TALK TALK

Started in 1981 by the late Mark Hollis, Talk Talk was once your typical new wave group, creating rather catchy poppy hits. However, by their second record, It's My Life, they showed that they are more than capable of making more than the usual 80s affair of synthpop and new wave, and make more artistic statements that go against the commercial grain. Their third effort, two years after their sophomore wonder, projected the band's trajectory into a genre defining giant of rock and pop music, with The Colour Of Spring.

The Colour Of Spring is my personal favorite release from this band's discography. Sure, it may not be the lush and ambient Spirit of Eden, nor is it the highly defining post rock wonder that is Laughing Stock, but it has its own atmosphere that I think I enjoy much, much more.

The main take away from this album is the beauty. Every song, whether it is the more pastoral April 5th, to the more catchy Give It Up, gives this album a sort of mystical and seasonal energy that usually warms me up. It is strange, this album's whole thematics are based on the season of Spring, yet I find myself listening to this more in the fall and winter time, but I guess an album with such a lonely sound fits well with some more lonely seasons.

I find this album to contain some of Mark's best vocal performances. His voice has always reminded me of Phil Collins, but in a more deeper and sophisticated tone, similar to, say, Brian Wilson. The Beach Boys do feel like an inspiration to the more vibrant Talk Talk sound, especially if you compare this record to Surf's Up. Though, whereas Surf's Up is a rainy, somber record, Colour Of Spring definitely feels lighter, foggy, but still carries out the same sadness that could be found in that 1971 classic. If you like the more experimental side of that California band then certainly check if this album is up your alley.

Now for the 100 dollar question on why I believe this record to be a masterpiece. Simply, it has all to do with the final three tracks of Give It Up, Chameleon Day, and Time It's Time. Give It Up is this smooth, almost jazzy synthpop land of groovy hooks, drumlines, and impressive keyboard works. It is a 5 minute rendezvous of some of the best, more poppy music that Talk Talk has ever produced in my opinion, one that, while certainly a lot more accessible on this album, definitely still creates an aura of cold spring days.

Chameleon Day is a sheer contrast to Give It Up, something a lot more quiet, desolate, and reflective, oftentimes feeling mournful and grim. This is where Mark's vocals take a more front seat in the endeavor, creating a beautiful and melancholic work of art, one that I think truly gives him a particular edge to some of the best performers of the 80s, like Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel, and Elizabeth Fraser. His dramatic heights on this track in particular cause an almost emotional whirlwind to flow through me.

The last song is that of Time It's Time, the longest track on the album clocking in at over 8 minutes. This feels kind of like a combination of the last two tracks, featuring atmospheric dream pop workings with nice?groovy synth and drums works. It swirls through a series of varying pop degrees that whirl through emotions of peace, thought, and soon, happiness. This song can certainly warm anyone up, and perfectly encapsulates the feeling of waking up on the first day of Spring for me. The snow is almost all melted, the sun is a lot brighter and hotter, trees are starting to grow a bit more leaves, and a lot more life is starting to sprout and about. Really, this song feels like the inner workings of Mother Nature, morphing the winter snow into white and pink tulips, allowing deer and fauna to rise up out of hibernation. It is a beautiful ending to a beautiful album.

Certainly do check this record out if you haven't, as it is certainly one of the biggest achievements to ever come out of the world of pop music. With a multitude of great songs, scores, and emotions packed into this, it is a wonder how this isn't as talked about in the grand scheme of the 80s. Certainly deserves a bit of light.

To me 'I Don't Believe in You' has always been a strong album track, not necessarily an obvious highlight but a very pleasant, rarely bluesy song -- and an important one in the stylistic middle ground between the catchier hits ('Life's What You Make It' and 'Living in Another World') and the more ambient and experimental tracks ('April 5th' and 'Chameleon Day'). I found an amusing review citation: "Talk Talk fans may disagree but when I hear Hollis's brooding adenoidal dramas I feel like giving him a handkerchief. The band's textures are as haunting as ever and I don't mind the old fashioned echoes of Procol Harum and Traffic. I just wish he'd blow his nose", wrote Max Bell in Number One. Well, on some Talk Talk tracks I've had similar thoughts of Mark Hollis' voice, maybe not on this one though.

The B side offers a great taster from the band's gorgeous performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival in July 11th, 1986. The live version of 'Does Caroline Know' sounds much better than the naiive, synth-centred album version on It's My life (1984). For the tour, Mark Hollis (vocals), Paul Webb (bass), and Lee Harris (drums) were accompanied by a guitarist, two percussionists and two keyboardists, resulting in a rich and organic sound. As often, Tim Friese-Greene did not play on stage with the band. The highly recommendable DVD of the Montreux gig was released in 2008.

