Reviews (page 6 of 8)
This is a lot different than the other The The album on this list. Very much 80's synth. Their next album more charted new territories, even if they were territories I didn't want to go to. This one feels like it could be any British artist of the synth pop era. It's easier on the ears but less novel. I really enjoyed the opening track I've Been Waitin for Tomorrow. After that it was a little all the same and meh for me.
Pretty good. Some very strong points, some parts a bit meh.
Kinda short, only liked 2 songs maybe
Decent record, not what I expected with that album cover 3/5
Good to hear only to realize how much he grew/improved with the next album. The last two songs are the best.
2.5/5. Not very good. I'd call this average sub par post punk.
3.2
This was good. Loved the synth sounds.
Excellent post-punk / new wave music here. I enjoyed the whole album, but it's nothing super amazing that everyone needs to hear before they die. 3/5
Howard Jones x The National. Catchy synth but weak lyrically.
Het eerste nummer is wat matig. Daarna wordt het gelukkig wel iets beter. Het blijft 80s popmuziek, het blijft af en toe een beetje wat ik theatraal zou noemen, maar het luistert ook wel weer prima weg. Het doet allemaal een beetje denken aan Enjoy the Silence van Depeche Mode, maar dan minder iconisch. Op het einde gaan we nog even trommelen met de hele kliniek, dat is wel grappig op zich. Vergeetbaar, ik zet het na vandaag nooit meer aan, maar toch 3 sterren. Ik ben mild gestemd vandaag.
This was a cool little glimpse into an early post-punk sound that I’d overlooked over the years. However, I just did not connect with it the way I kept hoping I would. I kept thinking that I’d heard things that reminded me of Modern Lovers, Echo & The Bunnymen, or Joy Division, but nothing pulled me in as much as those artists have. I think there’s a lot of artistry in the tracks and when I focused solely on the music, there were some fun uses of the synthesizer specifically that created a big sound. Anyways, not a bad album, but left me wanting more with that sound potential. Somewhere between 2.5 and 3 stars ideally.
Is this record good? Not particularly. Is this record funky and fun? Yeah, kinda. I dunno, there’s a LOT going on here, and some of its great and some of its just mleh. Hard to get a handle on it. It’s too cheesy to be new wave, too funky to be New Romantic, and too jazzy to be punk, but it’s also not in any of those categories either. I have a soft spot in my heart for “This is the Day”, but other tracks like “Giant” and “The Sinking Feeling” are truly great. Others have their moments, not particularly my favorite but still solid. I’d go right down the middle but alas, this site won’t let me, so I’ll put this just on the positive side and go 3/5.
add this to the growing list of new wave albums i’ve come to have some new appreciation for because of this list. this one fits nicely into the man uncomfortably yell-sings over weird synth category, and even though it really loses its mojo after the first 2 tracks i’m a fan of the overall sound. Infected is the only record of theirs i’ve heard prior & i do quite like that one so hopefully it pops up too
J’ai pas trop tripper, mais j’ai bien vibé sur la dernière track
Rather unexciting. Spotify followed it up with some Roxy Music which was much more accomplished.
Eingängiger Synth-Pop mit interessanten Texten 3/5
Hmmm, new wave. I've hated this era of music for most of my life. Goofy vocals and sounds effects, goofy styles--it always seemed so affected and forced. This album has all of that, but that being said, it is listenable, probably good for the people into this genre, and the songs sometimes manage to rise about the genre's inherent cheese--especially the last song, Giant. New wave typically doesn't age very well, though I can see that many albums like this one laid the ground work for bands post-2000.
For the closer alone, this is amazing. The rest is okay.
Buen synthpop sin nada excesivamente destacable. Me lo he pasado bien pero no creo que lo vuelva a oír. Canción destacada: Giant
if i had to give a description of this album im truly not sure what i would say. it was kinda mediocre at times but also pretty cool and interesting at others. not sure if i would even recommend it but worth checking out just because i cant think of anything else that really sounds like it. tough to rate but i think ill go high 3 over a low 4
The album art is much, much different than what I thought the album would sound like.
There’s some kind of interesting stuff going on here, but today wasn’t the best day for it; it didn’t fully hold my attention.
Better than anticipated.
"This is the day" is a classic. "Giant" is on my Shazam playlist because I must've heard it somewhere and liked the vibe. It's a nice vibe. I feel like this is one of those albums you need to spend a bit of time with --I thought it had potential.
