Meat Is Murder

It's a joke in our house that every time a random Smiths song comes on, I say something to the effect of "who is that? I like that." I was prepared to like this more than I did, so I can't really hide my disappointment in my review. The music itself is great, and I think why I liked this album the most. The singing gets lost a little bit, which is a shame. My criteria for a 5/5 is repeatable listening for the full album, and this just doesn't have it. A song or two is good, but not something I'll put on for a drive or for just a listen at home. 3/5

2024-02-26: Like it!

ok

The album is pretty great, but Morrisey is such a moaner he really ruins everything for me. If it wasn’t for Johnny Marr this album would be unlistenable. Full stars for Marr, deducted one for the moaner.

Morrissey’s voice still annoys me. But I’m warming up to Johnny Marr’s jangly guitar

"Have you heard the new Smiths album? It's fucking terriff!"- posers Seriously this album is a bag of suck. Nowhere fast wasn't a bad song, but it was the shortest on the album, too.

vegan type beat

The more I listen to the Smiths the less interested I become in them. It's not that this record itself is even bad but their style definitely seems to tire on my ears. It definitely is a product of their jangle rock influence on all of indie rock music. I think it's just what you hear first (in my case, the queen is dead, then louder than bombs, then strangeways, here we come, then hateful hollow and now this. There are still some great jams on it but I think because of me hearing it this late it is just default not as interesting as the other records.

the highs are so high but there are enough mids here to knock off a star

Great.

I had this on vinyl at one point and loaned it to a friend who never returned it. So I didn’t listen to this a lot back then. But it was better than I remember. Especially turned up loud. Loved the guitar.

I really liked this album. This was the first one I got as part of this project and I think it’s pretty fitting because I am vegan lol. I have listened to The Smiths before but this album all together is very cohesive and has a nostalgic feel to it. I feel it was ahead of it’s time. I wonder if my dad ever listened to this at my age..

Oof

You can hear the inspiration this album provides for others

Occasionally interesting but largely forgettable.

GOod

Not my favourite Smiths album but still decent with some banging tracks on it. Highlights for me are ‘Headmaster’, ‘Well I wonder’ and ‘Barbarism’. A solid 4.

'I've seen this happen in other people's lives, and now it's happening in mine'.... beautiful, sad, true, my favourite Smiths song by a country mile, there have been times in my life where I've played it 4 times in a row (only twice on this listen). A quality album, Headmaster Ritual, Nowhere Fast, really good. I'm not a fan of the track 'Meat is Murder'. It would get a low 5. However, you have to discount 'How Soon Is Now' from the track listing (on my CD copy) as it wasn't on the original release! Therefore, it gets dragged down to a high 4.

Morrissey is the worst singer of all time. Why does he have to be in such a good band otherwise

Una gran banda y muy buena discografía.

Nice sound 3

Brittiuikutusrokki on raskasta.

I love Johnny Marr, Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce's playing here. It's a solid record (a star for each of them). It's a shame about Morrissey's politics recently — it makes it hard to enjoy The Smiths these days. Minus one star for that guy.

naja

Meh.

I do not like The Smiths. I appreciate centering acoustic guitars, but goddamn I hate Morrissey's vocals. They're so sad and blasé. Even with cool music playing in the background, once Morrissey's vocals kick in, it kills the song. So moody. His singing makes every song sound the same. Also the title track, "meat is murder." C'mon man.

Nothing stood out as incredible. Nothing stood out as terrible

I liked this more than I thought. Didn’t immediately grab me, but pretty solid

This was actually fire idk why Tony said I wouldn’t like it.

Quintessentially British lyrics. Great musicianship.

Really quite average.

Aaaah memories! I was 19, a musical sponge and so taken by Marr's infectious, looping almost poppy guitar's battle with Morrissey's melancholic, dour Manc vocal delivery. I still am! Love it

This was ok, but not my favorite.

p539. 1985. 3 stars. Never cared for The Smiths - they are a musical blind spot for me - but this is good. Johnny Marr is a guitar genius. Points deducted for Morrisey's nasal whine and "oh woe is me" lyrics.

Morrisey 🤮

Not what I was expecting. Not for me.

Not as good as Queen is Dead but still very enjoyable

lit

eh, its alright. not my jam tho.

Can’t help by love Johnny Marr guitar

I don’t think I like the smiths

Just a bunch of noise

Voice like the 80s. Which also means it blended in with all other 80s music for me.

Un álbum que, simplemente, suena muy bien. Interesantes riff´s en distritos instrumentos.

Not a horrible album, but I’m still just not a fan.

