Tears For Fears new album- The Tipping Point

[Gruno]

I'm really anxious about this album because for me, ELAHE hands down the best work they've ever done. That album is a jewel, a gem.

I agree about ELAHE. It's interesting to me that this new album seems to be getting a bigger marketing push than ELAHE did.

Agreed about ELAHE, also. Great album. Nearly 20 years later and it does not sound dated at all. Can't be said of the 80's output, even though those albums have such strong songs throughout. My next favorite TFF record is Raoul and The Kings Of Spain. Their 80's output ranks lower, for me.

As for the current marketing push vs. ELAHE... I don't think you can truly compare the two in a straight forward manner. The marketing methods in 2004 vs. 2022 are vastly different. Think back to 2004. YouTube wasn't around until 2005. Smart Phones were only just coming about, with the iPhone some 3 years away from existence. Social Media was all about MySpace, because FaceBook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., all were yet to be created. All come into play currently, but most didn't exist 18 years ago.

There was also a false start with ELAHE. The album was set to be released April 4, 2004. TFF started promotional runs in March 2004. Epic Records owned the album and were set to shelve it when L.A. Reid was let go from Epic. L.A. Reid brought in TFF. Luckily, TFF were able to purchase ELAHE from Epic. They went to their catalog album company, Universal, and struck a deal on Universal's smaller New Door label for distribution. It was a one-and-done distribution deal. TFF resumed promotions some 4 months later.

ELAHE was released in the U.S. on September 14, 2004. Gut Records released it in the UK in 2005.

Prior to its release, and throughout the month of September '04, TFF had launched a huge promotional campaign in the States. They went on a radio station promo tour doing acoustic sessions and storyteller type events. The day the album was released, they performed live on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, then headed over to Tower Records in Hollywood for a mini-concert and autograph signing session. The promotional run for ELAHE had them appearing on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Today Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, A&E's Breakfast With The Arts, Live with Regis & Kelly, and quite a few more. It was a lot of promotion for the era it was in.

[strawberrybrick]

[pianomankd]

I did a (not great, okay) drum cover of TFF's latest single this afternoon. Thought some of you may enjoy. Looking forward to hearing the rest of this album!

[Gruno]

BluRay has sold out of all 2000 copies.

SDE sent out the BluRays last week for the customers in the U.S. to try to get them to us by release day. Mine arrived yesterday. Others have started to land.

[Frumious B]

I bought the download from Qobuz and I’m very much enjoying the album. Now my dilemma is whether or not I want to go to Target to get their CD version which had two of the three extra tracks from the SDE. I’ve really gotten to the point where I vastly prefer buying lossless downloads over any kind of physical media, but if buying a CD is the only way to get the other songs, and they are worthy songs, then I’m OK with that.

[Gruno]

[Gruno]

[Firth]

Not very interesting. But, the video of “Tipping Point” is what I expect from the band, excellent.

[Firth]

Excellent!

[Firth]

Good:

[Firth]

Very good.

[Firth]

This version seems to have more energy and balance than the Colbert version.

[Firth]

This version seems to have more energy and balance than the Colbert version.

However this video is great:

[Proglodite]

So who exactly plays on this album? I got the blu-ray, but it seems to be sort of lacking in the credits department. A few individuals get credit on specific tracks, but nothing over-all - did Roland and Curt play and the instruments (drums, keyboards, etc)? --Peter

[Dedatolo]

So who exactly plays on this album? I got the blu-ray, but it seems to be sort of lacking in the credits department. A few individuals get credit on specific tracks, but nothing over-all - did Roland and Curt play and the instruments (drums, keyboards, etc)? --Peter

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ti...bum)#Personnel

[Proglodite]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ti...bum)#Personnel

According to that link all Roland and Curt did was mix some of the songs...did they not play any instruments on this album? Or if they played everything that is not individually credited, it would still be nice to see did Roland do keyboards...or did Curt? Maybe Roland did some bass guitar? According to that link, they aren't even credited with singing(!). I'm being snippy, I know, but am I the only one who finds the lack of this sort of information frustrating? --Peter

[Firth]

According to that link all Roland and Curt did was mix some of the songs...did they not play any instruments on this album? Or if they played everything that is not individually credited, it would still be nice to see did Roland do keyboards...or did Curt? Maybe Roland did some bass guitar? According to that link, they aren't even credited with singing(!). I'm being snippy, I know, but am I the only one who finds the lack of this sort of information frustrating? --Peter

The live videos don’t look faked.

[Gruno]

According to that link all Roland and Curt did was mix some of the songs...did they not play any instruments on this album? Or if they played everything that is not individually credited, it would still be nice to see did Roland do keyboards...or did Curt? Maybe Roland did some bass guitar? According to that link, they aren't even credited with singing(!). I'm being snippy, I know, but am I the only one who finds the lack of this sort of information frustrating? --Peter

I know you are wanting details, but how often have you gotten those details within TFF album credits? Some albums listed vocal, keyboards, guitars for Roland with no other details. Did Roland play guitar on each song, or just one? Keyboard prominent throughout, or just a small stab here and there? The credits often do not mention how much instrumentation occurred, or for which songs, so does that really help you out?

