Infected

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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!

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

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

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.

Funk funkless, grooves grooveless, vocals occasionally amusing.

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.

OMGGGG totalmente mi vibra

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

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!

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

-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

Wait its actually really good?

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

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.

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…

Not great

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.

Excellent album.

Remarkably good. Loved it.

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

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

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.

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

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...

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

Cool album

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.

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.

It was pretty decent!

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

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

Relevant

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

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.

One of my favourites!!!!!!

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

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.

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".

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

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

"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.)

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

This is actually an awesome album

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

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

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.

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.

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.

Hell yeah

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

I love this band.

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.

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!

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

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.

Coolest album

I get some vaguely if-Pink-Floyd-was-a-new-wave band vibes. It’s dark and edgy and heavy. “Angels of Deception” is one's favorite cut, from a record one spent a lot of time with in the late '80s. Not as good as Soul Mining, but still substantive, interesting, well unified and very much worth knowing.

I don't recall hearing this album before. Really enjoyed this album. "Post-punk" comes in many flavors but this is the kind I really like. It's edgy but melodic with some sharp lyrics. "See I didn't want to be with any people I know. But god knows, I didn't want to be alone."

Just right. This hit the spot for me.

I am a child of the '80's.

The the - the band that kept on giving - a great experience all the way through

Very good! Hidden gem and would rate 4.5. Like to listen some more

01) Infected - 7,5 02) Out of the Blue (Into the Fire) - 7,0 03) Heartland - 9,0 04) Angels of Deception - 7,5 05) Sweet Bird of Truth - 8,0 06) Slow Train to Dawn - 8,0 07) Twilight of a Champion - 7,0 08) The Mercy Beat - 7,5 TOTAL: 7,69 (77/100) Current ranking: 163/374 I'll be honest, based on the description and the album cover, I expected this to be another one star. However, to my surprise, completely decent and listenable songs started, some of which are even familiar to me (Heartland). In the end, it turned out to be a really good album and a really pleasant listen.

I loved this one and would definitely listen to it again.

Nice.

Really liked Twilight of a champion, im a sucker for trumpets or sax. Gonna run this by my dad bc he really likes Pet Shop Boys

Not as good as their Mind Bomb album, but enjoyable nonetheless.

Very 80s, very varied, very enjoyable, but not one that lives long in the memory (in my opinion). A worthy inclusion, but the sort of "filler" that I didn't think there would be room for

i love 80s music but i've never heard of this band. idk if i know any of their songs before now.. i'm actually a little upset at my dad now. i need to interrogate him on this. that being said, my only frame of reference leads me to say this - so this isn't oingo boingo? ok so definitely by heartland - this is def the kind of album i can see myself listening to while driving down the 60 (freeway) or down Valley Blvd anywhere in the SVG. which i only say bc reminds me of my dad w the windows down in the Honda, 80s music bumpin and little me in the passenger seat just wanting to go for the ride to Fry's Electronics. i think this is the first album on our list so far that i actually don't want to end. no skips. very cohesive. can see myself actually listening to again on my own. update: my dad does knows a few of their songs.

Strange how I can't remember what I ate for dinner on Monday and yet I sang about 75% of all the words to this album. Quality album that stood out amongst it's peers at the time and still does.

I liked this, but I think I need to listen in a different season to really vibe with it. Rating it with that in mind.

Strange, but good! 4/5

One of those albums it is hard to be objective about because it was one of the relatively few I owned in my teens. Back then as a callow youth it always felt like it was more grown up and sophisticated than me. Now I can here the clumsiness. For a proper trip down memory lane I decided to do the video album experience on YouTube (you have to search a bit cos the playlist version includes a fan made video). Having a video album in the 80s (!) fitted with how grandiose it all seemed with the massive 80s production. Feel those gated drums! Matt Johnson's ego was massive too. I hope he now cringes a bit at the contradiction of writing passionately angry songs about American imperialism while imperially using South American people in his videos as backdrop or to communicate a sense of threat or arcane ritual. All that said I'm giving it 4 for old time's sake and because despite its flaws it has ambition and tunes. Also he was rare in being tuned into where western influence in the middle east might lead fifteen years later.

