Vinyl Record

The Smiths - Meat Is Murder

Buy The Smiths – Meat Is Murder on LP at Kilmorna (Listowel): a sharp, guitar-led alternative rock classic with big hooks and bigger heart.

LP · 1985

Available from Kilmorna Collection in Listowel.

Buyer notes: 1985 LP, currently available from the Kilmorna Collection vinyl shelf. Pay for pickup in Listowel or ship within Ireland for EUR 5.50.

Meat Is Murder is The Smiths at their most muscular and confrontational, pushing beyond the debut’s romantic churn into something tougher, louder, and more uncompromising. Johnny Marr’s guitar work is at once bright and biting—riff-driven where it needs to be, chiming when the songs turn inward—while Morrissey’s lyric voice lands with equal parts wit, tenderness, and provocation. Across the record you get a full spread of what made the band singular: urgent openers, pub-stomp storytelling, and slow-burners that ache without going soft. The rhythm section leans into groove and momentum, letting the longer tracks stretch out and breathe, and the whole album carries that unmistakable Smiths tension—melody that feels like sunlight, words that shadow-box with it. Whether you’re coming back for the big statements or discovering the deeper cuts, this LP plays like a cohesive set: punchy, emotionally literate, and built for repeat listens.

This is the album where The Smiths broadened their palette—sharper dynamics, heavier grooves, and a willingness to let songs run long and get uncomfortable. It’s also a key chapter in UK alternative rock, bridging jangly pop intelligence with post‑punk bite and a bolder sense of purpose.

Stock copies of Meat Is Murder turn up in multiple pressings and reissues, so details can vary from run to run. If you’re collecting for specific mastering or label variants, it’s worth checking deadwax and sleeve notes in person. As a shop-floor pick, this one’s a dependable “play copy” staple: a record you’ll actually spin, not just shelve.

Bright, chiming guitars up front, with a firm low-end pulse and plenty of midrange presence for vocals. Dynamics swing from propulsive rockers to spacious, slow-building tracks; best played a touch loud.

Recommended for: fans of The Cure, R.E.M., Echo & the Bunnymen, and post‑punk-to-indie crossover; listeners who want a heavier, grooveier Smiths album alongside the jangle; collectors building a core 80s UK alternative shelf; anyone after an LP that rewards full-album listening.

Is this the original 1980s pressing? Not necessarily—this listing is for Meat Is Murder on LP, and copies in circulation are often later pressings or reissues. If you need a specific year/pressing, ask us and we’ll confirm what’s in hand. What style of rock is it? Primarily alternative/indie rock with post‑punk edges and plenty of jangle—melodic, guitar-forward, and lyrically distinctive. Is it a good starting point for The Smiths? Yes—especially if you like the band with a bit more bite and groove. If you prefer the lighter, more immediate jangle, you might start with the debut and come to this next.