Meat Is Murder

Now I see why everybody hates Morrissey

It's always funny to me when I read other people's opinions and how they really can never really separate the art from the artist. Is Morrissey a controversial figure? Yes. I don't agree with his unprofessionalism, his general behaviour, nor do I agree with his modern take on politics. But I tend to quite like the music; The Smiths moreso than his solo stuff. I'm by no means a hardcore fan of the band. My general knowledge of their music tended to be solely in their hit material or a greatest hits collection. So 'Meat Is Murder' was my first time diving into a fully fledged original body of work by the band; and I can confidently say I loved every minute of this album. There's two sides to what make The Smiths such a great band: Morrissey's lyricism and Johnny Marr's compositions. Lyrically, it sees Morrissey tackle some potent themes. Exploring the darker, toxic-masculinity side of male youth (Rusholme Ruffians). Emotional betrayal and existential frustration (the brilliant 'That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore'). Domestic abuse and the cycle of violence (Barbarism Begins at Home). Animal rights and ethical violence (title track 'Meat Is Murder). Obsession/Desire (I Want the One I Can't Have), and rebellion against institutional cruelty (The Headmaster Ritual). Even if not everything hits home with you through Morrissey's gut-punch lyrics, you're still sure to find something to relate to across the 9 tracks. Sure, it's a relentless bitter world-view; but you kind of know what you're getting into with The Smiths/Morrissey. What's really impressive is how that signature Smiths sound has so much variety slapped over it in this album. The melodic, almost bouncy, guitar riffs completely draw you in to every up-tempo song, but it's the flavour that makes you stay. From post-punk, rockabilly, indie pop, atmospheric ballads, funk, all the way to experimental industrial-esque. Yet it's all held together in such a cohesive manner that everything flows so smoothly. Damn near every track feels like a calculated risk and it pays off in spades. Fantastic production all round, to be honest. There's probably more of The Smiths on this list and I'm genuinely looking forward to it. Because as great as 'Meat Is Murder' is it doesn't even feature many of the tracks that I have often favoured from the band for many years. 5/5

i am a sucker for the smiths

The Smiths are such a solid band that it’s hard to fault them on anything. Meat Is Murder isn’t their magnum opus, but it’s a great example of the bands strengths. The acoustic guitar and Morrissey's vocals are the very soul of the band and they are both done well here. The music on this album varies from danceable to outright dreamlike. I hadn’t heard this one yet, but it reaffirmed my enjoyment of the band.

Don’t hate this album, but fuck Morrissey.

LOVE THEMMMM

Kind of cool but I can't vibe to it

I like the smiths a lot! They have a very distinct sound and I’ve already listened to a bunch of these songs not knowing the album because I feel like they have a very cohesive sound across their discography. Love them, and they’re nice to listen to!

This is boring 80's brit indie. It's whiney, morrisey's voice is so annoying, and the rest is just lame.

Come for Marr's signature guitar sounds, stay for the effortless arrangements and hooks. Go away for Morrissey being Morrissey.

Marr’s mercurially melodic guitar lifts the unbearable weight of life bearing down on Morrissey, all while the resplendent Rourke-led rhythm section keeps feet on the ground as hearts float free.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love 80s pop and Indie so....

2nd Smiths so far. Not as good as Queen but still very enjoyable. I did feel bad eating my burger after listening to it…

Wouldn’t listen again Best song is well I wonder

3/5

I liked it. I haven't listened to the smiths in a while and I dont even know that many songs so this was nice

This one got old quick for me. I'm beginning to think I only like the idea of The Smiths and their music is just ok

lyrics were meh, guitar was fire, not a fan of the meat is murder song...

4/5 best baseline not their best album tho

Yes, yes, yes! It's a burger!

very impressed. never bothered to give these guys a listen and i've heard so much. thought it was gonna be some pretentious garbage but I was wrong. I ****ed up

Guess it didn't reach me on the right day

Whilst my favourite is still 'Strangeways, Here We Come', this is probably The Smiths best album. The fact its shit song is left till last helps this enormously.

The headmaster ritual - 5 Rusholme ruffians - 4 I want the one I can't have - 5 What she said - 4 That joke isn't funny - 4 Nowhere fast - 3 Well I wonder - 5 Barbarism begins at home - 4 Meat is murder - 1 * How soon is now? - 5

Not as good as I wanted it to be. At times, it felt very fake deep and I think that’s just Morrissey in general. Not the best but not the worst either. Middling.

Enjoyed the album, nothing remarkable tho.

The smiths first single came out when I was in first year university. Many of my friends loved them. Hearing this today I feel the same as I did then. It’s all too samey and very few stand out tracks. A few of the singles were great but they didn’t put many of them on the albums.

Nice easy listen. ”Barbarism Begins at Home” is a standout track for me. It’s quite different from the others and I really dig the bass performance. 3.3/5.0

This was deep and heavy. It was good and the lyrics were very descriptive and the emotions were all over the album. But I am not sure I will come back this as it is just a little too much and too deep for me to have in a regular routine. It also just all felt the same and blending together. Now I get it, not sure how you would throw something light and airy onto this album but still something to just give me a slight break or a hard rock out might have worked to break it up a little.

How Soon is Now is probably my favorite Smith's song so not sure why it's not there on Spotify but I'll pretend it is. I swear to God that Morrisey is singing the same song no matter what the band is playing. I've come to actually like Morrisey and one of the things that I've gotten out of this project is a tolerance for Morrisey. Could be worse. His singing style is totally his own and you can't mistake him for anyone else. The music behind the vocals is actually pretty great. I especially liked What She Said and Nowhere Fast. Barbarism Begins at Home is a great groove, they just milk it too long for almost 7 minutes. Interesting stuff. I gave it a few listens.

Gosh I haven’t listened to Meat Is Murder in a LONG time. It was the first Smiths album that I bought and I could swear my copy had How Soon Is Now? on it, but it’s not on the streaming version. Just a tiny Wiki look confirms that it definitely was on there. Why is this important? Because How Soon Is Now? is the best song The Smiths ever made. Its inclusion on Meat Is Murder took my opinion of this album to higher ground. The rest of this record lies between ok and great. Everything you’d expect from them is here: the jangly guitars, the solid rhythm section, Morrissey being woe-is-me and self righteous and insufferable all at once. If he’d died as much as he claims he might, he’d never have made it past their first record. Even though it’s good, without How Soon Is Now?, it’s just not as great overall as say The Queen Is Dead. Highlights include The Headmaster Ritual, What She Said, That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore and Nowhere Fast, which is their second best song ever imo. The end of the record pushes an agenda that I’m here for, but is done in such a counterproductive way. While presenting the horror of meat production in a 100% factual light, I’ve found that calling people murderers doesn’t get them to stop such behavior if they’ve been raised to believe that eating meat is necessary for their health. I’m sure many people became vegetarian because of this, but many more likely dug their heels in harder and ate more meat out of spite. I’ve been vegetarian for over 26 years now, but NOT because of this record and NOT because some brand new militant vegan called me a murderer (though I’ve had my share of them). I do it because eating well brings happiness to my life. I’m over 50, and yet I still physically and mentally feel like I’m 25 everyday. And cows (and pigs, and chickens, and sheep, etc…) truly are beautiful, loving creatures who exist, not for us, but for themselves. If you’re looking for more plant based food in your life, try this website: https://vegweb.com/recipes

He really went there with the title track. Props to highlighting animal rights like that, especially in the 80s! He may be a pretentious a-hole, but at least he's not afraid to stand up for what he believes in. As a fellow vegan, I approve. Now for the music... I struggled to find things that I loved beyond the topics addressed. I don’t love his voice in this album, and the vocals and instruments almost seemed like completely separate entities. He was doing his thing, they were doing theirs, and it didn’t feel like they were connecting. I preferred the parts of the songs when he wasn’t singing because there was some cool stuff going on, and the vocals felt detached and distracting. Maybe it would grow on me after a few more listens, but I’m not confident it would.

