Songs From The Big Chair

Atmospheric while also being poppy. Still feels fresh 40 years later. Has both very well known songs, and also songs that would be considered lesser known. I am almost on the verge of giving this a five. Actually the more I think about it, the more I like this album. Fuck it.

It's hard reviewing an album that's perfect but here's me giving it a shot. I've been well acquainted and quite familiar with Tears for Fears's work for quite some time now. It's obviously all the smash hits I know them for, but I'd be lying through my teeth if I didn't start grinning when I saw this album as the next to listen to. I was excited and I had damn good reason to be. This is the album with Shout! With Everybody Wants to Rule the World! It's quite the star studded affair and hopes were high. Suffice it to say, this album didn't disappoint, not by a long shot. The aforementioned Shout kicks off the album in a downright chilling manner. The samples and loops used are accompanied by ice-cold keyboards and Roland Orzabal's chilling vocals. If I didn't know about the song beforehand, it would've probably stunned me into silence. It's a masterful track and the first one, no less. Moving on from there, we descend into smooth jazz with The Working Hour. It's yet another superb blend of various different genres, but the mood of desperation and bitterness rages on. These guys have a lot to say on this album and they don't mince their words or leave out details; they get to the point backed with vast arrangements and multiple different things happening at once. Nowhere is that better enunciated than on The Working Hour. Moving on from there we have the smash hit of the album Everybody Wants to Rule the World. I don't think I need to say much about it. It was always an iconic track and one I've known for as long as I can remember. The message often flies through people's heads but the truth is the commentary on corruption and dictatorial rule that was prevalent during that time (after all, this album was literally recorded at the pinnacle of the Cold War of the 1980s) will always be ahead of its time. The arrangement is glistening and glossy, while the lyrics, continuing with the theme of the album, are anything but. Another iconic track that proved to be an intergenerational hit. From here on out we really get to the meat of the album. Mothers Talk is more of a drum exercise than the previous few songs incorporating world music elements and in the process almost sounding like a Talking Heads leftover. Of course I mean that in the nicest and sincerest way possible. I Believe is built upon one of the sparser arrangements of the album. It's also my favourite song of the entire album. The saxophone solo merely sealed the deal, but even before that I was entranced by Roland's lonesome vocals and the slow, brooding drums and piano. From there on out we enter what I like to call a medley of sorts. Broken kicks off where I Believe left off and it's one of the more vibrant songs of the album. It gets into gear almost immediately and in its 2 and a half minutes accomplishes a lot with seemingly nothing. After that we have another instant transition into Head Over Heels, another well known track off the album and another absolute masterpiece. I wouldn't be surprised if people write this song off because of its pop sensibilities ,but I like it directly because of that. The poppier nature of the track serves as a cleanser to the past few moody songs that have preceded it. The live snippet of Broken, featured earlier on the album, makes a cameo at the tail end of the song, following another seamless transition. I don't find much rhyme or reason in putting that short snippet there, but it really does the track no harm and it's not something worth wasting energy over. The final track on the album is also the most emotionally poignant and daring. Listen starts off simple enough with a keyboard line, but eventually crescendoes and evolves into this African chant-like structure, furthering their relations with world music. Drums are barely present and yet you don't notice it, because the squealing guitar and atmospheric keys more than make up for it. What a joyride this album was! Who knew that a simple band from Bath could string along different genres so easily, seamlessly and in a way that amplified their messages and improved their songs. From start to finish, this project is an all killer, no filler affair. It's also one of the few albums whose album cover defines the music present on the album. The monochrome cover perfectly encapsulates the music behind it. The arrangements are often cadaverous and chilling, other times hypnotic and soulful and on occasion smooth and mellow as well. The lyrics get to the point and the core of many sociopolitical issues of the time. Sensational doesn't even begin to describe it; this underrated gem is a must for everyone trying to broaden their horizons as far as British 80s music goes and further acknowledge Tears for Fears as one of the most underrated bands of the 1980s. 10/10

SOMETHING HAPPENS AND IM HEAD OVER

Masterful pop production. It wears its era on its sleeve, which is perhaps the only complaint, but also a big part of the charm. There are plenty of legitimately interesting ideas across the eight songs, while they all manage to sound like the commercially successful pop music which they were.