Is there a disproportionate amount of New Wave on this list, or is it just me? This one holds up pretty well and sounds fairly modern. The clarity of the lyrics and the energy of the delivery add a lot to the sound, which is pretty damn 80s. “This is the Day” is a banger and I’m glad o have finally heard the whole album.
no. 429... I listened t them back in the day. The The was good, but before iTunes, I needed a few songs before I would shell out the money for an album, so, only know the 1 hit from this. Not a bad slice of 80's music. One of those that need the/5 - 3.5
Oh man, I've been waiting for this one. The one, the only, The The. The The The song The Sinking Feeling is the The The song I liked the most on the The The record. (Well, Uncertain Smile is better, but it doesn't fit with the "the" theme.) This Is the Day is a good track. Distinctive use of accordion that really punches through the mix to create a distinctive sound. Happy, upbeat, and the vocals (which aren't good) mostly fade into the background. Uncertain Smile is also a huge standout for its piano solo, which (in my experience) seem quite rare in synth-pop and post-punk. The bass playing throughout the album is strong. The mixing is also quite crisp, separating out the bass part from other, higher frequencies (most notably the guitar-esque synth lines). There are some factors that really bring this record down though. The singing isn't great, and I don't really see the experimentation that other reviewers are lauding this record for. Additionally, the bulky track lengths leave a lot to be desired. Every song is enjoyable, but only typically for the first three or four minutes. Key tracks: This Is the Day, The Sinking Feeling, Uncertain Smile
Cool but 80s voice Giant is easily the best thing on here
2.7 2x catch up 1/13/25
Interesting. Didn't previously know.
смесено
Not really for me, opening song was the best but it wasn’t my taste, didn’t find a single called the whispers by them I liked though
-hmm interesting, this one pushes the envelope a bit even for early 80s new wave -the transition from the more straightforward pop songs of the first half to the darker and more instrumentally experimental stuff is cool -felt a little directionless at times but still made for a good listen -Favorites are I’ve Been Waitin’ For Tomorrow, The Sinking Feeling, and Soul Mining
S'okay. Not my cup of tea. Decent instrumentals, decent vocal work. 'Uncertain Smile' wins my fave.
2.5 Not sure about this. Seems like fairly plain New Wave, complete with the classic male vocal style. Only the latter half of the final track sparked my interest, the rest was instantly forgettable.
This is very 80s. Not great, but unlike his other album on the list, this actually has some good parts. Favorite song: uncertain smile.
This album has a definite 1980's electro-pop stamp on it, and to my ears it hasn't aged very well. It's not bad, some songs are quite catchy, but I'm not sure if this is a "must hear" - is it that good? Has this album been novel or influential? Not sure.
I liked Soul Mining more than i thought i would have. This is one of those albums that gets off to a rather uneventful start but picks up as the album progresses as it starts to introduce new and interesting things. The songs at the start were alright but didn't sound too well mixed at points but the later songs definitely were so much better as they were the ones with all the more unique sounds. The later songs could also get really catchy (especially Soul Mining) This album isn't exactly an easy one to get into but since i stuck around, i started to like it a pretty decent bit. Best Song: The Twilight Hour Worst Song: I've Been Waitin' for Tomorrow (All of My Life)
3.5 pretty good new wavey album. Favorite songs: this is the day and perfect
3,5 Te herbeluisteren
Lyrics to revisit but production style that left me uninterested in doing just that. That last track felt like it came from a different album tho Half stars would boost it
3 out of 5. It might take another few listens but it was so-so.
Sielua raastava.. ei ei raastavaa.. kuin hakkula hakattaisi.... MITÄ VITTUA... TÄMÄ ON LÄRPÄTTELYÄ...
It's decent new wave.
Giant brought this from a 2 to 3.
Better than I expected. 3/5
Better than the last The The album. Still get Depeche Mode vibes from the singer, but this one was a little more lighthearted and eccentric. Kinda like Talking Heads. Strong 3 for this one, especially when my expectations were low coming in.
Pretty funny but cool sounds throughout the whole album. His voice was teetering on the edge of being too 80s synth-pop for me but it still worked. I don't think I liked this one as much as the other The The album we got but I still really liked it. I never thought I would be a huge synth-pop fan but I continue to really like when some of the albums come up
ive been waiting for tomorrow- 5 or 6 this is the day- 8 the sinking feeling- 6 or 7. i like the bass uncertain smile- 6 twilight hour- 5 or 6 soul mining- 7 giant- 6
It’s a generally nice time without wowing me. Uncertain Smile is my pick of the bunch. I like the synths.
3.5/5
Experimental and fun. The words are the best bit.
Lemppari: This Is the Day Vähiten lemppari: I've been waiting for tomorrow
Hell yeah
Blinky blonky 80s nonsense.
I have a soft spot for 80’s music. This was solid.
Very arty new wave/pop album. Not bad, but not something I really want to sit down and listen to.
Not terrible, just not for me.
It was good, I liked it!
A very emblematic album for this genre with a couple of absolute gems.
Couple of decent tunes on this, but not enough for me to be truly excited by it. It was ok though, wouldn’t complain if it came on rotation but not sure I’d ever rush to it.
🤷♂️
A little bit out there at times but overall decent music
While I love 80s music, I seriously can’t get over the breathy, monotone vocals of this guy. The background music is interesting but ultimately repetitive.
Meh
Mér finnst þessi skemmtilegri en Infected. This is the day og Uncertain smile eru skemmtileg, Giant í lokin nær góðum dróneffect og röddin hans Johnsons nær betur til mín hérna. Alveg svoldið töff og hresst, en ég toga þetta kannski ekki alla leið upp í fjarka.
