Strangeways, Here We Come
The Smiths
1987
Album Summary
Strangeways, Here We Come is the fourth and final studio album by English rock band the Smiths. It was released on 28 September 1987 by Rough Trade Records, several months after the group had disbanded. All of the songs were composed by Johnny Marr, with lyrics written and sung by Morrissey. Rolling Stone said the record "stands as one of their best and most varied". Slant Magazine listed the album at No. 69 on its list of "Best Albums of the 1980s", writing that "Whether or not Strangeways, Here We Come ended the Smiths' brief career with their best album has been the subject of considerable debate for nearly a quarter century, but it definitively stands as the band's most lush, richest work."The album reached number two on the UK Albums Chart, staying in the chart for 17 weeks. The album also became an international success, peaking at number 16 in the European Albums Chart; from sales covering the 18 major European countries, staying in that chart for nine weeks. The album was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry on 1 October 1987 and also by the Recording Industry Association of America on 19 September 1990.
WikipediaJangle Pop wankery. Sounds like an expensive 4track cassette demo, and i will never understand people's obsession with Morissey. Even Johnny Marr couldnt save this mess, and if this is heralded as the BEST Smiths record, I shudder to imagine what the other ones sound like. No standout tracks. Id give it zero stars if I could.
Every moment I hear Morrissey makes every bone in my body go in to attack mode and it upsets me
I don't want to sound hyperbolic, but I think I regret the years I spent hating on The Smiths more than I regret some of the bad relationships I've had.
Was never really a Smiths fan, but now I can appreciate the musicality of the band. I still think that Morrisey is one of most overated singers of all time though.
I love this album. Great guitar lines and riffs, drum fills, orchestration and production, and interesting lyrics. Flows well from beginning to end noting their influence on future britpop bands and their own 60s influences, I love this album.
A fantastic album, from the vocals to the layered instrumentation everything fits together so well. Truly ahead of its time and certainly laid the groundwork for countless musicians to follow.
About bloody time. The final studio album from the greatest band of the 80s. The marriage of Marr's riffs and Morrissey's lyrics here are some of their best. Its probably my second favorite Smiths album after queen is dead. But there was a happiness when it popped up this morning that only a truly great album can give you. No Skips on this one. Maybe it could be argued that the last two tracks aren't quite up with the soaring heights of the rest of the album but its getting a 5 anyway from me. 5/5
Moz is an asshole, just getting that out of the way upfront. But he’s not w/o talent, and incredible wordplay. Plus Johnny Marr is amazing. Going into this w/ fresh ears. I always found the Smiths interesting in that they seemed to exist like New Order, where their singles were huge, but didn’t appear on the albums. And yet the albums were amazing and sold very well. That’s a fascinating, I guess, strategy? It only works b/c even the non-“radio hits” are just incredible. I saw Morrisey live at Riot Fest in 2016. He managed to convince a major festival in Chicago to stop selling sausages and other meat products about an hour before his set, or I guess he wouldn’t go on. He played 45 minutes of weird YouTube clips before he took the stage. His voice still sounds great, but fuck that guy. Smiths are always 5, regardless of his bullshit. I might not be so kind to his solo albums ( though I’ve heard good things about the first few). Whatever, this is a music review site, so I’ll review the album, not just politics. But FUCK his politics. Sorry ass bastard, he sounds like someone that’s never been laid
One of the greatest album titles of all time and unlike many other albums, something truly unique. "Stop me if you've heard this one before" is all time classic material but "Girlfriend in a coma" is Moz and Marr at their bleak, melancholy best.
I already knew and enjoyed a couple songs by The Smiths, but none of them are on this album. Regardless, I enjoyed the whole album a lot. It's just really nice and relaxing in a good, mellow, quality darkish synth-pop way. After it finished, I gave it a second spin right after. Great for an otherwise stressful day.
Every song is great and about half of them are perfect. The Smiths can never be 'cancelled'.
I love "The Queen Is Dead" as much as everyone else but this is their best album. Also fuck Morrissey
A fine swansong for the best band of the 1980s. well the best band from the 1980s that comes from Manchester anyway...