Classic. Feels like I took a time machine back to the 80s listening to it

Mom bought the first Sony Discman, the D-50, shortly after it came out: a minimalist, chunky half-cube of a gadget with an LCD readout, maybe four buttons and a volume dial. It was the future. It played shiny discs that had a prismatic glow when you held them under light. As far as I was concerned at five or six years old, it was magic. Among the discs Mom would purchase following her acquisition of the new magical music machine: selections from The Beatles’ catalog, Phil Collins’ “No Jacket Required”, Simon and Garfunkel’s “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme”, a host of classical and new age recordings and this record right here, Tears For Fears’ “Songs From the Big Chair”. If you asked me the name of my first grade teacher or what I got for Christmas in 1987, I couldn’t begin to tell you, but I remember sitting in our living room on the dark blue carpet popping this disc or “No Jacket Required” or “Help!” into the CD player like it was yesterday. …Fuck me, I loved “Sussudio” back then. Now I’ve a got a closet full of prismatic discs that haven’t seen the light of day in close to two decades. For me, they’ve been rendered obsolete by the even more minimalist and thin rectangular slab that nearly everyone on earth carries with them at all times and by a format that’s even older than the compact disc: the vinyl record. I’ve been collecting vinyl for nearly a quarter century now and have found that I prefer the experience of listening to the medium that preceded the cd when sitting crosslegged on the floor of my living room. So here’s to the Compact Disc and all the other inventions that changed the world and have since been relegated to dust: Sic transit gloria. (Glory fades)

Everybody Wants to Rule the World was my favorite song then ("Real Genius" anyone?) and remains one of my favorites to this day. The whole album is iconic; an 80's colored jewel that continues to sparkle even as the years tumble by. Thank you to the reviewer who mentioned Beato has covered Head over Heels. Heading there now.

Excellent synth pop album. A more accessible, but still very interesting, successor to their debut The Hurting.

There's no way to remove our own biases, experiences, and subjectivity from, well, anything, really, and rendering an opinion on music is no exception. This is one of my favorite albums of all time. It surprised me when it was released and fell in love with it (its release year, 1985, was the year I graduated high school and entered college) because this was so popular and I fancied myself quite a bit of a hard rocker and wannabe punk rocker who was just way too cool for silly ol' popular music (I was then, as I am now, completely full of poop). Didn't matter though: this band, this album, these songs...they all gripped me. I know it's all associated with what was, for the most part, an extraordinarily memorable year for me, in many outstanding ways (had some really crappy moments, too, but that's how life does its life thing). I have a particular fondness for Roland Orzabal's voice and I believe he is an underrated guitarist. (Speaking of guitar, Neil Taylor's outro solo on "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" is excellent.) Curt Smith's voice is great, too, and his bass playing is also overlooked. They are actually fantastic musicians, composers, and writers. A good look into their abilities can be found YouTuber Rick Beato's 'What Makes This Song Great' episode on "Head Over Heels," one of my favorite of many favorite TFF songs. Check it out if you're interested. So glad this project gave me an excuse to listen to this masterpiece all the way through again. 5+ Stars from me.

Disliked this band for multiple reasons back in 1985. Notably their image, fan base, music videos and especially the music itself. The image faded, the fans dispersed and the videos are relegated to YouTube obscurity. Yet the music endures. I can’t.

Saw a tweet one time that was just this picture, captioned “these honkeys were COOKING” and it’s so true. ‘Shout’ is just one of those few 80’s gems that will never be replicated. It’s got AURA. It’s got ATTITUDE. This can be said for the entire album actually. Tight, direct song structure that knows when to slip in and out of instrumental atmospheres. A massive generational pop hit. One iconic vocal melody after another. A mystical album ender. Socially conscious messaging. This album has it all and doesn’t overstay it’s welcome at all. Perfect! It’s incredible that we got this less than a year after Purple Rain. It’s worth noting that they’ve done the impossible recently - they made a song that’s unique and new sounding, unlike every other legacy band from the 80’s or earlier pumping out nothing-burgers to cash in on yet another world tour. Check out ‘No Small Thing’ it’s worth a listen

I love the variety of music, I love how songs are interconnected, and I love the music. Especially the lesser known songs (eg Broken).

Everybody Wants To Rule The World is an 11/10 track. Rest of the album didn't do much for me

I love this album. Was already familiar with several of the songs but hadn't listened to it all of the way through. The way Broken hints at then shifts into Head Over Heels is fantastic.