Pretty good
Eh
6/10 - It was alright. I liked this is the day and after hearing it in music league I liked it more. The rest of the songs were decent but not great. Overall pretty chill nothing crazy.
A couple good songs. The rest was pretty boring
Okay. At first I thought, what a bunch of in garage playing, vape smoking, hummus eating, indie movie watching middle class uni student watered down bullcrap is this, what kind of deluded idiots would listen to this? But as the album went on I realised it’s me, I’m idiots. Surprising but still nothing new.
Weird band for me. I can't really make heads or tails of them, but this album was definitely better than Infected. With that said, it was fine but will never be a favorite.
The.
It was fine. Seemed a little restrained and I found my attention waning at times, but some nice moments.
An over hyped band who don’t quite reach the heights we were promised. If they belong on such a list, it’s the album with Beat (en) generation. This is for the fans. Not for the masses. They’re not a bad band at all. Kind of the smiths but without the energy that the smiths had. Not bad. But not essential.
Every time I hear Matt Johnson’s voice, I always think to myself, Why does this guy sound so much like Lloyd Cole? But of course, this album came out the year before I first heard Cole, so shouldn’t it be the other way around? I guess I ignored this record when it was released, so really I’m listening to it for the first time. I didn’t take much notice of the lyrics, but musically it’s extremely interesting. And when you hear how Johnson grew up above his father’s pub & he & his brother would sneak downstairs when the pub was closed & play around with whatever musical instruments were left lying around on the stage, you begin to understand why this record just overflows with such a variety of sounds. And good players too. From Zeke Manyika’s drumming on the opening track to Jools Hilland’s terrific piano on Uncertain Smile, Wix’s accordian on This Is The Day, Thomas Leer’s synths on The Twilight Hour & New York Dolls’ David Johansen’s harmonica on Perfect. And, of course, Johnson’s involvement is all over it.
I was 16 when the The released 'Infected', and its brand of angsty industrial-lite pop really clicked for me. I liked the sound, and the lyrics were the right brand of serious to seem deep and profound. With the benefit of hindsight, it borders on pretentious miserabilism. And really, this album is not much different, except released a few years earlier. Even though it is more of the same, it never clicked for me. It's OK. You can hum the tunes, it's got a beat, the lyrics aren't dumb. The sound is kind of dated, but not so 80s as to be unlistenable. I don't really like Matt Johnson's voice that much. And the songs just don't stick in my head. Everyone raves about Jules Holland's piano solo at the end of Uncertain Smile, but it's just OK, you know? That really sums this whole album up for me. It's just OK, you know?
Synth usually makes me cringe, but this isn't quite like the 80s Brit-pop synth so I hung around. The use here seems self-consciously investigative. Like the vocals and the accordion. Since when is there a wild piano solo in an 80s song from England? I'm not hooked, but I'm listening.
good. funky.
I liked and was disinterested in this in equal parts. More than anything, I realized that I've always confused The The with Was Not Was.
Meh. Better than I remembered.
It’s pretty good. It’s The Talking Heads’, Simple Minds’s and New Order’s little brother aspiring to achieve the same quality, but not quite there yet. Do I also hear some Bowie hiding?
Although good in parts, particularly the piano solo by Jools halfway through, there were also some self-indulgent bits, and the 80s synth sound hasn't aged well.
Schysst album. Fast Poesie Noires cover på Uncertain smile är bättre.
So so. 3
Хорошо, спокойная музыка
The The's Soul Mining is undoubtedly a significant album in the post-punk landscape. Matt Johnson's raw vocals and the band's experimental blend of synth-pop and new wave create a distinctive sound. Tracks like "This Is The Day" and "Uncertain Smile" showcase their ability to craft catchy melodies with introspective lyrics. However, while the album offers moments of brilliance, it also suffers from some inconsistency. The production can feel dated at times, and the overall sound lacks the polish of later The The releases. Additionally, the album's length can test the listener's patience. Overall, Soul Mining is a promising debut that hints at the greatness The The would later achieve. While it's a worthwhile listen for fans of the genre, it's not without its flaws.
I usually don't like synth-heavy 80s. But this was kind of nice. Partly because it's short and fast. "This Is The Day" is really a very nice song. Overall it's very upbeat and very light. I wouldn't be likely to put the whole thing on again though.
It was okay
Interesting. Sounds a bit like early REM at times and other times more like Duran Duran but harder edged. Sometimes boarding on electronic noises similar to Pretty Hate Machine. Overall a good listen that has me interested in hearing more.
Their best album for sure.....Infested is close.
A lot of the songs on here are interesting but boring, nothing really hooked me, it’s a lot of style no substance. It’s definitely got more care than a lot of new wave fluff but it just isn’t…fun?
