Reviews (page 9 of 14)
Sultry saxophone sounds to sadden the soul.
4/5. A disco-fied, dark and moody pop album. A lot of it rolls together, besides the main hit from the album, but it still does slap. I love the atmosphere and it is a great background to have. Like, if the bee gees existed in the shadow realm haha
I really enjoyed this record. It's evident how much this record and the tears for fears sound has influenced so many of today's artists. Really well done record that could be released today and still sound relevant to the music of today.
Great album, but a little tired after all the years.
3.5/5
All of the aspects of that commercial 80's sound that I have expressed my distaste for are present in this album. And yet, I enjoy this more than probably any other album from that time period I have heard so far. Because it utilizes those things in a tasteful way that even I am able to appreciate. From the big explosive and booming drums, to most songs being led by synths and keyboards, to the melodic guitar sound, it checks all the boxes. The most impressive aspect of this album is really the arrangement. The way these songs are put together, with layer after layer of sounds that all work in unison, feels orchestral in a way. On every song, they hit the listener with these massive walls of sound, but they did a fantastic job at keeping each instrument discernible, and everything comes through really well. Also, even for today, this album is pretty well produced and mixed. I'm sure this would sound good on just about any form of headphones or speaker. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" and "Head Over Heels" are easily some of the best hits from the 80's era. The guitar on the former, and the latter's chorus are insanely catchy. I didn't know if Tears For Fears had any albums before this, or how many they had after this. And I think a lot of people probably don't either. Because they hit it so on the mark for their sophomore album, they could have never released any more music and their legacy would have held up just as strongly.
Amazing production sound. Torn between 4 and 5.
Man the 80s sounded huge
A powerhouse of power pop! I was eager to dive into the rest of this album, having only heard a handful of tracks off it. I like to pretend the massive hit doesn't actually exist when rating a record like this. So here are some disconnected thoughts as I listen in real time! Shout is an incredibly strong opener. What a hook. The Working Hour may be a bit dated (looking at you roaring sax intro), but nevertheless a pretty solid track. I could see this in a Michael Mann movie...maybe it was? I didn't realize EWTRTW had over a billion plays on Spotify. I guess people like this band or something. Mothers Talk is slightly forgettable, but has another really strong chorus. I believe I Believe is a pretty skippable entry, but if you like ballads, stick around. I also like the way it transitions into Broken, a weird, reminiscent psychedelic track that hints at the beautiful melody to come in the next track. Would Head Over Heels be the same song it is for me without having seen Donnie Darko at 14 years old? I'd like to think so. This is easily the best song on the record, and might have my vote for best pop song of the 80s. Listen is a perfectly acceptable closer, albeit a bit long. The wave of synths blending together with minimal vocals offers a nostalgic feeling that's almost bittersweet.
This record is 1985 as fuck and no doubt belongs on a short list of albums that perfectly captured the zeitgeist of the year in which they were released.
You know, I really didn't expect to like this but damn if it didn't get me moving. Is it something I'm going to go back to? Nah. But it's a solid vibe and, for what it is, it's well executed and fun. Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of pretentious nonsense here. But it's not enough to detract too much from the overall experience.
Not as good as the first one but still…
Only ever heard the big hits from this record before, but the whole record is really nice. Favourite tracks: The Working Hours, Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Listen.
Tears for fears- I dig it, really well done. Everyone Wants to Rule the World is a 10/10 song. Head over heels is great too. Some of the songs are a bit long- listen 4
Thought besides the hits it wouldn't stand out but it does, some very good songs and more interesting arrangements than expected.
I love Tears for Fears. This album is great.
Pop music that stands the test of time, along with some decent album tracks.
Not mine, but it was good!
First half of the album is pretty much perfect, but it does fall off a bit on side B. Still a great album.
4.5 stars. Great album. Some of the best of what 80's new wave/pop rock has to offer. Generally good melodies, catchy yet sophisiticated without being over-wrought. Standouts are "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", "Broken", and "Shout".
"Shout," "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," and "Head over Heels" are all quintessential '80s songs that I thoroughly enjoy. The rest of the album wasn't as good, but rounding up from 3.5.
Definitely a breakthrough album. I remember songs from this album being everywhere. Was nice to revisit this classic.
Only song I knew was "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" but the rest of the album was just as good. None of these songs were a miss. "I Believe" really changes up the mood halfway through the album.
Perfect specimen of 80s pop. Some really good songs.
"Songs from the Big Chair" is the second album by English pop duo Tears for Fears. New wave, pop rock, progressive pop and synth-pop. OK, plus they add elements from a number of other styles on this album. The album title was derived from the 1976 film "Sybil" where Sybil had multiple personality disorder and only felt safe in the big chair. Tears for Fears used this as analogy to being targets of the British press. Also, important is the thematic thread of primal therapy which pervades throughout this album and to some extent in every song. The band wanted a more outgoing album from their more introverted debut "The Hurting." Tears for Fears is Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith who play just about everything. It received generally positive reviews and commercially #1 in the US and #2 in the UK. The anthem "Shout" opens things. I remember hearing this first on a weekly Chicago WXRT which would feature new music from the UK. I knew this would be a huge hit once released in the US. Shaking bells and percussion. A synth flute. There's a Middle Eastern-sounding melody underlying at one point. Wow, a guitar solo. A song about protest and can be applied to primal therapy obviously as well. The classic synth melody highlights "Everybody Wants to Rule the World." An electronic drum beat. The human desire for control and power. That melody is still played all over the place today. "Mother's Talk" was actually the first single released. It starts with an African rhythm and then goes kind of techno. Roland does not like this song since they were purposely trying to sound like the Talking Heads. I don't know, I kind of liked it and the intent. There's a few jazzy pop songs on this album and one of those is "I Believe." Piano, horns. More along the primal therapy theme. A piano starts the dreamy "Head over Heels." Guitar, drums and a swooning chorus. I always liked this song and it might be my favorite on the album. This has very high-end production and sound. The producer was Chris Hughes. There's a lot going on (various noises) in each song. The word meticulous comes to mind. Yeah, it's pop but I heard elements of jazz, Middle Eastern music, African music, ambient, industrial and even prog rock. It's a very good album and one worth going back for.
