Another great video Darren, I could immediately tell from the font and screen colour what your choice would be as The Hurting was one of my absolute favourites from my youth, I was completely obsessed with it (so much so that I even went and bought a single by Curt & Roland's old ska band Graduate. I wouldn't recommend it!). I'm very sorry to hear that you had a hard time at school, whilst I wasn't subject to the kind of behaviour you had to endure, I was beginning to realise things about myself that made me feel quite alone, confused and misunderstood, so I too clung on to this album for dear life; it felt like someone understood, and made me feel a bit better.
Yeah, that very spare cover art and the distinctive font make it a tricky one to camouflage! I loved them up until Big Chair, but drifted off circa Seeds Of Love. I think they were far better when they had a strong idea or concept to work from...all the later stuff just got very polished and "adult", and didn't feel as involving to me. I should probably check out "Tipping Point" though, as that's meant to be more of a return to "classic" TFF territory, and Roland had a lot to work through following the death of his wife. The bullying started in primary and spilled over into comprehensive. I withdrew a lot, lost myself in books, music, films...that sort of thing. Escape, basically. A pretty solitary time, not terribly happy, but this series is giving me an opportunity to revisit some stuff I haven't listened to, or considered, for a very long time. I'm very grateful for that, and it's probably long overdue. Cheers, D
This is the first year I really remember (as a 9yr old) - I have recollections of Haircut 100, but Nik Kershaw and Howard Jones were staples of my early musical independence. I always overlook The Hurting because Songs from the Big Chair (and Shout!) looms so large in my memory, but it has the better songs. Great call.
Really liked Tears for Fears, but never quite got around to listening to this album in full…but would have been familiar with the singles off it at the time it came out out ( Pale Shelter, Change, Mad World etc). Loved their early sound…it really typifies what was great in pop music in the early ‘80’s. I was 11 too this year. Think I was prob listening to the likes of the Style Council this year, as i moved on from my Two Tone, The Jam phase…and of course there was the incessant din of ABBA in the house, which in later years I came appreciated. Especially when Lush did a cover of Hey Hey Helen!😀 loving the series. Keep them coming. 👍
The Hurting is much better than the overblown Songs from the Big Chair. I'd be happy if I never heard Everybody Wants to Rule (or even worse Run!) the World ever again! Then they went all Beatlesy... Anyway, I'd add Hootenanny by The Replacements, Porcupine by The Bunnymen, Swordfishtrombone by Tom Waits and Script of the Bridge by The Chameleons to the excellent albums you've mentioned. I'm glad music helped you through a difficult time, it definitely helped me when I was going through similar experiences.
Cheers! "Hootenany" is a good one, definitely...probably reach for it at least as often as I do "Tim" or "Let It Be". And yes, music's always been a great comfort through tough times for me. There are one or two things I have lined up over the next 3 or 4 episodes that definitely fit into that category...and one that might cause the odd eyebrow-raise. A bit out of character, maybe! D
Yes! The Hurting has stood the test of 40 years. It’s like choosing between your children, but Songs from the Big Chair just edges it for me. Good call out for The The… again Mind Bomb wins for me. And one you didn’t mention… the Album that first introduced me to them and also (mostly) stands up after 40 years… War from U2.
I like 'em both a lot more than the even-more-polished stuff that followed...Seeds Of Love, etc. Plus, thematically they're still very much a pair, both albums (mostly) focused on therapy and dealing with mental/emotional baggage. "Mind Bomb" is a good one, but I never bonded with "Dusk" at all. Will have to revisit them both at some point. No spoilers, but I think it would be very difficult for anyone growing up in the '80s, listening to stuff on the fringes of the charts, to not have something to say about U2. I'll leave it at that! Cheers, D
Thanks for sharing your favourite once again! Must've seen the videos for Shout / Everybody Wants to Rule the World back in the day but really the first Tears for Fears album that I was aware of came a bit later: 1989's the Seeds of Love. A bit of an overcooked album but I really liked the singles. Murmur is possibly still my favourite REM album. Strange Pavement don't even mention it in their tribute song... 🤪 Can't recall too clearly what terrible music I was into at 8 but the record I pulled out to "celebrate" 1983 was the Chameleons debut album Script of the Bridge. This one was originally recommended to me by a devout christian, oh the irony! Maybe he wasn't into lyrics. To me this is an album that really does sound like that hyperbolic sounding description "it's almost like a greatest hits". Not that they ever had any REAL hits though.
Thanks. Yes, "Murmur" has an atmosphere all of it's own really...the only other REM that comes close (to me) in that respect is "Fables", which I've always had a huge soft spot for. D
@@discellany Maybe I have that with Murmur! It's funny how among REM fans their favourite and not-so-favourite album can be pretty divergent. There are definitely those who champion Up. Maybe has something to to with when you discovered them and/or how they progressed while you were a fan.
And...you're correct, of course! I've been keeping all these shortlisted albums in a txt file and this one got miscopied into the wrong row! Cheers for picking me up on that one. D
I was never going to buy one of their records...but I'd always listen when they came on the radio.
Such a good series. Thank you for doing this and putting so much heart and thought into it.
