Meat Is Murder

Classic

Punk in the beginning.

Good album, i’ve been looking for an album that has this feel and it nailed it

Smiths album with not many “hits”.

Nice und etwas weniger depri als was man sonst von the smiths kennt aber irgendwie fehlen die banger

The whole instrumental vibe is lovely and lush. The slower tracks are a little boring to sit through, and a couple of the less jangly songs don't stand out as well. Morrissey's voice is beautiful but also a little depressing.

New to me and I like it (4)

Yeah, not bad

Not my usual in terms of genre, but this is good music! Feel good music. Even though song titles like Barbarism Begins at Home and I Want the One I Can't Have say otherwise, this is the type of music that makes you feel carefree. It made me jump around and dance like no one was watching on a sunny Saturday morning. I found myself bopping pretty hard to Rusholme Ruffians with that underlying bass groove. That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore and the title track, Meat is Murder, satisfied my love of moving, emotional, thoughtful ballads.

Jangly: I do love a good bit of the smiths and this didn’t fail to disappoint. Morrissey was on his usual form and especially towards the end of the album the bangers came in. Lyrics to get stuck in your mind and some of the best guitar riffs out there.

What? Another record by The Smiths? Don't they all sound too similar anyway? Well, yeah. That's what people say. Good thing is that this album has a hand full of more funkier elements than earlier but also later albums - despite the dark topics. You can't do anything wrong by listening to this.

Pretty good

oh heck this is the band that made “this charming man”. Distinctive voice. Good so far (halfway into first song). Good, no bangers though. Kinda lowish energy.

Serious, tough and a tinge sad, this is a very good record, that gets better as it goes along and achieves near-excellence, particularly over the last few cuts. Adding "How Soon Is Now" to the US release makes it an outright classic. "Barbarism Begins at Home" and "Well I Wonder" are outstanding, and closing/title cut dial up the emotional intensity another several notches. There's a consistency and understated sort of determination across the cuts that make the whole even more than the sum of its parts.

Not bad

Listening to it again as I have again and again over the years, the one thing that lets it down is the production which is horribly tinny. This is the remaster and it still sounds like he's singing in the bath. That said, their is some monstrous talent on display here. That Joke isn't Funny Any More, Well I Wonder, Barbarism Begins At Home are all superbly crafted songs. It's just not quite there across the whole album - and production.

Morrissey might be a twat but the smiths still made good tunes.

First of all, obligatory "Fuck Morrissey" and "Haha I'm eating a steak while listening to this" remarks. I think this is the weakest of their four studio albums. It feels less like a cohesive experience and more like just some songs thrown together. It's the Smiths though, so the songs are still really good. "The Headmaster Ritual" and "Barbarism Begins At Home" are peak. Weak 4/5.

4/9, 44%

Same preamble as before: Morrissey has turned into an idiotic, whiny racist (or maybe he always was), so fuck him. I will rate this one just based on the music and since I always really enjoyed The Smiths and the band's instrumentation. I thought this album was pretty good but not as great as 'The Queen is Dead'. I feel like this one's relatively light on any hits but still has some really beautiful songs on it. Standout Tracks: The Headmaster Ritual, I Want the One I Can't Have, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Well I Wonder

Gosh - so, being British we did not have How Soon is Now on our version. It was only on Overseas versions. Which is a terrible oversight. Such a brilliant song and elevates the content so for now I might have to be an honorary American… whatever you think of the Morrissey/Marr Macédoine they were so new and refreshing and different from the rest of the Top of the Pops contenders of those times. They created great and enduring music.

Personally this was the first full album by the Smiths that I got to know back in the 80’s, only having heard a few of the earlier singles prior to that. It made a big impact on my musical taste. The combination of very melodic indierock with lyrics put together very differently to what was the standard those days. I am still fond of this album. A lot, although I came to learn that it is not even the best of the Smiths

I really like Morrisey's voice. I know it isn't for everyone! Cool album, fun listen.

Lastig te beoordelen. Ik vind de muziek (bas- en gitaarlijntjes) over het algemeen genomen op dit album heel prima in orde. Lekkere indie rock. Die mafklapper op zang doet alleen enorm z'n best om het te verneuken. Dat lukt hem iets minder goed dan je zou verwachten (en bij sommige nummers past de zang zelfs wel een beetje), maar bij een aantal nummers begint het toch wel wat te schuren en jeuken. Tegelijkertijd is het denk ik toch de combinatie van de muziek en zang die dit bijzonder maakt. En op de meeste nummers blijft het binnen het kader van wat ik kan hebben. Qua cijfer dus erg lastig. Ergens tussen een 2 en een 5.

Ooooh I love it! This was the first Smiths album from this list I heard and it was on heavy rotation for me during 2021, additionally to learning some of the bass lines. Meat is Murder is a heavy hitter and uncomfortable to listen to, but I guess it has to be. + Headmaster Ritual + Barbarism Begins At Home + That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore + Well I Wonder

3.5, political themes are quite nicely involved. Liked the guitar work on the penultimate track.

Great album, but not their best IMO. Great bass tone! RIP Andy Great jangle-guitar. Not as familiar with these songs, but it's classic Smiths. "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" is one of the more interesting ones, slower, with interesting panning / fading effects. "Well I Wonder" pretty calming, nice rainy outro. "Barbarism Begins at Home" has a funky outro, digging that. Nice bassline! "Meat Is Murder" has a cool spacey intro with a cow. Slow jam... like it! Good closing track too. Cool reverse pulsing effect going on. "How Soon is Now" definitely would secure 4+ stars, but even without that, or any of my favorite Smiths songs, I'd say 3.5-4.

9 songs… 5 singles. Ok

Lost a star bc of Morrisey

I thumbed up two songs. Pleasant album.

I think I just love the smiths. I guess Morrisey has to be such a jerk to make some mean music.

Moody indie rock.

Very good, much better than i was expecting

i fucking hate morrissey but barbarism begins at home is a banger and i cannot deny that

마지막에서 두번째 트랙 barbarism begins at home의 베이스라인에 춤췄다

Litt deppa rockealbum, sånn egentlig. Mye bra gitar! Tittelsangen er en ubehagelig sang, men på en god måte. Sleng inn litt kritikk av utdanningssystemet så er jeg solgt.

This is pretty great

probably the best smiths record I've heard of.

Je préfère Jean Ferrat

ma journée sad indie girl

Kuten Kalle kirjoitti, ei suosikki-Smiths, mutta tosi hyvä silti.

Smithsiltä tasaista laatua. 4/5

Heeeel nice!!

I didn't complete listening to this album, will try to get caught up today. This is not my favorite genre but it was interesting.

