Reviews (page 14 of 16)
I was never a huge fan of TFF at the time, but over the years I have come to think of Shout as one of the very best songs of the 1980s. It has everything, masterfully arranged and produced, and just makes me go YES! every time I hear it. Did I mention it also has one of my all time favourite guitar solos too? With that as a starting track, I was primed to love this album. As it turns out, I liked the album. Some of it a lot, some of it less (including the 2nd track, which just makes me think of Simple Minds and the whole “more reverb, more reverb!” 80s thing). On balance it’s probably 3.5 stars, but I may come back and listen to most of it again, skipping a track or two, so rounding up to 4.
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.
Sooooooooo 1980s. This album is totally of its time, but still sounds really damn great. The production and recording quality is second to none, and really serves the excellent songs. I know they feel Everybody Wants To Rule the World was a throw-away, quick and dirty (minimal) effort, but they were at the height of their powers and it kicks arse. (Fun fact: this was the first 7" that Sascha ever bought). Everybody..., along with Shout and Head Over Heels provide hooky anchors to this lean yet expansive, experimental yet commercial, personal yet cinematic album. A pop highwater mark of the decade My favourite bit: right at the end of Head Over Heels (just on 4.00) where he sings "Funny how..." and then all the instruments drop out and he continues "time flies...." acapella, his voice slathered in reverb and a big wide phaser. It's best on the single, which just ends like that. Magic.
Cool album, some great songs
Great album. Tears For Fears have so many great songs, so well crafted.
Overall this album really was such an enjoyable experience. I have been told these guys fuck and just figured it was 80s nostalgia hype but these guys do fuck pretty hard.
Classics
I'm glad they ditched the full synth-pop sound of their first album, but really only 3 songs on this album are worth listening to. A bit too much synth used still for my tastes.
3 great tracks surrounded by Roland Orzabal's massive ego.
Other than the 3 80’s bangers, the rest of the album just sounds like trash. Particularly, none of it flows well together and it veers between awesome to mediocre very quickly.
Only enjoyed a couple songs, but the hits are great.
Muy ochentero. Alguna canción buena. El resto lo considero pop un tanto simplón
Better than expected
starts strong them becomes 80s mid tier songs
Some nice New Wave "Shout" in particular is extremely well-engineered Standout Songs: "Shout" "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" "Broken"
Fantastic album. A must listen.
I don't feel anything.
banger album, every song is good some songs are great but The Working Hour and Listen were amazing holy shiddd
Pleasantly surprised. Only the first song was at all cheesy or bland, the rest was rich and thought provokingly original A great record.
Absolute 80s classic but some filler
Överraskad, varje låt är intressant på ett sätt eller annat, melodierna är riktiga bops. Det känns både larvigt och coolt, syntigt men också psykadeliskt och djupt. Bra album, stabilt hela vägen igenom med två bangers i shout och everybody wants to rule the world
one wrong move and this would sound insanely cheesy but this album strikes just the right balance of stuff that sounds like normal 80's pop and the more experimental stuff. it's crazy knowing that this was only their second album. p.s. whatever you do, don't listen to the world cup lil baby remix of "everybody wants to rule the world". worst mistake of my life.
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.
Great album! Would have been a Five if (1) it ended differently, and (2) there were a couple more songs that had a vibe similar to tracks 1-7.
The last song is not my favorite but other than that this album is awesome. It even has a great sax solo.
There are some indispensable bangers, but a lot of space fillers too... "Listen" is three times too long. (prior listen)
Really not for me. Some iconic songs and certainly captured the sound of a period in time, but the songs don't do much for me and the focals feel forced.
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.
pretty good in spots
Loved the whole album more than I expected. Great songs.
One of the best pop / new wave albums ever released. Exciting harmonies and multi-layered lyrics. These songs get better with age!
Gets my vote for best album of the 80s. "Shout" and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" are perfect pop, and the rest of the tracks are great too. At 45 minutes, it never outstays its welcome.
The first song transported me right back to the 80's and I loved it. However I didn't know the majority of the album apart from the hits, and I cant say I would go back to it again.
No m'ha resultat interessant...
I really like 80s synths. Shout brings this album to 4
This is an album with a couple of genuinely great tracks on it, unfortunately these are few and far between, tucked between the very wankiest of 80s ballads and sad white boy dirges. Donnie Darko did Tears For Fears an absolutely solid favour by using Head Over Heels in one of the most memorable scenes of the past 30 years. Without it, would we still be considering this album? I most certainly would not.
