Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Very 80’s pop
Before doing this album challenge I hadn't appreciated how important tempo was to me. It's not I only like music that is fast paced, but I have noticed a trend of listening to some things and enjoying them and realising it's fast paced, while the converse is true. I wasn't clicking with this album but it's quite slow. It's about average length, general 80s pop-rock-synth kind of sound. That's fine but it just didn't grab me.
First of all, the album cover is beautiful. The colour palette is admittedly more autumnal, but the artwork is stunning. It’s the type of cover that makes you want to like an album more than you do. I was disappointed by this one. I was under the impression I would love Talk Talk but I didn’t get much out of this. I don’t really gel with the singer’s voice, or maybe it is how it’s overlaid with the music, and the songs themselves don’t appeal to me too much. There are some good moments but the songs drag and feel a bit dull to me. I’ve heard many positive reviews about this album but it just hasn’t connected with me the way I thought it would.
Es un álbum que a mí parecer es bueno. Tiene música relajante y facil de digerir. El único problema que veo en el es que se puede sentir repetitivo.
Album seemed well put together but for some reason I just could not get into the vocals. His voice seemed as if he was trying way too hard to produce something that was not reachable. I can definitely see why others love it, but I was not one of them and felt it was average at best.
Life’s what you make It is a pretty good tune. Made for pretty good background music. Strong three out of five.
Listenable although I found it rather boring.
It's fine. It's like a sad-ass Peter Gabriel. I was kinda whatever listening to it. It's not bad but I'm not horny over it or anything.
Very calm 80s pop/rock with vocals drenched in reverb. There were some egregiously slow fade outs and some of the quieter ambient songs were barely audible over a car stereo. But overall not too bad, although I'm not sure I'll return to it.
Talk Talk – The Colour Of Spring (1986) Judging the album strictly off the first listen, I simply didn't get it. I could definitely hear that "revolutionary sound" people talk about because the style sounded entirely new to me, but I wasn't quite impressed with the overall sound design of the project. There wasn't quite much to say about this LP as a whole during this initial session. While the bulk of the record didn't land for me, one song did absolutely stand out: "Living in Another World." Initially, I was thinking that the album was mid, but I will deem whether that's officially the case after giving it multiple listens in the future.
Enjoyed and will never listen again
Great listen, Life's What You Make It is a top tier tune (3.5)
I like this
I didn't know what to expect, but I actually liked this! It was sort of emo, sort of pop, sort of rock, sort of blues... but not any single one of those things on its own.
like overall vibe good but individually not as much
This is one of those things where it’s described as having “Jazz and Art-Pop” influences, which I get, but ultimately, it just sounds like Duran Duran. Maybe not quite. But do you know what I mean? It sounds like THE EIGHTIES in a soft pop rock way. Which is fine. I don’t really like the singers voice but I’d listen to their hits in a Donnie Darko / eighties-themed-party way. Not in a “far out exciting jazz” way. It’s alright.
Very 80’s in that over produced way… good though.
After listening to it, I have to revise my description of it from "pop" to "art-pop." The record isn't bad at all; it sounds catchy yet varied. 3 stars
Ok album.
A few of the songs remind me of Jim James solo work. It's not really my cup of tea. Not horrible.
Ágætis lög, en allt of löng. Hefði verið ánægjulegra ef þau væru í mesta lagi fjórar mínútur. Næs sánd, samt.
#43 A solid 80s album, pretty chill and mellow sound. I like that it isn't too heavy on the synths. Not the most memorable listen, but a good vibe.
British 80’s Sound Nothing grabbed me
Ok, did not expect to enjoy this album, but here we are. When I first got it, I thought it was gonna be just another cheesy 80s synth pop album a la Dare by The Human League, but when I got started listening to it, it had a lot more depth than I expected. The instrumentation was a lot more organic than I thought it would be, and it really shows on songs like Happiness is Easy and April 5th, which is my standout track. A lot of the tracks include very lush acoustic guitar and piano, which is not something I would think to have a place on an 80s pop record, but it works. The vocals are also very well executed, almost feeling like a combination of Tears for Fears and A-ha, which works well on songs like I Don’t Believe In You and Chameleon Day, another standout on the album. Overall, this album definitely defied my expectations, and while I don’t know how much I’d come back to it, I’d definitely say that it is a good listen for lovers of the 80s.
Yellow.
Dated. 3/5
That album title doesn‘t fit the heat wave I‘m currently in. But it is as slow as I feel right now.
#979. The album as a whole isn't the most impressive, but there are a few good songs on there. 3/5: acceptable
Some good songs on here. Nothing crazy in my opinion but I can definitely see how some people would enjoy this a lot.
This feels older than it is, very 70s vibes to me I like their addition of orchestral elements The first song was strong for me because it had unexpected elements. The rest of them started sounding really really similar.
3.
Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5
I actually really enjoyed this- found myself rocking out. The singers voice took some getting used to, but the instrumentation was nice and I liked the use of synth. Overall- good album. 3.5/5
I do have something of a soft spot for new wave, I heard a lot of 80s synth pop on the radio growing up. That being said, this is really nothing special. When it's doing a synth pop type thing it's a lot of fun, but it has a couple tracks that really slow the momentum of the album. And a lot of the fun tracks kind of overstay their welcome, there's really no need for any song from the 80s to be 8 minutes long (except for Money for Nothing). It was still a good time, it just drags on a little. Favorites: I Don't Believe In You, Living In Another World, Time It's Time
Life's what you make it is an achingly beautiful song, as is It's My Life on another album. The rest of the album, I find a little aimless. Mark Hollis passed too soon, and his plaintiff voice was unique, but sometimes he delved too far into the feeling and forgot the song.
Meh
1st track is smooth new wave with some world music influence. It's nice but I could use a hook or a groove. Something approaching this at the end of the last track, but otherwise it's quite inaccessible. Best track - Happiness is Easy 3 stars - it's fine but it feels self-indulgent. It doesn't give much easily
actually a few nice songs
Definitely good. However I listened twice all the way through and I can't recall it at all. Then I looked it up and listened again to everyone's favourite and most lauded tracks again. And I didn't didn't QUITE get the hype.
