Customer Reviews

The Sound Of The Smiths: The Very Best Of The Smiths

5 star:		(5)
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3 star:		(2)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

A great first CD of an excellent 2-CD remastered set. So..um...why are you even looking at this page? Go find the "2 CD Deluxe Edition". Please. Buying this CD is like buying half of a boxed set.

The second disk contains more of the rarities in addition to more can't-miss standout tracks. Overall, this collection is a true remastered set, overseen by Johnny Marr, and offers a lot of new and original material, not like those tired record label releases we've seen over the past years.

Gripe all you want... Yes, there is a 2 disc version of this... I have this edition, and wanted the two disc one, but thought about it. I have all the individual albums. Why spend another 30 bucks on the same songs. I only got this for a concise collection to play for friends and otherwise. As an introduction to an amazing band, this 23 track career spanning single disc collection is a revelation. To say the least. The band didn't make an amazing storm ride up the charts in America, but American fans have garnered an amazing following. The songs are incredibly tuneful, fun, smart, and full of messages. Starting with the prolific Hand in Glove, the album dips from early to legendary with ease and knowledge. The reward in these songs is really how well they stand up in the 2010's as if they were a new band with new ideas. Seriously, the songs in general just speak volumes to listeners. This Charming Man - A short sweet jumpy tune that just makes you smile - "I Would go out tonight, but I haven't got a stitch to wear...." - Is that not what people do when trying to be charming? One of personal favorites - Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now... What to say besides it blew me away the first time I heard it. The chord changes, the vocal acrobatics, the ease of the groove... Incredible. That bass work alone is worth hearing the song. William It Was Really Nothing is a fast paced song of apology and How Soon Is Now is easily put as Sex on Record. Amazingly effective. Shoplifters Of The World Unite is also an invigorating tour de force and another highlight outright. There are no duds here speaking volumes for the group as they really did make amazing music throughout their tenure as a band. The fact that you can listen to 23 tracks without stopping really does say alot about The Smiths. A band alot of people hear but I doubt alot of people have seriously experienced. Simply put, these are songs that must be heard. They are pure, they are melodic, and they are easily said... Brilliant. The album artwork and liner notes are also effective, lush and worth the price. The photos are truly like a time capsule. Easily one of the finest Best Of/Compilation albums out at the time of this review, I cannot recommend this outstanding masterpiece enough. Experience this with yourself or someone special!

Having not heard much of The Smith's work, I decided what better way than to purchase this fully loaded double disc compilation to give me the full Smith's experience? I was right. I listened to all 46 tracks with instant pleasure and a new found liking for the charming 80's English rock band. Steven Morrissey's deep, sultry voice had a calming sooth effect that kept me hooked song after song. The band's complementing guitar and drums added the perfect vibe to bring the listener back to an era where English punk rock was at its prime. Whether you know and love the Smith's already, or are just a blooming fan hoping to hear some unheard material, this fully packed compilation is for you. The price and quality are definitely worth the investment, and quite frankly, who wouldn't love The Smiths?

The Smiths have always been hit or miss, one song sounds like a revelation while 3 others sound like throaway tracks. On a collection like this and especially the deluxe edition that's what one can expect. Obscure mixes of obscure songs that weren't that great to begin with. Of course there's some Smiths gems and they're mostly all included here. Honestly if you're going to start to buy Smiths albums you'd be better off buying the original albums and listening to the songs in the context of their albums.

Morrissey and Johnny Marr composed the most idiosyncratic duos of the 80's as the core of The Smiths. Morrissey of the complex and quintessentially droll gay Brit lyrical sensibility, Marr of the melodic yet jangular guitar mixture. Despite the dichotomy (and the friction that ultimately broke the band apart), when the two men clicked, they created brilliant bits of hit single obtuseness. "The Sound of The Smiths" captures that perfectly.

The finest examples are songs like "How Soon is Now," where the unbearably devious guitar riff anchors the song, dragging you into the Morrissey's usual tale of desperate relationships with a sickening thud. Then there's the jangling tease of "This Charming Man," about a piece of insecure street trade being solicited by a man of class. And who can resist the sardonic call of "Panic's" "Hang the DJ, hang the DJ, hand the DJ"?

While it is hard for me not to recommend any single Smiths album or the many compilations, I can also safely say that any of their four proper albums (especially the debut) is likely a better buy than their multiple best ofs. But if all you're really looking for is the brilliant decade of genre defining singles, "The Sound of The Smiths" is invaluable.

The Sound Of The Smiths: The Very Best Of The Smiths being a compilation of the Smiths and is a compilation between the years 1983-1987. It contains such amazing tracks like "This Charming Man", "Hand in Glove" and "How soon is Now?". The latter one being a 12' version and a version I had never heard before. The booklet contains no lyrics which is not uncommon for a compilation release. It does contain many fine photographs of the band around the years of the songs. Allmusic and Rolling Stone both gave the compilation top score in their reviews. 5/5.

I ordered this CD for their one hit, which I love! Thanks, lots of good memories!