Strangeways, Here We Come

Right in the pocket for The Smiths.

I reckon I've not listened to this record in seven years, but I still knew almost every word. The Smiths' discography forms such a significant part of my teenage years, and this made me want to revisit it wholesale. This is regarded as the best Smiths record by true heads, but I always found it the most challenging. I can't really fault it today.

Great. Really enjoyed it. Inventive, great guitar playing and Morrisey’s distinctive voice fit really well. Not a bad track.

I call this the Norm MacDonald album

Great album - my only difficulty was 4 or 5 - it’s sunny and I’m feeling happy (despite listening to the Smiths) so I’ve gone 5

Fantastic. Stop Me... swum around in my head all day after listening. The change in pace that Johnny Marr influenced really shows; I dare say this is their best.

Muy buena letra, buenos sonidos, buenas melodías. No esperaba encontrarme con tan buena calidad sinceramente, lo volvería a escuchar.

amazing

Very nice, very nice, very nice

The smiths are slowly growing on me, i will revisit the other albums i'd already rated. I love his pathetic whiny ass what can i do

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Smiths at their early peak. Yeah he’s awful now but this is a banger.

LAST NIGHT I DREAMT... THAT SOMEBODY LOVED MEEEEE

😁😁😁

"Strangeways, Here We Come" was recorded as the relationship between Morrissey and Johnny Marr was beginning to fracture. It is expertly produced and mixed, offering a fuller sound than their previous albums. While it follows "The Queen Is Dead", it just falls short of matching that record's overall impact. The first side (in vinyl speak) is effectively flawless. While the second side falls slightly short of those high standards, it is bookended by two superb tracks. 'I Started Something I Couldn't Finish' is clearly a forerunner of the style Morrissey would adopt a few years later on Your Arsenal; it is a personal highlight of the album. There are several other tracks here that stand up against the band's previous best efforts: 'Girlfriend in a Coma', 'Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before', and 'I Won't Share You'. To that list, I would also add 'A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours', 'Death of a Disco Dancer', and 'Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me'. "Strangeways, Here We Come" serves as a polished and sophisticated conclusion to The Smiths' studio discography, illustrating a clear intent to evolve their sound. Rather than repeating established formulas, the record captures a band still exploring new directions even as they reached their end. It remains a graceful final statement. Five stars. Side one 1 "A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours" (5/5) 2 "I Started Something I Couldn't Finish" (5/5) 3 "Death of a Disco Dancer" (5/5) 4 "Girlfriend in a Coma" (5/5) 5 "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before" (5/5) Side two 6 "Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me" (5/5) 7 "Unhappy Birthday" (4/5) 8 "Paint a Vulgar Picture" (4/5) 9 "Death at One's Elbow" (4/5) 10 "I Won't Share You" (5/5) Total - 47 Average - 4.7 315/1001 170/315 albums reviewed were new to me.

Having only heard a best of, or was investing to hear a while Smiths album. Better than I'd expected, although there are a few tracks that are distinctly Smiths but fairly average. But on the other hand, a lot of the tracks I hadn't heard of were really good

Probably my favourite Smiths record. Definitely a move forward from their earlier sound, and there’s a great variety of songs here. Plus several absolute bangers. Johnny fucking Marr.

Har ført taget tilløb til Smiths uden held - måske lidt pga Morrisey. Denne gang rammer det helt perfekt. Fantastisk åbningsnummer. Kunne godt have levet uden Death at one's elbow, men ellers er det nærmest ikke et dårligt nummer i mellem for mig. Det kan godt være, det ikke er anerkendt som deres bedste plade, og at det bare er fordi jeg lige har set The Smiths lyset, men vi er oppe omkring de 4,5 og så bliver der rundet op.

The Smiths are creating, producing, and delivering their best work in their final album. It had to end. Neither Morrissey nor Marr have since achieved the greatness on display here. From the discomforting pop masterpiece, "Girlfriend in a Coma," the suffering artist storytelling of "Paint a Vulgar Picture," to the beautifully dark conclusion, "I Won't Share You." Ladies and Gentlemen... the Smiths. You are missed.

One of my high school besties had an English dad who had had some involvement with the Smiths from a production side in the 80s, which brought them into my teenage life where I don’t think they would have been otherwise. I distinctly remember buying and heavily repeating their best of CD (from King Street Sanity I think was that a thing???). I definitely haven’t revisited much as an adult though and am now thinking I need to! Death of a Disco Dancer was one I hadn’t heard before that went so hard! Morrissey is such an engaging, macabre and tongue in cheek lyricist, not usually being a lyric lead listener he gets me locked in. “I’ve come to wish you an unhappy birthday cause you’re evil” love it / all of Girlfriend in a Coma has always been a favourite, because you know what it is really serious!

I feel sorry for people who don’t enjoy this band. Everything they ever did was stellar. Top class music. Catchy songs that feel great to sing along to. Their music just never gets old. Johnny Marr is a genius. Even Morrissey was at his peak. This is chef’s kiss. So great to hear it again.

Well. You can’t give Morrissey more than 80 all-time classics. Or whatever it is they say

Great album. Love A Rush and a Push and Last Night.

Banger

calkiem spoko idk co tu napisac torche zbyt radosne waham sie miedzy 4 a 5

This has been my favorite album from The Smiths since I started listening to them in 2021. Maybe I should start listening to The Smiths more again.

4.75

Morrissey can be a pretentious and annoying twat, but the Smiths were a fantastic band and I love this album. 5/5

I LOVE the smiths and was so Haby to get this album!!

Genuinely funny and lyrically great. Guitar. Playing ain't bad

It's nice to think of simpler times when you could listen to The Smiths without worrying about whether you were supporting Morrissey. This one was their final album and by their own estimates, their best one. I do get it, it's less catchy but more complete, more experimental and more expansive than their previous work. Despite tensions and drug use, they were more comfortable with one another than ever before. In previous reviews for The Smiths, I mentioned that they were (in my opinion) Johnny Marr's band. He wrote all of the music after all. Morrissey was a mere, slightly obnoxious front man. But I have to confess that it's nice hearing them together here. Morrissey, when he's more scaled back, fits perfectly with the music. Maybe he needed Marr to keep him (mostly) grounded. Maybe if they'd continued on, they'd still be making great music today. Well, we can dream. The truth is, Morrissey and Marr were two very different people who happened to collaborate for a relatively short part of their lives. But I'm grateful that they did, because they made some great albums. Johnny Marr has made it very clear that no reunion is ever going to happen so this is the final document we have of their simpler times for The Smiths.

То, как на этом альбоме офигенно раскрывается весь хай класс Марра… ну мееееед. Нетленочка за нетленочкой. Прекрасный альбом, но как же хорошо, что он был у них последним. 1000000000000 из 5 ✨

So good I'd love to listen again to get a better feel for the songs. Can get slightly repetitive 4.5/5

I love the smiths duh. Literally crashed my car to I started something like 2 yrs ago

I think I enjoyed this the most out of the The Smiths albums we've had. Girlfriend in a Coma and Stop Me If You Think That You've Heard This One Before are the standouts. The whole thing sounds fresh and lively. Not overly political and bloated like Morrissey's later work. Almost poppy. A fun and dynamic listen, thoroughly enjoyed it.

Featuring Possibly my favourite Smiths song on this album, Girlfriend in a Coma. Also pretty amused by Morrissey’s unhinged bitterness in Unhappy Birthday. Wonder how many people have wished that on him over the years.

I bought this record when I was at UNi when it came out and I was kind of disappointed that the band broke up when it was released. Still one of my favourite albums. I love all the Smiths records.

