Songs From The Big Chair

Shout, shout. Let a fart out. Though this album doesn't smell like grandma's bathroom, it does sound like she's saying gentle goodbye to brown after her Metamucil supplement. The power of the saxophone is wide ranging, and it affects people differently. Generally when I hear it, I have the urge to punch it in the face, but hey, this is the music of the 80's and people did things differently back then. We have to accept it and learn from mistakes of the past. Aside from the tender ooze of that wretched instrument, I found the album to be out of place, not fitting in any singular world. I hated the bulk of it, but I really loved the smaller bits which more than made up for the forgettable stuff. You just can't throw the baby out with the bathwater anymore... ask grandma.

already recently relistened - 8/10

Big chair. Bigger songs. Much like some of this album’s equally overblown contemporaries - The Police’s “Synchronicity”, a-ha’s “Hunting High and Low”, Genesis’s “Invisible Touch” - it’s a decent record elevated by some excellent blockbuster singles. The rest of the material can be a little patchy, but mostly pulls through. The production is everything we now think of as the 1980s to the nth degree: gated drums saturated in reverb, synthesised bass and some fretless work, corny woodwind synths and orchestra hits… it’s all there. It makes for a dramatic foundation for Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith to sing over, though I’d argue it’s never better employed than in the leading track, “Shout”. “Shout” is a formidable opener, full of gravity and drama, though it starts on about a level 7 and doesn’t give much room for build-up: an even steeper crescendo would have done wonders. “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”, the single which has perhaps immortalised Tears for Fears more than any other, is a classic example of an album’s biggest hit being hastily written, recorded and slapped on in the last few days. It feels a little more spontaneous, and everything about it works perfectly, crystallising the band’s pop pretensions in an efficient two-chord shuffle. The middle-eight sends it to the heavens. “Songs…” also deserves a special mention for its perfect intertwining of “Broken” and “Head Over Heels”. Foreshadowing the latter’s riff lifts “Broken” so much beyond a mere filler piece: it would have been great to hear similar repeated motifs throughout the album to hang it all together a little more. And for my money, “Head Over Heels” is the essential cut here: bold, wistful, chaotic, theatrical. The rest are a curious bunch, revealing the band digging deeper and yielding some treasure and some fossilised crap. “Listen” is refreshingly subtle and ethereal: an intriguing closing track with its incantation at the end, loosely translating as “Birthday girl, don’t worry”. A reassurance, a mantra, a prayer echoing into a swirling void. “Mothers Talk”, the album’s lead single, is a fun bass workout, but has not quite stood the test of time on account of its suffocating drums and cheesy orchestra hits. On the other hand, “I Believe” is absolutely turgid and spends five minutes going nowhere. On the whole, while some of the low points are difficult to sit through, the highs balance it out and make for an enjoyable listen. Scraping a 4 mostly thanks to the brilliance of “Head Over Heels”.

Really interesting pop album here. Their voices get a little dreary to listen to over the course of an entire album, but the instrumentation is cool. Favorite track: The Working Hour

This album is a significant upgrade in all aspects and the view from the plateau must have been a fine one. Still prefer their first album, not as good but sprinkled with freshness.

Hmmm... I was expecting to find this exhausting, but maybe I'm turning, slowly, into a Tears for Fears fan. I appreciate how emotive the vocals are, and the instrumentation is layered and rich. Some of the songs are too intense - or too "80's" for me - but this album is chock-full of hits, some of which I really like - "Head Over Heels" to be specific. I guess I've heard it in enough movies and shows that I like that it's finally worn me down. I'm not quite "fan" status but I can tell I'm getting close.

Peak 80s new wave. Even though it is very 80s, it is so in a good way. Solid hits and catchy songs that most people already know, but the album is full of them.

Some songs repetitive, overall great vibe

very good

Belter

a legendary 80s album with some truly iconic hits. deep, echo-y, and delicious, with a few songs that slightly overstay their welcome. the sound of mostly upbeat pastel nostalgia

Just very good all the way around. One disagrees with the editors that “Head Over Heels” is the standout here; it’s good enough but feels too obvious and cloying a singalong (which is to say too many girls liked it back in the day). “Everybody Wants to Rule” is tops among a very accomplished set of songs. “The Working Hour” is wonderful and “Shout” (like “EWTRTW”) somehow stood up to just massive overplaying. “I Believe” is lovely and the closer “Listen” suggests to me how the band wanted to be heard (i.e., serious and thoughtful). T4F have always had a vision and executed it effectively and with meaningful emotional impact across their oeuvre (though occasionally overindulged themselves). Re their other work: don’t sleep on the “The Hurting,” a very strong and under-appreciated record, darker with goth touches and without the maximalist (and psychedelia-adjacent) bent of later records. A case can be made that it’s at least as good as Big Chair and perhaps better (on certain days of week, in certain moods). Seeds of Love is underrated, too (though the charge of being overdone applies more persuasively there). Even the new record (2022) recommends itself. Lingering ‘80s cheese factor and too much success might hurt their reputation a bit, but T4F are a substantive and (one daresays) an important band. Substantively more than a 4 but not just a tick short of a 5.

