Reviews (page 9 of 14)
Shitting on Morrissey in a Smiths review is such low hanging fruit it may as well be a root vegetable. I’m gonna do it anyway. This retarded faggot is genuinely a disservice to an extremely tight musical outfit. You put literally any other vocalist in front of these guys and I would rate every album five stars. The unique combination of Morrissey’s annoying as fuck moany voice added to the moments when my zen master mental filter fails me and I actually comprehend the lyrics instead of my brain scrambling them to just be another instrumental track he becomes so insufferable I feel like pushing him into a locker. I’m not surprised he doesn’t fuck. What a loser. The worst song on this entire album has to be the title track. I can’t imagine anyone being inspired toward ethical vegetarianism by this tosser. The real curiosity for this one came though when I did a bit more research on Morrissey’s views. On one hand he is an ardent militant vegetarian, and has compared eating animals to being a pedophile - obviously implying he thinks pedophilia is bad. On the other hand though, he seems to be some sort of British patriot - you see my confusion. How can one be a British patriot while slagging off their national pastime? It boggles the mind. Regardless this album is alright if you skip the last track and do your best to ignore the retard frontman. Props to the band for making this at least listenable.
Not the best from the Smiths but still good. Extremely backloaded, had never heard the title track, what a Masterpiece. 7/10 Fav tracks - I want the One I can't have, The Joke isn't funny anymore, well I wonder, barbarism begins at home, meat is Murder Least fav - idk
Maybe not as good as the Queen Is Dead but this has my favourite smiths song on it (That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore). The instrumentals here are as strong as Queen Is Dead, Morrissey definitely leans a lot more into his mopey shit and it works for me. The weak songs here (Rusholme Ruffians, What She Said, Meat Is Murder) aren’t always a skip and the strong ones here always have me rewinding to listen again. This album isn’t going to make me a vegetarian but goddamn if it isn’t good enough to make me forget what a colossal jackass Morrissey is (mainly thanks to Johnny Marr).
Fantastic album. Lyrics, guitar, bass, and drums are all top notch.
# Playlist track - The Headmaster Ritual # Notes - I hope you have the chance of listening to this without knowing anything about Morrissey. - Having said that, the arrangements are top-notch! Marr (the guitarist) is really an underrated musician. - Meat is murder is kind of a pretentious, self-righteous track, but that's in-character for them.
As much as I enjoy the smiths, I much prefer them in a playlist so I’m not listening to constant melancholy from morrissey. That was not an ideal way to start the morning, I felt like I was mourning by the time I was finished getting ready in the morning. No tracks really stood out for me, thought they were all okay-good but they kind of blurred into one after a while. I may have been the architect of my own downfall with this rating, have I given myself morrissey fatigue by listening to him too much over the years or did I really just not enjoy this album that much?
It’s a very ‘The Smiths’ sounding album. Musically they’re always very good, Morrissey gets on my tits though and I’m not massive on his voice. He’s a very marmite character, and in my opinion, you shouldn’t put marmite in your ears all too often. Music definitely made it a middle of the road listen.
Not a huge fan of the Smiths, listening to Morrissey sing makes me feel like I'm stood in the middle of Snobs, my shoes sticking to the beer and chylamdia soaked floor, trying not to look as pissed as I absolutely feel. Some of the music was okay, I've just never been a fan of that indie/gothic style. Ummed and arred about whether to rate this a 2 or 3, solely on the last track. It was horrendous- but it's supposed to be horrendous, so job well done on that front.. it's unlike anything I've heard before. That being said, I'd pulled up at a McDonalds drive-thru, at around 4 in the morning just before listening. I was told to wait in bay 4 for my food, and decided to play this last remaining song. Now I can't think of anything worse to do than hear this song, whilst sitting in a cold dark car, waiting for someone to hand me 9 chicken selects at some ungodly hour of the morning. I hated every bit of my delicious murder-food, and despised myself for licking my fingers after. So I've settled on 2 stars, because I didn't need Morrissey or the rest of the Smiths judging me when I was already at a low point, eating chicken in a frosty car, at the arsehole of dawn.
didnt know how to feel. Dont think I like the blokes voice. Bit messy. Thought I was gonna like the last song until it turned out to be vegetarian propaganda.
Even completely heinous arseholes like Morrisey can do incredible things, and this album is a work of art. I enjoy it so much, I can even block out all the insufferable, smug, hipster cretins who adopt The Smiths in lieu of having personalities. Headmaster's Ritual and I Want the One I Can't Have are so lyrically sharp, and the melodies are well crafted, the guitar cuts through to the forefront, and the rhythm sections are certified bops and super tight. Rusholme Ruffians is a lovely, jangly romp in the hay. Even the peculiar, whimpering backing vocals sit nicely. That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore has lots of lovely layers to unpack. The strings, the piercing guitar overdubs, echoing drums, the melancholy of the words and the myriad of sounds, the relentless repetition of “I've seen this happen…”, the vocal arrangement at the end, the false ending. Ahh, takes me to orgasmic stratospheres. Nowhere Fast, who doesn't want to drop their trousers to the things they find irksome? This is a strange rickety train of a song, but it's still full of character. Well I Wonder is another mewing, whimpering waltz, nicely placed between some pop-ier tunes. Pleasant spots of rain in the background and I think some synths in there too…. Barbarism Begins at Home has one of the most satisfying bass lines to listen to, and to play. What fun! The ‘sszooop’ sucking/sweeping noise throughout is very effective, similar to The Beatles’s ‘sszooop’ on ‘Girl’. Fantastic guitar work from Marr on this, so much going on. Great song title too. Meat Is Murder is compelling in its message. However, my taste buds will always beat my heart strings in this morality election, and the taste of pork swung that vote a long time ago. Nice try Moz, I'll enjoy the song for it's swelling soundscape and catchy hook, but little else. A perfect weaving of humour, despair, melody, romantic aesthetics, and some pretty mean riffery. What She Said is skip-able, and the album ending on slaughterhouse noises is irritating, but what do you expect from the precocious prince of indie. I'm asserting my discretion and slapping five stars on the table!
Es un buen disco, aunque The Smiths es medio monótono. Pero tiene algunos temakos.
Not a big fan. Vocals are better than the last from this band but still meh
Aargh, it's in my head!
kinda strange british stuff
This is not for me: - sounds all the same to me - can't appreciate the vocals; sounds like a whining kid - the only exception being 'That joke isn't funny anymore', but then again, why is the fade out / fade in around 3:50 required? Maybe that joke was still funny in 1985.