I wonder if I should listen to the original audio or if the remaster is fine... eh, who cares. When Morrisey started singing I thought he was babbling LMAO. Next time I go through a Smiths' album I'll make sure to get the lyrics. UHgsyihasjipdaihug why do I find this so ethereal

At one point or another, this could be my favorite Smiths album, but that is something that changes constantly. Their consistency in their output during the handful of years they were together is about the best you can ask for from a band, and I’ve been a fan for the majority of my life at this point. I think the turning point for all fans, even though it’s a core part of The Smiths’ appeal, is realizing Morrissey and his lyrics are their least essential element. There’s some great moments from him here (I’ve always enjoyed the imagery found in Rusholme Ruffians), but the overly dramatic emotions on display eventually ring as being a product of their age rather than anything overly profound. It’s easy to feel differently when you’re a teen, but the further I get from away from my own adolescence, the less relevant his lyrics become. When you listen to the copy cats that sprung up in their wake, you realize The Smiths’ real magic is Johnny Marr’s guitar, backed perfectly by their underrated rhythm section. Morrissey may have had his shtick down with their debut, but this was the first album where the rest clearly surpassed what he was bringing to the table. While I’d argue that Headmaster’s Ritual is their best opener, the title track is easily one of their worst, the only major blemish to be found on an otherwise perfect album.

very good. Not my style but groovy

4 Look, I love The Smiths and consider them to be one of my favorite groups. While most consider The Queen is Dead to be their magnum opus (myself included), Meat is Murder is also oftentimes thrown out there as the group’s best… and I gotta say I think those fans are over-inflating this one. It’s very good for sure, and some of the band’s best songs are here, but there are also a few misses for me. In particular, I have to call out Barbarism Begins at Home - I know it’s a fan favorite, but I can’t stand this song. The funk riff is so annoying and feels so out of place… and then they made it seven minutes long?? Wtf. If I wasn’t listening for the sake of review, I would be skipping this one. Anyway, that out of the way, I do want to highlight the good, because the majority of this album really is fantastic. The Headmaster Ritual is a great opener and song, and I’ve always considered it to be one of the catchiest and most danceable of The Smiths’ catalogue. Following that, while Rusholme Ruffians isn’t an all-time great or particularly deep by any means, the bassline is incredibly infectious (shoutout to Andy Rourke). I Want the One I Can’t Have is a vibe we’ve all experienced at one point or another. For Smiths fans, it’s probably associated with the girl they’ve been too scared to talk to for six or so months that ends up having a boyfriend. What She Said is a short, fun blast of energy. Then, we get to the best track on the album - That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore. Yeah, it’s the exact brand of self-pity that people like to hate on Morrissey for, and maybe you could argue the outro is overly long and repetitive, but I personally find the build-up of the vocal delivery and music to be profoundly beautiful and dynamic in the best kind of broody, gothic way. Unfortunately, the album starts losing me a bit from there, with two pretty mediocre tracks Nowhere Fast and Well I Wonder leading into Barbarism. Ironically, I think people hate the title track for mostly the same reasons I hate Barbarism, but there’s something about Moz’s delivery of “Murrderrrrr” I’ve always kinda liked, so I would argue the album ends on a high note. To conclude, it’s The Smiths. Love these guys, and I’ll always rate them highly, but sadly this one just doesn’t quite earn the honor of a 5/5 from me.

Glorious.

I don't particularly like Morrisey and I never idolised the Smiths like some of my friends did. Nevertheless I really enjoyed listening to Meat is Murder, nearly every track is a classic. It has stood the test of time and still sounds very fresh. The Morrisey-Marr alchemy is evident in the first seven numbers - maybe Barbarism and Meat is Murder are not quite as strong. A reminder of how good the Smiths were

Muutama juttu vegaaneille: Eläimet syötäväksi tarkoitettu.... sen takia on hampaat... ei perunasosekeittoa joka päivä syödä meidänkään taloudessa... Jos saastuttaa lehmät... eikö ne kannata syödä pois... jos lisääntyy eikä syö nams nams pois... eikös ne sillon enempi... eli saasteita.... heh.. ei varmaan logiikka kuulu sinne suuntaan.. tunteellista porukkaa... sen huommannut... eukko kieli... tunnekieli.. heh... vegaaneilla se... Liha maistuu maistuu.. jos tehty maistumaan miksi ei sais syödä HÄH.. pelktästä hajustakin vesikielelle.. Pakkohan se on syödä muuten nälkä vie... Mites vastaa vegaanit tähän.. lihan jättää syömättä.. pelkkä pottu lautasella tulee pelkästään itku.. ei maha sillä täyty häh... Jos ei lihaa syö.. kalpeaksi kasvaa... karvoja ei kasva.... Olen sen nähnyt kun nykyisin kun käy uimahallissakin.. ei näy enää ihmisillä karvoja kun veganismi vie..... siinä yksi syy äänestää tulevissa vaaleissa... Onkos nälkä heh... varmaan on.. meikäläine täällä kättä pyörittää mahalla.. kun ruokaa on syöty... siinä ero.. Eläimiä meilläkin.. ollut aina.. kissoja.. koiria..... hevoosia.. mummolossa aina... HÄH... Mikä homma.. kuinka monella veggaanilla hevonen.... musiikista.. vika biisi meat is murder paras.. sais olla enempi soundscapeja kuin popittelua albumilla.. raaka tunne "I want the One I can't Have" todella hyvä.. heh kärsimystä... hyvin esittää Morrisey... Johnny Marr tuottanut ihanat sävellykset.. niin sitä häkeltyis jos olis naikkonen.. meikäläisellä aina tiedossa objektiivisuus.. heh kuola pidetään suussa... Rikas ääni josta tykkään.. Kuullostaa että jokaisessa biisissä samoja likkejä ja laulannalla haetaan samat tunteet... ei siis huono asia todella ruutuinen paketti.. ruutuisella haen nyt sitä.. että jos katsoo maapalloa niin eihän siellä ruutuja näy.. on niin moninaista ja kaunista maailma,, erilaisia vivahteita.. erilaisia ihmisiä ja ajatuksia. Ei sama ajatus all over over over again... ei toimi.. ei toimi ellei morrissey tee sitä Its all over all over over my feeeeis... subjektiivista vitosta.. nelosen paikka olis.. arvaa mitä laitetaan... objektia...

ahh i already listened to this one before lol. 4/5

back in my tumblr 2012 era

This does contain most of the Smiths better known songs, but is a really good album. "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" is one of my favorite Smiths songs and you don't hear many songs that are about corporal punishment and vegetarianism that are this catchy. I think this is an album that must be heard, because it does not contain many of the hits and gives a better idea of what Morrissey and gang were trying to do.

ну прикалдесно чо но queen is dead>>>>>>>>

The guitar work on this thing is amazing it’s so light and euphoric. I love Morrissey’s vocals too his dark tone adding so much color the songs. Speaking of the songs, almost everything on this thing is a banger and even the weaker songs are pretty good. Highly Replayable

Loved it

It was good I like morrissey voice

Pretty good, but problematic

"It's not comforting, cheery or kind" - no, it's the Smiths. Not my preferred vibes, but I can appreciate a decent album.

Pretty good

Somehow I’ve never listened to The Smiths despite knowing that they are an incredibly important and beloved group. Turns out that’s for a reason. Loved their sound & their lyrics!