I was never a huge fan of TFF at the time, but over the years I have come to think of Shout as one of the very best songs of the 1980s. It has everything, masterfully arranged and produced, and just makes me go YES! every time I hear it. Did I mention it also has one of my all time favourite guitar solos too? With that as a starting track, I was primed to love this album. As it turns out, I liked the album. Some of it a lot, some of it less (including the 2nd track, which just makes me think of Simple Minds and the whole “more reverb, more reverb!” 80s thing). On balance it’s probably 3.5 stars, but I may come back and listen to most of it again, skipping a track or two, so rounding up to 4.

Sooooooooo 1980s. This album is totally of its time, but still sounds really damn great. The production and recording quality is second to none, and really serves the excellent songs. I know they feel Everybody Wants To Rule the World was a throw-away, quick and dirty (minimal) effort, but they were at the height of their powers and it kicks arse. (Fun fact: this was the first 7" that Sascha ever bought). Everybody..., along with Shout and Head Over Heels provide hooky anchors to this lean yet expansive, experimental yet commercial, personal yet cinematic album. A pop highwater mark of the decade My favourite bit: right at the end of Head Over Heels (just on 4.00) where he sings "Funny how..." and then all the instruments drop out and he continues "time flies...." acapella, his voice slathered in reverb and a big wide phaser. It's best on the single, which just ends like that. Magic.

Cool album, some great songs

Overall this album really was such an enjoyable experience. I have been told these guys fuck and just figured it was 80s nostalgia hype but these guys do fuck pretty hard.

Classics

I'm glad they ditched the full synth-pop sound of their first album, but really only 3 songs on this album are worth listening to. A bit too much synth used still for my tastes.

Some nice New Wave "Shout" in particular is extremely well-engineered Standout Songs: "Shout" "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" "Broken"

banger album, every song is good some songs are great but The Working Hour and Listen were amazing holy shiddd

Pleasantly surprised. Only the first song was at all cheesy or bland, the rest was rich and thought provokingly original A great record.

Överraskad, varje låt är intressant på ett sätt eller annat, melodierna är riktiga bops. Det känns både larvigt och coolt, syntigt men också psykadeliskt och djupt. Bra album, stabilt hela vägen igenom med två bangers i shout och everybody wants to rule the world

Great album! Would have been a Five if (1) it ended differently, and (2) there were a couple more songs that had a vibe similar to tracks 1-7.

There are some indispensable bangers, but a lot of space fillers too... "Listen" is three times too long. (prior listen)

Loved the whole album more than I expected. Great songs.

I really like 80s synths. Shout brings this album to 4

01/04/23: Only song I knew before listening to this album was "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" which I always thought of as a cheesy song but sounds really amazing within the context of this album. Really a cooler album than the band name and album cover art would indicate. Personal song highlights: -Shout -Everybody Wants to Rule the World -Head Over Heels/Broken -Listen Feels like a less dark Depeche Mode and the predecessor to the 1975

Solid album. Can see these guys going places. 4/5

Wow - one of my fav 80 bands who just simply exude the 80’s. Could listen to this album every day.

No tears or fears here 4 stars

made me watch donnie darko, solid 80s

After their brilliant debut album with 3 impressive singles, they did it again with this their second album. This one kicks it off with Shout, one of my all time favourites from them. The album is relatively short at only 42 mins but there’s not much wasted space here. They avoid a lot of the cliched synth pop beats that prematurely dates many of their contemporaries and this album sounds remarkably fresh today. A very solid effort here.

Beautiful crafted pop songs! Especially musically, the vocals didn't grab me that much. But the lyrics were very on point for the time, lot of clever writing. 7,5 out of 10

Liked this one. Probably will listen again

Absolute banger

fantastic album, great mixture of new and old sounds.

Remindes me of high school

College memories

Ahhh, the 80’s!

Good example of timeless 80s music. Holds up well, doesn’t sound cheesy. Interesting “Broken” intro that never gets played on radio with “head over heels”.

Den gode 80’er new wave poprock, synth, flere bangers

Not my usual genre but some solid hits here

obviously there is the "it's the 80's" piece to get over, but lots of good songs here!

Very cool

Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Shout, Everybody wants to rule the world, Mothers talk, Head over heels

Three of the most iconic song of the 80s. And some jazz…? Overall great listen.

Amazing fun album

Great album, kind of Springsteen meets U2 vibe :-)

Its really good, not perfect and not as good as other new wave albums but it has consistant writing and some good tunes

Some fantastic songs, but they don't seem to go together in a cohesive way. First half much stronger than the back. Can't feel a place or a time from this album, since it jumps in tone so often.

I enjoyed that. Having only heard the hits before the rest of the album was a good addition.

Generally liked this. A couple songs were a bit dreary though.

i really like this ! it's cool to hear where all the songs come from

3 amazing songs and the rest of the album is decent. Gotta be worth 4 stars.

3.5 / 5

Friday good, real busy at work, but got a run in and then didn’t go to green zone, drunk and hang with conts

It starts and ends well with a bit of a lull in between. Some classic bangers which are fun and a few of the slower more instrumental tracks are cool as well. 7/10

Gettatt

Very close to a five. Excellent pop in terms of both writing and creativity. Just a liiiittle too 80s

Ett attans bra pop-album...

Quite good album. Not for every moment, a bit intense at times.

Key tracks: Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Head Over Heels

Nearly a 5

incredible front to back album. Such a dream-state vibe to it. Not to mention has some of the most iconic and recognizable singles of its era (EWTRTW and shout).

