16th June - The Smiths' The Queen Is Dead

Artist – Album: The Smiths – The Queen Is Dead

Released:  16^th June 1986

Sounds Like:  A not Unhappy Birthday!

I’d say it took about 6.23 seconds from setting up my extensive database of albums and release dates for this stupid-boy-project before I checked to see what albums were released on the 16^th June, my birthday.

Wild Beast’s Limbo Panto, 5 years old today, would not have been a bad album, boasting as it does their unique vocal warblings and their peculiar brand of atmospheric indie rock. History’s most infamous difficult album, Trout Mask Replica, also shares my birthday which certainly would have made an interesting post, whilst it’s crazy to think that Spiritualized’s wonderful but heartbreaking Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space turns 16 today. But to be honest I couldn’t have been happier to see that The Smiths’ masterpiece is also a 16^th of Juner, being as it is one of my all time favourite records. What a cracking present.

It’s the sound of the band at the very top of their game. Rourke and Joyce are lithe and powerful throughout, particularly on the spiky opener ‘The Queen Is Dead’, but it’s impossible to ignore the incredible input of the twin powers of Johnny Marr and Morrissey. Marr here produced some of his most dazzling compositions – although he was unsurprisingly pissed off when Morrissey festooned the faintly ridiculous lyrics of ‘Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others’ over a stunningly gorgeous melody, there are plenty of other remarkable tunes untainted by quickly tossed off words. ‘Cemetry Gates’ is splendid bubblegum pop, whilst ‘The Boy With the Thorn in His Side’ might sit only behind ‘This Charming Man’ as their best ever slice of jangly indie rock.

Meanwhile, Morrissey steps up to the mic armed with his finest set of lyrics. He playfully rips apart his record label head on ‘Frankly Mr Shankly’ (“But sometimes I'd feel more fulfilled, Making Christmas cards with the mentally ill”), embraces melodramatic love on fan favourite There Is a Light That Never Goes Out’ and shows his unparalleled gift for shattering despair on ‘I Know It’s Over’ (I know it's over - still I cling, I don't know where else I can go”). The latter song is the albums focal point and the one that brings together each wonderful element most successfully. But as a whole the album is near perfect anyway. Happy birthday to me.

Albumaday... rating: 10/10

1.       The Queen Is Dead – 6:24

2.       Frankly, Mr. Shankly – 2:17

3.       I Know It’s Over – 5:48

4.       Never Had No One Ever – 3:36

5.       Cemetry Gates – 2:39

6.       Bigmouth Strikes Again – 3:12

7.       The Boy with the Thorn in His Side – 3:15

8.       Vicar in a Tutu – 2:21

9.       There Is a Light That Never Goes Out – 4:02

10.   Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others – 3:14

Listen to ‘The Boy with the Thorn in His Side‘: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYp2LGKOF_M

Also released on the 16^th June:

1969: Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band – Trout Mask Replica

Also released on the 16^th June:

1997: Spiritualized – Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space

Also released on the 16^th June:

2008: Wild Beasts – Limbo Panto

14th March - Morrissey's Viva Hate

Artist – Album: Morrissey – Viva Hate

Released:  14^th March 1988         

Sounds Like: The Substitute Smiths

Viva Hate was born from the ashes of The Smiths, released just six months after their farewell album Strangeways, Here We Come. In it Morrissey still seems to be hung up on his old band mates, doing the musical equivalent of stalking their every Facebook and Twitter move (had either of those existed 25 years ago). The finest moments on this album sound like they’ve been pinched right out of Johnny Marr’s back pocket. The guitars are jangly and coruscating, backed by elastic bass and competent drumming. Morrissey may well have a holey, torn passport photo of Marr stuck to his dartboard, but it appears that his rebound (Vini Reilly from The Durutti Column) was just his old partner’s sound-alike.

Of course, that’s not exactly a bad thing. I love The Smiths. I mean, honestly, a couple of songs here (I’m looking at you ‘Angel, Angel Down We Go Together’) wouldn’t really get a look in on one of the Mancunian groups albums, but the best efforts – the singles ‘Everyday Is Like Sunday’ and ‘Suedehead’, along with the likes of ‘Bengali in Platforms’ – are as good as anything he’s ever been involved in.

It may have arisen because of a break up but thankfully the main man didn’t waste away his time wallowing in his own sadness. Or, at least, any more than he usually does...

In other news, we won at the quiz last night. Shockingly, it went down to a tiebreaker against my previous work, a real battle of wits. The first question: what year was the typewriter invented? Nobody really knows, but we guess closest at 1860 (it’s 1829). Second question: What was Forrest Gump’s IQ? We go 70, they go 75. It’s 75. Damn. Third and final question: In what year was the first London Marathon? I feel like it’s been going for 100s of years but my teammate knows better. He puts 1980. Then, as they’re calling for us to give our answers, he changes it to 1981. They put 1980. It’s 1981. We won! And we each won a free bottle of champagne, so if anyone wants to share it with me, let me know!

Albumaday... rating: 7/10

1.       Alsatian Cousin – 3:13

2.       Little Man, What Now? – 1:48

3.       Everyday Is Like Sunday – 3:32

4.       Bengali in Platforms – 3:55

5.       Angel, Angel Down We Go Together – 1:40

6.       Late Night, Maudlin Street – 7:40

7.       Suedehead – 3:56

8.       Break Up the Family – 3:55

9.       The Ordinary Boys – 3:10

10.   I Don’t Mind If You Forget Me – 3:17

11.   Dial-a-Cliché – 2:28

12.   Margaret on the Guillotine – 3:42

Listen to ‘Suedehead’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AvuweztG4Q