It’s got some quality punk messages but also bs PETA agenda thrown in as the title track, because well… Morrissey is a pompous ass and he sings like one too. Reeeeally likes hearing the sound of his voice repeating the same tones over and over again 4/5 I got the Queen is Dead a few dozen albums ago and I recall enjoying that one a fair bit more

I'm a fan of Radiohead and The Strokes and that type of sort of melancholy British rock, and from what I'd heard I thought The Smiths would fit in with my tastes quite nicely, but I was slightly disappointed with this album. It wasn't bad by any stretch of the word, but I was just missing the bangers, something to stand out and tap my feet to.

I already liked The Smiths and I enjoyed my first listen to this album even more than I thought I would.

Strong album with call outs to bass and guitar. Punchy and flowing only to be deflated by the final track.

Jangly guitar and up beat melodies make this much more pleasant than I imagined

How Soon is Now is the best piece of music ever to come from a UK band in the 80's.

Solid Smiths album. I'm glad to see this genre & band represented again, but I took a peek at the 1001 list & many other notable albums & artists are missing. It's a real shame to have so many albums & so few post punk/new wave bands on here *big fkn sigh* Anyway, 4 stars for Meat is Murder.

Not bad

Love the Smiths- very unique and unlike a lot of other bands. First track is really wonderful.

Obligatory: Fuck Morrissey, he's a piece of shit. This is a great record, The Smiths operating at their peak here. The bass on "Barbarism Begins at Home" is just incredible. I've never listened through the whole record before, though I'm solidly aware of most The Smiths work, and I was surprised at how few singles there were here. Reminds me of The Cure's "Disintegration," a widely beloved record from a band's catalogue that didn't really yield many huge hits (Lovesong excluded).

the guitars and the grooves were unexpected. it sounded like duran duran on certain songs. very funky like on tracks "Barbarism Begins At Home".

Many of these songs are rudderless and lack melodic dynamic. I mean, just sing a dang chorus. But the overall sound is wonderful, and Morrissey just keeps pouring on intriguing lyrics to where you can't help but be pulled into each song. Quite a band.

The Smiths are excellent. This album is terrific. 4 stars. Great guitar, both acoustic and electric

Preachy towards the end but most of what comes before is very good. Details of corporal punishment are a sharp condemnation of uk state schools. Great guitar work all over the album. Great lyrics overall.

Enjoyed this one, but nothing new to me here. Morrissey is witty but not awful, everything is gloriously jangly.

Zakonczenie roku z albumem znanym i lubianym, bo drugi krazek od Smithsow z 85, ktory wydaje sie chyba najmniej sluchanym obecnie albumem bandy, bo lirycvznie sluchac tutaj odejscie od doomerskiej wizji swiata i rozczuwania sie nad wlasnym nieszczesnym losem, a wiecej tutaj aktywizmu spolecznego, czy to pro weganizm, ktory bije juz od samego tytulu krazka, czy krytyki nieudolnosci rzadzacych, bo przeciez wyspiarski album z czasow thatcherowej, albo wytykania wad systemu edukacji, jak na openingowym the headmaster ritual, ale nadal jest to mocno sluchalne nagranie, bo przepelnione charyzma czy raczej poteznym ego pana Morrisseya, co najlepiej slychac na nowhere fast, ktory brzmi jakby juz na swoim drugim krazku czul sie na takiego big szota, juz na drugim krazku zaczeli mocne eksperymenty brzmieniowe, wiec nie jest to jedynie popowe rokowanie jak na debiutanckim materiale, wiecej tutaj samplowania, ktore buduje klimat, jak na well i wonder, a zwlaszcza na tytulowym traku, ktory zamyka album, ktory ma sprawic, ze sluchajacy zajadacz miesa choc na chwile zastanowi sie nad tym czy jego przyjemnosc jest warta mordu, robote robia tutaj rowniez gitarkowanie pana Marra, ktore w outro brzmia niczym rzeznia, funkowe rokowanie z liryka twardo stapajaca po ziemi, podane w wyjatkowo charyzmatycznym opakowaniu, na plejke poza tytulowym utworem leci wspomniany juz nowhere fast, no i przynajmniej dowiedzialem sie ciekawostki dotyczacej okladki tej plyty podczas dzisiejszego odsluchu, bo o ile kojarzylem, ze jest na niej zoldak pewnie z czasow wietnamu, tak nie wiedzialem, ze jest to zreczny retusz, bo orginalny napis na helmie marina kaprala michaela wynna glosil make war not love, robi cie myslacym

Una mezcla interesante de ritmos. Agradable para relajarse, aunque algunas canciones son muy lentas

Not my favorite Smiths album, and I'm definitely sitting here eating murder, but still a classic from my youth.

good smiths album

Not my favorite smiths album, but still pretty good. I want to do 3.5 or something, but I'm rounding up in this case :) 4/5

Meh

Not as good as the eponymous debut (the criticism on the latter as being "too pure" is like criticizing Shakespeare plays for being too well structured). Still this is a great record. Driving, gritty and winningly downbeat. The last few cuts really take it from very good to the classic and timeless. "Barbarism Begins at Home" is terrific and the last few minutes of instrumental is a master class in how to give depth and gravity to pop music. Title cut does the same and makes it awfully hard to get off the mind. The lack of a hit was tempered by the fact that "How Soon Is Now" was on the original US release. Today, it reads just as an extraordinarily good record for people serious about serious music.

I'm a Smiths fan, and I don't think they ever did a bad album. This is amongst their most lauded, but not one of my favourites, but it has grown on me over the years. Oddly for an 80s album is breaks the accepted formula that groups had at the time - 11-12 songs. 45-50 minutes, 3 singles. This I think was under 40 minutes, 9 tracks and no obvious single amongst them, and I still feel like that. Some good tracks on there. Some beautiful guitar playing by Johnny Marr (the real sound of The Smiths) but not one track which you could see having the ingredients to be a single in their own right.

Love The smiths I listened a few times

Iconic cover art

Am a vegan but would eat Morrissey

Morrisey is a twat but fuck me The Smiths are good.

Baaaaaaaa 4+/5

This was the first album I ever heard from The Smiths, and it's such a pleasure to hear it again in full. The title track, "The Headmaster Ritual," "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore," "I Want the One I Can't Have," "Barbarism Begins at Home," and "Nowhere Fast" are probably my top tracks.

Heard it before?: I have Enjoy it?: Yes, it’s essential 90s and so wonderfully written and produced. Best use of animal noises you’ll ever hear in a sample Favourite song: Track 3 - I Want The One I Can’t Have

It shouldn't be controversial to say that Morrissey has one of the best voices of his era, but apparently it is for some. The Meat is Murder album is not my top favorite Smiths albums but has a lot of melodic songs that take me back to the early 90's when I was listening to the Smiths on repeat. It's hard to believe this album dates to 1985 and is only their second! Morrissey had really hit hist stride here and the driving tinny drums and groovy little guitar riffs way behind the vocals that form the mechanics of the trademark sound were already falling well into place. It is an excellent album that would blend well with almost any circumstance. Well I Wonder seems to be the best track on the album, because it has a more thoughtful rhythm, more melancholic passion, and lots of transitions and drops to keep it interesting and multi-dimensional. Overall, excellent.