I liked this album. There are definitely many pop culture references to many of the songs that I picked up just now. I enjoyed the heavy synth sound .
This really takes me back! I love how in touch with their feelings they are. Some really great songs that still hold up.
I wasn't really a huge Tears For Fears fan back when this came out, but I really quite enjoyed it now - it has aged quite well. Best track; Head Over Heels.
very nice sound they have going on. there's a fair amount of great stuff on this album, about half great (some timeless classics) and half alright.
Another album where I’m familiar with some songs but not the whole. Those songs work really well in the context of the album. Some pretty good Guitar solos for a “Synth Band”
just solid 80s pop music.
Album 133 of 1001 Tears For Fears - Head Over Heels Rating : 4/ 5 Favorite Track : Everybody Wants to Rule the World Good album. It is an 80s pop album with several hits included. Nice listen. Was only familiar with the big songs. The rest of the album did not disappoint. Not the first genre I'd reach for, but a fine representation of the time.
I am really sick of this genre and the seeming compulsion of our List Author to include every single album of this era. HOWEVER Tears for Fears rules and this album rules and I was very much in the pocket for it yesterday.
I went into this album expecting to not like it and to my surprise it was actually pretty good. This album takes a darker approach to New Wave and I like that. The tones used were much more tasteful than the usual new wave standard and the lyrics and vocals convey emotion and vulnerability. Favorite track: The Working hour Least Favorite: Listen
Absolute classic 80s
The two slower ballads on here are kind of forgettable, but the rest of the songs are great. I love Mothers Talk and Broken, neither of which I'd heard before, and three of Tears for Fears deservedly biggest songs are on the album. Really enjoyed this one.
The slow songs really dragged the score down. The rest were very good.
Tears for Fears is good 80s music. I sometimes hear songs from the decade and think, "Wtf were these people on?" Sure, Tears for Fears is weird, but they have a unique, engaging sound and bangers to boot. Bonus: Mark Lettieri has an instrumental cover of Everybody Wants to Rule the World that was a staple during my study days.
Great synthpop record. Head Over Heels is one of the greatest pop songs ever. Amazing voices. 8/10
Never gets old
Un dels grans discos de pop dels 80. Només per la inclusió de dos dels singles més rotunds de la década, 'Shout' i 'Everybody Wants to Rule the World' ja mereix el seu lloc d'honor. Però és que a més a més conté una de les millors "cançons ocultes" del synth pop, 'Head Over Heels', reivindicada una década després a 'Donnie Darko'
Second studio album released in 1985. This is an amazing album is full of huge hits and massive iconic soundscapes.
One of the great boons of this list is that it seems like the author was really into early synthpop, and I've gotten very interested in that genre. As a result, I've gotten a lot of context for how the genre developed. This album feels very mature compared to a lot of the other early synth pop albums. It feels like sort of a halfway point between Dare by Human League and Violator by Depesche Mode. It has all of Tears for Fears' biggest hits, as well as a bunch of other solid tracks. It seems like this was the last album to feature the original lineup (after this one, the two guys that aren't in this picture left the picture entirely), which is a shame because there's so much magic here 4/5
Nearly perfect
I like it. It's got that jangle I like. Shout is hella long.
Three stellar tracks and some rather good synth pop in between.
Obviously the three massive hits - Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, and Head Over Heals. Really, though, there's not a bad song on the album! It's probably the most 80's new-wave sounding album I've ever heard, and it's an enjoyable listen from front to back.
Talk about being Big - these are utterly massive songs. Reverb-drenched and tricked out with roaring saxophones and intricate synthlines that blare off into the night. All those 80s revival bands from the past decade or so? They're taking directly from Tears for Fears. It just so happens that Tears had something you can't really replicate-- ideological insight, creative focus, and a complete vision. Helps that they had such a knack for making some of the best pop songs ever written, too. Though this gag may leave you livid, four of five is what I'll give it, everybody wants to rule the world.
Un 4 ... no me ha encantado el álbum del todo. Aunque está muy bien.
Not really my cup of tea but a very well put together album, with three fantastic singles and pretty good stuff elsewhere
Shout and Rule the World are excellent singles. The rest of the album was so so for me.
They let it all out...
Un álbum viejisimo que se oye fresco.
Great rhythms in this
4/5 Best: Everybody Wants to Rule the World Worst: Listen
8/10
Muutama klassikkobängeri, muuten ihan solid
Great, great new wave. Like inside of the pure, poppier new wave lane, you really can't get better than some of what this album accomplishes. Shout is a certified banger, as well as Mothers Talk, and the big hit Everybody Wants To Rule The World genuinely is immune to being overplayed despite its ubiquity—it's that good of a song. The Working Hour is also a catchy tune, but less so than the other three that make up the opening stretch. The album begins to lose a bit of its insane momentum going into the back stretch as their slower songs, while also good, are not quite up to the gold standard of the A section. Definitely a pinnacle of new wave, and essential 80s music.
High hi’s and low lo’s; slowly respecting new wave more
Relaxing album, doesn’t overdo it on the synth, quite mellow and interesting. 3.5/5
I enjoyed this one more than I expected. Very 80s but also pretty infectious.
