The Queen Is Dead

The first song “Queen is Dead” was probably a banger at the time. Mr Shankly was bleh. I’m sure this album was real big at the time, very 80s.

Bought this when it came out. Great album

Easier to listen to in the 80s, when angst and hormones flowed freer. Still not a bad album for dark winter days spent alone contemplating a breakup or for general wallowing.

Morrissey could easily have cost this its deserved 5... but it gets one in spite of him being a dick.

The music has its ups and downs. The dark cynical lyrics are great throughout. Favorite song: bigmouth strikes again.

The title track in the album was pretty bad. The rest of the tracks fluctuated between good and bad. Overall not my cup of tea.

Makes me feel like a South Park goth kid.

Melancholy, biting, and sarcastic. The album equivalent of a cat knocking something off of the shelf on purpose.

like a 2, kinda weird alternative

Solid album

Quiet and chilling

British Indie-Pop mit Punk Bezug, nicht meine Musik, aber Geschmackssache, vermutlich in ihrem Genre wegweisend und einflussreich auf die folgenden Generationen der Indie-Pop Gruppen.

Very bright. Very depressing. Very British. 10/10

Sounds like 80s music. Very eclectic, the style seems to bounce all of the place. Doesn’t stick with me but I don’t hate it so whatever.

great album.

Brilliant opening track. Goes off a bit with some slower whimsical songs but a great run of songs at the end. Bigmouth. Boy with a thorn. There’s a light. Love it.

Dookie

Indie Rock/ Alternative Rock, compelling, interesting. Still has an "oldie" tone. Never Had No One Ever best in this list

Arguably my favourite album of all time. This band and this record changed my life, and I can't be more grateful.

Excellent album!

Good drummer. Good beat

I kinda wish I discovered the Smiths when I was growing up so I could enjoy them... before...

This was just not a good album. The vocals were all over the place. The guitar playing was sloppy. The lyrics were... a thing. Altogether they combined to make a very regrettable experience.

Good album smith hate page

HOW SOON IS GOOD

So torn. It’s the Smiths and it’s a classic. I really want to give it 4.5 though

I just don't get the Smiths

I dislike Morristown but I gotta admit The Smith are pretty awesome. I’d rate this a 4 but I think 3.5 is more appropriate so it gets a 3.

1.17.24

It feels like I should like it more than I do, but something doesn't fully click for me on this one. It's still very good. Will I listen to again: 35%

I can only say that "Bigmouth strikes again". Surprise album. I honestly think I wouldn't have heard about this band without this list. Difficult to categorize, but excellent rhytmically.

Un long truc monotone où très les chansons se ressemblent

one of the best albums of all time, excellent songs including the great "there is a light that never goes out"

Incredible album, no skips. If only morissey could listen and learn from his own lyrics. Earnest, soaring, painful, glorious. One of the greats.

A little repetitive especially lyrics

3.5 I’ve never listened to The Smiths and I truly cannot decide if I like Morrissey's voice. It took a second listen to hear much of anything else and a third to realize how bizarrely dark the lyrics are. I love the music either way.

the queen is dead - nonsense babbling frankly, mr shankly - pree gud i know its over - delulu ballad never had no one ever - more delulu cemetry gates - fun bigmouth strikes again - high pitch singing is annoying, bro thinks he's AJR the boy with the thorn in his side - its ok vicar in a tutu - more babbling there is a light that never goes out - i like when he repeated the lyrics some girls are bigger than others - water is wet

Excellent!! This is such a great album. Dark, silly and beautiful. Classic Smiths

Sounds are great, some of the lyrics are truly hilarious.

Doesn't matter how many times I listen to it, it only gets better. Different songs start to stick out every few listens, 'Boy with a Thorn in his Side' has really been nailing itself to my brain recently. Also I don't care how silly the lyrics are, the guitar riff on 'Some Girls...' makes it a classic for me. Easy 5, incredible what they produced in such a short career.

The Smiths are a weird band for me. I like listening to them, but other than "How Soon Is Now", "Panic" and "Ask" it always feels like I am listening to their songs the first time, nothing really sticks. Listening to this album felt like a first, although I heard all of the songs before multiple times. The Smiths in general, and on this album in particular sound weirdly uplifting despite the melancholic, almos whiney vocals and "heavy" lyrics. I keep wondering if R.E.M. was influenced by this album when they wrote "Shiny Happy People"...

Just can't relate to this at all. Seems like one of those generic rock bands whose purpose is to embody the average so other bands can be excellent or terrible. If they were interesting at a particular time in history, it is lost upon me today.

"Franky, Mr. Shankly, I'm a sickening wreck, I've got the 21st century breathing down my neck." That's all that happened. The 21st century caught up with Morrissey. Today we think that engaging with art is some kind of "moral support" or even financial support to the artist themselves. Art is at all times separate from the artist, the artist is dead. Whatever measly few pennies Morrissey himself gets after you spin this once on Apple Music/Spotify won't deport any immigrants. And even if it did, it would be worth it for the great art. To not understand this, to disagree with it, is to misunderstand the role of art in the world. So, maybe, go listen to Sam Smith or Taylor Swift if feeling "validated" is what you need. If this is sounds bitter, it's only because I am. "The Queen is Dead" is one of the great works of art of the 20th century. These political things sully it, as well as the work of all others on it who weren't Morrissey.

I never listened to a whole The Smith album before. I had a friend who was really into them. Through them I knew ‘Girlfriend In A Coma’. When I just checked through the Spotify discography, I didn’t even have that one liked but ‘A Rush And A Push And The Land Is Ours’. Very fun 80s song. Let me listen to see if I like any songs from this album. None really stood out majorly to me. I knew two more of the songs but nothing that swept me away. I do not mind Morrissey’s voice and I’m still good after 1-2 songs. They are all happy tunes sounding songs that have deeply sad, silly and Aggro lyrics. Does not really work for me. If I want to listen to songs about sad things I need them to also sound sad. Same with silly and Aggro.