Number: 146 Date: 05/26/2026 Artist: Talk Talk Album: The Colour Of Spring Year: 1986 Style: New Wave Pop Familiarity: Familiar (3) Rating: 3 Before: ======= I have one song by them on my favorites by years lists but it's not from this album. I'm sure I've at least skimmed this album before but apparently didn't find anything I really liked. During: ======= I rated all songs a 3 except for one 2. After : ======= Seems like it's technically good but overall pretty lame, imo. It would be OK as background music. I'm not sure it deserves a place on this list but 1000 albums is a lot of albums so maybe one could make a case for squeezing it in somewhere near the bottom. 3 my personal rating 4 suitability for this list 1 impact ----------------------------------------------- 2.7 composite rating
Going to give this one a three but I almost tapped out much earlier. I found the sound annoying and then I came back to it a day later and I kinda get the appeal now. It’s so aggressively 80s.
I thought I would hate it, turns out it's not too bad
It's not for me, musically, but just reading how passionate some of the reviewers are about this album's greatness, makes me wonder if maybe I'm just not ready for it. It wasn't bad and I enjoyed a few songs.
I’m pretty sure I was suckered into taking a liking to these guys when I first heard them. Suckered may not be the correct word. More like fooled. I found a choice cut out of this almost complete mess so positives can be had. It’s barely a mid album but I will say, the first song really knocks a brother down . Stay strong my friends Choice cut: I Don’t Believe You
I don’t know this band except for the name. I like this opening groove. I really liked track 4
Never heard of this band or album before and I have absolutely no idea of what to expect from the cover. It doesn't look like a synthpop, a punk or a sophisti-pop album and the 1986 release date seems a little late for new wave, so I'm just about out of choices. Fuck it, I'm hedging my bets on a new wave album. Here goooooes. I am a fucking genieyoos. My prediction was correct once again. Anyways, this was pretty alright. I enjoyed the snappy percussion, warm synths and mild bass guitars which comprise a majority of this album's sound. I also enjoyed some of the more unorthodox instruments, notably the flutes, harmonica, organs, harp and choral backing vocals. The minimal, hushed sound of this album is quite neat as well, though I'd be lying if I said it didn't undercut my enjoyment just a little. While the diverse sounds are blended together well thanks to how mild the performances of this album are, there are more than a few moments where I thought there was too little going on, either due to the instruments not intermingling with one another or the music just sounding empty. I'm also split down the middle on the vocals. They can be a bit much at points, though they generally get the job done and suit this style of music well. Overall, this was a respectable listen. I appreciated having something relaxed to listen to, though it's a gamble as to if I'll ever return to this. No way - I've heard "Life's What You Make It" through the Weezer cover from the deluxe version of the Red Album. Very strange song for them to cover. Anyways, this song is quite interesting as a new wave offering. Certainly a more pensive sound than what I traditionally associate with the genre. It works, fortunately. The piano chords guiding the lead melody are gratifying in how steady and grounded they are, and the backing effects are quite interesting. The rough, gritty electric guitar is also a welcome addition, further adding to the heavy atmosphere of the music. The lyrics and songwriting are a little eyebrow-raising, though their strangeness meshes with the established feel and is pleasing enough. Overall, a solid tune. Book time. Talk Talk led the charge for synth-based 80s rock and were among the first to dismantle it. The band lost their keyboardist, hired an experimental producer and brought in a few musicians to collaborate on the album. That's about it, however. Wikipedia says this album was their most successful release, having lingered on the UK charts for half a year. The album garnered a respectable reaction from critics and usually peaked at No. 10 - 20 in the handful of Western and European countries where it charted. It notably topped the Netherlands charts, was the 79th best-selling album of the year in the UK and was also the 22nd best-selling album of the year in all of Europe. Not as much fanfare behind this album as I was expecting, but commendable enough. I cosign this inclusion.
I instantly said "wrong album by Talk Talk, if you're only including one" as it misses both their biggest hit and the invention of post-rock - however I could see an argument based on my enjoyment of this. I do think Laughing Stock or Colour of Spring are more worthy, and would've had a higher rating from me
🎧This is pretty good and not the kind of sound I expected from Talk Talk. Best track: Give It Up. Worst track: Happiness Is Easy
Found this to be pretty decent. I misread 1986 as 1996 and was very confused for a bit why the production sounded so out of date for the time. Once that cleared up, this is a great mid 80s offering.
I thought it was okay
Fine background music
this genre of music do not meet my taste.
I bet this hit differently in the 80s. Mind blowing perhaps.
Weird album
What? No thanks
Very moody, but definitely not whiny. The singer’s got a really cool voice! 3.5/5.
I like this, and there's some solid songs on it, but I don't always love the timbre of Hollis' voice.
Kind of interesting. This would be more my wife's thing.
Completely fine, didn’t really think it was anything special.
Cool! all new for me!
Ok. I painted along to this one and thought I enjoyed the listen I don't know that I'd seek this out again
this feels like something I'd like but I just find it dry and drowsy
Posilla kasarimeininki. Pari hyvää biisiä, pari paskaa
Pari ihan kivaa biisiä, mutta muuten jää köyhäksi.
3.5 I liked this, despite the repetition and soft vocals. The clean production was reminiscent of The War On Drugs and some of My Morning Jacket in the vocal stylings.
Quite nice but not really my cup of tea.
Trevligt men inget som stod ut nåt värst
mmmmmmn medio dudoso un par de temas me gustaron y los demas me resultaron aburridos, tampoco tan mal pero ueno un solido 3
Notables - Life's What You Make It
It had its moments but nothing that makes me want to return to it occurred, Giving it a 3 for effort,
This is just some classic 80's synth-pop. It is nothing special to me and overall it is a bit muddy and simplistic to me. I think it comes down more to my preferred style of music than this just being a bad album. I can see how some people would like it. It's boring to me, but not bad so I think I'll give it a 3.
3.3
Pretty good
It was fine I guess.
Kind of mid
I'm not sure if I really liked this or not. I think the first song was fantastic; interesting layers, great chord progression, instrument stabs, it was great listening. After that it sort of fell off a cliff and I wondered if it actually would have been better if they had used synths in the production. I get the desire to not use them at all but I think they lost some of their really signature sound without them. The songwriting unfortunately doesn't really make up for it. It was fine to listen to and I didn't want to turn it off at any point but it got stale after that first track.
Not their best work.
