Soul Mining

Yeah enjoyed intersting songs and lyrics

Listened to this for the first time a couple of years ago, I recall enjoying it then, but later forgot about it. Re-listening now, I enjoyed it again, and no doubt will forget about it later again!

Easy listening pop

Never heard the album before. Fitting for the time with a bit of darkness. Not bad.

Heard of this band back in the day from that guy who knew and loved all the obscure music (everybody had one.) I never listened because 90 % of what he reccomended was absolute shit. Sorry, Todd. This was worth the listen.

Decent 80s stuff

Only heard of them because of the name and it was very much okay

This is the day…that I admit to owning this on cassette. While the music itself is pretty light, when coupled with more literary heavy themed lyrics it makes for a more interesting tension-driven sound IMO. I place this more in the category alongside bands like Soft Cell (“Tainted Love”) or even early Love and Rockets or New Order. And I’m sure I broke curfew at underground dance clubs with this playing in the background. The variety of instruments featured (especially the accordion on “This is the Day”, and the piano on “Uncertain Smile”) indicates an even wider variety of influences, and yet the album doesn’t stray and remains in tact. Sm(art) synth pop that is essentially a debut solo album. Great band name too.

Although The The's first album barely hinted at the experimentalism of later records like Infected and Mind Bomb, Matt Johnson crafted a pleasant set of dance-pop on the group's Soul Mining debut.

I listen to most of this project on YouTube, primarily for convenience. The first track's video is shot with a bunch H.R. Giger's art -- it might be his studio? That's cool. And, there are some cute ragdoll cats as well.. these are the nicest things I plan on saying. Good songwriting has got to be difficult. It needs to project the imagery and/or story you want to tell and -- in most cases -- match the beat, tempo, and tone of the music. When any piece of that puzzle is missing or wrong, its easy to notice. That is where this goes off the rails for me. This guy has a story to tell and some poignant stuff, but he can't bring it into alignment with the music -- AT ALL. A great (bad) example is **adding** a syllable to the end of the word 'glue'. Nope. Missed it, dude. This sort of bad poetry slam over tired synth music is not the chili I wanted. It's all over the album and his singing just doesn't match the music. Sorry. This project has also made me so deeply tired of this style of music already (only about 200 albums in..) that my calcified hatred won't give this any sort of quarter. This guy and the album aren't building a case for me to like it. The video with Giger's work and the cats was cute. I'll turn the sound off and just watch that again. (2/5), extra point for the cats. Dump the rest into a special Dimery bucket of overhyped 80s post-punk/new wave/synth/ambient/electronic what-the-fuck-ever garbage. There's just a mountain of it, isn't there?

I like the synthesizers and the off-kilter drums. I don't like the The. The depressed lyrics kinda resonate with me but I don't like the vocal performance English? Check. 1980's? Check. Post-punk? Why not? It has all the ingredients for an album that bores me

Yawn, just fucking yawn. Terrible singer, mediocre music. Was happy when this one ended.

I've never got my head around the idea of Matt Johnson. Associated with Some Bizarre and a regular collaborator with his stablemates - and vice-versa, as James Thirlwell and Martin McCarrick are on here - his is not an industrial sound... although the opening drums of I've Been Waiting For Tomorrow wouldn't be out of place on a Scraping Fetus Off the Wheel record. The drummer? Zeke Manyika from Orange Juice. British indie can be biting when it wants to be, I guess. But, for the most part, Soul Mining does sound like Aztec Camera. I resisted listening to The The for a long time, mostly because the cover of the album Infected, which was in one of the CD library CD racks every week, was repellent, but also intriguing. Suitably industrial. When I finally yielded, there was nothing repellent about The The. Although, neither was there anything infectious. The love and admiration expressed by Johnson's many collaborators, both the Some Bizarre weirdos and the indie rock heroes like Johnny Marr, must be partially informed by his personality - he must be a nice guy, because, while these are nice songs, the songs themselves aren't enough to justify his good reputation. 2.5 The connection you flagged with labelmates Soft Cell was something of a red herring I think. There is a tension between the desire to please and to harass in these songs that put me in mind more of Elvis Costello than Soft Cell, but I was left unsure, after multiple listens whether the The really does either quite well enough. It’s an interesting record and musically assured - but I wasn’t convinced that Matt Johnson knew what he wanted to subvert; something no doubt. 2/5

The hit is great!

I really dislike this band. That one song from the commercials was the most bearable thing here. Why two albums from these guys on the list? I can think of better-deserving artists. 2/5

To me this is one step above horrible.

This Is The Day //

..

This just seemed like perfectly average new wave. It bounced off of me, but it was also perfectly fine.

Uncertain Smile and This is The Day are cool songs, the former having a nice piano solo. The rest was pretty bland and not much stood out.

Shit Mining

Its good art school stuff. But, at the end of the day, its art school stuff

I didn't feel very strongly about this album.

Suited to some background music for a movie

Not really my thing.

Langweilig.

Der er elementer af det de kan senere på Dusk. Men det drukner i kedelig 80er synth

That's not my taste in musik. Boring.

Of the The The albums I've heard, this is the one I forgot about.

Take some Bowie, mix it with Roxy Music and add some synth pop with tr303 drumset...

Disappointing, I listened to this a lot as a teenager but apart from 'This is the Day' I can't really see why now.

No. Thank you, but no.

British people are weird!

I suspect I enjoyed this album more than most others in our group. That said, at the end of the day I view this as an average album at best. I like some synth pop, but this didn’t grab me and I don’t see myself picking it up again. 2.25/5

That was painful. 1 star

What The? A lot of this reminds me of the weird music the dude from Silence of the Lambs was listening to in his freaky lair. Not a good visual. The one bright spot was the piano jam on “Uncertain Smile”. The beats in the middle of the last track were kind of cool. Overall, I can see it fits a niche, but not in my wheelhouse. 1

Unfortunately, this was so 'middle of the road' that when I was listening to it in the car, I realised that I had gone through 3 or 4 tracks without 'hearing' any of them. Disappointing

Sounds like a local David Bowie cover band more than anything, and not in a good way. Uncertain Smile was the only track that I didn't think was shit, so you get 1 star. Would love to know how this made the cut of 1001, it reflects poorly on this organization to include such crap.

Yikes. I could only make it through half of this one before I had to spit it out and cleanse my palate

Man, fuck Matt Johnson and his stupid band name and this stupid album. My life would have been better if I hadn’t tried to listen to this. Somebody take away his Casio keyboard!

A group called The The? Someone taking that name was pre-determined. The album is mearing perfection in every ragard: most notably, it utilizes quite minimalisting musical elements in such a way that makes basically every track so enjoyable. The rhythms are the single thing that carries the majority of songs, and the vocals and other instrumental parts are just great. In the first two or three tracks you are already able to feel that distinct style; it is really stylish music done with great taste, it knows how to make you dance or at least pay close attention to its exquisite sound landscapes which, again, may be composed of quite simple elements, but so skillfully. I give the thumbs up for the vocals, too; they are fitting and the voice itself has its appeal. It is even hard to tell what genre of music Sould Mining brings; it is certainly popular, with some elements of dance music with all those rhythmic decisions, but I could not tell really. I would also guess this is 80s-ish. All in all, great somewhat minimalistic collection of compositions most of which immediately make you want to add them for later listens. In this sense, the album was something new, and hence outstanding, to me. It's likely it has an average rating of 2.8 to 3.2 here, but with that I'd strongly disagree (UPD: yes, it's 3.17). Hugely talented stuff, A here.

I love soul mining Great album. Poppy but not too much

After Burning Blue Soul (originally credited to Matt Johnson alone), this was the first (and best) The The album. It's been a while since I played this album (I have the original UK vinyl with the 12" single), and I've rediscovered how much I loved this album - and I still do. And it's induced serious nostalgia!

The best new wave album of all time. Soulful and insightful and sophisticated while in the full embrace of the times in which it was created. Matt Johnson's drum machine should be preserved in the seed vault in case we need to reboot pop music again.

Another one I can't evaluate fairly because I loved it so much as a teenager. Sure, the production is dated, but this is basically a one man show. Would you devalue Prince's genius because "Controversy" sounds too much like 1981? No, you would not

You know what? I think I’m at a 10. Mileage will vary on this, and for me, it’s one of the more personalized 10s I’m going to give. I just really connected with the sort of hopeful despair this album portrays in its lyrics. This is one about smiling through the pain you’re acutely aware of, creating a dissonance between your outer presentation & your inner self, yet being unable to reconcile with both, in a way where people can take advantage of you & mine your soul for their own gain, until you’ve lost all sense of self. Every single one of these tracks clicked lyrically in a way that captures a mood I’ve felt before & have thankfully escaped from, but this album just gave me a really potent sense of closure on that period of my life. It'd be very easy to boil this album down to its one 'big song' & then neglect the rest, but that's doing such a disservice to the effort put into composing all of these tracks & putting them together as a cohesive experience. It also helps that this is great synthpop for 1983; a lot of these feel at least 5 years ahead of schedule at the minimum, if not longer on a few tracks. Seriously, both “The Twilight Hour” & “Soul Mining” feel like they’re from 1993 at the earliest. It’s mostly in the guitar / bass work being real instrumentation, but anytime a non-programmed instrument blends into the soundscape, it sounds great because they work in harmony with the synths as opposed to being fodder for the synths. The shining example of this is in the 3-minute piano solo that ends “Uncertain Smile”, which is one of the best piano solos I’ve heard in my life. I have no idea how that much energy came from a track that’s centered around the nerves of an uncertain relationship, but it just gets more stunning as it goes. I want to point out the countdown that opens the album, just as a note of how detail-oriented this album seems to be. He goes 10, 9, 8, and then he skips 7. Obviously, 7 is the lucky number – this album just has no luck behind it from the beginning, at least for this protagonist that we seemingly follow throughout. It’s such a small moment, but it’s pretty easy to hear, and that level of detail & attention applies lyrically, instrumentally & beyond. As I said, mileage will vary on how successfully this album portrays that emotion it's trying to capture, one’s ability to feel it, and ultimately, one’s ability to appreciate how it’s being done here. I appreciate it a lot. I’m glad it’s on the list, and I think it’s a 10, at least for me. I really, really enjoyed this.

Incredible album, absolutely loved it. Bought the vinyl reissue.

I've loved Uncertain Smile for a good while now. Absolute banger! This whole album is a banger! Good variety of instrumentation. I couldn't stop moving for most of the album!

This is what scans as "cool" to me deep inside, and I wonder why I've failed to make the The Thes' acquaintance for so long. It's compendious – the parts that edge on 80s industrial, like the beat of the first song, go hard; the veins of synthpop and C-86 are agreeable; the pop-musician-style jazzy licks are objectively kinda bad but cute; the Erdal Kızılçay instrumental choices, the big beat reminiscent of Shriekback, the snarly bits from a regular voice aiming for something self-undermining yet still alarming, "little tough man" or summat (like Stuart Murdoch's arms); there's just so much here, and they creep and posture through it like Grant Morrison psychopomps in training (even the uninvited rape metaphors and talk about "moral decay" evoke a world, they do). Shades of "Red Right Hand," Daniel Lanois, Plus from Us, bands like Orange Juice, New Order, Human League, Echo & Bunnymen, a little white post-funk, .... All in all, the the The The Thes's are deffo the biggest discovery for me from this project so far.

<3 really enjoyed to listen this

Soul Mining is my young adulthood. I once made a cassette with the 12” version of "Perfect" on both sides so that I could flip the tape and play it over and over. It was sequenced so each side still worked as a kickass mix tape. It took far more effort than it should have, but it was worth it. Driving the coast on a summer evening. Carefree. Sunroof open. Blaupunkt blaring "Perfect". Perfect. Today I had a five-hour drive, and this album was my companion. I played Perfect a few times, the 12” version. I discovered that if you time it right, the lane-assist warning goes "ding, ding, ding" in time with the song whenever you drift over the center line. I played highway percussion for miles. Miss you guys.

Fabulous, interesting songs. So much creativity in the writing and instrumentation, with infectious rhythms. Uncertain Smile will always have a place in my heart, because I loved it so much at the time, although I'm a purist - it has to be the '82 12" version for me (and yes, I still have my copy. You can now find it on something called "The Singles of The The".) Matt is, rightly, treasured and respected as an important contributor to the indie 80s music scene, and he hasn't stopped yet, although, to my shame, I haven't sought out his recent stuff yet. My least favourite track on here is one of the best-known - This Is The Day. But I'm not knocking a star off. Love.

Very campy, industrial and all around poppy. 5/5

Great 80s album. Was only ever familiar by name, but really enjoyed it!

I'd only ever heard This Is The Day before - this was great! I'm pleasantly surprised and a little confused as to why the The weren't bigger. I waffled between 4 and 5 stars on this, but I'm rounding up to 5.

