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Talk Talk

Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Bands, Artists and Genres Appreciation
Forum Description: Discuss specific prog bands and their members or a specific sub-genre
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=103236
Printed Date: April 18 2024 at 17:35
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com


Topic: Talk Talk
Posted By: Goodminton
Subject: Talk Talk
Date Posted: July 11 2015 at 14:45
Anyone else love Talk Talk? They're so underrated, it seems like only musicians have heard of them and if others have heard of them, it's usually only for their single "It's My Life" which while a great song is so far from their best. I consider them the Pink Floyd of the 80s.

I think Spirit of Eden is at least on par with Dark Side of the Moon; it would be a toss-up to me which of those two albums is the greatest popular music album ever made. Listening to that album makes my jaw drop in amazement at parts because it's so majestic and epic. It's definitely my favorite album of the 1980s.

Their influence is really overlooked too. Not only did they invent post-rock (though I'd give Simple Minds and Tears for Fears some credit too), their music has had a strong influence on Britpop, trip hop, emo and tons of music in general that's been released in the 90s and later.

All five of their albums are brilliant in their own way but my favorites are Spirit of Eden followed by Colour of Spring.






Replies:
Posted By: ole-the-first
Date Posted: July 11 2015 at 14:54
I love their later stuff. Aongside with David Sylvian's Secrets of the Beehive it was the start of wholly new era in music. These albums have predicted the appearance of post-rock and modern atmospheric prog bands like Porcupine Tree & Anathema.


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This night wounds time.


Posted By: Skalla-Grim
Date Posted: July 11 2015 at 14:54
I like it too. I know only The Colour of Spring and The Spirit of Eden and even though it's not my favourite music, I think I can understand what is so interesting and influential about it. I plan to continue with Laughing Stock. To be honest, somebody warned me not to buy their older albums, but I think listening to them will not do me any harm either.


Posted By: Goodminton
Date Posted: July 11 2015 at 14:58
Originally posted by Skalla-Grim Skalla-Grim wrote:

I like it too. I know only The Colour of Spring and The Spirit of Eden and even though it's not my favourite music, I think I can understand what is so interesting and influential about it. I plan to continue with Laughing Stock. To be honest, somebody warned me not to buy their older albums, but I think listening to them will not do me any harm either.

Their first two albums can be a little cheesy at times but they're still very good in their own right. You can already hear hints of what they'd become in songs like "Such a Shame" and "Renee" from their It's My Life album. One of the amazing things about Talk Talk is how much they grew and improved over the years.


Posted By: Goodminton
Date Posted: July 11 2015 at 15:00
I want this played at my funeral.




Posted By: tszirmay
Date Posted: July 11 2015 at 17:04
You should try the Live in Montreux DVD , showcasing their "poppier" side. Hollis is phenomenal in his delivery, a thrill to watch! "Its My Life"  is a classic album! I have and love them all. 

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I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth.


Posted By: Goodminton
Date Posted: July 11 2015 at 17:34
Does anyone else think Talk Talk's music sounds kind of Western? In particular Living In Another World? I think it would be awesome if there was an arthouse Western type movie that used Talk Talk songs for the soundtrack.


Posted By: Goodminton
Date Posted: July 11 2015 at 17:34
Originally posted by tszirmay tszirmay wrote:

You should try the Live in Montreux DVD , showcasing their "poppier" side. Hollis is phenomenal in his delivery, a thrill to watch! "Its My Life"  is a classic album! I have and love them all. 

I've seen it, it's excellent! Big smile


Posted By: micky
Date Posted: July 11 2015 at 19:08
love me some Talk Talk..every bad boy has his introspective side and I love this group and their albums with complete and utter passion. All the albums and the Hollis solo albums. Fabulous stuff man.


where in Oregon you at Goodminton?


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The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip


Posted By: SaltyJon
Date Posted: July 11 2015 at 19:13
I've only really listened to Spirit of Eden and Colour of Spring so far, both are pretty incredible.


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http://www.last.fm/user/Salty_Jon" rel="nofollow">


Posted By: Goodminton
Date Posted: July 11 2015 at 20:56
Originally posted by micky micky wrote:

love me some Talk Talk..every bad boy has his introspective side and I love this group and their albums with complete and utter passion. All the albums and the Hollis solo albums. Fabulous stuff man.


where in Oregon you at Goodminton?

Eugene Smile


Posted By: progrockdeepcuts
Date Posted: July 11 2015 at 21:55
Just bought Spirit of Eden.


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Listen to older shows here: mixcloud.com/progrockdeepcuts/


Posted By: kenethlevine
Date Posted: July 11 2015 at 22:00
Originally posted by ole-the-first ole-the-first wrote:

I love their later stuff. Aongside with David Sylvian's Secrets of the Beehive it was the start of wholly new era in music. These albums have predicted the appearance of post-rock and modern atmospheric prog bands like Porcupine Tree & Anathema.

God, secrets of the beehive practically defined a genre.  I just wish more bands were in that genre.  Then again, I'm not sure Sylvian would have done what he did if he hadn't listened to Nick Drake


Posted By: Rando
Date Posted: July 12 2015 at 03:04
Originally posted by Goodminton Goodminton wrote:

Anyone else love Talk Talk? They're so underrated, it seems like only musicians have heard of them and if others have heard of them, it's usually only for their single "It's My Life" which while a great song is so far from their best. I consider them the Pink Floyd of the 80s.