Great album and arguably their best. I can’t believe I was disappointed with it when released. It clearly showed their development as artists with more variability in style and production. The second half (1/3?) is not quite as strong but still good. Probably would give 4.5 but I’ll round up!

Loved it, Morrissey at his sarky best

Probably my least favorite Smiths album ... but that's why it only gets 5 stars.

No comment :)

khad deze nog ni geluisterd ma bombo album

Awesomeeee

Rating: 4.6/5 Short Review: A dramatic, slightly surreal farewell that pushes The Smiths beyond their jangly comfort zone. It’s lush, strange, and emotionally theatrical in a way that feels both triumphant and exhausted. Favorite Track: Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me. The long, haunting intro builds unbearable tension, and when Morrissey finally enters it lands like a quiet emotional collapse.

The Smiths’ most experimental and strangest (sorry) record. But every twist on the formula works. The harpsichord, some synths, different song structures, some simpler guitar work, etc., doesn’t take away from the incredible melodies and songwriting. Moz is still mopey and funny. A band for the ages, and a worthy send off to their run of excellence.

So morrissey was a genius once. I came prepared to hate this but I loved it.

3. The Smiths - Strangeways, Here We Come (1987) Вывод: Исповедь человека, который твёрдо стоит на своих принципах, но внутри - сплошное смятение, неуверенность и одиночество: последовательное разрушение позы моралиста. Этот альбом один из самых любимых у The Smiths - Он последний и как мне кажется, наиболее критикующий Моррисси в своём репертуаре, человек в себе, оторванный от общества, этакий супер честный человек с гражданской позицией Роберт Смит не очень любил, а Моррисси и про политику говорил, и веганом стал ('Meat is Murder' лучшая агитка: никого не убеждает, но музыка шедевр) Strangeways, Here We Come действительно ощущается как прощальное заявление группы Альбом начинается с песни, где есть частично стихи матери Оскара Уайльда и имеет политический республиканский оттенок: призыв к республиканскому восстанию против английской власти в Ирландии. Моррисси вбросил это в 1987-м, когда Тэтчер ещё правила, и всё звучит как тихий, но ядовитый плевок в сторону монархии и империи. В песне нет гитар, только фортепиано и оркестровая аранжировка, что нетипично для звучания группы И начинается он с неё не зря: Моррисси мастер говорить красиво, как-то непривычно просто и метафорично о важных, комплексных вещах и о более насущном-бытовом с небывалым пафосом Не без доли иронии, все время кажется что он то ли шутит, то ли просто существует в позиции 'я знаю лучше всех как поступить' Это его рассуждения о своих 'странных путях' жить, но быть счастливым в этом Весь альбом есть лейтмотив искренного недовольства и высказывания, с необычным подходам к образам, через лёгкий абсурд ('Girlfriend in Coma') и например гротеску и искренности ('Unhappy Birthday') Критиковал он как компании, так и пел о своих личных делах Альбом можно поделить на части и проследить развитие героя У Моррисси здесь три основных режима: 1️⃣ ироничный моралист 2️⃣ сатирик общества 3️⃣ уязвимый одиночка Его публичная персона всегда строилась на моральной уверенности, интеллектуальном превосходстве и эмоциональной изоляции В этом альбоме впервые становится ясно, что эта поза всего лишь защитный механизм. Изначально он был тверд, наполнен ненавистью даже, говорил 'да, я знаю что в беде, но я должен быть сильным' и эта сила же привела к трагичной ('I Dreamt last night somebody loves me') и раскрывает его как неуверенного в себе человека Он уверен в своих убеждениях, гражданской позиции, но внутри у него смятение и дрожь от всего происходящего ('Stop if you think you head it before') 'Paint a Vulgar Picture' - критика музыкальной индустрии 'Death of a Disco Dancer' - аллюзия на социальную жестокость и наживании на смерти артистов И об этом ещё Pink Floyd давно-давно пели в «The Wall» и 'Wish you were here' Обложка показывает актера Ричарда Давалоса из фильма 'К востоку от рая' с такой кисло ироничной ухмылкой, в раздумьях и пустом пространстве Там изначально на фото известный Джеймс Дин Сюжет фильма перекликается с темой альбома: Молодой парень Кэл пытается найти место в жизни и завоевать любовь своего набожного отца Адама, которого больше заботит судьба его старшего сына Арона. Сюжет представляет собой современную версию истории Каина и Авеля Перекликается с самим Моррисси - вечный изгой, который пытается завоевать одобрение, но получает только пустоту и ироничную ухмылку Герой обложки знает больше, но никому ничего больше не скажет

unfortunately a classic

One time my parents overheard me listening to the Smiths and went "what are you listening to? it's so strange". And that's what it is — very strange, uncomfortable yet calm, ugly yet pretty. The Smiths are a unique band, and the album is pure pleasure as always. Morrissey is as theatrical as ever. 10 Dorian Grays out of 10. Now I need to listen to it for a month non-stop, just as it was with their previous albums.

Phenomenal album all around

you can really see the cracks forming but oh what a swan song

es como si Ian Brown y Johnny marr hubieran tenido un hijo. Una delicia

Wow I love this album a lot more than I remember!! Death is a huuuge theme across this and it really jumped out to me today more than it did when I was younger and a more frequent and avid Smiths listener!! Paint a Vulgar Picture might lyrically be one of my favourite songs ever 4.75/5

The swansong of one of my favorite bands of all time. Beautiful, haunting, sad, funny. ¨I Won't Share You¨ may be one of the most beautiful songs ever written. I adore this album, The Smiths and the way it was there for me when I needed it the most.

Better than just him solo

nice album, good grooves and variety

The least of the Smiths is still amazing.

The way I heard it, Jonny Marr said "Girlfriend In a Comma was the prettiest song I'd ever written and Morrissey put more of his fucked up lyrics to it and I just couldn't take it anymore." And that was the end of an amazing run. Jesus, tension between creative perspectives produces the best art. Exhibit A - every Smith's albums is brilliant, and nothing either of them did after is worth remembering.

omg it is so cool i really LOVE IT

how do you make such sad sorrowful music so epic? beautiful contradictions. Truly their best work.

Fantastic album, loved the variety and guitar riffs. I never seem to get tired of listening to these genres either. Will definitely listen to again.

Conflicted about this one. I grew up with The Smiths. Morrissey articulated the feelings of the socially awkward young man so well, it was hard to believe that he was actually a flag-shagging friend of the skinheads - the vile idiots who would chase us down the streets and give us a good kicking if they caught us just because we were different to them. There had been clues - the "Reggae is vile" comment, for example, but hey, perhaps Morrissey just didn't like reggae. Fair enough, the music had been commandeered by the likes of Sting, who was clearly not one of us...it didn't mean Morrissey was racist. And when he urged us to "Hang the DJ", we took that to mean Radio 1 daytime DJs, the gatekeepers of popular music at the time. And let's face it, 80s chart music was, and still is, some of the worst music ever made, so fair dos. Every time he said something slightly dodgy in an NME interview, we gave him the benefit of the doubt as Morrissey understood us. Surely he was just being contrary? I've given other right-wing morons one star just because of their views, but The Smiths meant so much to me and my generation, I'm judging their albums on musical merit. Yep, I'm still a delicate boy/man, but it appears I'm also a hypocrite. I'd rank this as their third best proper LP, behind The Queen Is Dead and the self-titled debut (which isn't on this list, astonishingly, despite its massive impact on my generation). It's overly-maudlin in parts and it was probably the right time for them to split. Even so, five stars for the feelings of inclusion that The Smiths gave to me and other painfully shy young white boys at the time. With sincere apologies to my non-white friends. I'll rip into the racist twat when one of his solo albums turns up...

