Reviews (page 8 of 17)
I think I like this a bit more than Strangeways. Enjoyable from start to finish. But I find it perplexing that Johnny Marr found Kirsty MacColl's original backup harmonies so "weird" that he instead pitched up Morrissey's own vocals for something that sound distractingly weird. Have some respect for the woman behind "Fairytale of New York," dude.
Okay fine yes the Smiths are good, at least on this album. Morrissey has always been more of a meme to me than a musician, but yeah I GET IT. Some girls' mothers are bigger than other girls' mothers is indeed a lyric for which I must pay props.
Morrisay - Horrible Person, very good performer and lyricist Marr - Expert musician Album, excellent
I'm a fan of the sound of The Smiths. Good album with good messaging.
Great album, just a couple of weaker tracks but most are bangers.
Pretty good music, but maybe some songs sound like others a little.
Great Smiths.
8/10 This is a very good album with, in my opinion, a very odd flaw. It comes out of the blocks brilliantly with The Queen Is Dead. It’s a quality track and sets the album up to be something very special, but then the following three tracks just sap that momentum almost immediately. If these tracks had been more evenly distributed through the rest of the album, I suspect they wouldn’t have had as much of an impact on the overall feel of the album for me, but I just feel like the track sequencing lets the flow of the album down a little too much. The production is excellent and there is a great deal of invention and musical interest throughout. People often speak glowingly of Jonny Marr, and I can really see why, but the unsung hero for me here is Andy Rourke on bass. He has some really great bass lines and just throws in little runs and fills every now and again that bring so much life to the bottom end of the album, it’s really delightful to listen to. They also really know when to build up a great harmonic blend of instrumentation at the right moments and that, combined with the tightness of the band set against the more fluid, flouncy vocals from Morrissey really work to develop such a specific and unique sound. This is definitely worth revisiting and I’m very glad to have heard it. The Queen Is Dead - This track moves. It’s got great momentum, the guitars are fantastic and the drums just give it such a great driving pulse. The tightness and thrust from the rest of the band really lays a bed for Morrisesy’s flouncy vocal to sit satisfyingly on top of. Frankly, Mr. Shankly - This is a bit plodding, particularly after the opener. Nice enough, although it is a bit boring, but blissfuly it does everyone a favour and lasts for just over two minutes. I Know It’s Over - This is nice. Sparse to begin with and ebbs and flows through its runtime and builds later on. Little bits and pieces of subtle interest that pop in and out like the strings and synths just add some depth to it too. It’s not really got the fire of the better tracks on the album, but is still decent. Never Had No One Ever - This one’s a bit dull. Not really a lot to say about it, to be honest. It’s meandering and doesn’t really feel like it goes anywhere. Cemetery Gates - I love the rhythmic balance of the different parts of this. The cadence of the guitar line is beautiful. The bass tone is really smooth. And this is pretty much Morrissey at his best. Everything about this song is just great. Bigmouth Strikes again - Another great track. I really like the choices Morrissey makes for some of his vocal lines here. There’s so much atmosphere and drive to this. It’s got pretty much every band member hitting it out of the park, with brilliant production that ties everything together with great clarity. The Boy with the Thorn in His Side - Another really good track. There are places where the lead vocal is just a bit too flouncy for me, but there are other places where it’s quite beautiful too. The interplay between the guitar and the strings is really lovely. Vicar in a Tutu - This is a bit weaker than what’s come before. It’s not bad, but it doesn’t feel as together as what’s come before. There just feels like there’s something missing to tie everything together. There Is a Light That Never Goes Out - Well this is obviously a classic. The juxtaposition between the music and the lyrics is brilliant. Even the vocal delivery just straddles that line between extreme happiness and depressing melancholy. Again, this is an example of every part being essentially perfect at delivering on what the song is trying to achieve. So good. Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others - That little volume dip at the beggining is really weird. This is another great track with plenty of momentum. Quality guitar and bass playing as usual. It’s not really as interesting as other tracks, at least in part due to the pretty rubbish lyrics. This feels a bit like they’ve released a track that they’ve not finished with some scratch lyrics. It also doesn’t offer much in the way of development or variation. Not bad exactly, just not as good as the previous tracks.
Classic Smiths
solid mate
4.3 what a classic, arguably Marr's best guitar work faves: some girls are bigger than others, bigmouth, i know it's over
Take out Frankly Mr Shankly and Vicar in a Tutu and it’s basically flawless.
The first bit of the album is great. Not a fan of the second half.
I mean. The music of The Smiths have been a source of great comfort to me for many years now. I don't enjoy The Queen Is Dead quite as well as Meat Is Murder, which I gave a 5, but it's still solid and has a few of their greatest songs. Those are the only albums of theirs I've had so far (not counting Morrissey solo records, which just don't do it for me), and I'm wondering if there'll be any others after this. Maybe their debut? But back to TQID. The run from Cemetery Gates to There Is a Light That Never Goes Out is pretty flawless. Bigmouth Strikes Again is probably my most listened to if not There Is a Light. "Now I know how Joan of Arc felt, as the flames rose to her Roman nose and her Walkman started to melt" are some of my favorite song lyrics ever. I wish they'd cut the final song. That might've been enough to make it a 5 star album for me.
Marr's guitar work is absolutely beautiful. Morrisey's voice sounds emotional and fragile in the right moments and is certainly unique without crossing over to annoying. The middle part of the album is a bit of a lull but the beginning and closing songs more than make up for it.
Morrissey's vocals are not great, but the songs are solid. Good feel. The National's drummer must have been heavily influenced by the Smiths since they're both over actively hammering behind pretty slow jams.
I know this album gets a lot of love from fans of The Smiths, but personally I preferred th first album. Have to say that Morrissey's lyrics are always amusingly wonky, though some here are very odd.
The Smiths are a perfect blend of pre-emo and post-punk. They changed the way alternative music was not only played and recorded but also received by the public. This album and The Smiths on paper are not a band or style I typically vibe with, but I am a huge fan of these guys and this album is so good, and maybe not even their best (honestly a tough choice). 8.8/10 100/1001
This is a fantastic album. Morrissey is an assholes asshole but there is no bad "Smiths" record.
Buenisimo y muy fresco. El mejor Morrisey. Me gusta la que dice que quiere ser una estrella y cambiar la música. Lo banco.
Favorites: The Queen Is Dead, Bigmouth Strikes Again, There is a Light That Never Goes Out Now, There is a Light That Never Goes Out is for sure the highlight of the record and honestly carries the entire experience for me. Without it, this record would be a solid 7. That being said, This is one of the group's best efforts, and it includes some of my favorite efforts in jangle pop..
Favorite: Bigmouth Strikes Again Almost every song is a bop. They simply made a good album.
more than half of these are certified bangers. There are only like 2 in this that I don't particularly care for. Most of these are farrr too culturally significant to give it less lets be fr. ....AND IF A DOUBLE DECKER BUSSSS
Nice album with most of their big bits 8/10
4 p good except the last song
That is the Album I would have needed in my youth. But stupid ‚me in the past‘ was into Metal… The Music works brillant, as long as you do not google, what Morrissey turnes into. Fav: There is a light that never goes out.
El clasico
I really hate that the Smiths are kinda great.
Even with Morrissey being the way that he is, this is one fine piece of work.
I like the Smiths and this is probably my favorite Smiths' album. The Smiths do not need to have multiple albums on this list.
light and bouncy
I hate that I love The Smiths
I’m still a sucker for this whiny white boy music. 4/5
very nice
First smiths album I’ve listened to in full. Cemetery Gardens onwards good start was a bit dreary 3.5/5
Ok...pretty great
4/5 "Fuck the monarchy" The album. It starts strong and I knew most of Side B. But it did falter on later cuts in the A side. Maybe the peak of Moz/Marr together. Fade out/In into Some Girls was kinda annoying. https://youtu.be/NxRqpCZ5AGc
Love it, all too familiar with the album but it is nice to hear the tracks in sequence. A bit goofy at times, but serious gold in there.
