Album Reviews: Tears For Fears, The Left Banke, Lannie Flowers

Early 2022 has seen the release of a myriad of fantastic new albums, including essential titles featuring Tears For Fears, the Left Banke and Lannie Flowers.

An exclusive edition of Tears For Fear's new album "The Tipping Point" is available on audio CD and vinyl via Target stores or on the company's website HERE.

Artist: Tears For Fears

Title: The Tipping Point (Concord Records)

You might like if you enjoy: Tears For Fears, The Beatles, Jason Falkner, Pugwash

Tell me more: The high-profile return of Tears For Fears courtesy of the duo's highly-anticipated The Tipping Point is definitely worth celebrating. The new masterwork —  the first new album from Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith in more than 17 years —  equals the ambition, sonic craft and artistic mastery of past classics like The Hurting (1983), Songs From The Big Chair (1985), The Seeds of Love (1989) and Everybody Loves a Happy Ending (2004). The album is filled with stellar cuts; the title track "The Tipping Point" is a deeply affecting song chronicling the feeling of helplessness of watching someone you love lose their battle with disease. Another favorite is  the shimmering "Break The Man," which is a call for more equality between men and women. The beautiful and evocative "Rivers Of Mercy," grief-filled "Please Be Happy," swirling "Master Plan" (a yearning to understand God), the triumphant rocker "End of Night" and luxurious "Let It All Evolve" (the latter a bonus track available via a Target exclusive edition) are among the other treasures on the must--hear disc. Few artists have been able to mine Beatlesque soundscapes like Tears For Fears while charting their own inventive course. Information: tearsforfears.com. 

Artist: The Left Banke

Title: Strangers on a Train (Omnivore Recordings)

You might like if you enjoy: The Zombies, The Hollies, Badfinger

Tell me more: Best known for their hit singles "Walk Away Renee" and "Pretty Ballerina," the Left Banke's story extended beyond those '60s radio favorites as evidenced on a newly-released expanded edition of the troupe's third and final album Strangers on a Train. The new remastered collection rightfully celebrates the New York-spawned baroque pop group's final recordings gathered together on an essential disc of 16 outstanding cuts. Originally featuring the talents of songwriter/keyboardist Michael Brown, lead singer Steve Martin Caro, bassist/vocalist Tom Finn and drummer/singer George Cameron, the Left Banke recorded two LPs in the late 1960s (Walk Away Renée/Pretty Ballerina and The Left Banke Too) before breaking up in 1969. However, the world was reintroduced to the Left Banke via Strangers on a Train issued in 1986; that album was actually a collection recorded in 1978 by Caro, Finn and Cameron. The final chapter came in 2001 when Brown invited Caro to lay down vocals on demos for a hoped-for Left Banke reunion —  six of those songs complete the new Omnivore Recordings title. The enticing title track, melodic "Heartbreaker," Beatlesque "Hold On Tight" and wistful "Yesterday's Love" are among the strong early selections on the set. The chamber pop gem "And One Day," gorgeous "I Can Fly," harmonies-filled "Only My Opinion" and funk-meets-disco "Queen of Paradise" along with previously-unheard bonus tracks (notably the lovely "Airborne," confessional "I Don't Know" and gorgeous "Until The End") help keep the momentum soaring high. Information: OmnivoreRecordings.com.  

Artist: Lannie Flowers

Title: Flavor of the Month (SpyderPop Records)

You might like if you enjoy: Fountains of Wayne, Badfinger, Jellyfish, Jason Falkner, Dada

Tell me more: Texas-based singer-songwriter-guitarist Lannie Flowers is back with a marvelous new album Flavor of the Month. A compilation of his "March To Home" singles series issued in 2019, the 14-track album is an essential addition for fans of Flowers' trio of concept albums that loosely chronicle his life from teenager to touring rock and roller to settling down at home (2008's Same Old Story, 2010's Circles and 2021's Home) as well as anyone who loves great power pop. Flowers' songs are original, smart and performed with a master's touch —  his signature sound a perfect blend of melody, shining songcraft and emotional heft. Additionally, it doesn't hurt that Flowers is a top-tier lead vocalist. The newly-remixed tracks on Flavor of the Month delight at every turn. The yearning rocker "Don't Make Me Wait," psychedelic-tinged "Lost in a Daydream," exuberant "Doin' Fine," romantic ballad "About You," tuneful "Day Glow All Night" and power pop nugget "Where Did All The Fun Go?" are among my faves on the disc. Listen to the flamenco touches on "Let It Go," fusion of harmonies and guitar crunch on the title track, and lavishly-layered "What Did I Know" and "Summer Blue" to further discover the myriad of wide-ranging talents displayed by Flowers. Information: spyderpop.com or https://bigstirrecords.com/lannie-flowers-spyderpop-records.

