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From the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Infected

The The

1986

Infected

Album Summary

Infected is the second studio album by English post-punk band the The, released on 17 November 1986 by Some Bizzare and Epic Records. The album produced four UK singles, including the band's best-selling single "Heartland," which reached #29 and spent 10 weeks on the chart, "Infected" (UK #48), "Slow Train to Dawn" (UK #64) and "Sweet Bird of Truth" (UK #55). Although Infected only peaked at #14 on the UK Albums Chart, it remained on the chart for 30 weeks, making it the The's most commercially successful album.

Wikipedia

Rating

2.92

Votes

15574

Reviews

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Sort by: Top Date
Feb 24 2021
2

1986 brought us Topgun, Maradona's hand of God and Infected by The The. What clusterfuck of a year it was. I can't think of anything good associated with it. I was in a new romantic phase, getting into Eastenders and trying to avoid getting AIDS (unsuccessfully). Bad memories.

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Sep 23 2021
2

It's kinda not good, right? Like... almost good... but then not. The The has managed to fill up an entire album with the kind of pseudo-intellectual, half-aware, social semi-conscious lyrics that make so much of 80s music super cringey. It's not good, fellas. It's just not good.

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Jul 05 2021
5

Really good. Great mix of funk, new wave/post punk with great Thatcher era lyrics. The use of horns within this post punk format gives the music a more optimistic sounding feel as opposed to other British post punk artists despite the lyrics that reflect economic and global strife.

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May 22 2021
1

This is pretty tedious. I imagine it must have found its way onto the list through the compiler's personal nostalgia. Someone forgot to tell this band they were just a below average 80s band. Utterly disposable.

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Sep 26 2021
1

1.9 - Ugly as an anal wart. That album cover perfectly represents the bile within. Ever wonder what it would sound like to take INXS but have it fronted by George Thorogood, and inflect it all with a heavy dose of Broadway jazz? Fuck I hated this.

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Jan 05 2023
5

I’ve loved The The since forever. Not one dud song! I cannot actually sit still when this plays, because the music inhabits my whole body. I just want to sing and move to every tune. Matt Johnson manages to mix high octane danceable songs with searing political comment and the frailty of the human condition. Sadly, and maddeningly, the themes of despair still resonate nearly 40 years later. The brass arrangements add excitement and drama. Neneh Cherry’s voice on Slow Train to Dawn is just beautiful. Magnificent! I saw them on tour back when Johnny Marr was the guitarist. Great days! I just want go back and put it all on repeat now!

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May 04 2021
4

This was weird in the best of ways. I liked this a lot.

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Aug 21 2024
5

Reading previous reviews, I see a lot of people not getting this record at all. I presume they did not live in early 1980s UK. Upbeat jazzy pop accompany bleak lyrics of alienation, political, social, and personal. Which, apparently, I can still remember.

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Jul 07 2024
5

Great pop album with diverse musical styles. Not the happiest lyrics. Excellent contribution of Neneh Cherry on Slow Train to Dawn

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Aug 07 2021
5

fucking spooky dude. I loved this, everything I wanted, just hit all the right spots. really incredible production and powerful techno beats. pretty awesome x

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May 28 2021
5

Excellent. Diversity of instruments used also helps to keep tracks fresh and distinct.

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Jul 21 2022
5

Opening track is a banger, this was a great listen, exactly what I wanted from this

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Mar 04 2022
5

Never heard of the The! This guy seems to have had a really interesting life though. I did a bit of research because the lyrics really interested me and I think the messages in the songs in this album are very meaningful. I love the poetry and activism of this album. Aside from the words these tunes are lovely! This is a type of new wave and post-punk I can really get behind. The sounds are gorg and the tracks make me feel good. They're interesting, layered and inventive. I really like the fact that he just works with loads of different musicians, all the vocals are great but I just realised Neneh Cherry is on here and now I know why I love it haha. A great discovery for me!

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Nov 21 2021
5

This was an unexpected banger. Heard of The the, but had no idea what they sounded like. Really enjoyed it.

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Oct 25 2024
5

Remarkably good. Loved it.

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Sep 20 2024
5

My staple diet for 1986. Played to death. Still love it

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Sep 10 2024
5

Aww shit! Memory motherfucking lane again. Caught them at CBGB’s with Johnny Marr, back around ‘94. We snuck backstage so a friend could give Matt a letter. He was the nicest, kindest, sweetest man to her. Was truly human and decent. Absolutely had a positive effect on her. Matt Johnson is more fabulous than he has any right to be. Love this band, love this record as much as their others. 5/5

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Jun 28 2024
5

I’m listening to this album a day late. The big debate was last night and it was a disaster. This album feels so prescient.

