Overlooked & Highly Recommended...

[Old Man Riva]

I give you Mind Bomb by The The.

I had my head turned by Infected after Channel 4 showed a late-night film in 1986 documenting each track and was blown away - I then had to wait three years for Mind Bomb.

Unapologetically political throughout, lyrically I don't think Matt Johnson was ever better - covering the perils of organised religion (Islam fundamentalism vs. Christianity), bitter breakdown of relationships, and "the politics of greed" amongst other cheery topics.

It features Johhny Marr, Danny Thompson, a great performance by Sinead O'Connor on one track and wonderful bass playing by the 'overlooked and highly recommended' James Eller throughout.

It even manages to include a pastiche on Sweet's Ballroom Blitz and replace the opening "Steve", "Andy" and "Mick" line with "Jesus", "Buddha", "Muhammad" - one for the older viewers!

Not really a 'Sunday morning album', it's one of those albums that is best digested in a solitary fashion, played from start to finish in the order Mr Johnson intended and through headphones for the full solitary effect.

Here's the opening track, Good Morning Beautiful;

So, anyone else got any recommendations that fall under the 'overlooked and highly recommended' category that you feel should be embraced by the knowing souls on here?

Edited November 18, 2018 by Old Man Riva

[YouMa]

Uncertain smile was fantastic off soul mining. i didnt like infected but Mind bomb was brilliant. I love Kingdom of rain.

[Little Dragon]

Spoiler

Seen them in Newcastle recently. Left in  a state of awe.

 

[kendall]

I love TheThe, Soul Mining remains one of favourite 'maudlin' albums.  Dusk is another underrated classic of theirs.  

[super al]

I must check out The The, I remember them from TOTP but never ventured into buying any of their stuff (I was young and unsophisticated!).

My "overlooked" album would be Jellyfish's debut Bellybutton. Among my diet of RHCP, Faith No More, PWEI and the WonderStuff this band crossed my path one night in a boozer in Andover (told you I was unsophisticated). Back in 1990 some pubs had video jukeboxes and 'the king is half undressed' came on, blew my tiny mind!

I bought the LP, taped it (I think PWEI's cure for sanity was on the other side of a C90) then played it endlessly in my rusty old mini van everywhere I went. I think my mates enjoyed it or they were just tolerating it until the Poppies came on 🙉

It's a great pop album that crossed over into my alternative universe, catchy songs by a band not taking themselves too seriously. A little bit XTC, a little bit of Wings, maybe 10cc. Still love it now.

 

[ahpook]

One of Mrs. Pook's favourite albums.

[Barking Spiders]

+1 here for Mind Bomb though I do prefer Infected especially the banging title track. The version to get is the 2 CD one which includes the 12" version.