THE THE – Ensoulment – CD – 0219537EMU

Despite all the darkness and despair ‘Ensoulment’ registers as a comforting listen overall and in particular the closing elegiac ‘A Rainy Day in May’, with its wordless singalong refrain and tender strings, works like a soothing balm calming our collective worries. Johnson has always known what note to finish an album on, frequently The The album closers are highlights, and it’s reassuring that happy habit has continued here. It would be hard to argue it’s the neat bow that ties up a perfect return, but encouragingly we’re still somewhere close to a ‘perfectly imperfect’ attempt; even if ‘Ensoulment’ proves to be the most substantial ‘parting statement’ Johnson ever gives us, it was well worth him coming out of that self imposed semi-exile to find his voice again.

doofy / Sputnikmusic