Welcome to my first "Classic Review" for this blog. For the most part I want to just break things up a bit every two months by writing up one album that I consider to be truly a classic. This months classic review is The Smith's 1984 self title debut. At this point what's to say about this album or The Smiths in general that hasn't already been said. In the short time they were together The Smiths became college rock radio staples, and made massive leaps in the world of Indie Pop. Morrissey's legendary snarky, tongue in cheek lyrics set to the jangly bouncy Indie Rock is a combination that is as legendary as Morrissey's hair (Oh c'mon it's pretty perfect). Without further ado, here's "The Smiths".
This classic album starts off with the disturbing "Reel Around The Fountain". Everything about this track has always seemed so cold to me. The drums are so minimal and sluggish, and the other instrumentals aren't much more exciting. As far as lyrics go, this is absolutely one of Morrissey’s most mysterious performances. For one, there are the rumors of what this song is actually about (pedophilia). I’ve never really been completely convinced on that, but I will say this, there’s something absolutely creepy in Morrissey’s performance here. But there’s another side to “Reel Around The Fountain” completely, as the chorus is one of Morrissey’s more sweet moments. This song isn’t as bouncy as other tracks on here or Smiths song’s in general, this is a constantly building slow burner. But honestly, it’s just so shrouded in mystery, I can’t help but absolutely love it. And while musically it can be a little slow and tedious Morrissey hooks you with sweet lines like “Oh, people see no worth in you, Oh, but I do”. Morrissey and the music of The Smiths was puzzling when it debuted, and it still is today, but man does it ever leave you with stuff to think and talk about. Moving on we have the almost Post Punk sounding “You’ve Got Everything Now”, a hard left turn from the first track. This one is so much more upbeat, almost New Wave sounding. However, Morrissey’s deadpan vocals here bring it down a notch, and add to the very mechanical sound of this track. “You’ve Got Everything Now” also just happens to be one of the earliest and best examples of Morrissey’s trademark wit, as he claims “No, I've never had a job because I've never wanted one, I’ve seen you smile but I've never really heard you laugh”. Even the title of this track and the way Morrissey says “You’ve Got Everything Now” just comes off so passive aggressive. The choruses here are much smoother, and Morrissey’s falsetto’s come in beautifully, quite different than “Reel Around The Fountain”. Up next we have “Miserable Lie”, one of the most wild Smiths songs ever. The Smiths in there time together made fairly bouncy, catchy Indie Pop. But this one starts slow and progresses into an off the walls punk jam. The intro is just so dreamy, and Morrissey repeating “Goodbye” and “It’s Not Time” over and over, it’s almost hypnotizing. And then literally in a split second this track speeds way up, and all of a sudden it’s one of The Smiths heaviest tracks not only just on the album, but ever. Not only that, but Morrissey is just so pissed off and angry here, not only that but this is easily one of his more straightforward lyrical performances. His sexuality over the years has been questioned by everyone whose ever even heard a Smiths song, but his performance here on “Miserable Lie” makes it even more confusing. “You have corrupt my innocent mind, Not once - twice. I know the wind-swept mystical air, It means: I'd like to see your underwear” Morrissey states here, he sure does have a way with words. Then we have the chorus which is even more off the wall, as Johnny Marr’s fabulous guitar pluckings pick up, and Morrissey’s voice here literally sounds like it has no limit to high pitched notes. Up next we have “Pretty Girls Make Graves”, as far as I’m concerned the album’s first real taste of what the classic Smiths sound would evolve into. The guitar’s here are along the folkier side, but more than anything it’s just bouncy Indie Pop. Morrissey here is so sarcastic that I can’t help but shake my heads at certain lines. The themes of loneliness and sexuality here are almost overwhelming, as Morrissey repeats multiple times “I’ve lost my faith in womanhood”. Not to mention it’s just the little things about The Smiths songs that I just go crazy for. For example, every time Morrissey says “And Pretty Girls Make Graves”, he get’s this quirky answer from a woman’s voice saying “Oh Really?”. It’s bizarre at times, mysterious at others, but it’s what makes The Smiths such a legendary force.
