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Hatful of Hollow

The Smiths - Hatful of Hollow Audio CD

A fair review of the The Smiths "Hatful of Hollow" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all The Smiths reviews here, or go back to the The Smiths tabs.

Band: The Smiths
Title: Hatful of Hollow
Rating:

Release Date: 1993-11-09
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: William, It Was Really Nothing 2: What Difference Does It Make? 3: These Things Take Time 4: This Charming Man 5: How Soon Is Now? 6: Handsome Devil 7: Hand in Glove 8: Still Ill 9: Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now 10: This Night Has Opened My Eyes 11: You've Got Everything Now 12: Accept Yourself 13: Girl Afraid 14: Back to the Old House 15: Reel Around the Fountain 16: Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want

IMHO the single >>BEST<< Smiths collection and/or teaser

For a compilation and/or teaser/introduction I think this better than Louder Than Bomb. About other Smiths albums and compilations vis-a-vis this one: Yeah, I've heard the hype about how great and minimal and raw and rock-and-roll-authentic Louder Than Bombs is, and I know that most consider The Queen is Dead to be the greatest thing since sliced bread, Vegemite, or SPAM, and I'm sorry some of you didn't GET Meat Is Murder, but IMHO the single >>BEST<< Smiths collection and possibly third-best album (NOT including The Queen Is Dead but rather Strangeways) is THIS. The 1st album, the eponymous "The Smiths" was plenty real and raw ENOUGH for a great studio album; Meat Is Murder is a great one and still a favorite of mine; and I am VERY fond of both of the UK single releases that got tacked on the albums in The States that are included here: This Charming Man and How Soon Is Now? the latter of which I think is a SEMINAL, DEFINING piece of 80s avant-garde/DOR (Dance-Oriented-Rock--remember that term?) classic. So this between-albums collection is my pick over LTB. On this compilation you get both those singles originally released only in the UK, plus all the other (what is it, NINE or 8?) singles of the period of the first two albums, plus, it's not an "I-hate-under-cooked-and-RAW-meat-but-just-LOVE-under-cooked(under-produced)-and-raw-unproduced-MUSIC" piece of Peel Session demos like Louder Than Bombs.

Forget about all the newer compilations, B-side thingies, and sucker-fan releases that only yield you ONE or TWO or maybe even ZERO new tracks. Check this out, and ignore the angry mobs of Vegan Morrissey-worshipping, buy-EVERYTHING completists.

For balance, if I WERE MORE NUTS about this band, as I am about some others, I WOULD be buying EVERYTHING, even just for 1 or 2 tracks, so save your hate, girls. It's not charming or cute to be hyper-emo and verbally-defensive after puberty.

Kidding!!! ;-).

Hatful of Hollow
I agree with another reviewer that this is landmark release as the quality of the tracks is astounding. Hatful of Hollow being a compilation album that spanns the years 1983-1984. Here we have my all time favourite Smiths track "How Soon Is Now" along with other great tracks such as "This Charming Man", "Hand in Glove" and "William it was really nothing". The booklet is very nice with all the lyrics included and many very nice photographs. 5/5.

A Link in the Chain of Freedom
What intrigued me most, and does so to this day, is that Morrissey was able to convey the subjectivity of a gay man and make it accessible to someone who was not so. I don't have much to add that has not already been addressed as to the music, as the album is top to bottom exceptional, except to say that, as a straight guy who was a teenager when "Hatful" and "the Smiths" (twin sides from the Atlantic) hit the record shops, I immediately responded to the incredible musicality of Marr and lyricism of Morrissey. Yes, the Glam rockers introduced the world to gay men (think Queen), but Morrissey made gay sensibility a serious pursuit and an intellectual construct worth considering.

'Slap Me On The Patio...'

Rough Trade is far and away the most important UK record label; its roster of vitally important acts is massive and unsurpassed anywhere music's made, so when it finally hit big with Salford's finest, not many begrudged the necessary avarice. 'Hatful of Hollow' is one of those releases brought about by an opportunistic record company (in this case deservedly) milking the cash cow 'til it's udders sting.
On the surface; shameful bleeding, just a few short months after the Smiths' fine debut - but underneath, far and away the best album that ever displayed their name.

Simply, it's a collection of singles, b-sides and sessions for BBC radio, but this superfluously hideous product information masks what it really is: sheer unadulterated brilliance.

The list of important songs on 'HoH' is very long indeed. 'Accept Yourself',(my very favourite Smiths song) 'Back to the Old House', 'This Night Has Opened My Eyes', 'William It Was Really Nothing', 'Girl Afraid', each and every one a unique, igneous classic. Not a falter, not one second of filler, 'HoH' is magnificently consistent.
The Morrissey/Marr symmetric is ablaze, the Rourke/Joyce auxiliary is pyretic. We are talking about rock music which is high up the rungs of the evolutionary ladder, and there isn't much above it. Funny, moving, passionate, and not without it's fair share of dash and glisten, this THRASHES a Cure, New Order, U2, or whoever else were making big noises at the time.

Political as hell, with an unholy amount of jocular cynicism, 'HoH' is frighteningly perceptive. Morrissey spoke to a ready and waiting sub-generation, eddying up the fun-factor, while deceiving others into thinking he was moping and depressed.

Yes, people actually think his lyrics are depressing; a reassuring thought as 'HoH' once again rips through your speakers. We know something they don't.
This, aligned to the ubiquitous gang thing, were what the Smiths were all about.

All Smiths albums have good stuff on 'em, but this is the only one that's unequivocally brilliant from first note to last. .

turn to E-leven
there will never be another band like them. who or what are the smiths? an idiosyncratic, pop rock band from england. just one of those bands whose sound is extremely hard to get right. one could go on endlessly about this band and its inscrutable leader and genius guitar playing. however, the smiths are really for people who enjoy good rock music. if you put aside all of the baggage and controversy over sexuality or the politics of morrissey, you will be doing yourself a favor. i was never a big smiths fan, but this album should turn the ears of critics because it is simply good rocknroll. it is not depressing in terms of its musical merits, because the rythm section plus mr. Marrs seem to gurantee that your toes are tapping.
hatful is distinctively lo-fi. it's a bare bones recording that leaves it all up to th band's musicianship which never misses a step. it actually makes for a very punky sound which is great, as it brings out the sounds of the band's influences.
musicians would be hard pressed to find a tighter ryhthm section in rock. unfortunately, these things get overlooked with some of the hoopla surrouding morrissey.
whatever you do, don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. morrissey's lyrics can get a little heavy and english, but again the guy can just flat out sing. there's a lot of sinatra in there. .

You can see a complete list of all The Smiths discography, or go back to the The Smiths tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.