Not as iconic as The Queen Is Dead, and it loses its way a little towards the end ( tho I won't share you more than steadies the ship), but still a pretty easy five stars from me.

Strangeways, Here We Come feels like a band quietly realising the end is already in motion and choosing to respond with clarity rather than drama. There is a looseness and warmth here that sets it apart from earlier records, less bitterness, more reflection, without losing the sharp emotional core that defines The Smiths. It sounds like a group at ease with itself, even as everything around it is coming apart. What makes it so powerful is how balanced it is. The songs are melodic and open, with Johnny Marr’s playing feeling especially fluid and generous, while Morrissey’s lyrics lean more toward resignation than complaint. Tracks like “I Started Something I Couldn’t Finish” and “Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me” capture both movement and stillness, energy and ache, without tipping into self parody. There is a maturity here that feels earned rather than softened. By the time it ends, Strangeways, Here We Come feels complete in a way that few final albums do. There is no sense of scrambling for a statement or clinging to past glories. Instead, it leaves behind a quiet confidence and emotional honesty that lingers long after the last notes fade.

⚠️Biased review alert, prob in my top 3⚠️ Strong creative vision, varying style and awesome tone shifts that are either wack ass fun or total creative curveballs. Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me is fuckin legendary both as a standalone song, and especially as it fits into the album. I'm also a sucker from the "chill decompress as the last song" trope. Overall just great 9.5/10

Maybe my fav Smiths? Hard to say. But this one is lovely.

Nice recording quality

such a good album !!!! Hits all the marks and we’re jamming! Probably one of my favorite bands can’t go wrong for me

When Morrissey was good

Here's a Smiths record that I like all of, from beginning to end. All I knew up til now were the singles, so this was fun. What I've always enjoyed about The Smiths was the contrast between the tuneful music and the lyrics, and this one feels more sad/funny, cynical, and cliché-busting than ever. There's a lighthearted feeling to all of it until you pay attention to the lyrics and then it's like hang on what did he just say? Like if you hear "nothing's changed, I still love you," you don't expect someone to follow that with "only slightly less than I used to." My biggest issue with English-language pop music is all the predictable lyrics, so when a lyricist does something that messes with that predictability, I am primed to like it. And of course Johnny Marr's choices for the music are always spot on, and provide that contrast that makes the lyrics work better in context. I think of Morrissey's solo material as something one is subjected to rather than enjoyed, so it's obvious to me that the music as much as the lyrics is what gives this record 5 stars for me. 5/5

Yes! Love

Strangeways by the Smiths Surprised that there are 7 Smiths or Morrissey LPs in the list but the first year represented by the Smiths lp and Hatful of Hollow isn’t there. Smiths timeline one of slow decline from an extreme peak. Beginning with the 4 Radio Sessions and first two singles in 1983, to the debut album in 1984, onwards to Meat is Murder before the Queen Is Dead, which is their low point. Then, I think sensing the end they rallied with non- lp singles Panic, Ask, Shoplifters of the World Unite and Sheila before ending with this rather jaunty lp. Morrissey’s solo career has been a slow steady decline and his latest single (Make Up is Vile or whatever) sounds like someone asked an AI machine to make a Marc Almond song. I kind of lived this timeline passionately and then disinterestedly. I was 14 in 1983 and revising for an exam. Listening to Kid Jenson he played a session by the band and then John Peel followed on with a session recorded for his show. Went into school the next day and told everyone I’d heard a great new band. No one believed me. Anyway all the Smiths have said that Strangeways is their favourite album by the band. There is a case for that it’s certainly the best produced. I especially liked Paint A Vulgar Picture - is Moz the idol or the fan clawing at the star? Or both? I’d found new bands that were as thrilling as the Smiths or more so by the time this lp came out. But I was glad that the rockist tendencies of the Queen is Dead had been vanquished and Morrisseys songwriting was sharper on Strangeways. It felt like a last hurrah! Like they knew it was ending soon and that freed them up. And even now it feels like a glorious Ta-Ra 5 ish.

I really enjoyed every song on this album. No skip album to me if you're into The Smiths.

The Smiths are great - had never heard this album, I have to imagine there will be more later.

Way better than "Meat Is Murder". And finally the vocalist looks alive.

Love the smiths, very happy with this one! Decent

Loved revisiting this.

love it, dont listen smiths much, now ill start listen them more

I hate Morissey

virkelig godt, vil lytte til igen

Youth

A rush and push and the land is ours is peak

Thank god for Marr, Joyce, and Rourke, so I can listen to The Smiths and not feel guilty because of the Morrissey of it all. Strangeways, hile not my favorite Smiths album is still excellent. The band were poised to move in a new direction soundwise from this album as shown on the opener, "Death of Disco Dancer," and "Paint a Vulgar Picture." There's also the return to their early rockabilly sound with "Death at One's Elbow." Some just classic britrock tunes with "I Started Something..." and "Stop Me..." an absolute beautiful closer in "I Won't Share You." and a quintessential sad sack mopey song in "Last Night..." Which admittedly can border on parody of mopey songs, but is truly brilliant. Sch a great album.

Simply a masterpiece, one of most listened to albums ever, I am glad this is included in the book even as it may seem unnecessary to have three Smiths albums in it. This has become my second favorite of the four studio albums and Girlfriend in a Coma is simply a beautifully crafted song.

Кузнецы > всё остальное

Känns så extremt inspirerat över nästan hela albumet. Några mindre intressanta låtar tyvärr men överlag är det faktiskt tillräckligt bra för att inte behöva vara bättre!

Det här är super! Låter både väldigt bra och unikt.

Fruktansvärt bra, allt.

gefällt mir sehr gut, insgesamt ist das album wirklich sehr stimmig! mein absolutes highlight war „last night i dreamed that somebody loves me“, ich hab direkt fast geweint

I love The Smiths. This whole album is so freakin' good. The Smiths were a big part of the soundtrack of my early 20's. Good times, good tunes!

Last night I dreamt somebody loved me was definitely my favorite, I love the smiths so much.

Everything by the Smiths is amazing. 5 *

I mean, this really is a good album! I saved "A Rush and A Push and the Land Is Our," "Death of a Disco Dancer," and "Unhappy Birthday" but if I listened more times, I'm sure that I would end up saving every song.

I won't share you, no I won't share you With the drive and the dreams inside This is my time

Classic

Obligatory “fuck Morrissey” before I give this 5 stars

Both Marr and Morrisey believe that “Strangeways, Here We Come” is The Smiths best record and who am I to disagree? Every song on this album is solid from start to finish. Marr's guitar playing is on point, really great stuff. This album marked the beginning of the end for the band. On one hand it is interesting to think about how their music would have evolved if Morrisey didn’t turn out to be an insufferable twat. One the other hand, it led Marr to collaborate on numerous interesting projects, further expanding his range as a musician and one of the greatest and most innovative guitarists of the 20th Century and also helping to expand the progression of indie rock. For his part, Morrisey continued to make decent, sometimes even good music too, albeit less experimental and interesting from my perspective. I honestly can’t remember how I rated previously selections from The Smiths, but again this album is probably their most consistent. Strangeways was released my Junior year in high school and they were among my favorite bands at the time, so there is some admitted nostalgic bias on my part here too.

Genuinely just a really good indie rock album

The best!

