Reviews (page 4 of 7)
Höga peakar, men rätt många fillers i andra halvan. Titelspåret är amazing, mest för att omslaget ser ut som ett punkalbum och jag blev shook när det var groovy dansmusik
Fun enough but overall just alright.
I really liked Soul Mining. I liked this too but I'm having trouble remembering details. I need another listen.
Love Thethe but I though this album was good but nothing great. 3.5
Very 80's
I like The The, but this isn’t my favorite album from them
Album 23/1001 "The ammunition's being passed, and the lord's been praised But the wars on the televisions will never be explained All the bankers gettin sweaty, beneath their white collars As the pound in our pocket turns into a dollar This is the 51st state of the USA" Doesn't get more Thatcher-era 1980s Britain than this, and yet, listening to Heartland in 2025, you get the impression that not a lot has changed in the last 40yrs. 😕
Pretty good
Thoughts before listening: The The is one of my favorite band names of all time, but before this project, I had never actually listened to them before. This is my second album by them, and I liked the first one fine. My notes say its a darker side of 80s new wave and I would expect the same here. Review: I gave The The's first album I heard 3-stars, and thats probably right for this one as well. This is a quirky 80s new wave pop album with catchy songs and a bit more of the darker sound I heard on the first one. Nothing is necessarily blowing me away here, but its also better than many of the other 80s albums I have listened to. I'll throw a few songs on the playlist and stick with the 3-stars.
It’s ok
I certainly would not have selected this record to represent The The and it’s certainly not a record that should be included in a list of 1001 albums you should listen to before you die. Don’t get me wrong- I was a huge The The and Matt Johnson fan. Uncertain Smile and This is the Day are easily among the best pop songs from this period. Matt’s vocals are distinctive with a pleasant and comfortable tone that was captivating when I first discovered Burning Blue Soul in 1981. But enough about things other than Infected. It must have been difficult to follow up Soul Mining (which should be on the list). Infected is an uneven record I think as a consequence. There are moments that come close to matching those earlier hits. Heartland is as close as it gets. A piano forward catchy track with silky backing vocals of the Croquets who make this lyrically savage takedown of the middle class who somehow thought that Britain was economically on par with the rest of the EU, foreshadowing the Brexit movement by 30 years. It is equal to those earlier mentioned hits. Angels of Deception and Sweet Bird of Truth come close- impassioned vocal performances with sharp insightful lyrics. Unfortunately the rest of the album after this stretch is rather unmemorable and quickly becomes background music. Unfortunate really. It’s difficult to make a classic song let alone a classic record. Heartland is a classic song. Infected is not a classic album.
Put this on while cleaning up the house on a Sarurday morning. My wife remarked from the other room, "What the hell is this?" I agree with the sentiment. Spooky 80s Broadway punk?
6/10
This starts off with a lot of energy. Some real funky songs, interesting lyrics, theatricality. Not sure that I will revisit it much, but glad to have heard it.
A fun little album. For some reason the vocals reminded me of Steve Martin singing the Dentist song from Little Shop of Horrors. Overall a good listen
Ok I fully expected based on the cover art to hate this…. But! It was actually pretty good?
It was better in my memory - not all 80s pop has aged well. Good voice though. Not bad, but rather forgettable.
3/5
A very good post-punk album from The The. 3.3 / 5
Meh
Not bad but nothing stood out
I like my post punk/new wave a little bit less bland. It’s fine but doesn’t excite. It blended so far into the background, I forgot I had listened to it.
The first song really sucks but the rest mostly makes up for it enough to push this up to "average" level
3/5
Listened to it twice back to back. First listen was thinking 4. Second listen 2.
I loved the energy of this album! it felt fun and mysterious at the same time! probably a good relisten or two, but didnt listen good enough to be able to name any songs off the album.
Totally fine, kinda forgettable but not bad
love the cover art. had never heard anyyyy of this before, kinda liked it. pretty typical 80s but don't seem to be as popular as others in this time.
This was a really nice listen. That 51st state comment though- boy that did not age well.
Starting off as some better-end-of-the-spectrum british New Wave-adjacent pop stuff, Infected transitions into what you’d most like to hear from this genre by the time you’re well into the second side, namely some great guitar tones and great lyrics. The lyrical side of things is more prevalent in the first half, but manages to combine with some excellent instrumentation from Sweet Bird of Truth onwards to engineer a soundscape worthy of the hectic album cover. And anyway, what’s not to like when the band is called The The. That’s just great, isn’t it. Combine that staple British humour with an equally surprising collective of features / personnel here (e.g. Neneh Cherry does vocals on Slow Train to Dawn) and the result is a well-polished 80s album, in contrast to the substance-lacking synthpop contemporaries of the time.
Mangeable, mais difficile à digérer. Je me lèverais pas pour en reprendre, mettons. Sweet Bird of Truth slap, je leur donne ça
6/10
Blends a lot of 80s styles, maybe doesn't have a clear defined sound, so it was a bit of a mix bag for me. I enjoyed certain songs more than others, probably needs a few listens.
So this is the follow up to "Soul Mining" eh? Definitely more mature in content, as Matt Johnson wasn't afraid to dive into the political commentary of Britain and the world as a whole. I think this album strives to do a bit too much personally, but after having heard some of The The already, I guess this shouldn't have been too surprising.
It was ok.