Have you ever been to a party where the music is really good and the vibe is chill until some insufferable jobby comes along and just ruins everything. This is The Smiths. The band is cool yet Morrissey is the warbling, whiny pissant who just destroys the mood with his yammering and incessant piffle. All that said, How Soon Is Now is an all time banger but it's only on the US release not the UK edition which Spotify has. So exhausting.

I kinda hate having to rate all these albums. I end up agonizing over the stars on so many of them. Even if strictly considering "personal preference", there are just too many factors: what mood I'm in, what time of day it is when I listen, how hectic or calm my day happens to be, which albums I've already had earlier in the week, how familiar or unfamiliar the album is... Today, I am giving this one a three. A different day, I think I would likely give it a four. A different month or year, it is possible that I could even give it a five

Guitarreo

One of th Good ones man

I just don't understand this band....On paper, I probably should be into them. Instead, I find them just irritating to listen to overall. Morrissey is a piece of shit and can't sing his way out of a paper bag....

I like the Smiths quite a bit but most of my favorite songs hy them were not on this album. Overall, though, good listen. Really enjoyed That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore and Nowhere Fast.

None of their best songs are on this album, but it’s still a great listen. Never get tired of Johnny Marr.

fuck morrissey

loved it what a great album

I listened to it three times and then took a vow of veganism.

Did not f w this at all. I like some of the tracks on here like well I wonder, but most of it is just grating instrumentals and annoying vocals from morrisey. Wish this had been another smiths albums.

Whiney af! Still awesome tho. I dont love morrissey’s voice but the rest of the band makes up for it. They have a lot of bangers it cannot be denied

this album has never been good this album has never been clever this album has never been cool this album doesnt have one good song if you are a little cutie who wears a meat is murder tote bag or t-shirt i hate you will you marry me

Just okay. I didn't hear anything that grabbed me as musically unique. But maybe that's just 8s0s music.

Liked it well enough back in the day but not a fav. 2/5

Not impressed

Definitely a vibe, but not my kind of music

so so good. I’ll take this over their other albums. also the last track lowkey rips idc if it’s like preachy

4/5

Album was good up until I had to listen to the song the album is named for. Morrissey's melodramatic flair isn't tired when he sings about love or lack of it and how the world is shit but the mooing cows over his lyrics sure were. I think one of my favorite things about this project and being a part of it is reading about the history of the band, the album and then the reviews.

okay not my favorite album by the smiths but i enjoy the length of it and, cmon, it’s the smiths!

An excellent rock album with lots of energy. Fast and catchy guitars, memorable vocal performances from Morrissey. Am album with criticisms and messaging. Dread and discontentedness sound great coming from the Smiths

Morrissey is the person who I find myself needing to separate the art from artist the most. I love him as an artist—his sardonic and twisted lyrics, his strange yet beautiful voice, his gloomy and catchy melodies. And yet, he’s so problematic… And so it’s strange to listen to an album like this which is deeply political, and which I actually agree with most of his positions (or at the very least, can respect them). I do love The Smiths’ sound —Johnny Marr’s jangly guitars and Andy Rourke’s melodic bass lines are also standout elements. The songwriting on this album isn’t as good as on their follow-up “The Queen Is Dead,” but frankly (Mr Shankly), it would be hard to accomplish that.

Surprised this was a bit Meh.

Eh. It sounds a lot like the Smiths. Some songs are better than others.

Great texture, love morrisey’s voice. End to end the tracks sort of blend together but it’s overall a great sound.

ah, the smiths. morrissey delivers his signature crooning; light and ethereal, at times androgynous, the words seem to float above the music in a way. the vocals give the songs a certain hypnotic quality over the instruments. quality album, until the title track at the end, which is an instrumental. highlights: “what she said”, “well i wonder”, “barbarism begins at home”

I do not like that lead singer. I get why this would be something people would like, I can get that it's musically pretty good, but I don't like it.

Morrissey is boring to me. He seems like a fucking prick, too.

2.7 -first listen

80s are incredible not my thing

Classic

BL: I believe this is my third Smiths album on the generator now and this is my second favorite record by them as it stands generally. So it'll be good to give it a relisten. AL: Just as I remember this is a really solid album the whole way through, though The Queen is Dead still beats this one it is certainly still a very good listen. I feel musically they were in their prime with this one. FT: "Rusholme Ruffians", "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore", "Barbarism Begins at Home" 4/5

Noisy

Nice enough

dull

Either you love the The Smiths, or you don't. I don't.

Never had this album even back when I did listen to The Smiths regularly (and before Morrissey became (even more of?) an absolutely intolerable cunt). Marr's guitar work is clean & amazing as always, and the vocals are smooth & dreamy enough to almost forget how absolutely insufferable he's become. Still, it's no "The Queen Is Dead".

