Tears For Fears - The Hurting (1983)

Note: the CD I listened to is a 1985 Japanese import of a CD printed in West Germany. (Only CD geeks will be interested in this next bit:) It has the Mercury records "orbital" logo in the center of the disc. According to the research staff here a blog headquarters, at some point in the late '80s, the plant used by Polygram in West Germany changed from manufacturing fully aluminum-spluttered polycarbonate discs such as this particular CD to using polycarbonate discs with clear inner rings. This copy is housed in a smooth-sided jewel case. Sorry, no obi.

My high school friend, Jim, introduced me to so much good music in the early '80s. Knowing my love for synthpop in 1983, he played this album for me with an emphasis on the single Change (#73 pop, #22 rock). As he often did, he then lent me his copy of The Hurting and, looking back, I don't think I gave it a proper chance because I dug Change and, at first blush, I didn't believe anything else on the album was as good as that particular cut. I've definitely changed my mind since then. In order to avoid unleashing any repressed angst, I usually ignore the lyrics and just enjoy the hooks and there's plenty of those. With all the critical acclaim (see below) and MTV exposure, I have no idea why the group didn't hit big in the US with this one - they'd have to wait a couple of years for that.

Don't ask me why, but this is an autumn/winter album for me while the very similar Songs From The Big Chair is a spring/summer album for me.

Press of the time:

• CashBox: "explosive Euro-pop filled with demanding angst-heavy lyrics instead of the usual boy-meets-girl drivel."
• Musician: "they've managed the trick of being fashionably austere and immensely hummable at the same time."
• Smash Hits (8 out of 10): "there's no doubting the talent on display"
• Stereo Review: "a powerful record and one of the real surprises of the year"
• Trouser Press: "glossy and danceable, with breezy vocals - high tech with considerable finesse to back it up."
• Rolling Stone (★★★): "it is a testimony to their refined pop instincts that they manage to produce this much pleasure from the pain."

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: #73
• Billboard Rock: #41
• CashBox: #59
• Rolling Stone: #41

Tracks: In 1983, I thought the best track was Change. These days, I think Pale Shelter is the best track, followed by Mad World then Change. I also dig the title track, Suffer The Children, and, if the mood is right, The Prisoner. One wonders why young Mark was captivated by the stark minimalism of The Chauffeur on Rio, yet not Ideas As Opiates on this album. Again, my opinion of that track changed over the years.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: see above

Previously revisited for the blog:
Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82-92) (1992)
Songs From The Big Chair (1985)

Tears For Fears - Songs From The Big Chair (1985)

Note: this release was originally purchased as a cassette tape, later replaced by a CD. I'm guessing this early CD release ended up in a used bin when someone replaced it with the multi-disc box set reissue.

Back in high school, my buddy Jim had played his copy of T4F's The Hurting album for me, even letting me borrow it for further inspection, but other than the song Change, I really wasn't into it. (Nowadays I like that album, so who knows what kept me from enjoying it back in '83?) Then this album hit hard near the end of my freshman year of college and I had a copy of the cassette before I left school and headed home that summer.

I'd call it a pop-rock album, but there's hints of prog rock and Depeche Mode liberally sprinkled about. In addition to the great hooks throughout, I love the drum sound on this record - the absolute perfect sound for 1985, so my compliments to producer Chris Hughes (formerly of Adam And The Ants) and engineer David Bascombe.

For its inclusion in the 2005 book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, John Doran wrote, "For a brief time, Tears For Fears became the biggest band on the face of the planet on the strength of this album" and while that assertion is arguable, it certainly could be true, and I was more than happy to be 19 years old and along for the ride.

Press of the time:

• Record Mirror (★★★½ ): "songs that make you yell and emote along with them"
• Rolling Stone: "they can't help it if you've heard it all before"
• Stereo Review: "memorable melodies, purposeful arrangements, and a resolute performance"
• Musician: "delightfully addictive"
• Smash Hits (8 out of 10): "wonderful melodies upon sturdy song structures"
• Billboard: "capable of winning over more serious-minded rock fans"
• CashBox: "Tears For Fears looks set to finally break the band big in America"
• Robert Christgau (B): "Imagine my surprise when I discerned substance"

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: #1
• CashBox: #1
• Rolling Stone: #1
• Billboard Pop CD: #3
• CashBox Top CD: #3

Tracks: My top three picks are highly predictable: 1) Head Over Heels, 2) Everybody Wants to Rule the World, and 3) Shout. Once I finally picked up my copy this CD, I was reminded how much I enjoyed The Working Hour and Mothers Talk. My only skippable track is the plodding I Believe, which is saved when it segues into the guitar-heavy, orchestrated Broken which is really just an intro/outro for the wonderful Head Over Heels. I've no idea what's going on in the final track, Listen, but I can't say it's not interesting.

	Hot 100	Rock	AC	Dance
Shout	1	6		1
Everybody Wants To Rule The World	1	2	2	1
Head Over Heels	3	7	5
Mothers Talk	27

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I'm immediately back to the summer of 1985, one of my best. This tape got its fair share of play in the Markmobile that summer.

And, of course, the ending of the movie Real Genius.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82-92) (1992)

Tears For Fears - Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82-92) (1992)

I was never a die-hard T4F fan, but I usually enjoyed their music when it came on the radio or MTV. I owned their most popular release, the 1985 album Songs From The Big Chair, on cassette and I think my buddy Jim gave me his copy of their debut album, 1982's The Hurting, but the debut didn't really resonate with me other than the manic single, Change. I considered just purchasing a Songs From The Big Chair CD, but I like the psychedelic title track from the 1989 album Sowing The Seeds Of Love, so I opted for this compilation instead. It was good decision. The band apparently split in 1991, but I had already moved on to other groups by then.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #53 (April 11, 1992)

Tracks:

		US	UK
1	Sowing The Seeds Of Love	2	5
2	Everybody Wants To Rule The World	1	2
3	Woman In Chains	36	26
4	Shout	1	4
5	Head Over Heels	3	12
6	Mad World	-	3
7	Pale Shelter	-	5
8	I Believe	-	23
9	Laid So Low (Tears Roll Down)	-	17
10	Mothers Talk	27	14
11	Change	-	4
12	Advice For The Young At Heart	89	36

My favorite tracks are Sowing The Seeds Of Love and the 5 tracks taken from Songs From The Big Chair, except I Believe which has always seemed a little off to me. I can now appreciate the earlier songs from The Hurting. I can't say why I didn't like them back in the '80s - I must've been in a bad mood when I listened to the album for the first time (A teenager in a bad mood? What are the odds?). Not a fan of Woman In Chains or Advice For The Young At Heart.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: One spring day in 1990, I was teaching in a Dallas suburb when a Dallas radio station van pulled up outside my classroom right before school was out for the day. The DJ had dropped by without school permission to do a hit-and-run promo and give out about 100 free tickets to the upcoming Tears For Fears concert. I let my small group of students run out and get their tickets before the bell rang. I'm wondering why I didn't go out and get some tickets myself.