Very 80s. Starts strong but fizzles

I was today years old when I found out “Shout” was not a Depeche Mode song lol. That EWTRTW song is a meme, a beat up meme also. Good I hate the 80’s pop sound. So cliché, so clownish…

The Good: anthemic album off an age gone by The Bad: that too many people confuse this with Synth-Pop The Ugly: or just plain’ ol’ po’ p’ Back in the day, like any teenager, I too enjoyed Everybody Wants To Rule The World, while Shout was a little beyond my taste at the time… Today, I wish I could go back in time and actually purchase the album and listen to it countless times, like I did to the more poppy contemporary artist such as Prince, Phil Collins, Duran Duran. Madonna, What and later George Michael. Tears For Fears are one of few acts that survived the ‘80s and when you listen to their “old” recordings now, you realize that how great the stuff is. It has held up wonderfully, even if it sounds like the ‘80s, it isn’t like listening to Spandau Ballet, or ABC, or Bronski Beat, or any true synth-pop from that era. 5* even if, technically speaking, it should get a 4 1/4

One of the best albums of the '80's, hands down

Absolute classic. I met Roland in at The Ivy in LA once. He was lovely.

Perfect modern pop album! If u like depeche mode - listen!

Super into this. What's not to love about 80s synth pop?

Fuck it, too many hits and the 2nd disc makes this another 5.

wild how the 80s exist huh first track is lame but everything after is pretty great. everyone wants to rule the world is some of the best shit from the 80s prolly. this was before pop artists stopped making 6 minute songs so a couple songs drag a lil but never too bad since theyre all good anyways. 9/10

This is crazy 80s sound, like super cheesy I would never listen to this. Oh well. Sticking with it. Only on song 2. On the last song. This is really bad. Awful.

All the was bad about 80s music, 41 minutes and 52 seconds too long.

Super relaxed album. Best song is for sure "Everybody Wants To Rule The World". Best deep track is "Listen"

Probably top 3 albums we’ve listened to thus far yeesh.

OMG, was a great album, automatically added to my favourites

Amazing!

I fucking love this album. Only listened through it entirely about 3 times, but I've heard Everybody about a thousand times. So glad that the whole thing is just as great.

Excellent

1985!!! yo era un niño cuando sonaba esto en la radio pero aún lo recuerdo. Está bien, las dos canciones que recuerdo son un bombazo: "Shout" y "Everybody Wants to Rule the World". Solo por eso merece la pena, el sonido años 80 real también es un extra.

my era music. The hits are there and enjoyable, rest of album pretty good too.

Finally an 80s pop album that is actually good. Shout and Everybody Wants to Rule the World are all time classics.

Perfect catchy pop rock.

Музыка: 9/10 Разнообразие: 10/10 Тематика и вайб: 10/10 Цепляемость (отдельные песни зашли): 8/10 Реиграбельность (можно ли рандомно врубить на фон): 9/10 Итог: 9.2

Almost perfect. The ultimate 80s album. One that has grown on me over the years rather than one I was drawn to immediately (The Smiths were everything in ‘85, but the more I hear this album the more I love it. Almost brings me to tears of joy and nostalgia every time.