6/10
Groupe connu par quelques tubes que j'ai apprécié à l'époque ('Such a Shame' en particulier). C'est donc la première fois que j'écoute un album entier. Les morceaux sont plus travaillés que la plupart des morceaux pop/rock standards : ils prennent leur temps pour se développer, et ils sont parfois agrémentés de chorus intéressants. J'apprécie aussi l'ambiance et le chant. Par contre il manque un peu de dynamisme, certains morceaux sont un peu trop lents et deviennent un peu ennuyeux. Je l'écouterais donc de nouveau, mais il ne rejoindra pas ma collection. =>3/5
Spring is a short season in Arizona; as I listen to this album, the Yellow Palo Verdes have already lost most of their blooms, but last night's rain has cooled the temperature down closer to the warmth of spring rather than the heat of summer. It feels fitting to be hearing this album so early into Spring, as it gives off a very bright and energetic vibe which matches the season (with some slow and somber exceptions). There is an off-kilter sense of momentum throughout The Colour of Spring which sends the album careening into new melodies and structures, and I mean this as a compliment. It is always satisfying to hear a couple seemingly disparate elements get introduced early on, only for them to be suddenly united with the introduction of one more instrument, like the final piece being slotted into a jigsaw puzzle. I also enjoy the balance of vocals from Talk Talk, managing to being a lot of power while maintaining a very wispy and dream-like delivery. Even if this album doesn't keep me coming back, it is still a beautiful piece of music which feels very fitting of the season. Highlights: Happiness Is Easy, I Don't Believe in You, Chameleon Day
Gets better as it goes. Some real good stuff at the end. 3.5/5
The Colour of Spring has a clear 80s atmosphere and a polished sound, but it didn’t really connect with me. I could appreciate it, but it mostly passed by without leaving a strong impression.
3 stars
3,7/5
Okay but not memorable
This is fine. I don’t have any strong feelings, good or bad, about it, and no personal history or connection. Glad to give it a spin.
Not big on Talk Talk. There are a few tracks I've enjoyed from this repertoire, maybe a couple from this album. Overall I found it a bit over produced, the sound was over complicated at points and generally a bit samey. Vocals a tad monotone in many cases.
This seems like something I should like more than I did today, and probably would enjoy more with a more attentive deeper listen. Was nice background music today so rating 3/5, I will be looking into their catalog more
Very interesting listen.
I like some good new wave music. Maybe it's a bit ridiculous with all of the synths. It can sound cringeworthily 80s, but I don't care. I'm a sucker for it. But it feels weird to than take the synths out of it... Somehow it just doesn't work as well. It's like seeing a rainbow in black and white. You can see clearly see what it is, but it doesn't quite feel complete, does it? I have a strong feeling that this album appeals most to people who were already fans of Talk Talk, but that it doesn't work as well as an introduction to the band. I didn't hate it and it could possibly grow on me, but first impressions were a bit bland.
Not one of my favourite bands. But I did actually enjoy this overall.
Album 10 3/12/26 I knew absolutely nothing of Talk Talk besides the one hit song not on here. I've heard them discussed as mu-core post rock, never taken that dive though, and it's easily apparent that's not the genre of this album. Right off the bat, Happiness is Easy didn't do anything for me. Whatever drum machines were used on this album were not my favorite. The synthesized drums and the percussion on top sounded like bad new age, especially because the textures didn't vary much track to track. I did like the analog instruments used throughout the album, especially the organ swells. My favorite moment of the album was the guitar solo on I Don't Believe in You, it was kind of Fripp/Belew-ish. Life's What You Make It was vaguely familiar, so maybe I did hear it on the FM at some point. Give It Up was alright too but by this point my attention was running low and the songs were running together in my mind a good deal. All this to say, I did not really care for the album. Getting through these new wave albums is going to be tough. I'm still curious about the post rock stuff from Talk Talk but not very. Two stars Edit: I made a tier list after 55 albums and this was the most egregious placing since I moved up Sheer Heart Attack. This is actually a 3 on my scale because it was not a bad listen and I don't think calling this album inessential is fair compared to the rest of the book. 3 stars
Fine, inoffensive
Meh
Was hoping this would make a larger impression based on its timeframe, but it did not. Neutral.
Don’t love the vocals, but I do love the album art! The music is fine.
An above-average pop album, Very good, tho' I can't see myself listening again.
My rating 2.8. Nope not for me. Worst version of 80s music.
Super okay!
*Slow paced rock album *Not bad but also not too exciting
Pop rock sympa mais un peu toujours pareil, vibe ah-ha un peu j'ai trouvé
J’adore la voix du chanteur ! Je ne connaissais pas cet album, un peu tristoune
3.5/5
I go mental whenever I hear 'It's My Life', which is the only song I actually knew by Talk Talk until listening to this record. I was expecting 80's new wave poppy stuff on the same level as Tears for Fears. Boy was I wrong. I can't fault the songwriting or atmosphere on here, but I just found this to be super bland and a tad uninspired. Maybe I was coming into this expecting an exciting pop album rather than the moody expression of instrumentals and dreary vocals that it is, but I still think this doesn't quite hit the mark that I'm after. It's a shame, because the hits like 'Life's What You Make It' and 'Living in Another World' were quite engaging, but everything else was just a bit stale in my eyes. I didn't hate this or dislike it, I just expected more if I'm honest.
Het klinkt als iets dat ik erg tof zou vinden en het heeft zo z'n momenten, maar toch is het eigenlijk best wel saai
Beetje Phil Collins coded
Another decent-but-not-that-memorable new wave album.
I quite like this. It’s a bit like Peter Gabriel but less poppy, a bit like The Blue Nile but less Scottish, a bit like The The but less electronic. It’s good and sounds like it would be a grower
Cut from the same cloth as all the other 80s pop bands.
Nice enough, but nothing overly gripping beyond a couple of songs.
Meh
Fine but I will not be returning
talk talk's final three albums are good to great, in ascending order of release. this is their final album as a poppier new wave band. they excelled as a poppy singles band, and the songs on "spring" are great songs. you also get a little sense of where they're going with the 8-minute album ender, "time it's time".
6.5/10 very 80s vibes
2/3. I struggle with the singer's voice a lot, to be honest; he's difficult to understand, and I'm not a huge fan of his timbre. But there is something about this album that grew on me as I listened, a certain enjoyment I couldn't get away from. Maybe it's just the evocative cover, but this does have some feeling of Spring to it. I think it could grow on me.
- very dreamy and nostalgic but no song really stood out to me - would be great as a movie soundtrack tho
Decent. Unfortunately, we didn't realise it had finished and began to remark on how Phil Collins-esque some of the songs were before seeing we were actually now listening to Peter Gabriel (not even Phil Collins...). Decent enough.
I wish the vocals were a little more dense and varied. And I wish the songs weren't all 5-6 minutes long. But I guess that's just 80s pop. Overall I liked it.