I think I expected a bit too much from this one. There’s an awful lot of talk amongst the online music community that all of The Smith’s small discography are essential, five star albums but this didn’t strike me that way at all. I did expect a bit more also after coming off of the joy I got from Morrissey’s sophomore solo project but this one didn’t grab me that way; only a couple of songs pulled me in. One of them was “Meat is Murder”; enjoyable tune with something to say but not going to lie, it won’t make me give up pork chops.

Lots of the songs sound the same, but generally they are nice songs.

Was ok but nothing special. Wouldn’t turn off but also wouldn’t look for it.

Ok. All songs sound the same

Not as good as the Queen is dead but still good.

I'll ask again. Is Morrissey making this list? This is bonkers.

it's fine as background noise cause not every song catches my attention. very much dad road trip music. the guitars are nice. favorite songs: i want the one i can't have, what she said, nowhere fast

Not my cup of tea.

A little whiny, but certainly an influential album by the Smiths

The instrumentation is interesting, but the voice is a little monotonous and droning.

Always liked the Smiths but never checked out this album in full. Very cool too listen to on a long commute late at night.

The Smiths - Meat is Murder This is a very quintessential representation of 80s music. I had always seen the cover of this album and thought this must be a real edgy album, but I was wrong once I listened to it this morning. To me, it's nothing special. It's not bad, it's just...there. However, Johnny Marr's guitar playing is phenomenal and I do love the slight rockabilly sound on the song Rusholme Ruffians and I even like Morrissey's attempt at a Chris Isaak vocal on the word Devout. I prefer the Queen is Dead in regards to a Smith's album, and I can hear how they will there from this album. Morrissey is a pompous prick and when you read about the making of this album you come away thinking, "What a knob." If you enjoy the 80s and the music coming from the UK at that time, then this album is for you. 2/5

Great album, one of the first records I bought so obviously have a small connection with it. Perfect length, only 40 mins great stuff. Fave off the album is either That Joke isn't funny anymore or Nowhere Fast. Fuck Morrissey.

This is mixed all wrong. They should have brought the band up, then taken Morrissey's level, brought it down to zero and put him in the trash.

Morrissey has like, two notes. Is that even singing? At least it's a relatively short album at just under 40 minutes.

I pretty much hate The Smiths except for one song... Which I grew to like because it was on a mixtape. Listening to all these songs in a row? Ugh. But in search of increased neuroplasticity I powered through. I have learned more about why I hate them. The music is okay, but mixed with no oomph. And then the vocals loudly drown out the music anyway. Oh the vocals. How I hate them. Horrible melodies. Annoying style. Punchable face.

The Smiths are boring

What don't we eat? Why don't we eat it? 3.

4 stars for the album. 1 star for Morrissey's personality

Solid 9.5

I love the Smiths but this isn’t my favorite album.

could i write poetry to this? y

I'd really like to hear this album again without Morrissey's vocals. I just don't like his voice at all. Johnny Marr, on the other hand, is an incredible guitarist. His jangly, chorus-drenched Rickenbacker tone is unmistakable and often imitated. The rest of the band swings pretty hard, as well. Two and one-half stars, dinged one half-star because Morrissey is and always has been an outspoken Anglo-centric asshole. (Insert "Bigmouth Strikes Again" joke here.) I hope that Moz, Van Morrisson, and Eric Clapton all choke on their toast and beans at whatever "UK whites-only" parties they attend.

Look, angry sad boy music is clearly my thing, but Morrissey has shown himself time and time again to be a preening narcissist. And, oh boy, I am tired of narcissists who think talking about how sad they are means they can turn around and shit on everyone else. I cannot separate art from the artist when it's just pathetic whining from someone who has very little introspection or desire to improve one's self for the better. Johnny Marr's guitar is fucking awesome though

This band is really growing on me. The singer kinda comes across pretentious, but he has this cool factor that makes it work.

Mom was right. Every song sounds the same. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Meh. That's all I have to say about that.

Non uno dei migliori album, ma sicuramente la qualità emerge

really torn between 3 and 4. i’d probably never turn on the smiths but i also wouldn’t turn them off. i think a low 4 makes the most sense because it is a very solid album. i just don’t like his voice

I love The Smiths but nearly every song sounds like one of their other songs. Maybe this album represents the first pass at the other songs to come. In any case, it’s a great album and I always love the mood created by Morrissey’s voice and melodies. 3.8

Never listened to The Smiths in the day. The music is pretty tight, upbeat, and more nuanced than expected. It sets a nice contrast to Morrissey's lyrics/melody that elevate both. Good thing I didn't listen to The Smiths when I was a teenager -- would have made me even more intolerable than I was. 3.6

Not for me

I was introduced to The Smiths and Morrissey late in life so I feel like they don't have the same appeal to me as others. That said, the music is dope. Straight 5/5. Morrissey is a bit of a twat though and I could do without his overdramatic singing a lot of them. Still a solid album.

