Reviews (page 13 of 14)
Some big hits (shout, rule the world, head over heels), as well as songs that blend into one another.
Not sure about this one
Really liked it
Having recently spent the best part of a week on Holiday with their greatest hits CD on constant rotation in the car (and absolutely loving it), I was looking forward to this. But sadly it was a letdown, with only the singles standing out. Half the album is amazing, the other half is really bland and mediocre (the ballads). A real shame. A few of the bonus tracks were actually quite good.
Surprisingly enjoyable for yet another middle of the road eighties pop act.
Shout, Everybody Wants To Rule The World and Head Over Heels are great, the rest were a bit hit and miss.
Classic 80s. I liked it more than I thought I would.
Starts off very very strong but then meanders a bit.
Un álbum clásico del “new wave” de los ‘80s. Con pistas realmente destacables como “Scout” o “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”. Sin embargo, a pesar de que no dura mucho, se vuelve repetitivo bastante pronto. No sé si sea un indispensable de la música, pero si es un disco bastante sólido.
Some good songs, some not so good. A Couple of classics.
Pop progresivo. Un megahit. Al final, me ha cansado por lo lento... Un 3.
Some monster 80's pop hits and featured in the 80's movie Real Genius! However this album and honestly the hits are just ok, I can pretty take it or leave it.
I thought this was going to be torture because the airwaves were saturated with the hits from this record. But I actually enjoyed it. Let’s not get crazy though, it’s good not great.
It was their couple of radio hits and then long instrumentals.
It sounded kind of generically 80s. And many of the songs were really long- not bad, just not my cup of tea!
Nije moj đir ali ok album 3 4 4 3 2 3 3 2 3,0
Весьма неплохо!
I wish that every track on this album was as amazing as Shout and Everybody Wants To Rule The World. But for the most part it was a pretty good listen to overall. Got got one or two duds in this short project, but definitely more to enjoy than just the band's two most iconic tracks.
Agree with the other reviews on this. The stand out tracks are absolute belters (Shout / Everybody…/Head over heels), but the rest sounds a touch 80s filler. Didn’t do much for me. At times it sounds as if someone asked AI to write an 80s song. But the good tracks drag this up a level
Decided against listening to the 5 hours 4 mins super deluxe version and stuck to the actual album. Don't get much more 80s than tears for fears. Everybody wants to rule world is such a good song and I really enjoyed broken as well but these were the only two with a real indie sound. Otherwise it was a bit too 80s, shades of boy George/Duran Duran, but by and large delivered in a more acceptable fashion. Not great but not awful.
I have a lot of time for 80s New Wave. The hits are the hits, not a lot more to say. Liked the sound overall, wasn't mad keen on some of the album tracks. It feels like a 3 - struggling to justify why, but it's not quite a 4. I did add Shout and Everybody Wants to Rule the World to my listening rotation though. On balance, there are stronger records of this ilk.
Apart from the three highlighted songs I did not like this album. However that is 3 out of the 8 songs on the album so maybe it's overall okay. It just sounded very 80s, in a bad way. Highlights: Shout Everybody Wants To Rule The World Head Over Heels
Är svag för synt.:)
The hits are quite good. The other tracks are quite dull. Overall, fine album, but not one I have much desire to sit down and listen all the way through again. Favorite track: Shout
A sophisticatedly produced synth-guitar-pop, and add more 'hammering' edge than their synth-based pop contemporaries. But between me and this, there's no bridge now. Fav Track: Shout
Top 3 Songs: 1 - Everybody Wants To Rule the World (3) 2 - Head Over Heels / Broken (7) 3 - Shout (1)
A few songs I really liked whilst the rest was quite middle of the road
Solid 3.75, some really decent songs with some that were forgettable. Some songs were also a little long for no reason
Good listen, no need to do again
The two most popular tracks are bangers but all together it's just not for me :(
I remember when this album came out and I thought they were overrated. They were so popular, and I couldn't understand why. Listening to it now ~40 years (WTF) later and I realize they are much better than I gave them credit for. Still not for me but at least I sort of get it now. 3.5 stars
The album is best in small doses in the year of our Lord, 2023, and for less than the right reasons. The 80s possess a certain amount of campy, near unbelievable that it was ever a real thing stigma. It truly was a great time to be alive, but also a weird one that when it ended, it ended hard, and no one saw it coming. "Songs From The Big Chair" though, this is a callback to the music of the decade where the camp and unbelievability serve as a delightful foray into nostalgia. While the album at large gets ignored because of how popular "Shout" and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" remains, the album in its entirety is a respectable masterpiece that captures 80s pop as lightning in a bottle. Electronic dominance notwithstanding, we get to hear that the band members are actually very good musicians from a pop-genre that honestly felt materialistic rather than genuine. In a way, it makes one feel that the 80s was real, and for that achievement of authenticity, this album deserves a listen.
Agradable musicalmente.
