Aquarium Drunkard Presents: Oscillate Wildly: The Smiths
And here we have the sound of inevitability - a Smiths companion piece to last month's entry, Morrissey 1988-1992.
Several years back, Rhino released a comprehensive, remastered, Smiths box set comprised of the group's total output. Said box then remained in my car for the next three months ushering in a revitalized interest in the band not rivaled since the 9th grade. And while the Smiths are often associated with the drizzling blues and greys of Morrissey's lyrics (once described by Ryan Adams as "the Pope of sad people"), my own re-appreciation of the group's work largely leaned on the arrangements, nuance and aesthetic through-line that runs through their oeuvre from the very first note off the s/t debut, on through their swan song Strangeways, Here We Come.
Elsewhere: If you are a fan of the Smiths and/or Morrissey, do pick up his 2013 autobiography, entitled (of course) Autobiography. You'll laugh, you'll wince.
ABOUT AQUARIUM DRUNKARD
Based in Los Angeles, Justin Gage is the founder of the long-running, eclectic music blog Aquarium Drunkard. In addition to the blog you can catch his weekly radio show, Fridays, on SIRIUS XMU satellite radio -- noon-2pm EST.
Gage is also the founder of Autumn Tone Records and works as a music consultant and supervisor.
