The Colour Of Spring

It is very funny that I keep getting these awful New Wave albums and every time I breathe a sigh of relief that I’ve reached the final song only to see that it’s upwards of 8 minutes.

Nothing to write home about with this outing by Talk Talk. An ok new wave pop album that was a bit too much jazz and not enough synth for my liking. Best: Happiness Is Easy Worst: Chameleon Day

This album was Living In Another World. One that I will choose to Give It Up.

Meandering 80s middle road stuff

Best Song: Happiness Is Easy. Like for a lot of these middling records, I think I default to liking the first track most because it at least has some novelty for me. After that, it all goes downhill. Worst Song: April 5. This is less a coherent song and more just vulnerable, vaguely-musical moaning. Overall: Feels like a church cover band of U2. There's a song or two that might get my hands in the air, but I'm not putting anything in the collection basket.

I've never listened to so much 1980s music in my life as I have doing this generator. A lot of influential music came out that decade, or so I keep being told. What was it about the period of time between 1983 and 1998 where people were making songs so fucking long? I'm not opposed to songs running longer than the pop-mandated two-minutes-and-fifty-seconds, but I'd like the additional minutes to feel warranted. Their singer has that English New Wave voice. You know what I'm talking about right? That kind of head-voice, almost nasally, a little whiny but a little deep voice, with terrible diction? That's the one. Did all these guys have the same vocal coaches or something, like the 2010s 'indie voice' singers? It's a vocal tone that either communicates immense self-pity or is strangely dispassionate towards what's being sung. I believed this guy not at all when he sang "Life's What You Make It". I like the cover of this album a lot, for whatever that's worth. Overall, a bit of a snoozefest. Highlights: I Don't Believe In You (that guitar solo around the 3:30 mark helped a lot), Give It Up

Great work of the time

Nah.

Average nothing to outstanding or hooks of interest.

Very typical 80's British new-wave, not a genre I particularly enjoy and I didn't think there was a standout track. Life's What You Make It is clearly the most popular from the album but it didn't do anything for me.

Dull and dreary and did not like the vocals. Harmonica in one song was cool. Too bad the rest of the music wasn’t better.

There were some cool things about this album. Some interesting drum loops, and I liked some of the music. There was a lot of potential here for a great album. That being said it didn’t feel very cohesive, and the songs needed work. Also, every song was ruined for me because I cannot stand the singers voice! This was the most egregious use of what I’m calling “80s voice” (think Tears for fears), it was unlistenable. This would be a three star with a different singer.

Tears for fears tekee tämän paremmin, siis tosi kasarin melankolisen musan. He eivät mumise. Tää koliseekin liikaa.

Hetkiä, mutta huono hetki - sointi -suhde.

Not really my cup of tea. It wasn't unbearable, but not something I'd be striving to listen to again. A classic 80's sound really, and I lived through the 80's as a teenager, perhaps that explains my ambivalence towards it :)

Mmmm

meh

massive single. rest of the album is wet.

Not as good as Alien Nosejob

Laimea

Perusmuniinpuhaltelu

So the headline here is that I didn't really like this, but I spent a decent amount of time reading about it after listening and I'm intrigued by the band. This seems to generally be considered a transition album for Talk Talk. They're arguably a one-hit wonder (It's My Life in 1984), and their early albums are a heavily sythn-pop sound. This is their next album after It's My Life (so it doesn't include the one-hit) and to me it still has quite a bit of the synth-pop that I don't really like. It just sounds really dated to me, and the singer also has kind of an annoying 80s oversinging thing going on. My issue with this album is that it still sounds very synth-pop-80s, but doesn't have the catchy hooks that a lot of this type of music has (that's typically the one saving grace of this style in my opinion). There are a few spots where it moves away from it though, and you can kind of tell that they're trying to not just be a synth band. I really enjoyed Give It Up for instance, I think it showcases the band's talent a lot better. After reading about them, this transition hypothesis seems to be the case. Apparently the singer had no real interest in being a pop star and also really didn't like the synthesizer as an instrument. It's My Life blew up, so they probably didn't want to completely move away from it on their next record (this one), but after The Colour of Spring they seem to completely move away from this type of music. The Colour of Spring had more commercial success than what came later, but it seems like the later stuff had a lot more critical success. Anyway, I'm not sure if I'm going to get another Talk Talk album on this or not. This one still doesn't really work for me, but I can see how this represents a shift for them away from the musical style that made them big. That's got to be a hard transition to make, so I respect them for giving it a go. Two other minor notes. I really hated the first song (Happiness is Easy), which is never a good way to start. The call-and-response thing with a children's choir just never works for me, bad decision on that one. On a more positive note though, I really like the album cover. Favorite song: Give It Up Other: Life’s What You Make It 10/31/23