Peak 80s

Tears for Fears, a band that made Pop music that sounded 80's but was much less annoying than most and aged pretty well. Their blend of Synthpop and New Wave with catchy melodies and hooks that created the anthemic and introspective masterpiece titled 'Songs From the Big Chair\". It's one of the best Pop records released in the 80's and maybe of all time. Multiple classic songs are featured here including the generationally known 'Everybody Wants to Rule the World' 'Shout' opens the album in the typical blend of Synthpop, New Wave & Big Music that is present on the pretty much every song here. It also gets a little progressive by bringing in slight notes of Industrial into the production which as weird as it sounds, works really well. And even at its nearly 7 minutes of length it really keeps the attention of the listener with great performances and production. The song is so unbelievably catchy and melodic that I am mad that not every 80's pop band with a smiliar sound turned out like this! The bridge is crazy and the whole way they keep the flow of the song and add more and more detail is phenomenal. It's a hypnotic and atmospheric listen especially in the second half, nearly ethereal. And the way it changes its emotional depth by adding slight changes but keeping the same rhytmn and melody. Yeah, I think you get that I really like this song. It's perfect start to finish. On 'The Working Hour' they take on a very mature and sophisicated nearly Jazzy sound that stands in complete contrast to the darkness that the first song ended on. It does take time to build up but it's worth the wait. The vocals are really good and the calm sound is very relaxing while keeping the intricate production. Do I love it? No, but it is a great song nonetheless even if it does drag a little and feels streched towards the end. And to return to the greatness of the start, 'Everybody Wants to Rule the World' with the intro that everybody recognizes. What can I say: the song is perfect in every way. It's romantic and full of great lyrics and songwriting. Do I prefer it over 'Shout'? No... that one's got my heart even more than this classic. 'Mothers Talk' gets a little funky and artsy with the influences ranging from Dance-Punk to Industrial Dance. All of it gives a lot of similarities to Depeche Mode's early stuff. It's very groovy and interesting by being kind of weird with the details in the production. I really like it for the raw and energetic performance and chorus. It's really good, like incredibly good and if they would've left the outro away, it might've been perfect. The albums second half starts with 'I Believe' which returns to the calm and relaxed sound that nearly feels like some Lounge music with the simpler production. Again, I think that makes it a little boring for my liking even if I think they did a great job. It just feels too much like background music and doesn't grab my attention enough for me to genuinely appreaciate the song. Luckily, 'Broken' returns to the Dance-Punk influences in an even punkier way. That results in one of the most underappreaciated tracks on the album. Just because it's short doesn't mean that's worse. Quite the opposite actually, it's incredibly groovy and energetic and I love it. The other song that most know is 'Head Over Heels' because it is one of the best songs on the album. The chorus is so intricate and emotional, the vocals are performed to perfection. The production, songwriting and melody are all curated to its greatest possible form. And as if it wasn't enough, they added a little bit of 'Broken' to the end as a kind of continuation of that. Another perfect song. The album ends with the weirdly ambient 'Listen' that closes the album in a minimal but hypnotizing finale that includes many details from choir to glitchy video game sounds to whips to tribal anthems. It's a magical and atmospheric experience, relaxing and sentimental without being boring. Yes, it's not one of the craziest songs but it has so many incredible moments that I feel like the vocals weren't actually needed at all. This closes the album in the way it should've ended. favourites: Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Head Over Heels, Broken least favourites: I Believe, The Working Hour Rating: light 9 https://rateyourmusic.com/~Emil_ph for more ratings, reviews and takes

WHEN THE WIND BLOWS WE CAN WORK IT OUUUUT

I love this band and album with my whole heart

I wouldn't mind listening to the happier songs 24/7. The other songs are somewhat more boring, though

Und immer schön so’n büschen Hall drauf, gell? Nein: Wow. Das ist mal ein „Album“: ordentlich Abwechslung, feine Dramaturgie, Ruhiges und echte Knaller – das alles bei konsistentem Sound und hervorragenden Musikern. Souverän, zart, geil.

so funky cool

Everybody Wants to rule the world is one of the greatest songs of all time. Shout is goated too. rest is ok

My distaste for 80s synthpop instantly leaves my body like an evil spirit the moment I hear the opening notes of "Everybody Wants To Rule The World". There's some filler on this album ("I Believe" is boring as hell), but it's still like Top 5 synthpop albums of all time. They really let it all out.

Shout....can't bear to ever hear it again....Head over Heels...same. The only redeeming song on this album, to me....is Everybody wants to rule the world....that song is a classic!

Ten album grał mi często w poprzednim roku razem z innymi new wave z lat 80. Więc przypomina mi trochę mieszkanie na Sądowej. Dziś gra równie miło

Majestic

Favorite track(s): Shout, The Working Hour, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Mothers Talk, Broken, Head Over Heels Hating this album for being too 80s is like hating a sundae for having too much ice cream. Heard before Previous rating: 9/10

I was intimately familiar with the singles of this album, but wow have I been missing out on the full picture. Polished, dreamy extended cuts meet with tight, nerdy jams and contemplative lyrics that glue together a really wonderful 42 minutes. Tears for Fears drew directly from the prog-rock formula of the 70s and transformed it into something new, shiny, and addictive. Having only heard the single version of Head Over Heels, I had a mind blowing experience listening through the full suite with Broken. This album sets an impossibly high standard for 80s New Wave/Rock/Pop. Instant classic.

What a magical experience this album is. There is not a single song on here that I felt didn't belong. It feels like a musical tour of the 80s and everything special about the music of that time. Will definitely be getting many more plays from me in the future.