Back in the beginning of the new millenium it felt like every week there was a new Band that called themselves The [blank]. So much that I thought that if I were about to start a band I'd call it The The. Unfortunately I was several decates late with the idea. I had low expectations going in, 80s post-punk with a terrible cover did not inspire much confidence. However the result was suprisingly pleasant. The production is typical for the time but the instrumentation is quite unusual for the genre and time, making the sound feel fresh despite the age.
Favorite Track: Heartland
Sounds like an episode of Phineas and Ferb.
Hm, nicht soooooo anstrengend wie ich beim betrachten des "Genres" bei Wikipedia anfangs dachte. Die Hintergrund Geschichte zum Album sehr interessant, mit Amazonas und Drogen-Eskapaden :D Konnt man sich anhören, aber mehr auch nich
Verstehe die unterdurchschnittliche Bewertung nicht so ganz. Ist doch voll in Ordnung. 3 Sterne
Very 80s
This was an interesting one in the end. The percussive elements gave it a discordant vibe, mixed in with the heavy backing track and in your face 80s vocals it’s a heady mix. At times I think I was sort of ironically enjoying it because it felt like a parody where the artist wasn’t in on the joke. It didn’t keep my interest throughout but had enough to draw me back in at times. A weak 3.
If Marilyn Manson's "good" twin ever existed he would be the embodiment of this album. Lyrics and smattering of darkness throughout. They have a good repertoire of instruments resembling pots and pans which is interesting but ultimately this doesnt shake the 80s at all. At times I hear George Michael as well. Rich, fantastical and slightly odd. Best I can describe a solid album.
Its another very 80's pop album. They really did have some great music production back then, the album sounds so clean. Musically, this definitely has something going for it. There's an interesting variation to each track and a satisfying cool rawness to the vocal performance, interesting lyrics and an engaging mix of sounds. Certainly nothing wrong with the album, probably the most interesting 80's pop band album I've heard (I'm not including Kate Bush in that category). It misses out on the higher marks purely as a matter of taste. Too camp and poppy for me.
Interesting instrumentation and musical themes. It’s a product of the 80s but new to me and was alright
It's kinda not good, right? Like... almost good... but then not.
Pretty fun and funky, although I wasn't crazy about it. 6/10
Good Album
This is a band I’ve only heard of but never listened to. Immediately they sound like prince? I am into this. It sort of sounds like sounds prince and The Rolling Stones did a collaboration, but there’s another flavor I can’t quite place.
Its ok. the political commentary is good but i dont find the music terribly interesting tbh 6/10 Favourite: Infected Least Favourite: Out of the Blue (Into the Fire)
Not sure how to rate. Deserves praise for being a bit different and I'd be up for hearing again but I won't be reaching for it
Not bad
A little Oingo Boingo, a little INXS. Fun listen, want to find more The The and listen to this again in a week.
A little better than I would have expected.
Fine. Sounds very ‘80s, but in a dated and not charming way. If I was in my 20s when this was released I might have been into it. Some songs feel like something that would be in the soundtrack for an ‘80s movie, but like in an awkward/shoehorned/sore-thumb way where the record company also helped finance the movie.
Another OK one.
Heard of The The, but had no idea what they sounded like beyond generic New Wave/Post-Punk. Liked it well enough, but to really embrace it feels like a “you had to be there” band. 3⭐️
For some reason, aside from a couple of tracks, The The are a project that has thus far eluded me despite them seeming to have been around for ever. I've slated other albums on this list for being too cryptic and intentionally obtuse. However, there's something genuinely intriguing about Infected - it is simultaneously packed with familiar 80s sounds and textures but also sounds like nothing else from that era, or any other era really. It all seems very sincere and real compared to all lot of other new music this list has brought me. I couldn't pick a standout song here, but there's enough of interest in each track to make me want to explore further, which I am sure I will do. A solid three stars from me after a couple of listens - it drop off over time or it may grow on me even more, I couldn't say to be honest.
Pink is generally not my thing as it does come across as whining lol. Although a few food songs overall
Infected by The The is an enjoyable slice of ‘80s alt-pop—fun, listenable, and representative of its era. While it doesn’t break any new ground or deliver standout “wow” moments, it holds up reasonably well today with only minor signs of aging. The album is easy to get into, making it a solid, if not essential, listen. Favourite Track: Slow Train to Dawn stands out as a strong track with a memorable groove and atmosphere. Least Favourite: Honestly, nothing felt like filler—every song had its place and was worth a listen. Album Artwork: The cover is a bit chaotic and cluttered, lacking the visual impact or cohesion that might elevate it.
Blind album, know the artist from another album. I just didnt like this one as much as the other. No super hit tracks either.
Didn’t blow me away but was an ok listen
When it comes to The The, I was only familiar with their first album, Soul Mining, which has "This Is the Day" and had a sort of critical reappraisal in recent years that caught my ear. I never went further into their discography than that though, so this was a welcome excursion. What's here is, perhaps as the title implies, darker and bleaker than what's on Soul Mining. It's a very cohesive album, but that bleakness gets a little long in the tooth by the end. Had there been a little levity laced in, I would probably have bumped this up to 4/5.
This is a perfectly fine album, that feels like an artifact of mid-80's british political protest music, right down to sorta cheesy 80s synth tropes.
