Album Review: Morrisey - 'I am not a dog on a chain'
Morrissey has a reputation to uphold. With “I Am Not A Dog On A Chain”, he proves that he’s not done rocking the boat.
“Congratulations, you’re still OK,” Morrissey sings on “Knockabout World,” “I’d kiss your lips off any day. Be careful in this knockabout world.”
Perhaps he does deserve some sort of congratulatory recognition. In spite of some of his outwardly divisive opinions, Morissey, if nothing else, has remained unapologetically himself over the decades. It might be because he’s well aware of his talent and the following he has. After all, “I Am Not A Dog On A Chain” is his 13th studio album -- he must be doing something right.
Much of the album is heavily produced and synth-driven and, as is typical with Morrissey, the star of the show is himself. On one track, though, “Bobby, Don’t You Think They Know?”, a brilliant, soulful female vocalist shares the spotlight with him. An organ and saxophone each have a turn at a solo, making it feel like Morrissey is back to being a part of something that resembles a real, interlocking band.
But he hasn’t let go of the shock-factor element he so loves to incorporate into his music.
“If you’re gonna kill yourself, then for God’s sake, just kill yourself,” he sings on “Jim Jim Falls,” the opening track on the album. Who would Morrissey be if not at least partially offensive?
Some tracks include the undeniable presence of autotune, not because he can’t sing, but because it adds another layer to the song and makes it seem all the more surreal. If anything, on the non-auto tuned songs, Morrissey’s vocals might sound even better than they did back in the day -- no longer a scraggly boy, there’s a certain sense of confidence and boldness behind his voice.
“I am not a dog on a chain, I use my own brain,” he proclaims on the title track. “I raise my voice, I see no point in being nice.” Morrissey may argue that making music is, in some ways, an inherently selfish game, full of people essentially saying “here’s my opinion, listen to it now.” He’s capitalized on this, and this album reminds fans that he’s continuing to push the boundaries of what he can create.
But he’s also a little reflective.
“Time will mold you and craft you,” he sings on “My Hurling Days Are Done,” indicating that he’s at least somewhat aware of how the last 40 years as a musician have shaped him. Morrissey never was a dog on a chain, and he’s certainly not becoming one now.
Words by Allison Rapp