Morrissey: I Am Not a Dog on a Chain Review

“Did you see the headlines?” The world is in chaos, and on his latest album, Morrissey is preaching about the state of it all.

It is most likely that the state of the world just got increasingly worse, as this album has certainly been in the works for longer than the past two or three months. But in light of recent events, his lyrics ring true as we sit huddled up in our homes, waiting for the day that we can get out of bed and watch the news without getting more terrified of what is going on.

I Am Not a Dog on a Chain is not Morrissey’s first album, but his 13th, not counting his works as frontman of psychedelic rock group The Smiths from the 1980s. I have not been religiously up-to-date with Morrissey’s solo projects, but with the little knowledge I have of his past hits, it is clear that he has not changed much. “The Truth About Ruth” is the easily the best song on the album, as the piano and vocal features best capsule everything that makes Morrissey a brilliant musician. The dissonant pitches near the middle of the song build tension and a sense of broken trust or fear “in a world ill-equipped for the truth about Ruth.”

But we also have other songs, such as “Once I Saw the River Clean,” where Morrissey seems to be hinting towards big hits like “Spent the Day in Bed,” but missing the mark. Even the opening track, “Jim Jim Falls,” is dripping with the sound and melodies of “Everyday is like Sunday.” As a whole, this record seems to be taking in some elements of electronic music, which doesn’t sound terrible, but it clashes with the pleasance of his voice at times. Just look at the disaster that was “The Secret of Music.” Is he trying to sound feminine? It just seems like a mess and a mistake that should never have been written. Even worse, at almost eight minutes long, it seems as if it’s never going to end. Unless you’re into an LCD trip, there is nothing to love about this track.

But Morrissey fans can still enjoy this album, hugging their pillows as they curl up with it and wait for the time when they can be close to friends and family again. Morrissey has always written relatable lyrics with his dark humor that is especially relevant to today’s generation, but this album takes a new level with songs that can be seen to relate to social distancing or the panic of the global population.

While I Am Not a Dog on a Chain can most definitely be a comfort album, I doubt that it is going down in history as a great record. Most of the album is enjoyable, but it dies out after the ninth track as if Morrissey got too lazy to finish what was started. I love that the closing track signifies his coming to peace, but there isn’t a whole lot left to say about it other than the state of the lyrics. Morrissey has never been known for his instrumentals after the death of The Smiths, and it leaves this record something to be desired. Similar to The Black Key’s Let’s Rock, there is not enough material on I Am Not a Dog on a Chain to make it stand out among the rest of Morrissey’s discography, and I can predict that after the first few weeks, it will have been forgotten and collecting dust on the bottom of your shelf.

Overall Rating: 6.9/10