Reviews (page 5 of 15)
Parentscore
Good to listen properly to another band I've only been vaguely aware of. I rather liked it. The singles I already knew are great, and the rest holds up too. A bit on the poppy, bombastic side for my tastes, but I enjoyed it.
The texturing and layering on Shout and Everyone Wants to Rule the World alone make this a 4
Very strong album. Interesting that the best tracks are basically all the odd-numbered ones: 1. Shout, 3. Everybody wants to rule the world, 5. I Believe (wasn't as big but I love it), 7. Head over heals. This is close to a 5-star album.
This album could just be “Shout,” “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” “Head Over Heels” and the band farting into a microphone for 30 minutes and I’d still probably give it 4 stars.
Quintessential mid-80s pop rock album. I could visualize the videos from MTV in real time while the singles from this album played because they were so prevalent on the channel.
1,3,4,7曲目が良いです。 思ってたよりめっちゃ良くて、うまいこと電子音も使ってるというか８０年代にしかできないことをしてると思うし、その中でものすごく完成度の高い作品であるとも思った。これはいいです。
Sooo pretty and easy to listen to! I loved The Working Hour
I like it the most. It is so good and OG most of the time. However there are some parts really confusing like the intro and outro. 7/10 or 4/5
I would have never thought that rock could sound so good
Not much to say. It's a classic!
This was a surprisingly diverse 80s pop album. Very enjoyable but not quite as good as Peter Gabriel, so 4.
The only thing holding this album back is how often my coworker's radio plays these tracks and how she won't turn it down a click and everyone in-fact encourages her to turn it up.
despite my hate for 80s sounds, this is one of the outliers. a fun, full of hits, really good album. some songs don't connect that much, but even then, i find myself enjoying a lot how clean and clear this album sounds in a good pair of headphones
Very enjoyable album. Amazing guitar work and production value. The arrangements are both inventive but not at all jarring, everything still resolves nicely. Really original work here and although the style of it is of its time, it still sounds fresh and creative to me.
Atmospheric 80's synth pop, through in some world music influences. There are 3 just all-time classic songs on this album which really bring it up. The others are decent tunes but the highs are just so high, hard to compete against those songs. And I forgot about how good the closing track is, the beautifully haunting and creepy Listen!
Very fun listen that is all 80s and I am here for it! Everyone wants to rule the world is the best somg to get on the Guardians ride at Disney World. 8.5/10 Top song... Everybody wants to rule the world
3 massive songs here! 80s tastic but sounds fresh. Enjoyed this.
A mix of amazing highs and filler
pretty fantastic, closer to a 5 than a 3
Such an 80s album but that's no bad thing. Consistently good throughout apart from I Believe which was boring.
Um bom album, as músicas são marcantes, e gosto do estilo. Acho que é o primeiro a levar a nota 4. É difícil tentar ser imparcial aqui quando, head over hells, shout e everybody wants to rule the world já estavam salvas nas minhas playlists pessoais. 4/5
It would be easy to file this away with much of the other synth-pop of this era as simply signifying "Eighties." And it does signify its era, but the way it does it is deeper and more subtle in a way that I think explains its staying power. This is *samizdat* in New Wave form - ostensibly commercial music about the very anti-consumerist sense that you are not really free but rather are only being allowed to *feel* free because someone more powerful than you decided in their magnanimity to permit you that illusory feeling, because it serves their interests to do so. That truth is *encoded* here, disguised by the pop rhythms and melodies on display. It isn't a new trick but it's one this band performs incredibly well. Some of what I'm talking about is conveyed by "The Working Hour," Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal's reaction to being pushed by their record label for more and bigger hits. "This day and age for all and not for one," Orzabal sings, "all lies and secrets." Here is the modern experience of having your natural empathy and altruism weaponized against you, of being told by the bosses that We're A Family Here while they keep the profits and you get a pizza party. "Broken" similarly takes the bassline from Queen's "Radio Ga Ga" and bends it into something more paranoid and sinister; "I stop believing everything will be alright." Likewise, "Mothers Talk," which lifts one of the jauntiest Beatles lyrics - McCartney's "we can work it out" - for a tale about living in the shadow of mutually assured nuclear destruction. "You were paid not to listen, now your house is on fire," Orzabal accuses, the older generation squarely in his sights. And what is one to do in this state of affairs? Act out where you can, of course ("Shout"). But also, at the very least and always, carry with you in your heart the truth that the world does not have to be this way. "Put your head right next to my heart," Orzabal continues on "Mothers Talk," before ending the song with a critical variation: "*only* we can work it out." And on the soaring bridge of "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," the same message: "there's a room where the light won't find you, holding hands while the walls come tumbling down." Sometimes things have to be hidden because they are valuable, in other words. "Listen" takes this furtiveness even further, using both literal nonsense (badly butchered Swahili, technically) and Smith's almost whispered vocals to call for detente - not just between East and West. but between all the factions constantly attempting to carve up the planet for the sake of making a number go up on a spreadsheet somewhere. *Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.* No wonder this album has continued to find entire new generations of listeners (my teenage kids among them): it describes the experience of being young and waking up to what the world is really like. It is an album about disillusionment - and yet it is not cynical music. People don't hide unless they have some hope of being able to come back into the light someday. "Broken" segues right into the dizzy, gorgeous "Head Over Heels," and that's the whole point - that love, in every sense, actually can prevail, even if only temporarily. Something similar is true of "Shout," which would be easy to write off as an anthem in search of a cause if it weren't so good at buoying up the listener to face the world as it is. On the points that really matter - the power of youth to change things, even if that project seems daunting and even if it will require judgment in addition to simple bravery - this album is clear and direct: *come on, I'm talking to you. You shouldn't have to sell your soul.*
Have this but don't think I ever listened to it. Always thought Shout was a Depeche Mode song. It's quite good, still has that 80s sound but seems more vibrant. 3.5 rounded up Heard before? Already have Owned: Yes, 98/371 (26%) Will I get: Already have
Such a belter. Amuses me no end that this has become a must have for burgeoning record collections. I'm sure I remember it at one time being the punchline of various gags.
