"The Harsh Truth of the Camera Eye" good title that doesn't deliver. Zero subtlety. We get it, we don't need ten examples of the same thing. If only the melody or the music or something else was interesting, but nothing manages to make up for the others' shortcomings. And just when you think it's over, there's 2 more minutes of that demented music circling the drain. At least the last verse has a semblance of a melody, and I like that the song doesn't fade out. 1/5, barely
Harsh Truth... I think this is the weakest original studio song in his and the smiths catalogue that was released in its own time frame (ie, not dug out years later for reissues) The centrepiece of side 2 on the original vinyl, it’s an absolute turkey . 1/5 . I thought old Morrissey was dead in the water after hearing this in 1991. But I was wrong... (And who chose this for This Is Morrissey?)
The Harsh Truth Of The Camera Eye - I like the background guitar feedback and piano but can do without most of the other background noises. I'm not particularly found of the carnival/circus type atmosphere this song presents either. I like the somber tone of the vocals but that's not enough to save this one. There's at least a minute and a half of fat that could be trimmed. Even then, that wouldn't much help this plodding song that leads nowhere. 2 ranking out of 5.
Sorry for the delay but I’m currently on holiday for a month so I’m doing a bit of catching up: Ouija Board, Ouija Board. Possibly my favourite single from the Street period; yes, there may be better, more-obvious single choices, but this track is more interesting, for me. For a start, this is very Morrissey-esque subject matter for a song: lonely Moz hunched over a Ouija Board, attempting to contact his only friend in the world, having recently departed this mortal coil, leaving Morrissey alone in a world consisting of carnivores & destructors. But, of course, the lyrical punchline hits hard: his dead friend spelling out the words PUSH OFF! I love the opening keyboard melody & the searing guitar lines; the rolling drums & occasional castanets adding interesting flavours. Perhaps not the most obvious single choice, but this is what makes me love it so. 4.5/5 Yes, I Am Blind. Rather bland. Not bad, but not particularly interesting, either. Plods along ok and has a few nice lines: “Yes, I am blind, but I do see: evil people prosper over the likes of you & me always” “God come down if you’re really there, well you’re the one who claims to care” “Little lamb on a hill, run fast if you can, good Christians they wanna kill you, & your life has not even begun” My least favourite of the songs written with Andy Rourke. Not that I dislike it; I just prefer the others. Still, a 3.5/5 East West Not a bad cover but it doesn’t interest me as much as a new Morrissey original would have. The beginning of a worrying habit of filling out singles with cover versions, suggesting that the wells of musical inspiration he dug with new collaborators weren’t exactly deep & plentiful. 3/5 At Amber Another ‘lost’ b-side. I bought most Morrissey singles on 7” &, as this track never made it to Bona Drag, I never became acquainted with it until many years later. Definitely a studio production, a weld-job, a slight, manufactured product of a song, but I really like it. I love the scene he sets in a fairly simple & repetitive lyric: Miserable Moz sat on the phone, complaining to his invalid friend about the hotel he’s in, the cold room, but mostly all those terrible people enjoying themselves, provoking an annoyed response & yet another chorus that only Moz would pen: “& you my invalid friend, You slam the receiver when you Say: “If I had your limbs for a day, I would steam away” “ Admonishing him for being so judgemental (“they’re not low-life, they’re just people having a good time”) whilst stubbornly refusing to make an effort himself. It’s Morrissey’s pay-off line that really hits home for me, though: “But oh, my invalid friend, Oh, my invalid friend, In our different ways we are the same” Revealing the reality of his own less-obvious personal handicaps.
Harsh Truth always struck me as pertinent to the time it was released. The world's eyes were suddenly aware of the paparazzi and it's prying on the famous at "any cost". Just a few years before the Diana horror. I actually like any Smiths/ Moz song with samples etc 4/5
Agreed! Nevis was young and inexperienced (1 hit album under his belt), so needed some room to grow. In my opinion he pushed experimentation and launched Morrissey’s rockabilly era. We’ll get to his excellent final contribution when we discuss Your Arsenal, but there could have been some future potential in their songwriting partnership. Shame those non-album tracks haven’t received the attention they deserve.
I remembered this as one of the songs I’d salvage from “Kill Uncle”; not sure what I was thinking, as it’s not much cop. “Churchillian legs” is a good opening line, and the dubby waltz briefly generates some interest...then it becomes apparent that Morrissey is moaning about an unflattering photo session/the aging process in a painfully on-the-nose way, and the backing track goes on and on. Next.
The Harsh Truth Of The Camera Eye 4/5. I love the atmosphere of this song, It does go on a bit too long but it's still 100 times better than the bland plodding stuff he'd come up with on later albums.
Presumably someone who misunderstood the title. "This is Morrissey!" (*Suedehead plays*) "....but, sadly, so is this..." (*..Harsh Truth...plays*)
As a compilation, it seem like a perfect summation of his career: glaringly inconsistent, plagued by strange decisions that seem like willful trolling.
Just preordered Morrissey “The Best of” , 1st vinyl issue of a 2001 compilation via Rhino on double clear vinyl limited numbered insert edition due 30/8 For anyone interested
Tempting but I’ve got 3/4 of it on the Bona Drag, arsenal and vauxhall reissues Now if we could somehow get Quarry and Tormentors reissued, I’d grab those first day.
Today's song is (I'm) The End of the Family Line: Judged on its own merits, I think this is a pretty decent song and a suitable choice for penultimate track. It's just a shame that it follows the overlong yawnfest that we discussed yesterday (and some other pretty average tracks too). I think this is one of Morrissey's best vocals on the album and, listening to it again this week, I appreciate it more than in years gone by. I'll stretch to a generous 3.5/5.
End of the Family Line. I think it’s a beautiful song, a bit sad but that’s life. I too am the end of the family line. 4/5
"(I'm) The End of the Family Line" I thought I'd be alone in rating this one highly, especially as the "Ultimate Music Guide" only gives it one star. But it's been my favourite on this album since day one. A nice, gentle tune driven by a great bassline, just like the Smiths classics, and a lyric that strikes a chord with me. The vocal delivery is just on the right side of melancholy and I particularly like the way he sings "...with incredible style". I don't think I can quite give it full marks, but it's an easy 4/5. Pity about the times I only wake up half way through it due to the previous track!
I think the family in question is the Smiths, rather than the Morrissey's. Anyway, there is a nice melody in here somewhere but again the song is rather lost for me. It's all rather substandard and insubstantial. 2/5.
I love this song. One of the bad things of KU is the lack of heart-breaking songs, this one is the only one that I consider to have that really sad/helpless mood that is an important part of Morrissey's originality. A great Morrissey performance full of sincerity imo. My favorite of KU. 4/5