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Jun 30 2022
3

This is post-punk? I guess I always view that as a little edgier or darker. This album is some blend of that, new wave, and new pop. I can totally hear where later UK artists like Teenage Fanclub, the Mock Turtles, Primal Scream, Northside, The Alarm, or Dramarama (from the US actually) came from. If you don't know what I mean, go look at the transition from 80's varied rock to 90's alternative rock - particularly what was going on in the UK before the summer/fall of 1991 and Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, etc. changed everything. I don't mind their sound, but do I love it? Like most of this genre, it feels like it's trying too hard (to steal a line from track two). Some good lyrics but the musical backing feels a bit over the top (piano too loud, backing instruments or synth too prominent) or the vocals straining when it's not needed (as if to say listen to me!). Both their biggest singles (Infected, Heartland) are good examples of that. Like all the other bands from this genre, one song or two feels a bit refreshing but a whole slew of them (like an album's worth) gets to be a bit much.

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May 16 2022
3

I recall hearing the band name The The, but I really didn’t know what to expect. As the first track started, I thought that it sounded like some solid 80s rock and that it would be a fun album. But then, I lost my enthusiasm and it started to all sound just kind of “meh” to me.

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Nov 26 2021
1

Funk funkless, grooves grooveless, vocals occasionally amusing.

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Mar 21 2025
5

I think this is slightly better than Soul Mining. Super 80s sounding but still kinda it's own thing underneath it. I was surprised at how many bangers are on here

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Mar 20 2025
5

KINDA WAS LIKE LISTENING TO THE MONSTER MASH IN THE BEST WAY, I LOVED IT LOL

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Mar 19 2025
5

My favorite of theirs. Great music and lyrics.

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Mar 16 2025
5

This was a fantastic album and loved the varied musical sound scape, almost felt like an extra musical. Never heard of them before and became a big fan of this album.

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Feb 20 2025
5

This is a weird one for me. This wasn't the type of music I listened to back then. The release date of this album is the same week I got my drivers license, so that brought the nostalgia trip. But my bunny died yesterday, so I listened to this album while blubbering in my kitchen this morning. I listened through twice but I had Look On Down From The Bridge by Mazzy Star running through my head the whole time.

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Jun 20 2024
5

From the off this is not what I expected. way more glam than I thought there would be, and it's definitely for the best! honestly a riveting listen

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Jun 17 2024
5

Five stars straight through, and check out the 12" mix of Sweet Bird of Truth which is way superior to the album cut. Looking forward to Scraping Foetus off the Wheel appearing shortly on this list...

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May 29 2024
5

Sleeper hit, I never heard of these guys before. Giving it 5 because of the pleasant surprise considering the boring name

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May 24 2024
5

I've heard of this band before, mainly as a punchline due to the name, but never actually listened to anything by them. The album artwork didn't inspire much confidence either. I put it on in the background while I did other things but by track 3 I had stopped what I was doing as the music had my full attention.

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May 22 2024
5

a distinct and very synthy rock album that while very much sounding like from the time, has a fresh and creative energy i've never ever heard, plus really romantic, almost poetic and... kinda astonishing religious references. this one's a diamond in the vast rough of lesser known 80s alt bands. it's very... dare i say, infectious.

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Apr 15 2024
5

I love this - it's just the right balance of innovation and cheese. A vision fully realised

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Apr 10 2024
5

Ammost anything Matt Johnson touched turned into to gold. My favorites are Soul Mining and Dusk, this also 5 stars.

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Jan 31 2024
5

I owned this on cassette when it first came our and enjoyed but thought it was a little over the top, which it was when compared to Soul Mining. Upon listening again I find it to be very good start to finish. Each song is uniquely strong and it holds up well musically and thematically. I like hearing how Matt Johnson wraps different musical styles around his serious themes. The music is fun and varied, definitely of its era but transcends the period.

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Jan 12 2024
5

It was pretty decent!

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Dec 17 2023
5

I am so glad I got this. I absolutely adore soul mining, but I haven't listened to much else of The The, so I was looking forward to this and was not disappointed. This album is a perfect portrayal of angst in all its forms, from songs about the hopelessness of the modern world to the difficulties of opening up to another person. Everything from the lyrics to the stilted, powerful vocals, and the bizarre assortment of instruments fit together perfectly to paint such a wonderfully detailed emotional picture. Not quite as good as Soul Mining, but this is still absolutely a five star album! 5/5

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Nov 30 2023
5

Surprisingly 80's sounding album. Lots of horns. Could hear the post punk coming in on some songs like "The Mercy Beat."

