Reviews (page 9 of 15)
Liked it overall.
Classic 80’s. Fantastic album
Rating 9/10 Just a few absolute classic songs on this album, even the songs that don't pop out as much as the singles are great Top tracks: Shout, Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Head Over Heels
This was killer! Had the couple of big singles which I was familiar with but the rest was great too.
Loved this album back in the day and still love it now. Short, but excellent. Handful of bangers too.
Classic 80’s album. Makes me think of John Hughes movies.
listened 2x at night + 1x during day -. powerful short album. 4.4/5
Wow! I had this album when it was released. I remember the big 3 but had little recollection of the rest of the album. Those are 3 of the most iconic songs of the mid 80’s. The rest of the album is melancholy with a lot of sax and slow rock. I guess they are sort of the forerunners of Coldplay or Keanu. Arena rock driven by piano/synthesizer, Overall, I can see exactly why this became an iconic album of the time. I could stand another few listens.
Felt like they had 8 songs and flipped coins to choose order, but good and a couple great songs.
done 7/10
3 bangers. This was pretty solid.
a 50% rate of songs still played daily on 80s radio isn't too bad, I guess!
Good album
This album is awesome, on of the best 1980s record, "Songs From The Big Chair" includes 3 song definently that defines 1980s, i would ranked then in top 200 of that decade. I don't know what rating i want to give this album, on one hand i really want to give this album only 4/5, but i think it is very low and on the other hand i want to give it 5/5, but thinking it's too high. Favourite song(s): "Shout", "The Working Hour", "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", "Broken", "Head over Heels / Broken". I think if "Listen" wasn't be on the record, that would be definetly very solid 5/5, but i would stop with 4.8/5, very good album, highly recomended to listen.
This album is all the great parts of 80s pop condensed into 42 minutes. That being said, it is still 80s pop so I can't give it a 5.
There's a reason why this band has some of the biggest hits of the 1980s. I've never listened to the whole album. While I feel the songs run a bit long, the production is A+. Shout will live forever.
Very surprising how well this album flows. I totally assumed it was gonna be another "one hit wonder" 80s pop slog, but it was great. Wish there were more tracks with sax solos, but that's like every album with sax for me.
This album came out my senior year in High School and was a huge hit. Instead of fading away like a good number of albums, this music is still relevant today and sounds just as good today as it did as an 18 year old kid. To this day, whenever I hear Shout, I think of one of my last party's with all the high school crew, hammered at 3 in the morning and thinking I'm heading off to college. Funny how time flies.....Get it? My favorite song off the album, Head Over Heels. This entire album is solid and I had forgotten hits like The Working Hour and Mothers Talk. Just a great sound and listen Besides the high school memories, my beautiful Mindy loves these guys. They are at the Hollywood Bowl August 2nd and maybe this would be a nice surprise for her. Anyway, thanks for the memories and great album that is just as good today as it was in 1985. 4
It doesn't get much more 80s than Tears for Fears. Along with Duran Duran, T4F are one of those bands that I heard all the time growing up but never realized it was all the same band. At face value the seem like another whatever 80s pop duo a la WHAM! and they kind of are tbh. A lot of nostalgic and legendary stuff on here, it's a shame they never had many hits beyond this album to my knowledge. 4
4.5 One of those albums where it’s not just a listening, it’s an experience. This is really among new wave at its best, and the soundscape created by these two sensitive British bois (one of which I’ve always thought looks like Jon Cryer) is one of the most immersive and captivating I’ve heard. Shout is an all-time great opener, the kind that makes it immediately clear you’re in for an incredible listening ahead. It’s one of the best songs on the album, and I always find myself mouthing the words and mimicking the boys’ hand motions from the music video whenever I listen (it’s a cheesy, but kind of awesome video). The Working Hour is a different, but welcome jazzy change-up from there, segueing into the megahit Everybody Wants to Rule the World. In my opinion, it’s not the best nor even the second best song on the album, but it’s a fantastic tune, and the “There's a room where the light won't find you” bridge is insane. The actual best song here though is easily Head Over Heels, which is absolutely amazing by its own merits, but its fusion and reprise with Broken elevates it to brilliant. It’s hard to say if my love of the movie Donnie Darko is at least partially responsible for my adoration of the song, but it probably doesn’t hurt (the sequence the song is used in is among my favorite of any movie ever). Unfortunately, not all of the songs here are quite as strong as the ones I’ve mentioned - and by not all, I really mean I Believe. I Believe, in my opinion, is kind of boring and also probably largely responsible for my final score being short of a 5 - it’s really the only miss for me here. It definitely doesn’t ruin the listening for me by any means, but it’s also hard to point to the album as perfect with its inclusion - though I was almost convinced of a 5 again with the closer, Listen. Holy cow, what an epic track to bookend the album. So yeah, I really enjoyed this one. It’s not my first time hearing the album, but it was a great reminder of how fantastic it really is. Borderline a 5 for me, but at the end of the day, it just doesn’t QUITE stack up to my other 5/5 albums. Still, it’s damn close.