Very slow. Some good one though

I don't hate the Smiths, but this one is somehow disturbing.

Love the Smiths, but Morrissey tarnishes his own legend.

Fewer catchy hooks than other albums, but earnest and intentionally juvenile. Marr carries this one.

Track 1: I like this one a lot and the riff it starts with. Track 2: I liked this one and his high vocals. Track 3: fun track Track 4: enjoyed this one a lot especially the riff in the background Track 5: I like this slower song especially with the guitars and bass moving the way it does. Track 6: I like the riffs in this song and just the drums sounding really good Track 7: I like the atmosphere of the song! Track 8: I like the main instrumental riff and repetitive the lyrics are. I like the bass version of the riff at the end. Track 9: Based lyrics. Also I like the drum groove and the piano in the back. Overall: 8.9/10. I wish there was more but this is a really solid album and I liked it a lot!

Good album. Not my favorite Smiths album - not as hooky as some of their others - but still good.

Fun album, although the lyrics were a tad too heavy in a few instances. Shocked I hadn’t listened to The Smiths before.

Not worth listening to.

I’m a vegan now

Required a second listen. Interesting reading the back story on The Smiths.

Hello, darkness, my old friend.

5/5

The Smiths never made a bad album. Everything they did was pretty outstanding. But of all the albums, this isn't one I would necessarily recommend as a first listen for anyone new to the band. It lacks some of the emotional heft of the band's other albums, or even a really standout single (with one massive exception, if you count "How Soon Is Now?"). What it does have is some of the most creative musicianship of its time, with ridiculously nimble guitar work from Johnny Marr. This is just gorgeously, richly melodic music, that never ceases to be enthralling. Marr's growth as a guitarist from the first album to here is nothing short of astounding, while Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce gamely keep up with everything Marr lays out for them. Rourke's work in particular on "Barbarism Begins at Home" is probably his most interesting and expressive contribution to the band. Additionally, the production is far more sophisticated on this album, showing the level of the depth where the band would head in the albums to follow. Morrissey is at his best here, with lyrical themes both strident and peppered with startling vulnerability. This man can turn a phrase like few songwriters can, switching from heart-rending to acidic on a dime. The one song I never really vibed with is the title track though. Legitimately beautiful on the musical side, the lyrics are off-putting enough that it is the one Smiths song I specifically have gone out of my way to avoid over the past 40 years. On the whole though, this is an exceptional listen. I had the US vinyl version originally, so "How Soon Is Now?," is a big part of my personal relationship with this album. It is a singular, incredibly gorgeous and innovative work, one of the best songs of the 80s and arguably the best song the Smiths ever made. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): How Soon Is Now?, The Headmaster Ritual, Well I Wonder, Barbarism Begins at Home, I Want the One I Can't Have, Nowhere Fast, Rusholme Ruffians, What She Said, Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Meat Is Murder

Fine, probably closer to two than four. Has that smiths kind that made many songs I like, but it drone’s on too long and none of them hit right

Not my favorite sound. Some songs were just bizarre and unenjoyable to listen to. 3/10

Not my music

A band I'm at least somewhat familiar with, though not really an active listener of them at any time in my life. Some songs continue for what seems like no apparent reason other than to fill time. Why? Not much else to say on this one.

I bought this album on vinyl at time of release (now worth a bit more) not because I desperately wanted it but The Smiths at the time were the darlings of the music press and could do no wrong. I wasn’t exactly hyped into buying the album but all reviews indicated it was the must have album of 1985. I was pretty dissapointed then and giving it another listen today still find it so. I was aware of the The Smiths and found their many jingly jangly pop hits of the time OK. In fact ‘There is a light that never goes out’ released the following year is one of my favourite all time pop songs which I play regularly. This album only contains one or two of the instant guitar pop standards. The rest is a mishmash muddled collection of songs which get nowhere and immediately disposable. The sentiments of the title track, whilst uneasy lyrically is let down by the music and unnecessary animal noises. Could have been a rallying call for animal rights activists but I doubt that nowerdays hardly anyone is aware of the song’s existence. This album remains the only Smiths album I ever bought and the music press quickly moved onto other idols. That said I do realise that The Smiths are rightly ranked highly and were a very significant band at that time responsible for some of the best pop tunes ever, but this album is not a good example of that.

Love the vibe of The Smiths & Morrissey

Some decent guitar on this. Reminds me that I really like The Cure.

Kinda underwhelming. Don't feel like it's aged as well.

Great album! Lots of classics. Enjoyed greatly.

