Bob Mould: Beauty & Ruin (2014)

I wonder if Bob Mould wants to break into film. His acting isn't bad.

"Although this opens with the slow, grinding "Low Season" and eventually winds its way to the bright, open "Forgiveness," most of this record is devoted to turmoil, as Mould comes to terms with his impending mortality -- hanging over him through both the passing of his dad and his own middle-age -- by drawing sustenance from his signature combination of crystalline pop and molten noise." [source]

This record is excellent.

Bob Mould: Silver Age (2012)

And just like that, Mould comes back with an album that reminds me of Sugar, though with a video for the lead-off track that leaves much to be desired.

Bob Mould: Life and Times (2009)

I missed Sugar during these Bob Mould solo years. I loved everything Sugar did, and his post-Sugar output was great, but I missed Sugar. To me, Sugar was better than Bob Mould's solo works. But, I really really like everything that Mould ever did, including this one. Oh, I have all of these Bob Mould records on CD too, up to this point.

Bob Mould: District Line (2008)

District Line is the seventh solo record from Bob. If you like Bob, you will like this. It's a solid effort with some great tracks. Somewhere around this time, Bob came out of the closet. I can't remember if I was surprised or not.

Bob Mould: Body of Song (2005)

This is a fantastic record. I don't even mind the voice treatment he uses on some tracks. There's nothing left to say. Just listen to it. I have a copy of this album on CD as well.

Bob Mould: Black Sheets Of Rain (1990)

Since this was released in 1990, my first copy was on CD. I ended up with the 2015 vinyl repress from Demon records. This record was a return to heavier music. I like it; Allmusic does not:

A scalding, monolithic collection of soul-baring lyrics and primal guitars, Black Sheets of Rain is extremely powerful musically, but is also slightly monotonous. Nevertheless, the record features several inspired songs from Mould, including the catchy single "It's Too Late." [source]

Look how young Bob looks here:

Bob Mould: Workbook (1989)

The debut solo record from former Hüsker Dü front man, Bob Mould, was a true surprise. There is a real change of sound. He mellowed, I guess, though not entirely.

"Instead of relying on raging guitars, Mould explores a wide variety of styles, from pure pop ("See a Little Light") to reflective folk laced with cellos. It's an astonishing array of styles, and the songs are among Mould's finest." [source]

I did see Bob in concert, though only once. It was a short concert, but he played with amazing intensity and energy. I assumed that he would have been completely exhausted by the end of the show.

Elton Motello: Jet Boy Jet Girl (1979)

So, Elton Motello is somehow the name of the singer and the band. I guess that's like Alice Cooper, though that really became his name. The singer - Elton Motello - is Alan Ward. The first single was Pogo Pogo (1977) though that was later changed to the flip side (1978), Jet Boy Jet Girl, and then that later morphed into a single with Jet Boy Jet Girl on the a-side, and Jet Boy Jet Girl on the a-side and Apocalipstic on the b-side (1979). I have a later 12" pressing without Pogo Pogo.

Anyway, Jet Boy Jet Girl is awesome. I'd never really heard such explicit lyrics:

Can you tell what's on my mind?
She's with him, it drives me wild
I'd like to hit him on the head
Until he's dead
The sight of blood is such a high
Ooh, hoo, hoo, hoo
He gives me head

We made it on a ballroom blitz
I took his arm and kissed his lips
He looked at me with such a smile
My face turned red
We booked a room into the Ritz
Ooh, hoo, hoo, hoo
He gives me head

Jet boy, jet girl
Gonna take you 'round the world
Jet boy I'm gonna make him penetrate
I'm gonna make you be a girl
Ooh, hoo, hoo, hoo
Jet boy jet girl

And though I'm only just fifteen
I like to kick, I like to scream
And even if I have a kick or two in bed
When I'm with him it's just a dream
Ooh, hoo, hoo, hoo
He gives me head

But, this tune was apparently the first openly gay punk song. Anyway, the backing track was taken from Ça plane pour moi, a track by Plastic Bertrand.