Love the singles on here, but I'm not sure if it really ends up being more than the sum of its parts like a great album should. Synthpop in general kind of ends up like that, actually. I should love it, but it doesn't quite come together entirely, so I merely like it.
Нью вейв перфекшон
An interesting album. The hits are still good. I remember them as a kid. I have never listened to the rest of the album. They are a grab bag of different styles but it all worked for them. I’m not sure they would reach these heights again with their music but they wrote some really good songs on this album and it’s an impressive feat. Oh I forgot they did have success with the next album as well.
mui weno
I already loved 'Everybody Wants to Rule the World', but I was pleasantly surprised by the rest of the album. 'Shout', 'Head over Heels' and 'The Working Hour' were all standouts, and I liked both lead singers. 'Listen' wasn't really for me, so I probably wouldn't replay the whole album, but I'd definitely come back to several of these songs.
Tasteful synthesizers and reverby vocals to make you feel like partying in 1985
Sympa ! Quelques chansons hyper connues
I'm not into this era of 80s synth pop at all. But this is excellent and along with Depeche Mode, an exception to the stream of dirge that accompanied this time and style.
Loved it
Shout I knew well already. I like the smooth sound and voices. They also put a lot of emotions in their voices. The quality of the recording is great
I liked this much more than I thought I would.
SPLENDIDO. MAI L'AVEVO ASCOLTATO INTERAMENTE, E CONOSCENDO SOLO "HEAD OVER HEELS" E LA FAMOSA "EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD" PARTIVO CON DISCRETE ASPETTATIVE. SONO CONTENTISSIMO DI AVER TROVATO DUE TRACCE MOLTO MIGLIORI: LA SOTTOVALUTATISSIMA "LISTEN" E LA SASSOFONATA "WORKING HOUR", CON STRUMENTALI E VOCI DI GRANDE LIVELLO. "MOTHERS TALK" E' L'UNICA CANZONE CHE NON MI E' PIACIUTA PER NULLA. E' UN VOTO TRA 4 E 5 CHE OSCILLA PIU' VERSO IL 4. 4/5.
I didnt realize how famliar I was with this album. It still sounds great today and I thoroughly enjoyed the listen. The singles of course do the heavy lifting but entire package is still worth a listen. Its a lean 8 songs but I think it works in their favor.
Very enjoyable saxophone on this one! Loved the singles too. Overall this album has aged pretty well
I knew and liked the singles, but this is a really good album, too. Typically 80s, of course, and poetry radio friendly. But also quite diverse and experimental, so multiple listens are very rewarding.
unapologetically 80s
1010 - "Here's your juice box and orange slice. Thanks for coming." (This album is worthy of more than one orange slice.)
Snapshot of an era. I forgot how good “Shout” is in its entirety.
Solid pop album slightly let down by a lacklustre closing track. I’ve never heard the album version of Head Over Heels before. Really enjoy the instrumental ending of that.
- I’m excited for this - Shout! - The working hour felt cringe? Idk if I’m just not in the mood - Listen - new fave for me
One of the best albums of the 80s ❤️
I love it, very striking lyrics combined with a good texture
I like it. Classics
I had this on voinyl. I don't remember the ballads, I must have skipped them. Upon a revisit, it's a really great album with only one track that I didn't feel, it was just a bit too maudlin. "I Believe". 4/5
There are some big hits on this one. It sounds so 80s but is well done.
It’s giving better off dead
Certified pop classic. As 80s as it gets and I love it for that. Everybody Wants To Rule The World was my fav song of the album. Mothers Talk (my fav first listen) and Broken were my other highlights
8/10 fav: shout
Een van de meest iconische jaren 80 albums. Head over Heels is misschien een van de beste nummers ooit tbh.
*Songs* is a melodically-rich and sonically amazing record of which the main fault is that it tries too hard lyrically and ironically comes across as alternately shallow and/or ridiculous. Unlike on their more stripped-down debut, here TFF pile on keyboards, guitars and reverb-heavy drums in an effort to build a mountain of sound, and it mostly works as the giant riffs and hooks are often equal in size to ambitious arrangements. On an album where many of the better tracks were released as successful singles, only "I Believe" (pretentious) and album closer "Listen" (laughable) pale in comparison to the other numbers. (And why is Roland Orzabal singing about "Mother Russia" on the aforementioned "Listen"?) Toss the lyric sheet, cut a few tracks and you've got a terrific mini-LP.