A good album, I liked I Know It's Over, Bigmouth Strikes Again and There Is A Light That Never Goes Out.
Morrissey, much like Kanye, is a man whose death will be celebrated among his fanbase. Absolute cornball through and through, but he wrote some damn good songs with Marr and co. once upon a time, and you gotta recognize that greatness. TQiD is definitely my favorite selection from the Smiths catalogue, and while I'm not as hot on it as I once was (I think I Know its Over and Never Had No One Ever really kill the pacing of the record being back to back), I still recognize a damn fine album when I see it. The opener, Bigmouth Strikes Again, Cemetery Gates, There is a Light, and the cheeky closer are all fantastic listens. Despite the man behind it, I still strongly recommend giving this a shot. If nothing else, There is a Light will probably hit.
Al fin un disco que me gusta bastante. Muy influyente en otros discos que me gustan.
Loved some songs. Not so much others. Big Mouth Strikes Again is hilarious and catchy
Great
Really liked it! That’s it… gonna listen to it again
The songs here sound pretty much like every other smiths or morrissey track I’ve heard and since I enjoy them I enjoyed this, the tracks have the trademark wittiness of the smiths as well as some excellent instrumentation. I liked what I heard here, however I didn’t enjoy it as much as other smiths records, I don’t have any particular complaints except I felt this one drag a little despite the shorter runtime, which is not a good sign in my book. Overall, pretty good but not fantastic. My favorite tracks are: Theres A Light That Never Goes Out, I Know It’s Over, and The Boy With A Thorn In His Side.
01) The Queen Is Dead - 8,0 02) Frankly, Mr. Shankly - 7,0 03) I Know It's Over - 8,0 04) Never Had No One Ever - 8,0 05) Cemetry Gates - 8,5 06) Bigmouth Strikes Again - 10,0 07) The Boy with the Thorn in His Side - 10,0 08) Vicar in a Tutu - 7,5 09) There Is a Light That Never Goes Out - 10,0 10) Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others - 8,5 TOTAL: 8,55 (86/100) Current ranking: 99/568
It's not my favorite but it's a good album
Much better than Meat is Murder.
i fucked with this
I love the Smiths and have this album, but it may be dangerous to listen to as we are reaching the end of the semester. #mood #musicchallenge #albumsky #musicsky 4/5
Morrissey and Marr are a bit like Bernie Taupin and Elton John. Two very different forces in competition more than collaboration. Marr is ostentatious, virtuosic, intricate. Morrissey is flat, repetitive, maudlin. Marr is serious, but inviting. Morrissey funny, but aloof. This tension generally produced brilliant work, but also enough incoherent squibs to call those moments of brilliance accidental. It's how you can have Vicar in a Tutu and There's A Light That Never Goes Out one after the other. It is a consequence of Marr working at a remarkable pace and Morrissey tossing off moments of inspiration - sometimes inspired, sometimes just toss. The Smiths were a singles band and they knew it. It is the reason their b-sides compilations work at well if not better than the records proper. I used to love the Smiths. I don't so much now - and it's not because of Morrissey. However, when I loved them, I loved them in toto, as a band that created an incredible body of work in only five years. The albums, though, have their flaws. The Queen is Dead especially is as variable as any of them - Some Girls are Bigger than Others has great music, but why even sing about that? - and is damned by its title of best Smiths album (that's Louder Than Bombs). The band was often also cursed with thin production, which never did the rhythm section justice. The only performer than receives justice from the production is Morrissey and the verdict on him is as damning as that delivered by the judge in his case against Mike Joyce: "devious, truculent, and unreliable". Of course, no human could be relied upon to produce a whole album of There is a Lights, Bigmouths, or I Know It's Overs. Well, Marr could. But Morrissey couldn't keep up with him. But, perhaps, like Morrissey, I'm becoming truculent in my old age, even as I find him less relatable. Finding fault where I wouldn't have at as a younger person, when I would have been content to love the whole. Now, as I pick at the parts, I am making unnecessary distinctions - it's a very good collection of songs really. (I've never really cared for The Boy With The Thorn In His Side. Don't get it.) 3.5 I realised today that I’ve never given much thought to whether The Queen is Dead is any good. I came late to The Smiths insomuch as I heard lots of their music as a teenager, took a thorough dislike to Morrissey and then held my disdain for them as a settled opinion until I was a good deal older. I was certainly in my thirties before I developed any affection for their music beyond Please, Please, Please… which I loved, grudgingly, in the midst of my bitter incomprehension of an older generation’s reverence for The Smiths. The song that properly converted me was The Boy With the Thorn in His Side. That song has a delicate beauty to which I was entirely oblivious as a young man. So The Queen is Dead missed out on that period of my life when I burned through a good deal of leisure time sat with a cd in my hand scrutinising the track listing and the liner notes. I bought the cd in recent years and, having satisfied myself from a more or less cursory review of a collection of songs that I mostly already knew that it was terrific, duly tossed it in rank 4 or 5. Not a small accolade; that’s still the front of the revolving cd tower, even if those lower ranks were recently subject to regular and brutal evacuation by my child when she learned how to crawl. Listening to the album today though I found that I didn’t know the order of the songs, indeed I couldn’t have named all of them in any order. The result was my hearing the album in a continuous sort of amazement. (“‘Frankly Mr Shankly’ is brill… ‘I Know It’s Over’?! Wow!”). What a pile-on of terrific songs this is. I really must put that cd where my daughter can’t reach it. 4.5/5
The band sounds amazing all across this album, from the energetic intro “The Queen Is Dead” right through to the outro. Can see how they had a huge influence on indie rock music to come. The less consistent part of this album is Morrissey… The highs are inexplicably high: I Know It’s Over, Cemetery Gates, and There Is A Light That Never Goes Out are classics. The latter especially describes that almost obsessive romantic mindset in such a compelling way. The lows are pretty low, though. Namely the outro. Some girls are bigger than others? It might not be as annoying if it isn’t delivered in that same serious manner that exists across the album. Whatever way you look at it, just a bad song. Good listen and definitely some tracks I’ll return to.
While I wasn’t blown away by this album, it was a pretty easygoing and lighthearted listen. I wasn’t huge on some songs, but I loved others. I think the closer, while musically pleasing, has odd subject matter that is played on too much, leading to a bitter end to the album. While this album isn’t amazing, it is pretty great.
A good listen! There is a light that never goes out is the first exposure I had to the smiths and I love that track very much.
Already a fan of this album and grew up listening to a lot of the Smiths music! My dad had a t-shirt with this album cover on so it always makes me nostalgic! Classic 80s anthems for depressed people so right up my alley! Top 3 1. Cemetery Gates 2. There is a Light 3. Boy with the Thorn in his Side
The Smiths were odd because they wrote some incredible stuff and then sandwiched them in with tracks that never deserved to see the light of day.
Didn't know most of these Smiths songs before. Enjoyable sounds. 4* Highlights: the boy with the thorn in his side, there's a light that never goes out
A solid album chocked full of moody 80’s gothic anthems
Algo de dolor de cabeza pero acompaña muy bien. Me ha faltado tiempo para escucharlo con la tranquilidad que merece.
