Songs From The Big Chair

Fun

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

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

Beautiful album. Phenomenal album. Timeless album.

Slayyy

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

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

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

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

ngl tears for fears mad underrated

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

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

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

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

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

Fantastic: 4.5

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

Masterpiece!

Two of the best 80's pop tunes on one album? You best believe that's 5*s

'Shout' has always been a classic opening track, and this album is very strong in general. Favourite tracks: 'Mother's Talk,' 'I Believe', and 'Listen.' Overall I love the instrumentation of this record.

One of my faves.

Class

Part of me was expecting slightly before but this was still outstanding. The amount of all time classics on this LP is insane. Quite literally the sound of the 80s and I don't think many people could argue with this. I would say the sound is really dated and arguably hasn't held up that well but I feel the impact and influence this album has had just makes that totally irrelevant.

One of the most important albums of the 80’s

Great album from start to finish love it.

🫀

Pola pisama nisam znala da su to oni!

Savršeno, skoro umrla u Maksimiru kolko je ovo dobro

Surprisingly great! Deliciously eighties without feeling dated. The production is solid as well.

toller 80er-Sound: Teppich von Synthies mit Gitarre, Saxophon, Bass. Tolles Album, heute nur Tears for Fears gehört!

One of my all-time favorite albums!

Big vocals. Big arrangements. Masterfully crafted pop rock.

This is awesome. I love 80s music.

So so good.

It's Tear For Fears. It's obviously gonna be good.

I love the 80's, but specifically the year of 1985 'cause for some reason most of the songs of that year are GOLD, and this album was release in that year, which means that indeed it's pure GOLD. I think that Tears for Fears it's an amazing band, with amazing songs and this particular album shows it, you can listen different "styles" and rhytms but they never lose their essence, and that for me it's a complicated thing to do, but this guys know how yo do this well. Also, another thing that this album has is that even tho some songs here are long lasting, they don't feel like it 'cause they are soo well made that you don't realise in what moment you listen a song that last more than 6 minutes, and of course i know that there are songs that last much more than that, but i also know that there are songs that last 3 minutes and feel soo long and not because they are good. Long story short, Tears For Fears it's such an AMAZING band and this album shows it in every single song.

Excellent album. Didn't know about the lead in/lead out tracks to Head Over Heals which was cool to listen to as well.

Я предвзят. Я очень много слушал эту группу раньше, и этот звук для меня уже какая-то отдельная история. Я думаю, всеобщая ностальгия по 80м отчасти вернула эту группу к жизни. Смешно, что они, в свою очередь, дабы не показаться скуфами, стали записывать не ностальгию, а что-то более новое и современное. Каверы на Arcade Fire, например.

That’s my jam

Love this album. I have it and listen to it frequently

6/1001 Only 8 tracks on the album, but it is incredible. Banger after banger. Kicking off with "Shout" gets right into the unique vocals of this band. Some songs were new to me, but all are fairly consistently good. I'm still very early into this 1001 album journey, but this was my favorite so far. Favorite track: "everybody wants to rule the world" 5/5

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

5!! I love this album. So fun and emotional. The sound of it gives me nostalgia and makes me want to dance around my house. Even to this day it feels new. This is an album that is classic and I will never get tired of listening to.

Tears for Fears is my favorite band from the 80’s. I was introduced to their music with their 1983 album The Hurting when a friend lent me the cassette. I played that thing start to finish three times before returning it, went out and got my own cassette soon after. The dark moody music appealed to me so when Songs from the Big Chair came out I was thrilled. This album has one of my favorite songs, Everybody Wants to Rule the World. This album is less dark and somber, there is hope that wasn’t in the previous album. I must have grown to because became my favorite of their albums and still is. I usually pick and choose songs from this but playing it start to finish reminded me of how special this album and this band is. I’d give it a 10 if I could!

Very cool. All for it.

Amazing

Nice! Adding to the short list of new wave acts that actually could maintain quality for an album

Big time '80s teenage nostalgia

so so good

We used Shout as our war cry as we ran onto the pitch playing for the Dynamo Middlesex Hospital 2nd football team in 1985!

Among the pinnacles of the New Wave genre, this record blows me away. It is just so cool. The arrangements are next-level, every song has twists and turns that build and build. It’s really an amazing experience. Plus those lyrics…man, what a trip. I love it. Top tracks: Shout, Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Mothers Talk, Broken, Head Over Heels

This is a once in a lifetime album

Rotto og kjeften levere varene

Jævlig bra

Good

I love how an 80s band can sound so progressive and intriguing. The hits that you know are totally blending into an amazing landscape that keeps on building during this amazing journey.

I got this record for Christmas as I kid when it was first released. This is a great album and brings back a lot of memories

A primal scream neo psych masterpiece with a hint of sophisti pop

Such a great album. Part of the soundtrack of my youth.

