Morrissey and The Smiths album by album

(Work in progress.....)

If you were listening to music in the Eighties then you would have been aware of The Smiths, and would likely have had an opinion on the lead singer Morrissey. From the band's first appearance on Top Of The Pops in Nov 1983, Morrissey attracted attention and controversy (Marr's opinion). I remember seeing that performance with my partner at the time and my teenage step sons. They found the performance laughable and ridiculous. I found it, um, interesting and different. The song was OK; though - contrary to what people think these days - it did not stand out as particularly different or as a contrast to synthpop. The Smiths were not the only guitar band at the time, nor were they the only band sourcing from the Sixties.  The main difference was in Morrissey's antics and his manner of singing. I liked the music, and I was curious about the band. A year later in November 1984, after enjoying a few more singles, I bought - not the first album, but the second: Hatful Of Hollow, which gathered together the singles plus other material, including "How Soon Is Now?" The boys asked me why I had bought it, as they were still in the sneering at Morrissey phase. I  said that it appeared to me that there was a tension in the band between the guitarist and the singer, and that the guitarist was winning, and played them "How Soon Is Now?" As teenagers they liked the idea of internal conflict and rebellion, and so that sort of broke down their resistance, and they both became Smiths' fans.

And now, 35 years later, "How Soon Is Now?" still strikes me as an exceptional piece of music, for me the best thing The Smiths did. It's Marr at his creative and imaginative best. I like that Morrissey's voice is reasonably controlled, and becomes another instrument in the overall sound. Some of the words are interesting, which adds to the appeal, but it's the layering of the guitar sounds which lifts the song out of the ordinary for me not the lyrics or the singing. Such an original and fascinating piece of music is rare. I think that Morrissey wrote and performed better on some other songs.

The Smiths are both Morrissey and Marr. Their solo careers have not matched what they did together, though both (Marr less so initially) have attempted to recreate the sound and structure of The Smiths in their solo work.


Wikipedia:

The Smiths were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1982. The band consisted of vocalist Morrissey, guitarist Johnny Marr, bassist Andy Rourke and drummer Mike Joyce. Critics have called them one of the most important bands to emerge from the British independent music scene of the 1980s. In 2003, four of the band's albums appeared on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Based on the songwriting partnership of Morrissey and Marr, the group signed to the independent record label Rough Trade Records, on which they released four studio albums: The Smiths (1984), Meat Is Murder (1985), The Queen Is Dead (1986) and Strangeways, Here We Come (1987). They have also released several compilations, and numerous non-album singles. They had several singles reach the top twenty of the UK Singles Chart and all four of their studio albums reached the top five of the UK Albums Chart, including Meat Is Murder which hit number one. They won a significant following and remain cult favourites. The band broke up in 1987 due to internal tensions and have turned down several offers to reunite.

The band's focus on a guitar, bass, and drum sound, and their fusion of 1960s rock and post-punk, were an alternative to the then-popular, synthesiser-based dance-pop. Marr's guitar work, using a Rickenbacker, had a jangle pop sound reminiscent of Roger McGuinn of the Byrds. Morrissey's complex, literate lyrics combined themes about ordinary people with mordant humour.

AllMusic:

The Smiths were the definitive British indie rock band of the '80s, marking the end of synth-driven new wave and the beginning of the guitar rock that dominated English rock into the '90s. Sonically, the group was indebted to the British Invasion, crafting ringing, melodic three-minute pop singles, even for their album tracks. But their scope was far broader than that of a revivalist band. The group's core members, vocalist Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr, were obsessive rock fans inspired by the D.I.Y. ethics of punk, but they also had a fondness for girl groups, pop, and rockabilly. Morrissey and Marr also represented one of the strangest teams of collaborators in rock history. Marr was the rock traditionalist, looking like an elegant version of Keith Richards during the Smiths' heyday and meticulously layering his guitar tracks in the studio. Morrissey, on the other hand, broke from rock tradition by singing in a keening, self-absorbed croon, embracing the forlorn, romantic poetry of Oscar Wilde, publicly declaring his celibacy, and making no secret of his disgust for most of his peers. While it eventually led to the Smiths' early demise, the friction between Morrissey and Marr resulted in a flurry of singles and albums over the course of three years that provided the blueprint for British guitar rock in the following decade.