Beaucoup plus intéressant à mon humble avis que les autres de Smith et Morrissey, c'est festif et comique dans la portée. Ça m'a beaucoup amusé et je compte y revenir

This album surprised me. I loved it. I hated the previous Smiths Album that I listened to. Maybe there is more to them than meets the eye.

This has some of their best and a unique feel to the rest of their stuff. The songs seem to float more than being propelled. There's not a bad song here yet it's still might be my least favorite album of theirs. Rating: 4.7

Decent enough album. I'm not a big fan of Morrissey but he's not too over the top on this album. Good melodies, pleasant enough to listen to. Probably won't revisit.

Great album, great band. I’m a huge Johnny Marr fan so…every song is good. Classic Smiths sounds, but more instrumental variety on this album. Good straight through listen - I did three times in a row on a long drive.

For me, this is the best Smiths album and Paint a Vulgar Picture is my favourite Smiths song. An easy 5.

Arguably The Smith's greatest work (it is) was also their last. It's all here, present and correct: a mix of insane tunes, melodies, a range of unexpected instruments and Moz's miserable lyrics. A band this great could only last for so long and what an album to crash out on. It's stuff like this that makes people say they were the most important British band since The Beatles. Best Tracks: I Started Something I Couldn't Finish; Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before; I Won't Share You

Michael Jackson, Picasso, Kanye, Morissey - All terrible people but great artists. This album was fantastic. Johnny Marrs guitar is like a second singer. Morissey's unique delivery is so engaging.

Sorti quelques mois après l’implosion du groupe, le quatrième et ultime album studio des Smiths, « Strangeways, Here We Come » n’est pas l’album d’un groupe en proie aux forces destructrices qui allaient causer sa dissolution, mais celui d’un groupe au sommet absolu de sa créativité, explorant des territoires sonores avec une audace et une maturité qui laissent imaginer ce qu’il aurait pu être. Car l’écoute de « Strangeways » est une expérience douce-amère. On y entend l’alchimie entre Morrissey et Johnny Marr non pas s’effriter, mais atteindre une sophistication inégalée. Oubliées, les guitares carillonnantes et l’urgence post-punk des débuts. Ici, le son s’épanouit dans une richesse et une ambition nouvelles. Johnny Marr, souvent réduit à son statut de « roi du jangle pop », se révèle être un arrangeur visionnaire. La palette sonore s’élargit de manière spectaculaire : le piano mélancolique qui introduit « A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours », les arrangements de cordes synthétiques grandioses sur « Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me », le saxophone volontairement criard de « I Started Something I Couldn’t Finish » ou encore les textures subtiles du clavier qui parsèment l’album. Johnny Marr construit des paysages sonores complexes, des décors de théâtre pour les drames et les comédies noires que Morrissey s’apprête à jouer. De son côté, Morrissey atteint une maturité d’écriture saisissante. Ses textes, toujours empreints de cette ironie mordante et de ce romantisme désespéré qui le caractérisent, deviennent plus narratifs, plus cinématographiques. Il ne se contente plus de chroniquer les angoisses adolescentes, il brosse des portraits de personnages, crée des vignettes de vie empreintes d’un désenchantement adulte. L’humour est plus noir, la satire plus acerbe, et la vulnérabilité plus profonde que jamais. C’est cette ambition musicale qui distingue « Strangeways » de ses prédécesseurs car si « The Queen Is Dead » était l’équilibre idéal entre l’hymne politique et la complainte personnelle, « Strangeways » est plus introspectif, plus sombre et musicalement plus aventureux. Écoutez la structure de « Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me ». L’introduction au piano, longue de près de deux minutes, installe une atmosphère de solitude poignante, avant que le morceau n’explose dans un crescendo de cordes et de désespoir. C’est une épopée miniature, le son d’un coeur qui se brise au ralenti. La production, assurée par Stephen Street aux côtés de Marr et Morrissey, est d’une richesse et d’une clarté impeccables, donnant à chaque instrument l’espace pour respirer et contribuer à la fresque globale. Lyriquement, Morrissey est à son apogée. Son humour noir, sa poésie du quotidien misérable et sa critique sociale acerbe sont toujours présents, mais polis par une nouvelle couche de lassitude et de sagesse amère. « Girlfriend in a Coma » est peut-être l’exemple le plus célèbre de sa tragicomédie. Sur une mélodie faussement enjouée, il juxtapose l’angoisse d’une situation terrible avec une nonchalance déconcertante (« I know, I know, it’s serious ») ou avec des paroles d’une morbidité absolue (« There were times when I could have murdered her / But you know, I would hate anything to happen to her »). Cette juxtaposition macabre entre la forme et le fond est la quintessence de l’art de Morrissey. Ailleurs, il tourne son regard vers l’intérieur avec une honnêteté brutale. « Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before » est un tour de force narratif, une confession d’amour non partagé et de frustration qui déborde, le tout emballé dans un des riffs les plus contagieux de Marr. Mais c’est peut-être « Paint a Vulgar Picture » qui démontre le plus sa prescience. Cette dissection cynique et glaçante de l’industrie musicale, qui exploite la mort de ses artistes pour le profit, est d’une pertinence effrayante, encore aujourd’hui. Il y décrit le cycle de rééditions posthumes (« Re-issue! Re-package! Re-package! / Re-evaluate the songs ») avec une précision qui donne froid dans le dos, surtout au vu du destin de l’héritage du groupe. L’alchimie entre les quatre membres quant à elle n’a jamais été aussi puissante, même si elle était sur le point de se rompre. La section rythmique, souvent sous-estimée, est le coeur battant de l’album. La ligne de basse d’Andy Rourke sur « Death of a Disco Dancer » est un monstre de groove hypnotique et mélodique, qui ancre la longue improvisation quasi-psychédélique du morceau. Mike Joyce, quant à lui, livre une performance d’une puissance et d’une subtilité remarquables, s’adaptant parfaitement aux embardées stylistiques de Marr, du rockabilly musclé de « I Started Something I Couldn’t Finish » à la délicatesse de ballades plus calmes. Et puis, il y a la fin, ce dernier morceau, celui qui referme définitivement le livre. « I Won’t Share You ». Car après le drame, le sarcasme et l’expérimentation, l’album et la carrière du groupe se terminent sur la note la plus simple, la plus dépouillée et la plus déchirante. Sur un simple accompagnement d’autoharpe, la voix de Morrissey est d’une vulnérabilité totale. Ce « Je ne te partagerai pas » peut être interprété de mille manières : une déclaration à un amant, un adieu possessif à Johnny Marr, un message à ses fans. Quelle que soit la lecture, c’est une conclusion d’une puissance dévastatrice. C’est le silence après la tempête, le point final d’une des plus grandes sagas de la musique britannique. En conclusion, « Strangeways, Here We Come » est un album imparfaitement parfait, c’est le son de quatre talents exceptionnels qui se poussent mutuellement vers de nouveaux sommets, juste avant de tomber dans le vide. C’est un album de transition, un pont entre le son qui a défini une génération d’indie-pop et un futur que The Smiths n’exploreront jamais ensemble. Il est empreint d’une tristesse infinie, celle de la fin d’une ère, mais aussi d’une fierté artistique indéniable. C’est un chant du cygne majestueux, complexe et intemporel, qui ne cesse de dévoiler de nouvelles facettes à chaque écoute. C’est une oeuvre d’art totale, un disque qui ose être à la fois grandiose et intime, drôle et tragique, amer et magnifique. Ce n’est pas seulement le dernier chapitre de The Smiths, c’est le plus grand album du plus grand groupe de rock indépendant des années 80.