Obviously morrissey and marr get the attention but the rhythm section is super underrated
Really good, did not know much by the smiths so this was a good intro
Ah, another shame. Not because the album is bad, but just, why does such good music have to be made by a jackass like Morrissey? The Smiths are classic, and this album has arguably their most well known hit, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out. So it's a good damn album.
i really enjoy the smiths when i listen and this has probably my favorite tracks of theirs
“There Is a Light…” is definitely a great song and I think the rest of the album more or less keeps up. Really enjoy this one. 4.5
Some classic 80's angst.
Cool, enjoyed it
Enjoyed it all and added a few songs to the liked songs. Real close to 5 stars.
Solid album from start to finish. Definitely creates an ambience. Love the guitar sounds.
God I love how Morrissey writes. Seems so unapolgetic in anything he says, no qualms about how it would sound to other people. Straight from the heart. The band around is really nice accompionment. Some standout songs here but not their strongest, most consistant effort. Still really good though
Not a bad album.
Favorite Track: There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
Only off by 36 years. Probably my favorite Smiths output.
Day483 - i m burned out on the smiths but this is their best album
3.5
Oh Morrissey, my problematic fave. You’re an asshole but you wrote such great music. Hatful of Hollow is their best and the self titled is the best official record but this is definitely still up there in the pantheon.
This was The Smiths peak and a great blend of witty wordplay (when Morrisey wasnt't being insufferable), great guitar work from Marr, and some fantastic songs. "Frankly Mr. Shankly" and "Vicar in a Tutu" are hilarious
So weird and fun laid so much groundwork for indie rock. Last song is …. Regrettable
I used to listen to this all the time when I was a kid. A staple in 80’s alternative.
If you can suspend your thoughts & opinions on Morrissey and just listen to the music for what it is, you'll find yourself hearing a pretty enjoyable album.
In my opinion this is the best thing Morrissey has ever made. Every track is great in its own right, and there's several tracks that make it into my regular rotation. Mopey sometimes, bitter most times, and always some kind of social commentary over a jangly rhythm.
First album I'm listening to in this project! I've never really listened to The Smiths before but I have been meaning to so I was happy to get this album. I liked the album and the music's vibe/energy. The lyrics were interesting, and in most songs, I enjoyed them and their descriptive/story-telling nature. One thing was I did feel like some songs dragged on a bit, like in Never Had No One Ever (even though I like the instrumentals, I feel like it lasted a bit long at the end). Favourites: - The Queen is Dead - Cemetry Gates - Bigmouth Strikes Again - There is a Light That Never Goes Out
Didn’t think much on first listen massive improvement on subsequent listens just gets stuck in your head
Big on the smiths and new wave lately
I think I’m starting to understand how fans of Kanye West feel on liking music made by controversial people. This is the second album I got from the Smiths and just like the first, I really enjoyed it despite Morrissey’s laundry list of reasons why he’s an asshole. Why does this guy have a nice voice? It’s fits so well with the melancholic nature of the album. Weirdly, my big criticism is that it’s maybe a bit too similar to the last album I got from the Smiths… which was Strangeways, Here We Come… which was after this album. I know, it’s weird. But other than that, this is another good slice of 80’s alternative and another building block to the approaching existential crisis I’m going to have when I get to Morrissey’s solo albums. God help me. Favorite track: Cemetey Gates Other hits: The Queen is Dead, Frankly, Mr. Shankly, Never Had No One Ever, I Know It’s Over, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others
The Smiths meant a lot to me as a teenager/young adult, which is a formative time for our music taste. While I’m glad that I’ve outgrown that phase of my life, some of these songs will forever mean something deep to me, and listening to The Smiths can be a shortcut when I’m trying to access that kind of special sadness or memory - a rare occurrence these days, but it has its moments. If only Morrissey weren’t such a cunt.
Genre: post-punk 1. (1) + (2) 2. (1) /+ (2) 3. (1) + [*] (2) 4. (1) + [*] (2) 5. (1) /+ (2) 6. (1) / (2) 7. (1) + [*] (2) 8. (1) / (2) 9. (1) + [*] (2) 10. (1) / (2)
Two of my absolute favorite Smiths tracks are on this album, Bigmouth Strikes Again and There Is A Light that Never Goes Out. The band is at their height on this album. Johnny Marr’s shimmering guitar as always is a marvel. But this album is brought down for me by the throwaway, and retrograde, song Some Girls are Bigger Than Others that unfortunately closes the album, and too-long forays into British whimsy like Frankly Mr. Shankley. It’s a 4.5.
Not really a 'bad' song on it. Witty funny lyrics. Would definitely not put it as 'the best album of all time' though.
Mal no están, quizá la letra y la voz destacan como protagónicos encima la música, pero tampoco lo veo mal.
Y'ever listen to an album and have it immediately transport you back to a previous version of yourself? I've never really listened to the Smiths, but this album started and I was immediately in my senior year of high school/first couple years of uni again. I'm a different person now, I'm exactly the same person as I was then. The Smith's have got me feeling nostalgic, and I'm once again a lonely, uncool, terribly insecure girl. I am a cliche.
Very beautiful but nothing that stood out to me particularly from the other Smiths albums I’ve heard. I feel like whenever I listen to a whole album of theirs I don’t get much of a distinction between songs until I go back and relisten to individual ones. The main standout for me was “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out” which I already knew. It’s still good though, they have such a distinct melancholic sound that I always really like. Fav tracks: There Is A Light That Never Goes Out; Frankly, Mr. Shankly
you gotta hand it to Morrissey engang i mellem. Banger. Stor 4
Crazy good album - Made mewant to watch (500) days of summer again.
☀︎j’aime Bigmouth Strikes Again & There Is a Light That Never Goes Out (je les joue à la bass donc c’est sûr que je les aime hihi) ☀︎réécouter ces deux chansons-là ça me rappelle tellement de souvenirs de l’hiver passé ça a pas de bon sens ☀︎j’aime bien The Boy with the Thorn in His Side, Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others (c’est quoi ce titre, à l’aide??) ☀︎British (beurk) ☀︎Morrissey est un trou de cul?? ☀︎Quand même dépressif, je l’accorde, cependant y’a (au moins) deux chansons que j’aime assez, donc je pense que ça vaut le 4☆
so fire. fuck morressy
wow - very complex back then, as a 17-year-old, it suited me very well and I sang along There is a light that never goes out... Truly great, but nowadays I won't listen to The Smiths again; it's too exhausting for me!
i've listened to it before, but been a while. not the most poppy album, but i like the songs mostly
Look out for that bus!
One of the best and most revolutionary indie pop records ever made. Still holds up today and is consistently enjoyable.
Lots of good songs, perfect album for a winters day.
I miss 80s Morrissey. This isn’t my favorite Smiths record but it’s still a fantastic album.
Would have been a 5 as a teenager but this album seems build around I know it's over which is the worst song on it. Boy with a thorn in his side is class
Lol, lmao even at this website giving me this album on April 1. "April Fools, Lizzie's actually still alive!" I wouldn't go as far as calling this album a masterpiece (though plenty of others appear to do just that) but it is certainly an incredibly moody and atmospheric listening experience, and dripping with that quintessential 80s pop sound. Ideal for listening on a broody, rainy day.
Good album, fun listen, however, nothing secial. I knew the second last song
4 estrelas - o melhor smiths.
The best Smiths album I've heard so far. Their instrumentation is very pleasant. Some classics here as well like Bigmouth Strikes Again and There Is A Light That Never Goes Out.
Good album with one great song.
Og sad alt pop sorry I fw it
formative album for me. unfortunately doesn’t quite hit the same these days - i know it’s over is an enduring pit of loneliness that i appreciate a hell of a lot though. there is a light that never goes it deserves it’s reputation too. excellent album, and what we did with this on september 8th 2022 will forever remain in my mind
Some of their best songs but others aren’t as stellar. I added it and 100% will listen again though!