Strangeways is a great description to this album. I like the sound of each song and they focus on very interesting topics, like hoping your girlfriend will wake from a coma.
I discovered The Smiths by youtube recommendations, so I had no expectations going in. I loved them from the start. From Morrisey's insecure vocals to the introspective lyrics that cover social themes that we can all relate to. Absolutely love the rock sound that is not overbearing, leaves room for the vocals to take lead, and varies with each song to provide a unique experience. Of all The Smiths albums, this last one is their best produced piece that demonstrates their variation and talent. All the songs are great, but I did prefer songs from the rest of their catalogue that dive deeper into the narrator's conflicted emotions.
Same review as the last Smiths album: I really do love the Smiths. I find them very nostalgic for my teenage years. This is a great album with some bangers. Only lost a star because Morrissey is a c*nt.
One of those bands I knew I should listen to because of all the later ones they influenced. Excellent early alt/new wave with lyrics that inspire pop-punk and emo 20 years later
Un énième album de Morrissey et de ses godiches de potes. Si le côté musical passe encore, le propos général est sensiblement le même qu'à chaque fois. Et vas-y qu'au fond tout le monde préfère sa propre race, et vas-y que j'arbore un badge pour un parti d'extrême droite, et vas-y que j'agite un drapeau britannique devant un décor évoquant le nazisme... Rien de nouveau sous le soleil.
Surprisingly, this album lacked the non-sensical rebellion of their earlier work. Maybe because Morrissey was just sort of along for this one, a way less self-absorbed version of him perhaps? Regardless, the album is actually decent in the background in a much less "What's that noise?" way and more of a 'Hey, what's this?". When the realization though that it is a Smiths album comes across, the reaction will be more surprise than borderline disgust at least.
some folks here are saying that he sounds like a whiney wanker. I can't disagree
Con los Smiths me pasa esto de que me gustan cuando los escucho, pero no los escucho tanto. Quizá de repente sí bajonean, pero qué bonito suenan. La voz de Morrissey siempre me ha gustado mucho. Acá me gustan mucho "Death of a Disco Dancer" y "Unhappy Birthday", aunque no tengo skips. La canción final suena a una buena despedida y se agradece mucho que la música y las letras sean igualmente buenazas. 10/10
I grew up on the queen is dead. I didn't get a copy of this until I was an adult. I remember not liking it much on my first listen, but it quickly grew on me. Death of a Disco dancer is such a perfect song for our times. Girlfriend in a coma is hilarious. If you've ever been in a toxic relationship, this song will hit way too close to home.
Always been a Smith's fan, never listened to an album though, just the hits. Enjoyed hearing this.
Mooi album, leuk om eens een hele plaat te draaien, want normaal gesproken beperk ik me tot de hitjes...
i have always want to be a manic pixie girl! not as good as their earlier album though. not sure why this one was selected as a representation of The Smiths
So so good. Loved girlfriend in a coma. The depressing musical start to Last Night I Dreamt That SomEbody loved me was fuckinnsick
Up there in the top two best smiths albums… which makes this an automatic 5*
I listened to this a few months ago on a recommendation from a friend and thought it was great then. I enjoyed it even more this time through. I struggle to pick a favorite track because I really enjoyed all of them and each one stands up well on its own. Maybe "Girlfriend in a Coma," which is ironic because I singled it out as an oddball the first time. I like this more than I remember liking The Queen is Dead (which is also fantastic) probably due to being not quite so dark overall.
This really is a fantastic album. I'm kinda tempted to deduct a star because Morrissey is such a prat, but that hardly seems fair. Fave track - "Girlfriend in a Coma" maybe, on this listen through. I could honestly go with a different track each time, though - about three quarters of them are candidates....
I used to be obsessed with this album. Obseeeeesed. I also used to be obsessed with the boy who introduced me to The Smiths, but eventually The Smiths became more important to me than he. Strangeways isn't even their best album, but perhaps it's their most fully realised, a wholly conceived album rather than a collection of song. A band on the verge of a nervous breakdown. I've generally given up on Los Smiths due to Morrissey being problematic, but he is but one quarter of the group so I am happy to revisit their charms from time to time. So let's praise Johnny Marr's guitar and the melodic suburban drama. The best song is "Stop Me If You Think That You've Heard This One Before".