First wave is my fav genre and this album is great!!! I used to play it on my radio show :)

This is the day my life did surely change. One of the records you just know you're gonna love, but since it's on the list, you just wait for tomorrow all your life. Everything here just feels so tailored to my tastes and experiences! I could've been Matt Johnson, if I wanted. Introspective, cynical, depressive lyrics to the sound of upbeat, groovy synth-pop is what I've been looking for all this time. I can quit the generator now.

Was not expecting to like this as much as I did! "This Is The Day" is the standout here for sure, but also enjoyed "I've Been Waitin' For Tomorrow (All of My Life)" "The Sinking Feeling" and "Giant" a good amount! Lots of good hooks here, even if the vocals could be a little hit or miss sometimes.

As someone who only discovered The Cure in my 30s. The The has almost entirely stayed off my radar until this play through. “This is the day” either has shown up in enough pop culture that o have consumed over the year to be recognizable or it’s one of those songs that plays in the background of your life without you knowing. Either way, a truly enjoyable album. While lyrically at times it tries to claw you down into its own sadness, the production is bright and eager. I really likes this album.

Soul Mining es un álbum fascinante que equilibra de manera brillante la luz y la sombra, logrando un sonido que transita con total naturalidad entre lo nostálgico y lo alegre. Lo primero que cautiva es la interpretación de Matt Johnson, poseedor de una fabulosa voz grave y aguda que dota a las letras de una tremenda honestidad emocional. A nivel musical, el disco es una mezcla maestra de géneros gracias a una inmensa riqueza de instrumentos y a la construcción de ritmos fáciles de seguir y pegajosos que invitan al movimiento mientras se procesan reflexiones profundas. El álbum regala momentos de una genialidad rítmica impecable. En "Twilight Of A Champion" (Twilight Hour), destaca de inmediato la arquitectura sonora donde las percusiones tribales, las cuerdas y la voz se entretejen para crear una atmósfera densa y magnética. Por otro lado, el cierre con "Giant" es una pieza monumental que destaca por el juego de las percusiones con la electrónica, arrastrando al oyente a un trance hipnótico. Con un uso del piano súper agradable que añade calidez a los sintetizadores ochenteros, este trabajo demuestra que ha envejecido bien, consolidándose como una obra de arte atemporal ideal tanto para el enfoque en el trabajo creativo como para un viaje en carretera.

This record was pretty much the house record when I lived at 308 South Gilbert in Iowa City. In the grand scheme of things probably not a 5 star record but I just love it!

