The Tears for Fears Thread

[KevShmev]

Just want to say that this post...

  There last album, Everybody Loves A Happy Ending was incredible.

...is pretty much spot on.  I am shocked by how much I am loving this record.  Every song is a winner.

[King Postwhore]

I happened to listen to it Monday!

[KevShmev]

 

[Mebert78]

I wonder what's happening with their new album.  Haven't heard anything.

Also, I didn't know TFF played on Jimmy Kimmel a few months ago!  Link: https://consequenceofsound.net/2014/11/tears-for-fears-perform-the-hits-on-jimmy-kimmel-live-watch/

[King Postwhore]

I wonder what's happening with their new album.  Haven't heard anything.

Also, I didn't know TFF played on Jimmy Kimmel a few months ago!  Link: https://consequenceofsound.net/2014/11/tears-for-fears-perform-the-hits-on-jimmy-kimmel-live-watch/

And on drums no other than Nick D'Virgilio!

[SoundscapeMN]

bump.

I never really checked out these guys other than having that Tears Roll Down greatest hits over 20 years ago. But I've always liked their hits of course, and it's scary as when I went apeshit for Toy Matinee a little over 10 years ago, I often likened them to Tears For Fears. But I never went ahead and checked out the TFF catalog, despite that.

And Curt Smith guest starred on 1 of my favorite TV Shows Psych, multiple times, lol.

Like a month ago, I checked out Songs From the Big Chair and really loved a lot of it (beyond the hits).

So today I decided to take the plunge and start getting an idea about more of their catalog; with The Hurting, SFtBC, Seeds of Love, and Elemental on my playlist.

The Hurting I had on this morning and I am definitely enjoying it, although I'm really taken aback in many ways how much Roland's voice reminds me of Kevin Gilbert (or vice-versa) and at points Andy Partridge;  and a lot of textures and instrumentation, key patches, guitar tones, percussion, etc, while a product of the time, sounds a helluva lot like Kevin's band GIRAFFE, LOL.

I likely will spend the next week or weeks/months getting to know their catalog well. A bit like my recent attachment to XTC actually.

I'm really surprised it took me this long..but of course better late than never.

[Mebert78]

Cool!  Enjoy the back catalog.  I've always seemed to love Elemental the most.

EDIT: When the heck is the new album coming out?  I first heard about it like well over a year ago.  If anyone hears anything, please share!

[TioJorge]

Hell yeah! Some of my favorite songs by the guys aren't featured in any of their greatest hits (per norm for me with most of the bands I adore). I grew up listening to Raoul And The Kings Of Spain and Saturnine Martial & Lunatic, so those will probably remain my favorites; but some of their earlier works are really interesting and groovy (I'm lookin' at you, Mothers Talk, Ideas As Opiates, Change and Pale Shelter).

Saturnine has some especially insanely awesome songs like Lord of Karma, Bloodletting Go, Ashes To Ashes (one of my top favorites of the band), and My Life In The Suicide Ranks.

Such a plethora of really diverse, ominous, dance-able, groovy songs. To me, Saturnine sounds like it came out of the mid-80's instead of the mid-90's and I really love it when bands have that sound that, whilst they release it in a later year (or decade), it sounds like it came from long before. Really cool stuff, enjoy the ride!!

[?]

The Hurting is the only 80s album I've listened to and it's alright, but I'm really into the 90s records that Roland recorded solo. Elemental is awesome!

[KevShmev]

I still can't believe how terrific Everybody Loves A Happy Ending is.  12 songs, and every one of them is a winner.

[King Postwhore]

They need to release another album!!!

[KevShmev]

I agree! I'd love to hear what would come next.

[ytserush]

bump.



Like a month ago, I checked out Songs From the Big Chair and really loved a lot of it (beyond the hits).

So today I decided to take the plunge and start getting an idea about more of their catalog; with The Hurting, SFtBC, Seeds of Love, and Elemental on my playlist.

The Hurting I had on this morning and I am definitely enjoying it, although I'm really taken aback in many ways how much Roland's voice reminds me of Kevin Gilbert (or vice-versa) and at points Andy Partridge;  and a lot of textures and instrumentation, key patches, guitar tones, percussion, etc, while a product of the time, sounds a helluva lot like Kevin's band GIRAFFE, LOL.

