Reviews (page 7 of 16)
The highs are high (everybody wants to rule the world and head over heels) and then there is the classic, or at least it was in my mind in reality of the album version it is actually far too long which detracts from its greatness. But the rest is just middling at best and punctuating the album with the three better songs only serves to highlight what could’ve been.
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.
I really expected to like this more than I ended up liking it. But I'm not entirely sure why it didn't click with me. Everybody Wants To Rule The World is obviously great, as is Shout, though suffers from being too long. I think I will probably revisit this at some point, but for now it's a 3/5
A classic. 80s synthpop at its' best. Yes, some slower tracks, but the faster paced tracks make it worth it imo. 4 stars easy
If I could give a 3.5 I definitely would really good to listen to the album 😁
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 The music is undeniably 80s but somehow doesn't seem outdated?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.
Absolutely love “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” & “Head Over Heels” the rest of the album not so much.
I can tell this band worked really hard on this album…to hone in on all of the elements I dislike about 80s production and arranging and distill them into one album
Like the synth 80s sound. A few all time greats…one too many ballads for me.
Holy quintessential 80s batman. Talk about "best in show", how about "best of a decade" ?? I'm gonna add over half these songs to my driving playlist now and you can't stop me.
Great
THE ALBUM EVER!!! 10000/10
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.
Took me back to my teen years when I had this album on repeat. Amazed all the words came back to me. Great nostalgia trip!
Couldn't have told you they were Tears For Fears songs, but I knew quite a few. I enjoyed it and I think I'd be interested in a closer listen sometime.
Lite för 80-tal för mig. Everybody wants to rule the world är en banger så klart
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.
11/10 I did a talent show where I lip synced to Shout. I've loved this band since I was 7 years old. This is the first album I ever owned. No notes. Everyone wants to rule the world and head over heels are good enough to get this the 10 even without the personal connection
Ha. So much for my BS. Nah, can't fight it. I was way into Tears for Fears back in the day but as with most things, I kind of only occasionally would be "Oh, that is a really good song" and kinda sorta remember the band name. I am truly sorry for that because... Damn. honestly it was like a first time listen for me. I don't really know if they ever got the credit or ratings they deserved because like I said, I kinda veered off into a techno direction and not so often look back. I should look back more often! This is a REALLY good album and for whatever cheesy eighties looking cover it might be, do not be deceived into thinking this album, musically or lyrically is a joke.
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
I tried. Just not for me
Kannte "Shout", spannend was sonst noch so auf dem Album ist.
Based
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.
3 stars. Everybody wants to rule the world is so good that it carries it to 3.
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.
Obviously a classic album - quintessential 80's music. Time and a place for this stuff, but not really on my list of normal listening. I still appreciate it and will always keep it in the back pocket. Solid stuff.
I’ve already saved 2 songs from this album so that is a good sign! “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” is such a bop. Yup, she’s 5/5 stars. Gold certified.
Not particularly good. Drums are too dramatic, songs don't hold up.
Shawn Spencer knows what's up.
Everybody DOES want to rule the world!
Very cheesy 80s. Some good tunes though, but a lot of cheese.
hate to sound like an old ass gen Xer but they just don’t make music like this anymore man
2 - Pretty iconic 80s, but only like 1-2 songs
Even if Shout is a classical, it's not my musical preference. However I can see the appeal and why it is on the list. The sound is great.
Mothers Talk var ganske bra. Ellers er Shout og EWTRTW låter jeg har hørt tusen ganger før, som fortsatt fenger til en viss grad. Denne gjengen er så utrolig 80-talls.
Meh. IMO new wave is at its best in like a wedding dance party setting and there's not really anything on here that really goes.
Very ambient, good, but I prefer the tracks with more melody
Now this is a legendary band and a legendary album. It really deserved a spot on this list!
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.
I’ve written before that the 80s feels more dated and of a time than any other musical period and therefore feel old and over. Give it a miss
Le Jean Jean grunge des années 90 n'aurait pas compris le Jean Jean du futur qui aime Tears For Fears. Dans le style pop new wave ça fait dans l'excellence.
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.
po que isso eu nunca tinha parado pra pegar esse completinho MUITO bom pqp os cara fizeram mágica
PEDRADAÇA ABSURDA!!!! só fragava os três hits deles, mas o album se segura muito bem o tempo todo. lindíssimo e atmosférico, synthpop do BÃO! que surpresa boa pqp
I know their iconic song but it does have another two songs that are recognizable. A classic 80’s album.
Any album with "Shout", "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" and "Head Over Heels" on it is an automatic 5 stars from me. Besides those even the B-sides like "Mother Talk" and "I Believe" are bangers! Simply put, this is one of the greatest new wave albums of all time and one of the greatest of the 80s overall. Favorite track: Head Over Heels
pretty good!
Album has excellent production and some unique ideas, implementing atmosphere pretty well with other musical elements. The 80's pop sound isn't my thing and I do think some of these songs overstay their welcome, especially "Shout" and "Head Over Heels". A bit overrated, but still absolutely worth a listen.
