Meat Is Murder

In my life I haven't so much as knowingly listened to a Smiths song, let alone an album--a blind spot I've long been keen to eliminate. So this was an exciting task. But also a bittersweet one, as I knew I would be forced to adjudicate on that grey area between not only the album's objective quality and my subjective enjoyment of it but the band's. One listen of one album is no way to do that. And yet there I was yesterday evening, a pawn in this cruel game, my hand forced to commit crimes against music I'd never dreamt of. Reservations and objections aside, I diligently discharged my duty. Here is my meagre judgement: It Was Quite Good. Morrisey's affectedly self-absorbed vocals dancing widdershins around Marr's dexterous guitar lines, ostensibly independent of each other but really in some kind of synch, is immediately arresting. As is the rhythm, is more energetic than I expected. Less so Morrisey's fey digressions and whimpers--clearly there's lots to hear but not much stood out (ON ONE SINGLE SOLITARY SOLE LISTEN, I HASTEN TO ADD). This unusual combination evidently coheres, yet I'm going to be conservative (though fascist may be more appropriate here) because a) my interest was piqued only in short bursts, and b) from this evidence of the band's talent, plus one or two things I’ve heard elsewhere, I suspect they made much better albums than this. And I want to reserve my extra stars for those should they pop up and prove my suspicions correct. And if I start too high--giving this a 3, for example--and then like the next one more, I'll be compelled to give it a 4. But what if I don't think the next one’s a 4? More of a 3. But it’s only by listening to the second album that I realise I've overrated the first. I'll be ensnared in a cycle of overrating The Smiths, which seems both unfair on me and them. Life is hard. And yes, meat is indeed murder.

Mozz and Marr decided to give poor Andy some free reign as a joke, but the resulting album was so powerful they had to make The Queen Is Dead to punish anyone who liked it. Suck my nuts indieheads- this is the real (gay) man's Smiths album

Man, it is such a shame about the severe back problems Andy Rourke developed from carrying The Smiths all those years.

Luckily this album was recorded before we knew Morrissey was A Bad Man. In 1985 he was merely a pompous man with a compelling turn of phrase quite unlike anything that’s cropped up in music before or since. No-one sings about bottoms quite like your man Stephen Morrissey. And yet, the star of The Smiths’ music always has and will be Johnny Marr’s arrangements. The glistening, shimmering, bright counterpoint to Morrissey’s turgid melancholy. The tension between woe and glory as Marr and Morrissey tussle for supremacy is what they are all about. And Marr wins, every time.

Glad I read everyones' reviews before writing mine because I also had the line "Morrissey is an insufferable prick" written in my notes. So I'll just say he's an asshole, but I do love his music. The Smiths developed such a cool sound that so many other bands tried to bite but could never really pull off because Morrissey has such a distinct crooning vocal sound. Baritone I think? Been awhile since my choir days. Anyway, those guitars really drive these songs! Morrissey always sounds so morose but then those guitars come in and sound all upbeat and rollicking and boom theres another great Smiths song. I know its a joke that the Smiths are sadboys to the extreme (I counted and there's only 1 song's lyrics that doesn't explicitly use the word die, dying, or talk about death) but Morrissey's forlorn pining for love and purpose strikes a chord with most everyone, which makes for relatable jams. I know there's vegetarians in this group and I'm knocking vegetarianism but man was he being way melodramatic with that "Meat is Murder" track. "..the unholy stench of murder....you savor the flavor of murder," with cows mooing in the back! C'mon Morrissey. Still though a pretty great album and I will begrudgingly give Morrissey props.

What more can you wish for Marr's guitar, Morrissey's lyrics and then the ruin it by letting Morrissey sing.

I'm not sure why this album makes me so cross. Maybe I'm disappointed that I missed out on something because I don't, "get it". Anyway, it's wrong and I'm right. NAA.

Morrisey sounds like he is singing in the shower, didn't really like it.

Johnny Marr is one of my top-three underrated guitarists. I can't stand Morrisey.

