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Strangeways, Here We Come
The Smiths
1987
Wikipedia
Reviews
Like a review? Give it a thumb up to help us display relevant reviews!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.
Jangle 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
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
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.
Good Album that is an all around great listen, not one song stands out but all of them combine for a joyful listening
I already liked a lot of these songs, but I also like the new ones. The first one is echoey and cool.
I quite enjoyed this. I've long avoided The Smiths because Morrissey is a cunt, and I was a little young to appreciate them when they came out, but the album as a whole was very listenable.
I have never heard this band before but it has a ska feel to it and I am a huge fan of ska.
strange album as the title indicates. lot of songs where the tone of the songs and the subject matter are starkly different. mostly this is happy sounding songs with titles like “unhappy birthday” and “girlfriend in a coma”. mostly though i’ll remember this album for how damn funny it is.
Morrissey is a piece of shit, but I really enjoy the songs of The Smiths. The opening track was really intriguing, no guitar but oddly haunting. Thank God for Johnny Marr
The smiths are timeless. I could listen to any of their albums any day of the week and feel all the same things I did the first time hearing them
Then this one came out later than I'd have expected. Nearly every song made a distinct impression.
A very interesting album. It almost feels sentimental in a way. I enjoyed probably 40% of the songs on it. Overall, not a bad first to discover.
All these songs are catchy as heck. I don't know much about The Smiths, but I like this. I'm always down for catchy melodies with sad or strange lyrics. This album cover could have used some workshopping, though. Come on!
Als Mensch mit Lücke bei den Smiths abseits der Singles und entsprechender Neugierde kann ich konstatieren: sehr gute Einsteigerplatte, eher im Gegensatz zu Meat is Murder neulich auch. Gefällt mir gut, Pop, Stimmung, Variationen: alles da. Zeitlos auch, klingt überhaupt nicht nach 80ern oder irgendeinem Jahrzehnt seitdem. Bin geneigt, 3,6 Punkte zu geben. Ach so, und habt ihr bei „Last Night I Dreamt …“ auch so starke Twin-Peaks-Assoziationen gehabt?
4.4 - A beautifully flowing collection that plumbs some emotional depths to examine even ugly feelings like hatred, jealousy and envy. More approachable than "The Queen is Dead", attaining some highs but without quite the transcendence. I'll definitely be coming back to this one.
Bien, pero me hizo falta algo de variedad. Me gustó que en varias canciones van increscendo y esto se refleja en La canción que más me gustó: Death of a Disco Dancer: hipnotica y una buena sorpresa. Mood: aguante rock británico
Love it. I enjoy the vibe of emotionally complex eighties music. I was only ten when this album came out, and I like to think that I have matured some. But it still feels familiar
Meeste nummers op deze plaat kende ik nog niet, maar meteen herkenbaar als the Smiths. Prima plaatje.
Album with the longest song titles. Surprised I liked growling. Morrissey is a good lyricist and good at harmonies. Never noticed how much Smith’s is in early Radiohead. How many girlfriends does morrissey have buried at his summer cottage? Don’t usually like gimmicky songs, but the first song got me. #2 sounded like a bad dad band. #3 big Radiohead vibes. #4 meh. #5 is the banger, perfect balance, the one worth re-listen. #6 riot/soccer fans overlaid on whale sounds and piano turns into ballad. And the rest was not bad, but kind of spaced out. Josh Thoughts: Agreed with all the above. I've wager at least 5 girlfriends and boyfriends buried at his summer cottage. There were a couple fun jams, a lot of it sort of blended into the background--though I was pretty busy with work today so wasn't able to focus much on the music. Ashton: Track 1 cool reggae feel and "Feel Flows" swelling vocals. Track 2 "I started something I couldn't finish" is an accurate description of this 1001 albums exercise. GF in a coma and I know its serious is a lyric I've always loved and still makes me giggle. Big drama songs "Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me". Some light grooves with harsh lyrics "Unhappy Birthday". Trouble connecting wiht Morrissey's dark-ironic-but-also-honest lyrics. So much talk of death and dying (heavy) contrasted with melodies and vocal delivery that floats and lilts delicately (light). Perhaps this contrast is what really connects with the Smiths-devoted? B-
This was really fantastic and another signal (after Morrissey's Vauxall and I) that I need to listen to more of The Smiths.
Not my favorite Smiths album (that's reserved for their debut or Meat is Murder) but still a quite good one. The album has a really full sound and a good range. I don't need a second invite to give it another listen.
It’s easy to see how they influenced future moody boys and their music. The lyrics are lovingly dark and sad, but it’s still an amazing record.
