Mr. Shankly
Gender: Male
Age: 51
Location: Auburn, Washington
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- #13
- Posted: 06/04/2012 10:45
- Post subject:
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| Eggman/Walrus/Taxman wrote: | A somewhat weaker offering from The Smiths than usual, but still good.
70/100 |
(Obviously with screen name, I have to comment)
Yeah, that's kind of where I come out on this one. It's got a few great songs and few not so great songs. The American one has "How Soon is Now," which might be their signature song, so that boosts it up a lot. I'll go track by track.
1. Headmaster Ritual-  A Smiths classic... and how many songs explore the subject of corporal punishment in school?
2. Rusholme Ruffians-  Kind of a snoozer. That rockabilly riff is too repetitive and goes on way too long, and Morrissey's lyric is really repetitive as well. 
3. I Want the One I Can't Have  A bouncy little rocker and a sentiment a lot of people can relate to, especially teenagers. I personally think this one might suggest Morrissey is gay too, but that mystery has never been officially revealed. 
4. What She Said- One of the most rocking songs in the Smiths' catalog. Love the super fast frantic strumming combined with what I think is a distorted slide guitar. Tell me Johnny Marr didn't kick ass! 
5. That Joke isn't Funny Anymore- Kind of a mini-epic that is one of their iconic tunes. It has a little bit too much of that woe is me, the world is a depressing place kind of vibe, but if you're in the mood...
6. How Soon is Now?- One of the darkest, most sinister sounding guitar you'll hear in a pop record.--Obviously a classic! Granted, those lyrics could be featured in any modern day emo song, but it's saved by Johnny Marr's guitar part and the tune itself, which is epic.
7. Nowhere Fast-  Think all Morrissey does is mope?... Think again. This one and later songs showed Morrissey sometimes had a wicked sense of humor. Although really, this song uses humor to get a serious point across, and it does also have it's mopey moments. Another rockabilly sounding one, but better than Rusholme Ruffians.
8. Well I Wonder- One of the most forgettable songs on the album. It really leaves me with no impression, except that Morrissey is whining about unrequited love again.
9. Barbarism Begins at Home- Kind of a bookend to the opener, only this one explores violence at home rather than at school. Kick ass playing from the band, especially Marr with some funky riffing.
10. Meat is Murder-  Uh, no it isn't. I hate this song's sentiments, which I find so overbearing that it's impossible for me to enjoy the tune,which is kind of interesting in its darkness and foreboding vibe, and then you realize why it's so foreboding, and think,"Wow, this is some pretentious crap!" I'm sorry but in my experience, militant vegetarians tend to be small minded assholes, and Morrissey doen't get a pass. If that's your number one political / social issue, I think you need to get your priorities back in line. I also dare you to go up to a lion and tell them that meat is murder. Sorry. That's how I feel.
So yeah, what Eggman said. It's so-so. It's probably a B- for me rather than a C though.
Listening to some of these songs again, I'm wondering what if The Smiths had had a different vocalist, someone with a harder edged approach who approached the songs differently. I think they would have been amazing, but in a different way because that band was damn good! It sometimes bothers me that people equate The Smiths with Morrissey and don't pay attention to the fact that that band was awesome in its playing prowess. Don't get me wrong. I like Morrissey to a certain extent, but he wasn't the whole band, and it just made me wonder, listening to these songs again. Imagine someone like Bob Mould fronting the Smiths. 
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