Le meilleur du band. J’ai toujours trouvé qu’ils faisaient du pop sophistiqué, ce qui me plait beauoup.

Je connaissais bien sûr les 2 gros hits présents sur cet album, mais je n'étais pas familier avec ce que le groupe a fait d'autre. C'est pas mauvais.

4. A really fun album with a good mixture of different types of songs. Standouts: Shout, Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Broken, Head Over Heels / Broken. (The Big Chair and Broken Revisited on the extended version are good).

me gusto, tiene hits como "everybody wants to rule the world" y por más que sean pocas canciones, están muy buenas.

Never heard of this band or album but heard a few of the songs, I guess that goes to show how influential it really was, Really liked Broken and Mothers talk of the ones I hadn't heard, and shout and everybody wants to rule the world are classics. Solid album

Ok

Great album

Good

Love me some 80’s jams

This is really good. Very nearly a 5 star. Want to listen to some more.

I really enjoyed most of the album. The blend of electronic instrumentation with guitar, and drum machines and real drums kept it alive in a way that might not be possible on their own. Not to mention it had some absolute ripping guitar solos throughout that actually surprised me.

Reading the reviews I found one negative comment- the others were OTT which is not what I remember. Still, let's give them a listen....... Certainly 80's pop and very well produced. Massive hits and intelligent lyrics. Some of these songs became anthems which presumably accounts for the popularity of this album. Perfect Pop.

Some iconic singles on here with some solid deep tracks too. Not perfect, however, so I’ll give it a four.

en muista kuunnelleeni tätä aiemmin, mutta ilmeisesti hittikimara, koska tiedän kahta lukuun ottamatta kaikki biisit? Shout on aivan loistava. kyllä vähän alt kasaripoppi sytyttää ylipitkistä biiseistä huolimatta

Most of the songs were familiar to me so i already had time to listen and get comfortable with the songs before now. A staple 80's (i think) album.

This album is impressive to say the least. What a quintessential 80s pop rock album. There are so many layers of sounds that merge together to create a sublime listening experience. I also had no idea how many songs from this album I would recognize. Obviously "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is well-known, and for good reason, that song is incredible. This was almost a 5-star album for me, and one that I will certainly return to, but "I Believe" felt like hitting the e-brake on perfection and really killed the vibe. I was just bored to tears (get it?) listening to that one, and couldn't believe it was a single. Highlights include the aforementioned hit single, "Head over Heels / Broken (reprise)" and "Working Hour"

Enjoyable synth-pop album that delivers with a slight progressive edge. Cool vibe and a good time

This was my favorite album in first grade. All the synths, all the drum machines, all the melodramatic vocals. It's hard to believe an album with this many hits has only 8 songs.

A lot more ambient than I was expecting from the songs I've heard of the album. Finding out that Broken and Head Over Heels we're a two part song was fun.

Poppy music. Poetic language. Vague meaning can be useful.

Love how the album flows

Strong lead vocals and good compilation of songs.

This album has one of my favorite songs of all time, and two others that were a huge part of my childhood. Despite those incredible highs, there were just a couple lows that kept this from being rated higher.

Outside of the 2 tophits it is a bit melodramatic. I still liked a few others like The Working Hour and Head over Heels/Broken, but some others were dreadfully boring. Overall pretty good album, I would buy it on a second hand market. 4/5

I liked it, basically an 80's movie soundtrack.

Thoroughly enjoyed this 80s classic

Quality 80s tunes

Delicious synthy goodness

vibes phil collins, me sentí totalmente flying

I was raised on 80s New Wave, and while I never choose to listen to it on my own time I do have a soft spot for it. This is a pretty good New Wave album, it has a couple of all time classic songs in "Shout" and "Everybody Wants To Rule The World". Another standout on the album was "The Working Hour", the rest of it didn't stick out much to me but was a nice chill listen.

Classic album with lots of anthemic tracks 4*

4/5

Surprisingly (to me), they re not a one trick pony. Some very good stuff. I am converted. Favourite track on first listen - 'Listen'!

Pretty chock full of bangers, but a little slow for my tastes

A really good synth-pop album that is firmly rooted in the 80s. Unfortunately it doesn't wholly stand up to modern scrutiny, but it still holds its own. The beginning set up weird expectations because I didn't think it was all that great. Overall, the whole album won me over, but it took some time.

Classic. Aged fairly well...

Were all of the songs of the same quality as Shout, Everybody Wants To Rule The World and Head Over Heals, this would be a straight 5. Sadly, a couple of songs, while good, are too much anchored in 80s production values, and some of the songs don't work per se, making this album a 4/5.

Essential '80s album. Admittedly the second side lose a bit of steam but the rest of the album is a classic

una maravilla, pop ochentero por naturaleza, qué gustoso sonido, un verdadero clásico. en una palabra: suave

Really enjoyed this, full of way more tunes than I expected and some great synth sounds.

This is so 80s I want to get a perm. Silky smooth sax ooo yeah

Good saxophone but quite short

I was 15 when this album came out. I had no idea the album versions of the 3 singles were so much longer! A pretty cool record.

