How do you think Years of Refusal will fare critically and commercially?

Maurice E

Junior Member
I know some of you hate these speculative threads but I can't resist them!
For some context, Quarry did brilliantly commercially, selling over 350,000 in the UK (over a million worldwide). Despite reaching number 1, ROTT did a lot less well selling about 150,000 (still above the 50-100,000 that most Morrissey solo albums shift).

Both albums did pretty well critically, see Meta Critic which gives an average score from a number of key reviews.
http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/morrissey/youarethequarry/
Quarry got 72/100 and ROTT 75 but neither album did well enough to get a Mercury (or other major prize) nomination, and generally didn't make the end of year top 10's.

From the several initial playback reviews, it seems that we have another patchy album on our hands. My main hope is that there is a clutch of songs which are worthy of a place in the fans' top 100 (preferably top 50) list unlike the solitary song (Life is a Pigsty) from the ROTT sessions.

Commercially, it'll probably sell over 100,000 in the UK which in the old days would have seemed a success (100,000 gets you the Gold disc that Moz pined for in 'You Know It Wouldn't Last') but may be considerably down on ROTT.
The only way Moz can reverse the 'Quarry to ROTT' sales decline will be if radio really gets behind 'Paris', and if there is a brilliant follow-up single (and from those initial reviews there didn't seem to be any talk of an obvious contender).

All in all, though, we should be in for a good year. Tons of new songs including, encouragingly, many new Morrissey/Whyte compositions plus some intrigue with a Jeff Beck cameo and a Chrissie Hynde duet. Plus tons of concerts to look forward to. Roll on 2009!
 
i think it will be a bigger seller than ROTT due to the release dates and the extensive touring . the songs seem to be quite accessable similar to YATQ , its all down to how much press he does , no interviews or hype no sales simple and sad

To be honest, I don't really think that's the case.
ROTT was much more extensively toured in the UK than Quarry but sold less than half as much. Press doesn't tend to make much difference. Just look at the media profile of Pete Doherty; his record sales are disastrous because his songs virtually never get played on the radio (quite rightly in my opinion but that's for another thread!). Also Paul McCartney's last album sold small quantities (for him) and he's hardly ever out of the press.
Beyond the initial media buzz and interest from the core fan base at the time of release, if singles don't get airplay, albums stop selling...
 
It'll do pretty well commercially, either the same as ROTT or maybe a bit less. Critically it may fair a little worse - the inclusion of two OLD songs that most fans already own is really perplexing, and will definitely be seen as a lazy error by critics.

Q magazine ***

Uncut ***1/2

Rolling Stone ***

NME 7/10
 
Really looking forward to the album. However in terms of sales and reviews from what I have read most early reviews from the Pigalle playback have concentrated on the fact that we have already heard half the album. There will be a backlash (and probably I feel rightly) that THPGU and AYMIM are there again. So then we have 10 new songs yet we have heard Skull, Mama Paris and Farewell for the last year so we are down to 6 new songs. This is why I feel the album will be received not as positively as it should have been. Its Morrisseys new album but the songs are not new. Ok same can be said for Quarry however this was the first album for 7 years so there was always going to be larger sales. For the new album I feel Familiarity will breed contempt from the usual hacks(I hope I am wrong) So regardless of the strength of the 6 new songs (all of which sound promising, lyrically at least) the press will concentrate on the fact that its not a NEW album.

Paris is a nice song but will not threaten the Top 10. Years of Refusal will hopefully sell well and reach No 1 in UK before disapppearing.

Looking forward to the tour. One of the finest shows I have attended(there has been 23!!) was Kilmainham in 2008 so Mozzer Live is alive and well


Right off to Damien Dempsey in Vicar Street now

Happy new year all

cossy:)
 
Don't really think critical success matters for Morrissey anymore. He's already said he expects bad reviews. From what I remember of the ROTT reviews it seems most critics can't actually review his albums objectively anymore. Most reviews fell into the "what I think of Morrissey" category, rather than the "what I think of this album" category, whether they were good or bad. I think it will be exactly the same with this album. Mercury awards are just embarrassing and I'd prefer not to see him associated with anything like that.

I think it will sell OK, might not be enough to get him a renewal of his contract though. He might have to bite the bullet and sign with a good indie for the next one.
 
Don't really think critical success matters for Morrissey anymore. He's already said he expects bad reviews. From what I remember of the ROTT reviews it seems most critics can't actually review his albums objectively anymore. Most reviews fell into the "what I think of Morrissey" category, rather than the "what I think of this album" category, whether they were good or bad. I think it will be exactly the same with this album. Mercury awards are just embarrassing and I'd prefer not to see him associated with anything like that.

I think it will sell OK, might not be enough to get him a renewal of his contract though. He might have to bite the bullet and sign with a good indie for the next one.

I think Morrissey does want good reviews. Wants people to understand and appreciate, however unlikely he may expect that to be.
Agree, because Morrissey maintains a distance, a difference from mainstream pop artists, he is more likely to be reviewed in terms of the reviewers' attitude about "Morrissey" , rather than what the album presents. It depends on who is chosen to write the reviews and the quality of musical journalism of which they are capable.

It depends on how much money is put into the promotions and how much effort Morrissey will put into promoting, outside of concert dates.

And yes, radio airplay is vital.

But without actually hearing the album ....... If it's an outstanding album could it be ignored?
Recent "talent shows" have made plain the manufactured nature of many chart successes. Will the audience tire of that? Will the listeners want a more "authentic" voice?

As to having heard several tracks, I think the general listening public won't have heard much, only the keener fans. Remember too that the album was scheduled for autumn this year and already heard songs would not have felt as "old" if released then. The two tracks on the GH album...must be part of the "mood/theme" of the album, or could not have held a place against stronger songs.

With tracks like "My Dearest love" Morrissey has proved capable of writing excellent stuff. With this album will he be looking beyond the established "audience" to impress and expand his appeal??
 
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