So THIS is the Tears for Fears album everyone is always referencing. The production is huge, the ballads are dramatic, the anthem choruses are ready to fill stadiums. In retrospect, it feels like the most quintessential 80s pop record, and the arrangements are pretty soulful. Fav tracks: Shout, Broken, Head Over Heels, Everybody wants to rule the world
At least 3 out of the 8 songs on this album are major hits. “Shout” “Everybody Wants To Rule the World” “Head Over Heels” I also really liked “Mothers Talk”, it was very catchy.
man sometimes things do be happening and I'm head over heels. Love that song
It has a great 80’s vibe, atmospheric, emotional. A few songs slightly overstay their welcome, but I bet they’ll grow on me with more listens.
Everybody wants to rule the world. They very nearly did.
Such a big album when it came out back in the day. 3 big hits w/Shout, Everybody wants to rule the world, and Head over heels. The rest of the album is ok. On the strength of those 3 songs it gets a 4...wish I could give it a 3.5
Two of the best songs from the 80s are on this album.
Classic 80s Brit pop
Iconic 80s band. This album has a few hit singles that defined the decade. I wasn't a big fan at the time and I still find most of their music to be meh. Giving 4 stars for the big hits.
Some monster hits, and surprisingly strong outside of "Shout" and "Everybody Wants To Rule The World", such as "Mother's Talk" and "Head Over Heels". I was really into this, it has a bit of everything for everyone.
Some great Hits
One of my favorites
Its good guys
3-5
great music - only downside is most songs are a tad too long with prolonged and repetitive outros. fav: mothers talk insane bass line
What can I say? This is some decent late 80s Brit pop.
broken to head over heels transition and then that buildup with the keys and drums is amazing. ofc shout and rule the world are fantastic songs. I believe and listen accordingly calm things down and really balance the album out in terms of energy. Listen is a great closer. The use of synths is done very well. One thing I do wish is that the vocals stood out a little bit more, they do feel a little back with all the other instruments. Sometimes, the album doesn't punch as hard as it could be. Everything seems balanced and in doing so it loses a bit of power. However, the instrumentation, melodies and ideas are still outstanding. I haven't clicked much with mother and the working hour though. It's a strong 3 to a light 4.
Finally I get to hear what the other songs sound like on this album besides the big three (Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, and Head Over Heels). On first listen, they were kind of forgettable. I think Mothers Talk and Broken were the best. The last track, Listen was kind of dull. I really liked the extra /Broken part of Head Over Heels which isn't present in the single. A low 4/5 over all.
Still enjoyable after almost 40 years. I won't be there in another 40 years but I challenge the actual trap/rap/other shit musical scene to produce today something that could last the same.
