Reviews (page 11 of 14)
I liked it well enough; I've heard some of the big ones off this album before, and the rest was good, it just hasn't stuck with me that well.
Not exactly my usual taste, but it did a great job of cleansing my ears after Limp Bizkit. Seriously though, there are several great songs here. Also some that don’t do much for me.
10 songs in 33 minutes and it seems 10 of those are chat - which is what this album has left me with, as JC comes across relaxed enthusiastic and funny. 1. Darling Companion 2. A Boy Named Sue 3. San Quentin
This album came out in 1985 and it couldn’t feel any more 80s than it is. It has all the requisite cheesiness and instrumentation that should be expected from the peak of the 80s. It’s not really my cup of tea, but it’s undeniable. It’s one note all the way through, but it’s so catchy. How can you pass up a song like shout? It’s so cheesy and you can’t help but give it its flowers. A solid 3/5, closer to a 4 than a 2. An album I’m equally likely to praise and poke fun at. Its formula is easily picked apart and prodded at, but it’s done exceptionally. Not an album I’d really ever seek out, but also an album I think I’d reasonably defend. It really nails a specific sound I don’t love, but man it really nails that sound. The eighties are strangely missing from my musical touchstone. I can wax poetic about the sixties and seventies, but 1978-93 is sort of missing. Obviously like anybody who has heard of music I can talk to you for too long about joy division, and that’s sort of where my ear goes here. The love of reverb and chorus effects, the similar strat tones, big echoes everywhere, there are noted similarities with joy division. But, for lack of better explanation, Joy Division and Tears for Fears sat on different sides of the high school cafeteria.
The songs that were inescapable in the 80s and some filler.
I mean obviously an iconic album of the time shaping two of some of the biggest songs in history, but other than that it fails to capture a lot of my attention. Solid 80's album, but nothing super crazy.
Was ok Will I listen to again: 40%
5/5 for the two songs I know and love. 2/5 for the rest.
3.3. Nostalgia
Ok. I’ll give it a 3.
I get fatigued by bright mixes with tons of reverb. 3 I guess? Feel pretty middle of the road about this but I didn't dislike it
the intro(s) on The Working Hour is so god damn amazing. I've returned multiple times. There's the lil string intro, then the drums, then the drums + weird horn thing, all before the intro or A progression comes in. THEN the song really starts at 1:42. Fucking nuts. So good. Everybody wants to the rule the world is a classic pop smash. Mothers Talk drums are so heavy. The outro vocal samples thing is so ahead of its time. I'm wondering if it was sampled in some rap shit. OK nope just checked whosampled and it's mostly sampled by plunderphonics artists lol that makes sense. This is right on the edge of a 4 for me but not quite. favs: the working hour, everybody wants to rule the world, mothers talk
First album I ever owned. Hits are good - others are meh.
3.5
Early memory of listening to this. It was so different
It's diverse pop music. I liked some songs, but some bored me.
The first song! Weyyyyy!! The rest of the album is soso. I tried a few times but never made it till the end.
A little underwhelming. Everybody Wants to Rule the World is a 5 on its own. I feel like I am starting to repeat myself but this is really a record carries by its hits. The rest is just OK, though the closer "Listen" finishes the album on a high note. A decent album with a few very strong songs.
That was good. The singles are classic and timeless but also perfect 80s music. Never was my music, but it really is a good listen.
харашо
Oddly long songs, with unexpected instrumental interludes. But nice and nostalgic.
Impressive. Too synthy for me to get super into it.
I feel somewhat like Duran Duran although I find their b sides more listenable. I don't think I need a repeat listening of TFF besides the hits. 3 for great singles.
Starts off very strong and kinda falls off in the second half for me. I'm already not that big on the 80s sound, but I think it's done very well. Strong 3*
drago mi je da sam ovo odslušao. ima tu dobrih hitčina, ali malo predugo traju s obzirom na stil; s druge strane, zadnje dvije stvari skroz bezvezne. stoga solidna trojka
Was okay. But i have had 'shout shout let it all out' stuck in my head for days
I have a soft spot for a particular 80s synth sound. And on this album, Tears for Fears definitely employ some of that sound. 'Shout' especially is just cheesy pop perfection. Some of the other songs fare less well though. 'The Working Hour' is just a bit TOO dated.
Couple big songs otherwise just too long of an album even at 8 songs.
Some great songs on here, but way too much mediocrity, especially towards the end.
Just never could get into this band, decent enough but overplayed and too synth heavy.
I've never listened to this album (49). The hits are there, but its repetitive. I guess you had to be there in 85.
It was fine
An absolute massive pop album that you probably couldn't avoid if you tried. While the big singles off of this are extremely catchy and definitive ear worms, I feel they have been played to death and hard to unironically appreciate. The songs I wasn't familiar with didn't feel like they quite stood up to the rest of the album which very well might be a reflection of how massive the singles were. It's hard to pick this apart due to its massive pop culture succes but the music style really doesn't do much for me. Very much synth heavy 80's Pop and while I appreciate the success I don't necessarily love the style.
It’s an ok album enjoyed more than I thought Last song is boring Best song everybody wants to rule the world
I just cant get through it because overplayed you know
3.5/5
I still love several of these songs, and I liked the woven motifs I heard. But several of the songs were snoozers.
I really wanted to like this due to the high production values and the reputation of this album. However, I think the melodies are uninteresting or even poor, the songs are overly repetitive and don't develop enough to warrant the song lengths, and the vocals are weak. 2.5/5.0: Mixed
great songs but they werent interesting enough to warrant the 5 and 6 minute runtimes; not every song needs to be a sprawling epic.
