The Queen Is Dead

Helt ok!

I see now why The Smiths are the favorite of all my favorite high school bands

I met a friend Jodi in middle school on the cross country team and unlike all the other kids on that team, so was cool. Not in a mean girls way, no, like in a far more interesting way. She lived in a mid-century ranch and had a far cooler older sister named Hailee who ran the school's Amnesty International group and protested private prison labor in her spare time. Jodi was an artist. She made a fucking wood dining table as a high school art project. Her mom bought her a pack of cigarettes to use in an art piece once and she invited me to smoke one in an alley behind her house. In 7th grade Jodi made me a mix tape and one side was just The Smiths. The track list was written out on the front in handwriting I can only describe as "intentional" with small flourishes to dot the i's that I could only hope to think of incorporating into something mundane like handwriting. So if Jodi and Hailee were this enigma of cool within suburban Ohio middle school and turned me on to this band, it was Morissey, with his fucked up lyrics and sad boy, woe-is-me attitude that hooked me. So many quotable song lyrics that explained my angst to a perfect T -"And when you want to live, how do you start, where do you go, who do you need know?" "And if a double decker bus, crashes into us, to die by your side is such a heavenly way to die." It was all a little fucked up and dramatic (just like a teenage girl). The Smiths still stand out as a band that has it's own unique sound, untethered to a decade musically, and still hits the same way it did for me back in middle school. The Queen is Dead stands as a fully fleshed out album and perhaps their best. Bigmouth Strikes again, The Boy with the Torn in his side, There is a light that never goes out -- all bangers. Jodi is now head of design for Kohler which is still cool.

5 out of 5. Possibly The Smith's best album.

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

Day 90 - March 1st, 2025 Reasons why I hate British people: - Beans and tuna on baked potatoes - Morrissey

After the first song, I thought it had hope but then it just became kind of the same over and over and ended with Some Girls are Bigger than Others. I waiver between a 2 and 3.

Oh Morrisey, you strange exotic bird. I heard he's vegan, that's great, maybe more people should be, but I don't like his singing. He's SOOO much rambling "la-la-la" and it gets on my nerves so bad! I'm sorry Morrisey, it's not you, it's me. I know a lot of people like him but I just can't even.

It’s been a while since I’ve listened to The Queen Is Dead. This much needed revisit reveals that this album is definitely The Smiths most consistent. I rank it highly for There Is A Light That Never Goes Out alone, a song so perfect that it outshines any deficiencies in the songs that surround it, not that they have much of anything wrong with them. Elsewhere, I Know It’s Over and Never Had No One Ever sway sadly, and in typical Morrissey fashion discuss his dissatisfaction with life so crisply and directly. His lyrics are a literal dramatic slap to the face. Johnny Marr’s awesome inventive guitar work shimmers effortlessly throughout all of this. This album definitely deserves its place in the lists it is in for being one of the best of the 80’s and of all time.

I thought this was a pretty quality album. Lots of great rockin going on!

I used to hate The Smiths because I didn't get along with Morrisey's voice (we didn't know he had awful beliefs back then), but I was at a mate's house when this album was on and fell asleep with it in the background. I woke up and found myself in love with their sound. Since then, they've become one of my all-time favourite bands. This album is just so good.

Deciding to listen to this The Queen Is Dead: Begins with a music hall sample before transitioning to a tribal psychedelic drum rhythm. Pretty prophetic lyrics about Queen Elizebeth’s death and her replacement with King Charles. Funny lyrics by Morrisey about the monarchy and British society. Also has some pitched down vocals in the background. Nice instrumental jam at the end. Great opener! 10/10 Frankly Mr. Shankly: Nice happy go lucky ska influenced jangle pop song about quitting your job. Reminds me of This Charming Man or Come On Eileen by Dexy’s Midnignt Runners. Pretty short tho. 8/10 I Know It’s Over: Nice doo woo influenced song with a soulful performance by Morrisey. Nice use of synthetic strings too. Very beautiful song with a nice bass performance by Andy Rourke. Amazing buildup at the ending. 10/10 Never Had No One Ever: Another slow song about how lonely Morrisey is, going to his crushes house and stalking her and stuff. Nice production, and a nice instrumental outro with whistling, but over all a bit of a step down. Also what’s with Morrisey moaning and crying and stuff at the end? 6/10 Cemetery Gates: Nice acoustic jangle pop jam. They dialed back the 80s reverb and stuff for this one, which fits a lot for this song. Nice lyrics about going to a cemetery with your partner and discussing poetry and stuff. Also nice accordion in the background. Reminds me of TMBG. 10/10 Bigmouth Strikes Again: Here’s one of their bigger songs. Funny lyrics about Morrisey running his mouth and saying shit about how he wants to hurt someone and later defending himself by saying he was only joking and then comparing himself to Joan of Arc. Apparently this is about the music industry, and how music journalists misinterpret what he says to make him look bad and sell more copies. Also some pitched up vocals to compliment Queen’s pitched down vocals. Another banger. The Boy With The Thorn In His Side: Another big song from them. This is another breezy song about how Morrisey dealt with a lot of people who never believed in them and stuff. Very beautiful song. Morrisey’s singing on the end reminds me of the lead singer of the Cranberries. 10/10 Vicar in a Tutu: A Country influenced song about a vicar in a tutu and English religion and stuff. Another step down, but the lyrics are pretty funny. 7/10 There Is A Light That Never Goes Out: What can I say about this song that hasn’t been said. It’s one of their best songs. I remember hearing it on the radio and loving it. It’s a masterpiece. I sang along to the chorus as of listening to it. 10/10 Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others: Nice guitar work by Johnny Marr. The lyrics are about boobs. Decent song, just not a good closer imo. 8/10 Overall I give it a 9/10. Some amazing stuff is on here, but there’s a few dips in quality. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out is still a masterpeice tho.

