The Smiths “The Smiths” released 35 years ago today, February 20th, 1984. I’ve written about The Smiths’ debut LP before, but I’ll take pretty much any excuse to listen to it, plus this release is another example helping to prove my thesis that 1984 was one of the greatest years for music ever. The Smiths is included on many best-of lists of albums from the 80′s (and of all-time) but I especially like the description of Slant Magazine’s reason for the inclusion of the band and the record on its list: “There’s no reason why a mordant, sexually frustrated disciple of Oscar Wilde who loved punk but crooned like a malfunctioning Sinatra should’ve teamed up with a fabulously inventive guitarist whose influences were so diffuse that it could be hard to hear them at all and formed one of the greatest songwriting duos of the ‘80s.” The Smiths debuted at #2 on the UK album chart, propelled by the success of the earlier (January ‘84) release of the single “What Difference Doest It Make?” which went to #12 on the UK singles chart. That track is one of my favorites (and a favorite of all Smiths songs). I also love “This Charming Man” which did not appear on the original UK release but was included on the US versions (which is what we have). The Smiths originally released that track as a single in the UK (their second, which was preceded by “Hand in Glove” (also on The Smiths and awesome) in 1983 when it went to #25 on the charts there. I’m also extremely fond of “Pretty Girls Make Graves” and “Still Ill” (“ask me why and I’ll spit in your eye”) all of which are on the upbeat side for Smiths songs and showcase Johnny Marr’s early guitar style to perfection. I do like the rest of the LP but find it difficult to wallow with Morrissey for too long in his most depressive depths (“Suffer Little Children” is f*&king brutal).