I have never listened to this one. It was cool :), particularly Barbarism Begins At Home
A few good songs but I don't really like Morrisey's voice
# Album Name: Meat is Murder # Artist: The Smiths # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Pretty good listen overall. I would say its a safe album. I can see why people dont connect with it. That joke isnt funny anymore is a classic smiths sound which i associate with the band. This is a helluva track. Sadly the majority of the album isnt of the same standard. Marr is great as always. I was torn between a 3 and a 3.5 for this album. However, ive heard some real average stuff recently which i gave a 3. This album is probably better than those so ill round up to a 4 ( a very low one) # Top Tunes: That joke isnt funny anymore / Barbarism / well i wonder / # Would I listen to it again? Parts of it.
Not bad at all, but being exposed to The Queen Is Dead feels like I was spoiled the best hits of the band, really. Hope that album finds me here eventually.
I don't like the Smiths
No
By some coincidence, I actually listened to this album earlier in the day before I revealed today's album. Not my favourite Smith's album though
The Smiths is voor mij de blauwdruk aan zeikerige Britse Indierock bands. Nooit echt verschrikkelijk, ook zeker nooit geweldig. Gewoon, de blauwdruk. Waarschijnlijk wel echt baanbrekend toen ze begonnen, maar ondertussen zo ontzettend 13 in een dozijn dat je hierover struikeld op Best Kept Secret ofzo. LAstig voor mij om dan nu te reviewen, want als iets ontzettend standaard klinkt, omdat het ooit die standaard heeft gezet is het dan nog wel slecht? Lekker filosofisch op de donderdagmiddag, denk daar maar even goed over na. Muzikaal klinkt het trouwens best wel goed hoor, daar niet van, maar jezus deze zanger is echt een ontzettende zeikerd. Dat vond ik de vorige albums ook al een issue bij The Smiths, en dat is niet verbeterd. Als ze een andere, gezelligere zanger hadden was dit absoluut 4 sterren, nu is het gewoon ok. Hoe verder dit ablum gaat hoe geirriteerder ik raak. WAAROM heeft deze band deze draak van een zanger? Want instrumentaal klinkt dit zó goed!! Hoor die bassline op Barbarism... Echt, what couldve been ... FAVO: The headmaster ritual, Well I Wonder
Musically, decent. Lyrically, like if someone got a teenagers diary from the north in the 80s and picked bits out. Vocally, droll. Not sure what the title track was all about, don't tell me about your mundane existence then complain that I eat meat.
Songs i know : 1 Songs i like: 1 ish Considering I'm a fan of the smiths this is a bit shit by their standards, not a lot happens and I won't go back to it. It's undoubtedly got the smiths style so it's at least got that going for it. Light to mid 2.
Can I shock you? I don’t mind The Smiths (I just fucking hate Morrissey) This is ok - The Headmaster Ritual is a great tune and most of the tracks are pretty boppy. The bass and drums tend to stay the same throughout the songs while Johnny Marr has a mooch on his fretboard and it works pretty well. Morrissey is obviously a cunt and while he throws out some nice melodies, his singing style gets on my tits. Starts to all blur together towards the end and gets very samey. Don’t get quite why The Smiths are as revered as they are. REM’s Losing my Religion came on after this finished and showed The Smiths how you properly do weird indie pop. Highlights: The Headmaster Ritual Lowlights: Everything else was just a bit meh
Is the moment I have to come to terms with the fact I actually like The Smiths? For most of my life my argument has been one of Marr being ace and the songs are great but let down by the singer being a monumental prick. Thankfully I don't need to acknowledge this potentially troubling possibility as I found this album to be bang average despite some excellent melodies as per from Marr. The rest of the band do a solid job on this. Standouts: The Headmaster Ritual I Want the One I Can't Have What She Said Low Points: The last 4 tracks really lost me and I found myself waiting for the album to finish so I could stick on The Best of The Smiths and hear some bangers. Very bangers lite this album. This also must be Stephen at his most warbly and meandering. Fair play for sticking your veganism front and central and ending with a protest song on the matter but I've just won a load of meat at a meat raffle and I can't wait to get stuck into it.
This album was alright. Enjoyed a few tracks: Barbarism Begins at Home, Nowhere Fast and What She Said. Everything else was a bit ok. Meat is Murder has the line “and Death for no reason is MURDER”. I think that there is a reason though, delicious life sustaining food.
Didn’t hate it, didn’t love it. Just was just a load of bang average Smiths songs. One stood out as decent until the bass solo came in and stuck around for too long like an odious fart. 5/10. Round it down because of, well, Morrisey
Another very surprising outcome. This is the 3rd Smiths album I've had on this list and the previous 2 were split between good and bad experiences. This was another good experience. A couple of really good tracks, and the rest weren't bad either.
Love the smiths me
Remarkably listenable for post-punk
Found it a bit muddy and indistinct, tracks blended into each other even on third listen. The only bit I remember is when he says "meat is murder" which reminded me to have lunch
i like the smiths - i said I like the smiths.
