Morrissey - 'Live At Earl's Court' / 'Who Put The M In Manchester' DVD (Attack)
4/5
By: Joshua K
Surely as much a shock to the singer himself as to his devoted fans, Morrissey's Phoenix-like renaissance rolls on. As we enter the second year of this, his extended indie equivalent of Elvis Presley's '68 Comeback Special', here come the not-unexpected souvenirs: the 'Live At Earls Court' CD, documenting Mozzer's Christmas gig in London; and the (im)modestly titled 'Who Put The 'M' In Manchester?' concert DVD of his May 2004 birthday homecoming show.
As long-time Morrissey fans, hearing of these releases made rockfeedback first, worringly, recall The Smiths' anti-cash-in tune 'Paint A Vulgar Picture' ('Re-issue! Re-package! Re-package! / Re-evaluate the songs / Double-pack with a photograph / Extra Track and a tacky badge'). But, we're relieved to report, both packages offer thrilling rewards for first-timers and Mozzer faithful alike.
First up: the audio set, 'Live At Earls Court', which should earn its place in any serious music fan's collection with flawless, impassioned renditions of Smiths classics and prior Morrissey solo work. 'How Soon Is Now?' shimmers and soars as a wonderfully daring opening gambit, and 'Bigmouth Strikes Again' is playfully updated so that Cleopatra's listening device is now an iPod. 'The More You Ignore Me', meanwhile, is as gleefully menacing as ever, and Patti Smith cover 'Redondo Beach' is a solid addition to the repertoire.
However, as enjoyable as this disc may be, it's definitely the lesser of the two live releases. Hardcore fans will probably be disappointed by the exclusion of the opening voiceovers (lopped off due to CD space constraints). Another minor quibble is the set-list, the order of which feels a bit choppy. More significantly - and this is a flaw not of Morrissey's, but of the live album genre in general - gig going is a multi-sensory experience... which, especially in this context, becomes rather flat when stripped to audio-only.
Therefore, if you had to buy just one of these releases, make it 'Who Put The 'M' In Manchester?' - a gleaming, glorious video testament to Morrissey and his fans. Lovingly shot in high-definition with 5.1 audio, it makes up for all of the CD's flaws and then some.
The casual fan gets a brilliant selection of songs, carefully paced and richly recorded, intermixing The Smiths and the solo years. (A relatively rare airing of 'Rubber Ring' is especially not to be missed.) The devotees get everything from the spoken-word show intro, to Morrissey appearing onstage enunciating Sinatra's 'My Way', to the facial tics, gestures and witty patter that make every show a charismatic happening.
Moreover, as all good DVD's should, there are the extras. In this case, the highlight is five songs from Morrissey's summer 2004 set at the Move Festival. These are noteworthy for their audience angles. Seeing shots of thousands of fans singing along to every word, at times drowning out the band with their enthusiasm, should confirm once and for all, for anyone who ever doubted: Morrissey may be 'back', but he really never left us in the first place.
Artists in this article: Morrissey
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