Beautiful album, honestly a classic
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.
A classic pop album.
everybody wants to ruuule the woooorld
My favorite band growing up, and still a top favorite of mine today. These guys are excellent musicians, and both Roland and Curt's vocals are unique and add so much to their songs. Listening to Songs From the Big Chair after so many other recent albums, which I rated only a one or two stars , points out the stark contrast between Tears for Fears and these other bands. These guys are so polished and the studio album is just so tight. Songs flow extremely well from one track to the next. Starting off with the high energy, angsty "Shout" is an outstanding way to pull listeners right into the action on this album Things immediately seem to mellow out with "The Working Hour," but by the end of track two, there's ramped-up energy in that song as well. The album's, most famous song - in fact, probably the group's most famous song - is their third track, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" which still sounds fresh and modern 40 years later. Other notable tracks include "Head Over Heels" and "Mothers Talk," but honestly, I can't really find much to critique on this whole album. It's just so polished and the musicianship and instrumentals are head and shoulders above most of the drivel I've listened to within the last several weeks through this platform. Tears for Fears are touring again in 2025 and if you've never seen them live, they put on a hell of a show! High energy, their voices still sound pretty damn amazing all these years later and their music quality has improved, if anything. Highly recommend you check them out.
good new wave album
An essential 80’s pop album. The songwriting and production craft is top notch.
Somehow I had 3 back to back 80s bangers so far, including this album. Even outside of the usual discussion points like head over heels, everybody wants to rule the world, or shout, there is some fantastic stuff hiding around. Tracks like "The working hour", "Broken" and "Listen were certainly favorites of mine. All in all, it is one that was very much enjoyable.
Got the obvious bangers in here but I thought the other tracks were vibes too
It's always interesting to finally listen to the non-single tracks on an album that's mostly known for a couple of mega-hits. Or so I thought! "Shout", "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" and "Head Over Heels" were the big hits in the US but in the UK a literal majority of the tracks on this thing charted. Surprisingly, "Broken" is not one of those. Out of all the new-to-me tracks, this one seems like the one best suited for club play.
I knew a couple of the songs, I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked the entire album. 4.0
New wave with a bit of bite - at first Favourite songs: The Working Hour, Everybody Wants To Rule The World
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.
I’ve had a bit of a soft spot for some of their songs as a bit of a guilty pleasure. The album has peaks and troughs. The synths on some of the songs haven’t held up well, even when trying to eke out 80s nostalgia from them. Ballads and slower songs aren’t great. Suspect they are better as a singles band.
Listened in the truck via YouTube music. Great album with lots of long jams.
A couple of classics, but soft new wave is not for me.
One of the great pop/rock albums of the 80's A great set of singles of this LP and a hidden gem in The Working Hour which never gets as much airplay as the hits. Top stuff from this duo who are still going.
Tears for queers
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
Puh schwierig. Wichtiges Album aber so gar nicht meine Musik. Bin irgendwie gerade raus aus dem 80's Pop Game.
Very memorable 80s radio and soundtrack play.
Some bangers but some not so much 3
Beautiful, harmonic, vintage 80s. Tears for Fears are still viable as a band. Their lyrics transcend. "Songs From the Big Chair" is timeless.
Truly, this is one of my favorite bands and favorite albums. I wore out my tape back in the day. I think this whole album stands the test of time. It’s intelligent pop. Everybody Wants to Rule the World is a masterpiece - it’s a quintessential 80s song that still slaps today. Shout gets anyone moving. Mother’s talk has some funk to it. Head over heels is so fun to sing along to. It’s an album I love to listen to in its entirety. 10 out is 5 stars!
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.
Timeless songs.
Songs are too long
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.
3 good songs that take me down memory lane and the rest rather forgettable. - 3/5
Holiday club Friday night
An uneven pop experience - Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World) are wonders - the rest so so
A definite 80s vibe
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
Es hat ein paar richtig gute Songs aber dir restlichen entsprechen nicht meinen Geschmack.
Shout - 5/5 The Working Hour - 5/5 Everybody Wants to Rule the World - 5/5 Mothers Talk - 4/5 I Believe - 4/5 Broken - 4/5 Head Over Heels - 5/5 Listen - 5/5 Average score: 4.6/5 my nostalgia could be clouding my judgement, but damn does this album SLAP this is 80s pop at its finest. whether you were born in that decade or not, most of these tracks can have a way of making anyone reminisce the good times of the past i feel
80s tastic
As far as 80s pop goes, it's pretty decent. Definitely nostalgic. 3/5 #155
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.
Music that defined the 80s
lowkey ass (i usually wouldn’t listen to this type of music but maybe i need to give it another try)
Banger
This is one of my favorite albums of all time. I believe it is the pinnacle of that new wave sound. Every single song hits and is unskippable, from the popular singles to the instrumentals. My favorite song is "Head Over Heels", but I believe "Listen" is the most underrated song off the album. I don't know why it enthralls me so much, but I get lost in the melodies every time I listen to it and before I know it, it's over. Just such a great album.