The recordings

 

"Hand in Glove" /
"Handsome Devil" (live)
(1983)

The Smiths 
(Feb 1984)

A stunning debut full of great songs.

Rolling Stone contemporary review

Albums released around the same time: The dB's  Repercussion (Oct 1981), The Teardrop Explodes Wilder (Nov 1981),  Television The Blow Up (1982),  The Psychedelic Furs   Forever Now (Sept 1982), Orange Juice Rip It Up (Nov 1982),  Echo & The Bunnymen  Porcupine (Feb 1983), Pulp's debut It (April 1983),  R.E.M.'s debut Murmur (April 1983), The Go-Betweens Before Hollywood (May 1983),  Aztec Camera's debut High Land, Hard Rain (June 1983), The Chameleons' debut Script of the Bridge (Aug 1983), The Durutti Column  Another Setting (Aug 1983),  Gang of Four Hard (Sept 1983),  The Triffids' debut Treeless Plain (Nov 1983), The Icicle Works' debut The Icicle Works (March 1984) 

Released	20 February 1984
Recorded	1983
Studio	Pluto, Manchester and Strawberry, Stockport Eden and Matrix, London
Genre	Alternative rock,  indie rock
Length	42:55 (original UK vinyl release) 45:36 (versions including "This Charming Man")
Label	Rough Trade,  Sire
Producer	John Porter

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Reel Around the Fountain"	5:58
2.	"You've Got Everything Now"	3:59
3.	"Miserable Lie"	4:29
4.	"Pretty Girls Make Graves"	3:44
5.	"The Hand That Rocks the Cradle" (quotation from "Sonny Boy" by Ray Henderson, Lew Brown and Al Jolson)	4:38

Side two

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Still Ill"	3:23
2.	"Hand in Glove"	3:25
3.	"What Difference Does It Make?"	3:51
4.	"I Don't Owe You Anything"	4:05
5.	"Suffer Little Children"	5:28

Lyrics by Morrisey; music by Marr

• Morrissey – vocals
• Johnny Marr – guitars, harmonica
• Andy Rourke – bass guitar
• Mike Joyce – drums

Wikipedia 

AllMusic: 

Score: 8 1/2 

Hatful of Hollow
(Nov 1984)

This album contains recordings not previously released on an album - the early singles, and some Radio 1 sessions, and has been acclaimed by some critics as one of the best Smiths albums, and it was released within contract by the band's record label, but is not regarded as an official album release - it is not included in the canon of the band's four albums (the live album, Rank, was released purely for contractual reasons, and was released after the band split up, so is usually not counted). While it repeats many of the tracks from The Smiths, what it adds and leaves out makes it an interesting and compelling album. As many of the tracks were taken from loose sessions for BBC radio, they are less polished and less intense than the versions recorded and produced with care for the studio debut. Some of the strengths of this album are things like the inclusion of the stunning "How Soon Is Now?" which was originally released as a b-side, and the first  singles, "Hand In Glove", "This Charming Man", and "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now". And contains the only recording of the sublime "This Night Has Opened My Eyes", which the band often played in concert.  All in all this is the better album, because it has more great songs, and has the iconic ones, but by heck it's close! 

Released	12 November 1984
Recorded	1983–84
Genre	Alternative rock,  indie pop
Length	56:11
Label	Rough Trade,  Sire
Producer	John Porter  The Smiths  Roger Pusey  Dale "Buffin" Griffin

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"William, It Was Really Nothing" (Single A-side)	2:09
2.	"What Difference Does It Make?" (John Peel session, 5/18/83)	3:11
3.	"These Things Take Time" (David Jensen session, 6/26/83)	2:32
4.	"This Charming Man" (John Peel session, 9/14/83)	2:42
5.	"How Soon Is Now?" (B-side of "William, It Was Really Nothing")	6:44
6.	"Handsome Devil" (John Peel session, 5/18/83)	2:47
7.	"Hand in Glove" (Single A-side mix)	3:13
8.	"Still Ill" (John Peel session, 9/14/83)	3:32

