The Smiths story came to a close shortly after completion of 1987 album Strangeways, Here We Come, and a tense exchange of ...

But for the Smiths—even though what they would aim to achieve, and succeed in achieving, would in so many ways be singular and extraordinary—normality was an essential part of their aesthetic.

The Smiths’ unique blend of introspective lyrics ... possibilities for self-expression in popular music. The band’s aesthetic, blending retro and modern elements, influenced fashion trends ...

Like all Smiths songs, all Anderson films are in part about the decay of old-world beauty and tradition and the loss of youth (sic transit gloria!) but Anderson didn’t even bother with metaphor ...