Great album. Very '80s.
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.
Wonderful
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)
80s essential album, loved it all
Not really for me. Some solid high points - Shout is a hell of a song - but, yeah.
Shout and Everybody Wants To Rule The World are a masterpiece!
shout 🗣️ SHOUT 🗣️ LET IT ALL OUT 🗣️ THESE ARE THE THINGS I CAN DO WITHOUT 🗣️ 🎷 this is the WOOOORKING HOOOOUR 🕗 🎷 THERE'S A ROOM WHERE THE LIGHT WON'T FIND YOUUUU 💃 HOLDIN' HANDS WHILE THE WALLS COME TUMBLIN' DOWN 💃 WHEN THEY DO I'LL BE RIGHT BESIDE (BEHIND?) YOU 👥
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.
For as good as these songs are - and they are *very* good - I can’t quite get past the production. Big Chair is a fitting title, because the songs sound huge! Like it was recorded in an empty glass cathedral. The songs lack a bit of warmth, but it’s also candy on the ears. The singles are relentlessly catchy, and everything else in between is fairly consistent. A solid 3 for me. ✨
Je n’ai pas trop aimé l’instru et les voix un peu effacées dans le fond
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.
Great music and lyrics with - for me - surprising depth. I like the 80s sound with the societal criticism. Hereby added to my LP wishlist.
Some bangers on this one. Some of the tracks could probably be shortened from 6 min to 4 min and be better for it, but they are still good Standouts Shout Everybody Wants To Rule The World Head Over Heels / Broken 4/5
True 80's goodness!
This album has been a favorite for a long time. Some real bangers meant to listened to loudly!
I danced a lot to some of the songs in my youth. So yes, I like this album.
I hated this when it came out and I still hate it. Fuck these guys.
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.
A mix of, well, Everybody Wants to Rule the World and a handful of other songs that aren’t that one. As a whole, the album’s fine but not memorable for me.
There were some interesting moments, but nothing too special. Good for background while coding
Everybody wants to rule the world is the one where the straight cooked, but When the wind blows is a great mention. A bunch of beautiful songs about revolution.
Some moments stick with you. I was heading up to from the metro NYC area to Western NY to visit my then fiancée, driving across the Throggs Neck Bridge. I popped a cassette of this album into my tape player and Boom! Instant wow. The music from Song from the Big Chair had just started playing in the clubs but I hadn't yet listened to them. For the next 45 minutes, I drove the worst part of driving to Upstate NY (Cross Bronx Expressway anyone?) and kept my sanity listening to this fantastic album. The breakout album for Tears for Fears, Songs from the Big Chair took them away from the mope rock of The Hurting (which was still awesome) and towards the Beatlesque pop of their subsequent albums. It also made the MTV stars. Top 40 hits include Everybody Wants to Rule the World and Shout, both now fixtures of classic alt rock. Head Over Heels was also popular on New Music radio and College radio at the time and is my personal favorite song on the album. Songs from the Big Chair was an inflection point between the new wave and disco influenced music of the early 80s and the brit pop of the latter 80s and 90s. Listen for the history but especially for the songs.
Two iconic songs do not a great album make.
I started listening
I only knew "Shout" and "Everybody wants..." from back in the days, when it was on every radio station. I wasn’t interested then so I never cared about the rest of the album. It was probably a wise decision, because I would have hated it with a passion. I’m a bit more indulgent now... I’ll admit the two main hits aged surprisingly well, something that cannot often be said of 80s pop. As for the rest... it’s still not my kind of music. I don’t hate it... but as often with 80s slow pop, it mostly leaves me utterly bored. I’d rate it a 1,5* for the two main hits, but that’s about it. I'll admit it's completely personal though, I don't really have anything bad to say about the band.
This isn't really my type of music but I was into it for the historical aspect. Not knowing much about the musical history of this genre I am kind of bewildered about how emerged out of the 70's, it sounds entirely different than whatever came before. Just a really hard and distinctive style of the 80's. So that much is pretty cool. "Everybody Want to Rule the World" was a good song and I'm not sure if I'd ever listened to it all the way through before. The rest of the album was decent background music - I was kind of offput when it was over, deep in focus lol - but probably nothing I'd return to.
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)
Une de mes chansons prefs dans l'album A part ça j'aime pas trop 3/5
Fine. Really strong opener but no other standouts
This might be the best pop-album that I've ever heard and it contains maybe the best popsong of the eighties: 'Shout'. What an incredible song that is. I'm always complaining that there's not much happening in popmusic, but on this album that's far from reality. The compositions are very strong, the build-up in the songs - listen to the intro of 'The working hour' and neglect the sound - and the arrangements with.a very clever mix of (sometimes ugly) electronics and real instruments - it's alle great. There are five very strong songs on this album. The three hitsingles in order of quality 'Shout' Head over heels' and 'Everybody wants to rule the world', whereas the almost proggy 'The working hour' and the rather sharp 'Broken' - that's fantastically intertwined with 'Head over heels' are very strong. An album containing these songs would deserve a 10/10. But unfortunately the remaining three songs are much much weaker. 'Mothers talk' is ugly eighties music, ' I believe' is a misplaced George Michael ballad and closer 'Listen' is too long. Nevertheless, it's still a solid five star. I might buy this one.
