Songs From The Big Chair

Woah. So many classics

Such a huge record. Had no idea how much These New Puritans and side C of Destroyer's Kaputt owed to this record before I'd heard it all the way through — another in that list of records you've heard a number of tracks from without realizing it. Enjoyed this immensely. Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith are far more studious musicians and writers than a casual All-80s-Weekend radio marathon might suggest.

This was literally a PERFECT ALBUM for the times when it was released. Different, ultra creative, bone rattling music that you could understand the lyrics of and feel heart-moved. Still, to me it's pop and even though it's overplayed I'll give it 4 stars.

Masterclass!

One of my absolute favorite albums of all time. The production, performance, and the thoughtful songwriting is as a great all around. There is a reason why many people to this day think that "Everybody Wants to the Rule the World" is the most perfect song ever written. At 41 minutes SFTBC is a lean album that makes the most of every note. It doesn't get bogged down in its philosophical leanings and introduces audiences with accessible versions of subgenres that were lesser known at the time. My other absolute favorite album of theirs is ELEMENTAL, released and record by Orzabal after breaking up with Curt Smith in 1993 is also an album I recommend listening to all the way through. Fantastic explorations and tight songwriting. This album and THE HURTING make clear how much their sound was affected by the loss of Ian Stalney after he left the band following this album. I just love this 80s sound so much! A decade when bands were given enough money and studio time to really explore sonic adventures and often the musical freedom to go on those voyages, unlike the music since then that is often given the freedom to explore but lacks the money, experience, or expertise to really make the songs and production shine, and record companies are unwilling to really stick with artist development to really draw out their best.

unexpactably enjoyed a lot couple of simular tracks, but mostly unusual 4 bri'ish rock sound

good

Quite forgettable, to the point that I actually forgot I was listening to it. Most songs are quite repetitive, even if their groove is nice. No emotional impact. It's not something I've actively disliked listening to, which means it's not a 1, but I'm not giving more than a 2 to anything that has left no impact on me whatsoever.

There’s three songs on this record that are among my absolute favorites. The rest range from good to forgettable. But I still vibe with the record overall. 4/5

Solid older people tunes

A couple of catchy enough songs, but otherwise cheesy 80s fluff.

One of my favourite albums of the 80's. Atmospheric, great singles.

Atmospheric. Take me to the 80s.

Retrospectively and perhaps at the time, an absolute tomb.

Classic 80s

A great album. On a trip through California, I listened to a lot of "Tears for Fears" in the car. I didn't knew the album "Songs From The Big Chair", but a lot of it was on the best-of that I remember fondly. They were rightly on it. Nice to have heard this album in its entirety. It certainly wasn't the last time. 5/5

Klassieker

Zou dit uit de 80's komen

Brilliant

I love Tears for Fears. There are a couple week spots on this album, but not many. Head over Heels and Everybody Wants to Rule the World, are all timers.

wow. a mind-blowing album. no filler tracks, just pure tracks, banger after banger.

Not bad. Electropop fun. I would listen again.

I love this album and every song on it...but it's too short. That's my only complaint. However, for that reason, I prefer "The Hurting" over this album. However, this is an album I will go back to over and over, regularly, throughout my entire life.

Cool and atmospheric. Definitely 80s. Kind of musical and experimental too. Liked it.

Intelligent progressive pop. It doesn’t always excite but it’s a quality production.

Hits a tricky sweet spot between almost ambient synth atmospherics, and singalong anthems.

Highlights: The Working Hour, Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Head Over Heels, Listen. In a nutshell: a synth-pop new-wave staple. Lyrically and sonically mature compared to previous album The Hurting. Tacking a live track (Broken) after Head Over Heels didn't feel right. Mel Collins (the saxophonist from the Rolling Stones track Miss You) makes an appearance. Overall: 8/10

Shout is a classic, album opens with a wave of sound and nostalgia for 80s nostalgia that I used to listen to in the early 2000s. Subwoofer in the back seat times.

Another one where I like the instrumental part of it, but the lyrics and vocals just take it down a bit. But, hey, never realized this is where "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" came from.

Yeah it's alright

A ton of huge hits on one album. You can taste the 80's pop.

Not bad for the 80s. Parts reminded me a little of Supertramp and I liked the last song for how instrumental it was

This reminds me of the New Gold Dream Simple Minds album due to the 80's vibes and standout hits that I'd heard of before. Everybody Wants to Rule the World is definitely the best song for me by a mile, but upon subsequent listens the rest of the album is a little boring but still pretty good.

I’m disappointed. IMO head over heels is byfar the best song on this album, everybody wants to rule the world is fine, and the rest are all forgettable and not really that fun to listen to. The first two songs are wayy too damn long and so is the last song. 6.5/10 (the math in my head: 4/10 + .75 everybody wants to rule the world + 1.75 head over heels)

I’m not sure if I’m biased because yesterday was so bad, but this was quite good. 8/10

8/10 - Tears For Fears has a very interesting style of making music that I quite enjoy. Obviously Everybody wants to rule the world is well known for being a great song but the other songs on the album were pretty good and enjoyed Listen quite a bit as well.

One good song and the rest was just alright

One of those albums that just sounds super 80s, but it also works very well here. Bunch of really good songs, good album, and I really cannot decide whether to give this a 4 or a 5.

perfect for feeling shit days

Nice album. I can definitely understand why it is on this list. But not my favorite music. It is too smooth (zu glatt)

"Shout", "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", and "Head Over Heels" are the stand out tracks. The rest is certainly worth a listen, especially "Mothers Talk" which like much of the album is surprisingly experimental and yet also sounding like the most typical mid-80s pop ever. 3.7 stars rounded up.

Love this, i think its an album that defines the 80s sound, history was made.

