Album Reviews

★★★★★

Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair (1985)

"Pop Perfection"

My second review and I'm already developing a trend of "things I find extremely inspiring". Tears for Fears flew under the radar for me for a long time. I, like nearly everyone else on the planet, knew songs like "Shout" and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" but it wasn't until, I think, High School that I heard songs like "Pale Shelter" and the (lukewarm take incoming) superior version of "Mad World". "The Hurting" is also a special album, one I don't think I gave a fair shake. It was my introduction to TFF and Big Chair, and I would always hold it in high regard, but later on I would always say "its good, but how could it possibly be as good as 'Big Chair?'". "Songs from the Big Chair" is the sophomore effort of Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith of Tears for Fears, and while The Hurting had some very cool, very experimental moments ("The Prisoner" comes to mind), Big Chair really refines and perfects them within the context of a pop album. It's not uncommon for a groundbreaking and trailblazing effort fly under the radar commercially, like 1982's "The Dreaming" by Kate Bush (there's some contention from Kate herself regarding this, but I digress). A whopping FIVE of Big Chair's Eight tracks were singles. Roland and Curt, with a huge helping hand from folks like Ian Stanley, Manny Elias, producer Chris Hughes and engineer David Bascome, were able to stradle the line between pop sensibility and sonic experimentation. "Shout" and "...Rule the World" are anthemic, and catchy; neither of which seem to sacrifice the lyrical attitude present on "The Hurting". Roland really gets to flex his vocal capabilities across this album, but "The Working Hour" and "I Believe" are the standouts. The latter of the two were inspired by Soft Machine's Robert Wyatt. The progressive rock influence is also palpable. I believe in an interview, either Roland or Curt mentioned that the first time they had heard, I think, "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" that they were blown away that you could start a song with nearly 9 minutes of instrumentals before the vocals came in. I think that appreciation of sound, atmosphere and mood really shows on a lot of these tracks; particularly on the closing track, "Listen". "Listen" happens to be my favorite track on the record. There's something purely magical about it. Every time that booming motif repeats, I find myself trying to catch my breath again. For one that's on the surface so simple, it's a song I constantly find myself lost in, and one that effortlessly carries me away to another world and drops me back to Earth with that final boom that caps off the album. I mentioned earlier that I struggled to cope with "The Hurting" also being a 10/10 perfect album, because-- how could it possibly live up to this one? There's a reason that borderline unfair criteria wormed its way into my brain: Songs from the Big Chair IS a perfect album.

★★★★★

Ryuichi Sakamoto - 12 (2023)

"Extremely sobering"

I consider Ryuichi Sakamoto one of the most important people in music (to me). His work spans four decades and countless genres; from his work with Yellow Magic Orchestra, to his film score compositions, to his ambient piano and sound collages. His desire to seek an understanding of the human condition by means of music and sound is something I deeply admire. In 2014, Sakamoto announced he was undergoing treatment for cancer. Throughout his treatment and recovery, he would go on to produce 2017's "async", which Sakamoto thought would be his final album given the state of his health at the time. Mortality is a running theme throughout "async", and it is clear that Ryuichi was using the album as a way to communicate his thoughts and feelings. "12" is very much in the same vein; in early 2022, Sakamoto announced that his cancer had reached Stage 4. "12" presents itself as a sonic diary of Sakamoto's during the months following this announcement. Many of the tracks consist of ambient piano pieces; Ryuichi's strained breathing can be heard throughout these performances. Perhaps it's because I listened to "async" years after it had released (and Sakamoto's treatment had left him in better health), but while "12" largely deals with the same themes, it feels differen't this time. Part of me thinks it's almost voyeuristic to be experiencing something that feels so intimate, but this is him doing what he wants to do with what time he has left. You can hear his weakness in his strained breaths, but you can also hear his strength with each performance. His will to keep making music for as long as he can is extremely touching and also extremely sobering. This album affected me in a way I was not prepared for. It is never a comfortable thing for someone to hear their heroes confront their own mortality, but there is also a beautiful bittersweetness. It's an inspiring celebration of the medatative powers of music. Stay strong, Maestro.