It's been a while, a good while, since I was so excited to see an album show up. These were songs I loved in high school, and while definitely being of their era, they still sound so good to me. Not having had the whole album (I did have "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" on a tape recorded from French radio that my pen pal sent me, though) there are a few moments I don't love, but those don't take away from the whole experience of joyfully listening to this new wave British synth-pop album today.

Not the first listen of this album, and it won’t be the last (hopefully). Great songs that make me a bit nostalgic for the mid 80s.

Exquisite. A favorite of favorites.

This is an easy one. I saw Tears for Fears in concert recently inspiring me to listen to this several times in the last few months. Songs From The Big Chair is also something I listened to in its entirety when it first came out. Its endurance in my life is a testament to its greatness. The songs are perfectly crafted. The lyrics are interesting and have something to say. This is definitely one of the best albums of the 80s. On top of all that, Everybody Wants To Rule The World and Head Over Heels are both contenders for my favorite 80s song. Terrific!

I tend to dunk on the 80s a bit when I talk about music. That being said, this album is an easy 5/5 for me, which took me a little by surprise due to my general attitude towards the decade. I loved the mostly instrumental track - Broken. That was one I hadn’t heard before. I also took an instant liking to The Working Hour as soon as I heard the saxophone intro. Of course, I already knew the big hits and was happy to be listening to them again - felt like I stepped into an 80s movie. Easy listening right here. It’s hard not to love it!

A perfect album which is almost impossible to pull off, as this project shows. There really isn't a bad song on this album. I know this album really well but still never mind re[listening to it. Every note sounds good to me and the songs build and play out in the right way. Verses, choruses, melodies. Ah those were the days of pop. Working hour ... the way it builds is beautiful. Everybody Wants to Rule the World was written because it needed a single and it's one of the greatest pop songs of the 80s. Everything about this is glorious. Even the bonkers last, instrumental track. Oh, and the production is beautiful - the 80s really knew how to let the instruments have space and depth.

I kept trying to come up with reasons for why I should only give this album 4 stars, I guess since I wouldn't have considered myself a Tears For Fears fan before this. But then again, I never gave them a fair chance. But can we talk about that transition between Broken and Head Over Heels / Broken? And how this album also has the two super hits Shout and Everybody Wants To Rule The World? And how none of the other songs are weak at all? Screw it, 5 stars. I'm a fan.

A great album to back up some of the greatest hits of the 80’s, I love how concise and cohesive this album is. Only eight decent sized tracks that all build on each other.

Great album

Hadn't listened to it for a while. I'd forgotten how good it was. Head Over Heels is just about perfect.

epic

Really good, a classic.

Classic.

Just an epic album to dance to!

1985. Shout, Head Over Heels, Everybody Wants to Rule The World… Great songs. Josh: Wow.. that was the very first music I heard on CD and I will never forget it. I listened to that whole album. My friends older brother bought a cd player and it was in like 87.

Wooooooo

Good

Loved it then, love it now

Good

Banger after banger

bangers only

Certified 100% stone cold classic. I have heard this hundreds of times, and hope to hear it hundreds more.

One might say I was 'head over heels' for this album.

This album was (as a teenager in 1985) a key part of my life in my transition moving from Arizona to Texas. The video for Everybody Wants to rule the World has me pining for the (prior to my move) family journeys from Phoenix to LA. The rest of the songs remind me of San Antonio and spending my freshman year at a boarding school. For this kid of the 80s there's not a bad song. From the hits, to "I Believe", "Listen", and even "Broken", for me it's practically beyond reproach. If I had to pick a weak song I'd pick "Mother's Talk" -- to me the US single was vastly inferior to the album version. It's also the one I'm more likely to skip. Moving to Texas my life made a huge change, and this one is definitely one of my Desert Island Discs.

Loved it. Excellent genre example, foundational for so much that came after.

"Broken" is criminally underatted, I feel. This album was a true 80's classic and I enjoyed every minute of it.

One of the greatest albums of the 80's.

I love Tears for Fears

A bona-fide classic.

Incredible album, wow. Favourite songs were Head Over Heels (what a banger), Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Shout, and Mothers Talk. Really awesome :)

Was cool

Amazing album beginning to end, every track flowed into the next.

Released at the height of the reign of synthpop, Songs From the Big Chair effectively perfects the genre. Starts of huge with a 1-2-3 punch of amazing songs and never lets up after. A bold take, but Everybody Wants to Rule the World might be the greatest synthpop song. Songs From The Big Chair is consistently captivating, with beautiful hooks and stellar basslines. Immaculate production on this too, as it avoids the flawed plastic tendencies of 80's production. Also closes on a bold rhythmic piece that isn't afraid to explore it's full potential. In a word: amazing.

This is a really good album. Shout was my favorite song for quite a while after it came out.

Ok running it back since I got the late invite... This is INCREDIBLE. Peak 80s Synth Pop. Infectious grooves, beautiful soundscapes, and such a captivating vocalist. Easy 5/5 for me.

One of the best albums of the 80s!

