#481 - The Smiths

I’ve tended to avoid The Smiths. I was just a bit too young to have listened to them before they broke up, and I found Morrisey’s solo efforts to be a bit pretentious and not really all that good. In turn, I never saw a reason to give his original band a shot. This album goes a long ways to making me reconsider my views. The Smiths were very similar to R.E.M., but more aggressive, much more rooted in punk. You can hear a fair bit of The Jam and Gang Of Four spread throughout, but Johnny Marr uses the same jangling guitar sound Peter Buck made famous in the U.S.
One of the things that made it hardest for me to get into the songs here is the icon himself. Morrisey has an annoying tendency to try to overtake a great riff with a dramatic moan. His voice is at it’s best when he sings in his lower register, with an almost disinterested sound. On a song like Miserable Lie he becomes a distraction when piping out random falsetto vocalizations over one of the heavier rhythm tracks. Freddie Mercury was an obvious hero, but he doesn’t have the voice or the outrageous flair that allowed Freddie to pull it off.
That’s not to say his performance is without merit. The Hand That Rocks The Cradle stands out with some of his better work. Despite the somewhat creepy lyrics (which despite denials from the band, seem to be pretty obviously about love for an underage acquaintance) it’s one of the best songs overall on the album. Great use of Marr’s arpeggio-laden guitar, smooth bass playing and very nice vocals. The drumming is pretty much the same as on the rest of the record; competent. There’s really no place in these songs for any flashy hi-hat or snare fills, but I wish he’d do something to mix it up a tad. Most songs have the same simple pop beat.
This Charming Man may be the best song here. Somehow, both ridiculously poppy and darkly obsessive. It’s like Walking On Sunshine adapted by someone on lithium. You can really hear how they influenced a generation of alternative bands though. Blur, Oasis, the Cranberries, the Housemartins and even Barenaked Ladies all wear their love for the Smiths on their sleeves.
The album goes out on a suitably morbid note with Suffer Little Children. The song created a stir when it was released, for mentioning some of the victims of the Moors Murders by name. The song is honestly on the disturbing side. For me it’s not the subject matter, just the comfort with which Morrisey can sing the lyrics, as well as the probably unnecessary use of a woman’s laughter (a reference to Myra Hindley, one of the murderers who was once described as the most evil woman in Britain).
A solid album, and from a historical perspective probably worthy of inclusion. But for me it’s just a nice distraction. I can’t really explain it, maybe it’s the lack of any big moments or emotional high points, but this one just didn’t grab me in the way I’d want from a record included in this list. Nowhere near bad, just not that enjoyable for me.

-tfm

Warning: The Smiths are not a band you want to pop into your car stereo to go for a summer drive.....especially with another person in the car. It only makes for an awkward drive. Actually, I've always felt The Smiths are a band best enjoyed alone. This probably explains the influence it has had upon certain bands. I don't like labeling music. I find it absurd and a simple outlet for those who are narrow-minded in their musical tastes. That being said, The Smiths are a definitive inspiration for the 'emo' music scene. Actually, I initially gave The Smiths a listen based upon a lyric from Brand New's "Mix Tape." Before then, I had only heard The Smiths as mentioned in Marilyn Manson's book The Long Hard Road Out of Hell (it was not a glowing statement in regards to the band or its listeners). I believe I was a freshman in high school when the Manson book came out, which reveals how young and naive my musical tastes were back then.

Regardless, The Smiths are a band I enjoy, at times, but I do find significant fault and considerable irritation at the warbling mentioned in Mike's critique. It's grating and unnecessary while dampening the genius of Marr's workmanship on the guitar. Morrissey has moments that showcase his unique and phenomenal voice, but he also has the inability to realize where the line signifying "over the top" is located and consistently steps over that line. Fortunately, this does nothing to sully the greatness of "Reel Around the Fountain," "You've Got Everything Now," "Pretty Girls Make Graves," and "This Charming Man."

Another great thing about The Smiths is their ability to write great and affecting lyrics that could be considered modern day odes to loss, love, and sometimes murder. In fact, "Suffer Little Children" is a creepy, but emotionally affecting account of the Moor Murders. While listening to this song, all I could think about was the painting of "Moor Murder"-er Myra Hindley (who along with her boyfriend, Ian Brady, murders five children between the ages of 5-10) constructed solely out of children handprints I saw at the Saachi Gallery in London, England a number of years back. I felt chills while looking at the painting and reading the back story. Those same chills came back upon listening to this album's conclusion.

I give this album a passing grade in terms of great albums, but mostly due for the inspiration it brought other artists. On the other hand, it does not make a lot of other lists due to its inaccessibility. This makes me wonder (and perhaps even wish I could witness) how the album was received and played during its release. Was the music scene accepting of such an album? Did friends play it at parties, in their cars, or simply locked away alone in their rooms? These questions plague my mind at inopportune times and for extended periods. I'm weird.

I decided to give this album's video to the man himself, Morrissey, due to its absolute over the top dramatic delivery. I personally love the "Agh!" outbursts and arm flairs.

-d.