Reviews (page 7 of 15)
Dated sounding but still fresh somehow. Monster singles. This is an 80s album that truly belongs on the list!
Points for great memories.
mycket bra, ambitiöst, dynamiskt, mäktigt, känslosamt.
Three of these eight songs are stone-cold classics: "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," "Head Over Heels," and "Shout." Any other album would be lucky to have one song as good as those. The rest of Songs from the Big Chair can't help but pale in comparison, with slow tracks that feel needlessly long (and in the case of "Listen," so very '80s). Those three songs, though.
This is a really fun album. Apart from the big hits, still a solid album. Like a 3.5/5 Would listen again
Too bad that I am a bit sick of some of these song, because how good a song may be, I will get tired of it if I have to hear it every Saturday during work, so now I associate it with those days. It still kinda slaps though.
Maybe the quintessential 80s synth-pop album. It certainly packs a lot of that new wave vibe into a pretty tight and well-produced package. It's like a perfect window into that period of music; no skips!
I always seem to get these boys and Simple Minds mixed up. I was worried that I wouldn't like this because so many of the popular 80s bands are either cheesy and dated, have that dull, deep male vocal style I can't stand, or both. This sort of falls into those categories, but also works. The songs aren't crap. They feel earnest. Sure they're overlong in places. The only song I knew here isn't one of my favourites, due to over familiarity, but the whole collection works. I'll definitely listen again.
A great soundscape with a few hits that propel this album to heights seldom reached by “pop groups”. A very accomplished album, Tears for Fears were marketed as 80’s pop idols to compete with the likes of Duran Duran and Culture Club. This album proves that they are musically far superior to the shallow offerings of their contemporaries.
This was the good kind of weird!!
Another awesome 80s album! People give music from this decade a lot of stick but I grew up during this time and I know it was sound as a pound! Seriously, a great effort from the lads.
I like it. Good mix ofnaongs
Может я и не прав, но чувствуется работа продюсеров. Альбом прямо поп-блокбастер.
Good stuff, lots of well known hits
Tears for Fears was a guilty pleasure for me back when I only listened to classic rock and despised anything from the 80s. Even back then I couldn’t deny that songs like Shout and Everybody Wants to Rule the World were great songs. Now I can confidently say this is just an all around solid album that I need to listen to more often!
Good album, very atmospheric. shout, everybody wants to rule the world and listen are my favorites of this album. 4
bangers all the way through, love how the songs flow into each other. Working Hour a standout.
Shout natürlich gleich n Banger der einen wachrüttelt. Definitiv ein interessanter Sound und viele Songs die ich so von der Band noch nicht kannte. Find's super
Schöne Musik, die gute Stimmung macht, die beiden bekannten Singles sind heute immer noch zeitlos und gute Radio-Hits
Shout - Very very good opener. A tad long for what it is though. 8/10 The Working Hour - Quite the vibe. 8/10 Everybody Wants To Rule The World - One of my favourite songs a kid and it still holds the hell up. Actual banger. Love that little guitar riff in the instrumental breaks so much! 10/10 Mothers Talk - Pure 80s. Love the synthesisers on this track, and the bass too. 8/10 I Believe - :ResidentSleeper: Not my cup of tea vocally. Still solid enough to warrant a mediocre rating. 6/10 Broken - Now THIS is more like it. Raring to start with that drum fill intro, and then into solid guitar and bass work. 10/10 Head Over Heels - Love the vocals on this one! Very good, and just a general good vibe. Love the solo too! 9/10 Listen - I don’t get why it’s mostly in Spanish without much substance, but I fuck with it mostly. 7/10
The hits here are really great and the other stuff is also mostly very good, overall extremely enjoyable stuff
01) Shout - 10,0 02) The Working Hour - 7,0 03) Everybody Wants To Rule The World - 10,0 04) Mothers Talk - 7,5 05) I Believe - 7,0 06) Broken - 7,0 07) Head Over Heals - 7,0 08) Listen - 7,0 TOTAL: 7,81 (78/100) Current ranking: 248/712
Classic 80’s synth album. They mix up the pace pretty well throughout and don’t serve up any duds. I really like the build of Broken and really enjoyed this overall. 4 stars
A great way to get started, have a good amount of familiarity with these songs. Great thesis to the album that rings true today, with lots of interesting production and amazing vocals.
Solid stuff here. Very 80's in a great way that I love. The pop-y-ness is what prevents it from getting higher from me
On the whole, I enjoyed listening to this album. I recognized several of the songs as they were played on the radio and it seemed to me that there was a certain sound to the songs which made it understandable as to why they were popular. I was surprised by the song "I Believe" as it wasn't played on the radio like some of the others, and I really liked it for its difference.
Neat to remember
The album was over before I realized it. I was surprised by how much instrumental music there was. In fact, if felt like there was more instrumental music than vocalized songs. Oh but I must mention the two absolute bangers on the album. I think the hits are so good, that it elevates the whole album, but the album without the hits wouldn't be somewhat unremarkable.
A quintessential 80s record. While I had already heard all of the hits, many of the deep cuts are great tunes as well. Some of the ballads don’t appeal to me as much, but it is still a wonderful record.
Usually not a big fan of most 80's music, but I enjoyed it.
Great album
Sounds very 80's but in a good way.
damn they made all these sick as songs?
Everybody Wants to Rule the World” Was Almost Left Out Yes, really. Roland Orzabal initially wasn’t too keen on the two acoustic guitar chords that would become their biggest global hit. But producer Chris Hughes insisted they give it a go. A week later, they had a shimmering masterpiece about power, corruption, and, well, world domination—with a beat perfect for driving in a convertible.
Iconical Shout!
i liked this
A wonderful, classic 80s album. Some absolute bangers on here. Head Over Heels has been in my rotation for years. Easily one of the best of the new wave bands from this era.