4.5 (rounded up as it was such a unique and influential moment in post-punk) Soul Mining by The The (41:42, up to 10 tracks (9 vinyl, 7 CD original) 1983, debut (sort of, Burning Blue Soul was released by Matt Johnson before the moniker The The) English post-punk and synth-pop Singles from Soul Mining "Uncertain Smile" (October 1982), "Perfect" (February 1983) "This Is the Day" (September 1983) The The is basically Matt Johnson (often a solo act) notably Johnny Marr contributed heavily but after this album. Also Barrie Cadogan (guitarist) plays a lot with Matt. For Soul Mining Matt was lead singer and songwriter, began recording in New York City, after a bidding war between major record labels resulted in the group signing a recording contract with CBS Records. The initial recording sessions were aborted after the album's first two singles, however, and Johnson returned to London where he wrote and recorded the rest of the record. Musically, Soul Mining is a post-punk and synth-pop album with influences of the early 1980s New York club scene, while Johnson's lyrics focus on relationship insecurities and social alienation, with imagery derived from dreams. Although the album received positive reviews, its initial sales were modest, reaching number 27 in the UK and charting in a number of other countries, but in 2019 the album was certified gold in the UK. Following the release of Burning Blue Soul (1981), Matt Johnson had started work on a follow-up, provisionally titled The Pornography of Despair. Although Burning Blue Soul had been released on the 4AD record label, the The had also released a one-off single, "Cold Spell Ahead", in 1981 on the Some Bizarre label run by Stevo (Stephen John Pearce,) and major record labels were expressing interest in Some Bizarre's acts following the worldwide success of synth-pop duo Soft Cell. Johnson and Stevo decided that the best way to achieve commercial success was to record a new version of "Cold Spell Ahead". Stevo verbally agreed a singles deal with London Records, and in May 1982 the label sent Johnson to New York to record the new version of the song, now retitled "Uncertain Smile", with Soft Cell's producer Mike Thorne, The song followed Johnson's original demo, with a Roland TR-808 providing the drumbeat and Johnson and Thorne playing guitars, bass and synthesizers. While in New York, Johnson visited Manny's Music store on West 48th Street, and was fascinated by a toy xylimba that he saw there. He bought the instrument and returned to the studio with it, using it to create an intro for "Uncertain Smile". When Stevo took the finished song back to London he reneged on his verbal agreement with London Records and initiated a bidding war, eventually won by CBS Records, and the The were signed to CBS's Epic imprint. The single became the The's first release on Epic, released in October 1982 and reaching number 68 on the UK singles chart. Johnson and Stevo returned to New York in October 1982 to record a second song with Thorne. The track was "Perfect", which was a reworked version of a song written for The Pornography of Despair and originally titled "Screw Up Your Feelings". Johnson wanted a harmonica on the record, and Thorne suggested his friend David Johansen of the New York Dolls. However, the second session at Mediasound did not go as smoothly as the first one had. In the intervening period Johnson had gone from being unemployed to receiving a rumored £80,000 advance from CBS. With his new-found wealth Johnson was keen to experience what New York had to offer, disappearing from the studio to explore the Lower East Side and take drugs, which left him in an unfit state to record. Johnson and Stevo also decided to make a road trip to Detroit, with Johnson saying that he had felt compelled to visit the city during the recording of "Perfect" because he felt he was being inauthentic singing the song's lyrics about down-and-outs unless he had experienced it personally, and that "although I hadn't lived there, I knew that I'd seen more than virtually any of the other bands in the charts so I had no reason to feel bad about it". The original New York-produced 7" single versions of "Uncertain Smile" and "Perfect" were included on the The's greatest hits album 45 RPM: The Singles of The The in 2002, while the two 12" versions were included on the second disc of the 30th anniversary reissue of Soul Mining in 2014. Having returned to London with only two songs, CBS asked Johnson if he had any other material that could be used. In response, Johnson began to re-record his unfinished album The Pornography of Despair, but he was not happy with the new versions of the songs, feeling that they lacked impact. He abandoned the album entirely, and decided to write a new album from scratch instead, with "The Sinking Feeling" being the only song retained from The Pornography of Despair. The remainder were written during 1983. In an interview with Melody Maker in May 1983, five months before the album's release, Johnson shared fragments of the lyrics that he was working on, and said that many of them were based on mental images and states of mind. He explained one image, "I'm floating into harbor in a soggy cardboard box", saying, "I've always had this weird thing about the sea, incredibly deep and cold". He also quoted another lyric in progress: "The sun is high and I've been out on the veranda sitting in life's proverbial rocking chair, blanket over my knees", and then explained that "I've always had these images on my mind, very strange dreams. The idea of a clear blue sky, a massive sky in the desert with this little American hut, a veranda, a guy in a rocking chair watching planes flying across the sky, philosophizing about his past life". However, he stated that another line, "I'm in the corner of an overgrown garden, head between my knees, trying not too breathe too loudly" (an early version of the opening lines from "I've Been Waitin' for Tomorrow") was based on a real incident from his childhood, when he had broken into a house – when the police arrived, he had fled into the garden and hidden in a chicken hut. In interviews for the 2014 reissue Johnson stated that some of the earlier songs such as "Uncertain Smile" and "The Twilight Hour" had the theme of "unrequited love", although as he had fallen in love with Skinner while writing the album, the later songs explored other themes. "I've Been Waitin' for Tomorrow (All of My Life)" was about the cognitive dissonance and confusion created by media propaganda. He rejected his reputation for writing depressing lyrics, saying that they were "supposed to be uplifting, but thoughtful. A poignant reflection." Throughout May 1983 The The held a weekly residence of concerts at the Marquee Club in central London, featuring many of Johnson's musician friends from the British post-punk scene. Johnson used these concerts to decide which musicians he wanted to contribute to the forthcoming the The album. These included Orange Juice drummer Zeke Manyika, do-it-yourself synthesizer pioneer Thomas Leer, and the experimental Australian musician JG Thirlwell, credited on the album as one of his early aliases "Frank Want", and who would go on to achieve some degree of recognition recording under the name Foetus. "Uncertain Smile" was re-recorded for the album, keeping the xylimba intro but replacing Crispin Cioe's saxophone solo with a lengthy piano solo by Jools Holland. The idea to include a piano solo resulted from the Garden studio having a Yamaha C3 baby grand piano, and it was suggested to Johnson that Holland would be a good choice to play it. Johnson recalled that Holland had turned up on a hot summer's day in full motorbike leathers, listened to a couple of minutes of the song as a run-through, and then played his solo in one take, with a second drop-in afterwards. In his 2007 autobiography Barefaced Lies and Boogie-Woogie Boasts Holland recounted that when he first listened to the track he had expected to hear his contribution used as an instrumental break in the middle of the song, only to discover that Johnson had edited together the two solos and used them as the song's outro instead. As with many of the The's early albums and singles, the original cover artwork was created by Matt Johnson's brother Andrew, a.k.a. "Andy Dog". The UK album cover featured a painting of one of the wives of Fela Kuti smoking a joint, adapted from a photograph Andy had seen in The Face. Johnson liked the painting, feeling that its colors and African connections fitted with Soul Mining's musical style, and insisted on using it for the album cover, despite Andy's reservations about its suitability. Andy had made a second painting featuring Johnson's head in profile and apparently screaming while being attacked by hammers, which was used for the cover of the US release. In a 2014 interview with Electronic Sound Johnson stated that his brother had been correct, and it would have been better to have used the second painting for the cover of the album in all territories. The 2002 remastered CD reissue replaced the original cover art with an early photograph of Matt Johnson. Both covers are remarkably similar but I agree I prefer the US version with Matt screaming. Graphic designer Fiona Skinner, who had become Johnson's girlfriend in 1982, created the bespoke typeface used on Soul Mining. The album and the single "This Is the Day" marked the first appearance of the band's logo, which also used Skinner's font, and which would be used on the majority of the The's subsequent releases. The album was released with several different track listings, depending on the format and the territory. In the UK and Europe the album had seven tracks and ended with "Giant", as Johnson had intended. Early pressings of the original UK vinyl album included a free 12" single of an extended remix of "Perfect", with "Fruit of the Heart" and "Soup of Mixed Emotions" as the B-sides (catalogue number XPR 1250). However, in the US a record company executive decided that seven songs was not enough for a full album, and a re-recorded version of "Perfect" was added to the US version of Soul Mining, as well as some versions of the Canadian release, much to Johnson's annoyance. This extra track was also included on the album when it was first released on CD in June 1987, in both the UK and the US. In Australia and New Zealand, the album contained nine tracks, with "Fruit of the Heart" closing side one and "Perfect" at the end of side two. It was not until the The's early albums were remastered and reissued in 2002 that Johnson finally succeeded in having Soul Mining reissued without "Perfect", as originally intended. The US cassette version also included extended mixes of "I've Been Waitin' for Tomorrow (All of My Life)" and "This Is the Day" added on to the end of each side of the cassette. The UK cassette version contained the original seven-track album on side one, with "Perfect" plus five other extra tracks on side two. It is generally assumed that these tracks had originally been recorded for the unreleased project The Pornography of Despair. The extra tracks are "Three Orange Kisses from Kazan", "The Nature of Virtue", "Mental Healing Process", "Waitin' for the Upturn", and "Fruit of the Heart". The tracks were all later used as B-sides on various The The single and promo releases, or on film/soundtrack compilation releases, although "Waitin' for the Upturn" is the only track never to have appeared on CD. The 2014 2-LP "30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition" box set of Soul Mining includes an authentic vinyl reproduction of the 1983 release, with audio remastered in 2013 (overseen by Matt Johnson at Abbey Road Studios), and is expanded with a second vinyl containing alternate versions, 12"'s and remixes, intended to complete a "purist album experience". The album was well received on its release. Don Watson of NME said, "In days when the pop song has been reduced to the reiteration of catch-phrases, Matt Johnson flexes a rare literary flair. More importantly he has the command of music's immense possibilities to carry them through without self-indulgence. Ignore this LP if you must, but you'll be ignoring one of the year's rare heart-stopping moments." In Melody Maker Steve Sutherland said, "As you return to Soul Mining again and again, there will be times when you discover it was the last thing you really wanted to do. It will sound mawkish, almost absurd, like a voice crying wolf over and over ... Then again, there'll be times when it will sound obscenely close to the bone, as if [Johnson] were invading and defiling your most private thoughts and emotions ... In other words, you'll use Soul Mining as a barometer to your day and if that's the principal function of great pop, then surely Soul Mining is great pop." In Record Mirror Jim Reid wrote that Johnson was "not always able to find a soundtrack to complement his lyrical angst" but that "if Soul Mining is not the complete Matt Johnson it is an intriguing first taste". In the US, Kurt Loder of Rolling Stone praised Johnson's "sense of structure and his unerring ear for sonic definition" and highlighted "Uncertain Smile" and the "entirely gorgeous piano solo by the exceptionally talented Holland," but had reservations about the "obsessively self-absorbed lyrics... Youthful angst and anomie are fine in their place, but not all over the place." However, Loder concluded, "Johnson creates pop music with an agreeably individual stamp: In the current sea of synth-pop sludge, Soul Mining stands out". The release of the 30th anniversary deluxe edition in 2014 received universal praise from music critics. Michael Bonner of Uncut described the record as a "masterpiece" and said, "Released in the interzone between post-punk and synth pop, and reflecting both, Soul Mining thrums with ideas, tension and dread. Johnson's enduring lyrical concerns – social alienation, political disillusionment and troubles of the heart – are all present and correct, but unlike the industrial/psychedelic adventuring of Burning Blue Soul, they are here given a glossier sheen... Certainly, for an album of heavy themes, Soul Mining is musically surprisingly light." He concluded, "Soul Mining is arguably Johnson's defining work: ambitious, strange, exciting. And, 30-odd years on, remarkably fresh." In Q Peter Paphides described the album as being "like one long distress signal from someone being held against their will inside a Sartre novel". He stated, "The years might not have been quite so kind to Soul Mining were it not for the inspired guest performances that Johnson teased out of his collaborators", singling out Holland's piano solo as "a high point on an album full of them". "Soul Mining is a brilliant and very idiosyncratic album. Maybe that's why it's never really cited as an influence these days: you can't hope to mimic something this personal and unique." Melody Maker placed Soul Mining at number three in its critics' list of the best albums of 1983. In 1989 Record Mirror and Sounds both included the album in their critics' lists of the albums of the decade, Record Mirror ranking it at number eight. 1. "I've Been Waitin' for Tomorrow (All of My Life)" – 5:45 A deeply anxious, driving song about existential dread, paralyzed potential, and the painful passage of time. It captures the crushing psychological weight of waiting for a brighter future that never seems to arrive. The central hook—"I’ve been waiting for tomorrow all of my life"—is a bitter paradox. "Tomorrow" represents hope, change, or a moment when life will finally make sense or fall into place. By admitting he has spent his entire life waiting for it, the narrator realizes he has completely missed out on living in the present. He is trapped in a cycle of passive hoping rather than active living. The lyrics contrast childhood ideals with the grim reality of adulthood. Lines like "All my childhood dreams are dangling around my knees" evoke a visceral image of failure, where the bright hopes of youth have wilted and become heavy, pathetic burdens. "My aspirations have shriveled in the sun / I'm crippled by guilt, blinded by science" point to a sense of intellectual and emotional paralysis. The modern world has overwhelmed him, leaving him unable to act on his ambitions. The mantra-like outro chants, "My mind has been polluted and my energy diluted." This highlights a loss of purity, focus, and drive. It speaks to the modern condition—being bombarded by societal expectations, anxieties, and noise to the point where an individual feels completely drained and incapable of self-actualization. The song is a frantic, electronic warning about the danger of procrastination and passive living. It acts as a mirror to the listener's own fears of waking up one day to realize that life has passed them by while they were busy waiting for the "perfect" time to start living. 2. "This Is the Day" – 5:01 A beautiful, bittersweet anthem about personal reinvention, hope, and the sudden realization that change is possible. While much of Matt Johnson's work deals with dark, existential anxiety, "This Is the Day" stands out as a rare, radiant beam of optimism. It captures that exact, fleeting moment when a person decides to stop being paralyzed by their past and finally steps into a brighter future. The song opens by acknowledging a long period of depression, stagnation, and isolation. "You've been reading books of how to change your life / And looking for the sign" show someone who has been trapped in their own head, desperately searching for a way out. "You've been waking up across the floor" suggests a chaotic, unglamorous, and emotionally exhausted lifestyle that the narrator is finally ready to leave behind. The soaring, unforgettable chorus—"This is the day your life will surely change"—serves as a self-fulfilling prophecy. The song argues that change doesn't always happen slowly; sometimes, it begins with a conscious, powerful choice made on a single morning. It is a declaration of agency over one's own destiny. Despite the overwhelming optimism, the song is deeply human because it acknowledges the pain of moving on. In the verse "You look at old photographs and think to yourself / 'What a cute little boy/girl I used to be' / And you can't remember being that person at all," Johnson captures the profound disassociation we feel when looking back at our youth. The transition into adulthood means letting go of who you used to be, which brings a quiet sense of grief even when the future looks bright. If "I've Been Waitin' for Tomorrow" is the agony of passive waiting, "This Is the Day" is the joy of active arrival. It is a comforting, driving reminder that no matter how long you have felt stuck, sad, or lost, a single day can mark the boundary between your old life and your new one. Not many songs have an accordion hook. 3. "The Sinking Feeling" – 3:44 Acts as the dark, connective tissue between the paralyzing anxiety of “I’ve Been Waitin’ for Tomorrow” and the forced optimism of “This Is the Day.” The song takes a common idiom—the physical feeling of dread or discouragement—and expands it into a sweeping critique of personal depression tangled with societal collapse. The song opens with a visceral depiction of clinical depression, executive dysfunction, and isolation. “My head fills like a junk shop / In desperate need of repair” captures a brain cluttered with overwhelming thoughts, anxieties, and broken pieces of mental health. “The path of least resistance leads to the / Garbage heap of despair / I think I’d better get back in bed” illustrate the total lack of energy required to face the world, choosing the safety of sleep over the agony of existence. The unforgettable chorus shifts the perspective from personal misery to a grander political and social critique: “I'm just a symptom of the moral decay / That's gnawing at the heart of the country.” Johnson argues that his personal depression isn't happening in a vacuum. He views his mental health struggles as a direct byproduct of living in a sick, cold, and hyper-capitalist society (specifically reflecting the bleak, socio-economic climate of Thatcherite Britain in the early 1980s). Johnson targets the relentless march of modernization and capitalism with the intense line: “While I’m being raped by progress / Tomorrow’s world is here to stay.” represents a technological and corporate future that completely ignores human emotion and well-being, leaving the individual feeling violated and left behind by the modern world. Despite the pitch-black themes, the song offers a rare moment of stark, protective advice: “You can't destroy your problems / By destroying yourself / Death is not the answer...” It serves as a blunt, anti-suicide checkpoint. Johnson acknowledges how tempting it is to opt out entirely when feeling this low, but firmly states that self-destruction solves nothing. “The Sinking Feeling” is the sound of being actively trapped under the waves. It is a powerful anthem about feeling utterly powerless against your own mind and the cold world outside, while desperately reminding yourself to just stay alive. 4. "Uncertain Smile" – 6:52 A brilliant, emotionally complex masterpiece about the vulnerability, obsessive infatuation, and terrifying anxiety of unrequited or unconfessed love. Originally titled "Cold Spell Ahead" during its demo phase, the final version on the 1983 album Soul Mining stands out because of its beautiful paradox: Matt Johnson’s lyrics are intensely brooding and melancholic, but the music around them is wildly upbeat, danceable, and ecstatic. The song maps out the confusing emotional landscape of being completely consumed by thoughts of another person. The song opens with the narrator waking up at an unusual time, realizing his entire mental schedule has been disrupted by thoughts of someone else. “Peeling the skin back from my eyes / I felt surprised / That the time on the clock was the time I usually retired / To the place where I cleared my head of you.” Usually, sleep is his escape—a sanctuary where he can wash away his obsession. But today, the obsession wins: “But just for today, I think I'll lie here and dream of you.” He surrenders to the fantasy. The chorus subverts a classic romantic cliché. I've got you under my skin where the rain can't get in / But if the sweat pours out, just shout / I'll try to swim and pull you out.” While "under my skin" usually implies closeness, here it feels borderline claustrophobic and feverish. The love is so intense it causes "sweat," and the narrator speaks of having to "swim" to rescue them—or perhaps rescue himself—from the overwhelming weight of these feelings. The climax of the lyrics paints a bleak, atmospheric picture of isolation “A broken soul stares from a pair of watering eyes / Uncertain emotions force an uncertain smile.” The "uncertain smile" is the core of the song. It is the mask worn by someone who is terrified of rejection. Faced with intense, chaotic feelings ("watering eyes"), the narrator cannot fully cry, nor can he genuinely smile. He is frozen in a state of emotional limbo, unable to bridge the gap between himself and the person he desires. You cannot separate the meaning of "Uncertain Smile" from its legendary extended piano solo, frantically performed in a single take by Jools Holland. While Johnson's lyrics trap the listener in a loop of anxious, introverted longing, the music suddenly breaks free in the second half. The cascading, joyful piano acts as an emotional release valve. It represents the triumphant, uninhibited rush of pure passion breaking through the narrator's mental walls—communicating the soaring ecstasy of love that his words were too scared to express 5. "The Twilight Hour" – 5:58“The Twilight Hour” A haunting, atmosphere-driven song about the agonizing loneliness of insomnia, emotional alienation, and the dread of being left alone with one's own thoughts. While tracks like "Uncertain Smile" capture a frantic, sweaty energy, "The Twilight Hour" slows the album down into a deeply introspective, cinematic chill. The "twilight hour" refers to that eerie, silent time of night—often between 3:00 AM and dawn—where the rest of the world is asleep, leaving the narrator entirely isolated in the dark. The lyrics perfectly capture the physical and mental restlessness of being unable to sleep when the mind is plagued by anxiety: “Washing the sheet from my sticky skin” evokes a feverish, uncomfortable physical reality. The bed, which should be a place of rest, has become a trap. “Twisting my body into positions it's never been in” highlights the desperate, futile physical shifting of someone trying to outrun their own mind. As the narrator looks out into the night, he feels completely disconnected from humanity and his own identity: “Looking through the window at the icy blue sky / Hoping to see a face I recognize / But there's nobody there, there's nobody there.” The world outside is cold, empty, and indifferent to his suffering. “I'm just a shape, I'm just a name” reveals a profound sense of depersonalization. Stripped of connection, he feels reduced to a mere silhouette, hollowed out by loneliness. For someone dealing with deep-seated emotional pain or depression, the lack of daytime distractions is terrifying. During the day, noise and routine keep the inner demons at bay. But during the "twilight hour," all armor is stripped away. The silence forces an intense, unwanted confrontation with one's fears, regrets, and existential dread. If "This Is the Day" is the triumphant morning of a new beginning, “The Twilight Hour” is the pitch-black night of the soul that precedes it. It is a raw, atmospheric portrait of absolute isolation, capturing the universal, sinking feeling of watching the clock tick toward morning while feeling completely forgotten by the world. 6. "Soul Mining" – 4:50 Both the titular concept of The The's iconic 1983 album and a track on the record. As a metaphor, "Soul Mining" means digging deep into the most vulnerable, painful, and hidden parts of one’s psyche to extract truth—even if that excavation leaves you emotionally scarred. Frontman Matt Johnson has described the record as a "rite of passage" about a young person navigating love, lust, isolation, and self-loathing. The phrase can be understood in two ways The title implies that the human soul is something vulnerable to a pickaxe or a drill. To make sense of the world, Johnson forces himself to dig beneath his social armor. This "mining" process isn't peaceful; it's a desperate, messy excavation. It uncovers the visceral, heavy bodily anxiety found throughout the tracklist—from "emotional scars" (I've Been Waitin' for Tomorrow) to a "broken soul" Though mostly an atmospheric, percussion-heavy instrumental track, the brief lyrical chorus perfectly encapsulates the tragic irony of human relationships and defense mechanisms: "Something always goes wrong when things are going right / You swallowed your pride to quell the pain inside." The song suggests that when we are hurt or insecure, we "swallow our pride" and change who we are just to survive emotional trauma. By burying our true feelings to keep the peace or protect ourselves, we are essentially "mining" away our own identity bit by bit. Ultimately, Soul Mining is about the agony and necessity of self-exploration. Matt Johnson once perfectly summarized the album's intimate, claustrophobic nature by noting that someone had called it "a record for small rooms but big imaginations." 7. "Giant" – 9:36 “Giant” is the monumental, tribal closing track of The The's Soul Mining. Matt intended this as the finale but for various reasons the record company added additional tracks on different formats. Clocking in at nearly ten minutes, the song represents the climax of the album's psychological breakdown and a desperate, cathartic cry for mental survival. If the rest of the album is about digging into the psyche, "Giant" is the moment the walls cave in, forcing the narrator to confront his absolute lowest point so he can begin to rebuild. Focus on alienation and a profound loss of identity: The opening image of being "strapped into a rocking chair / With a blanket part over my knees" in the middle of a vast desert paints a picture of a young mind feeling prematurely old, paralyzed, and completely stranded. The core thesis of the song rests on the lines: "I am a stranger to myself... When I looked into my face / It wasn't myself I'd seen / But who I've tried to be." It is about the painful realization that you have spent your life putting on a performance for others, losing your true self in the process. The admission of clogging his mind with "perpetual greed" and turning "friends into enemies" grounds the song in a very real, human regret. It's the ultimate crash after a period of selfish behavior. The haunting, repetitive question—“How could anyone know me / When I don't even know myself?”—replaces the idea of a "giant". The real tragedy of the track isn't the weight of the world; it's the total lack of self-knowledge. Bonus tracks UK Cassette 8. "Perfect" (Australia, New Zealand, Canada and US releases) – 5:36 Bonus tracks UK Cassette 9. "Three Orange Kisses from Kazan" – 4:27 10. "The Nature of Virtue" – 5:50 11. "Mental Healing Process" – 3:45 12. "Waitin' for the Upturn" – 4:30 13. "Fruit of the Heart" – 1:57 US and Canada included "I've Been Waitin' for Tomorrow (All of My Life)" [Special Mix] – 7:36 "This Is the Day" [12" Version] – 5:22 Personnel Matt Johnson – vocals, synthesisers, percussion, instruments on all tracks, chant on "Giant" Harry Beckett – trumpet on "Perfect" Paul Boyle – fiddle on "This Is the Day" Andy Duncan – drums on "This Is the Day", "Uncertain Smile", "Soul Mining" and "Perfect" Paul Hardiman – chant on "Giant" Camelle G. Hinds – bass guitar on "I've Been Waitin' for Tomorrow (All of My Life)", "Uncertain Smile", "The Twilight Hour", "Giant" and "Perfect" Jools Holland – piano on "Uncertain Smile" David Johansen – harmonica on "Perfect" Keith Laws – melodica on "Three Orange Kisses from Kazan" Thomas Leer – synthesisers on "I've Been Waitin' for Tomorrow (All of My Life)", "The Twilight Hour" and "Giant" Martin McCarrick – cello on "The Twilight Hour" Zeke Manyika – drums on "I've Been Waitin' for Tomorrow (All of My Life)", "The Twilight Hour" and "Giant", chant on "Giant" Jeremy Meek – bass guitar on "The Sinking Feeling" Steve James Sherlock – flute and saxophone on "Three Orange Kisses from Kazan" and "Waitin' for the Upturn" Anne Stephenson – violin on "The Twilight Hour" Frank Want – sticks on "Giant" Wix – accordion on "This Is the Day" Artwork Andy Johnson – artwork Fiona Skinner – (Matt’s GF at the time) typography The 1981 album Burning Blue Soul was originally released by the band's frontman Matt Johnson as a solo album, but later reissues credited it to the The.