The title track is dour, but the rest of this album is fantastic, musically brilliant, adventurous and generally just really catchy with its overt pop and funk influences and some of Morrisey’s sharpest lyrics (even if he is an insufferable cunt). Now excuse me while I enjoy eating this steak.

Great guitar, niche vocals. I like it a lot, full of bangers, That Joke, What She Said, Barbarism, and only 9 songs long. Maybe my favourite Smith's album.

The Headmaster's Ritual is 🥵

That's fucking punk right there

The Smiths weakest album. Needs more protein. 🥩

I like the smiths alright and this was one of their biggest albums but I can't really get into this one as much. It's weird cause I like the album before this one and the album after this one much more. I'd bet that the latter one, "the queen is dead" is on this 1001 list too. "Well I wonder" is probably my favorite track on the album. Morrissey gets all the glory but Johnny Marr is severely underrated in the US. Moody brooding.

Most of the album was okay. "Barbarism Begins at Home" was surprisingly funky. But the title track is pure garbage. We get it, Morrissey. You don't eat meat. Good for you. I'll see about getting you a medal. But saying meat eating is pointless and unnatural is objectively false (the point is sustenance and our incisors and canines are proof that it's natural). If you're going to shit-talk the meat industry as a whole, there are plenty of valid arguments to choose from. Bringing weak shit like "it's pointless and unnatural" would get you slaughtered in even the lowliest of middle school debate clubs. Also, does riding around on that high horse everywhere you go constitute animal cruelty? I feel like it does. You gotta give that poor nag a break every now and then, dude. Sincerely, Someone who understands the criticisms of meat eating but loathes shittily-constructed arguments from pretentious douchecanoes. (Let's call this a 2.5.)

A little bit of Morrissey goes a _LONG_ way.

But I like meat

Just not my bag. Is “meat is murder” a metaphor for something? Last track would imply no…should team up with Moby on a meat is murder collab or something. And I shall pass. 2.5/5

I'd rather shit in my hands and clap than listen to The Smiths ever again 1 ⭐️

The torture of the previous two albums cannot be smoothed out by anything. But The Smiths did their best! From beginning to end, I enjoyed the instrumental scores. The vocalist's voice has a separate respect, it was a basic pleasure to listen to. In addition, the relevance of some songs was felt now. Literally howling in "I want to go home" resonates in the soul of many.

This is my least favorite Smiths album including the non-true albums, Hatful of Hollow and Louder Than Bombs. However the worst Smiths record is still really good. I got give it a 4 for the title track which is just not enjoyable at all but I always give a 5 to Morrissey and Smiths just to counter the haters.

Yeah, Moz is fash garbage now but this is forever peerless.

Yesterday, Viva Hate, today my favourite Smiths album. Title track is a dirge but everything else is sparkling and wonderful. Favourite song: Nowhere Fast. Really should learn how to play it.

I don't think that there's anything bad you can say about The Smiths. Unless you are a bad person.

No second album syndrome here. Marr’s guitar and Morrissey’s lyrics and voice combine to offer a uniquely recognisable blend of melancholy angst and musicality that is still a joy to listen to

man, what can i say about this album that I dislike.......there's not much. The Smiths is one of my top 10 bands of all time, due to their amazing sound, lyrics, and importance of the time and the reach their influence had, even changing people's views on food! This album was also my introduction to Morrisey and that world of music, and it definitely helped shape my taste in music and what i considered to be good music. I mean there are so many good tracks on this album "Nowhere Fast", "What She Said" are amazing, but the entire album is damn near perfect.