2/5

There's some decent music on here, but it's ruined by the fact Morrissey sings on every song. I don't like his voice, and really don't like him as a person either. That's not the rest of the band's fault, but it pushes me away from them regardless. If I'm going to listen to The Smiths, I'd rather listen to covers than hear him.

One of the defining albums of the 80s, the peak of jangle pop, and one of the great pairings between singer/lyricist and guitarist/songwriter that we've ever seen. Obviously a 5 star record, and I appreciate that most of the negative reviews on here are acknowledging that their that their ratings have everything to do with Morrissey as a person and very little to do with the music represented here. Honest, at least.

One of the best ever

Got stronger though the middle, must give it a proper listen paying attention to lyrics

Am I right that all the songs are within one octave? and I believe about 90% of the notes are between A3 to D4, which makes the album sound very dull. Apparently this album influenced Oasis and Britpop in the 90s, so it has some value. 2.5 / 5.

It’s alright. Feels like a lot of Morrissey’s work isn’t as essential as this list maker seems to think it is. They obviously just love him. Ik it’s the Smiths this time but it didn’t really feel much different than his other albums. I still enjoy the actual music and his singing style is fine for a while but it’s feels like overkill at this point. It’s hard to actually consider any of it great because he has the same approach to every song. He’s made an observation and coined a metaphor, and then he’s written a song about how mundane it is. Which honestly gets pretty fucking boring after a while. Even the upbeat stuff is bitter in one way or another. It’s hard to unsee the personality once you realize you don’t like it.

the first song had be like "okay, this actually might be a Smiths album that I enjoy and can vibe with" that definitely ended after the first song.

Some good songs, some meh songs, but nothing great or terrible. Classing 3 star in my opinion. I also feel a bit conflicted now that the queen actually is dead.

U know that theory that says you’re predisposed to like certain things based on certain sound frequencies you hear in utero? Well it’s the opposite of that for me with the smiths. Idk, there’s definitely worse vocalists we’ve had but I just don’t get all the hype with them. I’ve done my due diligence in trying multiple times to like them to no avail.

Dull and long. There’s an argument for a 2, but I’m tired of this sound on the list!

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.

That's it. I can officially say that I do not like The Smiths or Morrissey. I think the order in which we listened to the Morrissey albums and The Smiths really hurt any chance I had to appreciate them. I definitely came into this review with a chip on my shoulder. I really can't stand his voice. He wasn't as pretentious in this album but I still didn't enjoy any song. Objectively, this album is better than a 2/5, but this is my review so screw it. I won't fight anyone that says its a good album, but I will clench my fist like the Arthur meme.

I don't get why it's rated so high. Maybe without his vocals I would like it more.

Regrettably, I fucking love The Smiths - this album particularly.

Nice rock album with a classic 80s vibe, but to me it feels reminiscent of a lot of styles from that era that I've grown a bit tired of.

Another smiths album??? Wtf

So many Smiths. No Segers. Ugh.

I know it’s over, still I cling

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

"The tracks on this list are not available" Thank you Spotify for saving me from having to suffer through any of Morrissey's voice.

Morrissey is nobody's friend. If Morrissey were an ice cream flavor, he'd be pralines and dick.

Dull, its the smiths

Morrissey is a piece of shit, this record is amazing

Gloomy day album. Johnny Marr kicks ass. Quick but great album. Liked it all from top to bottom. Easy album to listen to.

More of a Louder than Bombs guy personally.

Good Good Good

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

скучно

one of the best albums of all time

Given into what a total asshole Morrissey has turned since (or was revelaed to be), it's testament to the genius of the Smiths moment in Brit Pop that their music is still up there with the best of the 1980s.

