Make-Up Is a Lie, Morrissey’s first album in six years, isn’t going to earn the former Smiths frontman any new fans. Released March 6 on Sire, the record is what one would expect from Moz circa 2026: a collection of withering rock songs that hit their emotional mark mingled with others that are completely cringeworthy.
After years in the wilderness without a label willing to take a chance on the controversial singer, and one shelved album later, Morrissey isn’t less filled with grievance than before. Still, it’s impossible to deny that songs like opening track, “You’re Right, It’s Time,” are effective. Under the guidance of producer Joe Chiccarelli, the song begins with “I wanna move away from those who stare at screens all day,” which is actually the type of curmudgeonly line we want from Morrissey. Featuring shimmering keys from Camila Grey, the track sounds like a throwback to the city-at-night soundscapes that haunt Smiths songs such as “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out.” Morrissey is also in strong voice, smooth but deepened a bit by age.
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A good deal of Make-Up Is a Lie echoes the strength of its opening song. The title track, which doubles down on a triple entendre, is oddly beguiling and grand. Meanwhile, the final track, “The Monsters of Pig Alley” (again with the punny double entendres), finds a weary Morrissey balancing melancholic beauty and pop sensibilities in fine form, something that could fit right in with career highs such as “Now My Heart is Full.”
Some of the record’s best songs don’t immediately announce themselves. The intense “Many Icebergs Ago” may sound too stark at first, but if you pay close attention you can hear Morrissey writing his own version of “September of My Years.” Morrissey also takes some sonic risks here and pushes his songwriting in new directions. “The Night Pop Dropped” is an interesting foray into funk, for example. Yet it’s “Headache” that might be the most interesting thing here. Featuring strings and tasteful guitar, the song finds Morrissey replacing words tied to marriage with “headache.” Barely singing above a coo, it is as archly sad as “I Know It’s Over” without the vocal fireworks.
Morrissey isn’t one to shy away from excess and controversy. Some songs like “Zoom Zoom the Little Boy” feel like throwaways, while “Notre-Dame” won’t quell accusations of Islamophobia that have followed the singer for years. While he may not have recorded some of the more problematic lyrics that showed up in live versions, an uneasy tension and innuendos make the track an uncomfortable listen.For those still waiting for vinyl reissues of older Morrissey favorites like You Are the Quarry and Ringleader of the Tormentors, Make-Up Is a Lie is easily the musician’s best album since Years of Refusal (2009). However, Morrissey has spent the last few decades pushing away fans and their goodwill. Yes, he still sells concert tickets, but will many people buy new Morrissey music, even if it’s really good?
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