Radiohead Vs. Talk Talk - Progressive Rock Music Forum

haven't really heard Talk Talk but I don't like Radiohead at all

Sumdeus - unique, ambitious music with a wide range of influences and ideas.

I've only heard 3 Radio Head albums, but nothing they've done recently, so I'll hold off on my vote. I've always loved Talk Talk, though, so they'd be hard to beat.

My other avatar is a Porsche

What I've heard of Talk Talk is OK, but Radiohead does absolutely nothing for me at all.

We have a poll ongoing about whether Deep Purple is prog; well if they are not, Radiohead don't even come close

Talk Talk easily.

Dig me...But don't...Bury me
I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive
Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect.

Love both, but Radiohead for me, just.

A GREAT YEAR FOR PROG!!!

Talk Talk

Radiohead.

This night wounds time.

Originally posted by Andy Webb

I love Radiohead, but Talk Talk is sublime.

yes!

"The more I analyze the human race, the more I love my dog" Mme de Stael

I have followed Talk Talk from the beginning through their various incarnations until their final album "Laughing Stock". I knew from the start that they were a special group - they stood out from their 80's counterparts in style and form. Though Radiohead has had some brilliant moments through out their career, they don't quite match the consistency of Talk Talk's evolution from electronic pop to incredible depth of composition. Talk Talk was therefore my choice.

"Music is the Wine that fills the cup of Silence"
- Robert Fripp

I find this all really interesting. It's like when everyone claimed they saw the Velvet Underground perform their first few gigs (when in reality, about 20 people saw it.) The thing about Talk Talk is that they couldn't *give* their last two albums away. These albums were almost univesally panned by the critics, and the only ones who heard of Talk Talk knew them (hazily, vaguely) because of their first singles which were considered to be Duran Duran rip-offs. Their last few albums were viewed as being hopelessly out of date. I mean, this was the MTV 80s, when synth-pop ruled. Talk Talk's minimalist, moody atmospheric music with natural jazzy brassy instruments rather than drum machines was viewed as being hopelessly out of step.

It was only 15 to 20 years later (that is, 20 years after their last album was made) that the band started to be pointed to by a few influential musicians and critics, and the band was "re-discovered" and re-appraised.

Notably, the influentail producer Dave Fridmann pointed to - and was influenced by - Talk Talk's production. Fridmann introduced a syphonic production style to his own band's recordings - Mercury Rev (see their masterpiece DESERTER'S SONGS) - and the Flaming Lips, which he also produces (see THE SOFT BULLETIN and YOSHIMI BATTLES THE PINK ROBOTS). (Mercury Rev grew out of the Flaming Lips.) He produced as well several other influential post-rock albums, such as releases by Mogwai (COME ON AND DIE YOUNG and ROCK ACTION) and Sparklehorse. This style influenced a whole host of other work, such as Arcade Fire and Grandaddy (particularly his lo-fi - and *very* proggy masterpiece - THE SOPHTWARE SLUMP). [An aside: Mogwai and Talk Talk are both here in PA, as are Radiohead - I'm wondering when the Flaming Lips will be let in? Grandaddy belongs in because of SOPHTWARE, and perhaps Mercury Rev belongs in as well.]

Radiohead also pointed to Talk Talk, and one can hear it in their sound (as well as many other influences). This kind of symphonic production was the "in" thing for a decade. Most of us only know of Talk Talk today because of Mercury Rev and the Flaming Lips and Radiohead.

Talk Talk's great; I'm just wondering if the pendulum hasn't swung too far? Sure, they released one of the best albums of the 90s. I'd even in put it in the top 20 albums of that decade...

Edited by jude111 - February 01 2013 at 20:29

Poll Question: Which band do you prefer?
Poll Choice	Votes	Poll Statistics
Radiohead	16	[42.11%]
Talk Talk	22	[57.89%]
You can not vote in this poll