Good for the time, the 2 singles stand out but generally good
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this record! Well I of course know songs like ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World’ and ‘Shout’ I kinda figured the rest would just be filler or simply fall in the shadow of those hits. Yet the whole record is het extremely delicately put together! From the lyrics to the production and instrumentals! Yes it’s heavenly 80’s coded, which sometimes feels kinda corny and clunky? Yet I have to remind myself that all the modern retro 80’s sounds are inspired by this, and that Tears for Fears have created a timeless sound of music. With heavy synths, sometimes a surprising shredding guitar, heavy toms filled drums, some trumpets and beautiful piano this thing is full! Every track feels so bombastic and huge, while also leaving spaces to built some suspension. The vocals are great and sound like something that would fit on a cure or smiths album, yet they’re so daring by going completely different sonical directions. Love this, very cool. Head Over Heels/Over, even though I knew it a little already, is probably my standout track: so delicately produced.
my favorite music as a toddler was Fruit Salad (Yummy Yummy) and Shout
Yeah the sounds are very "of the times" but the songwriting is insane, just crazy momentum throughout the whole thing with no boring moments or bad ideas honestly, I am pretty blown away by how much I enjoyed this, I actually liked every song wtf I always thought Shout was by Depeche Mode also, like 4.5/5 Fav song: Not sure honestly, but maybe Listen?
I liked this one a lot it's definitely going to be on my liked songs also I knew two of the the songs I've even played one of them before.
Really good flow, amazing connection between each instrument
This was great! So much so I played it three more times over a weekend. Plus I got a bunch of copy cat bands when the album ended. All in all pretty great. Some low points on it but the hits are the hits!
dont like 80s music that much but this was hella sick
I want the synth from this album to lay me down and kiss me passionately. This music is so damn atmospheric and chill.
Memories of listening to my older Sisters Beach Boys Greatest Hits album when she went out. Knowing where she hid it! Enjoyed listening to this album again in full. At the time of its release It was a new sound which obviously made it a classic breakthrough album but for me while every track is easy on the ear only a few Beach Boys tracks in general stand out for me. “God Only Knows” being one of my all time favourites.
Back to my youth. Love the sax
It's the tracks that weren't hits that make you realise the depth of songwriting quality on this album. Apart from an excess of (obligatory in the mid 80s) Fairlight synths it's barely aged. Banger.
I love this, however I dont love it as much as I predicted I would (thanks to I Believe), I was pleasantly surprised when the final few seconds of broken became the intro to Head over Heels.
I knew a few of the songs on here. Everybody Wants to Rule the World will always remind me of the movie Peter's Friends. This album is complex and a lot more layered than other albums of the same period. A good listen.
A perfect jewel of the 80s! I love this album. So many hits, but they were also doing more interesting things with synth pop than their peers. The way Broken goes right into Head Over Heels is fantastic! 5⭐️
Very good
who doesnt love slutty overproduced 80s pop
nice.
I enjoyed the vibes and the new wave/synth genre. Songs were catchy and still on the radio today.
I really liked this album they had a good mix of styles, but were at the same time very consistent and noice. Solid mix of rock and like chillness. I suppose I can rate 4 stars…
Sean has been trying to convince me tears for fears is cool since like 7th grade. I never actually sat down and listened to them until now. While none of the non-hits really grabbed me, everybody wants to rule the world and head over heels are so fucking good they make this a 4 on their own. At times borders on being over produced but the songwriting and Melodies shine through so it only occasionally gets bogged down with self-indulgent 80s synth madness
shout, everybody wants to rule the world, head over heels all on this album!
Love this album. Favorite song was The Working Hour. My mom LOVED Tears for Fears as a teenager so I listened to quite a bit of this growing up, and I gotta say it doesn't get old.
This album is unfair & frustrating because it is so good. It gets its hooks in you but those hooks drag a bit. That really is my only complaint of the album is: the songs tend to drag on & needs an edit. I found this to be a lovely surprise though it very much is a product of its time in a good way. 4
Holds up. I would happily indulge in this, only just not quite a 5 for me but close. Not completely scratching that itch.
Eu gosto muito dos singles desse álbum, mas não tinha chegado a ouvir o álbum ainda. Além de Everybody Wants To Rule The World e Shout, gostei muito da viradinha Broken e Head Over Heels e Broken(Live).
I listened to this a ton, probably high 3, maybe low 4. Shout is a lil meh for me but overall super cohesive record
I, of course, already knew about Shout and Everybody Wants to Rule the World, and I really love those songs already. Most of the rest of this album I hadn't heard before, but I loved it. The Working Hour is SO good. I didn't realize Head Over Heels was this band. Great album overall!
Fun; big sound; great melodies and performances. Some of the best 80s pop around.
I really enjoyed the first 3 tracks. It made me think that, while most music of the era was packaged in that 80s pop sheen, there was still plenty of strong, substantial songwriting happening within those confines. Admittedly the next two tracks did lean *too* heavily on the dubious production tropes of the decade (at both the dance-y and the ballad-y ends of the spectrum) for my liking, but things picked up again after that. 3.5, rounded up.
Incredible production on this one - the way they double and triple one person's vocals to make them sound huge is unprecedented genius, and the way the two voices harmonize or complement one another to create one Super Voice is impressive. I also had no idea how solid the musicianship was on this record. The drums, keys, guitar, even the sax rocked all of my socks. Not every track is a banger, but 5 out of 8 (for me) is a solid effort, and the surprises were delightful.
Absolutely no sophomore jinx here. Three monster worldwide hits (Head Over Heels, Shout and Everyone Wants to Rule the World).
The deep tracks are great and create a start to finish listening experience. Weakest track is the last
Toch wel wat klassiekers ander dat ik op de naam zou kunnen komen
- Aangenaam 👍 - 2 nummers toegevoegd aan MMMM
This was one of those albums with fun bangers mixed in between boring tunes. Still a lot of it made me want to move on a Saturday morning, so rounding up from what would probably be 3.5
Nice
Before I even began to listen, I knew this one would get a high score from me - it was only a question of how high. The singles on this album are the standouts; “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” will be forever considered one of the best songs of the 80s, but “Head Over Heels” and “Shout” still sound great and hold up well. I’ve always liked “Mother’s Talk” as well, although that’s not aged quite as well as the others and now sounds a bit dated. Where the album falls down is with the fillers - they’re all just really bloody dull (except for “Broken”, but I consider than an extension of “Head Over Heels”, so doesn’t count!). Also, this album is really bloody long. I’m not sure it bothers me as much as would usually, as a lot of the tracks are great - but it’s still a wee bit too long.