From my experience spending time in studio with them, a TFF song can be touched by many musicians, or just one. If a keyboard part needs adding, or other instruments here and there, those things happen organically in the studio and concern for credit is an afterthought. You might get a track that has three different people touching keyboards.

From a business perspective promoting a duo as a group, if one part of that duo has a list of credits for an album much longer than the other half of the duo, that might look unbalanced and not what they want public perception to be. It's finding balance before it gets to the tipping point. Easier and less hassle for TFF to say "Tears For Fears is Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith with assistance from these others. Go listen to our art and don't get caught up in the details."

[Gruno]

Anyone order an autographed CD from Amazon UK?

[Frankk]

SPOILER ALERT: Contains some specific description about songs
As fans, we want details about who played what, etc., but, yeah, TFF is not that type of band. Their albums are very heavy on production, even more so if the album has been years in the making, like The Tipping Point. A similar case is Guns 'N' Roses' Chinese Democracy, which took many years to get completed; many people played on it; when you have the final product, it's very difficult to track down who played what. Steven Wilson said in an interview (I don't remember which) that when fronting the task of remixing TFF albums (Songs from the big chair; The Seeds Of Love) there were hundreds of tracks for each song recorded in different times and different studios. Probably, Roland played some guitars, Chris some bass, but surely the most difficult parts where handed to session musicians. I see R. Orzabal and C. Smith more as composers than as players.
I've listened to The Tipping Point three times so far. I like it very much. Orzabal's compositions are more organic, while Smith's are more electronica, but both came with very strong material. Ironically, I think "The tipping point" is one of the weakest songs of the album (it's kind of repetitive with little variation), but, still, it's OK. "Rivers of mercy" is my favourite song of the album; it is absolutely gorgeous. At some point it quotes "Woman in chains". It fits perfectly, adds to the beauty of the song and is a nice detail for the fans. "No small thing" is my second favourite song. It's kinda somber for an album opener, but it is a very melancholic and beautiful sort of midtempo ballad; the arrangement of this song is majestic, especially the coda, which is breathtaking.
The bonus tracks are weaker than the album tracks, so it was a good decision to keep them out of the album, but they are OK songs.

[PixelDelirium]

SPOILER ALERT: Contains some specific description about songs
As fans, we want details about who played what, etc., but, yeah, TFF is not that type of band. Their albums are very heavy on production, even more so if the album has been years in the making, like The Tipping Point. A similar case is Guns 'N' Roses' Chinese Democracy, which took many years to get completed; many people played on it; when you have the final product, it's very difficult to track down who played what. Steven Wilson said in an interview (I don't remember which) that when fronting the task of remixing TFF albums (Songs from the big chair; The Seeds Of Love) there were hundreds of tracks for each song recorded in different times and different studios. Probably, Roland played some guitars, Chris some bass, but surely the most difficult parts where handed to session musicians. I see R. Orzabal and C. Smith more as composers than as players.
I've listened to The Tipping Point three times so far. I like it very much. Orzabal's compositions are more organic, while Smith's are more electronica, but both came with very strong material. Ironically, I think "The tipping point" is one of the weakest songs of the album (it's kind of repetitive with little variation), but, still, it's OK. "Rivers of mercy" is my favourite song of the album; it is absolutely gorgeous. At some point it quotes "Woman in chains". It fits perfectly, adds to the beauty of the song and is a nice detail for the fans. "No small thing" is my second favourite song. It's kinda somber for an album opener, but it is a very melancholic and beautiful sort of midtempo ballad; the arrangement of this song is majestic, especially the coda, which is breathtaking.
The bonus tracks are weaker than the album tracks, so it was a good decision to keep them out of the album, but they are OK songs.

Bonus tracks? What bonus tracks?

[rdclark]

Bonus tracks? What bonus tracks?

There was a very limited edition with three bonus tracks that sold out immediately (see the beginning of the thread). Two of those tracks also appear on the version available in the US at Target stores. Possibly elsewhere in other countries, IDK.

[interbellum]

Bonus tracks? What bonus tracks?

Depending on what version you have; some have one, some two, some three. The one with three extra's is the Deluxe Edition, Limited Edition like written in the previous post.
Bonus Tracks
11 Secret Location 4:04
12 Let It All Evolve 4:26
13 Shame (Cry Heaven) 5:31

[Gruno]

Depending on what version you have; some have one, some two, some three. The one with three extra's is the Deluxe Edition, Limited Edition like written in the previous post.
Bonus Tracks
11 Secret Location 4:04
12 Let It All Evolve 4:26
13 Shame (Cry Heaven) 5:31

[Gruno]