I've listened to Shout, Everybody Wants To Rule The World and Head Over Heels countless times. Even the other songs that I didn't know as well were pretty good.
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.
Some really experimental and vibey tracks make this one stand out for me. Extremely unique sound. I do find the singer's voice a bit grating in the popular songs like Shout or Everybody wants to Rule the World (although both are catchy). Fav tracks: Working Hours, Head Over Heels and Listen.
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.
I was going to give it a 3.5 but the second half of the album had some really interesting songs. Would listen to again
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.
Tres très bon je connaissais pas l'album et il mérite bien d'être dans la liste
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!
I really like head over heels but the other songs just don’t do it for me
When to listen: videogames, 80s diner, members only jacket vibes. Have always appreciated the hits from this album but very much enjoyed the whole thing. Fun stuff.
Really enjoyed this album. It actually has alot of depth, which I haven’t really noticed before. I thought some of the drum programming was surprisingly smooth. Infectious, even! Great songs. 3.9/5.0
I think "Shout" and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" are great songs. "The Working Hour", "I Believe", "Head Over Heels" or "Listen" are also very good (and that already makes 75% of the album). So yes, this is a solid 4-star album for me.
Didn't think I was going to enjoy this as much as I did. Classic album that hit me on a good morning for listening. Really fun listen.
loved it!
Clássico
Great classics never knew who sang them.
In 1985, Tears For Fears quietly released a masterpiece. Songs From The Big Chair is a stunning release. The quality of the recording, the songwriting and lyricism, musicianship; everything is top tier and has aged excruciatingly well. It's so close to a perfect record. Unfortunately, "Shout" stands out as a weaker track than the rest, but even then, it's quite listenable.
Electronic rock/pop. Pretty solid.
Great songs, few flaws
Really rich sounding record, sophisti-pop masterclass
Conocía tres canciones del álbum, de las cuales dos no sabía que pertenecían a la misma banda. Me gusta el sonido grave y la tendencia ambiental, las baterías potentes, los múltiples instrumentos, acompañan bien una voz tan solemne. Los temas 1, 2 y 8 fueron mis favoritos.
New wave, pop rock, progressive pop, synth-pop.
*1985 *Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Working Hour, and Head Over Heels… *Only 8 songs (41 mins), so even though there are some misses, 2 are massive heads, 1 is a medium hit, and another is a good top 40 at the time song. RATING -7.5/10
Four stars for the singles alone. The rest of the album was meh for me
Was late and fell asleep listening to it. Knew some of the songs
Great album. Every song was good! Honestly wish it was longer :D
> the Beatles The epitome of 80s pop
Incredible synth pop. I can't believe it's taken me this long to listen to this the whole way through. Funnily enough, the songs I know the most off this weren't even my favourite ones. The song that stuck with me the most was probably 'Mothers Talk', it was just so fun!
Good album. Great band.
Первый альбом, который выпал в этой лотерее. Довольно плотный в начале, далее скатывающийся в какую-то теплую меланхолию. Пока что точно лучше большинства, что я слушал последнее время до этого ресурса. Но поставлю 4
retro wave vibes. I didn't realize I already knew some of these songs as classic "80s" songs/samples.
Ah that sweet radio sound. good
Still sounds pretty unique. It’s clearly from the 80s, but it’s got a sound all of its own as well. Wonderful pop album. Up there as one of the greatest the 80s had. Solid 4 for me.
This album is making me nostalgic for an era I wasn't even alive for
Big, staggering, echoey vocals. Iconic songs of epic proportions. The 80s at its very best.
C'est quoi ce banger de zinzin, j'hésite à mettre un 5 grrrrr il me reste 2 sons ça dépend de ce que j'en pense. Bon dommage c'est 4
Solid album with some great hits. First time listening to it all straight through!
sonaba bien
I've been waiting for some 80s New Wave on this list!! Vocal power and a voice that flies on the wings of an angel and then lingers long afterwards.
Phenomenal album with powerhouse vocal performances and sophisticated song arrangements. The lyrics are all interesting and varied, and unsurprisingly these songs have been extensively covered. Shout, Working Hour, Head Over Heels, and Everybody Wants To Rule the World are all among the best songs of the 1980s period. But as an album, the rest of it is very well produced but not as memorable.
Very familiar with this one but mostly just the big songs off it that got a lot of radio play. Mostly a chilled-out listening experience, but Shout can get ya pumped up for sure. Good vocals, good synth, good record.
Wow I really Liked this one a lot more then I expected to. Recognized a few popular hits "Everybody Wants to Rule The World" and "Head Over Heels". TOP Song: Shout 3.5/5 Stars rounded to a 4
Very cool. You can see why they're still selling out arenas today. Big first half, ok second half.
classics
Fue un buen álbum listen me gustó mucho y ya había escuchado head over heels , shout y everybody wants to rule the world las demás también me gustaron pero que nunca haya escuchado , listen fue la mejor, va para la playlist.
