Years of Refusal

iTunes Review

Years of Refusal offers no huge surprises but still manages a few swift kicks of wit and wisdom that only Morrissey can deliver with a straight face. His song titles often set the tone. You can feel the put-down coming in something titled "You Were Good In Your Time" or "It's Not Your Birthday Anymore," and sure enough Morrissey teases and preens with his usual self-deprecating humor cutting through the tougher than usual guitar attack. As he ages, Moz is turning up the amps and the aggression, preferring pummeling guitar chords over a melodious jangle and only bringing in the synths to further firm up the sound. It's not a bludgeoning approach but for Morrissey it's definitely a sign of defiance. He isn't about to go quietly, despite the successful sensitivity of the even-paced "That's How People Grow Up." The orchestrated grandeur of "When I Last Spoke To Carol," the ephemeral pop gloss of "All You Need Is Me," and the pomp anthem of "Something Is Squeezing My Skull" all prove Morrissey's still a big kid at heart and in his head.