*Songs From The Big Chair* is a landmark album that successfully bridged the gap between intelligent, introspective songwriting and massive, anthemic pop. It remains a high-water mark of 1980s music, an album that is both of its time and timeless. ### 🎤 Lyrics and Themes: The Catharsis of Control While their debut, *The Hurting*, was steeped in the psychological pain of childhood, *Songs From The Big Chair* marks a progression toward emotional healing and a broader, more outward-looking perspective . The band's interest in Arthur Janov's primal therapy theories still informs the work, with "Shout" acting as a direct, cathartic call to release pent-up emotion . Thematically, the album is a study of power, control, and anxiety in a world that often feels overwhelming. * **Power and Geopolitics:** The most prominent theme is the desire for control, both on a personal and global scale. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" was a perfect, albeit uneasy, anthem for the Cold War era, its deceptively catchy melody masking lyrics about political greed and existential dread . It speaks to the "need for power between both the United States and the Soviet Union," but also to the personal struggles of wanting to control one's own life and, failing that, trying to control others . * **Societal Pressure:** "The Working Hour" addresses the soul-draining nature of corporate life and capitalism, while "Mothers Talk" was inspired by the UK government's "Protect and Survive" campaign, warning of nuclear threats . Even the seemingly straightforward love song "Head Over Heels" fits this tapestry, depicting the obsession and desire that can feel just as consuming as world politics . * **Ambiguity and Melancholy:** The lyrics are often praised for their directness while still leaving room for personal interpretation . Underneath the polished pop sheen, there is a pervasive sense of melancholy and uncertainty, making the album a "lightning rod for the fears and indeed tears that ... were always bubbling below the surface" for many listeners . ### 🎶 Music and Production: A Sonic Leap Forward Musically, the album represented a dramatic maturation. The band moved away from the stark synth-pop of their debut toward a "complex, enveloping pop sophistication" . This was achieved through a rich, layered production that integrated a diverse array of sounds. * **Diverse Influences:** The album is a "hodgepodge" of styles, from the industrial-tinged "Shout" to the jazz-influenced ballad "I Believe," the '60s-style pop of "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," and the new-age sound collage of "Listen" . This eclecticism was partly why the album was named *Songs From The Big Chair*—it felt more like a collection of distinct songs than a unified concept piece . * **Cutting-Edge Technology:** The album's expansive sound was made possible by the band's embrace of new technology. They used cutting-edge gear like the Fairlight CMI and Synclavier samplers, and the Drumulator drum machine . The famous drum sound on "Shout" was created with a LinnDrum machine, mixed with live drums to create an "industrial thunder" . The production was so intricate that "Mothers Talk" required multiple analog tape machines running in sync to capture nearly 100 recorded elements . * **The Power of Arrangement:** As Roland Orzabal himself stated, "the secrets are in the arrangement and production" . Producer Chris Hughes and the band created a "glistening remoteness" with expansive reverb and a spacious sound, making it an ideal candidate for the modern 5.1 and Dolby Atmos surround sound mixes that reveal new layers of detail . ### ✅ Pros and Cons **Pros 👍** * **Timeless Songwriting:** The album contains some of the most enduring pop songs of the decade, with "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," "Shout," and "Head Over Heels" remaining radio staples . * **Innovative Production:** The layered, sophisticated production was a huge leap forward, creating a cinematic soundscape that still sounds fresh and detailed . * **Intelligent Lyrical Depth:** It avoids empty pop fluff, tackling complex themes like psychology, politics, and personal struggle with earnestness and intelligence . * **Cohesive Artistic Statement:** Despite its stylistic range, the album holds together as a powerful and unified artistic statement about catharsis and the desire for control . **Cons 👎** * **Perceived Bombast:** At the time, some critics mistook the album's "steely-eyed austerity" and grand ambitions for harsh bombasticism . * **Slightly Uneven Tracklist:** While the hits are undeniable masterpieces, some tracks like "Mothers Talk" are sometimes seen as weaker in comparison to the album's towering highlights . The live reprise of "Broken" can feel like a slight interruption to the album's flow for some listeners, though it serves as a bridge to "Head Over Heels" . Ultimately, *Songs From The Big Chair* is a remarkable achievement—a "commercial triumph" that is also an "artistic tour de force" . Its legacy is immense, influencing a wide range of artists from Smashing Pumpkins and Arcade Fire to Kanye West and Drake, all of whom have drawn from its sound or sampled its iconic tracks .