"Fame, fame, fatal fame, it can play hideous tricks on the brain. But still I'd rather be famous than righteous or holy." Das fasst Morrisseys Charakter eigentlich ganz gut zusammen. Auch hier habe ich ein ähnliches Problem wie zuvor bei The Police - ich finde ein anderes Album viel besser (Hatful of Hollow) und kenne die bekannten Songs, aber es hat oftmals einen Grund, warum die die bekanntesten sind. Die ersten beiden Songs (Titelsong & Frankly, Mr. Shabby) und "There is a light that never goes out" gefallen mir am besten. Bei "Bigmouth strikes again" bin ich unschlüssig, was ich davon halten soll - Tendenz geht zu "Uff nee, ganz schlimm". Ähnlich geht es mir bei "Vicar in a tutu", wobei mir das minimal besser gefällt. Den Rest kann man gut in der Badewanne hören.

Today’s album is The Queen is Dead by the Smiths which I find really difficult to listen to now. The best that you can say is that 75% of the band aren’t obnoxious racist bigots.

Not a bad album, I think there is a lot more to be desired and I'm not the hugest fan of Morissey but overall it was okay! It does have a nostalgia factor for me as it reminds me of the time I lived in New England.

I'm not super familiar with the Smiths but it's good quality pop/post-punk/indie rock from the '80s. Morrissey can sing that's for sure (even though sometimes he is whining a bit too much), and Marr knows how to play even though there is no technical demonstrations (no solo, nothing particularly fancy but it's well written and interpreted and the melodies are all potential earworms). The production of the album is a bit too dated, you instantly know you're listening to an album from the '80s. All in all it's ok but not so memorable for me. And Morrissey is a racist prick now, it doesn't help

In the eighties I was not really interested in the Smiths while some of my class mates admired them. Today I am wondering why I ignored them. Morrissey has a great voice. Most of the songs are composed well, and I like the arrangements. Bass lines are way better than in many similar songs. It's still not my preferred genre, but it's a good album.

I think this is an OK The Smiths album, but not more. 'There Is a Light That Nevewr Goes Out' is a good song, and 'Frankly, Mr. Shankly' is a quirky but interesting song that could've fitted in well on the first Pink Floyd's 'The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn' album. Other than that it feels quite bland to me.

This was an OK album but something about The Smiths just irks me. It feels to pretentious and try-hard. Like the cool kids in school listen to it because it's cool and nothing else. Maybe it's cause Morrisey seems like a shitty human.

La primera canción empieza muy raro. Pero The Smiths es un grupo de rock inglés clásico. No me gustó "I know it's over". Tuve que esperar a "Big mouth strikes" again para encontrar nuevas canciones que me gusten.

Very enjoyable

The singer of this band has a lot of control over his voice and a nice resonant tone. The instrumental is good, and there were times in the album I thought were great but I didn't find anything too special. It isn't the music I'd usually listen to but I have fun listening to it.

This is a very good album. The vocals blend very well with the instrumentals throughout. It’s definitely a bit depressing at points but in a good way .

Reaaal good album. Liked it a lot. Not much to say beyond that. Liked the layering of the instruments and the very plinky guitar. Morrissey has such a unique almost whingy voice that is not easily replicated, and they match so perfectly with the lyrics and instrumental, a 5 is necessary

An absolutely beautiful album. It had a very sad tone. The entire album is amazing there isn’t a single song I found bland. The melancholy tone of the album and the singers vocals (although British) are beautiful. The instrumental is also very catchy. The songs are catchy and all of the lyrics have deep meaning. It’s not hard to see why this is one of the highest rated albums of all time. Personally I’ll have to give it a 8.5-9

Good

Great album to listen to when you are depressed.

2.5

De stem van Morrissey blijft me tegenstaan.

Great but still don't see the recent The Smiths hype. Might have to give it another go with more focus but not too impressed.

A vibe

Sonically interesting, great intro, good vibes, but probably won't end up in my daily rotation

Never been a Smiths or Morrissey fan outside of "How Soon Is Now", but I'm gonna have to check out some more of their work. Enjoyed this.

The album was ok. Interesting vocals and the band was tight.

Excellent album. As an album from the Smiths, it’s predictably somewhat whiny, but it has such great songs as ‘I Know It’s Over’, ‘Bigmouth Strikes Again’, and especially ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’, which is just purely beautiful. But why did they have to end it with ‘Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others’?

Fair - music starts sounding the same!

Good.

I understand that the Smiths are a culturally significant band, but I just can’t get into them. I found this album boring and annoying.

I can take or leave the Smiths. I'm too young for them to be formative. I get they were influential. How Soon Is Now is phenomenal (but not on this album).

Honestly not bad, 6/10

Love it love it, sounds super modern, probably because it inspired lots of modern artist. Need to listen to more The Smiths.

I really enjoyed this album. There were quite a few songs i liked on it, and overall the instrumentals and vocals were very good to me. Some parts might’ve been a bit weird, but it’s alright considering it’s my first time listening to the smiths. Definitely will check this album out and more like it.

7/10

Fuck Morrisey. Also this was so boring.

BIGMOUTH

I like The Smiths but this whole album at once was a little too much for me. Very little variation in sound. A couple great hits on here but a couple weird songs as well.

Quite fun, energic, i'd listen to this one again

4.5 stars. Often my favorite Smiths, certainly their best. Not a huge fan of the title track, but it works well as the opening track. If I had to pick a Smiths Top 10 songs, this record would be well represented.

Definitely 80s - moody, great melodies. I was too young to appreciate this at the time. Definitely influenced The Sundays. Can also see why people find Morrisey insufferable - loves singing about how lonely and unloved he is despite being so smart and good looking. Will go back to listen more

I haven't listened to much of The Smiths and this felt like a good intro. I really liked Big Mouth Strikes Again, and then afterwards I listened to The Cure for an hour.

I was impressed with the stark contrasts between songs on this album while all still retaining distinct Smiths-like characteristics. For example, the desperation of The Queen Is Dead compared with the upbeat, slightly comical Frankly Mr. Shankly. This was my second Smiths record and it's certainly the better of the two.

