Search - Talk Talk :: Introducing

Superb introduction to this band

J. Hardy | Columbia, MD USA | 12/16/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A collection of songs from all phases of Talk Talk's career, an overview; but this is not a typical "best of" album. Not one of the songs on this album was a single: if you listen to this album you will not hear any of their songs that you've heard before on the radio.



You know how it seems like most good albums have at least one great song, that you love, but that is not released as a single and never appears on a band's best-of album? This CD is a collection of THOSE songs. Starts off with my favorite song from their first album, downbeat but very beautiful. Track 4, "Tomorrow Started", is my favorite song from their second album (also a little downbeat); the single was "It's My Life", the song No Doubt covered last year. "Happiness Is Easy" comes from their great 3rd album The Colour of Spring; the single from that album was "Life's What You Make It". The song "It's Getting Late in the Evening" was the B-side to that single, a haunting song I've been looking for on CD for 15 years or more. "Desire" is the most powerful song from their 4th album, Spirit of Eden (1988); that was their commercial suicide, an album without any song that could be released as a single. The last two songs are rarities: "John Cope" is a B-side from the Spirt of Eden / Laughing Stock era.



This is an extremely intelligent, thoughtful, well-chosen selection. Talk Talk's catalogue (basically 5 albums, plus some collections of rarities) is all over the map stylistically. Someone who likes their self-titled debut, with its catchy synth-pop, might not like the avant-garde art music of their later albums; and vice versa. This collection manages to choose stuff from each album, that manages both to hang together as an album and to represent the overall feel of the band's output: the rich instrumentation and reflective mood (evocative but often sad or wistful), with the touch of atonality and experimental music.



This is the idiosyncratic CD that your buddy who likes the band might have burned for you. I'm amazed it's an official release. Gutsy. I withheld the 5th star only because Talk Talk is an acquired taste; not everyone will like them: but this is a great album, and a fine introduction to them. I don't know if you'll like the band; but you will know, after listening to this album."