Up next on the album, not only do we have my favorite song on the album, but probably my favorite Smiths song of all time, “The Hand That Rocks The Cradle”. The guitar licks here are some of Johnny Marr’s most mesmerizing and sweet. Now what’s always intrigued me about this track is just how dark it is, outright too not just in context. In the four and a half minutes here, we discuss the Boogie Man, pianos playing by themselves, darkness, bloody cleavers, it’s some really twisted shit. But Morrissey ironically finds a way to make it all really sweet believe it or not. Here, he states “I'll still be by your side, For you are all that matters. And I'll love you to till the day I die. There never need be longing in your eyes, as long as the hand that rocks the cradle is mine”, only Morrissey could pull that off. It’s adorable, but at the same time there’s a little resentment, or even a warning in the way he says the title of the track. At the end of the day though, its sweet as hell, and it’s Morrissey at his most romantic, at least here. Next, we have “This Charming Man”. This one is easily The Smiths most Poppy moment, and it’s hard to really hate it either, it’s just so lively and catchy. While everything else on the album is either snarky or cold or dark or maybe a little bit of all three, “This Charming Man” is strangely digestible. And honestly, that’s all I have to say about this one. It’s catchy, it’s short, it’s jolly, and it’s just a lot of fun. Ok fun time is over. Next up is “Still Ill”, one of Morrissey’s most pissy songs you’ll find. Right off the bat he states “I decree today that life is simply taking and not giving, England is mine and it owes me a living. But ask me why and I'll spit in your eye”, is this guy pissed at everything? Lyrically, “Still Ill” is a major standout here, as Morrissey and The Smiths bring up countless interesting lines all leading up to that legendary chorus of “Am I Still Ill?” Now, the only real gripe I’ve ever had about this album is that The Smiths clearly haven’t honed their sound yet, “Still Ill” sounds more New Wave than anything. But it’s not that bad of a problem at all, I honestly love a lot of the tracks that sound nothing like later Smiths material. The guitar riff is so catchy, the melodies are sweet, Morrissey is just standing by awkwardly hating the world, and I love every moment of it. “Hand In Glove” is up next, and it’s a little more towards that classic Smiths sound. The bluesy harmonica here I used to have an issue with, but I’ve grown fond of it overtime, I actually would have loved to see what could have come out of more use of it. Lyrically though, this ones a doozy, and probably the most talked about Smiths songs. “Hand In Glove” is just another Smiths track that may-or-may-not point towards the answer to the mystery of Morrissey’s sexuality. Here he starts off by saying “Hand in glove, the sun shines out of our behinds. No it's NOT like any other love this one's different because it's us! Hand in glove we can go wherever we please, and everything depends upon how near you stand to me”, take that all as you will. As the track goes on, Morrissey goes even deeper into this feeling of a “Forbidden relationship”, whatever or whoever it’s about, it’s genuinely sad.
Lets start wrapping this up, shall we? Up next, we have “What Difference Does It Make”, one of the most well known Smiths songs. As far as the instrumental goes, it’s easily one of the most intricate things the band ever did. Johnny Marr’s guitars here sound absolutely supersonic, the drums pack so much punch, and Morrissey just sounds so mysterious. I mean the opening lyrics are “All men have secrets and here is mine so let it be known, we have been through hell and high tide I can surely rely on you”, and the fact that he delivers it in a near deadpan performance really adds so much. Than later on we get lines like, “Oh the devil will find work for idle hands to do”, excuse me? Yea, “What Difference Does It Make” is totally out of left field, but at the same time it’s almost beautiful. All the instrumentals are so smooth, even amongst the constantly changing rhythms and tempos, it’s easily one of the most memorable tracks here. The last two tracks here are honestly pretty straightforward. “I Don’t Owe You Anything”, is a slower song with obviously Morrissey being the star. For the most part though, it’s exactly what you would expect, The Smiths playing a little more slowly than usual with Morrissey doing his thing at the center of it all, it’s far from bad though. And then we had the finale, “Suffer Little Children” which is just so bleak and cold, it’s just so similar to “Reel Around The Fountain" in every way. The Smiths are one of Alternative Rock’s most iconic bands. Their combination of bouncy, catchy Indie Pop, alongside Morrissey’s clever, sarcastic, bitter lyrics are something we’re probably never going to see again. And yes, The Smiths would go on to create plenty more outstanding material, but their self titled debut has always just meant so much to me. Hope you guys enjoyed this, stay tuned for my next classic review in early August as I discuss J-Dilla’s absolutely jaw-dropping instrumental hip hop classic “Donuts”.
No comments:
Post a Comment