After a decade of inactivity, The The is back with its second album in just two years, another film score, this time for the documentary “Moonbug,” about photographer Steve Pyke’s journey to document America’s space pioneers, bandleader Matt Johnson announced today on the group’s newly revamped website.
The 17-track album, which was first mentioned last year, is now for sale via The The’s website, and is packaged in an 80-page hardback edition featuring Pyke’s portraits of the Apollo astronauts, an interview with Pyke by Johnson (read an excerpt) and notes from director Nichola Bruce.
The record follows the 2010 release of The The’s soundtrack to the serial-killer film “Tony.” Johnson debuted two of the new tracks — “Driving Through” and “Leaving Earth” — on his “Radio Cineola” podcast in August 2010 (that episode, and others, can be sampled and purchased in full here).
And speaking of “Radio Cineola,” after taking 2011 off, Johnson has re-started the podcast series, although it does not appear to be monthly this time around. In January, a new episode appeared on the band’s site, with, as usual, some unreleased music from Johnson’s The The vaults.
Below, check out a trailer for The The’s Moonbug.
Tracklist: The The, Moonbug
1. “The Evening Star”
2. “Shadows of Time”
3. “Leaving Earth”
4. “Night Flight”
5. “Electric Moonlight”
6. “Sea of Dust”
7. “Butterfly Wings”
8. “Dark Summer Day”
9. “Earth Rise”
10. “Between Moons”
11. “Forbidden Planet”
12. “Alien Tongues”
13. “Strange Sensations”
14. “Audience”
15. “Blind Spirit”
16. “The Evening Star (Reprise)”
17. “Coming Home”
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- The The to release ‘Moonbug’ score
- The The airs tracks from unreleased ‘Gun Sluts,’ ‘2 Blocks Below Canal’ albums
- Matt Johnson’s The The releases ‘Tony: A Soundtrack,’ first new album in decade
- The The’s Matt Johnson debuts track from unreleased 1979 album ‘Spirits’
- The The’s Matt Johnson previews new music with debut ‘Radio Cineola’ broadcast
- Matt Johnson’s The The set to release ‘Tony’ film soundtrack album in January
Is Matt Johnson done singing? It’s a little disappointing to see vocalists like Johnson and Tom Bailey abandon making songs strictly for instrumental scores. Just curious if there is anything of a vocal nature here. Tks.
I, too, am not jumping up and down on my chair… And I’m a huge The The fan… I love his atmospheric works, but they have to be off-set by crafty pop music!
Exactly Frank. I miss that immaculate fusion of Dusk, a fine example of atmosphere and lyricism. Miss it.
Tony wasn’t very interesting as a cd release, but was very well packaged, I bought this for the same reason!