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Review Summary: It’s a very, very mad world. It’s a very, very mad world indeed if you’re peering through the bleak glasses of Tears For Fears front men, Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith. Writing from the puppet hands of the memories of an unorthodox childhood and a strong predilection for psychological theories (namely, Arthur Janov’s 'Primal Scream' theory, from which the band’s name is derived); the Bath lads swiftly became a left-field hit with their emotionally charged, stripped down synthpop/alternative rock hybrid formula finding chart success in their native UK. 'The Hurting', as an album, demonstrates the bands trademark sound well - a minimal approach to the musical side of things, backed by strong song writing and touching vocal work from both Orzabal and Smith, with simple, sparse guitar chords flashing in periodically, complementing the bouncy, background keyboard lines and steady bass and drum work.
It’s strikingly ambitious for a debut album, but to cut a long story short, the ten tracks on 'The Hurting' are nothing less than an enduring, resounding success. After the trudging yet sharp opener ('Hurting'), classics begin seeping in, with the heterogeneous 'Mad World' boasting danceable beats and catchy synth effects, peculiarly nestled aside contrastingly gloomy lyrics and a sombre, synthetic atmosphere. It shouldn’t have worked but it most definitely did, providing the band with a #3 UK hit. 'Mad World' isn’t actually a good summation of the overall sound of 'The Hurting', as the album is dominated by minimalist alternative rock, backed by subtle electronic textures, not downright synthpop tunes like the aforementioned track. The rapid acoustic guitar chords of the fantastic 'Pale Shelter' are more defining of the album’s sound as a whole. In fact, the song itself is a good example of the overall, consistent quality of 'The Hurting', with infectious pop hooks, well executed vocals and glowing synths melding into one, perfect cocktail. 'Ideas As Opiates' is just as effective, slowing down the tempo a touch with a simple drum beat, sparse piano drones and wailing sax screams, for Orzabal’s rising, almost tear-ridden vocals to be pushed to the forefront, receiving the attention they deserve. There’s a platter of other brilliant tracks such as the sorrowful 'Memories Fade', and the catchy 'Change' being as equally worthy a listen as the big numbers like 'Mad World'.
On 'The Hurting', Tears For Fears accomplished a great deal. They established the sound and style they’d become known for in a quality and manner that suggests they’d had been around for years, as well as showing the world they were a more ambitious pop band than most, with the primal scream theory inclinations and assured takes on grim subject matters being impressively risky focal points for a new band to tackle. Fortunately for 'Tears', it all worked out, and 'The Hurting' rose to the #1 spot in the UK album charts back in 1983 when it was released. To conclude, 'The Hurting' is an ambitious debut album executed to a near flawless standard, and the genuine emotion, minimalist pop hooks and superb vocals stand the test of time more than most artists of this era could ever hope for.
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outline (5)
The Hurting is filled to the brim with cliches, and is somehow all the better for it....
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Album Rating: 4.0
Album's great and Mad World is awesome (better than Gary Jule's version, don't you people start this argument)
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Mad World owns
| | | Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off
Yotimi - I agree about Mad World - i prefer this version too. Tears did write the song after all, so they deserve more credit.
BigHans - Ditto : ) Pale Shelter and Ideas As Opiates are excellent too.
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ALBUM ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLZ
| | | Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off
bloc - So you like it then? lol
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Even I like TFF
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Yes indeed Tom. Although I prefer Songs From The Big Chair a bit more. What do you think?
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Mad World was so good, it kind of eclipsed other songs on this album. 'Change' is great
| | | Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off
bloc - Hmm, can't really say, haven't listened to Big Chair in TIME. Both are great, tho.
Kaleid - My fave off this is prob Pale Shelter, love Change and Mad World too, though. Im quite fond of Ideas as Opiates, too.
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Good album, good review. I'm equal on the Mad World debate, TFF version is great, the Gary Jules one seems to fit more lyrically though
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The Gary Jules one sucks
| | | Album Rating: 5.0
Are you and I listening to the same album? The Hurting isn't 'minimal' at all. It's full of big 80s production (but not as much as their subsequent albums), and musically a lot of it is very complex and obtuse as far as pop goes.
And if there's one song that defines the album, it's likely not Pale Shelter. It's one of 2 songs with an acoustic guitar part, and it has a bassline that looks back to 70s disco. In fact, you're selling Mad World short. Most songs here have synth parts, and like Mad World these synth parts aren't used melodically but atmospherically and harmonically.
That said, it's an album with a decent variety of sounds and techniques, but the big unifying things of the album are the production and the expert, emotive songwriting.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off
WhiteWallStargazers - Thanks.
Fluorine - MUSIC IS SUBJECTIVE.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Good review, TFF are great for a new wave act. They ruled the radio in my college days.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off
Cheers, Jethro42, appriciate it.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Why does that piano riff in Start of the Breakdown remind me of Kanye's Coldest Winter? And why can I picture Palumbo singing it
| | | Album Rating: 5.0
80's ruled hard..
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
I'm torn between this and Songs From the Big Chair as TFF's best album.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Change is monumental
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