This sort of 80s style music just isn't for me. I'll appreciate its influence and continue on my listening journey. 6 fourth colours out of 10 lizard wizards
Quite pleasant but it didn’t feel like a particularly essential listen
80s rock. Jazz and art pop. Beautiful voice.
Life’s what you make it bangs. The rest is kind of meg
People will either know Talk Talk from early 80s big hits like 'It's My Life' or the experimental stuff they did later that decade or into the 90s. This sort of straddles the two with more radio friendly songs like 'Life's What You Make It' but some sparse, atmospheric sounds later in the album. I liked 'April 5th' and 'Chameleon Day'. A good listen and interesting but it's hard to go 4 or 5 at this stage without the presence of any really excellent songs.
1: April 5th 2: I Don’t Believe You 3: Living In Another World
It’s hard to go into these 80s pop bands without some trepidation. Fortunately it wasn’t too 80s or poppy, which is some sort of backhanded compliment. Kind of interesting in places like some nice strings and the choir bit on the last songs was well done. The hit is better than I remember. I quite liked the chilled vibe, but maybe overdoes the mood or substance at times.
Tosi rento. Ootan innolla noiden muita albumeja.
A bit moody, and a bit dated. But not too bad.
Perfectly decent '80s album, but one interesting thing that stood out was how much Chameleon Day sounds like the blueprint for the Hollow Knight soundtrack.
Muy 80 para mi gusto. El sonido era nitido, pero no me llamo la atención.
This was fine, a little boring but some parts were groovy. Light 3.
Add a little sunshine to the Smiths and this is what you'd get.
Wake up another listenable but nothing special British new wave album
nice
I'd never heard anything other than Talk Talk's one radio hit before, so this was a surprise. I enjoyed it but it didn't make a huge impact on me.
liked it but kinda forgettable
6 - AVERAGE
A lot of big noise without saying much. Enjoyable enough with some varied instrumentals though
Not as transcendent as I'd hoped it would be. I love weird music, but this fell short of my standards for both traditional and wildly off-kilter music. Wasn't bad, and was very enjoyable to listen to, though.
It took a few listens for me to “get” this album. It’s pretty moody, so if you’re not in that mode it’s easy to miss. I still prefer more melody and more energy, but I ended up catching the vibe and not disliking it (which was my initial reaction).
Production is excellent, definitely feels like an album you need to be in the mood for.
It is not really a great standout for me. Not bad at all, nice music and good vocals. I just never see myself returning to this. 3/5
kate bush for boys lol
Nice sound, nothing special.
Very much an album of its time. To me it was a bit like a soundscape and not a collection of songs. It was nice.
A good album, I liked Life's What You Make It and Living In Another World the most.
The album of a synth pop act transitioning to (arty) pop with no synth. Good but I still prefer both what they did before and after.
Not bad
First time I've listened to this and it is good. I know the big song, I was pleased there was enough variation in their sound to make it a very pleasant listen
I had expectations because of the It's my life song from the other album that I have in my playlist. But it's soooo chill and calm, which is annoying. Idk. Today is not a chill vibes day I guess, I need more energy in the music. It's a very good album and it's very 80s. 3/5 —————————————— Liked: — Time It's Time
Yep, another British new wave album
Ok
I tried to like this album. I had gone on the internet and read some of the reviews before listening, and I really thought some of the negative reviews were too glib and too harsh. While the positive reviews seemed to consist mostly of fans and people familiar with the work, I was really leaning in their direction. After listening, however, all of the possible advancements and growth by the band didn't translate musically to me. There is certainly quality here, but more like a well made bookend rather than something to get excited about.
Talk Talk were MTV mainstays so I was familiar with their more top 40 friendly stuff, but by the time this came out I was in full blown teen rebellion against synth pop. Its definitely an interesting listen all these years later. Most of the songs don't really "land" for me, but still I respect it and wish there was a '2.5' rating I could dole out here.
-this was my first time listening to Talk Talk’s older / less experimental and jazzy stuff. i actually had no idea they did synth pop -definitely a really solid album. one of the more interesting new wave works i’ve heard, though it didn’t stand out to me nearly as much as their later work. been a pleasure exploring their discography tho -Favorites: I Don’t Believe In You, Life’s What You Make It
3.5 - enjoyed them. Gave me flashes of Tears for Fears.
Sure it sounds good, but it also kinda doesn’t.
Cool arrangements, instrumentals, vibe. But not the voice.
Sort of the opposite of Jack Elliot really, in that I thought I'd really like this, and it was just very, very OK. Nice, really, but not at all inspiring or that interesting.
3 stars. Might need a few listens to get into it
A quintessentially three-star album: Good musicianship but songs I can't remember 24 hours later.
Tämä oli parempi kuin odotin. Ehkä jopa voisi palata uudestaan äärelle. 3/5.
80's treasure. However, this is album doesn't have the greatest hits.
nice sounding album, nothing jumped out at me
Never heard of this artist. Interested to see what they are about. A bit mellow for my taste.
not for me
There's a lot of interesting music on this. However, the songs are a little too long for what they offer, and the vocals are just not great. To be totally honest, this would receive a higher rating if it wasn't the 327th 80s British new wave album I've gotten on this list. Can we please have more variety??? 2.5/5.0: Mixed
this is a really well done album that just isnt my taste. on the right day it could be a 4 for me but unfortunately thats not today
All of the songs are pretty long so even though there's only 8 songs it'll still take almost an hour to listen to. Psychedelic sound, had a hard time understanding the words so it was perfect to listen to while getting some work done.
Definitely gives off 80s pop vibes, synthy and flashy.
i did enjoy this, it makes me wanna go back to the last two talk talk albums and see if i had missed something
I’m gonna call this genre ‘deconstructed new wave’. These guys are happy to pick at the tropes of their sound, happy to give their songs some length & room to breathe. For that bit of experimentation, I commend them. But at the end of the day this is still a relatively unremarkable new wave album on this list. The more of these I hear, the less likely I am to latch onto anything from this sound or time.
Solid album effort. Enjoyed their sound.
There is just one single by the British group Talk Talk (It’s My Life), and it’s not on this album. Overall the music is ok, however nothing stood out as above average.
I guess so. Very British: "take care of [clause]", [beɪ.bl̩]. Like Moby meets Depeche Mode meets The Bible. It's OK. Highlight: 'Give It Up'
Вполне адекватная музыка, но желания слушать её не возникает
Here is another album in the "1001 Mediocre British Pop Rock Albums You May, or May Not Want To Listen To Before You Die". Favorite Track: "Happiness Is Easy".
Sounds like most other British 80s new wave bands. Not bad but didn’t blow me away.
