Morrissey’s latest solo album is by far his best yet. In terms of sound and production, it is top notch: punchy and powerful. Vocally, he is in excellent form and delivers an outstanding performance. The songs are all great, not one single filler track on the entire album. Special mention must be given to The First of the Gang to Die. Wonderful song with a chorus that sticks in your head immediately after hearing it.

Naturally, this being a Morrissey album, melancholia abounds across all the songs. There is also some great wordplay. In short, if you ever liked his work solo or with the Smiths, then this is a must buy. By the way, there is an awful lot of classic keyboards sounds used on this album, including the mellotron, and they are all played by none other than Roger Manning, erstwhile member of Jellyfish. Nice work!