The The, Matt Johnson’s longstanding post-punk and new wave band, has not released a new studio album since 2000’s NakedSelf, opting instead to compose a new movie score every few years. But the band — which has rotated through many members over the year, including Johnny Marr and Gail Ann Dorsey — is back in action. A new The The album called Ensoulment will arrive in September, and you can hear its opening track “Cognitive Dissident” now.
This time around, Johnson was joined by longtime bandmates James Eller (bass), DC Collard (keyboards), Earl Harvin (drums), and Barrie Cadogan (lead guitar). “Cognitive Dissident” is a cowrite between Johnson and Cadogan, but Eller’s bass looms large in this one. Listen below, where you can also check out the The’s tour dates, including a newly announced North American run.
TRACKLIST:
01 “Cognitive Dissident”
02 “Some Days I Drink My Coffee By The Grave Of William Blake”
03 “Zen & The Art Of Dating”
04 “Kissing The Ring Of POTUS”
05 “Life After Life”
06 “I Want To Wake Up With You”
07 “Down By The Frozen River”
08 “Risin’ Above The Need”
09 “Linoleum Smooth To The Stockinged Foot”
10 “Where Do We Go When We Die?”
11 “I Hope You Remember (the things I can’t forget)”
12 “A Rainy Day In May”
TOUR DATES:
08/21 – Cambridge, England @ Cambridge Junction
08/22 – Norwich, England @ The Waterfront Norwich
08/23 – Holmfirth, England @ Picturedrome
08/25 – Dublin, Ireland @ National Museum Of Ireland
09/10 – Oslo, Norway @ Sentrum Scene
09/11 – Oslo, Norway @ Sentrum Scene
09/13 – Stockholm, Sweden @ Filadelfia
09/14 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Store Vega
09/15 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Store Vega
09/17 – Berlin, Germany @ Huxleys
09/18 – Köln, Germany @ Carlswerk Victoria
09/19 – Brussels, Belgium @ Ancienne Belgique
09/21 – Antwerp, Belgium @ De Roma
09/22 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso
09/23 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso
09/25 – Edinburgh, Scotland @ Usher Hall
09/27 – Wolverhampton, England @ The Civic At The Halls
09/28 – London, England @ Alexandra Palace
09/30 – Manchester, England @ O2 Apollo
10/01 – London, England @ O2 Academy Brixton
10/11 – Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
10/12 – Durham, NC @ Durham Performing Arts
10/14 – Washington, DC @ The Anthem
10/15 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore
10/17 – New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre
10/19 – Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theatre
10/20 – Montreal, QC @ MTELUS
10/22 – Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall
10/23 – Detroit, MI @ Masonic Cathedral Theatre
10/25 – Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed
10/26 – St. Paul, MN @ Palace Theatre
10/29 – Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom
10/30 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Eccles Theater
11/02 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
11/03 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
11/04 – Vancouver, BC @ Orpheum
11/07 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
11/08 – Los Angeles, CA @ Shrine Auditorium
11/14 – Auckland, New Zealand @ Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre
11/16 – Melbourne, Australia @ Palais Theatre
11/17 – Melbourne, Australia @ Palais Theatre
11/18 – Adelaide, Australia @ Hindley Street Music Hall
11/21 – Sydney, Australia @ Sydney Opera House
11/22 – Sydney, Australia @ Sydney Opera House
11/23 – Brisbane, Australia @ Fortitude Music Hall
11/24 – Brisbane, Australia @ Fortitude Music Hall
11/27 – Perth, Australia @ Fremantle Arts Centre
Ensoulment is out 9/6 via Cineola/earMUSIC. Pre-order it here.