Interesting to hear this album as it's the album of theirs I'm least familiar with. Wasn't absolutely blown away by it but it's still The Smiths so still excellent
Already listened, as a huge Smiths fan I love this album even if it is my least favourite by them. 7/10
I landed Morrisey's first solo album 'Viva Hate' the other day and thought it was decent. Today I l got this, the Smiths last album which comfortably beats 'Viva Hate' on every count.
Favorite Tracks: Death of a Disco Dancer, Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me, I Won't Share You
Really enjoyed it, only the second Smiths album I've listened to after The Queen is Dead. Some brilliant lyrical highlights, arrangements all really solid, only a few songs outstay their welcome.
This scratches an itch better than The Queen Is Dead. It’s The Smiths how I like The Smiths.
Probably the weakest Smiths album, barely. But still very good. Second half is a little weak but the first half stands among their best. 8/10 1. A Rush and a Push and the Land is Ours 2. Girlfriend in a Coma 3. Death of a Disco Dancer
This album is kind of a shrewd collection that offers imitations of their other successes, but with the highest degree of refinement. (7/10) Favourite Tracks: Girlfriend in a Coma, Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
Only really know the hits when it comes to The Smiths so was great listening to a full album of songs I didn't know. Great listen overall.
э Раш энд э пуш сладкие и почему-то родные восьмидесятые, "опережая время", морисси еблан 7/10
Classic British Guitar pop. Pity Morrissey has turned into such a prick in later years.
Final album. Apart from the singles, I know none of the other songs. I need to get into The Smiths more
Loved, morrissey's lyrics fantastic and music good backing - death at ones elbow shakes the general mood up a bit
This was a fine album to close the Smith’s discography on. Personally I find it weaker than the other two Smiths albums represented in the book, but it’s still a great listen
Lovely stuff. Hits and glorious, unashamed album tracks from the kitchen-sink 80s of the Smiths coasting on a high. 4.5 stars, actually.
It was pretty good! I wasn't a huge fan at first, but it got better, and by the middle of the album, it was solid. Still not 100% my genre, but pretty good.
Yeah... it was really good. I always thought I hated The Smiths I was wrong. Less cure more the housemartins and really had that brit pop slow jam 90's thing. Excellent album. Only issue for that whole genre is everything kind of blends together but sill good.
More enjoyable than the previous The Smiths album I got on this list. Catchy songs, including of course the well-known 'Stop me...'.
Has that beautiful melancholic tint that I love from The Smiths and is hard to find other bands that compare
It's the Smith innit, they're great! Loved listening to this album again, a true classic which belongs on this list.
A side is fantastic B side less so Probably the worst Smiths album Still a fantastic album Favourite songs:Girlfriend In A Coma,Last Night I Dreamt Somebody Loved Me,I Won’t Share You Least favourite songs:Death At Ones Elbow, Paint A Vulgar Picture Album ranking:8.5/10
I'm bouncing between a 3 and a 4 here. Musically, the Smiths have always just been kinda okay for me. But, I'm a sucker for the "I sound happy but really these lyrics are pretty dark and morbid" vibe. That's really where the Smiths (or, more accurately, Morrisey) get me. I mean, "Girlfriend in a Coma" - c'mon. Dammit. 4.
Genre: Jangle Pop 4/5 Another band I’ve let sit by the wayside, but purely by accident, as I tend to listen to the same things over and over, lol. I’m very happy I finally listened to one of their albums! This is the kind of British, post-Beatles sound that I think is most akin to that era and, after reading that this is one of their *lesser* offerings, I’m now more excited than ever to continue listening to them. The three song run of Girlfriend in a Coma-Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before-Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me is a shining moment of the genre, and sits perfectly in the middle of this very, very good album. Certainly one to take repeated listens to. Very nice work from these Brits!
Jai bien aime. Avoir eu le temos jaurais ecouter 2x un bon son, production et originalite. 4
You know, we have to come to terms with the fact that The Smiths were a pop group. Literate and verbose for the genre, but still a pop group. And extremely good too. How can anyone hear "Stop Me" and not be lost forever? I don't know.
Hadn't heard of this group before. Liked the album a lot. Could for sure see myself listening to this one again.
The only other Smiths album I had listened to was The Queen Is Dead because I think I had seen it on a list of best British albums. Besides the title track I really couldn’t connect with that album. This one, upon listening to today I have heard a few times before. I did end up digging this one more. Paint A Vulgar Picture is really good.
