release date: Mar. 30, 1987
format: cassette / 2 lp vinyl (2011 reissue) / cd (2011 remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: various
label: Sire / Rhino - nationality: England, UK
Track highlights: 3. "Shoplifters of the World Unite" (A-side single) - 5. "Half a Person" (B-side single of #3) - 6. "London" (B-side single of #3) - 7. "Panic" (A-side single) - 13. "You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby" (US mix) - 13. "Ask" (A-side single) - 14. "Golden Lights" (B-side single of #13) - 20. "Stretch Out and Wait" (B-side single) - 23. "Unloveable" (B-side single)
3rd compilation album by The Smiths originally released on Sire Records in the US. The album was initially only meant to be an extended release for the American market, which hadn't been introduced to Hatful of Hollows (1984), but the record company soon decided to release it in Europe as well, and thankfully so, or they could have done without the shorter The World Won't Listen, as I think this is the best of the two. You don't really need both, and forced to pick between the two, I would choose this as it contains 24 tracks and was released as a double-album on vinyl. I originally only had an original cassette version purchased in the US and a cd containing all tracks on 1 disc. Compared to The World Won't Listen, and aside the 10 common tracks and 1 track with different vocals, Louder... contains 13 tracks that you don't get with The World..., so... it's a narrow and hard choice, and the best thing would simply be to make a new compilation with all, which would make it a 30 track album, which would suffice only together with the studio albums of course.
I bought both compilation albums when they were released; however, I only bought this one on tape and much later on cd and vinyl as well. Anyway, if you don't consider buying all their albums, I would pick this one as an introduction to their repertoire and then maybe get The Sound of The Smiths (2003) which both has some essential singles as well as a fine handpicked collection of tracks from their studio albums, a total of 23 tracks, and many you don't find on Louder.... All of which only suggests that you cannot do with a one-disc album if you want to embrace their huge musical legacy. Yes, there are probably a dozen of compilation albums to choose from, but I wouldn't buy one as I have most of their original material. However, if you are looking for just one album that sort of collects not everything but most of the "picture", I would buy Louder Than Bombs. Best... I (1992) and ...Best II (1992), Singles (1995), The Very Best of The Smiths (2001), The Sound of The Smiths (2008), Singles Box (2008) all seems insufficient because they either focus on their singles, which gives a wrong picture of their music or just selects from all material, which may be good but also very incomplete, then of course you could buy Complete (2011), a box-set that contains 8 discs with all 4 studio albums, the live album Rank, the first official compilation Hatful..., and both the two 1987 compilation albums as mentioned here - and that would be... just to be safe.
Highly recommendable.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]
~ ~ ~
" : I wear black on the outside
'cause black is how I feel on the inside :
: And if I seem a little strange
Well, that's because I am :
But I know that you would've liked me
if only you could see me
if only you could meet me
I don't have much in my live
but take it, it's yours"
