Tears for Fears: C or D?

Oh please......labels labels labels. Boring boring boring.

Blancmange were a brilliant, witty, much underrated band who should've been a whole lot bigger than they ever were.

Progpop? I smile as I type it, even......

spandau were better cz there were more of them

http://www.btinternet.com/~d.i.w/Dublin_Castle_210401.htm

you can see what Blancmange vocalist Neil Arthur is up to now. Click around the place and you might even see me!

I don't see what the problem is with calling Blancmange, TfF, Howard and Nik etc etc progpop - it was lots of people who in a previous time would have been making concept albums but because of synthesizers/not having to form a band/no need for drum solos - wound up making daft - often enjoyable - synthpop instead. Part of the fun of it and the reason it was so odd, was that they really didn't have a feeling for/much knowledge of pop - which divides them from popswots/Bowieboyz like ABC, Human League, even Spandau Ballet...

Jerry - I'm a label-phobe through and through. I hate the determination people seem to have with 'boxing' and 'labelling' music. It's so, so pointless. And 'progpop' is a new one even by me.

Nah, Blancmange were musicians, not flimsy synthy pop. And bloody good songwriters, too (we can forgive them 'The day before you came'....).

I think Jerry nailed it, actually. Also the TFF best of has been growing on me, chiz chiz.

(But Spandau were still better.)

Spandau wins because they seem at all times to be saying something, unlike Duran Duran who should have just gone ahead and sung in fake Esperanto

And is the better for it!

Tears for Fears -- unbelievably classic, beyond words. Roland Orzabal is a gorgeous man with gorgeous vocals and is a highly underrated guitarist. Curt Smith also has a gorgeous voice and is happily multitalented. *sighs*

I would say SEARCH The Hurting, Songs From The Big Chair, and Raoul & The Kings Of Spain (the last one seems to be to my fellow TFF fans what Medazzaland seems to be to my fellow Duran fans). Possibly DESTROY Elemental, but that could just be because I felt like it was a bit too straight-ahead pop for me.

btw, this thread revival is SO right on the mark, because next month the newly reformed TFF will release a brand new album!! *squeal!* It's called Saturnine, Martial, & Lunatic, and I'm so looking forward to it! Roland and Curt are BACK!

even "hey jude"?

*snort* You know, the sad part is that you're probably right. Aw.

Proving that she has very unpopular tastes in just about everything,

got that right here.

"Listen" is classic beyond belief.

TFF are one of those bands where I have minimal objectivity - I love it all (except Curt's solo work, arf!). _The Hurting_ and _Songs From The Big Chair_ expressed everything I felt at 17 and were one of the introductory points to a whole world of music beyond Casey Kasum.

The reunion album was genuinely fantastic - and I had pretty low expectations. Roland's solo album is a louder and more aggressive than TFF stuff, good stuff.

Annoying note about the recent deluxe Big Chair - it left off "The Conflict" found only on the 99 remaster!

Yes, "Listen" is especially good.

a whole world of music beyond Casey Kasum

I love this phrase, we really do think alike, Mr. Odd.

CLASSIC to the 1 x 10^150th degree.

The Hurting_ and _Songs From The Big Chair_ expressed everything I felt at 17 and were one of the introductory points to a whole world of music beyond Casey Kasum.

Except: Casey counted down all those Big Chair singles.

Except: Casey counted down all those Big Chair singles.

Oh, the irony! I was totally stunned the first time I heard "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" in a mall or someplace.

Oh I know, man, I never expected any of that album to break in the States. I was pretty certain they were going to stay a British phenomenon! It's just freaky the way some things cross over and some don't.

Such an odd album too! Bedsit miserabilism sits comfortably beside arena rockism.

There was this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBq6pBhyNq8