Published on Jun 27, 1998
Being suicidal never felt so good…
After the implosion of The Smiths in the mid-’80s, members of
the band started to filter off into their own side projects. While
Johnny Marr ended up with Electronica and The The, lead singer
Morrissey, probably not to anyone’s surprise, kicked off his own
solo career. What might surprise some people is that his first solo
effort,
Bona Drag, contains some of the best material he’s ever been
associated with.
Oh, he’s no happier than he was in his days with The Smiths.
Songs like “Will Never Marry” demonstrate that Morrissey could well
be the melancholy Englishman bar none. In “Everyday Is Like
Sunday,” one of the best tracks on this album, Morrissey declares
every day to be “silent and grey,” and calls for Armageddon to
come. (Insert your own Bruce Willis joke here.)
But what strikes me about
Bona Drag is the approachability of the music contained on
this disc. While I enjoyed the work of The Smiths (never mind the
fact I discovered them after their breakup), it took time before I
felt comfortable with their music. By the first spin of
Bona Drag, it felt like I had been listening to these songs
my whole life.
Morrissey was definitely riding a creative high, something I
don’t feel he’s ever quite achieved since. Songs like “Interesting
Drug,” “Hairdresser On Fire” and the ode to the Kray Twins, “The
Last Of The Famous International Playboys,” give Morrissey the
freedom to be himself, and his vocals do sound liberated. I don’t
think he’s ever sang anything with such power as “The Last Of The
Famous International Playboys,” which could well be the best track
on this album.
His dry sense of humor and insight into the human condition he
sees all around him is evident on
Bona Drag, and he pulls no verbal punches. Example from
“Such A Little Thing Makes Such A Big Difference”: “Some people
keep their brains between their legs.” Ka-pow.
There are one or two minor flaws on
Bona Drag – I, for one, didn’t care for “November Spawned A
Monster” – but this still remains Morrissey’s best work, and one
that I can’t believe I haven’t dug out of the Pierce Archives until
today.