Tag: Tears For Fears

Posted in Album Reviews

Tears For Fears – The Hurting (Expanded Version) (1999)

Posted on by Michael

Formed from the ashes of first band Graduate, Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith teamed up again for Tears For Fears in 1981. Whereas other British synth bands would fit neatly into the new romantic era, Tears For Fears songs were filled with heavy emotions based partly on the work of author Arthur Janov (primal therapy) and deep seeded scars from childhood traumas. There is a black and white starkness to their first record, 1983’s The Hurting but it is also warmed up by various instrumental effects that give it a pop sheen.

This is shown impressively on first single “Mad World”. A top three hit in the UK, it’s an emotional song with Smith’s beautiful, soft vocals in the first verse that turn more forceful in the chorus as he sings “I find it kind of funny, I find it kind of sad/The dreams in which I’m dying/Are the best I’ve ever had”.  The pace really picks up in the second verse, where the song written by Orzabal in his Bath apartment would fit in well on the darker corners of the dancefloor.

The duo both sing the title track where the vocals give it a bit of a pop feel even as they sing, “learn to cry like a baby/Then the hurting won’t come back”. “Pale Shelter” was an earlier single re-recorded for the album, the standout song warmed up by an acoustic guitar. The chorus of “Suffer The Children” about the innocence of kids needing to be loved blasts out of the speakers. Third single “Change” was a world wide hit and for many, their introduction to the band. The distinctive keyboard running throughout the track made for a memorable initiation into their world, one with the pre chorus line of “It’s all too late” providing a lyrical hook.

It’s remarkable that an album of such lyrical depth and emotion became a mainstream hit. Such was the sound of the album that it was impossible to deny the hooks. “Mad World” would turn up again years later in a haunting version on the Donnie Darko soundtrack, this time sending the song to the top of the charts. The expanded version adds alternate versions of the singles + “The Way You Are (Extended Version)”.  The Hurting is an album that can fit into any era and today still sounds just as relevant as ever.

9/10

Posted in Listed

Favourite Albums of 2022

Posted on by Michael

5. Tears for Fears – The Tipping Point: The duo of Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith returned in 2022 in a big way. A new album, planned tour (that unfortunately had to be cancelled), and numerous TV appearances. The centrepiece of the year was The Tipping Point. The light electronics mixed with traditional instruments on tracks such as “The Master Plan” for both a mature and bright sounding pop album.

4. Lightning Seeds – See You In The Stars: Ian Broudie returned to his Lightning Seeds moniker for the first time in well over 10 years. The result was a terrific pop album bursting with sunny melodies and scratchy vocals. Tracks such as single “Great To Be Alive” reminded listeners of how positive life can be regardless of the news. It was the album many of us didn’t know we needed until we did.

3. Wet Leg – Wet Leg: In many ways, this feels like a 2021 album as four singles were released a year ago. Since then, Wet Leg has taken the indie rock world by storm with sold out shows and appearances on nearly everyone’s year end list. The duo still managed to save the blasts of “Ur Mom” and “Angelica” for 2022 along with several strong album tracks.

2. Liam Gallagher – C’mon You Know: Right from the first moments of the 60s like children’s choir opening, Gallagher’s third solo album was an unexpected powerhouse. As his brother Noel notes, Liam has kept 90s rock alive and well with a younger generation eating it up. “Better Days” has the strut of a quality Oasis tune while “Moscow Rules” co-written with Ezra Koenig opened up further depths to his sound. Liam’s quality control rarely let him down here on a terrific set of 2022 rock tunes.

1. Beach House – Once Twice Melody: The eighth album from the Baltimore duo of Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally ran an ambitious 84 minutes with four separate chapters. Highlights include the title track, “Only You Know”, and “Hurts To Love”. While the formula does not stray too far from their atmospheric, indie rock, Beach House manage to explore new vistas of sound. With a lengthier run time, it is easy to submerge in this luxiourously expanded album.

Posted in Listed

10 Favourite Songs of 2022

Posted on by Michael

10. Yard Act – The Overload: I came across this track through Cillian Murphy’s recommendation on his excellent BBC podcast. The band from Leeds mixes several different genres and on the title track of their debut album, really nail their outsider status with a few pop hooks.