Shout est phénoménale, le reste de l'album est très très bon plein de musiques que je connaissais pas et je me suis régalé. À la fois c'est une musique d'ambiance de fou et à la fois y'a des bangers, par exemple Broken et Head Over Heels qui sont excellents.

Tears for Fears Rules. Need to listen to the rest of their discography but this is all bangers no skips

One of my favorite albums of all time. Usually ends up in the top ten when I put together a list. Yes, it’s ridiculously 80s. Yes, it’s emotionally overwrought. But for this 80s kid it’s like a pure prism of emotions emanating from our infant selves. The hits were background music for my childhood, but I didn’t actually pick up the album until my 30s. It was in a transitional time of life when I was driving around a lot listening to Jack-FM hoping for a few favorite songs to come on. And eventually I realized that all I wanted to hear was “Head Over Heels” and it was time to get the record. Now the hits and the other tracks blend together into an organic whole to me. I have the strongest feelings in the quietest parts, as if they were purposefully written for reflection. For me it contains just about every emotion and experience. Other random note: in my top albums, this is probably the poppiest and most popular

This album's one of the best new wave albums to come out of the 80s, and that's a genre I'm very fond of so you can imagine how much I love it. Moody synths and surging drum machines, vocals that are somehow equal parts booming and ethereal, plus exquisitely crafted hooks all combine to make a hell of an addictive experience. Seriously, whenever I listen to this album I get Head Over Heels stuck in my head for days. It's no wonder some of these tracks are remembered as some of the most iconic songs of the 80s. The only one I didn't really care for was I Believe. Besides that it's more or less hit after hit. Favourite tracks: The Working Hour, Head Over Heels, Shout, Mothers Talk

This could have just been the three big singles and it already would have been 5 stars. Everything else is just incredible icing on top.

This album is a proper masterpiece. While listening I felt a mix of big emotions — catharsis, tension, joy, and melancholy all at once. It’s a huge step up from their debut, going for glossy, sophisticated new wave/pop with real depth underneath. The production is immaculate, the hooks are massive, and the band sounds confident and expansive. It deals with heavy themes like power, control, emotional repression, politics, and personal healing, but wraps them in incredibly catchy and anthemic songs. You get that perfect balance of commercial shine and genuine substance. Songs from the Big Chair just feels like a classic from start to finish. One of the strongest and most complete albums of the 80s. Absolute gem.

Det här känns som ett album min pappa skulle gilla. Väldigt syntpopigt, liknar Alphaville och Depeche Mode. Dock tycker jag det känns lite mer artsy. En av mina favorit låtar någonsin är från det här albumet "Head over Heels". Tycker dock albumet känns kort med bara 8 låtar. Favoritlåtar: Everybody wants to rule the world, Shout och Head over Heels. Minst favorit: Broken

Rating: 5.0/5 Short Review: One of the great pop albums of the 1980s. Massive hooks, immaculate production, and much darker psychologically than its radio hits suggest. Beneath all the polish is an album about trauma, control, childhood, and emotional repression. Favorite Track: “Head Over Heels.” Pure perfection. Melancholy, romantic, uplifting, and heartbreaking all at once.

ICONIC 80S banger 5/5

I didn't realize so many iconic songs came from a band whose name I didn't know. I loved this one.

Fantastic album, one of the best to ever do it. Non stop bangers that work both as singles and as a complete album. RIP Tears for Fears you would have loved the Assassin's Creed Unity E3 2014 World Premiere Cinematic Trailer

80s music is usually not my jam… but Tears for Fears is one of the few exceptions. Such a solid album, so many hits. Right when Everybody Wants to Rule the World comes on… all the feels. 4.5

LMFAO i listened to this last night …. one of my favourite albums ever and a landmark of the 80s. nothing is more freeing than “everybody wants to rule the world” which i consider to be one of the best songs of all time. the track run from shout to mothers talk is INSANE.

I’m

Masterpiece

Album 129. Songs From The Big Chair (https://open.spotify.com/album/4yaypP8ytl2ghM2kiNSD8a?si=viJlKHeuS--hBNqqw6bKRg) — Tears For Fears (1985) Classic great album. I still freshly associate Everybody Wants To Rule The World with the Marty Supreme movie 5/5 Liked: — Shout — The Working Hour — Everybody Wants To Rule The World — Broken — Head Over Heels / Broken

I didn’t even realized I’ve heard at least one song from these guys (Everyone wants to rule the World). I think this is a good recommendation.