Hell fucking yes boys. Sometimes it's all about the age you are when you first hear an album. I was all of 15 years old when the big 3 songs from this album were inescapable, all over MTV and the radio. The essential track that endures is of course Everybody Wants to Rule The World, a song you can't listen to without feeling blissfully happy. That song should be the on-hold music for suicide prevention hotlines. While the rest of America was going crazy for Wham!, I gravitated towards this overseas duo. And this is as natural of a pure power pop classic as you could find in 1985, a year that isn't as revered as 1984, but it clearly deserves to be.

6.5/10

An all time classic song, but surprisingly a very solid album as well

Short and sweet, some absolute bangers of songs on this album that makes for extremely easy and enjoyable listening

I loved this album so much, favourite one so far. Mother’s talk one by far for my favourite song.

4.5/5 on quality, 5/5 when sentimentality is factored in. Timeless 80s music from my childhood. This 1001 exercise is showing me that typically the singles are singles for a reason, they're the better songs...I think. Or is it just because they're familiar and album tracks for an album I've only listened to a few times haven't had the chance to grow? Who knows. Closing track Listen was an enjoyable surprise. Enya meets Talk Talk meets TFF 80s synths.

2 great songs but otherwise nah

Weirdly I asked Alexa today to play music while I took a dump in the house (drowns out the sounds for house guests) and it played Everybody Wants to Rule the World. Then I thought "damn, I need to listen to that album again". Then I checked 1001 generator and it was that album. What are the chances? Anyhow, amazing album of course, I love it.

Enjoyed this.

Fun album, very mellow, with classics like Shout and Head Over Heels.

Classic 80s. Dance on!

Bangers from start to finish.

Very slow didn't like. Old

Good, solid album. I've noticed that with a lot of 80's albums I recognize the big songs and I am hearing the rest for the first time. Shout and Everybody wants to rule the world are songs I've heard most of my life and enjoy. I think they have a very distinct sound while still capturing the feel and mood of the Era they made music in. Overall a solid album and one I will probably hear songs from going forward.

Besides two of their best songs the album never rose to that level again. Good music though!

I remember this big sound - great vocals, still kind of 'meh. I can listen to it.

I just don't get this genre at all. I don't like the tones of the instruments, the overall sound, the singing...it's just not for me, I guess. 2/5

Above average 80s pop album with all of the recognizable radio hits.

Fantastic album. These guys will always be great to listen to

..(.

4.5 All really great

Belline alcune canzoni

My wife knew all the words to one of these songs, which left me stunned, given how much I controlled the music in the 80’s. Makes me wonder what else she was up to 35+ years ago. Did I make a mistake? Maybe she’s not the right gal for me! Shit!

Eh

Some great 80's action here. The bangers be bangin', the other stuff pretty good.

This was a roller-coaster! Before even listening to a single track I was so looking forward to the nostalgic anthems "Shout" "Head over heels" and of course "Everybody wants to rule the World". Those tracks did disappoint, but as I listened to the other tracks, my interest started to wane. and I began to think I had misplaced my faith in this being a BANGER of an album. I listened to it another few times, and with each listen, the unfamiliar tracks grew on me! The production of this album is awesome. It sounds so fresh for an album that was put together in 1985! I am sure my score is still influenced by nostalgia and memories of listening to this with my first girlfriend, but this album has been such good fun to listen to that I have to give it a 4. One for each of the anthems above and the other star for the mullet sported by Roland Orzaba.

This was ok - a few good tracks and some nice 80s vibes.

A star each for the only two good songs on the record. The rest was typical 80s production cheese.

Meh. Couple familiar tunes, though.

Great 80s memories. Never listened to the album before. Not too long with some great songs.

Sounds very fresh by also sounding very 80’s

Better than expected

Couple good songs but meh the rest

Loved it but…

Slow 80’s ballads. Pretty good still

Two great singles and a moody, atmospheric but ultimately not that interesting remainder.

Its giving main character energy - would be an amazing sountrack un a coming of age movie

Quite a few great songs from this one. The album itself is nothing to write home about but the few songs that are, really are

Saw a tweet one time that was just this picture, captioned “these honkeys were COOKING” and it’s so true. ‘Shout’ is just one of those few 80’s gems that will never be replicated. It’s got AURA. It’s got ATTITUDE. This can be said for the entire album actually. Tight, direct song structure that knows when to slip in and out of instrumental atmospheres. A massive generational pop hit. One iconic vocal melody after another. A mystical album ender. Socially conscious messaging. This album has it all and doesn’t overstay it’s welcome at all. Perfect! It’s incredible that we got this less than a year after Purple Rain. It’s worth noting that they’ve done the impossible recently - they made a song that’s unique and new sounding, unlike every other legacy band from the 80’s or earlier pumping out nothing-burgers to cash in on yet another world tour. Check out ‘No Small Thing’ it’s worth a listen

This is a tough one. There are some incredible, 5-star bangers on this album, like Shout, Everybody Wants To Rule The World, and Head Over Heels. Those songs stand the test of time, and are Exhibit A as to why New Wave hit so big in 80s pop culture. Then there are songs like I Believe and Listen that sound a bit dated I think this is a very good CD. Even songs like The Working Hour (which starts slow but grows into itself) and Mother's Talk are pretty decent. I've never identified myself as a person who likes 80s music - in fact, quite the opposite - but I like this album. So here, again, is the limitation of the 5 star system with no half stars. This album is miles better than some of the recent albums that I've given 3 stars, like Jerry Lee Lewis Live, Genesis The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, or They Were Wrong, So We Drowned, by Liars. On the flip side, I'm not sure I can say it's close to as good as any of the albums I've gives 4 stars, Like Public Enemy Fear of A Black Planet, DJ Shadow Endtroducing, or The Sugarcubes Life's Too Good. Where does that leave me, when I want to rank it 3.5 stars? Ultimately, I've decided to give it 4 stars. Not because it's an album that I'm going to put in my normal rotation, but because it was a phenomenal album in its time, it's an excellent time capsule of the best the New Wave movement had to offer, and, overall, the songs hold up pretty well 40 years later.