Really enjoyed this. Very fun.

As someone who isn't familiar with The The in the slightest, this album genuinely blew me away on my first listen. At just two tracks in I already felt like I'd been punched in the gut by how hard the lyrics hit home for me. I try not to wallow too much in the sort of cynical ideations that songs like I've Been Waitin for Tomorrow and This Is the Day explore, but I can't deny the raw emotional response they elicit for me. Matt Johnson really explores these themes in an evocative way. I'm probably a little too old to be gushing about such angsty lyrical content but hey, feelings are feelings. Maybe I'll finally grow up some day, but that day's not today. The music itself is excellent as well, with This Is the Day being a particular highlight with its wonderful soaring accordion hook that almost tricks you into thinking you're listening to something a lot more joyous and hopeful than what the lyrics would imply. Most of the rest of the album is more subdued and goes for a 'cooler' vibe, but those tracks are no less engaging. The way songs like Uncertain Smile and Giant start with a very catchy base and then branch out and go a little crazy in an almost jazz-like way while maintaining their funky, danceable rhythms was something I really enjoyed. It reminds me a lot of LCD Soundsystem in that way, so I wouldn't be surprised if James Murphy was a big The The fan. Anyway, if you'll excuse me, I need to go check out more music from Mr Johnson. Favourite tracks: This Is the Day, I've Been Waitin for Tomorrow, Uncertain Smile

i’ve heard of the the! i love their band name. no idea what kind of music they do. always got a the band vibe. i’m seeing now they are nothing like that. this is neat. i see a lot of people complain about the amount of new wave on this list. i love new wave. this is awesome. also this album is gorgeous. incredibly well made. ouggggggh the piano solo in uncertain smile 🤤 i’m scared of god, im scared of hell. so real. i’m definitely revisiting this. i liked every moment on this. may change later but definitely a 5 on this listen

I'll f*ck with it

Eclectic rock album. Was starting to fizzle near the end but was short enough it didn’t bother me. Started real strong.

One of my top 50 GOAT albums. I could play 'This is the Day' over and over and never get bored of it. Same with 'Soul Mining'. As for the rest of the album, Jules Holland on piano? Zeke Manyaka on drums? What is not to like? Matt Johnson peaked way too early!

Astonishing

80’s Post Punk ⭐️Giant

this is the day song of all time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

378/1089 - Fantastic album. Also "This is the Day" is now one of my favorite songs. I finally listened to lyrics for once and I really like the uplifting message in this song. The verses show the character looking at the past and feeling depressed while the chorus shows the character taking the first step to overcome the depression. Opening the curtain, showing a plane in a clear blue sky, think about it! This is Britain, do you know how rare a clear blue sky is? Happens like 4 days a year I imagine. There's also the imagery of a plane, containing people traveling and actively living, something the character is taking the first step in doing. I interpret it as a very earnest and uncynical song which is awesome, not to mention the catchy bassline and unique accordion, fiddle, and omnichord instrumentation! All of that paragraph is just for one song! I love the piano solo on "Uncertain Smile" and the amazing synth parts and punk influences throughout. One of the best New Wave albums ever made.

This was a fun discovery. Enjoyed reading the Brooklyn Vegan interview with Matt Johnson. I'd love to find a conversation between Johnson and Robert Smith of The Cure. "Giant" is so far my favorite track. The drums at 5:00 mark are epic. The whole album feels like the music a venue plays before a concert to get the crowd pumped up.

Wow, really nice! I will round the 9/10 up today

Really fucked w this album

This was a very pleasant surprise. Something about this was uplifting and catchy. The way that they build up the loops is very cool... at some point you realize you're dancing in your chair. I'll definitely listen to this one again.

This is why I do the 1001 challenge, I never would of heard this and I thought it was brilliant!

When we think about the 80s, what we usually picture is big hair, synthy pop music, power ballads, and garishly bright colors. But in the meantime, the post punk scene was running more or less in the background, planting the seeds for much of the 90s indie rock scene to come. I've always liked The The and their debut "Soul Mining" is arguably their best work. If nothing else, it definitely contains two of their best songs "This is the Day" and "Uncertain Smile". I'm happy these guys are still going strong, having another great one in 2024, more than 40 years after "Soul Mining". Still a great band making excellent music under the surface.

Hell yeah this is great. I’ve heard of The The but never actually listened. Def coming back to this.

One of my favourite albums of all time.

Soul Mining has that classic 80s rock-pop vibe that pulls you in. Anyone who lived that era knows what I am talking about. Matt Johnson’s voice really stands out—strong, expressive, and perfect for the mood of the songs. Overall, it’s worth revisiting if you love that era’s sound.

The sound of someone having a beautifully articulated existential crisis while dancing in a basement full of synths. Rating: ★★★★★ 4.8/5 Short Review: This album is 80s art-pop for people who overthink literally everything. It’s angular, emotional, neurotic, poetic — basically a therapy session with drum machines. Matt Johnson sings like a man who has read too much philosophy and not slept in three days, which, frankly, is your entire personal brand. It’s catchy, but also devastating. It’s stylish, but also spiraling. It’s “main character walking home at 2 a.m. through wet neon streets” music. Favorite Track: “Uncertain Smile” — the piano solo enters your bloodstream, rearranges your neurons, and leaves without apologizing. ⸻

My inner Xennial wants to give this 5 stars if only because of “This Is The Day”’s inclusion in the Empire Records soundtrack. Now - close your eyes and imagine you’re wearing a beat up cardigan and dancing with Liv Tyler on a rooftop somewhere.

An awesome album!!

Hey this was interesting

Just loved this from beginning to end. Some killer bass lines and great vocals. Hints of Pulp, Human League, The Cure, Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode. Definitely going into my rotation.

What a great finding! A very defined sound that felt like a journey to a memory. Kind of familiar, kind of new.

My favourite part of This is the day is when his voice does that thing i"you coulda been anything IF YOu wanted"

Heerlijk, wat een leuk album blijft dit toch. Het is classic new wave, zonder over-the-top te klinken. Het vrolijk en funky maar wordt nergens catchy. Dat komt ook door de stem van Matt Johnson. Die is best laag en monotoon. Ik ben niet de grootste fan, maar kon er vandaag erg van genieten. Voor de liefhebbers passen sommige tracks zelfs op de dansvloer, waardoor het me voor het eerst een beetje doet denken aan LCD Soundsystem. Zeker de afsluitende track Giant (Wat een slottrack is dat zeg!). James Murphy is net zo goed geen échte zanger maar maakt fantastische composities waar de zang ook maar één partij is. En ook die kunnen op de dansvloer. Eigenlijk toch weer positief verrast door Soul Mining. En ik heb wel zin om weer eens 5 sterren uit te delen, dus waarom ook niet. 8,5/10 Highlights Uncertain Smile Giant

An album I know! Bloody love this. The story I heard is that Jules Holland came in to do a track, and when he heard it on the album they had cut it up and moved it around! This is the day an uncertain smile are still on my regular rotation.

Great album!

Excellent, actually

Classic. Not much else to say.

Some class new wave

One of my favourite albums ever, Matt Johnson is just pure class

Love this record. It’s deep and serious yet utterly listenable (the musical equivalent of a think piece), a high-water mark for post-punk or new wave or whatever precisely Matt Johnson wanted to call himself. The drum machines seem just a touch dated, but otherwise this feels classic, up-to-date and – more to the point – timeless. Easily one of the best albums of the ‘80s. Don’t sleep on Mind Bomb either.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 out of 5, obviously) If Joy Division and a Philosophy 101 dropout had a lovechild, and that child grew up chain-smoking in a Brixton bedsit, it would be Soul Mining. Matt Johnson's voice? Molasses poured over broken glass. The lyrics? Drenched in romantic despair, political nihilism, and just enough hope to keep you from lighting the curtains on fire. This was Thatcher’s Britain: unemployment, class tension, no milk left in the fridge. And here's Matt Johnson writing art-pop that’s intelligent, aching, and deeply personal. It doesn’t whine. It aches. And somehow makes you dance while doing it. I bought it on vinyl and cassette in the 80's, CD in the 90's and it still features on my regular playlists on Tidal. Absolute Classic.

Damn bangers

Yup, loved this album. I knew This Is The Day and Uncertain Smile (which is one of my favourite songs ever) already, but the rest is pretty cool as well. Very very 80s with all the synths but not annoying like other music from the era and although most tracks are quite long, they never overstay their welcome in my opinion. Groovy all throughout.

An awesome album that hit many nostalgic notes

This one continues to grow as you go, and by the time I finished I had to revisit most of it again. Synth-pop masterwork, with some folksy undertones and delicious mixing. Sonically incredible with musicianship to match. I love a record that is short and to the point, yet has a journey through the music along the way that is exciting and engaging.

Slaps. I went through a bit of a The The phase earlier in the year and this was the one I kept going back to. Not perfect but I love enough to go the full 5

one of the great under-appreciated albums of the 80s. This is the Day is one of the greatest songs ever, and Jools Holland’s piano solo in Uncertain Smile is an all-timer 🤷‍♀️ 4.5

One of my favourites from the 80s. I love everything about The The. The music. The lyrics. THE VOICE. What a genius. This Is the Day, Uncertain Smile, and Perfect. Three classics that put me in a good mood anytime I hear them.

I can hear so many influenced artists in this album. Love the post punk and electronic expression.

Absolutely brilliant

If for no other reason I'm enjoying that this 1001 Albums project is exposing me to all the 'other' songs from bands where I've only heard their hits. Definitely not just filler. Really liked the post-punk-ness of this one, compared to other New Wave stuff. Matt Johnson is dynamic, high energy or crooning, he's very engaging. I also like how short and sweet this album is. Lots to like!

Some of the album didn't age well, other parts are absolutely timeless.

Well, this is easy. Five Stars. While musical styles have changed a lot over the last 45 years, Soul Mining has been regularly been on my Walkman / turntable / CDPlayer / Streaming list. It was a stunning debut and still feels fresh. Fave Track? Uncertain Smi ... GIAN .... Waitin' For Tomo... Damn. It's all good, man.

Emotion all on display

Genius

One of the greatest 80s albums ever!! Uncertain Smile is the best song on the album! What genius lyrics!!