Prima, goeie achtergrond muziek maar pakte me niet helemaal

Pretty good

Getting really tired of all these British rock and contemporary albums on this list. That being said it was one of the better British albums on this list.

VEGETARIAN PROPAGANDA!! jk It was actually pretty cool

Already knew this one, luvly so it is. Self titled track is probs least favourite tho

love the smiths but this isn't one of their best albums

I LOVE THE SMITHSSSSSSSS some of them are meh but there are some really good ones

Generally I like them and they are never left out of some of my favorite playlists. Depends on my mood too cause most of their songs are devastating. Even though none of the songs on this album stood out to me, i still liked the sound of it

I was sad the day I had to listen to this album so that was perfect. I liked it, but I someone in the reviews sad that Morrissey sounds like hes singing in the shower and I agree with that.

love

I loved this album, evry sing was amazing. Would definitely listen to again.. Stevie Wonder GOAT, ive never heard him like this and i really liked it.

good similar to what i would listen to normally and their other songs. i like the political messages behind them and how MIM makes you think. well i wonder is my fav, i give it an 8. this is closer to what i listen to but still not as good as the queen is dead for me

This is a great album. I have already listened to it plenty. It was nice to have an excuse to put it on again though.

The Smiths... ... ... OK. So. ... I am a huge sucker for 80's music, specifically alternative "new wave" British second invasion.... Sure. The Smiths have always been a big part of this whole genre/ movement. I should, technically, embrace them, but I have a fairly binary love/ hate relationship instead. A few of their songs are just bangers. Perfect, classics, canon of the genre and the time. B u t ... Two death knells befall my relationship with this band. It is among a very short list of bands that I would accuse of "sounding the same" as if I put an album on and the entire thing is one song that is an hour long. The song, starting out, is probably OK or even good but after a while... And the second thing, less to do with the band musically as the taste I have in singers, is that the lead singer has a "whiny" voice. He is among a few amazing classic canonized singers that I also even like in very small doses, but the whiny thing r e a l l y starts to get to me after a while. I have tried for decades to like The Smiths, but I just... Nah.

I have REALLY tried to get into the Smiths. Yes - I know how important and influential they are. And on paper, they are 100% in my wheelhouse. The musicians are awesome, the lyrics are sharp. But... I can't. Maybe it's Morrissey? This album is fine. Again, the band is tight as a drum. But, it's not for me, I guess. 6/10

Meat Is delicious...

I love the smiths

I have loved this album since I was a moody teenager, so I cannot take out my bias with this one. The songwriting and guitar work is absolutely stunning, and I think the album is very well paced. That being said, Morrissey is still an asshat.

Personally, i enjoyed listening to this album. His voice is unique and i also liked the mix of guitar and occasional acoustic guitar. It had good vibes. (Though not my favorite) 3.5

I actually enjoyed this chill rock genre. I didn’t expect to like a 1980s rock album, but this one was quite pleasant. There were no outstanding songs in this album, but almost all of them were decent or good. A solid 4/5, but not close to making it to 5 stars.

This album was interesting in some ways, especially the vocals, but it didn’t do quite enough overall to get a 4 in my opinion. Favorite Track: That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore

Grappig album. Leuke nummers maar mij wat teveel van hetzelfde. Paar rustige nummers zijn mooi uitschieters

Unpopular opinion (maybe?) but The Smiths = zzzzzzz

Excelente álbum, de lo mejor que he escuchado

5/5

good

The best Smith song "How soon is now" is only include in certain releases.

SOOOOOOO AMAZINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG ANDY SLAYS WITH THE BASS RAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

This was ok for what it was. Not sure it was better than the last Smiths album this list gave me. Very much of its time.

good album

Love Johnny Marr’s guitar

This one is a middle of nowhere to me. I love the production but can't stand with the vocalist's voice who looks dead all time.

Not usually my thing but I liked this a lot.

This was a pretty interesting listen. I think I came in with high expectations because The Smiths are such a well-known band, and that may have affected how I felt about it. The music and lyrics were good, and I appreciate the themes and what they were trying to say, even if the vocals felt a bit off for me at times. It starts strong, dips in the middle, then gets better again near the end. Overall, it was fine, a pretty decent listen.

the instrumentals aren't even that bad the vocals are just insufferable they could've picked a random guy off the street to sing (and write the vocal melodies) instead and it would've been better

I LOVE THE SMITHS

I cant fucking stand Morrissey.

Эльфы поют и играют.

9 A pretty high 9, could be 10. I find it hard to fault the songwriting and arrangements etc are so energetic and humorous and witty it’s really a model for some of the best written music of all time I think

Not the best album of the Smiths, still okay, it seemed to be a lot more folk-influenced than their others, fav song is „Well i wonder“

It’s something when it’s not even your best album but it’s still a pretty prefect jangle pop record.

Not my favorite smiths album

i get it, i'm already depressed enough Would I listen again: No Deserves to be on this list: Yeah 3.6

I might have to give it a second listen because i usually love the smiths but this one didn’t wow me

Bra bra bra!

Ενδιαφερουσα μελωδική μουσικη , τα φωνητικα θα προτιμουσα να εχουν λιγο λιγοτερο sustain , ξεχωρισα το barbarism begins at home που εχει γαματο intro /riff

I hesitated listening to this one, but it was better than I expected. It came out when I was a junior in high school. I worked in a record store and listened to the radio a lot. The Smiths weren't as ubiquitous as pop bands of the era, but I had plenty of friends who liked them and I had more than my share of the band. Morrissey's voice felt contrived to me, and I never listened to the lyrics closely enough to relate to them. Because of that overexposure, I nearly gave this one a pass, but I'm glad I listened to it. 40+ years later, the music has a freshness I didn't recognize at the time. When I was a teenager, I only heard the most popular tunes and missed many of the other songs. Rusholme Ruffians and Nowhere Fast were surprisingly jaunty. :) I liked the guitar on the latter. What She Said was a pretty great thrashy song. There was far less mopiness than I expected. I'm giving it three stars because I am not likely to come back to this, but it was a good listen.

It's good, but the album is quite samey and I got bored. Sorry

Favorite Songs: Well I Wonder, Barbarism Begins at Home, That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore Least Favorite Song: Rusholme Ruffians This album deeply confuses me because of how inconsistent it is. Some songs are amazing while others are a complete slog to get through. It’s my birthday today and I’m feeling generous, so I’ll give it a 3 for now.

Loved his voice. Easy listening punk.

Descubrí que es el grupo de un audio que me gusta de TikTok

classic smiths sound. not for me!

Great Album

Audacious, activist, messaging.

I’ve never given the Smiths a chance beyond their big hits. I enjoyed this album, quick and energetic as it was. Need further listening to appreciate the full concept. Ironically, Barbarism Begins at Home slaps hard. I prefer an album just like this with continuity or even better songs at the end, rather than putting three hits at the top and the rest is a slog.

