Dusk - The The (1993)

Quality or nostalgia: was younger me onto something, or just on something?

There’s no other pop artist I know of as dedicated to the search for spiritual truth as Matt Johnson, the brain behind The The.

The lyrics for all of the band’s 90s records go in depth on searching for meaning in life and examining how religion and faith both shape and distort our world.

Oh, and the music shoves. This is not some whispy singer songwriter situation. The band is rock solid and has a massive sound. Johnson’s vocals snarl and swoon, and the emotional impact is immediate and affecting.

So is it Quality or Nostalgia?

I will never not love this record.

Tracks I Liked

Dogs Of Lust - a creepy and sultry ode to desire

Helpline Operator - like other songs of a similar nature, possibly about help lines or possibly about phone sex. Never sure which. A great slinky beat though.

Lonely Planet - If you can’t change the world, change yourself.