Meat Is Murder

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.

some nice jangling guitars

Starts out fine, but then gets a bit long. Went from 4 to 3

Not my style at all. Good enough but I won’t listen to again.

It’s an ok album. Never understood the love for them.

Solid British rock

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.

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.

Just fine.

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

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.

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.

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

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

I don’t get the smiths for the most part

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.

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

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.

It's alright

i mean its not bad, but its not super exciting either YNN

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.

decent

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.

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.

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.

Not bad I guess, but not really my cup of tea

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 .

хоть и много хитов и очень уважаю вокальный стиль Морисси, опять половина песен выше на полтона, очень тяжело

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

Good

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

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.

Meat is murder and so is listening to non-singing Morrissey.

It's The Smiths but it's not their best

Solid album, 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.

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

Melancholy as always from Morrissey's vocal sound, but the music was good.

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

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.

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

Average attempt

My default position towards Morrissey is antagonism, partially because of his...unscrupulous political beliefs, partially because I find him corny. But even I'll admit when he hits me hard, and he hits me hard here on "The Headmaster Ritual" and "I Want the One I Can't Have". My misgivings by and large do not extend to the rest of the Smiths, who are all fantastic here except for artistic choices that make me groan at least a little (e.g. the fade out/fade in on "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore"). Even as a vegetarian myself, jury's still out on the sound effects on the title track. Verdict: Just above a Moo/5.

Been a while since I listened to The Smiths but the aching beauty of depression still comes through.

Not my favorite work of theirs, but it’s alright.

🙄

Needed a couple of listens. Lyrically it hits and Johnny's jangly guitar is good if not brilliant.

3.5

Love the Smiths, unsure about this album

I remember when the record companies were constantly pushing this. It's not for me, and I've heard it before. I did make it all the way through though, and didn't turn it off. It has its moments.

I wasn’t a big fan

It's fine, my first full Smiths album listen and it's got me feeling a little let down.

3+

Solid 3. Live the lead singers voice.

Good new wave. But his voice gets a bit monotonous. And the songs start to sound similar. Compared to songs Spotify plays when album is done, Doors, Tears for Fears, Lou Reed, it’s just not as good. 2.5

Not exactly a huge fan of the Smiths but I liked this album. Morrissey's singing does get old after a while though and the songs tend to blend together. 6.75/10 (3.375/5)

rockige gitarren, stimme mit wiedererkennungsfaktor - stellenweise etwas gar viel „jodeln“. alles in allem nette britische musik.

Interessanter Indy Rock, aber ohne grosse Highlights.

Nostalgic sound to me, from my mom's music (although it's a different album). I like it, but it's also quite sad music. I like the instrumentals, and the sound of the lead singer's voice.

Pretty good. I like it ok, but wouldn’t buy it

Pretty good album. Kinda quirky at times, but rolled some nice bass lines throughout.

Some great melodies and guitar lines. Closes pretty strong too. That said, sometimes I am just not in the mood to hear Morrissey sing. Best song: Barbarism Begins at Home

They weren't there yet with the balance of tragedy, playfullness and despair we now associate with the smiths in their lyrics but the sound was there and it is very recognizable theirs. The second half of the Lp I like a lot more I think

No es especialmente llamativo, sin embargo tiene unos temas finales bastante potentes. Te puede sobrecoger ciertos sonidos y por ello creo que gana más nivel el álbum. A nivel musical no veo nada super llamativo. Sin embargo se entiende que lleva una intención más crítica y de potencia a nivel de lyrics más que musicalmente. Aun así hay momentos que el bajo brilla y tal y como he dicho ciertos sonidos sobrecogen y llaman mucho la atención.

Titular track was ass. Rest of it was pretty OK but not as good as self titled or queen is dead.

Kinda boring but twcjnically great

An ok album

Wow I was not expecting to like this. I’ve tried to get into Morrissey before when he was playing at a festival I was going to. I wasn’t able to then and the little I caught of his performance was…bad. I honestly had considered doing 1 star and not listening for the first time this project. I’m glad I didn’t because I quite enjoyed it. The title track is a little ham fisted and kept this from creeping up to a 4 star.

salvaged by some beautiful guitar work

Some songs are quite good.

