"There is no one on Earth I'm afraid of," proclaims Morrissey on his new album -- like that's a big surprise.

As anyone who's spent quality time with The Moz and his music already knows, he's never exactly been shy about speaking his mind or confronting his enemies. But on the stunning comeback disc You Are the Quarry -- his seventh solo album and long-overdue followup to 1997's poorly received Maladjusted -- the former Smiths frontman comes out swinging with a venom and ferocity that reminds us why he's the patron saint of disaffected youth around the world.

Over a rich musical backdrop divided between crunchy guitar-and-synth pop-rockers and stirring, string-laced ballads, the velvet-voiced Pope of Mope lobs his deliciously wry and poisonous lyrical barbs at targets big and small: Religion ("Jesus hurt me / When he deserted me / But I have forgiven you Jesus"); romance ("She told me she loved me / Which means she must be insane"); vapid pop stars ("They're so scared to show intelligence / It might smear their lovely career"); his own fame ("There's a cash register ringing / And it weighs so heavy on my back"); his native England ("I've been dreaming of a time when to be English is not to be baneful"); and -- another big shock -- humanity in general ("This world, I am afraid, is designed for crashing bores").

But the best shots by far are reserved for his new adopted home on the provocative leadoff track America is Not the World: "America," croons Morrissey, "your head's too big / Because America, your belly's too big ... Don't you wonder why in Estonia they say, 'Hey, you big fat pig.' "

Yikes. Somebody might wanna tell Morrissey to take it down a notch. After all, he may not be afraid of anyone on Earth right now -- but that could be because he hasn't met Rumsfeld or Cheney yet. (More on Morrissey)

Track Listing
1. America Is Not The World
2. Irish Blood, English Heart
3. I Have Forgiven Jesus
4. Come Back To Camden
5. I'm Not Sorry
6. The World Is Full Of Crashing Bores
7. How Could Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel
8. First Of The Gang To Die
9. Let Me Kiss You
10. All The Lazy Dykes
11. I Like You
12. You Know I Couldn't Last