Un disco excelente, sino el mejor de los Smiths. A mi es el que más me gusta junto con, obivamente The Queen is dead. Carece del encanto de su debut, pero no tiene ni un solo tema regular. Portada con su admirado Davalos en vez de con Harvey Keitel, que luego sí les permitió usar su imagen. Comienzo tabernario con A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours, sigue sonido glam con I Started Something I Couldn't Finish y así hasta 3 maravillas como son Girlfriend in a Coma, Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before y Last Night I Dream That Somebody Loved Me, ambas con una orquestación muy atinada. Unhappy Birthday es la más floja del discol, y Paint a Vulgar Picture es una mordaz crítica a las compañías discográficas (aún no había saltado a laluz es escándalo Milli Vanilli, pero ya The Byrds habían tratado el asunto con so you want to be a RNR star). Eso habiendo firmado con una multinacional... El cierre con I won´t share es magistral. Cualquier disco de los Smiths es necesario, pero este es de los más imprescindibles. No tuvo el reconocimiento ni el éxito que mereció en su momento pues la banda se separó apenas publicado, algo que sucedió con por ejemplo Trompe le monde de los Pixies (otro injustamente tratado en su momento). Pero el tiempo le ha puesto en su lugar.

Much more up my alley than I had anticipated, very glad I finally bit the bullet on The Smiths and especially with this album.

For a band that was nearing the end of its lifespan, The Smiths' final studio album is still a top-notch effort that finds the band continuing to expand their sound and push in new directions. Somewhat looser and more experimental than their previous records, *Strangeways* finds them incorporating elements such as found sound and drum machines into the mix, and on the opening track Johnny Marr completely abandons his guitar in favor of keyboards and chromatic percussion.

Just about a perfect album. Shame it was their last. Morrissey carries on and his music is close to perfect but not the way The Smiths.

It's quite different to their previous records. Overall, it has a very different production feel compared to The Queen Is Dead or Meat Is Murder. Much bigger rock tones, less jangly guitar melodies. It's got all the same sharp wit and emotional heft in the lyrics in the vocal melodies. It's a shame Morrissey has decided to destroy his entire legacy - seemingly driven by spite. If it weren't for Johnny Marr being an all round good-egg I'd find it hard to continue to listen to the Smiths.

Strangeways, Here We Come — четвёртый и последний студийный альбом британской инди-рок-группы The Smiths, выпущенный лейблом Rough Trade Records 28 сентября 1987 года, через несколько месяцев после распада группы. Все песни были написаны Джонни Марром, а тексты и вокал — Моррисси. Альбом ознаменовал собой стилистический сдвиг в творчестве группы: в нём использовался более широкий спектр инструментов и более экспериментальное звучание, чем в предыдущих релизах. Альбом имел коммерческий успех и с тех пор считается лучшей работой всеми четырьмя участниками группы. Хочется отметить инструментал Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me, а точнее вступление, потому что оно заставило меня чувствовать чувства. Первая пятёрка. Мне понравился этот альбом. При этом не могу выделить что-то конкретное, он просто в целом подходит моим предпочтениям больше прошлых альбомов, которые я слушала. Здесь есть хорошие тексты, приятные инструменталы и голос, что ещё нужно?

Never listened to The Smiths other than their popular stuff, and I can't believe I waited so long.

Lyrically perfect. What a duo with Jonny Marr as well. As a good as ever

Brilliant album

Every smiths LP is a 5, this is a lower one

God I love this. Wish I had grown up with the Smiths - between ours and our parents generation I think?

For the final album that the Smiths would make as presumably Marr was done being the apple of Moz’s eye? There is a good level of exploration and experimentation with what the Smiths sound is. This can range from something like the openers of both sides which sound like something they’ve never really done before and other songs which sound like proper Smiths songs with extra bells and whistles. Personally, Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me is my favourite song that either the Smiths or Morrissey ever released. Both sides are great, I don’t think that overall this is as good as something like The Queen is Dead but it maintains a consistent grim, sometimes humorous tone, the instrumentation is legitimately some of the best stuff the band has put out and Moz’s lyrics are as great as ever. A brilliant send-off for a brilliant band, it’s remarkable the impact that the Smiths have had on music despite releasing 4 albums and being together for a total of 5 years. Highlights: Girlfriend in a Coma, Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before, Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me, I Won’t Share You

Arch drama and jangly magic and some of the bounciest bass in pop.

Morissey sounds pretty flat, as always. Great album filled with the usual The Smiths depression, hopelessness and dark humour.

Meisterwerk mit „A Rus & A Pusch“, „Girlfrind in a coma“ und „Las Night I Dream“. Morresey in TopForm. Und mögen sich alle Rapper und Jazz Pfeifen sich auskotzen bis zu Leberzirrhose .. kaum ein Album hat mehr 5 ⭐️ als dieses 😊👍.

This was way better than I thought it would be! I'm definitely going to be listening to this again.

Ez az album elvisz magával, már az első dalnál elvarázsol és nem múlik el.. végigkísér dalról-dalra. Néha vidámabb, néha szomorúbb, de valahogy mégis mosolyt csal az arcodra. Álomszép, nagyon szeretem!

truthnuke incoming, but you shouldn't care whether an artist is likeable or not if they can sing well and write good music. CRAZY, I know. This is a 5, new wave kino. All the people ranking 1 or 2 are insane.

I could do without “Death At One’s Elbow” (who couldn’t right?) otherwise I think it’s perfect. (4.8) but I’m rounding up…

Fucking fantastic

I always heard a lot of praise for Johnny Marr’s guitar playing and arrangements and it’s on full display here.

Many years ago I was at a Cubs game and there were four or five hipsters sitting in the row of seats behind me. Before the game started I was eavesdropping on their conversation; they were complaining about a friend of theirs who was not present. I guess this friend would sing 'Girlfriend in a Coma' at karaoke on a weekly basis, and only ever that song, and it seemed like they were getting fed up. I think about this occasionally; I wonder if all those folks still hang out! Anyways. Before this I've only ever listened to Smiths singles/compilations, but this album is really good.

I'm tempted to leave a keyboard smash as a review. That's how this album makes me feel. Like I'm melting into goo, and my goo is pulsing to the beat of the music. Too much? Okay!! I love The Smiths! I love Morrissey as a singer even if I despise him as a person! The other members of the band are not bad people and deserve praise! Also this was my first time hearing Death of a Disco Dancer and holy shit did I love it.

Morrissey is racist scum but I dammit I love the Smiths

I’m a big fan of the early Morrisey solo albums so I really don’t know why I have never listened to any Smiths albums other than probably a best of the Smiths album. Very good album and I knew more songs than I thought I would from looking at the titles.

Damn it Morrissey and his stupid heel turn

Klassiker och kan vara min favorit med The Smiths studioalbum

Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before This was my intro to the Smiths and overall still my favorite. Side one is a perfect blend of different styles. Side two is not as strong to me, but forgiven with Unhappy Birthday and Paint a Vulgar Picture. Still 5 stars

Final Smiths album, rounding off a near perfect discography. You can hear the divide between Morrissey and Marr opening up in both the lyrics and the instrumentation. But it’s still a cohesive, fitting end to one of the defining 80s bands.

Love the smiths still one of my favourite bands.

I don’t think I’ve ever thought about a musician as much as people do when they hate on Morrisey. This is the first Smiths album I heard back in the day & remains my favorite

Cracking

amazing

First off, Death of a Disco Dancer is the most underrated Smiths' song, it is probably a top 5 Smiths' song for me. Secondly, I am just going to ignore Morrissey as a person, because this album is really good. I don't think it is as good as The Queen is Dead or Hatful of Hollow, but there are some really great songs like Last Night I Dreamed Somebody Loved Me (what a great song). I also love the "typical me" part of I Started Something. This is also the longest streak of 5's I've had so far after 600 albums (four in a row). Let's hope for 5. Low 5.