Objectively, it's a 4/5. In my teen heart, it's a 10/5

Nope!! Not so good.

Just cant deal with his voice, so grating and moody

Album: Meat Is Murder Artist: The Smiths Year: 1985 Genre: Rock Number in list: 547 Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Decent listen. Not usually my go to music. The artistry was great, good transitions between songs. The bass was very catchy also. Fave song: Rusholme Ruffians Would I listen again? Potentially

Very well done album, especially the guitar bass and drums.

I am a Morrissey flip-flopper haha sometimes I dig it, sometimes I hate it Having an alright time with this today. Upbeat and enjoyable but nothing really knocking my socks off.

It might be my love of 2000's era punk-rock, combined with my love of 1970s-80s classic rock that makes this rating a little biased, but this is a hecking good album. Classic European rock sound that sounds like it helped plant the seeds for the evolution of punk-rock. This album flows from cover to cover, and you can fully immerse yourself in the dreamy, trance like quality of the music.

Great album. One of my faves.

My girlfriend didn’t like it.

not for me

Gott, ich kann die nicht ab. Absolut nicht meins. Morrissey jammert mehr als das er singt.

I've never been that big of a fan. There's a lot of stuff they generate that sounds a lot like all the other stuff they generate. The handful of tunes that are really unique are the ones you know, like "How Soon Is Now?" and "Meat Is Murder". Morrissey is insufferable, ego with faux intellect.

just like if someone says they don't like the cure, they're lying, the same thing goes for the smiths. absolute peak. every bassline, every hazy guitar riff, every last word sung by morrissey, it all builds right up to create a wonderful set of tracks for your best and your worst days. other members in my family have a certain fondness for the group and i just have to agree with their thoughts.

Easy listening pop stuff.

Der Gesang ist anstrengend, der Rest unspektakulär.

Favorite tracks: That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore, Nowhere Fast, Barbarism Begins at Home, Meat is Murder

Hm. 1985 war ich fünf. Kann aus heutiger Sicht nicht sagen, ob das Album toll war oder nicht, oder ob es irgendwie neu war oder wasauchimmer. Sagt mir nichts.

Solid effort by the Smiths during their heyday. Starts strong, wanes a bit on the backstretch.

It was fine until he went full Vegan Teacher mode on us.

omg do you listen to the smiths?

Not my favorite smiths album but barbarism begins at home is a banger.

Listened while driving along the 1 interstate on a sunny day to see my buddy from high school, nice

Fuccccck Morrissey

Worried now because I liked this, dairy is scary

Ate a ham sandwich while listening to this and didn’t even realize it. Those are some sweet bass lines, but I think it’s probably the weakest album of theirs.

It's good, but never hooked me. Not sure why. Could have been too distracted when listening to it the three times. Will have to try again in the future.

No es mi favorito de The Smiths. De hecho, mi disco favorito de ellos es el Grandes Éxitos.

love the smiths but still prefer queen is dead

Didn’t care for album

nice, the Smiths as we know them.

Gefällt mir nicht

Hold on let me cut my wrists

Just ok rock songs

4.7

6.5/10

Marr + Rourke + Joyce + songs + wit = 5 Whiny, self-centered, little Bee-yatch Morrissey = -0

I wish he would learn to sing, being flat and off tune is his thing but it hurts my ears

nä, can't really stand their doodleing

I liked barbarism begins at home and the track before, but overall a lot less impressed with this album than, say, the queen is dead. So 3 stars

Solid Smiths album. Jangly guitars, funky basslines, and mournful lyrics. Great listen!

Great, now I can’t eat meat. Overall, not the first Smiths album I reach for, so it was nice to get through the whole thing. Tough to rate, rounded down.

Every Smiths song kinda sounds the same to me, I feel like if I listened a few more times through I’d hear the lyrics more and maybe bump to a 4 but I found it drifting into background music too much

3.4 I assumed I would have liked it more, maybe I'm more of The Smiths' greatest hits kinda guy than I thought. A tad repetitive

Drab and grim most of the way through. Morrissey has a way with words. Love the guitar sound. 8/10

Pretty much the same all throughout the album

3.75

i ate a big juicy steak while listening to the album. anyway, good, 9/10

Well I wonder is my favourite track, very enjoyable album as a whole although this track was the only real standout. 4 stars as I could probably listen to the album on repeat for quite a long time

No, I have never liked the smiths. I do not like the smiths. I believe it's mutual. 3/10

The same as every other Smiths album, some nice songs to pick out but doesn't work as a cohesive project.

I really wanted to like this more because I consider The Smiths to be pretty decent, but it just didn't click for me. The tunes felt a bit repetitive and lacked the unique spark I usually find in their music. It's not bad, just not as exciting as I hoped.

