4: April 22nd — Meat is Murder (1985) and New Influences
Listen to Meat is Murder
Watch:
- “The Smiths - How Soon Is Now?”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnpILIIo9ek
- “Elvis Presley - (Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59pOE3OmUi8
- “Car Wash” (Rose Royce): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v8I5egzoMo
- “Funky Disco Octave Bass Lines”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW1gMcLio9k
- “Victoria Wood, Lucky Bag - Fourteen Again”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBc1BncuJ84
- “The Smiths bass medley - 8 BEST BASS LINES by Andy Rourke”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NF9rspHL1E
- “The Secret Behind The Smiths Bass Lines”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2HnSA4jfo8
- “Radiohead - The Headmaster Ritual (The Smiths cover)”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikkO-Kyy9cs
- “Morrissey Interview (Studio One) (1985)”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lF0YtZYw_HY
Blog question: What new elements are added to the Smiths repertoire on this record? Are they beginning to make a larger use of the studio as a “musical instrument”? How do the song structures differ from their earlier tracks?
A few new elements that I noticed on Meat is Murder were how refined the songs sounded in comparison to the debut album and Hatful of Hollow as well as non-instrument additions to the tracks. Both the guitar and bass parts seemed a little more complex than the previous two albums. I’m not a music production professional at all, but from what I hear it seems like The Smiths are definitely taking advantage of sound editing/mixing tools. Additionally, on songs such as Rusholme Ruffians and Meat is Murder you can hear sound bits that have been layered with the music--cow sounds, sheers, cheering, and car engines.
ReplyDeleteFrom a broader standpoint, Meat is Murder’s lyrics include a more explicitly morbid imagery--the previous two albums were definitely macabre at times, but Morrissey’s lyrics specifically mention the concept of death several times. Given the title of the album and the song titled “Meat is Murder,” this album takes a more overtly political stance against eating meat. From what I’ve learned, it seems like the band has always had strong beliefs, but this seems like a big step up in getting their political point across.
In terms of song structure, the album felt more complex in their story telling than earlier tracks. Songs on The Smiths felt like they told bits and pieces of a story, but they were harder to decode. These newer songs seem to tell a more complete story, many of which I think were Morrissey's childhood experiences.
The songs in Meat is Murder sound more energetic and bright compared to the previous albums. However, the bright sounds of the songs contrast greatly with the lyrics of those songs, which have a darker and aggressive undertone. Although I’d say the Smiths continued to separate themselves musically from other 80’s artists, I felt like they were using more studio sounds. The singing sounds much clearer and the bass instrumental seemed to use instruments and sounds beyond their standard drum and guitar. For example, they added in sounds of cows and birds in a few. What stood out the most from this track were the lyrics. Whilst the past tracks had lyrics with nearly identical themes, some of the songs in this track bring into light other topics like struggles against education and perspectives on societal life aside from homosexuality and loneliness. In ‘I Want The One I Can’t Have’, for example, Morrissey juxtaposes his life by comparing the things he want in life to those of the rich, as well as sings that one’s mentality doesn’t match with their biology, which was probably a reference to his homosexuality. In ‘Nowhere fast”, they seem to express their political beliefs, particularly on materialism and political ironies, and how they conduce to monotony and a loss of will to live. Overall, The Smiths seemed to utilize more artificial sounds and are beginning to express more aggressive and serious topics via their songs.
ReplyDelete-Jenny Cho
I noticed, as others have pointed out, that the songs on this record seemed a lot more refined and didn't have many production issues like those on Hatful of Hollow. It's interesting that this album, along with the other 2 that the Smiths would record, were produced solely by Morrissey and Marr, along with Stephen Street. Maybe this was done due to bad experiences with how the debut album and Hatful of Hollow had significant production issues, leading the band to want to control all aspects of the production process, so they could ensure quality. Another reason could be that the band now had the confidence to take such a step, something they didn't have earlier.