4.5 - This is the day is such a classic and I loved the whole tone of the album. I think this is the day and uncertain smile overshadowed the rest sadly to make it a real perfect album

Upbeat & quirky post-punk with emotive vocals - I love it

This is what I came here for! Good shit. Feels like it would be a weird album even know and it’s 40 years old

An absolutely wonderful synth pop album. Everyday that I have gone in my life without This is the Day and Perfect is one I now regret. I can't think of any album that I've listened to before where the concept of today and tomorrow held so much joy and despair, so much promise and threat. This is not the last time I will be listening to this album. An easy 5 stars.

Oh, what a great album! Though the cover art is a bit off-putting, the music is so inviting. I love the tunes, and would happily recommend this to a friend. Fav song: Uncertain Smile

This record has popped up repeatedly, at very significant times in my life. This holds cherished memories for me.

It’s been a while since I heard this, but it holds up amazingly well

High quality New Wave. I've heard of this band but never really listened before. Thoroughly enjoyable 80's sounds that I hated then but love now. Extra stars for the nostalgia trip.

I wish I had discovered this album years ago. It’s much more Synthpop than I ever expected from The The. While there are guitars, they’re mostly used to add subtle texture rather than overpowering the synth-driven sound. The album is dominated by synthesizers and drum machines, with beats that remind me of New Order’s “Blue Monday.” The rhythm is a standout feature, sometimes driven by synths, other times by a bass guitar, all coming together with uplifting piano solos and catchy melodies.

I wish I had discovered this album years ago. It’s much more Synthpop than I ever expected from The The. While there are guitars, they’re mostly used to add subtle texture rather than overpowering the synth-driven sound. The album is dominated by synthesizers and drum machines, with beats that remind me of New Order’s “Blue Monday.” The rhythm is a standout feature, sometimes driven by synths, other times by a bass guitar, all coming together with uplifting piano solos and catchy melodies.

This album slaps

Saved Prior: This Is the Day, Uncertain Smile Not Saved: 8. Soul Mining Off Rip: 7. I've Been Waitin' For Tomorrow (All My Life) 6. The Twilight Hour 5. Perfect* 4. The Sinking Feeling 3. Giant 2. Uncertain Smile 1. This Is the Day *Not on the original UK release Overall Notes: Knew This Is the Day and Uncertain Smile going in and was not expecting the lyrics to be as depressed as they are. This Is the Day pops even more within the context of the album, definitely one of the more important songs to me in my life. Tons of grooves which are given the space to breathe, album was almost clubby. 4.5 rounded up.

Can't decide what's better, the music or the name of the band

What a record!

Really enjoyed this. Quite a trip. I like the use of instrumental layers on unexpected sounds that build on each other. This Is The Day is obviously great. Just heard it at the end of The Outrun as well. Good lyrics on here, although I would prefer the vocals to be mixed a little higher. I keep listening to the whole album. There's so much interesting stuff going on. Great cover art.

it scratches my brain good

This could not have been more serendipitous. No lie, I am going to see this band tonight. This record has popped up repeatedly, at very significant times in my life. This holds cherished memories for me. Couldn’t be happier to see any other record pop up on today, of all days. Such a surprise, I could cry. And it’s a full moon. Obviously 5/5

So, I know the lyrics verge on the ridiculous at times because they are so dark and self-loathing. However, I have loved this album since back in the day and have still revisited it from time to time. The Jools Holland and Zeke Manyike solos are great. He attracts some great musicians

Sometime shortly after college (might’ve been during my senior year) I burnt a bunch of albums onto CDs for listening in my car. It was mostly personal favorites and classics. Rumours, White Blood Cells, Alligator, etc. I still have those CDs in my current car. Anyways, one was Soul Mining. Unclear why I picked it as I wasn’t familiar with the album. Pretty sure I’d read online about how some consider it one of the best records of the 80s, and I already liked This Is the Day (the song was in an M&Ms commercial). I sure am glad I took a chance on it all those years ago, because this album is really special. It’s a pop record but an undeniably strange one, propelled by aggressive percussion and world-weary yet hopeful lyrics. It rewards repeat listens. I’m convinced the beauty of Soul Mining (aptly titled) can creep up on just about anyone who enjoys adventurous pop music and is willing to let it sink in—while driving, at home, or anywhere else.

This album was so so good??? Like I think it’s a full five stars, so much to return to and let soak in here, but it works brilliantly on a surface level as well - I will absolutely dive into Matt Johnson immediately (as I don’t think I’ve ever consciously come across any of his work before??)

This is synth-pop gold. So underrated. I only knew “This is the Day” and adored it. I think I adore this album. 1983 was such a great year for music. It’s about time I heard one of that year’s best albums.

The The's break thru album...and they just get better from here!

Playful langourous happy party vibes - who else does this so well? Thank you again 1001. For REintroducing me to simply the best feelgood and amazingly languid, liquid and cool music from the 80s. That voice+tight trashy pop instruments=musical alchemy, (which tooks 35 yrs to certify Gold appparently! that's some slow gold...) I knew "the The" from balmy summer parties of my student 90s. "This is the day" goes nicely alongside "Sounds of Then (This is Australia)" by GANGgajang. But lets not get AUTOBOGRAPHICAL, kids. Its now on my Essential 80s albums list. No question. ...the magic arpegiio things in Uncertain smile, and drummy bits in Giant, but most of all, the playful langourous happy party vibes - who else does this so well? Funny how how music transports you to a space and time ...I let the warmth and poppy 80s sounds wash over. Yes.

One of my barometers for this project is asking myself “Am I ever going to okay this again?” With Matt Johnson my answer is always “Yes”. And have been playing The The Albums over and over since the 89s. The sentiments always resonate with me and the songs always impel me to dance. Different songs affect me on different days so sometimes I just love ‘This is the day’. Today it’s all bout The Sinking Feeling. Thanks, Matt. You’ve been a great help.

classic

Slay. Just wish it had more than 7 songs

This perfectly bridges the gap between English alternative/synth pop of the era and Downtown NYC club sounds. Not a stinker in the bunch here, five stars, wouldn't mind if this was the only CD I had in my car for a cross country road trip

This album is incredible

Love this. 80s synth pop is a weakness of mine.

Love the The The band name. I've maybe heard one of the The The songs but I've never listened to the The The's albums in full. Eager to check this The The album out! Uncertain Smile was the song I knew from the Left of the Dial box set that highlighted so much great 80's music. It's still probably my favorite song on the album but I enjoyed every song almost as much as the next. This band had a great style. They had a distinct 80's sound (a lot of synth and bass) but also they sound more advanced than a lot of 80s groups both musically and lyrically. I wonder why The The never exploded. I suspect the name may have given them issues. This is a great album regardless of their band name (which I don't hate, but I can see trouble from a marketing perspective).

Absolutely fantastic & essential to a record collection

Loved this album. Reminded me of Yeasayer. I'll listen to it again.

- Heard of this band before but didn't even know what genre it was - Very pleasantly surprised, not sure how I hadn't heard this before - Fav songs: This is the Day, The Sinking Feeling, Giant

If you combine the best sounds from They Might Be Giants, The Smiths, a little REM, a little DEVO, and maybe a little The Human League, you’d end up with this great 99s sound. Yes Yes for The The.

I adore ‘Soul Mining’. I was hooked from the very first time I heard it, and every subsequent listen over the years only continues to reinforce how good and unexpected it is. It’s an album about love and loss, sadness and loneliness, social alienation, and political disillusionment. All the usual stuff then, but it’s wrapped up in gorgeous upbeat arrangements and melodies, mixing pop with funky basslines and industrial beats, and even venturing into club territory. The end result is something special, and 40 years on ‘Soul Mining’ sounds as fresh as it did when it was released.

I enjoyed this album a lot! The funkiness really shined here, and the vocals matched well. Can't wait to listen to this again!

This and The Infected make nice counterparts imo. I think I still prefer The Infected by a little

Crazy to have another the the album so soon. But i am not complaining, This is incredibly good. I liked infected but this is just a bit more of what i like. Banger after banger

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this album. Each song had good melodies and was unique in some way, while being danceable and upbeat. Despite that, the lyrics were often pretty bleak but never whiny or cringy. I liked the sometime surreal imagery as well. I’ll be listening to more of this band for sure.

One of my favorite artists and albums of all time.

Yep. Absolutely for me

The only thing I didn’t like about this album was that I didn’t know about it sooner.

Gorgeous indie-pop with bouncy 80s synths, toe-tapping percussion, and catchy melodies. Lyrics are what would happen if you binge-listened the best songs of the Smiths in the dark for months, then took some pep pills and started writing uplifting, chart-busting earworms. The vocalist sings like he's doing the show-stopping monologue at the finale of an amateur theatre camp. Parts of the album sound like you are eavesdropping on his unpolished, lo-fi bedroom rehearsal. The rest sounds like you're hitting the dancefloor firmly under the influence. Everything about this is fantastic. (The artwork of Fela Kuti's wife seems misplaced and the US cover is much better.) 5*

Difficult one to critique because it just did everything insanely well.

Soul Mining should be in everyone's collection. This post punk album shines with catchy beats, strong lyrics, and head bobbing melodies.

It's crazy that this was their debut. This record is awesome! A far cry from 1986's Infected, which I pulled a few months ago and found really underwhelming. Soul Mining on the other hand is far from it. It's a perfect blend of new wave and post-punk, their fusion adds so much character to the music. And for an album that came out in the '80s, nothing about this was corny or cheesy. It felt like a very fresh and modern take on its genres, and must've been influential to at least a few of the indie bands who rode the '80s nostalgia wave over these past few years. If it wasn't, then it should have been. Standout tracks are This is the Day, Uncertain Smile, Soul Mining, and despite being nine minutes long, Giant.

Really good new wave music. The stretch from ‘This Is The Day’ to ‘The Twilight’ in particular is masterful. I don’t have much to say, really; just an amazing discovery from one of my favorite genres. Very excited for Infected.

Brilliant stuff

If one feels as though they are the symptom of the moral decay gnawing at the heart of the country, they may need some soul mining. In all seriousness, this album is perhaps the most perfect encapsulation of Matt Johnson's vision for The The and remains one of the more engrossing and thoughtful albums of the 1980s. Although there are elements of this that sounds of its time, it can be safely considered current day. A masterpiece.

Oh damn, that is great fusion of postpunk and synthpop with great great vocal. Bass is really ejoyable. When You take everything apart it is so simple, at moments almost too simple. But at the same time everything fits well. Lirycs are worth mentioning on their own. They feel like true poems that balance on verge of despair and hope. When You mix everything it makes specific but somehow very good album.

Another classic album from "The The".

Wow, awesome music. Favorite songs: This is the Day, The Sinking Feeling, Uncertain Smile.

One of my all-time favourite albums of all-time... I listen to this at least once a month and have done for years :) Timeless!

BL: "The, The" is a band my dad really likes but have never listened to outside of the "Burning Blue Soul" album. Will be interested to give it a listen. AL: I really liked this album. Hit the spot of Funky Electronica even better than the Hot Chip album did a couple weeks ago. Glad to have heard it. A kind of pre-trip hop masterpiece which makes me see where Massive Attack and all of them got major inspiration from. Definitely worth the listen. FT: “this is the day” “uncertain smile” giant” 5/5

Classic new wave! Great work on the keys.

I've heard the cheeky name before, but I don't think I've ever actually listened to them. I'm kind of kicking myself now though because this is fantastic. I love post-punk and this is just a fantastic example of it. I'll definitely have to explore more.

What a great discovery. Love the synth, love the popiness of it. I think my favourite song from this album is Giant, the arrangements work so well! Saved tracks: This is the Day, Uncertain Smile, The Twilight Hour, Giant

This has really grown on me. Giant is incredible.

A beautiful and unique album that floats somewhere between post-punk and synth-pop but with accordion and xylorimba 4.5/5

I'm still angry at the person who borrowed and never returned this album from me. I picked up a copy on CD later. This album was unlike any other record of the time. Where's as new music was getting light and frothy (Cindy Lauper, Nena) this was dark and mysterious. If anything it presaged later music from Depeche Mode, whose lighter weight Construction Time Again came out about the same time.

Great album.

One of my favourites. Love the introspective lyrics, love the synth. Soul Mining, This is the day, Uncertain Smile with Jools Holland’s piano solo, it goes on. Then there’s Giant where it all comes together with the cool synths, the lyrics, those drums and chanting. Unimpeachable and magnificent. ImThat one song on its own makes this legendary.

A personal fave.

Such an amazing album, running the full gamut between the stripped back synth and lush piano, all with angry, acerbic, self defeating lyric.

This album is a full bop and speaks to me. Like an album that’s been missing all my life. One of the first albums I’m actually adding to my rotation. Unobjectively giving it 5/5 .I don’t care - I want to blast it in my car.

This is the sort of music that was my favorite in college. "This is the Day" was a favorite song of mine then. I never had the album, but it sounds faintly familiar as a friend must have played it sometimes. I love the instrumentation, Matt Johnson's moody singing...I feel 20 years old again when I hear this.