It was decent. Not great

Love the Smiths. Album hits the spot when you need some emo rock

Sublime. Best Smiths album and one of the best albums of the 80s with two of my all-time favorite songs...There is a Light that Never Goes Out & Bigmouth Strikes again. Lyrics, vocals, instrumentation...all brilliant.

The Smiths have a reputation for being a quite miserable band, which they definitely are at times, but it's easy to forget how funny they can be. That said, even in the funny or sentimental tracks on this record there's an unshakable feeling of bitterness that stays with the listener. I think this is why it's resonated with people for so long - or, in Morrissey's own words, "behind the hatred there lies a plunderous desire for love". Also, very funny album to get on Valentine's Day .

Yeah I've really given it my best shot. I just don't really like his voice. The music is fine, but I will not be coming back because of his voice. This is a soft 3.

3.5 - Good

7/10

The beginning is very boring and goes nowhere, but it picks up a little bit in the second half.

I have heard this album before too. I really like the melocholy of Morrisseys lyrics and upobeat sounds of Marrs Guitar. I was too young to get into them first time around so never seen them live however this is an exceptional album. My light stays on for them

Solid

Not terrible. Music is OK, not too exciting but listenable.

Very nice

Nice. Love “the smiths”, add to my playlist

I mean it's alright, I guess. I just find it kinda bland and not really as incredible as people say it is. 10/10 according to Pitchfork. more of a 6,5/10 for me.

morrissey they could never make me hate you

..

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.

This album is like a warm coffee, on a chilly winter Sunday. It comforts your insides.

As much as I hate Stephen, Patrick Morrissey, I love this album.

Love me blues

Pallar fan inte Morrissey, vilket är synd på Johnny Marrs fantastiska gitarrer. Trea

Oh boo hoo. Some good stuff here though.

Almost gave this five stars. A classic that I didn't come to appreciate until after the 80s were over.

Some of this old rock music has great ideas, but they somehow always manage to fuck it up

Enjoyed this album. Not fully my taste but no doubt some good songs.

I don’t like heavy British accents being the whole point of the band

Ez 4.5

Definitely the first Smith's album I've listened to It's giving the Conjuring 2 vibes Overall, would listen to again as background music

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 agree with most of the good things said about this album, just not all that passionately. The tonal disconnect between tracks 1 and 2 always irritates me. The lead guitar, bass and production quality are all awesome.

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

Blah blah blah morissey mumbles on

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.

I did not use a private session of Spotify. Spotify was trying to make me a Morrisey/Smiths fan for a while, but it didn't take. Morrisey had an interesting voice an it's used extensively even when there are no lyrics. Speaking of lyrics, they are quite morbid. This doesn't suck, but I will always take The Cure over The Smiths.

Incredible lyrics and musicality - nice mix of tempos - great album

Feel like I should appreciate and enjoy The Smiths more than I do. Alt 80's should be in my wheelhouse. But for some reason they never hit for me. It's fine. But not earth shattering.

Enjoy the Smiths but not a huge fan. This was solid and definitely the Smiths with their very distinctive sound.

Great album, 5 stars for how they've created such an unmistakable sound. Marr's riffs, Morrisey's vocals, it's all gravy.

Only passingly familiar but I really enjoyed this. A 4 might be too low.

Kinda fun, actually. 3.5 stars.

мне смиты не оч нравятся, но забавные песни на альбоме есть

Even if it's not my favourite Smiths album, this is a masterpiece. It redefined alternative pop rock for decades and its influence remains until this day. Tragic, comedic and all around dramatic, this album encapsulates the teenage angst and the young adult feelings of being lost in the modern world. A classic that will prevail the pass of time.

According to The Smiths, "Meat is Murder". Listening to Morrisey's rants is also murder to listen to. This album is quite good though. Morrisey himself is an alright singer, but not great. The rest of the band does a fine job. 3 stars for "The Queen is Dead".

not a fan

One of my favorite Great for smoking cigs under a bridge in the rain No skips

Very English sounding vocals, good musicianship. Morrissey is a sad boi. Highlights: "Frankly, Mr. Shankly" (jaunty tune, caustic lyrics), "Cemetry Gates" (upbeat tune, depressing lyrics), "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side" (pretty music) Notable: "Bigmouth Strikes Again" (the altered high-pitched Morrissey voice is silly)

I've never really listen to The Smiths before, so this was a good introduction. Not really my style, but it definitely sounds familiar and iconic for the 80s. Good knowledge, but probably not one I'll return to very often.

++*: 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.

I quite liked this. The singer's voice is unique in a good way and the overall vibe is quite good. None of the individual songs really rose to the point of being bangers, so I'm between giving this a 3 and a 4. Given Morrisey is a bigot, I'm happy to err on the side of 3

Loved it

Awesome sauce

Pretty much the Smiths. Familiar but strange and comfortably jarring.