Enjoyed this, like TFF anyway, but only really know the hits. This album landed well in our house, and got 4s all round. Who am I to argue?
overall I liked it
Classic
Is there a specific term for the variant of nostalgia for when the listener was younger than the target audience and yet the sound was prolific enough to still be memorable, is it melophilic impostor syndrome? stolen era valor? This album falls squarely in that murky space where recollection feels incomplete and almost disingenuous. In regards to the album itself Songs from the big chair is quite a solid collection of tracks ranging from the more chill "I believe", the ever present "Shout", the underrepresented banger "The working hour" to the outright iconic "Everybody wants to rule the world".
Great album. First song sounded kind of familiar, but by the third one I realized what this was. Added to a list of vinyls I need to get
Man, this is such a weirdly specific memory for me. Grade school aged me, stuck inside on a Sunday scrubbing my parents bathroom on chore day, hating my life and belting out the lyrics to "Shout" in what was surely peak adolescent cracklyness.
Better than it really should be.
I didn’t really know what to expect to much from this album, all I knew was that I recognised ‘Everybody Wants To Rule The World’ just based off its popularity but even that didn’t really describe this album. Songs From The Big Chair is a collection of pop rock songs almost stretching to prog rock territory. The album opens with probably one of my favourite intro tracks I’ve gotten on this list so far with ‘Shout’ which is this 6 1/2 minute grand build up track that continues to incorporate more and more in the instrumental as the track goes on. It is an incredibly moving track that sparks motivation, for me anyways. Both vocalists fill the track so well it’s an incredible opening. Of course the main other stand out track is ‘Everybody Wants To Rule The World’ which has this great upbeat pace to it, almost as if you’re running in a montage in an 80’s movie, it fits the era of the time perfectly and also it being a great song there’s no denying it’s impact. The rest of this album follows this general vibe of upbeat synth wave rock pop apart from the track ‘I Believe’ that takes a somber approach which is a nice break as it really puts the duos vocals on display. My slight downfall for this album is the closing track ‘Listen’ which I find to be a little all over the place, a sort of grand build up as the opening was like would’ve suited the ending as well but still it’s a nice song and the guitar on the backend is so satisfying. To be honest this album really did way more for me than I was expecting and for the most part I can only praise it.
YESSS
Great album, good morning mood. Lots of synth
pretty good
love it. perfect synth-pop. a 4.1
Cheery 80's pop...wonderful to listen to
everybody wants to rule the world is an all-time banger but i wasn’t expecting the rest of this album to be so good
Tear open your mind and let the Lord bless your soul with the honourable fruit of his loins. For he has arisen and now, forevermore will his glory fill our hearts with his twisted tales of death and marital impotence. God is back and he's very pissed off. Feel his wrath as he forces you to shag your sister in the basement whilst the rest of the family watch.
Damn strong album.
Ok maybe I don't hate all of the 80s. But maybe that's just the nostalgia for road trips with my dad talking. Also the last song on this album was legit.
Despite my general dislike and hatred of 80s synthpop music, I enjoyed this one. It had some of their biggest hits and the other songs were pretty good.
The singers voice is heavenly British 80s pop is so fun This is one of those albums where you close all of the blinds and dance and your house in your socks The last song Listen is trippy as hell I was not expecting that. As Kevin would say "I would like to do drugs to that song"
This album has some jams yo. Went back and listened to Head Over Heels/Broken 3 times since finishing. That guitar solo slaps. Would totally do drugs to Listen.
Extremely strong. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is a strong contender for the '80s best song and the rest of the record – including the overplayed "Head Over Heels" and "Shout" retain heft and substance and authentic emotional content today.
Shit, meant to use my INXS yardstick quip here instead of L'Eau Rouge. What ever I'll say it again: If INXS are the my yardstick for the epitome of good 80s music then these guys get relatively close. Everybody Wants to Rule the World is a cracking tune. Also not on this album but the video of Curt Smith doing Mad World with his daughter is one of the best things on the internet.
This is a really good record. I forget how good a lot of these songs are because they've become nostalgic or ubiquitous, but they are still kicking ass. It's anthemic and joyous and dark and it just works. Great songs that sound great. Hard to beat that.
wow.
I have so much nostalgia for Tears for Fears. They’re great but I’m saving my five stars for Peter Gabriel.
Happy to come back.
not different from what i expected, what means that i liked very much
Sounds quintessentially 80's
3.5/5
Shout, shout. Let a fart out. Though this album doesn't smell like grandma's bathroom, it does sound like she's saying gentle goodbye to brown after her Metamucil supplement. The power of the saxophone is wide ranging, and it affects people differently. Generally when I hear it, I have the urge to punch it in the face, but hey, this is the music of the 80's and people did things differently back then. We have to accept it and learn from mistakes of the past. Aside from the tender ooze of that wretched instrument, I found the album to be out of place, not fitting in any singular world. I hated the bulk of it, but I really loved the smaller bits which more than made up for the forgettable stuff. You just can't throw the baby out with the bathwater anymore... ask grandma.