I can't stand this indecision Married with a lack of vision Everybody wants to rule the world Say that you'll never, never, never, never need it One headline, why believe it? Everybody wants to rule the world All for freedom and for pleasure Nothing ever lasts forever Everybody wants to rule the world Dennis Miller's weekend update represent. 5/5

Bangers

I've been taking a deep dive into TFF over the last few years & saw them live, again, a month ago. It's not easy to sing like Roland & Curt, but they make it seem effortless. They're sensitive rockers & this album feels like 80s comfort nostalgia. I love their big hits with a soft spot for Head Over Heels (thanks, Donnie Darko), Everybody Wants to Rule the World, and Mothers Talk. The music videos for their hits are also memorable. Excellent listen. P.S. Roland's birthday just passed & I learned that his full name is Roland Jaime Orzábal de la Quintana with family from Argentina. Who knew?!

might be my favourite 80s album

Excellent, remarkable, satisfyingly sensational example of 80’s radio pop. This album’s hits are the soundtrack to my childhood fortune of growing up in the idealistic, beautifully simplistic and sweetly genuine 1980s Midwest.

Catchy and hummable, while also being sweet and melancholic. Several all-time classic singles here.

New wave classic

Full of bangers. Great album overall.

About definitive of an era and genre. An absolute product of its time, but for that, near perfect.

One of my absolute favorite albums. Having not listened to this from beginning to end in a long while, I was thinking my enthusiasm for it would falter a little. I was wrong. I found myself enjoying this even more now and with a deeper appreciation. Something more apparent to me is the urgency and intensity of each song, which each flows so well together. This was a push back against preconceived expectations, excess, social norms in the backdrop of late Cold War policy. You can hear the frustration, anger, sadness, and dissolution poured out even within the albums brightest spots, which lies a darkness. Something murmured. Something esoteric. I think these lyrics from 'Broken' really sums everything up: "Between the searching and the need to work it out. I stop believing everything will be alright. Broken, we are broken. Solid 5

LOVE. Greatest album of the 80s

I saw Tears For Fears last year and it unlocked that I fucking love Tears For Fears

the GREATEST

Phonomenal from start to finish. An absolute powerhouse of an album.

The Working Hour BANGER. 👌

This album is incredible, an absolute classic. It’s no wonder Tears for Fears has become synonymous with 80s music.

This is how pop should be. Wonderful use of rock instrumentals, and just all around great performances. The slower songs didn't quite live up to the hits but Everybody Wants to Rule the World and Head Over Heels make up for it

Bloody good stuff, 5 stars.

Big tears for fears fan so biased here, but boy does this album slap

“Sybil” Is nothing short of an amazing film, despite some parts being picked apart by developing psychologist, and this album (per searching) was a nod to Sybil and her therapy sessions. Strong 80s sound, especially “The Working Hour” and “head over heels,” And the synth pop was demonstrated perfectly. This album produced a lot of pop hits and great music for the movies, obvious one of “everybody wants to rule the world” in a lot of classics I watched growing up. I appreciate the song a little more listening to the album. I could vibe with this anytime; clubbing, cleaning house, working out, poolside, or documenting at work. To me, this is an album where each song is independently well produced and enjoyable to listen to, which makes it conclusively..a good ALBUM. Holding off on my 5 start ratings because I’m stingy, but also because we get a handful of hits but the full album may not “hit.” Deserves a 5 and earned its way onto the list. Ending with “listen” as a command for you to put the headphones in, lay in the grass, and listen to the music pulling and pulsing. Unapologetically, my favorite so far. “Broken” popped off. Wish I Was rocking the shoulder pads to prom…

Songs From The Big Chair may be only eight tracks long, but a single listen reveals why Tears For Fears is synonymous with eighties music. I had never noticed how long “Shout” was, but now listening to it more deeply I realize the duo gets far more experimental with their background instrumentals than I had previously thought. “The Working Hour” shows hints of the sax from Pink Floyd’s “Shine On You Crazy Diamond,” and then the album really hits its stride with “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” and perhaps the most iconic opening lyrics of the eighties: “Welcome to your life, there’s no turning back!” Some of the background melody of “Broken” was lodged in the deep recesses of my memory until it turned over to the all too familiar intro of “Head Over Heels,” during which I could only picture a teenage Anthony Michael Hall work up the balls to ask the prom queen out on a date. Both “I Believe” and “Listen” may serve no purpose other than to put the listener to sleep, but I’m guessing the duo didn’t set out to write lullabies. At the same time I sometimes watch golf for the sole purpose of falling asleep, so maybe I’m not one to talk. Songs From The Big Chair boasts multiple quintessential eighties bops and encapsulates pop synth as well as any album of the decade. I much prefer the classic rock of the seventies, which for many bands spilled over into the eighties, but I have to throw five stars at Tears For Fears.

