Reviews (page 7 of 15)
# Album Name: Strangeways, here we come # Artist: Smiths # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Damn, this was very mid. I was looking forward to it but it didn’t strike a chord. One good song amongst an album of very average stuff. # Top Tunes: GF in a coma # Would I listen to it again? Maybe once. but if its the same vibe then nah
3.6
The Smiths at their most experimental, the songs on Strangeways feel different to the rest of their output whilst still having that characteristic jangle. There’s some real all-timer Smiths songs on this album, but also a couple of clunkers like Unhappy Birthday that feel more akin to Morrisey’s solo output. Half a good album for sure.
Too bad Morrisey was such a tosser. Great band, great album but not as good as Queen is Dead.
Great finding out about this group!
Never got all the hype for The Smiths and Morrissey. This isn't a bad album if you're in the mood for moody boy music. The problem is I'm rarely in the mood for that. 4.75/10 (2.375/5)
Ugh, finally it's happened. My first Morrissey album. I absolutely could have just listened to one song and extrapolated from that what the rest of the album would sound like, it's hardly varied. And his vocals are whiny and fey and kind of annoying. And I don't understand why this band was so popular and influential. And Morrissey nowadays is a certified cunt. Yet still, these songs are actually alright? Quite pleasing to listen to, some wry humour, and quite pleasant sounding vocals. I'm not going to rush to listen to it again, but I have to admit it wasn't *that* bad.
Some good stuff, but not necessarily (at least consistently) the same quality as their more popular tracks (though this is the first album that I'm listening to, so I have no yardstick to judge by as far as that's concerned).
I always like a good british rock record
I liked this one, jangly guitars, lots of melancholy, surprisingly bouncy bass lines (and very out front in the mix). Not going to add it to my normal mix, but I appreciate it.
Not a big Smiths fan. Familiar of course with Girlfriend In A Coma, but not really crazy about it and nothing else stands out.
My favorite Smiths album
8/10 This is almost as good as The Queen is Dead. Towards the end it loses a bit of excitement but the first half is banger after banger. Highlights: Girlfriend in a Coma A Rush and a Push Stop Me if You Think Youve Heard This One Before Last Night I Dreamt I Started Something..
Yayy The Smiths :) I like The Smiths. First two songs were really good, rest were alright. I liked when he growled a few times in those ones I think it'd be fun if he did that more. Best song: I Started Something I Couldn't Finish Notable(s): A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours
*1987 - 4th and final studio album. *I really like The Smiths, and this was solid all around. *Only big song was Stop Me if You Think You’ve Heard This One Before. *Girlfriend in a Coma and Unhappy Birthday are lyrically wild. RATING - 7.5/10
Tremendous stuff from Moz and the gang, in their final proper outing. In a way, it's a fitting farewell, finding Morrissey and Marr at the peak of their individual powers throughout (Morrissey's vocals on Last Night I Dreamt are genuinely awe-inspiring). And yet, it doesn't quite have the propulsion and sense of fun that they found on the Queen is Dead, keeping it from the hallowed five star mark.
Honestly, some tracks could be cool if not for Morissey's voice
Melancholic......closer to 4 than a 3
I actually quite liked this album. Some very novel sounds. Much different than the first Smiths album I listened to.
Pretty cool music low 4/5
There are no really bad albums from the Smiths. Music is good and easy to listen to. Thosbone is not their best but still awesome
Pretty chill
Thoughts before listening: I really enjoy the Smiths although Morrissey's schtick can become a little tiresome. This album isn't one of the ones that I typically see listed as their best (The Smiths or The Queen is Dead usually gets that distinction), so its inclusion on this list is interesting. Review: Yeah okay...this is really good. The Smiths were only around for a short time, but they did put out a lot of good music. This album contains "Girlfriend in Coma" which is one of my favorites by the band, and I am also enjoying "I Started Something I Couldn't Finish", "Dead of a Disco Dancer", and "Stop Me if You Think You've Heard This One Before". Overall its a catchy album although the second half does lag a bit. 4-stars
Musically Morrissey is an acquired taste. In general, not my cup of tea. For whatever reason I enjoyed him today and the music is quite good.
Better than I remember, but was he always so pitchy?
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).
One rainy day in 2019, when the Red Sox were no good, my teen daughter and I were at Fenway and the organist launched into Girlfriend in a Coma (followed by I Wanna Be Sedated). Teenagers love it when their moms randomly burst out laughing. Apart from that song, this didn't grab me at all--it mostly lacked the jangle and pep of the other albums--except to inspire some soul-searching about why I boycotted Kid Rock on principle but not Morrissey.
not the best smiths album, but it's got some great tunes. unsure why it's on this list but whatever i like it fine
Solid record from one of my faves. 4/5
I'm not a huge fan of The Smiths, thought the songs were okay, and can tell that this is a record the fans would like, but for me it wasn't that exciting nor it gave me much desire to listen to it again.
Bottom line-I just don't like Morrissey's voice. It sounds whiney and lacks finesse. The songs are well written, the music is performed well. In the end, I just find them bland.
fantastic instrumentalists but i just do not get morrissey. i really dont. theres something constantly off to me about his vocal style and the way that his vocals combine with the rest of the band. still a lot of cool creativity on here though
-1 star for Morrisey.
i am very undecided about the singer's growls in the first two songs, whether its goofy or cool. i think that is a general feeling about this album: 'girlfriend's in a coma' ???? particularly enjoyed the chord progressions in 'death of a disco dancer' and 'last night i dreamt that somebody loved me' 'stop me if you think you've heard this one before' goes super hard too
fun album, liked it a lot, minus point for morrissey
I don't hate this album, even if it's just a bunch of whining. Even though fans of The Smiths are obnoxious, I will grant them that the music is certainly interesting.