already recently relistened - 8/10
Big chair. Bigger songs. Much like some of this album’s equally overblown contemporaries - The Police’s “Synchronicity”, a-ha’s “Hunting High and Low”, Genesis’s “Invisible Touch” - it’s a decent record elevated by some excellent blockbuster singles. The rest of the material can be a little patchy, but mostly pulls through. The production is everything we now think of as the 1980s to the nth degree: gated drums saturated in reverb, synthesised bass and some fretless work, corny woodwind synths and orchestra hits… it’s all there. It makes for a dramatic foundation for Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith to sing over, though I’d argue it’s never better employed than in the leading track, “Shout”. “Shout” is a formidable opener, full of gravity and drama, though it starts on about a level 7 and doesn’t give much room for build-up: an even steeper crescendo would have done wonders. “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”, the single which has perhaps immortalised Tears for Fears more than any other, is a classic example of an album’s biggest hit being hastily written, recorded and slapped on in the last few days. It feels a little more spontaneous, and everything about it works perfectly, crystallising the band’s pop pretensions in an efficient two-chord shuffle. The middle-eight sends it to the heavens. “Songs…” also deserves a special mention for its perfect intertwining of “Broken” and “Head Over Heels”. Foreshadowing the latter’s riff lifts “Broken” so much beyond a mere filler piece: it would have been great to hear similar repeated motifs throughout the album to hang it all together a little more. And for my money, “Head Over Heels” is the essential cut here: bold, wistful, chaotic, theatrical. The rest are a curious bunch, revealing the band digging deeper and yielding some treasure and some fossilised crap. “Listen” is refreshingly subtle and ethereal: an intriguing closing track with its incantation at the end, loosely translating as “Birthday girl, don’t worry”. A reassurance, a mantra, a prayer echoing into a swirling void. “Mothers Talk”, the album’s lead single, is a fun bass workout, but has not quite stood the test of time on account of its suffocating drums and cheesy orchestra hits. On the other hand, “I Believe” is absolutely turgid and spends five minutes going nowhere. On the whole, while some of the low points are difficult to sit through, the highs balance it out and make for an enjoyable listen. Scraping a 4 mostly thanks to the brilliance of “Head Over Heels”.
Really interesting pop album here. Their voices get a little dreary to listen to over the course of an entire album, but the instrumentation is cool. Favorite track: The Working Hour
This album is a significant upgrade in all aspects and the view from the plateau must have been a fine one. Still prefer their first album, not as good but sprinkled with freshness.
Hmmm... I was expecting to find this exhausting, but maybe I'm turning, slowly, into a Tears for Fears fan. I appreciate how emotive the vocals are, and the instrumentation is layered and rich. Some of the songs are too intense - or too "80's" for me - but this album is chock-full of hits, some of which I really like - "Head Over Heels" to be specific. I guess I've heard it in enough movies and shows that I like that it's finally worn me down. I'm not quite "fan" status but I can tell I'm getting close.
Peak 80s new wave. Even though it is very 80s, it is so in a good way. Solid hits and catchy songs that most people already know, but the album is full of them.
Some songs repetitive, overall great vibe
very good
Belter
a legendary 80s album with some truly iconic hits. deep, echo-y, and delicious, with a few songs that slightly overstay their welcome. the sound of mostly upbeat pastel nostalgia
Just very good all the way around. One disagrees with the editors that “Head Over Heels” is the standout here; it’s good enough but feels too obvious and cloying a singalong (which is to say too many girls liked it back in the day). “Everybody Wants to Rule” is tops among a very accomplished set of songs. “The Working Hour” is wonderful and “Shout” (like “EWTRTW”) somehow stood up to just massive overplaying. “I Believe” is lovely and the closer “Listen” suggests to me how the band wanted to be heard (i.e., serious and thoughtful). T4F have always had a vision and executed it effectively and with meaningful emotional impact across their oeuvre (though occasionally overindulged themselves). Re their other work: don’t sleep on the “The Hurting,” a very strong and under-appreciated record, darker with goth touches and without the maximalist (and psychedelia-adjacent) bent of later records. A case can be made that it’s at least as good as Big Chair and perhaps better (on certain days of week, in certain moods). Seeds of Love is underrated, too (though the charge of being overdone applies more persuasively there). Even the new record (2022) recommends itself. Lingering ‘80s cheese factor and too much success might hurt their reputation a bit, but T4F are a substantive and (one daresays) an important band. Substantively more than a 4 but not just a tick short of a 5.
I was never a huge fan of TFF at the time, but over the years I have come to think of Shout as one of the very best songs of the 1980s. It has everything, masterfully arranged and produced, and just makes me go YES! every time I hear it. Did I mention it also has one of my all time favourite guitar solos too? With that as a starting track, I was primed to love this album. As it turns out, I liked the album. Some of it a lot, some of it less (including the 2nd track, which just makes me think of Simple Minds and the whole “more reverb, more reverb!” 80s thing). On balance it’s probably 3.5 stars, but I may come back and listen to most of it again, skipping a track or two, so rounding up to 4.
Sooooooooo 1980s. This album is totally of its time, but still sounds really damn great. The production and recording quality is second to none, and really serves the excellent songs. I know they feel Everybody Wants To Rule the World was a throw-away, quick and dirty (minimal) effort, but they were at the height of their powers and it kicks arse. (Fun fact: this was the first 7" that Sascha ever bought). Everybody..., along with Shout and Head Over Heels provide hooky anchors to this lean yet expansive, experimental yet commercial, personal yet cinematic album. A pop highwater mark of the decade My favourite bit: right at the end of Head Over Heels (just on 4.00) where he sings "Funny how..." and then all the instruments drop out and he continues "time flies...." acapella, his voice slathered in reverb and a big wide phaser. It's best on the single, which just ends like that. Magic.
Cool album, some great songs
Overall this album really was such an enjoyable experience. I have been told these guys fuck and just figured it was 80s nostalgia hype but these guys do fuck pretty hard.
Classics
I'm glad they ditched the full synth-pop sound of their first album, but really only 3 songs on this album are worth listening to. A bit too much synth used still for my tastes.
Some nice New Wave "Shout" in particular is extremely well-engineered Standout Songs: "Shout" "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" "Broken"
banger album, every song is good some songs are great but The Working Hour and Listen were amazing holy shiddd
Pleasantly surprised. Only the first song was at all cheesy or bland, the rest was rich and thought provokingly original A great record.
Överraskad, varje låt är intressant på ett sätt eller annat, melodierna är riktiga bops. Det känns både larvigt och coolt, syntigt men också psykadeliskt och djupt. Bra album, stabilt hela vägen igenom med två bangers i shout och everybody wants to rule the world
Great album! Would have been a Five if (1) it ended differently, and (2) there were a couple more songs that had a vibe similar to tracks 1-7.