Is this one of new waves greatest releases? Yes. Yes it is. It’s short, only eight tracks long but the tracks that are there coalesce into something truly special, wholly 80s and completely catchy. A timeless piece.

Would have been a 10/10 with just Everybody Wants To Rule The World, everything else is a bonus

Love this album big time. Huge sound, huge hits, huge synth.

Good but definitely a product of its time.

I can get down with some Tears For Fears... This album is incredibly stacked. Just looking at the tracklist: Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, and Head Over Heels / Broken are all absolute jams. The latter two stand in contention for best songs ever written (IMHO). Shout is a generational jam. Initially sparse and ominous instrumental backing that sounds like someone took a heist prep soundtrack and superimposed some of the SFX from Goldeneye. Love how the song builds into a wall of synth complete with several textured solos (different synth flavors, drum, and guitar). The Working Hour brings a completely different sound. Bongo work with smooth / jazzy saxaphone overtop. A bit of cheese to the overall aura, but hey it was the 80s. Song is a bit of an anthem to the working individual. While it isn't one of my favorites, the pull off the cheese capably and build the vibe of a smoky room with someone going around flipping over tables and kicking bottles. EWTRTW is another iconic song. Love everything about this song from start to finish. It is both a super poppy / driving instrumental with somewhat bleak lyrics about humanities power-hungry nature. Mothers Talk is a new one to me. Really into the composition. New Wave feel with a weird pitched up effect on the chorus vocals. I really dig the bass / drum interplay solo to finish out the track with some trippy tracked effects over top. I Believe is a slow drum and piano ballad. Very sparse, but the composition is somewhat interesting. A lower point relative to the rest of the album. Broken is a jammy interlude that interpolates the main riff of Head Over Heels with some scortching guitar work and meaty bass. I haven't heard this one before, but I'm all about it. This leads directly into the much more reserved and moodier Head Over Heels. I just can't get enough of the hoppy, wandering bassline. The exit back into Broken almost reminds me of a Police jam. The album rounds out with Listen that has a very spacious arrangement. This is aura music at its finest. Reminds me of some modern electro-psych-ambient artists. All around 5/5.

I have no idea why I'm drawn so much to this album, but I just am. It's 80s synth-pop at it's best, with some banger singles. I've listened to this album countless times and will continue to do so.

shout and everybody wants to rule the world are the songs I know! They look like girls.

Some of the best pop singles ever, fewer lulls than I thought when going through it in its entirety

The album perfectly walked the line between being of its time and being timeless. The synths were used perfectly to create massive soundscapes that felt expansive and symphonic. Furthermore, there are just some absolute classics on this album. When this album ended I was actually disappointed because I wanted more.

"Shout", "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" and "Head Over Heels" were written and performed by one band? Amazing! And they were from one album? Mamma mia, that's honestly great! I will be honest, I knew those songs for years, but I have never heard of the band that made them, Tears For Fears. It's a classic style of pop from 80s, it reminds me of Depeche Mode, with some similarities in style and vocal, but they have their own sound, which puts them ahead in the line from the other anonymous and straight out of factory 80s bands. Songs like "The Working Hours" and "Listen" are really original songs, with very interesting parts, that sounds fresh even 40 years later. I have immensely enjoyed listening to this album, I am very surprised so many hits came out from this band, and even though couple songs in the middle of the record were average at best, it deserves all the praises and recognition. Great album, I will listen to it again and again in the future.

Tears for Fears are great and this album is definitely one of their bests. Amazing standout tracks and I feel like the album flows really well throughout and is good at bringing back common themes, which makes it feel super cohesive. I'm a big fan of this one. Standout Tracks: Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Head over Heels / Broken (reprise), Listen

I knew the three big hits on this album and never particularly cared for them. I could take them or leave them, wouldn't search them out to listen to, but also wouldn't necessarily turn the station if they were on. Hearing them in the context of this album though, for some reason it made me appreciate them more. The first four songs on this album are absolutely great, "I Believe" is a bit dreary to me. Just a slow moving ballad, while the album picks up on the next two songs. After that, I have no idea why "Listen" is on the album. It's another song that I think feeds the more prog side of the band that I don't appreciate as much. So I really like 75% of the album and I was surprised I liked that much. This song very much belongs on the list and I will probably revisit more Tears for Fears in the future.

Some absolute bangers here, even the less good songs are good

Superb!

This album in my opinion is a 5/5 album. My con with it was it wasn't long enough and it was over you noticed. It has the hits that you know from band but also hidden gems that should've been more known, listen, mother's talk, i believe, should've been up there with or are up there with everyone wants to rule the world and shout. Overall an excellent what I will seek to buy in the future.

This is the type of album that defines a genere

Full of classics. Would recommend!

Great album, love it.

Love this album.

