Customer Reviews

Solitude

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

a cornucopia of remixes and reworks of 9 previously released tunes from the band. definitely a good starting point for anyone not familiar with TheThe's work.

from the opening keyboard-machine and harmonica backed 'that was the day' through the hard-edged 'dogs of lust', this is a ride through 40 minutes of lyrical genius. an effort to soften some of the musical pieces has only highlighted the anguish and despair rampant in johnson's lyrics.

the reworked 'dis-infected' is a fantastic, blues-y version of the club classic. 'the violence...' remix is another example of johnson's (and the band's) growth through experimentation- the harmonica and blues based sound creates a totally new sound that exposes the socially challenging "something's telling you to wake up and salute the dangers of obedience and the violence of Truth!"

perhaps my favorite car-song (you know, turn it way up and yell!) from the band is the groovy sounding 'helpline operator'. an easy, mellow tune that is full of despair. the live version of 'another boy drowning' is an interesting addition in the middle of the album- a song performed live in which you can actually understand the lyrics?

'jealous of youth', 'solitude' and 'dolphins' are whispers of songs with powerful lyrics- something I believe johnson tries to capture in all his songs. I had not heard these three songs before, but they definitely fit TheThe. Again with the powerful harmonica on 'dogs of lust'- a great way to end the band's best album... (The remix on soul mining -cassette- is great, too!)

If you are only going to buy one TheThe album, make it this one!

This is actually not a The The album. It lacks the unity that is present in other The The albums. Despite that, a new Thethe listener could start listening with this album. It is not the best option though. If you are new to Thethe, I recommend you first listen to Soul Mining so that you could enjoy Mind Bomb...I envy those people who have not listened to TheThe. They have got a lot to explore!

TheThe is and always will be one of my favorite bands, with Matt Johnsons edgy lyrics and hauntingly beautiful and sexy voice.
Solitude is just one of his many compilations and IMHO one of the best. The lyrics stand the test of time and still hold truth today, 30+ years later. If you read this and want to see this bands live recordings go to thisistheday.com.