Banger after banger
3 really great songs, 4 very good songs, 1 ok song. I’ll let everyone else decide which ones they are.
Okay, so this was actually a great time.
As a mid-80s LP goes pretty decent, three hits with acceptable other tracks. Not quite all killer no filler but perfectly listenable.
muy lindo álbum con pocas canciones pero melodías y ritmos muy variados
Worth a four just about for the two famous stand out tracks. The rest is a nice eclectic mix and at only eight tracks it does not out s many albums.
I grew up in the 80’s, so I was oversaturated by 24 hour MTV videos of “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”, et al. The album does stand the test of time PRETTY well, though.
Pinnacle of 80's pop
If all the songs were as good as “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”, it would be perfect. As it is, it’s only very good. Guess what I added to my playlist.
3 huge hits of my memory serves me well…defined th decade
Really solid album they were on a generational run. My favorites were head over heels, everybody wants to rule the world and Broken.
Excelente
När han började sjunga i head over heals fick jag gåshud. Nåt med den där melodin som går rakt in. Otroligt svag för tears for fears. Inte riktigt 5a, men nästan.
I en genre jag vanligtvis har ganska svårt för sticker Tears For Fears ut. Tror dom har DET. Eller så har dom bara en liten gnutta extra komplexitet och galenskap vilket Dino Von Bryman hyllar.
Some iconic hits. Others were okay. The strongest song is "Everybody Wants to Rule the World."
Si
Rate: 8/10.
I’m not good at discerning why I like things very much but great album, shout and everybody wants to rule the world are my top songs.
Some pretty classic songs/riffs in here. Not my favorite type of music, but def can appreciate it. 4/5
It’s very 80s. Everybody Wants To Rule The World is such an iconic banger as well
No. 397/1001 Shout 4/5 The Working Hour 4/5 Everybody Wants To Rule the World 5/5 Mothers Talk 3/5 I Believe 4/5 Broken 3/5 Head Over Heels 4/5 Listen 4/5 Average: 3,88 New Wave is generally not my favorite genre. But this was really good. I enjoyed the long musical introductions to the songs.
It's already a classic. One of the best-produced albums in history.
Este álbum es más que "Everybody wants to rule the world", sin demeritar lo maravillosa que es esta canción, todo el mundo debería darle la oportunidad de escucha activa a este álbum, simplemente acostarse en la cama, con la luz apagada a escuchar todas las canciones. . Diseño de portada: 3.5/5 → Portada con personalidad, pero bastante simple. . Canciones favoritas: "Broke", "Head over heels" y "Everybody wants to rule the world"
I liked it
Not quite a one hit wonder, considering they have plenty of big songs. But clearly one track dominates the rest. Nevertheless, it is truly a great one and Shout is also a favourite of mine. This is what I would consider to good side of 80s music.
An incredible album. The hits are great but there’s not really a bad song on it. I would put this up against almost any other 80’s new wave synth pop album and think this would be as good or better than almost any of them. No question it belongs on this list.
only one song I knew about. I understand why it was well received at its time. it must have been an engineering marvel and very fun to listen to. I can't relate to it that much today though
Steven Wilson mix of this album? Absolute music.
This was my first time properly listening to Tears For Fears. I was quite surprised. I was expecting a few well known classics and a lot of forgettable filler. It's actually really solid all the way through. Shout is a fantastic opener. Sometimes I hate it when things sound dates, but this sounds very 80s _in a good way._ I have a newfound respect for TFF.
Tears For Fears frappe fort avec un excellent premier album des années 80, peut-être certains sons qui sont moins intéressants d'autres mais c'est un bon album symbole de cette période marquante de la musique. Chansons favorites (pas dans l'ordre): Shout (intro incroyable) The Working Hour EWTRTW (classiccc) Head Over Heels
4.4
Holy shit, I actually found an 80s pop album other than MJ or Madonna that I enjoyed immensely! All things are possible! A delightful blend of rock, jazz, and synth, I had a good time listening to this album. A couple big hits (‘Shout’, ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World’) and some solid deep cuts (‘Mothers Talk’, ‘Head Over Heels’). This had that “80s sound” but did not feel dated, the arrangements are fresh and they didn’t spam the synth as a crutch, it’s mixed in very nicely with the guitars and brass. Did not like the ballad songs ‘I Believe’ or ‘Listen’, but everything else was really good. A solid 4/5
Pop music done right. Beautiful melodies and songwriting, tight band and layered arrangements. Lovely.
I could hear tinges of my favourite artists in this. Not quite what I'd normally listen to but I felt connected to it. Quite surprised!