Too British to be good, too anti-Thatcher to be bad
Pretty unique rock songs. Missing a few catchier lyrics and hooks, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I just wanted something more memorable from this to hold on to. The album cover art is pretty dope tho.
Great band. Wrong album. The prior album is more fun. The next album fleshes out the ideas presented here (and features Johnny Marr, actual trumpets, live drums - and did I mention Johnny Marr?). That being said - there's a lot going on with this album. It's a whirlwind of sounds. Sonically adventurous. And he's writing about some heavy topics. Its as much fun as you can have singing about politics and religion.
Cheeky rock, smidge of social commentary thrown in.
Only heard This Is The Day before so this album was a complete surprise. And a nice surprise! Really enjoyed the overall vibe of the album 3/5
marginally better than most of the new wave/post-punk pablum on this list
neat
very zany, very much of its time, reminds of musical theater. very unique. 3.5 rounded down
The punk is alright, but just alright.
I'd never listened to this before and found it pretty original - would definitely listen again!
I was surprised to see this on the list, Soul Mining is a bit of an easier listen. 80s vocals had such a distinctive sound and Johnson’s no exception. I do enjoy the new wave/post punk/early 90s tv show theme music (shout out It’ll Never Work on BBC introducing me to Depeche Mode). But this is one of those albums that makes me think of loads of albums that are similar but better and wonder if they’ll be in there.
I listened quite a lot of The The in my days so my vote reflects the nostalgia. The drums are very 80's, almost beat box, not my favourite but it still does the job.
edgy post punk
Enjoyed this… you can hear where NIN got a lot of their early influences from this….
a set of sounds rooted in 1986 - that heavily processed snare, those digital percussion tracks, all the Fairlight sounds - supporting brooding, dark songs of distrust and unease
Meh
Fun weird and hit me in the right spot on a rainy commute.
Far from the best post punk out there, but The The still have such a unique style that really makes this a very memorable album compared to the other ungodly number of post punk albums on the list.
A lot going on on this album. When you name your band “The the” you expect a certain amount of goofiness and I think both lyrically and musically it doesn’t take itself too seriously despite some obvious talent. Kind of reminds me if Tom Waits was on a Frank Zappa album.
Из всего альбома только песни две прикольные, всё остальное проскипала.
Better than I anticipated.
An odd in-betweener album that feels ahead of any alt-rock 80s efforts but not quite a 90s feel.
Most of this album didn't much for me, wiki reckons this is post punk but a lot of it reminded me much more of 80s croon pop. Was going to be a 2 until the last song, the mercy beat, which was like an arty post punk take on Duran Duran with loads of ideas. Will listen to that last track again but not the rest of it.
Solid album, nothing spectacular.
Super 80s, but interesting lyics
I remember seeing these guys live back in the 90s; no matter what anyone else on stage was doing, all you heard was amplified harmonica. This is better than that, but it’s not great or particularly notable. Whatever these guys are doing here, XTC were doing it better.
Täytyy kuunnella uudestaan häiriötä lopussa
An interesting blend of genres. The first track drew my attention and the album as a while managed to keep my attention.
3.5, rounded down
The The The The The The The The The The. 5/10
Never heard of this artist. Right off the bat sounds like Prince. Very 80s and definitely reminds me of Prince. Cool stuff. Not my style but it's cool.
Fine album
Infected; with self doubt and the devil. We made it through the Cold War so now we’re just waitin’ for Hell to freeze over. Solid 80’s vibe with the sync sonic drum beats, high piano, and dystopian lyrics. Infected makes the list because of the song Heartland (and the idea of the UK becoming the 51st state of the USA.) That and it’s an album a bit off the norm for the mid 80s. Comes in at (3.3*s) and will check out some other The The works.
The, Infected is some decent 80s electro-pop. Some tracks like my fave, "Sweet Bird of Truth," remind me of Thomas Dolby, whom I'm a huge fan. The album has a good mix of styles and I did like the duet stuff with the female lead chiming in. The has some uniqueness but also fits nicely in with other 80s bands like Tears for Fears and Midnight Oil. I'm in for more and will peruse their other works...3.37 stars.
This album came out of the gates pretty strong. I was excited for the new take and alt rock approach of Infected, Into the Blue an Heartland. Unfortunately the best song was the opening song and it slowly downgraded as it progressed. It's not a bad album, it just didn't keep me reeled in like I was hoping after the first couple songs. It didn't completely lose me, but finished in the realm of mediocre when all was said and done. Solid effort from The The but probably not something I'm going to come back to. 2.77 stars
They had me in the beginning and lost me a bit in the middle. 3.
Had some good songs, and some horrible 80s sounding songs. Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 3/5
I went in expecting to hate it. I didn't. No masterpiece by any means, but I enjoyed it for what it is.
Consistently acerbic dance pop with more instrumentation than typical dance pop. There is a lot going on in each song and sometimes it works. The The doesn’t make dance music even though at first listen, it sounds like dance music. “Infected” reminds me of Pulp or The Beautiful South: well arranged, seemingly upbeat pop songs that have dark or sarcastic lyrics. 3.3 stars rounded down.
I did not have high hopes going into this, but was pleasantly surprised. I’m more of a punk rather than post-punk fan, but there was enough anger and spikiness to make this pretty good, actually.