A really good album from a band with very few albums. I always enjoyed this record
pretty good, haven't head any of the other songs besides the classic ones
Some big hitters on this album
Notable tracks: Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Head Over Heels / Broken, Shout
A chill album
Oh ya this rules. A fun 80’s time
Great 80's pop. More sophisticated than I remember. Very interesting sounds and songs. Loved it.
Hits are exceptional. Breath synth work. I actually find myself liking Head Over Heels more than Everybody Wants to Rule the World.
Digg
Are they brothers or are they lovers? To this very day no one knows! All we do know is that this photo on the cover was a real choice and this album houses the best songs of Tears for Fears entire career.
Solid album
Love this album. It seems every song on this album is either a cultural touchstone or something I've never heard. What an album though. Seriously.
Liked
Shout
This album caught me by surprise. I knew the big songs (shout, ewtrtw) but "head over heals/broken" ended up being my favorite on the album. They did new wave well, however I think some moments here get a bit boring and feels very just bland. Those were just a few moments though and overall I can see why it has had such enormous staying power.
Cheesy, decadent pop - in a good way.
Very good.
Awesome arrangements. Great 80s synth pop. A lot of the songs do run too long though. One thing this project is teaching me is that I don't think very many songs should run over 5 minutes and most not even that.
Excellent
An epic 80s pop album. The singles are masterpieces and the album tracks, while good songs, stand in their shadow, as often happens when the record is full of hits. That said it’s still a very good whole.
Another one I enjoyed more than I expected. Actually think it's really really good, obviously a bit oversynthed but it's good beyond the two songs that almost everyone will know. Rest of the album is a fair bit less Magic FM than the two singles, a bit funkier in places, a couple of soulful ballads. Really nicely put together, flows really well and feels like a completed work. Didn't outstay its welcome either 4/5.
Sound of 80s. Good solid songs with multiple complex backtracks. I have enjoyed this one.
Classic
A solid, big-sounding 80s pop album worth revisiting. Some of the songs are a little too long. Massive chorus hooks, and “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” is an all-timer. Strong four.
Awesome album, I’ll have to listen to it more. Could well become 5 stars.
Пацаны записались на терапию и запилили охуенный альбом 8/10
This along with some other albums have made me realize I don't dislike new wave as a genre; I just dislike the uncomfortable levels of "quirkiness" of bands like Talking Heads and The B-52s for me. I had heard the big hits of this album because they are some of my mom's favorite songs as someone who grew up in the 80's. That being said it was a good surprise to see that many of the deep cuts on this album were able to stand up to the singles. That being said the two massive singles on this album are some of my favorite of the 80's and definitely stand up to the test of time. I like all the songs on here and what really stands out throughout the albums is the very full sounding instrumentation. On "Shout" for instance near the end of the songs you have that massively full soundscape with the drum and guitar riffs, the bass line, the backing vocals and the layered synths all fill your headphones at the same time and it creates a very attractive musical experience. In that way it kinda reminded me of My Bloody Valentine and shoegaze as a whole which I really like. The other great aspect of the instrumentation on this album is their understand of movement when it comes to instrumentation because throughout the album rarely does the instrumentation on a song feel stagnant which can be a huge issue for me. Not only is it not stagnant it often ramps up in big crescendos with more instruments being added in and overall it create a great soundscape and really allows the longer songs to not feel all that long. I think my favorite tracks are "Shout", "Head Over Heels", "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" and "Broken" and while those are just the singles for the most part this is an album where the general public was right in choosing the hits. The three hits of this album are absolute bangers and should be in your constant rotation if they are not. I like the other songs as well and think that this was truly a surprisingly good album in a genre that in the past I have shown not that much affection for. Solid 9/10.
Great Album, their finest
It is a classic 80s' synth pop album. Shout and Everybody wants to rule the world are timeless songs. Unskippable. The rest of album creates a wonderful whole.
If I was turning 30 in 1985 I definitely would be down with them. It's a shame they have some poppy songs because songs like "listen" is where it's at.