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Nov 23 2023
5

I couldn't grasp why this music is so appealing to me, but then I saw how some critic described it as "collision between Soft Cell and Tom Waits" and I suppose I just couldn't not be mesmerised

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Nov 23 2023
5

Yeah, after absolutely not too much hours with "Soul Mining" I might be fanboy of The The. At first listen this album seemd to be a little bit worse than their debut but after second listening I think that they are just a bit different. Magnetic main vocalist, great rythm, bass and percussion are still present. I would say that whole atmosphere is quite similair to previous album. Neneh Cherry and backing vocals are making great job too.

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Nov 17 2023
5

One of my favourites!!!!!!

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Nov 12 2023
5

Sounds incredible. Awesome lyrics. Gonna have to look into some more of this band's stuff. Reminds me a lot of Oingo Boingo, one of my favorite bands, but with a bit harsher sound to it

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Nov 01 2023
5

Oh my god I love The The. (I'm biased one of my favorite songs of all time is by them.) I LOVE THE VOCALS. I'm an 80's girly for real. Every song was making me sway in my chair WHILE doing homework so speaks for itself.

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Oct 04 2023
5

A great album with so many great songs. My favourite song from the album is "Heartland" and I remember watching the video for this on MTV in the 1980s, but I also really like the title track "Infected".

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Sep 14 2023
5

Love this album. Amazing (or not) how a lot of the political commentary is still relevant today.

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Sep 08 2023
5

Another shining example of 80's sounds and production done right from The The, this time with less cheese and more brooding.

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Aug 31 2023
5

"Sweet Bird of Truth" is one of the best songs ever written. Several tunes on this record are absolute bangers. Criminally underrated, The The is one of the most important bands of their era. Check out the "Mind Bomb" album if you haven't already. You're welcome. (Glad to see "Soul Mining" already in the 1001.)

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Aug 30 2023
5

High energy and pretty cool, thought that would be it as first few songs are more pop than post punk but songs are consistently engaging different and cool. Great discovery 5

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Jul 20 2023
5

This is actually an awesome album

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Jun 07 2023
5

My second The The album so far and really enjoyed it. The blend of genres and interesting sounds are great Saved tracks: Infected, Heartland, Angels Of Deception, Twilight Of A Champion, The Mercy Beat, Sweet Bird Of Truth

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May 26 2023
5

Now you're onto my taste! Still with the synths hanging over from previous Soul Mining album, but with addition of real full band instrumentation and excellent backing vocals from guests like Neneh Cherry and Tessa Niles. Matt Johnson’s musings are still overly bleak and introspective, but now include wider world view subject matter. Magnificent.

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May 08 2023
5

Sometimes The The reminds me of They Might Be Giants. Sometimes The The reminds of me Oingo Boingo. Either way, I win! This was such a great little album.

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Feb 26 2023
5

I had this album as a kid and know every sound on it, which must mean it's a five star. A complete album in every sense - story telling, beautiful production and some excellent songs. If you get a chance, see the film that accompanied it.

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Jan 20 2023
5

OMGGGG totalmente mi vibra

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Sep 28 2022
5

What a delightful surprise! 80s is generally not my genre but The The is distinct.

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Sep 08 2022
5

I love this band.

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May 16 2022
5

One of my very favorite songs in college was "This is the Day" by the The (from their previous album), but I had not followed up to hear more of them, and that song went off my radar along with its mixtape. I totally would have loved this album. The more I have listened to it, the more I have liked it. Good sound, interesting lyrics. As this album came out with a video compilation for each song, I was intrigued and watched them all. Some crazy stuff! Love it.

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May 16 2022
5

I don’t recall ever hearing this group but I really enjoyed this! Sort of an edgier Simple Minds-ish 80s vibe going on that I really like. Homeland is a fantastic song. Others that stood out immediately were Infection, Angels of Deception, Sweet Bird of Truth, and The Mercy Beat. Great stuff!

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Apr 24 2022
5

80s but somehow sounds modern as well. Songs and lyrics both well crafted. Great bass playing, really interesting musically.

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Mar 31 2022
5

An old favourite. Wild-eyed apocalyptic visions of an England falling to pieces and the corrupting souls that live there. Overwrought and as subtle as a brick to the back of the skull. But the rage gives the album urgency and verve. At the end, as Johnson goes full Hank Williams and challenges the devil to a knife fight, your heart is pumping as hard as his.

