【存档】"Boo! What a big Smiths surprise"

"Boo! What a big Smiths surprise"

Manchester Evening News. p. 41.

November 15, 1996

Taylor, Paul

The Smiths Is Dead various (Epic): doubtful whether the legions of Smithsaholics will welcome this tribute released on the tenth anniversary of the Manchester album The Queen Is Dead.A miscellany of pop people cover that famous Smiths album track by track,even in the correct running order,sacrilege for the devoted fan but good fun for the rest of us. Full marks to the Boo Radleys for deconstructing the title track and reassembling it as a totally unrecognisable piece of trip hop.A big tick too for The High Llamas for coming closest to whimsy with Frankly Mr Shankly.Billy Bragg entertains by turning Never Had No One Everinto a brassy strip club-style anthem.Placebo give explosive new power to Bigmouth Strikes Again,and The Divine Comedy croon a delightful There Is A Light That Never Goes Out.Thumbs down only to Bis for a lacklustre version of The Boy With The Thorn In His Side.