Ok

Some ok music and pretty mellow. Nothing too exciting but easy to listen to. Down to a 2⭐️

Like a lot of folks, I think Morrissey made this album a travesty. Marr's guitar and the rest of the band made a very danceable album overall, but Morrissey warbles off key throughout. I love his voice for aimless emotion, but not with these songs. Ugh.

Listened to this while playing the Ice Cave Exit Advent Calendar. We successfully figured out doors 4 & 5. You know how I feel about Bono...I feel the same way about Morrissey. This was an album. I'm sure there are people who love this. It really didn't do much for me though.

Morrissey gets a fair amount of hate, and frankly I don’t get it. He should be getting a lot more. 5/5 instrumentals on this one. 1/5 vocals and lyrics.

God I wish any other vocalist on planet earth was on this album Fantastic songs, very bad lyrics and singing. A very frustrating listen for that reasons Still probably 4 stars.

Good Smiths but likely their least consistent

I mean is Morrisey the wankiest frontman ever and really difficult to listen to for a full album? Yea for sure. But other than him every Smiths album absolutely bangs and the bass tone on this album is so gorgeous

There are some songs I like, not strongly. The album as a whole is not my jam.

Pretty unremarkable Smiths album for me. It’s decent, but nothing really stood out.

It's weird - I don't like or dislike the Smiths. They make songs that sort of work as a background soundtrack.

So this is what vegans listen to, huh?

Quintessential sad boy music

I love The Smiths :)

Trying to put aside my dislike of Morrissey… not working. I still don’t like the Smiths. This is 2/5 only because the band doesn’t suck, it’s just Morrissey that does. Can’t stand anything that comes out of his mouth, even when he’s not cloyingly singing some arguably good lyrics.

Es ist gut aber nicht das beste smiths Album

Hard pass on this album. It's a synth rock,emo, Depeche Mode vibe. The singer seems to be a whiney complaining bitch. It didn't keep my attention at all; however, the political statement of this album wasn't lost on me.

I love this album with 4/5 of my heart.

Some fun sounds here, but nothing revolutionary. The singing is quirky yet unobtrusive, making for good background music. The texture is extremely monotonous, which isn't always a bad thing, but it generally limits relistenability. That being said, the texture the Smiths cooked up is pretty awesome, almost like continuous-alternative-punk. If this counts as punk, it's definitely one of my favourite albums in the genre. Fave tracks: What She Said, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Barbarism Begins at Home

I love the smiths, and this sounds good. It just doesn’t stick with me like some of their other stuff. the headmaster ritual is the only track I really really like. 2.8

2/5 nothing interesting

Not near as good as the following album, The Queen is Dead. Surprised to see how quickly that album came out, after this record that I really didn't like. Only one year difference but dang. Pretty dreary and boring. Like being rained on in the cold. Not a fun listen like I thought The Queen was.

I only sort of listened to it.

Sure

AJ: decent pop rock sound. Vox are annoying. Not for me.

Miksaus tapa ärsyttää vähän ja vokaalit kuullostaa kuin ne olisi äänitetty vessassa. Voi myös vaikuttaa että kuunneltu autossa. Kappaleina muuten hyviä.

Reminds me of The Housemartins, lots of quick acoustic guitar strumming and skiffle drumming. The Headmaster Ritual That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore Barbarism Begins at Home Meat Is Murder

It sure it is my favourite of their albums.

Hat mir überraschend gut gefallen! Sehr schöne Stimme. Zwar auch teils etwas repetitiv , aber werde es mir auf jeden Fall noch mal anhören und andere Alben auschecken

Just very samey.

No.

Not my favorite sound of the 80’s. Doesn’t seem to have held up.

Det lyder jo godt men jeg synes numrene bliver lidt samey i længden. Titelnummeret er sgu lidt pinligt!

Det her lyder en del mere skramlet og alternativ-rocket end den anden Smiths plade vi hørte. Jeg kunne godt lide det så 3 stjerner, men jeg er også lidt i tvivl om hvor meget Smiths der virkelig behøver at være på den her liste.

Meget Morrissey... Så meget Morrissey...

The same song for half an hour.

Distinct vocal sound and great rhythmic rock.

The Smiths are so goddamn melodramatic. I can’t handle it. A strong vibe, and a good one too, if you’re into it. The instrumentation, lyrics , production, and singing are all great, but I personally don’t find these guys very enjoyable. 3/5

The last song is creepy but a good album:)

last song is not my fave, but barbarism begins at home and nowhere fast make up for it 🤌

Pretty good stuff.

This guy has the most annoying voice in the world.

