Drunken Owls and Other Delights

head58 pointed out earlier that today is the 25th anniversary of the release of The Smiths' The Queen Is Dead. He'd mentioned that this would definitely be on his Desert Island Disc list, and I have to agree, it would probably be on mine as well. It's one of their best albums--strong musicianship, some of Morrissey's best, smartest and even snarkiest lyrics, and not a bad track in the bunch (even counting the sillier throwaway ones).

This was an album I acquired through Columbia House, if I'm not mistaken...sometime in 1987 I was just about done with collecting as many Smiths albums as I could, and got this one on tape. Unlike the Cure or Depeche Mode, however, the Smiths weren't a band that you listened to late at night on headphones, alone in your room; they were to airy and upbeat for that. The Smiths were the roadtrip through New England, over someone's house, the bus ride to school, the band to listen to while on the way somewhere, or while somewhere else. They were a band to listen to during the day. I tend to equate them to autumn, listening to "I Know It's Over" while strolling through the leaves on the sidewalk, and walking home from school listening to "Cemetry Gates". After graduating high school, I listened to The Queen Is Dead on repeat while mowing cemeteries for the DPW in town. And just recently, going to see Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest at the Kabuki in Japantown, I was struck by the temptation to sing "Keats and Yeats are on your side/I've got the love of Wilde on mine."

Go on, go and pick it up and take a listen. After twenty-five years, it's dated just a tad bit, but it's still a strong album and well worth checking out.