Damn good

Really good album that seemed way before it's time

Meat is Murder I do have a bit of a blind spot with The Smiths. Despite how great Johnny Marr is and how much I love a lot of their songs I’ve never actually listened to one of their albums, finding that, for me, Morrissey’s voice works better in small doses of 5 or 6 songs, so I’ve just stuck to listening to their greatest hits in chunks. So because of that I’m not sure where this sits in their canon and how it compares to their other albums. I very much enjoyed listening today though, even though, despite there being some excellent songs, my sense is that it may not be their strongest collection of tracks? The Headmaster Ritual is a great track, what I imagine when I think of them, great jangling guitar, superb rhythmic and melodic bass and an excellent lyric full of pithy observations of anc criticisms of the education system. Rusholme Ruffians is great too, love the rockabilly feel and the guitar figure. Lovely guitar on I Want the One I Can’t Have, and although it's a solid track it perhaps feels a little Smiths by numbers. I like What She Said’s slightly more aggressive guitar, but like I Want the One I Can’t Have, while good, it isn’t perhaps as strong as some of the other tracks. That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore I know from the greatest hits and of course is a great track, probably the strongest on the album. Love the acoustic and the deeper resonating bass sound. Super lyric too. Nowhere Fast, again a good song, but feels a level below the highlights on here. Well I Wonder is superb though, one of those great mournful sounding Smiths songs. What a bassline on Barbarism Begins at Home and love the chugging disco/funk guitar. Very very catchy. Meat is Murder is a bit dirgey, I presume intentionally to match the tone of the lyric, but it’s not totally successful. Like I say I’m not really aware how this sits in the arc of their discography, but it’s a very good album with some superb highlights, and as you’d expect its full of fantastic guitars and arrangements by Marr and excellent bass from Andy Rourke. However its perhaps not quite what I’d expect a 5 star Smiths album to be, so I’ll go for a 4. Playlist submission: That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore

Ate a whole chicken fillet kebab while listening to this

Authentic singer and jangly guitars, a solid effort.

As much as I've heard this album (on account of my husband plays it sometimes), you'd think I'd be able to tell the songs apart. Other than The Headmaster Ritual and the title track (on account of its farm noises), I really can't. I would never choose it but I don't mind it.

The line “I think about life. And I think about death. And neither one particularly appeals to me” is a pretty great line. Loved the bass on Barbarism.

J'avais failli oublier que Morsay était le chanteur des Smiths avant d'ouvrir sa boutique de prêt-à-porter à Clignancourt. L'album est sympatoche mais le rock des années 80 commence un peu à me taper sur les nerfs si tu vois ce que veux dire Robert...

With their second proper album Meat Is Murder, the Smiths begin to branch out and diversify, while refining the jangling guitar pop of their debut. In other words, it catches the group at a crossroads, unsure quite how to proceed. Taking the epic, layered "How Soon Is Now?" as a starting point (the single, which is darker and more dance-oriented than the remainder of the album, was haphazardly inserted into the middle of the album for its American release), the group crafts more sweeping, mid-tempo numbers, whether it's the melancholy "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" or the failed, self-absorbed protest of the title track. While the production is more detailed than before, the Smiths are at their best when they stick to their strengths -- "The Headmaster Ritual" and "I Want the One I Can't Have" are fine elaborations of the formula they laid out on the debut, while "Rusholme Ruffians" is an infectious stab at rockabilly. However, the rest of Meat Is Murder is muddled, repeating lyrical and musical ideas of before without significantly expanding them or offering enough hooks or melodies to make it the equal of The Smiths or Hatful of Hollow.

God, make it stop! Morriseys maudlin lyrics and droning voice over the pedestrian backing music was too much…I couldn’t make it through…Morrisey is musical murder.

I cannot begin to understand the effusive praise offered upon this mediocre band by the (mostly English) press. Something about The Smiths apparently prompts some irrepressible urge to hurl superlatives upon them. The book calls them "Manchester's finest sons." Marr "amaze[s] with his guitar palette" and Morrissey (sorry, Moz) shows "the first signs of real hurt in his words." Another review I found lauded the "quintessentially ‘Morrissey’ themes and blunt lyrics...presented over a suitably more muscular and athletic musical accompaniment." Lads, it's an arsehole moaning into a microphone while his slightly less shitty friend plugs away on some lackluster melodies that you forget as soon as you hear it. Give your heads a wobble. Wankers. Best track: Well I Wonder