Did Morrissey's flirtation with bigotry start here with Death Of A Disco Dancer? Perhaps. This album was supposed to be a transition LP towards a major label and a possible new sound. Unfortunately, the demise of The Smiths at this point only leant towards SPM's more unchecked fantasies about Bengalis, Asians in ruts and National Front Discos. One star given for Johnny Marr's work, and one for Andy Rourke's bass playing (always underated) and Mike Joyce as solid as ever.
Enjoyed. Oddly jaunty by times.
Bland.
good
Some excellent tracks but not perfect. I think the Smiths have enough for one perfect quite long greatest hits but no more.
One star because Morrissey.
obvious cracker
Not something I NEED to hear.
Not my favorite album, kind of boring but it was alright.
For the moment i tought I liked it, then the singing came. Every song is the same...
Fuck Morrissey
Decent English 80s pop album, I had heard of the band but this was my first listen through an album, I am looking forward to listening to more of them in the future.
Von vielen Smith-Fans weniger geliebtes letztes Album. Ich find's großartig - die gegenüber zuvor deutlich gebremste Stimmung kündigt Abschied an...
The jangly music is pretty good, but I struggle to enjoy Morrissey's voice. It just sounds like he's singing the same song over and over again, and it gets old. No particular standouts on this one, but overall it isn't bad.
Great
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 like Johnny Marr's song writing and Andy Rourke's bass playing. I was never a fan of Morrissey but his unique vocal approach make any song recognizable as the Smiths.
Between The Smiths three albums and four (FOUR?) Morrissey albums on the 1001 list, I'd say the band and specifically Mr. M are overrepresented. One might even say severely. So yes, I had my moment of "maybe Morrissey isn't the intolerable prick I always pegged him as" early on in our journey, and while this wasn't awful, it was a far cry from superb, or even above-average, especially given all the other blather we've got to endure from his stupid mouth. Which is a lot of words to say, this was OK. Softer production, bigger drums, Morrissey trying to not get in everyone's way. But I'd like to tap out now, if it's all the same to you.
I guess I'm a Smiths fan now? This was excellent. Only docking it a star because I didn't have time to finish it, so who knows how well it ends. Well, there you go, 1001 Albums. You broke me.
I just love love love this album. It harkens back to discos in West Germany and Leeds and youth. I thought he was just the coolest: "love, peace, and harmony...very nice but maybe in the next world." My opinion on Morrrisey has changed but I still love this album.
Boring and unnecessary. Morrissey is a twat and johnny marr just makes noise.
Didn’t listen
hm, hatte den typischen Pop Klang der Ära, aber nichts was bei mir in Erinnerung bleiben wird
Finds ganz coolen Rock, für 1987 etwas spät, klingt eher wie 70s Rock. Mir sind keine Melodien im Kopf geblieben und hörs auch nicht nochmal, aber trotzdem schöne Musik
Me and my fellow teenaged siblings used to sing “unhappy birthday” to each other on our respective anniversary around the sun. So, I can’t help but harken back to on those days while listening to this gem by the Smiths.
Solid album, nothing that dazzled me, but enjoyed it.
I feel like I should love The Smiths … They check most boxes of what I like musically. Solid production and instrumentation back Morrissey’s clever lyricism. I just don’t feel it. Had a found them during my younger and “edgier” years this may have been one of my favorites.
Another Morrisey/Smiths album. Alright here we go. The first track is pretty good. Jaunty and more "upbeat" than what i think of the Smiths. Second track is alright too. So far so good. Overall it was more interesting to me than anything I have heard from the Smiths, outside of How Soon IS Now? Still not my jam but it wasn't too shabby. 3.2/5
A velvet-voiced ego trip with a few jangly gems worth keeping. I wouldn’t be mad if it was playing in the background.
This album made me feel nothing. I didn't hate it, but I also didn't feel anything else about it either. I definitely listened to an album.
Morissey is so sad all the time.
I bet there will be some 1 stars or did not listens to this one, bc Morrissey has become pretty reprehensible. And I agree and I get that. But Johnny Marr wrote all of these songs first, with Morrissey then applying his somewhat cloying lyrics over the top. So I want to try to judge the album on its merits, and it's...another Smiths album. I really don't see much difference between this one and any of the others. The consistency is admirable, but with little to differentiate it, if you like one Smiths album, you like them all, and the opposite. Luckily, I like Smiths albums, so this one gets a 4.
enjoyed this album.
I never listened to a ton of The Smiths, figured it was only a matter of time 'til I was hooked. Then I went to see Future Islands at Red Rocks back in like 2015 or something, as they were opening for Morrissey. We stuck around for Morrissey and got to see a compilation of video footage of police shooting people's pet dogs. I guess what I'm trying to say is this might have been rated higher if not for all that. Plus some of the other stuff you hear about him.
excusing what a piece of garbage morrissey is, this album nonetheless has artistic value, but it's not the sound I'd gravitate towards much these days
Not their best but I enjoyed. Could’ve flowed better imo.
I really wanted to knock down to 4 stars but I bought his on vinyl when it came out.
Haven’t listened to a Smiths album before so I was surprised to hear a subtle reggae rhythm on the first track and how musically diverse this album is overall. Felt more like a compilation album highlighting their different musical styles. I enjoyed this.
Not horrible, and I get The Smiths inspire a lot of music, but a lot of it seems reptitive. I do like the singles though and I gave it a 3 last time, going to stay the same this time!