Robert Kinsler

Tears For Fears release new single “Break The Man”

Tears For Fears have just released their wonderful new single "Break The Man." Learn more!...Robert Kinsler

TEARS FOR FEARS RELEASE NEW SINGLE 

“BREAK THE MAN”

LISTEN HERE

FIRST NEW ALBUM IN 17 YEARS 

THE TIPPING POINT 

ARRIVING FEBRUARY 25TH, 2022 VIA CONCORD RECORDS

THE TIPPING POINT WORLD TOUR BEGINS MAY 2022

January 13th, 2021 - Today, iconic British duo Tears For Fears have released “Break The Man,” the third single off their highly anticipated first studio album in seventeen years, THE TIPPING POINT, arriving February 25th, 2022 via Concord Records. Co-written by Curt Smith and Charlton Pettus, and co-produced by Curt, Roland, and Charlton the band has crafted an empowering yet groovy track, with the overarching message being to break the patriarchy.  Of the song Curt says, “‘Break The Man’ is about a strong woman, and breaking the patriarchy. I feel that a lot of the problems we’ve been having as a country and even worldwide to a certain degree has come from male dominance. It’s a song about a woman who is strong enough to break the man. For me, that would be an answer to a lot of the problems in the world – a better male-female balance.” THE TIPPING POINT is one of 2022’s most anticipated albums according to Pitchfork, Vulture, Stereogum and many more. Listen to “Break The Man '' now HERE and pre-order THE TIPPING POINT now HERE. Also, starting today a limited edition cassette is available for pre-order only through the band’s exclusive web store and independent retail. Pre-order HERE. In October the pair released the first single & title track, “The Tipping Point," capturing the grief of watching someone you love lose their long-standing battle with disease. Their second single “No Small Thing” was a meeting of the minds as the pair went back to the drawing board and found the heart and soul that would complete the album. The accompanying video was made using solely found footage showing the conflict between individual freedoms and collective responsibility. The Tipping Point is the bold, beautiful and powerful sound of Tears For Fears finding themselves together, once again.   In November, the band also announced THE TIPPING POINT WORLD TOUR, with support from Garbage on the U.S. leg. Kicking off in Cincinnati, OH on May 20th, 2022, these dates will see the band performing in over twenty cities across North America before capping off with their last show in Wantagh, NY on June 25th, 2022. These dates will mark the band’s first U.S. tour since 2017. See below for a full list of dates, and for tickets and more information, visit the band's website HERE.    TEARS FOR FEARS - 2022 US TOUR DATES Friday, May 20, 2022 - Riverbend Music Center - Cincinnati, OH Saturday, May 21, 2022 - Blossom Music Center - Cleveland, OH Tuesday, May 24, 2022 - The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory - Dallas, TX Friday, May 27, 2022 - Ak-Chin Pavilion - Phoenix, AZ  Sunday, May 29, 2022 - Levitt Pavilion - Denver, CO Wednesday, June 01, 2022 - Concord Pavilion - Concord, CA Thursday, June 02, 2022 - Shoreline Amphitheatre - Mountain View, CA Saturday, June 04, 2022 - The Forum - Los Angeles, CA Sunday, June 05, 2022 - North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre - San Diego, CA Thursday, June 09, 2022 - iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre - West Palm Beach, FL Friday, June 10, 2022 - MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheater - Tampa, FL Sunday, June 12, 2022 - Ameris Bank Amphitheatre - Atlanta, GA Monday, June 13, 2022 - PNC Music Pavilion - Charlotte, NC  Wednesday, June 15, 2022 - DTE Energy Music Theatre - Detroit, MI Thursday, June 16, 2022 - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre - Chicago, IL Friday, June 17, 2022 - Ruoff Music Center - Indianapolis, IN Sunday, June 19, 2022 - Merriweather Post Pavilion - Columbia, MD Tuesday, June 21, 2022 – TD Pavilion at The Mann - Philadelphia, PA  Wednesday, June 22, 2022 - Leader Bank Pavilion - Boston, MA Friday, June 24, 2022 - P.N.C. Bank Arts Center - Holmdel, NJ Saturday, June 25, 2022 - Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater - Wantagh, NY   ABOUT TEARS FOR FEARS Tears For Fears - Roland Orzabal (vocals, guitar, keyboards) and Curt Smith (vocals, bass, keyboards) formed in Bath, England 1981. With 30 million albums sold worldwide, performing to countless sold-out audiences, and winning various awards, the band represent an inimitable intersection of pop palatability, clever and cognisant lyricism, guitar bombast, and new wave innovation. Their 1983 debut The Hurting yielded anthems such as “Mad World,” “Change,” and “Pale Shelter,” reaching RIAA Gold status in the United States. 1985’s Songs from the Big Chair became a watershed moment for the group and music at large. Boasting the signature BRIT Award-winning “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” “Shout,” “Head over Heels,” “Mothers Talk” and “I Believe (A Soulful Re-Recording),” it went quintuple-platinum and captured #1 on the Billboard Top 200. Slant dubbed it one of, “The Best Albums of the 1980s,” it was featured in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, and Consequence of Sound awarded it a rare A+ rating in a 20-year retrospective.1989’s Seeds of Love proved to be Orzabal and Smith’s last collaboration together until Everybody Loves A Happy Ending in 2004, which rekindled the creative fire between them. The band engaged in a three-year touring whirlwind across North America, Japan, South Korea, Manila, and South America beginning in 2010. 2013 saw them return with their first recorded music in a decade: a cover of Arcade Fire’s “Ready to Start.” The band returned once more in 2017 with the Rule The World best of collection which once more catapulted the band back to the upper echelon of the UK album charts. The duo’s DNA remains embedded within three generations of artists on both subtle and overt levels. Quietly casting a shadow over rock, hip-hop, electronic dance music, indie, and beyond, Kanye West interpolated “Memories Fade” on “The Coldest Winter” from the seminal 808s & Heartbreak, The Weeknd infused “Pale Shelter” into Starboy’s “Secrets,” David Guetta sampled “Change” for “Always,” and Drake utilized “Ideas as Opiates” as the foundation for “Lust For Life,” while Ally Brooke Hernandez, Adam Lambert, and Gary Jules recorded popular covers of “Mad World” and Disturbed took on “Shout,” and that’s only to name a few. Lorde cut a haunting cover of “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” for the Soundtrack of the blockbuster The Hunger Games – Catching Fire, which Tears For Fears gleefully would use as intro music live and thus bring everything full circle. In 2021 the band was honored with the Outstanding Song Collection Award at the Ivor Novello Awards.  Meanwhile, classic songs figure prominently everywhere from The Wire and Donnie Darko to Straight Outta Compton and Mr. Robot. Long before they became a cultural cornerstone Tears For Fears simply consisted of two school friends growing up in Bath, Somerset UK. With The Tipping Point and a comprehensive tour on the horizon Orzabal and Smith remain as loud as ever, while yet another generation gets ready to “Shout” with them all over again.

