Reviews (page 6 of 8)
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
Generally enjoyable.
Ça m'a pas bouleversé
vague souvenir de chansons un peu longues avec des synthés ...
very 80s haha
Some bits I didn't like but some that were absolutely brilliant. A total mixture.
post-punk tends to be comfortable listening for me; this album was fine, but didn’t register as something to rush back to
Uhhhhhh. There is some cool vocal melodies in here, but its just not for me.
Um álbum legal, eu achei massa, alguns hits, tudo meio igual...
Not bad. Just didn’t make me feel much.
Bueno
3.5
An interesting listen, though the singer is unfortunately plagued with that no-longer-a-boy-but-not-quite-a-man voice that was an epidemic in the dreadful 1980's.
Some very good songs, not exactly my cup of tea though, even though I've always liked new wave.
I thought this would be pretentious. Instead very solid rhythm and vocal/music accompanyment was outstanding
Transports you to the 80’s
More new wave than soul but it wasn’t terrible
Rimelig godt faktisk!
2 - Soul Mining (1983) - 6/10 The The Tuesday 30th November 1. I’ve Been Waiting For Tomorrow (All Of My Life) - 6.5/10 2. This Is the Day - 7/10 3. The Sinking Feeling - 5/10 4. Uncertain Smile - 7.5/10 5. The Twilight Hour - 5.5/10 6. Soul Mining - 5.5/10 7. Giant - 7.5/10
1983. Uncertain Smile, This Is The Day
Really nice album. Apple Music had some issues streaming it, for some reason, but I managed to listen to the whole thing eventually. Synthy with a splash of pop, it was pleasant enough to listen to again at some point. 3 stars.
There is a joy to this album that I didn't expect, and I'm glad I gave it a shot
Fav track: Uncertain smile. took me a while to get into the album. Brilliant production can't see myself returning to it.
This is the day, your life will surely change
Breathy vocals, punchy drums radio samples. Simple synth sounds, passable not preferred listening Vocals remind me of Jemaine Clement
This was decent. A bit chill in places I was hoping for more energy. Fave tracks: “I’ve been waitin for tomorrow” “uncertain Smile”
Both my co-judge and I owned this album, though I admit, beyond the more popular songs I don't remember it much. Some of the keyboard riffs sound ahead of their time - more clubby than the synth-pop than was the trend in the early 80s. In that regard I love "Giant" which I don't remember, and thought it was the maybe the best song on the album, except for the percussive 5 minute outro. The lyrics are angsty and personal and the songs sound so serious. I would give it a higher mark but Matt's vocals wear on you for an entire album.
Can’t make my mind up, it was good but don’t think quite good enough for 4 stars
I could take it or leave it but I'd rather leave it. First couple songs are shit. It picks up but sounds different
Not a bad album. Lots of experimental stuff. Some good some a bit annoying. Enjoyed a lot of the instrumentation. Some of the songs were a bit blah 3.5
Quelques bonne toune, d’autres plus mehhh. Ca commence bizarrement mais fini bien. 3*
Surprised. Enjoyed it.
After two songs I thought I was disappointed - there seemed to be nothing special or exciting or different about them, just kind of boring faceless early 80s rock that washed over me. So my mind drifted as the album went on... ...and somewhere perhaps in "The Twilight Hour" I realized something had been clicking for a while. "Soul Mining" started and immediately grabbed me - haunting, different, exactly what I wanted from this album. So let's start this album over and see what I missed... And I did miss a lot. Actually the first track "I've Been Waiting For Tomorrow" *is* different and with the heavily 80s gated aggressive drum beat starting things off it grabs you - I must have been in a peanut butter haze my first time around on this one. Another highlight is "Uncertain Smile" - I don't know how I glossed over the awesome piano in it the first time - the super long extended solo/break is fantastic. So. I'm on my third spin of this one today. And while I haven't been able to get into everything - e.g. "The Sinking Feeling" doesn't really connect with me (yet?) - and will probably only give this a 3...I wonder if this one will rise over time. 7/10 3 stars.
I didn’t know I knew these songs.
Peppy and fun at times, other times just kinda meh. 3.5
Maybe I listen to too much resurrection Sunday, but The The is a staple. Great middle section of the album. If I could rate the album using the middle stars, I would.
It was pretty good. Not my main style.
Not what I was expecting and, as much as I’d like to, I don’t think I’ll have the time to really digest this.
Este disco tiene uno de mis temas favoritos de toda la vida pero como album no llego a conectar.
Interesting album. It was decent.
