The Smiths - Meat Is Murder
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CD Details
Artist: The SmithsEdition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 1990-10-25
Music Label: Warner Bros / Wea
Soundtracks:
- Headmaster Ritual
- Rusholme Ruffians
- I Want the One I Can't Have
- What She Said
- That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
- How Soon Is Now?
- Nowhere Fast
- Well I Wonder
- Barbarism Begins at Home
- Meat Is Murder
Music reviews of Meat Is Murder
Music Review: An Amazing, Must-Hear Album
Rating: 5 Stars
The songwriting partnership of Morrissey (lyrics and vocal melodies) and Johnny Marr (music) has been called the Lennon/McCartney of the emo generation. I don't like the "emo" genre at all nor do I like many bands that are compared to The Smiths...But I love The Smiths and I adore Meat is Murder.
This was the first album and first collection of songs I heard by this band and what first struck me was how unique they sounded. The production of the album does mark it as a child of the `80s, but their songs were instantly memorable and fascinating.
The 10-track album begins with "The Headmaster Ritual," one of my favorite songs still. Its memorable rhythm combined with Morrissey's mopey vocals make for a great song. "Rusholme Ruffians" could instantly turn a new listener away, but once again I love it. It's a song that really takes you to the fair that Morrissey is singing about. The next two songs are "I Want the One I Can't Have" and "What She Said," which were the two songs I listened to the most upon first hearing this album. "What She Said" sounds particularly good when blasted through earphones.
"That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" was the single from the album and wasn't very successful. I only began to appreciate it recently. The song has a lush arrangement and with Morrissey projecting as much emotion as he can muster while singing it, it's actually a beautiful song that even people who dislike The Smiths could probably get into.
"How Soon Is Now?" is one of The Smiths' most recognizable songs and what a great song it is. Not the best of the album, but a great tune. The riff, the layered rhythm, the atmosphere, the lyrics, and the vocals are just fantastic. "Nowhere Fast" was another one of my favorite's on here and still is; very catchy, with great lyrics.
"Well I Wonder" tones it down a bit. It's very melodic, with a great bassline; another song of beauty. "Barbarism Begins at Home" has a funk element to it and not a whole lot of singing. It's nearly 7 minutes long, but it's a song that will stay with you once you hear it.
Finally, we have the title track. I always thought of this song as a joke, but listening to it again I found it's actually quite a haunting song and the way Morrissey sings it is unlike anything he's ever done. You can hear what sounds like anger and disgust in the cadence of his voice. A very good song, but not the one I'll be putting on repeat.
Anyway, I heard this album once over a year ago. I enjoyed it a lot, but never listened to it again. Three weeks ago, I randomly played it again and have been listening to almost nothing except The Smiths since.
The Smiths defy genre. I can't just call them "rock," but pop-rock, alternative, nor emo seem to fit them either. The band is almost universally acclaimed for the lyrical capabilities of Morrissey and it is true, the man is a lyrical genius. He writes with such truth and realism, his lyrics ranging from brooding to sarcastic, sometimes at the same time. Even with sub-par lyrics, he could still pull it off as he's a great singer. He drones, moans, mumbles, mopes; it's sometimes very dramatic but that's not a bad thing. Some may find Morrissey's vocals annoying, especially when he goes from singing to just making noises (see the chorus of "The Headmaster Ritual" and parts "I Want the One I Can't Have)...But, the fact remains, no one could sing these songs as well as he could.
I love this album and I have no doubt that any Smiths fan would as well. This was my introduction to the band and should serve as a perfect one for any budding Smiths fan out there.
Poppy, funky, memorable, witty, beautiful, and filled with great songs "Meat is Murder" is wonderful. Not everybody likes The Smiths and this is one of the CD's that just makes me wonder how you could not like something this unique and special.
GRADE: A-
Description of Meat Is Murder
Singer Morrissey's brittle wit and guitarist Johnny Marr's incisive guitar helped make the Smiths create both an entranced cult following and pop music of the highest order. The U.S. edition of the band's second album includes the bonus single "How Soon Is Now?" and while it's a welcome addition, the rest of the tracks stand ably on their own. The militant vegetarianism is heavy-handed, but the sly humor of "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" and "I Want the One I Can't Have" present proof of the band's scope, as do the anthemic "The Headmaster Ritual" and "Rusholme Ruffians." --Rob O'ConnorGeneral CDs
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