There are some indispensable bangers, but a lot of space fillers too... "Listen" is three times too long. (prior listen)
Loved the whole album more than I expected. Great songs.
I really like 80s synths. Shout brings this album to 4
01/04/23: Only song I knew before listening to this album was "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" which I always thought of as a cheesy song but sounds really amazing within the context of this album. Really a cooler album than the band name and album cover art would indicate. Personal song highlights: -Shout -Everybody Wants to Rule the World -Head Over Heels/Broken -Listen Feels like a less dark Depeche Mode and the predecessor to the 1975
Solid album. Can see these guys going places. 4/5
Wow - one of my fav 80 bands who just simply exude the 80’s. Could listen to this album every day.
No tears or fears here 4 stars
made me watch donnie darko, solid 80s
After their brilliant debut album with 3 impressive singles, they did it again with this their second album. This one kicks it off with Shout, one of my all time favourites from them. The album is relatively short at only 42 mins but there’s not much wasted space here. They avoid a lot of the cliched synth pop beats that prematurely dates many of their contemporaries and this album sounds remarkably fresh today. A very solid effort here.
Beautiful crafted pop songs! Especially musically, the vocals didn't grab me that much. But the lyrics were very on point for the time, lot of clever writing. 7,5 out of 10
Liked this one. Probably will listen again
Absolute banger
fantastic album, great mixture of new and old sounds.
Remindes me of high school
College memories
Ahhh, the 80’s!
Good example of timeless 80s music. Holds up well, doesn’t sound cheesy. Interesting “Broken” intro that never gets played on radio with “head over heels”.
Den gode 80’er new wave poprock, synth, flere bangers
Not my usual genre but some solid hits here
obviously there is the "it's the 80's" piece to get over, but lots of good songs here!
Very cool
Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Shout, Everybody wants to rule the world, Mothers talk, Head over heels
Three of the most iconic song of the 80s. And some jazz…? Overall great listen.
Amazing fun album
Great album, kind of Springsteen meets U2 vibe :-)
Its really good, not perfect and not as good as other new wave albums but it has consistant writing and some good tunes
Some fantastic songs, but they don't seem to go together in a cohesive way. First half much stronger than the back. Can't feel a place or a time from this album, since it jumps in tone so often.
I enjoyed that. Having only heard the hits before the rest of the album was a good addition.
Generally liked this. A couple songs were a bit dreary though.
i really like this ! it's cool to hear where all the songs come from
3 amazing songs and the rest of the album is decent. Gotta be worth 4 stars.
3.5 / 5
Friday good, real busy at work, but got a run in and then didn’t go to green zone, drunk and hang with conts
It starts and ends well with a bit of a lull in between. Some classic bangers which are fun and a few of the slower more instrumental tracks are cool as well. 7/10
Gettatt
Very close to a five. Excellent pop in terms of both writing and creativity. Just a liiiittle too 80s
Ett attans bra pop-album...
Quite good album. Not for every moment, a bit intense at times.
Key tracks: Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Head Over Heels
Nearly a 5
incredible front to back album. Such a dream-state vibe to it. Not to mention has some of the most iconic and recognizable singles of its era (EWTRTW and shout).
Le meilleur du band. J’ai toujours trouvé qu’ils faisaient du pop sophistiqué, ce qui me plait beauoup.
Je connaissais bien sûr les 2 gros hits présents sur cet album, mais je n'étais pas familier avec ce que le groupe a fait d'autre. C'est pas mauvais.
4. A really fun album with a good mixture of different types of songs. Standouts: Shout, Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Broken, Head Over Heels / Broken. (The Big Chair and Broken Revisited on the extended version are good).
me gusto, tiene hits como "everybody wants to rule the world" y por más que sean pocas canciones, están muy buenas.
Never heard of this band or album but heard a few of the songs, I guess that goes to show how influential it really was, Really liked Broken and Mothers talk of the ones I hadn't heard, and shout and everybody wants to rule the world are classics. Solid album
Ok
Great album
Good
Love me some 80’s jams
This is really good. Very nearly a 5 star. Want to listen to some more.
I really enjoyed most of the album. The blend of electronic instrumentation with guitar, and drum machines and real drums kept it alive in a way that might not be possible on their own. Not to mention it had some absolute ripping guitar solos throughout that actually surprised me.
Reading the reviews I found one negative comment- the others were OTT which is not what I remember. Still, let's give them a listen....... Certainly 80's pop and very well produced. Massive hits and intelligent lyrics. Some of these songs became anthems which presumably accounts for the popularity of this album. Perfect Pop.
Some iconic singles on here with some solid deep tracks too. Not perfect, however, so I’ll give it a four.
en muista kuunnelleeni tätä aiemmin, mutta ilmeisesti hittikimara, koska tiedän kahta lukuun ottamatta kaikki biisit? Shout on aivan loistava. kyllä vähän alt kasaripoppi sytyttää ylipitkistä biiseistä huolimatta
Most of the songs were familiar to me so i already had time to listen and get comfortable with the songs before now. A staple 80's (i think) album.
This album is impressive to say the least. What a quintessential 80s pop rock album. There are so many layers of sounds that merge together to create a sublime listening experience. I also had no idea how many songs from this album I would recognize. Obviously "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is well-known, and for good reason, that song is incredible. This was almost a 5-star album for me, and one that I will certainly return to, but "I Believe" felt like hitting the e-brake on perfection and really killed the vibe. I was just bored to tears (get it?) listening to that one, and couldn't believe it was a single. Highlights include the aforementioned hit single, "Head over Heels / Broken (reprise)" and "Working Hour"
Enjoyable synth-pop album that delivers with a slight progressive edge. Cool vibe and a good time
This was my favorite album in first grade. All the synths, all the drum machines, all the melodramatic vocals. It's hard to believe an album with this many hits has only 8 songs.