Sounded like The Smiths but the pace of the songs were faster and seemed to convey an immediacy about the music. Good album.

Enjoyable 80s vibes. Great for background listening at work. Some lyrics are pretty stupid, though.

This is a good album. Such a distinctive sound and takes me back :) great beat

"I've got the 21st century breathing down my neck!" - Frankly, Mr Shankly The odd high pitched chorus of Bigmouth Strikes Again Some girls is eh

Easy listening. Familiar with their sound and recognized a few songs. Not my favorite, but good background music.

Not my favorite, but solid album for its time

Didn't listen to this album

A- Didn't know all their biggest bops were from one album. It was a good album Alicia likes that song about fat ladies D- good album, went by quickly. I liked that one song that kinda had a texas swang sound to it.

Bigmouth Strikes Again remains a staple of the 1980s. Morrissey being his usual dour self, with adolescent angst as the main course. Johnny Marr raises the stakes throughout.

The queen is dead : 5/10 Frankly, Mr. Shankly : 7/10 I know it's over : 5.5/10 Never had no one ever : 5/10 Cemetery gates : 5/10 Bigmouth Strikes again : 7/10 The boy with the Thorns in his side : 6.5/10 Vicar in a Tutu : 4/10 There is a light that never goes out : 6.5/10 Some girls are bigger than others : 4.5/10 The album is nice to hear, but a bit repetitive. Vocals from Morrissey are really nice on some songs. Highlights on Frankly, Mr Shankly and Bigmouth Strikes again Averaged grade : 5.6/10

Nice pop rock. Easy listen, but not very interesting. Very good vocals - he actually reminds me a bit about Morten Harket from a-ha.

A classic

It was ok, but not something I would normally listen to. I found the music a little depressing.

Love The Smiths; they epitomize my love of depression rock. It was good to listen, though, as I was totally unfamiliar with several of the songs. Of these some I liked e.g. Some Girls are Bigger Than Others, and some I didn't like The Queen is Dead. It's possible a re-listening might change that but at the time, it felt to cacophanous.

Ich finds guer! Han sogar e lied (there is a light that never goes out) if mini liked playlist due. Drum und well de resch au sehr decent isch es 4.7/5

Ahhhhh the smiths. Kenne halt scho s ganz album aber vlt chani etze mal probiere andersch z lose? Morrissey isch halt schwierigs thema oder und d frag vo separate art from artist chunnt halt da au wieder uf….wobii bi dem album ischer ja no de toll morrissey gsi wo sochli eh stimm für die geh hett wos am meiste brucht hend… so is that okay? Idk. Aber susch mega sympathisch, recht herzige sound! Iwie tönt mit de ziit alles chli gliich aber joa

yes smiths time yes. Byebye queen de ihm. frankly mr shankly isch chli meh silly goofy time aber auno guet. gitarre töned mega schön. bigmouth strikes again riiese banger. die höche stimme huere geil vicar in a tutu au wieder goofy song time, bitz graceland type song? sochli country? some girls are bigger than others?? okö jo i guess? hardi chords, instrumentale teil seeehr geil.

OKAY ENDLICH BACK VODE SKIFERIE find s erste lied schomal villversprechend lyrics passed nöd würkli zude ener fröhliche stimmig vode musig aber ich lieb das FRANKLY MR. SHANKLY I know it's over mega es friedlichs lied cemetery gates megaaaa cute isch jz mal es album wo gern echli länger hett chönne sii grundsätzlich findis sehr es friedlichs album und passt gad sehr zu minere stimmig (dehei fuulenze)

Ich finde es Album ok. Ich kann es mir anhören, aber die bis The Smiths haben mich irgendwie immer noch nicht so gekriegt.

Not great, not terrible. Is a little forgettable but there were some nice songs, didn't add anything. 2.5/5

One of the best albums ever made. Banger after banger. 10/10.

Boring depressing- but what more do you expect.

yes

This isn’t even their greatest album but it’s still a masterpiece - the playing between Andy and Johnny can’t be beaten

Johnny Marr's songwriting is near perfect, to the point where I can almost ignore my intense dislike of Morrissey. It's a strong album though, despite him. With a different vocalist, it might have been among my favorite albums.

If The Smiths would have made just this one song "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" my life would be fulfilled. What a melancholic masterpiece. Unfortunately the last album of this influencial british band.

Album Nr. 3. Es gibt zwar keinen Titel, welchen ich besonders gut fände, aber dieses Album ist schon besser, als die vorherigen beiden.

Still not my music …

Part of my youth‘s soundtrack.

Also a band with a distinctive singer. I like Bigmouth striktes again very much

Already own and love this record.

love the smiths

Die ersten beiden Lieder überspringen!

The best way I can describe this album is that it "feels" like it should be critically acclaimed. In my book though, it feels like another page in the English rock book. Many of the songs blend together, aside from a few highlights and lowlights. I guess I could see why some people adore it though. Highlight: Frankly, Mr. Shankly Lowlight: Never Had No One Ever Surprise Hit: n/a

Oh my god, Morrisey. The perfect thing if you’re feeling morose but also sort of fancy in a literate way and don’t care about anyone but yourself! I mean the ego that just drips off this is so great it’s absurd. Hard to take seriously but totally great, it’s more fun than it should be but I think maybe you have to have a dark sense of humor to inhabit this head space. Even if you separate the cranky racism from Moz and can set it aside, there is no way you can listen to this music and not conclude that the lyricist is absolutely insufferable. Good tunes though!

enjoyed it. not my style but I totally see how it could be someone else’s

Soft 5

I went heavy into Smiths circa 2005? I listened so much I had to delete off all from Apple Music. Great songs maybe will revisit in 10 years

First, Happy Christmas Eve. Second, the kids are into records again, so I started a new tradition with my two nieces last Christmas, we go out and pick an album on vinyl and I buy it for them. 'Queen is Dead' was my 13yo niece Amelia's top choice (Pixies Doolittle was also on her list). One thought, poor old Morrissey probably doesn't know exactly how Joan of Arc felt but "Bigmouth strikes again" is still a banger- and -very fitting for someone who's infamous for saying dumb things - "Light that Never Goes Out" might be the most emo of all the emo songs of all time.

depressed ass song

YASSSS BIGMOUTH STRIKES AGAIN FR

Definitely familiar with this one. Good memories of a solid album, with some definite duds (Never had no one ever, vicar in a tutu, some girls are bigger..), but most of the rest are gems. Bigmouth Strikes Again is still far-and-away my favourite Smiths song, and I don't understand how it isn't everyone's. 4/5

Liked it more than I thought I would. Very 80s. Some interesting songs.

