Strangeways, Here We Come - The Smiths' Discography Reviewed

The Fascinating Turnip · 07-25-2010, 07:34 AM

Here are the tracks:

The Headmaster Ritual

Rusholme Ruffians

I Want The One I Can't Have

What She Said

That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore

Nowhere Fast

Well I Wonder

Barbarism Begins At Home

Meat Is Murder

NumberNineDream · 07-25-2010, 07:37 AM

Nice review. The emphasis on the lyrics as usual. A major part of The Smiths sound. However, I have to add, that we notice in that albums, the instrumental virtuosity not seen in the previous releases.

My favourite track on this album is Nowhere Fast, even probably my favourite Smiths track.
This part kills me at every time:

And when I'm lying in my bed
I think about life
And I think about death
And neither one particularly appeals to me
And if the day came when I felt a
Natural emotion
I'd get such a shock I'd probably lie
In the middle of the street and die

Such morbid lyrics put on a greatly jolly and catchy tune.

Looking forward to read your take on The Queen Is Dead. Good review btw

The Fascinating Turnip · 07-25-2010, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NumberNineDream

Nice review. The emphasis on the lyrics as usual. A major part of The Smiths sound. However, I have to add, that we notice in that albums, the instrumental virtuosity not seen in the previous releases.

My favourite track on this album is Nowhere Fast, even probably my favourite Smiths track.
This part kills me at every time:

And when I'm lying in my bed
I think about life
And I think about death
And neither one particularly appeals to me
And if the day came when I felt a
Natural emotion
I'd get such a shock I'd probably lie
In the middle of the street and die

Such morbid lyrics put on a greatly jolly and catchy tune.

Looking forward to read your take on The Queen Is Dead. Good review btw

As I said, that track is rather fun. That same bit is also my favourite.

It's true, the instrumentation gets a bit more complex but I thought references to how good it was would be enough.The incessant remarks that this album is more complex and much more "rebellious" get tiresome.

In any case, your comment completes my review. Thanks for the feedback!

Zer0 · 07-25-2010, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unchained Ballad

Well I Wonder is a song that took me a while to notice. It’s a melancholy with an acoustic guitar in the background and once again Morrissey providing a great vocal delivery.

...

It’s despair, agony and desire on a rainy day. Superb song.

'Well I Wonder' is my favourite song on the album, the sad melancholic feel of the song gets me every time yet it feels so comforting as well. I love the ending so much where the rain effect comes in and Johnny plays that jangly guitar line over the top, it sounds so perfect and beautiful. Morrissey's vocals are superb thoughout the song, especially before the end where he is singing "Please keep me in mind" with a perfect falsetto. He's really expressing his pain and sadness.

The Fascinating Turnip · 07-25-2010, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zero1986

'Well I Wonder' is my favourite song on the album, the sad melancholic feel of the song gets me every time yet it feels so comforting as well. I love the ending so much where the rain effect comes in and Johnny plays that jangly guitar line over the top, it sounds so perfect and beautiful. Morrissey's vocals are superb thoughout the song, especially before the end where he is singing "Please keep me in mind" with a perfect falsetto. He's really expressing his pain and sadness.

I know, it sounds so genuine, so heartfelt.

I also love that ending, it's fantastic. I would describe it as a "rainy" song regardless of that effect though, do you know what I mean?
On the other hand, it could also be a bit of a joke song.

Seltzer · 07-25-2010, 06:03 PM

Meat is Murder is the Smiths album I adore most, and indeed it's been an MB fav for a while. The songwriting is top notch (isn't it always?) and the variation is a definite plus - there's the slow and sombre (That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore), the upbeat yet morbid (Nowhere Fast), the dreamy (How Soon is Now), the funky (Barbarism), and the haunting anguish of the title track.

Nowhere Fast features some of the greatest Smiths lyrics IMO and I totally agree about the verse NND posted... it carries a lot of meaning for me. Some of my other fav lines are:

Scratch my name on your arm with a fountain pen
(This means you really love me)

And if you ever need self-validation
Just meet me in the alley by the railway station

The Fascinating Turnip · 07-25-2010, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seltzer

Meat is Murder is the Smiths album I adore most, and indeed it's been an MB fav for a while. The songwriting is top notch (isn't it always?) and the variation is a definite plus - there's the slow and sombre (That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore), the upbeat yet morbid (Nowhere Fast), the dreamy (How Soon is Now), the funky (Barbarism), and the haunting anguish of the title track.

Nowhere Fast features some of the greatest Smiths lyrics IMO and I totally agree about the verse NND posted... it carries a lot of meaning for me. Some of my other fav lines are:

Scratch my name on your arm with a fountain pen
(This means you really love me)

And if you ever need self-validation
Just meet me in the alley by the railway station

Those two excerpts are rather outstanding. Again, they have that contrast that's all over their lyrics, while being a bit humourous.

~~James~~ · 07-31-2010, 03:02 PM

Great review of one of my favourite Smiths albums. Your best yet.

07-25-2010, 07:37 AM	#52 (permalink)
NumberNineDream Blue Bleezin' Blind Drunk Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: The land of the largest wine glass (aka Lebanon) Posts: 2,200	Nice review. The emphasis on the lyrics as usual. A major part of The Smiths sound. However, I have to add, that we notice in that albums, the instrumental virtuosity not seen in the previous releases. My favourite track on this album is Nowhere Fast, even probably my favourite Smiths track. This part kills me at every time: And when I'm lying in my bed I think about life And I think about death And neither one particularly appeals to me And if the day came when I felt a Natural emotion I'd get such a shock I'd probably lie In the middle of the street and die Such morbid lyrics put on a greatly jolly and catchy tune. Looking forward to read your take on The Queen Is Dead. Good review btw __________________ Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Welcome to the Black Lodge

07-25-2010, 06:03 PM	#56 (permalink)
Seltzer Fish in the percolator! Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Hobbit Land NZ Posts: 2,870	Meat is Murder is the Smiths album I adore most, and indeed it's been an MB fav for a while. The songwriting is top notch (isn't it always?) and the variation is a definite plus - there's the slow and sombre (That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore), the upbeat yet morbid (Nowhere Fast), the dreamy (How Soon is Now), the funky (Barbarism), and the haunting anguish of the title track. Nowhere Fast features some of the greatest Smiths lyrics IMO and I totally agree about the verse NND posted... it carries a lot of meaning for me. Some of my other fav lines are: Scratch my name on your arm with a fountain pen (This means you really love me) And if you ever need self-validation Just meet me in the alley by the railway station __________________ In the Court of King Crimson \| Last.fm \| RYM

07-25-2010, 07:34 AM	#51 (permalink)
The Fascinating Turnip Moper Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 510	Here are the tracks: *The Headmaster Ritual* *Rusholme Ruffians* *I Want The One I Can't Have* *What She Said* *That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore* *Nowhere Fast* *Well I Wonder* *Barbarism Begins At Home* *Meat Is Murder*

07-31-2010, 03:02 PM	#58 (permalink)
~~James~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Scotland Posts: 4,483	Great review of one of my favourite Smiths albums. Your best yet.