Mind Bomb

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title: "Mind Bomb" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1989-albums", "the-the-albums", "epic-records-albums", "albums-produced-by-roli-mosimann", "albums-produced-by-warne-livesey"] topic_path: "arts/music" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind_Bomb" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox album"]

Field	Value
name	Mind Bomb
type	studio
artist	The The
cover	The The - Mind Bomb CD cover.jpg
border	yes
released	15 May 1989 (UK)
11 July 1989 (US)
genre	Alternative rock, dance-rock, college rock
length	45:59
label	Epic
producer	Warne Livesey, Roli Mosimann, Matt Johnson
prev_title	Infected
prev_year	1986
next_title	Dusk
next_year	1993
misc	{{Singles
name	Mind Bomb
type	studio
single1	The Beat(en) Generation
single1date	1989
single2	Gravitate to Me
single2date	1989
single3	Armageddon Days Are Here (Again)
single3date	1989
single4	Kingdom of Rain
single4date	1989
::

| name = Mind Bomb | type = studio | artist = The The | cover = The The - Mind Bomb CD cover.jpg | border = yes | alt = | released = 15 May 1989 (UK) 11 July 1989 (US) | recorded = | venue = | studio = | genre = Alternative rock, dance-rock, college rock | length = 45:59 | label = Epic | producer = Warne Livesey, Roli Mosimann, Matt Johnson | prev_title = Infected | prev_year = 1986 | next_title = Dusk | next_year = 1993 | misc = {{Singles | name = Mind Bomb | type = studio | single1 = The Beat(en) Generation | single1date = 1989 | single2 = Gravitate to Me | single2date = 1989 | single3 = Armageddon Days Are Here (Again) | single3date = 1989 | single4 = Kingdom of Rain | single4date = 1989 | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1Score = | rev2 = Chicago Tribune | rev2Score = |rev3 = The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |rev3score = |rev4 = MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide |rev4score = | rev6 = Rolling Stone | rev6Score = |rev7 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide |rev7score = Mind Bomb is the third studio album by the English post-punk band the The. It was recorded late 1988 and early '89, and released by Some Bizzare/Epic on 15 May 1989. Mind Bomb is the first of two The The albums to feature guitarist Johnny Marr as a band member.

Critical reception was mixed to positive, and the album peaked at No. 4 on the UK Albums Chart.

Overview

Matt Johnson assembled a full band of the The, retaining his role as singer, primary songwriter, frontman and guitarist (and playing keyboards and other instruments in the studio), and bringing in guitarist Johnny Marr. Johnson had known Marr since the early 1980s, and had attempted to entice him into an earlier version of the The prior to Marr forming the Smiths. Completing the lineup was former Julian Cope band bass guitarist James Eller and session drummer David Palmer (while D.C. Collard provided live keyboards). Additional instrumentation on Mind Bomb was provided by sessioneers, most notably keyboard player Wix.

Instead of the darkly polished dance-pop styling of earlier albums Soul Mining and Infected, Mind Bomb opens up the music to reveal a slow, winding textured world of sound, thanks in no small measure to Marr. Lyrical subjects include politics, religion, and romance. The band would also play a world tour and record a follow-up, Dusk. After that, Johnson dissolved it and went about his business alone again. A remastered version of the album was released in 2002.

Critical reception

The Quietus called the album "slow, expansive, looming into inexorable life with a rage that smouldered rather than flamed." The Encyclopedia of Popular Music called it "bombastic in tone and filled with lyrical diatribes and anti-religious rants allied to distinctly unmelodic songs." In a retrospective review, Stylus Magazine wrote that "it’s easy to let the seemingly prescient relevance of the lyrics to Mind Bomb outweigh the actual music, which would be a shame because, with or without those words, it’s still a great record."

Track listing

Tracks written by Matt Johnson, except where noted.

1. "Good Morning, Beautiful" – 7:28
2. "Armageddon Days Are Here (Again)" – 5:40
3. "The Violence of Truth" – 5:40
4. "Kingdom of Rain" – 5:51
5. "The Beat(en) Generation" – 3:04
6. "August & September" – 5:45
7. "Gravitate to Me" – 8:09 (Johnson, Johnny Marr)
8. "Beyond Love" – 4:22

Personnel

The band

• Matt Johnson – vocals, guitar, keyboards
• Johnny Marr – guitar, harmonica
• James Eller – bass guitar
• David Palmer – drums

Additional musicians

• Sinéad O'Connor – vocals on "Kingdom of Rain"
• Wix Wickens – piano, keyboards, Hammond organ, accordion
• Warne Livesey – keyboards, banjo, acoustic guitar
• Pandit Dinesh – percussion
• Danny Cummings – percussion
• Pedro Haldermann – percussion
• Chris White – saxophone
• Philip Todd – saxophone
• Ashley Slater – trombone
• John Eacott – flugel horn
• Mark Feltham – harmonica
• Danny Thompson – upright bass on "August & September"
• Sarah Homer – clarinet
• Dai Pritchard – bass clarinet
• Hilary Storer – oboe
• Gavyn Wright – Arabian fiddle
• Astarti String Section – strings

Artwork

Artwork and typography by Fiona Skinner. Photography Andrew MacPherson. Back cover image was created to reference photomontagist John Heartfield Der Sinn von Genf The Meaning of Geneva AIZ Cover, Berlin, Germany, 1932

Charts

::data[format=table title="Chart performance for ''Mind Bomb''"] | Chart (1989) | Peak position | US Billboard 200 | |---|---|---| | 138 | | | ::

References

References

1. (20 May 1989). "New Albums".
2. "Mind Bomb | Music Back Catalogue | Official the The Merchandise".
3. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Mind Bomb – The The".
4. Heim, Chris. (10 August 1989). "The The: Mind Bomb (Epic)". [[Chicago Tribune]].
5. (2006). "The Encyclopedia of Popular Music". MUZE.
6. (1999). "MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide". Visible Ink Press.
7. Mack, Bob. (7 September 1989). "The The: Mind Bomb".
8. (1992). "The Rolling Stone Album Guide". Random House.
9. "The The | Biography & History".
10. Buckley, Peter. (February 4, 2003). "The Rough Guide to Rock". Rough Guides.
11. "mind bomb | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company".
12. (22 December 2014). "The Quietus | Features | Anniversary | Scorched Earth: The The's Mind Bomb Revisited".
13. (August 6, 1989). "THE THE "Mind Bomb." Epic: * 1/2 : *Great Balls of Fire: Knockin' On Heaven's *** Good Vibrations ** Maybe Baby * Ain't That a Shame".
14. "The The - Mind Bomb - On Second Thought - Stylus Magazine".
15. "Billboard 200: Week of August 5, 1989".

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