My distaste for 80s synthpop instantly leaves my body like an evil spirit the moment I hear the opening notes of "Everybody Wants To Rule The World". There's some filler on this album ("I Believe" is boring as hell), but it's still like Top 5 synthpop albums of all time. They really let it all out.

10/10 loved it

"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is top tier, one of the best songs ever made but unfortunately the rest of the album didn't really do much for me. 3 Stars!

This album makes me want to put on a pair of leg warmers.

some nice Classic Pop songs

- "Shout" and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" are classics. 10/10. As for the others: - "The Working Hour": pretty catchy, though not totally gripping me personally at the moment. I'll give it time, but as for the first impression: 8/10. - "Mothers Talk": Damn, this is funky. Pretty solid, though definitely doesn't reach the heights that "Shout" and "Everybody..." do. 7/10 - "I Believe": Pretty boring, but the performance was pretty great, so I'm giving it a 7/10, though it is for sure the weakest track so far. - "Broken": Holy shit this song just kicks into high gear. 8/10. - "Head Over Heels": I've heard this before, but I forgot how it sounded, so I put it here, but now that I remember it, I can give it a score: 9/10. - "Listen": Pretty interesting, I liked the ambient-adjacent portions where it was just these atmospheric chords and sound effects filling space. The rest of it sounds pretty good so far. Okay, now I'm at the end and the song was kind of boring. Kind of just felt like the same motif for four minutes before evaporating and just ending the album pretty weakly. 7/10. Overall, the album was good, just had some lame moments. From the way people hype up this album, I guess I was just expecting more "Shout" and "Everybody..."-level prog-synth-pop perfection. It was fine though. Final score: 8/10

This is an album that sounds of it's era but has stood the test of time very well. Mature complex pop music which seems to be making a lot of the studio technology and modern instruments but stays memorable. It's a real time capsule of what you could do with an album in the 80s. The hits are huge and sound amazing, the album tracks don't grab me as much but it all goes together as a piece nicely. We should forgive the mullets in this case.

Solid album. Didn't care for it when it first came out. It provides a bit of nostalgia at this point.

Good group, with good 80’s songs.

Head Over Heels is the best song on the album IMO. I am meh on all the others, including the hits.

I know the hits, although never listened to a full album. I could have done without that

decent, not my favorite new wave, but they did have some hits.

Check out this sweet Everybody Wants To Rule the World cover by Lettuce. https://open.spotify.com/track/7eDa4ResDPNOPAs2mzwz7B?si=ucbQdWv2QEe4lHwPsDRS9g

porram

Tears For Fears just makes beautiful music.

Songs From the Big Chair Simple Minds, Tears for Fears, Simple Minds, Tears for Fears. They have always been pretty interchangeable. Rightly or wrongly thye live in the same big echoey 80s drum pop rock bucket in my mind - I sometimes have to stop and think which band sang Don’t You Forget About Me, Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Alive & Kicking and Seeds of Love.

Shout and Everybody Wants to Rule the World are rightly ubiquitous, they are both well crafted ‘big’ sounding 80s classics. EWTRTW in particular is great and still sounds good. The Working Hour also sounds big and 80s but not in a good way. That AO jazzy sax does not sound good and melodically it feels very strained. Mother’s Talk I wasn’t keen on either, the slightly frantic and slightly jazzy synth in combination with the brass and guitar isn’t a particularly pleasant sound.
I Believe feels like a second rate Style Council knock off. I can imagine Sade rejecting this for being too insipid and dull.
Broken perks things up a bit, a bit of drive to it and no overt jazziness, segueing nicely in Head over Heels, which is another bit of classic 80s pop rock. Listen is ok, some of the backing vocals, synth and guitar elements as it builds are quite nice but there’s more of that dull jazziness to it, giving a slight sense of inertia. Generally I’m a fan of a lot of these types of 80s bands, songs and sounds but aside from Shout, EWTRTW and Head over Heels I didn’t find this very enjoyable at all. There’s too much insipid jazz to it and I struggled with a lot of the melodies too. Maybe Don’t You Forget About Me is actually their best song. ⭐️⭐️

Brought back memories of fun times - I’d forgotten about them! Great album.

i'm talking to you. come on.

As far as 80s synth pop goes, this is high quality stuff. Shout is a genuinely cool song. But like so much else from the 80s, the cheesiness of the whole experiment ruins it for me.

znany utwor ale nie moje klimaty

Great song in 'Shout', and 'Head Over Heels' is a catchy listenable tune. Didn't like 'Everybody Wants to Rule the World' when it was first out, but appreciate it much more these days, and especially as it's an iconic 80s song now that accompanies fun online retro videos/memes.

Very easy to listen to.

Good. Classic.

Fiquei muito feliz quando vi esse álbum. É maravilhoso, bom do inicio ao fim. Fave: everybody wants to rule the world

Favorite Tracks: Head Over Heels / Broken Shout Everybody Wants To Rule The World

This was pretty awesome

Clássico anos 80! Não curto muito

Really enjoyed this, real GTA vice city chainsaw some people music. Last track a lovely psychedelic dream

relisten. ironic, legendary showstopping.

Enjoyable, strong songs mixed with some mildly undeveloped gems.

Correcto.

It’s a 10 for me 10/10

TfT makes me teary eyed with fantastic they are. It has their three biggest songs, it’s short and doesn’t overstay it’s welcome. Absolute masterpiece. 10/10

Give The Big Chair a time out in the corner. It got lost somewhere in its past and didn't make it out. Shed no Tears.