Meh. Det er stadig ikke Dusk
Nice mastering, fine music
Hiuslakan tuoksuista alt rokkia. Semmoista aika poppista. Muka tämäkin post punkkia, mutta onhan tää ihan erilaista. Tätä voi kuunnella. On kasaria. Parhaat: Infected, Angels Of Deception
I liked it better the more it went on
Perfectly fine 80s pop rock, but there didn’t seem much in there that stood out as outstanding.
Like Leonard Cohen fronting a synth-drenched fever dream. Theatrical, uneasy, and unforgettable. The drum machines sounded like the exact models Reznor used on Pretty Hate Machine but used very differently…I haven’t heard anything else quite like it.
Strong
Alright
This was alright, but I wasn’t super into it
That was very 80s - almost too much. It wasn't bad, but it somehow sounds like it would be catchy without ever really achieving it.
I really enjoyed this album at first, but then it got more and more boring as it went along. I even tried listening back through and didn't quite enjoy the opening tracks as much as I had earlier. I can't pinpoint what element it is that developed a patina so quickly, but this album quickly lost its luster. It's still mostly OK, though, but my rating still reflects that first listen.
Good album, not as compelling as Soul Mining, at least not straight away.
For sure an album that's unique in how poppy but bizarre it is, there's so many vocal and instrumental parts that are very weird and cooky in a way that many albums would but not in this sort of sound, which is cool! But I don't think I'm totally in love with how these guys go about it, and it's nothing against them! It's simply that I don't find their brand of theatrics all that interesting Still, interesting album and I will check Soul Mining sometime
Before listening: I only knew this one as "the album I kept seeing while looking for They Might be Giants records in the 90s" so it's quite fun to actually get to listen to it. After: I might have really liked this if I'd heard it when it was out, as it reminds me of the early, more-political Beautiful South songs I used to enjoy back then. Music hasn't aged well, though, and never managed to escape the 80s' gravitational pull. Two and a half stars, rounded up because I'm in a good mood.
вроде норм, но не зашло.
Based on the beginning of the first track I was not confident I would finish this. But it turned into a vaguely gothic vaguely dance record. Not as bad as first impressions.
good, enjoyed it
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. Otherwise, the album is mostly run of the mill. If I was tipsy and dancing in a club with Shaun and Gus, maybe it would be a 4, but here it's a 3.5 rounded down to 3
This is a bit more interesting than their other record on here but I still don’t feel it.
'Infected' is a great record. Not as good as 'Soul Mining', which is in my top 50 of all time, but a solid effort. ' Sweet Bird of Truth' and the title track are bangers. As I don't play this like it's predecessor, it's a high 3, not quite a 4
This was not the album vibes expecting lol it was a decent album but just from looking at the cover I thought it was gonna be some cool punk album, not the bands fault I suppose, but I did think it was just ok, nothing crazy and I wasn't too into it!
more new wave
preferred the other one, too much 80s reverb drums going on here, but it was good
Pretty chill and essy to listen too.
Da e kje så dumt, men da tilføre ikkje livet mitt så masse nytt heller
I remember listening to this album. I remember it being really good. I remember thinking this was worth my time. What I don't remember is... any of the album. Not a great sign. Okay I've registered and yes it's really good - moody punchy lyrics with vibrant horns and upbeat music is always gonna get a good mark in my book - but it's already disappearing again! It's gonna I've e to lose a star for how sheerly nonstick this whole thing is!
Proto-Dan Bejar. Not quite my thing but I respect it.
I didn't like this as much as Soul Mining, but I still think these guys are clearly more interesting and diverse than many of their contemporaries. This could potentially rise a bit for me one day. 3/5
3.5 stars. I feel like there is a phenomenal album here that was run through a cheesy 80s soundtrack filter.
Political, angry. The music is very much "of the time.
This band is the English Oingo Boingo. I actually really enjoyed the strange alternative sound that this album delivered. It had pop sensibility with good quirky weirdness. Key songs were Twilight of the Champion and Angels of Deception, though I don’t think any of the songs really caught me as skippable. I can listen to this one again.
Random thoughts: * This sounds like it would fit nicely into Ferris Bueller's Day Off. I swore this band was on the movie but it appears it was only their contemporaries. * The opening song is quite the banger. The horns/faux horns gave it some extra flavor. * Heartland was interesting for the last line" This is the 51st state of the USA". I bet Trump would love that. (puke) * I liked this one a lot lot better than Kelela. But I'm going to give this the same rating (3-star). So.... * I need to rethink the rating system. I'm going to use this going forward: 1-star: hated and would actively choose to not listen to this again. 2-star: didn't hate it, wasn't my vibe, not generally admired in the larger music community; would listen again but only if someone else chose it 3-star: liked it and would listen again; probably not the top of my list of albums I would revisit but might someday; likely not generally admired in the larger music community but are probably some exceptions for beloved albums that I personally dislike. 4-star: really liked it, not quite a classic; has some relevance in the larger music community; I would likely play this one again by my own choosing 5-star: classic; widely regarded album; would definitely listen to again; would buy a vinyl copy
I had no idea what to expect going into this but it’s like new wave/post punk, and I kind of dig it. Basically a one man band with some guests and studio musicians. It’s got a good mix of typical “80’s” sounds as well as some good non-synth instrumentation as well. The lyrics are good as well. I enjoyed this.