Great album, great band.

"Meat is Murder" is the second studio album from The Smiths and the only one to reach #1 in the UK. The Smiths and Stephen Street produced this album which introduced some rockabilly and funk. Some of the lyrics are political although Morrissey does a good job on a number of these songs leaving the lyrics open for multiple interpretations. Similar to their next album "The Queen is Dead," this is the music of a complete band with each member standing out at times. A very, very good album. The album starts strong with "The Headmaster Ritual" and a Echo and the Bunnymen guitar which transitions into more traditional Smiths. Morrissey is getting bullied by his headmaster. He also gets his yodeling going...not the last time. "Rusholme Ruffians" has a rockabilly and funky sound with the bass. Based on the Victoria Wood song "Fourteen Again." "The Joke isn't Funny Anymore" slows things down with a waltz time and acoustic rhythm guitar. The lyrics attack the mockery of depression and suicide. Not the last waltz either. "Barbarism Begins at Home" is my favorite song on side two. Johnny Marr has an obtuse and almost Chic-like guitar. Great bass. An anti-child abuse theme. "Meat is Murder" ends things and expresses Morrissey's vegetarian stance. It's slower and yes a waltz. This album is up there for me with "The Queen is Dead" as The Smiths' pinnacle. Both albums are worth getting, listening to and being in the 1,001.

Another great album by The Smiths, its own unique style make this album kinda in terms of message and meaning but it's a peaceful album. The combination of rhythms give this album its uniqueness, even if us classified it as alternative rock, it's just The Smiths style

Legenda: 1-Não oiço nunca e se alguém estiver a ouvir penso menos dessa pessoa. 2-Não oiço nunca 3-Não chateia, e se ouvir alguém ouvir, isso não me chateia 4-Oiço várias vezes, se ouvir alguém ouvir -> essa pessoa ganha respeito 5-Sou capaz de ouvir sempre

I liked this...maybe more than The Queen is Dead? I dig the 80s-ness of The Smiths.

Definitely a moodier alternative to The Queen is Dead. Some real standout tracks like Rusholme Ruffians and Meat is Murder. All in all, though, not as many memorable hooks and catchy songs as what came after.

Top, inventive & charming. Songs progress incredibly well and the whole album avoids repetitions. Riffs are surprisingly catchy and the overarching unpolished production makes it a superbly endearing album. Can see how Morrissey's singing could rebuke some, but there's no getting around it if you want to get into the album. Great writing, great album. Best songs: What She Said; That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore; Well I Wonder; Barbarism Begins at Home

This is my first time hearing the Smiths, and I can see what all the hype is about. Very cohesive album with amazing storytelling, great production, and a lot of interesting concepts I’ll need to relisten to fully digest. I think there’s potential for more variety in sound, think a couple songs with more energy would do it justice, but really fucked with the vibes on this thing (maybe not as depressed as the smiths are though)

The music was great but the singer wasn't. If the singer was stronger I'd consider a 5 but because he was just okay they have been knocked back to a 4.

Enjoyed the album vibe, no big standouts but overall vibe was good

starting biased because i really like the smiths already, but havent listened to this album the whole way through. halfway in i love it so far. like all of the songs, but favorites are the headmaster ritual and that joke isnt funny anymore. its great. pretty much all of these songs ill be listening to again in some capacity and some are goin in the playlist.

I like my steaks so rare it feels like I'm murdering the meat myself /srs Good album, though Morrissey's vocals sound so dreadfully weepy

4.5

The Cure лучше.

J'ai bien aimé. je ne connais pas morissey et les gens semblent le détester... je m'en fou un peu, La guitare et les arrangements sont malade. Barbarism begins at home a un super jam et la guitare est super crisp. Vraiment bien. 4.10 car un peu plus que Strangeways, here we come que j'ai eu sur cette liste.

I heard this sometime back in college at a party, or at least I heard the song "Meat Is Murder." I disliked that experience enough that ever since I was sure I did not like The Smiths. Oops. Although the title track is my least favorite song on this album, I really kind of liked a lot of this. The songs are less whiny and catchier than I thought I remembered. There's a dry wit in a lot of the songs that I enjoyed. A few of the songs surprised me with their tone and quality. The only lingering reservation is I lost interest in some of the songs well before they before they ended. Fortunately the album was peppered with songs I really liked that I was able to ride those out. I'm not a huge fan of The Smiths yet, but I've made some real progress with this listen. Favorites: The Headmaster Ritual, Rusholme Ruffians, Well I Wonder, Barbarism Begins At Home

Pretty good album. I definitely understood the smiths in my mind. I don’t have too much negative to say, it was just missing that secret sauce

Tough one, the Smiths sound great hear, but hard to erase the last twenty or so years of Morrisey being a bell end. Still great album, with some nice xperimental touches.

Huge fan of the Smiths, all of their albums. Some of their most enegetic (Rusholme Syndrome, Barbarism Begins at Home) and most miserable tracks (That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Meat is Murder). Some nice influences like the postpunk "I Want the One" or surf rock "Nowhere Fast." Several weak songs, but it's pretty solid, and I love the Morrissey's yearning vocal style, his introspective lyrics, and the mix of New Wave synths and jangly guitar. Would listen again as with the rest of their discography.

Regrettably very good

I want to start by saying: Fuck Morrissey The Smiths are the centerpiece of jangle pop. They obviously did something special in the 80's, taking driving, gated drums of post-punk and combining it with some of the old-school 50's and 60's styles of pop/rock songwriting. The result is a sound that is equally nostalgic as it is innovative. The Smiths wrapped up this sound in their frankly fantastic songwriting to provide some of the best sounds of the 80's. The signature Smiths' sound is steeped in a sort of longing sadness. It's something I'm not a personal fan of, but it's hard to deny it's potency as excellent songwriting. The whole album is fine-tuned for a cohesive sound that delivers in spades.

The precursor to modern day indie music in the 80’s. An enjoyable and quick album to listen through. Favorite song I think was I Want the One I Can’t Have.

Great album! In particular, I loved the electric, upbeat songs. Nowhere Fast was probably my favorite track. I also loved the theme of the last song. Very interesting and sort of spooky.

7/10. Decent, his singing gets wearing after a while though

For a second there I swear they were getting funky. Not quite as good as The Queen is Dead. 7/10

I was enjoying a Deluxe chicken dinner, a Sudbury speciality, when I turned my mind to Meat is Murder.  While I like the songs more on the Smiths 1st album, Marr's guitar playing is stellar on Meat is Murder.   Post listen I'm off to Tarini's to get one of their signature porchetta roast. Meat is Murder is a dam good album but I guess I missed the point..

Morrisey's voice is much more palatable with Johnny Marr's guitars underneath. He's such a creative and diverse rhythm guitar player - compare "What She Said" to "That Joke isn't Funny Anymore". "How Soon Is Now" isn't on this (UK) release and even though I'm so tired of that song, it would have earned one more point.

I think The Smiths are a really specific type of music but I really like it, personally.