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.
01/04/23: Only song I knew before listening to this album was "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" which I always thought of as a cheesy song but sounds really amazing within the context of this album. Really a cooler album than the band name and album cover art would indicate. Personal song highlights: -Shout -Everybody Wants to Rule the World -Head Over Heels/Broken -Listen Feels like a less dark Depeche Mode and the predecessor to the 1975
Solid album. Can see these guys going places. 4/5
Wow - one of my fav 80 bands who just simply exude the 80’s. Could listen to this album every day.
Could use more tears. Definitely enough fears.
No tears or fears here 4 stars
made me watch donnie darko, solid 80s
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.
The hits are huge, but what else can be said?
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.
After their brilliant debut album with 3 impressive singles, they did it again with this their second album. This one kicks it off with Shout, one of my all time favourites from them. The album is relatively short at only 42 mins but there’s not much wasted space here. They avoid a lot of the cliched synth pop beats that prematurely dates many of their contemporaries and this album sounds remarkably fresh today. A very solid effort here.
One of may favorites from the 80s.
Enjoyable and had some clear hits!
This album is absolutely perfect. Love the beat and voices
80s memories
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
Beautiful crafted pop songs! Especially musically, the vocals didn't grab me that much. But the lyrics were very on point for the time, lot of clever writing. 7,5 out of 10
Excellent Album.
Liked this one. Probably will listen again
Ekkert svo slæmt 80s. Nokkrir hápunktar sem gætu alveg slædað í guilty pleasure.
Absolute banger
fantastic album, great mixture of new and old sounds.
Remindes me of high school
College memories
Love this. Every track
Ahhh, the 80’s!
Good example of timeless 80s music. Holds up well, doesn’t sound cheesy. Interesting “Broken” intro that never gets played on radio with “head over heels”.
Den gode 80’er new wave poprock, synth, flere bangers
Vähän jopa puuduttavaa synapoppia
Not my usual genre but some solid hits here
Quintessential 80s album. Beautiful mix of synths and live instruments. Sublime vocals.
obviously there is the "it's the 80's" piece to get over, but lots of good songs here!
Mad world and everybody wants to rule the world are the two songs from this band I know and everybody wants to rule the world is on here so that’s good… Shout is awesome so is the working hour both of there 6 minute run times go so quickly. Everybody wants to rule the world is one of the best singles of all time! Mother’s talk is great but not one pf my favourites. I believe is sad and slow maybe too morose for the start of side 2 but it’s a brilliant song. Broken is good but it’s more prepping for head over heels which is like the centrepiece of side 2 the reprise of broken works too. You hear listen and it just screams album closer it’s brilliant. 5/5 can’t fault it.
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
Liked this better than I remembered from 30 years ago or whenever Becky had the CD. Everybody Wants to Rule the World and Head Over Heels are fine. But nothing that grabs me. Somewhere between 2 and 2.5 stars
Loved it - very 80s
test
Very cool
Pretty decent album overall, the second half really heightened my enjoyment overall. Pretty good little 80s new wave record. 3.5/5
Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Shout, Everybody wants to rule the world, Mothers talk, Head over heels
Three of the most iconic song of the 80s. And some jazz…? Overall great listen.
...
Amazing fun album
Great album, kind of Springsteen meets U2 vibe :-)
Its really good, not perfect and not as good as other new wave albums but it has consistant writing and some good tunes
classic pop
Just a phenomenal album by a highly underrated band. The tastefully understated guitar on "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is sublime. "Broken" into "Head Over Heels" adds even more depth than the stand-alone track that got radio play and is featured on many best-ofs. One of my favs.
J’adore Tears for Fears. Je trouve que c’est un groupe profondément original, tant dans les mélodies que les accompagnements. Un album qui est emblématique de son époque, mais qui ne vieillit pas mal en raison de son innovation. Je l’ai écouté deux fois (même si je le connaissais déjà).
An all time favorite
Some fantastic songs, but they don't seem to go together in a cohesive way. First half much stronger than the back. Can't feel a place or a time from this album, since it jumps in tone so often.
I enjoyed that. Having only heard the hits before the rest of the album was a good addition.
