Morrissey’s Return: New Album “Make-Up Is a Lie” Signals a Resurgence for the Iconic Singer
After a period marked by both creative endeavors and public controversy, Morrissey is poised to release his fourteenth solo studio album, Make-Up Is a Lie, on February 27th through Sire Records. This announcement, coupled with an extensive tour schedule, marks a meaningful moment for fans of the legendary artist and the option music landscape as a whole.
A New Album Rooted in History
The forthcoming album, Make-Up Is a Lie, represents a return to familiar ground for Morrissey. Sire Records holds a special place in his career,having originally signed The Smiths in the U.S. during the 1980s and serving as his label for solo work between 1988 and 1995. The title track has already been released,offering a glimpse into the album’s sonic direction,co-written with keyboardist Camila Gray and produced by Joe Chiccarelli in the south of France. Fans were given early previews of tracks like “Notre-Dame” and “The Night Pop Dropped” during previous live performances. A notable inclusion is a cover of roxy Music’s “Amazona,” a testament to Morrissey’s longstanding admiration for Bryan Ferry and the band [[2]].
Collaborators and Musical Landscape
Make-Up Is a Lie features a familiar ensemble of musicians backing Morrissey, including jesse Tobias, camila Gray, carmen Vandenberg, Juan Galeano, Alain Whyte, Gustavo Manzur, and Brendan Buckley [[3]].The new record follows 2020’s I Am Not a Dog on a Chain, which reached No. 3 on the UK charts despite not charting on the U.S. Billboard 200.
The Shadow of “Bonfire of Teenagers”
The path to “Make-Up Is a Lie” has been complex. Morrissey completed an earlier album, Bonfire of Teenagers, produced by Andrew Watt, but its release has been repeatedly stalled. The album’s title track directly addresses the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing following an Ariana Grande concert, a deeply personal tragedy for Morrissey. The song sparked controversy with lyrics perceived as critical of the public response and those who participated in subsequent charity events. Further complicating matters, Miley Cyrus reportedly requested her vocal contribution be removed from the song “I Am Veronica.”
Morrissey has remained characteristically guarded about the reasons for the album’s delay, attributing it not to his political views but to a broader issue within the music industry [[1]]. He articulated his frustration on his website, claiming “The connection between the music industry and Cancel Vultures is that they both agree that their main job is to stop singers and bands from saying anything significant”
Tour Dates and Live Performances
Despite past cancellations – including two shows in California earlier this month – Morrissey is actively returning to the stage. He kicked off a run of shows on January 10th in San Antonio, Texas, and is preparing for a European tour beginning February 13th in Aarhus, Denmark. A highlight of the tour is a performance on February 28th at London’s O2 Arena, marking his first appearance at the 20,000-capacity venue as November 2014.
Tracklist: Make-Up Is a Lie
- “You’re Right, It’s Time”
- “Make-Up Is a lie”
- “Notre-Dame”
- “Amazona”
- “Headache”
- “Boulevard”
- “zoom Zoom the Little Boy”
- “The Night Pop Dropped”
- “Kerching Kerching”
- “Lester Bangs”
- “Many Icebergs Ago”
- “The Monsters of Pig Alley”
Morrissey’s Tour Dates
- Jan 10 San Antonio, TX – Boeing Center at Tech Port
- Jan 13 Oklahoma City, OK – The Criterion
- Jan 15 St. Louis, MO – The Factory
- jan 17 Atlanta, GA – The Fox Theater
- Jan 20 St. Petersburg, FL – Duke Energy Center for the arts / Mahaffey Theater
- Jan 22 Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Live
- Jan 25 La Romana, Dominican Republic – Altos de Chavón
- Feb 13 aarhus – Scandinavian Congress Center
- Feb 15 hamburg – Sporthalle Hamburg
- Feb 17 Frankfurt – Jahrhunderthalle
- Feb 20 Esch-Sur-Alzette – Rockhal
- Feb 24 Rotterdam – De Doelen
- Feb 28 London – The O2
- Mar 04 Lille – Zenith Des Lille
- Mar 07 Zurich – THE HALL
- Mar 09 Milan – Fabrique
- mar 12 Valencia – Palau Des Les Arts
- Mar 14 Zaragoza – Auditorio Des Zaragoza
- Mar 16 Seville – Cartuja Center
The release of Make-Up Is a Lie and the accompanying tour represent a crucial moment in Morrissey’s career. Whether it will signal a creative resurgence or fall into the pattern of controversy that has characterized his recent years remains to be seen. Though, for a dedicated fanbase and music enthusiasts alike, the return of this iconic and frequently enough enigmatic artist is undeniably welcome.