Great album, low key one of the best of the 80s. It doesn't immediately come to my mind when I think of albums of that era because TFF is more subtle and less bombastic than a lot of their peers. But dig in, and you have some of the best pop music from the past 40 years. The album also has a variety of musical influences, including that post punk depth that's missing from most 80s pop. Striking arrangements, eloquent songwriting, plenty of hooks. Not to mention, it has aged beautifully. In an era of throwaway music, TFF delivered an album that's of its time, but pretty timeless. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Head over Heels / Broken (reprise), Shout, The Working Hour, I Believe, Mothers Talk, Listen, Broken

If John Lennon and Yoko Ono brought Arthur Janov into the rock sphere, then Tears for Fears were the ones to bring him into wider popular culture. With Songs From the Big Chair, the duo showcase a tendency to make the cerebral and the creative collide in one bombastic package and prove themselves able to become juggernauts of the music world. With effortless care and amazing precision, Songs From the Big Chair stands tall as one of the 1980s most powerful and irresistibly rewarding albums that demands repeat listening from start to finish. P.S. the Steven Wilson 2014 mix enlivens and enhances the album's brilliant sound and performances and it is best not ignored.

This album kicks ass. Every song is a banger, except for maybe I Believe but that's just because it's slower. It still sounds great. The instrumentation and production on this is absolutely insane. Everything sounds so deep and powerful. The lyrics and vocals are great. Also some crazy and wacky choices near the end like including the motif of a previous song and having the closer basically be a 7 minute outro. Some of the best 80's songs ever, perhaps some of the best of it's entire genre are on here and it just hits different. Also Disturbed can suck my ass they suck and should stop covering 80's songs. Score: 90 Art: 70

Perfection. Masterpiece. An eight song record packed to the brim with nothing but smashers. If you want music that perfectly represents the 80s, here it is. This album is incredible with great vocals and lyrics. The production is immaculate and rich. My absolute favorites: Shout, The Working Hour, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Head Over Heels (My personal favorite and a top 10 song of all time.)

A wonderful collection of songs with immaculate production.

Had to restart everybody wants to rule the world because I wasn’t invested enough the first listen

What an incredible album! Peak 80s vibes right here! God I love Tears For Fears, Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, and Head Over Heels on one album!?! An absolute masterpiece of and album! 10/10 have listened and will listen again!

Such a banger. Dave Forrest, April 2023.

This album slaps

Quite simply one of the best albums of the entire 1980’s by any artist in any genre.

already heard

Ah, "Songs From The Big Chair", an album that holds Tears' top three most popular songs. I've never sat down to really give the band a listen and I enjoyed the album. I of course knew the hits but also enjoyed some of the other songs.

It's hard to deny how wonderful this is and how influential the music being pumped out by these guys is/was. I was jamming to almost every song on the album and listened to another album, this shit slaps, as the kids say.

Impressive

With this album, and especially it's monster hits "Shout" and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", Tears for Fears announced their presence as the accessible voices of the disaffected youth of the 80s. Less emo and sonically dissonant than their cousins-in-pop like The Cure, The Smiths, etc., Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith mixed catchy riffs, powerful arrangements and deeply felt lyrics to capture the airwaves, as well as the ears and hearts of listeners worldwide. Somewhat less angst-y than their primal scream therapy influenced debut album The Hurting, Songs from the Big Chair retains much of their anger and pain, but ups the ante musically, marrying their new-wave synth roots and sonic experimentation with pop hooks and lush orchestrations that get ever deeper with repeated listenings. There's a definite Beatles' influence (which the boys exploited maybe a bit too much on their next release, Sowing the Seeds of Love), especially in the Abbey Road inspired flow of the second half of the album, from "I Believe" on. The songs move naturally from one to the next, shifting mood, tempo, rhythm and sentiment, but always feeling somehow cohesive. The brilliance of this approach is highlighted by bookending the MTV-friendly love song "Head Over Heels" with the driving, bass heavy "Broken". Following this up with contemplative and sonically fascinating "Listen" (truly *listen* to this track - preferably through good headphones!) wraps the album up nicely, leaving me wanting more, and yet, strangely, also sated. This album is one of my favorites - possibly my most favorite - of the 80s and my youth. Listening to it takes me back to the days when music first revealed itself to be a transformative experience that could help me to analyze my thoughts and moods, and help me find solace amidst the chaos of teen life.

9/10 - its just a great album isn't it?

TEARS FOR FEARS É FODA

This album blew me away. I knew about the radio hits, but every song is a banger. Listen almost took my no. 1 spot and this was the first time I had heard it. Just awesome. Perfect 80s albums. Like I said every song is a banger but I’ll rate them. Perfect 5! 1. Everybody Wants To Rule The World 2. Listen 3. Head Over Heels 4. Shout 5. The Working Hour 6. Mothers Talk 7. I Believe 8. Broken

New Wave Prog Masterpiece. Equal parts warm soul and cold synths.

sean spencer would be proud of us today🤭

Great album. Tears For Fears have so many great songs, so well crafted.

Fantastic album. A must listen.

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.

The last song is not my favorite but other than that this album is awesome. It even has a great sax solo.