Very British and very not good.

Beige is not a colour of spring.

It was fine, pretty boring. There was no stand out songs from it really.

It’s not like this album was bad, it was just boring. I kept waiting for something interesting to happen. The atmosphere of it was good and it reminded me a bit of Tears for Fears. 2.5/5

Nothing can get through to me this week. This is another one that lays there like a bunch of dead moths.

Pop progresivo. Un tostón.

never heard of this band before

Bleh.

This was just tedious to me. I don't hate it, but...

Nah

Middle of the road. Nice enough but also totally forgettable.

Talk shite

Blegh. Lots that I don't like about the 80's. The worst of New Wave. Long drawn out slow autotuned singing.

No sir I don't like it

Not my day. Not the album’s fault *necessarily*

Doesn't look even contain the one song we're all familiar with, and even that one is a bit of a drag. So it would have fit right in here.

2.4/5

Highlights: I Don't Believe in You, Living in Another World Leave Em's: Chameleon Day, August 5th Overall Thoughts: This album has an interesting sound and some of the faster paced song actually sound decent. I am not a fan of the slower more spacey sounding ones, and I find it a bit too experimental. As a project, I found the variety between slow and fast distracting, which is contrary to my typical opinion. I think they could have tried to focus on doing one thing well. The music on this album is decent for what it is but I can't imagine ever listening to these songs outside the context of this project. Perhaps for someone on psychedelics this is the kind of background music they would like while staring at the butterflies on the album cover, but it is not for me. Score Breakdown: 2.550 & 2 -> 2.275

Seems nice, but don't know any of it before now. 2.5

Mediocre at best.

very experimental, a lil boring

The only songs that had any feeling to it at all was Living in Another World and Time It's Time. Would have been a good album of the other songs were more like them, but alas...

Om een album zo te laten beginnen, tjemig dan moet je wel heel graag verder willen luisteren. Poe poe

Ugh. The very first track has children singing. That’s almost never a good idea (exception: The Wall). The album does not improve. While the production is very good, it’s mostly just not interesting.

Ironically in spite of the name, the 1st track of this album was miserable, however the rest of the album was, well, serviceable... It was good but nothing overly special to me...

En saanut tästä oikein minkäänlaista otetta. Unohdin koko levyn saman tien. 2/5

Aika geneeriseksi jäi omasta mielestä tää levy, en tiedä miksi on listalla. 2/5

2,5/5

Ditching the synths was a smart move to get away from the dark valley of new-wave. Unfortunately, that grating voice drags it back down. Doesn't sound like spring at all, it would've been a perfect album for this time if it was.

Dear 80s bands (and everyone else), please stop including children who can't sing in your songs. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Best track: Give it Up

Some interesting soundscapes here, but no real standout track. The singer’s voice is incredibly unique, but it gets kind of tiring after a while. 1 - bad 2 - average 3 - good 4 - great 5 - outstanding

Weak

Incredibly boring

Patty thought it was just random Spotify autoplay and said we could just turn it off 😂 It's like smooth rock elevator muzak The song give it up was solid though.

Oh my lord is this ever dull.

Sucessão de músicas que simbolizam bem o pop dos anos 80. Vocal incomoda como se fora o Phil Collins.

Everything is at least twice as long as it should be.