Meh, couldn't get into it
Very good album. I've heard it several times and still like it very much. I also happen to be vegetarian so that's a plus. My Top 3: 3. Barbarism Begins at Home 2. Meat is Murder 1. The Headmaster Ritual
okay, some good songs that i liked the sound of
Probably my least favorite Smiths album, even though it's the favourite of a certain subset of Marr and the Mozz's fans, quite inexplicably for me. I suspect the iconic cover art, only bested by *The Queen Is Dead*'s Alain Delon, plays its part here. But for me, the music in the Smiths' magnum opus is as good as its artwork (if not more), instead of what occurs with *Meat Is Murder*. Musically and compositionally speaking, a couple of tracks indeed verge on ridiculousness in this LP (example, second cut "Rusholme Ruffians"). Most of the others are decent enough, even if a bit mundane at times (or they overstay their welcome, like the heavy-handed funk of "Barbarism Begins At Home", whose album version is twice too long). Fortunately, you also have a handful of stellar tracks that are part of the very best of The Smiths' repertoire: opener "The Headmaster Ritual", sinister "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" and lively-yet-also-snarling "Nowhere Fast". But that's only a tiny minority in the track list (the old US version also including "How Soon Is Now?" makes the album better, but it's not considered a "cannon" version today, I'm afraid). Lyrically and vocally speaking, early Morrissey does what he does best: grating your ears with over-affected simpering for one second, suddenly impressing you with an unexpected change of pace in another, and delivering strings and strings of striking one-liners and punchlines about how miserable and inadequate his borderline-autistic narrators all feel. One of my favourite examples in that realm, found towards the end of "Nowhere Fast": "And when I'm lying in my bed I think about life And I think about death And neither one particularly appeals to me And if the day came When I felt a natural emotion I'd get such a shock I'd probably lie In the middle of the street and die I'd lie down and die Oh, oh" I mean, there is some obvious form of self-deprecating humour at play here, and that triggers tender feelings on my part (whereas latter days Morrissey triggers nothing but scorn from me). As for Johnny Marr's guitar playing, nicely assisted by Rourke and Joyce, it's constant fireworks after fireworks, as usual. And this even on the disappointing compositions, and in spite of the unimpressive, paper-thin eighties production values -- admittedly less annoying than on the band's debut, but still clearly doing a disservice to the guitarist's work decades after the fact. So, overall, it's rather a mixed bag but it's a mixed bag by one of the most idiosyncratic rock bands that has ever graced this Earth. That explains why the album landed on Dimery's list, I guess, even if I doubt there will be room left for it on mine. 3/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums. 8/10 for more general purposes (5 + 3) Number of albums left to review: 5 (plus the 80-ish extra LPs listed on this app, included because different past versions of the book have mentioned albums that have since been dropped in subsequent editions) Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 428 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 255 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 315
I've been meaning to listen to this for years holy fuck
Once again we arrive at the juxtaposition of Morrissey's assholery compared to his lovely, softspoken vocal style. However, this album has the interesting case of almost feeling like Morrissey knows he's an asshole. It doesn't peek through crystal clear or anything, but the topics this somehow darker Smiths album takes feel like Morrissey just doesn't care anymore. This is funny, of course, as it's their second record and they frankly didn't have the multitude of massive hits to fall back on quite yet, but that gives this album a sharper edge that feels fed up with the world rather than accepting being just another pawn in it. It wants to do something, but it can't, and I really enjoy that. It knows what it wants to say, and it gets in and says it then dips pretty quickly. Do I agree with all of it? Maybe not, but if the message "Meat Is Murder" resonated with my mother enough for her to become vegetarian, then it must be doing something right.
Meat is murder but it is also delicious.
4/5 for the Smiths. 1/5 for Morrisey.
It's okay. 3/5
I try and I try to like the smiths and I struggle to feel it.
Álbum de sonoridade bem repetitiva Ideia muito política, pouca diversão
Album bom mas com nome de lacrolandia. A voz do Morrisey é meio chata as vezes e a qualidade é a mesma dos outros albuns
bem the smiths das ideias. achei bom, bem político. a melhor música do álbum é Well I Wonder!
the og sadboys meat is murder não me converteu ao veganismo
I've heard this album before. Nice melodic arrangements, but Morrisey's vocals detract and result in an album that never resonates or seems to match the passion of the lyrics.
I was disappointed. Their previous (compilation) album had a number of songs that I love. This one: a bit dull.
This album had tough subject matter to get through while suffering from a headache on a rainy November Monday. Lyrics aside, the music was enjoyable. I prefer their The Queen is Dead album more, though. "You should know, time's tide will smother you. And I will too"
Classical Smiths: simultaneously good music and depressing subjects. I don't think there were any big hits on this album, but there was a bit of experimentation. It's a soft 4: better than some of the things I've given a 3, but it could be better. Art can push us to consider uncomfortable things.
Solid. Strong 3 but not quite enough for a 4.
Not the best smiths but better than i expected
as a vegetarian i find this shit kinda annoying
Favorite track: "Well I Wonder"
It's strange because i listen a lot to the queen is dead album and in this one the sound is very different. It sound more bright even though the singer voice is very malinconic. The song Barbarism begins at home is really good with a ripetitive (in a good way) guitar riff
There is a very 80’s quality in the vocals and arrangements that meets nicely with the guitar/folksy side. I’m glad we got some more Smiths to enjoy.
Yet another from Morrissey and Co., that makes quite a few on this list if you include solo albums. Only saved two tracks on here, one just for the funny lyrics of "I'd like to drop my trousers to the Queen," hilarious. Around that time I was talking to Joey and Jack and we started doing bits of Morrissey lyrics if he was as randy as Austin Powers. "I was looking for some strange, and then I found some strange, and heaven knows I'm randy as hell." "If a randy Mr. Bean, sucked my willy clean, to die with a bonk-on would be the randiest way to die." That's about the gist of it, more entertained by that bit than this album. Also the title track with cows mooing is so lame, reminds of that PJ Harvey "war album." Favorite tracks: I Want the one I Can't Have, Nowhere Fast. Album art: I do like this cover, a bit of a classic. Soldier in the trenches, with the title on his helmet, plus the title is also on the side. It's good. 2.5/5
I'd rather shit in my hands and clap than listen to The Smiths ever again 1 ⭐️
Boaring! The 3rd Album of this absolute unimpressive band.
Not bad.
I like the Smiths without really liking the Smiths all that much. But I listened all the way through and was rewarded. Several quality songs on this one, and by the end I could appreciate it. Favorite songs: "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore." "Well I Wonder" "Barbarism Begins at Home"
Good band out of the 80’s . Good sound, good music.
I bought this album on cassette when it was released in the USA. It was my first Smiths album. Somehow it resonated with me deeply, and to this day still does. I am likely a bit biased here as this music elicits an emotional and nostalgic feeling in me. Happy and sad. Beautiful lyrics and musicianship.
God, make it stop! Morriseys maudlin lyrics and droning voice over the pedestrian backing music was too much…I couldn’t make it through…Morrisey is musical murder.
Confession: any smiths I have heard thus far I have not liked. Not to mention that current day morissey is an ass. So was not expecting much from this album. However, I was pleasantly surprised that I didn’t hate this album. It was pleasant enough and I enjoyed a few tracks. I’m still not a smiths fan but I can now see why somebody might be.
What a beautiful album this is. Never stops giving.
I used to really like The Smiths when I was younger. This is still a pretty decent album, even if Morrissey isn't a decent person.
Good
The incredible thing about the Smiths is that they never had a weak album; from The Smiths to Strangeways. My favorite is whichever I happen to be listening to. Morrissey and Marr get all of the love, but name me a tighter bassist/drummer combo than Rourke and Joyce. Those guys are in the Jones/Bonham category of creating unique, creative, but incredibly solid, rhythm platforms to support all of the genius stacked on top.
Stunning riffs in this. Below the queen is dead for me. But still a stellar album in my mind. Morrisey tends to be extra mumbly mumbly in this tho. Maybe that adds to the aesthetic. Maybe I’d hate it if I could fully understand what was coming out of his racist mouth. Idk.
Great album.
Not my genre of music. It's inoffensive, but not my thing. Better than Morrissey I suppose, but not by much in my opinion. I'm also probably wrong. I listen to bad music all the time.
