Shouting at the Void: Instructions for Listening to

General Manager

“The Queen Is Dead‰Û
Hear those tribal drums and the ominous high note and know you‰’re committing to this album, and get excited. Morrissey makes his fluttery entrance and the blistering song drags you along through six minutes of angst-filled, head-scratching lyrics.

“Frankly, Mr Shankly‰Û
Nod your head to the upbeat guitars and grin at the droll, disparaging verses. Think of people that this song reminds you of.

“I Know It‰’s Over‰Û
Wait it out as Morrissey‰’s full-blown existential crisis unfolds in front of you, backed by a beat more emptiness than sound. Take off your headphones when the flight attendant comes by with drinks. Put them back in and the song is climaxing slowly and the soil keeps piling up until the only thing above it is Morrissey‰’s head, singing a gorgeous requiem.

“Never Had No One Ever‰Û
Oh yeah, this one. This sulky skulker with the caves of acoustic guitar and the swaggering bass line. This song with a downbeat that comes down on you like a lead weight.

“Cemetry Gates‰Û
A perfect pop song (as they say). Poets galore. Smile about death.

“Bigmouth Strikes Again‰Û
Love that creepy high voice and its weird harmonies. The guitar breakdown in the middle will have you dancing out of your seatbelt. Marvel how a song with lyrics so disturbing can make you feel so on top of the world.

“The Boy With The Thorn In His Side‰Û
Even typing the name of this song gives me chills. Its beauty will astound you. The people sitting around you will wonder why you‰’re sniffling. Don‰’t worry about it- the way those guitars spiral upward and the complete sincerity of the lyrics generally seem to have that effect.

“Vicar In A Tutu‰Û
Smirk. Get bored for a little and drift to a sex scene from “The O.C.‰” playing out on the laptop of the woman next to you. Notice that you‰’re dancing again. Your moves are a little weirder this time.

“There Is A Light That Never Goes Out‰Û
Close your eyes and lay back and try not to break down entirely. Every moment brings a new musical revelation, a new layer of guitar or synth or strings that will take away even more of your breath. Wonder at how music has the capacity to be so sublime. Wonder how suffering can be so beautiful. Wonder whether you even have the ability to make it through the entire song without an existential crisis of your own. Hopefully, you will. When all the tragedy and the glory and the strings begin to fade, your heart will beg them to stay a little longer, but they won‰’t listen.

“Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others‰Û
Let Johnny Marr‰’s guitar genius finally have its moment in the spotlight as this strange and wonderful song moves back and forth between weirdness and magnificence. Fittingly, a glistening spiderweb of guitars is here to escort you out of your 37-minute rapture.

By Jesse Paller