You Are the Quarry [Deluxe Edition] [Bonus DVD] - Kelis

Seven months after the release of Morrissey's 2004 comeback album You Are the Quarry, the album was reissued in a "deluxe edition," featuring slightly different artwork (the backdrop behind Moz and his tommy gun has been changed from pink to silver, plus the liner notes turn into a fold-out poster of the man) and containing all of the B-sides from the album's first three singles ("Irish Blood, English Heart," "First of the Gang to Die," "I Have Forgiven Jesus"), plus a bonus DVD containing music videos for "Irish Blood" and "First of the Gang," plus three performances he gave on The Late Late Show With Craig Kilborn in the summer of 2004. While the hardcore fan certainly has these songs, it sounds like a nice way to collect all of the B-sides -- all of which are solid, if not quite noteworthy -- from the album and get the videos, which is true to a certain extent. The problem is, a week after this hit the stores on December 7, 2004, a fourth single was pulled from the album, containing three non-LP B-sides that aren't on this "deluxe edition," either. So, at best, this was prematurely released, depriving the dedicated (but not quite as hardcore) fans of a truly definitive collection of the album's B-sides. At worst, it's a cynical attempt to get Morrissey's legions of fans to buy material they already have to get a small, insignificant rarity -- which would be the videos, in this case, since the bonus tracks have already appeared on singles. But the author of "Paint a Vulgar Picture" would never do that intentionally, would he? ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide