The Colour Of Spring

I thought this was pretty great. Somber but lovable. I especially liked the concepts in the first song, and Living in Another World was a banger.

first albums i’ve heard by him and this was a great record, i really enjoyed it, it had a nice happy feeling and made me feel good while listening. his voice is great and the song flow well and everything is fine and dandy

4/5

Day621 - the longer i listened the more i liked it

New album for me. Atmospheric, creative and artsy, with some great songs. Will need to return to it. 7/10

Better than Coldplay

Fun

Great vocals and story telling. Production and music were great too! Didn’t add many songs from it but glad I listened.

First album I’ve received that was released post 2000 and it was by far the best so far. Had very strong Beatles vibes - would definitely listen again.

J'ai complètement accroché ! Pour moi Talk Talk c'est des chansons a succès et je découvre un album fleuve et harmonique, plusieurs écoutes et ca passe tout seul malgré tout J'adore (Juste les chœurs d'enfants en trop)

Merveilleuse témoignage de la pop des années 80, j’ai beaucoup aimé

Fond memories of this one. Young adult angst. It was strangely satisfying.

I'm torn between 3 or 4 stars for the album. There's significant use of pop-synths which is never my favorite but the album has such layered, eclectic sound it's able to overcome the sound of the time. There's a real improvisational element to the album, even on the big, singles tracks. Ultimately, think the four song run between "Life's What You Make It" and "Give it Up" pushes it to a 4 star.

Every time I listen to it I like it more.

This is a solid album. I was only familiar with the singles on here, but I found the entire album a joy to listen to. I love how it sounds sparse, but is actually a complex listen. Mark Hollis has such a unique voice.

Honestly i listened to this and forgot to post about it - Super solid record. The 80's keeps calling to me

interesting how it's so minimal but so spacious in the sound

A band I knew very little about and that I’d lumped in as ‘one of those bands from the 80s that I probably won’t like’ but what a pleasant surprise! It still has a certain amount of that 80s sheen to the production, despite, as I read, a move from the band away from a more synthesised sound. And the results are great! A blend of new wave and art pop that for me, is streets ahead of ‘that one o listened to yesterday’ See, pop music can be good! So many great songs to choose from and had I had a little more time, I may have chosen a deeper cut like _Living in Another World_ or _Time It’s Time_ but already being a little familiar from the radio, and with that great bass line and lead guitar tone, I had to pick my fave track, Life Is What You Make It

I bet Perry Ferrel seems is a scumbag. Some good songs on this. Heavy but not too much

I genuinely enjoyed the atmosphere of the music. Whatever this genre is, I'm into it.

A phenomenal start to this album generator. Life's what you make it was my favorite but they were all pretty good.

I didn’t know what to expect from this one, but must admit ‘Happiness is easy’ was a great opener and immediately drew me in. Even the childrens vocals fit with the overall song. ‘Life's what you make it’ is instantly recognisable as a mainstay of eighties soundtracks. As with the previous two tracks the backing track feels a gular and slightly off kilter but this time adds in a soaring guitar line that just works. I enjoy the dominant bassline and the overall album is a pleasant surprise

Gear: HEDD Audio HEDDphone Two Artwork: ♥️🦋🟨 Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: 🌈🎨🧐 Rating: 🦋🦋🦋🦋/5

Went in expecting this to still sound like synth-pop but it's not that, even if there are some remnants left behind like the bassline of Life's What You Make It. What we get is more organic, more thoughtful, and probably better for it. There's a good flow here, building and then pulling back to let the listener breathe. I Don't Believe in You was maybe my favorite, but Living in Another World has a real groove once it gets going. Great closer too. Feels like we went somewhere.

sumptuous. I’ve only previously heard their post-rock, and frankly haven’t given that enough time but this has given me a reason to revisit, while being excellent in its own right. I’m not the biggest fan of Hollis’ voice but it is soothing and the minimalism here makes it a great breathy, late night listen

They would arguably realise the sound of what they looking for more on Eden but given how narrow the Musical Overton Window was in 1985 this was pretty ambitious - some of the effects and influences are, as usual for the time, a little muted under the mid-80s production but this definately rewards multiple listens.

Now here’s a band who had fallen off my radar more than I’d have liked. I was always a bigger fan of the enchanting Spirit of Eden, and there’s a hint here of what’s to come on tracks such as Chameleon Day. Really solid album, and I’m going to return to this again.

Interesting and very mindful

I have this on vinyl, bought it when it came out, was a fairly big fan of the band at the time. I think this record shows a lot of maturity and empathy. It's certainly much more complex than their earlier work. Some bands have a really well developed debut album and then frankly they never do anything else that's as good. This is common because often bands toil for years on that first record, and the following records have to come out more quickly, so the quality suffers... and they also may just not have that much more to say! This album is a great example of how a band can evolve, change, improve, mature, become more relevant over time.

Great album.

3.75

The Colour of Spring is an album that requires context. I'd listened to it mostly unaware of the band's history, and was confused. Checking out Talk Talk before and after 1986 explained things alright. Going from It's My Life to this is wild, yet, TCoS clearly takes a lot from their roots and steeps in a direction unknown at the time. The wind of change is strong in this one, and i love it. Percussion was surprisingly vivid, but the mixing gives shine to every instrument here. Even Harmonica didn't bother me too much. The Colour of Spring just sounds good. That Rolling Stone critic, who dropped the album rating, ruined his karma. What I didn't like as much is pounding one-liner choruses to infinity and beyond, yes, despite Life's What You Make It being an overall cool track. Mark Hollis has an awesome voice, I wouldn't mind hearing more of him here and there with some variety in lyrics and musical phrasing. I liked The Colour of Spring more on a second listen and that's telling. Best: I Don't Believe In You, Life's What You Make It, Chameleon Day.

I get it. I see it. I enjoyed parts, but the whole thing isn’t really my style. Much respect, though. 4/5

neloše EDIT: poslušao ponovo jer je prijatelj spominjao kako voli ovaj bend. ovaj album je divota. točno se sjećam da sam ga prvi put slušao za laptopom ujutro, bio mi je više pozadinska glazba, bio mi je čil ali ništa posebno (vjerojatno ga nisam baš najpozornije slušao). nakon drugog slušanja moram reći: ovo je naprosto divan album! i svakako ću ga još koji put preslušati

Enjoyed it

Never listened to this album all the way through before. Pretty good.

86/100. From the moment it begins, it lifts you just slightly off the ground and keeps you there. The production is a big part of why the album works so well. Everything sounds soft and organic. Guitars shimmer, keys swell and fade, and Mark Hollis’s voice floats in and out like a thought you're trying to hold onto. Even the upbeat moments don’t feel loud. They feel open. There’s space in every arrangement, which gives the listener room to drift along. You’re never being pushed. You’re being gently carried.

This was a real surprise. I’d thought Talk Talk was a synthy 80s pop band, but this is big, bold, beautiful stuff. First listen was amazing and I think it’s likely to be a real grower.

Very interesting, almost prog-pop sound with a lot going on. Has a fresh feel to it, very modern-sounding. Didn't connect as much with the more ambient-heavy songs, but a lot to enjoy here. Top tracks: Life's What You Make It, Living in Another World, Give It Up

Loved this album

This was new to me. Didn't know much of the group. Kind of thought that they were 80's New Romantics but from this offering I guess they were much more than that. I expected more synths but this appeared to be played with real instruments, and not "poppy" at all. The lyrics are cryptic but clever enough to pull you in. I imagine ten different people listening to a track and having ten different interpretations of it and all of them convinced they're right. A vey good listen.

I love me some solid 80s!

Pretty chill 80's pop, but not much else to say. 4.5 bumped down to 4.

Experimental and very unlike their usual synth-pop... love it!

i was a day behind so this was the second album i listened to today from this list. the first one was Hunting High And Low by a-ha. it was fine but pretty commercial and boring 80s. this was 80s in the complete opposite direction. still obviously a product of its time but so much cooler throughout. stuff that actually grabs your attention and makes you listen in rather than drone along in the background of a 1980s mall. and you gotta respect when a band ends an album with a song 3+ minutes longer than every other track!!!! i love that so much and really love how (relatively) common it was back then

Rating: 7.5/10

Surprisingly good.

I liked this!

Peter Gabriel meets Tears for Fears. Win/win in my book.

This is an album I'm kind of conflicted about. There's some really good stuff on here, and "Happiness is Easy" is a staple on most of the 80s playlists I make for myself. There are some really fun guitar riffs, drum fills, and jazzy elements throughout the album, and it's got that dark, melodic atmosphere I enjoy from some of my favorite 80s artists (Peter Gabriel, Depeche Mode, The Chameleons, etc.). On the other hand, the album still manages to have a "sameness" to it despite the experimental bits. The first song starts off with great energy, but then it overstays its welcome by going on a bit too long (and this is my favorite song on the album, remember). That then carries through the rest of the album, as most of the songs sound like variations on the same melody and themes. By the time the closing track finishes (after over 8 minutes), it definitely feels like it's been a lot longer than 45 minutes. I think my biggest issue with it (and Talk Talk in general), though, is Mark Hollis' voice. Though not unpleasant to listen to, there's something about it that's a bit off putting to me. I can't say it's monotone, because he does have range, and the melodies are fairly dynamic; but it often feels like he's just droning on, and I've never really connected emotionally with anything he sings (I think that's why I prefer the No Doubt cover of "It's My Life" over the original). He reminds me a lot more of singers like Michael McDonald and Steve Winwood (who incidentally, plays on this album) — singers with objectively good voices that just do absolutely nothing for me. This is one of those albums that I listen to repeatedly, because it is mostly good, but I probably can't listen to more than once or twice a year without getting sick of. 3.5/5 (but rounding to 4)

That was a very intriguing album with its really upbeat tempo and cool instruments. The singer had a very interesting voice which went well with the instruments. I thought the kid singing in the first song was weird and I am glad it didn't happen again through the album. All of the songs kind of melted together and it flew by, which I guess is good praise.