9. Wet Leg – Angelica: The duo from the Isle of Wight saved one of the best tracks from their debut album for a 2022 release. The energetic track really takes off when the drums explode as they sing of Angelica going to a party. Another slice of indie rock perfection from the breakout act of 2022.

8. Taylor Swift (Feat. Lana Del Rey) – Snow On The Beach: A highlight from the Swift’s highly successful Midnights album was her collaboration with Lana Del Rey. While Lana is used sparingly, she adds a bit of texture to a song that would not sound out of place on either of their albums. Hopefully this is just the first of many tracks the two work on together.

7. Tears For Fears – Long, Long, Long Time: Curt Smith takes over the vocals on this midtempo track that adds Carina Round in the chorus. Smith turns in an excellent vocal performance over a bed of shimmering synths and electronic beats. The track is one of several highlights from their very good album, The Tipping Point.

6. Fontaines D.C. – I Love You: The moody track was the second song released from the band’s very good third album, Skinty Fia. It’s a hauntingly atmospheric track that really suits singer Grian Chatten’s deadpan delivery. The love song to Dublin is like one from beyond the grave.

5. Lightning Seeds – Great To Be Alive: This jangly piece of indie pop was the first song that many had heard from Ian Broudie in several years. The upbeat track was an unusual slice of sunshine in an otherwise hard slog for many people that was 2022. Co-written with James Skelly from The Coral, it is never anything than uplifting.

4. Liam Gallagher – Moscow Rules: The third Gallagher solo album had several bangers and highlights. “Moscow Rules”, co-written with Ezra Koenig from Vampire Weekend, was more understated. The atmospheric track sees Liam turn in a very good vocal performance that gets amped up in the chorus as soon as the drum kicks in. With songs like this, the younger Gallagher can leave a few Oasis tunes off the setlist and add in more solo work.

3. Suede – She Still Leads Me On: Called their punk rock record, Suede released a very good album in Autofiction. One of the highlights was the first track about singer Brett Anderson’s complicated relationship with his mother. To hear him sing with this much passion about something so personal was awe inspiring as the band rocks behind him. Excellent stuff from the legendary band.

2. Beach House – Only You Know: One of the highlights from the second half of the excellent 2022 album from Beach House, “Only You Know” was never released as a single. The cascading synths match Victoria Legrand’s repeated vocals before the tumbling drums appear. A characteristically atmospheric track that easily glides along a celestial plane. The line, “every disaster comes faster and faster” is one of many that can get lodged in a listener’s head for days.

1. Taylor Swift – Anti-Hero: One of the biggest pop tracks of the year deserved all it’s attention. The inward looking track features several moments of clever wordplay that the internet would turn into many memes, specifically as Swift sings, “It’s me/hi/I’m the problem, it’s me”. That is followed by the devastating line, “I’ll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror”. It’s something many of us could do more of in 2023. Nice work, Taylor!

Posted in Album Reviews

Tears For Fears – The Tipping Point (2022)

Posted on by Michael

Reading websites that focus on reissues, Tears For Fears’ The Seeds of Love was something of a holy grail of albums waiting for the deluxe treatment.  It finally came out in 2020 and with a Greatest Hits album from 2017, the duo were back in the public eye. While their 2004 reunification barely caused a ripple, The Tipping Point seems to have struck a chord with old and new fans alike.

Appearing on several TV shows and in videos, Smith looks healthy and tanned, Orzabal wise with a longer hair and a greying beard.  The sound has a mature feel with light electronics sprinkled throughout. The duo ease the listener into the album with the acoustic guitar of “No Small Thing”. First single and title track, adds those electronics to the mix with a cascading guitar on a song about Orzabal’s wife who had recently passed away.  “So who’s that ghost knockin’ at my door?/you know that I can’t love you more”.  His relationship with his wife is touched on again later on “Please Be Happy” where Orzabal sings the heartbreaking line, “I still believe this love can grow”.

For “Long, Long, Long Time”, Smith takes over the vocals with help from Carina Round on the chorus that provides a nice change of sound.  The feminist theme of “Break the Man” is obscured for the casual listener by a poptastic chorus. “Master Plan” takes on a more expansive sound on the late album highlight. With plenty of great tracks to choose from, Orzabal and Smith have made a classy album nearly 40 years on from their debut.

8/10