Очень красивый мелодичный, всё на своём месте но и не скучно. Имеется хит Everybody wants to rule the world. Жанр синтипоп, прогрок

I got this album when it came out and it got *a lot* of play on my high school turntable. It was fun to blast it and sing along on my way to work this morning.

This was my favorite album so far (having joined at Elvis). I hadn't really thought of Tears for Fears as an "album" band, more a singles band, so I enjoyed hearing them in album form. This album had so many songs I already knew and loved, and I was surprised that so many of them were on one album. The sounds are all so incredibly 80's, but in a way that feels still pretty timeless when a lot of its contemporaries can sound kinda dated. It also got surprisingly heavy at times. Great balance of big bangers, and slower softer songs. The production is perfect for their style too. The whole album sounds lush and huge and begs to be played from the biggest speakers possible. Their songwriting is also incredible. Every song on there works just as well as a top 40 commercial hit as it does an underground classic. Shout is one of the best songs ever recorded. 10/10 and a delight the whole time. B to B+ album cover

Everyyyybodyyyy wants to rule the worrrrld

This album was super mid for me. I don't love their general sound, but I do like a few of the big name songs like 'Everybody Wants to Rule The World' and 'Head Over Heels'. I'm trying to be use more of the scoring range, so it's going to be a 2/5 from me. I was waiting for the album to end the entire time, and wouldn't listen to it again. The hits didn't redeem it for me. Maybe I just don't like the 80s? It felt like Phil Collins / Genesis but less enjoyable? Is that crazy to say? 4/10

meh

The 80s Party hits

Some absolute classic pop bangers on this one, but people forget that the deep cuts are often just as powerful. That said, some of the deep cuts are also rather forgettable. Less \"Listen\" and \"Working Hour\" and more \"Mothers Talk\" and \"Head Over Heels\", please.

Possibly due to listening to this album on a long car ride home and on my 20th birthday, with my life no longer ahead of me and the reaper banging on my door, but it was good. Chilled and nothing special, but it didn't have to be special. Anyway. 3 stars. Cool

cheesy, but also musically better than I remembered. Definitely timeless, despite the cornyness of it at times

Pochi altri con un sound così originale nel loro genere.

Тыкаю я значит, думаю услышать лирику бардовскую под акустическую гитару. А тут БАХ, сразу со старта знакомый и МЕГА балдёжный трек. Я думал shout поют дикий шмот!!! А это они! Окей, плюс реп Весь альбом приятный, много известных песен, а вот название группы я на удивление слышу впервые. Из чего вытекает однозначный лойс. Это не дипишмот уровень, да, но заслужено

3.5/5⭐️ Best song: Head Over Heels/Broken Worst song: I Believe Comments: Listened to this whilst getting the weekly shop and felt like I was in a John Hughes movie

I own this album on vinyl and it's just absolutely flawless. The sound is so crisp and clean, and every instrument sounds like it was composed and performed in heaven. Such good grooves, smooth melodies and clean harmonies. The bass sound is super cool, the synths are perfectly balanced and natural sounding, the drums and cymbals are just perfect. Vocals of course are enlightened and flawless. I only wish it was longer. Five stars easily.

good songs, some dragged a bit but the overall experience was great.

much more fond of their debut album. but that being said, this is a very solid album and obviously had some big hits. I just preferred the hurting much more.

Beetje synthpopperig album? Shout is natuurlijk super bekend, net als Everybody Wants to rule the world. Ben dus wel benieuwd hoe de minder bekende nummers bevallen! The Working Hour heeft een fantastische saxofoon(?) solo aan het einde van het nummer Het is sowieso, 3 nummers in, heel synthig en heel popperig, bevalt me goed! Het is wel echt een typisch eighties album zo. Prima Synthpopy album, niet wereldschokkend, na de eerste 3 nummers kakt het helaas wel hard in. FAVO: Shout, The working hour, Everybody Wants to rule the world

Great

Very breakfast club vibes

So many hits! That big chair goated

Very 80's... but better than I expected!

Cool!

Not bad for the genre imo

Nope

A few weeks ago, I was lamenting that I hadn’t gotten to review an eighties album in a while. A couple of days later, I was given Motörhead’s No Sleep Till Hammersmith, which was not what I’d had in mind at all. Last weekend, I was very excited to review Duran Duran’s Rio. When I saw that on the docket today was Songs From The Big Chair, I was ecstatic. I’ve loved Tears for Fears since I was a kid, and as an adult, I’ve listened to this album in its entirety, and I think it’s a masterpiece. Most of my love for this album is due to “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” When I think of a song that captures the mood of the decade, this is the first song I think of. I love everything about its sound: the tinkling synths, the dreamy keyboards, and the perfect guitar playing that accompanies the airy atmosphere. Curt Smith’s vocals do an excellent job of keeping the overall sound light, while still singing with the passion to convey the song’s warning of the dangers of power-hungry political administrations. I’ve heard this song countless times throughout my life, and I never get tired of it. Every time I hear those opening notes, I can just visualize going to the mall, or turning on the cable box in our wood-paneled living room. For my money, this is one of the best songs of the eighties. As much as I love “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” I’ve spent a lot of time being let down by this album’s opening track, “Shout.” Every time I hear “Shout,” I’m let down that I’m not hearing “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” instead, and that’s incredibly unfair to this song. I love its low, droning bass sound combined with the lighter tinkling percussion sounds, and the synth sound that starts during the pre-chorus is fantastic too. “Shout” does a fantastic job of subtlety building in intensity until its great outro closes out the song. “Head Over Heels” is incredible too, with its distinct piano intro, and screeching guitar notes. I love the falsetto that Curt Smith uses at the end of each line; it serves as such a great contrast to the rest of his singing. The rest of the songs on this album are fantastic too, especially “The Working Hour” and “Mothers Talk.” This album is fantastic from start to finish, and it’s a masterpiece of eighties pop. So many bands tried to duplicate the sound that Tears for Fears created on this album, but no one can hold a candle to the sounds here. As much as I might joke that this album’s weakness is that it’s not 42 minutes of “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” that’s actually where its strengths lie, because each song showcases impressively distinct pop sounds. Songs from the Big Chair is fantastic, and completely worthy of being on this list.