Certainly not the best Smiths album out there, but still notable for its singles and for being a Smiths album. Truly at the time, their sound was fairly singular. They may be lumped in with other contemporaries like The Cure and The Jesus and Mary Chain, but no one quite sounds like The Smiths. From the oddly light melodies of "Girlfriend in a Coma" to the dreamlike pop sounds of "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before" this album delivers on a still evolving sound that could only have come from the unique partnership of Morrissey and Marr. A solid album through and though. Also, Morrisey is awful and may he never get what he wants this time.
I'm a sucker for The Smiths, even though Morrissey is a real piece.
Classic Smiths, good music
Just couldn't get into Morrissey's voice on this one.
I surprisingly liked this listen quite a bit. The three tracks I highlighted were damn solid and this took me to a time and place that I will never understand, but at least I could glimpse at. I did like the soft vocals and simple, but layered production of this record. First Smiths project I have ever covered and fairly solid. 7/10
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 always quite disliked this album for some reason before this, although I don't think I ever actually heard it in full. Its definitely more 'produced' than any other Smiths albums, which I think in some cases really adds to the quality and also takes away in some places. Obviously drums guitar and bass are amazing, I think they are maybe some of the most unique/talented players of this era. I feel like some of the vocal bits are a bit cringe, and also I think he maybe ran out of lyrical ideas, but still very good, not a good guy though. Favourite songs: I started something I couldn't finish, death of a Disco Dancer, Girlfriend in a coma, stop me if you think you've heard this one before, unhappy Birthday, paint a vulgar picture, I won't share you. Overall around 7/10
Kokonaisuutena jää lopulta haaleaksi, mut se johtuu lähinnä b-puolen (lopun) hissuttelusta, alussa on hyvää nostetta ja ihan semihauskoja sanoituksia.
Interesting for sure, didn’t love it but I also didn’t expect the particular sound that this album has out of the Smiths! Will always be a freak for Robert Smith vocals but I think I like some of their other stuff more. Fav Track: I Started Something I Couldn’t Finish
Best track: Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me Best line: Worst track: Vibe: Mid Rating: 5/10 (would be a 7/10 without Morrissey)
Some people can differentiate between art and artist. I try for most things but I have a visceral dislike for Morrissey. I don’t like his voice, his attitude towards other artists, or his beliefs in general. So I will always give a single star. I do like Johnny Marr in just about everything else.
7/10
Overall, this album isn't too bad, but it is not very exciting. I would mainly recommend leaving this in the background and doing something else, as it is not THAT great when you properly focus on it. Still, given that this came out in 1987, it must've competed with quite a lot of fast-paced music, but I am sure this had quite a lot of fans as well, as it is not too bad.
I've never given The Smiths a shot and my first impression is that they have such a unique sound. I don't know much else to say about this. I liked it, but I can't see myself coming back to it. I also don't think this will be the last album we'll get from The Smiths, and I am interested to hear more. Favorites: - I Started Something I Couldn't Finish - Paint a Vulgar Picture
I discovered The Smiths last year, and they are definitely a band I had to listen to a few times to mesh with. Morrisey's voice can be pretty divisive, but I've come around to liking a lot of their music. Most of my favorite songs by them aren't on this album, but still solid. Favorite tracks: - Girlfriend in a Coma - Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before - Unhappy Birthday
The last studio album of the Smiths before their eventual break up at the same time it was released and going onto to their eventual solo careers. As an album overall, it is just okay to me especially since it follows The Queen Is Dead which is their best studio work in my opinion. However, I feel that there is a couple of highlights and one song that really makes me feel this way is Last Night, I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me. It is just amazing from start to finish that really makes you feel heartbreak and sadness. Along with this are the accompanying melancholy vocals of Morrissey and the dreamy jangle composition of Johnny Marr that just make this song the perfect one of the album. It almost makes you feel like you were dreaming that you were with the crush that you really want to ask out and you actually end up becoming a couple, only to realize that you woke up and everything was just that, a dream and your have to take yourself back to reality. But if we're going off the whole album, it is just okay to me. It has one amazing song with the rest that feel more like filler than actual songs like with Meat is Murder and the Queen is Dead. It just feels uninspiring and like they were ready to just get out of the band as soon as possible to me. Favorite Tracks: Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me Rating: 3/5
Love the Smiths but this one is not my fav album. I do love Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me and Stop Me
Pretty good, but not my favorite Smiths album. The musicians are very talented, Johnny Marr's riffs are iconic, and Andy Rourke's basslines are truly underrated. There are some classic Morrissey lyrics on this one, especially in "Paint a Vulgar Picture." fav tracks: "A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours", "I Started Something I Couldn't Finish", "Girlfriend in a Coma", "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before" 4/5
Not a fan of Morrissey, or even the Smiths. But this was a pretty upbeat version of both, and I like it.
Could think of hundreds of better 80s albums
It is too bad that Morrissey is such a piece of shit. He tarnishes everything he has ever done at every possible opportunity. That includes this incredibly well crafted record. Smiths>Morrissey.
It was fine. Enjoyable, but didn't really have any songs that stood out. Great background music, was able to keep me focused without drawing my attention away from work.
This album ranges from good to great for me. I think I like The Queen is Dead a little more than this, but they're pretty close. 3.5/5
Smiths is good. There was a good amount of this I hadn't heard before. Good cover art too. This isn't my favorite Smiths but all Smiths is good. 3.75/5
I have to agree with the band, this is their best work.
I like the dreamy possessive exit
I was really into it at first, but as time went on it was really one note and similar. By Last Night I dreamt I wasn't into the sound anymore. It got a little grating and one note. Really similar to their last album...