A lot more ambient than I was expecting from the songs I've heard of the album. Finding out that Broken and Head Over Heels we're a two part song was fun.
Poppy music. Poetic language. Vague meaning can be useful.
Love how the album flows
Strong lead vocals and good compilation of songs.
This album has one of my favorite songs of all time, and two others that were a huge part of my childhood. Despite those incredible highs, there were just a couple lows that kept this from being rated higher.
Outside of the 2 tophits it is a bit melodramatic. I still liked a few others like The Working Hour and Head over Heels/Broken, but some others were dreadfully boring. Overall pretty good album, I would buy it on a second hand market. 4/5
I liked it, basically an 80's movie soundtrack.
Thoroughly enjoyed this 80s classic
Quality 80s tunes
Delicious synthy goodness
vibes phil collins, me sentí totalmente flying
I was raised on 80s New Wave, and while I never choose to listen to it on my own time I do have a soft spot for it. This is a pretty good New Wave album, it has a couple of all time classic songs in "Shout" and "Everybody Wants To Rule The World". Another standout on the album was "The Working Hour", the rest of it didn't stick out much to me but was a nice chill listen.
Classic album with lots of anthemic tracks 4*
4/5
Surprisingly (to me), they re not a one trick pony. Some very good stuff. I am converted. Favourite track on first listen - 'Listen'!
Pretty chock full of bangers, but a little slow for my tastes
A really good synth-pop album that is firmly rooted in the 80s. Unfortunately it doesn't wholly stand up to modern scrutiny, but it still holds its own. The beginning set up weird expectations because I didn't think it was all that great. Overall, the whole album won me over, but it took some time.
Classic. Aged fairly well...
Were all of the songs of the same quality as Shout, Everybody Wants To Rule The World and Head Over Heals, this would be a straight 5. Sadly, a couple of songs, while good, are too much anchored in 80s production values, and some of the songs don't work per se, making this album a 4/5.
Essential '80s album. Admittedly the second side lose a bit of steam but the rest of the album is a classic
una maravilla, pop ochentero por naturaleza, qué gustoso sonido, un verdadero clásico. en una palabra: suave
Really enjoyed this, full of way more tunes than I expected and some great synth sounds.
This is so 80s I want to get a perm. Silky smooth sax ooo yeah
Good saxophone but quite short
I was 15 when this album came out. I had no idea the album versions of the 3 singles were so much longer! A pretty cool record.
I loved this one!!!! a classic
Better than I remembered it
3.5
really good highs but kinda boring lows
Shout is not a Depeche Mode song
This is a roll through a mountain range, peaks and valleys. All beautiful views even if not everything is spectacular. Some of it is simply enjoying the build and climbing down from the hits. I don't know how many times I have a bass line or melody from this album in my head. It can take days for me to identify it and recognize that I've just been feeling the wind and remembering that road trip through the mountains.
loved itttttt
Wauw, dit vond ik echt een te gekke plaat. Kende de hits al uiteraard, maar de rest was ook erg goed.
Well, that takes me back to high school dances. Really great song writing. One of the few New Wave bands I got into. I think maybe because they were less synth oriented than others. Either way, loved this album.
Well I enjoyed this 80s powerhouse album. Some cracking tunes I needed and bizarrely this was a great Monday morning vibe.
When I was little, I hated "Head Over Heels" for some reason. I think it was the introduction to it. Now, though? I love that song and really enjoy driving to this whole album. Pretty close to pop perfection.
Such a great New Wave album. The Hurting finally got the recognition it didn't get back then too.
Pretty nice synth pop. Not much else to say here. A solid album.
Great in the 80’s. Still sounds good.
sonzão tri
Top production if a tad overcooked at times. Good writing. Vocals aren't great imo. Decent stuff overall.
Sooooooooo 1980s. This album is totally of its time, but still sounds really great. The production and recording quality is second to none, and really serves the excellent songs. I know they feel Everybody Wants To Rule the World was a throw-away, quick and dirty (minimal) effort, they were at the height of their powers. Everybody..., along with Shout and Head Over Heels provide hooky anchors to this lean yet expansive, experimental yet commercial, personal yet cinematic. A pop highwater mark of the decade
The singles are definitely the standouts!
Wow I felt like I was listening to a straight up 80's movie soundtrack! Like every song, not just the bit hits. They nailed their sound so perfectly and fully encapsulated a decade of music in the process. Very cool vocals that are just fun to sing.
something happens and I'm head over heels
OMG, la diferencia entre los hits y los no hits parecen marcar lo temporal, qué cosas hace el cerebro con los sonidos. Impresionante. Amé.
First time I think I listened to the entire album...better than I thought it would be.
Really like some of the songs on this album. Always felt like it was a quintessential 80s pop album. There are some songs that aren’t that great and seem like filler but overall it’s pretty good. 7.7/10
All of the hits on this album are bangers and the rest are pretty good too. Epitome of the 80s and still holds up
Has some big hits on here. They don’t know how to make a song under 4 minutes in length lol
Punchy 80s pop, including some absolute bangers
Legit great album.
Timeless! A classic 80's masterpeice...
This was a blast from the past!
What a great reminder of all the fantastic music that came out of the 80's. What was particularly interesting was the way that the album seemed to defy genre. It seemed at times new wave, at times experimental rock, at times early indie and at times soundscape. Loved exploring the couple of songs that I didn't know on this album!