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.

One of may favorites from the 80s.

This album is absolutely perfect. Love the beat and voices

Excellent Album.

Love this. Every track

Quintessential 80s album. Beautiful mix of synths and live instruments. Sublime vocals.

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.

Loved it - very 80s

test

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

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.

Bangers a true classic

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.

Probably my favourite album as a teenager - on constant walkman action in the summer it came out

actually perfect

Excellence in the 80’s

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.

I really like this album start to finish. Iconic. Musically tight. Made me nostalgic for the time in which it was made.

Dramatic in the best way.

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.

Still great to listen to 37 years on.

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

Great album 👌

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!

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!

So many recognizable big hit songs that defined a genre

amazing 10/10

This is such a great album. I still listen to it cover to cover a couple of times a year.

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.

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.

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!

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*

Easy 5/5. Fantastic album. From start to finish. Have listened to it man times through.

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.

Great album. Very chill.

Chingón 👌🏼

Amazing loved it

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.

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.

2nd album. 80s classic.

Uuuuh. Been waiting for this Love it, reminds me of my mom :)) 5

5/5. Unrelentingly 80s, holy shit. Masterpiece 😎

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.

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"

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.

I'm not sure saxophone is what I associate with TFF and it was a low point for me. Overall a really great album with solid pop lines and a perfect mix of darkness.

80tero puro y duro. Buenisimo.

Loved this, great songs from a great band.....also had this album as a kid and wore out the tape.

An absolute classic from the 80s, with three songs that will live long in my memory. Wonderful.

Now we're talking. Solid 5. One of my favorites.

10/10 amazing album, so many of these songs are underrated

I am already a bug fan of this record and it somehow still gets better with each listen.

This album has a special, special place in my heart. All of these songs are amazing, especially Head Over Heels. That's my favourite of theirs and one of my all time favourite songs.

This really held up well. I recall how much I liked this at initial release and to me it sounded just as good, if not better, today. I liked the music and vocals.

80's pop perfection. I've never heard this album before just because I was never all that excited about 80s music in general, but recently I've fallen in love with the pop scene of the decade and knew this would be an album that would stand out to me. I was right. Every song on here is perfect or near perfect, from the singles to the deep cuts.

Ace record !!!

Absolute classic. Took me back years, T4F at the height of their talent. 👍👍

Despite being jam packed full of well popular singles Songs From The Big Chair, as I discovered, is best enjoyed as a full album, its v decent. Prog-pop? Is that a thing?

One of my all time favorites..the 80’s were my time …single in Honolulu and young and prime..music was sensational

classic, nog steeds wat moeite met shout door de disturbed versie maar deze is gewoon genieten. everybody wants to rule the world is ook gewoon zo goed. Al moet de rest niet onder doen.

Solid stuff, thought I would just like the hits, then a great sax hit and I was sold

Pretty good. Very 80s

Awesome 80's vibes.

“And my favorite band will always be Tear for Fears” - Matt Theisen

Excelent

Head over heels er best 80s lag í heimi. Platan mjög góð í heildina.

One of my favorites, rings of childhood for me

With a track list like this, how could it not be 5 stars? Favorites: Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Mothers Talk, Head over Heels

4.5 star album for me: mostly excellent. and the typical 80s sound is of course the best sound ever.

I mean, clearly an iconic album from the 80s' most iconic band.

I was SO happy to see this album pop up. IT'S SO GOOD!!

WTF where has this album been all my life. I knew Everybody Wants to Rule the World and Head Over Heels were great, but didn't realise they were on a banging classic album

Perfection

An 80s pop album has no right to be this good, yet here we are.

Awesome

Awesome record. Of course I heard Shout and Everybody wants to rule the world before, but never the whole album, and it's awesome and consistent.

Saved Prior: Shout, Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Head Over Heels Not Saved: 8. I Believe 7. Listen (wouldn't listen to it on its own, but nonetheless works well as a bookend to this album) Saved: 6. Mothers Talk 5. Broken 4. The Working Hour (other 3 songs have familiarity bias, but this song has the potential to jump them. This is a beautiful song) 3. Shout 2. Head Over Heels / Broken (odd choice to tack on Broken to the end of this song, would've just preferred it exist on its own to avoid the musical whiplash. Probably would've been number 1 if not for that) 1. Everybody Wants To Rule The World (not that this song isn't deserving of #1. Nutty song.) Overall Notes: Up there with the most artistic yet commercially viable new wave albums of all time. Straight up beautiful album. Must hear for SURE.

Astonishingly good, apart from somewhat meandering limp ending to "Listen", the final track.

Vgood

A favorite.

A1 has that yoke from gta on it

A wonderful album from the 80's. There are 3 Bangers on this album: "Shout" "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" and "Head Over Heels". I loved listening to the whole album, before I had just heard their singles. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is still my favorite song by them.

Great album. Enjoyed it immensely

This may be the perfect 80s pop album and I’ll definitely be revisiting this one! My favorite tracks are “Shout”, “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” and “Head Over Heels”.

