#481 The Smiths- The Smiths (1984)

This is the first of quite a few eponymous albums I'll review, and one of quite a few more that I'll admit to knowing very little about.  I had cast The Smiths away as shoe-gazer music, miserablistic, or even worse "gay"--at least I had back in the 80's when I was still steeping my musical tea in the machismo of Led Zeppelin and the Who.  I think the genre caught up with me (or vice versa) around the early 90's with my discovery of the Sundays, which then opened my ears to other introspective and similarly contemplative music.  While I'm familiar with a few of the lead singer Morrissey's songs post Smiths break-up, I can't claim having listened to any of the eleven songs on their debut.

Reel Around the Fountain-  Johnny Marr's jangly guitar and Morrissey's baritone voice work like peanut butter and jelly.  Both sounding ethereal and easy.  This song isn't complicated musically, but if it was, it would only take away from the story--the reminiscing of growing up, your first physical relationship.

You've Got Everything Now-  musically a little more "in your face" and slightly protagonist.  A song sung to an old friend or lover, about the turning of tables (perhaps two).  You can win fame and fortune, and still be a loser.

Miserable Lie-  a song that starts out sweet, and abruptly turns angry.  As I read the lyrics, I think the Miserable Lie was a promise of love merely to take someone's virginity "you have destroyed my flower-like life".  I understand the device of playing sweet(love) and then abruptly playing hard, but Morrissey's falsetto howls at the end are sorta tough to get through.

Pretty Girls Make Graves-  Musically the song reminds me of a ska version of Men at Work's Land Down Under, but breaks away for interesting choruses and bridge.  Lyrically it's about a gay man being courted by a woman who isn't aware of his sexuality, and the conflicting frustration he has feeling jealousy when she finds someone else along with feeling that "nature played this trick on me."

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle-  The music and the lyrics sound slightly disjointed, as if this was a poetry reading and the house band decided to play some jingle jangle Byrds music to back it.  Having said that, the poetry is dark-- the singer has sexually abused a child, or it could just be a parent so obsessed with protecting the child, or it might not be a child at all... it's open for interpretation, but to me it's clearly dark.

This Charming Man-  Very upbeat and Cure-like in it's feel and bass-forward sound.  The singer is riding his bike up a hill when he gets his tire punctured.  Such a great line of irony and foreshadowing "Will nature make a man of me yet?"  His rescuer does one better.  Great "book".

Still Ill-  The music is so happy, and the lyrics are so sad.  Is this blues?  The singer's "illness" could be depression, could be love, or maybe it's just the past that he needs to get past.

Hand In Glove-  One of the first songs written between Marr and Morrissey in a matter of hours; it hit #3 on indie charts, followed by This Charming Man and What Difference Does it Make taking the #2 and #1 spots at the same time.  Marr plays harmonica over the intro and outro to give a sense of working class, similar to the Beatle's Love Me Do.  "Yes we may be hidden by rags, but we've something they'll never have."

What Difference Does It Make-  peaked at #12 on the pop charts in the UK (#1 on indie charts).  Great opening guitar riff.  Old childhood friends, one reveals he's gay, and the other is "looking very old tonight"--old in his way of thinking, he can't accept him as a friend anymore.

I Don't Owe You Anything-  I think this is the clunker of the album--musically it's kinda vanilla.  The book is pretty straight forward--the singer is obsessed with someone, who doesn't return his interest, but will allow him to come over for sex on occasion.

Suffer Little Children-  A song written about the Manchester Moors Murders, of children back in the early 60's who were of the same age as Morrissey.  "You might sleep but you will never dream"
This is truly an album to me.  The term album originates from when 78's were sold in a book form, much like a photo-album.  Each of the pictures of this book are of the same setting (Manchester, England), the same time (the early homophobic 80's), and of different angles of the same subject (child abuse).  A very heady and risky subject at the time, for a band's first release, but one that Morrissey couldn't be more forward and honest about, and one that needed the skillful Johnny Marr to write the disarming music for.

I was 15 in 1984, and surely would not have been caught dead listening to songs about homosexuality, or even introspective songs w/o power chords.  Sadly, I can't even claim 10 years later that I was much different.  I have grown (and will hopefully continue to) considerably since then, musically and personally.

I can listen to mafioso rap and seek to understand the struggle of the street.  I can listen to an album written from the perspective of an abused gay youth, and seek to know his confusion; his struggle to find himself when the world around doesn't understand.  Perhaps it's not just my growth, but society's as well, that today we can look and learn upon these once closeted subjects almost as commonly as we do the name Smith.

Next Up #480 George Michael- Faith (1987)

#482 Elvis Costello and the Attractions- Armed Forces (1979)

Such conflicting feelings--I'm excited to finally review an album that I know song by song in order, verbatim so-to-speak.  I'm also a little upset that it came so soon, or rather that it's not rated higher than 482.  Regardless of the placement, Elvis Costello's third album was his first to hit the top 10 in the US.