Oh man I find this album so boring and droney. It's really irritating me. I listened already last week and zoned out so having to listen again before I can rate it now. There are some cool elements I guess like a sax and some jazzier parts but mostly this is cringe and boring and conjures up the image of an almost empty dance floor in an unpopular club at 1am haha. I think I prefer their other albums from what I remember where they have synths and go full 80s!

Occasionally I thought 'oh that bit was good', but those times were few and far between.

5/10

Easily forgettable able for me and feels like the kind of thing that would be background music at a grocery store.

Schwierig. Nicht so uninteressant, wie ich befürchtet hatte, trägt aber kein ganzes Album.

Boring

Ehhhh wasn’t in the mood and found it boring. Maybe just caught me on a bad day.

Boring

pretty cover but god I hate whiny 80s music

Nothing interesting

Not for me. Didn’t really connect with it. Very positive vibes tho.

I really want to like Talk Talk - and do love their eponymous Mod-ish single, as it’s quite upbeat. This started off okay but started to feel same-y and sombre after a few songs. I get that there is a bit of musical invention here but for me it all feels too mannered and too polished. No rough edges to contrast with the sheen. And Hollis’ voice is distinctive, but not in a way I like for a whole album. Maybe this mood works better at night, but I was a tad disappointed.

Didnt do it for me

So so album. Okay background music, doesn't do much otherwise.

Another album I really wanted to like more than I do... Life's What You Make It obviously a crowd pleaser and Time It's Time is interesting if not long...but overall this was really the listen I had hoped it would be... that's the problem of wanting more It's My Life type songs.

Boring, don't get why this band is so rated.

I vaguely recall Talk Talk from various Now! albums, but I guess these days they are more known for their broadband internet services. "Life's What You Make It" is the one I recall, boring, repetitive, but in a good way. I like the album artwork, reminds me of that Twitter account, Faces In Things.

Largely bored

When these tracks are at their best they remind me of Peter Gabriel. When they're at their worst they remind be of BORING PETER GABRIEL. Listen, guys, no one is forcing you to make an album. If you're this bored and listless about the concept of recording music you could just go and do a new career.

Slow new wave, kind of boring

the backtracks behind many of the songs were getting obnoxiously repetitive so the point it outshined the actual music part. but other than that it was okay.

Most songs on the album lack progression both in melody and lyrics. The only track that fought my attention was "Living in Another World".

It's just so one dimensional

New wave, art pop, rimelig let, organisk

This album made me quit this journey

Very interesting - the production is 80’s pop but the style is art rock. Kinda sounds like Bowie mixed with Tears for Fears and The Smiths. On paper that sounds good but I’m not sure about the vocals. His voice is so dramatic and warbly. I’m not totally into it but the music is definitely grabbing my attention. Great album cover.

Pop suave. Facilongo. Sin grandes alardes. No me ha aportado mucho.

Fair

Some interesting and enjoyable parts mixed in with elevator music. 2/5

boring

Nothing particularly awful about this album. Also completely forgettable. Generic 80s album.

Not alot to say about this one, one good track the rest meh

Boring, the epitome of the bland, formulaic, guitar-less nonsense being produced in the UK in the 80s. Instantly forgettable - and I mean *literally* instantly: it must have been (based on the length of the album and how long I had had it on) at least the fourth play through before I recognised any of the songs that I had just heard 45 minutes ago! Also, after listening 4 or 5 times to this record, I still only know one Talk Talk song (it's my life), and it's not on this album! One extra star for being able to sing well (i.e. not being Nico).

Certainly an 80’s synth pop album. It was fine. Nothing bad about this album but nothing really stood out either. Tbh I didn’t know Talk Talk had anything else noteworthy besides Its My Life but here we are.

Average, this should stay in the 80s.

I've had this one already, so here is a copy paste of my 2 star review... Very 80s production, always a worry. Some interesting stuff going on in Happiness is Easy though. Instruments jumping in and out quite forcefully. Not keen on the vocalist though. Second track was moody but barely registered. Obviously I know Life's What You Make It. Fond of it, but that may be down to Grand Theft Auto (Vice City). April 5th is very gloomy in a good way. However, everything on this album is feeling over long. By Living in Another World I kind of get it, taking the production and tropes of 80s AOR pop but writing edgier, more deep songs within this is an interesting, if not terribly exciting idea. Unfortunately it just sounds like Paul Young but emo to me, and isn't holding my attention. Chameleon Day is horrible, like a saxophone jazz fart with whining over the top, and given there are few tracks on this album, has certainly cost it a point in the final reckoning.

