It's a problem that all indie pop fans face: how does one grapple with the greatness of the Smiths in light of the many heinous things Morrissey has said? Alvvays singer-guitarist Molly Rankin has now weighed in on this moral quandary, saying, "I hear those songs and no one will take them away from me."
Speaking with The Irish Times, Rankin called the matter of loving the Smiths "a very volatile question," admitting, "I still listen to the Smiths, and I still love them."
She went on to highlight the richness of Morrissey's songwriting partnership with guitarist and seemingly chill guy Johnny Marr. "Two people colliding at a time in their lives when they were bursting with creativity," she said of the pair. "And, for whatever reason, [it] just working out and then making the albums that they did. I believe in the beauty of collaboration and how fruitful that can be. I hear those songs and no one will take them away from me."
Alvvays, of course, take clear influence from the Smiths — something that's particularly apparent on "Pressed," a standout from 2022's year-best album Blue Rev.
Fellow Smiths lovers and Morrissey naysayers can check out Exclaim!'s list of the band's 10 best bass-driven songs, in celebrating of late low-ender Andy Rourke.