Not sure if it was the coincidence of last name, but The Smiths landed wrong for me a long time ago, and has not changed since then.

Alright songs. Fuck Morrissey with a rusty screwdriver. 6/10 album 1/10 dude

So many classics. Personal favourite is Bigmouth Strikes Again 5/5

Very enjoyable listen, I prefer their debut though 4/5

En riktigt bra låt

An interesting listen. Good music. Vocals aren't too whiny to enjoy.

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.

A lot of fun, went into the Album thinking I’d like it a lot less than a wound up liking it

it’s good and i’m sorry

Morissey is such a mixed bag. Marr is consistently great.

Morrissey sucks. Even with another band. Big meh for this one.

Pretty cool!

Haven't heard this in a few years - some good tracks on here!

Fantastic album

Masterpiece

all time classic

Such a cozy record. Makes you wanna dance in a melancholy.

Based on the previous smiths, not interested in this.

Morrissey has kind of an atonal quality to his singing where he often sounds flat. In an odd way it works for him as well as against him. I didn't love this and didn't hate it but I doubt I'd seek this out again on my own.

Great album. One of the best from the 80s. Will definitely be listening to this one again. 5/5

Буде в відео в ТТ

Jaime: 4 Nuria :2/4. La famosa famosa me gustó pero bueno no sé.

Just tragic that Morrissey died after his first two solo albums. Who knows how that career could have gone? Anyway, an early masterpiece here from him and Johnny Marr (thankfully still with us).

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

Brilliantly depressing👏

The Smiths es un meh, pero que suenan bien y hacen letras de linda depresión. The Queen is Dead es bueno, y Bigmouth Strikes Again el único tema que me gustó mucho. Nota: 2.9 pero pongo 3.

The Smiths are dead. Long live the Smiths.

"The Cure make you want to kill yourself. The Smiths make you wish you'd never been born." Removal of one star because Morrissey is such a wanker.

i hate to admit that i love this

Easy listening!!

I cant get sick of it

Nettes Gedudel was man im Hintergrund hören konnte, aber werd glaubsch kein Fan von denen. 3 Sterne

Ja, hat mir ganz gut gefallen.

When I am old and decrepit and lost to dementia, I will still be able to sing every word of this record.

Love the jangly guitars and the funny lyrics. Some absolute bangers on this - Cemetry Gates being my favourite.

Classic, I was already very familiar with this one. Loooooove

langsam aber sicher bin ich fan von The Smiths .. melodiös , gitarren und der doch spezielle gesang von Morrissey. Finde jedoch dieses album eher etwas schwächer als Meat is Murder, daher nur drei Sterne.

Die Platte ist hörenswert aber für mich ohne grosse Highlights.

Put aside your feelings about Moz and remember that this dysfunctional group of pricks make some truly excellent music. For sad boys, it’s hard to do better than The Smiths. And it’s frankly hard to do better than this album.

3.8/5 Great tunes … bigmouth strikes again, there is a light that never goes out A few weaker tunes

I found it hard to enjoy.

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 disliked this very much. I think that if I was a South Park Emo kid I might have been more into listening it while smoking behind the gym.

"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.

I am so curious to know the story behind Vicar in a Tutu! It was a fun song on an album I hadn’t listened to previously from a band I never put a lot of stock in. True, I was really young when this album came out but the Smiths were described to me a a depressed Cure, which says a lot. I was mistaken, as this album was pretty good, though thematically it does appeal to a specific demographic. There is a Light… feels like it was a movie soundtrack at some point, while Cemetery Gates was surprisingly upbeat. I could listen to this album again, and probably will soon.

I always thought the Smiths was a downer band just through stereotypes. This album was more jaunty and slightly more upbeat than I expected. I could see how people got into this. I think if I let this one soak in for several listens I could become a fan. It is weird how these albums and listens hit different than if I lived the experience directly and listened to this when it was new and exciting. It definitely still has musical value but I would feel a lot more affinity for this music because I was part of the original experience. Not all bands are constrained to this, some can overcome this divide more easily (I'm thinking the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Nirvana). Anyway, just a random observation while listening to this one. Need to listen again.

:(((

This is #day150 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... here's to the second album from The Smiths on this list. The prophetic lyrics in Frankly, Mr. Shankly—"I want to go down in musical history"—speak for themselves. This album deserves a perfect score solely because of the presence of I Know It's Over and There Is A Light That Never Goes Out on the tracklist. But then there’s also the title track, Bigmouth Strikes Again, and more. Classics all around. Of course, this is a 5 out of 5, and I wasn’t planning for The Smiths to become my first favorite artist in this challenge, but here we are... and I don’t mind it. I also love Morrissey’s solo work, and so does my wife. And I love her, too. Oh, and it was interesting to discover who's pictured in the album artwork—never knew that before. Looking forward to #day151, aka back to work, since my winter vacation has sadly come to an end. Lovely way to wrap it up.