Pop progresivo. Un tostón.

Prima, maar niks bijzonders

Nothing special but pleasant enough.

Based on the description I thought I would like this much more than I did but its boring.

20th January 2022 Listened throughout the day before watching Liverpool beat Arsenal to get to the league cup final. Not my bag, a bit all over the shop.

80s soft pop rock. Very soft

I really kinda hate this cheesy 80s soft-rock stuff. It's musically competent but is so vapid to me that it's nothing to me. Apparently their next album is prog/experimental? I'd be curious if it gets any better.

It started of good but then I heard brad scream and I was upset for the rest of the album

I only knew one song, It's My Life, by Talk Talk prior to listening. This album is much more jazz-infused Pink Floyd than the 80's synth pop I was expecting. The songs drag on in a way I don't find very interesting.

Meh

This feels like it was written by a guy who, when told "I'm sad," would say "Happiness is a choice, choose to be happy :)".

Three days in a row, artists I know I should have listened to! Very 80s production, always a worry. Some interesting stuff going on in Happiness is Easy though. Instruments jumping in and out quite forcefully. Not keen on the vocalist though. Second track was moody but barely registered. Obviously I know Life's What You Make It. Fond of it, but that may be down to Grand Theft Auto (Vice City). April 5th is very gloomy in a good way. However, everything on this album is feeling over long. By Living in Another World I kind of get it, taking the production and tropes of 80s AOR pop but writing edgier, more deep songs within this is an interesting, if not terribly exciting idea. Unfortunately it just sounds like Paul Young but emo to me, and isn't holding my attention. Chameleon Day is horrible, like a saxophone jazz fart with whining over the top, and given there are few tracks on this album, has certainly cost it a point in the final reckoning.

decidely 80's, Duran Duran-esque. Pretty meh.

Meh. 2.5.

Not sure how I feel about this. Kinda liked it but also kinda don't really care. Not for it, but about it. I'm so nonplussed. like this is the most didn't love it didn't hate it album I've ever listened to. It's full and basic at the same time. Hard to explain.

Never heard this album before. It seems ok, I'm giving it a 2/5 for now. We'll see if it gets better with time. Nothing stood out to me on this album.

Its ok, i expected more when i listened to the first track But its okay

Sounded fine. But booooooring.

"Life's What You Make It" is the one track I was familiar with. The voice of the lead singer is unmistakable and easily recognizable on each track, but apparently Talk Talk is not for me.

chill, but not quite my thing.

Uninspiring dirge for the most part. Give it up was a good song though.

Simplón

2.6 didn't care for this one tbh

I liked a lot of the music but didn't enjoy the vocals

Very 80's.was okay.

Why is there so much Synth Pop?

droning 80s new wave with vaguely ridiculous warbly vocals. Sounds like an Elvis Costello impersonator improv-ing over infomercial bkgd music. Some head-nodding beats here but one-dimensional overall.

Meh. Dull.

Does little for me

No es su peor disco, pero casi.

Not for me. All a bit 'nothing'

Another one that grew on me. Massively 80's. I Don't Believe in You and Give It Up were good.

2 - bissle nichtssagend

its the 80's but in a melancholic way

The worst of the 80s

The 80s were a mistake

Not my style

I have not heard this before. I am certain I’ve heard a few songs from this album because 75% of pop songs on the radio at the time sounded like this. Drums are drenched in gated reverb, bass is lifeless, guitar and keyboard are bland, and vocals are throaty and strained, although lazier and more mumbley than contemporaries. The only thing missing is a synth using lots of fake horns and orchestra stabs. Apparently they avoided synths on this album and had Steve Winwood play organ in a few songs, so maybe he provided vocal coaching. The period from 1986 to 1989 has my least favorite pop music sound and this album nails it to the T.