Wasn’t sure I needed two The The albums on this list, but this one is different from the second release “Infected.” I loved this one as well. Some nice 80s goodness - particularly enjoyed the song I knew (This is the Day), I’ve Been Waiting for Tomorrow, and Giant. Really great to become more familiar with The The.

Would have given 6 stars if allowed. Released when I was 18 and world was Thatcher/Reagan/youth unemployment. Album that helps in troubled times, beautiful expression of what it is like being depressed or troubled or insecure or not knowing what the hell to do with life. Add Jools Holland, Thomas Leer and more giants and could be in 11 best albums ever.

An album I had first on cassette (with additional album Burning Blue Soul), then on CD and now am streaming. As debuts go it didn't reveal quite how far Matt Johnson would go in terms of blood, sweat and guns but it's a solid gold set of tunes.

Definitely my favorite The The album!

This is the day is one of the biggest bangers of the century. Imo. And the rest of the album is also great

I've Been Waitin' For Tomorrow goes hard, very aggressive and in your face which it doesn't match for the rest of the album. Instead it takes it back a notch into a more melodic and calmer state of being. That being said, the remaining tracks are mostly great. This is the Day and The Sinking Feeling are slower and uptempo songs that you can click your fingers or clap your hands to. The former is the most accessible track on here with its accordian driven melody and relatable message. The latter is more aggressive in delivery of vocals and lyrics, but musically is positive. And then you get to the Uncertain Smile which is essentially a two parter. The first half is driven by arpeggio guitar riffs and an upbeat chord structure. Its up there with This is the Day so far, and then that awesome 4 minute piano solo kicks in to finish off the track, elevating to the album highlight. After those four tracks, the album provides its two weaker offerings. The Twilight Hour and Soul Mining are a servicable listen in album form, but they are just too slow to listen outside of. Last but not least there's the appropriately titled song Giant, a 9 minute piece that is strongly driven by percussion along with keyboards and synths. Its hypnotic structure works to deliver an effective closing to a pretty awesome album. 5/7 songs are very neat and make this an essential listen, while the other 2 work for the overall atmosphere. It might not be a 5 for most but it just connects to me a lot to write this long of a review.

An old favorite. Totally 80s and 90s. Listening now reminded me of hope and angst!

Brilliant

Has to be a 5 with an album cover like that and the piano solo on Uncertain Smile.

Like if Bowie leaned hard into post-punk. I really liked it.

Very different than what I have heard, and the opening song was not my favorite, but everything else was amazing.

Awesome from start to finish!

Classic 80's sound but somehow futuristic with some synthwave vibes. Easy to pickup and loads of replayability. Superb

First time listening to this band - liked it nice clear vocals but billy bragg meets pop - more please

The perfect The The album, still like it very much. Just noticed that some months ago for some reason I rated Infected with only three stars. I have now listened to that album again as well and am surprised. I still think it is not as good as Soul Mining but I should have given that album four stars.

After discovering The The when Dusk came out, I must have checked Soul Mining as well not long after, but I have no memory of it. Now I realise this is actually a great album. It took a few listens to get accustomed to the vocals, which I am still not a fan of, but then I started to really appreciate the music. The final track sealed it for me: five stars.

Ok yeah, consider me a fan. This Is the Day is such a great track and The Sinking Feeling carries it over and it's all so great.

Great synth rock vibes on this one

Lyrics are nice. The sound is kind of slouchy and sleepy. Idk. I'm new to this so I will give it more time to settle in.

Very cool and ahead of it's time. Less kitschy than Gary Newman.

A true gem. This album is the best of New wave. Great lyrics too. A must listen

This album is awesome. Is it post-punk? Industrial? I don't know but I love it. Some tracks are sparse and minimalist. Others are a waterfall of sound.

Where's this been all my life?!?!?!

Den skiva her svinger

Cool sound! Sounds like it could be the inspiration for modern punk sound.

Otro de mis discos favoritos. Cima del pop.

Excelente disco. Tiene un sonido potente y sus varios moods equilibrados. Mis favs: "This Is The Day", "Uncertain Smile" y "Giant". 10/10

Very special! Loved It

206. Soul Mining - The The (1983) 9.16.26 Variety: 5 Adequacy: 4 Listenability: 4 Uniqueness: 4 Emotionality: 3 = 4.0 for the UK and European cassette ( 3.4 for the original vinyl release) "You pull back your curtains and the sun burns into your eyes/ You watch a plane flying across a clear blue sky" I could not remember when I first heard this band. It was Definitely "This Is the Day" though, that much is sure. It's not something I think I would have heard as a kid. That sort of idiosyncratic British fare was unlikely to have been on the radio around these parts ( though there is precedent, with Joe Jackson's "Steppin' Out" being burned into my memory from early childhood - I think because of a babysitter who constantly played it on vinyl), and I have no memory of The The ever being an MTV staple of any sort. I figured it must have either been a movie soundtrack or a compilation. I thought it might have been Left of the Dial: Dispatches from the '80s Underground (which to this day remains GROUND ZERO for me when it comes to a lot of the bands I would come to love - and for my money remains one of the best, most important compilations ever, ranking up there with the Nuggets psych and garage ones), but nope. Doing some light research I discovered it had to have been the 1995 movie Empire Records. The Left of the Dial compilation DOES have a song by The The on it though - "Uncertain Smile" - which explains why it's the only other song on here that I'm familiar with. I might have listened to this whole thing once, sometime in the late 2000s when it started to become easy to find stuff on Youtube, but I honestly cannot recall. That doesn't bode amazingly well for the remainder of the thing, but that doesn't mean I also might not like this more than I would have back then. My ancient iPod is littered with albums I'd deem great nowadays that back then I kept one maybe two songs from, so we'll see. I'll be using the UK Cassette release for this. THE TRACKS "I've Been Waitin' for Tomorrow (All of My Life)" - Not the best opener I've heard. It seems very obvious that Matt Johnson is a Bowie devotee, from his vocal delivery, down to the full throated embrace of Bowie's love it or hate it early 80s Scary Monsters era sound. It's a lot more rambling and unfocused, and leans way harder into the electronic aspects though. And feels like a miss to me. Peter Murphy of Bauhaus, and Richard Butler of Psychedelic Furs perhaps did the Bowie clone best, and Matt Johnson is minor league - A-level at best here. The song itself has some light industrial vibes, but is far too clean and bouncy to be classified as anything other than generic new wave. "This Is the Day" - Now there's a bit of whiplash for you. After the fully electronic sounding opener, we get a warm, vibrant, and measured mix of traditional and electronic instrumentation. THIS is what I am hoping we get more of. I can't stress enough how important this song has become to me in the canon of great, underrated pop songs. Not even just from the 80s ( my sweet spot) but of all time. Once it made it's way onto my 5 star list sometime in the early 2000s, it's stayed and only grown in my estimation since then. It checks SO many of my boxes - It's got a killer melody, supported by that perfect mix of 80s synth and traditional instrumentation. It's got some charming as fuck accordion work. It's got handclaps. Johnson's vocals are delivered with a sort of cheerful weariness that really underlines my favorite part of the song - how it perfectly captures the essence of bittersweetness. We get a very dark portrait of someone wallowing in the past, just treading the waters of regret, and making promises to themself that will never be fulfilled. Or will they? That ending is can either be brutal or hopeful depending on which way you decide to take it. As I get older and older and more cynical, but also more forgiving and more patient and understanding, I've also grown to absolutely love it when I hear someone pull off the trick of providing a bouncy, lovely, upbeat sounding song that has a pitch black message. It's so hard to do well, and most of the time, even when it works, it can feel forced and like some sort of clever parlor trick. This one feels so natural, and wee balanced in its mix of sweet and sour that even as you realize how melancholy the actual music is, the bleak fucking lyrics then suddenly, some how swap tones and become optimistic. It's like that illusion of the young woman and the old woman that is both simultaneously depending on how you focus your eyes. I'll stop rambling now, sorry. It's great. This song is great. "The Sinking Feeling" - *whew*. Ok. So moving on. Johnson decides to turn the Bowie up to 11, and actually does a much better job of it. We get another nice mix of sounds here, with some real fat reverby bass that sounds like it could have come right out of a Go-Go's song, and some catchy as hell choruses alternated with very atmospheric and sparse synthy verses. There's a lot of good stuff here. And more handclaps! We love handclaps, don't we folks? I guess he just needed to warm up. "Uncertain Smile" - The other song I was already familiar with. This one is not quite as high on my list as "This Is the Day" but still exists on my 5-star playlist. More awesome bass work, and Johnson tones the vocals down to more Brian Eno-ish lowkey delivery. Hooks galore in this one, and a ringing guitar line that reminds me quite a bit of Split Endz. This is high quality, mature 80s pop rock, and I'd put it up against the best stuff from Crowded House, or the Stranglers, or the Psychedelic Furs from the same period. That's a lot of comparison, but I'll give you one more - when the piano comes in in the middle it's very Joe Jackson-coded. "The Twilight Hour" - The opening of this sounded almost more like something I would have heard in a 90s club song. When the bongos came it started making more sense for 1982. The second person point of view I think is meant to be immersive, but is way less interesting than the odd mix of instrumentation. The best part of which is the plucked cello. This aspect is more reminiscent of the kind of sounds that would pop up on later Talk Talk albums, while definitely not falling into any sort of post-rock vibes. "Soul Mining" - Some eerie echoey sound affects start us off, like maybe what a dying whale stuck in a pipe might sound like. Johnson sure likes his second person pov, huh? This one establishes a somewhat funky groove and manages to stay in it for the duration. It doesn't impress like the best tracks, but it's still pretty solid. "Giant" - A metronomic click beat with some funky electro bass over top provides the base for this one, and feels like the most stereotypically "80s new wave synth" track so far. But even this one manages to subvert expectations a bit with the bright steel drum synths that come in to add some color to things. This one punches above its weight musically, while the vocals are just sort of generic. This isn't quite early Depeche Mode levels of catchiness when it comes to the instrumentation, but it's damn fine enough and builds to a cool crescendo. The chorus at the end helps significantly though, and was provided by former Orange Juice member Zeke Manyika ( who also did the drums) who also performed some similar magic for Kate Bush on percussion for "Running Up That Hill". Side two "Perfect" - No accordion here unfortunately, but a harmonica ( provided by David Johansen!) will do in a pinch. This one is pretty fun and bright, with a chunky drum loop, and some more steel drums synths, and even some trumpet. Catchy and rhythmically sounds like the sort of thing Primitive Radio Gods or Jesus Jones would be doing a decade or more later. This one tries the same bittersweet formula that "This is the Day" pulls off so well, but not at the same level. The brightness of the music is much more literal and unmistakable, that the misanthropic lyrics play as much more of a joke. Still pretty damned good though. "Three Orange Kisses from Kazan" - Whoa... this one was a bit of a head turner. It's got some very avant-garde vibes that felt mush more akin to something that Jim Thirlwell would be putting out, with processed menacing, multitracked vocals, and a thumping, galloping surf rock beat. Throw in some psychedelic swirling pipes and some cacophonous atmospheric accents and we've got a track that sounds like nothing else on here. Turns out this was a B-side to "Uncertain Smile" of all things. Fascinating. Glad I went with something other than the bog standard original vinyl cut of this album. "The Nature of Virtue" - Another B-side, and also meant for another album originally called The Pornography of Despair, which was unreleased. It's got a very cool, industrial atmosphere that's applied over top of an almost swinging 60s organ-centric pop sound that reminds me of Suicide more than anything. If they were slightly more poppy that is. So far, side two is proving to be a completely different sound. Turns out in my reading that "Perfect" also was not meant to be on the album, but was accidentally included. "Mental Healing Process" - Yet another "extra" track, the only version I could find is a tinny, muted, hissy ripped from a cassette version that feels much more like the demo it probably was intended to be. Knowing all of this, I might have just stuck with the vinyl release, but I'm glad I dived in. Even with the bad quality, this one comes across as a pretty charming, and effective bit of pop, and closer to what we got on the actual release. Though Johnson is in a much deeper register here ( do I detect some Ian Curtis vibes?), and the music is more in line with what one might imagine the poppier of the post-punk bands were doing at the time. There's a nice bit of neo-psych guitar work as well, which makes it stick in the memory more than some. "Waitin' for the Upturn" - Some very loose and jangly guitar opens this one up, and when the industrial booming beat comes in, along with the processed metallic sheen over top of the vocals I was expecting something fine but pretty repetitive Then some late 60s flute some in OUT OF FUCKING NOWHERE and this briefly becomes a 90s Edwyn Collins track! There is a lot going on here, and I'm completely down for it. Is Industrial Tropicalia a genre? "Fruit of the Heart" - A very chill, and catchy little bit of pure synth. This feels like a lost track out of a 90s Super Nintendo Yoshi game that maybe never saw a U.S. release. And I just can't stop listening to it. HIGHLIGHTS - "This Is the Day" - "The Sinking Feeling" - "Uncertain Smile" - "Perfect" * - "Three Orange Kisses from Kazan" * - "The Nature of Virtue" * - "Mental Healing Process" * - "Waitin' for the Upturn" * - "Fruit of the Heart" MIDLIGHTS - "The Twilight Hour" - "Soul Mining" - "Giant" LOWLIGHTS - "I've Been Waitin' for Tomorrow (All of My Life)" FINAL THOUGHTS What a rollercoaster. I'm a bit torn on whether I should count those extra tracks towards my score for this album as I normally try my best to use what was originally intended by the artist for release. But damn... I ended up loving it all so much, and The The only has the one entry on the list so, what the hell. ( Edit: They actually have two, but oh well). Going off just the original vinyl release, this was still a very solid 3 for me. Including all the extra tracks jumps it up considerably, and adds some great variety to an already pretty wide-ranging sound. If you dig the original release, definitely look these others up. My biggest issue with the thing would be the just general awfulness of the lead track which sounds like a Power Station B-side, and Johnson's too-dedicated but not good enough Bowie impression. His singing cools down and I eventually settled into, but he comes on STRONG and in general I much prefer the more relaxed natural singing voice that comes out on the best tracks. I'll definitely be checking more of his stuff out. Possible turn-Offs might include: - some very tortured and all over the place Bowie-esque vocals - a rambling and wide-ranging feel that seems like it might be lacking in focus - reverb heavy production - the uncertainty that comes with what appears to have been a messy release that offers up too many options You Might enjoy this if you: - like 80s stuff that is not entirely synth focused - love variety in your music - don't mind some very cynical takes PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - Highlights will do, but some of the middling stuff I could see growing on me with repeated listens FURTHER LISTENING - Waiata by Split Endz - Let's Dance by David Bowie - Speak & Spell by Depeche Mode - La folie by the Stranglers - Here Come the Warm Jets by Brian Eno - Forever Now by the Psychedelic Furs - Night and Day by Joe Jackson - Underwater Moonlight by the Soft Boys - Spirit of Eden by Talk Talk - Rip It Upy Orange Juice