Flemme

While their most sedated album, it’s no less amazing. Mar’s playing is intoxicating and mesmerizing. Morrissey is a his whimsical best, self-deprecating, melancholy, and funny. “That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore” is as good as it gets. Andy Rooke’s bass playing is the unsung hero here, popping and grooving while Mar and Moz work their magic.

Some songs are amazing, some songs deserve to be skipped

Not as bad as some of their stuff. I imagine it would be pretty listenable as an instrumental.

Did not stand out for me 🤨

Many of the songs sound similar but they’re all good for this reason too

GOING IN: Not fussed really LISTENED WHILE: With a cuppa FAMILIARITY: Know the artist, not the album SKIP RATE: Played it straight through REPLAY VALUE: Once was plenty DISCOVERY CURVE: Never happened ALBUM ARC: Pretty even, consistent VERDICT: Fair enough BODY'S VERDICT: Toe tapping situation FAVOURITE TRACK: --- My Rating: 2 Can't believe there are more Smiths AND Morrissey albums in this list that I must listen to before I die. Ugh! I gave this a two because it wasn't as bad as the last one.

Listening to this album drives home the point that Morrisey can sing no more than four notes. It makes listening to any Smiths album tedious.

It’s aight i guess

I love the smiths

Borrissey

Not their best work but still a decent album. Special editions of the album added in How Soon is Now as a single and I can understand why as it does lack standout tracks and Meat is Murder is a hard sell as a lead single.

One of their weaker albums but still good. Issues with Morrissey aside, he does sound on fine form vocally on this album and Marr is as good as always ‘That joke isn’t funny anymore’ has always been one of my favourite songs of theirs and continues to hold up well.

Partner said he'd give this a 5 but that he's incapable of being impartial about it, and I said, hey, I am. 3.5

i think the most annoying part is that it always sounds like he's singing a one song over the music from another. i really just have never had a nice time listening to anything track this guy is on

Oh man! The first Smiths album I ever listened to (because that's a veg*an canon event even in the middle of nowhere) and the album that made me really wonder why people liked this band so much. I got there eventually (via The Queen is Dead mostly) but this one just. it lacks some luster. 2.5

Meat Is Murder is the only song that really stood out for me, but The Smiths are a classic

Some good stuff, but somewhat repetitive from one song to the next.

Enjoyed a lot. Strong REM and Radiohead vibes

i said I LOVE THE SMITHS

Rusholme Ruffians might be the worst Smiths song I've heard. And 6 minutes is too long for this insufferable pro-Vegetarian song. Though I guess I shouldn't really expect anything more from Morrissey. Other than that, this album is pretty great. I would rank it as my least favourite studio album by The Smiths though.

I enjoyed!!!

The jaunty new wave tracks juxtaposed with morissey’s broodiness is a cool effect. I particularly liked “Rusholme Ruffians” and “Barbarism begins at home”.

Much of this record is great - the intense music - the guitar, the bass!, and Morrissey's often heartbreaking lyrics. What I was most looking forward to on this record was "How Soon is Now," though, which I swear was on the US version of this record, but it isn't on the version linked here since it wasn't on the original UK release. Too bad, I really like that song. Despite my disappointment about not getting to hear "How Soon is Now," I've given this a 4/5, since it really is quite good.

This is the first one I get fully. I don’t know that I’m at a 5 but it’s definitely deserving of it and would get it once I listened to it two or three more times. All the beautiful guitar work I just am not fully behind Mr Morriseys vocals yet. Shoutout Jeremy Bolm for ripping and now it’s happening in mine from this (this is a large compliment). Loved it, will continue listening to it.

The Smiths are a personal favorite of mine, so of course I love this album. A very solid 4/5 stars in my personal rating.

Rusholme ruffians my favorite by far, the rest of the songs didnt really do anything for me. Rusholme ruffians - 7.8/10 Whole album - 6.2/10

Two things you can count on listening to the Smiths: excellent guitar playing and mesmerizing vocals. That is on full display here, and the songs range from good to great. I was close to giving this listen full marks, just a couple songs didn’t hit me as much as I would have liked. Best Track: I Want the One I Can’t Have

It's too bad that Morrissey is so completely insufferable, because he makes me not want to get into The Smiths, and they *are* a really great band. The tension between Morrissey's (admittedly irreplaceable) self-pitying, Gothic poetry and Johnny Marr's brilliant, organic guitar work created a great many fantastic songs, which were held down by Andy Rourke and Mick Joyce's airtight rhythm section. The Smiths were a fantastic band, plain and simply. And this is as vital as any other Smiths album. I will admit, I think there are a couple songs here that are a little too jangly for my taste (Rusholme Ruffians is the worst offender). And I also don't think most of The Smiths *very* best songs are here (with a couple of exceptions). But what this album is is still very enjoyable. I think Meat Is Murder is at it's strongest when really embracing the classic dark indie rock sound that I think The Smiths are most well known for. I Want The One I Can't Have *is* some of the band's best work: some of Marr's best ever playing is here, and they way the band locks in to serve as a soundtrack for Morrissey is remarkable. That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore is also ingenious: a kind of slightly dirgey ballad with an incredible melodic heart. Nowhere Fast, Barbarism Begins At Home(another song with fantastic guitar work), The Headmaster Ritual, Well I Wonder, and the title track (despite being preachy and on the nose) are also favorites of mine. And honestly, for as easy as it is to rag on Morrissey, his lyrics here are pretty interesting. He is very much obsessed with violence present in all aspects of domesticity: in love, school, parenting, and even food. It is pretty interesting. Meat is Murder is probably not the greatest Smiths album, and it doesn't have *most* of the band's greatest songs. But taken as it is, it's still an essential Smiths album with a some great songs and even a *couple* of generational classics. This was well worth my time, Morrissey has made it hard for me to want to get into The Smiths, so I can do with the generator twisting my arm here and there to make me listen to their, admittedly great music.

I didn't expect it to resonate with me but I quite liked it!

Well that’s just good timing to have this following a Phil Spector album.

Uncompelling and bland

Sounds happy. Isn't.

Osav pillimäng ja mõned huvitavad lood... aga pole päris minu tassike teed. Vokaal ei istu mulle üldse, pole mingit äratuntavat meloodiat, vaid selline "lauldes rääkimine". 3.25/5

the lyrics are good but i’m not a major fan of this album. i did like the message of the title track though.

Something I would like to revisit

MUITO BOM... A PRIMEIRA LINDÉRRIMA A ULTIMA MUITO PICA, FINALIZA MUITO BEM O ALBUM... É DIFERENTE DAS OUTRAS DO DE SMITHS QUE EU JA OUVI

conheço alguém que tem essa camisa! escutei muito menos esse álbum em relação ao the queen is dead e o the smiths. não que seja ruim, só não enjoei ainda deles dois. tirar esse tempo pra prestar atenção nas letras desse também nunca tinha feito. Morrissey é um mala, mas um poeta sensacional também, sempre cheio de wilde. minha favorita é básica: well i wonder

This was my first time listening to a Smiths album all the way through. I still don't dig Morrissey's voice. He sounds like the most punchable human ever. And I know I have a bunch of Smiths and Morrissey's solo albums to get through with this list. But I admit I was impressed with the song writing and guitar work. Headmaster Ritual and Barbarism Begins at Home were standouts.

Morrisey is a wanker

don't get me wrong i love the smiths but most of their songs sound the same 😬

Both times I’ve listens to well I wonder I have teared up. That is how achingly beautiful that song is. This album’s most entrancing, haunting moments of beauty come when Morissey’s falsetto suddenly appears to break a song open with no warning. Another example is meat is murder, which I’m sure has had a big life outside this album but that is also just so gorgeous, and the ridiculous lyrics only serve to emphasize its aesthetic qualities.

