SMITHS (THE) – The Smiths – CD – 2564660488

Arriving in an era dominated by synth pop and gloomy post-punk, the Smiths’ eponymous debut was the bracing beginning of a new era. (…) Very few of the songs followed conventional verse-chorus structure, yet they were quite melodic within their own right. Marr’s inventive songwriting was made all the more original and innovative by Morrissey’s crooning and lyrics. Writing about unconventional topics, from homosexuality (“Hand in Glove”) to child molestation and murder, Morrissey had a distinctively ironic, witty, and literate viewpoint whose strangeness was accentuated by his off-kilter voice, which would move from a croon to a yelp in a matter of seconds. (…) Though the Smiths continued to improve over the course of their career, their debut remains startling and exciting.

Stephen Thomas Erlewine / Allmusic