Love this album. First song is fire fire like top notch amazing. Rest of album is similar and at the end its repetitive but morrisey vocal range and hyponotic voice will make you like all songs. That being said he is a great singer but a douche
Cerramos la semana con tremendo bandón. Nuevamente al aparecerme una banda harta escuchada y que adoro me enfrento al reto sobre qué decir de diferente de todas las otras reseñas. Primeramente, que el álbum arranca más darkie. Siempre bailable, pero con un mood distinto. El disco varía tonalidades pero siempre se mantiene en el estilo tan particular de The Smiths de canciones bailables (a veces más, a veces, menos) con letras depresivas o reflexivas. Al final dijimos lo obvio. Tal vez allí reside algo más. Hasta la próxima semana, persona espectral que me lee.
De Morry Schmid mit sinere Band d Schmids isch eifach e Wucht und e Beriecherig für eusi musikalischi Welt! Wo die Band bi mir ned mit nostalgia punkte chan (will Ich sii z spaht für Mich entdeckt han), punktet sii fadegrad mit em Morry sinere crazy, unverwechselbare Stimmt und ihrere Krasse Stimmig. Wo There Is A Light That Never Goes Out über mini Chopfhörer dröhnt isch, hani erneut mit Nuggi nüm chöne dinnephalte. Was für e Nuggiverschwendig bi all dene guete Bands. A dere Stell möchti Paar Dank usspreche wo mich zu The Smith nöcher bracht hend: D Sofie Gyrd Hansen wo mir d Welt vode 80er Bands eröffnet het De Noah Hertzog wo immer wider mit The Smiths hinefürecho isch (will lieblingsband und so) De Morry will er eifach die absolut Bombastisch Band gründet het D Mueter vom Morry dass sii so eine ufd Welt gsetzt het. D Grossmueter vom Morry, dass sii e Frau ufd Welt gsetzt het wo de Morry ufd Welt gsetzt het. D urgrossmueter vom Morry will sii sicher e cooli Socke gsi isch Mir selber will Ich eifach en krasse Musiggschmack han wenni the smiths geil find. Mim mami will mer am mami eifach me muss Danke sege Am Peter Zumbüehl will er mir grad min Händsche ufgläse het woni verlore han Am Basil will er en schmucke Typ isch Am Nedi will er en schmucke Typ isch Nomal mir, wege why not, ich muss immer mit mir klar cho Trotz em Lob in höchster Form muni de Gspass us Buchgfühl vo 4.5 uf 4 Gold Schmiedendi Müllerfraue abrunde.
Oddly I don’t think I’ve heard anything from this album before, despite it being on this list and others. Lots of clever writing here. I don’t get the hate for Morrissey
Shame Morrisey is such a twat these days
Really enjoyed this, which annoys me because of course I fkn did.
Again, better than I thought it would be. Some genuine pathos here amidst the sarcasm. Not generally my pile of beans, but it can stay.
Jeg kan godt lide lyden af The Smiths. Marrs guitar og Morriseys vokal skaber en fed stemning. Men det bliver lidt langt på et helt album. Det er som om de fleste sange er lidt fes’ne versioner af deres bangers. Der er bare ikke samme magi gennem hele albummet som der f.eks. er på There’s a Light That Never Goes Out.
This is one of the Smiths' albums that lives in my head rent free because of the lyric "and if a double decker bus comes crashing into us" mostly because of the 500 days of summer movie. Pleasant experience listening to this one.
As I think I’ve said before when served up previous Smiths albums, my favourite Smiths album is their greatest hits. I say this because every album they have released is populated by one or two fantastic songs but the rest I can take and mostly leave. Three great songs are on this album, Bigmouth… The Boy With… and There Is A Light That Never Goes Out. The latter is my all time favourite Smiths track. In fact I would go further than that and put it in my all time top 10 singles. Such a lovely melody and lyrics of teenage angst that I always associate with The Smiths. The presence of this song on the album gets my vote as The Smiths best and reflected in my rating. 4/5 10/3/25
The smiths hmmm solid choice. I like a couple songs need to listen more though
4.5
I think I love Morrissey?
Yeah!
Favorite Song: I Know It’s Over
Fuck Morrissey. Stupid cunt Rating: 8 (The worst person you know makes a good point) Favorite Song: There is a Light that Never Goes Out (If only for the bus-based jokes)
8/10 Idk if there’s ever been a more 8/10 album ever. Really good not great. Happy that Kirk had to listen to Morrissey. Favorite Song: There is a Light that Never Goes Out
Got stronger though the middle, must give it a proper listen paying attention to lyrics
I can’t explain how Morrissey is less insufferable with The Smiths, but I feel like going from a solo album to a group release in just a few days helps with my argument. Definitely an acquired taste for most, but I actually did enjoy this one, and having There Is a Light That Never Goes Out on the track listing is a bonus. A low four for me, but I see why others might rate it lower.
Gloomy day album. Johnny Marr kicks ass. Quick but great album. Liked it all from top to bottom. Easy album to listen to.
While the inflection point of this album can't be understated, it is certainly not the best album of all time NME. A piece of music history, British history, and a an amazing capture of a moment in time. Johnny Marr will never take the level of credit Morrissey did, but this is a showcase of the priors talents that latter added to perfectly
Love the Smiths. Album hits the spot when you need some emo rock
3.5 - Good
Solid
Very nice
Nice. Love “the smiths”, add to my playlist
There's no denying The Smiths. Each song on this album belongs in the same family but they're not identical, like so many other bands' sounds tend to get. I just wish Morrisey wasn't such an asshole.
Love me blues
Almost gave this five stars. A classic that I didn't come to appreciate until after the 80s were over.
Ez 4.5
five star album, zero star singer, therefore, four stars.
Listening to this album by The Smiths was a pleasant experience though I will say as a side note to my project that while I was listening driving my car I was having lots of racing thoughts/anxiety so I don’t think I listened to this one well enough :( The lead vocalist of the Smiths has a unique sound though and I’m pretty sure I enjoyed this one a lot lol
It’s a fantastic album. Some beautiful and brilliant songs. I love The Smiths (if not Morrissey) and I can’t get over how much I miss them each time I dip back in.
Very Morissey to end this album, not with one of the most tragically beautiful songs ever written, but with a song about boobs.
i love the smiths thank god morrissey isnt real haven't ever actually listened to this full album, I do really like when they dip into more of a rock feel like in the title track. the next few songs were a little underwhelming but then Cemetery Gates is an absolute BANGER overall it's very fun but a few songs are a bit forgettable i think
Great introduction to the band - thought I’d recognise more songs but hadn’t heard any. Very melodic. Could see myself singing along to these if I was at a gig live. Fantastic lyrics too
I liked it a lot
The Smiths are a band that I thought I would like more than I did when I first tried them out ~10 years ago. I liked them, but I think I gave them unrealistic expectations based on other music I was into at the time that The Smiths heavily influenced. The Queen Is Dead was the first Smiths album I listened to, the one I’ve listened to most since, and certainly my favorite (Louder Than Bombs is very good too). I love Johnny Marr’s guitar and the moods created by the band. It’s Morrissey that often stops me from calling them one of my favorite bands. That said, I think Morrissey is at his best here, and he delivers many of his strongest songs. The title track is a great opener, and it finishes exceptionally strong with the two best tracks on the album in my opinion. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out is probably the band’s best song overall, what a great track. In the middle I think the album drags occasionally, and Morrissey threatens to be overly mopey. Frankly, Mr. Shankly is pretty great though and lifts the album with some humor. Overall, a flawed but great magnum opus for the band.
Incredible lyrics and musicality - nice mix of tempos - great album
Only passingly familiar but I really enjoyed this. A 4 might be too low.