This was never my favorite Smith's album, but I was looking forward to listening today to see if maybe my opinion changed over the years. Whereas I'd listened to The Queen Is Dead and Strangways (and Louder Than Bombs) many many times, this is one that got much fewer spins. It's not a bad album at all. tt's actually quite good, but I think the albums that followed this one are out and out classics. There are good songs on here-The Headmaster Ritual, That Joke, Well I Wonder, and Barbarism-none of them light a candle to the highlights from the other's I'd mentioned above. This album is still a solid 4, but the others are definite 5's.

Another solid Smiths album

FUCK! NOT THIS ALBUM! I hate Morrissey, I despise him to my core, but this album? This is the pinnacle of The Smiths. Andy Rourke (my beloved) has some of his best work on this album, Johnny Marr is getting into his real stride, and Morrissey‘s voice is not the main focus of this mix. This is sadly an album I can‘t hate, apart from the last track, of course there has to be some Morrissey wankery in the mix. All the other tracks outweigh the trashness of the last track.

taki w tle

I just don’t like his voice! The guitar however was nice! Enjoyed the second half way more! Fav: Nowhere Fast

Good album. I kind of only like selective songs from their discography but it was a fun full listen of the album. They're good at having rhythm and they don't have over complicated music. 7.4/10

Bangeeer

- Morrissey is another artist I'm boycotting. I used to listen to the Smiths before the Internet let us know what he's like, so yet another band down the drain, like most of the bands on this list. - I only would listen to the Smiths and Morrissey best of albums, and I always felt kind of embarrassed that I didn’t listen to the actual albums, but this list is totally validating me - the albums are so bloated and mostly filler. This one is no exception - I only like the two singles (plus the melody and jangly guitar on Well I Wonder, which I didn’t know before). I didn’t know How Soon is Now (epic, so so good) is only on the US version… the UK version must be unlistenable. The other songs are a struggle to enjoy, what with his flat singing and lack of interesting melodies. - Yes, I agree that meat is murder. I wish I lived in a world where people didn’t use and hurt animals (or other humans, for that matter), but the song's still not good.

I've been plenty critical of much of the Smiths' and Morrissey's musical output up to this point, but I'll be dawned that Meat is Murder is actually really good. It's well constructed, funky, and has a good variety and mix of tracks. The two closing tracks do a great job of closing the curtain on the album, and the song meat is murder is quite a heavy listen for us omnivores/ex-vegetarians. Xmas prime rib dinner is gonna have a more pensive chew to it this year, that's for sure. 4/5

Favourite song: Rusholme Ruffians Listened to with Charlie, he was thrilled.

Listened: putting washing out and in bed Stopped

Another band I gave up on shortly after hearing about them. I did not like the style and the vocals. I have later learned to like some of The Smiths and Morissey songs, but this album is just not my thing. None of the songs really stands out for me, and it’s a bland experience to go through the full album. I think/hope I will enjoy their other albums more.

3.5

A decent album, but I’m just not a big fan of Morrisey

One of my critiques of this project so far has been a few of the odd choices included. This seems like one to me. The Smiths have two pretty unimpeachable masterpieces. This just ain’t one of them. In fact this one is one of their most mediocre. I guess I’d need to actually read the book to figure out the rationale, but I know there are loads of unsung great albums that would never get exposure on a list like this. And let’s face it, Meat Is Murder is kind of a turd.

Life’s too short to give Morrissey a proper go

I have such a frustrating relationship with The Smiths. On one hand, the band had one of (in my opinion) the greatest and coolest guitar players of all time in Johnny Marr, but on the other hand, had one of the most morose, self-interested, preachy yet admittedly intelligent vocalists of all time in Morrissey. This Marr/Morrissey partnership was so fraught with conflicting ideals and clashes of personality, but damn they produced some brilliant music. I'd argue that 'Meat Is Murder' is probably the weakest of The Smiths' four studio albums, but its by no means terrible given the sheer strength of The Smiths' catalogue. 'The Headmaster Ritual' is a brilliant rebuke of the punishing state school system, 'Barbarism Begins at Home' is a biting criticism of corporal punishment against children (backed by a brilliant funk bass line from the late Andy Rourke), and there's plenty of Morrissey's trademark 'woe is me' witticisms in songs like 'I Want the One I Can't Have', 'Well I Wonder' and 'What She Said'. But where the album really gets preachy is the title track, where Morrissey scolds meat-eaters for their "murder" of animals to satisfy their dinner plates. Now, I am not at all critical of people who feel strongly about sticking to vegetarianism/veganism for the sake of animal welfare, but when you're deriding other people for not conforming to your views, you really need to take a look in the mirror, something Morrissey has proven time and again he is incapable of doing. I really respect the guy for what he's given music, but god he's hard to respect. Johnny Marr was the best thing about The Smiths, and I'll die on that hill. With that said, the band wouldn't be the same without Morrissey, as problematic a character as he is. Best songs: The Headmaster Ritual, I Want the One I Can't Have, What She Said, Well I Wonder, Barbarism Begins at Home

- Separating Morrissey from his art is one thing, the more important issue here is separating Morrissey from Marr. - Marr makes The Smiths interesting. There are some good musical numbers here. It’s just the horrific delivery of pretentious, self-obsessed lyrics that make it so difficult to listen to. - I’m just glad to be ticking my way through this stuff. Another one in the rear view mirror.

Nicht das beste Smiths Album jedoch ist Meat is murder ein banger

Really bad. The vocals are ugly and I have to pay really close attention to understand even like half the words. Each song sounds roughly the same, they're all devoid of melody, the vocals and instruments have this really thin, ugly sound that I don't think is just the fault of my car speakers. I think this era of rock -adjacent music has this thing of like not trying to be overly musical and try-hardy which I guess I get, but then it just means you're making deliberately bad music. I have no desire to go back and listen to any if these songs again.

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.

Smiiiiiths

Pretty solid album with a pretty solid album.

I listened, but not a fan of this album.

feels like i'm listening to background songs with no energy

Very good album, just missing some highlights for me to really put it at the top. But enough variety and pleasant songs to listen to. Only song I didn't really like was the title track, ironically. 4/5

I love The Smiths. Sorry? I said I love The Smiths.

Good background music, but not my favorite.

I like the sound of this album, it's the kind you can have on in the background and vibe to but also tune in occasionally and still enjoy. None of the songs really stood out to me in particular, so won't be saving any, but will be obtaining the album on disc to listen again.

Favourite track: Nowhere Fast

One of my favourite albums ever, saw them twice on the “Meat is Murder” tour, I still have the programme from the Ipswich gig - “Well I wonder” and “Barbarism begins at home” marvellous- Morrissey’s lyrics, amazing.

We get it your sad

music is very good. could live without the singer

I came to the Smiths late and eventually came to like a lot of The Queen is Dead. But listening to this (and the previous Smiths selection) reminds why I initially found them incredibly precious and tiresome.

Not my favorite Smiths album but still really good. And my son would be very disappointed in me if I didn't give it at least a 4 because it's one of his favorites.

Morrissey yodels, Johnny jangles, the songs meander. I'd like the Smiths a lot more if their songs were tighter, but you can't argue with that band.

best smiths album (not really but it's still great)

Cool guitar

Never was a huge The Smiths fan, but this one was the one I bought back in the day. Such a great sound. The politics of vegetarianism resonate with me, I'm glad I got a chance to consider it fully before rejecting it for my life. Still enjoy the song. This and How Soon is Now is peak Smiths.