Kinda surfy rock. Found this album to be quite alright. Wouldn't be upset with it on but wasn't entranced by it

I enjoyed it more than I expected.

Liked it! My favorite track was "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore".

Unexpected chord progression on the opener. There's some fast riffing too but maybe at its best when pretty - I Want the One I Can't Have or Well I Wonder. Barbarism Begins at Home is quick paced with a funky bassline.

64/100

The Smiths took the sound of New Order away from dance/pop and brought it back into the post punk realm. Morrissey always was fairly pompous but it was easy to ignore that when he was just singing about militant vegetarianism. It's Johnny Marr and Andy Rourke who really carry these songs. Some of the best tracks these guys ever made are on this album.

IF A TEN TON BUS CRASHES INTO US Meat is murder and so was that album nah jk fam Morissey is cool

Barbarism Begins at Home 5/5

Didn’t really click with me

I dig this sound. Understated coolness.

Not a huge fan of the genre but this album was decent enough. I love the more upbeat tracks on this. Highlights: Rusholme Ruffians, Barbarism Begins at Home, I Want the One I Can’t Have, Nowhere Fast.

Another good album. Highlight tracks nowhere fast and I want the one I can't have

See yesterdays comments.

I think I preferred The Queen is Dead overall but this was great too. A lot made of Morrissey playing off Jonny Marr's guitar but I thought the bass was brilliant on this

Lyricist rock from the 80's. Stable rythm background with emphasis on vocals, a little saturated because of LU. Title track is not good

I always thought that I hated The Smiths, and I still kind of do, but this one felt a lot more tolerable than what I'm used to. I'm not sure if it was some of the earlier albums I listened to making this sound better in comparison, or if my tastes have changed.

Barbarism Begins is outstanding Prefer viva hate and queen is dead But this Is pretty great 4/5

Leider nicht meins. Aber erstaunlich wie prägnant Morriseys Stil geblieben ist, unverkennbar, selbst für mich, der nur seine aktuellen Sachen kennt.

Daar hadden we kennelijk op de wereld nog niet genoeg van, van jaren tachtig-jengelmuziek.

Ik ken The Smiths van het verschrikkelijke jaren 80 geluid van Panic. Dit album zat daar net voor. Dus ik had hier geen trek in. Maar het valt enorm mee. Ze lijken het overdreven jaren 80 geluid nu nog niet ontdekt te hebben. Of zij onderscheidden zich toen door normaal te doen. Het is mij iets te eentonig. Maar het zit wel prima in elkaar. 3.5 ster

Morrissey is net als D66 of PvdD: de ideeën zijn wellicht sympathiek, maar de manier waarop ze die bij anderen door de strot willen duwen, roept weerstand op. Zo ook de quasi-melancholische stem van Morrissey, wat moet die man het zwaar hebben. Overigens is meat is murder zelf, ondanks het letterlijke geblaat, het beste nummer. En eigenlijk is dat zelfs "How soon is now?", waar de muziek richting Disintegration van the Cure gaat. Maar dat nummer staat niet op de UK editie, zoals the Smiths wel vaker hun beste nummers niet op albums hebben staan. Wat dat betreft is het ook al een hele rare band. De nummers die het album wel gehaald hebben, zijn kabbelende gitaarliedjes, waar Morrissey dan als een krolse kater overheen loopt te huilen. Als geheel klopt het vaak niet, behalve dus bij die meer bombastische Joy Divison en the Cure composities. Geef mij een album vol met hun beste nummers en ik geef het 5 sterren, nu met moeite 3.

The performances are great and the production on the 2011 remaster sounds great. But the tunes. Meat is Murder doesn't have the quality of other releases from the band. If you want to be a purest and exclude "How Soon Is Now?" then you're only really left with "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" and maybe "Barbarism Begins at Home". RIP Andy

Pretentiousness and posturing. The lead singers ego is something that casts a huge shadow on this band and it’s evident in the sounds.

This was not my thing.

Not my jam.

I like the Smiths and Meat is Murder is a decent record. It's cohesive and has a very typical 1980s English rock sound. There aren't as many memorable songs on it as on "The Queen is Dead", though. Overall a strong 3+.

Felt underwhelming compared to some of their more recognisable songs.

Decent album. Pretty much what I expected from the Smiths.

Meat is murder is a good message and interesting song but album is not my genre

7/10 but there are parts here that can push it over to an 8. Could’ve liked more of those spikes but it’s a solid album overall.

3.8/5 - I was actually quite impressed by this. Smiths proved to me that the 80s certainty had some revolutionary music. It is beautiful how the band seems to play together - not competing w/ each other but doing what they can to help the other members be their best.   I will be listening to more of the Smiths based on this album, and for that they get rounded up to a 4.