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Jun 24 2021
5

-Way better than Public Image Ltd., The other album I've listened to that I know is post-punk -Promtped immediate re-listen -Lots of good jamming

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Mar 13 2025
4

Solid listen, not as memorable as their debut (also on this list), but overall enjoyable and probably worth revisiting.

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Feb 26 2025
4

Well that was an experience. This is not an album you can have on in the background, you kinda need to sit down and pay attention to it. Which I don’t often do. The making of the album film sounds batshit and I need to find it.

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Apr 13 2021
4

Wait its actually really good?

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Feb 26 2021
4

I like this a lot. Wish i had found it many years ago. i will investigate TheThe further.

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Jul 26 2024
2

So I found The The’s “Infected” album, to be standard fare for the mid-80’s British pop… Think I’ve seen that they considered themselves “post-punk” – okay, still sounds pretty poppish to me… Nothing really exceptional here – though nothing really sucked either, so just kinda there for me… Certainly didn’t so a deep dive on the lyrics, but those that caught my attention weren’t anything consequential to be honest… Best songs IMO were “Heartland” & “Slow Train To Dawn” – as both were catchy and fairly well-done… Seemed like an average British pop album for 1985, so not sure what it’s doing on the 1,001, but okay… Solid 2 for me…

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May 20 2025
1

Wow, I really disliked this. The The’s well performed, but overly polished digital synthetics really grated on me and barely held my attention today. Also, I’ve got about 46 records left on the list, so I figured I might as well hand out what might be my last 1 star rating to a band whose name might be the worst in the history of rock music. We can all agree it’s a fucking stupid band name, right? The The? Really? What a fucking lazy band name.

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Sep 28 2022
1

If I was a teenager in the 80s and I found this cassette tape in a friend’s Walkman, I’d stage an intervention. 1 star out of five. Now pack it in with your shite.

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Jul 23 2025
5

Really, really enjoyed this. Definitely will explore this group’s discography more.

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Jul 17 2025
5

Never heard of The The before but this album was great. A must listen.

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Jul 04 2025
5

I've fallen behind again. Last trip of the summer where I plan to be unavailable on a weekday though! Probably only have time for one listen this time. Update: scratch that. this is a barrel of monkeys I'm definitely giving a second listen. Listening notes: -Infected is such a strong start for this album! Poppy vibes with a sort of off-kilter vocal arrangement. On a second listen, I appreciate starting such a varied album with something that feels conventional and yet hints at the genre-exploration ahead. -Out of the Blue--Didn't listen close on the first time. I don't think I'm crazy about this. -Heartland--I'm just loving this jazzy, minor-key(?) vibe. Don't really have a response to this being the 51st state of the USA, but it made me chuckle a little. Until I realized that part of being the USA is cutting the welfare state :( -Angels of Deception. What a fun ending! -Slow Train to Dawn--Any song with -The climbing up and down "piano" scales (I don't have a vocabulary for music criticism) around a minute in just totally captured it for me. -The Mercy beat has a really nice driving beat, but it was kind of annoying. My only miss for the album. Review: I'm feeling generous and I think I'm going to overlook being a little bored on The Mercy Beat and finding Out of the Blue a little bit of a dud. Everything feels fresh and fun. The set of keys is really neat. There's a sort of mysterious tone that I'm loving. The sort of dangerous alluring tone to the music is a lot of fun. Musically compelling AND made me want to dance. Crushin' it. 4.5 stars: Harmonica, Brass, and Organ give them the round up. If more artists incorporate saxes like this and organs like that, and strings and what not. Just such an expansive vision.

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May 30 2025
5

Reading some of the reviews, I think this might be one of those albums that you had to be there... This album is the product of 80s and the bleakness of Thatcher's Britain for many. It paints amazing vivid pictures and creates such a claustrophobic vibe. It's intense, and wouldn't have it any other way. Probably in my top 10 albums of all time.

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May 28 2025
5

Fantastic post-punk album!

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May 02 2025
5

Jeg er vil med det her underlige stykke The The. Nu gør jeg noget ved det, og tager et dybt dyk ned i deres diskografi!

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Apr 08 2025
5

First album I’ve considered actually putting on my playlist

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Feb 23 2025
5

Always. Complicated and deep or humorous. Human foibles. Glad to revisit this.

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Dec 25 2024
5

Non lo so, va bene 5.

