Track Listing

1. Uncertain Smile
2. Perfect
3. Sweet Bird Of Truth
4. Infected
5. Heartland
6. Armageddon Days (Are Here Again)
7. The Beat(en) Generation
8. Dogs Of Lust
9. Slow Emotion Replay
10. Love Is Stronger Than Death
11. This Is The Day
12. I Saw The Light
13. December Sunlight
14. Pillar Box Red
15. The Deep Down Truth

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10286 in Music
• Released on: 2004-12-13
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Import

Amazon.co.uk Review
45 RPM is an outstanding collection of The The’s singles dating from the original (i.e., non-Soul Mining versions) of "Uncertain Smile" and "Perfect"--cunning synth-pop songs booby-trapped with furtive personal disaffection--right through to some previously unreleased new material, including a begrudging fondness for "the shallow hugs, the muted rage" of England on "Pillar Box Red", a zither-decorated number subliminally reminiscent of the Specials’ loungey melancholy (and not the first time Johnson has used the dreariness of British weather as a metaphor for his anaesthesias).

In between, there’s plenty of evidence to confirm that Matt Johnson really has provided the most arresting coalescence of harmonica, acoustic guitar and tub-thumping agitprop polemic this side of that free-wheeling Dylan chap.

Brilliantly exploring the dichotomies between ethics and immorality; love and hate; life and death; good and evil, and East and West (regrettably, the increasingly bloody conflict between Islamic fundamentalism and Western liberalism, as annotated on "Sweet Bird Of Truth" and "Armageddon Days", has only increased in relevance in this post-September 11 world), 45RPM is the appropriate album for those who need to vent all that righteous indignation and who frequently turn off the 10 o’clock news in disgust. --Kevin Maidment

Customer Reviews

The The Best Band In The The World
Having been a fan for over twenty years of this magnificent 'band', I was pleased to learn that this, a singles retrospective was to be released featuring all the singles from the early eighties through to the singles releases from The The's latest album 'Naked Self'.
Matt Johnson (the man behind The The) was, and is, a musical genius. He is the master of creating perfect pop songs, with lyrics and music that blow away the term 'pop', and leave you wondering why such masterful creations didn't elevate him to superstar status (not that he ever craved such a status).
The first track, Uncertain Smile, was lauded as one of the singles of the year when it came out in the early eighties. With Matt's blistering lyrics and music, the song builds and builds, and just when you think it is reaching its final crescendo, Mr. Jools Holland, keyboard virtuoso, treats you to four minutes of THE best piano music you are ever likely to hear. An excellent track and one to play to your friends to prove that the eighties were more than just blokes in make up and spandex trousers.
Track 2, Perfect, does what it says on the tin. A marvelous slice of perfect pop, which was originally a single release, but only released on the cassette version of 'Soul Mining' (The The's second album release) so is a welcome addition here.
Track 3, Sweet Bird Of Truth, is from 'Infected (The The's third album) and is a dig at the 'bomb first, ask questions later' brigade. Quite prophetic as twenty years later things have probably changed for the worse, not the better in this respect. An excellent track, making you feel that you are the pilot on this mission, and blood will soon be on your hands.... Matt is quite proud that a fighter pilot contacted him to say that, after listening to this track, he could never pilot a plane again.
Track 4, Infected, is the title track from album number three. a blistering all out aural assault, with drum beats and guitars popping round your ears, some first class lyrics, and probably Mr. Johnson's best known song until recently (tries not to go off on a rant about M&M adverts..)
Track 5, Heartland, is another song with a political stance. The chorus 'This is the 51st state of the USA' says it all really. This is a delicious song, from the opening clatter of guitars through to the wind down at the end. This song, to me, sums up everything that The The are about.
Track 6, Armageddon Days (are here again) is taken from album four (Mind Bomb, which was Johnny Marr's first stint of working with Matt, and was written when they were both 'off on one', to be polite) and is a wonderful song. The start is taken from 'Ballroom Blitz' by Sweet (with Steve Andy and Mick replaced by Jesus, Muhammad and Buddha) and is another political song and one that is spookily still relevant today (Islam is rising, The Christians mobilising, The world is on it's elbows and knees, It's forgotten the message and worships the creeds).
Track 7, The Beat(en) Generation is again culled from Mind Bomb and features some beautiful harmonica playing from Mr. Marr. This song is wonderful and is eerily reminiscent of The Smiths.
Track 8, Dogs Of Lust, is from album five (Dusk, Johnny Marr's second The The album) and starts with Mr. Marr's magnificent harmonica and a thumping bass line from the unusually coiffured Mr James Eller.
Track 9, Slow Emotion Replay is a belter - Mr. Marr's guitar and harmonica are at the forefront here, with Matt's vocals delivered brilliantly.
Track 10, Love Is Stronger Than Death, is a wonderfully haunting song, simple in structure but so cleverly put together that you cannot help falling in love with this song.
Track 11, This Is The Day, was originally featured on Soul Mining, but this remix is probably the better known version (steers clear of M&Ms once again).
Track 12, I Saw The Light, is from album 6 (Hanky Panky, Matt's tribute to Hank Williams. This is probably the best song from that album, in that it is turned into a 'real' The The song. Not a bad single really.
Track 13, December Sunlight (AKA Cried Out), is a lovely song, lifted and revamped from album 7 (Naked Self, on Trent Reznor's label)
Track 14, Pillar Box Red, a non album track, harks back to the days of Heartland, buts puts Mr Johnson's take on missing the old UK. This song is a belter.
Track 15, The Deep Down Truth, is another non album track, and is a real grower. This one is produced by Madness' old producers.

All in all an excellent introduction to The The, and hopefully one that will encourage more people to buy his sublime albums. Buy It!

The The - bloody beautiful
This is one band that is totally underrated. The darkness of the lyrics, simple and easy messages in all its bitter lustful and lonely sounding songs.

I have introduced numerous friends to this band and this album gives a good broad run of the bands music.

The The music is music you go back to again and again and each time you will hear something new. If you have ever wavered and wondered whether to get some of their music, get this. This should then lead you to realise what you have been missing and get the rest of their history.

I cannot recommend them any higher.