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December 19, 2008 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE 9

eveningsout

Did this new disc bring détente to Morrissey and Marr?

by Anthony Glassman

After more than two decades, a quiet war has ended.

The conflict was erstwhile content for news broadcasts, although more often in Britain than here in the United States.

It was an almost-hidden humanitarian crisis the likes of which our generation will hopefully never see again.

Yes, Morrissey and Johnny Marr of the Smiths have made up.

According to a December 11 report in the U.K. newspaper The Guardian, the two are no longer on the outs. Their personal conflicts split the band that defined the soundtrack for millions of little alternaqueers in the 1980s and later.

"The very fact that they are talking again is the most hopeful thing in years," an anonymous "music industry source" said. "A lot of people think of them as the best thing since the Beatles. They'd fill stadiums many times over."

One wonders if the Sire/Rhino release The Sound of the Smiths had anything to do with their reconciliation. Perhaps Morrissey, gazing at the pictures of the young band in the enclosed liner notes, looked fondly on those days of yore, when Marr's insistence on variety caused young Morrissey no end of consternation, but he found it arousing in a strange way.

Or perhaps Marr figured that, since Morrissey has gone up and down in his solo career so many times over the last two decades he began to resemble a pompadoured yoyo, he could cut the prima donna a little slack.

Regardless of whether their détente leads to anything concrete (a reunion tour? a massively huge boxed set of everything they ever did, complete with nude photos?)

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Sound of the Smiths is a worthy compilation.

It marks the first time in 21 years the two main players in the band have worked on anything together. Morrissey-first name Steven, but everyone calls him by his surname provided the title, while Marr remastered the tracks. Both selected the music, so it is a fairly comprehensive examination of the band's oeuvre.

Two versions of the compilation are available: a one-disc album or a two-disc collector's edition.

Disc one is their singles, including songs intended for single release that

were pulled and European-only releases, which puts the 7" version of "Barbarism Begins at Home" and "You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby" in with classics like "This Charming Man," "Bigmouth Strikes Again" and "Hand in Glove."

Disc two on the collector's set includes B-sides and other rarities from their singles, like live versions. Included is the cover of James' "What's the World," which was only available on cassette single, and a medley of "The Queen is Dead/Take Me Back to Dear Old Blighty."

For fans, just about the only thing they could want that isn't here is the album

version of "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore," which includes a false-fade that sweeps back into a rousing, emotional instrumental ending to the song.

However, that is a small quibble, and one could always get the original album. Their entire discography, including "The Sound of the Smiths," is now available for digital download.

Whether or not the mad men from Manchester get back together, at least there is this solid collection from Morrissey, Marr, bassist Andy Rourke and drummer Mike Joyce.

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