhat nationalist in his old age and nationalism is an ideology quite at odds with many people who were drawn to his older music. It is a kind of betrayal, I believe. That said, he isn't a demon or a monster, but a flawed person. It seems that talking about Morrissey's flaws really upsets people, which is weird, because his vulnerability and flawed nature is what makes him so appealing in the first place. Oh well!

[@michaelabbott516]

WTF !! I have no idea what this is about but dear Joan how can you who obviously don't even realise he has played with this brilliant group of musicians for over a decade and they are changing the flavour of each of his albums and taking risks and branching out. YOU DON"T EVEN KNOW who Thelma Houston is ? FFS, That's it for me, going dark now.

[@rustinwhipple3878]

Decent review,but I think respect dictates you do a two minute google search to discover that "back-up" singer was the legendary Thelma Houston.

[@JBackkkkk]

Whattt the title track was amazing. Worst on the album veryyyyy harsh.

[@arsenal88691]

Just review the fucking albulm!

[@ianparker3014]

I've known you for 1:15 and you are saying some very questionable things. If it's all the same with you I'll put my trust in someone who's been around 37? Years and stays true to himself, speaks from the heart, a good heart. Your opinion counts for .....zip.

[@professorskye]

If you stuck around until the end you would have heard me say basically the same thing!

[@debbiedetzel397]

Dude...

[@stfairchild]

I love the album but Jim Jim Falls was irresponsible. Hard to sing along to pushing someone in crisis to end it all.

[@markmanzo8180]

You don't know what you're talking about, The Smiths were amazing and Viva hate BUT that's it. Those Morrissey albums you held up are all rubbish. Morrissey died along with The Smiths pretty much.

[@29memyselfandi]

Ha ha. What nonsense.

[@sodajerkclassic]

I am a huge Morrissey fan and he is my second favorite recording artist after David Bowie among others. It disappoints me that so many people seemingly hate California Sun because I actually quite enjoy it. I sort of understand why so many don't like California Son but I digress. I am so, so glad that 'I'm not a Dog on a Chain' is being received so well. Thanks for your review.