Generally liked this. A couple songs were a bit dreary though.
FU for dropping me back into the worst time of my life. Thank you for reuniting me with one of the albums that got me through that time. This and The Seeds of Love can bookend the shit years of my life. I haven't listened to Tears For Fears in a long time and it was really nice to hear them again from a different perspective. Head Over Heels still kills me.
This is really impressive pop music. I associate the 80s with tinny fake synth sounds lacking any soul, but in the hands of the right artists, as here, there is way more depth and musicality to it. It helps that the songwriting and vocals are so absorbing and charismatic and all leads to a really memorable experience. For good or ill, these songs will swirl around your brain and if Everybody Wants to Rule the World is overplayed that’s hardly Tears for Fears’ fault. I’m probably 4.5 but feeing generous after a terrible night’s sleep, so five stars here.
An 80’s pop masterpiece.
i really like this ! it's cool to hear where all the songs come from
3 amazing songs and the rest of the album is decent. Gotta be worth 4 stars.
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.
3.5 / 5
Friday good, real busy at work, but got a run in and then didn’t go to green zone, drunk and hang with conts
It starts and ends well with a bit of a lull in between. Some classic bangers which are fun and a few of the slower more instrumental tracks are cool as well. 7/10
Bangers a true classic
Idk de är bra men everybody wants to rule the world är ända enda sången ja vill höra på nytt
Gettatt
Very close to a five. Excellent pop in terms of both writing and creativity. Just a liiiittle too 80s
Ett attans bra pop-album...
Mostly great songs that still hold up. Hearing them in high quality vs. on the radio really helps them shine.
This was on heavy rotation for me when it came out. Love it! But Extended edition not so great for me
Incredibly underrated album. This band is much better than I realized at the time.
We’ll produced, good pop singles but nothing exciting
Quite good album. Not for every moment, a bit intense at times.
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.
Key tracks: Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Head Over Heels
80s all the way
Probably my favourite album as a teenager - on constant walkman action in the summer it came out
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.
actually perfect
Excellence in the 80’s
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
this album is another new wave album that i didn't quite care for as part of this project. i initially considered myself a fan of new wave, but i must be picky with that genre, more than i realized. tears for fears' sound isn't bad, and they can indeed make music--but this album was underwhelming to me. a point in their favor is that it was an easy listen. but perhaps too easy, since i found myself bored.
These guys are mostly known only for "Shout" and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", but to me, this band is among the pinnacle of new wave music. And yet, on this album, there's even a touch of progressive rock as the band clearly looks beyond new wave, at the height of new wave. The tracks on this album all feel connected, yet they are all very unique and have a flavor of their own. This is another album that has great singles, but also makes a profound impact when listened to as a whole. The album is short and to the point, not wasting any time with filler tracks. This album also straddles somewhere between bright-sounding and dark-sounding, neither word quite describing it perfectly. This album's sound would be described in a space that falls between words like 'bright' and 'dark', because it's a little bit of both...perhaps foggy or misty? The instruments and synth on this album are masterfully done and have a lot of depth on each track. Every time I listen to a track, I hear some new layer that I didn't hear before that really lends to the complexity. For a decade that is known to have music that didn't age super well, this album HAS aged well and still offers a sound that is incredibly intriguing even today, and I feel like the depth and complexity of sounds on this album definitely contributed to that. For what it's trying to accomplish, this album is practically perfect. I enjoyed every track and the album as a whole.
Love the hits...head over heels is an absolute banger. However there was too much filler. 3/5
not my jam
Nearly a 5
incredible front to back album. Such a dream-state vibe to it. Not to mention has some of the most iconic and recognizable singles of its era (EWTRTW and shout).
Le meilleur du band. J’ai toujours trouvé qu’ils faisaient du pop sophistiqué, ce qui me plait beauoup.
Je connaissais bien sûr les 2 gros hits présents sur cet album, mais je n'étais pas familier avec ce que le groupe a fait d'autre. C'est pas mauvais.
4. A really fun album with a good mixture of different types of songs. Standouts: Shout, Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Broken, Head Over Heels / Broken. (The Big Chair and Broken Revisited on the extended version are good).
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.
me gusto, tiene hits como "everybody wants to rule the world" y por más que sean pocas canciones, están muy buenas.