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,
The hits are hits for a reason but the other songs don’t really hold their own weight.
Awesome album from the 80's. I didn't appreciate it at the time - but I do now!
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?
This one is another of my all-time favorites so definitely biased and nostalgia-goggles fully on. It was the soundtrack to one of the best summers of my life when I was 17. They were the first concert I went to. So, yeah, this one is a biggie. Listening now, more objectively (?), its a fine example of 80's "big sound" production and though there are big hooks with "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," Head Over Heels," and one of my favorite songs ever, "Shout," the quieter, sonic textures of "I Believe" and "Listen" struck me more now. I love this album in all its big-shouldered, big 80's glory
Hell yeah. Production on this entire thing is just insane, can't believe it's 40 years old with the quality of the sound, even if its the 80s at its campiest at times. Would probably give 4.5 if it was an option, but screw it, five stars for Everybody Wants To Rule the World and Head over Heels/Broken
Úlllltima semana de julio, gente. Vamos hoy con una banda que sólo ubico por dos de sus canciones-emblema que están en éste disco ("Shout" y "Everybody Wants to Rule the World"). ¿Qué tienen los 80 de magnético? ¿Es algo que sólo me pasa a mí o a los de mi generación? Me gustaría investigar sobre ello alguna vez. Resumen: ideal para amenizar cualquier reunión. Hasta mañana
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
I have heard a number of these songs before. I may not have been entirely sure they were Tears for Fears songs. Let's Go. Track 1 is classic 80s. Lots of synth and electronic noises throughout. I always find 80s songs to be somewhat bloated, this song didn't need to be 6 minutes long. It got repetitive. Track 2 was meh. I have a feeling this album is going to be carried by the two big songs. Track 3 is the all-timer of course. As it should be. It has everything, good tempo, great lyrics decent "riff". And a tight 4:11 of runtime. Track 4 was unique, it had lots going on. Very fun! Track 5 slows things down. This is generally a bummer for me as most bands are better when they keep things moving. This was no exception. The rest of the album was meh as well. I feel like the two heavyweight tracks could have been featured in a "1000 Songs to hear..." but the album as a whole is just okay. An interesting question might be how many great songs does an album need to have to be considered great. Maybe it is just two. 2.9/5
Classic rock for the 80s. Got two known songs.
🤏🏻❤️
I had no idea shout was by tears for fears. I guess this album deserves credit for such a hit, but what an obnoxious song. The Working hour had a beautiful introduction and a pretty silly set of messaging when set to the second British Invasion sound. I guess it is par for the course. Everybody wants to rule the world is a certified banger, unfortunately. I believe was a truly painful four minutes. Just ugly songwriting, even with beautiful wind. Fun transition into broken though. Head over heels is just a brain dead chorus. The redeeming aspect of the song is the chord progression change for the bridge. Listen is an interesting track. I appreciate the formal deviation here. I think it is the best track after Everybody Wants to Rule the World. Overall, this album is uneven. Far from a five star album with confidently cliche artistic choices, and a lot of insubstantial drama. But, when you have eight tracks, and a few remain as cultural touchpoints and one is a truly excellent song, it deserves a middling rating.
💯
Ok, this is going to be a long one. As someone born after this album, their huge hits were more of the background sounds buried into my recesses of my brain as a child. That is, until I was about I was 13/14 years old and as a kid typically does while staying up late, came across the infomercials for music compilations, and in this case, 80's hits. The thing is, these infomercials included music video clips, and when I saw 1985 Roland Orzabal with his single earring and mullet sing "Shout" into the English coast with an angsty expression, I became OBSESSED. I was that weird girl who became a rabid STAN for TFF (this rabidness resurged for Kpop in much later years) that I followed message boards, watched all their live recordings online, and even subjected my classmates to the ~7 minutes of "Shout" during open music exercise time in PE. Roland and Curt were really troubled kids who experienced childhood abuse. Music, along with Janov psychology, was a type of therapy for them, and though there is the poppy synth-heavy 80s sheen in their music, there's the underlying layer of darkness and sadness. Their debut album, The Hurting, does this so well, especially for their trippy song "Mad World" (1983 Roland is so hot in that MV btw). The Hurting set up TFF as cryboys where a lot of the focus was their own trauma, but Songs from the Big Chair set them up as 80s pop idols - they took these ideas along with bigger ideas - nature of the human condition, the root sin of the Cold War, etc. Along with some great synth beats, guitar riffs, and drum kicks, they gave us some of the best pop songs of the 80s, song we could relate to. Sure, "Shout", "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," and the perfect pop song, "Head Over Heels" are the heavy hitters, but there are no fillers here. I like how "Broken" seamlessly moves onto "Heads Over Heels", and all the tracks are connected - whether they are lound proclamations, or more quiet, subdued reflections. All of this to say that I am definitely still head over heels for TFF.