BL: Tears for Fears were a major part of my childhood, “Pale Shelter” is probably in my top 50 songs of all time. I know the two hits off of this album but none else so I’ll see how I find it AL: it was a very good album overall. Good composition, good orchestration, good vocals and lyrics. I didn’t think it was exceptional but there were a few tracks that really stood out as amazing. Would I come back to it again? Probably not for a while but I enjoyed the listen. It reminded me however how overrated I think Head over Heals is, that track is just a massive load of uninspired Meh, I don’t know why that song became so popular FT: “Shout”, “Everyone wants to rule the world”, “Broken” 3/5
- Shout Everybody Wants to Rule the World
Very 80s. Meh, this was fine. I did not think it was anything special.
Didn’t really care for most of the album tbh
yeah, that's the 80s.
3 Gute Songs. Der Rest ist leider eher Mittelmaß. 3-4
3,5
it was good not great. Classic 80s. Wouldn’t bring to island with me.
Tears for fears are not my cop of tea, but this lp sounds great even after 40 years
A few good tracks. Slightly confused album, starts off at a brisk place but slowly progresses away from pop and to a more ethereal style by the end.
Listened Before? Y This is a top-notch mid-80s New Wave album. These guys had a few giant hits on this one and the rest of it is pretty decent as well. Tears for Fears is a band I much prefer to listen to their greatest hits though, as the deep cuts just aren't on par with the hits. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Head Over Heels
There are some real gems on this album. This brings back such strong memories of high school that I'm not sure if I should add, or subtract, a star from my rating. This gets three stars on the strength of the 4 songs that got regular radio play. The rest aren't that great, but the album has aged pretty well for a mid-80's album.
Not special, cool sounds and iconic songs though...
Assez soecial, un style de l’epoque et aumoins du chanson qui ont beaucoup tourne. 3.5
Some obvious synth classics but the balance of the album is more reserved use in comparison to other artists of the era. Songs like I believe stand out as different for it's tempo, but even the up beat tracks are lyrically bleak
This is one of those albums where there were a couple of tracks I was digging, but they were the same ones I've been digging for decades. Overall, alongside that phenomenon is a lot of sound that is so played out.
I really wanted to like this album, since I like everybody wants to rule the world, but it was really mediocre. no songs stood out to me
Tears for fears is sick this album was great and a classic
The hits hit and the rest is fine. A high 3
A good record, one I had and liked back in the day, not sure I needed to listen to it again before I die, but there you go. Roland knows the value of a big chorus and interestingly doesn't need a strict verse/chorus model to get his ear worms happening. I'd forgotten about the wall of sound production, it's very interesting the depth of the sound, the drums in particular. The hits are superb, joyous even in their angst. Head Over Heels is just pop perfection, a timeless song that has lent itself to some lovely covers, always the mark of a great song.
I have 3 of the singles from this album - the 2 biggies ( Shout & Everybody Wants To Rule The World) & I Believe. Apart from these, I was unfamiliar with the trax on this album. I quite enjoyed the whole record. I thought the music was interesting, and the vocals are fine but they suffer from that 80’s English thing where, for some reason, so many male lead vocalists sound the same. Anyway, I thought it was a good listen.
Better than expected
starts strong them becomes 80s mid tier songs
Absolute 80s classic but some filler
If you’re a high schooler that wants to be the kid at school who’s personality is “really into the 80’s”, this is a 5/5. Otherwise it’s fine. Pretty generic sounding overall with a couple of hits that are enjoyable to listen to. Not a “must listen to” for me.
I don’t typically like 80s synth-pop. Bumping this up to a 3 cause “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” and “Broken” are such bangers. Maybe if I did copious amounts of cocaine the rest of the record would sound better.
No m'ha resultat interessant...
Favs are Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Broken, and Listen
So so 80s sounding. Enjoyable but didn't stick with me.
Peak synth pop. Some great singles. A few weak points, but solid overall album. Never dug into this before. Wouldn’t really recommend to a friend though.
Could use more tears. Definitely enough fears.
It's a little too slow and boring. There are some bangers but not enough to make up for the nap style sound it has going on.
I remember these hits so well. They were that pop new wave band that were kinda cool. Probably also kinda irrelevant in the long term but fun back in the day.
Back in the mid eighties you couldn't walk through a shopping mall without hearing "Shout" or "Everybody Wants to Rule the World". It appears that T&F had more fans per capita in Canada than in any other country (7XPlatinum)! Overall, their sound is a bit poppy for my tastes, though I thought the track, "Broken" was interesting and the live version suggests they have a lot more edge on stage than on vinyl. As a side note, I really enjoyed the critics' reviews on this one. Since we started 1001, I don't know how many times I've read, "Robert Christgau was less enthusiastic..." Between a 2 and 3 for me.
Enjoyable and had some clear hits!
Decent album. Everybody wants to rule the world is one of my favorite songs. Most of the rest of the album doesn't hit as strong though
Ekkert svo slæmt 80s. Nokkrir hápunktar sem gætu alveg slædað í guilty pleasure.
Un bon classique ne va pas sans un peu de médiocrité
classique album de pop des annees 80 qui revient tous les 10 albums tu connais
Pretty decent album overall, the second half really heightened my enjoyment overall. Pretty good little 80s new wave record. 3.5/5
...
classic pop
Had never known Tears For Fears, don't really love this style of music but always thought they were another band so glad for the listen.