Never heard of this band or album but heard a few of the songs, I guess that goes to show how influential it really was, Really liked Broken and Mothers talk of the ones I hadn't heard, and shout and everybody wants to rule the world are classics. Solid album
shout and everybody wants to rule the world are great; the rest of the tracks on this album didn't really grab me
I really like this album start to finish. Iconic. Musically tight. Made me nostalgic for the time in which it was made.
Ok
Dramatic in the best way.
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.
Great album
Good
Love me some 80’s jams
Kommt mir vor wie ein großes Schaulaufen aller Synthie-Sounds, die die Achtziger zu bieten hatten. Außer Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule The World und (der Perle) Broken ist da allerdings nicht viel erwähnenswertes dabei.
I was delighted to see this pop up, one of my favorite albums of the 80s! Put it on and went for a jog this morning, great start to the day. Maybe it's not completely perfect, more like a 9/10. But without a doubt one of the best pop albums ever released.
This is really good. Very nearly a 5 star. Want to listen to some more.
so 80s. I predict three but it could be a surprise. they look VERY different on their album cover.
I really enjoyed most of the album. The blend of electronic instrumentation with guitar, and drum machines and real drums kept it alive in a way that might not be possible on their own. Not to mention it had some absolute ripping guitar solos throughout that actually surprised me.
Reading the reviews I found one negative comment- the others were OTT which is not what I remember. Still, let's give them a listen....... Certainly 80's pop and very well produced. Massive hits and intelligent lyrics. Some of these songs became anthems which presumably accounts for the popularity of this album. Perfect Pop.
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
Some iconic singles on here with some solid deep tracks too. Not perfect, however, so I’ll give it a four.
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.
Still great to listen to 37 years on.
en muista kuunnelleeni tätä aiemmin, mutta ilmeisesti hittikimara, koska tiedän kahta lukuun ottamatta kaikki biisit? Shout on aivan loistava. kyllä vähän alt kasaripoppi sytyttää ylipitkistä biiseistä huolimatta
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 feel like this album is only on this list because it has both Shout and Everybody Wants to Rule the World. Otherwise, it’s just uninspired 80s pop; fun to listen to as a time capsule of what music used to be, but mostly devoid of character and innovation.
8/09/22 5/5 One of my all-time favourites, the synth music with instrumentals is just fabulous, and one of the greatest songs of all time, Everybody Wants To Rule the World. Just so good
Shout....can't bear to ever hear it again....Head over Heels...same. The only redeeming song on this album, to me....is Everybody wants to rule the world....that song is a classic!
Most of the songs were familiar to me so i already had time to listen and get comfortable with the songs before now. A staple 80's (i think) album.
Great album 👌
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.
I loved this album when it came out: the tunes, the voice, the instrumentation, the layering of rhythm and counterpoint, the energy… listening to it brings it all back!
This album is impressive to say the least. What a quintessential 80s pop rock album. There are so many layers of sounds that merge together to create a sublime listening experience. I also had no idea how many songs from this album I would recognize. Obviously "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is well-known, and for good reason, that song is incredible. This was almost a 5-star album for me, and one that I will certainly return to, but "I Believe" felt like hitting the e-brake on perfection and really killed the vibe. I was just bored to tears (get it?) listening to that one, and couldn't believe it was a single. Highlights include the aforementioned hit single, "Head over Heels / Broken (reprise)" and "Working Hour"
An outstanding gem of 80s pop music. Was already super familiar with Tears for Fears before this album, but an entrenched love of their first album The Hurting had somewhat sidelined their follow up in my estimations. Safe to say, I’m converted. Given the now sacrosanct status held by this album’s two biggest singles “Shout” and “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” , it’s easy to forget just how much of an uphill battle the band faced in 1985 to obtain the critical acclaim the unquestionably deserved. Their brand of guitar infused new wave synth pop mixed with brutally honest reflections on mental anguish was met with indifference (or downright derision) from the music press, who deemed the whole thing pretentious. This album soon silenced many of their doubters. The formula is not greatly changed from The Hurting, but is far more ambitious on the production front. Whereas The Hurting retreated into the abysmal depths of torment, on this album the songs sprawl and soar with a defiant arrogance, as their lyrics desperately clutch to a fleeting but vital optimism - these guys were outstanding songwriters, and they knew it. This linear interpretation of Tears For Fears first two records is far from novel, but it’s inescapable when listening to both records. The outstanding production on this record accentuates the outstanding songwriting on this record, without consigning it to the realm of quirky 80s curiosity. Songs like the aforementioned “Shout” sound remarkably vital in a way that Dire Straits or Culture Club do not. To say that this record stands the test of time is to say the tower in Pisa stands on an incline. It’s really incredible. That being said, the overall experience of this record is perhaps not as immediately impactful as their debut effort. The drawn-out song structures stilt the flow of the record, though the atmosphere created on this album perfectly compliments the band’s brooding self-analyses. It’s a minor complaint on a truly exceptional album. If there were half stars available, I’d probably settle on 4.5 - but there isn’t, and I feel this record deserves better than just a 4. So it’s a well-deserved 5 stars from me.