I enjoyed feeling like a coming-of-age movie protagonist on this totally grey-skied Halloween eve. The Smiths vibe always has that jolly melancholy. Bass had no business going to hard in Barbarism Begins at Home too. I'm not going vegan for Morrissey tho. Last track was the worst one by miles.
Some good grooves, but overall not my favourite Smiths album
Hmmm...I think this album is too much Morrissey and it kinda all sounds the same. Was disappointed.
In spite of Morrissey's..everything...and in spite of this being probably my least favorite Smiths record... I really like their sound and this is a very solid and listenable album. Probably like a 3.5 for me but I'm gonna lean towards a 4.
Damn I really like that title track....I can feel my Smith's hate slipping away....damn you Morrissey....
i love the smiths but this shit is funny sometimes
Bangers
It's not my favourite Smiths album, but it's still pretty good. Andy Rourke shines on this one. The first two songs are epic. Liked Songs Added: The Headmaster Ritual Rushholme Ruffians
Overall, not a bad album. As soon as I saw the label (Meat is Murder) I almost decided to just click the 'Did not Listen'. I don't agree with that. Anyway, I decided to listen and found most track OK.
Never my favourite Smiths album. Too many dull tracks.
Meh. 2/5
As someone who is only familiar with their hits I liked this.
Fairly ashamed that I've never heard this album before. It's great. Falls short of a five for me, though. Not big on the title track. 4.5
All timer.
Fantastic
Letting Johnny Marr off of his leash, while tightening Morrisey's (the title track 🐄 excepted) proves to be the most enjoyable way to make a The Smiths record. "That Joke's Not Funny Anymore" is a really great song, and "Barbarism Begins at Home" is a better Gang of Four song than anything GoF was doing at the time. Good songwriting makes a difference, and letting the band run is, as I said, the best version of The Smiths. Minus one star for not putting "How Soon is Now" on here. WHO'S THE REAL MURDERER?!
This is a pretty good Smiths album. I liked this one just as much as The Queen is Dead.
See Smiths. Give high review. But for real, this doesn't have any singles I know, but I enjoyed it quite a bit. 4/5
I really don’t have much use for The Smiths anymore, but this is probably their best album, even without “How Soon is Now?”. It has some of their strongest and least overplayed compositions and Morrissey isn’t whaling as hard as he does elsewhere. “Barbarism Begins at Home” is probably as funky as white British people can reasonably get. C
Perfect LP to spin on meatless Monday😌
i like the smiths but a lot of their stuff sounds kind of similar
Somewhat enjoying The Smiths and anything Morrissey has touched has been the biggest surprise of this experiment
I thought this was solid - Barbarism begins at home was a great track. Still gonna eat meat though.
good
morrissey shut the fuck up
Very good album still love after all these years
Not bad, not amazing. I really loved two or three songs. And I was pretty blown away by Johnny Marr’s guitar playing. Having avoided listening to The Smiths for a long time, I thought it was funny that they sounded almost exactly like I expected. But I didn’t expect to realize just how many of today’s artists are influenced by them. Jangle rock kings, maybe? I gotta learn more.
One of the best post-punk/indie pop records going around!
The Smiths are one of those bands you can always count on for effortlessly enjoyable music, filled with melodic and catchy hooks backed by jangly guitars. Their melancholic vibe is perfectly balanced with energetic performances, making their music both introspective and lively.
Well not my favorite but I said I love the smiths
Sings like he cat be bothered singing, so why should I be bothered listening?
Why is this below average band all over this listst that’s supposed to be innovative?
I am not ashamed to admit I am a Smiths fan. However, for me this is their weakest offering. There are none of their best tracks here (the version I listened to does not have How Soon Is Now? which would take this up a notch). A tad underwhelming. Want to give it a 3.5
I had definitely heard The Smiths before- they typically had been "good" in my mind but not really for me. Gave this one two listens- its nice background music for sure. I like morrisey's vocals and the piano really excentuates the mood they are going for. Overall- similar to my previous experience with the Smiths: good, but not for me.
THEY PUT A MORRISSEY TRACK IN A SMITHS ALBUM! NO WAY :shocked_face:
Very "The Smiths" sounding. They aren't bad, but one of those bands that just seems to have one sound that makes up every song. Meat is Murder (the song) was very interesting, and an album of songs like that would easily be 4 or 5 stars.
Il faut vraiment que je retourne à "The Queen Is Dead", car avec tous les albums de Morrisey, je me suis enfin habitué à sa voix et cet album a été beaucoup plus agréable que les deux autres que j'ai eu du groupe. Peut-être aussi que le style généralement plus accrocheur était ce qui m'a fait plus aimé cet album. Pas un album parfait mais je comprends beaucoup plus l'attrait du band. Obligatoire : fuck Morissey. 7.5/10
OK album, didn't grab me but I didn't find it hard to listen to or especially bland.
Good, not my favorite smiths from the anthology. Less whiny than other albums despite this overarching veganism theme. I like to enjoy this album with a glass of milk and a sirloin steak.
Fav: Barbarism Begins At Home Least Fav: Meat Is Murder I’ve put off The Smiths for a while, but if all their albums sound like this maybe it’s worth giving them a shot
I'd never heard the Smiths before but this was pretty good. Guitar, bass and drums are all highlights on different songs.
sounds like every other smiths album. they're good but repetitive. 4/10
Meat is Murder I do have a bit of a blind spot with The Smiths. Despite how great Johnny Marr is and how much I love a lot of their songs I’ve never actually listened to one of their albums, finding that, for me, Morrissey’s voice works better in small doses of 5 or 6 songs, so I’ve just stuck to listening to their greatest hits in chunks. So because of that I’m not sure where this sits in their canon and how it compares to their other albums. I very much enjoyed listening today though, even though, despite there being some excellent songs, my sense is that it may not be their strongest collection of tracks? The Headmaster Ritual is a great track, what I imagine when I think of them, great jangling guitar, superb rhythmic and melodic bass and an excellent lyric full of pithy observations of anc criticisms of the education system. Rusholme Ruffians is great too, love the rockabilly feel and the guitar figure. Lovely guitar on I Want the One I Can’t Have, and although it's a solid track it perhaps feels a little Smiths by numbers. I like What She Said’s slightly more aggressive guitar, but like I Want the One I Can’t Have, while good, it isn’t perhaps as strong as some of the other tracks. That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore I know from the greatest hits and of course is a great track, probably the strongest on the album. Love the acoustic and the deeper resonating bass sound. Super lyric too. Nowhere Fast, again a good song, but feels a level below the highlights on here. Well I Wonder is superb though, one of those great mournful sounding Smiths songs. What a bassline on Barbarism Begins at Home and love the chugging disco/funk guitar. Very very catchy. Meat is Murder is a bit dirgey, I presume intentionally to match the tone of the lyric, but it’s not totally successful. Like I say I’m not really aware how this sits in the arc of their discography, but it’s a very good album with some superb highlights, and as you’d expect its full of fantastic guitars and arrangements by Marr and excellent bass from Andy Rourke. However its perhaps not quite what I’d expect a 5 star Smiths album to be, so I’ll go for a 4. Playlist submission: That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore
Were these guys hardcore vegetarians? It's very Smiths -- enjoyable sound but nothing stood out. 3* Barbarism begins at home had a nice bass groove.
