Posted February 20, 201411 yr Well posting a new classic album today could only be about one album. On the 20th February 1984 The Smiths released their debut album, an album and a band that continues to resonate today. Although much has been made of the distinctly 80s production (especially the drum sound - a barb thrown Kate Bush's way as well as if that masks the sublimeness of the music!) the quality of the songwriting shines through on material like Suffer The Children with its story of the Moors Murders. Included were versions of Hand In Glove and What Difference Does It Make? but bizarrely (in a time of milking albums for singles) This Charming Man was not even on the original release. The Smiths would go on to release many non-album singles including some of their best songs. I can't say this about many bands but they really did change my life, altering the way I thought about so many different things. Has their debut stood the test of time? G0KCDcRNTFo 1. "Reel Around the Fountain" 2. "You've Got Everything Now" 3. "Miserable Lie" 4. "Pretty Girls Make Graves" 5. "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle" 6. "Still Ill" 7. "Hand in Glove" 8. "What Difference Does It Make?" 9. "I Don't Owe You Anything" 10. "Suffer Little Children" The remastered version has This Charming Man at 6.
February 20, 201411 yr It took three years from their debut for The Smths to finally click with me and I view that as one of the biggest oversights of my musical past. I cannot fault them really. Truly legendary band (and if they don't make the Hall of Fame it's a crime).
February 20, 201411 yr Oh how I love this album. There's just something magical about it. The way the guitar sounds combine with the melodies and Morrissey's unusual, but somehow beautiful voice, gets me every time.
February 20, 201411 yr I think their debut, along with Meat Is Murder (sacrelige) and Strangeways, is great but I've always found all three quite hard to love compared to Queen Is Dead, which just clicked instantly for me.
February 20, 201411 yr I LOVE LOVE LOVE The Smiths. Hand In Glove is a particular favourite from this album. I think they really peaked from around 1984 to 1985 Edited February 20, 201411 yr by G R I F F
February 20, 201411 yr Gonna listen to this tonight. Oh good! Enjoy! I'm planning on listening to 'Strangeways, Here We Come' tomorrow (I'm having a Jean Michel Jarre evening right now, so probably won't do so tonight), I haven't listened to that one enough.
February 20, 201411 yr The rain falls hard on a humdrum town This town has dragged you down :( You know, I was singing that in my head like fifteen minutes ago! #telepathy
February 21, 201411 yr Author Hmm....three tracks in an I'm looking forward to something familiar. Does that mean you've never listened to it before?
February 21, 201411 yr I definitely listened to it once, when I bought it years ago because I remember being disappointed by it. Not since then.
February 22, 201411 yr Author What do you think of it now? Surely some of the tracks must be familiar to you?
February 22, 201411 yr Yes. That's why I was longing for something familiar because I knew the singles were coming. I gave up after four tracks.
February 23, 201411 yr Author Did you really hate it that much? I would have to think a record was really quite shit to pull it off not even half way through.
February 23, 201411 yr No. I didn't hate it. I just got bored, it was late and my attention hasn't been that great lately.
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