Side two

No.	Title	Length
9.	"Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" (Single A-side) *	3:33
10.	"This Night Has Opened My Eyes" (John Peel session, 9/14/83) *	3:39
11.	"You've Got Everything Now" (David Jensen session, 6/26/83 )	4:18
12.	"Accept Yourself" (David Jensen session, 8/25/83 )	4:01
13.	"Girl Afraid" (B-side of "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now")	2:48
14.	"Back to the Old House" (John Peel session, 9/14/83)	3:02
15.	"Reel Around the Fountain" (John Peel session, 5/18/83)	5:51
16.	"Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want" (B-side of "William, It Was Really Nothing")	1:50

Lyrics by Morrisey; music by Marr

• Morrissey – vocals
• Johnny Marr – guitars, harmonica
• Andy Rourke – bass guitar
• Mike Joyce – drums

Wikipedia 

AllMusic: 

Score: 9 

Meat Is Murder
(Feb 1985)

This album still blends music and song nicely. 

Released	11 February 1985
Recorded	1984
Studio	Amazon, Liverpool Ridge Farm, Surrey
Genre	Alternative rock  indie pop  post-punk
Length	39:46
Label	Rough Trade, Sire
Producer	The Smiths

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Headmaster Ritual"	4:52
2.	"Rusholme Ruffians"	4:20
3.	"I Want the One I Can't Have"	3:14
4.	"What She Said"	2:42
5.	"That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore"	4:59

Side two

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Nowhere Fast"	2:37
2.	"Well I Wonder"	4:00
3.	"Barbarism Begins at Home"	6:57
4.	"Meat Is Murder"	6:06

Lyrics by Morrisey; music by Marr

• Morrissey – vocals
• Johnny Marr – guitars, harmonica
• Andy Rourke – bass guitar
• Mike Joyce – drums

Wikipedia 

AllMusic: 

Score: 5 

The Queen Is Dead
(June 1986)

This is the band's most highly regarded album, and contains the band's most highly regarded song, "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out". That track is all about Morrissey's lyrics, and the band are reduced to supporting musicians, so there is little inventive rock music, just a basic and somewhat derivative  Beatlesque tune with some awful synthesised saccharine strings and Marrs simplistic flute.  The opening title track is a busy piece, but it hasn't got the inventiveness, charm, or gleeful energy of the band's earlier material. It's The Smiths, but it could just as well be a band imitating The Smiths. 

Velvet Underground's "There She Goes Again" (1967)

Rolling Stones' "Hitch Hike" (1965)

Marvin Gaye's "Hitch Hike" (1963) 

Released	16 June 1986
Recorded	Winter 1985
Studio	Jacob, Farnham, Surrey RAK, London Drone, Manchester
Genre	Alternative rock  indie rock
Length	36:48
Label	Rough Trade
Producer	Morrissey  Johnny Marr

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Queen Is Dead" (includes "Take Me Back to Dear Old Blighty" (medley), written by A. J. Mills, Fred Godfrey and Bennett Scott)	6:24
2.	"Frankly, Mr. Shankly"	2:17
3.	"I Know It's Over"	5:48
4.	"Never Had No One Ever"	3:37
5.	"Cemetry Gates"	2:39

Side two

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Bigmouth Strikes Again"	3:12
2.	"The Boy with the Thorn in His Side"	3:16
3.	"Vicar in a Tutu"	2:22
4.	"There Is a Light That Never Goes Out"	4:03
5.	"Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others"	3:16

Lyrics by Morrisey; music by Marr

• Morrissey – vocals
• Johnny Marr – guitars, harmonica
• Andy Rourke – bass guitar
• Mike Joyce – drums

Wikipedia 

AllMusic: 

Score: 7

The World Won't Listen
(Feb 1987)

A UK only singles compilation. The US had the longer compilation "Louder Than Bombs" which contains nearly all the tracks here, plus another eleven.  