This album is full to bursting with great songs, and is one of my favourites. Can’t give it anything less than a 5. 9/10

Banger

Ахуенный альбом, от начала и до конца погружает в свою атмосферу. Очень интересно и насыщенно звучит

This is a legendary album. I knew three of the songs already and loved the ones I didn't know. I was not prepared for Broken, but that is an excellent track. It flows perfectly with Head Over Heels. The whole album is an experience. I would gladly put this on again.

I was very surprised by the level of production and how many layers there are on every track. I thought this was my moms music but it’s my music too now. Love the synths and guitars. la lala la la la lala la la lah lah lah lah la la

shout - great intro to the album, very pop-esque, great nostalgic type feel the working hour - i absolutely love this song's instrumental, it reminds me of japanese city pop, just an overall good feel especially with the saxophone melody everybody wants to rule the world - love itttt, a classic, listening to it all the way through makes me notice all the parts more, the bridge compliments the rest of the song so well while bringing something new to the melody mothers talk - insanely 80s pop rock intro, i love the melodies in this song and their singing voices it adds so much personality i believe - much more chill, laid back feel with simple snare drums, vocals, and a piano broken - back to upbeat, they were going crazy on that guitar solo ughhh, can be a bit disorienting but it has the same melody as head over heels, transitions into head over heels head over heels - nostalgic melodyyyy classic, i love it, i think the vocals are perfect and compliment the instrumentals so well, also just a classic in general, reminds me of a coming of age movie, such a feel good song :) listen - THE END OF HEAD OVER HEELS TRANSITIONED TO THIS, oh my goodness the intro instrumental is magical, it caught all of my attention oh, i'm listening, alright. it's so good you don't even realize it's 6 minutes. the overlapping vocals sound ethereal, the composition is splendid overall: no skips, they cooked. maybe i'm biased because i like pop-rock but i don't care. this makes me appreciate the variety of pop-rock even more now. 9/10

Perfect from start to end. A masterpiece. Love the production. Could listen to it forever. Best: Head Over Heels, Mothers Talk Worst: (no bad songs)

So many hits. So many tunes. Absolutely love it.

Still rules the world

This album sounds like the 80s but somehow hasn’t aged poorly at all. Each song is a pop banger, what’s not to love.

I liked a lot of this. Very 80s, but in a good way!

Didn't appreciate it enough at the time. Isn't that always the way?

This album may have the most new-wavey vocals I've ever heard - it's that seamless switching between soft and smooth, and deep, towering cadences. I heard this album a while back, a couple of times because I liked the song 'Everybody Wants to Rule The World', but I don't remember many songs off of it. Re-listening to it now, I can see why. To me, it sounds like the type of album you'd thoroughly enjoy while listening, front-to-back, but the next day you'd struggle to remember a single song off of it. Relax that's just how I feel! I'll need to test that hypothesis again now, though I won't be able to update this review with the conclusion. Anyways what am I talking about? Oh yeah, this album. Nice, colorful, fluttery, well-produced, new-wavey power music that can very comfortably soundtrack a walk through a tropical beach. 'Shout' is the perfect, anthemic, and catchy opener this album needed; and while I usually dislike clean saxophone lines in '80s (white) music, the one on 'The Working Hour' managed to win me over. 'Head Over Heels/Broken' is another incredibly solid cut with one of the most earwormy choruses here. The synth lead and pads that open up the song 'Listen' are yet another incredible production moment here, the entire track is ethereal, sounding like you've stumbled upon this gorgeous bio-illuminated grotto in the middle of the jungle. It's got ambient elements like that. I tend to use the descriptor "clean production" with a negative connotation a lot of the time, but despite this album being the epitome of that descriptor, I'd say the shininess of the production only helps elevate its lush and scenic sound. The high quality of it all makes everything just pop. A great album with a great sound that captures its era beautifully, there's a reason this album's so revered in the new-wave world. Let's hope I remember how much I liked it come tomorrow night.