It has been a while since I’d listened to this album and I totally forgot how much I enjoyed it! Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me is a masterpiece and I could listen to it on repeat.

Yay

This is their best overall album. It is certainly my favourite. And I remember being heartbroken listening to it when it came out knowing it would be their last.

Great finding out about this group!

It's been awhile since I rated something a 5...this is a definite 5 for me. It's the first Smiths album I owned. I love every song. Favorite tracks: Unhappy Birthday, Girlfriend in a Coma (and yes, I think this was the first song I ever heard by the Smiths and I was immediately in love).

obvious cracker

Morrissey may be a tossed but he is the master of melancholy, a titan of tristesse and monarch of misery. I’ve always loved these songs and they never grow old.

I really wanted to knock down to 4 stars but I bought his on vinyl when it came out.

I like this more than I expected to. Pretty much all of these songs mention death, but I assume that is just part of their depression-chic style. Edit: This album, and my introduction to The Smiths, has captured my affection in a way I did not expect. Updated to 5 stars because I've kept returning to it.

I have to agree with the band, this is their best work.

I’m a huge fan of The Smiths. This and “The Queen is Dead” are my favorite albums from them. I haven’t listened to it in total for quite a long time, and it was fun to be brought back to the later 80’s with the music I loved. I am aware Morrissey is an asshole, but I still love his songwriting and singing.

I adore The Smiths and this album is no different, so many bangers and it's the perfect length to not feel dragged out. Although I think the end is a little weaker than the start, I give it 5 because it's so consistently good that I can look past it.

they said there's too much caffeine in your blood stream and a lack of real spice in your life

Unfortunately, despite my personal dislike of Morrissey, this album is great. Funny, melodic, weird, unlike anything before and a lot that copied it later. FS: I Started Something I Couldn’t Finish. or Death of A Disco Dancer.

BEST SONGS: - A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours - Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me - Paint a Vulgar Picture

One of my all time favorite albums. I'll take an excuse to listen to it and on repeat.

Highlight Song/s: A Rush and a Push, Girlfriend in a Coma and Death of a Disco Dancer. This is easily one of the best albums ever made. They decided to change their sound on this album after they determined their music had become formulaic, which they executed really well. Even though The Queen Is Dead a good album, it was definitely a good decision to change. It is a shame this is when The Smiths decided to call it; they would've gotten even more strange, then where they had left off. Now about the songs that stood out to me: The dreamlike intro of the song A Rush and a Push; Best line on the album is "Maybe in the next world", from Death of a Disco Dancer; Girlfriend in a Coma and Last Night I Dreamt have the most dramatic sound, which I love; I Won't Share You is probably the best final song from a Band that has broken up.

Listens: 3.5 Standout tracks: Death of a Disco Dancer Added To Library: TRUE As I do this listening and review process, one of the ways I've begun measuring my perceived interest in a given album, is if I ever have an itch to consciously look at and acknowledge the name of a track I'm listening to. Three songs deep, Death of a Disco Dancer, this happened. Specifically during the instrumental "verse" of the song. Something clicked, and I found myself jamming out while listening to the song during my bedtime routine. There's something about the guitar, possibly violin and perhaps piano all melding together that really elicited something. Epic song. Girlfriend in a Coma is disturbing, and disturbingly upbeat considering the subject matter. Likewise for "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before", which, if I caught the gist of the song, amounts to someone being a shithead and making excuses for not being "there" for a myriad of (probably) bad reasons. And then, Last Night I Dreamt That Someone Loved Me for some reason sounds to me like it could have been a James Bond title song (at least, once you get part the first part of the song). It has some orchestral and cinematic qualities to it. Edit, 4 Months Later: I am still listening to this album pretty regularly. It's so good. Bumping to a 5

Classic

Great album!

Although I love The Smiths, I had never listened to this album, and I absolutely love it. This band is so special for me, it matches my energy in ways not many other can.

The Smiths are so funny. No one will ever confuse Morrissey for anyone else, which, again, is in my mind a desirable quality in a singer. Fall Out Boy and Panic At The Disco surely owe a debt to The Smiths's silly, long, emo song titles. I was starting to question if I even liked music at all until I listened to this album. (Still do, whew). I think this is better than "Meat is Murder", and so now that I broke the 5 seal, I'm going for it! 5 stars!! Highlights: 'I Started Something I Couldn't Finish', 'Death of a Disco Dancer' ("Love, peace and harmony?/ Oh, very nice, very nice, very nice, very nice / But maybe in the next world"), 'Girlfriend in a Coma' (I always like the incongruity of a jaunty island melody with unhappy lyrics. Almost sounds like 'Here Comes the Sun'), 'Paint a Vulgar Picture' Lowlight: 'Death at One's Elbow'

Smiths really can’t miss.

Um clássico, perfeito...

Love The Smiths.

The Smiths magic is timeless. The Smiths legacy is unquestionable. Morrissey is.....

This list has turned me into a Smiths fan. I can't believe I hadn't been listening to them all along.

A fitting farewell to The Smiths.

Don't break the heart of a musician.

Morrisey cracks me up on this album everything‘s Tongue In Cheek. He’s such an asshole. It’s funny in this. He’s like sad Dennis Larry or something. On the flipside Johnny Marr’s guitar work is so jangly and fun. He’s the star of The Smiths for me. I stay away from Morrissey so Work but the Smiths I can listen to all day long not my favorite album but definitely a great one.

So moody and not like other music

Yup one of the best.

Not their strongest albums but my all time favourite band. Unhappy birthday was one I hadn't listened to before but loved it

The Smiths at peak creativity. They'd more or less just put out the platonic ideal of a Smiths album in The Queen Is Dead, which makes their willingness to depart from that and experiment with new sounds all the more satisfying on this one. It's still undeniably a The Smiths record at its core - morose, ironic lyrics atop irresistibly catchy compositions - but this is a tantalising glimpse into where thos band might have gone if they hadn't broken up. Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before is an all time song for me.

Fantastic album, great musicianship, some deep topics but great. Really good example of this style of music

This is the album you get someone to listen to as the gateway to the Smiths. It's the most polished and complete set of tunes they did. It's lost a little of the rough edge of earlier releases as a result, but for me it's their masterpiece album. No fat on it. 36 minutes of Marr & Morrissey at their peak. And then the inevitable happened and they split up. You just have to ignore what Morrissey turned into later though.

I like to think that this is the album that The Smiths were always working towards. When they recorded it they knew they had reached what they wanted and then called it a day. Also, Fuck Morrissey.

A true work of art

Super Dope

It was really good!

One of my faves!

Yet another amazing album by The Smiths. Girlfriend in a Coma/Band in a coma ready to break up? I wish Morrissey and Johnny Marr never had a fall out

I love it - great tunes and emotive lyrics - thank you!

“Girlfriend in a Coma” alone is worth the five-star rating. Luckily the rest of the album holds up against that song as well. Love this band for all of its eccentricities and the fact that Moz is in it.

Отличный альбом, что тут ещё сказать!

Perfect 80s riding bike to girlfriend soundtrack.

My favorite Smiths album

Nobody else does it like this. The joyfulness of Johnny Marr’s guitar melodies overlayed by Morrissey’s unique self-deprecating dark humour. His vocals are stunning and the storytelling brilliant. Just a sensational album. My most favourite Smiths tracks aren’t on here, but it all just hangs together beautifully.