Released	23 February 1987
Recorded	1984–1986
Genre	Alternative rock  indie pop
Length	59:26
Label	Rough Trade (UK), Sire (US)

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Panic" (Single A-side)	2:21
2.	"Ask" (Remix of single A-side)	3:15
3.	"London" (B-side of "Shoplifters of the World Unite")	2:07
4.	"Bigmouth Strikes Again" (From The Queen Is Dead)	3:13
5.	"Shakespeare's Sister" (Single A-side)	2:08
6.	"There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" (From The Queen Is Dead)	4:05
7.	"Shoplifters of the World Unite" (Single A-side)	2:58
8.	"The Boy with the Thorn in His Side" (Single A-side version)	3:16

Side two

No.	Title	Length
9.	"Money Changes Everything" (B-side of "Bigmouth Strikes Again" – only on CD and cassette versions)	4:43
10.	"Asleep" (B-side of "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side")	4:10
11.	"Unloveable" (B-side of "Bigmouth Strikes Again")	3:56
12.	"Half a Person" (B-side of "Shoplifters of the World Unite")	3:36
13.	"Stretch Out and Wait" (Alternate vocal version of B-side of "Shakespeare's Sister")	2:45
14.	"That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" (Single A-side edit)	3:49
15.	"Oscillate Wildly" (B-side of "How Soon Is Now?")	3:26
16.	"You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby" (UK mix of aborted single A-side)	3:31
17.	"Rubber Ring" (B-side of "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side")	3:48

Lyrics by Morrisey; music by Marr

• Morrissey – vocals
• Johnny Marr – guitars, harmonica
• Andy Rourke – bass guitar
• Mike Joyce – drums
• Craig Gannon – rhythm guitar on some tracks (very brief member of the band) 

Wikipedia 

AllMusic: 7 

Score: 

Louder Than Bombs
(March 1987)

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Is It Really So Strange?" (B-side of "Sheila Take a Bow"; John Peel session, 12/2/86)	3:04
2.	"Sheila Take a Bow" (Single A-side)	2:41
3.	"Shoplifters of the World Unite" (Single A-side)	2:57
4.	"Sweet and Tender Hooligan" (B-side of "Sheila Take a Bow"; John Peel session, 12/2/86)	3:13
5.	"Half a Person" (B-side of "Shoplifters of the World Unite")	3:36
6.	"London" (B-side of "Shoplifters of the World Unite")	2:07

Side two

No.	Title	Length
7.	"Panic" (Single A-side)	2:20
8.	"Girl Afraid" (B-side of "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now")	2:48
9.	"Shakespeare's Sister" (Single A-side)	2:09
10.	"William, It Was Really Nothing" (Single A-side)	2:11
11.	"You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby" (US mix of aborted single A-side)	3:21
12.	"Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" (Single A-side)	3:34

Side three

No.	Title	Length
13.	"Ask" (Remix of single A-side)	3:18
14.	"Golden Lights" (B-side of "Ask")	2:39
15.	"Oscillate Wildly" (B-side of "How Soon is Now?")	3:27
16.	"These Things Take Time" (B-side of "What Difference Does It Make?")	2:23
17.	"Rubber Ring" (B-side of "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side")	3:48
18.	"Back to the Old House" (B-side of "What Difference Does It Make?")	3:05

Side four

No.	Title	Length
19.	"Hand in Glove" (Single A-side mix)	3:13
20.	"Stretch Out and Wait" (B-side of "Shakespeare's Sister")	2:38
21.	"Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want" (B-side of "William, It Was Really Nothing")	1:52
22.	"This Night Has Opened My Eyes" (From Hatful of Hollow; John Peel session, 9/14/83)	3:40
23.	"Unloveable" (B-side of "Bigmouth Strikes Again")	3:55
24.	"Asleep" (B-side of "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side")	4:11

Lyrics by Morrisey; music by Marr

• Morrissey – vocals
• Johnny Marr – guitars, harmonica
• Andy Rourke – bass guitar
• Mike Joyce – drums