Didn’t immediately gel with this, especially the vocalist and some of the samples, but could definitely see this growing on me! Found myself falling into the grooves on the longer tracks. Also I love the band name
pretty fun! always knew of this band because of their epic name but now i know them for their new wave music
This is a very good and consistent new wave/art rock album, with production that doesn’t feel dated whatsoever. The whole thing is nice to listen to, but it’s really the final two tracks (“Giant” and the U.S. bonus track, “Perfect”) that make this thing a staple new wave album for me.
song reco: uncertain smile
General note: Trying to be more critical of what i give 4s & 5s. Also trying to answer "what the average (3) rating looks like to use as a benchmark for other albums. This Is the Day --> The Sinking Feeling --> Uncertain Smile was a very enjoyable 3-run of songs. Soul Mining was wonky but fun. The vocals for Giant were fun, but the second half on the song went on for way too long.
ok
Я волна. Новая волна. Подо мной. Будет вся страна.
Man hört noch den Punk aber sonst mitelmäßig
I wanted to hate it. Wasn’t terrible
It's pretty good.. Exists somewhere between synth pop and post punk. What I do really like is the longer compositions that let the songs breath a little more.
I liked this a little better than "Infected" but it still didn't do much for me. It's totally fine, but I have no desire to listen to it again anytime soon.
Not bad! I knew nothing about this band and expected a different genre based on the album cover. While I love 80s post-punk and synth pop, this album came across as very restrained to me. I just wanted it to ramp up at some point, maybe get a little crazy…I didn’t feel like it met its potential until partway through the final track. So while this is a genre I truly enjoy, I wouldn’t come back to this album, unfortunately.
New wave sounds
Typical 80s pop but a little more unique
The IS the day. ‘83. pleasant. didnt grab special attention. i kept losing interest althoug its nice.
brýsna gott. meiri raftónlistaráhrif en í síðari verkum. önnur umferð. 3,5.
Tosi jännää, erikoista ja modernin kuuloista jotain elektronista poppia. Jotain varhaista synthpoppia ehkä. Vähän tulee The Smiths mieleen. Parhaat: I've Been Waiting For Tomorrow, The Twilight Hour
Notable tracks: This Is the Day, Uncertain Smile
It was ok. Nothing ground breaking for me but didn’t offend.
generic but not bad. i like the music but not the singing
3 songs deep and this isn’t even remotely close to how I thought it was going to be. Instead of avant- grade style music where words are thrown against a cheesy 80’s beat, you get quality 80’s beats with talking heads type of delivery. So far so good! By The Twilight Hour I grew tired of listening. No fault of their own, I didn’t hate this album at all but the most exciting it got can be heard in the first 4 songs. Choice cut: uncertain smile
this is the day is a good tune. uncertain smile. another good tune. great piano piece in this song. Apart from that the rest were bang average. A low 3/5 rating for me. The two good tunes just say brought it up from 2/5. its albums like this i wish we used a range out of 10.
The the is is quite quite good good. 3 stars C+
I've Been Waiting for Tomorrow - 3 This is the Day - 3 The Sinking Feeling - 3.5 Uncertain Smile - 3.5 The Twilight Hour - 3 Soul Mining - 3 Giant - 3
3.5
Not terrible, but couldn’t really get into it.
Eclectic pop
Mixed feelings on this one. A bit too synth heavy in a lot of places, but I also quite enjoyed aspects of most of it. Gonna need another listen I think.
Soul Mining has a bop or two and the instrumentation, production, and vocal performances are certainly unique and engaging. It's OK.
Listenable. Nice background music for a deck party. Nothing noteworthy.
I was a little concerned after not liking the first song, but this was alright in the end. I probably have to re-listen to it at some point. It was new wave-y but not really the kind that I like.
3 - I liked Infected slightly more. It kind of had more of a city vibe to it, though that could be attributed to the album cover. This one felt like it had good moments, but also a few moments were I was not fully into it. His voice is interesting too, I don't remember it being like that, but I haven't listened to anything by The The in at least a year.
This is the Day! great track. The piano solo in Uncertain Smile was by far the album's highlight 3.5
Funky new-wave. I like it.
Good album
Fun discovery.
In general not really for me. At least not on the first listen. Some really good music though.
Listened to it multiple times and yet nothing stayed, but it doesn't sound bad. Just completely forgettable for my brain
I have fond memories of The The. So I was very excited about the album. OK, the 80s new wave synth pop is easy to recognize. The music was ok. However, there was nothing on it that I absolutely have to listen to again. 3/5
Some really fun moments and compositions here but has some new-wave production elements that I don't particularly respond to. Quite striking lyricism at points. Fave track: Giant
Nice vibes. Some cool piano parts. Not bad!
Pretty mid
I doubt I'd come back to it but I genuinely enjoyed it. It was very unique and weird, but not in a bad way at all. Favorites were This is the Day and Uncertain Smile.
Decent.
Thoughts before listening: One of my favorite band names of all time, but I don't know their music at all. I'm thinking this will be post-punk in the same vein as a band like Joy Division. I tend to like 80s alt rock so this will probably be a nice surprise. Review: This is certainly on the darker side of 80s new wave, and I really like it. "This is the Day" is one of those hits you know you've heard before, but you cant quite picture any details about it i.e. music video, placement in a movie, etc. "Uncertain Smile" comes later and includes an extended piano solo that elevates the song as a real standout. Both are great songs on an enjoyable album.