Every Smiths album is new to this boy, and this is the third one so far. It's also the best. A fuller, deeper sound, but without any signs of fussiness. Morrisey's persona takes on new dimensions and he and Marr approach the themes in ways they weren't able to on the Queen is Dead or Meat is Murder. It's funnier than those, too. He does a couple of voices on tracks two and three that made me splutter. He also seems less personally implicated in the stories, so even when you get something as mordant as, "I've come to wish you an unhappy birthday / 'Cause you're evil / And you lie / And if you should die / I may feel slightly sad / But I won't cry", it's delivered with a degree of detachment. More than that, I can't say on one listen. But that one listen gave me a tonne of joy, so I'm going big on the rating.
I had never previously listened to The Smiths but will definitely pick up some more after this piece. Haunting vocals and lyrics, sense of story, amazing production, no weak tracks, understated rhythm etc. I'm conservative with my 5 star ratings, but this one comes darn close. Give me a couple of more goes at this album and band and I wouldn't be surprised if I listed it as a 5 star! I thank 1001albumsgenerator for this great suggestion.
Well! I liked this more than I expected; perhaps my expectations were low? Aside from Morissey growling on track 2 (lol) I pretty much let the rest just wash over me and am now feeling properly clean and tidy. Listening to "Unhappy Birthday" for the 2nd time right now. Always a good sign!
I got this album when it came it out, remembering liking it but honestly haven't come back to it much. I have usually gone to the other earlier Smiths' albums. Listening to it now, I'm not sure why; this album has a lot of variety, a lot of familiar songs and is solid throughout. It also may be their best produced album. It sounds great. Five of these ten songs were played pretty heavily on the radio, at least on Indie stations, and to some extent you still hear them. The first song, "A Rush and a Push and the Land is Ours", has no guitar, only piano...the direction Johnny Marr wanted to take the band. The second song "I Started Something that I Couldn't Finish" is brilliant guitar and one of their best sounding pop songs. Of course, this album is loaded with morbid titled songs, one of the things I admire about The Smith's: "Unhappy Birthday", "Death of a Disco Dancer", "Death at One's Elbow" and of course, "Girlfriend in a Coma". He could have murder her and now he's hoping her through a coma. Along with Bob Dylan's "Rainy Day Women #12 and #45", one of the best songs where happy music is placed alongside bitter or depressing lyrics. The Smith's and Morrissey have a few of those. Really, no dead weight on the album. Clocking in at 36 minutes, it's a perfect length. This album is both Morrissey's and Johnny Marr's favorite Smiths' album; I finally see why.
I've really been missing out on the Smiths! Great album! A couple of strange tracks for sure (girlfriend in a coma is very serious), but I loved the feel and composition of the album.
A suitable swan song, as well as a great example as to why no album should be over 40 minutes long. Especially from a band fronted by Morrissey. But a solid benefit of a 34 minute run time is affording one time for an immediate re-listen to make sure it was good as the first time. The re-listen confirmed (to me, at least) that Morrissey clearly murdered that girlfriend who was in a coma.
Pretty great. But, Morrissy's voice can get annoying after a while. I still like it though! Standouts: Girlfriend in a Coma. Unhappy Birthday, Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before. Others: I Started Something I Couldn't Finish. Death of a Disco Dancer, I won't Share You. I've come to wish you an unhappy birthday Cause you're evil And you lie And if you should die I may feel slightly sad (But I won't cry) Brutal... :) Love it. 4/5
I came late to The Smiths party, and I arrived there because of Argentinean hardcore vocalist Boom Boom Kid, who knowingly was influenced by Morrissey in more than one aspect. But I really never got them. Not their music at least. I was rather fascinated by their image: Morrissey and Johnny Marr looked like two smartasses, the classic odd couple fed by a special chemistry, some apparent awkward dynamics, an appropriate update of the Jack Kerouac & Neil Cassidy myth adapted for their specific historical context. If anything, I can't help but admiring them for this aura that they projected around themselves. But then from time to time I played this and some of their other records, and I am always surprised to find something that comes up as compelling. Death Of A Disco Dancer with strings and keys, the reggae-like groove in A Rush And A Push And The Land Is Ours and Girlfriend In A Coma (is that a consequence of the double decker bus crash?), the joyful Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before (what with the extremely long titles?), the dramatic Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me. It is a fairly consistent album for being one from a band that at the time was on the brink of collapse. Some trivia: Strangeways is a Manchester's prison, and the character portrayed in the artwork is Richard Avalos in a shot from the movie East Of Eden. Whatever it all means!
I'm familiar with The Smiths, although I have not heard this album before. I'm already a fan of their music, so I expected to like this. I actually like this one quite a bit, but I need to get more familiar with it. It's pretty solid! I do enjoy the first half a lot more than the second half, though.
Pretty dece album, although the songs I ended up adding into my library weren't even the singles (except for Girlfriend in a Coma) lol
what’d be playing in the background of a coming of age film for teens who feel misunderstood by everyone aside from themselves. very 90s.