Hate the opening track, the rest of it was good. The very good songs were very good. I’m very tired. Bwaaaa
Good but not my jam
This was an enjoyable listen! I knew the hits (and of course I love "Everybody Wants to Rule the World") and "Broken" into "Head Over Heels" with the reprise were the surprise standouts, but "Shout" has never worked for me and "Listen" was a weird nothing of an album closer. Best: "Head Over Heels" Worst: "Listen"
A few memories here.
Big hair, big tunes, but too much filler.
Huge for New Wave. Not my genre, though.
Some absolute stone cold classics. Some really bad 80s sax cheese. Last two songs were great lynch pins, almost making it conceptual. Good stuff.
Singles are up there but the rest is gratuitous filler
Some great songs on this
Well this was a throwback, it’s a proper 80s synth pop vibe. I know and like the singles from the time and Donnie Darko helped make them cool again many years later, Head Over Heels is great but shame Mad World isn’t on this one. Whilst I enjoyed it, I can’t see myself coming back here other than for the hits.
Moody and emotional style but doesn’t evoke any strong emotion for me. The 4 songs from this album that play on the radio are sufficient and I wouldn’t recommend a start to finish listen.
Hard to deny the classics on this album, enjoyed it
Solid hits. Sounds like 1984.
Classic radio jazz. Something I’d put on to fall asleep to with all the instrumental breaks and haunting voices. Favorite songs: Shout, Everybody Wants To Rule The World
A lot of decent tunes here
Well done, but not for me
Meh. Forgettable aside from the couple singles.
Some of the best songs from the 80's, but also a little dated. 7/10
du du du ddu du du du du Ok, I`m in
My initial response to the band is cheesy, reverby, gated pop from the eighties, which doesn’t do much for me, but let’s see… Maybe not quite as bad as I thought. For sure, lots of cheese and reverb but some bangers on here too. A bit more variety and force than I thought but probably not going to go towards it to listen by choice after today. Maybe just edges 3.5
After getting through the interminable Shout, a bunch of decent tracks on here, all culminating with a resounding thud of a closer. Still, a 3-star experience.
3,5/5 Classic 80s album. Even though I’m ‘07, songs like ‘shout’, ‘everybody wants to rule the world’ and ‘head over heels’ gives me nostalgia about being in the car with my parents and sister going to school and these just blasting through the radio. I’m crazy about the saxophone part in ‘the working hour’. This isn’t the first time I’ve listened to this album in full. Like last time I enjoyed it but it wasn’t that special or edgy. I gave 3 stars in my previous review (system of a down - system of a down) bc even though I didnt fully enjoy it, I appreciated the uniqueness. This one gets 3,5 for being a classic and bringing me some nostalgia.
Some great singles from the MTV era.
Some brilliant synth-pop sections here limited by its excess
I'm 50/50 here, but it's split between either really enjoying things or really wishing I could skip a song. There are a few VERY famous songs on here, but I'm not sure anything but the hits really stands out. The harmony is cool - these guys were definitely jazz fans and adopted some pretty advanced concepts. There's really cool guitar playing, too. However, the vocals are definitely not for me, and many songs seemed one or two minutes too long ('Shout' comes across like the same ten seconds of music repeated indefinitely). Overall, a good onetime listen, but probably not revisiting.
Tears for Fears have written two of the greatest pop songs of all the time- Everybody Wants to Rule the World and Head Over Heels- and two others on here really grabbed my attention but unfortunately that's all. Mothers Talk and Broken really bring the goods. I wish Broken was longer but I can see it being used as a transitional piece in a live setting. 3.5/5
3.5
it spunds like the 80s 2.5
Deux tounes que je connaissais, le reste est correct, meilleur que ce que je pouvais espérer. Pas pour moi.
stacked album, many classics. not my vibe though
столько хитов! но такие 80е, сложно
No mi musica favorita, me gustan los instrumentos, pero muy lento para mi gusto
The big hits are so good, and in particular Head Over Heels really holds up. Rest of the album is some pretty standard 80's brit synthpop.
Quintessential 80s right there
Some iconic bangers in here, but the rest of the album doesn't do much for me. Shout, Head Over Heels, Everybody Wants to Rule The World are all I ever need to hear again from this one.
I was expecting more from this as a whole tbh. Every song was just a bit longer and more repetitive than I wanted it to be, even some of the hits like Shout. Head Over Heels is so so good and the lead in from the song before was clean.
I was all ready to be cynical about this one as I didn't remember much about it from my last listen. But Shout got me out of bed and Everybody wants to rule the world is a banger. The rest of it seemed pretty derivative and bland though.
It was kinda boring, though I've never been a huge fan of this kinda 80s stuff. I did like the song that sounded like it should be in 'Commando' and the one that sounded like it should be in 'Miami Vice'. Not sure if putting a song with a 4 minute sax soundscape as the second track on the album was a great idea.
Evocative. Miserable. Enjoyable. An emptiness in the sound that feels intentional and like a grey 80s day on a boarded up highstreet with towerblocks. Swishy synth sounds. Drained vocals. The hits are songs I have played and heard a million times. I mostly kinda enjoyed the rest but also felt a bit weighed down. I liked the abstract number at the end, which I hadn't heard before.
I came across a YouTube video the other day of one of the Tears for Fears guys playing Head Over Heels solo on the piano. I realized that it's a really good song, at its core. I think that applies to a few songs on this record - the hits and maybe a few others - but it can be hard to hear it through the din of the very-80s production. I did enjoy the nostalgic trip of listening to Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, etc, but much of this album had me bored to tears. (Hey oh!)
I had hoped 35 or 40 years distance would give me a new, more positive perspective on this band. It did not. File under: crap, easy listening. But, there's a couple okay songs that, at a minimum, play a significant role in my memories of high school. So.... I guess 3 stars.