Idk de är bra men everybody wants to rule the world är ända enda sången ja vill höra på nytt
Mostly great songs that still hold up. Hearing them in high quality vs. on the radio really helps them shine.
I think Everybody Wants to Rule the World is a great song, and there are some other pretty decent tracks on this album. Ultimately, though, this album doesn't rise above 3 stars for me.
80s all the way
Head over heels was a nice discovery. Already familiar with the bangers shout and everybody wants to rule the world. the rest of the songs were forgettable and boring - so the album is average overall with a couple of exceptional songs. i reckon their other album was a lot better and more consistent.
The opening track 'Shout' sets the ethos of album perfectly. The musical space created across 'Songs From the Big Chair' is voluminous and enveloping, thanks to ambient keyboard pads and reverb-a-plenty. The result is a sense that each song feels like there is enough space in it to shout your lungs out and still barely be heard. And from within that space, the group laments, longs, reflects, and rejoices. The track 'Working Hour' shows how enchanting the effect can be. It really is a beautifully enduring album, in addition to being a powerhouse hit of its time.
Nice but not exciting
Love the hits...head over heels is an absolute banger. However there was too much filler. 3/5
Great album, 80s classic. Very forward thinking production that defines its time period. The synths can get repetitive however it’ll draw you right back in.
shout and everybody wants to rule the world are great; the rest of the tracks on this album didn't really grab me
ok album
I remember these songs being cooler when I was younger.
Rule the World is a fabulous song. The rest of the album has never really grabbed me but I can appreciate TFF's talents.
so 80s. I predict three but it could be a surprise. they look VERY different on their album cover.
Rick Beato's videos explaining what's great about Tears For Fears are very interesting watches. To be honest, I didn't need him to convince me "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" is a great song sporting awesome arrangements and instrumentation. Because, hey, I thought so before. And yet I have to admit Beato's admirable passion for "Head Over Heels" didn't fully won over my own estimation that this latter track is not exactly up to the level of the first. Arrangements, knowledge about chords succession and sophisticated instrumentation are not enough sometimes, especially with 80s pop. You need that extra melodic spark that fully transcended the artificial sounds of that particular time period in popular music history. You've probably guessed it already, everything is indeed a little hit or miss for me when it comes to *Songs From The Big Chair*. "Shout", the second timeless hit from this record, is an incredible track, dark and relentless in its obsessive drive. Comparatively, "The Working Hour" soon overstays its welcome--that by-the-number sax solo can't hide the way this song actually turns in circles for way too long. "Mothers Talk" is more focused, but even with its grand chorus (erring a little too much on the side of 80s cheesiness), it can't compete with the band's best tunes from some of their other albums ("Mad World", "Changes" or "Sowing The Seeds Of Love", to name only a few...). As for "I Believe", "Broken" and "Listen", they're nice atmospheric tracks, but they still sound more like interesting footnotes, and not what makes the meat of a truly excellent record. In spite of my reservations, I would still grade this one with a 3.5/5 mark. As far as I know, it's still one of the 15 or 20 best LPs ever released in 1985 (the eighties were a problematic time for the album format--so one can't be too *picky*). But does that make *Songs From the Big Chair* an *essential* listen, even with the two undeniable hits in it? For everyone still interested in Tears For Fears who might yet have similar doubts, I suggest the compilation *Rule The World*. Minus two or three missteps, this compilation has all the major songs the British pop band has ever written--and this on a single disc. Those shelves harvesting all your favorite records can't extend forever, can they? Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 799 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory: 106 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 50 (including this one) Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 45
It's a great Brit-pop album from the 80s and you still hear some of the hits today, but a must listen? I haven't listened to this album in over thirty years and today's revisit makes it feel dated. 3/5.
En vieläkään erityisemmin välitä 80-luvun synasoundista tai "isoista" rummuista, mutta tämän levyn melodiat ovat sen verran onnistuneita, että ne pakottivat kuuntelemaan loppuun saakka, eikä edes tehnyt tiukkaa.
Feels like I heard something different than everyone else because I found it boring, only really liked Everyone wants to rule the world lol.
I went in with high expectations because this is the kind of music I enjoy. I left with a mixed bag. 4 songs on this album are legitimate great. Shout, Broken, EWTRTW, and Head over Heels. The rest is absolute drivel. Not even a saxophone could save all of the one note filler. Still, 3 of these songs are absolute pop mainstays. That’s impressive.
Yuck, more 80s. Not a fan of the "Big" spacey sound with the massive drum. Some big hits the were massively overplayed. This guy always sounds (and looks) a bit sneery. 3.3. (This will sound really contrary but they made an album this year [The Tipping Point, 2022] which I've just listened to and I prefer it)
Kinda funny classic. SHOUT SHOUT let it all out.
Mega boring album. The latter half has some good guitar work and the production throughout is classic 80s, but it does not have a single point of excitement.