I didn't appreciate Elvis Costello until long after the punk/new-wave era was over.  I do clearly remember watching, taping, and studying the Rolling Stone Magazine's 20 Years of Rock television special that aired in 1987. It was an all inclusive musical encyclopedia full of amazing footage, interviews and insight into all of my music heroes at that time, from the Beatles to Van Halen.  I still have that videotape complete with the commercials that aired which alone are worth the watch;  but the part that I can't help but recall, in shame, is how appalled I was at the inclusion of this Buddy Holly imitator Elvis Costello.  My best friend and I would watch this and cringe, how did this geeky sad-sack bribe his way onto the show?  It would take 4 years of college, or rather the maturation that those years provided, to turn this "Geeky Buddy Holly" into one of my musical icons, almost on par with the Beatles, and far exceeding the Van Halens of that era for me.

When I "got it", when I finally was ready for the genius of Mr. MacManus, it didn't take me long to arm myself with the ammunition of his forces.  I had probably purchased every one of his then 11 or 12 Cd's by the end of 1992--I was out of college and had a job, and Cd's were my vice.  I can't recall what album I bought first, or what song first caught my ear, but it was nothing short of an obsession.  I will attempt in this blog, to recreate 1992 and give Armed Forces a virgin listen... but it will be the equivalent of a hooker feigning shyness.

Accidents Will Happen-  It's a wonderful short story full of so many devices, and all skillfully placed in a three minute box.  Clever use of word-play, layering, hooks, bridges.  The end of it sounds like a clock ticking away, much like the life wasted by the character of this song, who realizes not only is he trapped in the wrong relationship, but in turn has trapped the other person too: "you used to be a victim now you're not the only one"

Senior Service-  It's fast, like a snide comment that goes over everyone's head.  Elvis Costello makes quick commentary about how corporations put workers at odds with each other; your loss is my promotion.  "They took me in the office and they told me very carefully, the way that I could benefit from death and disability"

Oliver's Army-  I've read mention to Oliver Cromwell, the English leader who defeated Scotland and the country of Elvis' heritage, Ireland.  "Have you got yourself an occupation"  It's a song against England's (or any superpower's) occupation and dominion of the poorer countries of the world.  Could Oliver also refer to Oliver Twist?  Both sides recruited poor young boys to do the dirty work in their army.

Big Boys-  How did keyboardist Steve Naive create a canvas of sound (using that era's palette) that doesn't sound dated?  It's 1979, they should sound silly, but they don't.. they are perfect.  To me the song is about faking maturity until you have it, but then realizing you've painted yourself into a corner.

Green Shirt-  Again, I love the keyboard sounds. I haven't listened to this in forever with headphones--so much is missed on speakers.  Farfisa and Vox keyboards were actually popular in the late 60's, but early on  with the Attractions, it was all Naive could afford, lucky for us.

Party Girl-  a song about meeting a kindred spirit, someone that you know is rare, special; tragically you know it can't work.  In a parallel universe, Elvis and the young female art student he met on tour in Minnesota, could have been. "We're so hard to find, I could give you anything but time"  A slow song, Party Girl ends side one to the album

Goon Squad-  the original title to Armed Forces was "Emotional Fascism"  You feel that anger and resentment in the driving beat that begins side two to the album.

Busy Bodies-  is Elvis exploring the trivialization of sex?  "Busy bodies getting nowhere"  The main character is ironically accomplishing nothing getting busy but then something more ironic happens--love?

Sunday's Best-  a circus like waltz.  Some of Elvis' strongest harshest lyrical content is often softened or snuck under the radar with whimsical music.  I love how he often uses the apostrophe to purposely confuse a noun from an adjective.  In this case Sunday's refers to both "Sunday is best" and the possessive "Sunday's best".  To me the song is about aristocracy's manipulation of the poor--recruit them to fight unnecessary foreign wars (motivated by religion).  The rich line the pockets of their "Sunday's best" while they "put them all in boots and khaki, blame it all upon the darkies"  This song was not included on the US version of the album.

Moods For Moderns-  very playful in it's structure, starting and stopping and different time signatures.  I love the twist of a phrase "I get hit looking for a miss"

Chemistry Class-  "people pleasing people pleasing people like you"  A song about being physically attracted to someone you really hate.

Two Little Hitlers-  The last song on the album, Godwin's law is not applicable.  To me this song has always been about couples that are mutually using one another.  But after listening to it again, all that goes out the window, and I wonder if I've been hearing it wrong all along.  Is it about hiding behind the will of someone else instead of taking ownership of your decisions?

There's so much I love about Elvis Costello--His razor sharp wit, his acerbic outlook on the world, the way he twists a phrase.  I can't remember the last time I listened to this album with earphones, but the music, the Attractions have never sounded better to me.  How did I shun EC in 1987? How did Rolling Stone only place this album at #482?  I guess accidents do happen.

Next up-  #481  The Smiths- The Smiths (1984)