This was decent. There are a couple of hits on here, and they were great. The rest of the album falls into the "decent and forgettable" category. Favourite Track(s): Everybody Wants To Rule The World Least Favourite Track(s): I Believe, Broken, Listen
No Need to SHOUT
The highs are high (everybody wants to rule the world and head over heels) and then there is the classic, or at least it was in my mind in reality of the album version it is actually far too long which detracts from its greatness. But the rest is just middling at best and punctuating the album with the three better songs only serves to highlight what could’ve been.
I really expected to like this more than I ended up liking it. But I'm not entirely sure why it didn't click with me. Everybody Wants To Rule The World is obviously great, as is Shout, though suffers from being too long. I think I will probably revisit this at some point, but for now it's a 3/5
If I could give a 3.5 I definitely would really good to listen to the album 😁
Like the synth 80s sound. A few all time greats…one too many ballads for me.
Couldn't have told you they were Tears For Fears songs, but I knew quite a few. I enjoyed it and I think I'd be interested in a closer listen sometime.
3 stars. Everybody wants to rule the world is so good that it carries it to 3.
Obviously a classic album - quintessential 80's music. Time and a place for this stuff, but not really on my list of normal listening. I still appreciate it and will always keep it in the back pocket. Solid stuff.
Very cheesy 80s. Some good tunes though, but a lot of cheese.
Very ambient, good, but I prefer the tracks with more melody
I know their iconic song but it does have another two songs that are recognizable. A classic 80’s album.
A classic pop album.
good new wave album
New wave with a bit of bite - at first Favourite songs: The Working Hour, Everybody Wants To Rule The World
I’ve had a bit of a soft spot for some of their songs as a bit of a guilty pleasure. The album has peaks and troughs. The synths on some of the songs haven’t held up well, even when trying to eke out 80s nostalgia from them. Ballads and slower songs aren’t great. Suspect they are better as a singles band.
Tears for queers
Very memorable 80s radio and soundtrack play.
Some bangers but some not so much 3
Songs are too long
3 good songs that take me down memory lane and the rest rather forgettable. - 3/5
An uneven pop experience - Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World) are wonders - the rest so so
Es hat ein paar richtig gute Songs aber dir restlichen entsprechen nicht meinen Geschmack.
As far as 80s pop goes, it's pretty decent. Definitely nostalgic. 3/5 #155
Not really for me. Some solid high points - Shout is a hell of a song - but, yeah.
For as good as these songs are - and they are *very* good - I can’t quite get past the production. Big Chair is a fitting title, because the songs sound huge! Like it was recorded in an empty glass cathedral. The songs lack a bit of warmth, but it’s also candy on the ears. The singles are relentlessly catchy, and everything else in between is fairly consistent. A solid 3 for me. ✨
Je n’ai pas trop aimé l’instru et les voix un peu effacées dans le fond
Some bangers on this one. Some of the tracks could probably be shortened from 6 min to 4 min and be better for it, but they are still good Standouts Shout Everybody Wants To Rule The World Head Over Heels / Broken 4/5
A mix of, well, Everybody Wants to Rule the World and a handful of other songs that aren’t that one. As a whole, the album’s fine but not memorable for me.
There were some interesting moments, but nothing too special. Good for background while coding
Everybody wants to rule the world is the one where the straight cooked, but When the wind blows is a great mention. A bunch of beautiful songs about revolution.
I started listening
This isn't really my type of music but I was into it for the historical aspect. Not knowing much about the musical history of this genre I am kind of bewildered about how emerged out of the 70's, it sounds entirely different than whatever came before. Just a really hard and distinctive style of the 80's. So that much is pretty cool. "Everybody Want to Rule the World" was a good song and I'm not sure if I'd ever listened to it all the way through before. The rest of the album was decent background music - I was kind of offput when it was over, deep in focus lol - but probably nothing I'd return to.
Une de mes chansons prefs dans l'album A part ça j'aime pas trop 3/5
Fine. Really strong opener but no other standouts
The hits are hits for a reason but the other songs don’t really hold their own weight.
Úlllltima semana de julio, gente. Vamos hoy con una banda que sólo ubico por dos de sus canciones-emblema que están en éste disco ("Shout" y "Everybody Wants to Rule the World"). ¿Qué tienen los 80 de magnético? ¿Es algo que sólo me pasa a mí o a los de mi generación? Me gustaría investigar sobre ello alguna vez. Resumen: ideal para amenizar cualquier reunión. Hasta mañana
I have heard a number of these songs before. I may not have been entirely sure they were Tears for Fears songs. Let's Go. Track 1 is classic 80s. Lots of synth and electronic noises throughout. I always find 80s songs to be somewhat bloated, this song didn't need to be 6 minutes long. It got repetitive. Track 2 was meh. I have a feeling this album is going to be carried by the two big songs. Track 3 is the all-timer of course. As it should be. It has everything, good tempo, great lyrics decent "riff". And a tight 4:11 of runtime. Track 4 was unique, it had lots going on. Very fun! Track 5 slows things down. This is generally a bummer for me as most bands are better when they keep things moving. This was no exception. The rest of the album was meh as well. I feel like the two heavyweight tracks could have been featured in a "1000 Songs to hear..." but the album as a whole is just okay. An interesting question might be how many great songs does an album need to have to be considered great. Maybe it is just two. 2.9/5
Classic rock for the 80s. Got two known songs.