The Smiths be like: "I'm so lonely and miserable, and nothing ever works out for me aaawwwwwaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh" Absolutely love it.

Another listen did nothing to change my opinion on The Smiths. Underwhelming

Of the Morrissey/Smiths albums we've had thus far, this is the weakest and should be cut to make room for other deserving artists who don't have any representation on this list. Morrissey/Smiths already have enough entries (and better alternatives than this).

I still like Morrissey. The haters can’t change my mind.

Beatles like pop with acoustic melancholy What she said That joke isn't funny anymore

its ok

I cannot listen to The Smiths, but I appreciate their style and unslderstand why this album is on the list 4/5

5/10

No voy a ser objetivo con una banda que representa todo lo que fui en mi adolescencia. The Smiths para mí son Dios, así que cada uno de sus discos son los evangelios. No sobra un solo tema (quizá el tema homónimo al título es el más flojo) y no podría decir las veces que lo he escuchado. Me sé de memoria casi todas las canciones. ¿Os sorprende que le ponga un 10?

Хороший альбом з їх фірмовим стилем, дуже консистентний. Подобаються тут програші гітарні практично в кожній пісні. Єдине, що немає супер хіта на альбомі.

3.5 The Smiths загалом напевно все ж не мій гурт, але не можу відмовити їм у стилі, а також у вмінні написати хіт.

Love this album front to back. Sharp witty lyrics, funky bass, bright crisp guitars, such an easy and fun listen.

7/10

Iconique.

4 stars. This is 4 stars on The Smiths scale, though. (Note that this rating is also based on the proper UK version, which does not contain How Soon is Now) For other groups, this album may be 5 stars. MIM is in the middle of the pack of my favorite Smiths albums (still not a bad thing), but a 5 star rating is reserved for The Queen is Dead, in the least. Favorite songs - Well I Wonder, That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore I Want The One I Can’t Have

The smiths are so fucking boring. Listening to this album was like hearing the Friends theme song 50 times in a row.

i like a song here and there by the smiths but damn do they all sound the exact same

HATE "Rusholme Ruffians" This album is very much not my vibe. I've enjoyed other The Smiths albums and songs but this was painful.

Un bon album!

Kinda good, kinda boring

great album, have heard before, fav song is well I wonder

I don't like Morissey at all. I find it hard to see past this. Could all these songs be re-recorded with a different singer? This is garbage.

Sad, glum, grey, clever- that's been Morrissey from day one. I don't like the last track, boring and preachy, but everything else is incredible. I always thought this was the overlooked Smiths album, but maybe not.

Young, feisty, political firebrand Morrissey isn't as dryly witty as he would be on The Queen Is Dead, but he has found a pacey, energetic sound for a soapbox, powered by the darting guitar work of Johnny Marr, and the results are fine. Only a few sloggy songs keep this one from ranking higher, but the best stuff is very good.

Not bad, but no takeaways from me. Not my favorite, but it's interesting.

Quintessential ’80s music—man, this takes me right back to high school and those uncertain, angsty teenage years. No cell phones, no Facebook, just time to really listen, reflect, and enjoy incredible music with friends or alone in solitude. I don’t think anyone captured this genre better than The Smiths, and this album felt like their love letter to the listener. And yeah, Morrissey is an asshole—but honestly, if that's what it took to make this album, I'll take it.

Song I Liked - Rusholme Ruffians - What She Said - Meat Is Murder

Not sure what happened, but there was a time where I liked this album a lot more. Occasionally interesting and pleasant but often found it pretty boring. Saved a song: N RYM: Y (#1,084)

I’m coming with a very bias and closed perspective - I don’t particularly like Morrisey or the smiths and have not been shown otherwise so far on this challenge. This looks like another confirmation to me. Same sound, some gait, same yawn. Nothing particularly bad about them but just really don’t do it for me. Grabs me a little more as the album goes on but just can’t escape the sound and content of his vocals, which is my main sticking point. Songs sounded pretty much the same but wasn’t giving it too much attention. Morrisey and the Smiths just not going to do it for me, I’m afraid although will say, some clever lyrics at times.

Alright album. Unsure on how to feel with Morrissey's voice but big fan of the guitar and instrumentals. Headmaster Ritual and Well I Wonder were highlights but the title track was a low, felt out of place.

The Smiths have some very underrated musicianship. Johnny Marr is rightfully praised highly but the unspoken hero is the bassist Andy Rourke, who sadly passed a couple years ago.

I’ll preface this review by saying that I don’t like The Smiths. Morrissey as a person is a giant turd and I’ve always found their music pretentious and uninspiring. However, on that scale, this is the best I’ve heard of The Smiths. There’s more energy in these tunes, they’re more interestingly composed, and hell, it’s even catchier. It’s still The Smiths, they cannot be that but which they are, but for a Smiths album, this is really good. I can see how those who like this type of music would hold this up as an exemplar.

ben oui les smiths qu'on les aime bien

021022 13:10 4

The music was fine, even enjoyable on some of the songs, but I did not enjoy the singer. His vocals sounded lazy and uninterested at best, and douchey at worst.

I was never a big fan of The Smiths (or of Morrissey for that matter) in the 80’s when they were surging and that hasn’t changed during the past 40 years. The music is ok but Morrissey’s unexcited intonation is bland at best and annoying at worst. I’m not gonna knock them too much as it’s not “bad” music, this different style and I just don’t vibe well together.

The Smiths are one of my favorite bands from the 80s and I’ll gladly tell you this album sucks. It misses wholly on most every level. Marr’s guitar is quite good on most tracks, but that’s the only standout on an album filled with forgettable songs and off key, moaning vocals from the legendary douche that is Morissey. Probably the worst Smiths album by far.

Saturday morning as I write this, slept well last night and woke up to a bit of snow falling, just a light snow enough to make the world look beautiful, but not enough that it takes any effort to remove, that perfect amount of fresh white snow. Made myself a delicious egg sandwich for breakfast, nice hot cup of coffee and settle in for some premiership, Villa v Arsenal, nice! Yesterday got away from me and I didn't have a chance to listen to the Smiths, no worries, mute the game and listen. Something I do often. Morning is shaping up nicely. Then the music starts, eh...not too bad. Then Morrissey begins singing, oh ya I remember him, I think I like him but dont remember much by him. Well I'm quickly reminded he has the most depressing voice on the planet. My amazing start to the day takes a dark turn and sadness envelopes me. I learned that Morrissey can mar the greatest of mornings. Thankfully the album is over now and all is right with the world again. This is pretty terrible.

Listened to this one yesterday too. Going back for a second tour. Morrissey as a member of The Smiths is far more tolerable, but I still generally find his vocal style lacking in any depth. In fact it has a rare capability to suck the energy from otherwise interesting songs. E.g., Rusholme Ruffians is built around a fun bass line, but as soon as the vocals come in I stop caring. Well I Wonder is about the only song here that I actually enjoyed of him singing. Barbarism Begins at Home is fine too, but is mostly carried by the instrumentals. I can't shake the feeling that another vocalist could take these songs to the next level. For that I find this album into the bottom of the 3 range.

Glonky basslines in this one were continually catching my ear. Pretty dang tolerable for being Morrissey; if you could just get rid of the singer this would be a solid 4. I'll go high 3 for this one.

