peg@ihuxs.UUCP (Peg Streff) (11/02/83)
Carole is right, we need some new discussion on here. All i can say is, ever since i bought "The Hurting" by Tears for Fears 2-1/2 weeks ago, it has this uncanny way of appearing on my turntable over and over, no matter what other albums i put on... it just seems to always be there... and it is one of those albums that i just cannot put away... i haven't had this syndrome since Kate Bush's last album came out last year (The Dreaming)... What can i say that would describe this album? The haunting melodies appealed to me right away, as evidenced in the song "Pale Shelter" which has received airplay on WXRT in Chicago and WDEK in DeKalb, but even eerier is the song "Mad World"... i'm trying to think of specifics to get my idea across... It is well produced... the vocals are tight (also in my singing range, which is always a joy for this "closet" lead vocalist, my plants are big fans of mine) and the use of instruments is unusual. I can't tell you anything about the band, not even the members' names, or anything. All i know is this album is my current favorite... as i said before, it magically appears on my turn- table again and again, begging me to play it over and over.... Has anyone else given it a listen who might be able to describe to everyone the appeal of this album?? My tastes are anything but mainstream so maybe you might want to consider that... well, i recommend it anyway. Hopelessly in love with music, Peg Streff ihnp4!ihuxs!peg
jeff@dciem.UUCP (Jeff Richardson) (11/07/83)
I have also been listening to The Hurting a lot over the last few
months. It's a great album, and will certainly be in my top 10 for
the year. I have three friends that also have it and like it a lot,
including one who isn't really into "new music" (new wave, or whatever
you want to call it. If you need a label, I like to call this particular
brand of new music "progressive new wave" to differentiate it from
new wave pop, electro-pop, etc. and because it contains some elements
of 70's progressive rock and appeals to a large fraction of the people
I know who liked 70's progressive rock.) and one who rates it as the
best album of 1983.
As far as describing it is concerned, the lyrics are easier to describe
than the music. The lyrics are very depressing. (example: "The dreams
in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had") However, the music
doesn't do anything to contribute to the depressing atmosphere that
the lyrics could create. (If you want depressing music to go with your
depressing lyrics, check out The Cure's "Faith" album.) It isn't
exactly cheery, but it's up-beat enough that you wouldn't think of it
as a depressing album unless you paid attention to the lyrics.
Some of the songs are danceable, especially "Pale Shelter" which, in
my opinion is the best song on the album. The music is synthesiser
and electronic percussion based, but there are a lot of acoustic and
electric guitars used very effectively. Everybody who's into
"progressive new wave" should like it, (anybody who's really into it
probably already has it.) and even some who aren't might.
One thing Tears For Fears has done that I don't really like but a lot
of groups are doing it these days, is release 12" singles of extended
versions of songs on the album. (If I'm paying $7 or $8 for an album,
I don't want shortened versions of the songs, and a 12" single is not
long enough to be worth listening to by itself, so you have to buy the
album anyway.) I haven't heard the "Mad World" single. The extended
version of "Change" isn't very different from the album version,
but I highly recommend the 12" single of "Pale Shelter". All their
12" singles have B sides not on the album, which makes forking over $4.49
or whatever they cost a little easier, although the B sides from the
two I've heard aren't as good as the songs on the album.
Jeff Richardson
DCIEM, Toronto