3.5/5

My dad said he grew up listening to them. My favorite song is I Know It’s Over. Incredible, no skip album!

If you don’t like The Smiths then there’s something wrong with you.

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.

Siempre bueno

Maybe I just don’t like the Smiths nearly as much as I thought.

Piękna to płyta. Prawie idealna, pomijając ostatni, zupełnie niepotrzebny utwór. Magiczny wokal i kompozycje, które cieszą duszę. Mój ulubiony krążek z dotychczasowych 9.5/10

This was always going to be a difficult one. I have always disliked, no hated the smiths since they came onto the world. It’s that whiney little fuck that sings for them., he makes me feel like I want to punch someone or stick sharp objects in my ears. This is the 1st time I have gotten through a whole album of this simpering, grey Manchester sky of a man, and no it wasn’t any better than I thought. - stayed away from others and sharp objects. I know it’s humour behind the act but doesn’t lessen the blow for me. I know people who actually like this, who say listen past him to the music -and if he would just turn the I’m sooo miserable schtick down for I moment but he is there front and centre being such a miserable , not that’s enough. Music should be for all emotional scope and if this is your thing good for you, I do get why they have such a cult following, but this hasn’t changed anything for me still hate them.

unagobalixtip music

I really tried to like this, but just couldn’t.

Morrissey and Marr match each other perfectly on this album despite their tense divergent relationship. Makes for great songs!

I liked this more than I thought I would considering the state of Morrissey.

fantastiskt ju

This sounds like a guy who really wants to be a big ballad singer. Nice enough, but nothing exciting.

As good an album as Morrissey is a shitty person. Although considering he's just a bigoted, awkward arsehole, when there are actual, paedophiles, murderers and rapists on this list of albums, grouping him in with the true shits of music seems a bit harsh. Easy 5.

Camp, but awesome

i hate that such a bad person was involved in making such a phenomenal album.

8/10

One of the easiest fives I can give. The front half is solid and the the second half is perfection.IMO their best studio album. I've listened to it about a thousand times and would put it on just about any day.

Album 633 of 1001 The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead (1986) Rating : 5 / 5 Awesome album. Love the jangly guitars, witty lyrics and thoughtful/somber themes. Some great tunes packed into a quick 37 minutes. A must listen for any alternative music fans, for sure.

Only band whose every album ranks five stars. Amazing out of the gate; broke up before they could suck.

Droney bollocks

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 didn’t like Meat is Murder because the lead singer was annoying, though I acknowledged it demonstrated good musicianship. I think this is all of the good parts of that album cranked up, and all of the annoying parts removed. This was rock-solid.

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!

Fine

I so love this album!

Love the smiths, hell yeah

Loved this one for 35+ years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVX5TEWEuGQ

Quite unremarkable.

sure whatever.

Yeah ok, better than I was expecting. Songs I knew from my youth and have heard on the radio. The ones I didn't know weren't too bad.

Lotta people wanting to fuck morrissey in these reviews…

An all-timer.

The Smiths get old fast, but the first listen back in a few months was quite enjoyable. Won’t be in rotation though

There’s a lot of hype around the Smiths and this album in particular, and I’m mostly on board with some of the songs melodically, however, most of them sound identical when it comes to the “texture” of the song - including both the instruments used and Morrissey’s voice (the sound of which I can’t seem to get on board with in any case) - not a lot of contrast throughout individual songs or between each song, and with contrast comes anticipation, which I was lacking. But other than that, it’s a pleasant enough album.

Same as what Grace said

Eu conhecia algumas músicas, mas algumas músicas me surpreenderam. É bem The Smiths mesmo. Mas além de Bigmouth Strikes Again e There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, eu gostei de Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others e The Boy With The Thorn In His Side.

eu quero dar 3,5 que odio de não ter meia estrela nesse app

I have an embarrassing amount of good feelings about this album.

I really dont get the Smiths I find the instrumentals average and Morrisey's voice annoying and pretentious. I dont find it dark or interesting. Just extremely proto emo and every album of this group disappoints me.

I think I "get" the Smiths at this point since we've had three albums worth and other than a few songs, this may be the worst of their albums. The title track and "Cemetry Gates" are the best ones - the others are either seemingly wacky (Frankly Mister Shankly, Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others) or cursed by that Morrissey maneuver of cramming a bunch of extra words in to a sentence to make it sound like rambling. At this point I know it must be intentional. I wouldnt' say this was bad, but I really only enjoyed the first track, like something I would listen to again. The rest can stay on one play.