мне смиты не оч нравятся, но забавные песни на альбоме есть
++*: The Queen Is Dead ++: Never Had No One Ever, Cemetry Gates, Bigmouth Strikes Again, The Boy with the Torn in His Side, Vicar in a Tutu, There Is a Light That Never Goes Out, Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others +: Frankly, Mr. Shankly, I Know It's Over 9,5/10
Very good album.
Pretty much the Smiths. Familiar but strange and comfortably jarring.
Very enjoyable listen, I prefer their debut though 4/5
So many great songs, amazing melodies, totally original
I mean, this is the kind of album these lists were made for... albums that may fly under the radar for some but are definitely worth the listen. Morrissey's voice is a little too whiny in my view, but it does work for them considering the genre of music they play. "How Soon is Now?" (not on this album) will always be one of my quintessential 80's tunes, but this album shows where The Smiths were heading and establishing themselves as Alt royalty.
It is a classic but it isn't consistently strong enough to be a personal favorite of mine.
it’s good and i’m sorry
all time classic
Such a cozy record. Makes you wanna dance in a melancholy.
Everyone knows the album
A classic for a reason, but the back half is so much stronger than the front half.
Minus one star for Vicar in a Tutu
if only it didn't have morrissey
classic
Easy listening!!
I cant get sick of it
Ja, hat mir ganz gut gefallen.
Classic, I was already very familiar with this one. Loooooove
It's a tricky one, innit? I've put it on one more time and it just has gone by just like that. And I would've given it a 3/5 again, but the more I think of it... it's kinda good that it has gone by just like that. I suspect that it might've influenced music I like, that's why it was so natural. But I can't see the genius of it yet. Maybe there's none.
"I'm truly sorry but it sounds like a wonderful thing"... I love The Smiths songs that I love. I love how angsty and sadboi the lyrics are and how camp Morrissey's vocals are. Great melodies that get stuck in your head, with an ability to fit in lyrics that should NOT work in the scheme. The variety and complexity of the pop instrumentation is so addictive and influential.
3.5/5
when i listened to this album the first time, i really wasn't the biggest fan. However, this second time, it really was more of an enjoyable listen. Morrisey's vocals are far more soothing than i remembered. The guitarwork and drums is nice, and there is some interesting variation in the songs that aren't as monotone as i originally thought.
I liked this more than I thought I would considering the state of Morrissey.
8/10
Again... Morrissey is an insufferable twat but the Smiths make great music. Johnny Marr and the rest of the band do not get nearly enough credit for their success.
I often forget to listen to the smiths albums in full but I really enjoyed listening to the Queen is dead all the way through. I spent the album setting up and relaxing in my tent in the back yard!
Love the smiths, hell yeah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVX5TEWEuGQ
Lotta people wanting to fuck morrissey in these reviews…
Quality
"The Queen Is Dead" von The Smiths – Was soll das bitte? Also, ich habe mir jetzt "The Queen Is Dead" von The Smiths angehört, weil das irgend so ein Klassiker sein soll und Moritz meinte, wie krass das ist. Aber mal ehrlich: Das hat mich überhaupt nicht abgeholt. Und ich sag euch auch warum. Erstens: Der Sänger, Morrissey oder wie der Typ heißt, klingt die ganze Zeit, als würde er heulen oder irgendwas dramatisch erzählen, was kein Mensch nachvollziehen kann. „Oh, die Queen ist tot“, okay, krass, was hat das mit mir zu tun? Die Texte sind irgendwie so seltsam poetisch oder meta oder was weiß ich, aber ey, wo ist der Vibe? Wo ist der BASS? Ich brauche 808s, Beats, die knallen, und nicht irgendein Gitarren-Gedudel, das klingt, als würde es aus den 80ern kommen (okay, es kommt ja auch aus den 80ern, aber das macht’s nicht besser). Zweitens: Die Produktion. Ich hab nichts gegen „alte Musik“, aber das hier klingt einfach dünn. Da ist keine Energie drin, das hat keinen Punch. Manchmal denk ich, da kommt gleich Werbung oder der nächste Song, weil es so monoton wirkt. Klar, die Instrumente sind ganz „nett“, aber ich fühl’s einfach null. Bei meiner Musik ist der Beat die Hälfte der Emotion, und hier? Alles so fade und depressiv. Drittens: Wo ist der Flex? Ich hör Musik, um zu fühlen, um größer zu denken, um aus meinem Alltag zu fliehen. *The Queen Is Dead* klingt wie eine Stunde Selbstmitleid auf hohem Niveau. Die Smiths reden über Liebe und Schmerz, aber irgendwie ohne Drama. Und sorry, aber wenn ich Herzschmerz höre, dann will ich sowas wie "Juice WRLD", der mich wirklich fühlen lässt, was Schmerz bedeutet, und nicht irgendwelches britisches Geseier über eine „charming man“ oder „cemetery gates“. Klar, ich verstehe, warum manche Leute das Album mögen. Vielleicht ist das ja sowas wie ein „Soundtrack fürs Leben“ für Leute, die in ihren 30ern sind und über ihre Vergangenheit nachdenken oder so. Aber als jemand, der Trap, Drill und alles liebt, was Banger liefert, kann ich mit *The Queen Is Dead* echt nichts anfangen. Das ist für mich wie Schwarz-Weiß-Fernsehen in einer Welt voller 4K. Fazit: 3/10 – Kann man sich geben, wenn man melancholisch ist und nichts gegen Gitarren hat. Aber für mich? Absolut keine Stimmung. Mach lieber „Astroworld“ oder „Whole Lotta Red“ an. Notiz: Dies war ein KI-generierter Text aus Sicht eines Jugendlichen, der Trap-Fan ist. Senk deinen Puls, Moritz!
- tolle Platte, hat Spaß gemacht
Must’ve listened to this album so many times proper good one
I think I like this better than the other Smiths album I’ve heard on this.
Previously rated: Meat Is Murder (3/5) Strangeways, Here We Come (3/5) ************************************* Better than the other two. This one I might want to hear again. The vocals weren't annoying, they were actually pretty good, and the lyrics were interesting. Good melodies too.
The last two Smiths album made me question whether I actually liked them, but this album reminded me that they do have a lot to offer. Still, l’m not as high on them as I once was… partly because their bizarre lyrics now read as more annoying than clever, partly because they lack for sonic and emotional range, and partly because I don’t like Morrissey’s voice (though he is unique, I must give him that). But I don’t want to be too negative. In spite of everything, this is a pretty great album with a few classic songs. Best song: There is a Light That Never Goes Out
Loved one song - Some Girls Are Bigger Then Others Total sound is not very regular for contemporary hearing, but has its own charm
The Smiths are an odd one
Better that I expected. Quirky and smart
Moz sucks, we know it. It will be his legacy. But The Smiths… The Smiths are very good. This one would probably get 3.5 but I’m rounding up because this was a big one for me in high school.
I love when men are miserable
I have listened to it before. Can be beautiful and delightful or sorrowful, also sometimes Morissey is obnoxious
Morrissey may suck but this album sure doesn't.
one of those albums that you expect to find on this list. i don’t LOVE his voice but i tolerate it. these guys know their sound and their ability to morph genres while maintaining it is very impressive
I feel this album is a bit overrated. It was mostly pretty good, but a few of the tracks reminded me a lot of other jangle pop and shoegaze artists - which I don’t think is a testimony to The Smiths influence and more that they’re a product of a certain time. I also think there are some truly amazing Smiths songs - namely This Charming Man and How Soon Is Now - nothing on this album gets to that level. Fave Tracks: Big Mouth Strikes Again, There is a Light That Never Goes Out 3.6/5
Genius although I do prefer strangeways
some smiths songs are just so visceral for me they can be like genuinely difficult to listen to …. highlights: cemetery gates, bigmouth strikes again, the boy with the thorn in his side, there is a light that never goes out (nov 25 2025)
Witty and iconic post punk. Johnny Marr the king. Loses a star because Morrissey but I won't begrudge his genius on this album.