This is peak mid 80's production It kinda kills the mood a little. I would have preferred a rough and ready DIY sound of around 1982. It's a little intense trying to follow all the lyrics. I was distracted by work at the time. Heartland remains relevant. MAGGIE! MAGGIE! MAGGIE! etc
Starts strong, diminishes as it goes on. Decent.
Heard of the band but one of the music. Was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Will definitely give it another listen
Interesting
Aggressively ok.
Don't care for his singing style or lyrics. Music wasn't anything special. The name of the band is sort of irritating, too.
A poor man’s Bowie+Leonard Cohen. Post-punk, 1986 release, but I’ve never heard of it. Liked it, would listen again. Why is this album recommended instead of 1983 Soul Mining album?
Not a terrible record but not the one I’d use to introduce the band. Even the title track sounds like a retread of “Waiting for Tomorrow “. The The has 2 other entries to this list, and Infected doesn’t need to be among them.
По мнению А: 3/5 По мнению С: 3/5 ИТОГОВАЯ ОЦЕНКА: 3/5 (30.01.2025)
Enjoyed it. Would I listen again soon? Probably not.
Average
Helt intressant, en av dom bättre av 80- tals new wave på denhär listan. Minus för idiotiskt band namn :D
Really love the vocals. Good tunes
Never heard this album before. I liked it! Sounds like an early version of what I hear these days on alt nation. I would listen again.
A lot better than I expected it to be but probably still never listening to it again ;P
Heartland
Always like that 80’s sound
The sound profile is cool and diverse, if quite disjointed. Typical of 80s. Not something I would ever choose to listen to (the vocals are not for me), but worth checking out if you're into well-crafted lyrics.
80s vibe with some great lyrics. Has some seeds of Alex Cameron for me personally
people tends to hate on post punk, but why? idk. anyway, this is... ok. not so stereotypical post punk, but instead leaning a bit into new wave. not as influential as joy division. and who the fuck names their band "the The"? i thought that "the Band" is a terrible band name. 3/5
I remember thinking to myself in high school, around the time where there were a billion indie bands whose name started with The, how funny it would be to make a band called The The. Little did I know that I was 30 years too late. I quite enjoyed this, but Rach found it corny. Maybe I just like a bit of corniness, but it did keep me interested. It certainly didn’t blow me away, but I did enjoy the sound. I doubt I’ll be coming back to listen again, but if it came on by chance then I doubt I’d turn it off.
“Here comes another winter of long shadows and high hopes” Heartland is a cool song. Slow Train to Dawn is too. First listen I wasn’t sure if this was an album I would come back to, but after sitting with it longer, I want to remember and listen to it more.
I like the instrumentals, even if it sounds a little dated. But there's something about Matt Johnson's voice that doesn't work for me, even though he's not a bad singer by any means. Liked the addition of Neneh Cherry on Slow Train, though.
eclectic and all over the place… but never boring.
It’s alright.
Not so much of my taste, but funny to listen once... Sounds nice
Bit weird but kinda fun.
Much like Len’s 4th wife - sounds remarkably like George Michael 3.1
Bit pants
I wanted to like this more than I did. Good 80's music, but better in smaller doses. I prefer their Soul Mining album.
Just ok.
Alright
Sounds like the 80's
Back when I was a young skate punk, one of my friends had an older brother who was into this record. Based on the compelling cover art we pilfered the cassette for the day along with Among the Living by the US metal band Anthrax. This is not a triumphant story for The The. We ejected Infected out of the boom box before Out of the Blue was even over and skated to Anthrax all day long. Sometime later watching either Post Modern MTV or 120 Minutes, I'd see the video for The Beat(en) Generation from The The's Mind Bomb record and really like that track. But I'd not get into that record very much. Later, I'd recall Infected's amazing cover art (I hope Matt compensated his brother Andy well) and finally get around to listening to the whole thing. With that first skate day's error eventually corrected, and now some decades past hearing this record again for this project, I'm comforted in my assessment that The The are a great singles band but a poor album band. They are capable of writing amazing rough cut gems that can be vibrant and flawed but when you put those loose gems together it might just feel more like a bag of gravel than rubies, sapphires, emeralds and diamonds. In short, we made the right decision that day as young skate punks.
I loved this at the time. I do not recall why
Ths is like Prince but not as good, but it's still pretty good out there synthy new wave. B
Pop, Rock, 1986 -> 3
Very 80’s. Loved the drums and instrumentals if not a rad repetitive at times. Best track - Heartland
Album 604 of 1001 The The -Infected (1986) Rating : 3 / 5 Good album that certainly captures the spirit of the time it was released. The music is quite innovative. I think there is a lot more to the lyrics than I was able to capture with one listen. More New Wave than Post-Punk.
Liked a couple of songs but otherwise just ok
3-4
Pretty good. Not my favorite, but vibed to some of the songs!
I remember the name of the band but not one of these songs was familiar. Not offensive but bothering especially grabbed me either.
A couple catchy tunes
Nice enough.
Alright, but would have expected the first album which has the bigger hit.
Nothing that stood out
Poppy 80’s / light punk vibe
I have no idea how I feel about this. Is this the slightly more rock and accessible version of They Might Be Giants? I think if we assembled a band of Trent Reznor, Danny Elfman, Peter Gabriel, Tori Amos and John Lydon it may sound like this. Genius or shiite? Trash or Art? Is this an overindulgent 80s radio mess or the brilliant precursor to everything from Korn to the Yeah, Yeah Yeahs?? I cannot imagine myself putting it on of my own volition but then again…..