The best Smiths yet. There is a Light that Never Goes Out is fantastic.

Not their best

кажется я перешел в стадию, когда просто ставлю троечки за нормик альбомы...

Quality

**

Not their best, in my view. I loved their first album and Meat Is Murder but truthfully it was getting a bit blah by this time. I know it's revered, but apart from a couple of great singles I'm not mad on this one.

Everything about this album is aesthetically perfect. From the title to the font to the cover photo to the guitar to the vocal to the lyrics to the melodies to the subject matter to the flow of tempos to the songs individually and as a whole. Can’t fault it.

"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!

- Das Album ist erstmal sicher nicht leicht zu mögen, "hard to get into" wie der Amerikaner sagen würde. Nicht im Tool-Sinne, weil es musikalisch oder rhythmisch zu anspruchsvoll ist. Dennoch, weil es mit vielen Hörgewohnheiten bricht. Und ich verstehe auch, dass Morrisseys Gesangstil gewöhnungsbedürftig sein kann. - Dennoch zähle ich das Album persönlich zu den ganz großen 10-15 Alben! Und das, obwohl ich nicht mal zwingend sagen würde, dass The Queen Is Dead das beste Smiths Album ist. Aber Hatful Of Hollow ist halt kein ganz eingeständiges Album, daher wird das hier wahrscheinlich nicht erscheinen. - Die Smiths haben den Grundstein für Indie-Rock gelegt und werden von vielen Bands als großer Einfluss aufgeführt: Radiohead, Oasis, Deftones, Muse, Suede, Blur, Arctic Monkeys, Placebo und viele mehr. Das Album wird dabei immer wieder genannt. - Zu dem Zeitpunkt gab es nichts, was so klang wie die Smiths. - Johnny Marrs Gitarrenarbeit, die auf diesem Album hauptsächlich Rhythm-geprägt ist, ist mega und agiert fast ausschließlich mit Majorakkorden und springt, wie auch Morisseys Gesang (und das macht den Gesang auch so besonders) zweitweise mühelos zwischen den Scales hin und her. Definitv ein Signature Sound. Der Bass von Andy Rourke bettet sich mal wunderbar im Hintergrund ein, mal spielt er vollkommen wild in der Gegend rum. Und dann Morissey. Sein weirder crooniger Gesang, der es manchmal (v.a. beim erstmaligen Hören) schwer macht, klare Melodiestrukturen herauszuhören - ist das jetzt Refrain? Oder Strophe? Oder was dazwischen? Man kann das nervig finden - Ich liebe es. Er spielt mit den Erwartungen der Zuhörer und scheißt eben auf die klassische ABAB oder AABB Reimschemata oder jegliche Vermaße alla Jambus etc. Dafür knallen dann Refrainmelodien wie bei "Bigmouth Strikes Again" oder "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" um so mehr, weil durch das eben beschriebene Prinzip des "drauf-scheißens" in den Strophen Spannung aufgebaut wird. - Das drauf scheißen zieht sich in den derbe provokanten Texten, für die Morrissey bekannt ist, weiter fort. Er ist und bleibt einer der größten Texter überhaupt. Wunderbar bissig, pointiert und schwarzhumorig. Und dann schreibt der Typ, dem ein lyrischer Genius nachgesagt wird und er sich dessen auch bewusst ist, den letzten Song auf dem Album bei dem die Lyrics fast ausschließlich wie folgt lauten: "From the ice-age, to the dole-age There is but one concern I have just discovered Some girls are bigger than others Some girls are bigger than others Some girls' mothers are bigger than other girls' mothers" Also erstmal finde ich das sehr witzig und wenn das nicht das größte keinen-Fick-auf-Erwartungen geben ist, dann weiß ich auch nicht! - Ach ich liebe diese Band einfach mit jeder Faser meines Körpers. - Ich habe die Platte zuhause und schmeiß die immer wieder gern an und ich habe kein Problem, dieses Album in Dauerschleife laufen zu lassen, weil ich doch immer wieder irgendwas (v.a. textliches) entdecke was ich witzig finde und etwas musikalisches raushöre, was ich so vorher noch nicht wahrgenommen habe. Rating: 5/5

- 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.

it was ok, not my style really

Classic and one of my favourite albums ever. Great if slightly miserable lyrics, catchy melodies and fantastic guitar work from Johnny Marr. Some Girls is a weird track to close on, it's a bit of a rubbish novelty and surely it'd be better to just remove it and have There Is a Light as the last track. But anyway the rest is so good I'll overlook it

On of my alltime favourites. I have listened to it so many times but it’s still great. I can’t judge it, its simply too good.

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.

I’d never really listened to them in earnest and I’m glad I did!

