The Head on the Door

Review

(Elektra)
Release Date: 10/01/1990 12:00

Pepped up by a new five-piece lineup (notably Porl Thompson, whose frantic guitar strumming adds welcome detail and depth) and constant airplay on college radio, Smith made having a bad time sound like a good time. Lyrical topics for these brisk, punchy tunes include screaming babies and being “paralyzed by the blood of Christ”; the highlight is a breathless love song (“Close to Me”) in which Smith only imagines himself decapitated a few times.

DOWNLOAD: “In Between Days,” “Close to Me,” “The Blood”

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