This greedy, unpleasant land wraps itself in a flag
Pretending its freedom – a dictatorship in drag
The forever wars, tyrannical laws
The coup d’états with probable cause
All revealed to little more than polite applause
In 1808, English artist/poet/mystic William Blake unleashed the stirring Jerusalem, from the preface to his epic Milton: A Poem in Two Books, part of his collection of writings known as the Prophetic Books. Its theme ties into the Book of Revelation (3:12 and 21:2), hinting at a Second Coming, where Christ ushers in a New Jerusalem, a place of perfect peace and love. Blake questions whether the presence of Christ once briefly turned England into heaven, starkly contrasting with the “dark Satanic Mills” of the Industrial Revolution and warning of the marring of the peaceful, pastoral landscapes of Albion. In it, Blake poses four questions, not claiming Christ’s visit as fact, but rather prompting us to imagine an ideal society in England, regardless of any divine presence. The first two are as follows:
Nearly two hundred years later, in 1988, Frank Tovey (Fad Gadget) took another gander at Blake’s prophetic vision of the ‘green and pleasant land’ with his own haunting prophecy, New Jerusalem. Here, the dream of a perfect heaven on earth has vanished, replaced by a grim dystopia of a world in decay—a stark scenario that feels all too familiar in today’s relentless news cycle.
Tovey’s unsettling vision aligns closely with the reflective grief of Some Days I Drink My Coffee By The Grave of William Blake, the striking new single from The The’s Ensoulment—their first album in 24 years. Don’t be deceived by the mellow groove and Matt Johnson’s deep, whispering croon; this charged political anthem revisits Blake’s prophecy, grappling with the harsh reality of a post-industrial world and the violent politics that ensnare us. Johnson stands as a modern oracle, much like Blake, as he navigates the wreckage of a broken society and warns of what’s yet to come.
“I have often drunk my coffee by the grave of William Blake – though these days there are actually two gravestones dedicated to him in the small dissenters’ cemetery that he was thrown into when he died,” says frontman Matt Johnson. “On and off over the last 40 years I have lived close by and have always found it an inspiring place to sit and meditate upon life. Nostalgia is part of the human condition and change is inevitable in our lives and in the world around us. Large capital cities such as London often amplify the sense of change, although one thing that never seems to change is the cynicism of those in power.”
The main melody harkens back to the classic Animals song House of the Rising Sun, with its jazz drumming, organ, and eerie English folk inspiration, with a dash of Leonard Cohen, PJ Harvey, and Nick Cave for good measure. Some Days I Drink My Coffee By The Grave of William Blake paints a bleak picture of a London that’s long lost its soul, a city draped in grief where the sun hangs low and church bells toll like a dirge. We sit pondering by William Blake’s grave, amidst a nation in decline—”perfidious Albion”—a place where greed cloaks itself in patriotism and freedoms are façades, masking a deeper rot. Words have become weapons, truth is twisted into lies, and dissent is gagged. Blake’s once-mystic imagery of “burning gold” clouds and the inevitable fall of this “unpleasant land” now strikes like a warning bell, a call to see through the deceit before it’s too late.
The video, directed by Tim Pope—who helmed most of The The’s iconic clips in the ’80s and early ’90s—features a stripped-down acoustic set from the band, reminding us of a good old fashioned pub singalong or a campfire lullaby.
Watch the video for “Some Days I Drink My Coffee By The Grave Of William Blake” below:
Conceived in 1979 by Matt Johnson, THE THE stands as a quintessential avant-garde British post-punk ensemble, renowned for their ever-evolving sound and pushing creative boundaries. Their debut, 1983’s Soul Mining, melded rock, funk, and electronic elements, signaling their genre-defying ambition. Critical triumphs followed with Infected three years later, then Mind Bomb in 1989. Featuring thought-provoking lyrics and groundbreaking videos, THE THE has retained a steadfast following despite extended absences, always resurfacing with fresh and potent artistic expressions.
