Keeping The Standards Up
It may be somewhat ironic that a 40 something Morrissey is still best encapsulating feelings of lust and longing most often associated with teenagers in his music, or maybe it's liberating and expressive of the fact that we no longer all marry for better or worse at 21. In 'That's How People Grow Up' Morrissey finally reaches the conclusion that, "I was driving my car, I crashed and broke my spine/ So yes there are things worse in life than never being someone's sweetie"; it's this fantastically self-depreciating and ironic wit that has always made Morrissey's mix of lyrical realism with a cheeky twist so compulsive and he seems to have lost little of his flair.
The song is as grandiose as one has come to expect from the masterful Mancunian being with an operatic warble and kicking into an incisive mix of rock guitars and taught percussion, yes it may lack Marr's flowery guitarwork, but Morrissey's solo work is an entirely different animal to The Smiths these days. Perhaps it's more laconic, or simply more punchy, but either way it's certainly worth the listen. If you're looking for a rumble of drama and a flutter of falsetto to stir your iPod out of its sleep, then feel no fear in turning to 'That's How People Grow Up'.
This is typical Morrissey, it may not have any extra gusto or excitement but it's certainly keeping up the standards.