Album of the Day

The Smiths' self-titled debut had been in shops for less than a year when this odds-and-sods collection of single sides and radio recordings was released. Yet HATFUL OF HOLLOW is hardly a cash-in or stop-gap release; its 16 tracks underline the remarkable burst of creativity with which the Manchester quartet launched its career. Though not included on the band's proper studio sets, “William, It Was Really Nothing,” “Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now” and “Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want” are nothing short of essential, and the BBC takes of songs like “What Difference Does It Make” or “This Charming Man” (cut for John Peel, who was born on this day in 1939) equal, if not surpass, the LP versions. The Smiths aspired to be both a great singles and a great album band, and with HATFUL OF HOLLOW they proved equal to the task.