I've never heard this Smiths album before. I have heard Girlfriend in a Coma though. What's to say? He knows it's serious. I liked this album alot more than I thought I would. The first 5 songs are great! I especially like how they build Death of a Disco Dancer. Morrissey used to get on my nerves but actually these last few albums are some of the best I've heard from him. At 51 years of age a guy can still change his mind about Morrissey. Death at One's Elbow is rocking!
Johnny Marr’s guitars shimmer and shine as always, and there’s Morrissey up front and center wishing he wasn’t there, but would be deeply depressed if he wasn’t because he gets validation from wallowing in his own self hatred. Enigmatic to say the least. Personalities aside, The Smiths are truly a great band. The songs oscillate around a deep, sometimes irritating despair that is healed through joyous instrumentation. They kind of invented the aesthetic.
Totally dig the indie / pop / new wavey-ish vibes of this one. I like the heart Morrissey sings with, even when he wants to strangle his girlfriend in a coma, or when he won't be sad for the birthday celebrant to die. Fun instrumentation too.
Gosh, I dunno. Fourth best Smiths album *shrugs shoulders*
Fantastic album, start to finish. Easiest of their albums for broad appeal. I'll never not like The Smiths. It's really too bad they didn't survive this album to see its success together.
Don't like The Smiths that much, and it's just new wave to me, I have to say I do enjoy the vocals quite a bit.
the smiths, i liked me esta gustando esta banda, creo que es la primera que se repite
Decent. Not really my thing though.
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.
The Smiths are great, though I rarely want a full album's worth of them. The first half of the album feels stronger - "I Started Something" was a great gem I never knew about, and "Girlfriend in a Coma" is classic. I don't see myself coming back to this album much, but it's a good listen overall.
About what I expected. Idk if I’m ever really in the mood to listen to them.
*** Gave it another try with The Smith: can‘t get it.
I typically hit my limit with the Smiths (or, specifically, Morrissey) pretty quickly, but I pretty much enjoyed this from start to finish. While Moz is an icon, he's one who seems intent on tarnishing his legacy as much as possible. At least Johnny Marr has only burnished his legacy with interesting projects and music, and the guitar sound he created in this band set the template for so many who followed.
Confirming that if I haven't become a Smiths fan by this point in my life, it probably just ain't gonna happen. I enjoy the "hits" but otherwise Morrissey can save that drama for his mama.
Fairly good album. Might get me into listening to more of the Smiths. Stand out song - girlfriend in a coma
6.5/10
I'm not sure how I feel about this. It sounds very much like the Smiths, almost to the point of repetitiveness, but also is very different from some of their other albums. The lyrics from Girlfriend in a Coma are so stupid. The album has it's own sound I guess, but everything sounds too much the same within it.
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
Delicious sound of The Smiths in an ultimately forgettable album.
wasn't expecting this
thoughts: somehow both a lot different to what i’m used to from the smiths but still very much their sound. it’s probably the guitar and morrissey’s voice (which i love). this was released several months after the band broke up which honestly tracks with the tone of the album songs: “i started something i couldn’t finish”, “girlfriend in a coma”, “last night i dreamt that somebody loved me” rating: 7.9/10
Pretty good, would rate 3.5 stars if half-stars were a thing on here. For a first-time Smiths experience, I was fairly pleased. Favourite cuts were A Rush And A Push and Stop Me. While I enjoyed the overall experience, I can’t help but wish there were more tracks akin to the opener (the keyboards! The MARIMBA!), and Unhappy Birthday borders on parody with how melodramatic it is.
could you imagine the smiths without whiner extraordinaire morrissey
I like this. I actually enjoy this guy's voice even if it sounds like he's singing with a mouthful of breakfast cereal. There's a variety to the tracks, which I appreciate. Favorite track: "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before"
i like it picasso
Awesome lyrics and melodies
I’m dubbing this the OG emo. A lot of my friends are into Morrisey/The Smiths but this was my first real listen to anything outside the few mainstream songs I know. I understand why this vibes with so many.
OK I bought this album when it came out in a desperate attempt to try to stay relevant. And I quite like four of the tracks 😅
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.
Morrisey, the inventor of emo? I loved this. I don't love Morrisey of course but I loved this. I've no idea if the absurd level of sheer depression the lyrics reached was supposed to be in a sincere or tongue in cheek way, but I don't even care which it is. I didn't know stop me... was a smiths song! I only knew the mark ronson version but I way prefer this! Also WHAT is going on with girlfriend in a coma?! I don't know but I don't care!
I've been kind of dreading getting an album from the Smiths on this. On one hand, I really don't like the Smiths. The sound doesn't do anything for me, their lyrics come off as whiney, and just the overall vibe just turns me off. I'm by no means an alpha male or manly man, but they've always struck me as being super weak sauce. Like music for people with no confidence and that guilt their partners into bad sex. On the other hand, so many other groups list them as influences. I have to respect that.
BEST SONGS: - A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours - Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me - Paint a Vulgar Picture
Another album of lovely songs by a band with a massive racist as the lead singer. Dammit.
Not to brag, bu I didn't like Morrisey before it was cool.
++: I Started Something I Couldn't Finish, Death of a Disco Dancer, Death at One's Ellbow +: Stop Me If You Think You've Heard That Before, Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me, Paint a Vulgar Picture +-: A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours, Girlfriend in a Coma, Unhappy Birthday, I Won't Share You 6,4/10
Solid album from The Smiths. Some of the songs really had me singing along.
One of my all time favorite albums. I'll take an excuse to listen to it and on repeat.