A classic. 80s synthpop at its' best. Yes, some slower tracks, but the faster paced tracks make it worth it imo. 4 stars easy
I'd never listened to this in its entirety before. Obviously the hits are the hits but man, this is pretty good. The Broken/Head Over Heals/Broken reprise sequence is fantastic. The music is undeniably 80s but somehow doesn't seem outdated? And they end with a 7 minute instrumental? Ballsy. This might be a 4.5/5. Okay 4.25.
Great
Always liked the well known songs of Tears for Fears but never listened to the whole album. Really enjoyed it and will give it more listens.
This is the first time I've listened to this. In 1985, commercial synth-pop was the last thing I wanted to hear. But now, I can hear that it's really rather good.
Alle vet hvor bra Everybody Wants to Rule the World er, men ikke alle vet at I Believe basically er en Robert Wyatt låt (hør på Shipbuilding og fortell meg at jeg tar feil). Et av 80-tallets mest 80s album som faktisk ikke høres så datert ut som de har en tendens til å gjøre. Mixet uten å lene seg for dypt inn i 80-tallets tricks og lydene er valgt med omhu.
Liker new wave, not gonna lie
Some awesome singles surrounded by the right instrumentation and production for that particular voice.
Many of the songs are like silt deposited in a riverbed, with layer upon layer of synths and keyboards and then guitars and eventually a topmost layer of vocals, all building upon each other, forming new vertebrae of the track’s spine or disintegrating entirely. Keeping track of all the components in “Shout” is like a mindfulness exercise. In an age where attention-grabbing chaos was accelerating, it was — and remains — a maximalist call for minimalism, or at least a focus. Others like “Everybody” and “Head Over Heels” are built from simpler structures and rely more on bombast and singing. I don’t love the lyrics on the album as whole, but they’re often just oblique enough to avoid being maudlin and yet are strident enough to connect to. In any case, they take a backseat to the textures of the production. As befits the name of the album, the songs don’t often feel connected to each other. I’m not really sure “I Believe” belongs here, and it’s amusing that the lead single was “Mothers Talk,” which is the most derivative track of Talking Heads/Simple Mind. But that only heightens the joy of the flow from “Broken” into “Head Over Heels,” and ultimately the sonic crescendo of “Listen” that seems to bind the experience together. Favorites: Head Over Heels, Shout, Everyboy Wants to Rule the World, Listen Least: Mothers Talk, I Believe
Kannte "Shout", spannend was sonst noch so auf dem Album ist.
4.5 stars. I really wanted to give this 5, because of what the songs mean to me, because I start to chuckle whenever I think of the video for "Head over Heels," because the album reminds me heavily of a year I spent in England as a teenager, because now my daughter adores this album. But 5s are for albums with no skips. And unfortunately, "Listen" is a skip. Nonetheless, I love this album and (nearly) every note on it.
Good '80s albums. For a decade that seemingly wiped their hands of anything remotely resembling sane quality control, Tears for Fears was always solid. Songs From The Big Chair is their best, with big singles (Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Head Over Heels), and the album tracks are quite good, too. It's nothing life-changing or anything incredibly eye-opening, but for what it's worth, it's one of the better sounding albums of the time.
Shawn Spencer knows what's up.
Everybody DOES want to rule the world!
hate to sound like an old ass gen Xer but they just don’t make music like this anymore man
The singles from this album are massive, to say the least. Anthemic thumps highly infectious to the ear, to the point where they even get annoying to some people, but for me, the real beauty lies in the final three songs, which seemingly flow in each other, making a sort of hybrid, studio/live, medley that combines dream pop, sophisti-pop and new wave in all the right places. It takes skill to take a well commercialized movement at the time and make something worthwhile, but these guys have done just that.
Un hit pour moi! Rare dans la catégorie du new wave (Guillaume sera surpris) mais ça me rappelle quand je trippais sur Donnie Darko au secondaire. Je trouve la voix envoûtante/enrobante et certains riffs pas mal le fun, comme head over heels.
De l’excellente pop. Everybody wants to rule the world, Shout, head over heels sont tous des succès qui ont transcendé les époques.
pretty good!
Quintessentially ’80s through and through. I was always a fan of them - Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Head Over Heels - their blend of new wave and prog rock just hit me hard and made me an instant fan of this album. I don’t know if they ever created anything beyond this that struck me quite as deeply, but Songs From The Big Chair remains a perfect snapshot of what may have been their peak. The title itself is fascinating: it was taken from a TV mini-series about a woman with multiple personality disorder who only felt safe “sitting in the big chair,” and the band felt the songs reflected that sense of fragility and safety. It’s an ambitious, glossy, and emotional record that cemented their place in my music history and still feels monumental today.
Strong Record, with monumental Singles. a few duds at the tail end of the album but they're intentional
This feels so 80s and atmospheric
Very good.
everybody wants to ruuule the woooorld
An essential 80’s pop album. The songwriting and production craft is top notch.
Got the obvious bangers in here but I thought the other tracks were vibes too
I knew a couple of the songs, I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked the entire album. 4.0
A bizarre mixture of styles, not particularly coherent but with enough strong singles (well spaced out through the album) to keep up its momentum. As a side note, Shout was being played on French radio when we went into the local shop for the first time this summer - it was followed by Just Like Heaven. A good start to the holiday.
Listened in the truck via YouTube music. Great album with lots of long jams.
Aye that is a bangin album
Wall to wall bangers, no fillers! Every song feels like a soundtrack to some mad 80s film, the production is absurdly lush
More like Cheers for fears - songs for a big cheer and because whoop whoop this is class
Unreal, couldn't get enough of this. I knew some of the hits from this but never listened to the album in full and it really surprised me. Wasn't expecting the shredding on Broken. This will enter heavy rotation.
Honestly, every song is a banger. This album definitely belongs on this list. I think my favorite song on the album is Mother's Talk, or Head Over Heels. Also I feel like Mothers Talk has a completely different vibe from the rest of the album, but I love it. This would be a great listen if I was high. Am I allowed to give the first album a 5/5. Let's go 4.7/5
I like how effortlessly this album can switch gears without sounding unnatural
Beautiful, harmonic, vintage 80s. Tears for Fears are still viable as a band. Their lyrics transcend. "Songs From the Big Chair" is timeless.
Very fun. I'm not sure what you'd call the sound that Tears for Fears is notable for, but it's so distilled in this album it's easy to see why it's their most successful. My favorite song was The Working Hour.