I loved this one!!!! a classic

Better than I remembered it

3.5

really good highs but kinda boring lows

Shout is not a Depeche Mode song

This is a roll through a mountain range, peaks and valleys. All beautiful views even if not everything is spectacular. Some of it is simply enjoying the build and climbing down from the hits. I don't know how many times I have a bass line or melody from this album in my head. It can take days for me to identify it and recognize that I've just been feeling the wind and remembering that road trip through the mountains.

loved itttttt

Wauw, dit vond ik echt een te gekke plaat. Kende de hits al uiteraard, maar de rest was ook erg goed.

Well, that takes me back to high school dances. Really great song writing. One of the few New Wave bands I got into. I think maybe because they were less synth oriented than others. Either way, loved this album.

Well I enjoyed this 80s powerhouse album. Some cracking tunes I needed and bizarrely this was a great Monday morning vibe.

When I was little, I hated "Head Over Heels" for some reason. I think it was the introduction to it. Now, though? I love that song and really enjoy driving to this whole album. Pretty close to pop perfection.

Such a great New Wave album. The Hurting finally got the recognition it didn't get back then too.

Pretty nice synth pop. Not much else to say here. A solid album.

Great in the 80’s. Still sounds good.

sonzão tri

Top production if a tad overcooked at times. Good writing. Vocals aren't great imo. Decent stuff overall.

Sooooooooo 1980s. This album is totally of its time, but still sounds really great. The production and recording quality is second to none, and really serves the excellent songs. I know they feel Everybody Wants To Rule the World was a throw-away, quick and dirty (minimal) effort, they were at the height of their powers. Everybody..., along with Shout and Head Over Heels provide hooky anchors to this lean yet expansive, experimental yet commercial, personal yet cinematic. A pop highwater mark of the decade

The singles are definitely the standouts!

Wow I felt like I was listening to a straight up 80's movie soundtrack! Like every song, not just the bit hits. They nailed their sound so perfectly and fully encapsulated a decade of music in the process. Very cool vocals that are just fun to sing.

something happens and I'm head over heels

OMG, la diferencia entre los hits y los no hits parecen marcar lo temporal, qué cosas hace el cerebro con los sonidos. Impresionante. Amé.

First time I think I listened to the entire album...better than I thought it would be.

Really like some of the songs on this album. Always felt like it was a quintessential 80s pop album. There are some songs that aren’t that great and seem like filler but overall it’s pretty good. 7.7/10

All of the hits on this album are bangers and the rest are pretty good too. Epitome of the 80s and still holds up

Has some big hits on here. They don’t know how to make a song under 4 minutes in length lol

Punchy 80s pop, including some absolute bangers

Legit great album.

Timeless! A classic 80's masterpeice...

This was a blast from the past!

What a great reminder of all the fantastic music that came out of the 80's. What was particularly interesting was the way that the album seemed to defy genre. It seemed at times new wave, at times experimental rock, at times early indie and at times soundscape. Loved exploring the couple of songs that I didn't know on this album!

Hi- Shout, Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Mothers Talk, Broken, Head Over Heels Lo- The Working Hour Chances are if you're into New Wave even a tiny bit, you're going to run into this album at some point; Shout launches right out of the gate with velocity and variation, but then transforms into the clunker The Working Hour, which sounds like someone's been over-working the saxophone beyond manufacturer's specification for an entire hour...Everybody Wants To Rule The World brings the show back on track, and Mothers Talk's driving beats really keeps things moving, then we get time to catch our breath with I Believe, a minimalistic late-night track with much more restrained use of sax. But then you're thrust right into Broken, with its big beats and driving bass...then it flows right into Head Over Heels, which at its core is a simple track but manages to sound much larger than the sum of its parts, this track is featured prominently in the movie Donny Darko and it just makes the movie come alive. But then, we're pulled back into Broken! The song-within-a-song is a wild experience and really the highlight of the whole album. The album concludes with Listen, which evokes an otherworldly sense of wonder, something, you'd hear it at the Laserdome at your local planetarium, though it tends to overstay its welcome. It's a worthwhile album to listen to, if for nothing more than the Broken/Head Over Heels/Broken progression.

Pretty gewd for some 80s tunes. I already knew half the songs though

I thought I hated "everybody wants to rule the world" but this album is full of bops

Un son très typé 80s. Des petits côtés Depeche Mode. Je connaissais pas du tout, j'aime beaucoup

I find the '80s synthpop sounds boring, I also find slow pop-jazz boring, But the struggle between the two in "Songs from a Big Chair"? Surprisingly enjoyable. PS. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" sounds familiar. It's popular, but it's not that great. PPS. Slow pop-jazz won. Hence the boring latter half. Not that it'll be better if the synthpop elements engulfed it anyway.

Always slightly put off listening to this album as the singles , especially Shout and Everybody Wants To Rule The World were a source of constant irritation back in the day due to seemingly never being off the radio! I much preferred the later Sewing The Seeds Of Love album featuring the great Oleta Adams which had less of an 80s production ( to these ears at least). However it's hard to deny the brilliance of the songwriting and the arrangements and I was surprised by how much of it I'd already heard. Favourite tracks have to be The Working Hour and I Believe. 7/10

I'm not sure what it was that got me interested in this album enough for me to purchase the cassette but I did. It just was not the type of music I remember being into at the time, I was an avid reader of Circus and Hit Parader, magazines that largely focused on hard rock and heavy metal. Ratt, Dokken, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden were more my speed. We didn't have MTV but there was Friday Night Videos on network tv so that mustbe were I came across these guys. There's some great stuff here of course, the three singles, "Shout," "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" and especially "Head Over Heels" are mid 80s all-timers. I probably liked "Shout" cause it seemed kind of pissed off and badass and then the rest kind of sorted it out I suppose. Looking back on the year this came out and the other music that came out around the same time, I was definitely into Rush's "Power Windows," (sort of a hard rock band really leaning into synths) "Brothers In Arms" by Dire Straits and Weird Al's "Born To Be Stupid" so I guess it was a transitional time for me. I was growing up and it probably had something to do with girls.

