A new love

(Morning Star, Saturday 22 April 2006)

ALBUM: Morrissey - Ringleader of the Tormentors
(Sanctuary)

AS Ringleader of the Tormentors thrills into being, all Boz Boorer's rumbling guitar and full of eastern promise on I Will See You In Far-off Places, many a heart will skip with delight.

To Morrissey fans, Stephen Patrick is the god of literate lyricism and a withering wit who takes his cue and hands it on, holding court on a variety of topics.

This release is no different. The Roman ex-pat is in fine voice, with his amazing throaty croon which seems to have been gifted him for his 45th birthday.

He has his targets - such as US imperialism - but, overall, the record is overshadowed by a new-found passion. For who, who can say.

But the new brand of supposedly autobiographical love songs sit at odds beside acerbic solo standards such as The Father Who Must be Killed and In the Future When All's Well.

However, it would be churlish to complain about the album on the whole - the gift of a well-crafted, beautifully sung and intensely felt record is one too seldom in the world of popular music in 2006.