A collection of both live and album reviews for The Smiths and Morrissey.(Select a year below to jump to a section).
2009

Word – May 2009
Short article & review where Stuart Muirhead compares the original and re-release of Maladjusted and Southpaw Grammar

Uncut – 2009
John Lewis reviews two re-releases, and gives a positive review of Southpaw Grammar, but a negative review of Maladjusted.

Mojo – 2009
Ian Harrison gives a positive review of the re-releases of Southpaw Grammar and Maladjusted.
2008

Uncut – December 2008
Alastair McKay gives a positive review of The Sound of The Smiths compilation, giving it four stars, and praising the band as a whole.
2004

Mojo – May 2004
Victoria Segal gives a good rating of You Are The Quarry. Illustration by Paul Slater on second page.

Uncut – 18 December 2004
Chris Roberts gives a positive review of Morrissey’s performance at Earls Court in London (18 December 2004)
1999
Back to top

Live Review- 9 November 1999
Positive review from Simon Goddard of the Nottingham gig on 9 November 1999
1997
Back to top

Live Review – Battersea Power Station Dec. 10 1997
Review of Morrissey at Battersea Power Station, December 10 1997
1995
Back to top

NME – 18 February 1995
A positive review of The Smiths singles re-release

Select – March 1995
Positive review of the Motherwell/Edinburgh gigs (4/5 February 1995)

Vox – February 1995
A review of Morrissey at Motherwell Concert Hall in Glasgow on 4 February 1995. The review mostly focuses on the fans.
1993
Back to top

Q – December 1993
Reviews of Smiths re-releases by David Cavanagh
1992
Back to top

Q – Smiths Best Review
Positive Review of Smiths best compilation

Select – 11th December 1992
David Cavanagh gives a negative review of Morrissey live at Sheffield City Hall
1991
Back to top

Select – Kill Uncle Review
Graham Linehan gives a positive review of Kill Uncle

NME – 27 April 1991
Stuart Maconie reviews Morrissey live at the Dublin National Stadium. Originally appeared in NME 4 May 1991.
1990
Back to top

NME – 20 October 1990
Bona Drag review by Stuart Maconie
1989
Back to top

Spin – 1989 Concert Review
Yet another Wolverhampton review
1988
Back to top

Record Mirror – Viva Hate Review
Jimmy Brown gives an overwhelmingly positive review of Viva Hate

Melody Maker – Viva Hate Review
David Stubbs gives a mixed review of Viva Hate, specifically mentioning Bengali In Platforms

The Catalogue – Rank Review
Nick Kent describes Rank as “good enough”, and points out the hard rock sound.

NME – Rank Review
James Brown gives a positive review of the live album Rank

NME – 10 December 1988
Danny Kelly has nothing but complaints for Louder Than Bombs and single reissues

Bravo – 1988
A strange article that both reviews/talks about Morrissey’s character and image and mentions Viva Hate.

22 December 1988 – Wolverhampton (Footage + Reviews)
The first Morrissey solo show, and unofficial Smiths farewell concert. Included in this post is a link to the leaked footage, and 3 reviews of the historic event.
1987
Back to top

New Zealand Listener – 1987
Short article updating on recent events of The Smiths, and a positive review of The Queen Is Dead

Melody Maker – The World Won’t Listen
Steve Sutherland at it again with another negative review, this time for “The World Won’t Listen”

NME – Strangeways Review
Steve Sutherland gives “Strangeways, Here We Come” a negative review.

NME – 12 September 1987
Len Brown gives a positive review of “Strangeways, Here We Come”

NME – 7 November 1987
A negative review of “I Started Something I Couldn’t Finish”

Creem – May 1987
Roy Trakin gives a positive review of the Louder Than Bombs compilation.

NME – 15 August 1987
A positive review of “Girlfriend In A Coma”

NME – 9 December 1987
An absolutely scathing review of “Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Love Me”
1986
Back to top

Spin – 1986, The Queen Is Dead
Rich Stim gives a positive review of The Queen Is Dead

Sounds – November 1 1986
Hugh Fielder gives a mixed review of The Smiths at the London Palladium on 26 October 1986

Record Mirror – 14 June 1986
Andy Strickland adds to the mass of glowing reviews for “The Queen Is Dead”

Record Mirror – 13 October 1986
Dave Sexton gives a positive review of The Smiths live at Sands Centre in Carlisle on 12 October 1986

Review – Pier 84, 6 August 1986
David Fricke writes a positive review of The Smiths at Pier 84 in New York on 6 August 1986

Record Mirror – 26 October 1986
Karen Swayne gives a positive review of The Smiths at the London Palladium on 26 October 1986

NME – 24 May 1986
Roger Holland gives a positive review of specifically Morrissey for Bigmouth Strike Again, but criticises Johnny Marr.

NME – 18 October 1986
Positive review of “Ask”

NME – 14 June 1986
Adrian Thrills deems The Queen Is Dead “an excellent record”

NME – 1 November 1986
Mat Snow gives a generally positive review of The Smiths live at the London Palladium on 26 October 1986

Melody Maker – 18 October 1986
Will Smith gives a positive review of The Smiths live at Gloucester Leisure Centre on 18 October 1986

Melody Maker – 11 October 1986
“Ask” given positive review, named single of the week.

Melody Maker – 26 June 1986
A very positive review of Panic

Melody Maker – 14 June 1986
Nick Kent gives a glowing review of The Queen Is Dead

Sounds – 14 June 1986
Roger Holland names The Queen Is Dead album of the month in a very positive review.