Was not familiar with these guys other than the curious name. This was better than I was expecting--I never really know what to think when I see "post-punk" and "synth-pop" together. But a lot of fun, a bit raw and loud. I dug it for sure.
Interesante
Was not bad may need to look at their discography
Started out a bit rough. Not really I to new wave, but this got better. Not something I'll likely return to, but good enough for a 3/5
Not really for me
I expected to really hate this but actually it was a bit of a surprise. Def I enjoyed this and listened straight through twice with the exception of The Twilight Hour which is pretty bad haha. Otherwise and interesting and enjoyable record.
Listened Before? N Not too bad of an 80s New Wave/Alt record. I can't say it's original, but it's inoffensive. I may listen again. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: This Is The Day
Genre: Pop Instruments: 2/5 Modern Translation: 3/5 Dance Potential: 3/5 Listening Location: Commute to/from work Favourite Song: This is the Day Made me feel: the singer made me angsty but the beats made my body bop. Other: This synth-pop vibe was a curious mix of 7 long songs.
3+
Weird Nick Cave & Bad Seeds vibe. Pretty good, couple of bangers and a lot of moody tracks in between.
This is just a weirdo 80's album. It has all the trappings/production with a fun bedroom pop album of today with 80's aesthetic. Pretty weird singer/dramatic theatrical. Interesting.
Ок, без неког претераног посебног утиска. 5/10
Album was loud at times, but cohesive. Was probably pretty cliche for the time it released as the record is very synthy and spacey. I liked the outro track "Giant" as I found it the most intriguing. I can't really say much about this album but it was alright.
don‘t likethe 80‘ that much, hmmm
Ok. Very 80s (not in a bad way)
first listen yawn
Fun
I'll chalk this album as yet another sampling of the indisputable English bias. I liked Spotify's description of the artist using the word mercurial, because this album was really all over the place. This album could be described as an experimental crossover between David Bowie and Oingo Boingo. While this wasn't really my cup of tea, there should be special recognition to the incredible piano solo in Uncertain Smile, credited to Jools Holland?! Amazing.
I have a hard time enjoying any songs that use synth percussion. So basically the entire 80s. The first song on this album was a struggle, but it got better as it went... By the end I wasn't hating it, so that's something.
I listened to it yesterday, but got too drunk to remember what the fuck I listened, so I will just give it a 3.
It was better than I expected, but that wasn’t a high hurdle to clear. Funnier was when The The ended, my streaming service played Talk Talk and served up their five star song, It’s My Life.
Enjoyed this one. Could really see what would become the music of the 80s starting to take shape. 3.5/5
The first song had me, this album started strong. Then kind of simmered into what sounded like pretty generic indie rock. Crazy that it was from 1983 though!
Post punk and synth pop are two genres that are normally right up my alley, but there's something I always find slightly off-putting about The The. I think it's mostly the lyrics, and partially his vocal delivery. Plus, I don't really like the arrangements with the folksier instruments like a fiddle, accordion, harmonica, etc. I like my synth pop synthy. That said, the marimba works for me I guess because I actually quite like the track "Giant." Overall I enjoy this album much more than their follow up "Infected" from '86, which was also on the list.
Completely forgettable 80s synth-pop. Not my thing, but it's at least made well.
The The is a difficult band to gauge. Just when you think you've got them figured out, they change styles and surprise you in whole new ways.
"The The" is so punk. I always thought band / album / song names like that were funny but didn't really do much for me beyond the initial giggle that it would get out of me. Like "The Band". But that's just me, it's still punk. This album is fun and has a lot going for it. I never heard of it or the band and it is a nice surprise. Great lyrics in the first track and it made me pay better attention to the lyrics while listening. I like that! Really enjoyed the industrial~ish drums and funk bass too. Nice listen! 3/5 but could be higher on more listens I think.
écoute vraiment séparé. surement meilleur que je me rappelle si j'écoute front to back sans interruption. still a solid 7/10
weird instruments are certainly appreciated nice singing, regular old bop i dont dislike this kind of pop
Carino
Fairly standard post-punk
Not bad no need to listen again
Okay I didn’t listen to it but I’m giving it three stars just because I’ve always thought that The The was the most innovative name for a band ever.
Surprised me, as the the other album I got by them them was a dud. Now, if only they could only dig up an actual band name, we might get somewhere. 3 pick axes out of 5 ⛏⛏⛏
The the what
A great 80s listen with good music and interesting vocals
Rating: 6/10 Best songs: This is the day
Pretty solid. This is the day an easy stand-out
I listened to it, but I don’t remember it!
definitely needs a revisit
Alternative post-punk band. Quand même dans mes cordes. Style The Killers/Japan. Pas mauvais, mais pas malade non plus. Passable.
Fijn om je dag te beginnen met lekkere 80’s newwave. Een heel album verveeld wel.