7th Smith/Morrissey album on here. This one is pretty status quo for Mr. Mo just pretty decent instrumental with his annoying singing at the forefront. Barbarism Begins at Home was really good though has a very tasty guitar riff and a gloopy bass outro. High 2/Low 3 border but we ill give this a bump for coming on a Friday. The end of this album with the cow noises made me want to go listen to Pink Floyd Animals, so I did.

While my hate for Morrissey is large I do enjoy this album, particularly Headmasters Ritual. Rusholme Ruffians has a great bassline. Coming back to this as almost every song has a sick bassline. The Joke Isn't Funny Anymore has a dreamy element to it that is just lovely. Can really hear a direct influence on Radiohead here. Riff during Barbarism Begins at Home is great. Reminds me of the Talking Heads a bit. Pretty solid rekkid overall. Probably my favorite from the Smiths. The instrumentation definitely carries it with Morrissey's shitty voice.

I've struggled with the Smiths in the past but enjoyed this

Sounds like every other new age band of the time, nothing unique or new here.

I want to like the Smiths more than I do

very one-note to me. I’ve heard flashes from the smiths that I really liked before but not here.

We've gotten bands previously that I wished I had discovered when I was a teenager (Rage Against the Machine, Megadeth) but this is definitely one I'm glad I dodged. Great music but the Smiths are just smallpox blankets into the tribes of teenage malaise and angst. It's a tight band, I've always loved their jangly guitars, and you truly never really know where Morissey is taking you with his lyrics.

It’s not offensive, but like a foggy drizzle, I don’t particularly enjoy it either.

Melhor álbum do mundo Segundo melhor álbum do smiths

The last track will haunt me forever. Cant say i like one song specifically but i liked the album as a whole

Fun to listen to. gives me cure vibes. good messages. some unique sounding songs, cool basslines.

Silly title, great music

I’m sorry to The Smiths but the vibes were not there. Maybe bc I have shit hearing and couldn’t catch half of the lyrics. I’m sure they are very profound, just wish I could understand them lol

Strangeways was better, but this was solid

Decent album. 2.5 stars

Standout Songs: Rusholme Ruffians I Want the One I Can’t Have What She Said Not bad, i’m not huge on indie rock but this album is okay. So many british singers have no range in their voices

Not my favourite album by The Smiths, but still breathtaking music. The weakest part is the title track.

If only Morrissey wasn't a cunt, this would be a more enjoyable listening experience.

Never really got The Smiths. And still don't. The instrumental band is pretty amazing and I hadn't appreciated just how good they are. I find Morrisseys tunes a bit samey and struggle to relate to what he's on about. Maybe will try them again, guess there will be other Smiths albums on the list...

The stark contrast of downbeat lyrical delivery and guitar works for me

Honestly it was pretty forgettable, but I guess that means it wasn't actively annoying to listen to like some other albums.

too many The Smith's albums for me and way too close together. That voice I just can't. Should be on some eery 80s halloween movie.

More Smiths. Yay. /s

Another easy 5 star album for me. The lyrics were like poetry, the melodies were haunting, and the album felt like a whole, complete thing. The songs had enough variation while still having a certain consistency. This is another one I want on vinyl.

Jag har aldrig lyssnat på the smiths men har en vän som tycker de är bra så jag hade nog en gnaska positiv förväntan, och den uppfylldes. That joke isn't funny anymore var riktigt bra och det slutade med att jag la till den i kön så jag fick höra den igen efter albumet.

Bekant med namnet, inte bandet. Gillar mixen. Har typ svårt att ta till mig skivan. Det är helt enkelt inte för mig, men jag tycker verkligen inte illa om den. Jag förstår att folk gillar denna platta.

Gotta love Johnny Marr. Lost me at a few moments but overall great, very cool guitar and bass tones to be found here.

Quiet enjoyable! Didn't feel like it overstayed.

Nothing here for me and I'm doing it a favor at rating it a 2.

GETTING CAUGHT UP! I didn't wanna listen to this the whole time I was listening to this

Favorite track: The headmaster ritual other picks: barbarism begins at home, nowhere fast

This was good but not my favorite album by The Smiths

altern. rock, 1985 -> 3

Very generic. It's exactly what you'd expect from british indie rock and barely does anything unique. Mastering isn't that great and the vocalist drones.

Pleasantly surprised that I didn't have to be sadder to enjoy this

Falls a little short compared to their first album, and hard to agree with the decision to leave off How Soon Is Now on the UK and remastered editions

It has what she said and barbarism. Gets 5 for those alone

Was OK, some interesting stuff there but generally not a big Morrisey fan

Jingly jangly guitar indie pop with a laconic, arrogant crooner. Did nothing for me at the time, does nothing for me now.

Not good, not bad, but a hint of buns.

Enjoyable album. Surf rock is easy listening.

A little repetitive and generally didn't fit my taste, but the smiths are pretty good overall and surprised me with some songs like Well I Wonder

The songs “Meat Is Murder,” said to have played a part in popularizing vegetarianism, and “The Headmaster Ritual,” featuring a delinquent's perspective rebelling against teachers, are apparently famous. Having listened to them myself, I liked those two songs the most.

Ok ok as much as I hate to say it, it grew on me.

Morrissey is a bit of a cunt from what I hear so I've mostly stayed away from the Smiths. I don't much care for his vocals either, honestly. He's alright on certain songs I guess. The band is super talented. Johnny Marr and Andy Rourke have great tone. There's not really much here that will likely stick with me, though. Music's good, Morrissey isn't for me. Ends up kinda middling.

Definetly an album that i think stands strong in its time. Its intresting to see a song about veganism made so early in its lifetime. I wouldnt say its an album i love but i think it was a pleasant listen and for indie rock fans that can appriciate the era i wouldnt mind recommening it so them. I did feel like some of the issues flew over my head due to it seeming to have refrences and critisms of back then that i dont understand however i think that also gives it its sharm. Overall not bad not amazing. Above average, would give it a 3.5

Sounds like a soundtrack to a 80s/90s movie set in a small village. This means it is both good in capturing a particular vibe, but also kind of falls to the background. I don't really like the singers voice, it sounds too much like whining to me, especially when the subject matter is so dire such as in the titular song. No particular song stands out to me, although everyone of them was at least okay. If I had to choose a favourite it would be "nowhere fast". Fine music to have on in the background while you're drinking a beer in the pub, but that's about it. 2.5

Good album

"Meat Is Murder" captures The Smiths in the midst of an evolution away from their debut sound, which, while progressive, results in a collection of songs that feels less clearly defined than their other records. That said, the album contains some truly magnificent tracks and offers a very rewarding listening experience. (4/5) Note "How Soon Is Now?" wasn't on the original UK release but it's been included for years so I'm including on this review. Standout tracks: - "The Headmaster Ritual" - A blistering opener. A driving a critique of corporal punishment and the repressive British school system. - "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" - A beautiful, melancholic ballad built around an echoing guitar line. Morrissey's voice is at its most vulnerable. - "How Soon Is Now?" - Defined by its unique sonic landscape. It completely departs from the signature guitar jangle sound of The Smiths. The song is a brilliant portrayal of crippling social anxiety and loneliness. The narrator goes out to a club, hoping to meet someone, but his shyness keeps him marooned, watching everyone else. Stunning. - "Barbarism Begins at Home" - Funky guitar from Marr and a stunning bassline from Rourke. Morrissey's lyrics are an attack on child abuse and domestic violence. Side one No. Title 1 "The Headmaster Ritual" (5/5) 2 "Rusholme Ruffians" (4/5) 3 "I Want the One I Can't Have" (4/5) 4 "What She Said" (4/5) 5 "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" (5/5) Side two 6 "How Soon Is Now?" (5/5) 7 "Nowhere Fast" (4/5) 8 "Well I Wonder" (4/5) 9 "Barbarism Begins at Home" (5/5) 10 "Meat Is Murder" (4/5) Total - 44 Average - 4.40 165/1001 91/165 albums reviewed were new to me.