I first heard this band on TV ads for one of those MEGAHITS OF THE 80s compilation CDs and though that 'Shout, shout, let it all out, these are the things I could do without' was a hilarious thing to say in a song. But you know what, there are things I could do without and if I could just shout to let them all out, I would love to. Everybody Wants to Rule the World rules. That little guitar intro thing that's pushed aside by the two synth chords, ooh baby! So simple, so effective, just pure pop perfection. Head Over Heels has an incredible piano riff that builds tension and releases into a floaty verse and propulsively off kilter chorus and some totally unique vocal delivery. The rest is full of cool tones and textures, angsty vocals, smooth sax, glossy simmering synth surfaces and rubbery bass and some of THE definitive 80s drum sounds. Drags a bit on the slow stuff in the middle. It's like if Splenda was an album.

TFF, were you progs out of joint? Just a little bit? You mind if I respond in kind? Had my second listen had been on the whispering domestic speakers of the first rather than headphones, I would’ve dismissed this with Simon’s “go to the Greatest Hits” instruction, but a closer listen unveils a well-balanced, nicely-lit structure, with gentles wafts of charcoal, designer hash and hot tarmac, held up by two mighty singles, tapering to a moody spot at the back for the devotees. I’ve spent the last two hours preparing for our first Canadian Thanksgiving, and I think the Turkey fumes and heat have infused into my bone-house. The lyrics are abstract, but not pretentious, which is a hard combination to achieve, and in part due to the musical context: the urgency in the songs alternates between being martial, foreboding, or introspective, avoiding monotony, and the words come off as code between lovers and comrades. Now all is clear: Tears for Fears were the secret Bath Resistance.

Oh yeah - probably the first album I really appreciated as a whole, as opposed to being a few songs I liked co-mingled with boring ones I tolerated and/or fast-forwarded. Being made from wall-to-wall 4 min+ bangers that flow into each other probably helped. Not quite as good as I remember, unsure about the proggy/proto-Enigma last track, but a nostalgic 4* nonetheless. Those haircuts!

All the hits and with some be great (to my surprise) prog rock and truly industrial sounds tucked away between them.

Stolen from the internet, but properly sums it up for me: Straddles the line between mid-80's commercialism and Progressive pop experimentalist explorations, while extracting all the right elements of both very, very well. Takes all the stereotypes common of the era and utilizes them in a tasteful fashion (thunderous drums and choruses, female African backing vocals, Gospel influence, Guitar solos, lyrical themes dealing with a romanticized version of love and loss, suburban angst, etc.), while pulling off some of the best (and most memorable) hooks and melodies of that era. Shout is catchy and huge and kinda weird with the NIN esque and organ fuels breakdown. Believe for me is the banana peel that sends me spinning off rainbow road while broken is me being plopped right down in front of booster and a box with a star in it. 4 rating needs to be no skip for me, but i believe in the future I’d skip BELIEVE. 3, would kindly scoop

Singles are strong as hell but not super into the rest unfortunately.

A bit boring but competent

det er virkelig lyden af 80'erne, hvis jeg skulle importere en far der aldrig er kommet videre ville jeg sætte det her på. (min far)

Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, and Head Over Heels are all quintessentially 80s. Unfortunately I don't think they're all-time good enough, and the rest of the album is pretty meh. So this doesn't crack above a 3.

everybody might want to rule the world but the rest of this album definitely stinks.

I was trying to think of some clever metaphor for this album, rose amongst thorns etc, but that’s too corny. Let’s call it out for what it is, a truly terribly typical peak 80s album, with all the synth wankery and sax and guitar solos lobbed in you could ever dream of. If you like that sort of thing that is. Personally I bloody hate it. ‘Shout’ is the only saving grace, awful fake tin pan banging rhythm aside, it is a bangin tune.

I had high hopes for this as i've pushed through my 80's-phobia and know 'Everybody wants to rule the world' is a banger. Alas it was not to be. A quick high point and then disappearing up their own arse with songs lacking hook or rhythm and being drowned in 80's production like puppies in a canal.

The hits were blatantly the best songs on this album. It was too New Wave, too synthy and too digital for me. This was not awful but I am not a fan.

Are you properly joking me? Worse than I. Maiden. Tom.

I don't get why everyone likes this garbage so much. Annoying vocals over synths and a drum machine. This is the kind of music my mom likes. This album was a traumatic experience for me. Realistically it's a 2 but I'm a man of principles.

Muy buen álbum, creo que puedo decir que aquí está una de mis canciones favoritas.

Instant 5 star. Perfect sound of the 80's, 2 absolute all timers in EWTRTW and Shout, the rest of the album is good to great. 6 bags of popcorn for sure.