Music
All-Time High (And Low) Scores
Best of 2009
Best of 2008
Best of 2007
Best of 2006
Best of 2005
Best of 2004
Best of 2003
Best of 2002
Best of 2001
Best of 2000
Best of the Decade
Upcoming &
Recent Releases
75
2562
54
30 Seconds to Mars
62
50 Cent
71
AC/DC
70
The Album Leaf
52
Kris Allen
68
Tori Amos
66
Animal Collective
84
Animal Collective
77
Annie
57
Apse
63
Asobi Seksu
59
Bad Lieutenant
83
Julianna Barwick
82
Beach House
72
Beak>
72
Bibio
65
Justin Bieber
76
Biffy Clyro
74
Blakroc
75
Mary J. Blige
78
Blockhead
52
Bon Jovi
54
Susan Boyle
57
The Bravery
39
Chris Brown
64
V.V. Brown
70
Basia Bulat
79
Chew Lips
74
Citay
65
Clipse
66
Cold War Kids
75
The Cribs
58
Dashboard Confessional
81
Dave Rawlings Machine
70
Delphic
78
The Doors
58
Echo & The Bunnymen
73
Edan
59
Editors
69
Eels
80
Felt
74
First Aid Kit
69
Flyleaf
83
Four Tet
82
Ben Frost
82
Fucked Up
83
Charlotte Gainsbourg
63
The Gilded Palace Of Sin
68
Githead
65
Joe Goddard
58
Good Shoes
72
Gucci Mane
75
Holopaw
82
Jesca Hoop
79
Hot Chip
72
The Hot Rats
88
Ray Wylie Hubbard
54
Hurricane Chris
66
Allison Iraheta
59
Jay Sean
82
Freedy Johnston
57
Nick Jonas And The Administration
73
Norah Jones
49
Juvenile
58
Ke$ha
62
R. Kelly
66
Alicia Keys
68
Kid Sister
81
King Midas Sound
63
Lady Antebellum
76
Lady GaGa
71
Adam Lambert
78
Lawrence Arabia
61
Leona Lewis
74
Lightspeed Champion
36
Lil Wayne
82
Lindstrom & Christabelle
77
Lissie
78
Los Campesinos!
70
Lostprophets
73
Magnetic Fields
72
Massive Attack
64
John Mayer
71
Paul McCartney
58
Katherine McPhee
86
Memory Tapes
72
Midlake
88
Motion City Soundtrack
63
Mr. Hudson
53
Mudvayne
75
Oh No Ono
70
OK Go
72
Ola Podrida
61
OneRepublic
80
Owen Pallett
80
Pantha du Prince
90
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
80
Phantogram
60
Pit Er Pat
63
Priestess
70
Radian
79
Corinne Bailey Rae
54
Rakim
79
Real Estate
77
Retribution Gospel Choir
76
Rihanna
64
Rjd2
65
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
77
Sade
77
Gil Scott-Heron
72
Shakira
82
Shining
61
Snoop Dogg
62
Snow Patrol
71
The Soft Pack
80
Spoon
64
Ringo Starr
59
Stereophonics
76
Angie Stone
79
Surfer Blood
74
Switchfoot
75
Them Crooked Vultures
74
Robin Thicke
50
Timbaland
79
tUnE-YaRDs
80
Vampire Weekend
79
Laura Veirs
79
Tom Waits
78
Wale
65
The Watson Twins
66
Kanye West
76
The Whitefield Brothers
64
Robbie Williams
80
Yeasayer
62
Young Money
75
Neil Young
61
Rob Zombie
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
You Are The Quarry
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 31 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 66 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Attack/Sanctuary
Release Date: 18 May 2004
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Alternative, Rock
Summary
Morrissey's first studio release since 1997 (and seventh overall) was recorded in Los Angeles with producer Jerry Finn (Blink-182, Green Day) and longtime collaborators Alain Whyte and Boz Boorer.
Also By This Artist: Live At Earls Court Ringleader Of The Tormentors Swords Years Of Refusal
Also On The Web: Official Artist Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Entertainment Weekly
A set of irresistible tracks both danceable and desolate. [28 May 2004, p.124]
Filter
Might well be his most brilliant yet. [#10, p.86]
Pitchfork
The most entertaining and lushly melodic work of Morrissey's solo career.
Read Full Review >No Ripcord
But, and here's the catch, at times the arrangements just don't cut it.
Read Full Review >Playlouder
While 'You Are The Quarry' is a very good album it's not the earth shattering masterpiece many had hoped for, nay, expected.