4.4/5

So two truisms hold constant throughout my reviews: the Sniths were a singles band and 1985 was my greatest year for new music. And so, a Smiths album with no quality singles of note …in a year when it is up against Misplaced Childhood and Power Windows you can kind of see why it’s a meh from me.

Oh god, not more Smiths.

It's okay. I prefer The Cure and New Order.

If you like the point rammed down your throat, this is for you! I quite like the music itself though. Reminds me of local music so must have had quite an influence here. Fave tracks: That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore, Barbarism Begins At Home Listens: 2 Rating: 3

The Smiths is one of those bands, I never really listened, mainly because of Morrissey but this was better than I expected. I love their jangle pop style and surprisingly I am not annoyed by hearing Morrissey singing. I really enjoyed the anti-corporal messaging through out this album but not enough to give up eating meat. The best thing about working through this 1001 albums list is finding bands and albums like this that I should know but never took the time to listen to. Standouts: The Headmaster Ritual, I Want the One I Can't Have, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Well I Wonder

A good album. A little bland at times. Good. Not great.

Great guitar and bass. Morrissey’s voice is great too. Catchy songs. The Queen is Dead is their best album and should be on here.

i listened. the music is ok. the message is ignorant of reality.

Enjoyable bass and guitar parts. Some solid lyrics too. 3.5

Harsh on the ears

Not a bad album

8 out of 10 cats agree that we don't need to hear that again.

Muy bueno

An iconic singing style and poetic lyrics.

Maybe a bit unfairly, I don't think its as good as either of the other Smiths albums on the list so (so far) so I'll give it a 3.

it's okay

Nice Little Rock album

couldnt get through this one too monotonous

Mmm, ordinary nothing exceptional

Smithy

Listened to the wrong one lmao

Mid

Geht so, nicht ganz mein Fall

Ммм, какой хороший альбом, я под него семейный бакет кфс навернул 8/10

I really love the Smiths' music, especially Johnny Marr's playing. This is definitely not my favorite album by them, but its still really good.

This is my second Smiths album to be assigned, the first of which was The Queen is Dead. I went into this album, never having listened to it before, but I absolutely loved it. The guitar playing on this album was absolutely fantastic. The sounds and influences were incredibly varied, but Johnny Marr played them all with expertise, and Morrissey's vocals were great, as usual. The lyrics were fantastic as well, going from social critiques to exaggerated heartbreaks and back again. I thoroughly enjoyed this album from start to finish, and I'll definitely be revisiting it soon.

3.5

Solid album. Not for me, but I can understand why someone would enjoy it.

I loved it

I enjoyed listening to this album much more than I thought I would. I think its probably my favorite so far in this 4 year challenge, which says more about the previous 4 albums than this one!!!

I love The Smiths. Not my fave of their albums but I still enjoyed the listen through. I'm surprised this was the album chosen as part of the 1001? but maybe there will be more to come from The Smiths! Fave track: The joke isn't funny anymore

Jammin

Good - standard Smiths fare

When I first saw that I was gonna be doing Meat Is Murder for this project my head just went "Oh boy, its the power anthem for all of the radical vegans out there and not much else.". But it turned out that this album had quite a bit of substance and some enjoyable moments. Its not a bad album in the slightest. Best Song: Barbarianism Begins at Home Worst Song: Rusholme Ruffians

This is my least listened to Smiths record, and also the one that I think takes the longest to click. Which is often a good thing in my books! There’s no big hitters on this compared to Queen is Dead / Self Titled / Strangeways, but that’s not to its detriment. Shows just how good a band they were that they can write songs of this quality. I was brought up to dislike Morrissey, and my Dad was right all along, but it’s just so difficult to deny how ridiculously good he was. Aye, he’s a total bellend now, and even then was very self indulgent which is never a good quality, but his song writing and delivery is just ace. Actually feel for him in Headmasters Ritual. No one delivers pain like Morrisey. Thankfully Johnny Marr turned out to be cool as fuck to ensure a less guilty Smiths experience. This is a bit funkier(?) at times, especially with the bass riffs. Not something I often think about with the Smiths. Obviously from the album cover to the last track its very political. But I like that.

The smiths/Morrissey's music has grown on me through this list, they have their own sound which is definitely 80s but has aged much better than other acts of the time. This album was enjoyable but didn't really have a killer single or two, wouldnt know which tracks to recommend. Nevertheless pretty solid, 3.5

A whole album of The Smiths is a lot. Absolutely on par with The Queen is Dead - fewer hits but an overall more cohesive album. Meat is Murder is a strange song - I've been a vegetarian for over 20 years, and yet I found the song daft and somehow made me think more about the animal flesh as food than as the horror that it actually is.