Tears for Fears Album: “Hurting”

Tears For Fears has the dubious distinction of not realizing their full potential in all musical releases after their debut album. Perhaps nowhere else is there such a flagrant example of a band having amazing genius and intellectual prowess and throwing it out on a second release for catchy commerical tunes. For those of you who put on the headphones and listen to Pale Shelter or Mad World and then listen to Everybody Wants to Rule the World, you know exactly what I mean. This album is like a sacred manual on how to write intelligent songs that touch the emotions deep within. The keyboard arrangements are phenomenal on this CD, the vocals are full of pain and reflection. Buy this and treasure it.

This is creatively and musically the best album by TFF and may very well be one of the best ever albums. It also is one of the best remastered cds that I've ever heard as the sound quality is simply brilliant! Every track seems to have attained a new lease of life and sounds just as fresh as they did decades ago. "The Hurting" ranks among my top 5 ever albums and trust me, I have heard many, many albums.

I was very lucky to have spent my early teens growing up in the early to mid-80's when New Wave was in its pomp and when it seemed that virtually everything coming out of the UK from the Pop Music scene was original and different. TFF competed for the airwaves and for my Walkman against U2, Adam and the Ants, the Human League, Soft Cell, the Eurythmics, Ultravox, Howard Jones, Nik Kershaw, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, the Thompson Twins etc and they all had their own unique sound but it was this album by TFF that really hit home for me.

Having had a troubled childhood and upbringing, I felt that finally, someone understood the trauma and turmoil that I went through when I heard the lyrics to the tracks here. Roland's singing was so heartfelt and seemed to be expressing the pain and hurt that I felt in my soul that I couldn't express. Somehow, he was speaking to my soul, telling me it's okay, others have gone through your anguish. I can tell you that singing along with the tracks on this album is a great stress reliever too.

The lyrics to every track are so meaningful and the accompanying music is the perfect complement that helps the album achieve its goal of expressing the most tragic of suffering: the emotional and psychological suffering of children that is so often submerged and repressed by the sufferers who are not mature enough to understand or express them. This is so eloquently expressed in "Suffer the Children" and in my favourite "Start of the Breakdown". "Pale Shelter" is another great track describing how a child who needs love is given the equivalent of 'pale shelter' instead.

The bonus tracks are also a plus as they include the hard to find "The Way You Are" single as well as extended versions of "Pale Shelter", "Mad World" and "Change". Although not the most commercially successful of TFF's works, this is overall in terms of the songwriting as well as the cohesiveness and strength of the material is their best work by far.

Very, very highly recommended.

Tears for Fears was not the average 80's pop band, even if they looked like it on the surfice. They used synthsizers, drum machines with a meliodic and hook laden sound. But the music itself was often melancholy and they brought up serious issues like family values like few contemporary bands at the time had the guts to sing about. Tears for Fears got their name from Arthur Janov's primal scream therapy and they band consisted of Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, two highschool friends from Bath, England. Roland was the writer of most songs during the career while they both were co-singing. Some of the music may sound a little dated today (this being released in 1983) but the touchy subjects they bring up are still present today.

The opener and title track is a great pop song and at the same time a good introduction to what is coming, it's about children suffering without anyone noticing or caring. Tears for Fears trademark was mixing good pop with serious subjects and they really succeeded with that. "Mad World" was one of the big hits and recently covered by Gary Jules and taken back to the charts again as the sountrack for "Donnie Darko". The moody alternative song brings up the sad reality we're living in, a world without rules or morals and the people suffering from it. Excellent and haunting ballad. "Pale Shelter" was originally released in 1982 but failed to make it big on the charts, so the song was re-recorded, remixed and re-released and the result was a big hit even for "Pale Shelter". The song is slow paced and distinct with guitars, synthesizers and percussion. It brings up the lack of love some children get cause of bad parenthood. "Ideas As Opiates" is almost minimalistic, it basically only feauture percussion and slow piano sound, the lyrics are also sparse. "Memories Fade" is also a stripped and melancholy song, with it's haunting lyrics and saxophone it's one of this album's highlights.

"Suffer Them Children" is a synth laden pop song about children with problems growing up cause they're ignored and not given too much love. Watch Me Bleed" got very strong lyrics "Heaven comes to he who waits/ But I know Im getting nowhere/ And all the deeds of yesterday

/Have really helped to pave my way" and is overall another great pop/rock song. "Change" was one of three big hits on this album, it got a trademark marimba sound and a great hook which paved the way to the charts. The song is focusing on the destructive behavior of a loved one. "The Prisoner" is the darkest of songs with some very strong lyrics and arrangements suited for a horror film, the lyrics are sparse and they're almost whispered. The last song is called "Start of a Breakdown" feautures a catchy synthesizer sound and meliodic percussion. Why this song was not released as single is beyond me, but it's one of the best songs. This remastered version feauture remixed of Pale Shelter", "Mad World" and "Change and the non-album song "The Way You Are" is present. It's another fantastic song by the way. Uptempo with great percussion arrangements. Nice it was added.

Overall, Tears for Fears magnificient debut was one of the most daring and thoughtful albums of the 80's. It's equally intellegent and beautiful full of good lyrics and great arrangements. With this remastered version you get better sound + bonus tracks and the non album song "The Way You Are". Some of the songs may sounds a little dated today, considering all the new equipment used in today's music, but the lyrics and subjects they brought up are just as present in today's society. This album may get a little too personal and the lyrics get frightening when you listen closely to them at times, however if you're a music fan that likes smart lyrics and lyrics that make sense then this is something for you. It's a concept album and it very thoughtful and sincere. One of the greatest debuts of the 80's, let alone albums.

I had the vinyl version of this album and lamented not being able to listen to it (turntable deceased!). One of the most powerful albums ever made. Roland's writing and singing is raw and emotional. Curt brings just as much to the table on the songs that he sings (all songs written by Roland). If you liked "Songs From The Big Chair," you will be more than suprised by "The Hurting" (Tears For Fears' first offering). I liken this debut work to the first LP from U2, "Boy." There is so much unrefined talent that to polish the sound would be to do a disservice to the works. I remember hearing Tears For Fears on "The King Biscuit Flower Hour" just after this LP was released. I was mesmerized by their sound (even live!). It's a shame that they did not produce many more works similar to their first two LPs and eventually broke up (creative differences). At least we have this Gem to remind us how great a "young and hungry" group of musicians can truly be!

One of the more introspective and personal albums I've heard, The Hurting did very well for its remastering. I listened to the original CD release recently then replaced it with this one, and it's a welcome change to hear a bit more life in this recording as well as some nuances completely lost on the original CD. I did not notice a change in the speed, as someone else noted, but I have not done an A/B comparison. The additional tracks are interesting and nice to have, but they don't add all that much to the original album. "The Way You Are" is an oddity; it does not belong with this set except for its timeline (pre-"Songs From the Big Chair"). Instead it's what happens when "Tears for Fears" tries to be "WHAM!", which is a real break from the rest of the album's more early 80's synth/guitar pop sound.

But don't let that one track stop you from updating your current CD to this remastered edition if you are someone who finds this album important and meaningful. This album will click with those who grew up in a world where love and acceptance either did not exist or were conditional at best and will be spending the rest of their lives looking for what they lost. Musically and lyrically it is not heavy; it is surprisingly light and listenable despite the message underneath.