1. "The Rainbow" (9:09) stripped down, even stark, musical landscapes with very little, very subtle shifts and changes make Mark Hollis' whisper-sung lyrics and things like a swamp-blues harmonica solo and even guitar strums, organ chords, and bass drum and tom hits distinctive (almost irritating) highlights. (17.33/20)

2. "Eden" (6:34) after the bleak austerity of the previous song, the far more active foreground of organ chords, grating guitar strums, occasional loud drum play, and loud bursts of voice from singer Mark Hollis make for a sometimes jarring listening experience. Interesting and definitely unconventional. Quite an unusual and often awkward experience for the nervous system. (8.33/10)

3. "Desire" (6:57) with two and a half minutes of very quiet, subtly nuanced piano, bass, and trumpet play to open this song, the sudden burst of full-band rock loudness at 2:39 is quite harsh and unsettling. A swift return to the quiet, stark motif of the opening by 3:05. This soft, build, and outburst pattern repeats itself with the second entry into the full-band cacophony being continued to the end of the song with the participation of several other instruments in the final minute. I have to admit, this is a memorable, life-altering song. (13.25/15) This soft-starting, slow-building to a crashing climax pattern (with repetition) is what would eventually become the template for the Post Rock song.

4. "Inheritance" (5:23) an unconventional, dissonant, disorganized-sounding, multi-instrumental, polyphonic weave opens and accompanies Lee's brushed snare, Paul's spacious bass, Tim Friese-Greene's sustained harmonium chords, and Mark Hollis' discordant, almost-melody-less vocals. Interesting and challenging. (8.667/10)

5. "I Believe in You" (6:10) within the stark, subtly populated polyphony lies a fairly likable song. Mark sings over the top in a more standard Western style over this more-Western-standardly-constructed and formed song. The contribution of the Chelmsford Cathedral Choir is delightful--even heavenly. This, then, is contrasted to the DAVID SYLVIAN/HOLGER CZUKAY-like odd instrumental additions injected into the second half of the song. (8.875/10)

6. "Wealth" (6:43) an interesting return to the stark, very subtly populated and subtly-shifting songs of the album's opening. This could almost be a song played during a funeral home viewing/visitation. As sparse and somber as this song is, I do, however, happen to really it. (9/10)

Total Time: 40:56

I understand the historical significance that this remarkable collection of very unusual songs has for the evolution (progress) of rock music but, at the time, it was not the kind of music you really wanted to play at a party or to elevate your mood after work or on the weekend. Even now, as fascinating as the journey is, I really don't find myself liking the songs--wanting to get up and dance or write socially-inspiring mottos to.

B/four stars; a very interesting and, ultimately, rewarding musical listening experience that could be a challenging listen for many prog and music lovers but I highly recommend to any self-proclaimed prog lovers--especially those who have found a way into/affinity for the Post Rock world.

The extremely catchy title track 'It's My Life' had appeared as a single one month before the album, and the second single 'Such a Shame' followed the album in March 1984. It reached Top 10 in several European countries. The song was inspired by Luke Rhinehart's The Dice Man (1971), one of composer Mark Hollis' favourite books. I haven't read it, it's been translated into Finnish as well. It's about a psychiatrist who makes daily decisions based on the casting of a die. By the way, wasn't the same idea brought up in Carl Barks's Donald Duck story much earlier? The song takes the best features of disco music and combines them with the sophisticated art pop scene. The soundscape has many details to enjoy, such as Paul Webb's flexible bass playing. As a side note, last summer I showed some 80's music videos to my 12-year old daughter, and she liked 'Such a Shame'. :)

Curiously, the B side song 'Again, a Game... Again' was brand new to my ears right now. Sonically it's obviously very close to the album and most of all it reminds me of 'Call in the Night Boy' which is perhaps my least fave track on It's My Life. But this one's definitely better. More depth, more nuances, and especially as a composition per se this is more interesting. Comparable to the best of ULTRAVOX.

Now, let's forget for a while that we're in a PROG site: this is a very good pop single in all its catchiness.

1. "Myrrhman" (5:33) so spacious you can hear the "brush strokes" of the effects pedals' oscillations. Mark's singing is almost Louisiana bluesy. It's the incidentals and odd chord and key progressions that help keep this Venning in the Prog Rock, but really, this could be jazz--or, in the chamber strings section, modern classical--as much as Post Rock. Hypnotizing! Definitely a top three song for me.(9/10)

2. "Ascension Day" (6:00) about three times uptempo as the previous song, there's actually some rock to this one--kind of raw, 1960s WHO feel, before Mark's vocal enters. (Man! I never thought of this before: but there is a striking similarity in his singing voice to that of PETE TOWNSEND! Pitch, tone, style, though not diction.) Drums are recorded so raw and natural--probably one single mic doing the job. Lee starts out with a kind of Steve Jansen style and patters before turning pure jazz rock. Near the halfway point a discordant passage from the chamber strings section throws everything into temporary turmoil, but then we come back to some bluesy jazz before releasing the "early Who" motif to take us back to Mark's vocals. Harmonica and organ join in in the fifth minute. Interesting. Another top three. (8.75/10)