I had no idea shout was by tears for fears. I guess this album deserves credit for such a hit, but what an obnoxious song. The Working hour had a beautiful introduction and a pretty silly set of messaging when set to the second British Invasion sound. I guess it is par for the course. Everybody wants to rule the world is a certified banger, unfortunately. I believe was a truly painful four minutes. Just ugly songwriting, even with beautiful wind. Fun transition into broken though. Head over heels is just a brain dead chorus. The redeeming aspect of the song is the chord progression change for the bridge. Listen is an interesting track. I appreciate the formal deviation here. I think it is the best track after Everybody Wants to Rule the World. Overall, this album is uneven. Far from a five star album with confidently cliche artistic choices, and a lot of insubstantial drama. But, when you have eight tracks, and a few remain as cultural touchpoints and one is a truly excellent song, it deserves a middling rating.
Some of these songs are fun, but no decade could make music as boring as the 80s
Listening Notes: -Shout: oh so I know two songs by these guys. The sound feels very depeche mode, but less spooky. I think I can get behind that. -Everybody wants to rule the world is a fine pop tune, but I don't really feel like it gets me anywhere -Really fully-fleshed out use of synths and other stuff here. -Mothers Talk really doesn't do much for me. and its also about 2 minutes too long. -Now we try to slow it down for I Believe, and I really just don't think this vocal styling works. It feels mopey rather than reflective. -Head over Heels is pretty good, but doesn't go anywhere they haven't already been. -Listen feels like an ambient track to chill and study to, which I guess is fine. Review: It seems like this album has very limited thematic range, and beyond its big hits (which are famous and catchy, but ultimately don't feel terribly substantial), I don't think it has that much to say. Really cool synth stuff here though. We'll say 3.5 rounding down.
1985. Other than the obvious hits, I'd not heard this before. It's actually quite a good listen, if a bit of commercially over-produced, but such is it's appeal from a time that big power-pop songs were ubiquitous in our every day lives. I'm unlike to go back to this, but it was a enjoyable 40 minute, 80s throwback. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ Retro 80s ★★★☆☆(6/10)
The hits are great but the rest just average. 3 stars or C+.
Not my go to genre, but absolutely solid album with a little bit of a lul after the midpoint, however a good number of solid singles which elevate the album a bit more. The band is also a bit "cool uncool cool" which I like.
Schönes Saxofon bei "the working hour"
Everybody wants to rule the world is one of the greatest pop songs of the 80s. Shout is nostalgic. Head over heels/broken is the sleeper song. Lyrics mention ‘change in weather’ often 3/5
A few good ones
3.5
This album has some hits, but I really didn’t like the song it ended on, Listen. It took me out of the vibe of the album.
I’ve never been a fan of Tears for Fears although I do like Head Over Heels. I think Everybody Wants to Rule the World is one of the most overplayed 80’s songs. This album was very 80’s. I also knew the song Shout.
Definisjonen av 80-tallet.
Pop, Rock, 1985 -> 3
Poppier, less edgy Depeche.
Tears For Fears, c'est peut-être encore plus over the top que toutes les années 80 réunies. Plusieurs moments forts. De la grosse pop avec des pointes de prog qui surgissent par bouts. 3.49 étoiles.
Classic 80s
Kinda disappointing. I like him better in psych
Tienen clásicos conocidos como "Shout" y "Everybody Wants to Rule The World" muy buenos. Aparte de estas dos, me ha gustado "Head Over Heels". El pop de los 80 no entra dentro de mis gustos musicales por lo que aparte de estos tres temas, no me ha despertado mucho interés. 6/10.
Never let anyone tell you this generator isn’t educational - I thought I Believe sounded a bit like Robert Wyatt and then discovered Tears for Fears actually dedicated the song to him. Not sure I would have made that connection 180 albums ago. But despite I Believe giving me a chance to feel a bit smug, I have to say I preferred the poppier tracks, so I’m still a basic bitch at heart.
Another quintessential 80’s synth pop sound. 2 pretty big songs on an 8 track album is solid. Idk what else to say. It’s good but 2 songs is also plenty to kind of get it. Feels like someone should be strutting through a carpeted mall with a windbreaker.
as far as synth pop goes... this wasn't terrible. i generally shy away from a sound like this, but not sure if i went in with more of an open mind or what... but i was jamming to this album. not necessarily going to make it into full music rotation... but overall it was a good experience
Elsker tears for fears!! Yay. Nogle sange er lidt mærkelige. “Shout” er ikke lige mig fx. Men obvs elsker jeg EWTRTW Sangene på det her album er godt nok lange. Sange jeg kendte i forvejen: Shout, broken, og ewtrtw
I got to feel like the star of my very own bad 80s movie! Most of this was quite enjoyable, but I found the couple slow songs to be borderline unlistenable.
This was a pleasant listen. I could imaging bopping around to this in a perm in the 80s, were I born a couple of decades earlier. I thought it started strong then got a bit lost, “I Believe” was a bit dull. Actually enjoyed this a bit more than the Television album but not quite enough for a 4.
I think its fair to say this album hasnt entirely aged well albiet there is some familiar songs that I still highly enjoy. I think my main complaint here aside from how its aged is some songs are not as strong so not entirely winning on that front. I found Broken / Head Over Heals (2 songs on Album) was quite cinematic. Very sci-fi theme at times and swear I recognise from somewhere (Masters of the universe maybe). I enjoyed that side of them. Ultimately a good band that I enjoy listening to every song. Lots of little jingles amongst the songs that I found oddly familiar. Maybe we need the plagiarism investigators on this one!
A pretty classic 80's pop sound from a classic 80's band. I can't quite work out what makes this a cool sound. Some bold rhythms (although sometimes a bit robotic in nature, presumably due to using drum machines), synths that now simultaneously sound nostalgic and futuristic, and why is saxophone so neglected in pop music nowadays? I didn't exist in the 80's so there is an added historical interest for a decade I've only seen through old photo albums and documentaries (the soundtracks to which are probably where I've heard the singles from this album). This isn't something I'd listen to out of choice but it was a fun listen and definitely feels like a big and relevant album.
