Now Playing:

[FortonServices]

Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest.

Wow, forgot how beautiful this record was. I got totally obsessed with the production of Deerhunter's albums a few years ago. But then seem to have totally forgotten about them. It's been a pleasant rediscovery.

[jcnporter]

Just finished that one, on to Talk Talk's Spirit of Eden because why not.

So happy to see so much love for Talk Talk on Twoism! Perhaps the greatest band of all time? Hard to say...

I'm curious--for a long time I'd personally overlooked 'The Colour of Spring'; it was only a few weeks ago that I realized its got its fair share of genius tracks. What do you think of it? 'Time It's Time' might very well be their best album closer of all time--such an uplifting piece of existentialism expressed in the arrangement and lyrics. Curious what you might think of it.

Spirit of Eden is my all time favourite album. They really hit their stride with 'The Colour of Spring', I think. Some of their earlier songs stand up really well - Such a Shame, It's my Life are as good as any 80s pop, but 'Colour' is their first that I'll listen to from start to finish. I really hate the phrase, but it's a 'mature pop' album, I guess, really listenable but you can hear that they're starting to stretch themselves. Apparently they knocked out 'Life's what you make it' when the record company wanted to hear more singles on the album - genius - it still sounds like nothing else.
It's Getting Late in the Evening is a B-side was recorded around the time of 'Colour', I believe, and you can hear them moving into 'Spirit of Eden' territory. 'John Cope' and 'For What it's Worth' are other B sides worth listening to.
That they moved from fairly standard 80s synth pop to making a couple of the greatest albums of all time in less than a decade is simply staggering to me. I rate integrity pretty highly as a characteristic, so the fact that they effectively sacrificed their potential commercial success to make great art (and gave up touring to watch their kids grow up) is another plus - I see a lot of parallels with BOC's reclusiveness and anti-commercialism - I can't think of many other bands that would choose that career trajectory.
It also appears that they were pretty good live, I'm in awe of this performance in particular (with Mark Hollis sporting a look more 90s than 80s - a man well ahead of his time. Ray Mears on keyboards as well... )

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[Aerial Boundaries]

Just got into The Spirit of Eden because of this thread. I can totally see how they influenced stars of the lid. The guitar flourish on the first track is as beautiful as any sotl have accomplished.

I listened to the album on a long train ride and it struck me how melancholic it is, and how they make great use of space in a 20 minute track.

[jcnporter]

Even after nearly two decades of listening to it, I hear something new every time. There's joy, regret, anger in there along with the melancholy.
I bought a second copy of it to lend to friends and anyone else I think might appreciate it, but it's definitely a listen that needs commitment, so no real takers so far.
You should definitely check out Laughing Stock as well, and Mark Hollis' solo album, and the couple of B-sides I mentioned, particularly John Cope.
Mark Hollis' interviews from Colour of Spring onward are a fascinating read/listen as well. I'm not obsessive about bands, but Talk Talk are as bad as I've got (much more so than BOC), in terms of listening/reading as much as I can about them. I even bought an original edition of this -

http://spiritoftalktalk.com

With a lovely padded cover, signed by James Marsh (who designed their beautiful surrealistic album covers), which has pride of place on my bookshelf. Only thing I can't get is a decent quality t-shirt.

[Aerial Boundaries]

Lightface Hogfish - Kitsch Hostess

[IanRedpoint]

So happy to see so much love for Talk Talk on Twoism! Perhaps the greatest band of all time? Hard to say...

I'm curious--for a long time I'd personally overlooked 'The Colour of Spring'; it was only a few weeks ago that I realized its got its fair share of genius tracks. What do you think of it? 'Time It's Time' might very well be their best album closer of all time--such an uplifting piece of existentialism expressed in the arrangement and lyrics. Curious what you might think of it.

I bought 'The Colour of Spring' when it first came out and it was such a revelation. It opened me up to so much more appreciation of sound, particularly in a pop record. It's hard to pick out favourites... always loved the ambience of 'April 5th' or the swelling momentum of 'Happiness is Easy', the way 'Chameleon Day' leads into 'Time It's Time'. Absolutely love his voice on this record. I don't know if I'd have been able to grasp 'Spirit of Eden' without it.

I can't remember who I was talking to about how 1988 is the most astounding year in music. 'Spirit of Eden' is a big part of that (along with Surfer Rosa, Daydream Nation, 69, Isn't Anything, Blue Bell Knoll, House Tornado, Bug, California, It Takes A Nation of Millions...).

https://archivedmusicpress.wordpress.co ... year-1988/

At the time, other than Melody Maker writers, it felt like it was pretty much only myself and my best friend Jonathan that were into 'Spirit of Eden'. Nobody knew what to make of it - only 6 tracks and no obvious single! What surprises me is how much I still love these records. I've never grown tired of them and always fall under their spell as soon as I hear them.