It’s like Rick Astley tried to create Industrial but couldn’t.
if they they had turned the production down a notch, this this might have sounded less like an explosion in an Eighties factory
There’s a lot to like here but something about it, lyrics or vocals, just kind of put me out of it. I like the art pop elements and stuff.
Infected
Bloody weird album. I found it interesting and impressive as a sound collage, but with the artificial tone and the songs not presenting anything I could cling on to, repeated listening is unlikely.
1980s UK post-punk. A dime a dozen inclusions on this list. At this point it all runs together to me and is all the same. This was whatever, just as you would expect.
art hoe billy idol! 6/10
I thought a few tracks had Midnight Oil vibes. It was ok.
The the are one of the better 80’s bands in my books, but still a bit 80’s really.
Fun listen, not mind blowing
I have never listened to an album by these guys, its not bad.
First impression is that this singer reminds me a lot of Billy Idol. I'm not a big fan of Billy Idol... I actually really like Sweet Bird of Truth. Kind of a goofy 80s sci-fi tone to the whole song, but I get a Les Claypool vibe from the vocal delivery and enjoy the "industrial" sounding 80s synth tones and clanging percussion. Slow Train to Dawn keeps things churning forward in the right direction. This is just some good clean cheesy 80s industrial-pop fun. Twilight of a Champion is definitely goofy, but something about it all is working for me. Lot stuffed into the production (horns, layered synth lines, fat synthd bass) its almost like a caricature of the 80s. This one grew on me as it went. Not something I'd go out of my way for, but as it went on it felt more self-aware and open. Unsure if it is just an effect of me warming to the album, but I found the back half to be much stronger. Solid 3 for me.
These songs kind of sound like they would be in the soundtrack to a 90s movie like Ferris Beuller's Day Off. 3 stars for me
I've had to recalibrate a bit for this, because I always thought "The The" were some kind of 70's noodly guitar group or something. Apparently I was way off! I kind of admire what they're doing here. It's got an interesting mood to it, and the songs are varied with different instruments and synths coming through. I even like the harmonica for crying out loud! Overall I quite like this, it's a nice vibe. 3.5 rounded down.
The… the… the what??? Spit it out already!!
3 - I think this band has a lot of really neat sounds (especially evident when I listened to some of their most popular songs, and in Heartland), but often odd vocals or shifts mid song ruin it for me
Worst band name of all time, damn good tunes.
Good
There's nothing inherently spooky about this album, and yet, it feels like it'd fit in well on a Halloween Playlist
I like the weirdness of this guy/band. But not as good as the other album on this list, Soul Mining
personally not a fan, but not unbearable 3/5 not my taste
Similar sound to Howard Jones as well as Kajagoogoo. Strong 80s vibe that can be used as ambiance music. High3
Well, THE! Pretty mundane stuff, actually. I listened twice and nothing caught my attention.
I knew this one. A couple of great tracks at the start of the album
Big sound, fun music. Certainly 80s, sometimes borderline cheesy, but it saves itself with thoughtful song composure and unique appeal. Strong 3
Sounds like nick cave voice, first song is a bit of a banger rest seems alright
actually unbelievably indifferent towards this. its like the flavor of water for my music taste
Vanaf de eerste seconden weet je: dit is een jaren tachtig-plaaaaaat... Grappig dat je dan zo'n LP kocht, en dat je dan tussen alle digitale zuurstokkeyboardklanken steeds de zachte kraakjes van het analoge vinyl hoorde. Hoe dan ook, deze trendvolgende gasten zetten een strak mopje muziek neer, maar er beklijft allemaal vrij weinig van. Wat een middelmaat... Hierna krijgen we hun tijdgenoten U2, die tenminste nog eens wat memorabels maakten.
Postpunk lees ik. Dus de moed zakt weer in mijn schoenen. Moet ik ook helemaal niet lezen. Want ik ervaar weinig punk. De nummers lijken hun aandacht gekregen te hebben. De zang is natuurlijk niet het sterkste in deze lijst. Maar hij doet zijn best, lijkt het toch. Ik lees (luisterde niet echt naar de tekst) dat de zanger wil waarschuwen dat de interne economie niet zo sterk is als mensen willen geloven. Het lijkt mij niet echt een punk-boodschap. Er is niet zo heel veel op aan te merken. Maar een dag later, als ik dit schrijf, moet ik toch behoorlijk graven in mijn kop. Dan moet ik concluderen dat het behoorlijk 'vergetelijk' is.
'Heartland' is one of the best songs of the Thatcher years. When it was released I was 18 and becoming more politically aware so it really struck a chord. If I was a history teacher covering the 80s I would play it to bored students, along with 'Ghost Town' and 'Between The Wars'. Britain was not a fair place and greed dominated. 'Angels of Deception' continues the theme. I like the opening track too, really cool through headphones and cranked up loud. Aside from that it's ok, some good lyrics but not great songs, the production is very mid-eighties so it hasn't aged well. I had to listen to 'Dusk' from '93 too, a very different and far better album. Johnny Marr lifted them so much musically. Give it a go!
Thought the first half of this album was very good but it tailed off a bit. Still an enjoyable album from a band I’ve never listened to before. Good stuff!
Without looking at ratings, I’d guess this is averaging like 2.2 stars but I kinda didn’t hate it. It had fun moments.