Their sound is excellent when it hits but feels off when it doesn't. Still a decent listen
Everybody wants to rule the world är en fantastisk hit. Resten av plattan har kvaliteter som gör dem till mer än ett onehitwonder, men faktiskt inte mycket mer... Trea
Great 80's sound!
The good is great. The other is just meh
This one epitomizes that signature 80s sound, which is a testament to its quality. This is synth sound done right, with plenty of real instruments and real musicianship driving it along. Not every track is a banger, but the ones that land are amongst the all timers of the genre.
This was more interesting than I was expecting? I was expecting something more conventional from one of the biggest pop records of the 80s. But it's big and strange and ambitious. It's so 80s but not in a cheesy way. It's very well produced and the sounds are very of that time, but it ages weirdly well. It's more stark, moody and haunting 80s vs a shimmery fake optimistic 80s. I only had time for 1 listen, but I'll definitely check it out again. Weirdly I think i have a copy of this on vinyl from my parents who gave me their sparse collection. General thoughts... The three hits are great (shout, everybody wants to rule the world and head over heals). No complaints. I know head over heals from Donnie Darko, might be my favourite of the 3. So good. Also these songs are weirdly long for 80s pop hits, but it works. They don't feel long. The deep cuts didn't grab me on first listen, except for Broken. I dig that instrumental and how it teases Head over heels. The other 4 are a bit all over the place. Not bad. Not boring. Interesting even. I need to give them more time. The ending did stick out to me... very ambitious. Not what i was expecting from a pop record. Is this new wave? I dunno. I respect the restraint on the track list. 8 tracks is bold, and one of them's basically an instrumental interlude. And yet 3 of the 8 are huge hit songs. I originally clicked on the big anniversary version of the album and holy shit they cut a bunch of a material. They even cut the song called The Big Chair. They were really ruthless in cutting this album down to the core tracks. I wonder if that was driven by the 2 of them or by the record label? Who knows. I like that approach though to an album. Even if you get it wrong and cut something good, you can release it as a b-side... The Smiths approach. It's better to have an album that leaves people wanting more than one that has the audience wondering when it's finally gonna end. Wow... this thing sounds expensive as hell. Like a film score to every sad 80s teen movie combined.
I liked it. I'm familiar with the hits, and the rest of it keeps that same feel. I wasn't blown away, but I had a good time.
Solid 3.5 stars, just doesn't have much depth. - Now THIS is the 80s! - Two songs in, this is quality and I'm enjoying it
Det er sådan noget synthpop, rock new wave agtigt som blev meget rost for sin rigtig god produktion, mixing osv. Det lyder jo også ubenægtetligt godt og der er massere af gode tracks, men 80'er lyden fanger mig ikke helt. Hvis jeg skulle give det et relisten en dag, så ville det nok være for at lytte til mellemnumrene af de store hits da jeg faktisk synes de var meget fede.
Some interesting songs but won't be listening to this one again
They are a funny old mix The big ones are great love em being part of my teens I can’t really judge them. Everybody wants to rule is favourite. The slow experimental stuff starts off kind of interesting then not sure where they going But I like them there wholesome. I’ll go with a 2/ 2.5
enjoyed this more than I thought I would but the whole album doesn’t really hold together enough. The experimental stuff veers into 80s low budget PI/ cop show TV series in downtown LA … was a bit boring. SHOUT is a stone-cold gold-plated banger. It’s protest through synths and pure vocal force. Rule The World - excellent Head over Heels - pure 80s classic Listen - I bit tokenistic ‘world music peace love we’re so kewl’ … kind of thing head teacher at my primary school would play at assembly to be ‘right on’… like Enya or Jean-Michel Jarre 😂
When this was new, I thought I was too cool for it. But I absolutely was not.
EWTRTW is absolutely top tier, Shout Shout and Head over Heels are great, and the rest is just meh. Mixed bag here for only 8 songs
Not the best front-to-back experience ever but crazy highlights. Didn’t think Tears for Fears had a song like Listen in their bag tbh fair play
Yeah why not
Some 5’s, some 2’s. What a shame
Oh so this is Tears for Fears. To me this is one of those bands that you've heard but didn't know you had. I recognised a bunch of these songs but it's the ones in between that I wasn't to fussed on. Still a solid listen if you dig your 80s pop synth/rock.
Sounded familiar, then "Everybody..." started.
I've somehow never given much thought to Tears For Fears outside of their singles. This was a pretty solid album front to back (though the ballads left me flat). The Genesis albums from this era have a certain hold on my imagination and I imagine if i had come to this closer to real time, it would have been formative. But will I ever listen to it again? [looks around; whispers] Probably not…
I need to spend a few more listens with this. The rock opera of “broken” > “head over heels / broken” was unexpected and way more prog than I anticipated. Of course “everybody wants…” is always a good listen.
‘Head over heels’ serves as a high water mark when I think of popular 80’s songs. 5 outta 5, a perfect tune.
I really can't stand the opening track (giant skip), but 'Everybody Wants to Rule the World' rocks. I feel like I would have enjoyed this album had I been there.
Decent—stranger than I thought it would be.
6/10 3 good songs, the rest are just ok and largely forgettable. Disappointing, really, as I was expecting some solid 80s nostalgia and then a realisation how much better Tears for Fears are than I gave them credit for. This happened with Simple Minds. But here, the musical landscape between the hits felt great. Couple of chords, lots of synth. Bloody devils horn grating on my ears.
A surprisingly good listen. Eighties synth pop. There is an ambitious variety of sound here and it only occasionally veers into John shuttleworth territory.