[Dandegyrecorder]

Atlantis - The Lost Island.

https://futuresequence.bandcamp.com/alb ... ost-island

Very wavey ambient stuff, BoC fans might like it

[Aerial Boundaries]

Pyramid Song - Radiohead

[adecentman]

Loving all of this Talk Talk love! It's so clear the extent to which they know how to resonate with people given the things I've seen written on this page--if I was still getting paid to use the internet at work I could be writing a short novel in response to all the great things y'all have pointed out!

...In lieu of that, here's the only albums that have been 'now playing' for me over the last 2 weeks of travel:

Talk Talk - The Colour of Spring
Talk Talk - Laughing Stock
The Incredible String Band - The 5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion
The Incredible String Band - The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter
[Misc. BoC albums]

Been a great couple weeks!

[jcnporter]

Loving all of this Talk Talk love! It's so clear the extent to which they know how to resonate with people given the things I've seen written on this page--if I was still getting paid to use the internet at work I could be writing a short novel in response to all the great things y'all have pointed out!

...In lieu of that, here's the only albums that have been 'now playing' for me over the last 2 weeks of travel:

Talk Talk - The Colour of Spring
Talk Talk - Laughing Stock
The Incredible String Band - The 5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion
The Incredible String Band - The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter
[Misc. BoC albums]

Been a great couple weeks!

Have you read 'Electric Eden' by Rob Young? Really good, traces a line from 60s and 70s folk to Talk Talk and Coil etc. There's a whole chapter on the Incredible String Band, if I remember rightly. You've reminded me I need to have a look at some of their stuff.

[jcnporter]

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[Aerial Boundaries]

Loving all of this Talk Talk love! It's so clear the extent to which they know how to resonate with people given the things I've seen written on this page--if I was still getting paid to use the internet at work I could be writing a short novel in response to all the great things y'all have pointed out!

...In lieu of that, here's the only albums that have been 'now playing' for me over the last 2 weeks of travel:

Talk Talk - The Colour of Spring
Talk Talk - Laughing Stock
The Incredible String Band - The 5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion
The Incredible String Band - The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter
[Misc. BoC albums]

Been a great couple weeks!

If you answer this riddle, if you answer this riddle - you'll never begin.

[adecentman]

Dear jcnporter,

You and I would really get along!! Just last week I watched the entirety of their '86 Montreux set--one of the greatest live recordings ever! Have you listened as much to Laughing Stock? Their musicianship by that point is so mindblowingly good!!

As far as the ISB are concerned, I'd say each of their albums are worth listening to about 100 or so times each. I'm listening to 'Swift As The Wind' from The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter as I type; Mike Heron bears his very soul! That being said my favorite album by them is their double album, Wee Tam & The Big Huge. A contender for my favorite album of all time!! So many incredible songs.

Dear Ariel,
Keooeaddi There is definitely a rad song, but you should totally go deeper! The track that made me fall in love with them was 'Ducks On A Pond', but those lifechanger tracks are probably different for everyone... Keooeaddi was in fact looping in my mind earlier on the trail though n_n

But yea, I was surprised at the Dorset meetup when no one I met seemed to listen to the ISB that much--get with it folks!!


As I was sitting on the bus earlier:

"BoC // Talk Talk // ISB
:
Mind // Body // Soul"
-Mikey Holmes, 2015

[noisy]

Haha you guys got me in the mood, pulled out the cd for a listen.

Good to watch them as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3vWQY7k3zs

[jcnporter]

Dear jcnporter,

You and I would really get along!! Just last week I watched the entirety of their '86 Montreux set--one of the greatest live recordings ever! Have you listened as much to Laughing Stock? Their musicianship by that point is so mindblowingly good!!

I need to buy that on DVD, actually, youtube and my laptop speakers probably aren't doing it justice. Mark Hollis' performance is just incredible, I remember reading that one of the reasons he gave up touring was the effort needed to perform every night - you can see how much he put into it. Their earlier songs in particular sound so much more powerful in comparison to the album versions - that version of Such a Shame in particular blows me away - the keyboards sound huge, the way Mark Hollis comes straight in with the chorus, it's just class.
To be honest, I haven't given Laughing Stock as much of a chance as Sprit of Eden over the years - I think either album is best listened to as a whole and I just tend to reach for Spirit of Eden first, although having said that, New Grass probably just edges it over Inheritance for my favourite song on the two albums.

[adecentman]

Yup, New Grass is really where they ascend isn't it? After The Flood and New Grass have almost convinced me by this point that everyone should give up on recording and move onto other forms of expression, hehe. Every single second contains its own little brilliant performance; certainly music at one of its many beautiful peaks.

[The Telepathic Kid]

talk talk are great, I've only recently been getting into Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock.
I think I'm enjoying the watery dirge of Laughing Stock more, it's darker, weirder, and more willing to just destroy all conventions of music.

personally right now, I'm listening to some fellow Australians be funky and fun;

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[portiss]

I can't seem to forget about the I forgot where we were album by Ben Howard. I dislike all his other work, but this is such a cohesive piece of darkness. Love it.

[Ashtray Wasp]

deadmau5 - Bored of Canada

I'm trying to guess qhat the song in the background is, sounds like something from TCH

[Aerial Boundaries]

Brightblack Morning Light - Self-titled