I have very mixed feelings. Parts of this album (e.g., Mothers Talk) are too "Rick Astley" for me to enjoy unironically. Other parts are too sappy for me to take seriously (e.g., I Believe). On the other hand, Everybody Wants To Rule The World is deservedly eternal and the opening to Head Over Heels (also, closing notes to Broken) make me feel like I'm heading out on an amazing adventure. Shout is also a banger. The 80's synth-pop vibe is something I had to grow to appreciate; I have to get past ingrained bias against traditional wood and metal instruments. That said, I've listened to it four times today and have zero regrets. 4/5.
Heard it before?: No but I have heard the two biggest songs from this album before Enjoy it?: Yes, I pretty much enjoyed it all apart from the last two tracks, very strong vocally and has aged rather well Favourite song: Track 1 - Shout
80’s to the max. This is one of the first albums I remember my parents playing as a kid. The first song “Shout” brings me right back to being a kid. Everybody Want to Rule the World is alright, but has been overplayed over the years. Head Over Heels is such a classic 80’s song. I don’t really like much from the 80’s, but this album will always have a bit of a nostalgic soft spot in my heart.
A very solid pop album from the 80s, but like so many albums of that era it contains several great singles interspersed among a lot of filler.
made me cry from fear :(
Singles=awesome, rest=yeah, ok
3.6 - I was excited for this having loved TFF's singles through the years. But aside from the big hits, I didn't connect with much of the rest. I do admire the peak-80's sound - there are interludes of mountainous soundscapes filled with striking contrasts of harp, massive synthesizer and reverb-laden saxophone. But all of this drama and atmosphere becomes too much of a good thing. Insufferably, they end the record with an extended ambient exploration and I rejoice when it's finally over.
Good Dark wave
There were more guitar solos on the album than I remembered which was fun. overall a decent listen
Like others we heard this week, it’s not bad but VERY 80s. I think the last 2 tracks were the strongest and stronger than the 2 hit songs which I already knew. There are some very Rich sonic textures here including a beautiful sax solo in “The Working Hour”. I’d give a 3.5 if possible.
Couple of anthemic songs and the rest was fine.
Two bangers and a lot of insufferable filler. Best track: Everybody Wants to Rule the World
Pop
Felt like I was in American Psycho. Quintessential nineties. Was OKAY, not necessarily groundbreaking….curious what came first: Genesis or Tears For Fears. Knew three songs of their top five.
Some HUGE hits on this, and a great little trip down memory lane. Would I listen to the album again in it's entirety, possibly not.
Tears for Fears is a funny name isn't it
Shout has me off the bat interested in where this album goes. Everybody Wants To Rule The World is a perenial hit. The rest is just sort of filler.
Was ok. Basic, ya know?
A couple of gyms. The album flows pretty well. He’s a good vocalist. Instrumentals match the decade, but the sum just doesn’t equal up to the parts.
Too much sax but what singles. Head over Heels!
Leuk plaatje, geen blijvertje
Dit was heel behoorlijk goed te pruimen!
Fijne stem en best prettige muziek.
Ah it's quite cheesey isn't it?? Good job I love the cheese, grate it on pleeeezey!! Everybody wants to rule the world is a classic. I have a lot of time for this kind of 80s pop rock it puts me in such a great mood and it's just great. I think I much prefer their debut album though so I hope that's on this list too, also the album get's more boring and tails off at the end... Mothers Talk is a cool track I like the bouncy base solo hahaha, cracks me up. I really like Listen though too as a closer it's kind of relaxing
I remember when this album came out. I don't remember listening to the whole album before, but the singles from this album where everywhere. This album holds a high dose of nostalgia for me, because the singles were so popular. I think in general I like Tears for Fears, but I rarely, if ever decide to listen to them on my own. I have re-listened to them at the suggestion of others. The one exception is their track "Woman in Chains", but that's on a different album. Overall, the album is good, but I'm not sure a full album re-listen is in the future.
Definitely has that 80s feel. Synthesizers galore. Three very well known songs that carry the entire album. The rest of the album is largely forgettable. I don't think I would listen to the entire album again, but I will listen to hits again.
I do enjoy me some 80s new wave but this album just didn't click as much as the others. Still good even if the songs are a little long at points. 3.5/5
Best Song: Mother's Talk. Nice percussion that gives a worldly, dancey feel. Worst Song: I Believe. Eighties ballads might be the worst variety of ballad. Overall: Not bad for what is some painfully 80s fare. Even still, by the end I had started to grow tired of that 80s vocal affectation that makes it sound like they're singing in a big, empty warehouse.
Notable hits on this albums paired with catchy tunes. It's otherwise a bit boring. Not insulting to be less than decent though. Highlights: Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Mothers Talk
Such an 80s sound, almost a caricature of 80s music with the slow singing and the synth
It was fine. Nothing I disliked. Shout and Everybody wants to rule the world are the best songs on this album for sure.
This is the epitome of the 80s sound. Which to me means there’s a few good songs and a few really weird ones.
Too much synth, not bad, but not great.
Shout and Everybody Wants to Rule the World were good. The rest was fine 80's synth. Nothing too special.
2.5
I dig the energy even if this isn’t totally my taste. I always respect a sound that’s this distinct and carefully calibrated. Those big, 80’s drums! “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” is one of those songs you can’t get away from but it is very good. And “Shout” is a jam! Definitely my favorite track here.