Džaba što je u pitanju vjerovatno najdepresivniji album svih vremena, meni glas ovog čovjeka ima ljekovit učinak. Bilo bi predivno da ima više pjesama kao Life's What You Make It jer bih onda bila veeeliki ljubitelj ali i ovako se nemam šta žaliti osim na depresivu.

Art-Pop/New Wave, but really well executed. If they would just cut out the harmonica and the children's choir, it might be a 5.

Far from their best, in my opinion, but some Talk Talk is always great!

A little bit self indulgent, though still a great album.

Enjoyable

This is great. I recently interviewed Eric Alper on IGTOV and he picked a Talk Talk album as one of his essential 5. Not this one. So I need to do a deep dive. 4 *

Enjoyed way more than expected! Probably won’t relisten, but it was interesting

I don’t know them, but I liked this sound.

Great album

Echoing another reviewer's sentiment: "You need to be in the right mood for this one, but if you are, it's great. You can really lose yourself in it." I don't normally go for 80s New Wave, but this album really spoke to me today. Very atmospheric and moody, it washes over you like a wave.

Actually really interesting, very different and a lot of unique things going on that were honestly pleasing to listen to, I really love the singers voice and this is something I could for sure come back to 9/10

I'm only cursorily familiar with Talk Talk; I've listened to a couple of their albums but not this one. I find them intriguing in that the music is so sparse (particularly on later albums) but the production is so good. I think I need a few more listens of this one to digest but it's very good.

Talk Talk's 3rd studio album transitioned from synthesizer-heavy art pop into a piano, guitar, and organ album that leans into a more organic and improvisational experimental pop sound that moves away from new wave and more towards an 80s and 90s sound.

I wasn't expecting The Colour Of Spring to be as good as it is but man i was pleasantly surprised. I was mainly expecting Talk Talk (Not to be confused with The Psychedelic Furs album of nearly the same name (just missing another talk)) to be just another 80s new wave band which went the same for this album but it is a pretty decent step above a lot of it's contemporaries. It of course still has some of the cheesiness that you would expect to find in a lot of these albums but this one was also pretty melodic and definitely had some pretty relaxing vibes to it. This album was quite the nice surprise. Best Song: Life's What You Make It Worst Song: Chameleon Day

This is probably the Gen Z Disney movie watcher in me, but I half expected Phil Collins to come barreling at some point on this one... For real though, I was rocking with this one, it's pretty grandiose and really sits nicely with lots of piano, organ, and strings where I would've expected synths. Some light research indicates this album comes at an interesting time in history for talk talk, and was a bridge album for the group in terms of sound. Ironically, I feel like this seems like it would be the best the group has to offer, so I'd be skeptical of hearing them commit to a different type of style on other albums.

Quite enjoyable

Otro grupo clave en los 80 y 90. Pasaron de un pop exitoso, It´s my life (un clásico) a seguir su prpio camino y abrir corrientes que florecerían años después (Post... lo que sea que hicieran). Genta tan exquisita y diversa como Mogwai, Low, Slowdive, Steven Wilson o M83 han reconocido su influencia, así que solo por eso ya merecen un hueco en nuestro quehacer diario... Este es uno de sus discos clave, el otro sería Spirit of Eden, y su obra maestra Laughing stock (después de esto, un disco en solitario de Hollis y nada. Por cierto su último concierto data del año de este disco y fue en Salamanca). Música orgánica, con instrumentación real, alejada de excesos sintéticos de otros. Entre The Sniths (The queen is dead ese mismo año), y Tears for fears ( The big chair apenas un año antes). Aquí sobresalen, sin duda Happiness is easy con ese perozoso coro infantil y Livin´ in another world (con Steve Winwood.) Preciosismo, detallismo, estudio al milímetro de cada nota y cada silencio... (April 5th o Chameleon day sin ir más lejos). Lifes is what you make it es otro temazo, y el cierre con Time it´s time es sencillamente ejemplar. Disco enorme, gigante.

It’s a vibe

Right at the middle of their discoraphy, we find Talk Talk's transitional album The Colour of Spring. And despite that status, it doesn't really sound like either their New Romantic early work or their ground-breaking following albums. Instead we get a somewhat ambient take of pop music, with beautifully arranged instrumental passages, emotive vocals, and melodies that sneak up on you when you least expect them. An incredibly unique album, whose sound world has yet to be replicated. Key tracks: Happiness Is Easy Life's What You Make It Living in Another World Give It Up

really really liked this

Type of album where music and voice of Mark Hollis draws you in to another dimension.

This Talk Talk album is so much better than I was expecting. I knew their big hits like It’s My Life but nothing on this album was familiar, and it feels a lot more “grown up” than their earlier stuff. The whole album has a really nice flow from one song to the next, and strikes a good balance of each song being just similar/different enough from each other to still feel like a cohesive work while not getting boring

Luxury music

I’m usually not super big into the new wave albums the generator gives me, but something about this really worked for me. The instrumentation was really diverse. The vocals here reminded me a little of Peter Gabriel. Favorite songs were Life’s What You Make It, Living In Another World, Give It Up, and Time It’s Time.

47/1001 - When I first listened to this I was disappointed that the Debussy and Bartok influence were more textural rather than compositional. I still am, but I've listened to more Talk Talk and think it's a cool midpoint between their Synth Pop and Post Rock sound. Also Laughing Stock is one of the greatest albums ever made and should've been on the list.

Art Rock / Jazz feel on this one with some Depech Mode vibes, great listening experience

I've gotta say... Talk Talk is way better than Talk Talk Talk. I was not a fan of that Psychedelic Furs album I got about a month ago, but I am a fan of Talk Talk's 1986 album The Colour of Spring. This is some good stuff right here! Is it yet another 80s British new wave album? Yes, but it's at least a fairly influential one, so I'll give it that. I'll also give it this; the album's good. I like the songs. The writing is actually somewhat interesting. The singing works. The sound is quite enjoyable. Some moments are more energetic, but there are some slower songs that I also really like. The album's not repetitive. Apparently this isn't even their best album! The two albums released after this, Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock, are generally considered to be better albums. If those two are better than this, they must be some pretty great albums! Unfortunately, neither of them are on the list, but if I really feel like it, I may check them out eventually. The Colour of Spring is still pretty good though. Light 4/5.

very 80s. liked it

I really liked it but I'm note really sure of why.

Along with Slint, Talk Talk is often cited as one of the pioneers of post-rock; a genre I was obsessed with in my 20s. Specifically their album, Spirit Of Eden--which is a masterpiece--and Laughing Stock, their final album. Both would cement their contributions to the foundations of the genre. The Colour of Spring sits firmly to the right of their 80s, hit making jazz and art pop era, and just before their more experimental, minimal post-rock era. They were still being compared to Duran Duran when this record came out and I can see why. I decided to listen to this record then jump immediately into Spirit Of Eden and really enjoyed stepping back and looking at the progression of the band's sound. I don't love everything on this record but still think it's a solid listen. "April 5th" and "Give Up" are highlights for me.

Pretty good!

At first I thought this would be boring, but almost every song had one or two elements about it that managed to keep me interested just enough

really enjoyed this. they say talk talk were a big influence on hogarth-era marillion and boy can you see it

Surprisingly excellent, with many style points and a high degree of sophistication (not to mention subtlety and restraint throughout). Though the vocals can take some adjustment, this seems pretty near the best of the '80s (certainly in the hidden-gems division), in terms of quality, longevity and sounding considerably better than hideously dated than so many other New Wave (and NW-adjacent) acts, this is thoughtful and creative and very poshly executed. Note the contrast between first two song titles – "Happiness Is Easy" and "I Don't Believe in You" – relative to today's positive thinking pablum. The tempos are dead-on, unhurried and thoughful, though the last cut or two lean a bit too much toward the ponderoulsy melodramatic (as if they're doing lieder). "April 5th" is the best non-cover cover of "St. Dominic's Preview" one's ever heard. The joke on "Caroline Know" is noted – and appreciated. TT is not as good as Style Council but this is a record whose sustaining excellence is a most pleasant surprise, even to one relatively advanced in the finer points of this era. TT, take your place nearby to Weller, Ferry, Bowie, etc., and with pride in taking us forward from benightedness.

Life's What You Make It may be the greatest piece of pop music of the 80s but the rest of the album doesn't quite reach the same heights. I love Spirit of Eden and wasn't sure how much this album would be a transition between their earlier more mainstream style and the sound collage style they adopted. This was beautiful and unique too but I think you need more than one listen to fully appreciate it so I'd give it a high four.