Good.
Really liked this one. It may be sacrilege but the main reason it’s not a 5 is because as good an album as this is I prefer Blossoms and Rick Astley singing The Smiths to the actual Smiths.
Liking this a lot less than I did in the past. Nothing to do with Morrissey's political viewpoints (they don't help, but mainly with his current material) and I still like most of the more uptempo ones - The Boy With a Thorn and There is A Light are vivaciously swirling and pretty much perfect, Bigmouth is wonderfully strange and bouncy but Frankly and Vicar in a Tutu are bouncy and annoying - but the slowies are often quite dreary and lachrymose and not in a good way.
There Is a Light That Never Goes Out is top-tier and the rest is pretty good
I knew about The Smiths and Morrissey, but I had never listened to their music. Although I don’t like Morrissey as a person, this album is really good.
mejor
The Cure are better. Just sayin' since some people consider The Smiths to be the ultimate British indie band. Not true. But still, this deserves 4 stars. One complaint I have is actually the music -- so many reviews mention Morrisey's witty humor, and that's nice and all, but these are songs, not a collection of poems. The music is good, but I don't care if the lyrics are witty -- they could be Shakespeare-level, but if the music was mediocre, the album would be mediocre too: again, it's music, not poems. (And this is coming from someone who is a huge Bob Dylan fan.)
Muy bueno
I’m the only one I know who likes the smiths. I love this album. Sorry, not sorry
Oh jeez. A heavy hitter in the nerd world. The first review on RYM that pops up not only rates its 5 stars, but criticizes people who don’t like this band due to personal taste. NOT ALLOWED. That’s wild. I BETTER like this or a parade of gothic weirdos will *gulp* call me names on the internet *teeth chattering*. Anyway, take it away weird right wing goth boy. Love the audible bass. Yeah this one is pretty haunting, yet it still drives. This one gets the hell yeah approval from me. Did not expect it to work so well off the bat. The vocals are odd but they really accompany the instrumentation well. The swell underneath the keys and guitar make for a highly 80’s experience. A experience I don’t typically enjoy. Oh yeah. This one was already marked as “liked” by me. 1. It mentions Shankly. I’ll just assume that’s the legendary Liverpool manager and move on. 2. The lyrics are cool overall. Love the line “I’ve got the 21st century breathing down my neck.” Words are fun. Lots of quotables on this track. 3. The riffs and arrangements are excellent. 4. The weird breathy way, he says Shankly sometimes cracks me up. This is a winner. Ooh a ballad. Man. This is really nice. A few of the worries I had about this album were the vocals and the possibility for self-indulgence. I find that this comes off very genuine and the vocals really work. Stretches slightly too long for me, but not to the point of anguish. The incel anthem, brother. But is there ever something about this album. Haunting is the word. This one almost has a blues undertone covered with shimmering guitars and bright. Great Halloween album with the alien sound effects. I ended up absolutely loving this song. Hmm. Nah. This one is not it. A definite lowlight for me. A bubbly one in the midst of an album shrouded in melancholia. Me and Julio down by the cemetery gates. Not terrible, mind you, but not up to the same standard as previous. Morissey is channeling his best Kermit here. Is that the fucking TikTok voice in the background? Our brains have dissolved. Confident it’s smooth as a koala’s in there now. If I hear a noise I only have 30 second clips that I’ve seen against my will in feverish dopamine trances to reference. Despite my thoughts shifting to the downfall of humanity via our own hubris, I realize that this song was good. I don’t really like this one. The boy with a thorn in his side eh? Sounds like he has a thorn in uh his uh. Wait. Sounds like a boy who SUCKS at music. We got there with a big delivery. I want to thank all my fans. To the the two people who “liked” my reviews that one time, I think of you often. Couldn’t do it without the support of those nameless 1001albumsgenerator.com users. Oh, this song sucked. What are we doing?? I was loving this album. It’s just sort of faded. Did someone else start writing the songs? Eh. It wasn’t terrible. Almost western instrumentation. Not my lyrical theme. Jesus it took a pretty suicidal turn. Well. Lots of lyrical depth. I kind of thought it was taking a lame going out and dancing theme. This one isn’t bad. Cool return of different instrumentation. Return to form. Well said pal. Some girls ARE bigger than others. Happens with boys too. Hey, all genders and ages. People be different. Bizarre album closer. What can I say about this one that won’t flag a barrage of hatred from the pseudo-intellectual music reviewing set? Bah nobody reads these. This album is good to great. The music is warm and full, yet somehow desolate and chilling at the same time. A few songs were just there but there were a few that were standouts even amongst the other albums I’ve heard so far in this list. “The Queen is Dead” is an album I will return to, primarily in order to think about being British and sad but also to enjoy. Not a five, so may the lord protect me from the gnashing teeth of internet critique from “high IQ” RYM users with anime profile pictures. Let us pray. 3.5-4 HIGHLIGHTS: The Queen is Dead, Frankly Mr. Shankly, Never Had No One Ever, Bigmouth Strikes Again
Pretty Good
I’ve always loved this album but it was a little slower this time around. It still is incredible and one of the best 80s albums imo.
Great duh. My fave has gotta be either light that never goes out or some girls are bigger than others. A true 4.5 since there are some songs that are only ok.
well it's the queen is dead
# Album Name: The Queen Is Dead # Artist: The Smiths # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Honestly, i wanted to like this album wayyyy more than i did (based on a first listen). I know a few singles and they are crackers. But the first half of the album felt like a slowwwwww build up. 2nd half was way better. I'll come back to this one because the length is good. Makes a nice change from those 60+ mins hip hop albums. After coming back to the album i feel its definitely a grower. The 2nd half is the stand out for sure # Top Tunes: big mouth / i know its over / boy with the thorn.../ light that never goes out / queen is dead # Would I listen to it again? Yup.
I like this album and have listened to it before, it's nothing amazing but very listenable and fun. Favorite songs are: 2. Frankly, Mr. Shankly 6. Bigmouth Strikes Again 9. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out 8/10
This is a heavy nostalgia album. I first first into The Smiths the summer before our senior year of college. I listened There Is a Light That Never Goes Out and Bigmouth Strikes Again endlessly in the final year of Calumet. Those songs sound like summer and early fall on Mission Hill. They're running through Olmstead park to Jamaica Pond in crazy humidity, and sitting out with everyone on the deck at 55. I didn't listen to the whole album at the time, just a few songs, so the album itself isnt as nostalgic so I feel clearer eyed about the other songs. Frankly Mr Shankly, There is a Light, Bigmouth, and Some Girls are top tier (There is a Light and Big Mouth are S Tier). The rest are very good. but don't hit those heights. Album Cover: (A) Its a classic
"Frankly, Mr Shankly" is a really fun song, I wish it was longer. Very relatable, I also don't want to keep working. Is Mr. Shankly a real person, or just a convenient rhyme for the word frankly? The rest of the songs on this album were less fun than "Frankly, Mr Shankly." This was a good album but a little same-y for me. "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" is a famous song that I recognize. It's good! 7/10, a cool sound but I could have used more variety.
Fuck Morrissey But the Album is great and I like the music. Perfect for a sad depressed walk in the forest
This was pretty interesting I actually read along with the lyrics which brought out a lot more to me.