Always reminds me of High School. I wore that album out in 1985
Another teeterer between 4 and 5
Shout. Shout. Let it all out. Everybody wants to rule the world
⭐︎4.3 U2以前の最高のブリティッシュロックバンドという印象。 アメリカでもヒットしたのが分かる、キャッチーな曲が多く、陰鬱な曲は少なめ。 あっという間に聴き終えた。
Fantastic album, you’d think that Everybody Wants To Rule The World would be overplayed by now, but it’s just a timeless song.
It's nice that the original is available on Spotify, alongside the deluxe and super mega deluxe 3000 editions. Shout and Everybody Wants To Rule The World are the obvious stand out tracks here, but the other stuff is fun enough to just about get a four.
Knew the hits, but hadn’t heard the album tracks. Mostly bangers.
Holiday club Friday night
The early 80s really did turn out to be a golden age for pop. Didn’t like this at the time as I was too rock, punk n indie but looking back the pop music scene was so good, this is just a very good record with a number of great songs that were singles 4 Star
80s tastic
Once at a party the host put shout on loop and waited for anyone to notice. When I did he gave me an expression of "don't say anything". From there I slowly went insane for about half an hour while everyone else just lived their lives without noticing they were hearing shout over and over and over again. It's a great song and perfectly sits in the background but not in a diminishing way. Great album and representation of the time.
Shout works, but it's too long and that newave voice. I am curious about what else is on here. Oh Everybody Wants to Rule the World. Why does this song work? And Head Over Heels? Surprised that I know three tracks from this one 1980s album. A cohesive album that avoids being repetitive. Taking some swings on composition. The tracks just often go on too long and get lost in the weeds. Still not my cup of tea, but a solid album.
First time I've listened to the full album. I never realized there's a whole other song that leads directly into Head Over Heels. It's really the three hits that kept me into this one, but the rest is solid, too.
Top pop.
Day 34 First listen- So many classics in this album and it flows beautifully, is so smooth. What a gem! (4.5/5)
Shout and Everybody Wants To Rule The World are a masterpiece!
thought they were the one hit wonder, but this record is amazing
I was only familiar with the hits, and sometimes with these albums, the rest isn’t worth listening to. Not the case here. I enjoyed everything - save for the ridiculous “I Believe” which goes out of its own way to sound cheesy. It’s all that stops it being a 5 for me.
A brilliant album that puts a pensive and solemn spin on the synth pop of the time. There's so much I love here: a well placed sax will always drop my panties and it happens again and again on the album. The Working Hour - sublime. My favorite Tears For Fears track is Head Over Heels but I never realized that its iconic melody is quietly used in the track immediately before it, which beautifully sets up the moment when it explodes into being on the piano in Head Over Heels proper. It's all very rewarding.
The quantity of UK 80s bands on this list is utterly ridiculous but this was one of the few decent ones. Not the most essential album ever but a decent listen 3.5*
Big Tears for Fears fan, but I consider this album to be their 3rd best after Seeds of Love and The Hurting. It may be that many of these songs were ubiquitous in 1980's and beyond, lessening their resonance. To me Shout is the weakest track. I Believe, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, and Head Over Heels are stronger and more impactful on multiple listens. Frankly, the transitions and seamlessness across tracks makes the individual songs more impactful. The transitions from I Believe to Broken and to Head Over Heels makes for an album experience that they leand into more with Seeds of Love.
True 80's goodness!
I know the two hits from this record. Shipping those. I’ve heard them enough. Ok, this record is really great. It should have gotten way more acclaim than the hits. This is a great album.
Pretty much any other synth pop band from the time is better.
Some very solid tunes. Feels very 80s but at the same time does not feel terribly dated. Head of Over Heals is a fantastic song.
4/5
7/10 This album has got a lot going for it. There are some great hooks, but also some really interesting explorations of sound and momentum through the tracks. I particularly liked the fact that, for the most part, it wasn’t just a verse-chorus-verse repetition with only the lyrics changing, there was constant development throughout the songs, which kept them moving and interesting right to the end. It was also much more rocky than I expected, and some of the guitar playing was great. I gave up writing about how 80’s the songs were about half way through my song-by-song. But it’s so brilliantly 80s. That’s the kind of thing that can rub people the wrong way, but I want my 80s music to sound like 80s music. Sure, I’d maybe have a personal preference for the reverb to be toned down a bit, and for some of the obvious ‘synth playing a real instrument sound’ tones to have a bit more subtlety, but it just captures a sound and a feel and doing too much to change it would lose all that. Some of the songwriting was fantastic and they never really played it safe, with the possible exception of I Believe, but that worked as a nice palette cleanser before they went a bit wilder towards the end of the album. There were places here and there were things didn’t completely connect with me, but there wasn’t really a point at which I couldn’t appreciate at least something of what was going on. All in all, a really interesting album, and, for a pop record it didn’t just do things by the book, which is always a pleasant surprise. Shout - 80’s drum machine and synth programming ahoy! It’s a good song. There’s perhaps not as much variation between the dynamic of the verse and chorus as I’d like, but it does build interestingly with new parts adding depth as the song progresses which is an interesting approach. By the end, I’m certainly enjoying where they’ve built it to. The Working Hour - This is so reverb soaked that it gets a bit lost in the wash. There are some nice elements in here, but it’s a little bit meandering. It’s all pretty competent and well made, but there’s nothing that really hooks me in. Everybody Wants To Rule The World - My son hates this song. He says the lyrics are stupid. But it’s a great song. There are a lot of parts that come and go. The band seems very determined to avoid repetition by adding extra elements, which helps to maintain variety, especially with a pretty basic and repetitive drum machine pattern sitting under everything. There’s good bits of drive, some light and shade and some great little hooks and motifs that do enough to hook you in but aren’t overdone. Mother’s Talk - I really love some of the synth lines on this. It’s got a lot going on. It’s another one where it doesn’t rely too much on hooks, but theres is so much of interest that it doesn’t need to. At about 4 minutes it just goes a bit off the wall. I don’t know if they were aiming to make a pop record, but if they were, I really appreciate that they were brave enough to do stuff like this on it. I Believe - This is a bit more mundane. It’s a pretty little song and it grounds things after the end of Mother’s Talk. It was a nice bit of a breather from the more frantic and busy tone of the surrounding tracks. Broken - This has got a great kick, especially off the back of I Believe. Again, there’s a lot going on, with quite a bombastic overall sound and elements of slightly discordant brooding in the bridge section. I’m kind of sad this is short as it is, because it’s really good. Head Over Heels - It’s interesting the way this takes some of the elements from Broken and then does something very different with them. There’s a really nice groove to this. I think in places this track perhaps more than any other sounds its age. Some of the synth and samples parts show their age in a bit too obvious a way. But it’s still a really decent track and is a pretty interesting production, the way it blends out of and then back into the elements from Broken, finishing with a live section. Listen - This has got that building feeling similar to some of the earlier tracks, but also has areas where it dips in intensity before it grows. It’s a slow burn, and it’s got a lot going for it. A really nice, brooding, almost intense ambient way to end the album.