No soy parcial con los Smiths. Fue la primera música no comercial que empezó a gustarme. Los Smiths, Simple Mind y los Housemartins. De este disco en que ya iban desvaneciéndose recomiendo casi todo. Su hit "Girlfriend in a coma" o "I won't share you". Para mí es un 5 estrellas de arriba a abajo.
Ok. That last record tricked me. I somehow had the first song on repeat. It was atypical for the rest of the record, which included rock and rap elements. I didn't care for it. So I would have given Duck Rock a 1/5 stars. For the record. Now, Strangways, Here We Come... The best Smith's record, IMHO. Enough said. 5/5.
I love this! This is sepia-toned, melancholic, rueful, brooding, gorgeous. I like the distorted guitars and jangly melodies.
Baš sam Aniti pričao prekjučer da nikak' da dođu, a vjerujem da su sva njihova 4 studijska albuma na 1001. Imali su kratak rok stvaranje glazbe, bar što se tiče kao grupa. I šta su s tim napravili? Definitivno nešta najbolje ikad na ovom svijetu u tako malo vremena. Iako mi je ovo njihov ako baš moram reć najlošiji, ne mogu to tako nazvat jer je i ovaj album tak' jebeno dobar. Vremenski, album je savršen. 10 pjesama oko 36min, dosta. Možda bi se moglo nać da je kratak, ali su strpali u to malo - sve (that's what she said). Također, ovaj album ima drugi najbolji closer sa I Won't Share You, koji se nalazi iza prvog Suffer Little Children sa s/t albuma (jebiga zna se koji album ima najlošiji closer song). Reć ćemo nekako da između ta 4 albuma će biti isti broj zvjezdica, samo ću ja znati koliko je kod nekoga slabija zvjezdica, a kod koga opravdana!
What a coincidence. In my previous rating I said that I had other music that I prefer for "sadboy time" and look no further but the king of mope himself: Morrissey. Not my favorite Smiths album but it's still great. Everything Smiths and Morrissey is a 5. One of those personal rules. I don't give a shit what kind of asshole Moz might actually be. His vocals and lyrics with Johnny Marr's guitar playing is always welcome to my ears.
Another charming release by The Smiths. It’s not The Queen is Dead, but definitely is a masterpiece.
I'm glad they took a different turn on what would be their final album and didn't replicate The Queen is Dead. It doesn't have as many notable songs, but the music and production feels more sophisticated. It feels more grand and luscious, especially the string arrangements. Girlfriend in a Coma is an excellent example of this. Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before is probably their most accessible song on here, but still holds a lot of weight. You do get a couple of others that sound like they could've been from the Queen era, including Unhappy Birthday. But then you get tracks like Death of a Disco Dancer and Last Night I Dreamt... that goes into darker territory that musically hasn't been explored much.
Already listen to this fairly regularly, so knew it would be 5 stars before I played it. Love the lyrics and guitar riffs. "I Started Something I Couldn't Finish" my favourite track.
Hello old friend. I much prefer Meat Is Murder, but I'll accept this on the list! Too short and a couple of throwaway numbers on this, but that's always been the Smiths style. Great album.
Despite Morrissey turning to the dark side, I can still listen to this and experience unrestrained joy! Who else could make the idea of their girlfriend being in a coma sound so appealing?
This is a great album and an excellent jumping off point for both The Smiths and also for pretty much all post-punk 80s stuff. 5/5
There should be a sub category for people that made beautiful music while being ugly to each other
Hey, this is the first album of this project that’s made me want to write a novel!! Death of a Disco Dancer may have just changed my life? Every song on this album resonated with me in some way. I was superficially acquainted with The Smiths before and always enjoyed what I heard, but listening to an entire album from start to finish has hit me so much harder. I can hear SO many ways they influenced so many of my favorite bands and artists, especially from my Brit pop/rock days in the early 2000s. As I’ve gotten older I’ve realized that most of my favorite songs and sounds are at least a tiny bit dark (i.e. Susanne Sundfor, and some of Radiohead’s and Punch Brothers’ more experimental stuff). And while the songs on this album are very catchy and upbeat, they still have little dark underlying tones of melancholy, sadness, and disillusionment (not just lyrically). I favorited this album on Spotify, will absolutely revisit it, and look forward to exploring The Smiths’ discography more extensively!