The Smiths har liksom aldri funka heilt for meg
C't'un peu d'la marde, non?
J - 4/5 Best Track - "Stop Me If You Think That You've Heard This One Before" F - 2/5
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.
I heard a lot more different sounds from The Smiths on this album than I had heard on their other songs I listen to. I enjoyed it, but it started to blend after a while. Not to say that's a bad thing, though!
This was vanilla as they come. I found nothing remarkable about this album. I did not need to listen to this album before I die.
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
I like the smiths but this isn’t their best album.
Classic
Nice singing voice, but nothing in this grabbed my attention or moved me emotionally
I was expecting to hate this. I detest Morrisey’s voice and ridiculous style. However, the music saved it. Some decent tracks. Some poor tracks. Ultimately, if Morrisey wasn’t singing it would have been rated higher.
10 bangers, one after another
Not the Smiths best album. Girlfriend in a coma is a great existential conversation. ;)
Not a big fan of the Smiths. A couple of good songs. Well done musically.
Ist halt the smiths. Kein schlechtes Lied dabei aber auch kein absoluter banger wie auf anderen alben. 3/5
Great soundscape - lots of musical variety and different moods from Morrissey. Probably my favorite album by them.
Great album!
I know next to nothing about the Smiths. So really pleasant surprise here. Probably closer to a 3.5 but some of the lyrics made me chuckle and it sounds like a pretty unique record to me.
Not my favorite Smiths album but still rock solid. Always loved the pop melodies and Morrissey's weird lyrics. Only my truest friends are getting Unhappy Birthday sent to them on their big days.
Usually not a pop rock fan, I really liked a few songs on this album, and the rest was fine, not irritating. I really liked the variety of instruments and seasoning of other styles. Solid
girlfriend in a coma is RIDICULOUS lol i'm obsessed idk not my favorite smiths record! no real stand outs for me
Really enjoyed this.
Don’t tell anyone. But I loved this.
Good 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.
Weird, like he's got such an iconic voice but idk just bad lyrics and stuff
More of 4.5/5. Better than a 4 but not quite a 5.
Probably the worst Smiths album, so still better than almost anything else from the 80s.
genuinely one of my fav smiths albums, i love girlfriend in a coma so much bro AHHH i love
I would have enjoyed it more if I had heard it first as a teen.
Feels almost… pretentious? but still great
This is the final album from this British band. The Smiths were quite popular outside of the US. There are some nice tunes here but overall very forgettable. There was a darker vibe here as several songs were about death.
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'
This album reminds me of REM albums without the couple of really good songs that would be included. The lyrics are interesting but the music bores me. 2 stars or D+.
Smiths really can’t miss.
meh its alright
can't go wrong with the smiths. less jangly more texturally rich which is good.
They're totally singular, but the songs here aren't that memorable. Good titles and funny lyrics though.
Absolutely sublime record. Never given the Smiths much time but this record is great. The bass and drumming are perfect foundational platforms for Marrs inventive songs and guitar playing and Morrissey's one of a kind vocal style. Those lyrics are just incredible. Love the mix on this album as well.
Oh yay, another album from the Smiths! And apparently I still have to suffer 3 other albums from Morrissey before the end of this list. Well, anyway, I don't really have anything more to say about the Smiths, after 3 albums I can safely say that they were OK, they did not change my world, I will probably never listen to them again, Morrissey is a prick.
Most bearable Smiths album I’ve ever heard, didn’t make me want to end it all. Truly didn’t think that could happen
YES. the smiths' songwriting is fantastic, and the luscious production is such a treat. fuck morrissey! but his voice is gorgeous and really ties their sound together.
Um clássico, perfeito...
I didn't like the Smiths then and I can only just tolerate them now. I now accept that the music is really pretty good but I can't handle Morrisey's wailing for too long. I did listen to the whole album but it was, for me, as their music always has been, filled with doom and gloom. It's taken me 40 years to listen to a Smiths album from beginning to end. I'll wait another 40 years mimimum before I listen to another one.
The Smiths are one of those bands that I had run across a couple of times before this list but had never devoted time for listening. I enjoy their sound and, while they aren't new wave, they have many similar characteristics that give them that quintessential 80s sound without being too pop-y.
Again... Morrissey is an ass. But the vocal/lyric pairing with the music is undeniably good. The rest of the band is fantastic.
It didn’t grab me like The Queen is Dead.
alltaf haldið svolítið upp á þessa. stefán er auðvitað fáviti. en skemmtilegar melódíur og skrýtin söngur að vanda.
Strangeways, Here We Come is the fourth and final studio album from the Smiths, a British band with a brief but very successful career. After completing the recording, but before the album had been released, guitarist Johnny Marr left the band. In the years since their breakup, the members of the band have all said that Strangeways... is their best work. The Smiths made melodramatic, electro-pop, centered on their histrionic singer, Morrissey. The album includes some of their last hits, like "Girlfriend in a Coma," a great example of the catchy, upbeat, but oddly serious songs the band made.
Love The Smiths.
The Smiths magic is timeless. The Smiths legacy is unquestionable. Morrissey is.....
bão
The intersection where poetry meets rock. The Smiths are simply memorable and irresistible.
This list has turned me into a Smiths fan. I can't believe I hadn't been listening to them all along.
I do not like The Smiths. Too affected for me.
already heard this on last attempt: had saved 5 songs.
This is their best album. Johnny Marr is awesome.
Very short and easy to enjoy album. Potentially a 5 star after multiple listens. Both lyrically and musically, there's a lot of depth below an already pleasant surface.
Much better than that mid Morrissey solo album I had to listen to a few days ago.