3. "After the Flood" (9:39) roving piano notes gradually reveal a pattern as organ and reverse electric guitar notes rise up from beneath over the first minute. Simple, straight time "plein air" jazz drums, bass, and soft jazz electric guitar arpeggi then rise up during the second minute. Bass and organ become the most active and interesting. By minute three Mark's singing voice has entered. This is a lot like a combination of "I Believe in You" and "Life's What You Make It"--especially as Mark's vocal becomes more impassioned. Lots of additional instruments making incidental contributions. Raw, sustained electric guitar screaming solo in the fifth and sixth minutes while piano plays gently beneath--and the drums and bass play on as if nothing is happening. I like the steadfastness of the drums--and the fellowship of the bass and organ in tandem. Lots of cluttering incidentals join in during the seventh and eighth minutes--even while Mark is singing. The final 90 seconds are left to the main rhythm section to play out in their faithful way while several more incidentalists throw their contributions into the mix--to fade. Nice song. Another top three for me. (18/20)

4. "Taphead" (7:30) odd discordance or disharmony exists right from the start between the guitar's gentle finger picking, the keys, and Mark's vocal. Even the horn and strings' contributions seem only to magnify this message: as if the waywardness and dissonance of each of the individual instruments is intended to demonstrate disunity--or perhaps the difficulty of individuals to harmonize. I like the mysterious "message"--and understand the genius expressed here--but I am not really a fan of the music. (13/15)

5. "New Grass" (9:40) piano, gently picked chords of a jazz guitar, and jazz drumming accompany Mark's frail voice from the opening moment. The lyrics, I think, are what Mark thinks are the most important element of this song (a kind of numinous spiritual vision?) as the music beneath changes very little in pacing or expansion over the course of the entire ten minutes--only one instrument joins in for some soloing (beside piano and jazz electric guitar) and only a couple others for incidental contributions. Okay song. (17/20)

6. "Runeii (4:58) extra-bare, minimal support for Mark's almost-whispered vocal. Slow tremolo picking of single guitar strings is the only constant, with incidental cymbal play, and upright piano chords in a distant background. Nothing very special here. (8/10)

Total Time: 43:20

I can defintely see why so many people revere this band/man's work after (and, for some, including) The Colour of Spring. There is such purity of spirit to this music, so much to listen to because of the clear soundscapes. There might even be interesting messages being conveyed by Mark's vocals (I just don't hear them).

B/four stars; an excellent and definitely unusual addition to any prog lover's music collection.

1. "Happiness Is Easy" (6:30) great song with multiple tracks of interest: tabla, children's chorus, Danny Thompson and his double bass, Victoria, and over course the brilliantly spacious piano chord play. (9.25/10)

2. "I Don't Believe in You" (5:02) (8.5/10)

3. "Life's What You Make It" (4:28) Catchy hooks abound but run a bit long. (9/10)

4. "April 5th" (5:51) shades of Post Rock to come. Nice and spacious--even when other layers are added. (8.75/10)

5. "Living in Another World" (6:58) drivin' New Wave with a jazzy flavor lurking beneath--with a couple additional sections making it seem like a Mark Johnson (THE THE) EP. (13.25/15)

6. "Give It Up" (5:17) a slight variation on the "Life's What You Make It" format. (8.75/10)

7. "Chameleon Day" (3:20) very interesting chamber exercise in space tolerance--Isham-esque. Excellent! (9/10)

8. "Time It's Time" (8:14) awesome BLUE NILE-like pulsing rhythm track over which Mark pulls out one of his more amazing vocal performances. With the opener and "Chameleon Day," the best song on the album on the album--my favorite. (14.5/15)

Total Time: 45:40

B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of truly progressive rock music--blending together several styles from chamber to jazz to New Wave.

In the ProgArchives description it says that Talk Talk started as a 'typical synthpop band'. Typical? Typical?!! No no, Hollis and crew are not typical. Spandau Ballet is typical, Duran Duran is typical, Depeche Mode and Human League are typical. But with this band, there is a higher ambition, a deeper need to make to go elsewhere, even in their early work. They clearly work on a different pace, a sadder one. Another thing that makes them part from the others is that they don't wear their catchy choruses ad nauseum and stretch a song for the sake of repeating the hooks; Pet Shop Boys should've taken notes.

Okay, they do follow the Ultravox and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (which is okay for me) but the musicianship is (like the latter two) stellar. Talk Talk does have a super singer, a super drummer and an even more super bass player (that impeccable fretless work). Pop songs? Yes, but smartly put together; the title song, Hate and Candy are clearly an emotional punch in the stomach and maybe Mirror Man is the only dud in this.

Simmons drums, Yamaha keyboards and Stingray bass are a plenty but so cleverly put together, it's not just a typical album of synthpop. It's a super start to a weird career that kept evolving to become an entire new band. Instead of listening to Rio or Hungry like the Wolf for the gazillion time, take time to know Talk Talk's synth phase, it's sadder but soothing also.

Talk Talk does not have a bad album in any phase you listen (oh and that art cover! Sublime!)