The Smiths: The Complete Picture

Review by James Anthony

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One of the leading music men to come out of the 1930s Great Depression was Woody Guthrie, a folk singer-extraordinaire who put to music and lyrics the lives of Americans ravaged by poverty.

Another great voice to come out of depression was Morrissey, a British singer whose down-in-the-dumps vocals and lyrics defied the upbeat nature of the 1980s.

With his band, The Smiths, Morrissey made countless numbers of people feel good about the fact they didn’t feel as bad as he and his mates did.

To celebrate the excellent music of The Smiths, Warner Vision has released The Complete Picture, which features 14 songs that sum up the band’s history.

It isn’t a live concert but rather a collection of some pretty terrific video clips that would have been a huge part of MTV’s line-up.

There are no extras - a history of the band would have been nice - but the mix of tracks is good enough to have you bopping (in a sullen sort of way) before you know you’re doing it.

Would have loved to have seen Reel Around the Fountain, but never mind. For mine, the pick of the songs are This Charming Man, Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now, Ask and Panic.

If you were into The Smiths then this is just the DVD to have playing at black-tie dinner parties or wakes.

Conclusion: Rating: 80%

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