published: 10 /
10 /
2011
Label:
Rhino
Format: CD Box
Excellent eight album box set which compiles together the Smiths' complete works
Review
Lovingly remastered by Johnny Marr himself, 'Complete’ is a beautifully repackaged version of what indie rock fans were listening to between 1984 and 1987. It includes all four of the band's studio albums, 'The Smiths' (1984), 'Meat is Murder'(1985), 'The Queen is Dead'(1986), 'Strangeways, Here We Come'(1987); their sole live album 'Rank' (1988 and also the compilations 'Hatful of Hollow'(1984),'The World Won’t Listen'(1987) and 'Louder than Bombs'(1987).
All the albums come in cardboard sleeves with replica covers and inner sleeves, and copies of the original labels. ‘The Smiths’ is actually the US version as it includes ‘This Charming Man’, which was not on the UK release.
Do we really need this? Does it sound any different? Well, to my ears, it doesn't really. Maybe if you had a thousand pound stereo, then it might, but at the price of £35 for the standard issue it isn't any more than when fans bought them on vinyl originally.
If you have more money you can buy the limited CD, LP, singles and DVD remastered box set at £229 instead. This is, however, a good introduction to the band and has pretty much everything that both old and new fans will need them. Embrace them, and you won't ever be lonely again.
Track Listing:-
1
Reel Around The Fountain
2
You've Got Everything Now
3
Miserable Lie
4
Pretty Girls Make Graves
5
The Hand That Rocks The Cradle
6
This Charming Man
7
Still Ill
8
Hand In Glove
9
What Difference Does It Make?
10
I Don't Owe You Anything
11
Suffer Little Children
12
The Headmaster Ritual
13
Rusholme Ruffians
14
I Want The One I Can't Have
15
What She Said
16
That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
17
Nowhere Fast
18
Well I Wonder
19
Barbarism Begins At Home
20
Meat Is Murder
21
The Queen Is Dead
22
Frankly, Mr. Shankly
23
I Know It's Over
24
Never Had No One Ever
25
Cemetry Gates
26
Bigmouth Strikes Again
27
The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
28
Vicar In A Tutu
29
There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
30
Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others
31
A Rush And A Push And The Land Is Ours
32
I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
33
Death Of A Disco Dancer
34
Girlfriend In A Coma
35
Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before
36
Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
37
Unhappy Birthday
38
Paint A Vulgar Picture
39
Death At One's Elbow
40
I Won't Share You
41
The Queen Is Dead
42
Panic
43
Vicar In A Tutu
44
Ask
45
His Latest Flame / Rusholme Ruffians (Medley)
46
The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
47
Rubber Ring / What She Said
48
Is It Really So Strange?
49
Cemetry Gates
50
London