Not sure what I was expecting going into this album with all of the different genres listed, but that definitely wasn't it. That was such a unique album with the song structures especially the way the lead singer would sing. I learned that he is the only constant member of this band and there are about 15 past members. The horns were a very fun addition into all of these songs and worked extremely well. This was such an unexpectedly cool album.

Enjoyable

A cracking album and a good example of the talented work of the time, with socially conscious lyrics.

Ah, The The! Several years ago, I bought a copy of Soul Mining because of the 1001 Albums book. I'm pretty sure I only listened to it once and didn't love it, so I've never checked out any of the band's other work. I don't have particularly high hopes that I'll enjoy this album, but I'm excited for the chance to check these guys out again. This was a really pleasant surprise. Musically, this album was great. I really enjoyed the guitar playing, the string arrangements, the horns, and the percussion. The guitar playing on the title track reminded me of some of the elements on Neneh Cherry’s “Buffalo Stance,” and low and behold, Neneh Cherry did the backing vocals on “Slow Train To Dawn.” “Out Of The Blue” had some really great synthesizers, and they sounded great with the horn playing. The ebb and flow to the energy of this album was really great too, and I felt like the whole album flowed really well and was very consistent. The best part of this album though was the songwriting. I loved the social and political commentary of these songs, especially on “Heartland.” Every song fit really well into the theme of ‘Infected’ as it pertains to the ills of society. Matt Johnson delivered his vocals in such a way that the message of this album didn’t feel forced or disingenuous. While I enjoyed this album, it’s not the type of thing that I typically gravitate towards. I’m giving it four stars, but it’s easily one of the strongest four-star ratings that I’ve given out. I’m really looking forward to revisiting Soul Mining soon.

Pretty Pretty good good album album.

Naming your group The The is almost as ridiculous as naming it Butthole Surfers. It’s so stupid it’s almost genius, and it totally makes sense that someone would think of that name at some point. The 80s were a strange time to say the least. There were a lot of bands making very regrettable and low quality music. And a lot of bands who were coming out and redefining the way that people looked at popular music of the 70s. This feels like one of those many groups. I expected an experience similar to that of The Birthday Party. A decrepit collection of songs that lack any of the redeeming qualities of “normal” music. But this was actually a surprisingly good album. They created a balance of very in your face and aggressive post punk, with super loud and over produced drums, and 80s pop funk rock. Some of these songs have some really punchy horn sections that just sound amazing on top of the guitars layered in effects. The best way I can explain the sound of this is like if someone traveled to the deepest and most grime filled corners of the 80s music world and put together a band. Imagine a singer that sounds like Tom Waits and Billy Corgan in one. I’m a big fan of the former’s music, and this puts a sort of new wave spin on it. This isn’t that well received, and it’s one of those ones that makes me wonder why people dislike it so much in comparison to the rest of their music. I guess I’d have to hear it for myself to understand why. Rating: 7/10

Very 80s. Reminds me of INXS at times and Nick Cave at other times. Not as foreboding, just similar vocals sometimes. I generally liked it.

Quite an enjoyable listen. Listened to one of the songs off the album yesterday and had this pop up as my album of the day. Feels like a more energetic Simple Minds.

If you're unfamiliar with The The, start with Soul Mining. Infected is their second LP and the first with a full band. Its eight tracks explore various musical styles, with the title track and singles like "Out Of The Blue" and "Heartland" addressing themes like England's status relative to the USA. "Sweet Bird Of Truth" resonates during Middle Eastern conflicts, and "Slow Train To Dawn" features a duet with Neneh Cherry. The album, though ambitious and intelligent, feels somewhat unsatisfying due to its effort to showcase versatility. The accompanying video for all tracks improves the experience. Matt Johnson returned more focused with Mind Bomb.

Fun fun

The The definitely have something. I liked it

Finaally another 80s banger yessss

Solid album. V british

Walks the line between art and pop accessibility quite well.

Pritti gud. I like it

Not bad. Fun to listen to.