The The
Dusk

As they say in these cases, it was a genuine "heart-stopping" moment that I experienced this morning when I read that, after a full sixteen years of complete absence, Matt Johnson has decided to resume live activities with his The The. Curious about such an important, at least for me, piece of news, I opened the band's official page and it was a moment of true emotion: Matt lost his beloved father last June 2nd and wanted to dedicate a touching tribute to him, accompanied by two beautiful and meaningful images. Edward Charles, like my father, was an "old man" from 1932.

Matt's love for music began very early thanks to a childhood spent largely in the family pub located in London's East End, where artists, especially Blues ones, of the time played; "I perceived the music from upstairs through the small dumbwaiter that transported the food; when our pub was closed, my brother and I played the instruments found on stage." These are Matt's youthful memories; a shy and brooding character, his. With a strong sense of melancholy that can be observed in much of his excellent musical career.

A discography not too extensive in terms of publications as one might expect from such an important figure for a certain type of Rock-Soul-Pop that came out of England between the eighties and nineties. At least three masterpieces that I now recommend to all the debaserians who do not know Matt: Soul Mining (1983), Infected (1986), and Mind Bomb (1989).

In January 1993, the discographic return was marked by the release of the equally valid Dusk, which has only one flaw, namely its brief duration of only 41 minutes; the work of Matt's artistic maturity, for the second time in his career helped by a certain Johnny Marr on guitar.

And it is Johnny's harmonica played to the fullest that provides auditory wonders in the dynamic and seductive Pop-Rock of "Slow Emotion Replay," with that six-string riff that unequivocally recalls the best period of the Smiths' stellar duo Morrissey-Marr. A perfect song embellished by a vocal refrain that sticks to you and doesn't leave your head and soul; in my case, it has been happening for twenty-five years now... Everybody knows what's going wrong with the world But I don't even know what's going on in myself...

It's the album of partial success even in terms of sales; musical stories of desires, failures, redemption. Nocturnal, livid songs that look at the sunset and the faint light of the evening that is destined to fade; embellished by that masterful approach to the much-loved Black Music.

The brooding Soul with Gospel undertones of "Love is Stronger Than Death," the Hard Blues of "Dogs of Lust," the evocative cathartic grandeur of the almost mirror-like "Helpline Operator" and "Sodium Light Baby." A concluding "Lonely Planet" capable of putting Matt's voice in the foreground, so loaded, so dense, so Black and warm.

Even in this case, thanks to the very latest news about the band, my rating is the highest possible.

Exceptional The The.

Ad Maiora.