It’s been a healthy twenty-four years since we since the world was last given a proper album from The The, the long-running project of multi-faceted British musician Matt Johnson. Yet, in that two-decade-plus gap, Johnson’s creative juices have clearly been flowing, evidenced by the release of Ensoulment in September. The album is a welcome return for a band that has always maintained a cult following while still sitting in the realm of underrated rock acts. Johnson has also been celebrating the return of The The by gathering some old pals for a tour that is hitting towns he hasn’t played in many years. On Sunday, November 3rd, the tour stopped at the Roseland Theater in Portland, Oregon, marking the band’s first show in the Rose City in twenty-five years.
With no opener, The The would treat Portland to two complete sets, the first of which included a performance of Ensoulment in its entirety. While surely many in attendance would’ve simply preferred a greatest hits set, releasing a new album after so many years felt like a worthy reason to emphasize it. Johnson was clearly proud of these songs as he took the stage and launched right into “Cognitive Dissident” before the lengthily titled “Some Days I Drink My Coffee by the Grave of William Blake.” The latter showcased the slinky, mysterious and almost brooding rock sound that defines much of Ensoulment, with the rich orchestral textures complementing Johnson’s spoken word delivery. Songs like “Zen & the Art of Dating” with its chunky bass line, bluesy undertone, and jagged guitar bursts, and “Kissing the Ring of POTUS” allowed the band to showcase the contrast between their sound on this album and others as they leaned into a subtly complex and moody soundtrack to accompany Johnson’s lounge-singer-meets-bard presence. One of the highlights of the first set was “Risin’ Above The Need,” with its catchy power pop harmonies, and “Linoleum Smooth to the Stockinged Foot,” which saw guitarist Barrie Cadogan creating a trippy desert-psych effect by playing his guitar with a bow string. “Where Do We Go When We Die?” also stood out for Cadogan’s simple yet effective surf-infused guitar, with the chilled-out tone and reflective lyricism encapsulating both the first set and the vibe of Ensoulment as a whole.
Following a short intermission, The The returned to the stage and it was as if they flipped a switch and became a whole new band. If the first set was defined by the stoic, thoughtful tone of the new songs, the second set stood out for injecting the show with a bolt of energy as Johnson took the audience through a career-spanning journey that stretched back forty years. Anyone doubting Johnson’s ability to tap into the youthful vigor of his 80s and 90s catalog was quickly reassured after the band opened with the hyperactive dance-anthem of “Infected” with its barrage of drum effects, and the bouncy pop-rock of “Armageddon Days Are Here (Again).” “Heartland” carried a playful tango tone while “August & September” found Johnson showcasing his class as a performer as he serenaded the crowd, with the latter seeing DC Collard step out with flourishes of otherworldly harmonica. Johnson even invited the crowd to sing along on songs like “Slow Emotion Replay” with its simple drum machine and bright guitar soloing and “This Is The Day,” one of The The’s best-known tunes that shined with Cadogan’s layers of surfy guitar and Collard’s omnichord giving it the sound of a magical accordion. “Dogs Of Lust” followed with a burst of psyched-out garage rock, while “Sweet Bird Of Truth” swelled with 80s glory.
Stretching past the two-hour mark, the band returned to the stage with two of their most beloved and energetic songs. “Uncertain Smile” married New Wave and catchy alt-rock, with Johnson’s vocals sounding stronger than ever and Collard deviated from the soaring synths to lay down a jazzy and grooving piano solo. After humoring the audience to yell song requests, Johnson closed the evening in fine fashion with fitting approval as he led the band through a version of “Giant” dripping with disco electro-funk goodness. This final moment of danceable fun was not only an energetic way to close the show but also provided the fans with a reminder of just how eclectic and diverse The The’s sound has been over their four decades making music.
