The Smiths – Strangeways, Here We Come

"Strangeways, Here We Come" is a skilful overture to the past, communicating back to the subtly shaded, melodic nature of The Walker Brothers and exploring the conceptual themes of "Meat Is Murder" and "The Queen Is Dead", albeit with richer harmonies, greater depth and lush arrangements, as distilled on the epic misfit anthem "Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me". Indeed, it is a fitting epilogue, ending their all-too-ephemeral career on a high note, not simply as representatives of the disaffected, but as crafters of the most significant, stimulating British music of the 1980s, a vulgar, apathetic capitalist decade entirely at odds with Morrissey's counterculture views. "Strangeways, Here We Come" is a portrait of the band at their most introspective and poetic; the band synergised to an extent, but Morrissey's vocal tics and literate lyrics are more intensely unusual, compelling and evocative than they ever were, informing every aspect of their 60s-influenced aesthetic, which deviates greatly from the jangle pop formula of yore. At the behest of Johnny Marr, who, along with producer Stephen Street, oversaw the band entering a new musical phase, the fuller-sounding instrumentation was intentionally variegated, with keyboards, drum machines and synthesized saxophones supplementing Marr's trebly guitars, notably absent on the opening track. Morrissey's lyrical themes are also elevated to lucid and dramatic heights, with subjects ranging from the band's lack of commercial success, attacking record companies, personal strife, alcoholism and the issue of trust, all suffused with an undercurrent of violence. All things considered, "Strangeways, Here We Come" caught the band at a transitional period, and it was only Marr's departure that destroyed any opportunity for further growth, wider musical scope and subversions, especially since they had only just signed to a major label and were on an upward trajectory.

It is worth noting that the album has secured the band's position as the most indispensable, artful alternative rock act of the 1980s, a source of inspiration for the Britpop movement during the 1990s. Morrissey's back-to-basics image, conversely strong and tender singing, whip-smart and despairing lyrics indicated his solo stardom, but his work with the Smiths will forever be considered his greatest contribution to the annals of music history. With each composition possessing concise, punchy power and in spite of the fact it all sounds far glossier, accomplished and polished in of production, the pervading wistful and melancholic quality of the album is the reason it corresponds with their debut, "Strangeways, Here We Come" is as defiant as it is romantic and intimate, twisting sly humour ("Death of a Disco Dancer", "Paint A Vulgar Picture") and exploring dreary subject matter ("Girlfriend in a Coma") without ever becoming dour. The Smiths cultivated an overt ordinariness that contrasted the New Romantic excess of the time, and Morrissey's enigmatic, cerebral songwriting not only reflected his love of punk, music hall and pop music, but also social realism, twee, postcardish jocularity and sixties pop culture, now cited as the primary reason for the band's split. Morrissey's interest in cult film stars and referencing obscure British figures was an integral part of the band's visual imagery, and it reached fever pitch during the recording sessions of 1987, with one such song being an coyly jovial cover of Cilla Black's "Work Is A Four Letter Word", a far cry from the thrashing strains of their darker, superficially depressing and caustic material. Morrissey's innate ability to seduce his audience with a decidedly sincere, political, thoughtful bookish outlook is evident in each and every song. Of all the singles from the album, "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before", abounding a smooth pop sheen and probing of the human condition and capitalism that Morrissey's cynical, arched delivery is perfect at addressing with the utmost flair, echoes the best elements of their music and remains one of their catchiest efforts. It is perhaps because the Smiths were deeply concerned with the nuances, intricacies and observed detail of their own musicianship and overall sound that "Strangeways, Here We Come" is so musically progressive and lavishly produced. It is a masterpiece that should be recognized as such by critics and fans alike.

Rating: 5/5