Great album. Opening couple of tracks were absolutely brilliant. The rest of it was really good but never reached those same heights for me. I’ll definitely be going back to this though. Top Track - This Is The Day

Rating carried by the amazing This is the Day and the very good Uncertain Smile.

Favorite track(s): I've Been Waitin' for Tomorrow (All of My Life), This Is the Day, Uncertain Smile, The Twilight Hour, Giant Heard before Previous rating: 7/10

Obegripligt att välja debuten före Mindbomb. Mindbomb kan vara min favoritskiva alla kategorier. Men jag är glad att The The fått plats pålistan om än med fel skiva. Detta är fortfarande bra såklart. En fyra

This was a surprise. Really good album

01) I've Been Waitin' for Tomorrow (All of My Life) - 7,0 02) This Is the Day - 8,5 03) The Sinking Feeling - 8,0 04) Uncertain Smile - 8,0 05) The Twilight Hour - 8,0 06) Soul Mining - 8,0 07) Giant - 8,5 TOTAL: 8,00 (80/100) Current ranking: 278/1028

Weirdly liked this one. Think I’m just a sucker for synth pop

Never heard this before and thought it was great. Will be back for more

this sounds like something my father in law would listen to... not sure if that's derogatory or complimentary. Sometimes I like this, sometimes I think they're being too self important. It's pretty nice to listen to though. I'm very torn. I love Uncertain Smile.

Great introduction to this band. Matt Johnson finds a way of weaving heavy themes into pop/punk songs with intriguing lyrics and interesting music. Always have to turn up the marvellous piano solo in 'Uncertain Smile' and air-piano away - Jools Holland may come across a bit like a twat these days, but damn, he could tinkle those ivories. This Is The Day and Giant are other highlights.

you know what? I really enjoyed it. It is not the type of album I would like to listen every day, but if I ever got the chance to see them live I would 100% be vibing

Dodododod syyynth dodododod syyyynth

I enjoyed this album. The The is one of those groups that you forget how much you liked their music. Thanks for the reminder!

I liked the The The.

Typical 80's new wave. Enjoyable

Wow some really great stuff here - This is the Day was awesome, but HOT DAMN that Uncertain Smile delivered on a jaw dropping display on the keyboard - something I thought we would get more of in this list in general. The Twilight Hour also very cool, Soul Mining had some fun parts - I can see the list maker choosing this as it's like Bowie but better in my opinion. The lyrics hit more directly, the music very interesting, good stuff.

I don't have it in me to write a whole bunch right now but this album was a lot more fun than I expected it to be.

Fun listen. Had never heard of them before. For some reason I can't remember much about the album from just yesterday so I'll have to revisit this sometime.

Circumstances caused me to start this album over like four times before I was able to listen all the way through and GOOD THING! I appreciated at first that it wasn’t merely a synth pop 80s album and that some care was paid to its artistry but repeated lengthier listens really opened it up. Terrific album.

Really interesting so far there were a few different looks 3 songs in now. 1983 feels like its ahead of its time. This is the day was liked. Ohh the intro for Uncertain Smile makes me smile. Has been a gem, I would say me having a manic Monday, did slip in and out of focused listening but oohh the intro to Giant. Yea I like it alot 4.5 out of 5 not a 5 closer to 4. This is defo one I could picture myself listening to more for sure. Giant is a sick ending though monster song.

The first track on this album is probably the worst, which makes for a pretty tough first impression. Thankfully, it gets much better from there. I really enjoyed "This Is the Day" and "Giant," with "Uncertain Smile" probably being my favorite track. These guys definitely had a sound that was ahead of its time. The album doesn't hit on every track, but I enjoyed most of it and can appreciate how forward-thinking it was. 3.5/5

Groovy baby! I'm just a symptom of the moral decay that's eating of the heart of the country... So true. Final song was too long

Perfect background album for a 1980s party

Syntistä poppia yksinkertaisenkarun viehättävässä kasariolemuksessa. Huomasin vähä tykkääväni. Boonuksena tuli taas ahaa-elämys kun löytyi taas yksi biisi jonka pohjalta Eläkeläiset on tehnyt humppaansa.

Hey, I know that song! Solid album all around. I really like their sound. The songs are long, but they're varied enough to not get tedious.

Great album. Several real bangers. Some of the b-sides are a little on the nose lyrically, but good musically.

80's synth-pop bordering on post-punk in spots. Sonically it is a treat to listen too, using some cool instruments to create fun soundscapes. I like that it varies in sound, takes you on a trip so it doesn't become boring. The highs on this are very high but it has a couple of low moments. This is a very interesting album, something keeps drawing me to listen to it over and over again. There are a couple songs that keep this from being 5 stars for me but overall a fun listen

RATING: 8.5/10 HIGHLIGHT: The Sinking Feeling LOWLIGHT: Soul Mining

Nie zlé, ale pre mňa je ich vrchol "mind bomb" .

Incorporating jazz elements, strings and other sophisticated elements in a dance pop formula, Matt Johnson never sounded so fun and lighthearted. “This Is the Day” is pure joy — musically, anyway — and a highlight. It’s a strong set of songs.

To start, I think I've found a strong contender for "worst band name" of all time. The The goes head-to-head and battles hard with TOTO in this category. Regarding the music, it sounds like Ian Curtis singing in a "happy" band. I say this only because the vocalist's voice is similar, and the harmonies are a bit more cheerful... nothing more... I'm out of stupid comparisons now: 4 stars.

I liked this album well enough, never having heard of the band before today. Uncertain Smile! The best! This is the Day, second favorite. Rest of it was okay. 5 stars for Uncertain Smile 🤷

Pleasantly surprised. Enjoyed more than Infected.

One of the more hidden gems of the 80s. This Is The Day and Uncertain Smile being the earworms, but the rest of the album is of a high standard too. It’s aged spectacularly well. Still sounding fresh all these years later. There is a little bit of magic in this album, it’s thought provoking lyrics mean that it stands up well to repeated listening. And this is a great excuse to dust off the vinyl copy and do precisely that! Easy 4

Amazing spund of the 80s that is also timeless

Этот альбом для меня остался загадкой.

pretty close to 5 again, very very solid new wave

That was really great, now I want to listen to some Orville Peck.

typically '80s post-punk pop music; this right here is the debut of the the. hmm, i wonder if it's pronounced with the same "the" or if it's like THEE the. anyways, this record here was created after a bidding war lead into a record contract. a bit was recorded in new york city and a bit was recorded in london. wow, this album has quite the sound! with the echoey synths and ESPECIALLY some of these PUNCHY drum machines... good lord, it's almost like a rollercoaster of sound. the instrumentation is quite colorful and i feel like the lyrics might resonate with a lot of listeners. i guess if there's one thing that sorta prevents me from giving it a five, truth be told i found some of the vocal performances to be a little odd. but damn, it's like a 4.3 for me. i'm almost sitting here and taking lots of notes because i'm frankly intrigued by this entry. i still honestly like infected better, but this album is pretty fun too! very quirky new wave... i feel like i might rate it higher if i listened to it again.

3.5

Always thought these were like a clash kind of band. Great wee surprise

Always meant to check them out properly, good stuff

Una de las razones por las que empecé esta maricada fue para conocer artistas que tal vez no fueron tan famosos como para superar el paso del años, pero que son grandes referentes de géneros que me gustan y no me tocaron. Gran y delicioso postpunk,

The bass playing, right from the get-go, is *incredibly* 80's. I'm not sure if it's a synth or a heavily effected instrument. At the same time, this record isn't afflicted by the reverb rot of most 1980's recordings. The overall difference is that all of the pieces in the music (instruments, voices) sound wonderfully clear and distinct. Even the sci-fi weirdness that inflects so much of recorded music in this time is crisply rendered. There's a confidence to not hiding under the mountain of digital reverb and this sound has a real immediacy and directness to it. It's electronic and widely considered post-punk but there's almost a punk-ness to the first track in ways that I can't describe. The party doesn't go on forever. The first half of 'The Sinking Feeling' opts for a more stripped-down focus on some staccato synth work and it sags for it. Johnson's vocals are still good but the sneering feel that he has is much better when supported by the full band. The bassline that kicks in at the end is excellent, though. Overall, Jonhson finds infectious grooves in his electronic music and also invests enough real instrumentation to keep the whole affair from feeling sterile. At 41 minutes and change in length, this also doesn't overstay its welcome. Its closing track, 'Giant', is the clearest evidence of a throughline from this sort of electronic post-punk all the way to things as diverse as Nine Inch Nails' modern industrial. This isn't one of my favourite albums. It's just too electro to get me really excited or effusive. On the other hand, I'd probably by it on vinyl and listen to it occasionally. It's really cool and a great antidote to the garbage overproduction of much 80's popular music. 4/5 -- not perfect but definitely a landmark.

As I understand it, this is not their best (or even second or third best), and yet I like it a lot. It reminds me of Future Islands which likely means Future Islands picked up from The The. "But sleeping boys catch no fish."

Surprisingly good album. Diverse songs covering many musical genre. Some songs I thought I was listening to Bowie.

I like this album a little more every time I relisten to it. This is the Day is an all time phenomenal song that I could probably listen to everyday and never tire of it. I really well done 80s album that could maybe benefit from a little more variety, but even so I'm looking forward to my next revisit of it.

Pretty 80s sound

kate bush for men (weird and good). sometimes I didn’t like it but mostly I did!

This is the second album I’ve had of theirs in close proximity and I might be a fan of these guys. I really enjoy the sounds they construct! Especially enjoyed This Is The Day and Giant.

Always loved this album! High 4+

Never heard of any of these songs or album. Don’t usually listen to this type of music but it was straight heat ngl.

8,5/ 2 first songs are okay... the rest is really good

Love the band (or, at times, solo musician), love the album.

My 80s average rating is saved! It's about time we get some good early 80s synth pop! Great album!

Like Infected, sounds like an amalgamation of other things of the era. I think this is the better album, though, and not just because of This Is The Day.

Didn't know The Sinking Feeling which was great in addition to This is the Day. Other than the first track, rest were good as well, was even liking the ridiculously extended outros

I prefer Infected overall, but this is another very strong outing, probably their greatest objectively. I love how aggressive the drums and synths are, it really impresses me how much of an impact it has.

Wow, didnt expect this. Love the vibe of this record in its entirety.

Lovely and interesting album

4/5 Favorite Songs: I've Been Waiting For Tommorow (All Of My Life) This Is The Day Uncertain Smile Soul Mining

A stunning album full of well crafted songs. An epic upon release and still sounds very good now.

