Helen was was complaining that the Morrissey setlist for North America 2014 seemed a little on the iffy side and she may well have a point there. This is a strangely obtuse bunch of songs. What is more worrying is his actual performance may have finally descended into schtick. Really, enough with all the hugging already, it no longer signifies affection or love or interest or respect, it just disrupts the performance.
Still, I like the setlist more than young Helen does…
1. Hand in Glove – Morrissey claims this a really botched production and doesn’t come to life the way the live performance back in the day. Perhaps, though at the time the fey meets the guitar stricken was the whole part – B+
2. Speedway – Debatably his last great song, the story of lies and infidelity (“I never said, I never said…”) to one of the sharpest melodies Moz has ever been involved with!
3. Ganglord – Metal rocking Moz – B
4. I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris – Spring like ballad – B
5. The Bullfighter Dies – New
6. I Have Forgiven Jesus – Slow piano build to a not untypical 60s poprock sound – B
7. Life Is a Pigsty – Doomy Goth Moz, with as hard a backbeat as you’ll ever hear.
8. Everyday Is Like Sunday – And that’s a bad thing – B+
9. To Give (The Reason I Live) – He played this last year as well and it is not as if it is a great lost Frankie Valli classic. No, no, no. It sucked when Valli did it and it sucks now – B-
10. Yes, I Am Blind – One of his earliest solo songs, a draggy waltz.
11. World Peace Is None of Your Business – Lead off single from the new one. So typical he might have used a blueprint – B-
12. Trouble Loves Me – A good pop ballad off a great album – B+
13. Meat Is Murder – Not the same damn film – B
14. Earth Is the Loneliest Planet – Another new one
15. First of the Gang to Die – A later track but lively and part of that Kray Gang deal he has going – B+
16. The Youngest Was the Most Loved – Slots right in after “Gang” – B
17. I Know It’s Gonna Happen Someday – Maybe Helen has a point, where is “fatty” when you need it? – B
18. The National Front Disco – Aged pretty well if still pretty silly – B
Encore:
19. Asleep – A Smiths track, just not the one we wanted – B-
20. One Day Goodbye Will Be Farewell- Hey this is the encore, did you forget? – C-