(Photo Credit: Frank Ockenfels)

Follow Tears For Fears: Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Spotify

Tears For Fears announce first new album in 17 Years, 'The Tipping Point'

The long-awaited next album from Tears For Fears is finally coming. Check out the luxurious new title track "The Tipping Point" and get details on the album set for release on Feb. 25, 2022...Robert Kinsler

TEARS FOR FEARS ANNOUNCE FIRST 

NEW ALBUM IN 17 YEARS 

THE TIPPING POINT 

ARRIVING FEBRUARY 25, 2022 VIA CONCORD RECORDS

SHARES NEW SINGLE AND VIDEO “THE TIPPING POINT” AVAILABLE NOW

 

LISTEN HERE

PRE-ORDER THE ALBUM HERE

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

October 7th, 2021 - Today the legendary duo Tears For Fears have announced the forthcoming release of their first new studio album in nearly two decades, THE TIPPING POINT. Arriving February 25th, 2022, via Concord Records, THE TIPPING POINT is a song cycle reflecting many of the personal and professional tipping points the pair -- AND THE WORLD -- have faced throughout the last seventeen years. Pre-order the album HERE.   Asked why make a new album now? Roland Orzabal says, “Before everything went so right with this album, everything first had to go wrong, it took years, but something happens when we put our heads together. We’ve got this balance, this push-me-pull-you thing – and it works really well.” Curt Smith agrees, “If that balance doesn’t work on a Tears For Fears album, the whole thing just doesn’t work. To put it in simple terms, a Tears For Fears record and what people perceive to be the sound of Tears For Fears – is the stuff we can both agree on.”   Despite their many hits and 30 million albums sold, the band started making this new record by committee with some of today’s hit songwriters at the behest of their previous management. Before long, this reluctant attempt at compromise failed. Orzabal explains, “Eventually, that pressure and tension divided us not just from our management, but from one another too”. The band switched to new management, who raved over the five tracks the band could both agree on. Orzabal continues, “Suddenly, for the first time in a long time, we felt like we had someone in our corner who understood what we were trying to do. We felt like we had somebody on our side. It was the first time in a long time that we decided - we have to do this.”   Joining Orzabal & Smith on the album is their longtime collaborator Charlton Pettus along with producers and songwriters Sacha Skarbek and Florian Reutter.   “When you’ve known each other as long as we have, and have worked together as long as we have, there’s a bond there that becomes familial. So, it’s different from a friendship,” Smith says. “And it’s different from a marriage. It’s literally like that’s your brother. It’s the kind of bond that you can’t really break. It can fall apart at times. You separate for periods, which I also think is healthy, really. But in the end, we always seem to find each other again.” Alongside this announcement they’ve also released their first single and the title track, “The Tipping Point.” Written by Orzabal and guitarist, writer and producer Charlton Pettus and co-produced by the band, Sacha Skarbek, and Florian Reutter, the explosive yet intimate track is filled to the brim with emotion. Inspired by a personal tipping point in Orzabal’s own life, this song captures the grief of watching someone you love lose their long-standing battle with disease. The accompanying visual, directed by the famed Matt Mahurin (Joni Mitchell, U2, Metallica), depicts the subtle and poetic portrait of imbalance. Watch the video HERE. Tears For Fears were one of the most iconic bands of the ‘80s, selling over 30 million albums worldwide with singles such as “Shout,” “Everybody Wants To Rule The World,” “Mad World,” “Sowing The Seeds Of Love,” and “Woman In Chains” acknowledged as classics.   