1st time listener to the full album, but I was familiar with its singles in various compilations, so I chose to listen to the “deluxe” version. It’s better mixed to my ear than what we had in 198x, Morrissey is more integrated into the mix and you can hear the under-rated Andy Rourke’s bass better and it’s kicking ass. https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-queen-is-dead-deluxe-edition/1257810218 Less emphasis on Morrissey makes this better.
Finally, Smiths rather than Morrisey. Some incredible songs on here, including a free of their very best. But also some weaker ones - always thought that run from 2-4 takes the steam out of the album before it clicks back into gear. It's a shame as some of the B-sides from around that time are better than half the album tracks. Swap those in correctly and it may be one of the greatest albums ever.
Some good tunes on here but equally a couple that didn’t quite work. A good overall album with There Is A Light a standout.
Fuck Morrissey but this is still a solid album honestly.
I guess I forgot what the Smiths sound like, because I was expecting not to enjoy it, but I actually really liked their sound! Some songs were a little boring ("I Know It's Over" especially) but I liked the kind of soft rock/pop sound they had going.
Kind of drags on the front half but I can't deny the back half has some bangers even though I do not believe for one (1) second that Steven Patrick Morrissey has ever actually known how Joan of Arc felt
Not my thing but very well done alt rock!
I believe this is a classic album from the band by many. I'm not super into them generally and not for any particular reason even though Morrissey kind of sucks as a person? I think the music is catchy and the lyrics are unique although I'm always last on lyrics. The band that created the wave of jangle pop indie rock bands.
I'm shocked, because I really wanted to hate this album, and groaned inwardly when presented with it, since I have ever considered music by the Smiths to be whiny, maudlin junk. But I didn't hate it. In fact, I gave it a second listen, and now I'm even more shocked because I'm going to give it four stars.
That’s what I said when the queen died 😢
Interesting lyrics, sometimes quite comedic Some songs blend into each other a little bit, but quite enjoyable nonetheless Soundwise expected something else, more modern sounding from a 1986 album, but it's great, not complaining Production isn't mind blowing, but it's good. Crisp and clean tones on all instruments, with the vocals mixed nicely in between such that nothing overpowers. Favorite song: Never Had No One Ever
Enjoyed the listen - probably after their first album this is the best
Morrisey is a moaner but in a good way
listening while sad, good sad listen, some uplift in it all too
Some of the Smiths/Morrissey albums can feel repetitive and boring once you get a few songs in but I thought this one changes the tone/energy enough to keep it interesting. It also feels like peak Morrissey dark wit songwriting “I was only joking when I said by rights you should be bludgeoned in your bed” “if you’re so clever/entertaining/good looking why are you on your own tonight? Because tonight is just like any other night”. Will definitely come back to this one. 4.1
4.1 When I think of what the Smiths are this would be the album I would reference. I think the songs differ enough to avoid some of the fatigue you get listening to some of the other smith or Morrissey albums. For me anyway
I like The Smiths, but I do think they are a bit over-rated. Still, having said that it's hard to ignore the quality here, and without the band then the landscape of modern British music would be dramatically different. Bigmouth Strikes Again, The Boy With A Thorn In his Side and I Know It's Over are all really good, and of course There Is A Light That Never Goes Out is magnificent. Good album.
Morrisey knew exactly what it was to be a 16 year old girl.
A fantastic album. Separate art from the artist and appreciate this for what it is
Ta bueno. Empieza muy arriba y tiene buenos temas, pero no me la voló (a primera escucha, que me debía hace mucho)
This one brings me back to my early college days. My tastes had tended toward gloomier music with depressing lyrics. So bands like the Smiths, Bauhaus, The Sisters of Mercy, and The Damned were in heavy rotation. I revisited several of those bands over the years and some still strike a chord, but some songs are no longer relevant to my current situation. I was happy to hear that this album has aged well and was still very enjoyable.
I thought it was funny. It was well produced. It was not just funny, it was pure wit. Why does it sound so sad? It sounds good.
7.5/10
Its so easy to laugh, so easy to hate, it takes guts to be gentle and kind.
Solid album. No real bangers but a good listen and it left me wanting to listen again.
Hard to choose my favorite song on this one. Lots of great ones.
Look, let's get one thing straight here: we all know Morrissey has lost the plot. I get that it's a betrayal and a shocking one at that. Imagine you went back in time and asked music fans which of these two singers would spew racist hatred and which would be actively challenging a world leader who himself spews racist hatred: Axl Rose or Morrissey? Funny how things work out. Anyway. The music. What we're here for. I should start by saying that this is not my favourite album of theirs (that would be 'Meat is Murder') but many smart people I know say this is their masterpiece. Even Christgau - a Smiths agnostic - says he had an "instant attraction" to this record. If you were to assemble a Greatest Hits compilation or a definitive Smiths playlist, I'd wager that a majority of the tracks would come from this album. Showcasing their wit and humour as much as their penchant for despair and melancholia ("I Know It's Over," "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out"), in 'The Queen is Dead,' you have memorable characters ("Frankly, Mr. Shankly" and "Vicar in a Tutu") and outstanding virtuosity (RIP to Andy Rourke, who makes the title track if you ask me), all awash in romantic and literary sensibilities from a one Stephen Patrick Morrissey. Possibly their artistic peak and certainly a good distillation of their sound, complete with a strong visual language that shows austere beauty. There are tiny moments on this album that really endear me to it, such as the noodling backing vocals on "Bigmouth Strikes Again" or the proto-Southwestern Meat Puppets-like vibe at the start of "Vicar in a Tutu." I for one don't hate the incongruity of the silly subject matter with the wistful musical accompaniment found on "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others." The Smiths? Morrissey? Cheeky? How could this be? RIP Alain Delon, you made a great album cover. A-
Sorry for the four stars At least I’m not at a point in my life where I’m so obsessed with The Smiths and Morrissey anymore that I pretend this is a perfect album. Unfortunately there’s no perfect The Smiths albums, they’d always junk them up with at least one stinker. And while this has some of their greatest work ever, it also has at least three songs that are in, like, the bottom third of their discography. Can’t in good conscience rate it higher because of that. But, “I Know It’s Over” might be the best song they ever made. The lyrics are perfect and gut-wrenching, the music delicate and dreamlike. It’s a marvel and helps this album earn its stars.
The Queen Is Dead - 8,5/10 Frankly, Mr Shankly - 6/10 I Know It's Over - 6,8/10 Never Had No One Ever - 8/10 Cemetery Gates - 8,2/10 Bigmouth Strikes Again - 8/10 good but the higher voice in the background was a little annoying The Boy With The Thorn In His Side - 9/10 Vicar In A Tutu - 7,5/10 There Is A Light That Never Goes Out - 8,8/10 sounds so cozy and familiar Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others - 8/10 the beginning is so confusing why does it go hard and then soft
This album is hit after hit for me. Each song brings another fresh breath of nourishment. I love the world building in each song. I sink deep into the sweet embrace of the array of emotions each one offers. Like a sweet, sweet invitation. Somehow the invitation is open enough to let me in but feels connected enough that it taps into an interiority that I am so thankful they create. Broad and specific - JUST HOW!? “And I know it’s over - still I cling” “And I’m outside your house | I hate to intrude” “All those people, all those lives, where are they now?” Thanks for the eternal yearning, y’all!
I know everyone on this site likes to hate on Morrissey but there is no denying that he can make a good album when he wants to and The Queen Is Dead is absolutely no exception. The guitar and bass work were absolutely great here as well as the vocals. The lyrics could also be pretty great at points but pretty dumb at others. I will say that this album is quite a bit better than Meat Is Murder since while that album had it's good moments too, it also had some fairly iffy songs, a problem which this album seems to rectify. This is actually a really good album that is more than deserving of a 3.5 Best Song: Bigmouth Strikes Again Worst Song: Frankly, Mr. Shankly
Cemetery gates is one of my favourite songs but there are a couple on here that are a bit too eccentric
Separate the art from the artist etc but Morrissey being an absolute weapon makes the decision to give this 4 or 5 stars a lot easier
Get me a pint and a cigarette. The Smiths make me want to sit at a pub with my lads while I’m still thinking about her. Sad boy British punk with some big time clash roots. What’s not to love. Would give a clean 5 but all the smith albums are starting blend together.
