Meat Is Murder

Four young lads produce an absolute classic of an album. Listen to the bass on the second last track. 40 years old and hasn’t dated at all.

Reiceved thanks

As the headline says… Favourite Smiths album. They’re all good of course, but if I had to choose only one then this would be it.

If you weren't around when Morrissey and Marr were producing intelligent pop music in the 1980s then I can thoroughly recommend this LP as well as the other 3 studio albums from the mighty Mancunians. Happy Listening!

very good

I bought the CD, yes I am an old person! No disputing the brilliant music here and possibly my favourite Smiths album - well in my top 4! Just one issue, it won’t upload to iTunes on my PC. Not sure if that is deliberate for copyright or not but it’s never happened before and I have hundreds of CDs. Anyway, rant over. Thanks for listening!!

Good sound compared to some vinyl

Like all of the Smiths albums this is fantastic. A great collection of songs including the lyrically/musically amazing The Headmaster Ritual, How Soon Is Now and Barbarism Begins At Home. Possibly the best Smiths album in terms of Morrissey's songwriting which doesn't pull any punches.

Great album

One could very easily hear on The Smith's self titled debut album that the band had a sound that was both different than what was happening at the time,yet also very familiar. Interesting how sometimes in music,a mild throwback can be a gateway to it's own future. For sure it's a catch 22. But The Smiths were lucky that they had no intention of resting on their laurels. The approach of that debut had been rather slow paced and was definitely not on the harder edged side of post punk rock-focusing very heavy on song craft,melody and the emotive,highly lyrical vocal styling's of Morrissey. The band apparently had the attention of turning up the muscle on their second album. Yet seemed to look upon it as a means by which to integrate their new approach into their established context of song. What emerged was one of those second albums where sophomore slump was not going to present a problem "The Headmaster Ritual" begins the album with a very uptempo guitar oriented new wave sound-complete with the genres use of fast transitions of major/minor chords-with "I Want The One I Can't Have" having a more straight up jangle rock approach on the same basic tempo. "Rusholme Ruffians" and "What She Said" are both shuffling,churning 50's/early 60's style rock 'n' roll full of reverb and both the drums and guitars churning in a rhythmically moving fashion. The slower "This Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" has a very European folk/rock style where the more upbeat and countryish "Nowhere Fast" reflects more the American folk/rock tradition. "How Soon Is Now?" is the only Smiths' song I knew well before this-defined by it's bassy rhythms and high pitched,crying rhythm guitar riffs which are probably it's most identifiable element. "Well I Wonder" is closer to the mid-tempo sound of the debut while "Barbarism Begins At Home" has a funky dance/rock rhythm-complete with a pretty grooving bass line on the bridge while the harrowing title song ends the album with a dark folky melody and a rhythm based on the mooing of cows-apparently on their way to the slaughterhouse. This album is much more overtly political than the debut. Corporal punishment in schools and anti Thatcher sentiment appear to dominate the earlier part of the album while it concludes with child abuse (corporal punishment at home) and pro vegetarianism dominate the second part. As with the first album,the eloquent lyrical language contrasts the socially aware,if seemingly politically divided stance presented here. Still it shows The Smiths were able to grow as they went along,and continue to make well done and even challenging pop/rock.

I got what I asked for.

Ótimo álbum. Chegou pontual.

Good