The Tipping Point is the band’s first album since their reunion album Everybody Loves A Happy Ending in 2004. Since then, the band have toured extensively, including a sold-out UK arena tour and in 2017 released Rule The World, a best-of compilation that returned the band to upper reaches of the album charts once more. Earlier this month the band were honored with the Outstanding Song Collection Award at the 2021 Ivor Novello Awards. The Tipping Point is the bold, beautiful and powerful sound of Tears For Fears finding themselves together, once again. THE TIPPING POINT Tracklisting 1. No Small Thing 2. The Tipping Point  3. Long, Long, Long Time 4. Break The Man 5. My Demons 6. Rivers Of Mercy 7. Please Be Happy 8. Master Plan 9. End Of Night 10. Stay Additional Tracks On The Deluxe CD Edition 11. Let It All Evolve 12. Secret Location 13. Shame (Cry Heaven) ABOUT TEARS FOR FEARS Tears For Fears - Roland Orzabal (vocals, guitar, keyboards) and Curt Smith (vocals, bass, keyboards) formed in Bath, England 1981. With 30 million albums sold worldwide, performing to countless sold-out audiences, and winning various awards, the band represent an inimitable intersection of pop palatability, clever and cognisant lyricism, guitar bombast, and new wave innovation. Their 1983 debut The Hurting yielded anthems such as “Mad World,” “Change,” and “Pale Shelter,” reaching RIAA Gold status in the United States. 1985’s Songs from the Big Chair became a watershed moment for the group and music at large. Boasting the signature BRIT Award-winning “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” “Shout,” “Head over Heels,” “Mothers Talk” and “I Believe (A Soulful Re-Recording),” it went quintuple-platinum and captured #1 on the Billboard Top 200. Slant dubbed it one of, “The Best Albums of the 1980s,” it was featured in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, and Consequence of Sound awarded it a rare A+ rating in a 20-year retrospective.1989’s Seeds of Love proved to be Orzabal and Smith’s last collaboration together until Everybody Loves A Happy Ending in 2004, which rekindled the creative fire between them. The band engaged in a three-year touring whirlwind across North America, Japan, South Korea, Manila, and South America beginning in 2010. 2013 saw them return with their first recorded music in a decade: a cover of Arcade Fire’s “Ready to Start.” The band returned once more in 2017 with the Rule The World best of collection which once more catapulted the band back to the upper echelon of the UK album charts. The duo’s DNA remains embedded within three generations of artists on both subtle and overt levels. Quietly casting a shadow over rock, hip-hop, electronic dance music, indie, and beyond, Kanye West interpolated “Memories Fade” on “The Coldest Winter” from the seminal 808s & Heartbreak, The Weeknd infused “Pale Shelter” into Starboy’s “Secrets,” David Guetta sampled “Change” for “Always,” and Drake utilized “Ideas as Opiates” as the foundation for “Lust For Life,” while Ally Brooke Hernandez, Adam Lambert, and Gary Jules recorded popular covers of “Mad World” and Disturbed took on “Shout,” and that’s only to name a few. Lorde cut a haunting cover of “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” for the Soundtrack of the blockbuster The Hunger Games – Catching Fire, which Tears For Fears gleefully would use as intro music live and thus bring everything full circle.  Meanwhile, classic songs figure prominently everywhere from The Wire and Donnie Darkoto Straight Outta Compton and Mr. Robot. Long before they became a cultural cornerstone Tears For Fears simply consisted of two school friends growing up in Bath, Somerset UK. With The Tipping Point and comprehensive touring plans on the horizon Orzabal and Smith remain as loud as ever, while yet another generation gets ready to “Shout” with them all over again.