Morrissey, is that you again? Meat is Murder? Are you going to stand behind me again, greasing up your penis, ready to put it inside me? Your big meaty fleshstick right up inside me? You sick vegetable bumming racist.

The Smiths tend to sway from good to meh for me, but I enjoyed this album a good bit. Favourites: "Nowhere Fast", "Well I Wonder", "Barbarian Begins at Home"

Fuck Morrissey! But I do really really enjoy The Smiths. This is not my favorite of their albums, but it still is a very enjoyable album. Johnny Marr is an amazing musician and to be able to write as good of songs as they did without being in together while they write is so impressive.

4.25

One great speciality of the British songwriter, one we Brits especially appreciate in our songwriters, is the teller of the uncomfortable truth. One can see shades of it in Mick Jagger, Roger Waters and Damon Albarn, rather more so in John Lennon and Shaun Ryder, and signally in Ray Davies, John Lydon and Jarvis Cocker. However, no British songwriter has embodied this archetype as eminently as Morrissey, the eccentric, catty, wilfully contrarian yodeller of 80s indie codifiers The Smiths. Indeed, pointing out (his version of) facts most would rather cold-shoulder became his songwriting raison d'être. Of course, this stance seems a dangerous one to hold; several of the figures mentioned have struggled with the consequences of an audience expecting a perpetual heckler shouting that he can see the emperor's knob, and I'd argue that this is a significant reason why Morrissey has pissed all over his reputational chips in recent time. But anyway, Meat is Murder, the second Smiths album, offers no extreme departures from the standard Smiths aesthetic. This is not a disparagement; the Smiths had a set palate of some variation (glam-tinged jangles, rockabilly stompers, histrionic wails of despair (their forte)), so they had no real need to go beyond it. Also, the Smiths were rather good at what they did, so we have a rather fine collection of songs. The songs themselves are split between the sardonic, the comic and the tormented; of course, the best song on the album, The Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, belongs in the last category. But note that the jokes on the album often work rather well: I'd like to drop my trousers to the queen Every sensible child will know what this means The poor and the needy Are selfish and greedy on her terms It made me laugh. However, I don't think I call give Meat is Murder five stars. Yes, it's because it just lacks that pinch of spice to complete the recipe. And yes, I should mention that the title track is the weakest on the record, but not for its vegetarian screed; the song is musically a experiment that doesn't really work. A noble misstep, but still a misstep. J.K. Rowling's favourite band is the Smiths.

Chock full of a tasty blend of malaise and melancholy

Moz spittin

I've never listened to this Smiths album before. Sonically, it is very similar to the Queen is Dead, which I know well and love. On first listen, it seems to lack some of the humour and immediacy that contributes to that album's greatness. I guess it's difficult to find vegetarianism that funny or interesting. Having said that, the title track is unintentionally hilarious in its earnestness. 3.5/5

Good album, Morriseys voice is fantastic. Interesting funky undertones too.

Great album!

I’m a big fan of the Queen is Dead, first time listening to this album, it’s also very good but just not as good as their best work. Standard caveat everyone has to make now when praising the Smiths…”Just a shame Morrissey turned out to be a complete arse.”

Never listened to these guys before (though I had heard of them). Surprised to find...I really liked it! Unlike yesterday (Grateful Dead album), where I kept forgetting that I was even listening to anything, this one wouldn't let my mind wander - Kept demanding my attention with cool things, convincing me that it would be worth my time to listen and try to figure out what the songs were about.

As Tom said to me, the singer’s voice is the progenitor for all “hipster/indie bullshit” and I do love my hipster/indie bullshit. While not quite something I would listen to on my own, this is the closest to the kind of music I enjoy of the albums so far.

I enjoyed this one. I was working so not listening super closely, but it had some catchy riffs and I found myself tuning in more than with other albums. This is one that I wouldn't mind hearing again. I wasn't really listening to the lyrics but I think I get the gist.

All in all a less self-serious effort, which suits the sound. The downtempo cuts aren't for me, but the songs feel essential and the musicians all have their chops.

Facts

Idk man ja sku nästan villa ge en femma!!! Anyways deras bästa album…. Ingen keps….

LOVE Johnny's dreamy guitar sound. "Barbarism" is such a cool song. The guitars on the title track are downright spooky. Solid rhythm section too. Morrissey's voice is quite nice (although there were a couple moments it irked me a tiny bit on this album) The Smiths >>> The Cure I like the album, but it doesn't feel QUITE on the same level as the "Queen is Dead" for me. A few of the songs feel a bit too long for what they're worth, but they're all pleasant. The more that internet warriors call Morrissey a terrible person, the more I like him. I'm so fatigued by ppl calling artists pRoBLeMaTic that I think the controversial ones are the coolest ones after all. I'm bored of all the tame basic celebs who tailor every single thing they say to fit the current zeitgeist of socially acceptable opinion. The internet is full of self-flagellating losers who spend their time searching for outrage instead of contributing to society if you look up "i love morrissey" all the top search results are explaining why so many Latin Americans love Morrissey?? What lmfaooo

The glory days before Morrisey was a right wing dick and he made such charming music…

Ok, Morrissey I get it I'll stop eating meat

I liked it!

heard it

Love the Smiths

I really enjoyed the overall message of the album, I did feel like some of the songs did blend together though but enjoyable nontheless.

Very much enjoyed this album. It has a very recognizable sound and brought me right back to the 80s!

Curiós que el que es podria considerar pitjor dels quatre discos oficials de la banda estigui a la llista. Sigui com sigui es millor que el 30% d'ella

What a classic. Comes in just under forty minutes. No filler.

Good stuff, notwithstanding any personal impressions of Morrissey

Ziemlich gutes Ding, gibt aber besserer Smiths Alben

hate to say it aber sehr sehr gut und abwechslungsreich, als ich das zum ersten mal gehört hab fand ich's nicht so gut im vergleich zu the queen is dead Aber heilige scheisse meat is murder (der song) ist der schlechteste song den man ans ende packen würde, kommt nicht ansatzweise an jeden beliebigen anderen song dran 8/10

Noch ein letztes Mal bevor die Grünen es verbieten: Das Album

Barbarim Begins At Home ist der beste Die Schmitts Song

„It’s very obvious that meat eaters don’t like it because it forces them to think about the ethics of their choices.“ ich glaub das ist jetzt mein Lieblingsalbum von den Smiths. Erinnert mich iwie ziemlich an viele der Sachen die bei Creation Records Anfang der 80er rausgekommen sind. Auch wenn man hier imo keine Hits findet ist das Gesamtpaket für die Verhältnisse der Band extrem abwechslungsreich und spaßig

This is not a rant or an hysterical bombast. It is a polite and calmly measured request: Would you please stop mentioning my name in your reviews? Would you please, instead, discuss your own career, your own unstoppable solo achievements and your own music? If you can, would you please just leave me out of it? The fact is: you don’t know me. You know nothing of my life, my intentions, my thoughts, my feelings. Yet you talk as if you were my personal psychiatrist with consistent and uninterrupted access to my instincts. In diesem Sinne solides Dinge was so klingt wie die meisten anderen Smiths sachen was widerum based ist was widerum auch die Lust geschmälert hat weil ich das am wenigsten kenne und bisschen übersätigt bin über die letzten Jahre. Hat für mich nach Gefühl weniger Outstanding Songs so insgesamt. 3,5

nicht das beste smiths album in der liste, trotzdem einige enjoyable tracks (I Want the One I Can’t Have, Nowhere Fast, Barbarism Begins At Home). ganz cool ist der „field recording“ aspekt von dem album, inhaltlich passende geräusche zu samplen, aber es fühlt sich wie eine nur halbgar ausgeführte idee. der title track enthält natürlich einen komplett dämlichen take zum abschluss. strong 3 to light 4 sozusagen.

