The follow-up to The The's landmark 'Soul Mining' was three years in the making before seeing the light of day. Hardly surprising given the fact that the number of musicians involved more than doubled Matt Johnson's previous entourage. 'Infected' may have been more ambitious in that sense but Johnson's vitriol remained undiminished; this time with America as a clear target. Although highly-rated at the time, the arrangements now seem over-busy as the angry statements are buried under synth bass, clunking percussion and unwelcome backing singers. To his credit, Johnson just about keeps his head above water on the brooding intensity of 'Sweet Bird Of Truth' and 'Out Of The Blue (Into The Fire)' both of which recapture the ghosts of past glories. Most other tracks have their moments but their memories are soiled by the - typical of the time - mid-80s artificial-sounding production. Definitely an album that deserves a re-recording rather than a reissue.