Lots of hits on this one album. Very solid but seems like a one hit wonder of an album.
Franchement, j’ai adoré. Quelques énormes classiques c’était très sympa Intro et outro top Pas 5 parce que c’est quoi ces mulets de salopards ? (Et puis la delux qui dure 5h aussi faut pas abuser)
The opening track, Shout, could've been overly repetitive. But its track length was actually pretty good, and with a few added instrumental solos, I could see this being a top-tier 80s track. It's catchy, intense, riveting, and easy to get an audience to roar along to. Musically, it's a little dull (and we encounter this issue throughout the album) but this isn't too much of a problem. Normally the production of 80s pop records is a bit frustrating, what with the airy, generic percussion, overuse of synths, and questionable use of echo effect in most vocal parts. But Tears For Fears pulls it off really convincingly. It helps that they incorporate some pre-80s sounds, particularly in the guitars – such as in Everybody Wants To Rule The World. (Side note: I love this song. As do a ton of people, clearly!) As another reviewer wrote: "Masterful pop production. It wears its era on its sleeve, which is perhaps the only complaint, but also a big part of the charm." The tracks are long but don't really overstay their welcome, especially as background listening. Normally I'm not a fan of five-plus-minute tracks unless they're some variety of prog. Despite this, Tears For Fears make good use of slow, dramatic tempos and engaging textures to combat this and get away with an 8-track, 40-minute album. Indeed, lots of factors here shouldn't work but do anyway. Even the weird falsetto(?) delivery in the song I Believe has this weird charm (helped substantially by the beautiful sax and piano parts) that makes it very difficult to hate. 4/5 Key tracks: Shout, Everybody Wants To Rule The World,
So bombastic and tied to it's era that it really shouldn't work in 2025 but as if by some magic it transcends what limits the appeal of a lot of mid-80's mainstream pop - the production, the drum sound, the sleeve design
Forgot what a great album this is - the way the tracks flow from one to the other as if it were a single symphonic opus - particularly Broken into Head Over Heels with the Broken reprise. 41 minutes of pop brilliance with no filler - what more could you ask for?
SOMETHING HAPPENS AND IM HEAD OVER HEELSSSSSS I NEVER TOUGHT MUCHHHHH TILL IM HEAD OVER HEEEELSSSS Ya me recomiendan uno bien famoso wow. Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World y Head Over Heels son all-timers obviamente, pero los otros 5 temas la verdad que no me llamaron mucho la atencion. Tema favorito: HEAD OVER HEELSSSSS
Неплохой альбом по преимуществу спокойной музыки. 6,5 из 10.
Cool
excellent album! so many great hits and the unknowns are solid
This is fantastic. I don’t know why people compare them to the Beatles. To me they’re just a great band with a really unique sound.
KUUROKIN kuulee vuosikymmenen.. heh
A great 80s synth-pop album that occasionally indulges in cheesy saxophone, maudlin crooning and unfortunate experiments like the interminable Listen. Hard to argue that Shout or Everybody Wants to Rule the World or Head Over Heels aren’t great though.
I love this Donnie Darko soundtrack. For real, though: SFTBC feels huge and atmospheric and eternal. When I was growing up, I came to realize that Tears for Fears belonged to the cool part of the 80s, the New Wave branch inspired by Joy Division. Even as a teenager, I could tell that Shout was a monumental song, Everybody Wants to Rule the World a melodramatic anthem, and Head Over Heels heartbreaking in the love it described. But despite very good familiarity with the hits, I’d never heard this album from beginning to end until now. I’m really pleased with it. It flows nicely between bigger and smaller numbers, and there’s a strong sense that the individual parts are there in service of the whole. This would have been one of my favorite albums when I was 16, no doubt. As it stands, it’s a really really good record.
Loved this. I’m a sucker for an 80s vibe. I thought all the songs were different and had their own unique style. The Working Hour gave: “I’m a deadbeat detective but I wasn’t always this way…” as a man sits at a diner on a rainy Sunday evening. He goes to pay for his meal and his eyes flash to the small photo of his wife. It will always be there no matter how much time has passed since she’s been gone. The three of them used to go spend so much time together, him, his wife, his partner. But after his wife 3 years ago and then his partner stepping in front of that bullet… these Sunday nights won’t ever be the same
Better than I expected. Some well known hits but the songs I didn’t know also landed.
It’s alright
4.2
I was familiar with the singles, but had never listened to the full album. Pretty great vibe throughout. Excellent 80s synth pop.
At the time a very popular album with two classics with extremely beautiful intros
Great album, 80s synth pop done right, some big hits but all the songs are so well constructed, an album that flows well from beginning to the end
Good mix of depressing pop songs and ballads
Muy buen album, conocia alguna pero realmente me ha gustado mucho
Classic album. Listened to this one vinyl from my mums collection as a kid.
Love it
Didn’t know these guys had this much game. An unexpectedly really good album that I only knew as a one hit wonder. Just really enjoyable listening.
"Shout" and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" are all time classics! The rest of the album could be dog water and it wouldn't bring it below a 3. I'm glad that the other songs are solid, and I really like "Head Over Heels".
So fun, I love music like this
Still a fantastic album containing some massive hits from the 80s. I'd forgotten how good the song "Listen" is
Very very nice!