So mich of this list is dedicated to exploring every facet of post-punk and new wave and, as much as I don’t want to, that means covering synth-pop New Wave. It’s hard to do that without Tears For Fears. (Obviously) I came into this expecting to [intensely dislike] this record for being total cornball music. Oops. This record is surprisingly eclectic and dips into jazz and ‘world’ music m much more than I could have guessed it would. Maybe I shouldn’t be completely shocked by the jazz - I’ve already reviewed Cafe Bleu by the Style Council, and I know my dad has a sizable collection of jazz records from the 80s - jazz seems to have been very much in the zeitgeist. To be clear, it still has cheeseball synth-pop moments. I expected most of the record to sound like “Everybody Wants To Rule The World”, or “Head Over Heels”, but that sound is actually kind of an outlier. I expected to suffer through this record so I could say I heard it, and then move on. But I don’t think I got everything in that first pass and need another listen. I remember “Shout” being darker? This morning I’m struck by the much more whimsical synth work than I’ve ever registered before. And a pretty decent guitar solo. But six and a half minutes? “Broken” and “Listen” also have bigger, rock-adjacent, guitar solos than I would ever have guessed. “The Working Hour” throws all that jazz and world music at you early. I’m a sucker for gratuitous saxophone work, so that long intro really perked me up.
super solid. definitely high and low points but good average
Classic 80s pop with a few bangers. Interesting how many of these songs have been done both other artists. That tells you something
Really good
Solid album - quintessential 80's! Several mega hits on this - Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Head Over Heels and the rest were pretty decent. Loved Mothers Talk; Listen and Broken were a bit whiny for me though. Overall (4)
Pretty good, just not memorable
banger
Classic 80's album. I didn't know this was who wrote the two hits on this album which I feel are iconic. I feel like the other songs went on for too long, but that could just be my attention span at the time of listening. I wouldn't mind owning it.
I don’t love the album, but the hits make this a solid four. Everybody wants to rule the world it’s just a fantastic song, and for me it will always be washing dishes in the back of my first job at an ice cream shop the early summer after 10th grade.
not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue
Me gustó mucho este album, ya conocía 2 o 3 canciones, pero no tenía el nombre de la banda. La voy a seguir escuchando porque siguen haciendo musica actualmente. Las canciones que más me gustaron fueron: Everybody wants to rule the world, que la amo, Shout, y Head Over Heels. Hay de todo en el album, tiene una linda variedad entre canciones "más arriba" y mas tranquilas. Lo guardé y lo volvería a escuchar.
This album is so cohesive. The hits do not get in the way of how well it's orchestrated. Such a fun and satisfying listening experience.
Lo mejor que me pudo pasar un lunes a la mañana. Viva el synth pop!
What a great listen! I had a lot of fun with this album, it just gives off good vibes and happy thoughts. My favorite was Head Over Heels.
Banger album, all songs are good, head over heels clears tho
Good listen, lots of hits on this album. I wouldnt say there’s any skips but I don’t love it enough to give it a 5
So fun and fresh. Grooves are interesting and the singer is awesome
I'm familiar with the hits from this album, but I've never sat down to listen to it start-to-finish. This by no means bad, but there aren't hidden gems. The hits are great, the other songs are okay. That being said, I think I'll add this album to my library based on the strength of the hits.
Nice, classy and cheerful
80's pop at its popiest. Shout and Everybody wants a to rule the World are the big hits, but goddamn do I enjoy the jazz opener in The Working Hour. Kinda a weird album.. Only 8 songs but it feels like it could have been a single release but has some extra filler added. Still has a couple bangers too.
I had a roommate who hated Tears for Fears, but I genuinely enjoy them. Their music has kind of a cinematic quality like it's coming straight out of an 80's movie. Didn't realize, but it looks like all of their biggest hits were in this one album.
Quintessentially 80s, but this time in a way I enjoy.
I imagine this big chair is like the Big Comfy Couch but more serious.
First impressions: Oh it's that one album yea ik it Shout - I swear I've heard a parody of this song before without ever actually listening to it, lmao The Working Hour- Funky beginning Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Still good Mothers Talk - Ok this might be my favorite, very dramatic OKAY THE ENDDD I Believe - Mellow Broken - head over heels but SCARY Head Over Heels - Still good Listen - Nothing too crazy, good vibes tho Overall: P good
classics nun groundbreaking
Rating: 3.8/5 Gimme that sax! Listen again?: maybe, I hear those hits enough to last me Listen if: I want to live in a John Hughes movie for 45 minutes Sound: 80s jazz club in the jungle with a keyboardist
holy nostalgia
We all know them from "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" - but everything else has been great so far. The album has the same vibe as that song, but adds different details so it doesn't just feel like a copy and paste of that song with a different tempo like some of these older albums do. I think this is a 4 for me. I am pleasantly enjoying the album and have found myself listening to it without really thinking about it. Vibes are 80's synth rock.
comfort music, most of it anyway. good soft rock from some of my more formative years
It’s an album that takes me back to a specific moment in time. Comforting.
Great production. Love the vocals and the synths sound fresh and not dated. These songs are so catchy and get stuck in my head for days. This is what pop music should be.