ну тупа одна из лучших групп 80х, имхо. пацаны хуярили хит за хитом, и немного более попсово чем Дипишмот, конечно, но зато с изобретательностью партий проблем не было (чего стоит только сакс в Working Hour). Сам альбом — просто шлягер на шлягере, чуть ли не сборник лучших песен, из плюс минус нехитовых номеров можно разве что заключительную Listen назвать. Лично мне небольшая сырость и распиздяйность их первого альбома чуть больше заходила, но и против такого годного синтипопа ничего не имею, твердая пятера

Отличный альбом. При первом прослушивании показалось, что провисать начинает, но это просто бонус треков наебенили от души. Если ограничиться оригинальной восьмёркой – то не придраться. Внятные, мелодичные, разнообразные цепляющие композиции, интересный инструментал, яркие вокальные партии, и лидирующие и фоновые. Мотивы, которые оседают в голове на годы и которым можно подпевать. И при этом вроде не сказать, что какая-то беззубая коммерческая музыка, нет, оригинальное живое творчество. Всему бы быть таковым. но нет, далее нас снова будет ждать якобы дохуя экспериментальное репетативное душилово…

Nice

Este es uno de mis álbumes favoritos de siempre - es genial... y qué recuerdos 😍😍😍

Hoezo zijn al die nummers zo een schijven? Echt geweldig om naar te luisteren. Schril contrast tussen begin van de plaat en het einde

Unbelievable classic

Already like this album. Pretty fuckin' solid.

Dzień 4 - Tears For Fears - Songs From The Big Chair Znalem az 2 piosenki tym razem, co ciekawe doslownie MYSLALEM O TYM ALBUMIE DZISIAJ XDDD bo cos na yt widzialem A wiec tak Bedac szczery jest to album ktory podczas pierwszego przesluchu najmniej mi sie spodobal z tej strony so far mimo ze mega mi sie spodobal XD Instrumentale na tym albumie są absolutnie popierdolone wokale z resztą też Pozostala trojka so far po prostu byla tak niesamowita że ten album nie przebija Kazdy zna Everybody Wants to Rule the world ( jestem pewien ze ty tez) z tego albumu i uwazam ze to najlepsza piosenka Ogolnie jest to kolejny case albumu bez zlej piosenki Tez czuje ze bardziej mi sie spodoba po kolejnych odsluchach jest to album z tego sortu Lubie bardzo lubie muzyke z lat 80 i jest to swietny album natomiast mi az tak nie siadl za pierwszym odsluchem jak inne mimo ze lubie ten gatunek czyli nowa fala Dalbym mu tak 3.8 gwiazdek gdybym mogl, ale jako iz nie moge to dam 4 bo blizej do 4 niz 3 Swietny album again ale so far na czwartym miejscu mimo ze z czasem bardziej bedzie mi sie podobal

This album has a few iconic singles on it (2.6 BILLION streams for "Everybody wants to rule the world" is incredible). I had TFF greatest hits as a kid (a Columbia House CD no doubt) The rest of the album is solid. My favorite song on this album is Head over Heels/ Broken. I was a Donnie Darko Teen (TM)

As 80s as The Breakfast Club.

An album from my teenager years - containing some hits and some more great songs!

Three songs. That's the case for this record and it's a strong enough case to win the argument. "Shout," "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," and "Head Over Heels" are three of the defining singles of 1985 — enormous, melodically generous, built on layered keyboards and processed drums that fill every available sonic space without quite tipping into the schmaltz that sinks lesser records of the era. Forty years later they still hit with an immediacy that separates genuine pop achievement from mere period artifact. The honest accounting of everything else is brief: forgettable. The back half of Songs from the Big Chair does the work of existing between the peaks without generating any pull of its own, which is a significant gap between the record's best moments and its filler. Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith built something genuinely ambitious here — the conceptual foundation in primal scream therapy, the maximalist production, the sheer sonic scale of the whole enterprise — and the singles justify every bit of that ambition. The album tracks around them do not. What tips it to four rather than three is simply the quality of the peaks. Three exceptional singles constitutes a real achievement regardless of what surrounds them, and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" alone has earned its place in the permanent rotation of songs that sound like a specific moment in time without being diminished by it. A four carried entirely by its highs, which is sometimes exactly enough.

Damn, what a classic album!

Super dated, squarely ‘80s fun with the added benefit of it actually being interesting and good. At its best, reminded me of Kate Bush. And the hits are fun. I went of an Everybody Wants to Rule the World kick after Marty Supreme and got a new appreciation for it even though I heard it a million times growing up with Gen X parents.

Surprised by this, three great hits. This sound it's very personal, I like that.

awesome

Belo álbum de pop. Músicas clássicas e dançantes muito bem feitas. QoA Cloudscape.

grube 80's energy; zaskakująco progresywny

Iconic 80s album with some decade defining songs (but also with some snoozers). As a pre-existing 80s and Tears for Fears fan, this can’t get lower than a 4/5.