Not bad. I knew about half of the album because they are really popular songs from the '80s. Shout never really did much for me though. A lot of the non-singles are ok but nothing special. The last track is just filler. Everbody Wants To Rule The World is an all-time great. This album made me think of the tv show Psych. Not much else to say. It's probably more of an essential 80's album than am all-timer. There's so much worse though. So. Much.
This one was strange for me. Several songs that are incredible works of art, and several songs that are not the least bit memorable. Good album overall though. 3.75 stars?
More like 'Songs From the Big Hair'. Best Tracks: Shout; Everybody Wants To Rule The World; Head Over Heels/Broken.
1985. Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Shout
Conor and Shannah like all the hits 3.5+ star. Bill hated it - 1 star (would've been 2 if Mad World was on).
Some fine tunes
Good
1st Track: 8/10, I’m a fan of music with a darker tone and the obvious 80s influence, that being since it was made in the eighties. Wish it had a few more lyrics, but the heartbreak concerned lyrics were cool, Like it and could start to love it. 2nd Track: 8/10. Liked it abs added to play. Loved the instrumentals and beats. Solid lyrics too. 3rd Track: - 4/5
J'avais jamais écouté l'album dans son ensemble mais je dois avouer que c'est vraiment bon, très années 80 mais reste que c'est agréable à écouter, mais sans plus ! 3
Lembrou Donnie Darko :)
p531. 1985. 3 stars Prime example of 80s stadium synth pop, even down to the audience whooping it up on the end of Broken. No doubt that they could knock out a good tune - some of these tracks are instantly recognisable - and the album has excellent production and musicianship. Lots of synths, sax and big guitars, and as a consequence it does sound a bit dated. Most of the tracks meander and outstay their welcome. Whilst it's well done, I always found them a bit soulless. 3 stars just because of personal preference.
3.5
Extremely 80s sound, but not bad.
Pop progresivo. Un megahit. Al final, me ha cansado por lo lento... Un 3.
Some bangers in here. Some sad numbers. Didn't pay much attention to the lyrics on this listen.
Good album with some big 80s choons. Plenty of memories here with some great sing a long songs
80s but in a way that I despise
Heerlijke 80s popmuziek. Ik vind dit soort muziek wel leuk, maar dit album is ook weer niet zo goed als ik verwacht had. Favorieten zijn het bekende "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" en het lekkere "Head Over Heels" ***
Stadium Pop, packed with yearning. Sonically VERY 1985.
3/5
Some absolute bangers on there but the Rest Kind of falls flat in comparison Also rather dated sound
gg
It's alright. Some of these were pretty neat, others forgettable.
"Man, this guy is a shining example of an 80's voice" seems to be true. A fine album, didn't hear anything specific.
Pretty solid
3.5/5
Reminds me of cassettes my mother owned and listened to on road trips.
Certainly doesn't hold up to my memory of it. It has 3 great songs. The remaining 5 I think are actively stressful to listen to. I would prefer to listen to their prior album, The Hurting.
Cool saxophone!!
7,0/10 Legal
Great 80s pop album.
OK
I'd buy this. Got some great tracks and some pretty non-memorable ones.
Some nice tracks, but no strong desire to come back to this
Felt like I was in a New York noir crime drama from the 80s during some tracks. 5/10 would track down murderers again.
Sure it was fine
A little too pop for my taste but a solid album
I love new wave. It definitely feels dated but I can’t help but still dig it. This album is one of the better ones
Album 1 Some good tracks bit dated
one of the better representations of the early 80s. I like a couple of the songs,
It's nice, but a little bit bland stylistically. Just very samey
3 classics. Vintage 80s sounds. Interesting sax work. AOR. Good experimental production (live sounds). Each song builds.
couple classics but too much of the same
This has some classics but I actually didnt enjoy the whole as much as I expected to
Overdone synths and bells make for an overly glossy and cheesy effort, though I do enjoy most tunes on Songs From the Big Chair. Don't get me wrong, the production is great, the melodies are rich and the overall sound is intense and engaging. Because of its overly sweet and sappy nature, I can't in good conscious give this more than a 3/5.
Ik vind dit wel erg algemeen klinken. misschien zelfs een beetje nostalgisch.
Not a huge fan of that he big spacey production. None of the tracks are 5 star for me but most are still enjoyable
good instruments but voice kind of annoying just like morrisey! fuck the smiths too!
didnt actualyl listen yet, but Im sure ill dig it
Solid 2nd album. Like the vocals.
New to me. The ORIGINAL SHOUT?! Awesome! :D After a couple of songs the album, especially the singing, begins to sound very samey.
Some real gems. Have always loved EWTRTW but never knew the album as a whole.
After a strong start, the working hour is way too over the top for my taste. The album is then ok, before the final song, which is pretty awesome.
Well... I liked it more than I expected to.
Amai ik haat Shout met een passie
A few good tracks and some huge hits, but the overall album was okay.