Relaxing, beautiful vocals and all around a delight to listen to.

I wish I could give this a 0. Ancestors is a war crime.

Good init

28/01/25 I only knew of two of their songs and fortunately one of them was on this album, I liked it.

When I was first browsing through the latest iteration of this list, I was shocked to find that this was the (only) Talk Talk pick they decided to go with. But maybe it is the most fitting pick - perfectly bridging the band's earlier new-wave style and their late '80s and early '90s jazz and post-rock dabblings - with two of the greatest albums in the genre. While this album's songs are shorter, less airy, and less ambient than Talk Talk's later works, it certainly contains all the flair and beauty. The sounds are so vibrant, and the organs, acoustics, and bass are so colorful, not unlike this album cover. 'I Don't Believe in You', aside from being antithetical to their later 'I Believe in You', floored me with just how gorgeously all the various sounds blended. 'April 5th' sounds straight out of the "Laughing Stock" playbook, primarily with that soft yet restrained piano chord progression and organ. Like many of the songs here, it's filled with natural imagery and subtle nods to death and life afterward. It feels like a deep breath filled with the smells of maple and sap. While not a huge fan of 'Life's What You Make It' and its new-wave cliches, I found myself more partial towards the song 'Living in Another World', which does similar things - albeit with more pizzazz. My favorite song here has to be the closer 'Time It's Time', a perfect blend of all of Talk Talk's sounds and I love those backing vocals on the cathartic chorus. While not my favorite Talk Talk record (I think they're a band that got better with each subsequent release), it was a nice revisit. And one that demonstrates the band's unique sounds at every step of their journey. R.I.P the genius, Mark Hollis

I mean it's the wrong Talk Talk album but it's still nice it's here. And in a way important given it's success gave them licence to make the inspirational Spirit of Eden 2 years later. That album and the follow up Laughing Stock are simply glorious. This record contains the enormous Life's What You Make It, which is one of the most 1986 songs ever, and explodes into this record after a couple of slightly meandering tracks. Although I do enjoy the opener. I never listened to this record, I knew it was the one everyone bought, which rather than signifying it's their best work often means the reverse, however I am pleasantly surprised that this is not full of commercial massive songs, and quite clearly contains the seeds of their greatest work to come. Extremely evident on April 5th, for example. And Chameleon Day. It's a real mish mash though, it feels like the halves of two different albums mixed together on shuffle. As April 5th wanders off into the quiet underbrush, Living in Another World crashes in reminding us all it's 1986 again. Anyway, despite some misgivings, there's a lot of lovely stuff here, finished off with a suitably epic and long song, Time it's Time.

Lovely, upbeat, comfort music.

I never really listened to Talk Talk before but I really liked it. A lot of sounds going on but they all work together. I'll def check out their discography

This should appeal to me and whilst it's not bad, it does feel a little bit unengaging. I appreciate how multilayered it is. Not a huge fan of the vocals but they do blend in well with the music and avoid distracting from it, which I suppose maybe was the point. This was a bit of a challenge so I can see this being the kind of album that needs quite a few listens to really get into, so I could see myself enjoying this a lot more later I wrote all of the above on the first couple of listens and was going to give it a 3 but I'm currently on my 3rd listen and it's clicking much more. I actually quite like it now Highlights: Living In Another World, Time It's Time

This was a pleasant surprise! The jazzy, classically inspired songs here are so different from what many of Talk Talk’s peers were making at the time.

This album is one of the reasons I keep going with this project. Another UK artist but this album I liked! Nice vibe to the whole album.

While I've no particular objections to this music, I do object to the use of children's choirs. Those little bastards cannot sing in tune for shite, and no record anywhere has ever been improved by including children singing. Thankfully it seems to be limited only to the opening track and the rest of the album is mercifully free of it. By the time I get to the absolutely awesome Chameleon Day, I'm ready to almost forgive it. What a track!

Various instruments from jazz, classical and electronic are utilized to support some of the most intimate, unique pop music of the 80s. A

Well I learnt me a little bit more about New Wave. I thought synths were a pre-requisite but these guys certainly fit the bill, even with their anti-synth stance. All that to say, I like it, I'm a sucker for New Wave. Faves: Happiness Is Easy, Time It's Time

I know Talk Talk's hits but this was all new to me - I really liked it! A lot of surprising instrumental flourishes that made it stand out from typical new wave to me.

Goooood

Reminds me of music from pingu

I really enjoyed this. It felt like the soundtrack to a 90s kids safari show.

I really liked a few of the tracks but found others a bit boring. Overall I enjoyed it.

i LOVE the album cover

Talk Talk is one of the last groups I would have expected to find on this list. And this album is the one most people would say least deserves a spot. Not because it’s bad, but because its two successors are generally received better. They are regarded as one of the most influential and important bands in the history of post-rock. They were also one of the first groups to really that sound on the map. But they didn’t start out like that. Their debut and sophomore albums were more synthpop based, and for their third record, The Colour of Spring, they developed themselves into a progressive art pop sound. Bands and albums like this open up an interesting conversation. This is a list of 1001 albums that everyone should hear before they die. One would assume that the creator is trying to say these are essential. But should a list of essentials include albums that will most likely challenge the average person? Many would say no. That’s not what they are interested in hearing. But I would beg to differ. I think the best thing you can do for yourself, especially if you have a passion for music, is branch out and listen to things out of your comfort zone. But I can’t speak for everyone. I may not necessarily be challenged by this as a listener, but some might. But I can still acknowledge that this is weird. Easily some of the most unique sounding pop music I’ve ever heard. It is still very much an 80s record, both good and bad. But, much like 60s psych rock or 70s hard rock, there is a lot of fluff to be found in 80s era pop music. But this thankfully avoids that. There is a certain level of quality this displays that those other bands don’t have. The amount that they manage to pack into song is incredibly impressive. Most songs are constantly evolving, but have one specific aspect that it revolves around, like the lead guitar on Life’s What You Make It. In the grand spectrum of 80s music, this presents itself as one of most interesting and sophisticated new wave releases of the decade. And I think that more than justifies its presence on the list. Rating: 7/10

Killer A Side, generic b side, intriguing

Relaxing and unique. An example of what 80's music could have been without all they synthesizers.

Ohh I liked this, it's felt easy to just lose yourself in it, not every song was fantastic, but it kept me engaged the entire way through, it's a 4 but it was bloody close to a 5

Talk Talk is a great band that knows how to combine the electric smooth sound with other elements and great handcrafted instrumental work. The lyrics are great too. The singing is just a bit too much of the same.

Amazing

paar saaie stukjes maar verder erg vibe 4/5

The best of both worlds when it comes to Talk Talk's discography. You have the pop hits ("Life's What You Make It", "Living In Another World"...), but also the sophisticated production and the very organic-sounding arrangements leading to the British band's later jazzy art-pop / post-rock period--crisp and glossy to a fault here, maybe, yet so interesting and even often mesmerizing to dive into. A couple of songs are just a little too long given Hollis' plaintive tones as a singer, but the many assets of this LP outweigh those minor flaws. Opener "Happiness Is Easy", with its small toddlers choir, a little out of tune, has an incredible atmosphere to it. And "Time It's Time" is a perfect closer. The arrangements on both those tracks are high art, dreamy yet also tangible and tied to a very solid musical ground.  4/5 for the purposes of this list of "essential albums".9/10 for more general purposes. Number of albums left to review: less that 150. Numbers of albums I'll keep in my list: half approximately (including this one) Numbers of albums I might keep: a quarter, approximately. Numbers of albums I won't keep: another quarter. 

Favorite Tracks: Happiness Is Easy I Don’t Believe In You Living In Another World

My french teacher Monsieur Edser loves this album. He says it's the last of the great rock albums and that Talk Talk really fell off after this. It harkens back to the glorious heights of "It's My Life". Don't you forget. Fave Tracks: Happiness is Easy, Life's What You Make It, Time It's Time 3.8/5

Some real ethereal and dreamy soundscapes and songs. I think at parts it was a little too slow, especially for that first half. I don't know what else to say

Aldrig hört dessa innan så kul positiv överraskning. Med undantag för tre lite svagare låtar så är resten genomgående riktigt bra.

I really don't know what makes this album a must-hear before you die. I don't think it was or is genre-defining or amazing in any kind of way. But I did quite enjoy it playing in the background. Not exactly a top 1001 album of all time (which I think applies to the majority of albums on here) but still a very enjoyable listen. Sometimes that's good enough.

Life's What You Make It. Killer piano riff and fantastic drum lines, standout track indeed. Really a top song. This album starts with a cold and clinical sound, but opens up into a lush and interesting record. Great that they could get Steve Winwood to contribute, it's complex but without getting proggy. No-one wants proggy.

Way better than I expected, shit is a vibe AND a bop.