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Dec 25 2024
5

I The the, the.. uh… deh, heh, the cosa? The Trammps? The Kinks? The Beatles? De André? The Fratellis? The Black Keys? De’ Medici? The Black Album? The Pink Floyd? The Diary of Jane? The Wall? Del Samurai (il suicidio)? Who knows, man, who knows…

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Apr 11 2024
5

Dit is waarvoor ik de 1001 albums ding ben begonnen, juist om dit soort albums te ontdekken Wat een geluid, ik ben verliefd Al vanaf het 1e nummer en intro Kende de naam van The The wel al, had het alleen nog nooit geluisterd Heb een nieuwe band ontdekt die ik binnenstebuiten ga keren

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Feb 15 2024
5

малхолланд-драйв. меня выгнали из какой-то квартиры, у меня рюкзак с вещами и бутылка какого-то крепкого и дешевого алкоголя. я брожу по улицам, дохожу до набережной и сижу там. и мне все еще хорошо.

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Jun 19 2023
5

ооооочень классный и живой альбомчик!!!!!!!!!!

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Jul 23 2025
4

I never got into The The. I think it's his voice. Anyway, this was a good listen. Apologies to Mark, who spent much of the early 1990s trying to get me to appreciate the band! It was good: the music, the message, but his voice still grates my ears.

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Jul 21 2025
4

Powerful band .. amazed with keypoards and vocals

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Jul 21 2025
4

The The, wát een band naam is het toch. Maar ze pakken me wel, vorige keer sowieos met Uncertain Smile, wat echt een heerlijk nummer is. Deze keer hebben ze de bassist me toch een vrij spel gegeven, mijn god... Want die basslijn op Sweet Bird of truth, dat is me toch een basslijntje hoor. De zang is ontzettend overdreven, dat vond ik bij het vorige album(the cramps) dat ik geluisterd heb ook, maar het werkt op dit album beter voor mij. Ik denk dat het komt door de productie die ook ontzettend bombastisch is met trompetten en saxofoons die soms om de hoek komen kijken. Er zijn zoveel vette muzikale stukken op dit album, riffjes, baslijntjes en loopjes die continue terug komen. De zang leidt me niet af, is dat een compliment? Qua zang is het gewoon prima, maar ik vind The The zoveel sterker op de instrumentale stukken. Ook die trompetten op het laatste nummer, zo vet gewoon! Ja de zang is overdreven, maar het werkt voor mij wel met alles wat er instrumentaal gewoon gebeurd. geen idee, ik vind The The misschien toch wel best wel vet. FAVO: Infected, Heartland, Sweet bird of truth

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Jul 18 2025
4

Rock uit 1986 van een voor mij onbekende band. In principe zou het genre en tijdsvak mij moeten bevallen! Eerste nummer was voor mij even wennen, maar het 2e en 3e vibe ik echt goed op. Die mondharmonica in 'Heartland'! Heerlijk. Het album heeft een hoog musical vibe gehalte. Er wordt gezongen in een vertellende manier. Het heeft wel wat! Lekkere bass in 'The Mercy Beat' Al met al gewoon een erg leuk album! 4 reten.

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Jul 17 2025
4

Whew that opening track is a nice sweaty bop

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Jul 11 2025
4

Oingo without the Boingo. Pretty cool. Not what I was expecting, but in a good way.

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Jul 09 2025
4

I feel like I should have discovered this years ago. Excellent to find it now at least. Definitely going to get more listens soon

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Jul 07 2025
4

Feels very proto-NIN. Kind of cool, felt like a worthwhile listen.

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Jul 04 2025
4

This album comes shooting out the game with Infect Me With Your Love, it's got a banging beat and a great trumpet sequence. If sex ain't wiggling around like a lizard in a can, then I don't know what sex is. But how good was that harmonica ringing through the night in Heartland, that caught me by surprise. Heartland is both musically and lyrically really fun, I love the piano work too, plus this is the 51st state of the uuuuuuSA is a fun one.

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Jun 29 2025
4

Bit torn on this one because I owned it back in the day and played it to death. Do think I prefer Soul Mining these days though. The intensity sometimes tips over into ludicrousness. Still a cracking album. Need to seek out the accompanying videos

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Jun 29 2025
4

This was decent. Interesting instrumentals with fitting vocal work. A bit too over my head though, I think. Still, overall felt quite competent.

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Jun 23 2025
4

Rating: 7.5/10 Not as good as their album but still damn good.

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Jun 22 2025
4

The ratings for this seem incredibly harsh. This is not my favourite album ever, but it's interesting. Punk lyrics with a very 80s sound. No truly weak tracks.

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Jun 15 2025
4

Interesting album, instrumentals are excellent

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