Not a patch on the queen is dead but still a decent album. Some great bass lines in there
The Smiths are one of those bands where I’m just not sure if I like them or not. Musically it’s very listenable but the sound of Morrisey’s voice just doesn’t do it for me after a while. I think it’s fine when they come out with some bigger numbers or an album broken up with a bit of variety but this one just dragged by the end.
BANGERS <3
not for me
*i’ve seen this happeeeen in other people’s liveeees….and nooow it’s happening in mineee………….* i assume that this will be as difficult for me talk about objectively as all the other smiths albums on this list*, although i will be honest and say that this one has never been a favorite of mine. it’s certainly not BAD but it just doesn’t have the same kind of pathos that i associate with their debut and *the queen is dead* (not enough slow, contemplative songs maybe?). but something about them just cuts right to the quick no matter the context. ever since andy rourke died i’ve been a lot more conscious of how integral his bass was to the smiths’ sound: defiantly melodious, insistent, full-throated. rusholme ruffians??!?? he was crazy for that. of course moz is always Doing Too Much and his yelps and caterwauls are frankly distracting. the animal sound effects on the title track are goofy ahh hell and (dare i fucking say it) hamfisted. tbh they kind of ruin the song for me. but nevertheless we soldier (haha!!!) on. fav tracks: i want the one i can’t have; that joke isn’t funny anymore; nowhere fast; well i wonder; barbarism begins at home; meat is murder [minus the animal noises] *sorry i keep saying this in like half my reviews btw. a lot of these albums were ones i listened to as a teenager!!!
I really liked this too! I think I liked the other smiths album better but really enjoyed both. it’s a little late for my “you guys should check out the smiths they’re really good” phase because i’m not fifteen but alas here we are.
One of the Smiths best.
the smiths are at their best when morrissey isn't around
I'm not a real Smiths person, but they are pretty good. The title track is amusingly self-important, though, and takes this down from a 4 to a 3.
Morrisey’s singing is not particularly good or interesting. If you can get past that the guitar stuff is decent.
I hate the Smiths. Morrissey is a fat whiney baby, and I really wish he'd go away and take his asinine contradiction-for-the-sake-of-it with him.
No hits on this one but still a solid effort, very upbeat in places and the jangly sound is great. Maybe the Smiths are a singles band with an impressive catalogue of top songs but no killer albums? Not sure, but I have liked all 3 I have listened to.
The drums are tight and steady, the bass is really interesting on this album actually, Marr is amazing as always, and the lyrics are top notch while the actual vocals are polarizing. All that being said, this is the first time I've listened to this album and while it's good, I still don't think this is the best Smith's album, though it is growing on me.
Annoying and I hate the album title. Probably more of a 2 but it’s getting a 1
Boo boo whiny shit
Fantastic cohesive album. Will need to relisten a few times.
some nice jangling guitars
I like the backing band but morrisey is not my cup of tea. All the songs all end up sounding too similar too
Have to listen again 4.0
Love this album but it’s not quite as good as The Queen Is Dead
Morrissey sing the same melody throughout the album. "What She Said" has an amazing groove and then Morrissey starts with his minimal midrange 6 tone vocal range which flattens the entire groove. There are times where it works such as the harmonies in "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore". The bass line in "Barbarism Begins at Home" is quite delightful. Wish they would have been brave enough to add more on the album but again Morrissey flattens the song with his 6 toned voice.
Starts out fine, but then gets a bit long. Went from 4 to 3
Im biased for the smiths
Another good album. More of what I enjoy from The Smiths. I liked how Morrissey depicted eating meat, even if I disagree. Entertaining. Well I Wonder is one of my favorite Smiths songs. Standouts: Rusholme Ruffians, I Want the One I Can’t Have, Nowhere Fast, Well I Wonder, and Meat Is Murder.
more like a 3.5. love this album but not my favourites if there’s
Not my style at all. Good enough but I won’t listen to again.
If this is a top tier Smiths album I don't wish to hear less critically acclaimed records from their discography. 2*
It’s an ok album. Never understood the love for them.
Solid British rock
its pretty great thank you The Smiths
The Smiths record I listened to the least, and so the one that's stayed a little fresh. Also The Smiths record that the hipsters claim is the best, probably because it has the fewest universally recognisable songs on it. By God though, it's the one where Andy Rourke's bass stands out the most. Obviously on the fantastic Barbarism Begins at Home, but The Headmasters Ritual kicks off with a pretty decent lesson to any budding four string wanker. There are a couple of weaker songs here, What She Said feels throwaway. However the second side is all gold. That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore starts off well enough but absolutely blossoms after a minute or so. And the album doesn't let up from there.
I've been a Smith apologist on this site before, but this album is pretty hard to defend. It's a lot lower energy than the other Smiths albums on this list and it comes off as pretty whiny too. At their core, I really do like their sound but they lost me a little bit with this one. I've heard them do more and I've heard them do better than this. If you don't like the sound of the Smith's you'll hate this one, but I think even if you do like the Smiths this one will fall short of their other albums.
This was pretty cool. Homeboy's voice grates on me a fair bit though. Favourite tracks: The Headmaster Ritual, Well I Wonder, Meat Is Murder.
The second best Smiths album is still one of the best albums of all time. Not listened to this in full for a good while and it's just as great as I remembered. Fav tracks: Barbarism Begins at Home, The Headmaster Ritual, Rusholme Ruffians
This album just didn’t really do it for me. The only song I super enjoyed was Barbarism Begins at Home. Not necessarily a bad album, just didn’t grab me. The two stars feels almost wrong… yet here we are
Just really not a fan of his voice.
2 star for me. I appreciated the brevity but I wasn’t a fan of the lead singer. The British nasally sound really isn’t my thing!
Pretty standard Smiths album. Every album solidifies my stance that Morrissey by himself just isn’t as good. A solid listening experience if you enjoy their sound, can definitely understand complaints against it.
I hope you enjoy The Smiths sound, because it does not change at all on this album. Every song is very similar. If that's what you're into then you have a winner here. I was not crazy about it and was really just waiting for this album to end.