Wikipedia 

AllMusic: 

Score: 

Strangeways, Here We Come
(Sept 1987)

The band's final album - Marr left The Smiths shortly after completing it as he was frustrated by Morrissey's unwillingness to expand the band's music. Three of the band members, including Marr and Morrissey, say that this is their favourite album. It's an accomplished and well produced album. But it is clear that the band needed to expand a bit more adventurously as this is quite flat compared to their previous albums, and one wonders exactly where the band would go after this if they were not to break out of the rut.  The cheeky excitement of the early material, and the desire to make music as complex and fascinating as "How Soon Is Now?" is missing here. This is a band smoothly working their way through decent songs. They get into a bit of a groove on "Death Of A Disco Dancer", probably the stand out track, the whole band working well together; and "Girlfriend In A Coma" was a top 20 single. "Last Night..." is another great track. 

Stereogum 

Released	28 September 1987
Recorded	March-April 1987
Studio	The Wool Hall, Beckington, Somerset
Genre	Alternative rock,  indie pop
Length	36:37
Label	Rough Trade,  Sire
Producer	Johnny Marr,  Morrissey,  Stephen Street

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours"	3:00
2.	"I Started Something I Couldn't Finish"	3:47
3.	"Death of a Disco Dancer"	5:26
4.	"Girlfriend in a Coma"	2:03
5.	"Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before"	3:32

Side two

No.	Title	Length
6.	"Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me"	5:03
7.	"Unhappy Birthday"	2:46
8.	"Paint a Vulgar Picture"	5:35
9.	"Death at One's Elbow"	2:01
10.	"I Won't Share You"	2:48

Lyrics by Morrisey; music by Marr

• Morrissey – vocals
• Johnny Marr – guitars, harmonica
• Andy Rourke – bass guitar
• Mike Joyce – drums

Wikipedia 

AllMusic: 

Score: 6

Rank
(Sept 1988)

Contract fulfilling live album released after the band broke up. Rather lacklustre. Band are professional but unexciting, and Morrissey sounds off form and out of breath rather too often. Production is clumsy.  There are bootlegs and entire films of entire concerts from the same tour which are more interesting, such as this film recorded at the Palladium. But that film and this official album are both in the same bracket as being for fans only; and, in particular, fans of the later rock stars going through the motions Smiths, rather than the exciting, enthusiastic, inventive early Smiths. 

Released	5 September 1988
Recorded	23 October 1986
Genre	Alternative rock  indie pop
Length	55:56
Label	Rough Trade (UK) Sire (US)
Producer	Pete Dauncey and Grant Showbiz

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Queen Is Dead"	4:11
2.	"Panic"	3:07
3.	"Vicar in a Tutu"	2:40
4.	"Ask"	3:12
5.	"His Latest Flame/Rusholme Ruffians" (Medley)	3:55
6.	"The Boy with the Thorn in His Side"	3:47
7.	"Rubber Ring/What She Said" (Medley)	3:41

Side two

No.	Title	Length
8.	"Is It Really So Strange?"	3:45
9.	"Cemetry Gates"	2:50
10.	"London"	2:38
11.	"I Know It's Over"	7:49
12.	"The Draize Train"	4:23
13.	"Still Ill"	4:09
14.	"Bigmouth Strikes Again"	5:51

Lyrics by Morrisey; music by Marr

• Morrissey – vocals
• Johnny Marr – guitars, harmonica
• Andy Rourke – bass guitar
• Mike Joyce – drums
• Craig Gannon – rhythm guitar

Wikipedia 

AllMusic: 7 

Score: 2 

Singles
(Feb 1995)

Lyrics by Morrisey; music by Marr

• Morrissey – vocals
• Johnny Marr – guitars, harmonica
• Andy Rourke – bass guitar
• Mike Joyce – drums

Wikipedia 

AllMusic: 

Score: 

The Very Best
(June 2001)

Lyrics by Morrisey; music by Marr

• Morrissey – vocals
• Johnny Marr – guitars, harmonica
• Andy Rourke – bass guitar
• Mike Joyce – drums