ReplyDeleteThe lyrics on this record are a lot more political and Morrissey makes his stances on issues like veganism, corporal punishment, and the royals very clear. I think that the band had new confidence after their previous success and decided to take up more controversial positions and use their music in new ways to talk about them. Meat is Murder is an excellent track and to this day is groundbreaking. I learned that many artists, including Paul McCartney have refused to make tracks on veganism because they feel its hard and that no one can out do what the Smiths did. When Morrissey says he would like to pull his pants down for the Queen on Nowhere Fast, I found that pretty shocking. I know anti royal sentiment was pretty high at the time, but did not expect someone to say this on a record.
My favorite track on this record (and of all time) has to be Well I Wonder. In my opinion, the levels of all the tracks are perfectly balanced and I liked the use of the strings, the really high vocals from Morrissey towards the end, and of course the rain sounds at the end. The bass line is iconic and probably my favorite Smiths bassline as well. The Smiths definitely built up confidence from their previous record and compilations and used it well. They explored a new set of different sounds, and had an entirely new production method that I think worked out
I noticed, as others have pointed out, that the songs on this record seemed a lot more refined and didn't have many production issues like those on Hatful of Hollow. It's interesting that this album, along with the other 2 that the Smiths would record, were produced solely by Morrissey and Marr, along with Stephen Street. Maybe this was done due to bad experiences with how the debut album and Hatful of Hollow had significant production issues, leading the band to want to control all aspects of the production process, so they could ensure quality. Another reason could be that the band now had the confidence to take such a step, something they didn't have earlier.
ReplyDeleteThe lyrics on this record are a lot more political and Morrissey makes his stances on issues like veganism, corporal punishment, and the royals very clear. I think that the band had new confidence after their previous success and decided to take up more controversial positions and use their music in new ways to talk about them. Meat is Murder is an excellent track and to this day is groundbreaking. I learned that many artists, including Paul McCartney have refused to make tracks on veganism because they feel its hard and that no one can out do what the Smiths did. When Morrissey says he would like to pull his pants down for the Queen on Nowhere Fast, I found that pretty shocking. I know anti royal sentiment was pretty high at the time, but did not expect someone to say this on a record.
My favorite track on this record (and of all time) has to be Well I Wonder. In my opinion, the levels of all the tracks are perfectly balanced and I liked the use of the strings, the really high vocals from Morrissey towards the end, and of course the rain sounds at the end. The bass line is iconic and probably my favorite Smiths bassline as well. The Smiths definitely built up confidence from their previous record and compilations and used it well. They explored a new set of different sounds, and had an entirely new production method that I think worked out
I genuinely notice how they took a more adventurous approach to their lyrics and even the sounds. I hear a lot of little things like in Barbarism begins at home, Morrissey sings "a crack on the head" I can hear like a slap or something. Then I hear like yells or yelps, so I think they really focused on small details to make this album again very thought-provoking. I also believe this album is political. In this particular song, I catch violence against kids for being critical and themselves, basically. In "meat is murder" the lyrics that stand out is "The calf that you carve with a smile is murder … And the turkey you festively slice, is murder," so just really talking about animal rights in an intense form.
ReplyDeleteIn general, in this album they explore with more sounds and talk about various issues through their lyrics. Some songs are very upbeat, while others stimulate sensitivity.
-Lilia Antuna
More than anything else, the songs on this record contain what seems to me to be a more refined overall sound and feel compared to their Smiths' previous records we have listened to. Some of the songs on this record incorporate non-instrument or studio sounds (which were almost absent from what I could tell on the previous records), which again helped the record to appear more refined and professionally done. I would definitely say they are starting to make a larger use of the studio as a "musical instrument" due to the implementation of studio sounds throughout the record. Additionally, the musical composition of many of the tracks on this record are simply more complex, which is achieved through the implementation of new studio and non-instrument sounds. In regard to how the song structures differ from previous tracks, what was most striking to me was that while many of the songs on this record sounded more upbeat and vivid in their musical composition, the lyrics were far darker and more politically charged than before. One such example of this is contained within "Meat Is Murder," a track that is an utter denunciation of meat consumption that states its message with clear lyrics about how meat consumption is murder and that it's "death for no reason." Additionally, the record contains multiple songs with allusions and direct condemnations of the crown and the royals, again highlighting how the songs were becoming more politically charged. Overall, the tracks contained on this record were more musically complex and layered compared to songs that the Smiths had released before, as well as how the tracks on this record were more explicit about their political messages.