But, check out this lame comment from a user review on Allmusic:

Elton was one of the first rock artists to openly express his homosexuality through music, but likely did the cause more harm than good with the release of his cheesy debut disc "Victims of Time", which prominently featured the crass and tasteless gay anthem "Jet Boy Jet Girl". [source]

I cannot agree with that statement.

Elton Motello: Victim of Time (1978)

I can't believe I skipped Elton! Here it is, out of order. 

My Canadian pressing of this release dates to 1979, rather than 1978. I guess it took a year to make it across the ocean. The only other countries to press this LP were Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Yugoslavia, and Australia. This records contains the aforementioned Jet Boy Jet Girl. This is a damn cool record.

The Motors: Greatest Hits (1981)

This record is either titled Greatest Hits or The Motors Greatest Hits. I prefer the former because the latter should be The Motors' Greatest Hits or The Motors's Greatest Hits. Oddly, Virgin released a CD compilation in 1995 called the Airport: Motor's Greatest Hits. Nice try.

Anyway, the record collects the greatest hits of The Motors.

The Motors: Tenement Steps (1980)

Tenement Steps was the third and last record from The Motors. This was the first Motors record I owned. Bram Tchaikovsky had already left the band for a solo career, after only one record with the band. I always really loved the sound of this band.

The Motors: Approved by the Motors (1978)

Yes, the motors! I've always liked the sound of this band.

"In a contemporary review for Rolling Stone, Jim Farber praised Approved by the Motors as "a near-perfect LP of pure, pulverizing pop in the best Sweet, Slade, and Pilot tradition, cutting through the cuteness of that genre with Nick Garvey's and Andy McMaster's dynamic dual vocals… the band sings sweetly about S&M activities, disarming the entire subject in the same endearing manner as Cheap Trick joyously trivializes suicide." [source]

All of you Motors fans will know that Bram Tchaikovsky had joined the band by this point.

Morrissey: Low In High School (Édition Extrême De Luxe!) (2018)

If I had known that a deluxe edition was on the way, I probably would not have purchased the regular edition. Oddly, I bought this on December 4th 2018, and yet Discogs notes that the release date is December 7th, 2018. Did I get it three days early?

This edition has two 180 gram records. The first is Low in High School presented on clear vinyl. The second record, on purple vinyl, contains five live b-sides, three unreleased tracks, and a cover of Back on the Chain Gang, originally written and recorded by The Pretenders. I'm a huge fan of that track. It's one of my favourite tunes from The Pretenders. It's a truly magnificent pop song. Morrissey's version is OK, but it just doesn't compare to the original. In the video, Morrissey is shown playing the guitar, but that is all pretend. Maybe that's a veiled reference to The Pretenders?

This limited edition set also comes with a print or Morrissey.

Morrissey: Bona Drag (1990/2021)

From Wikipedia:

Bona Drag is a compilation album by Morrissey released on 15 October 1990. The album features an array of Morrissey's most popular songs from his early solo career, most of which had not been released on any previous album. The album name meaning nice outfits is an example of the subculture slang Polari explored further on the album's first track "Piccadilly Palare". The album was certified Gold by the RIAA on 6 December 2000. In 2010, the album was remastered and expanded to include six bonus tracks.

When I first got this CD back in 1990, I played it to death. The 2021 release is the dame as the 2010 20th anniversary release, with six bonus tracks. I picked up a discounted copy on tea coloured vinyl with the poster. Here is something else, from Wikipedia:

The following changes have been made to the original album:
"Ouija Board, Ouija Board" has a verse removed ("The glass is moving, no, I was not pushing that time")
"Piccadilly Palare" has an extra verse, as has circulated on bootlegs ("A cold-water room")
"Interesting Drug" fades into "November Spawned a Monster"
"Suedehead" edited to remove guitar fade on the intro.

I have to say that some of these changes, particularly on Piccadilly Palare are a bit jarring. 

Morrissey: California Son (2019)

I had no intention of purchasing this record after reading a few reviews. But, one day, I found a sealed copy in a used record bin in a local store for under $15, so I thought I would give it a try. It's not as dire as some would have you believe. It's not top shelf Morrissey, but I do not hate it. I mean, one can only do so much with cover versions, but, to be honest, I only knew three of four of these tracks.