There’s better Talk Talk stuff out there, alas I do quite enjoy the ending of the closing track
Never actually heard this album, but heard a couple of songs over the years. "Life's what you make it" is still a great song.
Really good in places. Singles are still top notch.
Picture the scene: it's summer time, you're cruising along the streets on your pink moped, sun shining, wind in your hair, Hawaiian shirt billowing in the breeze, Vice City cops on your tail. Mark Hollis is on the radio singing "Baby, life's what you make it, celebrate it". Good times. If you were making a movie (or a GTA game) and had a scene that was set in the 80s, the best way to let your audience know the era they're watching is simply by playing "Life's What You Make It" by Talk Talk. It's pure 80s nostalgia. The rest of the album, had some interesting moments that bordered on jazz at times, but a lot of less interesting moments too. The move from synth to instruments was a good one for Talk Talk, to modernise their sound, yet this still feels so of its time, that in my mind, it'll always be part of the soundtrack to Vice City.
Fabulous voice. A bit ponderous and slow, but well-crafted.
I can't get a read on this album. I generally didn't like it, at least the vocals and lyrics. But the instrumentation was actually kind of lovely. So, if you can deal with the vocals (which isn't something you should have to do for music), I can see why you'd enjoy this. I'm giving it 2.5 stars, rounding up to 3 stars.
Gave it a couple tries but nothing stuck. Didn't hate it but it didn't penetrate.
This is good. I hadn’t heard this one though I remember some know nothing Australian critic complaining about all the ‘talking’ bands like ‘talking heads’, ‘I’m talking’ and ‘talk talk’. All of them used ‘Talk’ in their name. Every band. Idiocy. Anyway enough of stupid critics. I should have disliked this. But I didn’t. Is it must listen? On balance yes there’s room for this. I think. I’d prefer level 42. But this isn’t awful. 3 stars
Fine
This was ok. Nothing spectacular, didn't grab my attention, didn't bore or offend Mr.
Eh it’s not bad but not particularly memorable. Kind of poppy for new wave. No standout tracks that I either loved or disliked.
Too emo
Beautiful sound and the lead has a unique voice, just not exactly my cup of tea
Good little album
yeah was ok
Talk? Talk!
Yeah, it’s not the most interesting one for me, but I didn’t hate it at all. Low 3 i think.
done
Had to wonder where I’d heard about this band before, until a quick search on Spotify made me realize they did the original It’s My Life. Honestly, I thought they were a one-hit band, but they actually have quite a few popular songs (none of which I’d heard before). This album features some pretty generic ’80s pop songs. After the first listen, I thought it was fairly bland. I did go back and listen to the hits again, and they’re actually quite good. “Life’s What You Make It” has a very cool and groovy bass hook. “Living in Another World” is another strong track where the vocals really work. Props for the harmonica, too. Going to give it a 3. Cherry-pick the hits and skip the rest.
it was all right
Art pop with a heavy 80's vibe, which I found to be a lot of fun. Favorite track: Give it Up
This is a pretty good new wave album. Nothing earth shattering or groundbreaking, but good 80s art pop. My favorite song from the album is “Living in Another World,” and the harmonica part was really giving me Dave Matthews Band vibes (why don’t they have an album on this list?). I’m rating this 3 stars, but it’s much closer to 3.5 honestly. Good album and deserves its place on the list.
Not bad for 80s
Its an ok album. They have another one thats better. Good music all around but not a wow type of record
3.5
I loved the production on this album, so dreamy. I thought the songs were kind of boring and indistinguishable though.
Talk Talk ditches the synths. May not be as immediately catchy as their earlier stuff but it's really well-produced and grooves nonetheless. I could do without the children singing on Happiness is Easy. 3.5/5
Not my type of album
This is a cool find for 80's New Wave fans. I'm a 3.5 with this. I like it fine but Chameleon Day is a stupid song so I can't really bump it up to 4 despite their insistence that I Give It Up.
I liked this album enough to rate it a 3 but I couldn’t tell you a track that stood out to me.
This was meh. Wasn't offensive, but was pretty forgettable 3 ⭐️
This album definitely has that 1980s feel, everything from the keyboards and harmonica to the guitar effects and the nasal-muted vocals are all right there. At first, I actually felt like I was listening to Duran Duran, which might explain how Talk Talk was lost in the shadow of the more popular band. Being a product of the 80s I actually liked this album though the song Life is What You Make It had a really cool groove pocket to it with David Gilmore-like guitar work. Living in Another World is definitely not living in a radio-friendly world, but was a great song. Overall, I enjoyed this album a lot, from the song writing to the production. I am not sure how it’s a 1001 since it was kind of lost to history, but I am glad I found it here!
I mean it’s decent, but really couldn’t get into it fully.
Good album.
I’ve heard great things from talk talk, but this album wasn’t as impressive as i thought it would’ve been.
Pretty good.
I've had Talk Talk's album 'Laughing Stock' from 1991 on my listenlist for a little while, so I'm hoping that this is a positive reflection of the direction that album will take. (will listen to it after this) This album is alright, there's a couple of good songs on here: notably 'Life's What You Make It' and 'Living in Another World' 3/5
Not a band I’m familiar with, and likely not one I’ll get to know better, but there were enough shades of interest to keep me invested throughout the record.
Grandiose pop with an offbeat, expressive, heart. Very big, very clever.
Listened to this while playing Bitoku. The app i used to control the solo bot failed, so I have no idea who would have won or lost...oh well. This album wasn't bad! It sounds vaguely familiar...but i have no clue where i would have heard this. The first track was definitely a highlight. A solid 3.5.
Great voice, but not a great album.
The tracks get better.. first couple were underwhelming but the new wave grooves hit their stride after their most well known song Life is What You Make It. Still prefer Tears for Fears though. I need to be in the right mood to enjoy Mark Hollis’ voice.
I feel like I should like Talk Talk more than I do, enjoyed listening to it but not sure if I'd go back to it
"It's My Life" is one of my favorite songs and I've spent many hours listening to Talk Talk's final two records. The album has slightly diminishing returns. The opening track "Happiness Is Easy" is killer and by the time you reach the end of side A with "April 5th" the sound has veered toward a far less exploratory sound. Love the sad tone paired with a children's choir on the opener, definitely the standout song for me. I'm surprisingly unimpressed by "Living in Another World" considering it was a single. It feels too standard for Talk Talk but maybe it'll grow on me if I check out the extended cut and the music video. Finally the weirdness returns on "Chameleon Day" but it's ultimately too dull until that wonderful final half minute that hints at what they'd do next. "Time It's Time" is the best on side B. Groovy bass line, sweet choir part.