The only voice in music that grates even more than Bono's. The only album so far where I couldn't bring myself to even listen to the first track.
Smiths. Meh.
Just fine.
Every Smith's album is perfect, sorry
The singer confuses the heck out of me. Guitarist is fire though. Bit of droning on. Looked up the singer. It makes sense now. I quite like it - it just scratches my brain funny.
An old favorite
I'm sort of a greatest hits Smiths fan, so didn't recognise many songs. Probably sacrilege to say this, but found it rather average. You also can't help but think what an arse Morrissey is nowadays 3/5
Album full of feels. There were some cool songs and some redundant ones. But this is one I'll probably come back to. Song I Saved (and felt): - That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
I listened twice to see if I’d like it any better the second time. Not really. It all sounded the same to me. I like the Smiths but this was just meh for me.
Love Morrissey’s voice and Marr’s guitar work. Prefer their album the Queen is Dead. Saw them live around this time in Massachusetts
The Smiths make such straight forward indie pop rock that it feels like their music shouldn't be able to be as good as it is. But somehow despite their seemingly generic genre label, all 4 albums their discography are nothing short of amazing, and this is definitely one of the best ones.
Pretty scathing stuff here, as The Smiths set their sights against the English education system, corporeal punishment, and even eating meat among other topics. It all sounds so...dreamy along the way despite the content matter, probably thanks to Morrissey's crooning style of vocals in the front & center and the jangly guitar sound heard throughout. But The Smiths were a well-organized kit, as said guitar playing/overall composition from Marr, bass from Rourke, and drums from Joyce were vital here and can't go unnoticed. Back to the actual content of the album: while heavy-handed at times, the messages are certainly received thanks to the aforementioned collective talents of the group. There will be more of The Smiths in this list I'm sure.
The Smiths - nie gehört! Interessanter Gesangsstil Gegen Körperstrafe Und eine Hymne für Vegetarier
I liked a lot of this, but the last song was quite boring and depressing. 3.5/5
Well I wonder is gorgeous but otherwise I don't really care for this album unlike the previous Smiths album
Это надо послушать каждому
The voice annoys.
5 stars to Andy Rourke’s bass on Barbarism Begins At Home
Well, it's Britrock. And Morrissey is very happy that he finally is getting laid on the regular. And there's lots of angst. The kind of angst that populates every universal sophomore dorm room. The last track is gross as hell. Which is, of course, the point. Anyway, it's fine. Unexpected bangers: Nowhere Fast, Well I wonder
This was a short album. I didn’t mind it mostly. Enjoyed it at first, but they have a distinctive sound that I got tired of. The last song, the titular song, was different, but I didn’t care for it either. 3
Really goof album, not the best Smiths album in my opinion, but some great moments.
I don’t get the smiths for the most part
Sometimes assholes make great music, I don’t make the rules 🤷🏾♂️
Prime morrisey
So I like Johnny Marr but I don't care for Morrissey. Aint that a pickle?
Very nice
Fuck yeah. Classic smiths album.
If The Smiths were a color, they would be Brown. I think this is my 4th Smith/Morrissey and I really don't understand how it garnered that amount of attention considering I'm only a third of the way through the generator. The vocals are flat. Most of the songs are slow. I get that this album is a political statement but I had meat for breakfast and lunch today so I'm not exactly digging the messaging.
I started thinking this was quite good. Upbeat (for Smiths) and quite easy on the ear. And then all of the songs started being the same and it just blurred into one. I did t quite make it to the end as a result.
Gah, the list does it again, and changes my opinion on a band. Having already reviewed The Queen is Dead on which I only liked the couple of hits, I wasn’t expecting much from this hitless affair. My main issue is Marr’s usual jingle jangle indie style. However, musically I found this much more interesting, however, I cannot find an obvious reason why. The general vibe of the album seemed more upbeat and less spikey. So I really enjoyed it, and there wasn’t a bad song on there. Meat is murder maybe the pick of the bunch at the end. That all being said, obvs it doesn’t change the fact Morissey is a massive nob now, and I will continue to enjoy a nice lamb cutlet.
The Headmaster Ritual That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore Meat Is Murder
There is a lot of music out there that I -get- but I still don't like— I understand its role in the musical universe, but it doesn't appeal to me personally. This band is the opposite. I like the music, but I don't get it. Maybe I lack the proper perspective, but even without reading up on the context, an album should be able to telegraph it's emotional or narrative purpose. Then again, maybe that inscrutability is an artistic choice in an of itself. But it could also be covering up for an ultimately hollow work.
Morrissey is talented but Marr is the star of this band.
Can take Morrissey in small doses - whole album of jangly guitars and mournful vocals was a bit much
His voice annoys me. Don’t find it very melodic. Only listened to a few songs
Not anything to write home about.
I have no opinions on this one but 'barbarism' goes alright anyways.... The smiths more like the sniffs coz that shit was stinky
Decent, but morrisey can sit on a cactus
Not bad for the 80’s, I guess
Omg it’s the fucking smiths
Smiths are too good. Great atmosphere and Morrissey has a one of a kind voice, I quite like his singing. Love the writing too. I'm a little too high to think of anything else to say. Love this record and it's my least favorite Smiths record on this list lol
Underrated album of theirs.
So, so sick of Morrissey and the Smiths
This album has some catchy hooks and rockabilly beats, love some of the bass lines, particularly on “Nowhere Fast”. I like the overall sound of this, but I like other albums of theirs better.The last track/title track is a downer and doesn’t fit the vibe of the rest of the songs IMO.
I imagine this album will be pretty divided amongst the group. Chalk this band up to one of ‘em that probably has to be experienced at the time. And in 1985 this band and album received heavy rotation in my high school angst ridden soundtrack. Was always a huge fan of the Smiths. Such a short-lived band that was producing some of the more unique non-synth pop sounds of the time. An ever bigger fan of Johnny Marr, a very underrated guitarist.
Super boring! And an erroneous premise.
Just couldn’t get into this.
Just not my bag. Is “meat is murder” a metaphor for something? Last track would imply no…should team up with Moby on a meat is murder collab or something. And I shall pass. 2.5/5
It's alright
Not their best but a thoroughly solid sound
i mean its not bad, but its not super exciting either YNN
Marr’s inimitable guitar, Rourke’s pulsing bass lines and Morrissey’s acerbic croon unite to form a peculiarly British sound which sounds as good today as it will in another 30 years.
I felt like this was a bit more punchy than other Smiths. Had some slapping basslines in there which were fun. I probably need to pay more attention to have a stronger opinion.
