The Best of the Smiths, Vol. 1
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| Release Date: |
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| Label: |
Warner Brothers |
| Rating: |
4.5 |
Description: Massive stars in England and top-tier alternative rockers in the U.S., the Smiths combined a '60s pop sensibility with '80s ennui. Though singer Morrissey is most notorious--his lyrics read like jottings from an overly sensitive teenager's diary while his narcissistic poses are pure Oscar Wilde--the band was rooted firmly in the crystalline, shimmering guitar work of Johnny Marr. For the most part, the Smiths were a singles band, often leaving key tracks off their studio albums. In which case, a number of collections serve to capture the errant wonder of "Panic" and "William, It Was Really Nothing." The two-LPs-condensed-onto-one-disc
Louder than Bombs is more comprehensive, but the two-volume best-of collections--lead by this 14-song set--have much to commend. Either way, this is as definitive as '80s Brit pop gets.
--Rob O'Connor
Tracklist of The Best of the Smiths, Vol. 1
Reviews:
Music for G boys
The Smiths were that band that all the cool...boys listened to in the 80s. The boys who grew up to be totally adjusted men in the 90s, which is funny because the Smiths always moped about and sung about lost love and yearning. I think most of us...80s boys were inspired to grow up and not become like Morrissey, but still remember when we were that way.
This review is aimed toward...
...those who don't normally like 80s music. I fall into this category, even though I grew up in that soulless, vapid decade. I harbor none of the nostalgia that many of my peers seem to revel in... for me, most of the classic music was produced before I was toddling around in short britches, and the advent of music videos marked the decline of honest, gritty tunes that stimulated both heart and mind. It all nose-dived into flat, echoey drumming, bad synths, worse haircuts, and a glossy sheen which sucked the very lifeblood out of everything. That's what kept me from exploring the Smiths for so long. Even though recent artists I've admired have name-checked them, (e.g. Jeff Buckley and Ryan Adams,) I just couldn't get past my anti-80s stance, and a cursory listen to the Amazon clips only confirmed my doubts. Morrisey had that mopey, monotonous sound, indistinguishable from most British vocalists of that time. The production was shimmery and too "perfect." I passed, but a nagging feeling persisted-- maybe this band had something special that I was missing. So, after the purchase of "Best Of's I & II" and frequent listening, I became a Smiths convert. What set them apart for me was the strength of songwriting and Johnny Marr's unique guitar style. Yes, certain hallmarks of the 80s sound still grate, but if you can affix new ears and delve deeper, you'll discover a brilliant band which carved out a niche for itself on the shoulders of giants... no mean feat. The Smiths require multiple listens to truly appreciate... their charms dig beneath you skin insidiously. Now they can fit neatly in my CD collection between the Rolling Stones and Television and not seem out of place. This is the real deal-- spend some time with the lads, you won't be disappointed.
very flawed collection, try "Singles"
The "Best Of The Smiths" volumes 1 & 2 are disappointing and should not be bought. They are not a good introduction to the music of the Smiths or a good overview of their career; the 'Best Of' albums leave out many of their seminal songs and contain bizarre choices. The CD entitled "Singles", which simply has all 18 of the Smiths' singles, is far better than the 'Best Of' CDs as far as showing what the Smiths were all about, or giving you much of their best material in one source. "Singles" works very well as an album- it doesn't have the disjointed feel of many "greatest hits" collections, probably because the Smiths released all of their material in a period of only a couple years. That "Singles" is superior to "Best Of The Smiths" is not only my opinion, but the opinion of the majority of Smiths fans.