Among the Smiths' more low-energy, stripped-back albums that not so pull the curtain, as much as they allow a short peek at the band as excellent song-writers and Morrissey as an excellent shithead.

Rock alternativo. Ni fu ni fa.

It was fine. I don't think I'll ever seek out The Smiths.

Yeah, good.

3.5

its okay. Needs great hits.

I like it. I get a little tired of his voice over the album, does feel varied enough for me but its still all good. Will I listen to again: 40%

I need to listen more to fairly evaluate anything past the singing but ain't nobody got time for that.

Good 80’s Smiths

listened to again still kinda meh

Listened Before? N Despite my dislike for Morrisey, this album was pretty okay. Won't listen again but I didn't hate it. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: The Headmaster Ritual

Broody.

You know, I like The Smiths but Morrissey is a bit of a twat. All their moping and whining works in some situations. This album was easy to listen to, kept my attention, and I borderline enojiyed a few of the tracks. The guitar work is easily the savior of this album.

Not bad

El segundo álbum de los Smiths es el más disperso, con temas menos comerciales y emblemáticos (salvo How soon is now, incluida en posteriores reedeciones del álbum y la infecciosa Barbarism begins at home). Carece del encanto del primero y de la excelencia de los dos posteriores. Sin embargo, The Smiths jamás publicaron un disco malo, ni siquiera regular. Todos son de enorme calidad e influencia en el resto de bandas de su época y posteriores. 1985 es el año del C85, Psychocandy, This is the sea, Low-life, Once upon a time, Brothers in arms, Hounds of love, Steve McQueen, Love not money, This nation´s saving grace, Fables of the reconstruction, Around the world in a day, Rain dogs, Slave to the rithym, Songs form the big chair, What Does Anything Mean? Basically , Rum, sodomy and the lash y Picture book.

Well, this is my first listen to a Smiths album. I've heard "How Soon is Now?" in passing, though I haven't bothered to seek the Smiths out because Morrissey is that big of an asshole to ward me away from his old band. Having listened to this, I can say he was the problem for The Smiths. Morrisey's baritone vocal style and excessive wordiness hold this album back. He comes off more as rambling than any typical vocal cadence. Only a few songs like "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" and "Well I Wonder" have enough space to allow him to sing, which does work. Lyrically, I will at least meet him halfway in that the songs against corporal punishment like "The Headmaster's Ritual" are generally good. Also of note are songs like "What She Said", "Nowhere Fast" and "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" where the contemplations of death carry a sense of empathy that you wouldn't expect from the man writing these songs. Unfortunately, that also brings us to the closing title track, which has a very pro-vegetarian stance that isn't for me. As someone who is a meat-eater, I can't speak for those who choose not to consume meat. However, I disagree with Morrissey saying that eating meat is "death for no reason" from an understanding of the life cycle and survival. Up to this point, I hadn't even gone into the instrumentation, which is the saving grace for this album. Johnny Marr is an excellent guitarist and songwriter, able to experiment with different styles from funk to rockabilly within the post-punk sense. Andy Rourke is an impeccable bass player who complements Johnny's work. Mike Joyce on the drums can keep it well-accented and does a superb job with the percussion arrangement for enough space between sections. Overall, it's a solid album from an instrumental standpoint that gets hampered down by the frontman. Not the worst, but I don't expect to revisit this anytime soon.

Say what you will about Morrissey but the dude can write lyrics and sing. They're not always my cup of tea but hard not to appreciate the band's technique and talents. Sometimes they really strike gold on track and have made some stonecold classics such as "How Soon Is Now?", "This Charming Man", and this album's own "Barbarism Begins at Home". I'm appreciating hearing each track on this album but I'll perhaps never be a hardcore fan of Morrissey's wallowing. Credit where it's due though, especially to Johnny Marr & the rest of the band for crafting some great compositions.

Nah, what’s up with the mooing

Some great songs on here. Overall held back by a couple of country inspired monstrosities. 6/10

Felt like I was being lectured from within a tiled room at times. Also, bass player is severely underrated. Around a 6.5/10, possibly a 6.3/10, on other days this could easily be a 5 or a 7.

