Tears For Fears' first album. Best debut ever?

[max_tranmere]

Those of us who were teenagers in the 1980's will be familiar with "The Hurting", the debut album from Tears For Fears. It was released in 1982 and is one of my favourite albums ever, and I think one of the best debuts ever. The singles from it: "Pale Shelter", "Change", and "Mad World" I still regard as classics - especially "Pale Shelter" which is still one of my all time favorite songs, even 26 years after I first heard it. Who else remembers this album, and what are your thoughts on it? (I am posting this as it has come back into my mind after I just listened to a few of the early tracks on "YouTube").

[colonel]

Lets make it easy for you, Keith.

NOTHING BEATS THE ZEPPELIN.

Got that, mate?

That is all.

[dynatech]

They were indeed pretty good to begin, shame they went on to sum up the worst 80's excess with their bombastic later offerings. Roland Orzabal went too big with everything - production, lofty ideas, bouffant hair & ego.
Change is a forgotten classic

[Jonone]

Couple of anecdotes about that third (?) album. Julian Cope has talked of using the same studios and recording an album in the time it took TFF to put their basslines down.

Secondly, Peter Hook was a judge at one of these 'battle-of-the-bands' events with Roland O. A Guy Called Gerald's 'Voodoo Ray' was making waves and it came over the PA. Roland O was mad for it, thought it was brilliant, and wanted to know who it was. TFF had spent millions recording their album and Hooky broke the news that Voodoo Ray was '.. recorded in his bedroom'.

TFF pass muster though. If you hear things like 'Woman In Chains' it still stands up.

[Floydoid]

I'll go along with that, debut albums don't get much finer than Zep's 1st effort.

[Nob3y]

I dont like led zepplin that much

[max_tranmere]

I agree that TFF third's album (Seeds Of Love) was one of the most drawn-out, long winded, and expensive recording processes ever. Apparantly the whole thing was recorded, then scrapped, the recorded again. I like the rawness of an album that is recorded not quickly, but over not too long a period either. TFF's second album (Big Chair) was very commercial and lacked the punch of the first one. The Hurting has a real honesty to it, lyrics people can relate to, and at the time a freshness and a real 'of the moment' vibe to it (a bit like how people would have felt when listening to Oasis's first album in 1994 - it really had something). TFF even continued to do a fourth album, but Curt had left by then so the 'band' was basically Roland - and loads of backers. I heard they reformed and I think have done another album together, but nothing they ever did after The Hurting was anywhere near as good as that was. Go to YouTube and listen to "Pale Shelter". Absolutely superb!!

[colonel]

Jonone wrote:

> Secondly, Peter Hook was a judge at one of these
> 'battle-of-the-bands' events with Roland O. A Guy Called
> Gerald's 'Voodoo Ray' was making waves and it came over the PA.

Beth Gibbons was lead vox on that, I think.

[JonnyHungwell]

Only heard 'Songs from the Big Chair' - was good in the 80's, but sadly dated now.

[max_tranmere]

Thinking back there were actually a couple of good tracks on their second album Songs From The Big Chair. 'Mothers Talk' and 'Shout' are two that spring to mind.