Lekker lekker

Great album, great band, great single. But I am a bigger fan of the previous album from them, so 4 stars

Ingetogen, maar toch bombastisch. Introvert, maar toch theatraal. Klein, maar toch breed uitgesponnen. Karakteristiek stemgeluid van een Britse zanger, maar toch goed kunnen zingen. Het somt het allemaal wel een beetje op. De grote hits zijn namelijk wel het bombastische en theatrale, zoals Life's what you make it. Van die typische jaren 80 over the top, waarbij de gitaar alleen maar wordt gebruikt om een grotesk galmende sfeer neer te zetten. Maar het is stiekem best wel ingetogen allemaal. En dat maakt het toch wel extra interessant moet ik zeggen. Waar ik dit vroeger verafschuwde, kan ik hier steeds beter naar luisteren. En ga ik het steeds meer waarderen.

I've been getting a lot of music from this time period and in this style.This album certainly stands out among the rest. post rock art pop landmark

I fuck with New Wave heavy

Quite melancholic as always.

I was a fan of their first album, "The Party's Over", but wasn't overly keen on their move to a more jazz oriented sound, but this album isn't as bad as their subsequent album "Spirit of Eden".

Talk Talk is a band that I know from the amazing song "It's my life", but literally nothing else. And although "The Colour of Spring" is as 80s sounding as it gets, plus the vocalist sounds like he urgently needs to cough, it grows on you with every song. Great beats make up at least for 75% of enjoyment on this album, but the overall output is just really good. I'll difinitely remember this band from now on.

The 80s and I have a bit of an on again, off again relationship. This album and new wave in general exemplifies the things I have a few issues with, in particular 80s nu-wave vocals, jangly guitars, 80s keyboards and synths as well as random saxophones/brass. None the less I actually liked Talk Talk and would listen to this again

I only knew a couple of singles from this band. The singing is instantly recognizable; the music lovely most of the time. Attention is not completely maintained over the full record, so I leave it at 4 stars.

This felt like a much more chilled out album from Talk Talk compared to their other records. I liked it, and Life's What You Make It is a banger

pleasant musik

Now this is how you do 80s pop! Mark Hollis had such an instantly recognizable voice. 'Chameleon Day' seems a bit out of place and sort of kills the vibe a bit.

We should all be happy that Mark Hollis led Talk Talk in new direction on The Colour Of Spring. His progressive view on 80’s pop brought out some of the most unique pop records of that century. Not everything is a perfect home run on this, but the vision and result is great nonetheless.

A great album but some songs where too sad. Sorry!

Through its fusions of jazz and art pop, Talk Talk create a work that feels simultaneously sensual and mysterious

Felt this deserved several listens and it got better each time. Delish instrumentation & arrangements. Highlight - Life’s What You Make It.

Living in another world is a banger. The rest was also a nice listen.

Artpop mixed with jazz, inspired by Debussy and Bartok got me setting very high expectations for this. Although very good my expectations weren't met. I think I need a few more listens to really uncover this but I'll be looking into more of talk talk's work.

Kæmpe hit album. Det var lidt tungt i starten, dem kan man sikkert lære at elske, men stort set resten var super fint! Det kan namt være jeg vender tilbede til den en dag. 👌

Tämä on hyvä albumi vihamaani genreä.. Kappaleet on taitavasti konstruktoituja.. Välillä knopflerin bändi tulee mieleen... Välillä' mietityttää kappaleiden syklisyys.. PÄÄ* MENEE SEKAISIN..Mutta paketti on mojova esitys

really nice album but maybe a bit less interesting than their later works. no real highlights or lowlights, whole album was enjoyable. strong 7/10

Solid stuff. One big vibe

Good music... enjoyed the blast from the past ... Some songs are vaguely familiar as it was not my usual genre of music.

That’s why I love this app, would’ve never stumbled across this group … they’re very 80s , with a touch of the Smiths — I could totally hear where Maynard Keenan from Tool /Perfect Circle may have gotten some of his influence

Art Vs Commerce. A pyrrhic victory, I fear. Still...

As Amazon may have said, “If you enjoy Tears for Fears, you might also like…”. Or may that’s a little too glib as this album has so much to offer: multi layered, richly produced and a showcase for multi-instrumentalist Mark Hollis. This is so much more than the earnest electro-pop I was half-expecting, what with its echoes of the likes of Astral Weeks and Sketches of Spain(!). Fine album.

Excellent

Vildt lækkert lyd og vildt god stemme. Groovy. Har ikke hørt den her før, men har hørt de to næste Talk Talk plader ret meget. Kan bedre lide dem tror jeg, men det her var mere catchy.

With the change in instrumentation such as wind instruments, organ and acoustic bass, this album moves towards Talk Talk’s later more musically impressionistic material. At the same time, the use of dance rhythms and catchy choruses keeps it connected to their poppy past work. Essentially, this album is a transition between the two eras of the band, seemingly disparate, but as this album reveals are more compatible than they would seem. Rather than a radical shift in direction, the group’s sound is undergoing a, as the butterflies on the cover suggest, metamorphosis. And as a well as this album works as a bridge between two worlds, if you choose to stop at the bridge on your journey you’ll find the view is beautiful all in itself! This album conjures a certain mood, not quite achieved elsewhere by the band. A unique and lovely musical experience. R.I.P Mark Hollis

Trevlig skiva

"The Colour of Spring" is the third studio album by English band Talk Talk. Bandleader Mark Hollis wanted to move away from their previous synth-pop music to using more organic instrumentation. New wave, art pop, progressive pop and experimental pop are appropriate assignments of genres for this album I guess. This album is considered a bridge from the aforementioned synth-pop to their later, more improvised work. A number of additional musicians are used from the core trio including Steve Winwood (organ), the Prentenders Robbie McIntosh (guitars) and producer Tim Friese-Greene (piano, synth, organ, Variophon and Mellotron). Besides Hollis, Talk Talk is Lee Harris (drums) and Paul Webb (drums). This was their best selling non-compilation album hitting #8 in the UK (#58 in the US). You get a sense of what Hollis was going for right away in "Happiness is Easy." A drum beat and percussions. Acoustic guitars. Hollis' voice. Winwood on the organ. This is very sparse and desolate. Strings (synthesized) are added later on to give it a jazzy feel. It's about blindly following religion. Hey, there is a song most everybody has heard in the first single "Life's What You Make It." Piano, guitar, organ and percussion. I always liked this song. A self-explantory title for the song's meaning. The first song on the second side, "Living in Another World," woke me up. It's a standard rock structure song and organ driven. It's busy compared to everything else and has a groove. The album closes with "Time It's Time." This is very dreamy. Percussion and soft piano. Hollis signing softly. A backing choir later on. A message of hope: " Time it's time to live." This album is stark and beautiful. The organ gives it an air of soulfulness. It's also jazzy in spots. There's some spirituality in the lyrics. You defintely see the music transition towards their last two brilliant albums "Spirit of Eden" and "Laughing Stock" but this one is worth a listen to as well.

I like their Last two albums better but this one is good too

Good 80s pop music. I like it.

Decent album. Terrible internet provider.

Vibey

Almost a 5!

I wasn't sure about this at first. Reluctantly I let it ride and I was taken for a good one. The vocals are a bit whiny at times, but dude can't help it. This is good music. I love the rolling bass licks and there is some wild polyphonics going on in some of these tracks. It made me think of the Mountain Goats, which is always a good thing in my book

Atmospheric synth influenced new wave pop. This grew on me more and more over time. As I listened again to try and find a playlist track. I realised that every song on the record is excellent. A really lovely album. Rating: 4/5 Playlist track: Give It Up Date listened: 24/01/24

Enjoyed this - except for kids choir discordant bit on track 1!

It was pretty nice and somewhat unusual

really exquisite, so much so it’s almost frozen

nice Hammond

Nice to do the Sunday crossword to

Life’s what you make it is a classic pop song but the rest of the album is very different I think it’s going to take a few listens but it is really atmospheric Time It’s Time stands out in particular

Loved this

One of the best 80s sleeper hit bands there is

Really enjoyed this, good grooves and well produced and mixed.

I feel like this is teetering on the knife’s edge of interesting and mundane. I think it juuust tilts toward the interesting side, so I’ll give it a 4, but I do wish it were a little more experimental or weird.

I thought it was very good, but I don’t see myself coming back to any of the songs; I’m just not a huge fan of the genre

listened to again very cool

Call it the mood I was in but I was really worming around to this today. Even with the extended song lengths I only found that a couple of tracks overstayed their welcome. Mostly I was happy to let the vibe wash over me, and was won over by the dramatic vocals. Three and a half. Fave track: I Don't Believe in You

Finally got round to listening to it a few years after my friend told me to buy the record. It was pretty good. I’ll hold onto it.

I didn’t really love this, but there was something kind of drawing me in. This might be one that needs multiple listens to get my full appreciation, but I am sure that I will never take the time.

Cool, a chill album

Some songs the vocalist reminds me of Peter Gabriel

This album was the bridge between the early synth pop success and the later sprawling jazz post-rock albums. Its more of the latter though. Delicate emotional stuff. Strong 4

Oeh alle bekende namen waar ik niet goed naar heb geluisterd worden zo langzaam wel afgestreept, vandaag Talk Talk. Heerlijke vibes op dit album, we gaan op reis met de band. Instrumentatie lijkt nauwlettend samengesteld, de preciesie is indrukwekkend. De lyrics zijn een beetje zoetsappig, maar samen met de instrumenten geeft het toch een oprecht gevoel. Al met al een zeer sterk album waar ik enorm van heb genoten Favorieten: Life's What You Make It, Living in Another World, Time It's Time

Dejligt new wave album, der også trækker godt på andre genrer. Stille og roligt tempo og virkelig behagelig lytteoplevelse. Dog måske lidt for stille i perioder. Mark Hollis har en fed stemme, selvom det virker som om han holder tilbage og man har lyst til at råbe at han skal synge igennem. "Life's what you make it" er bare en rigtig dejlig sang.