Stop me if you've heard this one before, but this is a beautiful album full of pop tunes and typically melancholy lyrics. The excellent production and extra instrumentation gives this record such a big sound. It was such a shame this super talented quartet split after this. I love it.

Love it

For all its lyrical melancholy and grim wit, few bands bring me more joy. Nobody plays guitar like Johnny Marr, nobody writes lyrics or sings like Morrissey. Truly one of the greatest bands ever and this is a perfect album.

"There's too much caffeine in your bloodstream and a lack of real spice in your life"

Elliott Smith left this earth far too early so we'll have to appreciate what we were gifted.

I'd put two Smiths albums on this list. Not this one though. That said, the first six tracks are all 10/10 pop classics, showcasing just how experimental and diverse Johnny Marr's writing and playing was getting. And amazing sequencing - just perfect. Those.final four tracks are among their least memorable, however, even if Paint A Vulgar Picture is still fun. And Unhappy Birthday definitely in discussion for their worst sing and worst lyrics. Wish they'd had a bit more time to perfect it all and carry on in this grander, more varied musical direction. Amazing cover, title and song titles, as per. And fucking hell, Marr did all this when he was 23 while also managing the rest of the band and Morrissey's ego, knowing the end was in sight. Fav line: "So, in my bedroom in those 'ugly new houses' I danced my legs down to the knees"

Brainwaves, Steer from home

I love the smiths. Several big tracks on this album.

no such thing as a bad Smiths album

Big Smiths fan but there were a couple songs I've never heard. Death of a Disco Dancer is now one of my fave Smiths songs, you can really hear how it influenced 90s grunge bands. Wouldn't be the Smiths without Morrissey being a massive drama queen in Unhappy Birthday. Can't lie but I'd enjoy it if I was in a self pity mood. I Won't Share You was a great song to end the album with. Obviously will listen to this album again. RIP Andy, absolute legend.

Albumi #159, 26.02.2024 The Smithsin neljäs ja viimeiseksi jäänyt studioalbumi vuodelta 1987. Albumi on parhautta, kuten on koko Smithsin muukin tuotanto.

It’s the favourite album of Morrissey and Marr of these and who am I to argue? It’s probably not got the absolute stand out tracks of some of the other albums but it’s very consistent. A subtile break with their sound but all the essentials. It’s also the only Smiths album I bought at the Time and I remember exactly where I was when I played it at a party after buying it.

Album 695 of 1001 The Smiths - Strangeways, Here We Come (1987) Rating : 5 / 5 Their final album and it is a good one. Morrissey's signature lyrics and Johnny Marrs' guitar, though a bit more "alternative" than earlier releases, create a fitting finale for a great band.

Brilliant

Legendary

Most excellent

I’ve listened to the smiths before, but this album feels like a nice package of their work. Enjoyed the listen and nice sound and good lyrics/idea

Moving this to a replay able album. Not sure why I haven't listened to more of this.

Dreamy, ethereal, unreal, morose, melancholic, magic, depressing, whatever. Never listened to the Smiths until now, but this was fun

Excellent top notch best album so far

The Smiths in wide-screen. I always think this album is a bit more cinematic with more adventurous instrumentation. From the title to the songs you can't really fault it. To once think I never got The Smiths.

Heavily enjoyed, the production was interesting and not what I expected for a record like this, the lyrics were relatable sometimes and sharply written, and the vocals while not particularly unique were perfect for the contents of the songs found in here. Best songs were: Unhappy Birthday, Paint A Vulgar Picture, and Last Night I Dreamed Somebody Loved Me.

This is The Smith's best album. So obviously they broke up right after. The guitar is killer but what really makes this album shine is Morrissey. He's fucking hilarious

i love the smiths… i said i love the smiths LOVE the sass in this album- would recommend

Yes I like the Smiths

Front to back kleenex banger

https://youtu.be/1hyEnE1SwQA?feature=shared

Always loved The Smiths, this is so, so good. A solid 5 stars from me, it brings such wonderful memories ;-)

It’s The Smiths!

All tracks great lil weaker towards end

Très rythmé, des mélodies accrocheuses. La voix, c'est un acquired taste, mais ça le fait. 7.5/10

Musically strong, some amazing compositions. I am slightly more emotionally connected to their previous works, but this is also a masterpiece.

I was wondering when I was going to receive either: 1) Another Smiths album (I received "The Queen Is Dead" nearly a year ago), or... 2) My first Morrissey album Despite the general disdain 1001AlbumsGenerator has for The Smiths in general, I 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 The Smiths: I possess all their studio and compilation albums on vinyl, I've a Morrissey poster above my bed, and—gah, I'm gushing again! As I ponder about it, my infatuation for The Smiths is probably the reason why I haven't been asked out in the past two years, although I am funny, clever, entertaining and good looking. Anyways, from the lush and intense "A Rush And A Push And The Land Is Ours", to the swaggering "I Started Something I Couldn't Finish", and the devastatingly melancholic "Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me", this album pushed me lower when I was an already lonely 16-year-old. Do I still recommend it? 𝘈𝘣𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺. Morrissey may be a pretentious prick, but he is my pretentious prick.

I just listened to the first track. Liked it a lot. I've heard of The Smiths but never knew much about them. Looking forward to rest of album.

I'm rather partial to the Smiths, but this is an album of theirs I had barely listened to and only know about two songs on there. It's off to a pretty good start. Quite upbeat and general Smiths schtick. The songs are a little repetitive, but now I think about it, a lot of their songs tend to be, they just cover it up with flowery language. It's what I expected, but I enjoyed it a lot.

The critics are right this is their best album.

Excellent - funnier than I remembered it!

Classic Smiths.

if you can death-of-the-author this and ignore some of the other silliness. this is a REALLY good album

Sehr sehr nice, irgendwas zwischen Rock und Pop. Lässt sich entspannt hören.

Great.

Absolutely fantastic!

Possibly the best Smiths album?

Lempparit: Girlfriend in a Coma ja I Won’t Share You Vähiten lemppari: Unhappy Birthday

And this is my #1 fav Smiths album. Just the platonic ideal of their vibe for me, this is what I always come to when I need a fix of Smiths tbh. Again..fuck morrissey…but divorced from that, I think this is so catchy and moody and sardonic and I really love it tbh!

Fall and Winter listening. Clear cool day, warm sun. Wandering in a city or in the woods? I think a city. I can only take so much Morrissey, but this album is perfect. His melancholic voice and lyrics have a nice balance with Johnny Marr's light cheerful guitar. This album played prominently in my teen years and opened my mind to what music can do and where it can take you. The bass comes through well, always a strong counterbalance. All sorts of interesting accompaniment at just the right times. Good blend of upbeat and mellow. Original and unique in so many ways when it was released, and still sounds fresh. A definite keeper in my catalog.

All 4 of The Smiths' studio albums are great, which is really quite an accomplishment when they also released a bunch of fantastic non-album singles during their relatively short run. Shame Morrissey and Marr's relationship eventually broke down after Strangeways, Here We Come. As mentioned I love all of their albums and this is a belter. Girlfriend in a Coma might be one of the most archetypal Smiths songs - jangly guitars combined with catchy vocals and morbid lyrics. It's a consistent album though, no bad songs at all so easy 5*

Amazing album. Fucking slaps. Love the smiths

Very good album!