It was fine.
Talk Talk feels like the spiritual successor to Morrissey. Take that as you will.
Pour commencer, +1 étoile pour la cover de zinzin de l’espace j’aime trop. + : -voix des enfants -Son des instruments très clean -Très altruiste, tous les musiciens ont leur moment -Intro de « Life’s what you make it » - refrain de « living in another world » avant l’arrivée de l’harmonica qui gâche tout - : -voix principale, j’ai l’impressions qu’il est pas à l’aise? -J’arrive pas trop à voir la continuité des morceaux, manque d’une mélodie principale (j’arrive rarement à autant entendre la basse) -Arrivée du chanteur sur « Life’s what you make it » -De temps en temps, il y a un instrument qui arrive d’un coup sans rien demander mais pour jouer un loop trop bizarre je comprend pas trop -un peu répétitif, 6 minutes du même Groove de batterie c’est un peu long - la transition entre « April 5th » et « Living in another world » ils m’ont pris au dépourvu je suis tout chamboulé 😵💫 - des fois j’ai l’impression qu’ils font exprès de faire des mauvaises notes, et j’ai envie de dire pourquoi pas, mais avec « the colour of spring » comme nom très joyeux je comprends pas trop. Dans la globalité je suis pas trop fan, j'arrive pas à déceler les mélodies des différents morceaux, des moments par-ci par-là étaient cool mais jamais un morceau entier.
так и не смогла нормально сосредоточиться и осознать, поэтому общее впечатление что вроде норм и нескучно
Something of a slow burn. When the songs find the right groove I'm very into them. But a few felt like straight-up duds. It's a very deliberate album, which I appreciate.
Wasn't in a mood to judge music
Like the prefab sprout cats, I imagine they are going for something real cool, I'm just not hip to it yet.
This album is like getting ready to go to the roller rink with your friends. You’ve just emptied the better part of a can of hair spray into your hair, and you’re rocking your nicest pastel suit. The roof is down on your Volkswagen cabriolet, and you’re driving along the waterfront as the sun drops behind the horizon. Everyone knows it’s been about a month since you broke up with your last girlfriend, and while you’re still hurting from it, you think you’re ready to try and hook up with someone new.
Was ok. Started to drag on a bit but nice musicianship throughout
Great album cover. Eight songs forty five minutes should be illegal. What an absolutely boring album. There’s some songwriters on here but damn this is the most forgettable album on this list in a long time. There’s stuff on here I like, like little harmonies or musical choices but none of it really comes together at all for me. Time it’s time is the closest to a banger for me, the harmonies sound like something out of tales of symphonia and I like that. Give it up is ass. The rest is fine but forgettable. Struggling between 2 and 3 cause I think I do like a lot of this, I just couldn’t tell you what from memory.
This was a pleasant listen, although I don't think it really grabbed me enough for a repeat listen in future. I really like the album cover.
happiness is easy- 5 i dont believe in you- 5 lifes what you make it- 5 april 5th- 4 living in another world- 5 give it up- 5 chameleon day- 4 time its time- 5 boring as fuck. the album cover is nice though
This wasn’t op bad. Not sure what I expected but it had a nice vibe to it!
OK. This is a kind of difficult rating for me. it is quite good. Spot on actually. I do love 80's music in general and it vibes right. now for the tricky part... It is "so" 80's. I do not know why one band can be timeless and another dated. But this is not (by far) the only band that winds up pigeon holed into a specific era through their sound. But it poses two questions: The first I asked, why some bands end up era'd and others not. The second question is what is it specifically that does not allow the music to have that timeless quality, even if it is clear it was made in a certain era? I do not have the answers but am truly curious. In the meantime this is a very good example of a good 80's band that is likely worth a listen when the mood suits.
Pleasant enough. Kinda of scoring this based on forcing myself to lean into aura. At points can hear some very sweet instrumentals, but at times, my palate recognizes that it's not refined. Basically, I lost track of which song, was which, at points.
It sounds like an early DMB
This started strong, with an excellent run of tracks (who doesn’t love a children’s choir?!) until you get to the brilliant “Life’s What You Make It”. At this point, the album hits a bit of a lull and I have zero recollection of any of the tracks - until we get to the closing number. All 8 and a half minutes of it. Which, as we’ve already been through, is unnecessary. All in all, it’s 5* for the first half of the album. The second half is absolute dirge.
Bubbling under the surface, there's an album I think I could really love here. But there's some potentially insurmountable obstacles: - Mark Hollis sounds like he's singing whilst in the grips of a terrible head cold. By the end of the album there were glimmers of hope that he could potentially win me over. But they were teeny tiny glimmers. - each song feels like it runs out of ideas before the end of it's running time and then rather than accepting that a song could just end at 3 minutes, there's a lot of pointless vamping. - the fade out to Life's What You Make It might be the longest fade out in history and I didn't see the point. - I'm not convinced that any song has ever been improved with the addition of a primary school choir. - there was also absolutely no need for the recorders on the final track. Recorders aside, the actual instrumentation I really liked for the most part (bonus mention for the discordant piano noise that randomly appears in Living In Another World). To the extent that after listening to this, I listened to a few covers - it's so long since I listened to it, I forgot Weezer covered Life's What You Make It and it was inexplicably sung by drummer Pat Wilson and somehow I liked his vocals more that on the original track. I also liked the Duncan Sheik version. I would say 3.5, but I'm going to plump for: 3/5
Nice
A good, moody, 80s album. Would never have thought to listen but I enjoyed it a lot
His voice was okay to me for some of this, but it annoyed me a little throughout. This is an album I'd be okay with leaving on if it was already playing, but I wouldn't go out of my way to put it on myself.