I likely will spend the next week or weeks/months getting to know their catalog well. A bit like my recent attachment to XTC actually.

I'm really surprised it took me this long..but of course better late than never.

Wow, I don't get the Kevin Gilbert connection at all. But then I only discovered Kevin Gilbert in 1994.

I haven't bothered with anything after Saturnine, Matial and Lunatic. What came after that?

[SebastianPratesi]

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but I just wanted to confess my love for the band's music. I discovered them in 2005 (of course, by listening to "Shout" and "EWTRTW" on the radio/MTV), and later I become obsessed with their albums. I was in a huge TFF phase in 2008/2009 - specially with The Seeds Of Love and Elemental (my two favourites). I've always thought of their music as 'progressive pop'.

I haven't bothered with anything after Saturnine, Matial and Lunatic. What came after that?

In 2001 Roland released a solo album called Tomcats Screaming Outside, an electronica/drum&bass album (that I have yet to check).

Then, in 2004 the band released Everybody Loves A Happy Ending (the 2005 special edition includes 2 extra songs). It's a simpler, more conventional pop album ("Call Me Mellow" is perfect).

2006 saw the release of a short live DVD/album called Secret World, recorded the year before in Paris. The CD edition includes "Floating Down The River", a leftover from the last album (and, if I recall, somewhat similar to "Sowing The Seeds Of Love").

In 2013 they uploaded a few covers by current artists, and since then they have been recording a new album.

[Mebert78]

Tomcats Screaming Outside is a wonderful album.  I highly recommend it.

[SebastianPratesi]

Tomcats Screaming Outside is a wonderful album.  I highly recommend it.

I'll check it out then.

[KevShmev]

Hmmm, I'll have to check that album out, too.

Still can't believe how good ...Happy Ending is; Songs from the Big Chair is so great, too.

Has there been a more epic, fist-pumping pop rock song than Shout?

I've love to see them release more new music.   

[SebastianPratesi]

Has there been a more epic, fist-pumping pop rock song than Shout?

I've love to see them release more new music.   

I agree about "Shout", and according to a recent interview, they should be releasing the new album (or at the very least a few new songs) around the summertime (when they play some festivals).

[KevShmev]

Good to hear.  Should be interesting to see what they come up with.

[King Postwhore]

Just listened to .. Happy Ending this week. I can never get sick of that album.

[KevShmev]

Yep, it really is a fantastic record.  12 songs, and every single one is catchy as hell.  The chorus to Ladybird is one of those ear worms that will be stuck in my head all day if I even think about it.  See, there it goes...

[King Postwhore]

I just sent that song in one of the Roulettes!

[KevShmev]

Nice! That should suck anyone in right away.

Listening to The Seeds of Love right now.  Pretty ballsy and daring effort, when you consider the time period and the popularity they had attained due to their pop sensibilities.

[King Postwhore]

When I heard that song and then Happy Ending you can hear their love for the Beatles.

[RoeDent]

Since I last posted in this thread, I've bought Songs from the Big Chair. I was familiar with the hits already. I must say, Listen is quite an incredible closer for the main album. This version also includes B-sides, and I absolutely love Sea Song, which I later found out to be a Robert Wyatt cover. For some reason, it sounds familiar from way back when, but I don't think I'd heard it until I got the album.

[Kotowboy]

Just dropped in to say their version of Mad World was aeons better than the Donnie Darko Gary Jules version.

[KevShmev]

When I heard that song and then Happy Ending you can hear their love for the Beatles.

For sure. Not sure if you are familiar with Wilco, but they did a record called Summerteeth, that was very Beatles-esque at times, and to me, the verses of Ladybird sound like Wilco sounding like the Beatles.  That will make sense if you know Summerteeth.

Since I last posted in this thread, I've bought Songs from the Big Chair. I was familiar with the hits already. I must say, Listen is quite an incredible closer for the main album. This version also includes B-sides, and I absolutely love Sea Song, which I later found out to be a Robert Wyatt cover. For some reason, it sounds familiar from way back when, but I don't think I'd heard it until I got the album.

I'll have to find that tune.  That record is so good from start to finish.

[SebastianPratesi]

I'll have to find that tune.  That record is so good from start to finish.