Great album of which I only really knew the classics Shout and Everbody Wants to Rule the World. Really enjoyed Head over Heels / Broken and Mothers Talk as well. Very Strong album overall; will listen to this one more often from now on!
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.
Enjoyable synth-pop album that delivers with a slight progressive edge. Cool vibe and a good time
So many recognizable big hit songs that defined a genre
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.
This was my favorite album in first grade. All the synths, all the drum machines, all the melodramatic vocals. It's hard to believe an album with this many hits has only 8 songs.
A lot more ambient than I was expecting from the songs I've heard of the album. Finding out that Broken and Head Over Heels we're a two part song was fun.
not to my liking. A few songs are familiar
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
Ok so a little difficult for me, I only really enjoyed the singles and popular tracks off this album, alongside the last track 'Listen' so I probably wouldn't recommend the album nor listen to it again. Just didn't really click for me.
Poppy music. Poetic language. Vague meaning can be useful.
Love how the album flows
Strong lead vocals and good compilation of songs.
This album has one of my favorite songs of all time, and two others that were a huge part of my childhood. Despite those incredible highs, there were just a couple lows that kept this from being rated higher.
amazing 10/10
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 :(
Outside of the 2 tophits it is a bit melodramatic. I still liked a few others like The Working Hour and Head over Heels/Broken, but some others were dreadfully boring. Overall pretty good album, I would buy it on a second hand market. 4/5
I liked it, basically an 80's movie soundtrack.
Thoroughly enjoyed this 80s classic
Quality 80s tunes
Delicious synthy goodness
This is such a great album. I still listen to it cover to cover a couple of times a year.
Singles=awesome, rest=yeah, ok
I can see the appeal, but not for me.
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
This album has depth all the way through it. The production is very rich, with layers of keyboards, incredible rhythm section and expressive guitar playing. There’s even some sax in places. But also the lyrics are very heavy. Deep introspection and what feels to me like great compassion for the suffering of others. The singing is gorgeous. I was thinking that with the drama of the music and lyrics it’s almost operatic. There were several songs I already knew, and enjoyed hearing again. “Mothers Talk” was new to me and I thought it was outstanding, especially the drumming. I also loved the way the melodic hook from Head Over Heels appeared in Broken first as a sort of pre-echo.
There were more guitar solos on the album than I remembered which was fun. overall a decent listen
This is one of the most enduring of the 80s albums that were characterized as new wave. Incorporating elements that as disparate as prog and soul into the pop mix, this is a terrific listen from start to finish. Clearly they were listening to Eno, Talking Heads and Peter Gabriel. A few stone cold classics, but solid throughout - Mother's Milk and Listen stand out from the deep cuts. In hindsight it is surprising that a song as rich as Everybody Wants to Rule the World hit number 1 on the singles chart.
This is better than most of the other synth heavy '80s bands but still just meh
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.
vibes phil collins, me sentí totalmente flying
I was raised on 80s New Wave, and while I never choose to listen to it on my own time I do have a soft spot for it. This is a pretty good New Wave album, it has a couple of all time classic songs in "Shout" and "Everybody Wants To Rule The World". Another standout on the album was "The Working Hour", the rest of it didn't stick out much to me but was a nice chill listen.
Classic album with lots of anthemic tracks 4*
Couple of anthemic songs and the rest was fine.
Everybody Wants to Rule the World was my favorite song then ("Real Genius" anyone?) and remains one of my favorites to this day. The whole album is iconic; an 80's colored jewel that continues to sparkle even as the years tumble by. Thank you to the reviewer who mentioned Beato has covered Head over Heels. Heading there now.
