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Rating: Mind Bomb is released in 1989.
I consider it the best album by The The. The trio consisting of David Palmer on drums, James Eller on bass, and Johnny Marr, who had previously been part of the Smiths, represent the best in the pop landscape of that historical moment. The voice of the leader, Matt Johnson, seductive and deep, or almost whispered or again sharp and stentorian, is undoubtedly one of the most compelling and interesting of that period.
The melodies are no less. Already in the previous albums, The The had demonstrated their musical eclecticism with references to funk, rock, and soul, just to name a few examples.
The arrangements are varied and very rich, sometimes supported by the piano or accordion, rather unusual instruments in pop sound.
The musical eclecticism mentioned earlier means that the tracks of Mind Bomb are quite different from one another, but often share similar themes. Matt Johnson attacks his world, the Western world, its decadence, and its vices without mincing words. It is a refined plea, just like their sound, as Matt is a cultured and educated person.
Mind Bomb represents one of the peaks of "high" pop of the second half of the 80s, and the subsequent Dusk (1992) will also be noteworthy, and again, it will be musically different, more sparse and introspective but no less valid.
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