Soul Mining [Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered]

The The | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 2, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B000068TNJ
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #178,145 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Remastered? for what reason?, November 23, 2003

By 

ChrisWN (Santa Cruz, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Soul Mining (Audio CD)

This was definitely my all time favorite album of the early 80's & I was ecstatic when it was issued on CD & included "Perfect" as a bonus track...however this re-issue is a pathetic, money -grabbing, resource-wasting exercise. Time has not been good to Matt Johnson's sense of judgement. Not only are there no bonus tracks, but one of the tracks is removed for the reissue? That's almost as bad as the Peter Gabriel reissues (deleting material from the live 2 CD set to fit it on 1 CD). You can still find the original in bargain bins & since it still has "Perfect" on it, it is superior to this reissue. The original US CD was perfect with "Perfect" & what could have made this an even better issue is the inclusion of 12" versions & b-sides from the singles. (It's true the bonus disc on the greatest hits 2CD set included a few, but when a CD can hold 80 minutes of music, it's really inexcusable not to fill it up when there is plenty of unreleased material that people want on CD). Will the UK 12" mix of Perfect ever make it to CD? or the 3 Orange Kisses from Kazan? Waiting for the Upturn?....I guess I should finally hook up my record player to my computer, extract the original US CD, record the vinyl singles of the same period & burn my own CD, because as long as it's in Matt's hands, it won't see the light of day. :(

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Essential Part of any Rock Collection, May 11, 2003

By 

Christian Schock (California USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Soul Mining (Audio CD)

Matt Johnson, the principal and essential part of The The, is not well known. That's a shame really, because in Soul Mining he has created perhaps the best rock album of all time. The introspective, often dark lyrics put Morrissey to shame. The deceptively simple music that backs it up is filled with enough pop hooks to make it instantly recognizable. And it stands the test of time, sounding as fresh and relevant today as it did when released going on 20 years ago. Perfect and This is the Day are, in my mind, the standout cuts on the album, but you'll want to really listen to this CD several times to appreciate all that it has to offer. If you like The Smiths, earlier Depeche Mode, or just wildly intelligent, deeply personal, and ofttimes moving alternative rock you owe it to yourself to check out The The.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ABSOLUTELY STUNNING RE-ISSUE, February 8, 2006

By 

Martin Hillman "Life's For Livin' & Lovin'" (Boston) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Soul Mining (Audio CD)

Soul Mining was my favourite album going through college when it originally came out. I grew up with it. I made love to it. I broke up with it. I cried with it. I took drugs with it. I got drunk with it. I passed so many rites of passage with it it became a very close personal friend. Over the years we lost touch with each other. But then I found out it was re-issued and BOY what a beautiful job they have made of it. It sounds even better than I remember. The mastering of this re-issue is absolutely superb. I also read somewhere that this is how Matt Johnson had originally intended the album to sound. That some A&R jerk at his US record company had just stuck on the 12" version of Perfect for the US release without even asking MJ's permission!!! Well, he's finally got his own way with this wonderful re-issue. I could not recommend highly enough that you add this essential album to your collection. One of the truly greatest albums of the 1980's by one of Britain's greatest ever singer/songwriters.