4/5
Surprisingly (to me), they re not a one trick pony. Some very good stuff. I am converted. Favourite track on first listen - 'Listen'!
Pretty chock full of bangers, but a little slow for my tastes
Wow. Ok. So you know the songs, but did you know that they blend into other songs, are part of other songs and there’sa bunch of killer guitar! This is an album album! It’s great! Thanks guys!
A really good synth-pop album that is firmly rooted in the 80s. Unfortunately it doesn't wholly stand up to modern scrutiny, but it still holds its own. The beginning set up weird expectations because I didn't think it was all that great. Overall, the whole album won me over, but it took some time.
Classic. Aged fairly well...
Were all of the songs of the same quality as Shout, Everybody Wants To Rule The World and Head Over Heals, this would be a straight 5. Sadly, a couple of songs, while good, are too much anchored in 80s production values, and some of the songs don't work per se, making this album a 4/5.
Essential '80s album. Admittedly the second side lose a bit of steam but the rest of the album is a classic
una maravilla, pop ochentero por naturaleza, qué gustoso sonido, un verdadero clásico. en una palabra: suave
Doesn't get more 80s than this. Shout is such a moment defining song. It's amazing...the rest doesn't fall behind either. Jazzy horns are so fun and add a lot of depth to the songs.. wish more artists today would learn from this era. 5*
Two bangers and a lot of insufferable filler. Best track: Everybody Wants to Rule the World
Pop
Easy 5/5. Fantastic album. From start to finish. Have listened to it man times through.
Really enjoyed this, full of way more tunes than I expected and some great synth sounds.
This is so 80s I want to get a perm. Silky smooth sax ooo yeah
Good saxophone but quite short
I was 15 when this album came out. I had no idea the album versions of the 3 singles were so much longer! A pretty cool record.
Never a big fan of Tears for Fears and I particularly don't like Shout. This is a slickly produced album, but their material does not do anything for me. I just find it dull and redolent of glossy 80s production numbers that leave me cold
I loved this one!!!! a classic
Already one of my favorite albums by my favorite artists. Glad to see it on the list. Moody songwriting and vocals. 80s synths and drum machines and post punk style guitar lead lines although a very diverse album stylistically. I recommend listening either the lyrics open if possible as they can be hard to make out but are very good. Highlights: sax on #2 The Working Hour. Polyrhythm in the guitar/drums on #3 everybody wants to rule the world. Bass lines near the 4 minute mark in #4 Mothers Talk. Love the lounge vibe with dramatic piano chords in #5 I Believe. #6 Broken complexity with introducing layers first bass, then guitar riff, synths. A taste of the main riff from #7 Head over Heels/broken adds dissonance if you listen for it. Dreamy intro to #7 with interesting use of major chords. Great falsetto. The bassine from Broken comes back at the end of #7 making #6 and #7 a little suite. My favorite track is #8 with its repeating motif and orchestral sound. It's a melancholy end to this dramatic album. The performances, arrangements, complex rhythms, diversity of styles and how they take the time to string them together to make them siund like they are supposed to go together makes this one of my favorite albums of all time. Only 41 minutes long but absolutely packed with Music.
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.
Great album. Very chill.
Overblown nonsense
Chingón 👌🏼
Better than I remembered it
3.5
Amazing loved it
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.
really good highs but kinda boring lows
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.
Some good songs here. It suffers from cheesy 80s style production choices. 2.5 🌟
Shout is not a Depeche Mode song
One of the best albums of the '80's, hands down
This is a roll through a mountain range, peaks and valleys. All beautiful views even if not everything is spectacular. Some of it is simply enjoying the build and climbing down from the hits. I don't know how many times I have a bass line or melody from this album in my head. It can take days for me to identify it and recognize that I've just been feeling the wind and remembering that road trip through the mountains.
Was ok. Basic, ya know?
loved itttttt
Don't really have much to say. I listened all the way through, but nothing really sparked my interest. Then again, maybe I was born too late to properly appreciate 80s pop rock / synth-pop. I've always had a tough time finding music from those genres to be genuinely interesting or enjoyable; to me, the singing sounds a bit like wailing and the accompaniment makes me think of the bridge of the Enterprise.