The Queen is Dead - wtf this bops, instrumentals are immaculate, the drum, bass, guitar and loose percussion all doing amazing things. Vocals are more my speed, better than the most of their hits. Frankly, Mr. Shankly - goofy ahh song. I didn't enjoy it quite a bit though, instruments all doing wonderful things. Morrissey wasn't too bad in this one. I know it's over - starts off like a song one of the bands in that weird Twin Peaks roadhouse would play while Agent Cooper tweaks out in the corner. Great lyrics well sung. Never Had No One Ever - really liked this one overall. Cemetery Gates - this one didn't jive with me in any way, but nothing about it is particularly awful. Bigmouth strikes again - bass and drums going hard on this one. Vicar in a Tutu - another goofy ahh song, but it's sounds very good. Instruments and vocals on point, the thumping bass in particular There is a light that never goes out - I think this song having been needle dropped in over a dozen movies I've seen kinda ruined it for me in the past. However, actively listening to it now I can certainly appreciate that the instrumental work is excellent and I enjoy it a lot. The vocal performance and a few of the lyrics are put on a bit much. Some girls are bigger than others - really liked the layered guitar, the reverby steel string guitar sounded great I think Morrissey's yodel-esque voice on most of these tracks make it hard for me to totally love the album. I can see the appeal for a lot of people, it just doesn't work for me. The vocals were most enjoyable for me on I Know It's Over and The Queen Is Dead. The songwriting is great and clever, sometimes a bit silly/quirky which is all good. The hits on this album have been played to death in films and series for decades to the point where I can't take the lyrics of these songs seriously. Each line of these hits deal psychic damage to me. The instrumentals are on point throughout the whole album and I enjoyed it immensely.
I genuinely resent that I enjoyed this album. I hate the smiths, morrisey is such an insufferable fuckwit. The lyrical content of these songs is absolute dog ass garbage. I really wanted to be vindicated and for this album to be fucking terrible. However, it would be totally disingenuous of me to review this poorly. Musically, this is fantastic. Phenomenally composed music. Morrissey’s singing voice honestly isn’t even that bad. I just tuned out what he was saying (gay faggot retard incel poetry dumbass garbage) and just vibes with the actual music. The only times I didn’t enjoy this album is when I briefly became aware of what he was actually saying and got the same feeling you do when you are halfway through eating something and notice it’s mouldy.
Classic alternative rock album. I'm not always in the mood for the "mopey" lyrics but the bouncy jangly rock is always good to look at that.
Very cold take but I think this album is good. Better than Meat is Murder. I don't think it's among the best of all time but I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it. Best Track: The Boy With The Thorn In His Side Worst Track: Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others
Best Song: Bigmouth Strikes Again Worst Song: Some Girls are Bigger than Others
A good album from one of my favourite bands, it’s not as good as “meat is murder” or “the smiths” but it does contain my favourite smiths song of all time “there is a light that never goes out” so I’ve got a lot of time and love for it.
Meh
I only listened to Morrisey, but first time with The smiths and I added to the rotation, and getting new songs on my playlist
Don't hate the Smiths quite as much. Too bad their singer is a twit. Great rhythm section.
Àlbum bastante completo de los Smiths
It's a good record. Probably could go three or four stars. I guess I'll go a soft 4.
Bueno, bueno.
Classic & essential.
You could call this album the beginning of the 90s music. The typical 80s sounds is not there anymore, but still it is 1986. Great collection of typical Smiths-songs!
Listened to this album 4ever, great great classic great love it awesome 3.8
3.5
Good album overall. Standout songs: I Know its over Cemetery Gates The Boy with the Thorn in his Side
and if a double decker bus 🗣️ 🗣️ 🗣️ ‼️
Ugh he's so insufferable
Los smiths en su gloria
I only got to know The Smiths after a friend who knew that I really liked The Cure drew my attention to them. Despite all my reservations about Morrisey, I find their voice interesting. And so I also find this album, which I haven't heard so explicitly before, exciting. It's not one of my top albums, but it's worth listening to again. 4/5
I should have appreciated The Smiths more at the time. Enjoyable album.
The smiths are awesome. One of a kind
Fucking hell Manchester must have been a bleak place in the 80s. Four stars because The Smiths are culturally important and Johnny Marr is cool.
Goed album, mooie zang, origineel. Maar uiteindelijk pakt het me net niet genoeg
I love it but have to remove a star because Morrissey
Another easy classic
It's a quintessential jangle-pop album, no doubt. Some great tracks on this album, but I'm not sure I'd actually consider it their best album, I'd probably tag the self-titled debut for that. The title track, Bigmouth and Some Girls are songs certainly worth checking out. Also, fuck Morrissey..
3.6 stars rounded up.
Sounds like a great product of the times
"The Queen Is Dead" is a masterful showcase of The Smiths at their peak. Released in 1986, this third studio album solidifies the band's signature sound, blending Morrissey's witty, sardonic lyrics with Johnny Marr's intricate guitar work. Standout tracks like "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" and the title track demonstrate the group's ability to combine melancholy themes with catchy melodies. The album's mix of upbeat rhythms and darker subject matter creates a compelling contrast throughout. While not without its occasional lulls, "The Queen Is Dead" remains a defining work of 1980s alternative rock. Its influence on subsequent generations of musicians is undeniable, making it an essential listen for fans of the genre. A 4/5 rating is well-deserved, acknowledging the album's brilliance while leaving room for personal preferences or minor critiques.
I dig this album. Always have. Lilting melodies of tragedy and despair with a side of misogyny. I dig his vocals, and Marr on guitar.
Great album
So radical, so POIGNANT, never ending delight. 4 stars
Great varied music.
Feeling 4.5/5 but not worthy of 5. Will be listening to more of the smiths
The guitar is meh but man can this Morrissey sing! Incredible voice, I can't see this guy ever having a bad idea. Excited for what he does next.
too bad morrissey is a shit waffle could i write poetry to this? y sad poetry but yes
Couple misses, but the hits make up for them.
Better than I always remember
It took me an extra day to rate this one but I decided to not let the couple of tracks I disliked affect the fact that the rest of the album was good! Good music, interesting lyrics, catchy. Listens: 2 Fave Track: There Is A Light That Never Goes Out Rating: 4
Morrissey that’s not how Joan of arc felt
Solid
Not my favorite Smith's album and Morrissey has more recently exposed his far right/fascist side - but still some good songs in there. I regularly listen to Bigmouth Strikes Again: "Now I know how Joan of Arc felt as the flames rose to her Roman nose and her Walkman started to melt".
Zieke prank de hele tijd met een gek stemmetje zingen
Almost quintessentially 80's style music: light, electronic assist, tuneful, catchy. Morrissey's voice is melodic and matches the music as well.. as long as you ignore what he is saying. I went into this expecting it to be a big downer based on the reputation, but the first song was bright and energetic and uplifting... again, as long as you ignore the lyrics themselves. Then you start noticing the lyrical absurdities and depression "Oh please please please don't kill me", he croons softly and lightly as the chorus. More hits than I remembered from this album, hearkens back to my youth. Thoroughly enjoyed this listen. Downsides: * Not danceable * Singer's voice is too low pitched * Wonderful schadenfreude.