Vraiment bon, je m'attendais pas à autant aimer ça. L'album est vraiment bien construit, il y a vraiment un fil conducteur. Les instrumentations sont excellentes, la production et le mixing sont parfait. Ma principale critique est que les moments doux sont un peu trop doux à mon goût. Mais globalement un très bon album. 8/10

One of the few good uses of a recorder I can recall

Life is what you make it slaps hard. The rest is very good.

I never heard this full album before. I remembered a couple of songs from when they were hits back in the day. I love the production. Most of the songs are good. Some are a little boring. The voice is an acquired taste. Favorite song: Living in another world

Quand même, pour du new wave j'ai pas détesté. Ca sonnait bien et il y avait beaucoup de trucs différents que j'ai bien apprécié. C'est dans les meilleurs de ce style probablement et je ne connaissais pas donc c'est un PLus 4.20

I enjoyed Talk Talk back in the day and was a big fan of the It's My Life album. Was surprised that this follow-up to that was really good though i had never listened to it. Maybe the issue is that really isn't a big hit on the album though overall its a very solid soulful brooding cerebral vibe. A worthy listen.

cool album, jammy 80s fun

Este me ha gustado mucho. Give it Up and Living in Another World son muy buenas.

Weird choice for a Talk Talk album when "Laughing Stock" and "Spirit of Eden" exist, but alright. Still good though, like really good even, but kind of seems like Robert Dimery choosing his personal favorite over the objectively more influential choice. "Living in Another World" is one of the best songs of all time.

Have listened this nearly 10 times since showing up in this feed and kept getting surprised about how good this was/is – it's refined, especially the pacing and thoughtfulness, and stylish sophistication, if not quite as great as their brethren in stylishness, most prominently The Style Council. The Van-esque vocals overall – and especially on "April 5" a near-cover of "St. Dominic's Preview" – are a strength. So too the ambitious, but not hubristic studio layerings, which avoid Ultimate '80s excess, even as they lean into borderline excessive fun and catchiness (see last cut "Time It's Time"). Even the most '80s cuts ("Living in Another World" and "Give It Up") suggest the driving, machine-y drum beats weren't wholly without merit, plus invoking aurally the haircuts and energy of the era. There are, net-net, harmonicas, and big banks of strings, and kids' choruses (which were still new about then, the time of the release) but thankfully not all at once or again and again and deployed with aplomb, certainly by the standards of the era. Totally missed the quality and sophistication of this record in the real time of the '80s and must say it holds up extremely well, even accounting for the natural tendency to round up for those bands offering a "newness" effect, even for records approaching late middle age. These guys mighta got lost, but one knows how good they were just from the Spotify algo, which serves up choice Kate Bush in the wake.

Excellent album start to finish.

This is surprisingly such a nice, easy-to-enjoy album. Not much to say, I think, but I can't actually find a fault, and this is my second listen going in. Hell yeah!

An intriguing band with an intriguing sound. Will definitely follow this rabbit hole to further listens and their other albums.

Very good

Wat een prachtige plaat! Werd eigenlijk alleen maar beter naarmate ik beter ging luisteren

Prachtig album!

This one is a journey. Never listened to it before, but I this one breezes by with a lot of beautiful sections and at least a few actual *bangers*, but this is more of a vibes album than a singles album. The production is absolute fire. Talk Talk always surprise and delight I have to say, this one strikes a nice middle ground between their later ambient stuff and their more pop albums. Truly singular, at least to me! I need album recs similar to this, solid.

Low key ace.

I coasted through most of my initial listening moderately unimpressed except for Life's What You Make It, which I was already familiar with. Give It Up caught my ear enough to play it a second time with a little more attention. Really there is quite a lot going on, interesting rhythmic melodies, perfectly balanced vocals, nice layers without being a muddy mess of sound. The cover art also rewards a second look, I love the one with the musical notes.

Uuh kasarin suosikkibändejä. Niin chill. Toivottavasti tätä seuraava levy myös listalla.

Frábært gáfumannapopp!

Sadly I really wasn't in the mood for what this album brought the first time I got, but I'm glad I decided to come back to it. It's a bit of a grower this one, but well worth the effort. The instrumentation and orchestration were what won me over in the end. 🦎🦎🦎🦎

Crispy azz drums, nice clean production. The book says that 1986 was a dark period thanks to drummers being replaced by shitty drum machines. I can hear the artistry that has been unleashed with this album though. And that's reflected in the natural but unnatural album art. I can't unsee the butterfly faced mustachioed man on the cover. But...like...that's me. A mask and face forged together with a variety of natural elements (butterflies in this case). Juxtaposition of real instruments with the beating drum of technological progress that up until that point was poorly executed.

Tis is the album that Talk Talk begins to find their voice. Mar Hollis you can see is starting to incorporate jazz and classical motifs into his music and we can clearly hear the seeds of more atmospheric music to come on Laughing Stock and Spirit of Eden. Colour of Speing still has remnants of the alternative music sounds that they grew up on in the gorgeous Life's What You Make It, but even that has a soul feel not unlike Bill Whithers Use Me. It's a great album that points to the beautiful music Talk Talk will move towards in the future. 4 stars

I thought this was some pretty good 80's new wave. The more I listen to in the list, the more I'm opening up to 80's pop I think. Some of these songs did end up being tuned out a bit, but there were also some real bangers in here, and one or two I swear I've heard before but not entirely sure. I think I'll approach this again some time. Favourite: Life's What You Make It

This was a good album. Very pleasant and something I'll likely want to hear again.

I prefer TT here, during their poppy era, more than during their more feted later albums, which I find flat and overproduced.

Love this.

Good album by Talk Talk, which is a great band. This one is kind of transitional between their pop-hits era (see the amazing It's My Life) and their art rock era. I think it blends really well the strengths of both sounds, with pop sensibilities at their best on Life's What You Make It. Production is awesome, and the synth sounds of the album aged really well. The album cover is gorgeous too. Beautiful. 8,4/10

Very good, very evocative of the 1980s. An underrated band.

Crisp production that nods slightly to earlier work but sheds so much of the 80s baggage it's almost a new band. I was surprised by this record. An album I would've never given any thought to listen if it wasn't for this project. The opening track sets the mood and my expectations. The rest of the album delivers on that. This simple thing is really quite indicative of whether or not I'll continue to enjoy a record, regardless of genre, that's been put on for the first time. The song April 5th downshifts the record too much in its current sequence. I'd be inclined to sequence it differently. If the last song wasn't slightly over 8 minutes, I think it could've been last. But then where do you put Time It's Time. So hard to make a perfect record unless you delete a song or two sometimes. Perhaps that's what this record needed to rate a little higher.

very 80s so far. let's see. A solid 4 im going in for a relisten! especially the first few songs on the album scratch an itch I didn't know I had.

Nicer 80s Sound. Gefällt mir so gut, dass ich mir den Katalog mal anhören werde.

They didn't talk that much

Good vibe album, but pretty 1 dimensional. A lot of the songs sound alike, with very slow breaks.

This album hit the spot. Had no idea what to expect but the band was right the length was perfect at a tight 45mins and even the cover art was sweet. Was worried when I saw another Brit rock band from the 80’s but there was no needless drivel to drag this thing out. First track, Happiness is Easy along with Living in Another World were favourite tracks but there were no stinkers here in my opinion. 4.5/5

Great album. Great find.

A beautiful album that sounds like nothing else around the same time. It really wasn't very fashionable to display your Pink Floyd influences back in 1986, especially after you had been wrongly been placed in a second rate Duran Duran pigeon hole. Life's What You Make It is spectacular. It has the last of the driving rhythms from Talk Talk before the rhythm section was toned down on the next two albums. Time It's Time ends with a nursery rhyme like quality. I bought a £3 copy on eBay on the back of playing this again.

An uneven album, undoubted quality musicianship and songwriting, especially Life's what you make it, but overall tone and tempo a bit downbeat and one or two unmemorable numbers. Life's what you make it, earns an extra star

New wave, 1986. A really well done pop album of the 80s with impressive and tasteful productions. The songs are all very intelligent in every aspect of them and the vocals match perfectly with the instruments. Nice job!

I was only familiar with a few Talk Talk songs before this, and I don't think any from this album which is a shame - this is great. It's 80s without sounding *too* 80s (in a dated way) - the songs are all catchy without being saccharine, a great mix of dynamics and instruments. A keeper. 8/10 4 stars.

a lovely, new wavey, easy listen

4.5

The moments this album loses me are the slower ones. It's already a very relaxed album, so the slower moments ("April 5th", "Chameleon Day") are so slow they border on catatonic. Still, despite the semi-yuppieness of this record, it's a fun, textured, catchy listen that I'll come back to. Favorite tracks: "Happiness Is Easy", "Life's What Your Make It", "I Don't Believe In You", "Give It Up"

nice

Not listened to this album for a long time. 'It's my life' and 'Life's what you make it' are the stand out tracks.