(Photo Credit: Frank Ockenfels)

Follow Tears For Fears: Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Spotify

Music Gift Guide: Tears For Fears, Cat Stevens, 'Ready Steady Go!', Mike Viola

With Hanukkah already here and Christmas fast approaching, here is a roundup of a number of special titles that will make great gifts for discerning music lovers.

Artist: Tears For Fears

Title: The Seeds Of Love - Super Deluxe Edition (UMe/Virgin)

You might like if you enjoy: Tears For Fears, The Beatles' "Abbey Road" and "White Album" 

Tell me more: Tears For Fears' brilliant third album The Seeds Of Love was released more than 30 years ago but sounds better and more relevant than ever. A recent reissue of the classic is available in several different configurations ranging from a two-disc audio CD set to a Super Deluxe Edition box set that consists of four CDs and one Blu-Ray which collectively tells the story of how this four-years-in-the-making album from Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith came to be. The recently-issued expanded Super Deluxe Edition reissue of the 1989 masterwork is truly a joy. Indeed, the box set includes 22 previously-unissued tracks from demo sessions, live jams and studio sessions. The material here spans the sonic landscape; the jazz-meets-rock "Bad Man's Song," soul-styled "Advice for the Young at Heart," genre-blending "Standing on the Corner of the Third World," gorgeous "Famous Last Words" and mind-blowing Beatlesque title track sound better than ever. Additional gems include a slew of 45's and B-sides; the adventuresome world music-minded "Tears Roll Down," experimental "My Life in the Suicide Ranks" and jazzy rocker "Always in the Past" are among this writer's favorites. Information: TearsForFears.com.

"Tea For The Tillerman" 50th Anniversary Super
Deluxe Edition

Artist: Yusuf / Cat Stevens

Titles: Mona Bone Jakon: 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition; Tea For The Tillerman: 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition (A&M/UMe)

You might like if you enjoy: Cat Stevens, Yusuf, Don McLean, Elliott Smith 

Tell me more: Back in 1970, rising artist Cat Stevens released not one, but two impressive albums. Fast forward 50 years to 2020 and both of those now-legendary LPs — Mona Bone Jakon and Tea For The Tillerman (released just months apart in 1970) — have been released at expanded 50th anniversary editions. While this year has certainly been a complete downer in terms of live music (let's face it, live-streaming can't replace the concert going experience), the parade of noteworthy expanded and special reissues has been spectacular as personified by these terrific and in-depth dives into the artistry of Cat Stevens (who changed his name to Yusuf following his conversion to Islam in December 1977); they are truly must-haves for fans of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singer-songwriter. 

Mona Bone Jakon: 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition

The 2020 remasters of the original albums are incredible; there are also wonderful new 2020 mixes of each album as well. Listening to even well-known tracks such as "Wild World," "Father and Son" and "Where Do The Children Play" (from Tea for the Tillerman), and "Lady Darbanville," "Maybe Your Right" and "I Think I See The Light" (on Mona Bone Jakon) is to seemingly rediscover the beloved songs for the first time. Mona Bone Jakon includes 24 previously unreleased songs, and Tea for the Tillerman features 21 unreleased tracks alongside a number of other rarities. The multi-format releases were released Dec. 4, 2020. For more information on the Super Deluxe Edition box set versions of each of these albums, visit the artist's website. Information: CatStevens.com.

Title: Ready Steady Go!: The Weekend Starts Here (BMG)

Author: Andy Neill

Publisher: BMG Books

You might like if you enjoy: 1960s music, art and fashion, the Beatles, The Rolling Stones, British rock 'n' roll

Tell me more: "Ready Steady Go!: The Weekend Starts Here" is a comprehensive and definitive must-have book by author Andy Neill that provides an in-depth look at the pioneering 1960s British music TV show that hosted the era's greatest names beginning in August 1963. Weighing in at 6 pounds, the 268-page hardcover edition is beautifully  illustrated with a wealth of amazing images (The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Zombies, Chuck Berry, Little Richard and countless more!) — most never previously seen — and exclusive essays that provide more appreciation of the 173 episodes aired over the show's three-and-a-half-year run. Insights from the illustrious likes of Manfred Mann, Mick Jagger, Bill Wyman, Colin Blunstone, Rod Argent and Ray Davies bolster the fast-moving read. A guide also provides details on each of the episodes. Information: bmg.com.

