The Queen Is Dead
by The Smiths
Didn't really click with me. I like the vibe of it and could imagine bicycling through a park in London listening to it. The guitars are nicely written, the drums are good, and some of the reverb sounds great. My main issue is that while things are definitely changing throughout the songs, they don't change in a drastic enough way for me to stay engaged. A lot of the tracks felt dragged out because the progression was too subtle for my taste. I can hear the hooks, but they don't feel like modern hooks that immediately grab me. I understand why the album is respected and influential, and I can appreciate the craftsmanship, but it never really had a big payoff for me personally. 2.5/5 for enjoyment, 4/5 for respect.