Smiths, The: The Smiths (Vinyl LP)

Redefining an 80s generation of disillusioned youth caused by Britain’s inane ability to rid itself of the poverty and turmoil of the era, The Smiths were the neo-intellectual person’s answer to the dullness surrounding them. As is so often the case, the sum of The Smiths parts was always less than the whole, the group’s influence on modern music incalculable, their unique sound echoing through the strains of countless indie success stories and untold hopefuls alike.

The Smiths provided a guitar-based alternative to the synth-pop sounds of so many other early 80s UK bands, paving the way for the 90s Brit-pop explosion, and the Smiths' distinct LPs are still studied by millions of sensitive types all over the world.

The Smiths' self-titled debut featured balefully crooned, literate lyrics paired with jangly Rickenbacker guitar work; songs like “Hand In Glove” and “What Difference Does It Make?” were quite unlike anything else on radio at the time. Strange as this new sound was, there was something deeply affecting about Morrissey's fey, world-weary persona and guitarist Johnny Marr's precise arrangements, and listeners responded, driving the collection to #2 on the U.K. chart. The first of numerous triumphs for this seminal group, The Smiths stands as one of the landmark albums of the 1980s.

1. Reel Around The Fountain
2. You've Got Everything Now
3. Miserable Lie
4. Pretty Girls Make Graves
5. The Hand That Rocks The Cradle
6. Still Ill
7. Hand In Glove
8. What Difference Does It Make?
9. I Don't Owe You Anything
10. Suffer Little Children