similar to sound of silver I was familiar with that joke isn't funny anymore, barbarism begins at home and the song meat is murder but loved the song how soon is now but it is not actually on the album or the original album anyway. The Headmaster Ritual - "He does the military two-step / Down the nape of my neck" is a great line about "punishment" in schools from 80s and prior. I Want the One I Can’t Have - "And if you ever need self-validation Just meet me in the alley by the Railway station It's all over my face" considering rumours about morrissey is interesting as in the previous verse he is talking about a guy That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore - is the peak of this album for me - very meloncholic singing but not whiny like the rest - "It's too close to home And it's too near the bone More than you'll ever know" "I've seen this happen in other people's lives And now it's happening in mine" nowhere fast - "I think about life and I think about death And neither one particularly appeals to me" reminds me of a much later robbie williams lyric "I don't want to die / but I'm not keen on living either" but doesn't have the same impact / is not as believable. Barbarism Begins at Home is another high point in a fairly low album. Love the music, lyrics are ok and the singing suits the song but slightly irks me. His "barking" or "ruh"ing is so so odd but he does it in a few songs throughout his career. Meat Is Murder - appreciate it for what it was and when it was but what the hell is this song really. nearly 7 minutes and a closer to an album just truly bizarre they were allowed to release it at the time. musically very very good but morrissey is whiny throughout. 2, meh but won't throw it on again except this joke isn't funny anymore and maybe barbarism but probably not.

Boaring! The 3rd Album of this absolute unimpressive band.

Struggled to get through this. Some Smiths songs are alright, but this seems to be an unfocussed mess to me. Not even sure if Morissey is working on the same tunes as the band. But I guess this meandering of melody and tempo is what draws people to it. Definitely not me though.

Rhythmic, interesting, great

Maybe not as good as the Queen Is Dead but this has my favourite smiths song on it (That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore). The instrumentals here are as strong as Queen Is Dead, Morrissey definitely leans a lot more into his mopey shit and it works for me. The weak songs here (Rusholme Ruffians, What She Said, Meat Is Murder) aren’t always a skip and the strong ones here always have me rewinding to listen again. This album isn’t going to make me a vegetarian but goddamn if it isn’t good enough to make me forget what a colossal jackass Morrissey is (mainly thanks to Johnny Marr).

Fantastic album. Lyrics, guitar, bass, and drums are all top notch.

Even completely heinous arseholes like Morrisey can do incredible things, and this album is a work of art. I enjoy it so much, I can even block out all the insufferable, smug, hipster cretins who adopt The Smiths in lieu of having personalities. Headmaster's Ritual and I Want the One I Can't Have are so lyrically sharp, and the melodies are well crafted, the guitar cuts through to the forefront, and the rhythm sections are certified bops and super tight. Rusholme Ruffians is a lovely, jangly romp in the hay. Even the peculiar, whimpering backing vocals sit nicely. That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore has lots of lovely layers to unpack. The strings, the piercing guitar overdubs, echoing drums, the melancholy of the words and the myriad of sounds, the relentless repetition of “I've seen this happen…”, the vocal arrangement at the end, the false ending. Ahh, takes me to orgasmic stratospheres. Nowhere Fast, who doesn't want to drop their trousers to the things they find irksome? This is a strange rickety train of a song, but it's still full of character. Well I Wonder is another mewing, whimpering waltz, nicely placed between some pop-ier tunes. Pleasant spots of rain in the background and I think some synths in there too…. Barbarism Begins at Home has one of the most satisfying bass lines to listen to, and to play. What fun! The ‘sszooop’ sucking/sweeping noise throughout is very effective, similar to The Beatles’s ‘sszooop’ on ‘Girl’. Fantastic guitar work from Marr on this, so much going on. Great song title too. Meat Is Murder is compelling in its message. However, my taste buds will always beat my heart strings in this morality election, and the taste of pork swung that vote a long time ago. Nice try Moz, I'll enjoy the song for it's swelling soundscape and catchy hook, but little else. A perfect weaving of humour, despair, melody, romantic aesthetics, and some pretty mean riffery. What She Said is skip-able, and the album ending on slaughterhouse noises is irritating, but what do you expect from the precocious prince of indie. I'm asserting my discretion and slapping five stars on the table!

i like the smiths - i said I like the smiths.