Another great video Darren, I could immediately tell from the font and screen colour what your choice would be as The Hurting was one of my absolute favourites from my youth, I was completely obsessed with it (so much so that I even went and bought a single by Curt & Roland's old ska band Graduate. I wouldn't recommend it!).
I'm very sorry to hear that you had a hard time at school, whilst I wasn't subject to the kind of behaviour you had to endure, I was beginning to realise things about myself that made me feel quite alone, confused and misunderstood, so I too clung on to this album for dear life; it felt like someone understood, and made me feel a bit better.
Yeah, that very spare cover art and the distinctive font make it a tricky one to camouflage! I loved them up until Big Chair, but drifted off circa Seeds Of Love. I think they were far better when they had a strong idea or concept to work from...all the later stuff just got very polished and "adult", and didn't feel as involving to me. I should probably check out "Tipping Point" though, as that's meant to be more of a return to "classic" TFF territory, and Roland had a lot to work through following the death of his wife.
The bullying started in primary and spilled over into comprehensive. I withdrew a lot, lost myself in books, music, films...that sort of thing. Escape, basically. A pretty solitary time, not terribly happy, but this series is giving me an opportunity to revisit some stuff I haven't listened to, or considered, for a very long time. I'm very grateful for that, and it's probably long overdue. Cheers, D
What a great year, and a great choice of album. Absolute classic record that doesn’t age
This is the first year I really remember (as a 9yr old) - I have recollections of Haircut 100, but Nik Kershaw and Howard Jones were staples of my early musical independence. I always overlook The Hurting because Songs from the Big Chair (and Shout!) looms so large in my memory, but it has the better songs. Great call.
Really liked Tears for Fears, but never quite got around to listening to this album in full…but would have been familiar with the singles off it at the time it came out out ( Pale Shelter, Change, Mad World etc). Loved their early sound…it really typifies what was great in pop music in the early ‘80’s. I was 11 too this year. Think I was prob listening to the likes of the Style Council this year, as i moved on from my Two Tone, The Jam phase…and of course there was the incessant din of ABBA in the house, which in later years I came appreciated. Especially when Lush did a cover of Hey Hey Helen!😀 loving the series. Keep them coming. 👍
The Hurting is much better than the overblown Songs from the Big Chair. I'd be happy if I never heard Everybody Wants to Rule (or even worse Run!) the World ever again! Then they went all Beatlesy... Anyway, I'd add Hootenanny by The Replacements, Porcupine by The Bunnymen, Swordfishtrombone by Tom Waits and Script of the Bridge by The Chameleons to the excellent albums you've mentioned. I'm glad music helped you through a difficult time, it definitely helped me when I was going through similar experiences.
Cheers! "Hootenany" is a good one, definitely...probably reach for it at least as often as I do "Tim" or "Let It Be". And yes, music's always been a great comfort through tough times for me. There are one or two things I have lined up over the next 3 or 4 episodes that definitely fit into that category...and one that might cause the odd eyebrow-raise. A bit out of character, maybe! D
Yes! The Hurting has stood the test of 40 years. It’s like choosing between your children, but Songs from the Big Chair just edges it for me.
Good call out for The The… again Mind Bomb wins for me.
And one you didn’t mention… the Album that first introduced me to them and also (mostly) stands up after 40 years… War from U2.
I like 'em both a lot more than the even-more-polished stuff that followed...Seeds Of Love, etc. Plus, thematically they're still very much a pair, both albums (mostly) focused on therapy and dealing with mental/emotional baggage.
"Mind Bomb" is a good one, but I never bonded with "Dusk" at all. Will have to revisit them both at some point.
No spoilers, but I think it would be very difficult for anyone growing up in the '80s, listening to stuff on the fringes of the charts, to not have something to say about U2. I'll leave it at that! Cheers, D
😀
Thanks for sharing your favourite once again! Must've seen the videos for Shout / Everybody Wants to Rule the World back in the day but really the first Tears for Fears album that I was aware of came a bit later: 1989's the Seeds of Love. A bit of an overcooked album but I really liked the singles.
Murmur is possibly still my favourite REM album. Strange Pavement don't even mention it in their tribute song... 🤪
Can't recall too clearly what terrible music I was into at 8 but the record I pulled out to "celebrate" 1983 was the Chameleons debut album Script of the Bridge. This one was originally recommended to me by a devout christian, oh the irony! Maybe he wasn't into lyrics. To me this is an album that really does sound like that hyperbolic sounding description "it's almost like a greatest hits". Not that they ever had any REAL hits though.
Thanks. Yes, "Murmur" has an atmosphere all of it's own really...the only other REM that comes close (to me) in that respect is "Fables", which I've always had a huge soft spot for. D
@@discellany Maybe I have that with Murmur! It's funny how among REM fans their favourite and not-so-favourite album can be pretty divergent. There are definitely those who champion Up. Maybe has something to to with when you discovered them and/or how they progressed while you were a fan.
Nice job with this vid. You're a year early on Zen Arcade -- it came out on the same week as 'Double Nickels' in 1984.
And...you're correct, of course! I've been keeping all these shortlisted albums in a txt file and this one got miscopied into the wrong row! Cheers for picking me up on that one. D
@@discellany A little early prep for next week's episode :)
Tears for fears have some great songs, never been a massive fan of the production though