Great album. I’m a fan so maybe biased ha. Favorite songs are The Headmaster Ritual, Rusholme Ruffians, That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore, Well I Wonder, Barbarism Begins at Home. Every song is good, it’s a good straight through listen.

just great.

I’ve likely listened to this album 1,000 times in my life…The Smiths were MY band through high school and Morrissey solo through college until Tool came along. There is a familiarity here that is unmatched. And yet I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as I expected to today. With time, I’ve grown to more deeply appreciate and love Johnny Marr and the brilliance of the music. It’s always been the perfect sweet to SPM’s sour but it’s the music that speaks to me now. Joke, I Wonder and Barbarism still shine. This is not their best work - see Hatful of Hollow - but still worthy. 4/5

I am not a Smiths fan at all but I kind of like this. Why is Morrisey is so whiny? I like Johnny Marr and the rhythm section is great too. I wonder if Morrisey would be less insufferable if he ate a pork chop. The two standouts are That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore and Barbarism Begins At Home.

Andy Rourke’s bass playing is probably the standout for me. The album didn’t make me feel much for most of it. I feel like I’d like it more if I was in the mood for it. I like Morrissey randomly barking for no reason. 3/5

Ye it's cool

Another band I’ve heard of my whole life, it seems, but have only heard a couple of songs. For a long time, I got the Smiths and the Cure confused. I thought both were just the same kind of goth rock, and I still think that’s true, but I know which witch is which. Anyway, the Smiths popped up in my wheelhouse of radio rock and pop, the 1980s. However, I don’t think they were as big in the U.S. as they were in Europe. Even though the Smiths sounded like all the bands on the radio at the time, I don’t remember hearing their songs. At least not like say, Duran Duran, a band I still love. Meat Is Murder is the second album from the Smiths and the one that kind of broke them. It’s full of what the critics would call indie rock for that time or post-punk. Guitarist Johnny Marr wrote all the music, and this cat named Morrissey wrote all the lyrics, and by all accounts was quite a bit of an a-hole. Though if you were a fan of the Smiths, he was your kind of a-hole. The Smiths' music was a melancholy type of pop/rock. Morrissey’s lyrics were dark, but you could sing along. There are songs about love, death, how hard it is to be a teenager, and how meat is murder. Yes, Morrissey was a vegetarian, and he wanted to convert everyone to his side. He kind of makes a compelling argument on the song Meat Is Murder. I found it very hard to listen to, but I still had chili for lunch. When the album came out, some critics loved it and some hated it, which I think is a good thing. If you can’t get universal praise, but you can get people to just feel anything, it was an achievement. They released just one single from this album called, That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore, which got to 49 on the UK singles chart, but didn’t chart in the U.S. I really liked this album, but I am a product of the 1980s and new wave/post-punk. I think they would have fit in perfectly on U.S. radio, but they just never broke here. Maybe it was Morrissey’s attitude, maybe they just got lost in the shuffle, maybe they didn't release enough singles, who knows? Whatever the case, the Smiths went on to become a huge cult favorite that ended up going mainstream over a period of time. I think this is an album you need to hear just to see what we in the States missed out on with the Smiths. Though if you were a goth back then, you already knew how good they were and are pissed metalheads like me are now fans. I get it, I do, but the heart wants what the heart wants, brother.

Meat is Murder was released when I was in high school. It is impossible for me to guess how many times I have listened to the record, but it is a lot. I mention this because I try to approach my listens for the project as “fresh” as possible, but sometimes like this record it can be damn hard. Say what you will about his later personal antics, but Morrisey is an incredible singer who embraces an over-the-top flamboyance that works for him, even when you think it probably shouldn't. Partly this because the lyrics, while of varied topics, are honest and relatable. It also probably helps that they are sometimes witty, even when the subject matter is dark. In terms of instrumentation, I think Meat is Murder is where we see Johhny Marr starting to show the innovation that will ultimately make him one of the greatest guitarists of his generation. I will never get tired of listening to his guitar playing and his ability to compliment Morrisey’s voice is sometimes mind blowing. The Smiths are a band that I continue to revisit, albeit less frequently as I get older. Partly this is nostalgia, but mostly this is because even 40 years later, the music still works. As testament to this, my teen daughter independently discovered and became obsessed with them in the years immediately following the pandemic. Meat is Murder is the album where the Smiths took control over production, allowing them to their distinctive and creative music. It may not be the Smiths best album, although sometime I think so, but it is certainly an important album and one that everyone should listen to before they die. A 4.5* album, but I'm about to go down a Marr rabbit hole this afternoon, and such inspiration warrants a bump.

I hated Morrissey before it was cool. Putting aside some of his awful views on immigration and the likes, I just could never understand the fascination with The Smiths or Morrissey. A lot of people who liked the same music as I did, were big into The Smiths, and I could never understand it. Well, in the spirit of broadening horizons with this project, I tried to give The Smiths another chance. Johnny Marr is an exceptionally inventive guitarist. Aside from his work on The Smiths, when he joined Modest Mouse for "We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank", he added a new dimension to their (already great) music and eleveted their sound to something epic. And he brings some interesting sounds to this album too. But, as much as I like Johnny Marr, I don't like him enough to endure Morrissey. His crooning and warbling, in his posh nasally tone, ruins everything that could otherwise be enjoyable about the music of The Smiths. He's insufferable, and as a result, so are The Smiths.

Meat Is Murder er the Smiths' første mesterverk av LP-lengde og består av intet mindre enn 9 perfekte pop-låter hvorav noen er mer perfekte enn andre. Det finnes ikke ett svakt spor, det er en barrage av skranglete riff fra en av historiens beste gitarister, med Morrissey som leverer flere av hans beste prestasjoner. Her er greia med the Smiths: Morrissey vet hvordan man skriver og fremfører texter som fungerer musikalsk. Jeg mener folk har en tendens til å henge seg altfor opp i hvordan sangtexter fungerer semantisk, og jeg henviser dem gjerne til konseptet bok. Morrissey, ihvertfall som en del av the Smiths, er et instrument på lik linje med Marr's gitar, og de komplimenterer hverandre på en måte som ytterst få band engang kan aspirere til. Om det finnes et problem her, er det at textene til Morrissey også fungerer veldig godt semantisk, og at de ofte higer etter de store, før-moderne britiske poetene. Dette bærer med seg en fåfenghet som er veldig lett å kynisk avskrive i det postmoderne samfunnet, hvor ironisk distanse og tvetydighet er den sikreste måten å forsvare det fragile egoet fra kritikk. Hadde han vært litt mer modernistisk som feks. Dan Bejar (min favoritt-artist, for the record), ville det fungert som et skjold mot de som insisterer på granske sangtexter som en slags konservativ nørd og reduserer the Smiths til et band viss budskap er "buh-huh jeg er så hvit og øvre middelklasse og exsistensiell og politisk engasjert." Om man faktisk tar seg bryet til å høre på bandet, vil man kanskje oppdage at The Smiths er et livsbejaende og postmoderne band som lagde noen av de mest up-beat, mest originale og minst daterte låtene fra 80-tallet; som lagde noen av de fineste harmoniene pop-musikken noensinne har produsert; som mixet elementer fra vår kulturelle historie til noe som re-presenterte historiske stilarter på en ny og fersk måte; og som 40 år senere fortsatt er uovergått innen sjangeren jangle pop (dog var the Feelies hakk i hel). Nå ble det mye Morrissey (gud vet han tar plass), men det er Marr's komposisjoner og gitarspill som driver the Smiths, og jeg tror denne skiva faktisk er det beste exempelet på dette. Det jævla riffet som åpner The Headmaster Ritual sitter så sykt tight at det nesten er ugreit;* det dronete partiet i outroen til That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore aktiverer alle chakrane mine på en gang; og tittelsporet – produksjonen der er et stykke for seg selv. Veldig annerledes enn resten av skiva, flittig bruk av samples, og et gitarriff som det er vanskelig å sette ord på. Haunting. Mesterverk. Johnny fakking Marr. Meat Is Murder kunne fint stått som the Smiths' magnum opus, og de ville fortsatt vært et av tidenes aller beste grupper. At vi er heldige nok til at de også laget The Queen Is Dead, som på mange måter blåser dette mesterverket av banen, er intet mindre enn legendarisk. *Jeg tror han har en greie for å åpne låter, for spesielt på denne skiva (men ikke exklusivt, se feks. This Charming Man), begynner ca. hver låt veldig selvsikkert og særegent, ofte med noe bastant gitarspill.

