Cognitive Dissident

MATT JOHNSON And THE THE Are Back With Moody Mixed Emotions Album ‘ENSOULMENT’

Posted on by JL

New must hear longplayers

12 September 2024

THE THE, the musical project of London‘s veteran psych-pop songsmith
MATT JOHNSON started its journey 45 years ago. The Smiths‘ former
guitar hero Johnny Marr was a TT member for a long time.

Johnson is back with his first proper album, his 7th, titled ENSOULMENT.
The first full length in 24 years. Not that he was lazy inbetween as he scored
a couple of soundtracks and worked on other non-TT related projects.


Album artwork

Press info: “The The’s first studio album of new songs in a quarter century! The 12 songs on Ensoulment encompasses characteristic topics ranging from love and sex, war and politics, life &anddeath – to the meaning of what it is to be human in the 21st century.”

Classic Rock Magazine says: “Sound-wise there’s a gravelly, mature, post-punk bluesiness about The The in 2024, some of the blackness of Johnny Cash. But there are silvery moments
of hopelessness.”

TUTV: Johnson obviously has the blues. Most of the tracks are slowly and midtempo progressing reveries and contemplative musings about then, now and tomorrow. Funky
here and there (like opener Cognitive Dissident), but no sudden flare-ups.

Older and mellower, but still a sharp observer of all things happening around him.
Give Ensoulment a couple of spins and let your ears absorb the mood swings.

SINGLE

ALBUM


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TT: Instagram

MATT JOHNSON And THE THE Release Their First LP In 24 Years Next September – ‘COGNITIVE DISSIDENT’ Is The Bass-Driven First Single

Posted on by JL

Daily noise that works faster than a stream of caffeine

20 May 2024

THE THE, the musical project of London‘s veteran psych-pop songsmith
MATT JOHNSON started its journey 45 years ago. The Smiths‘ former
guitar hero Johnny Marr was a TT member for a long time. The The‘s eight
longplayer NakedSelf is the most recent album. It came out in 2000.

Thereafter, it was time for a pause until 2017, with The The that is, except
for an only download single in 2007. Johnson started writing soundtracks
for several documentaries.

Finally now, the news came in that Johnson wrote/recorded album #9. He named
it ENSOULMENT and it’ll see the day of light on September 6. Pre-order info here.


Album artwork

COGNITIVE DISSIDENT is the first single. Johnson wrote it with guitarist Barrie Cadoga.
It’s a bouncing bass pulsating and foot-stomping groove that draws’ your ears attention from the get-go.

Wake up, people
THE THE is back.

WATCH/LISTEN

STREAM


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THE THE: Linktree

(Image on top: Cover of his live ‘Royal Albert Hall’ album)