Make-Up Is a Lie

Morrissey announced the tentative production and release of a new album titled Without Music the World Dies on 8 December 2022.^[3][4] The album was recorded in January and February 2023 at La Fabrique Studios in St-Remy, France, and was produced by Joe Chiccarelli, making it his fifth collaboration with the singer.^[5] It was produced outside the bounds of a record contract, as Morrissey had parted ways with his former label Capitol Records in December 2022.^[3] The album was initially scheduled to consist of twelve songs, collectively written by Morrissey and members of his band, but this was later reduced to ten songs.^{[citation needed]}

On 20 February 2023, Morrissey announced Without Music the World Dies had been completed. He then offered the album up to any record labels or private investors willing to distribute the finished album.^[5][6]

In December 2024, Morrissey declared: "There are two albums ... The second one was re-recorded in France in late 2023, and given a new title. We scrapped half of the tracks and we recorded six new ones, and so it is not the album from the beginning of 2023".^[7] In June 2025, he announced that the album has been renamed to You're Right, It's Time saying "The second album will be released first". He also recorded a cover of Roxy Music's "Amazona".^[8] In the same interview, You're Right, It's Time was said to be scheduled for release in September 2025.

On 9 January 2026, it was announced Morrissey had returned to Sire Records to release the album, now entitled Make-Up Is a Lie, preceded by a single of the same name.^[9][10]

When first played live, the song "Notre-Dame" was sung with the words: "Before investigations, they said: 'This is not terrorism!'."^[11] The Independent wrote that it echoed a "right-wing conspiracy theory", claiming that the 2019 fire at Notre-Dame de Paris was "deliberate" and part of "anti-Christian attacks".^[12]

On March 6, the album's release day, Morrissey released a music video for "The Monsters of Pig Alley".^{[citation needed]}.

More information Aggregate scores, Source ...

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	59/100[13]
Review scores
Source	Rating
The Guardian	[14]
The Independent	[15]
Mojo	[16]
Paste	D-[17]
Pitchfork	6.1/10[18]
PopMatters	7/10[19]
Record Collector	[20]
Rolling Stone	[21]
The Times	[22]
Uncut	[23]

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Make-Up Is a Lie received mixed reviews upon release. On Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, Make-up Is a Lie received an average score of 57 based on 13 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".^[13]

Personnel as given listed inside the record.

• Morrissey – vocal, lyrics, vocal melodies