I didn’t know this album at all, even though I had heard “Life’s What You Make It” a few times before. It never struck me that it was Talk Talk. This is one of the joys of this list - the lost treasures.

I didn't immediately connect with this album on the first listen, but it grows on you. Some really lush, sophisticated arrangements, leagues beyond what Talk Talk's peers were doing at that time. Much of the album has a lingering pace, so you do really need to be in the right mood for it. Fave Songs: Time It's Time, Living in Another World, Life's What You Make It, I Don't Believe in You, Chameleon Day

This album is immaculately constructed. The way the music builds and complements itself is masterful. Each instrument is clear and the whole is spacious and atmospheric. The production is crisp though it sounds a bit dated. Overall, I really enjoyed this album though a lot of it sounds similar.

Like a caterpillar metamorphosing into a butterfly, this is a beautiful transitional album for Talk Talk. Mark Hollis is slowly moving the band from their early synth-pop to a more progressive, atmospheric sound and they’re getting there on this album. They will peak with their later albums, Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock but this is a fine effort.

A slow groove but not a plodder, deliberate impetus; jazz themes and dreamy strums and keyboards, crafted airy vocals. This does feel like a world waking to a new season. Not entirely free of 80s tropes but almost a 90s indie record.

The follow-up to It's My Life came with a sound change - less synthesizers were used, but Mark Hollis' characteristic voice and beautiful, moody, yet never boring songs make this still a true Talk Talk album. Standout: I Don't Believe in You. 4/5

Elegant.

Transcendentalno, hipnotizirajuce, graciozno i Bwitish. Talk talk can talk the talk and walk the walk.

Divan album. Veliki sam fan Talk Talk-a, pogotovo njihova zadnja predivna, presavršena albuma (Laughing Stock i Spirit of Eden). Ovaj album je taman prelazak u žanru glazbe. Na ovom albumu još je najglasniji taj art-pop sa naglaskom na progresivni pop sa njegovim umiljatim glasom i zašećerenim laganim jazzom. Poslije ovog albuma, nailaze dva njihova magnum opusa i s time završavaju karijeru. Da bar većina artista naprave veliki boom, nešto drugačije od onog što inače rade, i osjete da je to to, ne moraju se više pokazivati i završe karijeru.

I've only heard Laughing Stock by these guys, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect here. I think I actually prefer this album. I have a thing for 80's music and this is right down my alley. Especially the song "Living in Another World", which is my favorite off this whole record. I will definitely listen to this one again.

3.5

Dug this a lot. Cool 80’s vibes without being too heavy on the synthesizer & electronic drums.

I love this band… and this album does not disappoint!

The 2 albums they made after this are incredible, never heard this one before. Amazing they gave up pop music and started doing this

Title track is great. I like the style a lot, the mix of instruments at the front and dominant bass makes me think of Tame Impala at times

Dig Talk Talk I guess!

nostalgic good listen

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Life's what you make it, Living in another world,

slightly wild and very ambitious. I really liked the quick "zaps" of sounds we get coming from acoustic guitars and synths throughout the record; they get the passion across. sounds something like talking heads crossed with peter Gabriel. reminds me of a precursor to Destroyer. 7/10 rounding up.

Very good album

Good acoustics

Well, that took me back and I knew I’d love it ! Especially Life’s what you Make It. ****

For me, it's a very good album. However, it's bettered by their last albums Spirit Of Eden and Laughing Stock.

Brilliant 80s album

Bandu nie znam, nie kojarze, pierwsze widze, pierwsze slysze, ale oczywiscie brytyjska grupa z lat 80, albumik zaliczylbym do soft rocka lub artystycznego rocka, pozytywne wibracje leca przez cale 45 minut krazka, o dziwo wyspiarski wokal, a strasznie mi siadl, chociaz nie ma go zbyt wiele, bo niektore tracki sa czysto instrumentalne, ale jak jest to nie psuje kompozycji instrumentow i to jest jak dla mnie najwazniejsze, troche poor boyowe lub joelowe skojarzenia z nim mam, na plejke wrzucam opening happienes is easy oraz living in another world, trzeba bedzie sprawdzic reszte albumikow talk talka

Weird voice but eerily pleasant. A nice mellow ride all the way through

cool drum pattern to start off Happiness Is Easy. Life's What You Make It is a good pop single. though some tones on that track come out of nowhere. This is good laundry folding music, or back yard barbequing music. Chameleon Day is very, very different from the rest of the album. Not a big fan of an 8 minute operatic ending on an album fueled by synth pop hits

Son los de It's my life, y otras canciones conocidas.

Pretty good

Production: 15/20 Songwriting: 14/20 Innovation: 16/20 Bangers: 5/20 Emotional response: 14/20 =64 enjoyed

Really cool sound and I had fun listening to a new band

Hyvin samantyyppistä kasarielektroa kuin Duran Duran, ja sokkokuuntelussa nämä bändit oliskin voinut sekoittaa keskenään. Ehkä Duran Duran luottaa enemmän tarttuviin melodioihin, kun taas Talk Talkilla on hieman taiteellisempi ote tekemiseen. Erittäin positiivinen yllätyshän tämä oli. Aiemmin bändistä oli tuttua ainoastaan nimi, ja musiikkigenre oli tiedossa etäisesti. Mukavaa että listalta on alkanut löytymään enemmän tällaisia uusia tuttavuuksia joita varmasti tulee kuunneltua myöhemminkin.

A very impressive piece of New Wave/art rock. It's a bit long winded but I really like it after my first listen.

Really good album that fits squarely into my wheelhouse stylistically. I listened to this mostly in the background, so I didn't pay particular attention to the lyrics, but really liked the sound. 4 stars.

Nice! Bra prodd

Something new, yet very interesting. Similar to Depeche Mode, like it a lot

Aight

Was fine, chill and lounge music esk

Pretty boring and mediocre, but not horrible.

This is a rare case of actually thinking this belongs on the list... without me caring for it too much. 01. Happiness Is Easy Goes on a bit too long. If it ended about 2 minutes earlier, I would've liked it more. 02. I Don't Believe In You Really love the chorus! I think this is an excellent song. Even if it's not my favorite. 03. Life's What You Make It It doesn't get more 80's than this. It's like this was made for the 80's, and no other time pediod. 04. April 5th I really love the chilling are eerie vocal delivery on this one! Could have done without the last minute, but that's alright. 05. Living In Another World Finally, a more up-tempo song! I enjoy this a lot, and don't mind the long run-time! 06. Give It Up Really forgettable. Wasn't bad, just didn't do anything for me. 07. Chameleon Day My favorite. It's just so haunting and eerie. Haven't heard another song like this in a while. 08. Time It's Time Is a fine closer. Didn't really do it for me as a song, however. I don't care for the lead vocalist at all here. I think a lot of the performances had TOO much effort put in, making it sound silly sometimes. Exceptions being April 5th and Chameleon Day. Overall, it's fine.

Seeing that these guys and Slint get categorized together as "defining post rock" and I'm very confused how they relate to each other at all. Shit is pretty crispy though

Why don't I know about this? Very reminiscent of those late, moody Roxy Music albums, I think.

Old chill guy, old wave shoegaze

It's a nice album I guess, although I prefer their weirder stuff.

Maybe I'm either weird, too young to remember these guys, or both, but I know Talk Talk as the guys that made Laughing Stock and pioneered Post-Rock as a genre. My mom knows Talk Talk as the guys that made It's My Life and pioneered 80s Synthpop as a genre. Neither of us had heard of this album, though. Funny enough, it feels like a midpoint between the two. I can definitely hear how they got from Synthpop to Laughing Stock through this one. That being said, it's a midpoint in their discography as well, in more ways than being their third of five albums.