Som med de fleste platene til Smiths så er dette også et deilig album. De nailer lydbildet så det høres ut som en melankolsk drømmeverden. Gitarene er upåklagelig med små fiffige riff som lurer i lydbildet, og jeg har egentlig ikke tenkt over hvor viktig bassen er i Smiths før nå. Elsker bassingen på "Rusholme Ruffians" og "Barbarism Begins At Home".

Et fint album hvor mye treffer godt. Har ikke hørt denne smiths skiva før og er overraska over hvor bluesa det er, positivt overraska! Og han har jo helt rett, kjøtt er mord!

The last track earned this album an extra star.

good production and the flow from the singer kinda nice. It is quite atmospherical. Good for a late night

Good music, good lyrics. Morrissey's voice is unbearable for me. 2/5.

Great!

The music is fine, I guess, but the overall pace and singing makes it more like easy listening.

Brit rock, much better than us rock

Fist through and through listen of the Smiths, and despite trying to cast aside my conscious and unconscious biases about Morrisey, I find his dreary yodelling too much to bear. Can't knock Marr and the rest, but fuck me - it is like trying to eat a potentially nice sandwich in the rain.

Good album, but feels outdated compared to other albums from the same period. Still super Good experience, great for a long drive.

Really nice! "Barbarism begins at home" is great!

Were the Smiths a singles band? Caught midway between the dense, gothic fog of their debut and the lusher productions of later albums, MiM is a patchy affair. It contains some of Johnny Marr's best guitar work, and his Nile Rodgers/Bernie Edwards double act with Andy Rourke (particularly on Barbarism Begins at Home) is joyous. That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore is possibly their most languidly, achingly beautiful song, but too often pretty melodies and propulsive rhythms are blighted by Morrissey at his most tedious. Strange that one his most effective lyrical efforts is on this album (the dressed up Elvis rush of Rusholme Ruffians).

Typical 80s British rock sound. Nothing special, but not bad.

British music for sad boys. Not my cup of tea (zing)

I honestly cannot take Morrisey seriously at all, he's a good singer but his voice constantly takes me out, the instrumentals however are great

I am sangry

I always thought that Morrissey's voice was a bit too whiny, but it isn't really that bad on this album.

Funky, largely fun, though I'm not sure too much jumped off the page. I'm in the camp of people who find Morrissey's voice a little hard to deal with. Not bad by any stretch, and definitely interesting, but doesn't involve me emotionally. The instrumentation is terrific, Johnny Marr an A+ guitarist, it's dancey in a lot of spots and oh so very nineteen-eighties. I don't know, this genre never quite does it for me. I prefer a more stripped down sound, but I can see the appeal. I'll avoid commenting too much on the enigma that is Morrissey, he's provocative here (see album title) though maybe a little basic lyrically. So it goes with the majority of political lyrics. One place they struggle with is being fun. To draw a parallel to punk (another political genre) good punk music makes being punk sound really fun! Morrissey is more of a scold, and an especially dour one at that. Not fun, regardless of where you stand with the messaging.

It’s like reading a whiney post online that doesn’t have punctuation or a coherent thought like this one and Morrissey can eat it

Steven Patrick Morrissey fixes his considerable ire against modern society and the broader human condition in the morbidly accurate, delightfully witty Meat is Murder, an abstract road trip to nowhere fast in Thatcher's England that finds the enfant terrible in peak form. What an album. File it with the great second albums in history- no sophomore slump here. Nine perfect songs- that's NINE masterpieces in a row which makes for a dizzying experience that might leave you asking, 'how is this so absolutely magnificent?' as you push play for the fourth time on this fine day & make no mistake if you are able to just lay back, close your eyes & get lost (and found & lost again) in this grand work it very much is a fine day. Dangerously good.

Yksi tylsimpiä albumeita ikinä. Oasis ilman särmää.

Sounds like the Smiths.

I know this is not a fresh take but I just cannot get on with Morrisey's voice. I like almost all of the melodies, instrumentals etc. on this album and then he starts singing and it's just so grating.

Pre: I haven't listend to this smith's album yet but I'm a fan of the other music I've heard. Post: just as good as the rest I've heard

Good

Such a weird mix of bangers and duds. Also, why is this man yelling at me? I dig the massive 80s snare and shoegazey guitar tones. I’m forgiving some shit songs with this rating because some of the others are pretty cool for the era.

7/10 It's fine.

Morrissey seems a bit sad?! Johnny Marr writes such good riffs and parts.

I think I like this one more than The Queen is Dead, but not by much. I just don’t think I’ll ever be able to enjoy Morrissey’s voice.

Most artists have that one album that I think is kind of overrated, and for The Smiths it's this one. Not saying it's particularly bad, but very uneven. It's also a bit confusing to me that some of the more acclaimed songs (This Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Well I Wonder) don't really do much to me, while songs like I Want The One I Can't Have or Nowhere Fast that are a bit underrated strike me as much punchier and catchier. The melodies on this album feel a bit underwhelming and underdevelopped in general, they are much better on their other albums. That also makes songs like the title track drag on heavily. Rusholme Ruffians also has a bit of a country twang which doesn't come off as that good. The album has some amazing highlights too, the opener is stellar and Barbarianism Begins At Home is one of my fav Smiths songs and one of the best basslines ever. Also love the theme of how the education system oppresses young people. It's certainly way better than the title track which kinda reads like a twitter rant on vegetarianism. Every band has got to have a weakest album, and for me with The Smiths it's this one. However, for a weakest album it's still not too bad.

I like the smiths a lot so I was excited for this one. I enjoyed the album, but after two listens any particular song didnt stand out remarkably but I will likely listen again. As a whole tho it’s great except the beginning of the last song creeps me out. Oh and also love love love the bass in barbarism begins at home.

Had all the things that make smith albums good, the clean guitar work, the witty but personable lyrics, and a little more. This is probably my second favorite album of theirs, and all things considered i think its excellent. If i had to complain i would say it drags a little in the middle but not enough to heavily detract from my opinion. My standout track is Barbarism Begins At Home, I really like the themes on it.

Not a bad album but not super riveting.