I enjoyed it, was the smiths, similar music across but not to long that it was boring

3.4

Me gusta mucho la melodía de sus canciones. El diseño de tapa de disco es hermoso!

Vou dar 5 pq fodase. Todas as músicas do Smiths são iguais, mas não deixam de ser boas.

Decent album, and The Smiths definitely have their own unique sound, but a number of tracks were just kind of there… not too many grabbed me.

'There Is a Light That Never Goes Out' is the Smith's most famous song, but 'Cemetry Gates' is my personal favorite from this album.

I'm surprised that I didn't hate this as much as I thought I would.

pretty enjoyable. The smiths vocals arent my favorite but generally enjoyable enough

New wave is my jam. I guess I like the Smiths even if Morrissey is a dick.

Not my jam, per se, but a fun listen nonetheless 😀

Throw enough shit and some of it sticks; I've had them pushed on me for a while and resisted and even listened to some of the other albums, not for me, this one sticks a little.

This music is not really my cup of tea, but I felt nostalgic for a time in which I had never lived.

Excellent although moz is a cunt.

So good.

7/10

Frankly Mr Shantly me fait déambuler comme une poule de luxe

I love the smiths.

close to a 4 but not quite. Cemetry Gates and Some Girls are both awesome classic tracks - the rest is good but not wonderful. Perhaps I'm missing the nostalgia effect and also this 'style' of music (post-punky new-wavey english-pixies vibe) is not particularly my thing.... still pretty great overall.

I just don't like the Smiths much.

Amazing album

Very 80s and very British. The songs kind of blended together and none was particularly memorable, but Never Had No One Ever and Bigmouth Strikes Again were pretty nice. 2.5/5, rounding up because I feel like it deserves a pass

Very solid! Like the guitar riffs! Morrisseys song melodies arent always thr most grabbing but still it works! Thr lyrics makes up for it.

It's The Smiths, obviously they're great but they've never quite been an absolute favourite of mine.

#62. When I woke up this morning, I had this urge to listen to 37 minutes and 11 seconds of a guy that sounds like Kermit the Frog doing an impression of Jordan Peterson for some reason. And Sheogorath bless, I was given The Smiths to listen to today! Perfect. I will have to deduct three stars though because even though they were right in saying the queen is dead, woke ass Britain made a MAN queen in some weird equal rights affirmative action type thing. I mean, I believe in equal rights and all, but I'm also a bit traditional sometimes, and I just think a woman should be queen. 2/5: meh Song added to playlist: There Is A Light That Never Goes Out I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link

Sorted Pokemon cards to this

The best Smiths album, but I've always failed to understand its overwhelming acclaim. There are some great songs on here (namely the title track and bigmouth), but to me it lacks cohesiveness and has too many weak tracks.

Probably my favorite Smiths album, but also one I haven't listened to on the reg or in its entirety since I was in high school mumblemumble years ago, so it was nice to hear some of the deeper cuts that you don't hear in generational wrap-up lists or on 80s mixes or whatnot. Nothing but deep teen angst love for this album.

The singing sounds so distant and the age of the band shows which isn’t a bad thing, however their vibe is the same in each song like where’s the range? They give me the cure vibes but with no novelty.

Really good, new favorite album for sure.

This is a fine album, containing some of the Smiths best songs, especially Cemetry Gates, There is a Light and Bigmouth.

Smiths sort are perfectly ok.

Fuck Morrissey team Robert Smith That aside. What a boring ass album even by The Smiths standards

Considered a protest vote based on Mozza's ugly politics, but I can't betray the soundtrack to my soft and mopey teenage years

Everybody does love the smiths!!! There is a light that never goes out!!!

Goes in the same category as The Cure, it takes an attempt or two to appreciate. I have no attempts on my record. Awful singing.

I thought I liked this album but it turns out I only like There Is a Light That Never Goes Out

So many great songs. 5/5

Great

Morrissey is so tiresome. There’s one or two pretty good songs on this album but otherwise I’ve never enjoyed it since first hearing it in college.

Did not know the smiths. Nice 80s sound, 3.5 start. I will listen again :)

Blind album, know the artist by name. I thought this album was better than another I heard from them, but still not that great.

It's decent, but not amazing.

Love the smiths, hate morrisey

27NOV23 Album 1 Tight rhythm. Johnny Marr. Bigmouth Strikes Again.

Contaminated by Morrissey’s late life rightward shift

Not bad!

Melancholic, melodic, great lyrics and musicianship. Morrissey has evolved into what can only now be described as a massive gammon, granted, but in his earlier form him and Marr didn't half write some bangers. Doesn't outstay its welcome and every song stands up. Quality.

2 feels harsh, 3 feels too much. Has the makings of something I should enjoy but I can't get into it.

Edgy lyrics, but I like the vibe of the music

Ugh, I loved everything about this album. I have never listened to anything by The Smiths and this just blew me away. The amount of topics explored in this record, the production, the vocals, everything was great. Obviously, the lyricism is a big plus and it could be interpreted in various ways and with time you could try to understand them so much better, but I really liked it.

80's mod, emo, look at me I am so sad regurgitation. Not terrible, not great, just meh. I used to really be into them. My silly young self.

Has some bangers, but a bit of a pick and mix.

I can't tell if I love or just like this album. I. Enjoyed most of the songwriting, most of the music. I thought without Patrick on vocals maybe some of these songs wouldn't be as memorable. But at the same time I can't think of a single track I outright didn't Like. Very conflicting.