Artist: Mike Viola

Title: Godmuffin (Good Morning Monkey / Grand Phony Music)

You might like if you enjoy: Damon Albarn, Alex Chilton, Pete Yorn, Candy Butchers 

Tell me more: Anchored by one of the most bewitching singles in memory — the melodic "Ordinary Girl" — Mike Viola's new album Godmuffin quickly reveals its greatness beyond that undeniable cut. With its indie rock spirit, real life warmth and incredible song craft, the parade of great songs includes the lush Americana-tinged opener "Creeper," probing "We May Never Be This Young Again," biting "Drug Rug," tuneful "All You Can Eat" and gentle closer "That Seems Impossible Now." If Bruce Springsteen came of age a generation later he may well have penned "Superkid II, Trying To Do The Thing That I Thought I Was Born To Do," a brilliant original. Never heard of Viola? You have heard him; it was his top-tier lead vocals on the Oscar-nominated "That Thing You Do" title track from Tom Hanks' 1996 hit film and other cuts featuring the fictional band the Wonders heard in the movie. Information: MikeViola.com.

Robert Kinsler

Tears For Fears' 'The Seeds of Love' Super Deluxe Edition to be released Oct. 9, 2020 on UMe/VIRGIN

This upcoming reissue looks like it is going to be fantastic! 'The Seeds of Love' was one of the important album releases of the 1980s...Robert Kinsler

TEARS FOR FEARS

THE SEEDS OF LOVE

4CD / BLU RAY SUPER DELUXE EDITION

REMASTERED DELUXE 2CD

REMASTERED LP 

D2C PICTURE DISC LP

RELEASED OCTOBER 9^th, 2020 ON UMe/VIRGIN

All Products https://tearsforfears.lnk.to/TSOL

Super Deluxe Box Set https://tearsforfears.lnk.to/TSOL

Deluxe 2CD https://tearsforfears.lnk.to/TSOL

Remastered LP https://tearsforfears.lnk.to/TSOL

D2C Picture Disc https://tearsforfears.lnk.to/TSOL

Over thirty years on from its original release, Tears For Fears' third long-player The Seeds Of Love has taken on mythical status for its scope, ambition, timeless musicality, and the fact that it took over four years to record.

For music fans and audiophiles the world over, the album continues to astound with its depth and sheer audacity, which is why three decades on it, has barely aged a day.  As Roland Orzabal puts it, "Out of all our albums, I'd probably rank it highest. I think it surprised a lot of people, a lot of our peers as well, people who maybe we were being compared to in the mid-Eighties." Curt Smith "The tracks I liked then, I still like now. 'Woman in Chains,' 'Badman's Song,' 'Sowing the Seeds of Love,' and 'Advice For The Young At Heart' have all stuck around. We still play those live."

The super deluxe box set consists of four CDs and one Blu-Ray, which fully tells the story of how this extraordinary album came to be. The box set includes 22 unreleased tracks from demo sessions, live jams, studio sessions along with a definitive set of b-sides, and rare mixes. Highlights include demos of "Advice For The Young At Heart" with Roland Orzabal singing lead vocal and "Rhythm of Life," which didn't make it onto The Seeds of Love and was later given to Oleta Adams for her Circle of One album. The Blu-ray also features a stunning 5.1 mix by Grammy-nominated artist Steven Wilson.  

Coming off the back of the ten million-selling Songs From The Big Chair,  The first writing sessions for The Seeds Of Lovestarted when the band was touring in 1985, making use of soundchecks to sketch the outlines of new songs. Over the next four years, Roland and Curt would work with several producers, engineers, and many musicians before finally deciding to produce the album themselves with assistance from their Songs From The Big Chair engineer Dave Bascombe.

A key person in the making of the album was pianist and singer Oleta Adams, who Roland and Curt had seen play in the bar of their hotel while touring in 1985. She joined the recording sessions in early 1988 along with world-class session players such as drummer Manu Katché and bass player Pino Palladino and would play a massive part in songs such as "Woman In Chains" and "Badman's Song." These sessions in 1988 are perhaps the most fascinating tapes unearthed for the boxset. These jams took place at London's Townhouse studio, and disc four contains around 30 minutes edited down from over 24 hours of unadulterated in-the-studio live performance, exactly as it was performed at the time, complete with chatter, some laughter, and no overdubs. These jams include very different versions of "Woman in Chains," "Badman's Song," "Standing On The Corner Of The Third World," and "Rhythm of Life."

While the band was pleased with these sessions, there was still at least another year of further recording, overdubbing, editing, mixing, tweaking and discussion, before the final mix was finished in New York in the summer of 1989. 

All of the efforts that went into the making of The Seeds Of Love certainly paid off as it is now hailed as a classic of the time, alongside albums such as Talk Talk's Spirit Of Eden. The Seeds Of Love was released in the ‘80's, but it remains anything but an "80's album."