5.5/10 Yes to the hits. No to everything else Highlights: Shout Everybody Wants to Rule the World
Ok
Butthole slippery
Very listenable 80s album with several big hits.
I think they took themselves a bit seriously back in the day, but this is a decent album. Everybody Wants to Rule the World is clearly the standout song.
Another bunch of 80s synth pop. Sure it's seminal, important to the movement synth pop, but it's still bloody synth pop.
Not bad but not a huge fan.
06/2025 Hotel, Gili Asahan, Indonesien Selbst die wenigen Hits ziehen sich ewig.
classic but i've been burned out on in this grocery stores
Very 80’s - some nice work done on the synths. Strong vocals and would be fun to dance to. 3.5 stars
Dad- 7 Mom- 9 Mike- Lori- 6 Michael- 8 Miles- Cole- Avg-
Very 80s! I want to like Tears For Fears more than I do. But they’re a singles band - I don’t think the album tracks are all that - and even then they’re a bit… weird. I kind of love the super 80s production though and the last track had some synth sounds that reminded me of later dance music!
Mixed. Some really strong tracks that don’t sound dated in there, but fades towards the end where some do sound dated.
They were definitely doing something cool and made a lot of hits, but it’s just not for me.
Singles are great the other songs sound a little dated
Pretty decent album. A couple of big hits on one album, and good to hear the context for Broken fully. I don't think anything super stood out to me re: style or composition or music, but maybe I just don't know the specific history about this album.
Overall solid album for me
Cheesy synth pop.
So back when I was growing up, the local news station my parents watched in the morning would play "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" during the traffic report so now whenever I hear that song I still get this weird trigger where I remember being a kid and it's way earlier than I want to be awake, waiting for my mom to make me Eggo waffles for breakfast or something... Anyways, that song is a timeless banger. Shout and Head Over Heels are also both good, but the rest just feels like an exercise in studio wankery.
it has the deep cuts that I’ve always known and loved, but listening to the whole thing through didn’t impress me as a whole
Some good singles but don’t agree it is an overall great album
Skulle vært ei stjerne mellom 3 og 4 ja. God miks av 80s poprock og lounge. Ikke feil, men ikke helt riktig heller.
I've listened to this album a bunch of time over the months every time I come back to this project and I just need to leave a damn review. "Shout" is an absolute banger. Got me so pumped every time I listened to this and then the rest of the album just flows past and nothing grabs me in the same way. I love how big and full everything sounds.
Sound album.
Just an okay album. I’d probably rate it two stars but the singles from this album bring it up a star.
Single are good. Rest is fine.
Very solid middle of the road 80s synth pop
Outside the hits, not much here
I can see why most of the tracks here were put on the best of album. The remaining tracks that weren't on the best of aren't great unfortunately, leading to an unbalanced album as a whole
top songs: everybody wants to rule the world, head over heels, shout, broken some really good songs, others dragged a little
Songs from the Big Chair, Tears for Fears’ 1985 synth-pop opus, straddles the line between grand ambition and brooding excess. While the band’s rock-tinged electronics aim for emotional gravitas, the album can feel a bit ponderous—especially in its deeper cuts. Still, it boasts undeniable highlights: “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” is a gleaming pop gem that would’ve made a killer opener, setting a more accessible tone. “Broken” stands out with its pulsing synth bass, serving as a moody lead-in to the more expansive “Head Over Heels/Broken,” whose extended coda—chopped from the radio version—feels both epic and indulgent. The final two tracks, oddly presented as live versions, close the album on a slightly disjointed note, making this chair not quite as big or comfortable as it could’ve been.
Fav: Everybody Wants to Rule the World; Broken; Head Over Heels
There's a reason you only know the 3 great songs that are on this album. And they are truly great songs. But there are only 3 of them...
7/10 Obvs has some bangers on it, such an iconic 80's synth pop album but listening back to front was a bit monotone for me - good background music though. I do love Head Over Heels, always have always will. Going forward I will continue to listen to the songs I already knew. Songs added to playlist: - Shout - Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Head Over Heels
Some very solid songs, other much less solid songs. They lost me a bit at the end of the album.
EvErYbOdY wAnTs tO RuLe ThE wOrLd 🇬🇧
I enjoyed this album. I already knew some songs from it, so it was cool to actually listen to the album.
Like all the hits on the album but rest was pretty meh.
Well folks, I'm not going to sugarcoat this one. It's two legendary hits and a bunch of stuff I'd really rather not get involved with.
Not bad, kind of forgettable while still being enjoyable.
3/5
Better than Coldplay.
Pretty good
I actually listened to this one once because bo and Noah were talking about it. This was really good. It’s crazy how you get an idea in your mind because you heard their one hit from the 80s (over and over and over….thank you Mr. Morris and his weight lifting tape), and think they are not greet. But turns out they have a lot of songs you’ve never heard that are really good!
To be a sax player in the 80's, you must have been in demand!
Great! But doesn’t feel like a real album, lotsa filler.
TRÄNEN FÜR ÄNGSTE freumi so medium aber mal gugge! iwie het shout chli wenig bass? finds suscht sber na cool und kenns sogar aaaaber chli z lang für min gschmack the working hour isch huuuere schön, au wenn auuu chli z lang aber es flowed schön innenand inne everybody wants to rule the world isch natürlich en riese banger, wo au nöd z fest usglutscht isch? d hihats findi recht geil DUGUDÄGADUGUDÄGA de schluss vo mother's talk gajt DUMM jaa dass es lied wie I believe na sin platz findt, macht iwie sinn bin nöd megaaa überzügt, iwie schona schön aber chli sehr langsam UH de übergang zu broken isch aber sexy listen findi seeehr cool als closener hmmm also s hetmi idem sinn positiv überrascht aber weiss nöd öbi es 4i geh chan. glaub eidach es gueets 3
Not really my jam. I get why people like this album. I like the piano and percussion. Too slow for me
For the record I’m biased already. Actually really enjoying shout. I don’t know when I’d listen to it regularly but it’s got this kind of grimy build up. The vocals don’t overpower the instruments, in fact they have a couple solos for different instruments. Very good layering. Mother’s talk was also kinda fun but this “I believe” isn’t striking any chords with me. “Broken” was almost perfect but it ended so weakly. Cool moments but can’t say much stood out to me.