I remember going out purchasing this for my 14th birthday in 1987, a couple of months after it had come out. I was already a big Smiths' fan and since it had been announced that this was to be their final album, I had all the emotions when buying it. The whole ordeal must have really left an impression with me because I can clearly remember everything about the experience, including bringing the vinyl home and putting it on for it's inaugural listen. "Girlfriend in a Coma" played almost every week on MTV's 120 Minutes that summer, along with "Stop Me if You Think You've Heard This One Before" and I was anxious to hear the rest of the material. I've listened to it on the regular since that day. I deeply love this album. The songs have imprinted themselves on me forever and, while a definitely brooding and sad album, it usually puts me in a good mood. It's one of those albums that I really need to just listen to the whole work instead of piecemeal songs. Top Tracks: *Death of a Disco Dancer (one of my favorite songs of all time) *Unhappy Birthday *A Rush and A Push and The Land is Ours *Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
I really liked meat is murder when I listened to it but I didn’t realize until this album that the smiths was a much more modern band. I like their sound and they feel much older of a sound than the other bands of the 80s
Cracking album, it's a shame Morrissey is such a bell end - I was tempted to dock a star - but Johnny Marr is a wizard, so 5/5 it is.
Impossible to be impartial with this band but that’s not really a problem when you hear how good they are. This album, like almost everything The Smiths put out, is a pop masterpiece. Plain and simple. From the very first track Johnny Marr’s ambition to move away from the domain of jangle pop into a more expansive sound impresses itself. In fact this record in some respects is the full realisation of everything The Smiths wanted to be. Not beholden to the past but greatly indebted to it. Also noteworthy is the surprisingly abstract, though no less literate, lyrical content of Morrissey. So much can be said about the enigmatic frontman which might best be saved for another of his albums. But unquestionably he raised the bar for lyrical contemplation in pop music, and in many ways contemporary music criticism is centred around considerations of his style, and the droves of imitators he spawned. An undeniably singular pop group who have never been rivalled.
Awesome album. Haven't listened in a long while. Went on a Smith's listening spree after this.
This might be my favorite The Smiths albums. I listened to all the others... and this just beats The Queen is Dead for me. You see... it's such *funny* album. 5/5 - iconic
Its kinda funny. People have been telling me for literally years to listen to the Smiths and here they are, on Day 4 of a 1001 day challenge, to let me know how much I've missed from not listening to them over the years! A real outstanding album. The instrumentation is spot on and the lyrics and melody dance between serious and tongue and cheek from song to song. I was going to list all my favorite songs from the album but then realised I was just typing out half the album. I will say after my first two listens through the album, my favorite is probably Last Night I dreamt that Somebody Loved Me. But yeah, def got some Smiths catching up to do now! 5/5
La voce del cantante degli Smiths ha un non so che di confortante per me. E comunque più li ascolto e più penso ai Cranberries :) Bello l'assolo di chitarra alla fine del quinto brano.
Already love The Smiths Hadn’t heard this album before Last Night I Dreamt Somebody Love Me Unhappy Birthday
Alan huomata, että näiden albumeiden arvostelu käy koko ajan hankalammaks, jos yritän millään tavalla suhteuttaa uusia arvioita aiemmin arvosteltuihin levyihin tai saman bändin toisiin levyihin. Tää on kuitenkin kans ollut kuuntelussa niin paljon, ja tällä albumilla on pari kappaletta, joita pidän omien kaikkien aikojen suosikkien joukossa The Smithsiltä, että taidan antaa tälle vitosen. Suosikkeja: I Started Something I Couldn't Finish, Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before, Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
El primer que vaig escoltar, i el disc de The Smiths de què guardo millor record. Passa per ser el menys bo d'una discografia tan breu com essencial, però és impossible menystenir un disc amb 10 joies com aquest. 'Girlfriend in a Coma', 'Unhappy Birthday', 'A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours'... Brillant de començament a final i un dels millors discos de comiat de la història