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Track Listings
| 1. The Last Of The Famous International Playboys |
| 2. You're Gonna Need Someone On Your Side |
| 3. The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get |
| 4. Glamorous Glue |
| 5. Girl Least Likely To |
| 6. Suedehead |
| 7. Tomorrow (US Mix) |
| 8. Boxers |
| 9. My Love Life (US Single Version) |
| 10. Break Up The Family |
| 11. I've Changed My Plea To Guilty |
| 12. Such A Little Thing Makes Such A Big Difference |
| 13. Ouija Board Ouija Board |
| 14. Interesting Drug |
| 15. November Spawned A Monster |
| 16. Everyday Is Like Sunday |
| 17. Interlude (Morrissey Solo Version)* |
| 18. Moonriver |
Product Description
Review
Compilation albums of this ilk have always been subject to a certain sense of snobbery and suspicion, but even by the standards of a man re-issued and re-packaged more than most, this set is downright bizarre. This is where – to dial a cliché – the joke just isn't funny anymore.
The main problem resides not really in what's being sold, but how it is presented. This is not – as the title misleads – the very best of Morrissey's solo work, but a selection of material from his HMV and Parlophone albums (basically, those released in the early 90s via EMI – an irony in itself given past disputes), a few unreleased tracks and a DVD featuring a performance "rarely seen" to those without access to the internet. Sadly, there is no tacky badge.
Of course, this isn't a criticism of the quality of the songs themselves, although the inclusion of material such as Ouija Board, Ouija Board and Interesting Drug – two of his worst – is bemusing. These days musicians would kill a kitten to make a song even half as good as the glistening stomp-pop masterpiece of The Last of the International Playboys or as powerful as November Spawned a Monster – one of Moz's most original and controversial creations due its subject matter of attitudes towards the disabled. His songwriting skills are not in doubt.
Yet you have to wonder: beyond the most fervent of fans (who'd buy a bottled Moz fart if they could) who is this compilation for? Seeing as it doesn't feature anything from career highlights such as the You Are the Quarry and Vauxhall and I albums, as an introduction to Morrissey's solo work it's woefully inadequate and certainly, as covered earlier, not the very best. For fans there's nothing new here beyond three ‘unreleased’ tracks that they surely already have – even if his solo version of Interlude (originally released as a duet with Siouxsie Sioux) is beautifully sad.
As his re-mastered version of Bona Drag earlier this year proved, Morrissey is perfectly capable of releasing re-issues and best of packages that justify your money; but this is not one of them. Buy it if you like, but make sure you play it loud – there's a barrel being scraped somewhere and it's making an awful racket.
--Stephen Kelly
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CD Description
One of the most influential and respected artists this country has produced, Morrissey has been a beacon of light in the world of pop his entire career. His lyrics and music provided a soundtrack to a whole generation, and now The Very Best Of Morrissey, presents a unique - and remastered - overview of the classic years. Bringing together hit singles (“Suedehead”, “Everyday Is Like Sunday” and “The More You Ignore Me”, “The Closer I Get”, amongst others), with b-sides (“Girl Least Likely To”, “Such A Little Thing Makes A Big Difference”) and the previously unreleased solo version of “Interlude” (originally released in 1994 as a duet with Siouxsie Sioux), The Very Best Of Morrissey offers both new and old fans a captivating journey through the world of Morrissey. Complementing the CD is an exclusive bonus DVD, which includes eleven remastered videos (three of which are previously unavailable on DVD ("Boxers”, "The More You Ignore Me, “The Closer I Get” and “Sunny”) and the rarely seen (and previously unreleased) live performance of “I’ve Changed My Plea To Guilty” taken from the Tonight With Jonathan Ross Show, December 1990. The two disc release contains handpicked, rare photos and will be presented in a special CD/DVD digipak.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
53 of 59 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Enough is enough!!,
By
This review is from: Very Best Of (Audio CD)
Never thought the day would come when I awarded 1 star to a Morrissey release but here it is!I feel fully qualified to disrespect this CD having followed the man religiously since the release of `This charming man'. I was there at the `Queen is Dead' concerts, there for his solo debut tour in 91, there in the half empty halls for the `Maladjusted' gigs and there, paying ridiculous amounts of eBay monies, to secure tickets for the `Quarry' and `Ringleader' tours when he became popular once more. I have bought every release with commitment, tolerating compilation after compilation but this is unspeakably bad and, although I'm loathe to admit it, smacks very clearly of greed. If you think greed and Morrissey are unlikely bedfellows then question why `Glamorous glue' was released in 4 formats requiring the collector to purchase all 4 in order to acquire the `unreleased' material. Shocking! It's not that the music on this CD is bad, It is certainly not (though I defy anyone to argue successfully that `Ouija board', `Moon river', `Interlude' et al constitute the `very best' of Morrissey) but the fact that he yet again bleeds his following with a smattering of remastered tracks is abhorrent. The packaging is flimsy, no booklet (the `rare photographs' blurb surely constitutes enquiries under the trade description act!) and the release suggests little thought, care or incentive for the potential buyer. We want the albums re-released and remasterd Morrissey but we want them as whole unedited pieces and with relevant `extras'. I point you towards the forthcoming Suede reissues for guidance on how to approach such releases. We also want the Smiths albums remastered and re-released but I'm praying that Johnny is given the majority oversight and control when this day eventually comes. Please! No more poor product such as this. There is no defense for the way you are treating your audience presently and this makes me very sad indeed!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
"Last of the famous compilations?",
By Stormin'Norman "Musicnut" (Pattingham, UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Very Best Of (Audio CD)
A Really poor release from the Mozza. As per other comments this is a comp too far and the promise of photos etc are misleading...As for the music , mainly great , BUT, how many times can the man repackage this stuff, Take track one, "..Playboys" , look at its history on cd alone, (ignoring the viynl I originally got it on) Released as a non album cd single to start with, then, oh the irony included on 1)Bona Drag 2) World Of Morrissey 3) Suedehead , Best of Morrissey 4) Best of Morrissey (USA Release) 5) Greatest Hits 6) The HMV/Parlophone Years 7) Bona Drag "Remaster" and now 8) The Very Best of... Not including live versions etc, 8 times the exact same version released to date, Compare say, U2, "With or Without You" by U2, released half as much for an older and bigger "hit " song of the 80's.. Oh well, I keep buying these things, but no wonder downloading rules these days, when you tfr these albums to your ipod you realise just how much is a duplicate... STILL, Great cover! And am still awaiting The Smiths albums to be remastered properly, a nice Smiths box set etc....and wish Mozza would do a "Suede" with some outstanding remastersSuede
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Cheapo packaging!!,
By Neo De Winter (London United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Very Best Of (Audio CD)
Ok the selection of songs could be better, but thats the thing about a greatest hits/best of album, usually some of your fave tracks are missing...My annoyance is the packaging. Where are the unseen photographs? And not even a booklet! I know this follows the tradition of a kind of gatefold sleeve package that he's been doing since You are the Quarry, but to be a basic sleeve with no booklet is really bad! It could have been done so much better - especially since there have been so many collections, so as to entice people to buy it.... If you're just buying it to get the videos its ok, but as a definitive Morrissey collection it is not.
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