Interesting. First long listen to The Smiths. Liked: Unhappy Birthday, Girlfriend in a Coma, and Paint a Vulgar Picture
Not exactly my cup of tea, but an enjoyable album nonetheless. Sounds more pop than rock. Interesting sound layers
Not as good as Meat is Murder but alright so far. Some songs have more of a typical 80s vibe. 6/10.
Glaubwürdig der Pathos, homogenes Werk. Wenige Spitzen, aber das ist kein Nachteil. Gute 2.7
Great album! Super enjoyable to listen to. This feels like music for hipsters, before hipsters were a thing. Favorite track: "Stop me if you think you've heard this one before"
No es un disco perfecto pero es lo mejor que pudieron hacer. Uno puede intuir que Johnny Marr ya estaba medio harto porque su estilo cambió en este disco: hay menos catedrales de arpegios, hay más acordes, más strumming, incluso solos de guitarra ( a su manera, claro) y tecladitos y pequeños arreglos que se salen fuera de la fórmula Smith. En fin, hay un puñado de buenas canciones, otros medianonas pero todo fine.
Josh Thoughts: Agreed with all the above. I've wager at least 5 girlfriends and boyfriends buried at his summer cottage. There were a couple fun jams, a lot of it sort of blended into the background--though I was pretty busy with work today so wasn't able to focus much on the music.
Solid album. The Smiths both do it for me and don't do it for me at the same time. I vacillate between midnight and 6 o'clock all through the album.
So we already listened to this on our first deleted account. I’m pretty sure I wrote an in depth review. But on principal I couldn’t be brought to do it again. Solid album. Nice soundscapes. A few really catchy songs but it just doesn’t have the bangers of some other Smith’s albums. Morrissey is exceptional with lyrics and melodies, captures the rich kid emo ennui of the 80s. But, like all of their albums there’s a lot of fat, a lot of songs I don’t care about that fade into the background—they’re kind of a greatest hits band for me.
Repeat review from Jan 28: Track 1 cool reggae feel and "Feel Flows" swelling vocals. Track 2 "I started something I couldn't finish" could be an accurate description of this 1001 albums exercise. GF in a coma and I know its serious is a lyric I've always loved and still makes me giggle. Big drama songs "Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me". Some light grooves with harsh lyrics "Unhappy Birthday". Trouble connecting wiht Morrissey's dark-ironic-but-also-honest lyrics. So much talk of death and dying (heavy) contrasted with melodies and vocal delivery that floats and lilts and delicately flutters (light). Perhaps this contrast is what really connects with the Smiths-devoted? I'll take the weirder American version (REM) instead. B-
The outro to “death of a disco dancer” is pretty cool. I read on wiki that marr wanted to avoid the jingle jangle of previous albums but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want some jingle jangle. But Marr is still a great guitarist. “Unhappy birthday” sounds like a spoof done by someone mocking like an incel or something. Wtf is this. Marr with more great guitar on “paint a vulgar picture”. Spotify automatically went into another smiths album and I didn’t realize and I was thinking “finally a little jingle jangle on this album”. But nope. Eh. I hate rating and I’m thinking of starting to give everything a 3 unless it stands out in one way or another. I guess I’ll give this one a 3 I don’t know. Didn’t love it but it didn’t offend my ears either. I want more jingle jangle.
Saved Prior: None Saved Off Rip: A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours, Death of a Disco Dancer, Girlfriend in a Coma, Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: Not as good as prior Smiths material I know, but still good. Will inevitably grow on me because that's just how the Smiths go. Hyped for the other two albums.
Epílogo de The Smiths, sin canciones de las míticas pero bien producido y muy compacto en su sonido. Es para fans
Why did Morrissey have to become a Nazi? I hope there are more Smiths albums because this one is not their best. Some bangers though. Poor old Johnny Marr doing ALL the work.
Couldnt finish all of it but what I did listen to was a strange mixed bag. Gotta say the lyrics were uh. Kinda strange at times.
Curious pick for a Smiths album to include in this list. I like it, but it's not their best (or my favourite). Some interesting textures and a few really standout tracks to dig into. "Girlfriend in a Coma" is just pop perfection.
Probably my least favourite Smiths' record, but also their most unusual, so got to give it points for that. Johnny Marr's guitar work is almost unrecognizable. Favourite Tracks: Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before, Girlfriend in a Coma (Oh Morrissey...) and I Won't Share You. Rating: 3.5
I've never really gotten into the Smiths, and this album didn't help out too much. The instrumentation and style choices were pretty good, but Morrisey's weird tounge swallowing thing he does is really annoying. I'll keep giving them a chance though. They're not bad. Fav song: Death of a Disco Dancer
Great production - it has a richness to it. I haven't listened to a lot of Smiths but the songs are well crafted.
