Tears for Fears Album: “Shout: The Very Best of Tears For Fears”

Description :

Tears For Fears: Roland Orzabal (vocals, guitar, keyboards, programming); Curt Smith (vocals, keyboards, bass). Additional personnel: Oleta Adams (vocals, keyboards); Alan Griffiths, Tim Palmer (various instruments); Phil Palmer, Robbie McIntosh, Neil Taylor, Randy Jacobs (guitar); Mel Collins (saxophone); William Davis (piano); Mark O'Donoughue (Wurlitzer piano); Simon Clark, Nicky Holland (keyboards); Ian Stanley (keyboards, programming); Pino Palladino (bass); Manny Elias, Chris Hughes (drums, programming); Manu Katche, Phil Collins, Simon Phillips (drums); Ross Cullum (percussion); Caroline Orzabal, Sandy McLelland, Annie McCaig, Marilyn Davis, Steve Lange, John Baker (background vocals). Producers: Chris Hughes, Ross Cullum, Tears For Fears, David Bascombe, Tim Palmer, Alan Griffiths. Compilation producer: Mike Ragogna. Includes liner notes by Jeremy Holiday. Digitally remastered by Suha Gur (Universal Mastering Studios-East). British duo Tears for Fears debuted in the age of New Romantic synth-pop, and while their early output did share some superficial elements with the likes of Simple Minds, OMD, et al, they were always master craftsmen first and foremost, in terms of both songwriting and production. SHOUT: THE VERY BEST OF TEARS FOR FEARS kicks off with such early hits as "Pale Shelter," "Change," and "Mad World," which array the requisite early-1980s layers of synthesizers in such an artful way that one would be forgiven for regarding TFF as the Beach Boys of electro-pop. It didn't take long for Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal to transcend the genre, though, and elegant melodic pop gems "Head Over Heels" and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" are lush, timeless classics more akin to the contemporaneous works of, say, Prefab Sprout. Unsurprisingly, Tears for Fears survived well beyond the Reagan/Thatcher years, turning their attentions to ornate, decidedly Beatlesque efforts, their "comeback" hit, "Sowing the Seeds of Love," exemplifying the shift. Those who assumed the pair had all the longevity and stylistic range of Blancmange will be pleasantly surprised at the bounty on offer here.

In the 1980's, there were just so many different amazing groups that really did deliver to what pop music should really have, feeling. Yet, today, I honestly don't even come close to seeing that with acts like Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, and Ciara to name a few. When it ame to acts that put the boldness into the music, Tears For Fears really did bring it out plenty of times. Back in 1992, the British pop group had a highly successful hits package, Tears Roll Down, in what made them a gre group. Unfortunately, awhile ago, the record was no longer issued to the public, and a substitute was conjured.

Shout: The Very Best Of Tears For Fears, replaces the Tears Roll Down package for longtime fans of the 80's group, but nevertheless, it also does deliver. The compilation seems more like a extended version of Tears Roll Down, and it does deliver as well. The compilation includes all of their big hits like the peppy 80's hit Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Shout, and the epic pop ballad Sowing The Seeds Of Love. The collection also does add a little bit more, with tracks like the overshadowed Break It Down Again, which was during the post Curt Smith era record Elemental. The album is fairly compiled, but could've been remastered a bit better.

All in all, for anybody who hasn't heard these great pop gems and guilty pleasures, Tears For Fears had a whole lot to say for advice for the young at heart. Shout: The Very Best Of Tears For Fears is a great compilation for anybody who doesn't own a Tears For Fears record. That is something to shout about.

Album Cover: C

Songs: B

Price: B+

Mastering: B-

Overall: B 1/2-

Tears For Fears is the duo who crafted intelligent, tuneful pop songs back in the 1980's, riding the "new wave" sound of that era. The duo parted ways in the early 90's, and this is the first hits album to include Roland Orzabal's post breakup material recorded under the TFF name. Curt Smith has the more impressive voice, but Orzabal is also a solid vocalist, with his solo hit Break It Down Again a memorable track. This album fails to include anything from the 2nd Orzabal TFF solo album Raoul and The Kings of Spain, which had a few memorable tracks but was a commercial and chart flop. If you like Tears For Fears you might also want to get the last album and Elemental in addition to the hits collection.

As with other reviewers I noticed the audio not being as crisp as one would expect for a supposed remastered edition but I was very pleased with the track list. I owned the previous "best of" collection, "Tears Roll Down," and I felt that my favorite TFF album "The Hurting" was neglected on that release. This album includes all of the popular US singles from "The Hurting"-"Mad World," "Change," and "Pale Shelter." It also includes the song "Suffer the Children" and the single "The Way You Are" which was released in between "The Hurting" and "Songs from the Big Chair." It also includes another one of my favorites, "Break It Down Again," from the album "Elemental." All of the classics are here, and a few extras. I feel like I got my money's worth.