794. The Smiths - Strangeways, Here We Come

With somewhat of a premonition in its title this abrupt, final album, from the band has grown on me significantly over the years... while I can no longer hear the serious "Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me" without feeling dated, other tracks are still perfectly stellar, "Girlfriend In A Coma", "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before" and "Death of a Disco Dancer". The lyrics are a bit darker and the songs a tad dramatic but still it's a great album.

8.2 out of 10

Death Of a Disco Dancer

793. The Smiths - The Queen is Dead

This has always been my favorite Smiths LP for simple reasons:

1. great title
2. perfect construction from beginning to end
3. some of the best smiths pop songs ever written
4. some of the best smiths lyrics ever written

9 out of 10

792. The Smiths - The Peel Sessions

I love these odd little cd's... another Peel Sessions disc by an iconic 80's band, recorded during the 80's - there's something about the style from back then where everybody from the cure, to the smiths, to u2 and even a brazilian band like Legiao Urbana all had sonically a common thread. The guitars sound bladed and crisp of that makes sense... this ep is a great little snapshot of the band back in 1983.

7.4 out of 10

What Difference Does It Make?

791. The Cure - Cut Here

I got this from HMV's going out of business 99 cent bin... it's the new track that was featured on the band's greatest hits cd. I understand why labels put a brand new song on a greatest hits cd - so desperate fans will pay $15 for something they almost already have - thanks to the internet no one has to do that anymore. It's also insulting to add a new song to a collection of greats, but anyway. This song is ok - just ok - it's lyrically ok, and musically boring - the b-side "Signal to Noise" is also bland.

4.5 out of 10

790. The Cure - Paris

This companion release to 'Show' takes place in Paris, I assume, and features older, and to many mainstream folk, obscure tracks which is what makes it a worthy live disc. The songs are of better quality than they were on 'Show', but much like that album it feels incomplete.

6.9 out of 10

789. The Cure - Show

Before the internet if you wanted to hear your favorite band live you had to either see them, rent the video or buy the live disc/lp... sure you could swap tapes but it's nothing like file sharing. If I had gotten "Show" off a site I'd be perfectly happy but I'm not for a few reasons... first it's a single disc. We all know the Cure play long sets there's no way a whole show could fit on one cd. Further evidence of this was the release of the four song "Side Show", four tracks that did not make it onto the original CD... more importantly though is that the sound quality is simply poor. Having recently heard the band, they are loud but are crystal clear. The main plus was that it's from the Wish tour, an album that I love.

6.4 out of 10