Great 80s album.

Really picked up towards the end!

Big songs, big ideas, feels like a pop concept album. A forgotten master of 80s hit LPs.

Good

"shout" + "everybody rules the world"

Очень красиво, атмосферно

I grew up with this album on cassette in my early pre-teen years. And it has been fun to re-listen to this after so many years. And interesting how well this music has been ingrained in my memory. It's a great album with some really good songwriting, even better than I remember. But on the other hand Tears for Fears suffers from the thing that's so prevalent in the 80's, and that is that every possible silence had to be filled with another sound. And another. A cowbell here, a trumpet there, a quick voice over the top and then a drumroll. Nothing wrong with their songwriting, clearly talented, but the lesson of 'less is more' never reached them.

Oh man the vibes this record is giving off. Most of this album was still in rotation in the early 90s when I was growing up and started hearing pop music. I have a lot of nostalgia for Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World and Head Over Heels

look it's,, fine?? would almost say a bop. but there's just something off.. idk how to explain it my brain is telling me 'this is a good thing, this is an enjoyable thing', but the enjoying part of my brain hasn't got the memo. is this good? yeah, i think so. do i like this? hmmmmmm

Some corkers, some unlistenable

Unexpected and interesting

Tears For Fears' Songs From The Big Chair is the kind of album that one can go back to again and again and learn new and wonderful things about this great duo.

The reverb-heavy power-pop invokes a sense of scope with each track, making it a captivating listen. I love the guitar and synth work. BEST TRACKS: Shout, Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Mothers Talk, Broken WORST TRACKS: I Believe

Classic album, some big hits on here.

4, dang good. the non-hits are excellent too without overstaying their welcome.

I've never heard this full album before but it's fucking cool. A few slow moments but the good bits make up for it. Also, 8 songs and 40min is a great album length. 4/5.

A couple of great hits in there.

Ahhh ca... Pensé que todas esas eran Depeche mode

Some bangers, album zit goed in elkaar. Was ook fan van listen (laatste liedje) heel close bij een 5, denk als ik het meer beluister dat het dan nog wel komt 4,5

I really like this one. Seems like a transition point between 80s pop and the indie loved in the '00s. The two hits are the best songs on the album.

Wow! Of course I heard some Tears for Fears before, but this album is just full of hits and even the deeper cuts are great. The production for the time it was recorded is crystal clear. It has some low moments and some of the songs are maybe bit too long, but maybe it will grow on me over time. Fav tracks: Head over Heels, Broken, The Working Hour, Shout

Fun and sad at the same time. You can hear the influence they had on a lot of other artists. Definitely gonna listen to it again.

Already a big Tears for Fears fan so will try not to be bias going into this one. The Hurting is one of my favourite albums but I don't think I know most of these tracks. Shout - It's hard not to be bias when you lead with a fantastic track like this. The Working Hour - Absolutely love this, the intro and saxophone is beautiful. Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Classic track and not really much I can say other than it's loved for a reason. Mother's Talk - Sounds a little James Bondy in the intro - oh, I actually know this song, a bit less poppy that the previous tracks and probably the worst so far. I Believe - Much slower than the others, feels like I'm in an empty, jazzy dive bar at night. I like this, even with such an odd vocal style it sounds pretty. Broken - I Believe led so well into this with it's flashier style and with the hints of 'Head Over Heels' in it, this sounds great alone and amazing between the two tracks. Head over Hells - And then into one of my favourite Tears for Fears songs, what a great song with such an amazing guitar. Listen - Not a fan of this (and tbh a fan of good albums tending to end on the dullest, saddest song) - it's not bad just not great in comparison to the tracks leading to it. Overall it was a fantastic album (bias or not) and I can see why it's considered a classic though I would still personally rate and recommend The Hurting over it. A couple of tracks I didn't get on with which stops it being a 5 star but I'd definitely rate it a 4!

SHout, Everybody wants to rule the World, Head of Heals - the soundrack of my early youth. Rest of album, ok, nothign special.

A rounded up three and a half. It's not so much dated as frozen in amber, but the bangers still hit home and it does feel like a coherent collection of songs. A proper album.

The sound of the Eighties, was often to throw in everything up to and including the kitchen sink. That's what this album sounds like. But _soulfully_

I’d listen again

I already knew some, enjoyed it.

Interesting!

Solid 80s album with a hanful of pretty great hits.

Like so many albums of this era, it's got some bangers (❤️Head over Heals), tracks that made 31 on #TOTP and some absolute fillers. But definitely very polished and great singalong material.

head over heels is one of my all time favs and the album is great

Loved it when it came out. Still sounds very good.

