Songs From the Big Chair

everybody might want to rule the world but the rest of this album definitely stinks.

So mich of this list is dedicated to exploring every facet of post-punk and new wave and, as much as I don’t want to, that means covering synth-pop New Wave. It’s hard to do that without Tears For Fears. (Obviously) I came into this expecting to [intensely dislike] this record for being total cornball music. Oops.

This record is surprisingly eclectic and dips into jazz and ‘world’ music m much more than I could have guessed it would. Maybe I shouldn’t be completely shocked by the jazz - I’ve already reviewed Cafe Bleu by the Style Council, and I know my dad has a sizable collection of jazz records from the 80s - jazz seems to have been very much in the zeitgeist. To be clear, it still has cheeseball synth-pop moments. I expected most of the record to sound like “Everybody Wants To Rule The World”, or “Head Over Heels”, but that sound is actually kind of an outlier.

I expected to suffer through this record so I could say I heard it, and then move on. But I don’t think I got everything in that first pass and need another listen.

I remember “Shout” being darker? This morning I’m struck by the much more whimsical synth work than I’ve ever registered before. And a pretty decent guitar solo. But six and a half minutes?
“Broken” and “Listen” also have bigger, rock-adjacent, guitar solos than I would ever have guessed.
“The Working Hour” throws all that jazz and world music at you early. I’m a sucker for gratuitous saxophone work, so that long intro really perked me up.

My mum said she bought this album when it came out so I had to give it a 5. Love you mum 😊 (It's an excellent album as well)

I'm familiar with the hits from this album, but I've never sat down to listen to it start-to-finish.

This by no means bad, but there aren't hidden gems. The hits are great, the other songs are okay. That being said, I think I'll add this album to my library based on the strength of the hits.

'You shouldn't have to jump for joy'; 'Find out, find out / What this fear is about'; 'We can, we can work it out.' Unjustifiably repetitious, Songs From The Big Chair is dark but soft, emotional but small, & not as good as other eighties releases that do more w/ similar stocks of sounds & rhythms, e.g., The Blue Nile. I'm not even sure we can count this as sincere, which would be its saving grace, since the lyrics are mostly uninspired & uninspiring, the saxophonic moments are sterile, & Orzabal bitches faintly, especially when he's louder than he ought to be. This is indeed a record that has one great song, the ubiquitous 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World,' & another one that's at least notable, 'Head Over Heels.' The rest? Drabber than G Ford.

Very, very 80s. A 42 minute album that could be 24 minutes.

The hits are great. The rest of it is good.

Not too bad as far as 80’s pop goes.

This is a legendary album. I knew three of the songs already and loved the ones I didn't know. I was not prepared for Broken, but that is an excellent track. It flows perfectly with Head Over Heels. The whole album is an experience. I would gladly put this on again.

Classic

This is classic 80s … tight roll those acid-washed jeans, break out the aqua-net and let’s party. The highs are legendary and the rest is fairly typical, if not better than average, pop fair. It’s a living, breathing time capsule.

It's the sound of the 80s. An entire album of it is too much though. 2/5.

Shout: Love how the song starts and gets straight to the point. Honestly, I really like this song. The production really sold it for me. Sounds like I'm in a movie and running away from something or someone.

The Working Hour: Ooooh the sax coming in like that was amazinggg. However, not really a song that I want to listen to all the time. Not bad, just not for me fr.

Everybody Wants To Rule The World: Always a pleasure listening to this song.

Mothers Talk: Not for me. Again, production is really good. Just not hitting my ears, musically. Love the breakdown for the last minute though.

I Believe: Love a good slow jam.

Broken: Nice, short, exciting. Also, the seamless transition Head Over Heels *chef's kiss*

Head Over Heels: Always a pleasure listening to this as well.

Listen: An interesting outro

Overall: 7.8/10 very solid album. Enjoyed listening to every song!

It's a fantastic album with incredible production and arrangement. It emerged like a rocket from the sea of new wave at the time and still persists. Not perfect but a damn good album.

Дуже люблю цей гурт, тут легко 4.5

This contains many of those typical 80's sounds (synthy and jazzy with drum machines), and I got the vibe of that era's sitcoms and movies as I was listening. But I could also hear dark undertones, which I particularly like in music. "Listen" was an interesting atmospheric tune I enjoyed at the end of the album.

Everybody Wants to Rule the World carries this album so much.

This record just oozes 80's in all the best ways. Favorite track: Everybody Wants to Rule the World

so many bangers from one album wow!! so so 80s. such a great time

Probably could have been recorded at no other time than the 80s. Production that glows, it's so highly polished. Linn drums and synth along with a male voice that's filled with emotion to the point of melodrama.

On the surface these are bangers. Shout is a magnificent opener and there are tracks that sound amazing - Head Over Heels and Everybody Wants to Rule the World in particular.

The problem is, once you get past the surface, they're not really a lot of fun.

Deadly serious young men talking about pop psychology and the troubles of the world. And as deadly serious young men do they expect to be taken seriously, without a whiff of irony or humour.

Best enjoyed as a sort of darker Human League and don't think about it too much.