3.5
Very 80's feel which is amazing for a 1993 album. I surely didn't listen to this in the midst of the grunge and alternative out during this time but I would have liked it then. But now? Seems a bit aged
Tässä oli jotain kivaa! Sopivan vinksallaan mulle. Ei toki mikään jumalten luomus 3/5
Mukava ja pirteä meno. Hyviä soundeja myös.
Af en toe leuk, maar ritmes zijn wel heel basaal vaak. Snap niet wat dit hier doet.
not bad
Decent album hadn’t heard before
A slappy bass funtime 80's album. I really enjoyed it. A little slow sometimes but enjoyable all the same. Might return to this one later. Score: 70 Art: 70
Has some cool tunes on it, would listen to it again
Solid but not as good as I thought it would be 3/5.
A strange mix of lots of brilliant moments with some really dull/annoying ones thrown in there that stop it getting any more than a 3 unfortunately
I could listen to This is the Day on repeat for hours. It was fascinating once again to hear an album new to me that has so clearly inspired some of my favourite bands.
I find the album art physically painful to look at. I like This is the Day and Uncertain Smile, they have good structure and momentum. Matt Johnson's voice is great, the synths are very early 80's but that's not a deal breaker for me. The problem is that whole endeavor is way too emo for my taste. One song here or there is fine but a whole album is just too much at once.
I liked this fine though it seemed like pretty standard proto-new wave (with a couple of odd curveballs) and suffered from that 80s British serious alt-guy vocal syndrome.
Album 24 of 1001 the The - Soul Mining Favorite Track : Uncertain Smile Rating : 3 / 5 This generator thinks I'm really into some 80s & 90s British Pop. It keeps feeding it to me. I was ready to pan this, but maybe the generator knows something I don't. This is a very enjoyable album. There were a couple of tracks that would have fitting in perfectly as part of a soundtrack for some of the 80s John Hughes type movies. No real stand out "hits", but the album flows nicely and each song holds up to the one before it. Good musicianship. A fine album.
Yes generic 80s but with some catchy songs, I mean come on! This is The Day is classic! Probably a 2.5 album if we could give half stars.
eh
its bad but its good, i dislike it but im vibing along with it i dont get it but its alright
Em, nothing amazing here.
3.5 it’s fine
The The's Dusk is a top 10 album for me. Or at least top 20. Definitely in the top 50 no matter which way you slice it. But what I like about Dusk is almost completely absent here. And that's not to say that this doesn't have a good sound. But for an album call 'Soul Mining', it didn't get anywhere near my soul the way Dusk does. Some good stuff, wouldn't turn it off in the background, but I'm not rushing back to hear it again.
I'm not in the mood for this today. I hate, hate... repetitive backgrounds and lyrics that go on for 5 minutes and 44 seconds. Honestly, it's one of my least favorite things on "classics". Maybe I'm a grump, but if you just gunna repeat something for 4 minutes... make it a 90 sec song. "This is the day" was much much better, then it hit me again! Ok, Tyler said it, the back half of this album is strong. I think this album is a good 80's album. 3 stars.
Takie nie wiadomo co, trochę synth rock, trochę pop. Niczym się nie wyróżnia.
I generally like the overall vibe on Soul Mining. There’s also a couple of really killer tracks. And Matt Johnson is undoubtedly a genius. But in the end this simply becomes too monotonous and I am never completely hooked.
It was alright. The 80s drums and synths are always irritating to me and this had a lot of them. The lyrics were good though.
Fun, synthy, 80’s new wave music
Never heard of them but enjoyed the album
Soul Mining. You know what? I kinda like this. Now, I can't quite put my finger on what it is about this album that I like. It's sort of like a train wreck, you know? You don't want to look, but you can't help it. Or like my Aunt Edna's cleavage. Not my cup of tea (seeing as she's my relative and all), but damn if I can't stop my eyes from going there. But seriously, there's something strangely compelling about Soul Mining. Maybe it's the quirky vocals or the off-kilter instrumentation. Or maybe it's just the fact that it's so damn weird. Whatever it is, I'm hooked. So, if you're in the mood for something a little off the beaten path, give Soul Mining a spin. And who knows, you might just find yourself strangely drawn to it, like a moth to a flame, or a guy to his aunt's cleavage.
Uncertain Smile is a pleasant surprise on this 80’s new wave wonder. It starts relatively blandly, the ending 3 minutes piano composition is really special. It has ‘heat wave’ vibes. They mined the soul on this track. Overall the songs aren’t hit radio but conversationally lyrical. 3.5/5
Quintessential 80's without the staying power of the someone of his peers. Quite a few songs start rough but finish strong. Perfect and Giant being highlights of the album. The Twilight Hour sounds like a bad Bowie album.
Didn’t do much for me.
It’s generally interesting and good just is not the most memorable and sticky albums around. After you put it down it just doesn’t stay with you. On the other hand the songs are interesting, enjoyable and the good side of the 80s - at times Bowie-esque
I'll take it. Not mind blowing but solid, and quite enjoyable different, especially in the rhythm and instrumentation. I will revisit this and I hope that it grows. It feels.like it grows.