Brilliant.

Ahhh the 80’s a time of vibes and innovation. I love how most of the songs on this album seem like a jam session. I think I might’ve enjoyed the instrumentation more than the lyrics (except on the classic songs of course). They made 8 songs feel a whole lot longer. In all, I enjoyed this listen.

Lässähti vahvan alun jälkeen.

Obviously the singles were all really strong songs. The rest of the album has some high points, but largely without the benefit of nostalgia helping this sound is just super dated.

This was, remarkably excellent. I know I've listened to it when I was much younger and didn't like it. Tastes change.

the singles are far and away better than the rest of the album but the singles are really good

I had forgotten how good this album was, even today there are tracks on the other sound very modern and relevant.

very good album, great production, classic songs in here (everybody wants to rule the world, head over heels/broken, etc..). favourite song either the working hour or listen

3 huge hits that are enjoyable but the rest of the album is kind of forgettable. The vocals can be too much at times. I did like the last song too though (since there wasn't much singing). Middle of the road. 6/10 (3/5)

A couple of well known classics on here - that get over played and old. I kinda liked the melodies, relaxing, gentle, and I thought I liked I believe - until I read the lyrics. Guys - It'e NEVER too late to believe!

Some powerful, gripping tunes that were so integral to the 1980s era. Some other songs that are wishy washy and fluffy. Still, a great album.

24/3/26

Totally perfect album for a chill rainy day at home. I love this nostalgic 80s stuff! Listen again: yes Purchase for my collection: yes Favourite Song: Shout, but they all give me the 80s vibes

I was very excited to see this one pop up. I think Everybody Wants to Rule the World is one of the greatest songs of all time, I love it; but I haven’t listened to this album before and, if I’m honest, I can’t name another Tears for Fears song. Let’s go. I’ve heard Shout before and it’s awesome. What a great opener. EWTRTW is still incredible, it’s one of the first songs that comes to mind for “best song of the 80’s” and it’s one of a handful of songs on my “Perfect Songs” playlist. Head Over Heels is a song I’ve seen listed as some people’s favorite Tears for Fears song, and it’s certainly a good one. Listen is a very good closer as well. I wish I could give this 4.5 stars. It’s an amazing sounding record, it’s firmly 80’s but doesn’t sound near as dated as other projects of its time. I think it’s incredible highs make the other tracks less interesting, even if there isn’t a bad song on the album.

Shout, shout, let it all out!

I already heard two or three songs from this album a lot of times but to listen to the whole album was really nice

4.5

I really wish the guy didn’t sing in that stupid fake crooner voice.

Nice 80s Album. I've listen to them in the 80s

Nice album from the 80s. Apart from the two well-known songs, the rest of the album is not very inspiring.

8/10

2.5

Fun

One of my favorite albums. Lots of hits, album cuts are great, not really any duds.

Only 8 songs but some massive hits! Nice listen, surprising it’s only 41 minutes. Hit songs I knew well but even the ‘filler’ had some cool sounds and ideas within them. 4.5/5 but with ‘Everybody wants to rule the World’ having 1.5 billion plays on Spotify, I’m rounding up 👍

classic, very nostalgic for me since i grew up listening to it

a classic

started strong, ended weak. solid stuff in the middle but nothing too special imo

Really fun 80s soundzzz in a way that doesn’t feel dated. Love the way it feels experimental with the instruments. the only song I didn’t love was I Believe, feels like a classic 80’s ballad in the bad way.

Some good hits

There was alot of good stuff from this era of the 80s. This was not one of them. Nothing really stood out for me

This was a pretty fun album to listen to. I’ve always been a fan of tears for fears, but I’ve never listened to any of their albums straight through. Instead I always played the greatest hits, or something similar. Now I feel like I was missing out this entire time. I’ll definitely be listening to this one in the future.

It’s a pretty good album. Easy to write off as bubblegum, but there’s more to it.

What a brilliant album. I am lucky to still have the original vinyl record copy of this to listen to. Classics such as Shout and Everybody Want's to Rule The World.

You know what, this exceeded expectations. Pop-rock, but introspective. 3/5

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

Head over heels is the stand out for me. Very cohesive as an album. Overall good. Not 100% my vibe.

This is some pretty high-tier synthpop, 8 tracks in a tight 40 minutes. 3 of those tracks are stone-cold classics that everyone has probably heard, but the deeper cuts aren't too bad either. Super catchy, the classic synth sounds always get me.

Absolutely fantastic! The cool 80s electro is really shining through

I just love music and its beautiful variety.

Wow, some great tunes on this. I wanted to not like this lol, as TFF came along when I was anti-new wave music, and as a guitar player there was just too much synth, not enough guitar. I knew the radio songs were catchy, but I wasn't aware of the creative depth and songwriting on the album. Glad I listened to the entire thing.

I do love these boys. Such an interesting time for music. Is it disco? Is it funk? Is it prog rock? A great amalgamation of genres. Makes me wish I hadn't been so mired in heavy metal at the time so I could have appreciated new wave at the time instead of 10 years later.

Way more avant-garde jazz feel than I was expecting. The instrumental tracks had a very sad vibe. Lots of synthesized sound, very 80s. These guys were in a sad place when they made this.