Circus music for sad 35 year olds
Für mich etwas quengelig. Und britpoppy
Yes, great stuff. Smiths indeed.
Smiths are quality. Lots of good songs
A fitting farewell to The Smiths.
A reasonable continuation of the sound from the Smiths' previous album, The Queen Is Dead. Lots of solid tracks here especially on side 1. Stop Me... has a classic Smiths arrangement and sounds grandiose and fresh. Despite having a bit of an "80s production sheen", none of the tracks particularly suffer - including this one. I Started Something I Couldn't Finish is similar but with a more foreboding melody and harmonies. And a subtle accordion (or maybe a trumpet?) in the background adding to the mood's "importance". Death of a Disco Dancer sounds very unusual for a Smiths track. It's in an unusual key, is kind of balladesque, and includes some chord progressions that are a little more complex and 70s-ish than the rest of their discography. Pretty nifty, if I do say so. And the Bowie-esque instrumental taking up the entire second half of the track is fantastic. Compare it with the back-to-basics Girlfriend in a Coma that acts as an extended outro, and you'll realise that Death of a Disco Dancer is something really special. I know most musicians hate the industry, the terrible dehumanising machine that takes human lives as input and churns out sounds whose sole purpose is to sate the masses. And every musician needs to write about this evil at some point in their career. But if you're going to do it, darn it, make it more lyrically interesting than the thousands of other songs with the same subject matter. Pink Floyd nailed it with Welcome To The Machine / Have A Cigar. Billy Joel nailed it with The Entertainer. But the Smiths, in Paint a Vulgar Picture? Hmm. "Reissue, repackage, repackage, reevaluate the songs / Double pack with a photograph / Extra track and the tacky badge / A-list playlist" ... "I touched you at the soundcheck". ("Hmm" indeed!) Admittedly, this slight drop in quality can be attributed to the entirety of side two of the record. The songs get less musically complex and the lyrical quality diminishes. Not much, mind you - this is still a cool 4-star dub by the Smiths. Anything that sounds even remotely like the legendary The Queen Is Dead deserves at least this much glory. 4/5 Key tracks: I Started Something I Couldn't Finish, Death of a Disco Dancer, Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before
I’ve only heard a few hits from the smiths and would’ve never thought to listen to this album but I LOVED it.
That was alright I think
A lot of attention to the chord progressions
I didn’t hate it, had some good moments that I enjoyed and some groovy parts. I think he has a cool voice too.
#freejohnnymarr
kinda knew I already liked the smiths, so not super surprising that I liked this album. more indie, melancholy, but still made me wanna dance at times.
Hasta ahora el mejorcito de Morry, el más íntimo y sincero quizá. Nota: 3.4
Let's get this first point out of the way: Morrisey is an insufferable prick. He's been the major obstacle to my enjoyment of most of The Smith's work. Listening to an entire album of The Smiths seemed to be too much to ask, but I soldiered on. Damn it, I liked it. Yes, everything about Morrisey and his lyrics are self-indulgent. This album is good in spite of this--and dare I say it, /because/ of this. This is the soundtrack to a pity party. Put this on when one is nursing a broken heart. Play this when you're so wounded by the world not appreciating you. Cry bitter tears into your diary while this plays. Then hum the songs to yourself as you pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and gather your pride to try again another day.
I'd givr this four without Morrissey. This Guy makes me violently unhappy. This.
Not a huge fan of The Smiths, before hearing this, I liked How Soon is Now and dig Johnny Marr's playing but Morrisey irks me. Highlight was Death of a Disco Dancer. Suited to a rainy day while you contemplate throwing the toaster in the bath with you.
Pretty vibey. Typical smiths.
odeio the smiths,
pretty good but as usual the best parts are when Morrissey isn't singing
The smiths
Extremely hit or miss.
Absoluto nothingburger, no está mal pero ya
Indy Rock/Pop FTW!!
KJEDELIG. ALT AV SMITHS ER K J E D E L I G
Better than I expected. Some interesting songs and lyrics.
good, but not their best album (as an enjoyer of the Smiths)
Really liked the first song but downhill from there. Until the last few songs which were decent again.
gehört auf Gidi Asaham, Indonesien. Juni 2025 2/5
I own this one and enjoy it lots of good songs.
Pleasant enough.
Pretty good, not much more to say
Honestly a really strong album with some great songwriting. I can see why the smiths think this is their best album. Definitely gotta do some separation of art and artist cause Morrissey is a prick.
Eh
Pretty good, strong first half but not overly memorable
It's always fuck Morrissey. Music is still good tho. I've learned to tune out some voices in songs so the music made up for it.
This was a first time listen. Morrissey has one of the best voices in rock. Not my favorite Smiths album. It seems they were trying some new things.
Mostly playful fragments with a few decent tunes to hold it together. Morrissey’s spite tilts towards parody. Fun, some jewels among the toys.
Back to my first ever album on here, for which I did not leave a review. Here goes: The slightest of The Smiths' albums, if apparently M&M's favorite for some reason. "Paint A Vulgar Picture" carries the day and sadly presages the ex-band's future commercial output.
Had not heard this Smith’s album. Me gusta
Don't break the heart of a musician.