Interesting. I only know one song (Girlfriend in a Coma). After listening, I can say I have added 3/4th of this album to my playlist. Great album! Love the cynical lyrics. "Unhappy birthday" really is a summary of the entire discography of the Smiths. 4.7

Not my first time listening to it, has one of my favourite Smith's songs. I've never felt so optimistic listening to a song about a comatose girlfriend.

This album slaps; less melancholic than Bauhaus, less pumping than Siouxie and the Banshees; love it. 36min in total Very short

One of my alltime favourites. It just has everything cynical lyrics, perfect Melodie’s and just hits, hits, hits!

Not really listened to The Smiths before. Something I’ll be exploring some more. Relaxed.

If I had been born a little earlier this would have been my shit. The Pope of Mope keeps me swaying with the tunes and realizing that emo wasn't a phase.

Not as good as The Queen is Dead, but still a 5

i kinda like the music

I love this. I've heard of the smiths before, but I've never really listened to them. I definitely want to listen to their back catalogue now.

Not their best album, but still a brilliant epilogue to the best UK band in the 80s.

Fun and Melodic

I've been a fan of The Smiths for a long time, and a fan of Radiohead for a long time. But listening to this album tonight was the first time it really hit me how influential The Smiths were on them and like, it's VERY obvious and I cannot believe I never put it together until the end of this evenings listen of "Death of a Disco Dancer".

Solid album. In my experience, you have to listen to a Smiths album at least five times to get it, and then it's great. I remember when it came out, so I know this one well...and it is great. For the guitar players who don't like The Smiths, I would suggest focusing on the guitar playing. Johnny Marr plays like nobody else. If you don't believe me, try playing along with him. It's not easy, and it will make you appreciate what he's actually doing. "I crashed down on the crossbar and the pain was enough to make a shy bald Buddhist reflect." That's a solid lyric. Liked Songs Added: - Death Of A Disco Dancer - Girlfriend In A Coma - Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before - Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me - Unhappy Birthday - Paint A Vulger Picture - I Won't Share You

Gonna lose some feminism points for this

I loved this album—not quite as much as The Queen Is Dead, my favorite Smiths album. But listening to it was pleasantly familiar, even though I had only heard about half the tracks on the album. Johnny Marr’s jangly guitar work, Morrissey’s literary references and strange, morbid British humor—it all reminds me of car rides with my dad. Some of the lyrics made me laugh out loud. This was the Smiths’ last album together, and most of the band agreed it was their best. It takes it title from a famous prison that was actually called Strangeways, which I guess is where the band felt they were headed.

perfect smith album!

Oh excellent! The glorious final album of The Smiths before Morrissey’s insane egotism and extremist nonsense tore them apart. But it sure was fun while it lasted. Any Smiths record is an undeniable 5 -star affair for me. I just can’t get enough of the jangly uptempo guitars and melancholic lyricism. It’s a delicious combination. But, moderation as they say. You can’t have too much of a good thing. And this is a very very good thing.

Not something I'd normally listen to, but glad I did - very good.

Oh boy here we go

Fantastic

Very nice!

New fan here

Paraphrasing this from somewhere else so don't lay claim to it: Imagine being Johnny Marr, you've just laid down one of the most sublime guitar lines of your career. You come back to studio the next day to find that Morrissey has warbled on some Carry On Nonsense about his imaginary girlfriend being in a coma. That sums up the Smiths. I still like them, still appreciate them even though is a bit of a part these days. Perfect escapist pop for all the lonely boys and lonely girls of the world to unite together

Their best album? Probably not. Are all my favorite songs on this one? Yes.

YASSSSSS SLAY MORRISSEY 😍😍😍😍 (for the record I know he's racist, this album is good though)

Amazing. Really incredible. Very easy to like.

The Smiths is one of my comfort bands and one of my favorites of all time. I know all the songs off the tip of my tongue. It's always a pleasure to listen to The Smiths. Strangeways is an album that I've learned to love a lot over the years and it's a shame that they stopped at that. For me, they were at their technical and artistic peak. But some bands are just like that: They pass through our existence like a comet, a true phenomenon that leaves its mark on anyone who comes into contact with this music. Morrissey, Mars, Joyce and Andy were the voice, heart, pulse and soul of an entire generation!

I was unfortunately a Smiths Fan as a tween so I feel like I need to give this one 5 stars.

Almost the best Smiths studio album.

I fee the Smiths have a really unique sound. It’s sort of both upbeat and creepy at the same time, but I dig it. I honesty liked every single song on this album, and would gladly listen to it again.

I love the Smiths. A few great tracks on here. Very good album, rivals 'The Queen Is Dead'.

A fine swan song. Very baroque and keyboard driven but maintains lovely indie pop and great melodies

MANCHESTER PRISON MENTIONED

Really enjoyed the production on this one. A fitting swan song for The Smiths.

Very good. 4.5

I used to think that this was the best Smiths album. While I still love it, I think that I was mistaken.

My favourite Smiths album

One of my all time favorites

Pour out some Perrier for the death of a dynamite discography.

God

Longtime favorite

I've loved this album since I was 18. And now I'm living in Manchester, which makes me feel a special pride.

Weird, gangster crooner

This album is an absolute joy.

A rush and a push is really good. I overdosed on the smith's a long time ago so it's generally something I don't listen to much. If you're a newbie though give them a listen

I always think a Smiths album will be painful and then the rhythm section saves me once again thank god. Still am not a big fan of the way Morrissey writes and sings a lot of the time but oh well

Notable tracks: all of it

Love the Smiths. This isn't their best album at all, but still a stone cold classic. 4.5/5

Good music, Bad morrissey:(

אלבום מצוין! אני לא מבין איך לא יצא לי להאזין להם עד עכשיו

The Smiths - I like them

Geil halt

Morrissey's voice just has that sad, depression sound that works perfectly with The Smiths sound.

Great album

Loved it.

A very atmospheric and memorable album, liked it a lot.

Incredible

Like the other two albums by The Smiths on the 1001, this one is definitely a 5. Couldn't tell you which is my "favorite" given that this one is too new to me, but this one seemed the most immediately accessible. I'm not sure if the three albums differ that significantly from each other: The Smiths have a certain sound, it works well, and they definitely milk it across their albums. IMO Meat is Murder had the best Johnny Marr guitar lines and The Queen is Dead had the best emo lyrics (I Know It's Over, Cemetry Gates, There Is a Light and it Never Goes Out). Strangeways seems like they've mastered what makes The Smiths great - clever emo lyrics over rocking and/or jangly indie rock music. Side One starts the album off with a cool vibe on A Rush and A Push and the Land Is Ours. I Started Something I Couldn't Finish is a great swinging rocker. Death of a Disco Dancer has a perfect slow build. Girlfriend in a Coma is a perfect example of Morrissey's dark sense of humor. Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before is another good rocker, with another overly long name. Side Two gets darker (which is always saying something for The Smiths). Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me is a great song that continues the long song title trend and the depressing lyrics trend (not really a trend - it's apparently part of The Smiths' DNA). Unhappy Birthday is an upbeat song where it's clear that Morrissey is very very very bitter, followed by Paint a Vulgar Picture which is an upbeat song where it's clear that Morrissey is very very very bitter about the music industry. This brings us to the rockabilly (and of course depressing) Death at One's Elbow. Finally, we end with I Won't Share You, in which The Smiths float peacefully and depressingly into the sunset.

fun and dancy. Feels like I'm the main character

I liked this one a bit more than I thought I would. Catchy Runes, Dark Lyrics, the oddly playful tone with the songs, it’s great. The 80s sound actually sounds good here. Also fuck Morrissey.

Majestic. Probably my fave Smiths album. There is really no more to say - a no brainer