Call me morbid, call me pale" Morrissey sings on "Half a Person." The fact is, a lot of people do, Moz. But I don't buy that The Smiths are an ultra-depressing band. No, that title goes to Joy Division or Radiohead (both bands I love, btw) before The Smiths. Even in their greatest dispair, I can sense they're taking it all with a grain of salt and wry humour. It's a really delicate and fine balance, but they strike it well. Our full range of studio equipment from all the leading equipment and software brands. Guaranteed fast delivery and low prices. Not a word about the music itself yet. This does include timeless classics like "Is it really so strange?", "Hand in glove", "Sheila take a bow", "Panic", "Ask", "Heaven knows I'm miserable now" and "William it was really nothing". All excellent pop songs with great Johnny Marr guitar lines and melodies and great Morrissey lyrics. But again, all of it is also available on Singles which makes a much better compilation. When a compilation album doesn't do its job properly it doesn't matter that it's full of wonderful music. And that's exactly the case here. Christgau, Robert (23 February 1988). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice . Retrieved 23 December 2015.

The Smiths – Louder Than Bombs (1988, MPO, Gatefold, Vinyl

the only thing as great as a Smiths album is a Smiths bsides album. Seriously, this album is filled to the max with 24 bsides that are all fantastic. That being said, here are some random thoughts of mine about the Smiths... For my money, The Smiths are the greatest singles band ever. So, the fact that this is a collection of previously released songs (and b-sides at that) and not a proper album means very little to me. The important thing is that these are really strong songs and there's a lot of them.The Smiths represent an era or a time when things were felt with great wonder and excitement. It was also the last band that really expressed themselves through their design of album and 12" single covers. Each one was an entrance to a world that seemed gay or at the very least, a portrait of an artist who railed against the system or machine, and either played the price of becoming obscure or a footnote to a series of sad moments. The Smiths became the voice for those who felt differently or couldn't fit in the world that was clearly made for other people. John Porter – slide guitar on "Sheila Take a Bow", sound effects on "Ask", [16] drum machine and bass guitar on "Golden Lights" [17]

Louder Than Bombs (1987, Specialty Pressing The Smiths – Louder Than Bombs (1987, Specialty Pressing

There's only one clunker in The Smiths entire career and it happens to appear here, of course I'm talking about "Golden Lights."

Overall a good compilation, and seeing the light about these seminal artists some more. Generally the statement “one of the best single bands of the 80’s” is very true. Some of these songs should have really been on their main albums, others not as much. See, this is one of my main gripes with The Smiths. The majority of their slow songs just do not cut it for me at all. It’s not like I hate them or anything, but they’re something I would never seek out. The fact that the last two sides mostly have this is brutal and ruins my enjoyment a lot. So, in the end, if you listen to this collection of songs and still don't feel what the rest of us feel, at least remember that the Moz has already told you why. Music Direct reserves the right to select the carrier and ship method within the terms of this offer. Music Direct reserves the right to change the terms of this promotion or discontinue this offer at any time.