Morrissey is always going to be a difficult artist to write about largely because there's so much baggage that follows him around like a hungry puppy and gets in the way of the music at every opportunity. Here, for example, this elegant, tuneful laceration of all the pricks and thugs that make being English such an uncomfortable experience, comes on the heels of some stupendously ignorant comments on the subject of immigration. Of course, part of the nature of what Morrissey is, makes it inevitable that such comments will be blown up out of all proportion by both sides of the whole squalid little debate. Ho hum...

Anyway, hands up who in Japan gives a monkey's toss what Morrissey thinks about immigration into the UK? Anyone? Thought not. "Irish Blood, English Heart" is the kind of ambitious, powerful, emotional, sing-along indie rock that bands like Stellastarr* and The Stills have been dragging back into the limelight. Lyrically, it's as exhilarating and barbed as you'd expect although the romantic English sentiment that it's wrapped around is one that, to be honest, The Libertines have not only surpassed but now totally epitomise for the current generation of indie kids. In fact, in comparison to the scope, the depth and the love of Pete and Carl's Arcadian vision, Moz's lyrics here seem almost clumsy.

But then the way that his crystal-clear voice delivers such direct statements over the course of the four tracks of these two CDs is a strong part of what makes Morrissey the object of such devotion in the first place. CD2 is the stronger, with an extra B-side and the tear-jerking "Munich Air Disaster 1958" almost making you feel a twinge of sympathy for the hated Manchester United. Almost. In fact, all the tracks are first-rate and bode well for the imminent album "You Are The Quarry". -Ian Martin, May.15.04

Irish Blood, English Heart