ReplyDelete-Andrew Myers
As others have noted in their posts, the songs on Meat Is Murder are more energetic/fast-paced and sound tighter production-wise. Although some of the songs are significantly longer than songs on their self-titled album or Hatful of Hollow, I really think the shorter track listing adds to the more refined nature of Meat is Murder. Additionally, like Bea pointed out, the guitar and bass performances on this album sound more complex and paired with the high tempo of most of the songs, give the album a sort of aggressive energy that stands in contrast to The Smiths' previous work. This aggressive energy is a great complement to the politically/socially-charged lyrics that Morrissey sings on the album. In terms of new elements, I heard a lot of rockabilly and punk influence on Meat is Murder. The guitar riffs on "Rusholme Ruffians" and "Nowhere Fast" sounds super similar to a classic 50s rock song, like the Elvis song listed above. Moreover, the punk influence is apparent in the anti-monarchy, anti-corporal punishment lyrics on songs like "Nowhere Fast", "Barbarism Begins at Home", and "The Headmaster Ritual".
ReplyDeleteThe Smiths also appear to use the studio/mixing more prominently on Meat is Murder, especially on the title track which layers animal noises with shears and machinery. I'm not a huge fan of the lyrics on the song but I do think the sound effects are very effective in making the listener emotional and uncomfortable. Morrissey aimed to confront the listener with the horrors of meat production and consumption which I believe he accomplished; it definitely isn't a song you would listen to if you wanted to relax. "Barbarism Beings at Home" is another song that uses sound effects to further its message. After Morrissey sings "A crack on the head", you can hear a whipping/cracking noise which depicts the grim reality of corporal punishment in English primary schools. Morrissey's yelps/barks of pain(?) on the song also add to the unsettling nature of the topic. In contrast to the darkness of the lyrics, Andy Rourke's bass throughout the song and especially his solo adds a fun funk/groove that balances out the tone.
All of the songs on the album are good, if not great, but one of my favorites has to be "Nowhere Fast". Lyrics like "And if the day came when I felt a natural emotion/I'd get such a shock I'd probably jump in the ocean" and "And when I'm lying in my bed/I think about life and I think about death/And neither one particularly appeals to me" are so perfectly angsty and Smiths-esque. Overall, I think Meat is Murder is mostly an improvement from their previous two works and displays their confidence in exploring taboo subjects more explicitly.
- Addison Harms
Despite the songs being longer in length, I got the impression of the album being much shorter than it was. Maybe it was a the sleeker production values, but the initial songs like "The Headmaster Ritual" and "Rusholme Ruffians "set the standard of a more upbeat sounding album. They songs' sound were more "boppy" in tone and dynamic. It's also evident in songs like "Meat is Murder" that they're using studio production to introduce sounds that make relevance to the title and content of the songs and album. Adding those cow sounds are completely different than what's been heard in previous Smiths sounds and albums. This flirting with more experimental sounds are, in my opinion, a welcome inclusion to the band's repertoire. Also, as others mentioned, the blatant and explicit political posturing set a good precedent for what was going to be observed by Mozz in the future.
ReplyDelete--Daniel Rivera
In my opinion, the songs on Meat is Murder are more jangly and refined than previous albums. This isn’t to say freshman and sophomore albums are unrefined but I think that in this album they have really found their voice. A personal favorite of mine on this album is “Headmaster Ritual” which is a deceptively playful song with Morrissey’s telltale dark lyrics, which is sort of the Smith’s signature sound, but here, unlike in previous albums, it sounds more cohesive and interesting. I also find that Moz is making more of a social commentary than on previous albums, which is something we will continue to see more as time goes on. Although not one of my favorites, “Meat is Murder” has more of a produced sound, that you can tell was created in a studio, with the sounds of cows and such. I am no expert in music but I think a part of this ‘refinedness’ has to do with the smoothness of the drums in conjunction with Johnny Marr’s already beautiful guitarwork. Basically, I think the rest of the instruments have caught up with Johnny Marr. That isn’t to say they weren’t good before, but now it isn’t hard carrying the songs.