Soild 80’s album, interesting but something missing for this ti make my frequent rotation.
There's music for the sake of music and then there's music for the sake of, I don’t know, thought? I've never found the The to be very enjoyable. More so a band to think about when you've finished listening. The mixing was poor as well, which doesn't help. I'll say that it was original, funky new bass lines and electronic elements helped keep the album interesting, but not interesting enough for me to ever want to listen to it again. 3/5
Good 80s album
Ik kwam er achter dat ik 3 nummers van dit album al kende. Veel naar Puinguin Classics online-radio luisteren :-) Heel aardig album!
Better than most average 80s pop, but only marginally
Buen disco de pop con reminiscencias de los años 80. Buena voz y con cierto ritmo. Instrumentalmente, bueno
Pop.
pop new-wave so eighties, I like more some their later things
This is a solid album. It's not really my type of music and I can't see myself ever just throwing it on but I enjoyed it and appreciated it's craft
Pretty great mix of goth and blues and rock, enjoyed.
English Band. They have two albums on the 1001 list. Rating: 3.5/5 (Excellent) Singles: ----------------------------- Uncertain Smile (#68 UK) Perfect (#79 UK) This is the Day (#71 UK)
this might have been boring me but the last song Giant was fantastic. Borderline italo synths and groove. Glorious
It's good, especially "This is the Day" is a great song.
Around 1990 I heard The The's Mind Bomb album and fell in love with their sound. I bought "Infected" and this one, "Soul Mining" thinking they were going to have that same sound. But. they were both really different and I really never got into them. I was surprised to see those two albums on this list, but not Mind Bomb. It is nice to listen to them again, almost like for the first time. This album starts strong with I've Been Waiting For Tomorrow For All My Life and This is the Day. Both songs I think are great. This is the Day is one I have heard over the years on Alt radio. The rest of the album is so good. I really don't get why I wasn't into this 30 years ago! Standouts: This is the Day, Uncertain Smile, Perfect, The album art cover is really interesting. It kind of has a Picasso feel to it. The wikipedia page says it is a painting of one of the wives of Fela Kuti. So that is cool as well based on his presents on this list as well. The albums singles: Uncertain Smile, Perfect, This is the Day were all top 100 UK songs, but none were top 40. Perfect hit the NZ charts at #19 and the re-release of Uncertain Smile hit #31 in the Netherlands. I look forward to listening to this more much more often. I am giving it a strong 3.5 / 5.
Not bad at all
better album than I expected from a band with a stupid name the first few songs are especially interesting considering this came out in the 80s 3.5
Vond ik maar zozo. Had het iets steviger verwacht of zo. En dat viel dus wat tegen
Tror jag har den. Kluven. Bra och inte så bra.
3.75
certainly innovative.
Chill songs. To me, it's not particularly outstanding after one listen though.
Favourite song: Uncertain Smile
Potentially interesting but not enough to pay more attention to it
Good album. Lots of overlap with early New Order and even a bit of XTC. 3.5/5
3.5/5
Interesting, would be open to listening to more from The The
Cool but a bit monotonous
I wasn't terribly fazed in the beginning but it slowly grew on me and then found the highlight was the last track "Giant"
Gothy goodness.
It was a really good album with really cool arrangements, but I can't quite put it down. It was dark themed with sympathetic outbursts of brass and marimba? It's like I don't know what to feel listening to it. Which sometimes can be good, but... I don't know, I didn't find myself there on that one.
Weird, funky, synth-driven post-punk. Probably not something I'll jam again since the long songs try my patience but respect the talent and unique vision
It's fun, very 80s, kind of Avant Garde at times but by the end I got b9red of the vibe.
Good new wave stuff but I don't really like most new wave.
Funky. Cool cover art
Interesting... stuff. Some nice and quite varied arrangements (using everything from melancholic accordions and pizzicato strings to steel drums and hectic piano solos), and a general sound that has aged very well overall. The nine minutes of original closer "Giant" just fly by for instance. This synth-pop/post-punk album could have been recorded yesterday and no one would have really noticed the difference with other similar releases today. The The sometimes reminds me of current artists such as Future Islands, Cate Le Bon, Destroyer or Amen Dunes. With that in mind, it's honestly quite a feat that *Soul Mining* was actually released in 1983. Is is an *essential* listen, though? The jury's still out on this one. Just like the current artists I've quoted, maybe the affectations and odd mannerisms heard and felt throughout this LP will wear you out after a while. And maybe it lacks a few straightforward highlights to make it more impactful as a whole. But maybe I'm a little too picky here, so take with a grain of salt the 3.5/5 grade I'm giving to this thing right now. Because, to be honest, I feel I'm gonna revisit this curious yet well-crafted album in the near future. In the meantime... Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 783 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory: 112 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 54 (including this one) Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 51
Just okay. Proto-post punk/pop. Bit dry, not great vocals, but a couple decent grooves.
Ok
Starts really strong, ends up pretty middling
Quirky, loved the variety of instrumentation.
