Louder Than Bombs

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But The Smiths undeniably ushered in a brave new era for the singles compilation in ’87 by doubling the length of their contemporaries’ works. When Louder Than Bombs hit America, it was met with a resounding chorus of critical fawning that its English counterpart, The World Won’t Listen, never quite received—many British fans felt gypped with the song selection on their U.K. singles collection after seeing what the band chose to release in the States. Sire released Louder Than Bombs as a cassette and double-vinyl set on 31 March 1987 (a CD edition would follow in May). It was reviewed with gusto by the US music press (Spin magazine wrote, “This well-sequenced double album collection of new recordings and single sides previously unavailable on a US LP is the ultimate Smiths statement as it compiles most of their peak moments”), whose endorsements helped the album earn a gold certification. Stephen Street – additional drum machine programming on "London", sampling on "Rubber Ring", [18] sound effects on "Asleep" [19]

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.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. And to think this is supposed to just be a collection of unreleased duds and B-sides? I mean what duds, and also if this were just B-sides why the hell are so many of their all-star singles here? It perplexes me still to understand how this compilation came to be, less still do I care when it's as fantastic as this.

Johnny Marr – guitars, piano, harmonica, slide guitar on "Panic", [11] mandolin on "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" and "Golden Lights", It wasn’t the first or last time Delaney served as an inspiration for the Smiths. She’d previously graced the sleeve for the band’s “Girlfriend in a Coma” 7-inch, and Morrissey used the plot to A Taste of Honey for the song “This Night Has Opened My Eyes,” which was recorded exclusively for a 1983 John Peel session, initially featured on the group’s first singles compilation Hatful of Hollow (1984), and one of the true highlights of Louder Than Bombs.Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4thed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734. British album certifications – The Smiths – Louder Than Bombs". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 27 March 2019. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. " Louder Than Bombs – The Smiths". AllMusic . Retrieved 10 November 2011. Goddard, S, 2013. Songs That Saved Your Life - The Art of The Smiths 1982-87. 2nd ed. U.K.: Titan Books. P. 217. Goddard, S, 2013. Songs That Saved Your Life - The Art of The Smiths 1982–87. 2nd ed. U.K.: Titan Books. P. 171.

Cavanagh, D, 1993. Irreproachable: The Smiths: the very best of British?. Q Magazine, 1 December 1993.Morrissey, meanwhile, dove headfirst into his solo career with the release of Viva Hate in ’88, the first in a long succession of recordings under his own name that continues to bear fruits to this very day. Joyce and Rourke would link up with Sinead O’Connor just in time for work to begin on her seminal second LP I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got, while Joyce also played drums on Julian Cope’s 1991 masterpiece Peggy Suicide.