I enjoy the sound of The Smiths, but in smaller doses. I most enjoyed Nowhere Fast and That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore from this album.

Decent album. Really liked Morrissey's vocals and some of the bass work was great.

It’s the Smiths. Not my favorite.

Thoughts before listening: I really enjoy the Smiths and own a few of their albums, including this one. I haven't listened in a while so it'll be nice to revisit this morning, although I don't typically consider this one of their better albums. Review: Its always nice when I can listen to an album I actually own, as I did this morning pulling this out of the record cabinet before going out to my office for work. This album is pretty good, but it just doesn't have as many songs that catch my ear as their other albums. Still though this is a 3-star record with the following songs getting added to the playlist: "Nowhere Fast", "The Headmaster Ritual", "Barbarism Begins at Home", and "Rusholme Ruffians".

This album is difficult for me to rate. The instrumentals are all really good but the vocals are just not for me. I want to give it a 4 but no songs really stuck out to me as something I would listen to again. Unfortunately, this is a 3/5 for me.

British indie rock, "Meat Is Murder" by the Smiths is a strongly political album. With pop rock vibes and Morrissey's signature vocals, this album preaches vegetarianism, anti-corporal punishment, and criticizes child abuse and the British education system, among other topics. Interestingly, the album performed well in the UK charts despite not having the album's best single; "How Soon Is Now?" was instead included on the US LP.

3+

Maybe the worst Smiths album. Not horrible but they have better.

Semplici Smiths. Non ho analizzato i testi, ho dato un ascolto di sottofondo. Piacevole infatti come sottofondo, non perché dia male ma anche perché le sonorità non sono troppo "pesanti", non suscitano le stesse emozioni di, a mio parere, altri album. Più madchester, più chili, pensa al "Crack on the head e te lo ricordi". Light 3, all'inizio pensavo anche in un 2. Però no, apprezzo più di quello che credevo all'inizio. Le canzoni sono più simili tra di loro, ma sempre diverse obviously. Da notare l'uso della voce in diverse canzoni, che si prende un po' più di briga di essere. Ottime basslines, specie a "Barbarianism begins at home". "The headmaster ritual" non è male, mi annoia l'ultima parte con quella specie di yodel ripetuto. "Rushole ruffians" mi sembra più ripeteva di altre, anche se piacevole. "I want the one I can't have" (il ritornello>) (grazie anche alla chitarra, mi ricorda il surf rock) la preferita assieme a "What she said" che ricorda vagamente l'inizio di "what difference does it make" (mlmlml). "Meat is murder" forse la più cupa. Sicuramente album piacevole, con un messaggio, più cupo magari per quanto riguardano i fatti, non l'interiorità, magari meno concreto però della chiarezza espressiva di altre canzoni che ho ascoltato.

I liked the guitar work and I like meat so the anti-meat preachiness is kind of annoying. This isn't something I would seek out but it was OK.

Morrissey isn't much of a singer, eh?

I always go into the Smiths thinking I’ll hate his voice but it’s always less annoying than I remember. This almost had what it takes to get to a four but I think it’s just slightly hard for me to get past his monotone depressing voice that I can’t rate it so high.

The music is great on every level - excellent and interesting playing, some unexpected turns right in the middle of a melodic phrase that keep anything from becoming stale - really enjoy it.... It's Morrissey who's tough to take (on every level) - his voice is annoying AF but I could get beyond it if he weren't - to say the least - excessively wordy, which is sort of his entire schtick so... that's that. 5 for the band, 1 for the absurdly self-absorbed lyrics vocals and lyrics (which i can ignore at times thanks to 80s mixes where they wouldn't have the singer too-up-front) and it's right up the middle. When do we get The Smiths' instrumental remixes? 6/10 3 stars.