I would have loved to be a young adult in the New Waves 80s. It’s a bit daggy but so optimistic and expansive and GOOD. I love the echoey bounce sound of it all that make you feel like you’re in the room with them life (albeit an empty warehouse), particularly on show in The Working Hour. I also didn’t read the song list pre listening and generally never know who sings famous songs so was SHOOK when Everybody Wants to Rule the World came on! 4 stars
I love Tears for Fears!!! This sound is just so quintessentially 80s to me and I never want to part with it. The hits really hit, and the transition between Broken and Head Over Heels/Broken is just SO GOOD. I did immediately follow it up with In Love Again by the Rogue Traders, which perfectly samples Head Over Heels, and I recommend you do the same! This is a begrudging 4 stars because they did lose my interest at Mothers Talk - I Believe
Obviously have heard the hits before. Not much substance asides from them, but decent album
Great album. Just wish shout wasn’t turned into an English football song. But overall this was a great listen. I mean it pretty much speaks for itself. Everybody wants to rule the world is the obvious belter. What you want from an 80s band, pure gold
Very nice listen to this to start the week nicely. Love Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World and Head over Heels, just great and classy songwriting. I also really enjoy the singers voice! The Steven Wilson remixes sound amazing too.
the 2 song is beautiful n da other ones r good heared some classic
amazing
I had dismissed this band because I've heard the song Shout so many times and never thought it was good. But, I hadn't actually listened to it. This whole album has a really cool sound and is New Wave that is complex and musically satisfying.
surprisingly enjoyable. 3.75
More enjoyable than expected
In my minds eye, one little boy - one little man. Funny how tiiiiiime fliiiiiies. An album that contains three of their most hit singles and instantly takes you back to a place in your memories every time that piano melody hits. (You mess with the bull, you get the horns; October 2, 1988)
muy buen disco
Great easy listening start to finish with some memorable hits.
The hits are hits for a reason. This album is one of those cases of "we can't make it anymore, we don't know how." Like I don't know if it's something to do with the guitars or the vocals or the old 80s synths or the way everything layers up on every song. 40 seconds into Broken you feel like 2 different songs are playing in each ear. Not every song is super memorable and most of the songs are 5/6 minutes so it's not perfect the full way through but there's real magic in there.
this album is interesting to me because i love it but it has properties of albums i hate - in fact the reasons i dislike them (long and repetitive songs). It is also an interesting combo of instant hits and songs you have to kinda get into idk. Great album. mothers talk gets that white boy groovin i have cried listening to head over heels before and i actually cant remember what i was associating it with to make me cry anymore which is an interesting personal thing
Carried hard by the main 3 the people know But still synthy and beautiful.
This album is a lot o fun
SOMETHING HAPPENS AND I'M HEAD OVER HEELS
Already listened to that album before
I was not a huge fan of Tears For Fears back in the day, so I wasn’t thrilled when this one popped up. But I was pleasantly surprised. Even though I’ve heard many of these songs 100 times, I was able to pick up layers that I had not heard before. Especially with the Dolby Atmos mix. This is a great example of how Atmos adds to listening experience!
exelente para la oche
Peak 80s vibes. This album has a couple of the best songs of the decade.
8/10 80s pop bangs
Da hani kei Tears for Fears verschwendet für die Songs from the big chair. Eigentlich all Bangers vo Tears For Fears uf dem Album. sehr fest gnosse
Yeah mal was vibigs und abwechselnds. Guete 80ies disco flair wo da vo de rear boyzs transportiert wird. Hend irgendwie ihre eigeni style ohni zu fest nach standard gedöns z töne.
spass ahgseid spass gha differenz 0 head over heels isch und bliebt eine vo de beste songs ever written! tears for fears isch wüki immer eh wahri freud – han grad no es zweits album müesse nahdopple für d'höchtspunktzahl längeds aber leider knapp nöd bruche aber glich grad 4 nastüechli zum mini tränli tröchne
I really like the 80s pop vibe of this album, I'd say it's quite dynamic as songs like I Believe will feel mellow whereas a song like Head Over Heels will be more uplifting and energetic. It feels quite experimental in a good way, is it my era? No. Do I like the vibe? Yes. I did enjoy the retro vibe to this album.
Really enjoyed this one. Love a bit of a jazz influence Favourite song is ‘head over heels/ broken’
The hits on this album are iconic, generational classics. The other tracks were not quite as catchy as Shout and Everybody Wants to Rule the World. Still, the haunting chamber pop rock sound was enticing! 7/10
3.5/5
Not sure if this is a great album, but it certainly has quite a few great tracks.
The hits are great. Some of the other songs on this album are okay, and the last one is way too long. Solid 4/5
The '80s seem like a fun time, but it did seem like Shout was never going to end
I was surprised to find out that the name of the band and a big lyrical influence was primal scream therapy. The two hits are great and there were a couple of other points that caught my attention. Overall a lovely sound.
Very 80's, but I won't pretend like I don't love it. So many iconic songs on here that I've heard over and over but will never tire of. Favorite Songs: Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Head Over Heels
No puedo ponerle menos, tiene canciones muy memorables.
Me pareció un álbum muy ochentoso con muy buenos temas que no conocía. Juegan con distintos ritmos y pasan de temas melancólicos a más rápidos. Me gustó la conexión de sonido entre la canción Broken y Head Over Heels.
Could grow to a 5. Really good, very big sound.
Overall quite good album. Nothing mind blowing but also definitely nothing to complain about.
Shout- such a fun song and the music video is so 80s. Those kids are all probably older than I am. lol I love, Everybody want to Rule the World. For such a short album, there are some real classics on it. I had never heard of Tears for Fears before and it is probably because I barely remember the 80s.
