Morrissey's Next Album: Gentle! The Queen Is Dead: Overrated?! (Top Ten Overrated Albums Poll)

True To You-- A Morrissey Zine reports that Morrissey's next album will be called Ringleader Of The Tormentors, and should be finished by November 1st, with a release planned for early next year. Morrissey is reportedly "delighted" with Ringleader, which he calls "the most beautiful-perhaps the most gentle, so far." According to True To You, original producer Jeff Saltzman "could not undertake the project" and was replaced by Tony Visconti, who produced many early T. Rex and David Bowie albums.

On a less positive note for fans of Morrissey/The Smiths, a BBC6 poll to determine the most overrated albums of all time landed The Queen is Dead in 10th place.

Well, we know from the poll of the world's best music the other day that Queen, Shakira, Britney Spears, and in the U.K. mostly Michael Jackson are tops. So this shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, eh? Now, this isn't necessarily a list of lousy albums, just (supposedly) overrated ones... I don't like to say someone's right or wrong about music. It's a matter of opinion. It's tempting to break with that here, though, at least for a couple of these albums... The Queen Is Dead is one of my favourite albums.

The full list:

1. NIRVANA - NEVERMIND (1991)
2. COLDPLAY - X+Y (2005)
3. THE LIBERTINES - THE LIBERTINES (2004)
4. OASIS - DEFINITELY MAYBE (1994)
5. U2 - THE JOSHUA TREE (1987)
6. RADIOHEAD - OK COMPUTER (1997)
7. THE BEATLES - SGT PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND (1967)
8. THE BEACH BOYS - PET SOUNDS (1966)
9. THE SEX PISTOLS - NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS (1977)
10. THE SMITHS - THE QUEEN IS DEAD (1986).

(Another post coming up with some overrated songs. It'll make for a nice balance with all those world's best ones from the other day!).

Some Morrissey Linkage:

Videos & other multimedia at his official website

Videos & other multimedia at his official website

Morrissey's entry at Wikipedia

Morrissey quotations from Wikiquote ("I can get incredibly erotic about blotting paper.")

Morrissey-solo.com - this unofficial site is frequently updated with the latest Moz news. There are forums, and other features as well. Their links/suggested resources page is well-organized, with different sites recommended for lyrics, frequently asked questions, etc.

Random Smiths lyric generator

Granted, that's really Smiths linkage... I got this one, which is one of my favourites:

"It's so easy to laugh
it's so easy to hate
it takes strength to be gentle and kind"

- "I Know It's Over

I laugh a lot!... but mostly in a very gentle, kind way. And sometimes I don't laugh! Sometimes I just think about laughing, but settle for a sort of half-smile while my eyes sparkle with delight at my secret malicious thoughts. I like to think Morrissey would be proud of me for the effort that involves.

mp3:Morrissey - At Amber (from My Early Burglary Years, bonus track on the 1997 reissue of Viva Hate, one of the B-sides for "Piccadilly Palare" in the UK, on the French EP The Loop)

mp3:Morrissey - Disappointed (live) (a bonus track from the 1997 re-release of Viva Hate)

mp3:Morrissey - We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful (from Your Arsenal, the UK, Australia/Dutch/Japanese release Suedehead - The Best Of Morrissey, and it was a single)

mp3:Morrissey - I Can Have Both (from the Japanese Rare Tracks EP, also a B-side for "Alma Matters")

mp3:Morrissey - Now I Am A Was (from Rare Tracks, also a B-side for "Satan Rejected My Soul")

mp3:Morrissey - Shoplifters of the World Unite (live) (from Live at Earl's Court)

mp3:Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart (live) (from Live at Earl's Court)

mp3:Morrissey - Hairdresser on Fire (from Viva Hate)

mp3:The Smiths - I Know It's Over (from the allegedly overrated The Queen Is Dead)