ReplyDelete- Evan Ibarra
I think it was interesting to compare “Meat Is Murder” to their previous albums, because while I found the style of their music similar to previous songs, you can tell that the Smiths found their niche and their “place” within music. As many have noted, the tracks are longer, which to me indicated a sense of confidence in the direction they are going. Possibly because they are more mature and established, they have decided to take on more political and controversial opinions in their song. I do see that they are beginning to make a larger use of the studio as a “musical instrument” and a lot of the songs have better production, but to me, that contributes to the gradual maturity of the Smiths as a band as they learn how to create more refined records. - Samantha Wong
ReplyDeleteMeat is Murder is arguably one of the best The Smiths' work today. As many pointed out, this album sounds much more polished than their previouys LPs. I think a lot of that comes from the utilization of different sample sounds in songs such as "Meat is Murder." In additon to Morrissey's genius lyrical contributions, we see Andy Rourke really shining through in many of these tracks. In the "Headmaster Ritual," Rourke's bass lines are easier to here and it feels like the band is finally utilizing him as a musician.
ReplyDeleteFor many of the songs on this album, they showcase the band's tremendous growth. Take for instance "Barbarism Begins at Home," we see Rourke and Marr shine through. The song is almost 7 minutes long, which is rare for The Smiths; Morrissey's ad libs are different from what he normally does. Morrissey has always been political but Meat is Murder is the start of his blatant critisim of the British monarchy, education, etc. In the song he states "A crack on the head is what you get for not asking/And a crack on the head is what you get for asking," critizing that England didn't officially outlaw physical punishment in public schools well into the 1980s.
"Meat is Murder," however might win, as Morrissey asserted his stance on vegantarism. He crticizes people's ignorance when it comes to eating meat, but now knowing the barbaric and cruel practices that are used in the industry. Murder is something used to describe a human crime, so Morrissey using it saying the death of animals is murder is quite the statement. Seeing this live as well is an experience; Morrissey's use of animals in pain, in conjuction with the images of animals being slaughtered is something I won't forget .
Personally, I think this album is my favorite that we have listened to so far. Each song has a very specific purpose rather than the earlier albums which kind-of seemed like they were each made completely independently and then compiled together. This album is very cohesive and gives a sense that the band is starting to really get it as far as where they want to be and how they want to grow as a band and as artists.
ReplyDeleteAs far as individual songs, I definitely have a few favorites. First off, I think that the catchiness and the ability of 'Rushholme Ruffians' to lyrically capture a very specific and familiar atmosphere is very powerful. I feel like, in this song, Morrissey depicts encounters and experiences that many people have had. It also just has this very lovely quality in the interaction between Morrissey and the rest of the band. 'Well I Wonder' may be my favorite song on the album, mostly due to the killer instrumental part at the end of the track. It just goes to show how the band had grown to become a unit made up of very powerful pieces. Finally, the title track of the album impresses me every time that I listen to it. I don't know why but I get the same 'vibe' from this song that I get when I listen to 'How Soon is Now?' Some sort of sense that this song is the pinnacle of what The Smiths want to be.