Some of these songs are fun, but no decade could make music as boring as the 80s
Listening Notes: -Shout: oh so I know two songs by these guys. The sound feels very depeche mode, but less spooky. I think I can get behind that. -Everybody wants to rule the world is a fine pop tune, but I don't really feel like it gets me anywhere -Really fully-fleshed out use of synths and other stuff here. -Mothers Talk really doesn't do much for me. and its also about 2 minutes too long. -Now we try to slow it down for I Believe, and I really just don't think this vocal styling works. It feels mopey rather than reflective. -Head over Heels is pretty good, but doesn't go anywhere they haven't already been. -Listen feels like an ambient track to chill and study to, which I guess is fine. Review: It seems like this album has very limited thematic range, and beyond its big hits (which are famous and catchy, but ultimately don't feel terribly substantial), I don't think it has that much to say. Really cool synth stuff here though. We'll say 3.5 rounding down.
Every time I listen to an album from the 80s that is quintessentially 80s, like this one, I am surprised that music's circling back for inspiration never seems to come back for this. Maybe it's just too of-the-moment for pop to try to repurpose for today, but I think society would benefit from some influence from this near perfect album. Even the songs that weren't hits were great (with the exception perhaps of "I Believe"). But still, I genuinely enjoyed this and would give it 4.5 stars if that were an option. But it isn't, so I'm going to round up.
1985. Other than the obvious hits, I'd not heard this before. It's actually quite a good listen, if a bit of commercially over-produced, but such is it's appeal from a time that big power-pop songs were ubiquitous in our every day lives. I'm unlike to go back to this, but it was a enjoyable 40 minute, 80s throwback. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ Retro 80s ★★★☆☆(6/10)
The hits are great but the rest just average. 3 stars or C+.
Not my go to genre, but absolutely solid album with a little bit of a lul after the midpoint, however a good number of solid singles which elevate the album a bit more. The band is also a bit "cool uncool cool" which I like.
Schönes Saxofon bei "the working hour"
Неплохой альбом по преимуществу спокойной музыки. 6,5 из 10.
Cool
excellent album! so many great hits and the unknowns are solid
This was a pretty fun album to listen to. I’ve always been a fan of Tears for Fears, but I’ve never listened to any of their albums straight through. Instead, I always played the greatest hits or something similar. Now I feel like I was missing out this entire time. I’ll definitely be listening to this one again in the future.
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.
Everybody wants to rule the world is one of the greatest pop songs of the 80s. Shout is nostalgic. Head over heels/broken is the sleeper song. Lyrics mention ‘change in weather’ often 3/5
KUUROKIN kuulee vuosikymmenen.. heh
Did nothing for me. Not sure what else to say.
A few good ones
Maybe my favourite album of the 80s
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.
3.5
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.
This album has some hits, but I really didn’t like the song it ended on, Listen. It took me out of the vibe of the album.
I was hoping to like this, but outside of the couple of hits. It's awful
Awesome oldies bangers
Quick aside: people who claim an album sounds "too 80s" to the albums detriment are fools. Who do you think defined the 80s? These are the definitive albums and you get that! Show some respect. Anyways this is great. I knew a lot of the songs before and expected a solid 4/5 but the song transitions really bump this bad boy up
It’s alright
I’ve never been a fan of Tears for Fears although I do like Head Over Heels. I think Everybody Wants to Rule the World is one of the most overplayed 80’s songs. This album was very 80’s. I also knew the song Shout.
4.2
I was familiar with the singles, but had never listened to the full album. Pretty great vibe throughout. Excellent 80s synth pop.
Definisjonen av 80-tallet.
Pop, Rock, 1985 -> 3
Poppier, less edgy Depeche.
At the time a very popular album with two classics with extremely beautiful intros
Tears For Fears, c'est peut-être encore plus over the top que toutes les années 80 réunies. Plusieurs moments forts. De la grosse pop avec des pointes de prog qui surgissent par bouts. 3.49 étoiles.
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
This is the 167th album I’m rating. I feel like this is going to be shit based off of the album cover. Probably another shitty British album. Adding to my Playlist - Nothing. Not Adding to my Playlist - Shout, The Working Hour, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Mothers Talk, I Believe, Broken, Head Over Heels, and Listen. Shout - This album topped the Billboard charts? Fiona Apple never did that and frankly her worst song is much better than this. The Working Hour - Damn I didn't know there was a saxophone. Not that good but still. Some great sax. Everybody Wants to Rule the Word - I didn't know this was by Tears for Fears. This song is so shit. I wish they never made it. All in all I liked 0/8 songs. Yeah this is pretty shit.