THE SEEDS OF LOVE SUPER DELUXE EDITION TRACKLISTING

CD 1 - ORIGINAL ALBUM 

NEW REMASTER BY ANDREW WALTER AT ABBEY ROAD

01. Woman In Chains: 6:31

02. Badman's Song: 8:32

03. Sowing The Seeds Of Love: 6:19

04. Advice For The Young At Heart: 4:50

05. Standing On The Corner Of The Third World: 5:33 

06. Swords And Knives: 6:12

07. Year Of The Knife: 7:08

08. Famous Last Words: 4:26

CD 2 - THE SUN 

45's AND B-SIDES

01. Sowing The Seeds Of Love - 7" Version: 5:43  

02. Tears Roll Down: 3:16

03. Woman In Chains - 7" Version: 5:28  

04. Always In The Past: 4:38

05. My Life In The Suicide Ranks: 4:32 

06. Woman In Chains - Instrumental: 6:30 

07. Advice For The Young At Heart - 7" Version: 4:49  

08. Johnny Panic And The Bible Of Dreams Instrumental: 4:18

09. Music For Tables: 3:32

10. Johnny Panic And The Bible Of Dreams Mix One: 6:22

11. Johnny Panic And The Bible Of Dreams Mix Two: 5:55

12. Sowing The Seeds Of Love - US Radio Edit: 4:04

13. Woman In Chains - US Radio Edit 1: 4:42

14. Advice For The Young At Heart - Italian Radio Edit: 3:40

15. Year Of The Knife - Canadian Single Version: 5:40

16. Johnny Panic And The Bible Of Dreams: 4:17

CD 3 - THE MOON 

RADIO EDITS AND EARLY MIXES

01. Year Of The Knife - Overture: 1:47 

02. Year Of The Knife - Early Mix - Instrumental: 8:50 

03. Sowing The Seeds Of Love - Alternate Mix: 7:22 

04. Tears Roll Down - Alternate Mix: 4:07 

05. Year Of The Knife - Steve Chase 7" Remix: 4.29

06. Badman's Song - Early Mix: 7:56 

07. Advice For The Young At Heart - Instrumental: 4:56

08. Year Of The Knife - The Mix: 06:55 

09. Johnny Panic And The Bible Of Dreams - Mix One Edit: 3:43

10. Sowing The Seeds Of Love - Early Mix - Instrumental: 6:40

11. Woman In Chains - US Radio Edit 2: 4:19 

12. Year Of The Knife - Canadian Single Version - Instrumental: 5:40

13. Famous Last Words - French Radio Edit: 3:07 

14. Woman In Chains - Reprise: 6:39  

CD 4 - THE WIND 

DEMOS, DIVERSIONS AND JAMS

01. Rhythm Of Life - Demo: 5:12 

02. Advice For The Young At Heart - Demo: 4:52 

03. Swords And Knives - Demo: 3:51

04. Famous Last Words - Demo: 4:12 

05. Sowing The Seeds Of Love - Demo - Instrumental: 6:06

06. Badman's Song - Langer / Winstanley Version – Instrumental: 7:30

07. Woman In Chains - Townhouse Jam: 7:06

08. Broken - Townhouse Jam: 1:37 Tears For Fears

09. Rhythm Of Life - Townhouse Jam: 3:09 

10. Badman's Song - Townhouse Jam: 8:17 

11. Badman's Song - Reprise - Townhouse Jam: 2:50  

12. Standing On The Corner Of The Third World - Townhouse Jam: 9:09

BLU RAY - THE RAIN 

ORIGINAL ALBUM MIX, NEW REMASTER & STEVEN WILSON 5.1 MIX

01. Woman In Chains: 6:31 (Original album master) 

02. Badman's Song: 8:32 (Original album master)

03. Sowing The Seeds Of Love: 6:19 (Original album master)

04. Advice For The Young At Heart: 4:50  (Original album master)

05. Standing On The Corner Of The Third World: 5:33 (Original album master)

06. Swords And Knives: 6:12 (Original album master)

07. Year Of The Knife: 7:08 (Original album master)

08. Famous Last Words: 4:26 (Original album master)

09. Woman In Chains: 6:30 (New remaster)

10. Badman's Song: 8:32 (New remaster) 

11. Sowing The Seeds Of Love: 6:19  (New remaster) 

12. Advice For The Young At Heart: 4:55 (New remaster) 

13. Standing On The Corner Of The Third World: 5:33 (New remaster) 

14. Swords And Knives: 6:20 (New remaster) 

15. Year Of The Knife: 6:55  (New remaster)

16. Famous Last Words: 4:11 (New remaster)

STEVEN WILSON 5.1 MIX

01. Woman In Chains: 6:30

02. Badman's Song: 8:32

03. Sowing The Seeds Of Love: 6:19 

04. Advice For The Young At Heart: 4:55 

05. Standing On The Corner Of The Third World: 5:33 

06. Swords And Knives: 6:20

07. Year Of The Knife: 6:55

08. Famous Last Words: 4:11

THE SEEDS OF LOVE DELUXE 2CD TRACKLISTING

CD 1 - ORIGINAL ALBUM 

NEW REMASTER BY ANDREW WALTER AT ABBEY ROAD

01. Woman In Chains: 6:31

02. Badman's Song: 8:32

03. Sowing The Seeds Of Love: 6:19

04. Advice For The Young At Heart: 4:50

05. Standing On The Corner Of The Third World: 5:33 

06. Swords And Knives: 6:12

07. Year Of The Knife: 7:08

08. Famous Last Words: 4:26

