THE THE "HEARTLAND" . . . . MATT JOHNSON, ONE OF THE MOST OVERLOOKED, UNDER APPRECIATED SONGWRITERS, SOCIAL COMMENTATORS OF THE DAY . . . . EVERYBODY IN BRITAIN WAS TOO BUSY STICKING THEIR HEADS UP MORRISEY'S ARSE TO NOTICE . . . . OR MAYBE THEY JUST DIDN'T WANT THE UGLY TRUTH . . . . THIS IS THE 51st STATE OF THE U.S.A . . . . BUT IT COULD BE SOOOOO MUCH WORSE.

CULTURAL IMPERIALISM . . . . ONE EMPIRE FALLS, ANOTHER TAKES IT'S PLACE, GOD KNOWS, WE COULD ALL BE SPEAKING MANDARIN AND CANTONESE IN A HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW . . . . "INFECTED" IS AN ALBUM THAT STILL SOUNDS AS FRESH AND VITRIOLIC NOW AS IT DID BACK IN 1986, IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD IT BEFORE, AS OUR MOLLY MELDRUM SAYS, DO YOURSELF A FAVOUR . . . .

MATT JOHNSON DARED TO TACKLE THE BIG ISSUES, WHILE 'THE SMITHS', THE DARLINGS OF THE POMMY MUSIC PRESS AND ALT PUBLIC, MINCED AND POUTED ACROSS THE STAGE WITH MIRRORS IN THEIR HANDS . . . . IF ONLY SOMEBODY HAD STOPPED THEM, STOPPED THEM, STOPPED THEM . . . .

I DO LIKE THE SMITHS, HONEST I DO . . . . JUST WORKS ME UP A POOFTEENTH . . . . ANYWAY, ENJOY THE UGLY TRUTH CARE OF 'THE THE' WITH "HEARTLAND" . . . . SING ALONG ON THE OUTRO . . . . THIS IS THE 51st STATE, OF THE UUUUU - S - AAAAA . . . .



***** TRIVIAL FOOTNOTE . . . . WHEN I FINALLY GOT SEE TO HIM IN THE MID NINETIES, JOHNNY MARR WAS ON GUITAR DUTIES, NOT THAT IT MATTERED, THE LIGHTING GUY GOT SO CARRIED AWAY WITH THE FUCKING SMOKE MACHINE YOU COULDN'T SEE EITHER JOHNSON OR THE BAND . . . . BUT THE SOUND WAS GREAT, THANKS DIPSHIT, HOPE YOU'RE SELLIN YOUR BUM IN THE CROSS !!!