Morrissey: I am Not a Dog on Chain (2020)

I sometimes wonder if the world has lost its patience for Morrissey. The negative reviews are quite common now and almost expected. It seems a bold statement to praise a Morrissey record these days. I cannot adequately explain what The Smiths meant to me (and still mean to me). So many bands were important to me, but The Smiths ... I can't find the words. I found them at the precisely correct time. It's cliched to say that they were the soundtrack, but really, they were. It was a magical time, and I honestly I wish I could thank Morrissey and Marr for everything. I suppose I do by purchasing the records. But, really, the band changed something in me or opened me up to something or made me listen in a different way. That's not quite it, but I think you understand. Just listen; don't judge.

Morrissey: This is Morrissey (2018)

I bought the record with only a cursory glance at the track listing. I knew it was a compilation, but what an odd compilation it is. Have a look at this really awesome statement from Nitrous.McBread on Discogs:

Utterly bizarre choice of scraps from beneath the table of the increasingly laughable has-been. Parlophone seem to be doling out a bunch of industry sweeteners, allotting royalties-as-favours to various chums, cohorts and back-orifice management types. This is record company machination par excellence and has virtually nil to do with any pretence of offering a coherent set of songs in any kind of thought-out sequence. This album serves two purposes: firstly, persuading marginalised Morrissey fans (looked upon now as the deluded Scientologists of the music firmament) to part with yet more cash to further feather the nest of their curdled fuhrer; and secondly, to make the lyrics of The Smiths' "Paint A Vulgar Picture" even more staggeringly prescient. [source]

Now, I wouldn't go as far as to say that, but I will say that I fail to understand the song choices. It starts off well enough, but then we get Have-a-Go Merchant. What? And, the Mael Mix of Suedehead, which is truly awful. The record starts strong and ends strong, but to argue that "this is Morrissey" is a truly mystifying statement.

Morrissey: Low in High School (2017)

I did not run out to buy this record when it was released. I wasn't even sure I wanted to buy it, but I saw it online for about $8 (plus $5 shipping) so I decided to get it. I ended up with the limited edition, pressed on green vinyl, from the UK.

I find some of Morrissey's political views to be problematic, especially his support of Brexit. I've never been able to figure out if he believes this, or if he is trolling. I'd like to believe the latter, but who can say? I do like some, but not all, of these tunes.

Morrissey: World Peace is None of Your Business (2014)

I have a number of Morrissey albums on CD that I will likely never own on LP. That is either because they are either way too expensive or because I am not interested, probably because I already have the CD and find that I don't listen to them very much. But, I did pick this up after it was released. Somehow, I ended up with the first UK pressing, rather than the US pressing, which one would have thought would have been more accessible in North America. Someone is trying to sell one of these for $164 on Discogs, which is far far more than I paid. Even the cheapest is about $55, which is more than double what I paid.

I think we are in an age where it is uncool to listen to Morrissey. All I seem to see is backlash. This is one of the things I hate about social media. Any public post about pretty much any well-known band or artist is filled with hate. The world hates The Smiths, Morrissey, Radiohead, U2, and even the Beatles. It boggles the mind, but I will say that I hate Coldplay and Nickelback :) I lack the energy to post a negative comment on a post about a band I hate. Why would anyone take the time to slag Radiohead? Do they have nothing better to do?

As uncool as it might sound, I don't mind this record. There is one thing I do not like, however, and that is the jacket. It is a tad taller than most, and it will not fit on my shelf.

Morrissey: Satellite of Love (Live) (2013)

Argh! Why did he change the lyrics? Lou Reed sang: "I like to watch things on TV." Morrissey sings: "I cannot stand the TV." This ruins the song. Maybe Morrissey missed the fact that the singer is watching the satellite launch on TV! There are other more minor lyrical changes, but none of them as irksome as this.

Hearing a live run through of Vicar in a Tutu reminds me of how much I miss the Smiths and how much better the Smiths were compared to Morrissey solo.

The other tracks on this 12" are You're Gonna Need Someone On Your Side, originally from Your Arsenal, and All You Need is Me (Live), from Years of Refusal. It also appears on a greatest hits package.