Feels very long for how little happens
Cool 80s
It reeks of the eighties, listenable but I’m not sure ill revisit it
An essential template for a better catalog. A bit scattered and unfocused, but all the ingredients for a breakthrough sound.
A good album. Mercy Beats is a great song and there are some other good ones here as well.
Reminds me a bit of INXS, if it replaced a little bit of the "horny" with... Crazy? Very of-its-time. Either way, didn't really change my life too much. Favorite tracks: "Slow Train To Dawn", "The Mercy Beat"
When it's my time to go, will I have heard "Twilight of a Champion"???
Funky but wouldn’t revisit
I love The The. Brings me back to middle school. This isn't my favorite album of theirs, but still enjoyable. I wanted to rate higher but if being honest, it's a solid 3.
Groovy poppy 80 A lotta god
It's pretty cool, but it's mediocre.
80s fun to the max
First half of album i liked
Very 1980s production and vocal style - echoes of Lloyd Cole & The Commotions. It was very hip at the time, but I was already too old for this. You'd need to have been a teenager at the time for this to resonate. It's young, naive and jejunes. Great if you think you're the first generation to think like that - but some of us were already past that by then.
didn't fully click for me but I enjoyed it. 3/3.5
Kinda mid, instrumentation was super neat but like eh
Really cool instrumentation for sure All these songs can be 2 song
Strange
post-punk. Bien.
This album is weird but I enjoyed it. What I didn't enjoy was when the album ended and Spotify started playing Dexy's Midnight Runners. Get that band outta here! They suck. This album is fun though
Not terrible, but definitely not what I expected. Based on the album art I expected a punk, violent femmes type sound, but got this oingo-boingo vibe.
120 Minutes turned me onto The The, and I can still get the appeal.
One of the few synthy 80s albums I’ve heard that doesn’t sound completely soulless. You can feel the passion here. The songs all blend together, though, and there are no real memorable hooks.
I’m just not a punk or post punk fan, but I have to say this album surprised me. I enjoyed it much more than I expected. 3
I'm sure they felt very clever and revolutionary while writing these songs.
A perfectly fine album. Some good songs, some meh songs. I didn’t love it, didn’t hate it. Some political lyrics that are from a time and place I don’t super connect to.
weird, but not exactly bad. kind of cluttered at times
Doesn’t quite each the heights of Soul Mining, but still solid! Heartland is probably the best track.
3.5 I really enjoyed this. Every song felt unique, great anger and production throughout, and had a couple of bangers. Will definitely relisten. Leagues better than that Puplic Image Ltd. crap.
Not terrible for a post-punk album
It was fine. *really need to work on my reviews. Simpsons: who knows, I’m going to guess no though
Absolutely agree with Rozza's review, it was fine, no more words needed.
didn't like this at all.
This definitely sounds like 80s synthpop alright. The overblown drums and percussion on certain tracks makes for a rather unpleasant listening experience even if there are some cool punk influences evident through the vocal performances or the instrumentation such as the opener or "Out of the Blue (Into the Fire)."
i wish i had never been born ngl good album
not what I was expecting, definitely not toobad though tbh
Reminded me of listening to first-wave music with my dad in the car while growing up.
Good album.
decent, not too bad
Það er eitthvað töff þarna á bakvið og lágstemmdur hressleiki. En söngurinn gerir lítið fyrir mig, og þetta kallar ekki á aðra hlustun. Tæpur þristur.
It was an era. The Cure. The Love and Rockets. The The.
Not one I’d be playing on repeat. Still not the worst I’ve heard.
Punk, Electric, Piano. Cleaning music.
Intense, very 80's style; more on the rock side than the pop or glam side i'm used to.
Fun vibes and some interesting songs. No anything I’ll think of often but definitely had a solid work jam to it.
I really enjoyed the first track, but began losing interest after because it didn't seem like it connected with the themes of the album. Thematically, I just don't understand what the album is supposed to be, because the first track seems like a love song, then everything following are political songs, so I was just confused.
Very interesting album and had some lovely moments, but didn't really make a dent with me. Electronica just doesn't get me going.
I knew about The The (mostly in the context of "That's a weird name"), but didn't know their music at all. This album was fine - not super interesting, not making me want to turn it off. I listened to Heartland a few times, since it was apparently the biggest hit and I thought its content (about UK economy and the Tories) would resonate with me. It didn't.
I thought this album was fine, bit I wasn't over the moon for it. I enjoyed both listens but nothing really stood out to me!
64/100
This is such a weird album, and I think I'm kind of here for it? It's like Billy Idol meets Oingo Boingo, and he's throwing in a pretty heavy New Wave sound, and also, surprise -- there's some funk elements, too! There's lots of diversity from track to track; I never really knew what was going to happen next. Needless to say, this album is bizarrely unique, but it is the kind of bizarre uniqueness that I often find myself going for. This album is not going to appeal to everyone, but if you're someone who likes their 80s alternative "the weirder the better", then this is for you. Will I listen again? I don't know. But I was entertained and intrigued.
Enjoyable but I will not return to it.
this kind of sucked but it was kind of campy
Just ok
More stereotypically "80s" than their debut which I think dates it a bit more, but it's still really enjoyable.
this was interesting. i read all the reviews and was worried i wouldn’t like it - and i’m not saying i loved it, but i did quite enjoy some of it, not the singles but there were other ones that were quite jolly and cool, i wouldn’t listen again, but didn’t hate it.