When you've sung some of these songs as indie lullabies to your child, you're likely to rate the album highly. I promise to listen with the least amount of bias possible before I give this record its flowers. Not every track is perfect, but a good number of them are.
decent instrumentals and vocals
Þvílikt band með 80s æðislegheitum sem ég elska. Byrjar á algjörri neglu. Ég veit ekki alveg af hverju ég hlusta ekki oftar á Tears for Fears. Þetta hefur hingað til bara verið útvarpshlustun en nú verður breyting á
Skemmtilegur 80's fílingur með smá framtíðarvæbi. Heilt yfir vel hlustanleg plata með góðu hljóði.
first time listening have heard shout everybody wants to rule the world head over heals
good, but a little dated.
Very 80s, good background music, relaxing but haunting
Canon 80’s album, 80’s theme/soundtrack, progressive to its movement
Shout is a 5 Everybody wants is a 7 but the rest is more like 2-3 -> 4
Some known bangers. But the ones I didn't know were just OK
First listen to this album. Very nice sound
Never understood the appeal for this band or album. But they are great artistically.
Singles zijn erg goed, net als de terugkerende motiefjes. Als album niet hetzelfde niveau
I feel like this album is maybe a 3.5 for me but I'm just loving the 80s tunes these days so I'll round up. The super-hits are fantastic but there is a lot of filler that kind of bored me.
Every beginning is an end, and every end is a beginning The album reminded me of 80’s cop movies like lethal weapon
4.5
This album has stood the test of time exceptionally well.
Glassy production. Sounds gorgeous - very 80s though. I don’t necessarily think the 80s were a terrible time for music… but certainly not great. I still have my favorite Smiths, Depeche Mode albums etc etc. A little cheesy, product of the times. Still just plain good pop music and recognizable songs.
Felt like I was in a John Hughes film or something with similarly 80s vibes. A bunch of songs I recognised and liked, a few new ones that were fun to listen to. A couple of bores. Overall vibed it.
2 fav tracks, verder gewoon lekker
Really enjoyed this. The production is amazing.
Great
Couple awesome songs, others were very long/melancholy.
Can definitely see why this is considered great. Love the guitar work and synth-pop sound that so poignantly defines the 80s. Honorable mention to the bass lines that carry the groove through the whole album. Was surprised that I didn’t dig the horns, found the sax to be a little tacky. The timeless hits from this album totally slap and are always gonna be bangers. Thought the album had decent pacing and a strong finish.
4.5 Album. Listen was the weakest track to me.
👍 I like it.
Shout - 8/10 The Working Hour - 7.5/10 Everybody Wants to Rule the World - 10/10 Mothers Talk - 7.5/10 I Believe - 7/10 Broken - 8.5/10 Heads Over Heels - 8/10 Listen - 8.5/10 TOTAL - 65/80
Good album i had previously heard of tears for fears before but only for their hit song Everybody wants to rule to the world But this album was good as a synth pop album
I used to make fun of these guys a lot. Two goofy looking dudes in music videos singing with their mouths open wide and their lips flapping around. I used to do an impersonation that always got a laugh from my friends. But you know what? They were actually pretty darn talented. My favorite song by them, Mad World, is not on this album, but this album is filled with interesting, well produced, synth-pop classics. I almost feel like these guys were more akin to progressive rock than the typical new wave stuff going on at the time. Well done, fellas, and I'm sorry for making fun of you. 4 stars.
Songs from the Big Chair usually has some HUGE 80s pop anthems. Shout, Everyone Wants to Rule the World, Head Over Heels/Broken are massive. The stuff in between are growers. 8.0/10
Je me doutais que ça allait être bon, mais pas à ce point là. Jee suis vraiment resté surpris de comment tout l'album est bon, chaque pièce a son identité propre tout en restant super cohésif. Il y a peut-être une pièce qui m'a un peu moins impressionné, mais pour le reste c'est un solide album. 9/10
Classic 80's sound.
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