All good tracks, some with jazz influence. I enjoyed this album about as well as any of the dozen or so I've listened to.

This album is packed with bangers

Day67 - the first record i bought and i wore it out and still love it. curt smith on psych always makes me laugh

Erg lekker albumpje. Niet zo goed als hun album ‘The Seeds of Love’, maar zeer zeker 4 dikke sterren waard

Oei, deze oude country is niet voor mij hoor

Deze is toch wel lekker hoor. 1 pokkoe zit zelfs in mr robot. Verder niet heel speciaal

Par bengera i ostalo meh

The singles off the album were ok, other tracks a bit pants. One was called Listen - wish I hadn’t

I didn't realize how many of these songs I know. Enjoyed listening to this with the exception of one or two of the songs which were a little to cacophonous for me.

There were some good songs on here, but the second half seemed to blue together, and not necessarily in a good way. The good stuff on here was good enough to pull this up to a 3/5

Le daría 10 estrellas si pudiera

80s suck

seamless but ever everybody wants to change the world is the star. would listen again

Great pop classic.

Really more like 4.7 stars from me

All due respect to Speaking in Tongues, Stop Making Sense, Thriller, et al, but this is the best album of the 1980s that doesn't involve Prince. Just a masterpiece, end to end.

one of the biggest surprises for me so far from this project - I did not expect to like this as much as I did! That in spite of the fact that I had never really thought about the fact that "Shout" is fucking six and a half minutes long before!

Tears for Fears were so good at packing layers of sounds without making it sound too busy or overwhelming - everything has a place in the mix. I think the guitar solo from Shout is a perfect example of a relatively simple line that is so melodically well composed within the context of that tune. Despite having a rather 'of the time' sonic palette, it doesn't feel dated. And the songs themselves are just well-crafted pop tunes.

i played way too much DJ Hero back in the day so anything with Shout gets my vote

Great album, certainly of its time but holds up very well. So easy to get lost in. Fav track: Listen Light 4.5

Bangers for days. Produced really well, has less of that frustrating 80s reverb than some. Had a great time hearing these songs in album sequence. Fave track: Shout

Packed with hits and a great flow between tracks. This is just a cohesive pop album that really shines when the right elements are concentrated. Some tracks better than others, but when it’s there, it’s there all the way. A strong three and a half. Fave track: Everybody Wants to Rule the World

Well done 80s pop.

Love Tears for Fears. Love this album. Love The Hurting too, I wonder if it's in this list.

I DO want to rule the world! How did they know? Good tuneage xx

I'm really not sure how to rate this. I enjoyed the hits, but the rest not so much. Definitely a product of its time which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but a lot of it was pretty boring.

Songs are pretty long The hits are spectacular Don’t love the production

Not bad. Heard a few singles off of this. Very melodramatic and full of 80s vibes

A bit hit and miss but some pretty epic 80's music overall. 3 stars

The two hits are still awesome.

listened to again its a good album

Pretty decent, familiar with the big songs. Would probably listen again.

Ready or Not! Shout!

This is pretty quintessential 80s music. Some boring tracks on the album but it’s saved by the big hits.

The hits are still bangers, and the others aren't bad either.

Man oh man, Songs From The Big Chair was actually a pretty dang great album. I like how the rock and pop elements melded together to create some massive ear candy. The singing and lyrics were great too. I would complain about the length of some of the songs but they sounded so good that it didn't become too much of an issue for me. Its a great album that will please anyone who listens to it Best Song: Shout Worst Song: I Believe

80s bangers

This is a pleasant surprise. Tears for Fears is a highly successful, popular, new wave group, and their album "Songs from the Big Chair" is equally so. With singles including "Shout," "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," and "Head over Heels," this album has received positive reviews and stood the test of time. As a side note, Curt Smith looks good with a pineapple.

Fun

Highlights: Shout, Everyone Wants To Rule The World, Listen

Beautifully lush and ethereal synthpop/new wave from one of the greatest groups to ever do it. For me, the quintessential album of 80s synthy new wave. Incredible mixing, comforting soundscapes. Unfortunately it suffers from the fact that the hits are leagues ahead of some of the other songs on the album. Overall still a great record, just wish all of the songs were as good as the bigger hits. Undeniable classic. Would revisit but most likely just the hits.

Good music. 80's sound.

Deeply affecting lyrics set to timeless melodies. A masterpiece, or maybe it just hits all the right notes in my brain.

SHOUT, SHOUT, LET IT ALL OUT 🗣 The hits from this album fucking HIT, but the other tracks definitely leave something to be desired imo. Fav tracks: Shout (the best one) The Working Hour Everybody Wants To Rule The World Head Over Heels / Broken Listen (great closer) Least favs: Mother's Talk

favourite: Shout, Everybody Wants To Rule The World, I Believe least favourite: none this album is great these songs do not have to be this long though, they could have half as long and be just as good if not better

Featuring that o' so classic overblown sound typical of 80s synth-pop acts, this record is rather distinct thanks to its surprisingly dynamic soundscapes with tracks such as The Working Hour and Head Over Heels / Broken while also being complimented by the heavenly vocals of Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith. The back half of the record is a bit weaker with tracks like the slow and somewhat boring I Believe and Broken not really feeling like the most necessary interlude track for Head Over Heels / Broken. Great listen overall, and one of the finest synth-pop/pop-rock records of its era. shoutouts to that saxophone on The Working Hour EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD

I forgot how much I like tears for fear. I always think of the psych episode where they lip sync shout😁

Beautiful album. Phenomenal album. Timeless album.