Seminal 80s power-pop

This was an interesting ones. The only songs I knew by Tears For fears were Mad World and Shout and I had no idea that the two songs are by the same band. That feeling holds true for this entire album. Between one song and the next it can feel difficult to believe that it's the same album. Some tracks are really straightforward and simple, while others are really deep and ambitious. Some seem more akin to synth-pop while others are more akin to prog rock, yet their basic sound stays very recognizable with a character of its own. I needed to give it two spins and still can't entirely wrap my head around it, but I certainly enjoyed it.

-I liked this album -Love the 80's feel -Kind of wish the last song on the album was a little more exciting -Favourite songs are Shout, Mothers Talk, Head Over Heels/Broken

head over heels es un hit universal nunca identifiqué shout con ellos

The sounds of the '80s

some solid classics and these guys have great voices. Very stereotypical 80's, makes me miss GLOW worried I might not remember these guys when I want to listen to just 80's because this is a solid album. Def 4 out of 5

A great 80s pop album, great songs throughout though a couple get annoying at times (Mothers talk, I believe). The keyboards and guitar drive this album with heart-warming songs of Everybody Wants to Rule the World and Head over Heels, to darker material including The Working Hour. Apart from a couple of songs, a fantastic album.

Yes.

Opening track is a killer, and Everybody... is pretty much the 80's encapsulated in pop perfection. Rest of the album is great too.

Solid. 7.5/10. One bummer song- #2

VERY EXCELLENT

Some real classics on this. A general theme of the album is the oppression of the working man so it felt satisfying listening to this when I should have had my head in spreadsheets. Sounds similiar to Talk Talk's Colour of Spring (just not as good)

Big fan of that lead in to 'Head Over Heels' from 'Broken'.

80s goodness with a twist that excels it forward, great album

Muy buen disco

Excellent album. A couple of slower songs that weren't great, but almost all bangers.

A 4.5 that just doesn't quite reach 5 level. Don't get me wrong, this album is amazing - Everybody Wants To Rule The World might be a top ten song all time for me, but I feel like it wanes a bit in the middle. Last song is a little weird, too, but everything else is very strong Already Saved: Everybody Wants To Rule The World Saved After Listening: Shout, Head Over Heels / Broken*

This album has all the hits.

Songs from the Big Chair is the second studio album by English pop rock band Tears for Fears, released on 25 February 1985 by Phonogram Records. The album peaked at number two in the UK and at number one in the US and Canada, becoming a multi-platinum seller in all three countries. It also reached number one in Germany and the Netherlands and the top 10 in various other countries including Australia, New Zealand and Switzerland.

4/5 well that was a surprise, nice!

Big fan of this group… loved this album

Great album “Shout & Head over Heals, Mothers Talk, Listen Like their ability to make such varied songs on one album 💿 makes this a great listen

Classic album alert! All the great Tears for Fears songs are here on one album. I didn't fall in love with any of the songs that weren't hits but of course Shout, Everybody wants to rule the world, and Head over heels are enough to push this into the 4 category.

Here's one we all know and love, with the big hits too! A lot of long songs on here, and unfortunately I kind of feel the length on some of them. But as a whole, this is a great '80s pop album. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" continues to rip almost 40 years later, as does "Head Over Heels." I also really liked the interlude prior to Head Over Heels, with hints of the melody to come. This is a terrific album, I think it's against the law to give this any lower than a 4. Favorite tracks: Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Head Over Heels, Listen, Shout, Broken. Album art: Not a bad band photo, very intimate. Are they lovers? It's not super interesting but I wouldn't disagree with anyone labelling this iconic. Love the sweater, need that sweater. 4.5/5

Solid gold pop bangers. The kind of "don't give a fuck" pop music that feels very 2020s.

This was good. Enjoyable to listen to in the background.

Sympa les premières notes de l'instru de la première. - Everybody Wants to Rule the World: validé - The Marauders: très longue et redondante

A few classic 80s anthems interspersed with some not as well known but equally as excellent synth pop. A few tracks dragged on a bit (only 8 songs in a 40 minute record!) and the last track didn’t add much for me which stops it being a 5

Still a completely unique sound in my mind, plus three huge hits.

Good album with a couple of big hits…

Shout was my favorite so far

There are some indispensable bangers, but a lot of space fillers too... "Listen" is three times too long

A classic. The sound is dated, but I love it for that.

9/10 👌🏽

I often confuse TFF with depeche mode. fun 80s music! 4.0

Not my cup of tea.

Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule The World, and Head Over Heels are pretty foundational 80s songs for me. But I think it's a pretty objective truth that this is a very good album.

Ich habe gerade nach 10 Tagen work am Stück einfach nicht mehr die Energie jeden Songs bis ins kleinste Detail zu analysieren. Die Singles sind geil, Shout ist geil, everybody wants to rule the world ist geil und jetzt kenn ich endlich den interpreten davon haha, Head over heels auch geil und listen klingt gerade ziemlich nice. Sehr coole 80s synths sounds auf der Platte ok bye next

Очень хороший альбом. Shout / Everybody Wants To Rule The World прекрасны.

Sounded great, singer had an interesting voice, recognized some classic songs too! Now I can place some faces to the name 'Tears for Fears'

Really good pop album. Not usually my style but this is the gold standard

A good album. Really, really strong singles, unfortunately muddled by some lackluster deep cuts, but overall a great slice of 80s synth pop

Probably 3.5*. Much better than I expected. Very 80s, but huge sound.

Big bangers, classic nostalgia and interesting percussion. Some filler.