One of my favorite albums of the 80s. Everything is on point, from the cryptic lyrics, longing vocals, punchy drums, cloudy riffs and sax, and most importantly the moody synths, confident and expressing feelings of nostalgia and melancholy. One of my favorite things is the ambiance that surrounds the whole album, placing us in the limbo of lost emotions. I like how you can hear New Wave influences like the afrobeat of Talking Heads and The Police in "Listen." It's as if this is the pinnacle of New Wave. The "Broken" and "Heads Over Heels" combination blew me away when I first heard it. Every track is perfect in their own right, and there's excellent diversity between dance mixes and introspective ballads. It's a fairly short album, and there are only 8 songs of which there's so much substance I don't mind them going on for so long. My only complaint is that the track order could be improved to keep the momentum of certain vibes. I can understand why you wouldn't want to collect all the ballads together, but I'd prefer "I Believe" moved down.
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.
This album shows Tears For Fears were more than a one-hit wonder, but it's also very self-indulgent and corny at times. Still, as a cohesive piece of work, it's decent.
Too much sax but what singles. Head over Heels!
Leuk plaatje, geen blijvertje
Wauw, dit vond ik echt een te gekke plaat. Kende de hits al uiteraard, maar de rest was ook erg goed.
Dit was heel behoorlijk goed te pruimen!
Fijne stem en best prettige muziek.
Well, that takes me back to high school dances. Really great song writing. One of the few New Wave bands I got into. I think maybe because they were less synth oriented than others. Either way, loved this album.
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
Well I enjoyed this 80s powerhouse album. Some cracking tunes I needed and bizarrely this was a great Monday morning vibe.
Just found it a bit boring. Everybody Wants to Rule the World is very good but the rest was dull and all blended in together.
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.
Oh wow, what an album. Shout is so iconic and I forgot how much I liked it, was a bit worried about the rest until Everybody Wants To Rule The World kicked in with Broken and Head Over Heels / Broken being another incredible highlight. The final track Listen just left me in such a good mood.
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
When I was little, I hated "Head Over Heels" for some reason. I think it was the introduction to it. Now, though? I love that song and really enjoy driving to this whole album. Pretty close to pop perfection.
Not for me
Such a great New Wave album. The Hurting finally got the recognition it didn't get back then too.
2nd album. 80s classic.
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.
Pretty nice synth pop. Not much else to say here. A solid album.
Great in the 80’s. Still sounds good.
sonzão tri
Top production if a tad overcooked at times. Good writing. Vocals aren't great imo. Decent stuff overall.
strange album, was going to give it a high score after first 3 songs, then found the rest almost unlistenable. Shout and Rule the world are fantastic, the rest really not so much.
Sooooooooo 1980s. This album is totally of its time, but still sounds really great. The production and recording quality is second to none, and really serves the excellent songs. I know they feel Everybody Wants To Rule the World was a throw-away, quick and dirty (minimal) effort, they were at the height of their powers. Everybody..., along with Shout and Head Over Heels provide hooky anchors to this lean yet expansive, experimental yet commercial, personal yet cinematic. A pop highwater mark of the decade
Uuuuh. Been waiting for this Love it, reminds me of my mom :)) 5
The singles are definitely the standouts!
Dated sound. Still appreciate a couple of there tunes
Disliked this band for multiple reasons back in 1985. Notably their image, fan base, music videos and especially the music itself. The image faded, the fans dispersed and the videos are relegated to YouTube obscurity. Yet the music endures. I can’t.
Shout and Everybody Wants to Rule the World were good. The rest was fine 80's synth. Nothing too special.
5/5. Unrelentingly 80s, holy shit. Masterpiece 😎
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.
Wow I felt like I was listening to a straight up 80's movie soundtrack! Like every song, not just the bit hits. They nailed their sound so perfectly and fully encapsulated a decade of music in the process. Very cool vocals that are just fun to sing.