Kind of the epitome of 80s albums. And Head Over Heels is an absolute banger (outside of the major singles “Shout” and “Everybody Wants to Tule the World”).
Gotta love some 80s cheese. This is a perfect example of an album that should definitely be on this list: it so perfectly captures the style and feeling of a decade, and it's a damn good example of it too. Lord almighty this is an 80s album, and while it doesn't always work, the good songs are so freaking good. Also for some reason, Orzabal's voice just scratches that itch in my brain so perfectly. Fave tracks: - Shout - Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Mothers Talk - Broken - Head Over Heels
Top tier 80s album. Banger after Banger
Knocked it out of the park with the first song, followed it up with some absolute crackers. The rest of the album was a bit of a fizzle for me, but mostly it shone.
Good compositions, liked the order of songs
7/10 yay
Head Over Heels clears
Multiple great songs
Like it or hate it, this album and its massive hits were everywhere in 1985 and into 1986. Its success was outdone only by its ambition. These guys were talented and clearly aiming to make bigger and deeper music than their contemporaries. In only 8 songs, they cover a huge range -- the sing-a-long anthem Shout contrasts with the inscrutable Mothers Talk. In retrospect, though, did Tears For Fears make a lasting impact? These songs still sound so distinctive. Maybe no one even bothered to try to imitate them.
good fuckin' album
This has some absolutely insane songs on it. "Shout", "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", and "Head Over Heels" were already in my rotation. I assume I've listened to the full album previously, but not in a while if ever. "Mothers Talk" is really sweet too. Great record overall. Would probably give it like a 4.25 or 4.5 if the ratings were more flexible.
7/10… new wave / sophisti pop / *1985
7/10
Fantastic album. I liked it much more than I thought I would.
Good album. Notable tracks include Shout, The Working Hour, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Head Over Heels. Every song on the album is pretty good though.
easy listening pop rock
Classic 80's music. Not originally a huge fan. Too "pop" and not alternative enough for me at the time. Pitchfork: 8.9 (2017 review - seems like cheating - posthumous rating) Rolling Stone: n/a Best Songs Shout Everybody Wants To Rule The World Mothers Talk I Believe Head Over Heals / Broken
Favorite Song: Head Over Heels
La transición de Broken, Head Over Heels y Listen está bien sabrosa 😫
1. Shout (6:33): blank song for me, like NOT bad, but I won't actually listen to it again I fear. 3.5/5 2. The Working Hour (6:31): The sax is so beautifully added omg, it's the perfect emotional or giddy scene, full of emotion but tender at the same time, love it. 5/5 song 3. Everybody Wants To Rule The World (4:11): I love this song, as a society, it's impossible to be bored, the strings, the piano, the vocals, the percussion, the length, everything is amazing. 5/5 4. Mothers Talk (5:06): this doesn't sound as dreamy as the others, more fierce. I do love that chorus, it's catchier than the other ones. Loved the last phrases, really reminded me of head over heels, I wish the instrumental outro part was shorter though- 4.3/5 5. I Believe (4:55): There's something as gentle like something sensual, slow pace dance and intimacy as a whole. I'm not really paying attention to the lyrics though, usually for an album they're not updated entirely. OMG THEY ADDED A SAX 5/5 6. Broken (2:39): this one is the shortest one in the album and it's giving interlude. Sums up the energy of the whole album actually, such full instrumental, the guitar makes me NUTS. 5/5 should be a complete song IMO. 7. Head Over Heels (5:02): wait now I get it, the OG tittle was /broken, makes so fucking sense, also, this one's better, the instrumental is just a little less full. Love this fucking song so much, it slaps over and over again, not so fan of the outro though and I fucking hate those claps... 4.9/5 8. Listen (6:53): angelic ass intro I love it also it feels like an outro from the album, with the soft synths and all. Great outro but won't listen as a song like the others. 4/5 Final score: 4.6/5 ⭐
I think it is a love or hate band. I like their music very much. The cover of this album...
I don't know why but I have just always loved Head Over Heels. Could've done without "Listen" and its repetitiveness. So some great songs but also some duds.
this is one of my rare 80s exceptions. I've never listened to Tears for Fears in full album! I also didn't know they looked like such babies with such low voices. fascinating. So much fun.
I would be remiss if I didn’t commemorate this album by posting about the Weird Al–inspired parody I wrote in high school. Trout, trout, swimming about Fish in the water going in and out Come on! I’m angling for you. Come on!
very unique and distinct sound. Has a few classic hits, and a few I haven’t heard but are also great like head over heels. worth a listen.
A couple of these were definitely “filler”. But those three big hits more than pull their weight.
When you think of the 80s these guys are definitely it. Something about his voice with progression of the instruments.
Brill. Loved the lead singers voice and the drama of th music
7.0/10
from one album where I only know the main single to another the first track becomes funky outta nowhere what is that saxophone jezus EWTRTW still sounds futuristic and yet so very eighties 40 years later Ironically I don't really want to listen to Listen the last album should have been a 3, this is a solid 4
Massive pop architecture with real emotional weight underneath. The singles soar, and even the deeper cuts carry that dramatic, widescreen feel. A touch glossy, sure, but the songwriting earns the scale.
