If I just read - Tears for Fears - New Album - I sort of sigh... for some reason it doesnt interest me. Their music fits with the 80s - but there is hope they'll surprise me. I know I really love there earlier music a ton. Talented dudes. I like seeing pictures of them at 81 Crimson shows.
I feel that TFF was a standout from the other "80s" bands. If you define "80s" as TFF, then maybe... While the 80s were somewhat retrogressive, TFF created more of unique sound than the rest. The highlights of the late 80s (90) for me were Toy Matinee, Dream Academy, and TFF.Originally Posted by Phlakaton
If one thinks TFF was an 80s band, then perhaps one hasn't been listening since the 80s... just sayin
I find their work since that time more rewarding.
"Always ready with the ray of sunshine"
Agreed. Excellent stuff. Not that I hate the earlier albums but E, R&tKoS, and ELaHE are all amazing.If one thinks TFF was an 80s band, then perhaps one hasn't been listening since the 80s... just sayin
I find their work since that time more rewarding.
For that which is not,
there is no coming into being
and for that which is,
there is no ceasing to be;
yea of both of these the lookers into truth have seen an end.
Bhagavad Gita
Sure.. .they were a standout in the 80s - and I did not listen into the 90s because the landscape was different for me. All kinds of other new stuff was hittin' - Soundgarden - Primus - Tribe Called Quest - just different music. I will have to take a run through the later albums and give em a fair shake since many people like the later work. I still think they're a talented group for sure.
No love for the Mayfield album? I remember some really kick-ass stuff on that release - but more in a grungy/garage band sort of way. Reminded me of a sort of smash-up of Spock's Beard and Still/Always Almost.
The Hurting recently got a couple of deluxe re-issues - one's a blu-ray disc of the album; another is a sort of box-set that includes a DVD of "In My Mind's Eye". Both still too expensive for me to grab, but nice to see the Hammersmith show finally see the light of day (just hoping they used masters in producing the DVD and not just slap the VHS encode on to a disc).
Peter
Mayfield has some ok stuff. I can listen to Mayfield more than his recent solo work. Curt recently re-released it via Amazon on-demand(crappy CDR). I don't understand that decision, but ok.
http://www.amazon.com/Mayfield-Curt-...t_mus_ep_dpi_1
Tears For Fears have performed some Mayfield tracks on tour. "Snow Hill" was performed as a semi-acoustic number in 2004/2005. During that time, "What Are We Fighting For" was also performed. You can find a live audio track of it on their Secret World Live CD.
Secret World Live was released in 2005 by their French label. Along with the audio from the accompanying DVD, there were 3 additional tracks on the CD; "What Are We Fighting For (live)", "Secret World (radio edit)", and "Floating Down The River (Once Again)" The last track is an studio track they recorded in 2005. Oddly, this track marks the first and only time (so far) that Nick D'Virgilio appears on a studio track with TFF. This track has remained in the setlist since 2005.
http://www.amazon.com/Secret-World-L...ret+world+live
Roland explains it a bit here before they perform it. Check out this clip, it is a good one from the front row when we were in Hong Kong:
If you've been following this thread, I am sure you can figure out what this is for:
Cart before the horse? Or is it farther along than we thought?
"Always ready with the ray of sunshine"
My first TFF album was actually Elemental. I liked a lot of "Songs From the Big Chair", thanks to half the album being played on the radio and MTV, but never got around to picking it up. I only liked the title track for "Seeds of Love", I still sort of feel that way. But then I heard "Break It Down Again", which I loved, so I picked up Elemental. As much as I like this album, it's not may favorite. That honor goes to "Raoul and the King's of Spain", one of my very favorite 90's albums. So when people call TFF an 80's band, I can't agree, since my favorite music of theirs in from the 90's.
Just because its Friday and I'm happy to flip off the week for all it was - stinky crap... For the record - my own view is TFF were a band I identify with the 80s (my own opinion). I hear very different things in the 90s and even though they recorded in the 90s - they still sounded like TFF. They didnt sound like the bands I liked in the 90s. So... Vader did kill your father - from a certain point of view. Wah wah... :P
Tears For Fears - Ready Boy & Girls
• Ready To Start
• And I Was A Boy From School
• My Girls
http://recordstoreday.com
I noticed pattern of words in the covers they were recording. I get nothing out of that link.
When I lived in India (2010-2012), I binged on three bands: Opeth; Tears for Fears; and Wilco. I had never heard anything by these bands except for singles by TfF.
I went through the entire TfF catalog (excluding any solo releases).