Wikipedia 

AllMusic: 

Score: 

The Sound Of
(Nov 2008)

Lyrics by Morrisey; music by Marr

• Morrissey – vocals
• Johnny Marr – guitars, harmonica
• Andy Rourke – bass guitar
• Mike Joyce – drums

Wikipedia 

AllMusic: 

Score: 

Complete
(Sept 2011)

Lyrics by Morrisey; music by Marr

• Morrissey – vocals
• Johnny Marr – guitars, harmonica
• Andy Rourke – bass guitar
• Mike Joyce – drums

Wikipedia 

AllMusic: 

Score: 

Discography

During their time together they released four albums of new material and three albums of previously released material (P):

The Smiths (1984)
Hatful of Hollow (Nov 1984)  (P)
Meat Is Murder (1985)
The Queen Is Dead (1986)
The World Won't Listen (Feb 1987)  (P)
Louder Than Bombs (March 1987)  (P)
Strangeways, Here We Come (Sept 1987)

after which they split.

A live album was released a year after they split:

Rank (Sept 1988)

And several compilations, the most highly regarded of which are

Singles (Feb 1995)
The Very Best of The Smiths (June 2001)
The Sound of The Smiths (Nov 2008)

The Complete box set released in 2011 contains the seven albums released while the band were together, plus the live album.

Tribute album

The Smiths Is Dead  (1996)

1.	"The Queen Is Dead"	The Boo Radleys	5:33
2.	"Frankly, Mr. Shankly"	The High Llamas	3:35
3.	"I Know It's Over"	The Trash Can Sinatras	6:16
4.	"Never Had No One Ever"	Billy Bragg	3:36
5.	"Cemetry Gates"	The Frank and Walters	4:15
6.	"Bigmouth Strikes Again"	Placebo	3:51
7.	"The Boy with the Thorn in His Side"	Bis	3:21
8.	"Vicar in a Tutu"	Therapy?	2:42
9.	"There Is a Light That Never Goes Out"	The Divine Comedy	5:18
10.	"Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others"	Supergrass	3:35

Morrissey albums

• Viva Hate (1988)
• Kill Uncle (1991)
• Your Arsenal (1992)
• Vauxhall and I (1994)
• Southpaw Grammar (1995)
• Maladjusted (1997)
• You Are the Quarry (2004)
• Ringleader of the Tormentors (2006)
• Years of Refusal (2009)
• World Peace Is None of Your Business (2014)
• Low in High School (2017)

Viva Hate (1988)

Interesting that the album opens with stinging guitar. Difficult to see that as anything other than a dig at Marr. This works in the same area that The Smiths were working in at the end - it's Morrissey, so it's about the lyrics, with some music to help it along. The music in this case written by Stephen Street who also produces. The music is mostly pleasant though unremarkable, though "Everyday Is Like Sunday" works well. A number of reviewers regard this as his best album, and feel that combined with The Smith's final album, Strangeways Here We Come (1987), this was Morrissey's most creative period. Possibly, but it doesn't appear to have been Marr's most creative period, and Morrissey's most significant work was done early on with Marr. 

Released	14 March 1988
Recorded	October–December 1987
Studio	Wool Hall Studios
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	42:16
Label	HMV (UK) Sire/Reprise (US & Canada) EMI (Australia & New Zealand) [1]
Producer	Stephen Street

All lyrics by Morrissey. All music by Stephen Street.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Alsatian Cousin"	3:13
2.	"Little Man, What Now?"	1:48
3.	"Everyday Is Like Sunday" *	3:32
4.	"Bengali in Platforms"	3:55
5.	"Angel, Angel Down We Go Together"	1:40
6.	"Late Night, Maudlin Street"	7:40
7.	"Suedehead"	3:56
8.	"Break Up the Family"	3:55
9.	"The Ordinary Boys"	3:10
10.	"I Don't Mind If You Forget Me"	3:17
11.	"Dial-a-Cliché"	2:28
12.	"Margaret on the Guillotine"	3:42
Total length:		42:16