Perus kasaripimputtelua. Laulajan ääni, tai ehkä ennemminkin laulutyyli, on aikakaudelle tyypillinen. Erityisesti This Is The Day -kappale miellytti korvaa, ja haitariosuudet toimivat yllättävän hyvin. Pari kappaletta tämän jälkeenkin jaksoivat pitää mielenkiinnon yllä mutta loppulevyllä taso tuntui putoavan. Ihan kiva levy, jonka arvostelu tuntuu jotenkin vaikealta. Kakkonen? Kolmonen? Kolmonen.
this is the day *that they gonna throw it back to you* KIDDING
Bizarre, punky, British. It’s just fine.
Ho ascoltato quest'album più volte, quattro per l'esattezza, e ho sempre avuto un parere positivo. Quindi parto dicendo che è un album interessante. Il problema è che non capisco bene come collocarlo perché riconosco una certa genialità ma allo stesso tempo non penso che lo riascolterò. Ho la stessa sensazione di quando provi un vestito che ti piace tanto, ma ti sta male.
Un altro disco impegnativo da votare. L'ho ascoltato due volte e non riesco a farmi un'idea. A tratti penso che è geniale a tratti penso che è banale o troppo eccessivo. A tratti mi sembra avere suoni moderni a tratti mi sembra super anni '80 e mi appalla. Non posso non apprezzare il fatto che ha una visione artistica molto definita, anche molta varietà e creatività nella composizione, però fatico a innamorarmi, ho solo un'infatuazione intellettuale. Sento che sto 3 è un voto mezzo a caso perché non trovo un voto che rappresenta la mia esperienza di ascolto con questo disco. Però 2 è poco, 4 me sembra troppo e quindi annamo de 3.
Il 3 che do a questo disco non significa mediocrità perché l’ho trovato tutt’altro che comune e noioso però non posso allo stesso tempo dire che mi sia piaciuto. Ci sono molte idee musicali e di produzione interessanti che però spesso sono arrangiate in maniera disordinata. I testi mi sono sembrati non banali però interpretati non al meglio nello stile. Sono curioso di sentire altri dischi.
too indulgent to be punk and not catchy enough to be pop, great aesthetics and sound somewhat let down by meandering compositions
Not bad. 80s pop. Unremarkable past that.
it was alright good
It took me until well after I listened to this album to realise that this wasn't another album by Talk Talk.
Interesting
Generally enjoyable synth-pop. Not too sugary, some analog touches (accordion!), some interesting arrangements.
One-hit wonder, but there's actually more going on here after repeated listening. Still, if this album is on here, and Tin Machine isn't, ima be pissed.
For some reason I thought The The were a prog rock band. But it seems like standard 80s pop. Pretty listenable but not sure if I'd spin it again.
Irgendwie doch ganz cool
Listened to "This Is the Day" only so far, liked it and will listen to more on Monday. Cool cover art. I completed level 517 of Project Makeover while listening!
This whole album can be summed up as really meaningful lyrics (mainly about mental health) set over some super basic synthy tracks. Most of the songs are way too long and this isn't a very melodic album. I'll give it 3 stars because the lyrics are insanely good- ahead of their time, quite honestly- but the music is just too plodding for me.
Capolavoro di Matt Johnson
Moderately enjoyable. Not nostalgic.
Surprisingly good, the few first tracks especially. I needed a bit of time to digest this one
This album was OK but slightly irritating
3.5/5 maybe good, will have to relisten
Nice flow. Seemed like every song could be used in a john Hughes movie.
Decent for never hearing of this group before.
I don’t recall the band but I quite enjoyed the album. ***
Like “This is the Day” a lot. Mostly just ok but I feel like it’s something I could come back to.
Not massively memorable. Think it was good at the time.
kind of weird, but not in a bad way
it was pretty good, like definitely some solid 80s synth going on, but idk if we really needed to hear this album.
I kinda like this ( possibly because it reminds me of Nick Cave in places). Which is weird. As its quite electronic and I don't usually like that. It doesn't really have any catchy hooks which i usually need. But I found myself enjoying it without loving it. 3/5
6/10. Seemed fairly bland, but I was not paying the closest attention.
Fun vibes
interesting and nothing i have heard before. i liked it but not sure i would listen to it again.
millor del que em pensava... bon piano i bons ritmes... no és el meu estil per això... la cançó soul mining es bona...