Hi- Shout, Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Mothers Talk, Broken, Head Over Heels Lo- The Working Hour Chances are if you're into New Wave even a tiny bit, you're going to run into this album at some point; Shout launches right out of the gate with velocity and variation, but then transforms into the clunker The Working Hour, which sounds like someone's been over-working the saxophone beyond manufacturer's specification for an entire hour...Everybody Wants To Rule The World brings the show back on track, and Mothers Talk's driving beats really keeps things moving, then we get time to catch our breath with I Believe, a minimalistic late-night track with much more restrained use of sax. But then you're thrust right into Broken, with its big beats and driving bass...then it flows right into Head Over Heels, which at its core is a simple track but manages to sound much larger than the sum of its parts, this track is featured prominently in the movie Donny Darko and it just makes the movie come alive. But then, we're pulled back into Broken! The song-within-a-song is a wild experience and really the highlight of the whole album. The album concludes with Listen, which evokes an otherworldly sense of wonder, something, you'd hear it at the Laserdome at your local planetarium, though it tends to overstay its welcome. It's a worthwhile album to listen to, if for nothing more than the Broken/Head Over Heels/Broken progression.
Pretty gewd for some 80s tunes. I already knew half the songs though
I thought I hated "everybody wants to rule the world" but this album is full of bops
Un son très typé 80s. Des petits côtés Depeche Mode. Je connaissais pas du tout, j'aime beaucoup
I find the '80s synthpop sounds boring, I also find slow pop-jazz boring, But the struggle between the two in "Songs from a Big Chair"? Surprisingly enjoyable. PS. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" sounds familiar. It's popular, but it's not that great. PPS. Slow pop-jazz won. Hence the boring latter half. Not that it'll be better if the synthpop elements engulfed it anyway.
Always slightly put off listening to this album as the singles , especially Shout and Everybody Wants To Rule The World were a source of constant irritation back in the day due to seemingly never being off the radio! I much preferred the later Sewing The Seeds Of Love album featuring the great Oleta Adams which had less of an 80s production ( to these ears at least). However it's hard to deny the brilliance of the songwriting and the arrangements and I was surprised by how much of it I'd already heard. Favourite tracks have to be The Working Hour and I Believe. 7/10
I'm not sure what it was that got me interested in this album enough for me to purchase the cassette but I did. It just was not the type of music I remember being into at the time, I was an avid reader of Circus and Hit Parader, magazines that largely focused on hard rock and heavy metal. Ratt, Dokken, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden were more my speed. We didn't have MTV but there was Friday Night Videos on network tv so that mustbe were I came across these guys. There's some great stuff here of course, the three singles, "Shout," "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" and especially "Head Over Heels" are mid 80s all-timers. I probably liked "Shout" cause it seemed kind of pissed off and badass and then the rest kind of sorted it out I suppose. Looking back on the year this came out and the other music that came out around the same time, I was definitely into Rush's "Power Windows," (sort of a hard rock band really leaning into synths) "Brothers In Arms" by Dire Straits and Weird Al's "Born To Be Stupid" so I guess it was a transitional time for me. I was growing up and it probably had something to do with girls.
Great 80s album.
Really picked up towards the end!
Big songs, big ideas, feels like a pop concept album. A forgotten master of 80s hit LPs.
Good
"shout" + "everybody rules the world"
Очень красиво, атмосферно
I grew up with this album on cassette in my early pre-teen years. And it has been fun to re-listen to this after so many years. And interesting how well this music has been ingrained in my memory. It's a great album with some really good songwriting, even better than I remember. But on the other hand Tears for Fears suffers from the thing that's so prevalent in the 80's, and that is that every possible silence had to be filled with another sound. And another. A cowbell here, a trumpet there, a quick voice over the top and then a drumroll. Nothing wrong with their songwriting, clearly talented, but the lesson of 'less is more' never reached them.
Oh man the vibes this record is giving off. Most of this album was still in rotation in the early 90s when I was growing up and started hearing pop music. I have a lot of nostalgia for Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World and Head Over Heels
look it's,, fine?? would almost say a bop. but there's just something off.. idk how to explain it my brain is telling me 'this is a good thing, this is an enjoyable thing', but the enjoying part of my brain hasn't got the memo. is this good? yeah, i think so. do i like this? hmmmmmm
Some corkers, some unlistenable
Unexpected and interesting
Tears For Fears' Songs From The Big Chair is the kind of album that one can go back to again and again and learn new and wonderful things about this great duo.
The reverb-heavy power-pop invokes a sense of scope with each track, making it a captivating listen. I love the guitar and synth work. BEST TRACKS: Shout, Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Mothers Talk, Broken WORST TRACKS: I Believe
Classic album, some big hits on here.
4, dang good. the non-hits are excellent too without overstaying their welcome.
I've never heard this full album before but it's fucking cool. A few slow moments but the good bits make up for it. Also, 8 songs and 40min is a great album length. 4/5.
A couple of great hits in there.
Ahhh ca... Pensé que todas esas eran Depeche mode
Some bangers, album zit goed in elkaar. Was ook fan van listen (laatste liedje) heel close bij een 5, denk als ik het meer beluister dat het dan nog wel komt 4,5
I really like this one. Seems like a transition point between 80s pop and the indie loved in the '00s. The two hits are the best songs on the album.
Wow! Of course I heard some Tears for Fears before, but this album is just full of hits and even the deeper cuts are great. The production for the time it was recorded is crystal clear. It has some low moments and some of the songs are maybe bit too long, but maybe it will grow on me over time. Fav tracks: Head over Heels, Broken, The Working Hour, Shout
Fun and sad at the same time. You can hear the influence they had on a lot of other artists. Definitely gonna listen to it again.