Great stuff, classic smiths. All good.
The Smiths (and Morrissey) remind me of high school girls. It was the first time I saw band t-shirts of bands that I was unaware of and had disbanded prior to the people who wore them were old enough to buy a band t-shirt. So far so good. Clearly these guys are Beatles fans. It feels like The Smiths and The Cure either would have loved each other or hated each other. After listening to Nowhere Fast, I get why the Morrissey shirt wearers also seemed to always like rockabilly. Barbarism Begins at Home is the first song that I get being called post punk. Maybe this list is helping me understand pop music better. There's a The Clash vibe about it. If The Clash covered this it wouldn't be out of place on one of their albums. I now have one clue as to why vegetarianism was popular with women of a certain age at a certain period. Man, this guy "FEELS" things. I like the bluntness of the lyrics from the title track, no symbolism, just violent imagery and animal sounds.
One of my absolute favourites. Everything here is perfect: the lyrics, the guitar, the mood. Don’t need to say more.
decent
had a hard time listening closely but like the overall sound of the album. songs didn’t differentiate much for me
Absolutely A+ vibe - I’ve always felt like I should listen to the Smiths and I love the feel. Lyrics a bit depressing when I was listening carefully and Morissey was a bit out of tune some. Should listen to more of their catalog!
I've always been a little ambivalent about the Smith's but I followed along with the lyrics on this one and I enjoyed much more. I am still a devout carnivore
Not as good as I remembered it being.
Need to listen more but sounded good, would like to hear more of The Smiths
Meat is Murder absolutely kills
6.5/10 The opening song and self titled one are these two songs that make most of the sense to me in this album. I'm not so into The Smiths' music and their personnel, and that's why I find these two touchy and kinda influential.
I was a the Smiths Teen
Helt intressanta melodier och gitarrspelande men sång rösten är inget att hänga i julgranen. Plus för namnet och konsten på albumet.
So whiney
“When I'm lying in my bed, I think about life. And I think about death. And neither one particularly appeals to me.” What an incredible line from “Nowhere Fast.” Morrissey is a great lyricist. I also really like this line from “That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore”: “I've seen this happen in other people's lives. And now it's happening in mine.” It’s a simple but potent sentiment about realizing that hard times fall on everyone. I love the sound of The Smiths. Their harder songs have great riffs, a muscular rhythm section and Morrissey floating on top of it all like a sad angel. And the ballads are gorgeous and melancholy. I like this album a lot. It’s definitely the album of theirs I’ve listened to the least though and when I first heard it in college, the version I heard included “How Soon Is Now?” which, for my money, is one of the greatest rock songs of all time. I guess that was a single from this era and not on the original album. On one hand, it’s so good that it might take over the album but on the other hand I wouldn’t be mad if you swapped the closing title track for “How Soon Is Now?”
The hard part for me with this band is that every song tends to sound the same and blurs together. They can change the arrangement and instrumentation heavily (like the jokey country "Rusholme Ruffians"), but that vocal tone and delivery always just sounds the same. I hate to hate on the record because "the" sound is good, and there's lots of cool elements to the music- the drums are tight, the bass is often playing very creative parts, and the guitar does really well with only shining when it needs to. The entire outfit is very cohesive. I didn't however have a moment in this album where I said "wow, this is a special track, let me get a better look at the name so I remember it". It came and went.
Great to be depressed with
Barbarism Begins at Home (2011 Remaster) I like the bassline.
Fave tracks: Headmaster Ritual That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore Barbarianism Begins at Home - that bassline Meat is Murder - cow go moo
Some good sounds but couldn't get in to it.
Liked the sound of this album. Singing style reminds me of Duran Duran. MEAT IS MURDER song is so judgey and a bit spooky. I was in PE alone when the song came on and the cow moo's made me stop and take out my headphones to make sure it was the song and not real-life.
I don't love it, I don't hate it - interesting and distinct sound but just okay overall.
Musically alluring. Legendary combination of vocals and guitar. Not the the strongest collection of songs but haunting instrumental tangents make it stand out
Another British Rock album
My favorite Smiths album. There's not a bad song on this record.
Not bad I guess, but not really my cup of tea
Vegan
A good album. I think the last track is the weakest. I won't come back to this, but it's still a worthwhile listen .
Bit monotone!
хоть и много хитов и очень уважаю вокальный стиль Морисси, опять половина песен выше на полтона, очень тяжело
Meat is murder- Don’t like Morriseys voice or Melodies. Don’t really love the drums either. The guitar styles can be cool probably the best part about the band. I Don’t really care for the songs either.
One of the most overrated bands out there in my opinion. I really can’t stand his voice.
I don’t get why they are so popular. The songs all kinda sound the same. Hated the Meat is Murder song
I loathe Morrissey.
love this album sooo much. not quite as good as The Queen Is Dead, but it’s close. 4.5
Solid 80s English rock. Talented instrumentals. Highly enjoyed.
No siento que haya mucho que resaltar, me parece más de lo que siempre hace the smiths
Estuvo bien. Nunca he conectado realmente con los smiths
fire album, no skips at all, morrissey spears to test his vocal ability more on this that other albums, this thing was great
well I love this but I already knew that. they are well known for a reason
Easy listening
Banger!
Really great. Every song is easy to listen to. Simple shit, but Morriseys voice is so good and it just works
Good
Feels like all of these songs could be playing as the closing credits role on an 80s brat pack/teen angst movie.
Great album.
Morrissey ruins everything.
The Smiths are great and a few classics on here. But overall one of my least favorite albums they have.
i like the smiths a lot but this is not their best
Oof...what an absolute bummer of an album. Disappointed with myself this is what I ended my day with DESPITE thinking Strangeways Here We Come was also quite depressing. This at least has a little more of value musically for me I think? I still really am just not into it. I think the music on its own, is actually good, but the lyrics and vocals kind of stink imo. I can tell I am going to be in for a "treat" with how much Morrisey is on this list. To be fair, the lyrics are at least clever in spots but, I repeat, they bum me out and I think they make the album as a whole a bummer. This paired with his crooning, whiney, mopey voice? I'll pass. Would it bum Morrisey out if he knew listening to this made me want to eat a burger in revenge for how bummed it made me? I think that would be only fair right? No? Ok, well, I think I am going to do it anyway. I should probably give this a 2 star because I at least liked it a little more than Strangeways Here We Come. But my heart wants to give it a 1 star, and I am in the mood to listen to my heart.
Rourke and Joyce sound muscular, some pretty timeless jangle from Mr. Johnny Marr, and Morrissey in his prime.