Det skal jeg lytte ril igen

You mix Joy Division with Adam and Ant and you got this happy goth vibe who wants to walk in the cemetery on a sunny day.

I was jealous of the Queen and felt like taking my own life. I'm sure that people into this genre have wonderful things to say about this album, I however, have nothing positive to say so I'll just keep quiet!

Not bad, kinda emo I think.

Wieso schon das zweite Smith Album?!

Hold kæft den er fed. Første der reelt godt kunne ryge ind i min rotation. Fed britisk punk / new wave

Same as morrisye

Kevyttä poprockia. Tykkäsin kyllä melodioista. Vähän ehkä punkmaista

Favourite tracks: queen is dead; frankly Mr Shankly; big mouth strikes again; some girls are bigger than others; there is a light that never goes out

It was good! I think I'd get obsessed if I did an in-depth dig into the lyrics. But on first pass, nice boppy flow, easy to listen to.

I love the lyrics, just not the style i like

Acclaimed to be the Smiths best album.... but meh.... nah, defo not the best output from them in my wee humble opinion. This album is a clear contrast in sides, the A side is meh... OK... its Morissey expressing drama... nothing that grabs you. The B side, opens well with Big Mouth and continues with a run of trademark Smiths classics. So for me, I'd only play half the album.

I had meant for a long time to check out The Smiths so I'm super glad for the nudge. Track 1 (The Queen Is Dead) is SUCH a strong opener. I'm a sucker for the lush guitars and the long, luxurious instrumental outro. Morrissey's vocals are so lovely too -- perfectly capturing wryness and sincerity and heartbreak. Tracks that stood out to me upon 1st listen: 1 - The Queen Is Dead; 3 - I Know It's Over (god I nearly cried); 9 - There's A Light That Never Goes Out Would I revisit this album? Yes!!

Very enjoyable listen. Highlight tracks - I know it's over, there is a light that never goes out.

The man is an arse but he writes good songs.

For how influential they were. Nobody sounds like them. There is a Light... is my highlight from this.

Not a big Smiths fan

Not my favourite Smiths album, but some good tracks in there.

A few of the songs were catchy. There wasn’t really anything that stood out in this album. Pretty average

The Smiths are definitely influential, but this sad brit rock isn't quite for me.

great and jangly clever, ahead of it's time and outside of time and great first and last tracks

liked it more than i thought i would. 80's sounds

The Smiths at their most mopesome, winsome and best. Funny and terribly romantic as always. I Know It’s Over is a stroke of lyrical perfection, I love the line “Mother I can feel the soil falling over my head”. Really enjoyed this album as a whole, Johnny Marr in particular is incredible, his guitar work injects such magic into these songs.

This was the Smiths at their best, mixing Morrissey's sarcasm and dark romanticism with Johnny Marr's cleanest sounds.

NOW THATS BRITISH ALT

WOW! So listening to this back to back with another new wave project from Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark’s “architecture and morality”, this album is SO MUCH BETTER. I like the smiths but I’ve never sat down and listened to an album start to finish. Johnny Marr is so good. The drums are awesome. Morrissey is so much more entertaining. I expect to like new wave perhaps BECAUSE of what I know from depeche mode and tears for fears, but I really did not like that album. This every time. Love queen is dead, bigmouth strikes again, there is a light and it never goes out, some girls are bigger than others.

i loved it. calm but also a great beat. masterpiece.

I enjoyed this, good driving music. No songs that I felt were bad enough to skip

I never liked Morrissey’s personality or voice and I still don’t. The song “The Queen is Dead” is cooler than I thought.

Un peu fatigant, trop plein

Decent album but not my thing

I don't get the references or half of the lyrics. Not a fan of the wobbly, drawn-out vocal stylings. The music was pretty cool overall though. Fav tracks: Cemetry Gates, There Is a Light That Never Goes Out, The Queen Is Dead

When this generated I said "Oh fuck yes!" Out loud. Morrissey revolutionized being a cunt and this album rules. When the titular prophesy came true I texted my brother (who introduced me to the Smiths via a burned rip of Louder than Bombs) "I say Charles, don't you ever crave to appear in front of the Daily Mail dressed in your mother's bridal veil?" Savage and iconic. I haven't read much dissecting the additional layer of being queer in the '80s but I think this album is drenched in it. (Love is natural and real, but not for such as you and I, my love.)(Queens, Oscar Wilde, Vicars in Tutus etc.) I Know It's Over, The Queen is Dead, The Boy With the Thorn in His Side, Big Mouth Strikes Again, Cemetry Gates! These are all fantastic songs. There is a Light the Never Goes Out!!! Vicar in a Tutu, Some Girls are Bigger Than Others, and Frankly Mr Shankly are just hilarious. I own it on vinyl, I know all the words, it's a 5.

truly a woderful piece of music. would listen to again. Gives me a melancholy yet happy feeling and the urge to dance like noones watching

Less enjoy

Every song is essentially the same. But when every song is really good, maybe sounding the same isn't a bad thing. It's definitely a vibe.

On nostalgia alone

Ммм, инцел-кор, обожаю 9/10

One of my favourite Smiths Albums. Such sad lyrics to some catchy tunes. Definitely worth a listen. If you listen to this on Spotify it plays a fantastic radio after the album.

Fuck yeah. This is classic, and even though not all songs are bangers, the album holds up. I still remember when I borrowed this album from Nicole Lee in 1986 or 1987. It was a revelation. It is funny to think back on it - how I thought it was several years old. I did that with New Order, DM and the Smiths for sure!

testing notes 2

Was never too much excited about the smiths

Didn’t know this album but thought it was pretty good. Boy With the Thorn was a highlight

Frankly mr shankly rocks. the rest were kinda repetitive.

Its the kind of Music my Grandpa is listening. Not my taste, slow, but not in a good way, like a Movie which was stretched to 3 Hours to make the tickets more pricey. Its not terrible Music though, some might like it

3 star, repetitive but alright with some good beats

The Smiths have such a distinct sound and this is definitely their best display of that.