I bought this album on cassette when it was released in the USA. It was my first Smiths album. Somehow it resonated with me deeply, and to this day still does. I am likely a bit biased here as this music elicits an emotional and nostalgic feeling in me. Happy and sad. Beautiful lyrics and musicianship.

What a beautiful album this is. Never stops giving.

The incredible thing about the Smiths is that they never had a weak album; from The Smiths to Strangeways. My favorite is whichever I happen to be listening to. Morrissey and Marr get all of the love, but name me a tighter bassist/drummer combo than Rourke and Joyce. Those guys are in the Jones/Bonham category of creating unique, creative, but incredibly solid, rhythm platforms to support all of the genius stacked on top.

All timer.

Fantastic

Perfect LP to spin on meatless Monday😌

One of the best post-punk/indie pop records going around!

The Smiths are one of those bands you can always count on for effortlessly enjoyable music, filled with melodic and catchy hooks backed by jangly guitars. Their melancholic vibe is perfectly balanced with energetic performances, making their music both introspective and lively.

One of the Smiths best.

Fantastic cohesive album. Will need to relisten a few times.

Im biased for the smiths

The second best Smiths album is still one of the best albums of all time. Not listened to this in full for a good while and it's just as great as I remembered. Fav tracks: Barbarism Begins at Home, The Headmaster Ritual, Rusholme Ruffians

Every Smith's album is perfect, sorry

The Smiths make such straight forward indie pop rock that it feels like their music shouldn't be able to be as good as it is. But somehow despite their seemingly generic genre label, all 4 albums their discography are nothing short of amazing, and this is definitely one of the best ones.

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5 stars to Andy Rourke’s bass on Barbarism Begins At Home

Omg it’s the fucking smiths

Smiths are too good. Great atmosphere and Morrissey has a one of a kind voice, I quite like his singing. Love the writing too. I'm a little too high to think of anything else to say. Love this record and it's my least favorite Smiths record on this list lol

Underrated album of theirs.

Marr’s inimitable guitar, Rourke’s pulsing bass lines and Morrissey’s acerbic croon unite to form a peculiarly British sound which sounds as good today as it will in another 30 years.

One of my absolute favourites. Everything here is perfect: the lyrics, the guitar, the mood. Don’t need to say more.

I was a the Smiths Teen

Fave tracks: Headmaster Ritual That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore Barbarianism Begins at Home - that bassline Meat is Murder - cow go moo

fire album, no skips at all, morrissey spears to test his vocal ability more on this that other albums, this thing was great

well I love this but I already knew that. they are well known for a reason

Really great. Every song is easy to listen to. Simple shit, but Morriseys voice is so good and it just works

Excellent album, the second half in particular is brilliant. I especially like Nowhere Fast and Well I Wonder, though the last two songs are great as well.

I have strong memory association from my younger days with so many songs on this album. The melancholy atmosphere of their music was pure escapism for me during some really hard times. The Headmaster Ritual, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Nowhere Fast, and Barbarism Begins at Home are my favorites. I don't care for the title track, but other than that, pure perfection. Johnny Marr's guitar playing and Morrissey's vocals are a match made in heaven, and Rourke's bass really ties everything together beautifully.

The Smiths at their finest. Easily accessible today as it was in the 80s.

"Meat is Murder" is perhaps the one album by The Smiths that took me longest to really understand. They tried many different things, and it wasn't as much the stereotypical Smiths sound but also not the more experimental sound of their last album. However, at this point, I really love "Meat is Murder," especially the title-track.

Five stars. The Smiths are on of those groups where everytime you listen to their albums your favourite changes. Not quite perfect, the title track is a little self-indulgent, but elsewhere peerless.

Really enjoy the Smiths. I've listened to The Queen is Dead countless times but never really gave this album a listen. The blend of the upbeat guitar and Morrissey's unique voice is just so good. Love the gloomy lyrics that contrast with the guitar. Gave this one a few listens, look forward to the next Smiths album.

Masterpiece

Gut!

Broody emotional 80's rock. I love it. I wish I could be half as cool as Morissey. That Joke isn't Funny Anymore rules.

