Maybe it's because I regard TQID as one of the greatest album of all time (the one time I'll agree with NME on something), but I feel the need to vehemently not only disagree with the general statement of the article, but also with its specific claims.
The author is essentially lambasting TQID and "Strangeways" as being the two worst Smiths records, when personally I think they're the two best. Why are they supposedly the two worst? Apparently Morrissey's lyrics have given way to bad, feeble humor post-"Meat is Murder." I believe the author said something along the lines of TQID being 10 "throwaway novelty" tracks. On the contrary, I think a lot of TQID is Moz at his lyrical best and the newfound humor only adds to it. I think Morrissey is such a great lyricist in part because of his ability to so deftly transition from seriousness to humor while delivering the same message. To say "Girlfriend in a Coma" is a horrid track is an opinion that just doesn't sit well with me.
Meanwhile, the individual track-by-track criticism of the album has its faults. What's especially bullshit is the author dubbing the inclusion of previously released singles "Bigmouth Strikes Again" and "The Boy With the Thorn in His Side" as being a main factor in TQID being a disappointment. You'd think that such a regular occurrence in the music industry would be something the author knows about. And besides, why is it so wrong to include past singles releases. When you're reviewing *A Moon Shaped Pool*, how many of you feel slighted for having heard "Burn the Witch" and "Daydreaming." And how many people would have attacked *Sgt. Peppers* as an imperfect record if they included "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "Penny Lane" in the track list?
The three tracks that get attacked are "Frankly, Mr. Shankly," "Vicar in a Tutu," and "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others." Again, I disagree with the author's feelings about Morrissey's humor. Additionally, the author is completely discounting the social commentary of each of these songs; again, this is what makes Morrissey so great: his ability to fluidly transition from seriousness to humor. "Frankly" comments on the music industry, "Vicar" on religion, and "Some Girls" on social classes. To dismiss the song as one about big boobs is to give no credit for the genius of Morrissey.
But what perhaps dumbfounds me the most is the lack of real credit for Johnny Marr's work on the album. His songwriting is his most creative and I'd argue his best on an album up to that point. Even "Cemetry Gates," which Marr regarded originally as a throwaway riff, is phenomenally written (Morrissey recognized as much, convincing Marr to create a song of out it). The thing that made the Smiths so great was the combination and chemistry between two musical geniuses in Morrissey and Marr and never was their partnership so great and perfect as it was on The Queen is Dead.