Very of it's time in terms of production and instrumentation. Some incredibly beautifully recorded instruments, and interesting song arrangements. The piano on 'I Believe' is just gorgeous. This album is a masterclass on the use of the stereo field. It's immersive whilst retaining clarity in each element of the mix. Personally, not all the music here is my type of thing but it has to be a 5 star, purely for how well it was crafted.
The hits on this song are top-notch, but the in-between are much better and much more diverse stylistically than I expected for an 80's pop rock band. Happily surprised
This is such an 80's sounding album, but not to its detriment. I think it adds to the charm of it. I've honestly never been a fan of 'Shout'. Never liked it, and listening to it as the opener of this album I haven't changed my mind. I also don't think there's any need for it to be over six minutes long. The next track 'The Working Hour' is much better. Soaring vocals, great saxophone throughout, including a cool solo opening and closing. There's a more uplifting and hopeful sound in this track. 'Mothers Talk' had a slight tinge of an industrial sound but still keeps a big chorus. 'I Believe' is a really nice ballad with some lovely vocals which segues nicely into 'Broken' which has a catchy bass riff before the guitars come in. The bands biggest hit 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World' is an 11/10 song. One of the greatest pop singles of all time in my opinion. From the opening short synth intro and little glistening guitar riff, then the plodding bass coming in. After the second chorus the electric guitar comes in and the vocals step up a gear. Then the outro guitar solo with a slow fadeout. It's a phenomenally good track with an ethereal quality to it and a hugely catchy vocal line that you'll be humming to yourself for ages. It's a great album and one I'm glad I finally have been able to listen to considering how much I like their signature song.
Didn't think I'd enjoy this as much as I expected to
pica, tem varias relikias 🙅♀️ ixquece mas eh gostoso de escutar
As a self-proclaimed 80s lover, I'm excited to get an 80s classic. I've, of course, already heard Shout and Everybody Wants to Rule the World. The latter being one of my personal favorites. But I don't think I've heard any of the others. I love an 80s synth pop / new wave influence. It's definitely a pop album, don't get it twisted. But I love pop. Pop is my jam and I'm not ashamed of that. This is a great example of a pop album that can be for people that don't like pop. It's silky, spunky, real, detailed, and absolutely glorious. There's the hallmarks of a great 80s album, drum fills, slutty saxophone, synth upbeats, drama filled singing. But the best part about this album is that none of them feel overdone. There's a perfect balance of not too much and just enough. It feels authentically 80s without being cheesy in today's world. It feels fresh, it feels like I'm watching a John Hughes movie for the very first time again. I would listen to this on vinyl and wistfully smile the whole time.
you can never go wrong with them. i love their music always and forever.
I think that 'everybody wants to rule the world' is one of my favorite songs, I liked the other hits a lot - 'head over heels' and 'shout' , didn't love the others. still going to give it 4 for the tunes
https://youtu.be/w0TYun-Nq1Q?si=CD6slDaiMya_tq5d
I found Tears for Fears far more deep, serious, moody and interesting compared to the likes of Duran Duran/Spandau Ballet etc of that era. Their tracks throughout this album are very layered & melancholy. A nice revisit to an album I really loved as a teenage lad.
Woefully underrated by me. Another discovery from the synth pop era. This is taking a lot of inspiration from prog rock on the non hit songs. Lovely stuff.
Another era defining album/sound.
I had only ever heard "everybody wants to rule the world" but the rest of these songs are good as well in my opinion.
Wow, really loved this one. Maybe it's because I'll always be a sad little emo boy at heart. Maybe it's because I'll always be a sad little emo boy who loves Donnie Darko at heart. Or maybe it's because it's just a great album!
Solid album
Classic album with some bangers
Absurdo de bom, mas fica o sentimento de que as músicas entre Everybody wants to rule the world e Head over heels não tem uma autoridade própria, só servem de transição para Head over heels. Músicas favoritas: Shout, Head over Heels e Everybody Wants to rule the world.
The year was 1985... hardcore punk was almost passe... The new wave and electronic era were next... the first time i heard Tears For Fears... the quality of the vocals were stand out... as were the songs... "Pale Shelter" was the first song i ever heard by them... and i LOVED the album "The Hurting"... which i would easily give FIVE STARS... This is the album, however, that most people, at least in the USA, were introduced to Roland and Curt... "Songs From The Big Chair" is more polished than the debut... and has some killer songs, singing, and playing... "Shout" into "The Working Hour" into "Everybody Wants To Rule the World" into "Mother's Talk" is as good a four song stretch as any record in the 80's... "Head Over Heels" was a natural hit... and the best of the rest of the songs on the record... i give this one 41/2 Stars... some weaker tunes and whiney lyrics take away a half star... still a TOP album and one you MUST hear before you die...
8/10
Shout was the first record I ever bought. I don't like all the songs on the album, but they're all very well-crafted. Production is excellent. Favorite song by a mile: shout
An 80s classic! Head Over Heels, Shout, and of course Everybody Wants To Rule The World ❤️
Amazing, artistic, quintessential80’s album 9/10
I really enjoyed this one.
Great album. Broken/Head Over Heels/Broken is fantastic! Good sangs I already knew, but the rest of the album was varied and excellent.
Surprised by how much I enjoyed it!
Really great stuff! Very impressed because I didn't realize just how atmospheric their music is. Loved nearly every song on this album.
I love this. So many jams. I want to hear what they’ll do without the Blue Man Group as a backing band, though.
7/10
Motivasio a tope
Probably a 3.5 for me, fun album and some hits throughout
classic
Discazo
i knew a couple of sonhgs but overall i really liked it! fav Head Over Heels!
Great record. They get unfairly dismissed as an “MTV Band” unfortunately. This one’s in regular rotation.
Two bangers make it legendary. Everybody Wants to Rule the World + Head Over Heels (Donnie Darko ❤️)
Some good songs on here I have never heard. Really enjoyed the listen. Listened twice!
great work
I don't say this often but some near perfect pop songs on here. I tend not to like some of these cheesy 80 songs but you can't deny "Shout" and "Head Over Heals" and I get this weird nostalgia for "Everybody Want To Rule The World". Rest of the album is meh. 8/10
Deluxe edition had a lot of extra tracks I didn't care for. Original version is still good.
Cool Album.
Un clásico. Una de las portadas más famosas de los ochenta, hits universales como Shout y Everybody wants to rule the world y otras canciones que las complementan para crear un álbum New Wave synthpopero que marcó a toda una generación.
