tempobet yeni adresi
like this vinyl review

12/10/2014 : THE THE - CLASSICS : Soul Mining

THE THE

CLASSICS : Soul Mining

MusicVinyl
IndiePopPost PunkUnclassifiable

[100/100]   

SONY MUSIC
12/10/2014, Paul PLEDGER

Every so often, another anniversary passes for yet another 'highly-acclaimed' or 'best-selling' album from the most-hated and equally most-revered decade. But dig deep and the '80s really does throw up some classics deserving of a high-budget remaster, deluxe, box-set edition. This is one such classic.

Released as a boxed double-vinyl set with various reproduced sleeve images and a broadsheet of liner notes and download code (just to bring it into the digital age), this buffed-up Soul Mining is as a heavyweight as the box it comes in. As per Matt Johnson's original wishes 30 years ago, you get the original track-listing (no sign of Perfect - yet) of an album that remains a masterpiece to this day. Listening to the vinyl at a pre-re-release launch in Dalston recently, part of the Classic Album Sunday series, it was moving to see many attendant people of all ages identifying with this thirty years-plus opus. It's maker clearly still does - his revealing Q&A session proved this.

From the insistent whip-cracking opener I've Been Waiting For Tomorrow (All Of My Life) to the album's transcendental epic curtain-call Giant, the seven-song Soul Mining forms a soul-searching soundtrack for dank bedsits, lonely hearts, urban decay, global unrest and closed doors. Rather than being a guest overstaying its welcome, Johnson's sophomore collection is more of a consoling best mate. And all this from a young prodigy from the East End who already had a fascinating, if somewhat disparate, debut Burning Blue Soul issued on then-small indie 4AD under his belt.

Johnson's cinematic pop vision knew no bounds in 1983 - he enrolled a considerable line-up of supporting musicians that strengthened his desire to create a collective rather than just another group. Drummers Zeke Manyika (then of Orange Juice), Andy Duncan and Frank Want (aka Foetus' Jim Thirlwell under yet another pseudonym) gave the album considerable propulsion, bassist Camelle Hinds (later of Style Council and Isabelle Antena fame) thumbed and fingered subtle low-end hues throughout and Scottish synth maestro Thomas Leer coloured in the top notes with flourishes and fanfares that must have given this album's creator cause to wonder how fortunate he was to have such an orchestra.

And then there's Jools, of course. The affable Mr Holland of Later With.. and Squeeze fame provided one of the album's most jaw-dropping highlights - that piano solo on Uncertain Smile. Recorded in one take it remains one of pop's most enduring and beautiful solos. Hands down, indeed.

As well as the brutal drumming and sensitive string work on The Twilight Hour (provided by future This Mortal Coil's Martin McGarrick and Anne Stephenson, fact fans), the delicious accordian on This Is The Day (from go-to sessioneer Wix) and THAT huge cyclical climax on the exemplary Giant, there's Matt Johnson's lyrics to admire. "Peeling the skin back from my eyes, I felt surprised that the time on the clock was the time, I usually retired.." has to be one of pop's great opening lines and "A broken soul stares from a pair of watering eyes..." a fine way to finish up (both Uncertain Smile). Sometimes socially-aware, sometimes political, often reflective and expressively narrative, the erudite songwriter's verse could well have been inspired by hip-hop, such is its free-form flow.

The bonus gatefold-sleeved 12" includes the original 12" mixes of Perfect and Uncertain Smile (the 10 minute version has THAT sax solo on it rather than Jool's piano) and other hard-to-find extended versions. There's also a track from the Pornography Of Despair stable, the interlude Fruit Of The Heart - let's hope he digs out those all-important tapes for a proper issue of these atmospheric little vignettes before too long.

An absolute must-have package for the diehard or the curious and worth every penny (£35 or thereabouts).

This review also appeared on Flipside Reviews

Paul PLEDGER
12/10/2014


 

Next reviews
DER KLINKE • THE BIM-FILES: Der Klinke
JOY DIVISION • He wasn't just the fifth member of Joy Division
JEROME SALLE • Anthony Zimmer
ROBERT RODRIGUEZ • Machete Kills
BIG COUNTRY • CLASSICS : The Sheer
ED SHEERAN • X
• THE FOLLOWING SEASON 2
THE BUZZCOCKS • It's not you
SECTION 25 • CLASSICS : From The Hip
ARETHA FRANKLIN • Sings the diva classics

 

Other reviews from THE THE
THE THE • Hyena

 

Same genre: INDIE
WHISPERING SONS • The Great Calm
DEZ MONA • LOOSE ENDS
SJOBLOM • Tape
MONICA RICHARDS & ANTHONY JONES • AESTUARIUM
AMY STUDT • Happiest Girl in The Universe
THIS CAN HURT • Worlds Apart
LISA MORGENSTERN • Chameleon
L7 • Scatter The Rats
VUKOVAR • Cremator
VARIOUS ARTISTS • DARKSIDE OF THE CON III