Couldn't get past the Jeremy vine-ness of it but better than I thought it was going to be
sempre achei que tias fofinhas era banda só de greatest hits, mas esse disco é quase um greatest hits. quer dizer, falta mad world. e sowing the seeds of love. e woman in chains. e pale shelter. e advice for the young at heart... eita. (acho os dois super parecidos na capa)
Dug it! Very moody 80’s vibe
Toegankelijke New Wave. De extra nummers in de Deluxe-versie zijn wel een stuk meer experimenteel (en niet zo mijn ding).
There are a few gems in there, but also a few quite forgettable background sound songs. I liked it overall, but don't know if I will put it back on spontaneously.
.
I didn't much care for it when it came out, but I appreciate it more now. Not a fan of "Shout".
Excellent album. Shout - great opening track. Also, straight into the chorus. Statement of intent. Maintains quality throughout. Shows it is better to have fewer good tracks than to include filler.
Hits, ja Hits, veritable Schmuckstücke (Quote: immerhin 3 von 8). Aber 5 Mediokre ziehen heavy am Gesamteindruck. Auch blitzsaubere Arrangements überdecken nicht den Mangel an Rührung - lässt über weite Strecken kalt.
1. Shout - Great, albeit a bit long. 2. The Working Hour - Kind of blows, honestly. 3. Everybody Wants to Rule the World - A huge song for a reason. Catchy, cool production, dynamic. 4. Mothers Talk - First thoughts: this song slaps. Later thoughts: Still slaps. 5. I Believe - accidentally ignored almost all of this song. Not my thing. 6. Broken - ANOTHER SLAPPER. Also, tone. 7. Head Over Heels / Broken - I dig the continued use of the motif from the prior track. Sick bass in the opening. Got some Hall and Oates vibes here and there. I really dig all of the falsetto. The head over heels refrain part seems very familiar, but I don't think I actually know the song as a whole. 8. Listen - Slow to start, and doesn't seem to really ever get going... I kind of feel like they just had too much fun dicking around with noises/effects/chimes in the studio. The synthy organ tone while he sings reminds me of Bill Wurtz, which is funny. Overall this song is meh. This album does have some really good New Wave on it. Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Mothers Talk, Head Over Heels / Broken, and Broken are all really good tunes.
This sounds like everything that played at Live Aid rolled up. No doubt many of us were conceived to ‘Head Over Heals’, but it falls over in the last song, which is troubling when it’s 1/8th of the album. Sweet bass on ‘Broken’
Listened twice thru. Unless its on the Lethal Weapon soundtrack, I do not particularly enjoy the saxophone. Especially trill sax. And the drum machine can fuck right off. The synths were good but I also don’t like them much. However, the stadium reverb on the bigger drums actually kinda made me smile. A little bit. I never realised ‘Everybody Wants to rule the World’ had the same hook as Billie Jean until today. The standout track is definitely ‘Head Over Heels/Broken’. And not just because I pretend to understand the plot to Donnie Darko... 3 stars.
Tenía una canción bastante buena y me gustó el disco en general. No me flipó pero estaba bien
Some iconic tunes on this record, no doubt, but the other stuff left me a bit flat. Fave track on the album proper is probably "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", but I really dug an industrial sounding bonus track "Empire Building", which was a b side of "Mothers Talk". Apparently they were listening to a lot of Art of Noise when they wrote that one, so imma check them out!
2.5 | Cuando vi que tocaba Tears For Fears me dio gusto y curiosidad; conocía las dos canciones obvias Shout y EWTTRTW y son de mis canciones preferidas del género en New Wave y en general puedo decir que de todo el pop ochentero, siempre se me han hecho pegajosas, muy bien hechas, bastante distintas a la mayoría de lo que se producía en esos momentos y con cierta profundidad medio sombría que me llama bastante. Nunca había escuchado el disco completo ni ubicaba otras canciones del grupo y por un lado me agradaron un par de cosas y me decepcionaron otras tantas. Fuera de mi buen gusto por las canciones mencionadas, Mothers Talk bastante buena, con una guitarra aguda ochentera y un sintetizador a los bajos que pega fuerte, acentos de trompeta y es otra gran canción... La otra que me agradó fue Head Over Heels/Broken que fue si bien no tan interesante o distinta sí se siente como una manera interesante de llevar la secuencia entre las canciones y la forma en que se mezclan las melodías es muy interesante. Lo triste es que fuera de eso el resto del disco es tremendo relleno a mi parecer, no solo deja de proponer cosas interesantes y terminan con canciones que se sienten de plantilla ochentera genérica sino que a ratos se sienten hasta un poco engreídas en creer que están presentando más de lo que es. El cierre de Listen se siente que quiere ser mucho más épico de lo que realmente se merece y termina sintiendose como copia mediocre de Toto pero producida por Yanni (nada en contra de Yanni). Las canciones que me gustan son buena parte del disco pero el resto en realidad me desencantó mucho. Me agrada haber descubierto dos nuevas canciones pero en conjunto creo que no es un disco que me termine agradando volver a escuchar completo y eso hasta me entristece por lo que esperaba al inicio.
I actively disliked them as a teenager in the 80s. I was pleasantly surprised to hear some solid tracks backing up the hits. It will never be a favourite of mine but much better than I believed it would br
Very 80s pop. Everybody Wants to Rule the World is a great song. Lots of filler. Very distinctive voices.