24th May 2021 Listened to this in the front room while working in the afternoon. Sun and rain intermittent, fitting for a Smith's album. I can't divorce myself from the tit Morrissey has become, but I enjoyed a Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours, Girlfriend in a Coma and of course Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before.
Not they’re best album, but not bad. I enjoyed it, but then I quite like The Smiths. Wouldn’t be upset if this ended up in my collection.
Pretty easy to listen to and enjoyable. Favourite track was A Rush and Push and the Land Is Ours.
The first few tracks I was absolutely loving. Then I started hearing some sort of ridiculous, hilarious lyrics, that were oddly juxtaposed with the music. I was into that. But I felt like the second half of the album got a bit tired. Some songs sounded like a band at the peak of their career, writing songs for the sake of writing songs, with nothing new to say. I would love an EP version of this album with the fat trimmed.
Nice drums at the end of Death of a Disco Dancer. I really like some of The Smiths stuff, but other times his voice and lyrics are just hit and miss for me. This album is no different, interesting lyrics both good and bad depending on how you look at it. I can imagine it's not everyone's cup but one thing I can say is it's not dull... Fav tracks: Girlfriend in a Coma, Stop Me, Paint a Vulgar Picture
I particularly appreciate Morrissey's expressive vocal delivery. Although it was enjoyable overall, I probably won't be returning to this one.
pretty good, not as memorable as their earlier albums but good songs and good production
Interesting album. Really intrigued by 'Death of a Disco Dancer' — sounds like it could be an early Radiohead song!
I strongly dislike morissey. The other members are the only thing keeping this from a lower score
Not that catchy I gotta say. I guess they were trying something different but it’s not that amazing
Plenty of goodness emerges. Ace a newsworthy album and it will go well. nothing flashy, just good music
Morrissey is the sound of a generation. His "growl" in the first two songs draws me in. I'm fascinated by it! Girlfriend in a Coma is a weird song. There must be a story there. Overall, this album gives me a good sense of this band. Vocal acrobatics, dark-ironic lyrics, crisp guitar paired with sonorous synths. It's The Smiths, take it or leave it. They pioneered a vibe and attitude. Their songs are about stuff, so that's great too. 3.5 stars.
I'm just left wondering what The Smiths would sound like with another singer. Keep all of Johnny Marr's arrangements and guitar playing, but trade Morrissey for... I don't know who. Got any ideas? Because I have never been able to get into Morrissey's voice. I do like "Strangeways" better than "The Queen is Dead." Marr's aforementioned arrangements are great. But my focus kept drifting away, likely as a way not to notice Morrissey so much. That's as far as I can go and as detailed as I can get after 2 1/2 listens. So if you've got an idea for a who's voice would fit better with The Smith's music, let me know. (I tried listening to some covers - Jeff Buckley's "I Know It's Over" was great, because... Jeff Buckley - but it's not the same.)
Honestly, better than I expected. I wasn’t a fan of the first album of theirs that I listened to, but this one was pretty good when it wasn’t trying to be preachy. I get why some people dig the Smiths.
Not their best (though they all thought so) this was a bit different to the usual Smiths sound and production- and arrangement-wise showed where Morrissey solo would end up.
Nouvel album de l apart du raciste préféré du générateur, et nouvelle grosse performance, qui permet de mettre un terme à la traversée du désert que subit le générateur actuellement. Néammoins, toujorus pas de 4/5 attribué depuis maintenant plus de 17 années. Robert est injoignable, mon camarade robpelletière et moi commençons a perdre espoir...
Not my favorite smiths album, but still a good listen. It has their signature sound but the songs feel lacking compared to albums like The Smiths, or The Queen Is Dead.
Better than expected. I really liked the opener but did find myself becoming less enthralled as the album wore on
Good listen. Hits the ear well but not many tracks stuck out. 3 memorable songs, but the rest weren’t particularly bad.
This felt pretty standard for what morrissey and the smiths provided. Nothing to special here. A decent album that provides more than just what the singer does alone. By this point the bands formula was pretty well developed and it shows here. 6.2/10
Camper and more poppy than I associate with The Smiths which I think is why I am enjoying this so much. As it's gone on, it's got weirder and mopier. "I've come to wish you an unhappy birthday?" Puh-leaze.
Certainly not as dour and earnest as usual for The Smiths; I can imagine how weary Marr must have felt with Morrissey's toxic incel kvetching, yet his guitars are classy - maybe out of place with the ludicrous literary themes. Regardless, still fun to listen to, and a little sad to mourn the implosion of the band.