I despise Morrissey, and I genuinely can't stand There Is a Light That Never Goes Out, but this was my first Smiths album listen. This really ran the gamut for me from the truly awful, to the bland, to the admittedly great. Will give it 2 stars for the solid ⅓ of the album I enjoyed, and see if I can keep mining for Smiths I can enjoy.

Couldn't finish it. Sad rainy day. His voice is glorious but sort of always the same? Reading his biography, his industrial British roots, anti-hero fuck the queen, queer bending and political bravado. Exhausting on a day like today. Maybe some other time.

3.5

The interplay between Johnny Marr's jangly hyperactive constantly changing rhythm guitar and Andy Rourke's pulsating melodic bass parts creates the distinctive signature sound of the entire Smiths' catalogue: pulsating overlapping rhythms, bright poppy chords, harmonic leads with droning open high-strings. Morrissey's may be a reactionary clown, but he was a brilliant lyricist and lead singer, crafting unexpected melodies and bittersweet anthemic choruses and delivering them with sui-generis baritone/falsetto operatic flair. It's all so melodramatic I could set myself on fire. I can never pick a favorite betwen this, Meat is Murder, and Strangeways, and in any case none of their studio albums are as good as the singles compilations which are pure hit upon hit, but there're very few albums I've listened to as many times as this one and am still excited to put on at least every few weeks. A+ material from the best band of the 80s.

Nah. Too much Morrisy. He’s a meme at this point. Veganism hasn’t aged well

Some great tracks, I find I enjoy the Smiths more in smaller doses

Pretty fun album, very unique vocals though sometimes I was like is he out of tune or is that just his vibe haha Standout for me was “There is a light that never goes out”

Cemetry Gates and There is A Light That Never Goes Out are unbeatable and pure gems. MY BELOVEDS <3333333 "I love the smiths." "Sorry?" "i said i love the smiths." ~500 Days of Summer

The Queen Is Dead Frankly My Shankly Cemetry Gates Bigmouth Strikes Again is weird, like, I like how it sounds, it rocks imo, but I don't like the vocals Boy with a Thorn In His Side Vicar in a Tutu There Is a Light that Never Goes out This album was a delight. Other reviews were talking about how this album was "sad boy music" and I must be dumb or something because I got a lot of joy from this. I'm considering a 5/5 to be a perfect album and let me tell you those 3 songs on this album I don't like are really weighing down this score

Fínasta plata sem rennur auðveldlega í gegn. Ég fæ samt smá leið á Morrissey svo ég myndi ekki hlusta oft á hana en af og til myndi ég setja hana á ef ég man þá eftir henni.

Afbragðs plata! Fyrsta platan í þessu verkefni sem ég hlusta á oftar en tvisvar í gegn án þess að þvinga mig til þess. Flottur söngur, gott tónspil, skemmtilegir textar.

He wasn't wrong and if a double-decker bus crashes into us

before listening to this album, i had never heard the smiths. i had thought they were some sort of emo pop or something but quite frankly i enjoyed most the songs throughout this album.

Tof. Kende wel al een aantal nummers.

The music is solid but I can't stand Morrissey's vocals.

Just No. 1/10 Is what I wanted to write before listening to it but honestly its like a 4/10.

Just middle of the road music instrumentally. However, it’s bands like these that make me gravitate towards music that doesn’t contain lyrics because wtf are they even saying? Mr Shankly please kindly shank me. Holy voice cracks my ass. The lyrics feel really forced over the tracks like trying to read a speech that doesn’t match the pace of the song. Which is strange because the lyrics are such trash why did they try so hard to make it work? That’s poetry I guess. You can probably swap the lyrics interchangeably between songs and they would still sound about the same. “Some girls mothers are bigger than other girls’ mothers” - The Smiths. That’s the most poetic thing I’ve ever heard. The lyrics didn’t add something to this album, they took something away. This killed the Queen. Case closed. 3/10

Wonderful instrumentals and the music is just great for most of the songs. Man is Morissey just the worst though, besides being a weird person his voice is average at best and the lyrics are nonsense. Put another singer in here and it might be a ten. 7/10

I grew up listening to the Smiths. I have listened to this album thousands of times. The smiths live rent free in my head. If only Morrissey wasn’t such a huge fucking twat. My favorite part of this album is how playfully aggressive the lyrics are on bordering between being a massive edge lord and a depressed boy whose just been dumped. If the Five Night at Freddys bus crashes into us, to die by your side what a heavenly way to die. The odds of getting a Smiths album after discussing a meme about the smiths is absolutely insane, let alone the song that said meme is about being on the album. The universe is looking out for us. The last song is about fat girls lol 10/10

We need the Smiths more than ever, to forget what Morrisey has become.

idk just never really 'got' The Smiths

I would like this album more as an instrumental. The music is really good. However, even with pushing down my dislike of Morrissey, I find the vocals and lyrics to be boring, distracting, and pretentious. Not an enjoyable listen overall for me.

Not my favourite. Didn't finish it.

Really liked this album.

Ten years ago I was 18 years old. This album was my Holy Bible. The wittiness and earnestness of the lyrics and the sharpness of the instrumentation made it unparalleled with anything of that era. It transcended the status of "music" and became "lifestyle". Ten years have passed and I don't think this is a perfect album anymore. Not a particular fan of the last song, also it lacks a precise direction within the tracklist. Some of songs though are rightly regarded as classics, my favourite being "I know it's over". Overall it's a must listen. (I don't like numeric ratings, I just give 3 to ALMOST anyone. This is probably one of the few cases on which I'll break this rule, just for sheer affection to the material)

There are a lot of good songs on this record, although I feel that the track listing is a bit off. Morrissey's voice, while annoying, blends and contrasts well with the rhythmic acoustics.

Love the humorous lyrics and fun vibe of most Smith songs and this album is just full of them. Sway round your house with a daffodil in your trousers and be amused by Morrissey’s unique vocal tones.