My final opinion was that:
The Hurting is a classic album but it's not something I can listen to as more than an artifact of a particular era. I liked the songs and the arrangements but I wasn't especially fond of how the album was recorded, just in terms of overall sound and production values. I'd give it an A for it's era but I never return to it.
Songs from the Big Chair is obviously a monster album from the 80s. I thought at the time it came out, and still do think, that "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" was the best single of the era. But I find the album to be patchy, overall. I never understood how "Shout" became such a big hit. Generally, I like the sound of the album, especially the guitar tones.
I find The Seeds of Love to be the best album of the first three, if only for the massive variety of styles on it. In terms of the strength of the individual songs, this one is a start-to-finish enjoyable album for me. When it was released, I hated "Sowing the Seeds of Love" because I was (am) a huge Beatles fanboy and didn't like what I thought was a derivative rip-off. Later, I learned the word "homage" and then got what the song was trying to do. All-in-all, this is the album from the first three that I can return to and appreciate.
After these three, I think TfF gets far more interesting.
Elemental basically kicks ass. I consider "Elemental", "Cold", "Mr. Pessimistic", "Fish Out of Water", "Brian Wilson Said" and "Goodnight Song" to be some of the very best rock music I've ever heard. The remainder of the tracks are, at worst, solid. I played this one out and don't listen to it much but I was blown away the first time I heard it and I still think, just for including those six songs, it's one of my top rock albums of all-time. This album convinced me that Roland is a extremely underrated singer: great control, great emotion, great power.
Raoul and the Kings of Spain is a mild drop-off album for me. The title track, "Falling Down", "Sketches of Pain", "Los Reyes Catolicos" and "Humdrum and Humble" are all the equal of the tracks on Elemental, though. The other songs don't do much for me, though. Roland's Bowie on "Humdrum and Humble" is very cool. There is a lot of haunting sadness throughout this album and Roland's singing brings it out well.
Everybody Loves a Happy Ending was a lark for me. This is the only album I had heard before my binge in India. I bought it out of sheer curiosity: "OK, TfF, what sort of music did you make on this one?" I was quite shocked by how much I loved the album, although it took maybe three listens to get into it fully. The only songs I don't care for are "The Devil", "Secret World" and "Ladybird". Everything else sounds nearly perfect to me. Roland is on fire on "Closest Thing to Heaven". I love the Jimmy Page buzzing guitar on "Size of Sorrow", even though I'm not totally sure it's appropriate for the song. "Who Are You" is beautiful and "Last Days on Earth" is another excellent nod to Bowie.
I've never heard Tomcats Screaming Outside, although I have it. I need to give it a spin, since many TfF fans praise it.
So, while I think all of the first three albums have merit and a portion of fine songs, the final three albums are really the ones that impress me. For whatever reason, I put them into the same category as latter-day XTC (that is, some of the best, unheralded rock music ever made) but I'm not sure why.
I'd be happy to see a new album released.
For that which is not,
there is no coming into being
and for that which is,
there is no ceasing to be;
yea of both of these the lookers into truth have seen an end.
Bhagavad Gita
I am happy to have anything new from TFF, even if it is a few covers. That said, let's hope that the announcement a few months ago is true and they do put out a new album. Roland Orzabel is a major talent and a great songwriter. It kind of sucks that basically 10 years has gone by without any new music from the guy.
It will be released on Record Store Day
I agree with you about "The Devil" and "Ladybird" (though the former's growing on me with current listens) being the weakest on the album. But "Secret World" is a bit of surprise; it's so majestic and catchy. I can never help but sing along to that chorus. To me it's like thinking "Hey Jude" was the biggest waste of time in the White Album sessions, but to each their own.
+1,000,000
"Arf." -- Frank Zappa, "Beauty Knows No Pain" (live version)
Agree with you on everything, except for the praise for ELaHE. It's an ok album, but not near the classics. Out of Control, the bonus track, is by far my favorite track.
And, listen to Tomcats! There a a couple of gems there. Day By Day By Day is one example.
..
Amazing. A renaissance man for sure.
"Ladybird" has my favorite lyric on the album. I mean, if you've ever had an affair of the heart...
"Always ready with the ray of sunshine"
. .
Record Store Day is just under one month away (4/19) and we're pleased to announce we'll be pressing 3,000 limited edition copies of our cover songs on white 10" vinyl.
Ready Boy & Girls will feature:
My Girls (Animal Collective cover)
Ready to Start (Arcade Fire cover)
Boy From School (Hot Chip cover)
For those interested…
Roland is now on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rolandtff
A few of the pics he has posted:
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