Perfect until the last Song. Seriously though some of the best pop music ever made
Another dang classic! Another 4 or a 4.5 to me, I’ve spent enough time with the album to say that I’m not sure it’s perfect to me, but I do really love the hits, and there are some serious sleepers like I Believe
Solid album! Never knew there was a whole intro song to Head Over Heels. Couple skips but a strong, tidy effort.
Enough great songs on this classic new wave album to overcome the filler
Pretty good! Really well constructed, it flows between the hits thoughtfully and I didn’t feel like skipping much aside from the 6 minute saxophone solo in the second track.
One of my dad's 80's albums that i listened to the most growing up.
Thought it was really enjoyable. Unexpected for me as I normally don’t really like the 80s synth pop sound and this embraces that sound fully. Everything was mixed beautifully and with both clear individual pieces and complex layerings that I thought created an interesting soundscape. Happy I was exposed to something so different I enjoyed so much. Highlight for me was “The Working Hour”
I was wondering if the album's very well known singles would dominate too much, but the album supports them and provides a perfect context. I particularly like how Broken acts as an introduction to Head Over Heels, and tbh it's such a good song that any excuse to listen to more of it is welcome
Classic. Cool synths. Throaty vocals, not always in tune. Some great songs though, with catchy melodies.
Sleek '80s synthpop hits with dark aura, pretty high highs but outside of Head Over Heels, the second half is kind of a lull Still a good bunch of staple songs, it's an enjoyable album to listen to, lull included
Great classic album by TFF with some iconic 80's hits. Only topped by their Sowing the Seeds of Love followup, which I thought was a stronger and more enjoyable experimental release.
Some really solid songs on here but I can only do so much Tears for Fears and Curt Smith’s voice. Overall it’s really good, but just not really my style for a lot of it.
surprisingly good? didn’t expect tbh
I’m actually really surprised how much I enjoyed this one. I know of Tears For Fears but have never listened to them before and I had them down as just being another generic 80’s band. This however was brilliant with one exception, I didn’t like the song I Believe at all. Gave it two goes and I just doesn’t click with me. Top Track - Everybody Wants To Rule The World
Ik ben altijd sceptisch als het gaat over popalbums uit de jaren 80 waar synthesizers de hoofdrol in spelen. Maar dat dit een iconisch popalbum is, ga ik niet ontkennen. 3.9
Good album, lots of sax, long songs
This just squeaked in at 4 stars. There were a couple of track that I thought were weak
Hard to deny the hits on this one. Some of the album cuts are touch and go, but worth its classic status
Sounds like it was recorded in a cathedral, or should be heard in one. TFF made pop music sound so epic that I can remember many bands trying to copy that huge feeling. The hits are endlessly replayable, and the lesser known tracks ring with emotion. There was nothing like Tears for Fears.
Great songs
not at all what i expected, but good jumpy vintage 80's music
+1 for nostalgia bangers.
My hair isn't fabulous enough to match the 80s-tastic vibes!
In the world of pop, there was not too much bigger than this at its release in ‘85. The notable hits are here and the album flows and plays through well. Brilliant placement for “Head over Heels” in the soundtrack of Donnie Darko-slow mo scene piling out of the school bus and into the HS. Forgot about “Mothers talk” which is also a strong deeper track. Not quite a 5 but the impact almost gets it there. 4.5/5
With four of the eight tracks being certified hits, this album was played everywhere all at once at all times during the latter half of the decade. And although I wasn’t a huge fan of the band then, I remember enjoying the album. And it still holds up.
Hold the rotary phone! I enjoyed this far more than expected, as this isn’t really my decade. Actually ran through most of this twice. Definitely fairly loaded with some hits and will revisit.
I’ll admit I held a grudge against these guys for a very petty reason. A girl I was dating (and actually became my wife) put Sowing the Seeds on a love making mix tape and made me absolutely despise these guys. But I’ve come around. Of course Shout is great and after hearing a breakdown of Everybody Wants to Rule the World (maybe by rick beato) I have a lot of respect for that song. Mothers Talk is annoying. Head over heels is obviously another good. Enough here to go 4.
Although I find most of the other tracks kinda meh, Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, and Head Over Heels are enough to elevate this album to "great" status. Cool hairdos, too. 4.25.5
Really enjoyed this…. And never made a connection in style between TFF and Arcade Fire till today… but there it is AF took wholesale inspiration from these guys.
Soundtrack to about every film in the 80s
This was great. Lots of hits and the ones I didn't know were good. No low points.
Good shit.
It's not the apex of the new wave era, but it's a key player and for that it has my admiration.
So many hits on this album considering it was the number one album in the US. Brings me back to the days of the breakfast club.
I knew quite a few of these songs, but I genuinely didn’t even know the name of this band! My mom must have listened to this album while I was growing up. As a result it’s quite nostalgic for me.
BANGER
Probably a top 20 shower singing album. On another, 2 of the best mullets in music history.
Tears 4 fears
Very solid
Soft 4. Familiarity outside of the hits is low but the sound is unique and interesting
I haven't listened to this in a really long time ... this was great!
Great album. You hear a lot of Depeche mode and even tool beginning here.
The sound definitely shines through the good part of the spectrum of eighties sound. Sounds great. Ambitious song crafting.
Excellent Album
Enjoyed it a lot - some great tunes and some lesser known gems too. Not an all timer but still great
"Shout" is a masterpiece. I love the instrumental part of the album, it's very well done. "The Working Hour" beginning – I'm levitating with the sax melodies. It's the best song out of the album for me. "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" and "Head Over Heels / Broken" is overplayed, sorry. "Listen" sounds like a lucid dream. Fairy vibes, some magical world.
Es esch vorallem shout and everyone wants to rule the world guet. Söscht esch es emmer no sehr okay aber ned revolutionär oder so.
I don't think it's quite a 5 as the second half is a lot weaker than the first, but it's still a damn good album.
It agonises me that I can't love this as much as I wish I could. EWTRTW is perfect, and the other songs are also very good. Just didn't connect with it as much as other stuff I've listened to.
