monkey

My choice is "Vauxhall and I." Perhaps his most understated.

atlantamoi

I'll second "Vauxhall and I". When Morrissey released "Kill Uncle" I thought he was at the end of the road. No way. "Vauxhall" is an amazing recording. I would think if anyone was a casual fan they could own that and the "Bona Drag" compilation and be set.

sherm42

Well Bona Drag shouldn't count. It's technically a compilation of singles, not an album.

I think "Your Arsenal" is the best overall.

kunert

First vote for the first one Viva Hate, still my favorite. Bona Drag shouldn't be on there. Vauxhall is a close second for me though.

monkey

A lot of fans still regard it as an album.

sherm42

I think a lot of fans are wrong. I mean, it has songs from the previous album on it.

Ky-Fi

Vauxhall and I for me.

I'm a huge fan of producer Steve Lillywhite's work (Big Country's The Crossing and Steeltown, U2's Boy, October and War, Simple Minds' Sparkle in the Rain, Pogues' If I Should Fall From Grace With God among other things). He usually seems to give albums a big, lwarm, lush, deep, etherial sound, and that sound really ties all of the songs of an album together----IMO, that's what he did for Morrissey on this one.

kunert

Yes.

"fans" unlike "casual listeners" would acknowledge the original singles and e.p.'s rather than a callous record exec's decision to "package, re-package, re-evaluate the songs...."

J-Dubya

Which one has all those happy pop songs on it? That's my favorite.

monkey

Don't vote for it then.

Surf Monkey

Hard choice. I went with Maladjusted.

redhenry

Bona Drag was the first one I bought, so I went for it for sentimentally over Vauxhal coming in as second choice...but I also love Your Arsenal.

T

atlantamoi

Wha? That's such a snooty thing to say! Callous record exec?
Pulease. "Bona Drag" is awesome because it does happen to be a compilation of great songs. What is wrong with that? I'm not a fan because I didn't go to the Smiths Grand Emporium Convo and Expo to purchase the picture disc single of "International Playboys" for $57.14? I better throw away "Bona Drag" since it's obviously for people who only casually listen to music.

I mean, are people who listen to Bob Marley's "Legend" disc unknowing "casual listeners"? I've ended up buying a lot of other Marley recordings and his box set. There is still nothing better to me than "Legend" and I listen to it much more than
any of the other recordings I own by him.

sherm42

Argue all you want, but the term "album" has very specific meanings to me. Using this term, The Smiths only actually released 4 albums in their entire career. Everything else were compilations of singles and other hits.

That is not to say that that Louder Than Bombs is not a great CD, but when you have a disc comprised of nothing but their hits, it's really no comparision to a full length studio album that is bound to have at least one or two songs that people don't care for.

So my arguement is not that Bona Drag sucks because it is a compilation, just that it's unfair to compare a CD full of all hits to a studio album. It throws off the results.

monkey

Bona Drag isn't a singles compilation. It contains some singles, yes. As does any other record he released. The album contains a fair amount of B-sides as well. It was not realized as a "singles" compilation or a greatest hits album. I didn't post this to spark a debate over whether or not the album should be included. Some think it should, some think it shouldn't. As you fall into the latter category, it's quite simple...just don't vote for it.

kunert

Nicely said sherm42. Yes, I am a snob if that has not been made clear. Bona Drag does rule (although I don't have it because I spent all my money on the picture disc singles at the Smiths Grand Emporium Convo and Expo), but it's not an album.

cdollaz

Bona Drag does rule (although I don't have it because I spent all my money on the picture disc singles at the Smiths Grand Emporium Convo and Expo), but it's not an album.

Hmm. 14 songs, none of which had ever been on a full-length release before. Sounds like an album to me.

sherm42

Actually, it's 14 songs of which 3 were from his first album Viva Hate:

Everday is Like Sunday
Suedehead
Hairdresser On Fire

The rest were singles and B-Sides that were released after the first album, but before he finished his second, Kill Uncle. In other words, all of the songs were released well before Bona Drag ever came out. Therefore, it was compiled from previouisly released work.

My only complaint with including it in a poll is that when people vote for a CD of proven hits, then it really does affect the results of what people really think is his best album. If you include Bona Drag, then why not World of Morrissey? Or My Early Burglary Years, or Best of Morrissey?

Damn, he has had quite a few compilations now that I think about it. Either way, I'll stop now. You get my point. Thanks for reading.

Goodnight and Thank You.

cdollaz

In other words, all of the songs were released well before Bona Drag ever came out. Therefore, it was compiled from previouisly released work.
Released, but not on a full-length album (except for 3)

If you include Bona Drag, then why not World of Morrissey? Or My Early Burglary Years, or Best of Morrissey?
Because most of the songs on those albums had been released on full-length albums before.