TheThe

TheThe was essentially Matt Johnson's project, a vehicle for his particular blend of post-punk restlessness and lyrical intensity. He started releasing music under that name in the early 1980s, with albums like 'Burning Blue Soul' and 'Soul Mining' establishing a sound that was both melancholic and sonically adventurous. A song like 'This Is The Day' from that period captures that mix of introspection and a certain pop sensibility.

Johnson worked with a shifting group of musicians over time, including keyboardist Jools Holland and, notably, Johnny Marr of The Smiths on guitar for a period. The 1986 album 'Infected' and the later 'Dusk' from 1993 showed different sides of the project, moving from a more aggressive, politically charged sound toward something with more orchestral elements. The music often dealt with themes of alienation and spiritual unease, as heard in tracks like 'Armageddon Days (Are Here Again)' and 'Angels Of Deception'.