A solid slice of eighties song writing. It’s ok
Didn’t know I knew it!
Good album but not my thing. 3/5
Rather boring and pretentious. Couple massive hits, but aside, nothing great. Good album for the boys. Bad album for me. 3/5
A solid listen and moodier than I expected based on the single.
Sometimes seems a five, sometimes a two. I feel cheated
Everybody wants to rule the world and head over heels are all time songs in my opinion, shout also gets close to that tier. The rest of the album is alright but maybe forgettable. I think Tears For Fears is more of a hits band than an album band for me, but enjoyed it
At parts sounds interesting and idk why reminded me Alan Pearson's project tho
👍
The 80s yay
A pop rock, new wave, synthy kinda joint. There’s a lot of undeniably catchy hooks. I’m not sure if I like them, but they’re memorable. The music is well written and densely layered but not overdone. It’s cool at times (and the extended instrumental breaks are solid), but can also get a bit cheesy or a little to smooth. The Slower, simpler songs are quite dull (I believe was rough for me), while more energetic and fuller songs are stronger. I’m not fully bought in, but they’re song writing, melodies, and instrumentals are all pretty quality.
Catchy tunes.
Two hits I moderately enjoy and have heard too often squashed between deep cuts which are adverse to my personal taste.
Absolutely loved the more instrumental focused songs. I had a hard time enjoying the pop songs. The 80s sound feels too dated.
Kind of cool, very 80s. Everybody wants to rule the world is a banger. Kind of like a less electronic, more dramatic Pet Shop Boys
I don’t like 80s
Nicht ganz gehört
The big hits ( shout and EWTRTW ) are iconic 80's pop songs...and rather good ! The rest of the album is weaker. Worth 2.5, going for 3 for the memories and rhe impact on contemporaries.
It’s oy
I had the hair, the sweaters, the music video habit to feed, and this was a big thing in the time of The Police, Michael, Born in the USA, and all the great music of the mid decade in the 80s. I recalled slow dancing to “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”, but it seems to have a different connotation 40 years on.
Solid, very ‘80s sounding
The entire first half of this album is stone cold bangers and then it just plateaus. I wish they’d kept jabbing on different directions but it’s like they ran out of songs. Still, impeccably produced and a real pop sensibility to the darker synths makes this the peak of New Romantic music.
standouts are obvious but the supporting cast is perfectly satisfactory
listened to some before but i still enjoy. def a weird kind of vibe to the music and what they are trying to do here but still enjoyable.
Quite an accomplished Pop album. I can't hate on it. 4 certified hits that I would never opt to put on but can't deny their success.
Big hits very strong, other singles good, album tracks boring
Of course I love Shout and Everybody Wants To Rule The World from radio play and various covers. The songs Broken and Head Over Heels caught my attention as well. I'd probably give the album a 3/5. Some standout songs and a few that I don't really love
310/1001 Qué de tiempo sin escuchar a esta gente! 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑
Mostly good ish.
Hits only at the hits.
There are some bangers…but also some flops, so I’d call this average
As an 80's kid, I was (and still am) into Husker Du, The Replacements, REM, Echo & the Bunnymen, The Smiths, etc. This album was "meh" to me then, and still is today. Elevator music.
Good: synths tasty, hits hit, good 80s Bad: some of the sins are long and kinda boring
You listen to enough New Wave, and you realize how Big Tent it really is. This is definitely closer to a Eurythmics then it is to an ABC, to its detriment for me. It definitely has three killer songs, but even so I wouldn't call it my favorite New Wave jam.
What's the big deal with this album? Yeah, it's decent, it has some hits that are good, but songs like Shout are awful, and the deep cuts are bores. So many better albums came from this era of synthpop, and before, so why does this album get all the new wave glory? The Fleetwood Mac of synthpop, in that aspect. It's good, but not the best.
Very 80s. A handful of fun popular songs. Otherwise unremarkable
Normally synth-pop and Brit-pop turn me off, but these guys escape some of those limitations, like this 6 1/2 minute opener followed by another 6 1/2 (albeit boring) minute cut. Mothers Talk borderline electronica at times and gets quite noisy. They easily lose me (pop psychology blah), but when they bring in the electric rocky guitar (yay). Bold move, close with a near 7 minutes of wandering. Too bad they lose focus there.
A tricky one. I always felt that Tears for Fears were self-righteous, self-important, all the selfs. And they were severely humourless to boot. And for that reason I chose not to entertain their catalogue. However, every song permeated the airwaves, the culture, daily life. The fact that I still know almost every word and every tune means that I find it very difficult to judge whether I like the album or it’s just a part of me. Classic 3.5 I guess.
Chiamatemi pazzo si ma pazzo per Gesù
https://youtu.be/bagAoB4o6Os?si=rnav6QOWZ-67g0h9
I will acknowledge that "Shout" is a great song, but outside of that, the album lacks bite. While the songwriting is generally good, this album sounds very much like an artifact of its era. Just not my cup of tea.
The sound on this album is outstanding and it's got a reasonable number of hits!
This was fine, but didn't leave much of an impression. I knew the 2 smash hits on this record already. Probably wouldn't play again but it was okay.
