To me, it wouldn’t make sense for someone completely obsessed with modern indie pop to not enjoy a good Morressey song. And to dislike The Smiths would appear downright fallacious. Now I missed last year’s LP, but I did catch Ringleader Of The Tormentors, and while I didn’t think it held the sway of Moz’s early stuff, it was a more than viable collection of songs. “Ganglord” wasn’t on the album, but it did get cast as the b-side to “The Youngest Was The Most Loved” — one of the many standout tracks on Tormentors.
The black-and-white video finds The Moz strolling down dark streets and waltzing through a cemetery. He coos: Ganglord, the clock on the wall makes a joke of us all, emphasizing the inevitable short lifespan of the modern gang member. The video is simple but effective, emotive and depressingly upbeat in the standard Morrissey way. “Ganglord” is definitely worth a viewing or two, and if you can find a copy of The Youngest Was The Most Loved single, that would be worth it too.