Clasicc Smiths. Their sound is unique and with Morrissey’s lyrics and Marr’s jangling guitars it a perfect combination. One of Manchester’s finest

Quite a progressive album from The Smiths for the time it was released. There is clearly a lot of underlying dissent to the archaic way Morrissey was treated in school and yet it's also very forward thinking, contrary to the popular sentiment of eating meat as well as jokes at other's expense not being ok. Best: That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore Worst: Nowhere Fast

Genre: Jangle Pop 4/5 Another solid entry from a group I’ve since grown quite fond of. While I don’t find it better or worse than Strangeways, it manages to hit all of the same buttons as the last one did. The arrangements are well done, some really tremendous bass work on this, and Morrissey sounds great in this one too. Well I Wonder is one of my new favorite songs, as well as the kickass opener, The Headmaster Ritual, and I don’t even mind the experimental title track. These guys certainly carried the torch passed along from the Beatles well. Really solid album.

Mjög góð, ætti að hlusta á þessa oftar

Johnny Marr is great, and Morrissey has a fantastic voice. I could do with out the social justice message.

I liked this one, very catchy despite going against a lot of things I like. The vocals- something dreamier must exist, yet they’re still strangely enjoyable

Morrissey is a bit of a dick now, but this is a classic

Muy buen disco

great rock album would love to learn some of the tracks

I enjoyed this one a lot, although it did lack real standout tracks. 3.5 rounded up.

bra grejer

Let's face it, 'Strangeways' is their greatest album. Moz and Marr still come out swinging with this album though (even if it is only a bunch of gladioli). Though Moz may have turned into an insufferable boor and the title track is the worst song on here, it's still a solid album but (I'm saying it again) it's not their best. No matter what anyone may tell you. Best Tracks: I Want The One I Can't Have; That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore

Morrissey is the worst vegetarian since Hitler, but whether or not he's trying to be, he's pretty funny. The plaintive howl of "I've seen this happen in other people's lives, and now it's happened in mine" from "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" is exactly as straight-faced as it needs to be for the song to work. I feel bad for the members of The Smiths who aren't Morrissey because they seem decent and talented (the bass on "Barbarism Begins at Home" is a particular stand out performance) and Morrissey seems exhausting to be around.

Á að vera besta Smiths platan. Er ekki sammála. Samt góð.

Nível de musicalidade agradável, faixas ótimas

It takes a special skill to separate The Smiths Morrissey from what he's like now, but I've managed it. All four Smiths albums are wonderful and I expect to see The Queen is Dead and Strangeways Here We Come in the 1001 albums

This is catchy and has a great 80s feel.

"How Soon is Now?" might be my favorite song from the Smiths, and it was on the US release of this album. I will listen to that track every time. I have heard other albums by the Smiths all the way through, including some 'Best of...' albums. I don't think that I have listened to this album all the way through. Many of the tracks felt new to me, but with the familiar Smiths sound. I would listen to this album again.

but murder is also murder

Overall I enjoyed this album, which I was surprised about. My favourite songs are The Headmaster's Ritual and Nowhere fast. 4/5 stars just because I felt it sounded a bit repetitive.

Listening to this made me realize that I'd only ever heard The Smiths in passing. They have such a great, unique sound and this album blew way past my expectations

Great album, shame Morrissey turned out to be such a bell-end

Hate that Morrisey's a total piece of garbage because this is really good. My favorite Smiths songs aren't on here but as a whole album it's probably my favorite of theirs.

No a huge Smiths fan but enjoyed this and when relistened enjoyed it even more

Gonna do the usual, seperate music from art and artist. But also fuck Morrissey. The album is good, as most of the smiths work is. I like it, made me feel vaguely bad about eating meat, which I think was the goal. Anyway, solid guitar work, writing, and vocals

4.5

Feels like a fever dream.. especially “What She Said” for some reason. Not in a bad way necessarily

August 27, 2021 This was not bad? A bit depressing.

Pretty great music from The Smiths. Morrissey is always a little bit too much lyrically, but it’s still a unique listen. Johnny Marr is a killer guitarist and shines through the whole album.

4/10

Not their best album but excellent nonetheless. Headmaster Ritual, nowhere fast, that joke isn’t funny anymore....We’re talkin all the hits, all the big ones, all the good ones. The he smells crime again, he's out busting heads. Then he's back to the lab for some more full penetration. Smells crime. Back to the lab, full penetration. Crime. Penetration. Crime. Full penetration. Crime. Penetration. And this goes on and on and back and forth for 45 or so minutes until the album just sort of ends...

Some of the best to come out of the UK in the 80's the rhythm section is on point and the guitar playing is layered with great rhythm and melodies. The grooves are huge for a 4-piece rock band. Even Morrissey works way harder than most vocalists.

A catchy album. The vocals kind of drifted into the background for me, but the instrumentals were where the whole thing really shined.

good

my only issue with the Smiths is that in the first few seconds of every song i go 'oh yeah I've heard this before' and then it turns out I haven't. I liked this album. Made me think about tom keight

There was a time before Mozza became a reactionary cunta. It was pretty magic.

Норм прокачался, в How Soon Is Now? залип немного. Решил пересмотреть Зачарованных (нет).

Some stand out songs and plenty of warbling.

É contrastante o instrumental feliz com a melancolia da voz. O álbum não é mau, retirei várias musicas do mesmo, contudo não são nada de extraordinário, pode até dizer se que várias musicas soavam de uma forma demasiado semelhante. Nota:7/10

classic smiths

Saved Prior: None Off Rip: The Headmaster Ritual, Rusholme Ruffians, I Want the One I Can't Have, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Nowhere Fast Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: I love the Smiths, but I don't know if I've found a Smiths album that I adore yet. They all have really good songs, but also songs that I would rather skip. Just as with Strangeways the first half was much better than the second half. Nevertheless, a 4 of an album (Strangeways was also probably a 4 too but I can't change my old ratings). Excited for The Queen Is Dead which is supposedly their masterpiece.

Loved this, really into it. My favourite of the new wave / Post punk stuff coz the singer of this band can sing pretty well. Plenty of sick bass lines too. Going for 4 stars not five because I checked out a subsequent album and I think it was better and more varied.

Yeah classic

Very good. Especially Barbarism Begins At Home.