Not for me.

Meh, this is pretty boring music.

Hate this shit. Dreamy moody drivel! Music that annoys.

Yet more mediocre new wave music. I don't think every band who made a new wave album needs to be on this list but someone definitely did not agree. I was born in the 80s. Maybe you had to be a teen or young adult when this was new to really appreciate it?

Yaaawwwnnn

Not my bag, couldn’t stand to listen to!

Too weird

I really don’t like this 80s synthpop stuff. It’s never been my favorite.

Whiny not rock

Honestly, I found it quite boring. There aren't really any notable moments, and it was hard to get through. Snoozefest!

Happiness Is Easy - 5/10: I liked the intro. I Don't Believe in You - 3/10: Just kind of boring. Life's What You Make It - 3/10: I just didn't really enjoy it. April 5th - 3/10: Same as the last song. Living in Another World - 3/10: Just kind of boring. Give It Up - 4/10: I like the beat/music/instruments (whatever you call it). Chameleon Day - 3/10: Just kind of boring. Time It's Time - 3/10: Same as the last song. Overall Score: 27/80 Overall Rating: 3/10: I just didn't really enjoy the album. I wasn't a huge fan of the vocals and none of the songs stood out to me. I don't see myself listening to this album again.

Some thoughts: If this is a change of direction for Talk Talk (away from synthesizers apparently) it means that I can happily avoid the early albums too. This is exactly the kind of crappy pop album I would have avoided and/or ridiculed in high school. Just terrible AOR music, made by pretentious artists for pretentious yuppies. Feels like someone just heard some Pink Floyd in 1986 and wanted to get in on that sweet guitar tone for some of these solos. Such a mishmash of styles, funk bass, overwrought keys and that PF style guitar. Nothing really fits and it's obnoxious. Who thought the harmonica was a good idea on "Living In Another World"? Seems pretty obvious that these guys were working out of "Oblivious to Reason" Studios.

I honestly don't really remember anything about this album except I didn't like it.

The top comment on YouTube is someone saying that this is their top album of all time, out of at least 2500 albums. I honestly don't know what they are seeing in this tedious softly-sung and synthy 80s mush. I had this at 2 stars until I just got sick of it about halfway through. Nice cover art, though.

Another of these immediately recognisable 80s albums that I don't enjoy. I thought I knew what to expect and it lived up to it. I suppose life's what you make it is ok, but wouldn't choose to listen to that or any of the album again. 1

Not a fan! I'm sure other people like it for their reasons

Another British synth pop band that sucks donkey farts. Thanks, but no. 1

Yada yada.

Easy to forget

For a late nineties album, this sounds an awful lot like it came out in the mid-eighties. That’s not a compliment.

Lowkey listless.

Music from the 80s really is the oil to my water ears.

not my colour of spring

Another 80s Synth Pop group I'm not into. Surprise.

Terrible

Don’t like this.

# 522 : The Colour of Spring by Talk Talk The Colour of Spring – Beige, But Louder Talk Talk’s The Colour of Spring is peak 80s adult contemporary—slow, dull, and somehow still annoying despite barely doing anything. It’s like musical wallpaper: ignorable, but occasionally so bland it actively irritates you. There’s some sparse production that’s mildly interesting, and the singer’s voice is half-decent. But when the children’s choir is the highlight, you know you’re in trouble. Not one good track, not one moment that catches the ear. Just another mediocre new wave album that somehow snuck onto the “must-hear” list. Verdict: One star. A snooze disguised as sophistication. If you have to listen to this, look out for : N/A Listened: 22/08/2025

Well, it’s official. This list just peed on my leg and told me it’s raining. I can’t say this album is terrible. Just lifeless. In no world did I have to listen to this before I die.

kedelig

Not really a fan

Their third album. Rock, New Wave, Pop. The first two tracks are a real downer. Especially I Don't Believe You. Dull and droning vocals. This album sounds like hold music on the phone or a Doctor's waiting room music. They're annoyed and pissed off with someone or something but fuck knows what or who. Dull. Goes nowhere musically at all.