Already a big Tears for Fears fan so will try not to be bias going into this one. The Hurting is one of my favourite albums but I don't think I know most of these tracks. Shout - It's hard not to be bias when you lead with a fantastic track like this. The Working Hour - Absolutely love this, the intro and saxophone is beautiful. Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Classic track and not really much I can say other than it's loved for a reason. Mother's Talk - Sounds a little James Bondy in the intro - oh, I actually know this song, a bit less poppy that the previous tracks and probably the worst so far. I Believe - Much slower than the others, feels like I'm in an empty, jazzy dive bar at night. I like this, even with such an odd vocal style it sounds pretty. Broken - I Believe led so well into this with it's flashier style and with the hints of 'Head Over Heels' in it, this sounds great alone and amazing between the two tracks. Head over Hells - And then into one of my favourite Tears for Fears songs, what a great song with such an amazing guitar. Listen - Not a fan of this (and tbh a fan of good albums tending to end on the dullest, saddest song) - it's not bad just not great in comparison to the tracks leading to it. Overall it was a fantastic album (bias or not) and I can see why it's considered a classic though I would still personally rate and recommend The Hurting over it. A couple of tracks I didn't get on with which stops it being a 5 star but I'd definitely rate it a 4!
SHout, Everybody wants to rule the World, Head of Heals - the soundrack of my early youth. Rest of album, ok, nothign special.
A rounded up three and a half. It's not so much dated as frozen in amber, but the bangers still hit home and it does feel like a coherent collection of songs. A proper album.
The sound of the Eighties, was often to throw in everything up to and including the kitchen sink. That's what this album sounds like. But _soulfully_
I’d listen again
I already knew some, enjoyed it.
Interesting!
Solid 80s album with a hanful of pretty great hits.
Like so many albums of this era, it's got some bangers (❤️Head over Heals), tracks that made 31 on #TOTP and some absolute fillers. But definitely very polished and great singalong material.
head over heels is one of my all time favs and the album is great
Loved it when it came out. Still sounds very good.
Seminal 80s power-pop
This was an interesting ones. The only songs I knew by Tears For fears were Mad World and Shout and I had no idea that the two songs are by the same band. That feeling holds true for this entire album. Between one song and the next it can feel difficult to believe that it's the same album. Some tracks are really straightforward and simple, while others are really deep and ambitious. Some seem more akin to synth-pop while others are more akin to prog rock, yet their basic sound stays very recognizable with a character of its own. I needed to give it two spins and still can't entirely wrap my head around it, but I certainly enjoyed it.
-I liked this album -Love the 80's feel -Kind of wish the last song on the album was a little more exciting -Favourite songs are Shout, Mothers Talk, Head Over Heels/Broken
head over heels es un hit universal nunca identifiqué shout con ellos
The sounds of the '80s
some solid classics and these guys have great voices. Very stereotypical 80's, makes me miss GLOW worried I might not remember these guys when I want to listen to just 80's because this is a solid album. Def 4 out of 5
A great 80s pop album, great songs throughout though a couple get annoying at times (Mothers talk, I believe). The keyboards and guitar drive this album with heart-warming songs of Everybody Wants to Rule the World and Head over Heels, to darker material including The Working Hour. Apart from a couple of songs, a fantastic album.
Yes.
Opening track is a killer, and Everybody... is pretty much the 80's encapsulated in pop perfection. Rest of the album is great too.
Solid. 7.5/10. One bummer song- #2
VERY EXCELLENT
Some real classics on this. A general theme of the album is the oppression of the working man so it felt satisfying listening to this when I should have had my head in spreadsheets. Sounds similiar to Talk Talk's Colour of Spring (just not as good)
Big fan of that lead in to 'Head Over Heels' from 'Broken'.
80s goodness with a twist that excels it forward, great album
Muy buen disco
Excellent album. A couple of slower songs that weren't great, but almost all bangers.
A 4.5 that just doesn't quite reach 5 level. Don't get me wrong, this album is amazing - Everybody Wants To Rule The World might be a top ten song all time for me, but I feel like it wanes a bit in the middle. Last song is a little weird, too, but everything else is very strong Already Saved: Everybody Wants To Rule The World Saved After Listening: Shout, Head Over Heels / Broken*
This album has all the hits.
Songs from the Big Chair is the second studio album by English pop rock band Tears for Fears, released on 25 February 1985 by Phonogram Records. The album peaked at number two in the UK and at number one in the US and Canada, becoming a multi-platinum seller in all three countries. It also reached number one in Germany and the Netherlands and the top 10 in various other countries including Australia, New Zealand and Switzerland.
4/5 well that was a surprise, nice!
Big fan of this group… loved this album
Great album “Shout & Head over Heals, Mothers Talk, Listen Like their ability to make such varied songs on one album 💿 makes this a great listen
Classic album alert! All the great Tears for Fears songs are here on one album. I didn't fall in love with any of the songs that weren't hits but of course Shout, Everybody wants to rule the world, and Head over heels are enough to push this into the 4 category.
Here's one we all know and love, with the big hits too! A lot of long songs on here, and unfortunately I kind of feel the length on some of them. But as a whole, this is a great '80s pop album. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" continues to rip almost 40 years later, as does "Head Over Heels." I also really liked the interlude prior to Head Over Heels, with hints of the melody to come. This is a terrific album, I think it's against the law to give this any lower than a 4. Favorite tracks: Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Head Over Heels, Listen, Shout, Broken. Album art: Not a bad band photo, very intimate. Are they lovers? It's not super interesting but I wouldn't disagree with anyone labelling this iconic. Love the sweater, need that sweater. 4.5/5
Solid gold pop bangers. The kind of "don't give a fuck" pop music that feels very 2020s.
This was good. Enjoyable to listen to in the background.
Sympa les premières notes de l'instru de la première. - Everybody Wants to Rule the World: validé - The Marauders: très longue et redondante
A few classic 80s anthems interspersed with some not as well known but equally as excellent synth pop. A few tracks dragged on a bit (only 8 songs in a 40 minute record!) and the last track didn’t add much for me which stops it being a 5
Still a completely unique sound in my mind, plus three huge hits.
Good album with a couple of big hits…
Shout was my favorite so far
There are some indispensable bangers, but a lot of space fillers too... "Listen" is three times too long
A classic. The sound is dated, but I love it for that.