Brit-Pop. Ok, aber hat mich nicht von den Socken gehauen. Lag vielleicht aber auch an meiner Tagesform. 3/5

Aren't you supposed to get better at things the more you do them? This is not the first time I catch myself thinking that the earlier album by an artist is much better than what comes later. This one is good when Morrissey doesn't sing into a bucket

Good album, kinda generic

Still not really a fan of the Smiths, but this was enjoyable.

saved a couple

Good album by a great band. As with all Smiths albums, Morrissey is insanely clever and Marr is angularly jamming away in the manner that only he can. And “Barbarism Begins at Home” is a fantastic showcase for Andy Rourke’s mind-blowing bass skills. For all of you who can’t hear The Smiths mentioned without harping on the fact that Morrissey is a piece of shit, boy do I have bad news for you about every single pop star and any member of any band ever. Yes, Morrissey is garbage, but so is pretty much everyone else on this list. I’m not sure if it’s a consequence of having too much money, or the psychological effect of fame and adulation, or maybe just human nature, but basically everyone who becomes even moderately successful making music sucks. Morrissey included, but not exclusively, and not to any significant degree beyond the norm. So please, if you don’t have the requisite intelligence and savior faire to appreciate The Smiths, just admit that you aren’t that great at listening to music and having taste and stop trying to pin it on Morrissey being a monster. They’re all monsters. Always have been.

Musically, it’s ok, some decent songs. The vocal stylings scream 80s/90s Brit-pop. The lyrics don’t do anything for me. The longer it went, the less I liked it. Whatever: 3/5

Good but probably my least favorite Smiths record. Iconic cover, tho.

Prettycool

passt scho

Pretty solid album. In a way it sounded like the same song repeated a couple of times. I guess I enjoyed the song though because overall I thought it was a pretty good listen. I did notice a couple of the later songs stood out a bit differently. From what I have heard of The Smiths they have a pretty distinct sound and are pretty good at staying within their comfort zone to relatively good results. Nothing blew me away but overall the album was very listenable. Morrisey (and The Smiths by proxy) is one of the iconic acts I think largely in part to his antics and extra-curriculars outside of music. I know people who love and worship him, but I personally have never understood it. He's a fine songwriter and I enjoy the handful of hits I've been exposed to but otherwise he seems like a miserable blow hard who would be a pain to be around. Whatever, to each his own. 2.75 stars

Good album, wore this one out back in the day

Not a fan.

Not my favourite of theirs!

I took me a focused listen through this album to hear how the Smiths melodies work harmonically. Never really resolving on roots, moving between sixths and thirds and that gives them a constantly unresolved and modal feel to all their songs. Johnny Marr’s guitar tone is so clean, you can in again that with distillation and dirtiness and a slightly faster tempo all these songs could be punk tunes.

Not my favorite by them, it's solid

No me entusiasma como otros.

Wasn’t for me

Better than expected. But didn’t care for the meat is murder tune. It’s too preachy but the rest of the album is solid.

Not a fan of this one. Didn't really seem to jell together. Seemed jarring.

Good album. Cool sound.

6,5/10

It was okay, just a big too whiny for myself to want to listen to again

The music's ok, Morissey's voice and singing style is, at least for me, difficult to listen to for a whole album.

It’s lacking in notable Smith singles, but it’s still a solid album. Still has the same sound, same melancholy rainy day jangly tunes. They probably couldn’t have made the Queen is Dead without first finding their stylistic footing with this album, so it’s a logical sophomore stepping stone, but it’s not a classic. This album is almost more poignant for what it doesn’t have - shitty 80s synths and effects - it’s an honest indie pop record that could have come out any time before or after (i.e. it’s sound is timeless).

Hey Morissey is back, this time its before he went insane! Never really got into The Smiths but they have some pretty good and original songs here and there! Not in this album tho. Its pretty uninspiring post-punk which is actually surprising because its hard to make a couter-culture genre boring. Barbarism Begins at Home is actually pretty good because it has that disco bass riff that makes it original, but I guess the inspiration ran out after that because the other songs are meh. The title song starts very weirdly and that gave me hope, but it devolved back into another unoriginal track. Not the worst but im giving 3/5 because it makes me angry that they were so close to sounding great and chose mediocrity.

It's alright but I won't be listening to it again

I know Morrissey is a dick etc, but I don't think anyone has ever nailed that balance of depression and ironic humour in quite the same way.