3.5 (45:41, 8 tracks, 3rd album, 1986) English, New Wave #380 Talk Talk (1981 – 1991) were Mark Hollis (vocals, guitar) , Lee Harris (drums), and Paul Webb (bass). The Colour of Spring is their only album in this project. The Colour of Spring written by Mark Hollis and producer Tim Friese-Greene, combines elements of jazz and art pop in an effort by Hollis to embrace more organic instrumentation and production values. Unlike previous Talk Talk albums, synthesizers are rarely featured on the album, being replaced by guitar, piano, and organ. The album went on to become Talk Talk's greatest commercial success, spawning the hit singles "Life's What You Make It" and "Living in Another World" and reaching the Top 20 in numerous countries (topping the Dutch charts), including the UK, where it reached No. 8 and stayed in the UK charts for 21 weeks. Viewed as a bridge between Talk Talk's earlier, synthesized pop sound (Party's Over, It's My Life) and their later, more improvisation-based pioneering post-rock masterpieces (Spirit of Eden, Laughing Stock). Despite the extensive use of synthesizers on the previous two albums, Hollis was vocal in his distaste for them, stating that they were used primarily for economic reasons and that “if they didn’t exist, I’d be delighted.” Like other Talk Talk albums, outside musicians were heavily utilized. Guests contributing to the album include Robbie McIntosh adding guitar, and Steve Winwood, who played organ on the hit "Living in Another World", alongside "Happiness is Easy" and "I Don't Believe in You". For Robert Dimery and music critics, it captures a rare moment in pop history: a mainstream band willingly destroying their own pop formula to build a complex, enduring work of art without losing their audience along the way. Hit singles "Life's What You Make It" and "Living in Another World". It did not quite match the sales of its predecessor in the United States and was their last album to enter the Billboard 200, reaching number 58. Life’s What You Make It is I believe my favorite Talk Talk song. All tracks are written by Mark Hollis and Tim Friese-Greene. 1. "Happiness Is Easy" (6:30) is a song that makes observations of wars and atrocities being committed and justified with the Christian faith. This song asserts that the atrocities that radical Christians commit in the name of Jesus Christ go against the supposed true meaning and purpose of loving one another, and that simply loving everyone would make happiness easy to achieve. Hollis touches on holy wars, expressing disgust at how leaders and institutions "justify their acts of war" while pretending to be pious ("They assemble, they pray"). Lines like "Take good care of what the priests say / 'After death it's so much fun' / Little sheep, don't let your feet stray" warn against blind obedience. The metaphor of the "little sheep" highlights how religious or political authorities treat innocent followers, promising rewards in the afterlife to control them in the present. In stark contrast to the guilt and violence propagated by dogmatic systems ("Guilt upon their shoulders"), the core message is that genuine happiness and love require no complex justification. Simple tenets—such as Jesus's message to love one another and be a friend—are pure, whereas organized systems corrupt them. While the refrain repeats that "happiness is easy," the song surrounds it with heavy themes of war, guilt, and deception. This irony suggests that while personal peace and love are fundamentally simple, humanity complicates them through dogma and conflict. 2. "I Don't Believe in You" (5:02) a somber reflection on losing trust, facing broken promises, and walking away from a failing relationship or a repetitive cycle of deceit. While not overtly religious following immediately after Happiness is Easy it draws an easy assumption of a dissatisfaction with organized religion. "Where do words begin / I'm trying to find the path ahead" realizes that the joy or innocence of the relationship is gone. They feel lost and are trying to figure out how to move forward when communication has broken down. "Promises so golden / Years have proved them wrong" speaks into the false promise time has exposed the emptiness of past assurances. What once felt precious and reliable is now recognized as false. The Endless Charade "Any way you say it / The charade goes on" continues to put on a false front or play a role. Despite pointing out the dysfunction, the partner's pride prevents them from seeing the truth. “I'm trying to leave some self-respect". The core motivation for the narrator's disbelief is survival and dignity. Stepping away is the final attempt to salvage their own worth rather than getting dragged down by the ongoing decline. Talk Talk also released a song title I believe in You” 3. "Life's What You Make It" (4:29) was the first single and a wide success, becoming one of their most well known songs. The song’s basic message is to work towards a better future for yourself by not having your mind focused on regrets and the past. Life’s what you make it in the present, after all. A music video was made to promote the track. Similar to their other most well known song, “It’s My Life”, it features footage of the band performing in a forest, with various bugs and wildlife. The song was one of the last created for The Colour of Spring, as the band’s management was concerned about the lack of an obvious lead single for the album at that time. The title sounds like a standard cliché, late frontman Mark Hollis and co-writer Tim Friese-Greene approached the phrase with deep empathy and urgency. According to Hollis, the track was written directly in response to seeing people around him succumb to despair and surrender their agency to circumstances. "Yesterday's faded / Nothing can change it / Life's what you make it"The song opens by acknowledging that the past is entirely out of our control. Mourning what has already happened is futile. Instead of letting past trauma or failures dictate the present, the lyrics remind us that the current moment is still moldable. "Baby, life's what you make it / Celebrate it / Anticipate it / Yesterday's faded" The repetition of "celebrate it" acts as a secular prayer or a mantra. Even when things are bleak, Hollis urges the listener to actively seek joy and look forward to the future ("anticipate it") rather than waiting for circumstances to magically improve. "If you can't see it / You can't believe it / ...Everything's given / Don't be driven / By what's made you blind" Often, people become "blinded" by their own negative experiences, bad luck, or toxic environments. The song argues that life gives us a massive canvas ("everything's given"), but we have to actively choose not to let our past wounds or current hardships distort our vision. The meaning of the song is deeply reinforced by its sonic structure and imagery. Built around a relentless, hypnotic piano hook and a driving drum beat, the music itself feels like a physical push forward. It mirrors the message of carrying on and refusing to remain stagnant. The track's famous music video features the band performing at night in a woodland setting surrounded by active wildlife. Hollis noted that the nature theme was intentional, symbolizing the raw, cyclical, and unfiltered essence of living—nature simply keeps moving forward, and so must we. "Life's What You Make It" isn't a toxic positivity anthem. It is a gritty, compassionate reminder that while we cannot control what happens to us, we retain the ultimate power over how we react and build our lives moving forward. 4. "April 5th" (5:51) Sonically, this song is probably the clearest glimpse into their late era jazz rock, post-rock sound found on Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock, with a darker and slower atmosphere that would be found on those later albums. Lyrically, the song could be read as being about spring, but the song is actually about Hollis' wife, whose birthday is on April 5th. A beautiful, atmospheric song that serves a dual purpose: it is a literal celebration of the arrival of spring and a deeply personal tribute to Mark Hollis's wife famous among music historians as a foundational blueprint for post-rock and ambient pop, relying on vast open spaces, quiet woodwinds, and minimal instrumentation. The song acts as a tender love letter to Hollis wife (her birthday) while weaving her existence into the natural cycle of the earth. Beyond the personal connection, Hollis and co-writer Tim Friese-Greene picked April 5th as the symbolic tipping point where winter officially surrenders to spring. "Here she comes / Silent in her sound / Here she comes / Fresh upon the ground" — Spring is personified as a woman gently stepping onto the barren, frozen winter earth to bring it back to life. "Come gentle spring, come at winter's end / Gone is the pallor from a promise that's nature's gift" The "pallor" (the pale, lifeless color of winter) is erased by nature's cyclical promise of renewal. This track holds a special place in Talk Talk’s discography because its main refrain—"Waiting for the colour of spring / Let me breathe the colour of spring"—is where the entire album gets its name. It encapsulates the overarching theme of the record: transitioning away from the cold, synthetic pop of the early '80s and breathing in a warmer, organic, and more natural musical landscape. This was the last song on side A. 5. "Living in Another World" (6:58) Mark Hollis stated that the lyrics to this song are inspired by French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre’s studies. Sartre’s interests included but weren’t limited to existentialism, consciousness, bad faith and nothingness. " Considered a brilliant, emotionally charged song about fundamental miscommunication, irreconcilable differences, and the painful breakdown of a relationship. The track captures the realization that two people can share the same physical space while experiencing completely separate, incompatible realities. "Did I see tenderness where you saw Hell? / Did I see angels in the hand I held?" These lines expose the core tragedy of the song. The narrator looks back at the same shared memories and realizes that what he perceived as warmth, comfort, and love ("tenderness" and "angels"), the other person experienced as absolute misery ("Hell"). Their perceptions of the exact same relationship are entirely polarized. "Help me find a way from this maze / I'm living in another world to you / And I can't help myself" The relationship is compared to a maze—confusing, trapping, and exhausting. The phrase "living in another world to you" highlights the psychological distance between them. They are so fundamentally disconnected that true understanding has become impossible. "Better parted / I see people crying / Truth gets harder / There's no sense in lying""Speech gets harder / There's no sense in writing". As the song progresses, the narrator accepts that trying to fix the rift is futile. Communication has decayed to the point where speaking or writing letters changes nothing. The only logical and healthy resolution left is to separate ("better parted"). The meaning of the song is intensely amplified by its musical arrangement. Musically, it is driven by a churning organ, a propulsive bassline, and a famously frantic harmonica solo. Musicians and critics often describe the track as a sonic translation of an M.C. Escher staircase. The instruments swirl and ascend continuously, creating a tense, cyclical, and claustrophobic atmosphere. This perfectly mirrors the lyrical frustration of running around in circles within a broken relationship, unable to find common ground. 6. "Give It Up" (5:17) A track centered on moral compromise, greed, and the urgent need for a clean break or ethical reset. The song matches the sonic grandeur of the rest of the album while delivering one of Mark Hollis’s most urgent, direct pleas for accountability. "From the place that I stand / To the land that is openly free / Watching rivers run black / By the trees that are vacant to greed". The opening lines paint a grim picture of corruption and environmental or social decay. The "black rivers" and "trees vacant to greed" suggest a world being actively poisoned by human selfishness and material consumption. Even in a land that claims to be "openly free," underlying greed is taking over. "Gotta give it up / Gotta get a second chance / And the joke's just started" The central hook, "Gotta give it up," is an ultimatum. It demands that either the individual or society abandon destructive behaviors, fruitless ideas, or unethical lifestyles before it is too late. The phrase "and the joke's just started" adds a cynical edge, hinting that if things don't change, the tragic absurdity of the situation will only get worse. "Tell me why I'm so wrong / Where does luck come from / When you've never been without?" "Where does love come from / If you've sold your reasoning out?" Hollis challenges those who live comfortably at the expense of others. People who have "never been without" often credit their own merit rather than luck, blinding themselves to the struggles of others. Furthermore, he argues that when a person compromises their morals for greed ("sold your reasoning out"), they lose the capacity for genuine love and understanding. Because Mark Hollis favored impressionistic lyrics, "Give It Up" has sparked a couple of specific interpretations among fans and critics: The Environmental/Ethical Interpretation: Given the vivid visual imagery of poisoned nature ("rivers run black") and the band members' well-known dedication to vegetarianism, some music critics view the song as a passionate plea against industrial exploitation and animal cruelty. The Personal/Spiritual Reset: In a broader sense, the track reads as a nightmare-to-awakening journey. Hollis sings about navigating a "nightmare so real", suggesting that hitting rock bottom is the only way to realize you must "give up" your old ego to receive a second chance at life. 7. "Chameleon Day" (3:20) This song features a very limited instrumentation and a lot of space, very similar to their later work – particularly Myrrhman – with which it shares the theme of feeling broken and wanting to end one’s life. When listening to the full album in sequence, it is followed with Time It’s Time, which in massive contrast is full of the desire to live and love. This contrast is something that the band returns to on Laughing Stock, only stretched out over the whole album. " A haunting, minimalist track that explores themes of mental exhaustion, severe anxiety, and the desperate search for an emotional hiding place. It is widely considered by music critics to be the specific moment the band abandoned traditional pop and invented post-rock. Stripping away all drums, bass, and rhythm, the song relies strictly on vast silence, a quiet woodwind instrument called a variophon, and Mark Hollis’s raw, trembling vocals. "Only of the night / And it's darkness am I calling / Only of the night / My relief in it's falling" The song opens with the narrator retreating into the night. In the daytime, you are visible, exposed, and expected to perform or interact. The darkness of night provides a protective blanket - a "relief"—where the narrator no longer has to be perceived by the outside world. "Breathe on me, eclipse my mind / It's in some kind of disarray / Killing time, I cradle fire / (Chameleon days)" Hollis sings of a mind that is short-circuiting or in absolute "disarray". He begs for something to "eclipse" his thoughts—to completely black them out so he can find peace. The phrase "cradle fire" is a vivid metaphor for holding onto something intensely dangerous, agonizing, or volatile (like a panic attack or deep depression) while trying to remain completely still. A chameleon survives by blending into its environment to avoid predators. A "Chameleon Day" represents a day spent masking your true self just to survive. It is the exhausting process of changing your colors, faking your emotions, and blending into the background because your inner world is too fragile to face the public. From a musical standpoint, "Chameleon Day" is one of the most critical tracks in Talk Talk's history. Alongside "April 5th", it is one of only two songs on the album where the other core members of the band do not play. Hollis and producer Tim Friese-Greene recorded it using "negative space"—treating silence as an actual instrument. The unpredictable, sudden bursts of Hollis's voice exploding out of absolute quiet perfectly mirror the unstable, fragile nature of an emotional breakdown. It laid the exact groundwork for their final masterworks, Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock. 8. "Time It's Time" (8:14) A fitting conclusion to an album titled ‘The Colour of Spring’, this song speaks of renewal as well as our choice to identify with pain or blossom into love, to ‘live for living’. The sweeping, eight-minute closing track. It serves as a monumental anthem of emotional recovery, survival, and moving forward after profound trauma or heartbreak. While songs like "Chameleon Day" detail the absolute rock-bottom of mental distress, "Time It's Time" is the triumphant dawn that follows the dark night. It is widely celebrated by fans and critics as an acoustic, comforting balm for frayed nerves. "As bad as bad becomes / It's not a part of you" This is the emotional thesis of the entire song. Mark Hollis delivers a powerful reminder that whatever horrific things have happened to you—or whatever mistakes you have made—they are merely events. Your suffering, your past, and your grief do not define who you are at your core. "Time it's time to live / Time it's time to live for living / Now that it's all over" The repetition of this line acts as a strict, urgent command to the soul. When a catastrophic period of life finally ends ("now that it's all over"), humans often stay trapped in a state of shock or emotional limbo. The song implores the listener to stop merely surviving or hiding, and to actively start living again. "And love is only sleeping / Wrapped in neglect... / Contempt is ever breeding / Trapped in itself" Hollis notes that when we are hurt, we often protect ourselves with "contempt" and bitterness. However, bitterness is a trap. The capacity for love hasn't been completely destroyed inside the listener; it is simply dormant ("sleeping") because it has been neglected during the trauma. The track's structure perfectly mirrors its meaning. It begins with a sparse, melancholic rhythm and heavy, brooding woodwinds. However, as the realization of survival sets in, the song completely opens up: A soaring children’s choir enters, singing wordless harmonies that feel deeply communal and comforting. The instrumentation builds into a warm, sun-drenched cascade of acoustic guitars, bass, and percussion. The final minutes of the song strip away the lyrics entirely, letting the gorgeous orchestration wash over the listener. It sonically represents the concept of step-by-step renewal—allowing the emotional "winter" to finally dissolve so you can step directly into the "colour of spring."