 

Same genre: POP
DEMI LOVATO • HOLY FVCK
LAPECHE • Blood In The Water
DEZ MONA & B.O.X • LUCY
TYCHO BRAHE • Triplex [Complete]
PARRALOX • Subculture
FORMER BULLIES • Stranger
NINE MILLION WITCHES • The Rapture
AGNES OBEL • Citizen Of Glass
NOSOUND • Scintilla
GRACE JONES • Warm Leatherette

 

Same genre: POST PUNK
THEN COMES SILENCE • Trickery
PARTIKUL • Having Gone
AGENT SIDE GRINDER • Jack Vegas
AGENT SIDE GRINDER • Jack Vegas
CUT • Dead City Nights
NEL & JP • Zelfbeeld van Denaldie
THE GODFATHERS • ALPHA BETA GAMMA DELTA (2022)
DE DELVERS • Hart in neonlicht
FEATHER TRADE • Dead Boy
A SLICE OF LIFE • Tabula Rasa

 

Same genre: UNCLASSIFIABLE
RUMMELSNUFF & ASBACH • Rummelsnuff & Asbach
FANTASTIQUE.NIGHT XLVII • MOLLY NILSSON, MARY OCHER, MENAGE A TROIS, RODOLPHE COSTER
VARIOUS ARTISTS • Ni D'Eve Ni D'Adam
MONSTER YOUTH • Lost Dream, Cool Fire
TUXEDOMOON • CLASSICS: At Twilight
XTC • CLASSICS: Skylarking (Corrected)
THE FALL • Creative Distortion
BROWN REINIGER BODSON • Clear Tears, Troubled Waters
APHEX TWIN • Syro
CABARET VOLTAIRE • #7885 Electropunk to Technopop 1978-1985

Music reviews

14
03
THEN COMES SILENCE
Trickery
13
03
DARK MINIMAL PROJECT
Remixes
27
02
WHISPERING SONS
The Great Calm
22
02
YOUR ENEMY
Broken Toys
21
02
XTORT
Zwart
03
02
MERCIFUL NUNS
Oneironauts

NEWSLETTER

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

NEWS

19
03
Just One Fix | 4 Years Since Ministry Unleashed Sphinctour
18
03
Today, 44 years ago, Joy Division released 'Licht und Blindheit'.
17
03
A Darker Shade Of Green | The Virgin Prunes On Saint Patrick’s Day
17
03
Today, 38 years ago, Depeche Mode released its fifth studio album Black Celebration!
16
03
Today, 37 years ago, Siouxsie and the Banshees released The Passenger!
16
03
Today, 40 years ago, Siousxie And The Banshees released the single Swimming Horses!

Concert reviews

16
11
DREADFOOL - EUFORIC EXISTENCE - EULFI
ELECTRO au BNR
09
09
ENZO KREFT - DARK MINIMAL PROJECT - CAUSENATION
@B52 Music Club Eernegem
23
08
AMPHI FESTIVAL 2023
A second opinion...
18
06
ERATO - BLACK SNOW IN SUMMER
Black Planet Fest - @ B 52 Music Club Eernegem - friday 19th of may
18
06
KORINTHIANS, NEL & JP, NONA PROBLEMO
@Charlatan Ghent - 25 mei 2023
06
05
SIOUXSIE
The glorious resurrection after ten years of silence.

GET A COPY OF OUR MAGAZINE
SEND TO YOUR HOME

INTERVIEWS

15
03
GOETHES ERBEN
When one is young, one does not think about the fact that one day everything will be over. And that is also beautiful and exciting, because as you get older, you look at the past differently.
14
03
EMPUSAE
I link the strength I have had to go up and down the tens of thousands of steps, to confront the heat and the hustle and bustle of the crowds, more and more directly with the nature spirit Ganriki.
29
02
SYNICAL
An Interview With Electro Industrial Artist, Synical
28
02
DEMONWARP
An Interview With Demonwarp
16
02
ELEKTRIKILL
An Interview With Electro-Industrial Band, Elektrikill

PHOTOS

17
03
BEYOND OBSESSION
Mono Deluxe Meschede
07
03
VNV NATION
Stadsfeestzaal Aarschot
07
03
VNV NATION
Stadsfeestzaal Aarschot
07
03
KOSHEEN
Stadsfeestzaal Aarschot
07
03
THE ARCH
Stadsfeestzaal Aarschot
07
03
THE OBSCURE
Stadsfeestzaal Aarschot
07
03
FRONT 242
Stadsfeestzaal Aarschot

ADVERTISE
IN PEEK-A-BOO

VIDEO CLIPS

18
03
DES AMES LIBRES
Cold Hands
17
03
DIRTY HARRY
D' BOP
16
03
MOLLY NILSSON
1995
15
03
CLOCK DVA
The Hacker
14
03
LYNCELIA
Self-Mystery Girl
13
03
CAT RAPES DOG
Moosehair Underwear
12
03
MIREXXX
Inside You