Kinda boring, interesting electronic sounds but nothing that stood out. 6
I've heard This is the Day! It's the opening song to one of Amy Schumer's movies. I feel like all my reviews have been 2s or 3s lately. This was also "fine"
false
Nice post-punk vibes
Post-punk, but poppy! I didn't like that much at first listen - I guess I prefer my post-punk angry or angsty or depressed. On second listen I caught more of the lyrics, and they seemed pretty angsty after all - the poppiness is a veneer over the top. Fave track - "I've Been Waiting For Tomorrow (All Of My Life)" maybe, as it sounds like very early industrial music. Or possibly "The Thinking Feeling" as that's the song where the lyrics clicked for me....
'This is the Day' is a banger
Album étrange / drôle! On dirait la musique d'un bon vieux film des années 80.
New wave is great and this is a good example
OMG This Is The Day is such a great song (thanks, Empire Records!) and I had no idea who it was!
The the keys keys were were awesome awesome. The the vocals vocals… lame lame.
Nothing incredible, but nice
Another post-punk album. It's quute pleasant but nothing spectacular.
Some interesting stuff on here.
Some reason I thought the the was a punk band , good album though
Very odd, yet intriguing
I was really excited to listen to this album after reading the description, since I'm generally a fan of both postpunk and synthpop. This album never really grabbed me, though. It was fine throughout, and very consistent, but most of the album passed by without me taking much notice. It felt somewhat generic, though I'm sure that would not have been true at the time of its release. Guess you had to be there 3/5
Ganz gut. 80er
Solid and the album art reminds me of the ‘jazz’ paper cups
I had heard of this band because of their association with Johnny Marr. Didn't think this album was anything particularly special.
Very good album. Very 80s, but in a good way. Not all the songs hit, but the ones that do hit hard. Reminds me a bit of New Order.
Jammin'.
2.4 Those electric drums on the opening track really turned me off and nothing really brought me back in
I am officially a post-punk hater
Didn’t get much from this
1980’s synth-pop, ok, but never really my thing.
Very 80s
My first thought upon seeing the name of this band was there was already an air of pretentiousness here. A vague, absurd name you either get or you don’t. And I feel like that might have jaded or maybe informed my listening experience. I found some of the songs to be likable, but nothing was amazing. It just felt like a lot of shallow lyricism much of the time. I can absolutely see some people bragging that this is a hidden gem they were happy to know about at the time, but I think the luster has worn off and it’s just a so-so new wave album now.
There’s some interesting things in this album when it came to the instrumentals but overall, I didn’t like it. I really wasn’t a fan of his voice
I wanted to love it but it felt incoherent at times and simply didn’t land for me
No one needs to listen to this before they die. More British punk post punk new wave nonsense. To think of all the artists and albums that didnt make it over this
Just like the other The The album in the generator, it's just so dull. It's one of those albums that is instantly forgettable. It's also a bit too quiet, and could have been produced much better. Other than two key hits, I have no reason to the The The band ever again. Favorite Track: "Uncertain Smile".
It's not as bad as the other The The album we've listened to, but it's still a early '80s pop album and nothing special at that. 2 stars, won't be back.
Didn’t really care for this
Singing not the best. Instrumentals are pretty kick ass sometimes. Not bad but this weird 80s pop stuff isnt my jam.
Like a series of Roxy Music demos. Uncertain Smile is great, but the rest suffers from that trendy droll, synth-pop vocal style and drum emulation that elicits a mild cringiness for me.
This Is the Day is a banger but it's my first time listening to the full album. A nice pick for my name day, I had a good time listening to it. I liked the second half of the album more than the first though 2/5
I found this a challenging listen. He follows all the pure 80s synth pop but his song writing and arrangements are a little chaotic and you don’t really know where each track is going next. The vaunted piano solo on uncertain smile is well spectacular but some Of it feels like he hammered it out with his fists and made it up as he went along. Then he stretched it out to the end of the song and just faded it out because he didn’t really know how to end it…. He’s clearly a genius and just on a slightly different mental plain to his contemporaries. Kind of like if Sid Barrett got clean and recorded some 80s synth pop.
I often hear "this 80s band is like no other" but honestly many of these New Wave bands sound the same to me. This is a fine album. Nothing really special
am i missing something? at no point of this album is a 5 warranted.
I wonder what someone finds in this that holds so much sway in their lives that it ends up on a list like this. The early 80s Casio keyboard beats.... you know what, I am not going to put a lot into this. This isn't for me. 2 star the fuck out of this.
The the drum samples used in the the 80s should be classified as a war crime. The the songs are not particularly good. Some are fun, but in the the end this is a disappointment.
I wasn’t feeling this. It was less post punk and more easy listening.
Not a bad listen but nothing memorable
I like the instrumentation etc but it didn't really grab me in any way on the first listen. I might be wrong!
Not the worst The The album I've heard, but that's not a terribly high bar to clear.