I like this a lot, it’s pretty up my alley when it comes to 80s pop music. It’s creative and interesting, good melodies and songwriting. It still doesn’t really hold a candle to my favorites from that era — your Tears for Fearses, your Talk Talks — but it is good, I’ll revisit it, it’s a must-listen #ooo

This album is ridiculous. Fantastic. Spectacular. Exactly my kinda thing. Synthy, but really grounded, and bad vocals from a white guy who kinda knows what’s going on. Songs like “This is the Day” and “That Sinking Feeling” blew me away, and the production across the whole project is just superb. The use of synthetic percussion and melody combined with live instrumentation works beautifully here, and the entire project is just filled with these wonderful musical chord progressions, and vocal performances. It’s kind of like if Belle and Sebastian were angrier and more synthy. Yeah. It’s kinda like them. Holy shit, I can’t believe this album even fucking exists it’s so good. 9.7/10

"This Is the Day" and "Uncertain Smile" always fill me with such emotion and inspiration. All I need is to hear that accordion intro and I feel like anything is possible. But listening to the whole album in context, I hear the dark themes of isolation, pain, and despair that belie the pleasant musical backdrop. It's a very strong album, but a dose that should be taken in moderation.

The project giveth, the project taketh away (my sanity) fortunately this one was a great organic find. I was familiar with “The The” by name only. I’m glad this was my first exposure to them. Perfect sunny day pop. Not all tracks are happy-go-lucky but the musicianship behind each one is strong enough. The Twilight Hour was the only song I felt mildly annoyed by (repetitive keyboard) Everything else was refreshing and varied in such a way that I found myself engaged for the entire album. Certainly will be seeking a physical copy.

East Londoner Matt Johnson is probably the most unlikely funk hero of the 80s, but here I am, taking in the The's debut, & these synth-pop classics do for me what few other optimisms do: 'This is the day (this is the day) / Your life will surely change.' Even when they're singing of the 'symptom of the moral decay / That's gnawing at the heart of the . . . country,' there is a level of sanguinity that pervades the record that's as irresistible as crystal waters & cloudless skies. 'Uncertain emotions force an uncertain smile.' In the vein of neither Joy Division, The Smiths, nor The Cure, the The defines a third way, one that doesn't fight for glory but assumes its reliability. Soul Mining is an underrated classic. Appropriately, I feel moved to underrate it.

I have friends who love this album but after a first couple listens I need more time with it. It’s darker than I thought it was going to be and I’m not sure I ever found the groove but it’s interesting and feels like there’s layers to peel back here. I will return…

I like this album. It was a different style of music than I usually listen to. Very chill synth-y

This that 80s sound that I love!

Crazy how this is basically LCD Soundsystem but 20 years in advance.

Better than most of the generic early 80's British new wave we've been getting on this list.

Very 80’s, very British. “This is the day” is a phenomenal song that buoys the album. I know it has its flaws but I just like this album

La verdad lo disfruté bastante. Me gustan mucho los sintetizadores y en general el sonido de este álbum es muy bueno. Tampoco es una maravilla pero sí me parece un álbum valorable.

Segundo álbum de The The que me ha tocado escuchar de esta lista (el cual había sido generado primero, pero olvidé hacerlo en su momento), y me hallé más con este que con 'Infected'; es notorio que 'Soul Mining' es su predecesor, presentando un sonido más único que no refleja un intentar ser "la sombra de". No es el tipo de música que suelo elegir oír por mi cuenta, aunque lo disfruté bastante. ↑: I've Been Waitin' For Tomorrow (All of My Life), This Is the Day, Uncertain Smile, Giant ↓: –

Judged it by its cover and was decently surprised.

Have always loved Brit synth pop that makes me want a Marlboro.

I was definitely surprised by this album. I really like how it blends a lot of older classic rock with more experimental genres of the time like industrial. you can absolutely hear the JG Thirlwell inspiration, especially on tracks like I've been waiting for tomorrow. all this comes together to make a sound that is very ahead of its time. I will absolutely be adding some of these tracks to my daily rotation.

While it wasn't always my cup of tea, it was a genuinely good produced album. It was a little too experimental for me from time to time, but I enjoyed it.

I feel like you have to be a fan of new wave in order to enjoy this album thoroughly. Thankfully, I am a fan of new wave, so this album was a hit. This Is The Day and Uncertain Smile are my favs from this album.

A friend lent me the singles of This is the Day and Perfect Smile before the album came out which I much preferred. I have since never been able to find those versions! However it’s still a pretty good album and very much an 80s classic.

enjoyed thoroughly

This is a keeper, good music, good voice.

8/10 Best songs: I've Been Waiting for Tomorrow, Soul Mining, Giant What an interesting album. This is a new-wave/post-punk/quite experimental album that doesn't sound like anything else I've heard from this time period. In general the lyrics are terrific ("I'm just a symptom of moral decay" is amazing), but the music is 50/50 - half the time it doesn't really work/suit the vocals, but the other half the time it's engrossing to the extreme. This is sooo close to a 5 star album but a couple of the songs don't quite work for me... I may adjust the score upon relistening later.

crazy sounds

Molto molto figo. Ombre malinconiche di Bowie e dei Blur qua e là

Stebėtinai neblogas. Galima net antrą kartą klausytis ir daugiau. 4,5 duočiau.

The band The The made the album Soul Mining in the 80’s. The album Soul Mining by the The The is good. The The The are one of the bands that when I listen to them I think “the The The are one of the bands that I like any time I hear their music”. The name The The makes it hard to find the band to listen to them though, and the name The The makes writing the write up on The The’s albums difficult because of all the The’s.

## Overview **Soul Mining** (1983) is the debut studio album by The The, the musical project led by **Matt Johnson**. Remarkably, Johnson was only 20-21 years old when he created this work, yet it displays a maturity and introspective depth that belies his youth. The album emerged from a tumultuous creative process that began in New York City with producer Mike Thorne (known for Soft Cell and Wire), was aborted due to drug-fueled excess, and was eventually completed in London at John Foxx's Garden Studio with co-producer Paul Hardiman . --- ## Lyrics & Themes The album's title perfectly encapsulates its thematic core: **introspective excavation of the self**. Johnson's lyrics are unflinchingly self-absorbed in the most artistic sense—mining the depths of isolation, existential anxiety, memory, and the passage of time . **Key thematic elements:** - **Existential Stagnation**: Opening track "I've Been Waitin' for Tomorrow (All of My Life)" captures the paralysis of unfulfilled potential with lines like "Another year older and what have I done / My aspirations have shriveled in the sun" . The song's frantic energy mirrors the anxiety of wasted time. - **Nostalgia and Memory**: "This Is the Day" explores how memories can both sustain and imprison us. The devastating couplet *"You smile and think how much you've changed / All the money in the world couldn't buy back those days"* captures nostalgia's cruel irony . - **Social Alienation**: "The Sinking Feeling" positions the narrator as "just a symptom of the moral decay / That's gnawing at the heart of the country" . - **Unrequited Love and Intimacy**: Tracks like "Uncertain Smile" and "The Twilight Hour" navigate romantic uncertainty and emotional distance . What's striking is Johnson's **restraint with the word "love"**—it appears only once across the entire album ("And the cancer of love has eaten out my heart"). This deliberate avoidance of pop's most reliable crutch forces Johnson to explore more nuanced emotional territory, creating what some critics have termed an **"existential blues"** . --- ## Music & Production **Soul Mining** represents a sophisticated fusion of **post-punk, synth-pop, and art-rock**, with textures that range from claustrophobic to expansive. **Production approach:** - Recorded primarily at **The Garden Studio** in Shoreditch (owned by John Foxx of Ultravox fame), which Johnson loved so much he later purchased it - Johnson played most instruments himself—guitar, melodica, effects pedals, Omnichord, Yamaha CS 01 II keyboards—without sequencers, meaning he manually played parts for up to ten minutes at a time - The album features contributions from an impressive cast including **Jools Holland** (piano), **Zeke Manyika** (Orange Juice), **Thomas Leer**, and **Jim "Foetus" Thirlwell** **Musical highlights:** - **"Uncertain Smile"**: The album's centerpiece features Holland's legendary extended piano solo—one of the most celebrated moments in 1980s pop. Originally conceived with saxophone, the piano version emerged organically from the studio's Yamaha C3 baby grand . The track evolved through three distinct versions, with the final album cut achieving a perfect balance of melancholy and release. - **"This Is the Day"**: Uses accordion and violin to create warmth that contrasts with the anxiety of the lyrics—an early example of the "sad banger" aesthetic. - **"Giant"**: A nine-and-a-half-minute epic that builds through repetitive chants and layered percussion, described as "'Hey Jude' for the twisted post-punk generation" . The production avoids the sterile coldness that plagued much 1980s synth-pop. Johnson's **"unerring ear for sonic definition"** (as Rolling Stone's Kurt Loder noted) creates a sound that is simultaneously synthetic and organic, polished yet emotionally raw . --- ## Influence & Legacy **Soul Mining** has grown in stature over the decades from cult favorite to recognized classic: - **Critical Recognition**: Placed **#3 on Melody Maker's 1983 Album of the Year list**, ahead of New Order's *Power, Corruption & Lies*, Tears for Fears' *The Hurting*, and R.E.M.'s *Murmur* . Included in *1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die* and described by journalist Garry Mulholland as "a hidden masterpiece" . - **Cultural Impact**: The album anticipated the **bedroom singer-songwriter aesthetic** that would dominate indie music decades later. As The Quietus noted, it "crystallises the inner world of the bedroom-based singer-songwriter to perfection" . - **Musical Influence**: The album's blend of electronic and organic elements, its cinematic scope, and its unflinching introspection influenced subsequent artists in post-punk, synth-pop, and indie rock. The "Rock And Roll With The The" residency at the Marquee—featuring guests like Marc Almond, Edwyn Collins, and Stephen Mallinder—established Johnson as a central figure in the UK's post-punk scene . - **Enduring Relevance**: Unlike many 1980s albums that feel trapped in their era, *Soul Mining* "feels no more or less relevant today than at their birth over 42 years ago" . --- ## Pros | Strength | Details | |----------|---------| | **Lyrical Depth** | Johnson's introspective writing achieves universal resonance through specific, dreamlike imagery | | **Sonic Diversity** | Seamlessly blends drum machines, synths, African percussion, piano, accordion, and guitar | | **Emotional Range** | Moves from frantic anxiety to meditative calm without losing cohesion | | **"Uncertain Smile"** | Contains one of the greatest piano solos in pop history | | **Production Quality** | Warm, detailed sound that avoids 1980s clichés; excellent dynamic range | | **Brevity** | Seven tracks, no filler—every song earns its place | | **Authenticity** | Genuine emotional rawness that avoids performative sadness | --- ## Cons | Weakness | Details | |----------|---------| | **Self-Absorption** | As Kurt Loder noted, the "obsessively self-absorbed lyrics... Youthful angst and anomie are fine in their place, but not all over the place" | | **Vocal Affectations** | Johnson's Bowie-esque vocal stylings occasionally grate, particularly on "The Twilight Hour" | | **Pacing Issues** | "Giant" at 9+ minutes can feel overindulgent to some listeners; "The Twilight Hour" and title track may dip too far into "maudlin navel-gazing" for some | | **Accessibility** | The emotional intensity and lack of traditional "love songs" makes it less immediately accessible than typical pop | | **Opening Track Barrier** | "I've Been Waitin' for Tomorrow" is deliberately challenging—long, meandering, and anxious—which may deter casual listeners before they reach the rewards | --- ## Conclusion **Soul Mining** is a singular achievement—a debut album that announced Matt Johnson as a major talent and established The The as a project of serious artistic ambition. Its fusion of electronic and organic instrumentation, its unflinching introspection, and its refusal to rely on pop clichés make it a cornerstone of 1980s post-punk and a precursor to countless indie and electronic artists who followed. The album works best as a **complete statement**—a 41-minute journey through anxiety, memory, and tentative hope. While its relentless self-focus can occasionally feel suffocating, this is also its greatest strength: Johnson creates a fully realized emotional world that listeners can inhabit. For the "compulsive thinker"—those whose minds "simply cannot be coaxed into rest"—*Soul Mining* remains an essential, timeless companion . **Verdict**: A flawed masterpiece that rewards deep engagement, essential for fans of post-punk, synth-pop, and introspective songwriting.

Well this was great, right up my street. I don’t know if it’s because I listened to Talking Heads earlier in the day but can’t help make the connection here given the genre and the era. The production is very 80s and I mean that in a good way - very crisp, synth heavy with the drums almost taking centre stage for a lot of this. I’ve only heard the name before, and always remember it because it’s slightly silly. I liked it from the off but it did have me wondering whether it would continue to hold my attention but it just continued to grow on me. Uncertain Smile is a standout, in fact I’m going to listen to that again now

Its only 41 minutes long but felt like less than 30. Lately I have been getting into post punk and new wave bands of the 80s such as new order, public image and Depeche Mode. I get the feeling that this band was at least a partial influence on the birth of industrial rock. So as you can imagine, I did enjoy this album. My dad had their Infected album on CD but I never listened to it. Perhaps I will give it a listen some time.

Expectations were low but this album is just a great fucking vibe

I liked this one 4/5