Not all 80's music, just the majority. This has some decent tracks, but it's not a classic
Never really understood the fuss. Its good but not great.
Good beat, easy to dance to. Uncertain Smile is good. Vocals by the love child of David Bowie and Billy Idol. Otherwise, another nothing special 80's band that I'm sure a specific audience still loves but I won't recognize if I ever hear them again.
I think I’m going to do a playlist of ‘God’ songs.
Probably fine
Mild and understated. I was expecting big rock, wall of sound style for some reason. This was more shoulder pads and oversized suits than that. Totally focussed on the vocals, with a healthy side of electro drums and synth sauce. Very 1983.
One of these songs had the exact same opening drumbeat as the previous day's A-Ha offering - so yes, another good dollop of pure 1980s here. Nothing really stood out for me though.
Been there, done that. The last bit of the album was especially boring.
Very nice discovery. Based on an 80s template sound but with a lot of life and creativity mixed in. Most tracks go on a bit long. 3.5.
I feel like I should have enjoyed this a lot more. It's got a bunch of really interesting sounds, but yet something is missing for me. It's preventing me from really enjoying this album. 3.5/5
I remember being disappointed by this before, and it hasn't really improved with time. Three *classic* songs but the rest is pretty thin. Matt Johnson seems a good bloke and has written many great tunes over a long career but this album isn't the best.
I'm not sure whether I liked this one or not! The ones I knew I liked but some left little impression on me
I guess I quite liked this. It didn't excite me too much but it had some nice beats sounds and vocals
It's got bowie vibes I don't mind it.
Never heard of the band, and the name sounds pretty dumb so I’m not psyched. It’s not weird, but very odd. It’s very much the weirder side of 80s synth music. Not bad, just strange. So far, I’m actually enjoying this much more than I thought I would. The lead singer’s voice isn’t great on its own, but with backup instruments it’s not bad. Pretty good overall. Fav Track: This Is the Day 3/5
All the good things about 80s synth-electro-new wave-pop before they became a cliché. The The were a band that came a bit before my time, but their legacy and influence wears well on this album. This was a great listen. 3.5/5.
Very interesting ideas some good tracks, not really my thing but i respect it
interesting sound, I liked it.
Meh. Pretty standard 80s new wave. This Is The Day will forever be a favorite song of mine though, just maybe not an album I need in my rotation all the time. 3/5 stars Favorite Tracks: This Is The Day, Uncertain Smile, Giant
It was average.
I thought this was a decently enjoyable pop album. Many classic 80s sounds with the synth/pop funk style mixed with some good piano playing and other good instrumentals.. The lyrics are somewhat dark in several songs. I enjoyed this is the day. I felt some songs were a bit long though but I didn’t dislike the album. 5.8/10
Liked nearly half the album, but the rest didn't really hit the spot
I love This is the Day but the rest is a bit of file under every post punk synth pop album is not one we must listen to
Decent but nothing to right home about.
The first few songs were better than I was expecting and I would willingly listen to them again. The latter half don’t hold up as well, so this is more like a 3.5/5 for me.
Not really my thing, though I did enjoy Uncertain Smile. This is earning the 3 stars of indifference from me.
I know I listened to this but I have zero recollection of any of it - even what style it was. So I'll give it a generic 2.5/5
The The is a band that I've been aware of but never really listened to. Very 80s and pretty good
On accordait volontier une periode de refroidissement à Robert après sa surchauffe de la semaine passée, mais après 10 albums sans 4/5, nous commençons à nous poser des questions. Je me rendrai à son domicile dans un prochain review pour analyser la situation.
Pop con sintetizadores. Ni fu ni fa.
listen again
Uuh, been waiting for this. Love "Uncertain Smile". 3
I remember that The The was a band that was on the radio at one point in time, but I can't remember what I've heard from them. "Uncertain Smile" is the track that I liked the most, and almost sounded familiar. For me, this band fits in well with groups like the Psychodelic Furs, and Simple Minds. This album was okay. Perhaps a second listen might help me hear more of what was accomplished on this album, but I just don't know if I'll get back to the album again.
Inte världsomvälvande grejer, men jag hade en god tid. This is the day är en kalaslåt, det är sen gammalt!
post-punk... WITH COLOURS!!!
This is the day je odlična pjesma ali mi ostatak nije sjeo koliko sam mislila da hoće :(
Listened to on 4/10/22 3/5 Favorite song: This is the day I liked most of this album more than I thought I would - very synthetic and pop-py but all in all a few bops
Programmed drums and 80’s singing!
This is an average new wave style album that leaves no lasting impression on me. Not sure why this would be considered a "must listen to" record. Fine but nothing special.
Not bad. Nothing that changed my life, but a decent effort.
bara ok
Great album. I really enjoyed it.
Jesus Christ the twilight hour 3, definitely better than the last few
Didn’t seem special. It was fine
Meh
High 3
dark, paranoid, angry, lots of different instruments - very much a product of its time and sonically very 1983
Dogs of Lust makes many of my play lists. Like this album but wouldn't say best