The Smiths - The Smiths [24 bit FLAC] vinyl

The Smiths - The Smiths (1984) [24 bit FLAC] vinyl

Released: 1984
Genre: Pop/Rock
Style: Alternative
Codec: FLAC
Bit Rate: ~ 2,900 kbps
Bits Per Sample: 24
Sample Rate: 96,000 Hz

A1. Reel Around The Fountain 5:55
A2. You've Got Everything Now 3:58
A3. Miserable Lie 4:27
A4. Pretty Girls Make Graves 3:41
A5. The Hand That Rocks The Cradle 3:45

B1. Still Ill 3:19
B2. Hand In Glove 3:23
B3. What Difference Does It Make? 3:49
B4. I Don't Owe You Anything 4:04
B5. Suffer Little Children 5:29

Arriving in an era dominated by synth pop and gloomy post-punk, the Smiths' eponymous debut was the bracing beginning of a new era. On the surface, the Smiths' sound wasn't radically different from traditional British guitar pop -- Johnny Marr's ringing, layered guitars were catchy and melodic -- but it was actually an astonishing subversion of the form, turning the structure inside out. Very few of the songs followed conventional verse-chorus structure, yet they were quite melodic within their own right. Marr's inventive songwriting was made all the more original and innovative by Morrissey's crooning and lyrics. Writing about unconventional topics, from homosexuality ("Hand in Glove") to child molestation and murder, Morrissey had a distinctively ironic, witty, and literate viewpoint whose strangeness was accentuated by his off-kilter voice, which would move from a croon to a yelp in a matter of seconds. While the production of The Smiths is a little pristine, the songs are vital and alive, developing a new, unique voice within pop music. Though the Smiths continued to improve over the course of their career, their debut remains startling and exciting.