Yucky. Couldn’t make it all the way through.

Takes Top 3 of 1001 albums you would rather not listen to. Ever.

This is the 91st album I’m rating. My only thought is Talk Talk by Charli Xcx. Adding to my Playlist - Nothing. Not Adding to my Playlist - Happiness is Easy, I don’t Believe in you, Life’s what you Make of it, April 5th, Living in Another World, Give it up, Chameleon Day, and Time it’s time. All in all I liked 0/8 songs. Wow this shit fucking sucks.

Very dreary

Couldn't finish this. Very mundane.

Really not my jam. Weird era in music.

So tedious to listen to that it goes through boring and lands firmly in the "annoying as hell" category. Ugh. It's not that I'm averse to bands experimenting with genre and structure - I regularly listen to Sparks, after all - but I have very little patience for slow, meandering quasi-tunes that never seem to find their way to an actual beat. The funny thing, though... my husband has significantly more conventional tastes than I do, and I'm pretty sure he'd be fine with the tempo but be annoyed by the experimental, jazzy aspect. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Anyway, I'm listening to a Sparks song with a good beat to clean my ears of this nonsense.

Flojo Medio aburrido

Tears for Fears but boring. Meh.

A prime example of boring, weak 80's trash. 1 star or F for me.

Starting to lose hope in hearing something decent in this list. Another dreary listen, perhaps my brain is wired wrong?!

This was peak 80's I don't care Will I listen to again: 0%

Man this is the quintessential 80s music that just all sounds the same and generally uninteresting to me. And there is a lot of it on this list.

That’s gonna be a no for me dawg

Didn't like it.

This sucks. Overwrought vocal style and overproduced sound. The songs all feel stiff and cerebral to me. Hard to engage with.

1.5

Pretty boring and lame

Mediocrity masquerading as art. Plus children singing about Jesus. Ugh.

could be a 1.5 just because it wasn’t korn but this did nothing for me. could i write poetry to this? n

3 songs in and I’m extremely bored. Does not bode well. This album was awfully dull

I didn't enjoy a single note of this.

This is awful.

Virkelig forglemmelig.. Jeg ved ærlig talt ikke hvorfor den er på listen..

Synthiepop und New Wave. Schrecklich.

Alright but I wouldn't choose to listen to this again.

Couldn’t even finish it: just not my sound

Not my music. Sorry ;-)

Meh 1/5

Couldn't make it all the way through this. There are interesting elements, but that drumming style spoils it for me.

All the songs sound the same 🥲

Dull.

All songs sound 'meh' to me. This must have been a popular album (underground or mainstay) upon release. I just don't dig it. You might like this if you like Tears For Fears or Joe Jackson. Overall: 1/10

not really my type of music.

Coming to terms with the fact that the year that I was born (in fact the decade) produced really terrible music.

Iggggh another crappy album

Dog

Album was alright was glad when it was over and could listen to something super upbeat on the drive to work

No. Just no

Wow That was a long painful 45 mins.. I haven't clue on how I made it all the way to the end.

Lack luster. I was bored by it.

Nope

Not a fan

Doesn’t not hold up, or stand out of the time it was released, forgettable and boring

Couldn't get through it. Cool guitars. 1/5

Outside of a few good melodies, I got nothing out of this one.

Icky

1.5

Def not a fan!

This feels like the most generic 80s music ever.

What a snoozer of an album. Every song sounds the same and isn't really unique in any way. 3/10.

That's a no from me, dog. It's like Tears for Fears without the hits.

I don’t want to talk talk about it.

Kevään väri on kaagelin ruskea. Tätä kuunnellessa lähinnä odotteli milloin tämä loppuu. Kasarisyntikoita laiskoissa biiseissä. Vähän lapsikuoroa ja muuta tekotaiteellista tvistiä viimeisteleevaikutuksen.

exactly the kind of album i joined this for ...but didn't really like it. couldn't take to the vocals and although the musicianship is obviously good it all felt a but forced and earnest. hey ho. 2.5/10

90s TV drama saxophone

Boring

Yuck