Review – From Manchester, With Love
Reviews of the same event, “From Manchester, With Love”, featuring The Smiths, New Order, and The Fall
1985
Back to top

Melody Maker – 22 September 1985
Tom Morton gives a positive review of The Smiths live at Magnum Centre in Scotland on 22 September 1985

Melody Maker – 16 February 1985
Ian Pye gives a generally positive review of Meat Is Murder

Star Hits – April 1985
David Keeps gives a positive review of The Smiths at Royal Albert Hall on 6 April 1985

Sounds – 20 April 1985
Hugh Fielder gives a mixed review of The Smiths at Royal Albert Hall on 6 April 1985

Royal Albert Hall – 6 April 1985
Vici MacDonald gives a mixed review of The Smiths at Royal Albert Hall

No. 1 – 1 March 1985
Max Bell gives a positive review of The Smiths at Brixton Academy on 1 March 1985, along with reactions of audience members

NME – 1985
Mat Snow gives a positive review of Meat Is Murder

NME – 20 April 1985
Danny Kelly gives a very positive review of The Smiths live at Royal Albert Hall on 6 April 1985

NME – 9 March 1985
Richard Cook gives a mixed review of The Smiths live at Brixton Academy on 1 March, 1985

NME – 9 February 1985
A mixed review of “How Soon Is Now?”

NME – 1985
Short review of Meat Is Murder

NME – 14 June 1985
Dave Thomas gives a generally positive review of The Smiths at The Opera House in Boston, Massachusetts on 14 June, 1985

Record Mirror – 1985
Eleanor Levy gives a very positive review of The Smiths at Brixton Academy on March 1, 1985

Sounds – 27 February 1985
Dave Massey gives a neutral review of The Smiths at Chippenham

Melody Maker – 20 April 1985
Allan Jones reviews The Smiths at Royal Albert Hall in London

Sounds – 16 February 1985
Bill Black gives a positive review of Meat Is Murder

NME – 16 February 1985
Paul Du Noyer gives a generally positive review of Meat is Murder

Janice Long – The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
Janice Long gives a mildly positive review of The Boy With The Thorn In His Side

Melody Maker – Meat Again
Melody Maker’s review of The Smiths’ career in 1985
1984
Back to top

Melody Maker – Suffer The Smiths
Review of The Smiths’ Career in 1984

Creem – 1984
A generally positive review of The Smiths’ debut album by Dave DiMartino

The Guardian – 1984
A mixed review of The Smiths’ debut album.

Sounds – 1984
An “above average” review of The Smiths at Lyceum.

Rip It Up – April 1984
Review of The Smiths’ debut album by George Kay

Record Mirror – 25 February 1984
Mixed review of The Smiths’ debut album by Graham K Smith

No. 1 – 1984
Review of The Smiths’ tour, with announcements of various release dates.

NME – 25 February 1984
Don Watson reviews The Smiths’ debut album

NME – 17 November 1984
Adrian Thrills gives a positive review of Hatful of Hollow

NME – 7 April 1984
Mostly positive review of Sandie Shaw’s collaboration/cover of Hand In Glove. “Single of the week!”

Melody Maker – 1 February 1984
Review of The Smiths by Simon Scott at North Staffordshire Polytechnic, Stoke-On-Trent on 1 February 1984.

The Guardian – 14 February 1984
Mary Harron review The Smiths at the Lyceum Ballroom in London on 14 February 1984

Sounds – 17 November 1984
A fairly neutral review of The Smiths’ Hatful of Hollow comp.

Melody Maker – 17 November 1984
An unfavourable review by Adam Sweeting of the “Hatful of Hollow” compilation

Melody Maker – 9 June 1984
Review of The smiths in Belfast on 9 June 1984.

The Sony Tape Rock Review – 1984
A general review of The Smiths’ career so far.

Melody Maker – September 24 1984
A positive review of The Smiths at Gloucester Leisure Centre on 24 September 1984.

Melody Maker – 1984
Review of The Smiths’ Rockpalast performance on 4 May 1984

Melody Maker – 25 February 1984
“The Healing Festival” A positive review by Allan Jones of the debut album.

Melody Maker 1984 – Review
Review of… Morrissey himself

Melody Maker – 9 June 1984
Review by Adrian Maddox of the Belfast gig on 17 May 1984
1983
Back to top

Sounds – 14 May 1983
Dave McCullough reviews The Smiths at University of London Union on 6 May 1983

NME – 12 November 1983
Review of This Charming Man single

NME – 11 June 1983
Review of the Hand In Glove single.

NME – 4 February 1983
Jim Shelley reviews The Smiths live at the Hacienda on 4 February 1983.

City Fun – 25 January 1983
Cath Carroll reviews The Smiths live at Manhattan Sound on 25 January 1983
Sounds – 5 October 1983
Dave McCullough reviews The Smiths live at ICA in London on 5 October 1983

Smash Hits – 17 November 1983
Don Perretta reviews The Smiths live at Westfield College on 17 November 1983

NME – 17 October 1983
Amrik Rai reviews The Smiths live at Sheffield University on 17 October 1983

Melody Maker – 7 August 1983
Adam Sweeting reviews The Smiths live at the Lyceum on 7 August 1983.

NME – 15 September 1983
Barney Hoskyns reviews The Smiths in London at ‘The Venue’ on 15 September 1983

Record Mirror – 5 November 1983
The Smiths reviewed by Graham K Smith

Melody Maker – 3 December 1983
Review by Frank Worrall of The Smiths’ Hacienda gig on 24 November 1983.