Amidst the cumbersome Nietzschean-prose of Morrissey’s autobiography resides a stunning self-assessment of 1994’s Vauxhall and I. “(The album) is an arm held out, and ushering others to join – even though its singer has feelings impossible to satisfy,” Morrissey declares. Vauxhall and I is certainly characterised by its inherent emotional complexity, Morrissey digging deep to manufacture a special 40 minutes.
Broadly speaking, the ballad-heavy Vauxhall and I is a record admirably detached from the hysterical ascendance of ‘90s Britpop. The exquisite bittersweetness of Now My Heart is Full sets the tone, with Morrissey crooning atop plaintive guitar-rock. Shunning the electrifying, energetic form of predecessor Your Arsenal, Morrissey paints with a more moody palette. As ever, context is everything: at the time of release, Morrissey suffered the loss of three close friends.
Morrissey’s emotionally candid songs account for the record’s best moments. The delectably disenchanted Hold On to Your Friend aches with earned wisdom, while the urgent acoustic-led Why Don’t You Find Out for Yourself lays bare Morrissey’s seething cynicism. Even the creepy-yet-catchy single The More You Ignore Me The Closer I Get – arguably the black sheep of Vauxhall and I – makes a claim as a stand-out track, Morrissey nailing textbook pop with typical nonchalance.
Song for song, the sombre Vauxhall and I is an incredibly even release – impressively so – feeling complete. It’s not quite a masterpiece, but it’s brilliantly absorbing. Morrissey has earned every right to feel proud.
BY NICK MASON
Best Track: The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: Hits PULP, (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? OASIS
In A Word: Soulful
