every time i listen to some of their songs they take me back to when i first listened to some of their songs and it reminds me of a lot of stuff i really enjoyed from those times, not really nostalgia for the band itself i guess, but more the general feeling it brings along.
i feel the same about more newer music, but i guess you could probably argue if i listen to a new song today, i'll be thinking of it the same way in a few years.
the smiths are different tho, their music invokes a lot of things that make me hold them in a very high regard.
tl;dr their music is an enjoyable bittersweet feeling, kinda like nostalgia.