Colorful, bursting with energy. I feel I should like it more, but I was kind of put off by the first track and didn’t recover. It’s almost like the production is doing too much and the singer’s exaggerated delivery doesn’t help. The synth work is cool but ultimately I just did not rock with this. That closing track has no business being almost 10 minutes long.
One of those musical phenomena I just don’t get. Loads of people seem to rave about The The but I can’t personally find anything of great appeal. Afraid it does nothing for me
It seems fine if you’re into that new wave sound. I’m not, and nothing about this album stands out to me.
No me terminó de convencer, tiene algunas buenas canciones pero tal vez no es mi estilo
altern. rock, 1983 -> 2
Las canciones bastante largas pero no estaban tan mal
Ok
579/1001 2026.03.26
Didn't enjoy this.
Onhan tämä jotain musiikkia köyhän miehen modern Talking
Saved? ❌ Would listen again? 🤔 Would recommend to anyone? ❌ Would buy on Vinyl? ❌
I just read something not more than 4 hours ago arguing against using the word "pretentious". Then this record popped up. The most pretentious band name in the history of pretentiousness. And the music is pretty much exactly what I thought it was going to be. Bland 80s synthpop.
This album sounded like every other synth pop album from the 80’s, nothing special. I really liked the song, Uncertain Smile, though. That one was a standout for me. The rest was forgettable.
It’s funny how every decade has its distinct sound in music. I started playing today’s album and without looking at the release date knew this was definitely from the 80’s. The backbone of these songs is somewhat enjoyable with a full tilt of guitars, drums and (of course!) synthesizers but when it’s all put together with the bland vocals and nonsensical lyrics it’s just another’s 80’s pop song. Nothing special happening here.
The The is a great band name, and I enjoyed the song Uncertain Smile. That's about it for positives. The rest sounds like they were exploring all new sounds they could create with a synth rather than actually trying to write good songs.
Didn't really care for this. The drums started off irritating and didn't really ever stop, and the singing just isn't my cup of tea.
A man in his bedroom, warbling at his synths.
A name I've heard but have never checked out. In the end, it wasn't for me.
Nope, this is not The day, The The.
Not bad, but kind of just dragged on. I liked This Is The Day and Uncertain Smile, but the rest of the album I wouldn't listen to again.
Drum machines are the autotune of the 80's. It must have have been soul crushing to be a talented drummer in the era of the Linn Drum. Can't get past it to hear the songs.
Working man’s 80s New Wave. Teenage me wouldn’t have even noticed this band (In fact, he didn’t). A fair mix of ordinary pop songs, nothing special here. Cool band name tho. /s 2 stars. (Almost 3? Meh)
Not that good outside of their 1 'hit'
Just couldn’t get in to this. The opening track switched me off, and whilst it improved, there was no coming back.
Tense, stripped-down grooves built from fast, ticking drum-machine beats, wiry synth lines, brittle guitar accents, and vocals delivered in an urgent, half-spoken, half-declaimed style move this post-punk album like an agitated monologue paced over a relentless pulse—rhythmically compelling, but so talk-driven and severe that it can leave you wondering whether you’re listening to songs or to ideas being hammered into place.
Priem
Bored me to tears. It flirts with that classic Soft Cell / Human League vibe in spots, but never commits enough to make the experience worth repeating.
Vond het heel erg gedateerd klinken. Ja nee heel erg niet genoten.
I did listen to this… just like two days ago, I think. Didn’t leave much of an impression, apparently.
This Is The Day is a great song with a baffling arrangement.
The The sound like any other early 80s synth pop/new wave band. “Soul Mining” isn't really bad, but it doesn't contain much that is still worth mentioning 40 years later. By the fourth song (i.e. during “Uncertain Smile,” which at least contains a not entirely predictable piano solo), the repetitive straight groove starts to get on your nerves. The following “The Twilight Hour” and "Soul Mining" finally break with this and are probably meant to sound dramatic, but come across as rather cute due to the idiosyncratic keyboards. I've heard worse, but in the end, “Soul Mining” is just another new wave album without a noteworthy hit single.
Dieser britische Postpunk ist etwas verstaubt.
Wut...
vocals and lyrics pull this one down a notch, but otherwise enjoyable. Odd choice for the opening track.
weird vibe, but ok
Noget var 80'erfestligt men gang ikke rigtigt fast.
doesn’t make sense
4.0/10
Bom, mas muito longo. Pos punk, genérico as well...
50 fifty
Like his voice and the lyrics Don't like the drum beat
Dull, drum machine driven, dullness.
Spannende Kombi mit Mundharmonika und new Wave...