Southpaw Grammar by Morrissey

Pros: Absolutely nothing
Cons: An experimental recording that fails both lyrically and musically

Morrissey’s Southpaw Grammar is a failed experiment.  Morrissey is a lyricist and a crooner, period.  If his voice isn’t front and center, then the recording fails at first hearing.  The first and last songs ...

Pros: That it came and went with no notice and almost no press
Cons: THAT IT WAS RELEASED

I love Morrissey and the Smiths, but I will probably not write reviews for a long time about anything of their EXCEPT for this album.

If you like Morrissey and the Smiths, you probably already have this, but if not, it is a MUST buy. There...

Pros: That it is smouldering, soulful indie rock/pop, with a warmly bogged down sound.
Cons: It ain't "Your Arsenal" for those who only like light, frilly, silly pop from Morrissey.

"Southpaw Grammar" is a completely overlooked, totally underrated gem of a minor masterpiece of warm ...

Pros: Good music, good lyrics, it's Morrissey
Cons: Not enough songs, I wanted more

As could always be characterized of Morrissey, the lyrics on this album are brooding, pessimistic at times, though not so much on certain songs. This is one of the first Morrissey albums that I got into after his career with the Smiths, who if you like...

Pros: Morrissey's most musically minded LP, deep and rewarding.
Cons: Lacks a cry your eyes out moment.

What is the world on about? Morrissey fell on hard times around 1995, all those ever-ready critics brandished their knives and went for the kill and made a casualty of Southpaw Grammar. And this is a deep shame, because southpaw rocks unlike any Morrissey LP before or since. The band are given free space to push out away from both jangle pop and rockabilly into a full frontal prog-rock assault. This album is an opus of heavy guitar riffs and satirical lyricism that really hits the mark on every single track. It's the sound of Morrissey rebelling against staid traditionalism and trying something more experimental, which was always going to be critically dangerous. Despite bad reviews and sneering fans, I think this album is musical perfection and I can fully understand why Morrissey himself remains steadfastly proud of the record.