Singles: 
 

"Suedehead"

(Feb 1988)

"Everyday Is Like Sunday" 
(May 1988)

Reviews: Rolling Stone (1988); Pitchfork; Uncut; Spin (1988); Soundblab; Quietus - interesting review; SecretMeeting; SuperDeluxeEdition; Communicator; 

Lyrics: Genius 

Wikipedia

AllMusic: 9

Score: 4 

Bona Drag  (1990)

Wikipedia

AllMusic: 

Score: 

Kill Uncle (1991)

Wikipedia

AllMusic: 

Score: 

Your Arsenal  (1992) 

I'm uncomfortable with the ambiguity with the nationalism on display here. But the music is more driven and compelling than it has been since Morrissey left The Smiths, thanks to Mick Ronson's glam rock production and Alain Whyte's chunky guitar playing.  Does the production and guitar playing add up to anything new? No. Has Morrissey's singing developed on from The Smith? No, the singing is less telling - it is less emotional, interesting, varied and compelling. Often it sounds as though he's either just going through the paces, or it is a Morrissey tribute singer.  Well, perhaps a tribute singer could add more trills and nuances than Morrissey does here. The songs mostly echo back to The Smiths - there is little sense here of Morrissey having moved on, other than Ronson's rather backward looking glam rock production.  This album was mostly acclaimed by critics, and while not really anyone's top favourite, it tends to appear in the top three of most Best of Morrissey lists. It's bright, breezy, poppy, and likeable. Mostly, I feel, due to Ronson's cool production.  

Wikipedia
Reviews

AllMusic: 9 

Score: 5 

Vauxhall And I (1994)

I'm liking this.


Wikipedia

AllMusic: 

Score: 

Southpaw Grammar (1995)

Wikipedia

AllMusic: 

Score: 

Maladjusted (1997)

Wikipedia

AllMusic: 

Score: 

You Are the Quarry (2004)

Wikipedia

AllMusic: 

Score: 

Ringleader of the Tormentors (2006)

Wikipedia

AllMusic: 

Score: 

Years of Refusal (2009)

Not much going on here.

Wikipedia

AllMusic: 

Score: 

World Peace Is None of Your Business (2014)

Not interesting.

Wikipedia 

AllMusic: 

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Low in High School (2017)

Wikipedia

AllMusic: 

Score: 

Some Morrissey links

* BestEverAlbums (Highest album Vauxhall & I - ranked 881)

Johnny Marr

Johnny Marr's career after leaving the Smiths has been more complicated than Morrissey's - working  as session or guest guitarist for a variety of artists along with his own solo albums.

Brian Ferry - "The Right Stuff" (1987) Guitar and co-writer
Talking Heads - Naked (1988) Guitar on four tracks inc "(Nothing But) Flowers"
The The - Mind Bomb  (1989)  Guitar only
Kirsty McCall "The End Of A Perfect Day" (1989) Guitar and co-writer
Pretenders - "When Will I see You" (1990)  Guitar and co-writer
Electronic - Electronic (1991) Guitar, keyboards and co-writing with Bernard Sumner (New Order)  Contains "Getting Away With It" and "Get The Message"
Billy Bragg - "Sexuality" (1991) Guitar and co-writer
Kirsty McCall - "Walking Down Madison" (1991)  Guitar and co-writer
The The - Dusk  (1993)  Guitar only
Kirsty McCall - "Can't Stop Killing You" (1993)  Guitar and co-writer
Electronic - Raise the Pressure (1996)  Guitar, keyboards and co-writing with Bernard Sumner (New Order) and Karl Bartos (Kraftwerk)   Contains "Forbidden City" and "For You".
Billy Bragg - "The Boy Done Good" (1997)  Guitar and co-writer
Electronic - Twisted Tenderness (1999)  Guitars and co-writing with Bernard Sumner