I think Spirit of Eden is at least on par with Dark Side of the Moon; it would be a toss-up to me which of those two albums is the greatest popular music album ever made. Listening to that album makes my jaw drop in amazement at parts because it's so majestic and epic. It's definitely my favorite album of the 1980s.

Their influence is really overlooked too. Not only did they invent post-rock (though I'd give Simple Minds and Tears for Fears some credit too), their music has had a strong influence on Britpop, trip hop, emo and tons of music in general that's been released in the 90s and later.

All five of their albums are brilliant in their own way but my favorites are Spirit of Eden followed by Colour of Spring.


I'm so glad somebody finally brought up Talk Talk - Thank you -
Yes I agree they were so underrated and largely overlooked at the time, what with the synth-pop invasion of the 80's - It was the beginning of music videos and the birth of the MTV generation-

Mark Hollis' superb voice was so emotionally intense and powerful I had not heard in a long time-Yet there was something grand, unsettling, but distinct about their music- dare I say even progressive-especially in the title track song, "The Party's Over." I love every track this group recorded-

One side note here-Talk Talk supported Genesis at their "Reunion Concert with Peter Gabriel in October '82 at Milton Keynes, England-




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- Music is Life, that's why our hearts have beats -


Posted By: micky
Date Posted: July 12 2015 at 09:06
Originally posted by Goodminton Goodminton wrote:

Originally posted by micky micky wrote:

love me some Talk Talk..every bad boy has his introspective side and I love this group and their albums with complete and utter passion. All the albums and the Hollis solo albums. Fabulous stuff man.


where in Oregon you at Goodminton?

Eugene Smile


Clap  Saw my first concert (the Association) at Autzen many many years ago. From Portland originally and moved east in the 80's.  Welcome to the site btw! Clap


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The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip


Posted By: Intruder
Date Posted: July 24 2015 at 01:47
Talk Talk.....Eden, Spring and Stock - to me, some of the best music of the 80s/early 90s. Even their earlier albums aren't your run-of-the-mill syth Roxy retread. 
Didn't know they opened for the Genesis reunion....great prog trivia question.

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I like to feel the suspense when you're certain you know I am there.....


Posted By: Roj
Date Posted: July 24 2015 at 03:13
Great band Clap.

One of the shining lights in the sea of dross that was the 80s.


Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: July 24 2015 at 06:31
Originally posted by Goodminton Goodminton wrote:


I think Spirit of Eden is at least on par with Dark Side of the Moon;
Spirit of Eden is quite possibly the greatest album ever made.


Posted By: TornadoTongue
Date Posted: July 24 2015 at 17:30
The Spirit of Eden album is bliss.


Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: July 24 2015 at 17:48
I've never listened to these guys. I only know a hit song called Talk Talk.
Lots of praise for this band I notice.
I'm not immune to 80's synth-pop/New-Wave (I love Kajagoogoo, Haircut One-Hundred, Buggles, Japan, The Cure....) but never looked in to Talk Talk. Maybe it's time........


Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: July 25 2015 at 04:43
Originally posted by Tom Ozric Tom Ozric wrote:

I've never listened to these guys. I only know a hit song called Talk Talk.
Lots of praise for this band I notice.
I'm not immune to 80's synth-pop/New-Wave (I love Kajagoogoo, Haircut One-Hundred, Buggles, Japan, The Cure....) but never looked in to Talk Talk. Maybe it's time........


Well they were a synth-pop kind of band to start with (I once saw them supporting Duran Duran) but their later albums are definitely not.


Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: August 10 2015 at 13:00
The development of Talk Talk from their first album to their last is the most incredible development of any band ever, I think. The first album isn't particularly strong. It has the odd nice song (I'm fond of the Talk Talk song actually) and Mark's voice of course, but the sound is bad bad synthipop. It's hard to imagine anything more different to the sound and production of Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock than actually Talk Talk's first album.
It's My Life still sounded quite thin and cheesy but already had several examples of amazing songwriting. Actually there's a very nice single "My Foolish Friend", which appeared, I think, a bit later than the first album; this made me aware of them at the time and is the first example of their songwriting competence. Nothing "proggy" but very enjoyable pop music.
The first thing that really blew me away was watching them live, particularly the version of  "Call in the Nightboy", on the tour on which the Montreux CD was recorded. I think it's also on youtube. On that tour, they improved their sound and dynamics big time, despite playing the same songs as before.
"Colour of Spring" then is their first truly excellent album with top notch catchy songs, wonderfully warm and deep sound, and some clear experimental/prog elements.
Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock are then just a league on their own.
Mark Hollis' solo album, by the way, is also great, as are the two .O.rang albums. Pity that both these acts growing out of Talk Talk have ceded to produce stuff.
By the way, Talk Talk are actually very strongly appreciated and pretty well known also outside the Prog world. The really stunning band that nobody knows is .O.rang - check them out! (It seems difficult to get hold of their first CD "Herd of Instinct" which I think is the better one - actually 5 star material in my books.)   

Did I mention that I'm a big fan? Big smile



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