Read Full Review >Village Voice
The Moz croon is more succulent than ever, and the music productively splits the difference between Your Arsenal's thrusting butchness and Vauxhall & I's voluptuous enervation.
Read Full Review >All Music Guide
It's not so much a return to form as it is a simple return, Morrissey picking up where he left off with Maladjusted, improving on that likeable album with a stronger set of songs and more muscular music.
Read Full Review >Drowned In Sound
‘You Are The Quarry’ sees Morrissey back in the ring, lean, limber and fighting fit.
Read Full Review >Mojo
Those who have grown up with him will find much to love here. [May 2004, p.90]
Splendid
Despite his gray hairs, Moz's approach to You Are the Quarry is youthful and energetic -- perhaps even punk.
Read Full Review >Blender
His best album since Vauxhall & I. [#27, p.140]
Los Angeles Times
A little heavy on the lugubrious ballads, but it's all Morrissey all the time. [16 May 2004, p.E40]
E! Online
The music doesn't impress much, serving as more a backdrop for Morrissey's lovely chops.
Read Full Review >ShakingThrough.net
Despite the intervening years, Quarry sounds cut from exactly the same cloth as the last couple of Morrissey albums, which is to say that at best, it represents a bit of a holding pattern and at worst, it continues the slow artistic decline begun with 1995's lackluster Southpaw Grammar.
Read Full Review >Under The Radar
If you wade through some horrid lyrics and mediocre songcraft, you will find You Are The Quarry stands solidly as a long overdue return to a formative sound. [#7]
Rolling Stone
He submits a dozen songs to crystalline modern engineering and arrangements that place selective bits of mandolin, flute, harp and synthesizer in guitar-and-rhythm grooves, moving forward without losing his identity.
Read Full Review >Billboard
At times, the misery borders on cliché, but luckily, "Quarry" sports some of Morrissey's most direct vignettes in years.
Read Full Review >Neumu.net
And flaws there are, with many of the tracks sinking into a midtempo morass with decidedly underdeveloped melodies and daft instrumentation.
Read Full Review >Uncut
Flares dazzlingly on initial contact, but dims a little. [Jun 2004, p.92]
Dot Music
For a handful of decent Morrissey songs – and, it must be said, some of his best ever vocal performances – we should be grateful. Ultimately though, for all these tantalising reminders of greatness, "You Are The Quarry" still feels like a man unnecessarily trapped by the limitations of his band and the extent of his loathing.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club)
Only when Morrissey's wickedly funny side emerges does Quarry find moments worthy of sharing shelf space with his finest.
Read Full Review >The New York Times
At this level of lyric artistry, these warmed-over arena rock backdrops are a waste.
Read Full Review >Stylus Magazine
Of course, anyone expecting a new Smiths album from this was always going to be disappointed. However, anyone expecting a good album from it is going to be disappointed as well.
Read Full Review >The Guardian
But just when he seems more relevant than ever, Morrissey has somehow contrived to make an album that sounds incredibly dated.
Read Full Review >Q Magazine
Those looking for the kind of soaring poetry that defined The Smiths will surely be depressed by lyrics that are often boringly solipsistic and prosaically worded. [Jun 2004, p.106]
What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 8.7 (out of 10) based on 66 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Juan A. gave it a9:
Morrissey: We are the quarry !!!!
Enda M gave it a10:
Absolutely excellent. I often return to this record and have SUCH a soft spot for it even now.
jyo_tirmaya d gave it a7:
The only song I really like on this CD which is memorable is "Hector was the Last of the Gang to Die." Everything else seems to be so forgettable. It's a good CD, but I dont' listen to it very much.
lazy dyke gave it a10:
A wonderful album...
Matt J gave it a10:
I have just recently come back to this album like with most great albums it feels like i never left, as always lyrics from the heart and soul, touching yet humorous, my personal not-so-prominent favourite is "i like you" great album
Paul gave it a9:
Morrissey creates an album with an awesome song lineup. Irish blood English heart ultimate classic and i have forgiven jesus one to listen to. Every song i cant flater! Just amazing best 10 quid ever spent thx very much Morrissey
S.L. O'Robot gave it an8:
I came to the party a little late with Morrissey, not really giving him much credence until I heard the collection, "Bona Drag," which I still cherish. I am, however, one of the few who grew up in the 80's who can't be bothered with The Smiths, whom I believe to be staggeringly overrated. That said, I picked up "Quarry" after ignoring most of his solo output, and I found it to be damned near brilliant. Excellent to the point of almost being essential.