4 Sterne schon allein für Johnny Marr

Enjoyed

I came in heavily biased because so many cool bands, (and bands that think they're cool) cite the smiths as an influence and I sort of rolled my eyes at the hipster cred of it. I'll be honest though, I really dug the album! I've heard so many mediocre attempts to create a sound like this from bands that came after, but this all really worked for me. Not something I'd seek often, but delighted to listen through now and again, and have as a treat. Morrissey seems like an insufferable prick though.

Litt lei dette albumet

Really good! Melodic vocals. Great example of early English post-punk.

I liked this one. It was pretty good background noise and nothing really annoying in it.

Good

The songs are so friendly and approachable, then the lyrics bite at you. Really classic sounding, doesn't necessarily sound like an "80's album" which I tend to appreciate.

This album is depressing. Even looking at the track list it feels downtrodden. Not to say it isn't good, as I do think this is a good album. I've heard singles here and there from the Smiths, it wasn't something that grabbed me but hearing songs like "That joke isn't funny anymore" and "Nowhere Fast", will bring more of their music into my rotation.The instrumentals in this are far more upbeat than the lyrics. which gives it a great quality, it saddens me and gives me hope at the same time. Really good album.

Alright

Great easy listening, and some absolute classics! Glad to have listened to this.

Love the feel of this, even if the message is off.

Good album, easy to lose yourself in

Awesome bass lines, great guitar riffs. Pompous lyrics. Good album, worth another listen

Er værd at høre igen

Title track is annoying, but overall album is good.

Kind of a low-key Smiths album. Not quite on the same level as my favorites- Queen is Dead, Strangeways, and Louder Than Bombs. I do love the title track, despite being a carnivore. I think it’s a sincere expression of a deeply held belief.

moz > jesus

Good album. Enjoyed Marr’s guitar playing a lot throughout the album. I really like and hate Morrissey’s voice at the same time. I like it on its own, but I feel like it kinda sounds the same in each song, although maybe I wasn’t listening closely enough. Wish Morrissey was a better person, I really think he could’ve been if it wasn’t for his massive ego. I think that seeps into the lyrics more than I’d like. Still a good album and would listen to again.

Cool calm rock

Is Smiths, what do you expect? Got some Morrissey chanting in your ears, and the shoegaze rock and roll of the band, what's not to like.

Morrissey is an ass but man is this a great album. I'm jokingly calling it "the godfather of Emo". Love Johnny Marr's guitar playing, never takes center stage but always creating an atmosphere that is distinctly his. Favorite tracks: "I Want the One I Can't Have", "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore"

7

I don’t know The Smiths but this seemed pretty decent

Meat is murder had many great songs like the head master ritual, meat is murder, barbarism begins at home ect. Yet I struggle to call it a great album due to some of the more lack luster tracks like Rusholme Ruffians, ect. I struggle to say what is wrong with these song, they just didn’t grab my attention after 2 listens. Maybe after listening to this album more I will appreciate them more. 7/10

Y'a des classiques, j'ai arrêté l'écoute quand j'ai lu que Morissey était sioniste

Groovy, unique sound. I can see why they're sort of iconic. 'Meh' for me. (Pasted from my other group.)

Ok

It was alright, but I wasn't amazed by it.

Think I’m finally done with all of Morrissey’s material on this project; the UK bias is shown with his 7 albums… I mean you couldn’t narrow it down? They all sound the same. 2.5/5 just as much for being fed up than with the quality of the tracks here

This is better than I expected. It's not 100% my taste, but I'll probably put it on now and then. Certainly makes me curious to hear more of their music.

Not bad for a Smiths album, particularly the uptempo songs, but Morrissey still really grates on me and that gets worse on the slow songs. Well I Wonder was a lowlight, Nowhere Fast was fun.

Pompous ass Morrisey putting out music that is unfortunately listenable. Maybe it’s the band and not him that does it. Ya I’ll go with that.

This was mostly fine. I don't love the vocals, but Morrissey has sounded worse on other albums and there's some good guitar work. 3.2

No lo terminé😔. Me gusta The Smiths pero nothing groundbreaking y hay álbumes que me gustan más.

Enjoyed a few songs, a bit repetitive though.

typical Smiths album - nothing really stood out.

This is music from my era and I did not listen to it then and stll feel the same way about it now.

Pretty good and consistent and defined worth replaying. 7/10

Meh.

It’s a perfectly fine album, but nothing very exciting or interesting about it. I listened to it for the first time last year, and I think I liked it less on this listen. Good, but too ordinary, all except the last song which is a bit weird.

Listened to this while enjoying a delicious hamburger

An enjoyable Smiths album?! While Morrissey is getting massively carried by his bandmates as usual, his presence here is more balanced and harmonious than I'm used to. Andy Rourke is phenomenal as always, and I love that he gets to really show off in the penultimate track. Standouts: What She Said • The Joke Isn't Funny Anymore • Well I Wonder • Barbarism Begins at Home • Meat Is Murder

questionable

Didnt finish oops, this one is kind of funny and alt

Some 80s rock. It's fine but just also feels like any rock from that time.

Good concept behind it lyrically good 6/10

Ordinarily, I'm much more into The Smiths, despite Morrissey being a huge twat. But this album doesn't do it for me.

Just there, neither great or bad. Honestly Morrissey's voice is probably the worst thing of this album. 5/10 Top song The joke isn't funny anymore

not their best work. every song on this album sounds very similar. it’s fine it’s the smiths they’re always gonna be at least somewhat good but idk just nothing standout about this album

Aika tasapaksua menoa, mutta eipä toki ärsytäkään, menee huomaamattomasti taustamusiikkina.

the vocals got so dreadful after a while. loved johnny marr's guitar playing. i would have loved this if i listened when i was younger. i think the guitar playing would have changed my life. it's incredible. but this album drones for me. the lyrics are also not as amazing and poetic as everyone says. i agree meat is murder though

Redonditos derikotavibes

Moody emo, as expected

The list strikes again. The Smiths are one of my all time favorite bands, but I would have chosen pretty much any other album but this one to represent them. Well I Wonder aside the songs seem more aimless than previous efforts. The guitar parts aren’t of the precise, ornately picked variety that informs so much of their sound. And the title track is just wretchedly sanctimonious and unpleasant to listen to with its piped in industrial machinery and animal sounds. Still beats the hell out of a lot of shit on this list though so it gets a rating bump.