This definitely isn't my favourite Smiths album, some of them very good but quite a few just wishy washy to me
This is bias I know because of my opinion of Morrisey but I can no longer listen to much of this without hearing a whiny tone
I can’t wait ‘til Morrissey dies, and I’ve never been all that impressed by The Smiths aside from the obviously-great handful of classic singles...but I’m kinda shocked that I didn’t hate this. Still not something I’d revisit aside from a couple tracks in a playlist, but Johnny Marr’s airy, jangly, off-kilter, influenced-by-anything-obtuse arrangements got me wondering if I should revisit their most lauded classics. I still wouldn’t say I’m a *fan* of this style by any stretch, but I at least get why my Millennial, North Brooklyn , indie-minded peers all love them, and I don’t hate this record by any stretch. But also it’s far from a *must listen* before I die, more like, “maybe I was a pretentious hardcore kid who just wanted to hate The Smiths, and maybe their strange final album is just odd enough to be more my speed,” but that assessment doesn’t mean it’s essential for everyone, either, especially if you’re already more respective to 80s indie pop than me.
Not the greatest Smiths albums, suffers from Morrissey's tendency to have better song titles than the actual song itself and you always know a band is nearing the end of the line when they start whining about record companies.
Unfortunately after listening to a lot of Smiths I don't think I'm a huge fan. Instrumentally it's all fine and dandy but Morrissey's voice and delivery isn't my cup of tea.
I'm not sure I can do this tonight. Not in the mood for Morrissey's moody brooding. I don't hate it and I can't say I even dislike it, but I very seldom want to listen to it.
I listened to this earlier this year and I didn't dislike it as much this time, but that's as far as I'm willing to go at this point.
Sometimes I feel like I'm close to liking Morrissey, but he's just so fucking maudlin all the time. He definitely works better with the Smiths than he does as a solo artist, at least from my perspective. Musically, this album is good and did a great job at keeping my interest. The lyrics are...Morrissey. We get it, you're sad and you hate everyone except your girlfriend, who's in a coma. What kills me is that I like his voice. If he would just sing about some other aspect of the human condition, it would be a good album. Instead we get Holden Caufield Sings the Blues. I don't hate it, but it's so close to being really good that it makes me mad 3/5
A cult classic, but difficult to listen to now, knowing how Morrissey has transformed since.
A torn and crumpled valentine’s card. A spilled bottle of champagne. Not nearly enough cocaine. Is there anyone who can sing a word like ‘murder’ lovelier than Morrissey? His voice is sweeter and smoother than a ruby red glass of sherry. Likewise, the rest of the Smiths, who soar with the best jingle jangle sound since the Byrds. However, I’ve never heard such delightful music (Johnny Marr’s) pared with such utterly doleful lyrics (Morrissey’s)… at least if I’m not considering the Smiths’ LP before this one. Morrissey seems stuck on the subject of unrequited love, which as a British gay man in 1987 was, I’m guessing, not an uncommon experience; not to mention dangerous- another theme running through his lyrics. Beatings, murder, suicide. On ‘Unhappy Birthday,’ he wishes death on his ‘evil,’ deceitful ex-lover! I’m not aware of Morrissey’s religious belief, if any, but every tradition I’m aware of mostly advises against this, witnessing to the dire consequences awaiting the wisher for such a wish. Here’s my main concern, though, and I’m speaking from my own experience. Morrissey falls in love at the drop of a hat. A smile and a wink from a pretty James Dean face, and he’s in seventh heaven. But in love has nothing to do with Love. Love without conditions, expectations. Love that Loves regardless, even if its unrequited, disrespected. The trick is to set one’s boundaries carefully and guard them diligently for one’s own protection, while still Loving the one pissing all over your broken heart. Whereas Morrissey answers the question, ‘… is life sick and cruel?’ with an immediate ‘Yes!’ I would have to disagree. Helen Keller, as one example, suffered in ways that would shame Morrissey and myself, yet pronounced life wonderful. She could have justifiably (according to our often flawed perception and limited human understanding) pronounced it sick and cruel, but intentionally chose not to. Ask yourself why? Morrissey, I hope you do find love one day. Maybe you already have. And I hope it brings you all you desire. But the kind I think you’re so desperately searching for will not ultimately fill that hole in your tender, aching heart. Only Love can, and will, do that.
“I won’t share you” is a beautiful closer but other than that nothing fully grabs me, could see myself coming back to it though
Haven't really listened to this album. Think I heard it once, but was not a massive Smiths fan anyway. The one album of their's I do like is Hatful Of Hollow.
I appreciated the uniquene songwriting, specifically the song structures and lyrics which often told interesting stories that caught your attention. But something just didn't click like I wanted it to.