Good mix of depressing pop songs and ballads
Good variation
Classic 80s
Kinda disappointing. I like him better in psych
tears for fears is the greatest 80s band. ever. this album helped solidify their space in the pop space in the mid 1980s. spacious, immersive and existential, this entire album demonstrates the sheer power these two have in terms of music. between the many... not even new wave bands, just bands in the 80s who used and abused synthesizers, other artists create cliché corny and tinny soundscapes, these guys create a gargantuan, regal castle of sound. the album symbolizes bursting from your shell, reflection on trauma and soaring across the world, even if you're not sure how your story ends. an essential album, for sure.
Muy buen album, conocia alguna pero realmente me ha gustado mucho
Classiques qu'on découvre alors qu'on les a déjà écoutés sans le savoir
Tienen clásicos conocidos como "Shout" y "Everybody Wants to Rule The World" muy buenos. Aparte de estas dos, me ha gustado "Head Over Heels". El pop de los 80 no entra dentro de mis gustos musicales por lo que aparte de estos tres temas, no me ha despertado mucho interés. 6/10.
Never let anyone tell you this generator isn’t educational - I thought I Believe sounded a bit like Robert Wyatt and then discovered Tears for Fears actually dedicated the song to him. Not sure I would have made that connection 180 albums ago. But despite I Believe giving me a chance to feel a bit smug, I have to say I preferred the poppier tracks, so I’m still a basic bitch at heart.
Classic album. Listened to this one vinyl from my mums collection as a kid.
4.5, rounded up
Love it
Very good! Loved shout. Everyone wants to rule the world is very nice too. Classic. His vocal is not my favourite, I hear a lot of low larynx. But it fits the music so well. The attitude the energy is a perfect match. I really like shout. It’s popular it’s artistic it’s so tasteful. Some albums have one or two strong tracks as well but I’d still doubt if one or two tracks make an album 5. Like Franz Ferdinand’s take me out is undoubtedly a masterpiece but would it make the entire album a five? Shout is slightly different. It serves as the foundation of the album, it stands out itself, but also helps me appreciate the album as a whole. It’s the motive of the album, it’s the highlight and it is the great blueprint of the album.
Another quintessential 80’s synth pop sound. 2 pretty big songs on an 8 track album is solid. Idk what else to say. It’s good but 2 songs is also plenty to kind of get it. Feels like someone should be strutting through a carpeted mall with a windbreaker.
as far as synth pop goes... this wasn't terrible. i generally shy away from a sound like this, but not sure if i went in with more of an open mind or what... but i was jamming to this album. not necessarily going to make it into full music rotation... but overall it was a good experience
Pretty boring. The songs were too long, with too much time for uninteresting instrumentals. Even the two famous songs from the album (Shout and Everybody wants to Rule the World) don’t have quite enough spice for me.
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.
Had to stop and rate this. 2 all time songs, good other tracks, and not drawn out. 5 stars.
The first time I remember actively listening to Tears For Fears was on a cross-country road trip to Wyoming in a 15 passenger church van. Somewhere in the Midwest I was sharing headphones with my friend while we watched Donnie Darko on his video iPod. Eventually, Head Over Heels begins playing and I’m mesmerized. I ask Aaron who the band is for a mental note on what to find on Limewire to add to my iTunes after we got home a week later. He quickly realized that I also hadn’t heard Everybody Wants to Rule the World or Shout, so from there my mind was blown and I was swapping iPods with him every chance I got the rest of the trip to listen to this album and any other new-to-me albums he recommended. That road trip was truly a canon event for me, seeing parts of America that weren’t the Southeast and all the different music I discovered while spending 48 hours in a van with my friends was a huge part of that, and would go on to shape my taste in music, so I was very happy to return to this album in particular seventeen summers later (I feel so old typing this and have also realized that iPod screen was smaller than the area my keyboard takes up on my phone now, what a terrible way to watch that movie for the first time). As far as the album itself goes, there are three massive hits that I never get tired of listening to and the rest of the album always holds my attention with the atmospheric and poppy sounds that somehow make me nostalgic for a time I wasn’t even alive for. Also I couldn’t tell you why, but I think Songs From The Big Chair is an incredible album title. My bias might be getting the better of me here, but I’m going with five stars.
"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".
Not my usual cup of tea, but loving this album! Very iconic, peak 80s
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
Elsker tears for fears!! Yay. Nogle sange er lidt mærkelige. “Shout” er ikke lige mig fx. Men obvs elsker jeg EWTRTW Sangene på det her album er godt nok lange. Sange jeg kendte i forvejen: Shout, broken, og ewtrtw
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.
I got to feel like the star of my very own bad 80s movie! Most of this was quite enjoyable, but I found the couple slow songs to be borderline unlistenable.
This is on a very short list for my favorite album of the 80s. There are times listening to this album that are spiritual experiences. Perfect example of a project being infinitely more than the sum of its very very 80s parts.
