A few months ago, I listened to First of the Gang to Die by Morrissey and thought it was catchy with a very unique lead voice, even though it was kind of a stupid song. Based on that, I picked up two Morrissey CDs out of a bargain bin, You are the Quarry and The Best of Morrissey. After listening to these, I can say that Morrissey is the king of pretentious, unmemorable music. He wastes his great voice on pointless anti-establishment songs with lyrics like these:

America your head's too big, Because America, Your belly's too big
And I love you, I just wish you'd stay where you is

In America, The land of the free, they said, And of opportunity, In a just and a truthful way
But where the president, Is never black, female or gay, And until that day
You've got nothing to say to me, To help me believe

In America, It brought you the hamburger, Well America you know where, You can shove your hamburger
And don't you wonder, Why in Estonia they say, Hey you, Big fat pig
You fat pig, You fat pig

Steely Blue eyes with no love in them, Scan The World,
And a humourless smile, With no warmth within, Greets the world
And I, I have got nothing, To offer you
No-no-no-no-no
Just this heart deep and true, Which you say you don't need

See with your eyes, Touch with your hands, please, Hear through your ears, Know in your soul, please
For haven't you me with you now?
And I love you, I love you, I love you, And I love you, I love you, I love you

- America is Not the World

I've listened to the Best Of CD three times now and can't recall a single melody. The Quarry CD is more catchy but the lyrics really kill it. I guess the lyrics one listener might claim as thoughtfully deep can be heard by another listener as cringingly bad. It's a shame that such a great sound is wasted on these songs.

Morrissey has also caught the U2 bug, as evidenced in his liner notes:

As a lyricist, singer, and performer, Morrissey has created a mythology unrivaled in popular music . . . increasingly, when one thinks about Morrissey's conversion from pop start into an entire cultural brand, it is tempting to make comparisons with Andy Warhol . . . One day there will most probably be a Faculty of Morrissey Studies in more than one distinguished seat of learning.

Here are some more sound clips so you can draw your own conclusions.

Alias and Lost were both excellent last night. It's amazing how much new information Lost can keep providing viewers without actually giving a definitive answer on anything.