Frankly Mr Shankly is great. It’s okay background sound but not much going for it in the case of a relisten. Otherwise there’s nothing all that special outside of maybe two of the songs

Couldn't listen to it too often but it's brilliant mood matching music

I knew it from my teenage years. It has some bangers on it.

I dig There is a Light that Never Goes Out; dad was giving to some of the songs lol

3/5

Really enjoyed it. Never gave it a chance when released as you couldn’t like this sort of stuff if you were into metal!! But the title track is just like the stuff I like nowadays. Other tracks varied in enjoyment but liked the whole album overall.

I’ve struggled with this album for 40 years. The Smiths are a singles band and their albums are rubbish by comparison. There, I’ve said it. But this album contains one of the greatest singles ever penned. Seeing “There is a light..” on the track listing means I’ll always enthusiastically jump into this record. The title track kicks things off in a pulsating and malevolent way but barely errs from its rhythm and barely describable chorus. Whereas Cemetary Gates is nonchalant and charming. Mare’s melody is all over it and is effortlessly brilliant. “Big Mouth..” is a greatest hits encore kicking in where it has no right. Bang, bang, bang and after “Thorn in your side” and the aforementioned “There is a light” you think you might be experiencing the greatest working class best combo of an age. “Vicar in z tutu” and “some girls” done diminish this view and whereas side one contains some of the most unfathomable dross you. Ight experience that still isn’t enough to take any stars away from this 5 star masterpiece.. if collected singles of course.

There's a certain nostalgia about The Smiths, which may have afforded this album one star more than otherwise warranted, but boy, what was I thinking back in the 80s at the school disco with dead flowers in my back pocket, lolling along to The Smiths? Forty years later I cringe at the lyrics and the dourness of the songs. The original shoegazer, Morrissey really was miserable back then, probably still is now. A few catchy memories, but let's not talk about that stage in my life again.

Reminds me of bubs

The ultimate album for slightly pretentious teenagers that have a sense of just how ridiculous they are. Yes it’s a shame Morrissey turned out to be such a plank but these songs remain as wonderful as ever The jangly guitar sound is unbeatable and the lyrics are by turns touching and very funny

Enjoyable listen,less fussed with first song

Always enjoyable

Good one

I don't like the Smiths.

I feel like I'm in a B movie from the late 90s. 🐰 3/5

Fantastic

Unfortunately, I am a Smiths fan (not Morrisey okay). Pretentious, sad girls unite. But actually this album wasn't even that sad. The upbeat melodies + guitar contrast sad lyrics and make the depression quite palatable. Frankly Mr. Shankly - lol, very much relate to this after quitting my corporate job Never Had No One Ever - good sad Cemetry Gates - "weird lover Wilde" GAY Bigmouth Strikes Again - "now I know how joan of arc felt" drama queen but same Vicar in a Tutu - I don't get the abrupt ending tbh There is a light that never goes out - classic but might be slightly overrated? Some girls are bigger than others - this is a no from me 4.5 rounded up

Great album Abit to short but enjoyed every song

Ah Morrissey. You moody dude with many a broken-hearted croon. Of course this album is one of the best from the Smiths and shows just how sappy and sad basic bands can get.

I've never particularly enjoyed a lot of indie music. It was always hard to put my finger on what I didn't like about it. Now I know. This album is exactly what I hate in indie music. I didn't think I would legitmately hate anything on this list, but I just can't stand this album. Somewhere between the whiny vocal style, lazy instrumentation, and sheer boredom I just can't be seen having a good time.

Light 7. Liked the shorter songs. Not really my style. A bit too British. Highlights: Cemetry Gates, Vicar in a Tutu

The Smiths sound the best when the lyrics are a little melodramatic because I think that’s the nature of Morrissey’s voice. And speaking of Morrissey’s voice, I wish there were more variation to it, but as limited as it sounds, I still enjoy it (even if it’s a bit whiny at times). I think the music has a very unique sound, but I wish there were fewer songs and that they were longer and given more time to breathe or go off the rails. It’s definitely an album I’ll listen to again in the future, and if Morrissey comes over and wants to have a listening party, he can have some of my lexapro!

Not bad. Not as soft as I thought. Has a little edge. Can tell the influence it had. 3.5

Просто фоном послушать норм. Не зацепило ничего. С другой стороны, ничего не раздражало. Но переслушивать не хочется. Не верится, что КИНО вдохновлялись этой группой: во-первых, стили разные, во-вторых, КИНО поинтереснее будут.

Stone cold classic goated album will fight haters

Iconic vocals and sounds that The Smiths emit. Legendary.

I've come to the conclusion that idgaf about The Smiths. Not enough to listen to this album from start to finish again anyway. Morrissey as a concept gets old quickly and is fatiguing at times. When he's on fire he's fantastic, but he's not God. I already had favourites like Bigmouth, Cemetery Gates, and Some Girls. But I knew that when I was 14. And at 27 I still can't really get into this as much. It makes me feel that bands like Prefab Sprout were and are criminally underrated by comparison. Their album Steve McQueen is lightyears ahead of this and it's from 1985. Obviously, the bangers are bangers, but Morissey makes it harder to appreciate the rest of them and the band themselves. The songs also just feel like they're in a big hurry for him to shut up. I'd rather listen to Jonny Marr as a solo artist. A+ for effort. D- and Boo to Morissey for wailing in and out of key. 3/5 stars

I mean sure this is a classic, but nearly 40 years on it wears thin. While Morrisey's pretentiousness doesn't get to the full self importance of his current work, you see the seeds of what he will become. Of course the band creates these beautiful sonic landscapes in which we can float around partially ignoring Morrisey's lyrics, which is good thing.

