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Songs from the Big Chair

Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair Audio CD

A fair review of the Tears for Fears "Songs from the Big Chair" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Tears for Fears reviews here, or go back to the Tears for Fears tabs.

Band: Tears for Fears
Title: Songs from the Big Chair
Rating:

Release Date: 2006-05-23
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Shout 2: Working Hour 3: Everybody Wants to Rule the World 4: Mothers Talk 5: I Believe 6: Broken 7: Head Over Heels/Broken [Live] 8: Listen 9: Working Hour [Piano Version][*] 10: Marauders [*] 11: Empire Building [*] 12: Big Chair [*] 13: Pharaohs [*] 14: When in Love with a Blind Man [*] 15: Sea Song [*] 16: Broken Revisited 17: Way You Are [*] 18: Mothers Talk [*] 19: Shout [*] 20: Everybody Wants to Rule the World [*] 21: Head Over Heels [Remix][*] 22: I Believe [A Soulful Re-Recording][*] 23: Mothers Talk [US Remix][*] 24: Shout [US Remix][*] 25: Shout [Us Dub Version][*] 26: Everybody Wants to Rule the World 27: Mothers Talk [Beat of the Drum Mix][*] 28: Broken/Head Over Heels/Broken [Preacher Mix][*]

Remastered sound is improved. Some extras worth it, some not.
The individual guitars and keyboards and vocals stand out more, whereas on the original CD release they seemed to blend in together into homogeneous sonic pudding. I enjoyed the original album tracks much more with the cleaner, remastered sound on this Deluxe edition. The remastering lets you hear the complexity and mastery of the mixing. And the soaring vocals are purer and smoother as well.

Few of the Deluxe extras are of much use to me.

Most if not all of the B-sides are available on the earlier release "Saturnine, Martial, and Lunatic," which I already own. I found the B-sides so-so, except for Pharaohs, which is a beautiful keyboard chord progression mixed with a recording of a British weather report and snippets of guitar phrases from Everybody Wants To Rule The World. All in all, it's a fine combination. Unusual, but peaceful and pretty.

Some of the 7" single mixes are nice, and would make nice tracks to transfer to your MP3 player for a bit of variety. The 7" single mix of Everybody Wants to Rule the World seems exactly the same as the album mix, except perhaps the equalization is a little different. I'm not sure, but they are very very close.

I had a hard time getting through the 12" singles. They were elongated, stripped down, and/or weirded-up versions of the originals. They simply didn't sustain my interest, and artistically, I thought they took away from the originals rather than added. Honestly, I think 95% of all song remixes are inferior and not worth the bother. Nothing in this Deluxe Edition has changed my mind on that.

The booklet contains one article/interview about the band and the making of this album. When asked how he feels about the album today, Curt Smith says, ". . . I just think we're a lot better at what we do now. So it's like looking back at schoolwork you did. "

That is my impression of the album as well. There are some brilliant spots, and overall it is a good album, but I think Tears For Fears went on to greater heights artistically following Songs From The Big Chair. The better mastering on this new release helps me appreciate what they achieved, but it still isn't my favorite TFF album, and the Deluxe Edition contains a lot that is only of interest to hardcore fans and completists.

Four solid stars. Although, I really ought to deduct another half star because there is NO LYRICS INCLUDED IN THE BOOKLET. Grrrr. For this price? No lyrics? Hmmph. .

Tears for Fears
I would recommend this CD over and over. This CD is one of the most gorgeous array of melodies from one of the best 80's groups of all time.

FINALLY - SONGS FROM THE BIG CHAIR AS IT SHOULD BE!
i thought the japan release was cool - with remixes and other rarities, including shout (beatchuggers' remix) in 2001. I have written a good review before on tears for fears: best of remixes in 2003.

with the 2006 deluxe edition, the long wait is finally over as this great album from 1985 becomes a greater masterpiece for 2006, with additional tracks ranging from the mundane yet fantastic b-sides, to the hard-to-find 12" remixes and dub versions from 1984-1985. so what you get is the real deal! no remixes or materials beyond 1985.

while i can categorically say that the 1999 uk release (with bonus tracks) actually sound better than this release, this is an essential to any tff fan due to the wealth of materials included. the first disc includes, aside from the original album, b-sides and an unreleased "piano version" of the working hour! for the second disc, this is where it gets better: you get all the single versions PLUS the 12" remixes that were not released on cd before. you get the single versions of shout, everybody. . . (actually a redundancy), head over heels and mothers talk (the version without the instrumental at the end)!

the remixes also included rarities, such as shout (us dub version) appearing here for the first time plus the urban remix of everybody. . . , and the beat of the drum mix of mothers talk! broken/head over heels/broken (preacher mix) also debuts in this compilation!

if you have collected (like me) the their first three "expanded and digitially remastered editions" released in 1999 with bonus tracks, plus the b-side compilation "saturnine, martial and lunatic" plus the japan release "best of remixes" you will still miss a lot as i mentioned earlier!

a big bonus is the packaging of the reissue, plus the wealth of information included in the sleeves.

the minus point would be the exclusion of the uk remixes of shout and everybody wants. . and the single version of "everybody wants to RUN the world. "

like they said, you just cant have them all!

with the release of the deluxe edition of songs from the big chair, i cant help reminisce my teenage years when this album was so popular. however, i believe this album is still is. . .

happy listening!.

unnecessary and overpriced
I can listen to it straight through without any problem. The original album- 8 songs- is a five star album. I also don't mind the remastered edition that came out a few years ago that expanded this to 15 tracks. It has most of the same bsides/bonus tracks found here- but you can get it for half the price of this. So what do you get for the extra $15 here? 12 remixes. Big deal. I don't need to hear 4 versions of Shout in one sitting. Do yourself a favor and get the single disc of this for half the price, OR get Chonicles instead: It has the same 15 track remastered and expanded version of this album PLUS you get the expanded and remastered Hurting and Sowing the Seeds of Love CDS- 26 other (great) songs instead of 12 (boring) remixes. That's 3 expanded remastered CDs for the same price as this bloated mess.

TEARS FOR FEARS MUST REUNITE!!!!
Everyone Wants to Rule the World, a very big anthem of the 80's, is just as pertinent today as it was 20 years ago, if not more. We all know how great this album was when it came out plus we all know the lyrics of every song in this. Just look at our President. My favorite song is Where you Are, a very reggae type piece that you want to hear over and over. That just makes you want to get your old Bambu and start partying once again. But since we're much older and know better, have a margarita instead and just keep cool with this awful summer heat as you listen to the wonderful voices and tunes of this once very popular duo. Ah, good memories!!! Guys, you need to come back with a vengeance and a new album. Everyone else has with quite a bit of success. The music public needs and loves you.

You can see a complete list of all Tears for Fears discography, or go back to the Tears for Fears tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.