Good album but middle of the road for me musically. Also can't listen with fan due to name + lyrics

The Smiths would be a decent group if it wasn’t for that twat and his dreadful voice and worse opinions.

as always, The Smiths would be a much better band is they didn't have that racist scumbag up front - the score is purely for Johnny Marr and the guys, not for... Him...

Not their best album, but still good. Fuck Morrissey.

12/9/24. I have a good idea of The Smiths and Morrissey at this point, it's always an enjoyable listening experience. Well-crafted pop-like songs that you can revisit again and again.

probably the strongest Smiths album here but I need to relisten

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

Great album. Nearly all the songs are iconic.

Favourite track: the boy with the thorn in his side Already listened to before this, amazing album

I can't even be objective about this one. I've probably literally heard it 1000 times. One of my all time favorites. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out never gets old no matter how many times I've heard it.

I'm going to be on a road trip for the next 3 days and I'm more than grateful to have this iconic album recommended! The Smiths are one of my Comfy Bands and I probably listen to Queen is Dead about 20 times a year! I don't want to review it today. I just want to enjoy the view from the road and listen to this album over and over again on my car stereo.

Kinda pretentious lyrics, good melodies and riffs all around. Not super easy listening but easy enough to do on a walk. Highlight is definitely the instrumentals but it did feel too old for its time

Loved one song - Some Girls Are Bigger Then Others Total sound is not very regular for contemporary hearing, but has its own charm

It's The Smiths. They will always get a 5 from me.

The Smiths are an odd one

Better that I expected. Quirky and smart

# Playlist track - Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others # Notes - Probably one of the first CDs (yeah, the physical disk) I ever touched. I didn't like it that much, back then. I was like 10 or something. - Album starts a bit slow, but REALLY picks up with "Bigmouth Strikes Again". From there until the end it's absolutely amazing. - Even the well-worn "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" stood the test of time beautifully and it still is a great song.

Not familiar with this band at all. Pretty unique feel, no real distortion on the guitars, pretty groovy basslines, and the singer's voice is pretty nice. Slapback delay on all vocals gets old. Kinda new-wavy, but without any electronics. Overall pleasant, but nothing standout.

Some alright moments (eg, the title track), especially when Morrissey isn't singing.

Nothing special, just sounded like every other British post-punk band of the time.

definitely on the rox playlist

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 wish I could get more into this album, because it has one of my favorite songs of all time on it (“Bigmouth Strikes Again”), but I generally find the record to be just fine. Morrisey occasionally has a great lyric, but just as often he sounds annoying and overly whiny.

Love these guys

Pretty good

I love when men are miserable

Early emo-pop... it's what I'd expect from the genre and the time

some of the songs are undeniably exquisite but there really is, in general, a distinct lack of melody

I have listened to it before. Can be beautiful and delightful or sorrowful, also sometimes Morissey is obnoxious

Hate the player, not the music. Exquisite.

missing ava

I guess I enjoyed this more than the last Smiths record I got, which isn't a low bar to clear, but at least they didn't trip over it.

Morrissey may suck but this album sure doesn't.

Such a banger of an album

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

Once again I am asking for your support in rereleasing all the Smiths albums as instrumentals. I never want to hear Morrissey’s voice.

Genius lyrics Genius guitar and bass and drums and production. I always wondered how The Smiths weren't more famous than they are after this album.

Listening to this album made me feel like I was right back in high school, when this album first arrived on the scene. That alone makes me biased in any review because the music of those years always holds a special place in my heart. There is clearly a lot of talent in the way the sum of the lyrics, music, vocals, production somehow add up to more than what they should. But for whatever reason, I never really feel like I "get it" when I listen to the Smiths.

"So I broke into the palace, with a sponge and a rusty spanner. She said 'I know you and you cannot sing.' I said 'That's nothing you should hear me play piano!'" Say what you want about Morrissey, but he can laugh at himself while penning a great lyric. This is the strongest Smiths album in my opinion. It's also great if you're having a bad day. Listen to this and whatever your troubles are will seem like nothing compared to Morrissey. Feeling down? Hearing "Oh Mother I can feel the soil falling over my head!" will make you feel better. "I know it's over, and it never really began, but in my heart it was so real." sounds worse than most relationships I've seen. Liked Songs Added: The Queen Is Dead I Know It's Over Cemetry Gates Bigmouth Strike Again The Boy With The Thorn In His Side There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

The production is innovative and full of life, but Morrissey’s vocals are really distracting and don’t pair well with the rest of the band.

5/5 - Big fan of this album, not surprised this held up tbh

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)

ну база да, великое

Witty and iconic post punk. Johnny Marr the king. Loses a star because Morrissey but I won't begrudge his genius on this album.