Oh my god the musicianship! :) It feels ungodly to listen to. Probably my favourite Smith album.

9/10. I'm going vegan. Kidding. But the album was fantastic throughout. It has a unique flavor to it, and overall I enjoyed the pace, beats, rhythm, etc throughout the entire album. The title song was great rhythmically but going back and forth on if that one gets on the 5 star playlist. Lots of others leading up to it for sure made it though (Rusholme Ruffians, I Want the Ones I Can't Have, Nowhere Fast, Well I Wonder).

I have never liked Morrissey. That being said, all of the musical output from the Smiths is excellent. Especially perfect for its' time. And the rest of the band is just fantastic. Johnny Marr is SUCH a masterful guitarist. Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce in the rhythm section are tight as hell. The people who hated the Smiths in the 80s wished they could make music just half as good.

It's a 5, but the title track nearly takes it down to a 4. Everything here is great but that friggin last song.

I got that Morrissey album not even a full week ago. And obviously I spoke about in that review. Pretty briefly, and not necessarily negatively. But it was like the universe decided it was my time to finally hear The Smiths And I can’t complain one bit. My powerful intuition strikes again. I claimed that while I enjoyed parts of Morrissey’s solo album, what really dragged it down for me was everything backing him up. I saw potential for something very good though. And I was dead on. Because the moment The Headmaster Ritual hits, everything became clear. And I understand why this band has continued to enrapture people for so many decades. They are just so damn good. Johnny Marr especially. It kind of makes me wonder where a guitar player like that has been my whole life. But I don’t mean to discredit the rest of the group. Andy and Mike are both fantastic too. I think what really sets this album apart is those small elements of post-punk that peak through every once in a while. This can especially be heard on that last song. They elevate this album into something far better than what the rest of the indie pop genre sounded like in the mid-80s. Morrissey’s voice has grown on me by now. But there is still a small part of me that finds his almost woe is me, self-absorbed character and voice slightly frustrating. This is also where the issues with him start to extend beyond the music. Meat Is Murder is a very bold album title, and the titular closing track is even bolder. Nothing wrong with feeling that way about eating animals and veganism, but it’s just so blatant and out there. Also, I’m aware How Soon Is Now? is only apart of the US version, but I don’t care, I’m going to include it as if it was always a song on this record. Plus I just need an excuse to talk about how incredible that song is. Arguably their best song ever, and also arguably the best use of tremolo on a guitar ever. Johnny Marr is such a genius. I guess it’s official. I am a fan of The Smiths. Rating: 9/10

Good with a few classics

It’s no wonder that people are still listening to these while so much of the 80s has disappeared forever: the tunes are rock solid, Morrissey’s hatred of the synthesizer has created a timeless feel, and lyrics about being young & battered still mean something to the young and formerly young.

Loved it

Very nice album.

kød er mord guys

The Smiths are always 5/5

I'd just commented in the morning before seeing the album of the day how much I love The Smiths. Gold.

Absolute classic

Classic

Everything done by The Smiths is outstanding. Maybe not as globally rounded as The Queen is Dead, but still an amazing collection.

Morrisey might suck, but damn the Smiths were great.

My first time hearing The Smiths. Not what I expected. Enjoyed the songs. Would listen again.

Their tightest ensemble effort, instrumentally . Rocking indie pop.

My favourite Smiths album. Though it's only now I've discovered that How Soon Is Now sometimes isn't included... The CD version I had growing up was obviously the 1993 UK rerelease version, as it looks like the original UK release and the 2011 remaster both don't have it, as with the Spotify version. Weird hearing That Joke... segway into Nowhere Fast. I included it back in for my listening pleasure Anyway, this contains a few of my favourite smiths songs, Headmaster, How Soon, Barbarianism. But what makes this album their best is that other than Rusholme and the title track, the rest are incredibly strong. Johnny Marr's playing is unbelievable, and it's one of the best guitar - bass combo albums. The presence of the bass being brought right to the front of the mix on Headmaster and Barbarianism makes it sound bloody amazing. 5* (4.5* if we're excluding How Soon Is Now)