Was not expecting to really like this. It slaps.

Good fun 80's vibes

Peak 80's with some classics.

Nice

Nice 80's vibe, with an awesome opening number ;)

The Working Hour Everybody Wants to Rule the World I Believe

7.5 solid

Shout. Everybody Wants to Rule the World. Another great album.

Really good

Pretty good! I liked the sounds and instrumentation a lot but I felt like the songwriting had some weak moments

Biggest surprise was me liking _The Working Hour_, despite it having a sax

I used to think the 80s was crap. I was wrong

Well, Everybody Wants to Rule the World is good of course, and Shout has some nostalgic value for me that makes up for the fact I don't really like the song. Head Over Heels was good too, and most songs were at least pleasant to listen to passively.

Sound of the 80s. 2 temazos, buenas instrumentales. Shout!

Das war die erste Platte mit der ich meine Mutter „geschockt“ habe. Als Cassette ausgeliehen aus der Katholischen Öffentlichen Bücherei und dann mangels eigener Technik immer in der Küche gespielt. „Was ist das denn für schreckliche Musik, Guido? So unmelodisch!“. Über diese 36 Jahre alte Aussage/Einschätzung denke ich tatsächlich bis heute immer mal wieder nach, weil ich sie so komplett nicht nachvollziehen konnte/kann. Ich war Riesenfan von Shout und Everybody Wants To Rule The World, und was bitteschön ist denn an diesem Songs unmelodisch??? Da jetzt echt mal 3 (!!!) Fragezeichen dran. Jedenfalls: mit bombastigen Synthie-Arrangements krichse mich ja immer, luftige 80s-Drums dazu und dann noch so räudige Gitarren: Ja klar komm ich mit! Ach so, Stimmen von den beiden fand ich auch immer top, von mir aus auch in Balladen. Vom Sound her kaum deutlicher in den 80ern einzuordnen und trotzdem fresh wie Ulricke Jokiels Kühlschrank morgens um 6 - dieses Album hält für mich alles, was Depeche Mode letzte Woche versemmelt haben. Einmal mit Profis arbeiten! 4,2 Punkte.

I just knew one song from this band, but this album surprised me. It's very good.

Iconic song

Un 4 ... no me ha encantado el álbum del todo. Aunque está muy bien.

Aussie classic

Pop rock

I already knew I liked this album beforehand. Everybody Wants to Rule the World & Head Over Heels are classics. Honestly both Shout and Mothers Talk are a bit boring compared to the rest of them. Production is insanely clean as well.

3 good songs but they’re really good songs

The first song is amazing

Just "Shout" and "Everybody wants to rule the world" already make this album worth it. I liked it!

The album is short and stripped of filler, just how I like it. The opening track, "Shout", is a 10/10 masterpiece, but some others are a bit too singy for me.

Really cool album from the 80's, I'm normally more of a rock/metal guy, but the writing and mixing is fantastic

So many great songs, but I think the sequencing is kinda whack. You can’t follow “Shout” with “The Working Hour,” sorry. Total buzzkill. Pretty amazing sax solo on that one tune!

So so 80s

classic 80s new wave. some classic 80s cheesy sax in there too.

No sabía qué esperar de este disco y vaya que me sorprendió. Shout se me hace la mejor, inclusive arriba de Everyboyd Wants To Rule The World. Después el disco se cae un poco, Head Over Heels / Broken es la rescatable. No me encantaron las dos canciones casi instrumentales, The Working Hour y Listen. Creo que le restan al disco. 3.5 que subo a 4 porque en general sí es fácil de escuchar completo.

A damn classic. It even has their two most popular songs on it but don't let them distract form the rest of this bad boy

A few classics, forgettable others. Still a good listen

Great album top to bottom. Got to love that 80's synth pop sound.

Great songs, great production.

Great album. Can’t believe Shout, Everybody..., and Head Over Heels are all from the same album. Some songs are forgettable, but the highs are so high. The transition from Broken to Head Over Heels is so smooth. Head over heels is my fave, followed by Shout.

Actually good

This album and duo made more of the 80s than you would think

Some solid classics here.

I really enjoyed this album, but I have really mixed feelings about this genre. I don’t like the vocal style, it’s just weird to me. On the other hand, the layers to the music is incredible, for being “pop” music there are a good amount of complex rhythms, instrumentation, and chords.

I thought this was gunna be hella shit and yes it was cheesy but so catchy and ‘everybody wants to rule the world’ is just a classic hit

Some good tracks and memories

No había escuchado el disco completo y que gusto haberlo hecho tiene coherencia entre canciones y te hace sentir en un solo track sin molestia EWTRTW es una de mis canciones favoritas y ahora mas con el plus de tener rolas tan buenas al lado a muy pocas bandas le ha funcionado tener sax en la mayoría de sus canciones

De todo el synth-pop ochentero que nos ha tocado en la lista, este es por mucho el que más me ha gustado. Quizá es porque tiene mucho menos énfasis en el lado synth, o porque es un disco corto y va al grano, o porque cada canción tiene su sonido propio, sin convertirse en una rola original y luego un montón de malas copias de ella.

Shout fucks.

This is one of the defining albums of 80s New Wave. This is a big budget record with a big budget sound. The layers of synths and drum machines provide good color while their voices are clearly the focus when they’re present. Overall, very solid record. Favorite song: Shout Least favorite song: Broken

Good songs but a lot of them sounded very similar.