Double bass immediately stands out in the first track, Happiness Is Easy. It transforms the stereotypical 80s sound into something more soulful, more alive. Pretty cool. Jazzy chords and a children's choir accompaniment make this track stand out for all the right reasons, including that it give the listener a break from the lead vocal. I'm not a fan of the singing at all, though at least it doesn't really get in the way of the good stuff. Hollis's vocal kind of blends in with the other instruments, not unlike a lot of solid shoegaze material from the following decade. But it's a little out of tune and has a nasal quality that gets old fairly quickly. Vocal echo does not help with bad singing, since you essentially hear the same lyrics several times in quick succession, and I'm glad that trend has mostly phased out of modern music. Life's What You Make It has an exotic anthemic feel. The bassline (which I think is played on piano) is an obvious highlight, but I also like the dreamy spring-morning mood established by the production and relatively light percussion. Great use of organs/keyboard too, not just in this track but also in Give It Up (among others). There's some influence from psychedelia and, to an extent, prog rock. Sometimes it works, as in this track. In others, like April 5th, the sound is a bit bland, attempting to pull off some kind of feverish Pink Floyd-esque instrumental but not quite being engaging enough to pull it off. It's still likeable enough, especially as background noise, but there just isn't enough going on instrumentally or compositionally to make me want to come back for more. The song Chameleon Day is similar, although thankfully its length is 3:20 (as opposed to an average of 5-6 minutes for the other tracks) and it passes as pleasant, boring filler. 3/5 Key tracks: Happiness Is Easy, Life's What You Make It
Well this was a good listen. I didn't love it at first, but then I found some good beats. Anyway, need to relisten.
I know Talk Talk for more of their earlier synth-pop centric work, so I'm interested to see how this album evolved their sound. Pretty good I guess, softer and more sentimental than I was expecting. Many of the tracks seemed to run on a bit long for my tastes and the production, which I'll admit was mostly high quality, seemed simultaneously overproduced at times.
I think i was happier just knowing the singles. Having heard the album, i convinced myself that the singer occasionally sounds like Mick Hucknell. I cannot unhear it now.
could an album ever be more 80s than this? 3-/5
It was pleasant.
pretty enjoyable listen, lots of overlayed sounds and things and the album cover looks rlly fun
Flutie tootie hootin n hollerin and I liked it
I listened to this a few times, don't remember that much about it though
The editors get it wrong again. They should have had their next two albums on the list as the ones you need to hear. There is nothing else like them even though Radiohead have been failing to emulate them for the last 25 years. This one is pretty good and hints at what is to come on their next album Spirit of Eden, especially on the quieter moments. I have one problem with this album. When Life's What You Make It was a hit I heard it on Radio 1 and Gary Davies proclaimed over the end of it in that weird unplaceable accent of his "Too right mate!". Since then I've always thought of it as a yuppie/80s Tory anthem. It is a bit of a bland platitude to be fair.
Ok
This was an ok album, nothing too special about it, but it was decent enough! Better than I expected it to be!
80s vibes sans synthesizers. Kinda interesting.
This was an album that falls into the same category as many others I’ve heard, in that I enjoyed this but equally found it quite forgettable. There was nothing that stood out or made my ears prick up, but that’s not to say that I didn’t like it by any means. I had a perfectly adequate time listening to this. It’s got that 80’s new wave vibe that so many bands had at the time. Needs more synth if you ask me.
I was wondering when I'd get another britpop band. These guys are alright.
цветасто
Talking. One of the true gifts and punishments of humanity. On the positive side, we can communicate complex ideas and emotions that can be understood by others. On the other side of the coin, we can communicate complex ideas with other humans and then we all kill each other. Listen. It’s been almost a year of this. If I’m sitting here “talking” about talking? We’ve hit the bottom of the well. More British new wave presumably. The most important genre to ever exist according to this list. Rule Brittania. Happiness is Easy - Very cool beginning. I don’t really know how time signatures work, but I think there’s some odd stuff going on here. Exciting sounds. Not really into the children choir portions, but this is a cool track. I Don’t Believe in You - Hmmm. This is less good. A lot less good. We’re on the radio in 1999 now. This singer is making me laugh. Although, is he deaf? Probably shouldn’t laugh if that’s the case. Whatever. It’s not like my reviews get posted in the association for the deaf’s community bulletin. Unless they do. Oh god. I better start learning my ASL apology. Life’s What You Make It - This rhythm is pretty undeniable. Liking it. One of those back and forth albums? This is certainly one of the good ones. April 5th - More funny vocals and a song about a specific day. What a random ass day. I don’t sit here with a lyric sheet, so this could be anything from an anniversary to a random red herring title. What do I look like? A journalist? Living in Another World - The singing gets even funnier somehow. Harmonicas are almost never good. Although, why is this so god damn catchy. Put Sadé over every instrumental on this record and you have a 5 star classic. Why do I love Sadé so much? Anyway, the atonal piano stab is a microcosm of what’s making this album interesting so far. A lot of unexpected turns. Give It Up - oh no. White boi reggae™️ has been teased. Never mind. We’ve just gone into that shitty riverboat instrument. You know what I mean. This is the worst song so far. Doesn’t stray from the path of immense boredom. Chameleon Day - Best song on the album. Totally drenched in melancholy and crushing, mixed with incredible oddities that make this feel like entering a cathedral to a major depressive episode. Heavy, miserable, and ultimately fascinating. Happiness might not be all that easy after all. Time It’s Time - Kind of a lame close. Not much to say about it. This album was interesting because I expected to hate it and there were just so many left turns. The production made everything sound so good, which is possibly just down to the quality of the remaster, but the ideas here really popped with the high sound fidelity. At least I think. Maybe this is the worst produced album of all time. Listen, I liked the sounds ok? Sue me. There were some lame songs here but there were some real heavy hitters as well. I walk walk away from talk talk pleasantly surprised and thoroughly miserable. 3 HIGHLIGHTS: Happiness is Easy, Life’s What You Make It, Chameleon Day
This album was decent, the first two songs really bumped. But outside of that it was pretty mediocre and rest of the tracks just blended together. I dont believe you is definitely the best track on the album IMO. Has a duran duran x phil collins genesis sound to it.
Reminds me of Peter Gabriel. The sound is OK but after maybe 3-4 listens I'm not really hooked by any songs.
Only recognize the single "Life Is What You Make It," but the rest of the album largely holds it's own. Good, and flirting with being great.