This was kind of puzzling: all my instincts, all my music experience told me that I should like this music. But, surprisingly, I just... don't! Three last songs saved it from being a complete waste of time (especially, "Well I Wonder" - it's a masterpiece!), but the first part of the album did not feel good at all. And that's a shame

A vocalist makes or breaks a band for me, and....jesus. Some of the instrumentals were great, but Morissey..just no dude. No. Having said that, the album grew on me as it went on. "That Joke isn't Funny Anymore" is a legitimately GREAT song. And the bassline for Barbarism slapped

Not my favorite Smiths record. Parts of it feel like Morrissey is trying to murder your ears.

I like some of the Smiths. Some of the albums feel like cohesive wholes. This one feels disjointed and random. It's not landing with me. "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" resonates. "Well I Wonder" is cool. So far, the second half of the album works better for me, but half an album isn't good enough for all the stars.

The headmaster ritual 3 Rusholme ruffians 3 I want the one I can’t have 2 What she said 3 That joke isn’t funny anymore 3 Nowhere fast 4 Well I wonder 3 Barbarism begins at home 3 Meat is murder 3

Pretty goooood

This was just ok

not my thing

I can easily look past the pretentious prick that is Morrissey. But even then, having listened to the entire The Smiths discography multiple times, I might have to conclude that they’re just not my jam. There are some great tunes along the way, but I would never just put it on at home myself.

Ah The Smiths. I think most millennials who are avid listeners of indie rock had a Smiths phase. It’s easy listening and that’s about it.

Surprisingly better.than I remember it to be..the music is amazing. I just can't stand Morrisseys voice. So over the top.

6/10 Fine, I guess, but another one that is very surprising to find on a top 1000 list Nothing truly outstanding, nothing terrible It all rests on how you feel about Morrissey - and he doesn’t do if tor me. Better than the solo album that I listened to though. Very well produced and engineered Good, occasionally excellent music Bass & drums particularly stood out Liked the Nile Rodgers pastiche on Barbarism… Best: That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore

- Not bad but I don't think I'd go back to it - What She Said was pretty good but the rest didn't match that energy - Good production tho

- I don’t always love his voice - guitar work is so solid

some of the songs are good, but i find morrissey’s voice pretty annoying in others. “that joke isn’t funny anymore” is my favorite on the album and since its so good i’ll bump it up to 3 stars.

Interesting album. Not my favorite. Barbarism Begins at Home is a banger, though.

bro the smiths..... lets just get it over with the headmaster ritual- bro you are out of school you dont have to do this shit anymore. boring. 4 rusholme ruffians- i like the bass line. 6 i want the one i cant have- um. whys it all over his face.... 4 or 5 its kinda boring what she said- its whatever. 4 that joke isnt funny anymore- crazy how this song hasnt become a meme. its kinda cornball. 4. this shit should not be 5 minutes nowhere fast- what did he say. hes just to british to be kept alive. is he still alive? thats sad. whatever the song is 4 or 5 well i wonder- dont care. 3 or 4 barbarism begins at home- the title intrigues me but i doubt it will hold my interest. i was right, idgaf. 5. it should not be 7 minutes. meat is murder- i keep thinking people are talking in the background. the song is ok but i dont care. it gave me a headache. 5 or 6 favrotie track- rusholme ruffians ig

Middle of the road music for me. Not anything offensive about this.

Good album. I prefer the queen is dead

Love The Smiths. Not a big fan of this album but still enjoyed it. Morrisey has such a unique voice.

Enjoyed it. I love some songs by the Smiths, but they weren’t on this album, but I like their sound

Not bad but I can only take so much Morressey at a time.

39/1001 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑

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

2024-02-26: Like it!

ok

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

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

Occasionally interesting but largely forgettable.

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

Nice sound 3

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

Nothing stood out as incredible. Nothing stood out as terrible

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

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

Not what I was expecting. Not for me.

eh, its alright. not my jam tho.

I don’t think I like the smiths

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

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

Definitely a vibe, but not my kind of music

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

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

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

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

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

2.7 -first listen

Nice enough

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

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

Ok. All songs sound the same

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

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

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

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

could i write poetry to this? y

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

Non uno dei migliori album, ma sicuramente la qualità emerge

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

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

Very slow. Some good one though

Love the Smiths, but Morrissey tarnishes his own legend.

