"The record that proved they really were going somewhere": Therapy?'s Troublegum, 30 years on

Northern Irish trio Therapy's magnum opus Troublegum returns at 30

Therapy?: Troublegum (30th Anniversary Edition) packshot
(Image: © Proper Records)

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The early 90s was a golden era for iconic albums. From Nirvana's Nevermind to Pantera's Vulgar Display Of Power, the wealth of alt.metal material on display at the time was tremendous. 

Although Troublegum wasn't quite in the same league, it was perhaps one of the last great albums to bookend such a defining period before the tragic death of Kurt Cobain and the inevitable rise of Britpop. For Northern Irish trio Therapy?, this was the record that proved they really were going somewhere, and saw everyone from Ozzy Osbourne to Sting come knocking. 

Therapy? - Nowhere - YouTube Therapy? - Nowhere - YouTube
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And rightly so. Troublegum was a record brimming with rowdy singles like the thunderous Screamager, the throttling Trigger Inside and the hook-laden Nowhere. The trio's rocked up take on Joy Division's Isolation could also have easily been a predictable rehash of the cold synth classic. Instead, much like Gun's guitar cover of Cameo's Word Up! that - same year, it elevated this monumental album's power. 

Available as a double on silver and lavender vinyl, this 30th-anniversary edition features a wealth of B-sides and bonus tracks from the Troublegum studio sessions, including a worthy cover of Judas Priest's Breaking The Law.

Damian Jones

Freelance journalist for Classic Rock, NME, Sky News, Bandcamp Daily, The Sports Network (TSN), NewsBreak, Uncut Magazine, Festival Flyer, The British Music Digest.