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 was a pleasant listen. I could imaging bopping around to this in a perm in the 80s, were I born a couple of decades earlier. I thought it started strong then got a bit lost, “I Believe” was a bit dull. Actually enjoyed this a bit more than the Television album but not quite enough for a 4.
I think its fair to say this album hasnt entirely aged well albiet there is some familiar songs that I still highly enjoy. I think my main complaint here aside from how its aged is some songs are not as strong so not entirely winning on that front. I found Broken / Head Over Heals (2 songs on Album) was quite cinematic. Very sci-fi theme at times and swear I recognise from somewhere (Masters of the universe maybe). I enjoyed that side of them. Ultimately a good band that I enjoy listening to every song. Lots of little jingles amongst the songs that I found oddly familiar. Maybe we need the plagiarism investigators on this one!
A pretty classic 80's pop sound from a classic 80's band. I can't quite work out what makes this a cool sound. Some bold rhythms (although sometimes a bit robotic in nature, presumably due to using drum machines), synths that now simultaneously sound nostalgic and futuristic, and why is saxophone so neglected in pop music nowadays? I didn't exist in the 80's so there is an added historical interest for a decade I've only seen through old photo albums and documentaries (the soundtracks to which are probably where I've heard the singles from this album). This isn't something I'd listen to out of choice but it was a fun listen and definitely feels like a big and relevant album.
Great Album. Enjoyed the Sax playing, plus what’s not to like about Tears for Fears.
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.
Fuck yes! This is such a classic album from a classic band! I saw them a couple of years ago and they were fantastic! Also Everybody Wants to Rule The World is probably one of my favorite songs of all time!
Their sound is excellent when it hits but feels off when it doesn't. Still a decent listen
SHOUT LET IT ALL OUT THESE ARE THE THINGS
😏
Didn't think I'd enjoy this as much as I expected to
pica, tem varias relikias 🙅♀️ ixquece mas eh gostoso de escutar
Everybody wants to rule the world är en fantastisk hit. Resten av plattan har kvaliteter som gör dem till mer än ett onehitwonder, men faktiskt inte mycket mer... Trea
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.
Great 80's sound!
Great album back then, great album today.
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.
Still rules the world
I'm telling you, through this list, I'm discovering how little I like the New Wave movement from the 80's. And I don't want to sound as I'm saying that this particular genre is bad, because there's undoubtedly talent in some of the groups, and Tears for Fears is a great example, as there is a lot of work put on the way they sing, play and production. Is just that, for me, this style and genre are so uninteresting, specially the ballads from this time. They sound so over-dramatic for me. I do also dislike a lot the sound of synths and over-produced drums from this period, and this album does also suffer a bit from these traits, even though everything else sounds very good. I can't say I enjoyed this, but at least I can say that I don't hate it.
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.
The good is great. The other is just meh
This one epitomizes that signature 80s sound, which is a testament to its quality. This is synth sound done right, with plenty of real instruments and real musicianship driving it along. Not every track is a banger, but the ones that land are amongst the all timers of the genre.
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
YESSSSS
“Everybody wants to rule the world with Tears For Fears” declares MF Doom on his song Rap Snitch Knishes. A rap sampler, this album is joyous from start to finish.
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.
This album has such an atmospheric/ethereal sound while still being fairly firmly pop. It could honestly come out today and still receive overwhelmingly positive reviews and fit in with current music. I have listened to this album many times and come back to it every now and then because it's so easy to enjoy. Also, the Broken -> Head Over Heels transition is one of the best in all of pop music. It has their biggest songs, too, which adds to the overall quality and appeal.
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...
Not a huge fan of this beyond the two songs I know
8/10
A while ago we reviewed The The’s messy album Infected, released a year after this album. It’s like The The guy swallowed this Tears for Fears album and its ilk and spit out a diseased version of the new wave mainstream. This Tears for Fears record must have been everywhere at the time. Actually, it’s still everywhere. I can’t go to Shoppers Drug Mart without hearing one of their songs. I wonder if I would have hated them at the time. Were they the Imagine Dragons of their time? There are some huge hits on this album. It’s certainly the sound of the 80s. But aside from a few highlights, this just isn’t it for me. They are very earnest and really reach for the rafters. It’s a lot. There are better new wave and synth pop bands. As it is, I can appreciate them for the 80s camp factor. Of note: Shout - I can, ahem, do without it. The Working Hour - It wasn’t a single, but this pops up on Lauren Laverne’s playlist from time to time. They were not shy with the sax on this one. The cheese is strong but I kind of love this moody, cinematic song. Everybody Wants to Rule the World - 80s in widescreen. I always feel like I’m in a movie when this comes on. A classic. I just watched the music video. The singer has a criminal rat tail/ponytail hybrid situation. Can’t unsee. They really were a dorky looking band. Mothers Talk - what even is this? A lot of clatter, it’s not catchy, it’s just corny and weird. Ok, I just read on Wikipedia this was their failed attempt at a Talking Heads song. That’s pretty funny and maybe explains it. Head Over Heels - YouTube Shorts keeps pushing this song on me, and I have to admit they got me. I didn’t even know this was by them until recently. It’s not as good as Everybody Wants to Rule the World, but I like it.