Shout felt good to sing along to
Multiple big hits. Aside from those the album is pretty laid back. Sounds like any 80's-movie love scene.
Este es un buen disco en verdad. No estoy seguro por qué el grupo no es más conocido (el nombre no les ayuda, creo), pero al menos "Everybody wants to rule de world" es una canción que suena mucho en el radio. Algo que me llama la atención es lo diversas que son las canciones. Por ejemplo, "Everybody..." (probablemente la más conocida) tiene un sonido pop-rock ochentero, tipo "Frankie goes to Holliwood", mientras que Shout tiene un sonido más techno estilo Depeche Mode. Debería calificar este álbum con 4 estrellas, pero no es mi estilo, y no me veo escuchando este álbum tan seguido.
Nice easy listening, but easy to forget. I literally had to refresh myself on what this was.a
Chill. Some good songs and overall nice sound, but it mostly stayed in the background.
Big anthem from the 80's!
Endel kjente sanga, decent bakgrunnsmusikk med noen høydare
Yeah these guys were alright, had some good songs.
Took me back to my youth. Still holds up
Decent enough.
not badddd
it started strong and there's a couple good songs there, but that's it
There are some great hits that are iconic of the '80s on this album, and which I enjoy. There are also sappy songs. I also hear some sillier synth used, a sign of the times. They always kind of remind me of a cornier version of the Cure. Not bad, but not my favorite!
bangers great, the rest is mash
Y
Muutama leiskautus
Nice 80´s representation
80-talet komprimerat till ett album.
This was meh. The only songs that were interesting were the ones they are famous for. One other was kinda catchy but other than that...
👃🏼🎹 I smell 80’s 🤢
Hearing everybody wants the rule the world growing up, I thought Curt Smith’s voice fit the sound and themes of the song perfectly. On songs from the big chair, tears for fears manage to not find anything close to that sound again for 7 songs.
It was ok. Got long for me.
Average
Old.
I enjoy a few Tears For Fears songs (Everybody Wants to Rule The World is great!) but even the good ones are a bit cheesy, and their bad songs are so bad (I Believe knocked a full star off this album ranking).
achtergrondmuziek, krijg spontaan zin om schoon te maken
Some classics on here. But honestly every song kind of sounded the same
I'm not super into 80s music but it was ok
How can the 80s be so good for movies and so apocalyptically shit for music. Death to synths
I fully understand why this album is on the list, but I cannot stand this band.
3 good songs (all made pretty famous by original MTV) and 5 absolutely banal stinkers (NOT made famous by any service of which I am aware). The only "fair" assessment: 2 "dimly lit" stars. (Really, I wanted to give it 1 star because the runny turd-songs are bad but, to be fair, the 3 good songs are pretty good and I can sing them out loudly, if incompetently.)
2+ Stars (6/15)
mmmmm
London teenage dirtbag vibes with a side of beetles
(2/7) songs feel long and arduous
As soon as and I mean AS SOON AS I saw this album I screamed because I LOVE EWTRTW and to listen to it again would be my absolute fucking pleasure!!! It’s giving Depeche Mode so far The working hour beginning is MAJESTIC !!! That little harp mmmm EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD U WILL ALWAYS BE FAMOUS
Boring, I just don't get it...
This album got such heavy airtime during my senior year of high school, but it never really resonated with me. A bit to pop for my tastes. I like Head Over Heels and think Everybody Wants to Rule The World is ok, but Shout is banal and the rest just seems like filler.
1 all time great song.
It has not aged well
Heard Shout and Everybody Wants to Rule the World before but didn’t know it was them. Just meh to me. Not a fan of their sound
Some memorable songs. About half the album was too slow for my taste, and some of the songs were a bit long. The last song was slow but a cool and unique sound.
Some memorable songs. About half the album was too slow for my taste, and some of the songs were a bit long. The last song was slow but a cool and unique sound.
This is quite odd…. Some tracks far too long and take themselves too seriously, a move into live recordings? It’s not great but I quite like some of it…
Shout ,everybody wants to rules the world and head over heals are fine songs but theyve been overplayed to death on radio and they annoy me so much now. I really dont like the singer's voice. I not a big fan of how the album sounds but theirs some cool things here and there. A lot of fillers...
Songs are too long. I remember the singles.
absolutely nothing special about this album. I only liked 3/4 songs. They are other great albums that define the 80s. I'm sure it was peak during the 80s, but now i find it blant.
It's 80s music
4.5
I once saw this cassette at a flea market and for some reason the regret of not buying it stuck in my mind (probably because it was the only actual album there, all the others were "greatest hits" that no one has interest in.) I can now proudly say, after listening to the entire album, that I don't regret not buying it. An 80s synth pop cassette is as bad as a greatest hits cassette.
Noen bangers Repetitive sanger Mangler spfaz
Mid I did enjoy the song everybody wants to rule the world
Didn't think it was anything special in 1985, still don't.
Nothing interesting
Incredibly mid.. completely unremarkable
80er Synthiepop. Ein paar bekannte (z.B. Shout). Hat mir aber damals schon nicht wirklich gefallen.