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

I’m a vegan now

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Easy listening pop stuff.

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

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

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

Just ok rock songs

6.5/10

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

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

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

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

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

3.75

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

Ok

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

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

Good Smiths but likely their least consistent

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

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

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

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

I only sort of listened to it.

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

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

It sure it is my favourite of their albums.

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

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

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

Meget Morrissey... Så meget Morrissey...

The same song for half an hour.

Distinct vocal sound and great rhythmic rock.

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

Pretty good stuff.

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

I enjoyed it more than I expected.

64/100

I dig this sound. Understated coolness.

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

See yesterdays comments.

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

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

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

Felt underwhelming compared to some of their more recognisable songs.

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

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

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

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

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

Not a bad album

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

it's okay

Nice Little Rock album

Mmm, ordinary nothing exceptional

Mid

3.5

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

Good - standard Smiths fare

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

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

Morrissey is an odious prick. However this album is pretty decent, it has an 80s sound but not in the bad way. The guitars on "Barbarism Beings At Home" are really good but the song goes on for far too long and then you get subjected to Morrissey's wailing. It's a shame the album ends with "Meat is Murder" because it's a massive miss. Highlights: The Headmaster Ritual That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore Barbarism Beings At Home

Actually really enjoy these guys, but a bit more passively than I thought I would. It puts me in a nostalgic place that I can’t put my finger on, and then it kind of just blends into the background for me.

This was a solid, fun album. I'm not sure what I was expecting but it opens with the bouncy "The Headmaster Ritual" and the energy carries throughout the album. The vocals on this album are not particularly exciting but there is some fun guitar/instrumental work throughout. Song going on my "1001 Songs" Playlist: I'm Not Afraid Songs Going On My "1001 Albums Savelist" Playlist: The Headmaster Ritual, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Nowhere Fast, Barbarism Begins at Home

Really wasn't bad, appreciated the sound and vocals but I don't know, felt like it wasn't blowing me away either.

I didn't like it, but I'm not big on most 80's music

Listened to this while doing economics. Pretty neat album.

All the Smiths songs start to sound the same. But there were some good ones here.

I previously stated that Strangeways, Here We Come was my least-favourite Smiths record. Now I think this one might be. Do I like the Smiths at all? The bass on "Barbarism Begins at Home" makes me feel like I do. The title track that follows it makes me question that. A mixed bag of tracks here for sure. I'd still probably consider this a 3.5 album but I guess I'll round down for Moz.

It's not quite The Smiths that I've listened to on my own. I do enjoy listening to them, though. I think one of my favorite things about The Smiths, just in general, is that their albums don't really fall off in quality as you listen. The end of the album is just as strong as the beginning.

Can’t get me enough Smiths! Love the bass on “Barbarism Begins at Home.”

I like most individual songs, but the thing about Morrisseys vocals is the mix of pretty tone and monotonous melodies. It sounds like a toddler while they’re first learning to carry a tune. I can’t like it for long at a time.

Some good songs, but I am more familiar with The Queen is Dead and still prefer it.

Decent album. I should give it another listen

Probably the most Smiths sounding The Smiths album recorded, but not their best. The Headmaster Ritual and That Joke isn’t Funny Anymore” are strong tracks, but the rest feel like outtakes.

Pretty strong album, holds up well. Not as good as The Queen is Dead, which I'm sure will show up on this list. Favorite: Barbarism Begins at Home

It was alright. Very smiths sound, but I didn't find the songs as earworm-y or catchy. Morrissey wrote a lot of lyrics that I like hearing and reading, and Johnny marrs guitar playing is dope. I'm on the fence about it.

Yeah idk, the lyrics are corny but the music bangs.

if the smiths were a cuban linx mozzarella would be the b tech plastic link imported that snuck past quality control Johnny Marr and Andy Rourke are goat (animal type) . this joke isn't funny anymore is ridiculous but most the album is just decent. strong 3.75 but im gonna have to round down

Just Morrissey whining on. I know I'm supposed to spot something amazing in the guitars, but yeah, just Morrissey.

Not my cup of tea.