Slayyy

I forgot how great this album is, not revisiting it for years. It was great start to finish back in high school, and still holds up today. The mixture of elements is perfect: a few absolutely iconic tracks couple with emotionally resonance in the deeper tracks, classic early eighties synth rhythms that don’t sound dated, and top-notch songwriting and vocals. Loved revisiting this one.

Wave, synthies, pop, 80s, mid, male, delay, sax, like the length of the songs and the way they can evolve, not bad arranged, not annoying or bad, but too poppy and not catchy enough, also don't like the hits

HELL YEAHHHHH i still like seeds of love better from them but this is still some of the best work from one of the best groups of the 80s. Hope other people check out their discography more thoroughly after this but even just this album is hit after hit

one of the greatest pop albums of the 80s - and ever

It’s Songs From The Big Chair. Great production, great songs, great flow and vibe, and the eternal classic that is Everybody Wants To Rule The World.

ngl tears for fears mad underrated

Very happy to have heard this the whole way through for the first time. Classic.

So, hey, it turns out the songs on here that aren't "Everyone Wants To Rule The World" or "Shout" are pretty dang good, too. And unless something else comes along, this might be the most 80's album I'll hear, so all around it's a real solid package.

An awesome slice of 80s synthpop. Listen is a definite highlight.

It’s an easy 5. I’ve never listened to the other tracks on this album besides the big 3 of Shout, Everybody Wants To Rule The World, and Head Over Heels, but almost every other track here really perfectly complements those 3. The one song on this album I wasn’t really feeling was Listen, but I’m going to treat that as kind of an epilogue track, because it sure feels like this album should have ended on Head Over Heels and that applause-filled outro. Obviously, my opinion might be a bit skewed because we just did a Kid Rock album, but I felt quite literally spiritually cleansed of the stench of Devil Without a Cause by the fantastic saxophone in The Working Hour, and the album just stayed at pure bliss for me after that. I cannot believe that one-two punch of the outro to The Working Hour & the intro to Everybody Wants To Rule The World, because it sent me into the damn stratosphere. Super deserved 5, and a fantastic album.

Good, but I'm not super into the 80s synth sound. Too new agey for me

Shout, Everybody wants to rule the World are top notch songs from the 80s in my book! Great Album, Great Lenght and truly one of them good examples from the 80s sound and influence

'Shout' by Tears For Fears is one of my default songs. You know, those songs so deeply ingrained in your psyche as a child that they pop into your head unbidden and you find yourself humming them regularly when you are not concentrating. I haven't listened to the song itself in decades. I only just referenced Tears For Fears in an unfavourable comparison in another review days ago (Scissor Sisters) and now here they are. Does non-mullet Tears guy look like a young Sly Stallone here or is it just me? Obviously he has a mullet too, it's just hidden on the cover. Anyway I always got huge Construction Time Again era Depeche Mode vibes from Shout, in good way, both musically and vocally. I can't say I enjoyed hearing Everybody Wants to Rule the World again, it's so inextricably linked with the shit going on at the time and is also endlessly played over documentaries detailing the shit going on at the time I can't disentangle it from those emotions. But Shout, Shout is a banger. Perhaps unsurprisingly, I've never heard the rest of this album besides the earth-stalkingly huge singles. Half the album is singles and I don't even recognise them beyond the big two. Don't even remember Head Over Heels from when it was in Donnie Darko. I only remember their earlier song of course, Mad World. The end of HOH just before it transitions into the instrumental is really strong however. I Believe starts off like Shipbuilding, but kind of fails to go anywhere. The other songs are good but not outstanding for me, so an enjoyable listen but I'm not adding it to the library.

A couple of huge hits, obviously, which makes it hard to imagine what it must have been like to hear them for the first time. I am wavering between 3 and 4 stars, that last song was so weird I'm afraid it's pushing me to giving this 3.

Shit, a good album out of the 80s. Monster hits and the perfect mix of good production, technology used right, and a layer of great instrumentation. This has to be the high-point of British 80s pop.

Excellent music that is the most quintessentially 80s sound you can get. The songs all overstay there welcome for me. I like a long song but these all get a bit repetitive by the end. Great album.

Solidified. Also featured all the Tears for Fears songs I know!!

Banger This album contains perhaps the greatest song of all time Everybody Wants to Rule the World, truly outstanding amazing song. Then you add two more 5* singles in Shout & Head Over Heels. The best set of singles on an album so far, maybe even ever. Kicks off with Shout, amazing song. Anthemic chorus, amazing funky break down, awesome simple solo. Love the lyrics a lot. Love the chorus towards the end with the little ad lib vocals into that simple solo. What an absolute banger. Fan favourite The Working Hour next. I've always found this one a little more difficult to get into personally, but its clearly great, I wonder if its just the intro, because when it goes into the full band, I love that guitar riff and then we are straight info typical tears for fears style. Great vocals. Everybody Wants to Rule the World - don't know what else I can say about this song. Incredible. The greatest. Incredible lyrics, awesome, so good. Great solo, great riff, great intro, great verse, great chorus, great post chorus, great bridge. Honestly I just love this song. Probably one of the songs I've listened to most in my life and I've never ever got sick of it. Banger. Last chorus is so good. Outro is brilliant Mothers Talk another great 80s song. Great synth bass riff. Great chorus. This album slaps. Love the production on this song, great riff in the middle of the song. "We can, we can work it out" is a great little vocal riff. I Believe is the song most reminiscent of their first album (one of my favourite albums). It's a slow piano ballad with a great vocal. Sad, crushing, a real sense of loss that is all over that first record. Broken - instrumental for the first half - back to thumping 80s intro, riff, tempo back up. Great overlapping riffs across the instruments. Great foreshadowing of the next song. A great vocal comes in after half way. Then back to foreshadowing then.... That familiar piano riff to another absolute classic in Head Over Heels. The way the piano and guitar compliment each other is perfect, lovely light build. Amazing verse. Incredible chorus. The whole vocal is incredible but that second verse is insane Then we close the album with Listen. Back to first album vibes. Lovely musical melodies. I could see a really awesome hip hop sample of the repeated piano riff. Slow build, this song could be on Vespertine or Gabriel III. Unique and beautiful All in all, this album is a bit of a masterpiece. Which I know is a big big statement. I do slightly, ever so slightly prefer the first album, but I would put the first album in my top ten of all time. But overall I just love this album. When I think about it, I think yeah it's good, bit when it's on, its incredible 5

Very clean, rich production. Extremely satisfying. Tears for Fears have always seemed more ambitious than their pop peers to me, and you can really feel them stretching their creativity on this release. It's not my favorite of their albums, but it's very strong, and has a couple of absolute top-tier songs.