- Charles Whitcomb
DeleteAs Alicia pointed out, I would agree that Meat is Murder is one of The Smiths' best. The sound is much more refined and a very unique LP in their discography (although that can be said about most of their work). The use of studio produced sounds allows for a band to sound much fuller than it previously was. With their previous songs (with the exception of say "How Soon is Now?") each member of the band was very distinguishable and very clearly could be heard as a four person group. Many of the tracks on this album have instrumentals that blend together more seamlessly. They are starting to fulfill a standard for most music of the time of having full sounding instrumentals that could almost sound like an ensemble of musicians, something not necessarily bad, but nevertheless is indication of the bands desire to grow and try more with the equipment and people at their disposal. Even little things like distinguishable sound effects like the ones already pointed out, add more to the songs. On top of this, while The Smiths have always been a very contentious band, this album is very clearly much more political than their debut album and previous LPs, asserting the band's (or more accurately: Morrissey's) political stances.
ReplyDelete-Andrew Naranjo
The tracks in this album were a bit more clear to listen to. Seems like they have evolved from their typical kind of blurry style of music production. In terms of their lyrics, it looked like they became more political with lines like “belligerent ghouls run Manchester schools” and “this beautiful creature must die, a death for no reason”. It was interesting to see them take on issues like animal rights, with promoting to stop killing animals for meat consumption. With the world so much more aware of issues like animal right nowadays, it is surprising that they have touched on this topic at a time when the issue was not as much recognized. Another element that was introduced in this album that has not been so prevalent in their previous works was the use of piano and I think it added a nice layer to their music.
ReplyDeleteSerafina Valisa: This album sounds much more professional and polished than past ones. It still sounds like their original sound in many ways, but with much more character (for example, with the random addition of cow sounds in “Meat is Murder”). The album has much more funk influence, particularly in the bass lines (such as in "Barbarism Begins at Home," and "Nowhere Fast") and overall has a much more upbeat and hearty feel. They seem to be layering in a lot more social commentary (on vegetarianism, consumerism, social inequalities, corporal punishment, etc.). This commentary seems counterintuitive because in some ways it could be seen as detracting from the music itself, which was what the band emphasized that they wanted to highlight. However, I find it really cool that they wanted to include more of their own moral commentary, and I think it fits Morrissey's personal crusade to be different from everyone else. I do think that they're making a larger use of the studio in general, which is evident in how much clearer their songs sound.
ReplyDeleteThe record, Meat is Murder by The Smiths, is noticeably shorter than the preceding album Hateful in the Hollows. This album uses a lot of dismal rhetoric, starting from the titles and the lyrics. To me, the vegan motif is a metaphor possibly to suggest to his listeners that we are animals and that we have violent tendencies. I got that theme in the song Barbarism Begins at Home. The song is talking about people who are "unruly... who must be taken in hand." The setting is a school, but I find it most interesting how the expression "education begins at home" is told to children in elementary school. The phrase "Barbarism begins at home" suggests brutality or strife in a domestic setting. I bring this up because, in my perspective, Morrisey is comparing people to wild animals in this song. In between the chorus and verses during the guitar and bass riffs, the audience hears Morrisey bark like a dog. If the character in this song is experiencing violence, "a crack on the head" for asking a question or not must feel like it follows them home. The ending track is also a metaphor. Although, it could be an over analyzation of a clear message that Morrisey wants to send out, which is the practice of slaughtering animals for the benefit of humans is murder. I see the song still using the animals as a metaphor for people where the unnecessary amounts of violence that can lead up to the death of an individual, whether it be an actual murder or a suicide, is murder.
ReplyDeleteMusical elements added to the album are the cleaner quality of production and the overlay of sounds, instruments, and animals to portray their grotesque lyrics in the cheerful music. Rourke's basslines are simplistic but add dimension to the tracks along with Marr's layered guitar playing. This album was the one I listened to the least, and I find that the tone is consistent with their previous albums. It sounds like the music has evolved along with Morrisey's tendencies to be controversial.
DeleteMusical elements added to the album are the cleaner quality of production and the overlay of sounds, instruments, and animals to portray their grotesque lyrics in the cheerful music. Rourke's basslines are simplistic but add dimension to the tracks along with Marr's layered guitar playing. This album was the one I listened to the least, and I find that the tone is consistent with their previous albums. It sounds like the music has evolved along with Morrisey's tendencies to be controversial.
Delete