buffyleigh
did-not-listen
In the eighties I was not really interested in the Smiths while some of my class mates admired them. Today I am wondering why I ignored them. Morrissey has a great voice. Most of the songs are composed well, and I like the arrangements. Bass lines are way better than in many similar songs. It's still not my preferred genre, but it's a good album.
I'm not super familiar with the Smiths but it's good quality pop/post-punk/indie rock from the '80s. Morrissey can sing that's for sure (even though sometimes he is whining a bit too much), and Marr knows how to play even though there is no technical demonstrations (no solo, nothing particularly fancy but it's well written and interpreted and the melodies are all potential earworms). The production of the album is a bit too dated, you instantly know you're listening to an album from the '80s. All in all it's ok but not so memorable for me. And Morrissey is a racist prick now, it doesn't help
Today’s album is The Queen is Dead by the Smiths which I find really difficult to listen to now. The best that you can say is that 75% of the band aren’t obnoxious racist bigots.
"Fame, fame, fatal fame, it can play hideous tricks on the brain. But still I'd rather be famous than righteous or holy." Das fasst Morrisseys Charakter eigentlich ganz gut zusammen. Auch hier habe ich ein ähnliches Problem wie zuvor bei The Police - ich finde ein anderes Album viel besser (Hatful of Hollow) und kenne die bekannten Songs, aber es hat oftmals einen Grund, warum die die bekanntesten sind. Die ersten beiden Songs (Titelsong & Frankly, Mr. Shabby) und "There is a light that never goes out" gefallen mir am besten. Bei "Bigmouth strikes again" bin ich unschlüssig, was ich davon halten soll - Tendenz geht zu "Uff nee, ganz schlimm". Ähnlich geht es mir bei "Vicar in a tutu", wobei mir das minimal besser gefällt. Den Rest kann man gut in der Badewanne hören.
I never listened to a whole The Smith album before. I had a friend who was really into them. Through them I knew ‘Girlfriend In A Coma’. When I just checked through the Spotify discography, I didn’t even have that one liked but ‘A Rush And A Push And The Land Is Ours’. Very fun 80s song. Let me listen to see if I like any songs from this album. None really stood out majorly to me. I knew two more of the songs but nothing that swept me away. I do not mind Morrissey’s voice and I’m still good after 1-2 songs. They are all happy tunes sounding songs that have deeply sad, silly and Aggro lyrics. Does not really work for me. If I want to listen to songs about sad things I need them to also sound sad. Same with silly and Aggro.
"Franky, Mr. Shankly, I'm a sickening wreck, I've got the 21st century breathing down my neck." That's all that happened. The 21st century caught up with Morrissey. Today we think that engaging with art is some kind of "moral support" or even financial support to the artist themselves. Art is at all times separate from the artist, the artist is dead. Whatever measly few pennies Morrissey himself gets after you spin this once on Apple Music/Spotify won't deport any immigrants. And even if it did, it would be worth it for the great art. To not understand this, to disagree with it, is to misunderstand the role of art in the world. So, maybe, go listen to Sam Smith or Taylor Swift if feeling "validated" is what you need. If this is sounds bitter, it's only because I am. "The Queen is Dead" is one of the great works of art of the 20th century. These political things sully it, as well as the work of all others on it who weren't Morrissey.
Just can't relate to this at all. Seems like one of those generic rock bands whose purpose is to embody the average so other bands can be excellent or terrible. If they were interesting at a particular time in history, it is lost upon me today.
The Smiths are a weird band for me. I like listening to them, but other than "How Soon Is Now", "Panic" and "Ask" it always feels like I am listening to their songs the first time, nothing really sticks. Listening to this album felt like a first, although I heard all of the songs before multiple times. The Smiths in general, and on this album in particular sound weirdly uplifting despite the melancholic, almos whiney vocals and "heavy" lyrics. I keep wondering if R.E.M. was influenced by this album when they wrote "Shiny Happy People"...
My first time listening to The Smiths. I really quite enjoyed it. Might even listen to it again…