After having listened to "The Queen Is Dead" earlier on the list I was expecting this to be something else than what it turned out to be. This was surprisingly different and I could see myself possibly returning to this at some later point to give it a bit more time Standouts Death of a Disco Dancer Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before 4/5
hell yeah unhappy birthday
Similar to you I had never heard this one before, honestly feel much the same way. Looses some of the jangle pop in turn for some nice surprises in production and instrument choices, but definitely not their best work. Favourites - A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours, I Started Something I Couldn't Finish, Girlfriend in a Coma, Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before, Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
4 albums in 4 years is impressive regardless of quality. Being the only Smiths album I’d never heard, with no major/stand-out singles, I wasn’t expecting much. It’s still got a quintessential Smiths sound and the songwriting, while not as catchy as their earlier work, left me neither surprised or disappointed by this effort. It’s pretty good, doesn’t overstay its welcome, and still manages good performances from Morrissey and Marr. A Rush and a Push and the Land is Ours (8/10) I Started Something I Couldn’t Finish (7/10) Death of a Disco Dancer (6/10) Girlfriend in a Coma (9/10) Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before (7/10) Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me (8/10) Unhappy Birthday (6/10) Paint a Vulgar Picture (8/10) Death at One’s Elbow (6/10) I Won’t Share You (7/10) 7.2/10
3,5
Not my favorite Smith's album but it still rocks hard. Paint a Vulgar Picture is my fave.
I really wanted to like this album so I listened to it. I did like it, but didn't love it. I found that my mind wandered and I'd do other things while it was on. The lyrics were clever, inspired even, the beats and musicianship well done, but it just didn't grab me. It felt a bit too refined or subdued. It had more melancholy, orchestration, and nuance than what I expected, which made it beautiful but also less arresting, at least to me. It did make me want to try some of their earlier work which I believe is edgier,
my first time through a whole smiths album. i like this more than i thought i would. no one really likes steve morrissey as a guy, but his lyrics are jarring and vivid. plus, the johnny marr hype is worthy. tonally, 80s sadboy/goth has never been my thing, but it's growing on me. marr's guitar helps it along. he kinda does everything here. snarling rhythm, chiming rhythm, dreamy fingerpicking, wailing single notes, bo diddley slapback. autoharp. it's also funnier than i expected. "unhappy birthday." petty as hell. "paint a vulgar picture" has that sweet vocal hook that i crave. and who doesn't love a song shitting on someone's boss? the smiths and johnny paycheck. this one just has a dead guy. a silly death-obsessed blues song and another petty, jealous one to end it. yeah, this is all right.
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.
sab boy week. bubba made a comment about how its all about the guitarist, and I have to agree. In all my fave tracks, morrissey got out of the way and marr shredded. solid, but as a whole doesnt connect with me. 3!
It were alright I suppose
As has been stated here in myriad ways, Morrissey sucks. His politics are extreme, his racism is unforgivable, and even his lyrics here cause many an eye-roll (he really wishes you just the worst freaking birthday). But, this album, like all Smiths albums, is such a vibe. Luxury music. If you knew nothing of Morrissey, how would you rank this? I’d say at least a four. So, four it is!
Pretty clean album. Easy listening.
This surprised me.
Favorite Track: Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
So moody and not like other music
the pedant's favorite Smiths album, which of course means it's my second favorite. much as i enjoy the miserabilist sound and feeling on The Queen Is Dead (which Morrissey will never ruin for me despite every stupid, reactionary thing his PETA-addled brain vomits out these days), i really enjoy how bright and layered some of these songs sound -- even though a good chunk of them are about the dead or dying. honestly, i'm shocked it's gotten such a bad rap, considering how two or three of their best regarded songs are on it. my mom doesn't even like the Smiths and she knows "Girlfriend in a Coma". "Strangeways" is peak Moz melodramatics too, although it might have been at the cost of him being unable to shut it off later in life. if "Last Night I Dreamt Somebody Loved Me" wasn't a dirge for a dying band with each member playing their hearts out into the inky black of the coffin, then i'm not sure what else would be.
Yup one of the best.
I feel like this is a band trying as hard as possible to be different than their previous identity. At times it works. At times, it foreshadows radiohead or early Brit Pop. At times, I really like it. But it mostly comes off as trying very hard to not be who the Smiths were before.
Really good. Arguably their best album.
That's a good album. Only good, not exceptional.
I know, I know, it’s really serious.
My capacity for listening to an entire album of morriseys vocals is severely limited. So it's good for a short while, then unbearable mainly cos he is unbearable.
Favoriten Girlfriend in a coma Paint a vulgar picture I wont share you
Some key classics on here, and I discovered my love for the song I Started Something I Couldn't Finish. Not as good as self-titled or The Queen is Dead.
I can see why this The Smiths are popular! I like their style, but I don’t know whether this album stands out to me.
3.3/i can see why people are obsessed with them
"Stop me if you think you've heard this one before" isn't bad. "Last Night I Dreamt that Somebody Loved Me" was ok but nothing in here for me beyond a 1.
Nothing for me to hold onto for enjoyment here. 1 star.
Some great songs that capture Morrissey's uncanny balance of pathos/humor. This isn't as great as The Queen Is Dead or Meat is Murder. Its not as unfettered. Maybe it was good they ended things here. But I'm not sure if maybe I'm asking too much as a band matures. Or is it me that wants the shock of the new that fit neatly with where I was in life.
Probably equal to the Queen is dead
Great album from the Smiths. Obviously there's only one well-known song from them here, but it's a pleasant listen from start to finish.
Overall, this is still a good album, but I think it was a fitting departure for The Smiths. Their musical style was clearly shifting, and to me, it just doesn’t compare to their earlier releases. You still get the jangly guitars and Morrissey’s distinctive, melodic, and melancholic vocals, but they were incorporating more keyboards and synths, which changed their style. Normally, I’m all for more keyboards and synths, but this is one of the rare cases where I think it worked against them.
I've started this a bunch of times and always liked em. 4 stars.