Ugh. Is my first reaction. There is no need for every song on this to be over 6 minutes long (and I am a jam band fan). I really dislike hating music, which is why I will rarely ever give an album a 1. And I would be surprised if I think there are any one's in this guys top 1001 albums of all time. 2.5
First time hearing this record. I've known the singles since they were hits and they are great examples of 80's MTV Brit Pop, but hadn't heard the album cuts. They were fine. I supposed this is a good example of 80's pop so maybe should be on the list but again, no reason to hear this before I die.
They were boring when I was a teenager in the 80s. They're still boring. The 3 singles from the album hold up, but the rest was unlistenable.
It's the sound of the 80s. An entire album of it is too much though. 2/5.
Knew the singles, never listened to the album. Now that I have, I think I'll just stick to the singles when they come on the radio. Not for me.
Hmm. Head over heels is an amazing song which bears repeated plays. The rest of this album is so pompous and lecturing though. From the annoying front cover to the patronising album title this is one to steer clear of. Apart from that one song of course.
The album notes says this 1983 release was meant to prove that Tears for Fears wasn’t another Duran Duran or Thompson Twins - 😆- but you were laddies, you were. Just like everyone else in the 1980s. This doesn’t age well.
2 hit songs and a whole lotta garbage
Ikoniskt men inte så kul att lyssna på alltså.
Save:0
Hét album om te demonstreren waarom je jeuk krijgt van jaren '80 muziek. Ik vraag me werkelijk af hoe je het voor elkaar krijgt om zulke opgeklopte muziek zo saai te krijgen. Shout is het meest enerverende nummer. Maar als je het daar nu van moet hebben...40 minuten deze muziek is al te lang. Dat wisten ze zelf ook. Dus ze breken het nog met het nog saaiere Broken en sluiten af met Enya-achtige klanken.
Humm... Pas sur de comprendre pourquoi cet album a été sélectionné. Ou je suis passé complément à coté. La production sonne dans le 80's le plus mainstream et sorti des 2 hits rien de bien passionnant à écouter.
some bangers, glad i gave it a full listen but probs wouldn’t do it again don’t love the voices
I fear i get why the songs that are popular are popular. I couldn’t get into it personally
A couple of amazing songs, but not a great album.
The album opens with "Shout", and it's great stuff. Very dark synth, reminding me of Gary Numan or Depeche Mode. "Head over Heels" is another great song. Although I wonder my judgement is clouded with nostalgia. I first heard this song in the movie Donnie Darko, so I have good associations with it. But the rest of the album, including the most famous song, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", feels quite dated and a bit "too 80s" for my taste.
80s pop throwaway booty cheeks. Never been a fan of the 80s radio stuff, and this hasn't changed my mind.
Not a fave for me. Voice isn’t my favorite, maybe 80s isn’t my favorite. I will say it has its own vibe.
The single and then not a lot more.
Good hits and then some really under done shit
This wasn't as much as I was hoping for. The hits are great without a doubt. The rest of the album.....not so much. I think it was "I Believe" that really turned me off. 2.49 stars.
got bored with it. Slow and dull.
I find all these flat-vocal 80s bands really similar and don't think any of them rank higher than the others. I always get the impression that 'you had to be there.' You can sing along with Everybody Wants to Rule the World, and Shout is not new to me. Everything else was boring and failed to keep my attention. This whole genre is a write off for me personally.
Meh.
2/5
Nah bruv, too wet behind the ears for me
Come on. Really? Tears for Fears can’t make a list of the best albums of all time. Mind you, it’s no worse than Depeche Mode. Probably better.
Mwah, not my thing.
hits were fun but the majority of the album dragged and didn't offer anything of interest
Couple of bangers on there but I just ended up irritated. Not one to have on whilst working.
I don't exactly hate new wave, my issue is that it is mostly just more of the same. Some artists managed to innovate or at least give the songs their own vibe. In contrast, all the "Songs From The Big Chair" could be played by any other 80s synth pop band and you wouldn't even realize that it is a cover version. Even the voice is always the same - or did all those bands share the same singer? Is this the definition of "Was OK at it's time but did not age very well"?
Some good songs, but the album comes off as being really dated.
The last song was super interesting to me, but mostly i just continue to realize that i am not a huge fan of this realm of music
One must draw a line somewhere in these reviews. Not everything can get the benefit of historical context. Sometimes, it is perfectly acceptable to give an honest “I don’t like this at all”. This is no disrespect to those Tears for Fears enjoyers out there. The influence of lead paint would have lingered a while after the ban
If 80s pop were a dart board, this might be the bullseye. The 80s tones and textures are an undeniable distraction. The affected singing, the reverb, the synth. It all gets in the way of me enjoying any redeeming qualities this band might have.
It's the 80's new wave fever and... Well... Does it mean the music is good? Not really. Most of it is just horrible. But there are some good songs and albums too. The thing is that this album is not an example of this. There are two nice songs (even though I am not sure if they are actually good). As for the rest, I don't care. It is insipid and uninteresting.
Meh. Everybody wants to rule the world is a banger though.