Johnny Marr + The Healers -  Boomslang (2003)  Guitar, keyboards, vocals and writing
Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (2007)  &  No One's First, and You're Next (EP of unreleased tracks from the Marr album - 2009)  Guitar and songwriting contribution with rest of band
Johnny Marr - The Messenger  (2013)  Sixties style music with a sound and feel of The Smiths
Johnny Marr - Playland  (2014)  A harder, rockier sound, but less charming and interesting than The Messenger. Again there is the occasional memory of The Smiths, and the album is OK, but we're only listening because this man was the musical driving force of The Smiths.
Johnny Marr - Adrenalin Baby  (2016)   An attractive live album covering the whole of Marr's career.  It finishes with an explosive "How Soon Is Now?", which was the track that grabbed my attention back in 1984 when I bought Hatful of Hollow, and which I still consider to be the best The Smiths ever did. 

Blondie - "My Monster" (2017)  Guitar and writer
Johnny Marr - The Comet  (2018)   

Distinctive Marr jangle-pop guitar work. Mainly  pleasant and often admirable, but not on the same level as his work with The Smiths. Most interesting work is probably that done with Electronic. 

Conclusion

Music acts tend to song focused, music focused, or a blend of the two. The Smiths had Morrissey who was song focused, and Marr who was music focused. When the two of them saw themselves as equals they were able to blend music and song together in a cohesive whole that is very compelling. Gradually, though, Morrissey - as the front man, and the one that the media interviewed, and the fans adored - came to dominate. While the early recordings are a band in balance and harmony with Morrisseys lyrics and voice enhancing and adding to  the music Marr and the band and the producer had laid out, the later recordings are more of the band playing music behind Morrissey. Compare "How Soon Is Now?" with "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out". (Why?)


Some Smiths links

* MusicFolio
* Plundering Desire
* NME Beginners Guide
* AlbumReviewsBlog
* Adrian Denning

Albums ranked

* BestEverAlbums  (Highest album The Queen is Dead - ranked 21 of all time)
* The Guardian  (The Queen is Dead)
* Stereogum (Hatful of Hollow / Louder Than Bombs)
* NME  (The Queen Is Dead)
* What Culture  (The Queen Is Dead)
* Diffuser (The Queen Is Dead)
* Ranker (The Queen Is Dead)
* Blog  (The Queen Is Dead)

Songs ranked

* CoS All 72 Songs  1) Light 2) Charming 3) Soon
* Guardian Top Ten  1) Glove 2) Reel 3) Night
* TopTen 1) Light 2) Soon 3) Charming
* Billboard Top 20  1) Soon  2) Bigmouth  3)   Ask
* NME Top 30 by Musicians  1) Soon  2) Queen  3)  Light
* NME Top 30 by Readers  1) Light 2) Charming  3)  Soon
* Rolling Stone All 73 Songs   1) Light  2) Half  3)  Know
* Pop Matters Top 13   1) Light  2) Thorn  3) Ask
* Paste Top Ten  1) Light   2)  Miserable  3) Thorn

1) "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" (1986)  from The Queen Is Dead 
2) "How Soon Is Now"  (1984) B-side of  "William, It Was Really Nothing"; included on Hatful Of Hollow 
3) "This Charming Man" (1983)  single; included on Hatful Of Hollow  

There Is A Light That Never Goes Out xxx
How Soon Is Now xxx
This Charming Man xx
Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now  xx
Bigmouth Strikes Again xx
Panic xx
I Know It's Over xx
What Difference Does It Make
Cemetery Gates
Still Ill 

The Boy With The Thorn In His Side  x

Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want xx

Girlfriend In A Coma  x

Ask 

Suffer Little Children

Pretty Girls make Graves 

Reel Around The Fountain 

Half A Person 

The Queen Is Dead 

Morrissey links

Best album lists:

* NME  (Vauxhall & I, Viva Hate, Your Arsenal) 
* WordsForMusic  (Vauxhall & I, Your Arsenal, I Am Not A Dog On A Chain) 
* BEA  (Viva Hate, Vauxhall & I, You Are The Quarry) 

* Stereogum  (Southpaw Grammar, Viva Hate, Your Arsenal)

1020 March 2019