This feels fresh even 40 years after its release even though I never heard it, the synth scene of the 80s sure has its hidden gems! Nevertheless, I have to say that I like the sound and the ambition of the album more than the album itself, the songs are a bit too weak, compared to their contemporary rivalrys such as Genesis, Rem, Yazoo etc. this falls flat.

This album was ok, nothing particularly spectacular about it. It just sounds like an eighty's new wave album. Compared to some of their peers, talk talk doesn't hit the hights of those others but they still have something to say and contribute to the genre.

Altogether pleasant but I genuinely don’t remember anything about it from yesterday.

hmmm

The singer's voice both grew on me and was grating. Overall this is well done and does not overstay its welcome.

Happiness Is Easy 3.3 I Don't Believe in You 3.1 Life's What You Make It 3 April 5th 3 Living in Another World 3.2 Give It Up 3.3 Chameleon Day 2.9 Time It's Time 3.5 Score: 3.1625

Some genuinely good moments in this album. Overall I wasn't in the mood completely for it. But I have earmarked it for a return as it might suit better another time. 3/5

Kind of interesting in an uninteresting sort of way. Mixes genres pleasantly and it’s easy enough to listen to, but ask me about it again next week and I don’t think I’d be able to recall it to any great extent.

Okay. Interesting turn away from Synth, but with the same general Yazoo/Roxy sound. Enjoyable. 3.

Sophisticated synth-pop with a lot of elaborate arrangements. It is really well thought out and well produced, however I am more interested in the Spirit of Eden (1988) and Laughing Stock (1991) albums from their discography, when they took their music way further.

Nice sounding record, and I really liked it at first. But it does start to get repetitive. Made it all the way through and enjoyed. But it really faded to the background. Singing kind of all sounds like the same melody throughout.

Cool vibe about it

Epic sound production. Sparse, spacious, crystal-clear. Cool for that alone. Life's What You Make It = banger. All told, a real rewarding listen.

A common 80's sound. I liked it. Dated but good.

I liked it but a lil’ samey at times.

It’s ok. Arrangement is good. Production not bad. But melody is on the weak side unfortunately. Could have been a beautiful butterfly but it lands in the middle of a caterpillar and a moth…

a fine album... but i dont think anything really worth coming back to. not sure what we were supposed to be listening for here, other than some really beautiful melodies.

Could really do without the children’s chorus somehow on multiple tracks of this album. Pretty generic 80s music. I think this group is solid, I just think it’s unfortunate they suffer from a cover of their most popular song being done by a different artist.

I started out liking this album, but I got bored of it quickly. It won't be something that I remember or come back to.

It’s always hard to come up with reasons why I dislike fundamentally decent music I don’t this album really does a whole lot wrong; I think the instrumentations pretty solid and there’s some good bass work in there. Variety’s actually ok in this one too, there’s some more ambient stuff in there and some more focused beat heavy stuff as well. Living in Another World is probably my favorite song on this one But for some reason, I just don’t care for this one much. Vocals are solid enough but I don’t think the singer guy has a ton of range. I think the songs on this album are a bit too long and don’t really build up in a satisfying way so it just kinda feels like you only need to listen to half. Long story short I just don’t think I resonated with anything the band was trying to do musically I relistened to part of this one and it’s really not as boring as when I first listened to it, but I’m still not crazy about it. Definitely in that low 3/high 2 range but I don’t think it does anything to actively offend me so I’ll bump it up

I'm not familiar with the earlier albums by the band, but this sounds nothing like their next ones. This is basically one of the most 80s thing I've ever heard. It would be unfair to call it generic or derivative, as there are some genuinely creative arrangements, but I prefer my art pop with a sharper edge, while The Colour of Spring plays it rather safe. I'm sure there are many people who will find a lot of nice touches in these songs, though. For me, however, Talk Talk starts with Spirit of Eden.

didn’t do much for me

3.4. It was fine. Fun but didn’t do a whole lot for me

Even without the synths, this album sounds very much like the 1980s. Not a stinker, but nothing to get excited about either.

Cool music but in a "that's nice" kind of way

Such an L that they include this album but neither of the next two by Talk Talk where they really go off the deep end and make something unique and incredible. I hate it here

Solid if unmemorable

80’s Brit pop