Search - Smiths :: Meat Is Murder

What you get with the paper sleeve Japanese version.

B. McGowan | dublin, ireland | 02/09/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I had a copy of this cd from about 1990. When it came time to upgrade my Smith's collection to newly remastered releases, I opted for a Best of The Smiths compilation (2cd British version.) I thought that this would satiate my appetite for a while. Before long, I found myself wanting the original album releases. If you're a Smith's purist, and mourn the break up of the Morrissey/Marr song writing partnership, then you can understand the desire to get all the original albums.

Unfortunately, to get newly minted, remastered Smith's releases, one has to go the Japanese route. Only about five to ten thousand of the original albums were pressed for the paper sleeve additions. Fortunately, I live in Japan, and I was able to go through Amazon's independent sellers network. The price of most of the paper sleeve releases was still high! (but not prohibitively high for the avid collector.)

With the paper sleeves I got exactly what I wanted; pristine remastered material that showcased Johnny Marr's guitar work. The beauty of remasters is that the sound of the various instruments are not all scrunched together into the mix. With a good home 5.1 system or good headphones, I can really hear the instruments clearly separated. And it's a real treat to hear this material in this manner.

The thing that pleasantly surprised me is that the liner notes were all meticulously reproduced for the paper sleeve Japanese versions. Upon pulling out the liners with the cd inside I was jolted back a good twenty five years to my college days! This was totally unexpected. Staring up at me were exact replicas of all the lyrics neatly displayed on Meat Is Murder. I love the layout. Morrissey made sure that Smith's packaging was tasteful and aesthetically pleasing. His quality control still measures up all these years later.

As for Meat Is Murder as an album, the Smith's second album broke the sophomore curse. The band was tighter, more focused, and Marr/Morrissey had this album well thought out track by track. Even the instrumental jams sound inspired and not at all like filler. The Smith's were well in their element by their second outing. They had done John Peel BBC Radio sessions, and released numerous singles, so the sophomore curse of a touring band unable to deliver quality work on the second release doesn't at all apply here.

Of further note, the rhythm section of O'Rourke on bass, and Joyce on drums is outstanding. The rhythm section of this band is often over looked. After the Smith's, O'Rourke went through rehab, and was strong enough to team up again with Mike Joyce, the Smith's drummer as Sinead O'Connor's touring band rhythm section for her first album back in 1987/1988. The remastered versions of the Smith's catalogue highlight how truly good the Smith's were as a band.I regret not seeing Sinead in London with O'Rourke and Joyce as backing musicians.

So, in short, if you are a Smith's fanatic like myself, and you want to get hold of something that is very rare and precious, then do patronize Amazon's independent sellers for these releases. But beware, because once you listen to one of these paper sleeve additions, you will want them all for completion sake, and you will find yourself shelling out well over two hundred dollars for a handful of exceptionally fine cds."

Great Reissue

Baba | 05/28/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When I first got this title on CD, compact disc technology was still new. My experience is that I don't like listening to the Smiths in the digital domain.



The remastered vinyl reissue of Meat Is Murder by Rhino is superb. Nice stiff card stock cover. It comes with a reproduction of the original printed no-hole sleeve along with a standard white record sleeve. 180 grams makes for a heavy record. It sounds very good. Likewise the Queen Is Dead reissue. 5 stars.



My old vinyl pressing of Hatful of Hollow is getting a bit worn. I would love to see a reissue of that title as well."