Rating: 9/10 Amazing album overall. Jangly guitar riffs, melodic bass lines, and Morrisey's signature vocal style come together incredibly well throughout the entire album, especially on the second half. This album contains some of the band's best material and melodies and is great from start to finish. Favorite songs: The Headmaster Ritual, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Nowhere Fast, Well I Wonder, Barbarism Begins at Home, Meat is Murder. Least favorite song: I Want the One I Can't Have.
British rock. I felt like the album would go from a song I really liked to one I couldn’t remember anything about immediately after it was over, and just alternated until it was over.
Does not like the smiths very much.
Love his voice, but overall found this album sort of boring and samey throughout. No particular stand out tracks to break up the flow.
Maybe because I wasn't as familiar with it as The Queen is Dead, but there were fewer standout tracks. Still excellent guitar work and the final 3 tracks finish things very strongly.
Meat is murder and so is listening to non-singing Morrissey.
Excellent album, the second half in particular is brilliant. I especially like Nowhere Fast and Well I Wonder, though the last two songs are great as well.
It's The Smiths but it's not their best
By this point, I've already heard a good percentage of The Smiths' discography. And I don't get the love. I do understand the influence. They have a distinct sound which you can hear in more modern bands. But as far as actually enjoying the music in itself, I dunno. I don't get it, I guess. The music is just okay.
Solid album, probably lacks a killer hit but plenty to like. Marr is a unique guitarist, his jangly work here influenced a generation, and Andy get's to cut loose a bit more as well.
Not my fave album by the Smiths but a pleasant experience.
Some nice jingly jangly guitar and some tracks with some rhythm and drive - but sounds so painfully 1980s. I could have gotten by with the music but the vocals ruin it for me - too affected, out of tune and overly reverted. Not my jam...
Meat is delicious. Why do people worship Morrissey? 2.5
Don’t love it
I'm just not getting warm to his voice. I greatly dislike it.
It's tricky, because I can hear the quality of Marr et al's work on this, but I just can't get past the fact that I really dislike Morrisey and his vocals.
I have strong memory association from my younger days with so many songs on this album. The melancholy atmosphere of their music was pure escapism for me during some really hard times. The Headmaster Ritual, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Nowhere Fast, and Barbarism Begins at Home are my favorites. I don't care for the title track, but other than that, pure perfection. Johnny Marr's guitar playing and Morrissey's vocals are a match made in heaven, and Rourke's bass really ties everything together beautifully.
3 stars
If you like the smiths you’ll like this album. Whats more to say. 3.4
Almost a quarter of the way through this list, and this is my first Morrissey album so far. I didn't know much about him (or The Smiths) before, but vaguely was aware that he's a controversial figure. I knew he was a bit of a racist (probably a massive understatement), so was a little surprised to see "Meat Is Murder" as an album title of theirs. Turns out his politics are truly all over the board, what an odd guy. Anyway, this was fine but not my favorite. I actually think I like the music better than the vocals here. We'll see how I feel about other albums, but his voice is a little annoying and really "80s sounding. That said, the music itself is mostly pretty enjoyable, and doesn't really fall into the New Wave sound that was big at the time. Maybe this one would be better once I'm more familiar with it, but it was just ok for me. I can see myself liking this type of music though, so interested to see what else they've got. Favorite song: Well I Wonder Other: The Headmaster Ritual, Rusholme Ruffians, I Want the One I Can't Have, That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore, Meat Is Murder 7/21/24
It's a good album and very representative of much of The Smith's music. Some great songs that hold up decades later, and a few others that are just ok.
Another Friday, another Smiths album... and another winner. I never thought I would be a fan of The Smiths, but this was great.
Melancholy as always from Morrissey's vocal sound, but the music was good.
That bassline on the second to last song is yummy
The Smiths at their finest. Easily accessible today as it was in the 80s.
Trash. The best way I can sum up how Morrissey sings IsByTypingLikeThisToShowcaseThatHeNeedsToBeSingingAtAllTimesBecauseHeNeedsToBeAlwaysHeardAndRarelyGivesTheSongRoomToBreatheForTheOtherInstrumentsToShowcaseWhatTheyAreDoing. That being said, i don't like Morrissey. He is shite. But the music was very cool. A lot of cool ideas. Morriseys Ego is just too big, I think. Maybe I'm completely wrong.... But from what I gather from him, he's quite the wanker. Should've been a one, but as a whole, this gets a notch up.
# 279 : I don't love it, I don't hate it, I can listen to it, a couple of things stood out, Love the guitaring, can't stand the singing.
"Meat is Murder" is perhaps the one album by The Smiths that took me longest to really understand. They tried many different things, and it wasn't as much the stereotypical Smiths sound but also not the more experimental sound of their last album. However, at this point, I really love "Meat is Murder," especially the title-track.
Second Album des Smiths généré dans la liste, le premier étant Strangeways, Here We Come. MiM est plus dynamique, avec basse+batterie globalement plus intéressant, très groovy parfois. Cependant certains morceaux semblent longs, et trop répétitifs. Et quand le rythme baisse ils deviennent ennuyeux. L'écoute était quand même globalement plus intéressante que pour le précédent, je lui met une meilleure note. => 3/5
I like The Smiths, but probably don’t love them as much as I thought I would when I started diving in several years ago. I definitely like Johnny Marr as a lead guitarist more than I like Morrissey as a lead singer. This is most evident on Meat Is Murder, an album full of great sounding songs for Morrissey to whine to.
Everything is really good about this album except the personality of the lead singer.
Perfectly pleasant to listen to. Nothing really stood out to me, likely because I'm a dummy and I love me a nice hook / chorus.
the smiths really put more focus on their lyrics than in the musical part. that’s fine but for me i found it a little bit repetitive to hear the same cords with barely no instrumental change throughout the song. however, i still love this band and i think their lyrics are truly beautiful and meaningful. The songs really have this greatness feeling to them because the band uses a lot of instruments and reverb especially on the voice. i definitely understand why this album did so well in the charts, it is almost nihilistic and teens and young adults in 1985 could probably relate to a lot of what the band was saying. I love the beginning of the last track and the concrete music vibes.
Second album from the Smiths….doubling up already?
I’ll just never get beyond morrissey being the biggest tosspot that ever existed. I’ve tried, I just can’t! 2.5
The Smiths on this album have an attitude but don't always have the music to back it up. It's a bit boring, and it seems like they never quite caught up with the '80s: some of the best moments are callbacks to older trends.
A first for me. This album cover just makes me think of some sort of 80s english punk rock. but not even. So looking forward to hearing what this actually sounds like. Yea not my style. I respect it though.
Kind of reminds me of REM in a way?
I enjoyed this quite a bit more than I expected to, I dig the sound