Album of the day (#930): The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths

Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3
View previous topic :: View next topic
Author Message
thekingofash
  • #21
  • Posted: 06/05/2013 17:35
  • Post subject:
  • Reply with quote
hairymarx1 wrote:
If your idea of great art is a combination of lightweight rock, Lonnie Donegan-skiffle, vaudeville pantomime, 60s Merseybeat and Anthony Newley inspired vocals, then this is for you. Thankfully, we've emerged the other side of the musical dark ages that this album represents. Like the Beatles, The Smiths retreated to a quaint nostalgic vision while the real innovators of the time were pushing things forward.


Honestly, I don't really CARE if it's innovative or not: that's never seemed like a necessary requirement for great music to me, although it certainly helps. And to me "art" is way too broad to ever be adequately classified.

Disagreements aside, I actually only heard this a few weeks ago, on recommendation from this here humble site. Didn't think much of it first listen, but boy did I enjoy my second listen to it. Sure a lot of it sounds very similar, but there's still enough variation to keep things very interesting indeed. My favourite song from it is actually "I Know It's Over", although "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" certainly comes close. To be brief, a wonderful pop album and pretty much a sure-fire inclusion in my Top 100 when I rack up those points. Smile
Guest
  • #22
  • Posted: 06/05/2013 17:49
  • Post subject:
  • Reply with quote
hairymarx1 wrote:
If your idea of great art is a combination of lightweight rock, Lonnie Donegan-skiffle, vaudeville pantomime, 60s Merseybeat and Anthony Newley inspired vocals, then this is for you. Thankfully, we've emerged the other side of the musical dark ages that this album represents. Like the Beatles, The Smiths retreated to a quaint nostalgic vision while the real innovators of the time were pushing things forward.


Guest
  • #23
  • Posted: 06/05/2013 17:58
  • Post subject:
  • Reply with quote
Hahahahahaha I love people getting mad at hairymarx. It's like if Scaruffi had a comment section.
L Lawliet
  • View user's profile
  • #24
  • Posted: 06/05/2013 18:03
  • Post subject:
  • Reply with quote
lethalnezzle wrote:
Hahahahahaha I love people getting mad at hairymarx. It's like if Scaruffi had a comment section.


When I read the first reply to him I just assumed it was you Laughing Well until I got the part where he said he just heard it anyway.
_________________
She's dead, wrapped in plastic.

Justice is not a frivolous thing, Simpson. It has little if anything to do with a disobedient whale.
thekingofash
  • #25
  • Posted: 06/05/2013 18:08
  • Post subject:
  • Reply with quote
lethalnezzle wrote:
Hahahahahaha I love people getting mad at hairymarx. It's like if Scaruffi had a comment section.


I wasn't angry, merely politely disagreeing. I'd be a pretty terrible person if people having a different taste in music to myself sent me into frothing rages, after all. Razz
meccalecca
Voice of Reason
Gender: Male

Location: The Land of Enchantment
United States
  • View user's profile
  • #26
  • Posted: 06/05/2013 18:22
  • Post subject:
  • Reply with quote
In all fairness to Scaruffi, he actually gave The Queen is Dead a 7/10 and said this: "Many ballads are simply tedious, but the whole constitutes the precious gospel of a psychological martyr in which many adolescents recognize themselves."

It's HairyMarx with the silly opinion here. It's hard to imagine HairyMarx likes rock music at all. At this point I figured he'd have gone to preferring sheet music of Schoenberg symphonies.
_________________
http://jonnyleather.com
Happymeal
  • #27
  • Posted: 06/05/2013 20:06
  • Post subject:
  • Reply with quote
I've really tried. I've really tried to get past the first track. The vocals grate me like no other (alright, probably a few others grate me as much by other bands, but meh). On the flip side of things, the instrumentation (excluding vocals of course) isn't half bad. A pretty nice drum beat, a nice little guitar line, and all that niceness. That was just the first track.

The rest of the album is pretty nice, the vocals don't grate me quite as much (or at all really besides the first track). Overall just a really nice album full of really nice and sing -a - longable tunes. I mean, the second track has got to be one of the best on the album solely based of the length. I really can't take the same song by these guys for more than 4 minutes (thus the first track being horrid makes sense) or so. I mean, I think this particular album is better off being short.

The third track is too slow for its own good. I don't mind it, kind of relaxing too, I just wish they put a bit more of a faster tempo on it. Probably would have ruined the song though. It's alright as is, don't know how it sounds like faster. Perhaps the solution is to just replace the song entirely, I mean, it destroys the little bit of steam the first two tracks kind of built up (at least, for me).

The fourth track is also slow, but considering they were able to change the pace with the third track, it's fine. I never noticed just how much I dislike when the album changes pace from fast(ish) or medium paced to slow. I mean, the fifth track changes pace of the album back to "normal" so it's all good. In fact, track 5 is my favorite track. it combines some of the most relaxing instrumental lines with some really nice sounding and comfortable sounding vocals. The rest of the album manages to do something similar. Just take some really nice instrumentals and combine them with comfortable vocals and create just a really nice atmosphere.

How this is considered one of the best jangle pop albums is beyond me though. It's good, don't get me wrong, but it really doesn't capture all that I love about the genre of Jangle pop. Well, actually, it kind of does. If they took out track 1 and the two slow tracks, it'd be pretty damn close to perfect. Basically, what i'm saying is, this album is great, but sincerely lost a lot of points from me because of 3 tracks. 80/100
ColumnatedRuins
Gender: Male

United States
  • View user's profile
  • #28
  • Posted: 06/05/2013 21:30
  • Post subject:
  • Reply with quote
Why people still somehow get butthurt about Scaurffi (and followers of Scaruffi) disliking their favorite bands I have no idea.

its not a big deal, he's not even that interesting of a music critic.

I thought about this one more by the way: Frankly Mr. Shankly, Never Had No One Ever, Vicar in a Tutu, and The Queen is dead are all boring, dull songs. The rest is fairly solid. It's the type of album that got less impressive upon repeated listens, which I really don't like.
ProfessorSquid
Gender: Male

Age: 41

Location: Pittsburgh
United States
  • View user's profile
  • #29
  • Posted: 06/06/2013 21:15
  • Post subject:
  • Reply with quote
SingingPeasant96 wrote:
Am I the only one who is suprised by the fact that this wasn't selected Album of the day 'till today?


I'm pretty sure we just started cycling back through a couple months ago.
_________________
The Swizz
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   This topic is locked: you cannot edit posts or make replies.
All times are GMT
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3
Page 3 of 3


 

Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Similar Topics
Topic Author Forum
Sticky: 2024 Album Listening Club MrIrrelevant Music
Album of the day (#486): The Queen Is... albummaster Music
Album of the day (#3974): The Queen I... albummaster Music
Album of the day (#2843): The Queen I... albummaster Music
Album of the day (#1700): The Queen I... albummaster Music

 
Back to Top