Pros: - Has some ABSOLUTE bangers on this album. - "Everybody wants to rule the world" is one of my favorite songs of all time - "Shout" is so moody and such a strong opener. - "Head Over Heels / Broken" - another damn slapping BANGER. - I just love their sound. This was 1985, right smack in the middle of the 80's. They had that weird 80's "we're embracing this new synth world" sound that was weirdly serious and I will forever love that. - The first track is super synth heavy (with all of the limitations of early synths), and then the second track comes in with an evocative and VERY human-y saxophone. Then bongos. Such a cool contrast to start an album. I really can't say how much I love the ground covered instrumentation wise in the first two songs. I don't know if I've ever heard another pop album cover so much ground so quickly while also being effective and now adding timbres for the sake of adding timbres. - LISTEN TO THE INTRO GROOVE ON EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD. UGHHHH - "Mothers Talk" bass part at 3:48 is literally videogame battle music. - "Listen", the outtro is really so amazing. Lots of moods. Cons: Misc: - It's hard for me to give a quantified star rating for this album. It's a high 4 for me. JUST a 4 is too low IMO but 5 is too high for me. It's an amazing album, with 3 songs that are probably in the conversation of being 3 of the top 25 songs of a decade, which is amazing- specially so because the 80s were such a wild time for pop music. This is really my hardest vote yet. Ok I'm giving it a 5, it's just too good.
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.
I'm about 400 albums into this list, and there's a lot of 80s pop. A lot. Ironically, despite being on this list, a lot of it is a little dime-a-dozen. This record, however, is pretty goddamn close to flawless. A solid range of sounds and moods, while remaining cohesive and extremely catchy. If there were more narrow ratings, I'd probably give this a 4.5, but I feel it's close enough to warrant the 5. Favorite tracks: "Head Over Heels", "Shout", "The Working Hour"
something happens and I'm head over heels
OMG, la diferencia entre los hits y los no hits parecen marcar lo temporal, qué cosas hace el cerebro con los sonidos. Impresionante. Amé.
First time I think I listened to the entire album...better than I thought it would be.
Really like some of the songs on this album. Always felt like it was a quintessential 80s pop album. There are some songs that aren’t that great and seem like filler but overall it’s pretty good. 7.7/10
All of the hits on this album are bangers and the rest are pretty good too. Epitome of the 80s and still holds up
Has some big hits on here. They don’t know how to make a song under 4 minutes in length lol
1985. Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Shout
Punchy 80s pop, including some absolute bangers
3/25/2022 Today's Album: "Songs From The Big Chair" by Tears For Fears - The opening track, Shout, sets the stage perfectly for this album of memorable classics and a little more. Being such a big hit itself, Shout is a great synth ballad with some very colorful auxiliary percussion, the ever-present 80s synth, and a really cool flute solo about half way through the track. The guitar soloing is also fantastic near the end. The Working Hour starts as a beautiful follow up before transitioning into this extremely groovy samba track that reminds me of the soundtrack to Tarzan (Very Phil Collins). I really like the chill nature of this track and it does enough to not feel boring. Everybody Wants To Rule The World is a perfect song. It's just one of those songs that supersedes any explanation because if you've somehow never heard it, you probably don't care enough about music to be reading this review. It's a great song and still holds it's ground despite how much it's overplayed. Mothers Talk is also a really great track. The bass sounds so funky but is playing so fast it gives the whole track this really groovy disco energy. The vocals are as great as any of the bigger hits and the background vocals really add a lot of personality and soul to this track. I Believe is a much slower and lowkey track, stripping back to just a piano, bass, and drum kit. The vocals are really smooth and emotional, feeling really authentic in the process. It might drag out a bit long, but it sounds nice while it's on and adds a lot to the flow of the record. Broken is another insanely groovy and fun dance tracks with some really impressive guitar work and musical breaks. Head Over Heels / Broken is a really great rock track that feels a lot like Boston by Boston. The lyrics and vocals are on point and there's a really warm and smooth rock band arrangement backing it up. Yet another highlight on a really great sounding record. Finally, Listen is a fantastic closer to this album, being a lush and wide soundscape of a synth ballad. There's a lot of random noises and sparkly synths overcasting the velvety base and synths. There's some great chorus vocals and screaming guitar tones that just sound fantastic. The name of it being Listen really does make sense because it makes me want to get this album on vinyl just to listen to it. The production of the entire record is fantastic start to end and I highly recommend this for anyone who even sort of likes Shout or EWTRTW (or just likes 80s Rock in general). Score: 9.5/10 Fan-freakin'-tastic Highlights: Shout, The Working Hour, Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Broken, Head Over Heels / Broken, Listen.
Legit great album.
Timeless! A classic 80's masterpeice...
Conor and Shannah like all the hits 3.5+ star. Bill hated it - 1 star (would've been 2 if Mad World was on).