Enjoyed that, blast from the very past.

Actually quite enjoyed, have never sat down with a Tears for Fears album before. Might listen again.

Mother's Talk is the best song, and I don't see how that can be argued. This album is a hit parade, and even someone who had never heard the name Tears for Fears would have recognized at least one song. Shout is far too long- it could have been cut down by two minutes. I enjoyed the jazz elements and the vocals were great.

The first part is the best

Am a Tears For Fears fan in general, but had never heard more than the singles from this album. They were definitely the strongest offerings, as it turns out. The album is still a good one though, and I'd easily listen to it again. 4 stars.

Has a few big hits, really enjoy this album.

Classic 80s. What's not to love?

Different start then I expected. Has a weird psychedelic sound meshed with the 80s. Shout has a real stadium sound. Working Hour has a weirdly George Michael feel but with more rock. Ok so Working Hour is SMOOTH. Everybody Wants To Rule The World is a classic for a reason and it sounds like a Full House opening. Mothers Talk took me off guard sounding like funky fight music. Mothers Talk is fine kinda funky but kind of a mess maybe i don't know. Was I Believe made by Joji? I Believe is actually one of the best jazz lounge sleep songs I've heard. Broken should not come after I Believe it took me way off guard. Broken was fine but Head Over Heels/Broken is a really awesome transition song. OH MY GOD IT'S THIS SONG. 🎶Something happens and I'm head over heels🎶 Best song on the album so far so triumphant and high energy. I adore the transition into Listen. Listen sort of sounds like OG vaporwave and I just wanna drift off to it. Listen was really strange but I also think it's one of my favorites on this album.

Classic New Wave. Curt Smith is an 80s god. Classic songs too.

Great album

its nice but i dont think its exceptional

progressive pop for the time. i loved shout and everybody wants to rule the world.

Absolutely slaps, closer to a 5 but not quite there for me. S/o Jake making this my 5th (?) Listen this year

Usually not a fan of new wave so I was surprised to find myself liking this so much. Great album

Ikke verste 80s-popen.

Pop album. Recognized the hits, the rest kind of blended into the background. OK.

teveel 80, maar goed voor 80

Good.

Good album. Liked it more than I thought originally would.

I'm aware of a few songs via singles only. I know it's that quintessential 80s synth driven pop/soft rock. ------------------- There is a lot to like here with the highlights being the strong vocals and song composition. Shout is a radio classic, but there is a great deep cut in broken which has a decent bit of edge and heft. Side A slaps, side B sleeps. 3*

lame und versucht auf Krampf quirky zu sein aber ist nicht meins

My wife has a theory that you can’t buy a CD if there is not at least three songs you like on it (I’ve never followed that exactly). By that standard, I could buy this CD! These songs where such huge anthems of the ‘80s at the time and the soundtrack to so many John Hughes movies, they became part of the soundtrack to my life as well. The big three, of course, are Head Over Heels, Everybody Wants to Rule the World (seems oddly fitting right now); and my favorite Shout which not only was my roller rink jab but also a great cover frequent in the metal world (see Disturbed’s version). I hate to say that the non-radio hits are good but lack the same caliber of these three. Listen was intriguing, especially in context of the slow collapse of the USSR, and Mothers Talk I was surprised wasn’t a radio hits. I’m going to make a bold statement here: this is the only Tears for Fears album anyone ever needs. For nostalgia purposes, it’s a 4; for musical contribution , it’s a 3. Since I can’t average….

Everybody Wants To Rule The World is a banger, obviously. I don't know if I needed this whole album. I could have left some of the jazzy ballad energy. But the synth pop sound is so nostalgic (of 80s movies). Also enjoyed Mothers Talk which I had never heard before. Also liked Head Over Heels/Listen.

A few solid bops but the rest didn't do much for me

Lots of songs with heavy airplay when this came out. This one is more polished than their first album, and less dark. I must say, I enjoyed the previous album more, it had better synth and was less aggressively commercial. Just not a big fan of this album overall, not my thing.

This is a good, but not great album. Head Over Heals and Everybody Wants to Rule the World are sounding a bit schmaltzy these days. In general, this album doesn't have the edge, bravado or strong themes of the first album. That album deserves to be on this list...I don't think this one does.

This is fine. Smash hits, relative uniqueness, cultural impact. Not my cup of tea, but probably one of the best of the '80's.

Some foundational songs in my life. Roland Orzabal has an incredibly strong and distinct voice that plays well with the music. These songs were densely produced. THere was so much going on that it at times was tough to tell what was going on. I strongly disliked "I Believe" as it was just boring. I really had trouble understanding what was going on with the whole "Broken" and "Head Over Heels/Broken (Live)" bit... just didn't make much sense. Then the final song "Listen" was interesting until they slowed things down to a snail's pace, and Orzabal sang. Then it went on way too long. Strong Side A, very weak Side B, except for my favorite song ("Head Over Heels").

Quite a cool album although I have not found anything more for myself other than the two I had already known and enjoyed (Shout and Everybody Wants to Rule the World)

Shout was awesome; I was really into that. But it got a little too Muzak for me. You run that risk when you throw an alto sax on top of 80s atmospherics...

Just not that into 80’s pop today.

Not sure what everyone else is hearing in this.

distilled liquid 80s