The Smiths (studio album) by The Smiths

Hearing this album in 1984 was really a breath of fresh air.

The U.S. Version including "This Charming Man," makes a very good album a great one.

Other favorite tracks "Reel Around the Fountain," "Pretty Girls Make Graves," "Still Ill," "Hand in Glove" and "What Difference Does It Make."

For the total 1984 Smiths sound, 'Hatful of Hollow' is highly recommended.

To come out of the gate with this album is extremely impressive. They seem to have found their sound extremely quickly and put it to fantastic use on this project. We have all the members of the
band doing what they do best in a mature and knowledgeable way making this feel more like a record that a band would release mid way through their career. This is such a strong testament to the quality and consistency of the Smiths and demonstrate why they are one of the greatest bands of all time. The peak of the record for me is as soon as This Charming Man comes on and after that it is just greatness right up to the conclusion of the music. What makes this album special in my opinion is that we can see the beginning of two of the greatest artists of all time. I am obviously referring to Marr and Morrissey with the latter being extremely impressive on here. His words are intelligent and engaging and you can plainly see the quality he not only produced on here but would go on to produce in later years. Overall, being able to witness the brilliance the Smiths began their career with is something that is very special and they did it in such style which makes this an elite level record.

Phenomenal, groundbreaking record with top notch songwriting throughout. Every track here is a standout, the biggest one probably is What Difference Does It Make? with Still Ill close behind. The only bad thing I can point out that some tracks are too long, when there is no point for it.

Way worse than the queen is dead, no standout track IMO

For me, a bit more enjoyable than The Queen Is Dead. Maybe there’s more variety in song style in this debut album that does it. Otherwise, it’s basically the same kind of strummy, cheeky, possibly clinically depressed Brit Pop.

Morrissey seems like the kind of guy who, if he was your friend, you’d roll your eyes at a lot.

Morrissey's melancholy and Marr's mastery on the guitar - a perfect storm that produces one of the best bands of all time and I am absolutely certain if the robots let us survive and humans are still around in the year 3021 they will still be considered as such. When I discovered this band and Marr's brilliance I had to get a guitar and start playing again.

Highlights are Hand In Glove, Still Ill and Suffer Little Children ( + This Charming Man if you count the US version). The mixture of the lyrics and the haunting guitar on Suffer Little Children is amazing. "Oh Manchester, so much to answer for...". I will keep trying to play this on guitar.... one day maybe.

Album Rating: 80.50
(805/10)

It’s difficult for me to review this album objectively. I own ‘Hatful of Hollow’ on CD, playing it to death as a teen, and only listened to ‘The Smiths’ for the first time a few years ago. This album (‘The Smiths’) contains many of my least favourite tracks from Hatful of Hollow; admittedly better versions of ‘Still Ill’ etc.

It’s still a good album but I prefer ‘The Queen…’ and ‘Strangeways…’.

Side One

1. "Reel Around the Fountain" - 81
2. "You've Got Everything Now" - 79
3. "Miserable Lie" - 84
4. "Pretty Girls Make Graves" - 81
5. "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle" (quotation from "Sonny Boy" by Ray Henderson, Lew Brown and Al Jolson) - 76

Side Two

1. "Still Ill" - 81
2. "Hand in Glove" - 73
3. "What Difference Does It Make?" - 96
4. "I Don't Owe You Anything" - 71
5. "Suffer Little Children" - 83

Antes 85, ahora 88.6

TREMENDO debut. Desde el opener con Reel Around The Fountain es muy sólido, con unos cuantos altibajos, pero que en resumen constituyen uno de los mejores albums debut de la música. Sobre todo en la versión de US en donde, la mejor parte del album en mi opinión son las fantásticas 4 canciones seguidas (This Charming Man, Still Ill, Hand in Glove y What Difference Does It Make?).

Ojo que Reel Around the Fountain también es de mis favoritas de la banda en general. Después You've Got Everything Now también la disfruto, al igual que Pretty Girls Make Graves. En mi opinión, las últimas dos canciones del album son decentes y muy rescatables, aunque no a la altura de las mejores del album. Asimismo, el mayor desacierto me parece Miserable Lie, que disfruto hasta antes de la parte en que Morrissey empieza a chillar LMAO. En fin, es en resumen un genial album, uno de mis favoritos, y mi segundo favorito de los Smiths, detrás de The Queen is Dead.

Quite a debut. It really introduced everyone to The Smiths, although for me it didn't age as much as their other records. I really liked Meat is Murder better. But, overall 85/100.

From teague 07/09/2020 00:53

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