Generally solid music, but Morissey can sometimes be too Whitney or trying too hard. I wished he grooved with the music more. A couple of these songs I love, eg “Bigmouth Strikes Again” but I can’t recommend the album as a whole.

Would be 4 stars, except for Morrisey

This isn't my favourite Smiths album, although there are a lot of standout tracks. Some of the songs are fairly mean spirited / the humour is misdirected

Not a fan. I am a kid of the 80s but this was not my jam.

Not bad

The whole album reminds me of a popular surname. It's rather dull, boring, and repetitive(and now, The Queen really is dead). Favorite Track: "Frankly, Mr. Shankly".

I knew one of the songs and I kept thinking "it's this one" all the time because all of them sound fucking identical. Stand-out: Bigmouth Strikes Again

Good.

There are two or three good songs on here, and a couple more listenable ones, but I still feel like the Smiths are the budget Cure, and Morrissey's whiny snark really doesn't help. The band is good though, which saves it from one star territory. Morrissey has a distinct voice that works on occasion, but mostly just grates. He thinks he's very clever, but really just needs to lighten up.

Albumi #109, 14.11.2024 The Smithsin kolmosalbumi vuodelta 1986. Briljantti äänite, kuten kaikki muutkin The Smithsin studioalbumit.

I have a complicated story with The Smiths. I used to listen to them a lot during my dark days in high school, specially this album which I have on CD (it was a gift from a friend), yet I can't remember anything about it besides I Know It's Over and There is a Light. I despise Morrissey and I refuse to listen to anything with his name attached to it, The Smiths being exceptions. I don't even listen to The Smiths anymore because there's a sort of stigma related to their fanbase which I don't want to be associated with, and because they make me remember of those dark days. With that out of the way, the album is very mid and Morrissey's voice is annoying. The exceptions being I Know It's Over, Bigmouth, and There is a Light. I can't believe that the same people who love this shit slander Robbie Williams' Rudebox, and objectively superior album Go fuck yourselves.

9/10

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.

It's like listening to the same song over and over again for an hour.

I've always scoffed heavily at terms like "male manipulator music," and I wouldn't say the fact Morrissey is uniquely, viscerally repellent to so many whilst retaining a melodramatic, borderline whimsical self-awareness about it is the MOST interesting asset of this record per se, but let's just say I do understand the urge to canonize this record in this way. It's basically the blueprint for morose, outcast, wimpish dickheads who wish to have their moment in the sun.

There Is a Light That Never Goes Out is top-tier and the rest is pretty good

Miserable music for miserable people.

4 songs were enough. Cannot handle the vocals. Please get out the MIB neuralyzer and make me forget this album and the Smiths. More Sex Pistols and Clash please.

I like the smiths better than anything else Morrisey has touched but that’s not saying much. Moody pop masquerading as mod.

Good The Smiths album

I quite like The Smiths. Sometimes even really like them. But it always feels like people *should* either be mildly obsessed with how much they changed their life, or not get them. "There is a Light" and "Some Girls" the clear standout tracks here which gives them a base score of 4. But I'm deducting 1 for the rest not being as good and another because Morrissey.

Solid album. The guitar playing is standout for me. I like my music with a bit of melancholy and The Smiths deliver.

Never been a fan, don't understand their appeal at all

Not my kind of music at all. But, I kind of like the lead vocals so I'm being generous with the stars. Not sure why I like the vocals, but I do.

I don't really understand why this is so polarising. To me it sounds alright but I probably won't listen to it very much.

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

Nope to Morrisey

Overall: 1/10 I'm happy for the people that enjoy this but I've always hated The Smiths with a passion and listening to this album in full didn't do anything to sway me. I truly think that Morrissey is a godawful vocalist and the music behind him bores me to tears. I think it might be mostly the guitar tone, it's like nails on a chalkboard for me. One of the easiest 1 stars I'll ever give out, and if I hadn't promised myself to give every album a chance, I'd have completely skipped it (and I'm wishing I did). Fav Song: Cemetry Gates (They're all garbage but the bass is actually pretty great in this song) Least Fav Song: Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others

I’m the only one I know who likes the smiths. I love this album. Sorry, not sorry

I was pleasant surprised by this album. I had never listened to the Smiths despite being an 80s guy. Very good!

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

Haven't listened for some years and this has horribly dated. Twee, Lloyd Cole clones. If it doesn't age well it isn't a classic

During this last listen, on the ipod no less, my oldest kid wanted to ask me a question but I asked her to wait a minute so I could focus on the instrumental section of 'Big Mouth'. I realize that might sound mean, but I meant no ill will. I guess The Smiths are "dad rock" in this house and this is easily one of my favorite albums and very influential in a lot of ways. Earnest and beautiful in its eccentricities with very excellent, intricate guitar work. This doesn't get old. RIP Andy