Enjoyable, but slightly disappointing compared to The Queen is Dead. The songs are still very lyrically intriguing and keep everything fresh and fun, and the instrumentals are a little more varied and adventurous. But the melodies are quite as catchy and ear-wormy as TQiD. 6/10
Good enough but never really takes off. Just left me wanting for the most part. Better than Morrissey's solo stuff though. 3/5.
Strangeways, Here We Come is filled with a familiar sound. But honestly, nothing really stood out with a wow factor, but it was a good solid album nonetheless. Best: Death of a Disco Dancer Worst: Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
airy british pop rock. Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before may be the only thing I remember off this.
Reverb or echo or something. A distinct sound that I always apply to the 1980s, and then checking the year of this album - yep 1987. It always sounds like the people are singing in a tunnel with the mic at a far end. It's an ok album. Nothing off-putting and has been a nice mix to work to. Can't say I've overly paid attention to it in the background, which also says something about how nothing really strikes or hits hard enough to be noticeable.
The Smiths were only an album releasing entity for 3.5 years. It's doubly impressive, therefore, that 3 out of their 4 albums are on this list. This may not have the consistency or level of humour and brilliance of The Queen Is Dead but is still a solid Smiths album with a handful of classics. And a solid Smiths album is still a very good record. 3.5/5
With the context in mind that this was their last album together, it makes sense that the themes felt a bit disjointed. A lot of concepts seemed like an interesting direction toward more accessible pop music, but lots of this just felt unenthusiastic or half baked. The first half of the album was pretty great, really loved A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours, and Death of a Disco Dancer found my self bopping my head and even laughing at a couple of the lyrics (in a good way). The sappiness on a lot of the tracks toward the end of the album would normally be welcome, but I felt the lyrics were too bluntly stated to be poetic, especially given their previous work.
Some decent tracks (Last Night I Dreamt.. Death at one's Elbow) and some ordinary ones. Morrisey's lyrics are sometimes clunky but also inventive - same for the arrangements. Well produced and engineered.
This one properly comes out swinging, but then sinks into a kind of jangle pop torpor, only to pick up again near the end. The longeurs of the mid-set sag are enough to drag this down a star or two. Still, there's a nice variety in the sonic palette here, and the lyrics are as arch and knowing as one might expect. Good, without being great - 'A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours' being the standout.
I'm still fairly cool on The Smiths, but Girlfriend in a Coma is worth a couple of stars at least.
There's no way to prove it...but fng Morrissey is the most overrated pop/rock star of all-time. Utter bullshit singer, and absolutely stupid/ridiculous lyrics ...oh i'm sorry "Girlfriend in a coma...there were times i could have murdered her" is SUCH QUIET GENIUS tittered a hundred thousand Benetton-turtle-necked-with-bangs teenage girls in the late 80s - it's completely laughably awful; he only semi-got away with it with his prancy fey overly-wraught whiny British pomposity. He's awful and the worst of 80s Brit indie alt pop. And it's a fking shame - because the music here is *fantastic* - Smiths 2 3 and 4 brought their A-games and if they had pretty much any other singer on earth this album would be permanently in my collection. Give me any Johnny Marr solo record over this - he may not be the best singer but he's not distracting from the great/moody/melodic music. Morrissey 1 other Smiths 5 so we'll even it out and give a 3. Angrily. 6/10 3 stars.
his voice was the only thing wrong with this album, but i found it easy to avoid because it was overpowered by the music which i liked. everything else was good except is singing is just uh
Of I’ll the smiths albums this would not be my pick. The smiths are a pop band and so should have some hits on their albums
Not my favorite Smiths record, despite having one of my favorite songs ("Stop Me"). Weirdly, I feel like Johnny Marr's presence is subdued a little here, and the addition of synths has made it sound a little dated. Favorite tracks: "Stop Me If You Think That You've Heard This One Before", "Girlfriend In a Coma"
Strangeways, Here We Come by The Smiths (1987) If there’s such a thing as thoughtfully grim pop, this is it. Mostly first person singular narratives and reflections, it’s all sweetness and horror. But it’s not a joke. It helps to know at the outset that “Strangeways” was the name of a notoriously rough high-security prison in Manchester, England. So here we come. Songs include themes of death (“Death at One’s Elbow”), punishment (“I Started Something I Couldn’t Finish”), haunting by the ghost of an executed criminal (A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours), lack of remorse (“Girlfriend in a Coma”), and other sundry dark states of mind and soul that we all know are really out there. That’s why we watch Dateline. The lyrics express the memories, emotions, hopes and hopelessness of protagonists whose psyches are seriously unintegrated, as in ‘I know I was violent, but I still love you, baby’. That sort of thing. Or in “Last Night I Dreamed that Somebody Loved Me”, we are reassured that it was “just another false alarm”, recorded over a background of screaming male voices in a prison riot. Or we have: “I’ve come to to wish you an unhappy birthday, ‘cause you’re evil and you lie, and if you should die, I may feel slightly sad, but I won’t cry . . . Surely you’re happy it should be this way; I said no and then I shot myself.” This one is set to a jaunty shuffle, with only a slightly dark melody and chord structure. Makes me want to press my lips together, furrow my brow, and wonder. And we also get the darkest take I’ve ever heard on the relationship between recording artists and record companies (“Paint a Vulgar Picture”). The music is well enough produced and performed, with several very nice minor key progressions and synthesized strings, and with lyricist/lead singer Morrissey creditably delivering on this strange basket of goods. It’s a good listen. But it will make you eager to get back to whatever else you were doing. 3/5
Beautifully depressing and hateful. The music is great, and the lyrics are sung with such talent. It's unfortunate that the writer of these lyrics experienced or felt such things, and I hope they've found peace.