Astonishingly fresh and good album.
Love!!
8/10
I'm really not into 80s new-wavey, synth heavy albums, but this has gotta be the best of the bunch.
Shout - 5 The working hour - 3 Everybody wants to rule the world - 5 Mothers talk - 4 I believe - 3 Broken - 4 Head over heals - 5 Listen - 3
Listened driving to and from work. Really great record. I knew a couple of the big hits but the rest sounded great too. Not sure if put them in my daily rotation, it's not the kind of music I typically reach for to be honest. Enjoyed my time with it.
This is really good. Putting aside the two I knew (tracks 1 and 3) this is a really strong album. The Working Hour, Mothers Talk, Broken and Head Over Heels are all great tracks. Loved the mixture of styles and synth. Solid 4/5.
The mixing is undeniably professional and detailed, but the dated 80s "patina" and that constant reverb are just too much to handle. While the musical quality is clear in tracks like The Working Hour or Broken, the lack of internal evolution in these long songs makes the overall experience feel repetitive and tiring.
Superb synth pop. Play it, love it, remind yourself that Head Over Heels is one of the best songs ever made, listen again
first time listening to this, amazing album. between 4 and 5
gostei da fotografia da capa, no começo achei que ia ser uma merda mas ao decorrer do album se mostrou ser uma grande masterpiece, instrumentais maravilhosos
Great album. Three big hits and no filler.
Absolute must listen from the 80s synth pop movement.
9 / 10
Excuse me. Excuse me. Why is there a man who looks exactly like Curt Smith from Tears for Fears playing an acoustic set next to that tree and your swimming pool? - Shawn (Psych) Overall very vibey experience. Obviously some absolute classics. It was a good thing to put on in the background studying for mid-terms. I think my favorite discovery was Mothers Talk, which was a song I had heard but didn't have any connection that it was tears for fears. I also listened to the Everybody wants to Rule the World Song Exploder.
À primeira vista, Songs From the Big Chair (85) é daqueles discos que facilmente consideramos entre os melhores de todos os tempos. Afinal, temos aqui uma seleção de músicas que se tornaram fundamentais para a indústria musical dos anos 80," sendo Everybody Wants To Rule The World" e "Head Over Heels" exemplos perfeitos desse legado. No entanto, depois de tantas audições, acabei saturando. É um movimento parecido com o que sinto ao escutar Queen: reconheço a grandiosidade, mas não suporto mais a maior parte. E olha que seria muito injusto, para não dizer absurdo, classificar este disco como ruim. Talvez seja o preço de músicas tão icônicas: elas se desgastam justamente por serem grandes demais. O que não tira o mérito de Tears For Fears ter entregado um dos álbuns mais influentes de sua década.
Poucos são os álbuns que eu posso realmente afirmar que estiveram presentes na minha vida desde a minha infância e realmente ter memória das vezes em que escutei, mas um deles é certamente o Songs From The Big Chair. Toda vez que o escuto, automaticamente lembro da minha infância por conta de que a minha mãe sempre amou as músicas que compõem e formam o disco. Dado esse contexto, é um pouco difícil atribuir uma nota sem pensar no lado emocional que todas as músicas deste disco representaram/representam na minha vida - muitas vezes, quando eu estou triste, é em Songs From The Big Chair que a minha mente vai visitar e pensar em outras mil coisas. De alguma forma, eu relaciono esse álbum com conforto e com viagens - então ele sempre faz parte da trilha sonora das minhas viagens (e em 2025 isso aconteceu diversas vezes). Sou encantado por todos os momentos deste álbum, mas seria uma enorme injustiça se eu fugisse do clichê e não falasse que Head Over Heels e Everybody Wants to Rule the World são as minhas músicas favoritas - elas são isso e, ademais, também são músicas que moldaram a minha personalidade. Jamais irei cansar de escutá-las. Eu queria poder atribuir 4,5/5, mas fecharei com 4/5 imbuído da sensação de que estou sendo injusto.
Classico. Não é facil um album produzir 3 musicas tao memoráveis, um grande album. 4.25/5
I've a soft spot for 80s new wave pop rock like Tears for Fears. 'Guilty pleasure' might get banded around, but I don't think you should feel guilty for enjoying this. Terrible cover and album title, but beautifully crafted tracks and catchy ear worms galore.
Heb maar een paar liedjes geluisterd, maar love tears for fears!
een van de meest intens jaren 80 albums ooit gemaakt. favoriet is en blijft mothers talk
Muy ochentoso, me gustó
Classic
Interesting to start this project off with this album! I actually did listen to the extended? deluxe? version for the first time recently after walking out of the theater high off the needle drop at the end of MARTY SUPREME. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is obviously one of the greatest songs of all time, but "Head Over Heels" might be more of my personal favorite. Listening to the latter with really great headphones feels euphoric. It's so very 80s which is why I feel like I should like it more than I do, but the slower songs don't really do it for me. But my god — when it hits, it hits! Other highlights: Shout, Mothers Talk
Great one