AMG Review of Meat Is Murder

Stephen Thomas Erlewine
All Music Guide

The Smiths' second album isn't a great leap forward, but it does contain some fine guitar-pop, including "The Headmaster Ritual," "Rusholme Ruffians," and "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore." The American version included the pulsating "How Soon is Now?," which doesn't fit the mood of the rest of the album.