Distinctive lead singer and decent songs
Da e kje så dumt, men da tilføre ikkje livet mitt så masse nytt heller
I was pleasantly surprised by this cross between Men at Work and Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Aside from the heavy use of synth and distortion that is required for an 80’s album, it also seemingly tries to fit in every other instrument, from xylophone to harmonica. It is very much a product of its milieu, and I fail to see much that it offers in terms of originality. It was better than the band name, album cover, and reviews led me to believe. But I won’t be coming back for another listen. Not my cup of tea.
Aggressive prog rock and New Wave stylings, interlaced with aggressive, heady lyrics and multi-layered vocals. Rhythm work is hilariously 80’s, and synth hooks pepper the album with MIDI-aggression. Not a bad work by any means, but the bad-ass performance The The was going for is dramatically overshadowed by actual bad-asses of the time and genre. Appetite for Destruction was only a year later, so this mercifully stands as a bit of a last-hurrah for the New Wave sound. Stand out tracks include “Infected”, “Out Of The Blue (Into The Fire)”, and “Sweet Bird of Truth”.
we got the who, the the, and who the f-?! A wild and varied album that teeters between a 3 and 4 for me.
Wanted to like this more. It's interesting but overproduced and over complicated at times. Chucking the kitchen sink at things isn't always a winning formula. Title track is ace though.
The the the
Pretty cool, funky 80s percussion. I didn't really listen that deeply but I'm going to keep going with it.
It sounds alright, but it was not very exciting compared to other work I’ve heard from them. I’m a tad surprised it is their biggest seller. I love post punk, but this was just ok.
Average, i could not pay too much attention but it did not raised it either. Anyway ), it sets a good climate.
Really cool band with a lot of ideas and an awesome energy. The production is very much 80s but these songs definitely have a distinct artistic stamp on them. We had another The The album on the list and I remember thinking it was also exciting. The lyrics on this album (and the previous one) have a mix of the personal and the political. I really connected to this line that opens the album: “I've got too much energy to switch off my mind but not enough to get myself organized”
This is the second "The The" album on the list. I think it's alright, but before listening I was trying to remember what the band sounded like from the earlier album (it was only 100 albums prior to this one!) and I couldn't really recall which I think is a sign that I didn't really love it. I listened to this album and that idea kind of remained- that I can enjoy it and bop to it and find cool elements inside of the music, but I would probably not remember much overall. Funny enough I was browsing some random websites and I opened one at the same time that "Heartland" started to play, and the website I landed on had an autoplay video on it with this rocking bass part and I was thinking "wow, this is what I want to hear! I'm excited for this "The The" song!" and then I went to Spotify and realized that it wasn't the song playing, but instead it was a video on a website and was let down. But then I listened to "Heartland" and I liked it! The downside is that it's just a little corny to me. I don't know exactly what it is but maybe it's the singers voice? He has this affectation that's like "look at me! I'm interesting!". I think it's unfortunately a barrier for me to enjoy the album on a deeper level. Sometimes I can get past that, and sometimes I can't. 3/5. It's not a bad record. Not great enough for a 4/5 but not bad enough for a 2/5.
Extremely average. It sounded exactly how you would expect. Mid 80s music which hasn't got many hits and hasn't aged that well. Maybe I should be burnt at the stake for that take but this album wasn't all that. Painfully average.
This album wasn’t as bad as I first thought. I was expecting to skip forward tracks but found myself engaged with the whole album. Not one which I will keep returning to but a lot better than some of the previous reviews suggest. Some interesting drumming going on particular right at the beginning of track 1 which gets you hooked for the rest of the album. Nice occasional orchestration and female backing vocals (Just read its Tessa Niles so that why it sounds good) compliments and takes the edge off some of the punkiness of the songs. An OK album.
Infected - 8/10 Out of the Blue - 7.5/10 Heartland - 7.5/10 Angels of Deception - 7.5/10 Sweet Bird of Truth - 7.5/10 Show Train to Dawn - 7.5/10 Twilight of A Champion- 7.5/10 The Mercy Beat - 8/10 TOTAL - 61/80
Inte lika bra som det andra vi hade med the the men inte helt urkass heller. En stabil trea
2.5
It's no Dusk, but it is The The.
I really enjoyed the first The The album on this list, but this not so much. It was dark and sticky, which if executed better could be very interesting but just felt a little out of place for me here. Heartland was pretty good. Low 3.
This started off like a 2 star generic 80s album but partway through it opened up with some good lyrics and fresh grooves.
What an 80s sounding record.the music was fun but I really did not like the vocalist. His voice was just too rough for this kind of new wave music to me. I also just detest this band name.
Kinda sounded like INXS at first. Thought it was fine - not mind-blowingly good but not bad by any measure. 7/10.
melange de new wave / pop. rien de très agressant, mais rien qui ressort. 5.5/10
This the second by The The on this list. It was pretty good. It was short, and so I did not know when it actually ended because more The The songs played afterwards which were also alright.
'80s music is often lyrically self-serious and preachy, while sounding like a goofy neon rainforest. This is that. I definitely think I preferred The The's first album, which also appeared on this list. I love post-punk as much as the next, but to quote Shania, this didn't impress me much.
Couple good songs here