Really sick, near perfect 80s synth pop. The one and only thing that really drags it down for me is that the vocals have minimal variation and the back half of the album isn't as good as the first half. I mean, Everybody Wants to Rule the World is nigh impossible to beat but you should punt it to open Side B for that reason

пик мьюзик

This one is kind of hard to re-appraise because the singles off of it still get constant play everywhere. I complain often in these little reviews-for-no-one that albums from the 80's suffer from busy drums full of samples, digital reverb and chorus etc. I don't know if they were part of the creation of the trope or just adherents but in some cases they had some interesting songs hidden under there. Maybe they wouldn't have been as huge radio hits but could have been remixed to be more timeless.

I enjoyed this album a lot. I was familiar with the 3 (or 4) singles but had not heard any of the other songs before. I will have to listen to this again in the future when I need well done 80s music.

Rock-solid debut album from these 80's icons.

I am not a big 80's music fan. This is a good album though. Some big hits (Rule the World in particular is fantastic), though a few songs are a bit long for what they offer.

First Listen: Never really took a deep listen into Shout that deeply. Heard it on the radio a couple times, but just wrote it off as an alright radio song. Upon closer inspection its a banger. BANGER ALERT PT 2 Everybody Wants to Rule The World is so overplayed, but so good it doesn't matter. Mothers Talk feels very Remain In Light coded in the performance, production, and lyrics. I love the slap bass interspersed at random moments. The almost disco bridge was a pretty cool moment as well. I think I really appreciate dynamic changes in an album's tracklist, even when I might not listen to that song outside of the album. I Believe is one of those songs. In some ways it feels like hotel lobby music, but it's a lobby I'm okay waiting in for a bit. Broken is sick. I absolutely love the seamless transition between Broken and Head Over Heels. I recognize the piano motif from the start of the song, pretty sure I've heard this one before. That ending is insane. Listen is on some Space Junk Galaxy type beat. This is straight up a Mario Galaxy song in the best way possible. I love the soundplay in the latter half of the song. OVERALL: Was not expecting to get the album I heard. I knew Tears For Fears for the one song, which admittedly is a great song, but I categorized them as 80s one hit wonders along with A-ha or The Buggles. That is one, factually incorrect, and even if it was is not an indicator of the rest of their music. Tears For Fears have a very British knack of trying to throw as much into a song as possible. The eight track run feels well curated - the songs morph and evolve so frequently that you get more than what you paid for. 8/10 T3: Broken, Head Over Heels, Everybody Wants To Rule The World

I liked this album a lot. Except the last track - did not enjoy that at all. Still the other songs definitely give an 8/10. Really good.

Very good. Wonderful listening experience.

4/5 https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/tears-for-fears/songs-from-the-big-chair/ Does it have the hits? Heck yea it does. Does it have other good songs? Yea, but nothing hits the heights of the hits.

Some pretty big hits on this one. Haven't really dug into Tears for Fears before, but I can see returning to this album a lot.

1985. Marked a departure from that album's dark, introspective style, featuring a more mainstream, glossy sound, with sophisticated production values, increased guitar use, and diverse stylistic influences.

I found this a rather poetic experience.

Absolute hidden treasure, blessed my ears 9/10

80s. catchy. moody. iconic.

loved Shout

It was a good album, 2 songs I knew but had never heard of this band name before or the album. 3/5 would maybe buy on vinyl.

"Songs From The Big Chair" is polished, glossy pop-rock mixing orchestral arrangements with synth elements. Apart from the hits "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" and "Shout", I found the rest of the album to quite consistently enjoyable, as it retains the easy-listening melodies of pop and combines it with some genuinely interesting arrangements.

Nice way to start the week. Some really good stuff here.

Masters of the 80s synthpop sound. They use the massive echo-gated production style to emphasize loneliness and space, instead of just trying to be big and loud. They can also write some real hooks. A little too weird in places, but genuine artistic merit here.

Great sound from this band, really enjoyed it

I will always be a fan of Tears for Fears! This is a pretty good album! I’ve always enjoyed Shout.

Love this album! :D My go to choice is The Hurting but this is also a must to listen

Great 80s pop. Underrated band beyond their big hits.

Nice of Tears for Fears to put this nice lesbian couple on their cover

Made it onto my Album Playlist.

Very cinematic. Love the classics

САМСІН ХЕПЕНС ЕНД АЙМ ХЕД ОВЕР ХІЛС

3,8/5 El disco mas 1984 core

Very fun full listen. Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Shout, and Head Over Heels are the 3 biggest hits here that most everybody has heard by this point, but for good reason as these are amazing songs. I was actually a bit surprised by the slower moments on here like I believe. Super catchy synths throughout the whole project, definitely a highlight.

For a minute I thought I was in the 80s. Take a listen and take a trip through time!