80 classic

I like learning who the artists are for songs I know (Shout, Everyone Wants to Rule The World, and Head Over Heels). Can't really tell if it's just this artist, but I think I might like New Wave.

Was not in the mood for this album when I listened to it. Found it a bit boring overall.

Genre: Pop Instruments: 2/5 Modern Translation: 2/5 Dance Potential: 2/5 Listening Location: Commute to work Heard it before: Yes Favourite Song: Everybody Wants to Rule the World Made me feel: Easy listening, upbeat. Liked the instrumental songs towards the end of the album and appreciate that it’s only 41 minutes in length.

Pure 80's goodness! Somehow sounds incredibly dated to the specific decade but also fresh and new at the same time. Truly a testament to the staying power of one of the greats from that time period. Standout Tracks: Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Head Over Heels / Broken

Lovely

Clasico entre clásicos del pop ochentero

The hits are fun, the rest of the album is up and down.

Quiet, I knew 1 song

1. zhout - 1.5 2. uuorking hour - 0 3. rule the uuorld - 1.5 4. motherz talk - 0 5. i believe - 1 6. broken - 0 7. head over heelz - 2 8. lizten - 1.5

3/5

3.5

I could go for some popcorn

Okay

Exceptional sound and beautiful lyrics. I can absolutely see how people love these kinds of songs and bands but personally my taste was never aligned with the late 80's, early 90's sound. This doesn't take away from it being a great album probably worthy of 4 or 5 stars, just not my personal favorite.

I'm a huuuge Tears for Fears fan, this album is one of my favourite albums from the 1980s! Really can't go wrong with this, so great that it's included in the list!

Good

Damn... this is a good album. Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, and probably one of my favorite 80's songs -- Head Over Heels / Broken! I think this one, as an album, is probably up there with the best of this era.

Me gustó mucho al inicio, luego se fue poniendo mas y mas ochentoso.

Exquisite album.

Even though my formative years were during the 70's and 80's I didn't really subscribe to 'pop' music. I was familiar with the two classic hits from this album, but the rest of it was really virgin territory for me. Perhaps it was a result of familiarity with those two tracks but the rest of the album was instantly forgettable. That's not as bad as it sounds, any album that contains two iconic tracks can be considered well above average.

The hits are great but other than that this album is pretty forgettable.

pleasant

There's something about Head Over Heels that I like. I don't know why or what it is, but I couldn't help but add it to my starred playlist. The full album is a little too 80s for me, but considering the almost 1.5 billion listens to Everybody Wants to Rule the World on Spotify, I think most people can say they at least like one of their songs.

Holy moly this is 80s! The songs “Shout” and “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” are on this album, but they’re so so long. Every song is at least 6-8 mins. There’s only so much of their distinctive 80s sound I can handle.

Throwback to my high school days

Great 80’s album

Great 80’s album

MEH

Really enjoyed the music

some pretty banging songs alongside some mindless repetition

This sound, genre, era is not too interesting to me. But this is a good album of its kind

Couple really good songs, mostly weird stuff. I was exposed to tears for fears through the multiple Psych episodes in which Curt Smith makes a guest appearance.

Good 👍

Head over heals greatest song ever

Not a huge new wave listener but Listen was an interesting track

It was ok I suppose. May have felt different at the time?

Excellent album.

Fantastic: 4.5

Full of 80s bangers. Made me realise why my parents hate the modern day music industry.

Heard of the artist, and some of the songs (Shout and Everybody wants to rule the world). Rock album from 1985. Added a couple songs to library. Low 4.

Klassiker. Intet mindre

I was pleased to see this appear and haven’t listened to it for decades! Better than I remember. There’s a real rich fullness to the sound and the songs are just great. A very high 4

A big famous album loaded with hits. Haven't listened to the whole thing since the 80's. The hits are very good, but the rest seemed like fillers nowadays. So only gets a mid 3.

This is peak 80s. The hits are wonderful but the rest of the songs don’t really stand out.

To me this is an 80s classic. A top 10 pop album from that era for me.

Big big fan of tears for fears. I was familiar with their but hits but the rest of the songs really tied the album together in a very good way. Really good album. Not something so predictable, and that’s what I liked about it. There was variety and it made it good and interesting.

Listening conjures immediate images/flashbacks to high school halls, shopping malls, basement bars, backs of cars, etc. etc. 3 massive singles that are still popular and even though they reek of 80s production and sound (the cavernously-reverbed saxophone REALLY screams 80s in the most cheesy way) they might even sound better today - really among the best of the best of the 80s so-called synth bands but this one hit a little deeper and seemed a little less...light/airy. There's some sneaky cool guitar work on this album; especially love that outro solo on Everybody Wants To Rule the World. "Broken" wouldn't have been out of place as a Yes-90125 outtake. I like/appreciate this a lot more now than I did then; not quite all-time status as there are a few meh slowdowns ("I Believe" is mediocre) but it's a real strong entry. 8/10 4 stars