This was more interesting than I was expecting? I was expecting something more conventional from one of the biggest pop records of the 80s. But it's big and strange and ambitious. It's so 80s but not in a cheesy way. It's very well produced and the sounds are very of that time, but it ages weirdly well. It's more stark, moody and haunting 80s vs a shimmery fake optimistic 80s. I only had time for 1 listen, but I'll definitely check it out again. Weirdly I think i have a copy of this on vinyl from my parents who gave me their sparse collection. General thoughts... The three hits are great (shout, everybody wants to rule the world and head over heals). No complaints. I know head over heals from Donnie Darko, might be my favourite of the 3. So good. Also these songs are weirdly long for 80s pop hits, but it works. They don't feel long. The deep cuts didn't grab me on first listen, except for Broken. I dig that instrumental and how it teases Head over heels. The other 4 are a bit all over the place. Not bad. Not boring. Interesting even. I need to give them more time. The ending did stick out to me... very ambitious. Not what i was expecting from a pop record. Is this new wave? I dunno. I respect the restraint on the track list. 8 tracks is bold, and one of them's basically an instrumental interlude. And yet 3 of the 8 are huge hit songs. I originally clicked on the big anniversary version of the album and holy shit they cut a bunch of a material. They even cut the song called The Big Chair. They were really ruthless in cutting this album down to the core tracks. I wonder if that was driven by the 2 of them or by the record label? Who knows. I like that approach though to an album. Even if you get it wrong and cut something good, you can release it as a b-side... The Smiths approach. It's better to have an album that leaves people wanting more than one that has the audience wondering when it's finally gonna end. Wow... this thing sounds expensive as hell. Like a film score to every sad 80s teen movie combined.
I liked it. I'm familiar with the hits, and the rest of it keeps that same feel. I wasn't blown away, but I had a good time.
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
Solid 3.5 stars, just doesn't have much depth. - Now THIS is the 80s! - Two songs in, this is quality and I'm enjoying it
An 80s classic! Head Over Heels, Shout, and of course Everybody Wants To Rule The World ❤️
Det er sådan noget synthpop, rock new wave agtigt som blev meget rost for sin rigtig god produktion, mixing osv. Det lyder jo også ubenægtetligt godt og der er massere af gode tracks, men 80'er lyden fanger mig ikke helt. Hvis jeg skulle give det et relisten en dag, så ville det nok være for at lytte til mellemnumrene af de store hits da jeg faktisk synes de var meget fede.
Amazing, artistic, quintessential80’s album 9/10
i dont have a boner for the 80s like everyone else seems to have so idk im not very interested on track 4 it feels like its been 40 minutes because every song is fucking 7 minutes
Some interesting songs but won't be listening to this one again
Capable musicians but I could not stand this.
They are a funny old mix The big ones are great love em being part of my teens I can’t really judge them. Everybody wants to rule is favourite. The slow experimental stuff starts off kind of interesting then not sure where they going But I like them there wholesome. I’ll go with a 2/ 2.5
enjoyed this more than I thought I would but the whole album doesn’t really hold together enough. The experimental stuff veers into 80s low budget PI/ cop show TV series in downtown LA … was a bit boring. SHOUT is a stone-cold gold-plated banger. It’s protest through synths and pure vocal force. Rule The World - excellent Head over Heels - pure 80s classic Listen - I bit tokenistic ‘world music peace love we’re so kewl’ … kind of thing head teacher at my primary school would play at assembly to be ‘right on’… like Enya or Jean-Michel Jarre 😂
IN MY MIIIIIIIIIND'S EYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
When this was new, I thought I was too cool for it. But I absolutely was not.
5 Very cool synth and sax combination. I finally get our trivia team reference, and they are worth the reference indeed
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!
Overall: 9/10 Honestly I've listened to this a million times and was prepared to give it an 8/10 but man.....this thing slaps. It's just an excellent synth pop album that manages to be dancy and commercial while still featuring some almost ambient sounds in the mix. I wish the entire 80's pop scene sounded like this album. Fav Song: Head Over Heels Least Fav Song: Broken
EWTRTW is absolutely top tier, Shout Shout and Head over Heels are great, and the rest is just meh. Mixed bag here for only 8 songs
Not the best front-to-back experience ever but crazy highlights. Didn’t think Tears for Fears had a song like Listen in their bag tbh fair play
Really great stuff! Very impressed because I didn't realize just how atmospheric their music is. Loved nearly every song on this album.
I have never enjoyed this 80s sound at all.
Not what i expected, OK.
I love this. So many jams. I want to hear what they’ll do without the Blue Man Group as a backing band, though.
So quintessentially 80's in all the best ways. Outside the obvious big hits, I forgot how good of an album this is.
7/10
Motivasio a tope
Probably a 3.5 for me, fun album and some hits throughout
Yeah why not
bored
classic