It’s alright. Maybe should give it another listen later
I used this as background music for writing a resume so now I think I may have written a crappy resume
The thing about "wallpaper albums" that I might have touched on before, although maybe not in specific detail, is that you hafta be in the right mood for them. Now, let me make this clear to begin with: a "wallpaper album" differentiates from an ambient album or anything of the like because a "wallpaper album," for the most part, was never meant to be played in the background. A "wallpaper album" was meant to be considered like any other album: deeply, carefully, considerably. Yet, for the listener, a "wallpaper album" mostly ends up serving the purpose of just making the air around them less boring. I say this to acknowledge that this Talk Talk album clearly has something going for them. There's a talent and a skill about them that, sure, if you wanted to listen closely, you could probably find a lot to love about them. Even I could tell that from the couple of moments I dipped into it. And yet, on the whole, I feel like to me this one would still be a "wallpaper album..." And not one I'm all too excited for, at that. Even albums you'd play to fill space like "wallpaper albums" need to have something interesting going on, and I'unno... I suppose I just wasn't in the mood where any of this would be interesting to me. I just couldn't lose myself in it, 'coz whenever I did happen to tune it, all I could hear was an album spinning its wheels on every song. Y'know, the kind of album where it doesn't matter where you are in a song (the first minute or the last), it doesn't sound like you've actually gone anywhere. Maybe it's supposed to evoke a zen state or something, but to my ears, I was mostly just bored. Every song felt like it went on too long, even the ones that were only three minutes. If there was only a little more variety present... And maybe there was and I was just too zoned out to hear it — which doesn't make the album look any better in my eyes, I should say... Pleh, I'unno. Again, I acknowledge the group's talent, and that keeps me from wanting to be too harsh on this thing — that, and I keep hearing that their next two records are better, so maybe this just suffers from being transitional... But just for my tastes, I'unno. Even among "wallpaper albums," I feel like I've heard more engaging records — and ones I can engage with regardless of the mood I'm in, too. So... Yeah. Just ain't my dig, in short.
Good but nothing jumped out at me. Glad I listened though
I imagine if Depeche Mode didbt exist, I’d have loved this, but this is a decent enough alternative if DM ever fall out with Spotify
Relatively unique, pleasant ethereal synthy-stuff artsiness, and he's got a pretty unique voice in him too Enjoyable listen, though the two soft, slow tracks (April 5th, Chameleon Day) probably fought with the overall flow more than anything, outside of that the vibe's cool, maybe the tracks don't always completely earn their length
Good music, good vibes. Really enjoyable.
Mostly good. It pushes boundaries without being experimental. The songwriting still remains familiar and accessible for the time period, and I can hear its influence on bands I grew up with in the following decade. For a 10 song album that runs an hour. There's too many duds. But I do want to hear more from their catalog and will do so for the songs that were really good.
Really nice listen - can see it growing on me massively
This had moments that reminded me of spiritualized, with a nice 80s vibe
Probably not my cup of tea
soooo 80s. satisfying but not engaging. very background. i also just am not crazy about long songs tho.
Very much if it’s time. Whatever happened to them anyway? Probably worth north of 3 but am not sure whenever I’ll be minded to play it again. Nice while it lasts and yes - Life is what you make it. Not necessarily profound but true.
I've had this in my collection for a long time but only listened through all the way once or twice. It's a weird transitional record. The first 2 Talk Talk albums were 80s pop with hits like "Talk Talk" and "It's My Life". This one has the minor hit "Life's What You Make It". It never reaches the same heights as the earlier ones. The two final records after this one they went fully into experimental, almost ambient territory. They always seemed like a band of jazz musicians trying to make it as a pop band. So, I prefer the earlier hooks or the weird later albums. This one feels like the link between the two. The production is spot on. They are obviously good musicians. But somehow nothing stands out.
80’s yacht rock…meh. I actually kind of liked a couple of the more upbeat songs, but this is a three star album at best. Don’t know why it’s on the list.
I was into the first half of this album, specifically the song Life's What You Make It. The 2nd half faded to the background for me and was less interesting. All in all, this lands as a mid-3.
TBH this is not my favorite vocal style. Something about it feels so pretentious. In spite of that, this is a fine enough album that mixed between upbeat New Wave (Living in Another World), stripped down balladry (April 5th, I Don't Believe in You), aaaand some other stuff. That said this treaded a centerline the whole way through and never really felt special. Oddly my favorites here were some of the ballads: I Don't Believe in You and the use of piano and percussion on April 5th. Its a 3 for me
I like the dude's voice. Kinda close to Depeche Mode , but not bad.
Found myself really liking some of these and really hating some of these so going with a solid 3.
Not bad, but kind of forgettable. That said, the guitar in Life's What You Make It is super catchy, and Give it Up is pretty vibey too.
I’ve come across this album in the past. I can appreciate the beauty of the album, it’s just not something I would have in steady rotation.
Quite inventive/dark new romantic. Not my favourite but it's nice enough
I really love Talk Talk's 2 last albums, but I enjoyed this one a little less. I really have a hard time with the "new romantic" movement, that said. It was pleasant, but not my cup of tea.
I thought I was going to get more out of this one to begin with, by the end I just found it quite dull. Of the New Wave albums I've heard this one seemed to have a decent amount of promise, even without a big single I recognise.
3/5. It's got some chill aesthetic and the instrumentation is beautiful at times, but I'm not with it the whole time. To be fair, if this album came out today, I would not be surprised, it does feel timeless. But I guess I wouldn't be listening to this even today. I can definitely see the potential and if someone liked this album, I wouldn't be surprised. It was good, just not great to me. Best Song: Living In Another World, Life's What You Make It, Time It's Time
Eh, I liked it, it had some decent vocal performances & pretty good instrumental moments, with also some rather mediocre ones, a little bit of a mixed bag, but overall, nice & enjoyable art pop, decently good.
One of my favorite albums of all time. Every song is incredible, I am so glad they’re touring this year
Standard 80s New Wave
3.5
Chill, mellow, and whatever other adjectives you want to use for describing the easy vibe of this album. Probably ends up as Sunday morning brunch on the patio music for me. Which is a good thing.
It’s fine, I didn’t dislike it but it wasn’t great.
Decent little 80s sounding album 5/10
Reminded me of Phil Collins
This has left me conflicted. It's SO new wave, but in places I really enjoyed it. I guess it shows what new wave could be without a total overreliance on synths and jangly guitars. I can't quite get on board with the vocals, which is often the case for me with this era, but instrumentally it's really interesting and had a lot of catchy hooks and melodies. I also don't hate the production which again, can be a major challenge with other albums in the genre. At times I was reminded of Genesis, which is definitely a compliment. It also had me thinking about the XTC album I got a few weeks ago which required a few extra listens to really fully appreciate. Will revisit.
Good
Eighties precursor.....
not for me. it's all so very pretty, so very soft, so very gentle. I'm just not feeling that today. Maybe a counterbalance of something balls out and noisy might help. I went back and listened with good headphones. I picked up a lot more of the music and realized there's a lot to appreciate . But I'm still a tourist here, like oscar the grouch in a spotlessly sterile landscape.
Songs are looong and quite drawn out. Slow tempo but also lively. Pretty chill throughout, no big beat drops. Some wacky instrumentals.