Very British

I didn't grow up listen to much 80s music so I've had to discover most of it as an adult. A few years ago I decided to finally give the 4 albums by The Smiths a listen to see what all the fuss was about. I remember being kind of indifferent but I guess it didn't make enough of an impact to stick in my brain. By contrast, some 80s music made me fall in love immediately. Anyway I'm listening to their 3rd album (The Queen is Dead" again for this group activity. I listened to the 2011 remaster that doesn't include extra songs. I appreciate the name. I'll always enjoy British music poking fun of the ridiculous monarchy. The good news: Some Girls are Bigger than Others is pretty fun (and it's the only one that stayed with me after finishing the album). The bad news: I had to listen to the rest of the album before getting to the last song. Come to think of it, this is one of the rare albums I can recall where the back half is more interesting than the front. I was indifferent to mostly of the songs but one of them I actually hated. I think it was track 2 or 3. I can't bring myself to listen again to clarify though. After listening to the album yesterday, I looked at the Critical Reception section on Wikipedia and I can't help thinking either fans are listening to something else than I am, or maybe whatever subgenre this is just isn't for me. I don't always find myself in agreement with near-universal acclaim and this is definitely one of those times. Morissey's vocals are off-putting to me. Several songs in the first half veered between "drunken 50s lounge singer" and funeral dirge. I can get past vocals I don't love if the instrumentation pulls me in. However this is another area where I feel confused by the rave reviews. I feel that the instrumentation is underutilized on many of the songs. Halfway through I was surprised to hear some punchy drums for a change, because for most of the songs I had trouble hearing the band buried under the crooning. Maybe the overall sound is intentional but it just isn't very fun for me. But I think the melodies are pretty decent actually. If it was played and recorded differently I think I'd like it much more. For personal enjoyment I'd give it 2 stars. However I noticed some humorous lyrics that made it more interesting, and taking the piss out of the royal family is a bonus too. So I'll bump it up to 3 stars total.

My cool uncle, who introduced me to a lot of great music, played me The Smiths in the mid ‘90s and I thought it was the worst thing ever. I didn’t understand how anyone could like Morrissey’s voice and thought the band sounded way too ‘80s, at a time when that was an insult. Keep in mind, most of my favorite bands at the time had rejected everything from the previous decade and were fronted by cynical, aloof, angry, masculine heterosexual dudes who mumbled or growled. And they loved distortion. The Smiths were jangly and used reverb. Morrisey was camp, theatrical, a romantic, earnest, literate, seemingly humorless, and perhaps most damning of all effeminate, possibly even— gasp— gay. He actually crooned and used proper diction. It could’ve been music from another planet as far as I was concerned. It didn’t take long for me to tell my uncle to turn it off. This was clearly not a band for me. Years later I returned to The Smiths with a more open mind and discovered I actually liked them a lot. This was the album that first got me into them. I finally understood Morrissey’s sardonic wit and doomed romanticism. Some of the music still sounded a little dated to me, but I could appreciate Marr’s guitar mastery and the unsung rhythm section of Joyce and Rourke. I even came to like Morrissey’s unique voice, though it’s his lyrics that will always be the band’s greatest strength. So many quotable lines. I don’t think The Smiths ever made a perfect album. This one has a few not quite great songs on it, but the highlights are so good that I’m giving it a five anyway.

An album I really like. Standouts for me are Cemetry Gates, Bigmouth Strikes Again, There Is A Light... Listening to the full album I'm struck at the influence on Belle and Sebastian and I'm sure a host of other bands. Morrissey's lyrics on some tracks like Some Girls remind me of lyrical comedy rock like Electric Six.

kinda meh 1980s british rock

Love it

So here we have to put up with Morressy, and it's a boring Smiths record? There are no hooks here. It's just waves of reverb and whiney bullshit. Which sucks. Because I normally LOVE whiney bullshit. Fuck Morressy.

Enjoyed

Cripes, how is this even on the list?? I hate this album with the fury of 10,000 suns. I wish this did not exist because I have no doubt it is directly responsible for foisting Radiohead on us too. At least things can only get better from here......*gulp*

I was fairly familiar with The Smiths prior to this listen, but admittedly never understood the "obsession" some people have with them. After revisiting this album however... I still don't get it! That being said, I quite enjoyed this. Definitely going to revisit as there's something here I quite like. The orchestral elements are absolutely great. Would be curious to check out another album of theirs but for now another listen to this is in short order!

His voice is eery but good they are a band people forget about

Not a favourite, but easy listening

This is simply one of the best albums of all time. I had only heard it once or twice before coming back to it today and when I did listen I thought it was a 10/10. I honestly did not remember any tracks from the album because they are not in my rotation but coming back to it it solidified my opinion about this being a 10/10. I'm not the biggest indie guy but there is something about this album that just feels so full and appealing sonically. From the baselines to the percussion this albums instrumentation just fits together like a puzzle. Morrissey's vocals on top are really appealing and throughout the album are consistently compelling to listen to. I think my favorite tracks are "The Queen Is Dead", "Frankly, Mr. Shankly", "I Know It's Over", "Never Had No One Ever", "Bigmouth Strikes Again", "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" and "Some Girls Art Bigger Than Others". Generally when I can't pick less than 7 favorite songs on an album it is pretty good. This album is a must listen and deserves all the praise it gets as one of the greatest albums of all time. Easy 10/10

Bra, litt monotont og emo

Les plus : White Queen (As It Began) : sitar, grandiose, prog-rock, transition avec Some Day One Day et son explosivité. Les moins : ventre mou fin de face A / début de face B, manque de ce petit truc qui fait d’un album de Queen un album de Queen. Freddie timide, qui se cherche, dans les prémices du grandiose à venir. A un poil du classique. Les 4 premiers sons mettent en jambe et sont très plaisants à écouter, milieu un peu mou par la suite. Mais les titres s’embriquent et se suivent divinement bien. Un véritable opéra-rock. N’oublions pas qu’il ne s’agit là que de leur second album ! Des précurseurs. Quels génies de la composition. The March Of The Black Queen est un exemple parfait du style typique de Queen. L’album fini en trombe avec l’hypnotisante Funny How Love Is et l’explosif Seven Seas Of Rhye. Globalement, on a ici un album savamment construit, très intelligent, audacieux et sombre dans la gaieté. Un léger manque de maturité qui viendra plus tard dans la discographie du groupe.

Not my cup of tea

Bättre än förväntat

Jangly, fun, and really English

Good for heartbreak and background