I don't know if you were speaking of the original or the cover, but the cover also appears in Saturnine Martial & Lunatic, together with Bowie's "Ashes To Ashes" cover.

[Outcrier]

Just dropped in to say their version of Mad World was aeons better than the Donnie Darko Gary Jules version.

Ditto. It's their best song after all.

[KevShmev]

Just dropped in to say their version of Mad World was aeons better than the Donnie Darko Gary Jules version.

Ditto. It's their best song after all.

Hmmm, I like it, but I can't call it their best song.  For me, Sowing the Seeds of Love is still hard to top.  I listened to that song so much back in 1989 and 1990, while reading the lyrics along in the cassette booklet (yes, cassette ), that I can not hear it for years and still know it word for word when I turn it on.  Those lyrics are ingrained in my head forever.

I'll have to find that tune.  That record is so good from start to finish.

I don't know if you were speaking of the original or the cover, but the cover also appears in Saturnine Martial & Lunatic, together with Bowie's "Ashes To Ashes" cover.

The TFF cover. I listened to the 90-second snipped of it on iTunes. Sounded nice. I'l probably spend $1.29 on it.  Why not? 

[splent]

Everybody Wants to Rule the World is one of the earliest songs I remember listening to in my memory, back when my dad was a full time professional musician and spent all hours listening to the likes of 80s Rush, The Police, and Mr. Mister.

[RoeDent]

For me, Sowing the Seeds of Love is still hard to top.

This. Or Swords and Knives from the same album.

[SebastianPratesi]

Oh, I've never thought much about favourites. It's been a long time since I last listened to the albums in full, but as far as I recall, they are:

• The Hurting: "The Hurting"
• SftBC: "Mothers Talk" (this one is hard because at least 4 songs are excellent to me)
• The Seeds Of Love: "Year Of The Knife"
• Elemental: "Brian Wilson Said" (another tribute to the 60s; the slow verse after the guitar solo is gorgeous)
• RatKoS: "Falling Down"
• ELaHE: "Call Me Mellow"
• sung b-side: "New Star" (cool Oasis-ish song; Roland's vocals & effects remind me so muh of Robert Smith)
• instrumental b-side: "The Big Chair" (I felt so happy when our psychology teacher made us watch Sybil in class, because I already knew about the story/samples. This track, to me, is as creepy as the film.)

[KevShmev]

Everybody Wants to Rule the World is one of the earliest songs I remember listening to in my memory, back when my dad was a full time professional musician and spent all hours listening to the likes of 80s Rush, The Police, and Mr. Mister.

The Police's Synchronicity was the first vinyl I ever owned.

For me, Sowing the Seeds of Love is still hard to top.

This. Or Swords and Knives from the same album.

That's a good one, too, but they just have too many other good ones.  The Seeds of Love is just an awesome-sounding album.  Crank that on a good stereo and it sounds fantastic.

Oh, I've never thought much about favourites. It's been a long time since I last listened to the albums in full, but as far as I recall, they are:

• The Hurting: "The Hurting"
• SftBC: "Mothers Talk" (this one is hard because at least 4 songs are excellent to me)

[/b]

• The Seeds Of Love: "Year Of The Knife"
• Elemental: "Brian Wilson Said" (another tribute to the 60s; the slow verse after the guitar solo is gorgeous)
• RatKoS: "Falling Down"
• ELaHE: "Call Me Mellow"
• sung b-side: "New Star" (cool Oasis-ish song; Roland's vocals & effects remind me so muh of Robert Smith)
• instrumental b-side: "The Big Chair" (I felt so happy when our psychology teacher made us watch Sybil in class, because I already knew about the story/samples. This track, to me, is as creepy as the film.)

More like, every song on it is excellent, right?

[SebastianPratesi]

More like, every song on it is excellent, right?

Well, after a while I stopped caring about "Everybody wants...". And I don't remember ever enjoying "Listen". To me, it sounds much more like a b-side, not an album track. It just drags on for 6 minutes. Such a shame, because it's the closer of a very strong/concise album.

I agree with your comment on The Seeds Of Love, though. I like its sound much more than the sound of SftBC. The same goes for Raoul - it sounds much more organic to me than Elemental (although I think the songwriting in Elemental is far better).