September 30-October 6, 2004

musicpicks

Morrissey

Photo By: Greg Gorman

by Lori Hill

rock/pop

There's only one guy in the world who can turn a song about a boy falling victim to gang life into a fantastic pop ditty. "The First of the Gang to Die," besides being some strangely loving acknowledgment of his curiously devout Mexican fan base in L.A., is, from the opening riff, an absolutely perfect slice of swinging, sing-along pop-rock cake. His much-awaited resurrection, You Are the Quarry (Attack), had critics falling all over themselves with praise for its diverse but not haphazard collection of wry love songs—to the son of God ("I Have Forgiven Jesus") and others—and snide political commentaries—on Oliver Cromwell ("Irish Blood, English Heart") and others. Quarry takes everything that has made Morrissey so loved over the years and packages it neatly into a dozen winners (well, almost). Seven years of silence has yielded delicious bits like "Where taxi drivers never stop talking under slate-gray Victorian sky" and "He wants to befriend me/ Which means he can't possibly know me." And it's a fool's game to guess, but what can we take from this: In the span of 15 years, he appears to have reversed the plaintive cry of "I'm so sorry" in "Suedehead" to the unapologetic rant of "I'm Not Sorry." Have all those bouffanted gray hairs turned Morrissey even more mournfully stubborn? Or more stubbornly mournful? Perhaps his stage show will provide clues. Set lists from the current tour reveal a satisfying number of songs from the Bona Drag and Viva Hate days—not to mention a few Smiths treasures—which should make his double date with Philadelphia a love-fest like no other.

Fri.-Sat., Oct. 1-2, 8 p.m., $39.50-$65, Tower Theatre, 69th and Ludlow sts., 215-336-2000.