An album of hits with some nice deeper cuts
Really great album. Has a unified sound while each song still feels unique, Everybody Want to Rule the World is an all-timer and Listen really stood out this time. I Believe is a dud that slows the album down however imo
“Dad, what did the 80’s sound like?” Here ya go. Listen to these 8 songs. It’s crazy to put out 8 songs and 4 of them are still be played and recognized 40 years later. I don’t think I would immediately think of Tears for Fears as an iconic band, yet they have lasted generations. That’s crazy to me. What a feat to put out an album where half of your songs have long term staying power
One hit wonder lowkey but it is a banger
great stuff
Nice ambient synths and a strong general mood through the album
This album definitely has some of the best hits Tears For Fears has to offer including Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, and Head Over Heels. All three of those songs I, of course, enjoyed. Outside of those three, I thought that the album was great. There were 1 or 2 that were perhaps a little bit lackluster, but for the most part it was consistent and an enjoyable listen.
Stellar, powerful, sensual. Yes.
Some absolute corkers here. A high 4.
Amazing. Feels like it really has a finger on the pulse of the time. Fun to hear a ton of these songs in context.
Some absolute bangers, 80's. Biggest song is crazy famous
Liked this better than I expected. The hits were good but surprisingly the rest of the album wasn’t bad either.
1. I love New Wave and 2. This album has some absolute classics in it, and even the ones I wasn't familiar with were quite good. I didn't know Broken or The Working Hour but they're very good. And also head over heels is (obviously) just the best.
Thought this was gonna be another album where I think “okay but not my genre.” The first 3 songs on this are insane. Loved it. If it was a bit longer with the same quality it would be 5
Some big singles on this which still sound great today (Shout, Head over Heels in particular). Album tracks are a bit hit and miss though. The reason I always thought of them as a singles band. Would give it 3.5 if i could.
Enjoyed the songs on here that I hadn't heard. Much more experimental than I was expecting, overall though the production and lyrical content was a treat. 7.7/10 Fav tracks: EWTRTW, Mothers Talk, Broken
3 bangers and a few boring songs, not too much dead weight, great 80s sound and a mellow voice. One whole star for Everybody Wants to Rule the World.
Tämä oli hyvä kokonaisuus. Hyviä ralleja, voisi kuunnella uudelleenkin.
This album is better than I remember. No bad songs and a handful of catchy hits.
80s pop but better. 4/5.
Pre-listen: I've already got one of these songs in my liked songs list. Solid Album! 4/5. It's got a few bangers, and unique singing voices.
Some phenomenal songs and some ok ones. Very 80s sounding. I feel like if I listened to this a lot it would grow on me.
Enjoyed, especially because I grew up listening to a lot of these songs. Fun vibes.
Some great singles, works well as a complete album too. Likely one I won't return to but it's a strong record
My ears say cheers to Tears For Fears
Solid songs and album
Mucho amor
Hui. Das isch tüüf i minere Teenagerziit gsi😂. Isch immerna nice zum Lose und soo typisch für dazumal.
shout isch soooooo en banger. d drums de synthibaaaaasss aaahh. geile scheeiss. richtig cheesy 80er. scho seeehr cheesy haha aber riiiese opener. the working hour eeeewigs intro pure cheesr aber suuuper irgendwie. findi etz chliiii viel. everybody wants to rule the world isch ein vode beste songs vode 80er. de groooove. d bridge goht sooo dumm. sie wirked wie es doofs achtzger duo aber sie hend gwüüsst. mothers talk hani seeeehr streng gfunde zum lose. i believe seeeehr seicht, super kreativi melodie und s sacophon isch nice und s klavier eig au. aber s schriiter mer chli z langsam voraa. head over heels isch sehr cute. ich glaub ich cha dem album nöd tüüfer als es vieri geh wege paar rieeese banger aber finds etz nöd so u glaublich geil. aha am schluss macht head over heels no gaaanz anderi sache. wow. cool. hö ihm isch live???? listen isch etz au nöd soooo geil sehr kreativ hübsch gmacht aber sehr seicht. trotzdem e vieri well wenns groovt gohts loooos.
Super god, masser af hit sange
Honestly a vibe, knew a couple songs already and had on one my like songs. Usually more into fake!80s than real!80s, but this is chill. Very listenable.
REJOICE shout- 6 the working hour- 6 everybody wants to rule the world- 9. white people dont make music like this anymore mothers talk- 6 i believe- 6 broken- 7 head over heels- 9 listen- 5
Love ❤️
It has the "x" factor, these are hits. 4.
I really dislike the synthetic sound of most 80s music, but a quality song is a quality song. Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5
Talented pop artists stuck in the 80s, but I can't hold that against them. Some big tunes, even the smaller ones seem to be crafted. Not much to say here because it's not like an arrow to my heart, but it's good.
Yeah 80s songs, I grew up in the 80s-90s, and discovered this musing a bit later, transports me to that age, a bit nostalgic. I will give a 4 even if is around a 3.7. But has several nice songs.
There’s a kind of spiritual wrestling happening beneath the polished surface of Songs from the Big Chair. It’s an album that holds both the ache and the beauty of being human—full of longing, anger, vulnerability, and a quiet search for wholeness. The big songs—Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Head Over Heels—are still stunning, decades later. Not just because of their hooks, but because of how honestly they tap into something deeper. Shout isn’t just a protest anthem; it’s a call to let go of the silence we’ve been taught to keep. Everybody Wants to Rule the World is both an observation and a confession. And Head Over Heels captures the kind of love that feels tender, unsure, and real. But it’s the album’s quieter moments—I Believe, The Working Hour, Listen—that open up the most. These are songs that ask more than they answer. There’s space in them. Room to breathe. Room to feel. You get the sense that Orzabal and Smith weren’t trying to explain life so much as sit honestly in the middle of it. That alone makes this album different. It doesn’t flinch. What keeps it from being a perfect record is maybe the very thing that makes it work. There’s a kind of distance, a tightness in the production, that can feel a little too carefully constructed. But maybe that’s part of the point too—how often do we try to control our chaos rather than risk letting it all spill out? Songs from the Big Chair isn’t about having answers. It’s about the tension between control and release, success and inner peace, the public voice and the private soul. And in that way, it still speaks—maybe even more clearly now than when it was first released.
Solid not something id own
Yeah, great album!
The 80s is so strong with this one in the best of ways.
This album is wonderful. Tear for fears has been very overlooked and so this is really good.