I've never really been a big Tears for Fears person. Much in the same way that most 80's music has always been inherently off-putting to me for it's ridiculous production aesthetic and corny as hell sound that just hasn't, in my opinion, aged well and ruined what could've been a lot of great music for entire decade. I've never given them a look beyond their transcendent hits, two of which make it onto this record. But like many 80's albums on this list, I came away from this one feeling a sense of pleasant surprise. That's directed mostly at the idea that this is rocks a little harder than I thought it could or would. It's so easy to assume that these 80's bands were pure pop, when really they may have just been rock bands that fell victim to the trends of the day. Am I saying I loved this? Not at all. I thought it was perfectly fine as something to listen to while doing something else. But the fact that I found it any bit impressing is a win for this album and for me, because I assumed I wasn't going to like it at all. Three stars. Oh and it didn't overstay its welcome, unlike some other albums I've heard here. Seriously - 8 songs, 41 minutes and they said what they needed to say. What a concept. Standout Tracks: Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Broken
A rare case where the 80s production is not a disastrous failure. The big singles are great, with “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” being one of the top 3 pop songs of the 80s. Also enjoyed deep cut “Mothers Talk”. I think I am finding that I just don’t like ballads (“I Believe” and “Listen”).
Rock pop influence for 90s. But for me a little insipid.
yhhhh tears for fears!!!
un 3 direi che ci sta
The two-and-a-half singles are great; all-time classics. The album tracks are dreck; unlistenable garbage. Gets you three stars - smack in the middle of the bell curve.
Although I've never consciously listened to this album, I know many of these songs, and the ones I didn't know seemed to fit pretty consistently with the familiar ones. In short, it's what I expected, which isn't bad, but not something I'd listen to regularly.
Definitely the upper echelon of synth pop. I'm not usually a fan of the stuff, but this is as enjoyable as it gets. Also, I can't be the only one for whom the Dennis Miller Show ruined Everybody Wants To Rule The World.
I like shout and head over heels. Very 80s but solid
Apart from the hit singles "Shout" and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", the rest of the album is meh!
its ok
Pretty good, feels very 80's, nothing crazy though
Like most of the world, I’ve always been super familiar with Shout, Head Over Heels, and most importantly the classic Everybody Wants to Rule the World (for which my sister and I have a high score on the old karaoke video game SingStar, by the way) and loved those songs, but I’d never heard the rest and must say they definitely weren’t as good. Cool vibes throughout but also some of the sounds are a bit grating. I wish there were half stars because this is definitely not as low as a 3 but I can’t really give it a 4 overall, so consider this a 3.5 and I will be revisiting this album.
This was a groovin style, and I loved the main singer's voice. Not something that I'll be playing again though.
A crazy style, almost hypnotic. It reminds me of the music that plays when you’re on hold with the bank lol. Also vapourwave. Theres a cool range of moods they achieve using their sound.
3.5? Some bangers, some bland?
decent decent
Synth-pop with some good guitar work mixed in. I'm familiar with many of the songs and I think the album is OK. Nothing extraordinary but I would still recommend it if someone asked me what I think of it.
The singles are good, didn’t expect the rest to be saxophone ballads.
Hits are bangers. The rest is dated.
Have been a big fan of Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, and Head Over Heels for years, but it was cool to see the context the songs appear in. Shout was one of my first music loves. It was on a tape my mom got me because I had memorized all of the snippets on the infomercial for an 80s compilation.
Shout // Everybody Wants To Rule The World // Head Over Heels //
Enjoyable album overall, the production was quite unique and more rock oriented than records of the same period, which I liked, with outstanding singles like "everybody wants to rule the world", a classic. There was a certain unbalance between excellent songs, like the aforementioned and other tracks, making the album have a bit of filler material. In terms of 80's albums this one was enjoyable and a good listen overall. Favorite track: "everybody wants to rule the world". Overall score: 7.0/10
Some great classics on there, but loads of waffle
Good album. Not a huge TFF fan, but when they sound more Depeche Mode, it's great.
Can there be such a thing as too 80s and too much synth? This album proves that yes, yes there can.
Definitely some big songs that were pretty good for their era and style. 2.5/5
The most quintessentially 80s album to ever do it. Some really beautiful moments on this but my god it can drag at times. Favourite Track: The Working Hour Least Fav Track: I Believe
Thinking of Donnie Darko and Ferris Bueller
i liked it. didn't enjoy every song, but enough distinct sounds allowed me to feel like i'd return and keep giving it chances. rating may go from 3 to 4 upon further listens. favorites of course are EWTRTW and HOH/B
Shout is a great song
I still prefer the desperation and urgency of The Hurting over the polish and refinement of Songs. But this has aged remarkably well; especially for a big-budget synth based album released in '85.
The definition of 80's cheese. The highs are high, but the lows are awful and drag the rest of the record down. Favourite songs: Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Least favourite songs: I Believe, The Working Man, Listen 3/5
Can only describe as 80s pop in a bottle. Never been a huge fan of Shout but Everybody Wants to Rule the World is one of my favourites. Really enjoyed Head Over Heels / Broken and The Working Hour too. The rest didn't stand out too much to me personally, however it's a solid album nonetheless.
Quintessential 80s tracks. Enjoyed it. Liked some of their songs that I didn’t even know was theirs!
Malgré quelques chansons très accrocheuses avec de bons textes (« Shout », « Everybody Wants To Rules The World » et « Head Over Heels / Broken »), le reste de l’album vieillit mal et est trop sirupeux. Je ne pensais tout de même pas connaître certaines chansons aussi bien en voyant la pochette et le nom du groupe. Merci à la radio Rock Détente qui jouait durant ma jeunesse pour m’avoir donné cette culture générale assez large de la musique des années 80.