I listened to Strangeways like 3 days ago so when this popped up I was like "lovely, another shitty album", but I was nicely surprised by this record! Maybe it's their older albums I should be listening too as this wasn't as sad and depressing as their other songs I've heard. Vocals still irk me from time to time but the backing tracks are amazing. Especially the lead guitar riff in Barbarism. Need to learn that shit immediately. Did not expect myself to ever say that I enjoyed a Smiths album. Favourite tracks: The Headmaster Ritual, I Want The One I Can't Have, What She Said, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Nowhere Fast, Barbarism Begins at Home 3/5

This felt like it could have been much more enjoyable for me with a different singer, I would be digging the music and then Morrissey would pop in wailing over top of it and I would immediately lose interest. Did enjoy "The Headmaster Ritual" "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" and "Barbarism Begins At Home"

I started it 3 times but it just didn’t grab me. My 18 year old self listened to this non-stop so I’m surprised it doesn’t resonate more

As the Smiths' breakthrough album in the US, this title has historical significance. It is not, however, an especially good album. For me, there are two standout tracks -- That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore and Nowhere Fast (a good example of how very memorable songs by the Smiths can be hard to remember by name, owing to their idiosyncratic titling habits). There are a lot of songs that are perfectly functional Smiths songs, but were destined by nature to complete albums, not anchor them. Lots of these are overlong -- I never really focused before on how Joke Isn't Funny goes on and on for a long time, fades out, then comes back (!) for a little bonus.-- move on, chaps! -- and in the past, I have found theis album's tendency to drag compounded by the poor sound quality. That seems to have been fixed, because it sounded good -- clear,clean, dynamic -- when I listened to it this time. One of its signature features -- that it includes their best song, How Soon Is Now -- is yet another of those "US vs UK version of the album" things. In the US, they added non-album single How Soon. If we exclude that song from consideration, we are left with two excellent songs and a lot of ok ones. Listening to this album from start to finish is not the best way to experience the Smiths.

Good but not my favorite of theirs

mid 3.5

First off, meat is not murder. Unless we're talking human meat. Silly hippies. I feel like this guy's voice should annoy me more than it does. And the music should annoy me, but doesn't really. That's kinda weird. But I guess this album was fine? It actually feels like Tears for Fears, but manages to not suck at it.

I like the group but hadn't heard this album in it's entirety. It was good. If this WAS my first album of theirs I likely would have moved on. The recording kind of sucked.

Groovy, unique sound. I can see why they're sort of iconic. 'Meh' for me.

Just fine.

I like the Smiths but in small doses. This was too much. TOP songs: The Headmaster Ritual, That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore

I good album. The Smiths are always good if you're feeling kinda moody. The Queen is Dead is still their best album IMO, but I enjoyed this one and it gave me the motivation to go explore more of their discography.

Not best songs but, best album. She’d sit and prophesies n all that.

I've managed to go decades without knowingly being exposed to Morrissey, so I can't comment on how big an asshole he is, but it's evidently massive. There are good and bad parts to this album. The music is pretty good, I'd call it above average 80s indie pop/rock. The lyrics at ok, I guess. Nothing that catches my attention. The vocals, though. Morrissey sounds like he's singing in an echo chamber. And the wailing gets old fast. Still, the music puts this slightly above average. 3.5. P.S. - Meat Is Murder (the track) is terrible.

Another good album! In my opinion, this is the weakest Smiths project I’ve heard though. If you haven’t heard their compilation albums or The Queen is Dead - listen to those instead :)

Huh two Smiths albums in a row! I could figure out the probability of this but I'm too lazy. This one is interesting given that I didn't really listen to it as a kid, given that all these songs are new to my ears. It's certainly their first album, and it's certainly from 1985. Not nearly as good as Hatful of Hollow, but I do usually give some grace to the first album a band puts out. Most interesting track was What She Said, of only for the fact that Marr was thiiiiiiis close to nailing Shield's sound on Isn't Anything, but three years before the MBV album. Pretty cool.

Ihan ok. Ei säväytä kuitenkaan. 2,75/5.

wouldve been a 2 if not for well i wonder

I love The Smiths, but this album isn't my favourite of theirs. Favourite song off this album: Barbarism Begins at Home.

Not the best Smiths album I've listened to but still good

"The Headmaster Ritual" had guitars (Marr) and bass (Rourke) that blended together in a way that immediately tickled my ears. Even Morrisey's voice and lyrics couldn't bring down the high it initially created; this one is up there with the best of The Smiths with "How Soon is Now?" and "Charming Man" (neither songs on this album, though) Despite it's solid bassline, "Rusholme Ruffians" felt like a dip in quality compared to the song before, the guitar wasn't as interesting and already, 2 tracks in, I am tiring of Morrisey's voice; that whining off-key break around the 1:40 mark (and in other places) just made me shudder in the worst way. "I Want the One I Can't Have" had better guitar sections, even some enjoyable lyrics... it's just *him*; more specifically, it's another instance where he pushes his voice to break. It just sounds so jarring. "What She Said" was much better, his voice improved with the reverb/delay to fit more in line with the instruments. This one was actually quite enjoyable. For the same reasons, I also quite enjoyed "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore". "Nowhere Fast" was largely forgettable for me, as was "Well I Wonder", making them bleed each other. "Barbarism Begins at Home", though, for it's extra twangy bassline and Morrisey's chants of 'A Crack on the Head, is just what You get' was enjoyable again. For reasons I cannot constructively describe, I did not enjoy "Meat is Murder" as the closing track; a poor way to end the album. **************************************************************** As a side note, this album made me realise that, Because of this journey in particular, "Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds" is starting to feel like shorthand for 'Wonderful music, slaughtered by an awful lead singer'; I find that it's this that irks me the most in music, as something that feels so near to being enjoyable for me, yet so far away. I enjoyed more of 'Meat is Murder' than I care to admit, though my enjoyment is curbed by my perceptions (by the way they are delivered) of the lead singer's dogmatic belief that their lyrics are artistically profound.

Good stuff but does not stand out from the rest of their discography, other records would be my go to over this. Ill listen to the songs when they come on in my playlist but Im not looking any of them up to play.

Britpop in optima forma

Generally pretty good, but doesn't have much in the way of standout tracks like some of their other albums. Their debut deserves to be on this list far more than this does Fav track: Barbarism Begins at Home

This didn't really captivate me much. I find the Smiths just a bit too dreary. Fave Tracks: Barbarism Begins at Home 3.2/5

Classic Smith's sound

Not my favorite Smiths album but still decent.

podem me xingar, me chamar de corno, de bobão. Mas depois de 20 min com a voz do morrisey não dá mais

Close to a 4, but nothing majorly stands out. Also, frickin Morrissey

This is good, I found it hard to focus during my listen though.

S’okay.

Liker soundet til The Smiths

The eighth and final record featuring Morrissey on this list, and probably one of the best but glad there aren’t any more.

Got to respect it…. Not my go to record though

6.5/10 Will I add this album to my library? no

My least favorite Smiths album. Undermined by Morrissey’s recent behavior like everything else they did.

6/10 No me acuerdo que puse, pero estaba bueno, nada que resalte pero cumplidor

Music is great, lyrics so whiny ... what do I do with this?

Album mid degli smiths, ci sono altri che preferisco

Inte lika bra som deras andra grejer, men helt okej!

Bra, men fastnade mer för deras tidigare alster på listan.

Man would this not be a great band if it wasn’t for the fact that Morrissey is singing it all.

This album would be so much better if it weren't for Morrissey's singing. He turns an interesting new-wave post-punk sound into a moody slurry sound. Props to the rest of the musicians in the band, and that's why it gets a half-decent score.

6/10… madchester / new wave / *1985

An overall solid album. Johnny Marr's guitar work is exemplary and Morrissey's vocals carry that certain quality of someone who is trying to catch lightning in a bottle.