Written, demoed, and mixed at Studio Cinéola in London, the creative haven of Matt Johnson, the driving force behind THE THE, Ensoulment promises a thoughtful and poignant exploration of these timeless topics. This twelve-song collection marks THE THE’s return to the studio, with the release set for Friday, 6 September 2024, under the Cinéola/earMUSIC label.
The songs were further refined in rehearsals ahead of a six-day session at Real World Studios near Bath, where Matt was joined by long-standing THE THE members James Eller (bass), DC Collard (keyboards), Earl Harvin (drums), and Barrie Cadogan (lead guitar). The album also marks the return of co-producer and engineer Warne Livesey, who previously worked on Infected (1986) and Mind Bomb (1989).
Now, THE THE unveils Ensoulment, their first collection of new material in a quarter century. This forthcoming new album tackles enduring themes of love, sex, war, politics, life, and death, delving into the essence of what it means to be human in our times.
Bring us our arrows of desire! The The will kick off their Ensouled world tour on September 10 in Oslo, performing Ensoulment in its entirety, followed by a second set of classics—some of which haven’t been played live in decades.
Check out the full list of tour dates below.
The The Tour Dates:
- 9/10 – Sentrum Scene – Oslo, Norway
- 9/11 – Sentrum Scene – Oslo, Norway SOLD OUT
- 9/13 – Filadelfia – Stockholm, Sweden
- 9/14 – Store Vega – Copenhagen, Denmark SOLD OUT
- 9/15 – Store Vega – Copenhagen, Denmark SOLD OUT
- 9/17 – Huxleys – Berlin, Germany
- 9/18 – Carlswerk Victoria – Köln, Germany
- 9/19 – Ancienne Belgique – Brussels, Belgium SOLD OUT
- 9/21 – De Roma – Antwerp, Belgium SOLD OUT
- 9/22 – Paradiso – Amsterdam, Netherlands SOLD OUT
- 9/23 – Paradiso – Amsterdam, Netherlands SOLD OUT
- 9/25 – Usher Hall – Edinburgh, Scotland SOLD OUT
- 9/27 – The Civic At The Halls – Wolverhampton, England
- 9/28 – Alexandra Palace – London, England SOLD OUT
- 9/30 – O2 Apollo – Manchester, England SOLD OUT
- 10/1 – O2 Academy Brixton – London, England
- 10/11 – Tabernacle – Atlanta, GA
- 10/12 – Durham Performing Arts – Durham, NC
- 10/14 – The Anthem – Washington, DC
- 10/15 – The Fillmore – Philadelphia, PA
- 10/17 – Beacon Theatre – New York, NY
- 10/19 – Orpheum Theatre – Boston, MA
- 10/20 – MTELUS – Montreal, QC
- 10/22 – Massey Hall – Toronto, ON
- 10/23 – Masonic Cathedral Theatre – Detroit, MI
- 10/25 – The Salt Shed – Chicago, IL SOLD OUT
- 10/26 – Palace Theatre – St. Paul, MN
- 10/29 – Mission Ballroom – Denver, CO
- 10/30 – Eccles Theater – Salt Lake City, UT
- 11/2 – Paramount Theatre – Seattle, WA
- 11/3 – Roseland Theater – Portland, OR
- 11/4 – Orpheum – Vancouver, BC
- 11/7 – Fox Theater – Oakland, CA
- 11/8 – Shrine Auditorium – Los Angeles, CA
- 11/14 – Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre – Auckland, New Zealand SOLD OUT
- 11/16 – Palais Theatre, Melbourne, Australia SOLD OUT
- 11/17 – Palais Theatre, Melbourne, Australia
- 11/18 – Hindley Street Music Hall, Adelaide, Australia
- 11/21 – Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia
- 11/22 – Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia
- 11/23 – Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane, Australia SOLD OUT
- 11/24 – Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane, Australia
- 11/27 – Fremantle Arts Centre, Perth, Australia
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