Matig
Odd lyrics but bops
Only morrissey can pull off these lyrics. What a bop. Not my favourite smiths album though.
To be fair , I quite enjoyed this. I have on good authority that there are better albums by The Smiths. Morrisey is a very morose singer and Johnny Marr is a great guitarist
Wasn’t too sure at first but it certainly grew over the course of 3-4 listens. (Note to other artists here, it helps if your album is short so I have time to listen several times which is more likely to result in a better rating for you). No really stand out songs but some pleasant listens here despite Morrisey’s singing. I do think the sound of the Smith’s music far outweighs his singing.
Another great album from the lads with a good mix of upbeat catchy songs and some added depth.
Felt kinda poppier and with more production arrangements than other albums. Guess they just got bolder as they got older. It just felt that it lacked a certain immediacy and spite that the some earlier albums had. Second half better than the first, but jury is out on Smiths with strings.
Depending on the day & mood I'm in, I either love The Smiths, or don't care for them at all. May be a metaphor for the band in general. It's definitely not my favorite Smiths album. That being said, this album is pretty divisive, even among hardcore fans.
Ignore the fact that Morissey became the dullard he is today. This might be the best Smiths album - the highs are among the highest. At least 6 of the tracks are, to me, utter classics, and there's a variety that was missing from earlier albums - piano, synth, Morrisey adding some growls and grunts to his usual warbling. It's not perfect - unhappy birthday is one of the worst tracks they did, and his lyrics are starting to drift into the self absorbed "Why is everyone else so terrible" nonsense he's done since - but it's up there. So, so close to a 5, it just ends a bit weakly.
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.
The Smiths’ last hurrah! Back when Morrissey was still in on the joke. I have to be honest, I really, really enjoy this album. Jonny Marr’s tones are vibrant, the songwriting is sarcastic and witty, and tracks like Stop Me are just so easy to sing along to. Ah, and who could forget Girlfriend in a Coma! So upbeat, so tragic, and completely inappropriate. But at a 2 minute runtime the joke doesn’t wear thin and knows just how long to stick around. Unfortunately the same can’t be said for other tunes on the record. Death of Disco Dancer takes forever to end, and Last Night I Dreamt takes an age to begin. The thing is , I still really enjoy both songs. So points deducted for a lack of focus and failing to cut some of the fat. There’s other evidence here that Morrissey and the boys were at the end of their lifespan creatively in tracks like Unhappy Birthday. At this point in the album the schtick wears a bit thin - like, we get it Morrissey you’re a spiteful prick with a long list of perceived enemies. So, sometimes he ventures into self-parody, but other times he hits the target: Paint a Vulgar picture for example is so eviscerating of the music industry, but surprisingly self aware. Morrissey knows when he sings, “but you could have said no, if you wanted to” that he’s not the uncompromising poet warrior he so often paints himself to be. And then the end. I Won’t Share You. The perfect soundtrack to the fraying Morrissey and Marr partnership. The playfulness with which Morrissey delivers that line is chilling in its own way. It’s a threat to blow up everything if he can’t get what he wants. Classic Morrissey. Ego on full display. A total dick to the end. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Smiths are a good band! But this isn't one of their brightest moments. Even with two really good songs (Death of a Disco Dancer and Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before) but the rest just feel like the most boring side of The Smith's sound combined with some not so great attempts at adding things to their sound like some more playful or theatrical sounds or Morrissey's singing being a little more forceful here, none of these new elements really add up to make their songs better, especially when their basic musical formula usually made some great songs (This Charming Man, hello). I don't know, compared to how many cool songs there are in The Queen Is Dead, this one doesn't compare for me at all.
This is the better of the Smith's album's I've heard so far. 4/5
One pretty good song. Sort of draining to listen to the entire album
Lekkere rustige popmuziek. Heel fijn om naar te luisteren.
Fantastic album, great musicianship, some deep topics but great. Really good example of this style of music
Jeg har aldri hørt noe særlig på Smiths. Har oppfattet det som deppe-musikk. Føler at jeg burde høre mer på tekstene enn det jeg greier nå. Musikken er grei, men løfter meg ikke fra bakken.
Some high notes, some low. Hadn't heard this record before, mostly sticking to their first two. Pleasantly surprised. 3.5
Un muy buen álbum. Conocí The Smiths gracias a la película "The Killer" de David Fincher. Me parece una banda peculiar en cuanto a las sonoridad que logran (sobre todo en este álbum en que varían la instrumentación, y agregaron teclados para generar un sonido diferente en la banda) y sobre todo la voz de Morrissey. El timbre y la inflexión en la voz, las notas que elige y la poesía con que acompaña las canciones. Me parece muy interesante. Me transmite una sensación melancólica y al mismo tiempo iracunda.
Morrissey is a real anchor to this one dragging the rest of the band down
Made me lol multiple times, ultimate fuckboy record
Stranger Things font. ... i do appreciate the pettiness of an entire song of "hope your birthday sucks because i dont like you"
Vaikuttaa yhden kuuntelun perusteella mainiolta, pitää kuunnella kyllä vielä uudelleen ihan ajatuksella.
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.
Some very good songs but uneven and not fully cohesive, and sounding as much like a Morrissey solo records than a "Smiths" outing. "A Rush & A Push" and "Paint a Vulgar Picture" (so reminiscent of REM's "Voice of Harold" in terms of indie rock royalty's self-referentiality). "Death of a Disco Dancer" is quite epic, sneakily so, and "Girlfriend in a Coma" is peak Morrissey trolling, really – happy sounding grim content. Their 4th best album, but still quite good.
Great album, TQID is better