Review: The Smiths / Meat Is Murder / The Queen Is Dead / Strangeways, Here We Come - The Smiths

The Smiths continue to influence, engage and intrigue. Morrissey continues to enrage and surprise well into the 21st century, leading off a trail of solo albums in his wake, as Johnny Marr flits from band to band, whilst Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke seemingly retract from any form of limelight. The Smiths have been no more since 1988, and they also haven't given in to the trend of reforming or performing, either. Despite their being (what we believe to be) no love lost between any of the members in recent light of court cases and lack of communication, the four men from Manchester still hold one thing in common; they were once part of one of the best British bands of all time. With that glowing appraisal, it is only fair to present the case with evidence.

The Smiths (1984)
Abundant with potential and smatterings of great Morrissey wit, The Smiths is a great starting point for Smiths listening. While it is sometimes weighed down by some unimaginative production, and the sheer fact that some songs are better than others, by a noticeable bit, The Smiths is still streets ahead of so many other gloomy, self-analytical albums that have come since it's birth. And of course, the debut contains 'those four' which is an unofficial, self appointed nickname for track 6 to 9 - four essential tracks in any stellar indie playlist.

8.3/10

Tracklist*:

Reel Around the Fountain 

You've Got Everything Now 

Miserable Lie 

Pretty Girls Make Graves 

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle 

This Charming Man 

Still Ill 

Hand in Glove 

What Difference Does It Make? 

I Don't Owe You Anything
Suffer Little Children 

Meat Is Murder (1985)

While expanding on the debut in some areas and emulating its success in others, Meat Is Murder kind of comes off as a more satisfying listen than the first album. It is surely more easy listenable - bar the strange title track (make up your mind on that) - than it's predecessor, and that is thanks to better production (assisted by Stephen Street). Due to this, songs like Rusholme Ruffians and Barbarism Begins At Home shimmer where they may have fallen flat. The lyrical content is still insightful, dark, yet the first half of songs run off at a refreshing pace, that is, until, the awrily chosen single from the album Tbat Joke Isn't Funny Anymore brings proceedings to a more tangible sound as far as you'd expect the sound to be with the lyrics. One of the greatest Smiths songs, the added How Soon Is Now and the collosal opener of The Headmaster Ritual are the firmest steps The Smiths take here that keeps Meat Is Murder just a touch above the band's debut.

8.4/10

Tracklist*:
The Headmaster Ritual
Rusholme Ruffians
I Want the One I Can't Have 
What She Said
That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
How Soon Is Now? 
Nowhere Fast
Well I Wonder
Barbarism Begins At Home 
Meat Is Murder

The Queen Is Dead (1986)
The Queen Is Dead is the best Smiths album - each track connects, fulfills and each member of the band is on top form. And while it might not be your favourite Smiths record, I think it has to be seen as the pinnacle of The Smiths' talents. The reasons for that lie in every track in some way; The Queen Is Dead is an ambitious, commanding opener - the drums are clattering and the backing vocal fits perfectly and so hauntingly. Frankly Mr. Shankly although probably one of the weaker, is still classic Morrissey in it's lyricism, even if it's sound is maybe a little dated. I Know It's Over is epic in proportion, so much so that every time you listen to you know you've just listened to something that has been given the utmost attention and emotion from the band, something you struggle to find with much music out nowadays. Never Had No One Ever is a little filler, only in the way that it sounds like it may have already happened on the two previous releases. Despite this, the glistening guitar and combined elements including piano as the track closes, allows it to still have a profound effect on the listener. Cemetry Gates, Bigmouth Strikes Again, The Boy With The Thorn In His Side and Vicar In A Tutu run off with such quality and pace; similar to the standard of tracks 6 to 9 on The Smiths and the unskippable jovial melodies of the first half of Meat Is Murder. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out is so good it makes you reassess your complete attitude to listening to music. Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others is humourous, a bit pretentious, but only suitably so. The perfectly farcical ending to a pretty much perfect album.

9.8/10

The Queen Is Dead 

Frankly, Mr. Shankly 

I Know It's Over 

Never Had No One Ever 

Cemetry Gates 

Bigmouth Strikes Again 

The Boy With the Thorn In His Side 

Vicar In A Tutu 

There Is A Light That Never Goes Out 

Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others

Strangeways, Here We Come (1987)

Whether it was down to personal tensions or creative differences this proved to be The Smiths' last studio release. The album is enriching and rewarding, even more so when you consider the standard of The Smiths' works and exploits over their career. Also it is sort of remarkable that, if the band was not working particularly happily with each other, they managed to produce work at the quality of this album. However perhaps it is only befitting of a band like The Smiths to perform their best work under these circumstances. Personally I think the album is a close second to The Queen Is Dead, despite this some of the more emotionally fuelled songs, like the heart on sleeve Last Night I Dreamt Somebody Loved Me and the condemning Paint A Vulgar Picture or Stop Me If You Think That You've Heard This One Before offer a different kind of Smiths listen than had been fully developed previously. A Rush and A Push and The Land Is Ours only repeats the trend set by the band for fantastic openers, this one instead of hitting with force (like The Headmaster Ritual and The Queen Is Dead) jangles and jives almost reggae-like, an evolutionary sound for the band. Girlfriend in a Coma picks up where the dark humoured Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others left off instead it has more poppy intentions, thus rendering it more prominent in The Smiths' catalogue. Strangeways is the kind of album that will be the favourite of many, many Smiths fans - because of its rewarding nature through it's openness, and perhaps the debacle will continue to rage on as to whether this is the crowning Smiths moment.

8.8/10

A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours 

I Started Something I Couldn't Finish 

Death of a Disco Dancer 

Girlfriend in a Coma 

Stop Me If You Think That You've Heard This One Before 

Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me 

Unhappy Birthday 

Paint a Vulgar Picture 

Death at One's Elbow 

I Won't Share You