The Smiths are so boring and comically depressing. Do significant others really end up in comas that frequently, Morrissey?
There's a reason I didn't buy this one as I was moving out of this phase and into SST at the time. Just not a great record combined with all the failures of late 1980s production. Overcompressed, flat, and without definition. Snare reverbed into non-existence. Kick drum buried in the mix. Might be the GOAT for song titles though.
There's a reason I didn't buy this one as I was moving out of this phase and into SST at the time. Just not a great record combined with all the failures of late 1980s production. Overcompressed, flat, and without definition. Snare reverbed into non-existence. Kick drum buried in the mix. Might be the GOAT for song titles though.
I've never really understood the huge appeal of The Smiths. I guess its too wordy for me, and the melodies and instrumentation are boring.
nothing too special here, hadn't really found their sound yet and ended up making a bland indie pop record
A cool sound but don't really think its for me - this is another album I think I could try to return to with more time Saved: Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
Smiths have songs that rule...they also have songs that don’t...a lot of songs that dont
I don't know. Kinda stuck between two and three. Never been a fan. It doesn't suck, but not my thing either.
My conclusion here is the same as it was for The Queen Is Dead. I like the music. I dislike Morrisey’s voice. His voice is a 1.5 star deduction.
The high water mark of this album is the deadpan darkness of "Girlfriend in a Coma" - which is a 5 star song. The rest shows the band flirting with different styles, stretching out into extended Beatles-isms, and other explorations - none of which are anywhere near as rich.
This album straight up just wasn't that good, I'm not sure why it was selected to be in this book. The Smiths are a classic band and all but I have never seen people discuss this album and now I know why: nothing on it is of any note. No great songs, just a lot of decent ones with one or two that fully stink. Would give it 2.5 stars if I could, it's completely middle of the road.
There's a certain quality to Morrissey's voice that I could never stand; it would hit a particular nerve that was just painful. So while there are a couple of OK songs in this album, I cannot rate it favourably.
This wasn't a bad listen musically, but I am REALLY not a fan of Morrisey's vocal delivery, I find it kind of grating. It certainly effects my enjoyment of this album and brings the score down. I know I won't be revisiting this but I'm OK with that.
Taas hetki menny ennen ku pääsee arvostelee… Mut tää tais olla sarjassamme ”kasikytluku, perustetaan bändi ja kaikki laulajat kuulostaa samalta”. Kerran menee, mut nää riittää, kiitos.
Kohtuullisen tylsä. Saatto muutoinkin rankka maanantai pilata tunnelmaa, mutta ei siis ainakaan rankan viikonlopun jälkeisiin hetkiin sovi....
i just fucking hate these whiny ass lyrics. talking about being so angry and wanting to hurt someone. fucking nerd. the angst. it's too much.
This plays every time I have to use the Leeds ring road,Traveling to a doctors appointment were they ask me how many Units of alcohol I consume a week. I say 14 units...We both know this is a lie! As I wait to hand the pharmacist my prescription, I am behind a man in his 60s, Flat cap, brown leather gloves and a navy blue windbreaker. He dose not hand in his prescription but has some questions about it! Your insides sink with the sound of Loyd Grossman plummeting down a well with 1/6th of the Earth’s gravity....Your day from this point is going nowhere...Your day from this point is a Smiths Album
The lead singer has such an unusual voice that I just can't get over. I've never liked Smith's songs I've heard before and this album, although interesting, was no exception
It's good!
Smiths
Great album
I've never been a huge fan of The Smiths. This album didn't excite me, but it was easy listening for work. I wouldn't seek it out, but I didn't hate it.