CD 2 - THE SUN 

45's AND B-SIDES

01. Sowing The Seeds Of Love - 7" Version: 5:43 

02. Tears Roll Down: 3:16

03. Woman In Chains - 7" Version: 5:28 

04. Always In The Past: 4:38

05. My Life In The Suicide Ranks: 4:32 

06. Woman In Chains - Instrumental: 6:30 

07. Advice For The Young At Heart - 7" Version: 4:49 

08. Johnny Panic And The Bible Of Dreams Instrumental: 4:18

09. Music For Tables: 3:32

10. Johnny Panic And The Bible Of Dreams Mix One: 6:22

11. Johnny Panic And The Bible Of Dreams Mix Two: 5:55

12. Sowing The Seeds Of Love - US Radio Edit: 4:04

13. Woman In Chains - US Radio Edit 1: 4:42

14. Advice For The Young At Heart - Italian Radio Edit: 3:40

15. Year Of The Knife - Canadian Single Version: 5:40

16. Johnny Panic And The Bible Of Dreams: 4:17

TEARS FOR FEARS THE SEEDS OF LOVE 

RELEASED OCTOBER  9^th, 2020 ON UMe/VIRGIN

Super Deluxe Box Set https://tearsforfears.lnk.to/SFTBC-Box

Deluxe 2CD https://tearsforfears.lnk.to/SFTBC-Box

Remastered LP https://tearsforfears.lnk.to/SFTBC-Box

D2C Picture Disc https://TearsForFears.lnk.to/SFTBC-PictureDisc

ABOUT TEARS FOR FEARS

Roland Orzabal, left, and Curt Smith of Tears For Fears
performing in Irvine, CA in June 2015.
Photo: Kelly A. Swift

Tear For Fears - Roland Orzabal (vocals, guitar, keyboards) and Curt Smith (vocals, bass, keyboards) formed in Bath, England 1981. Beyond selling 30 million albums worldwide, performing to countless sold-out audiences, and winning various awards, the duo's DNA remains embedded within three generations of artists on both subtle and overt levels. 

Quietly casting a shadow over rock, hip-hop, electronic dance music, indie, and beyond, Kanye West interpolated "Memories Fade" on "The Coldest Winter" from the seminal 808s & Heartbreak, The Weekend infused "Pale Shelter" into Starboy's "Secrets," David Guetta sampled "Change" for "Always," and Drake utilized "Ideas as Opiates" as the foundation for "Lust For Life," while Ally Brooke Hernandez, Adam Lambert, and Gary Jules recorded popular covers of "Mad World" and Disturbed took on "Shout," to name a few. Lorde cut a haunting cover of "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" for the Soundtrack of the blockbuster The Hunger Games – Catching Fire, which Tears For Fears gleefully would use as intro music live and thus bring everything full circle. 

Meanwhile, classic songs figure prominently everywhere from The Wire and Donnie Darko to Straight Outta Compton and Mr. Robot. Long before, they became a cultural cornerstone Tears For Fears simply consisted of two school friends growing up in Bath, Somerset UK.

Representing an inimitable intersection of pop palatability, clever and cognizant lyricism, guitar bombast, and new wave innovation, their 1983 debut The Hurting yielded anthems such as "Mad World," "Change," and "Pale Shelter," reaching RIAA Gold status in the United States. 1985's Songs from the Big Chair became a watershed moment for the group and music at large. Boasting the signature BRIT Award-winning "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," "Shout," "Head over Heels," "Mothers Talk," and "I Believe (A Soulful Re-Recording)," it went quintuple-platinum and captured #1 on the Billboard Top 200. Slant dubbed it one of "The Best Albums of the 1980s," it featured in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, and Consequence of Sound awarded it a rare A+ rating in a 20-year retrospective.

1989's Seeds of Love proved to be Roland and Curt's last collaboration together until Everybody Loves A Happy Ending in 2004, which rekindled the creative fire between them.

The band engaged in a three-year touring whirlwind across North America, Japan, South Korea, Manila, and South America beginning in 2010. 2013 saw them return with their first recorded music in a decade: a cover of Arcade Fire's "Ready to Start." The band returned once more in 2017 with "I Love You But I'm Lost" a track written and recorded with the multi-platinum British act Bastille taken from the "Rule The World" best-of collection, which once more catapulted the band back to the upper echelon of the UK album charts. 

With more new material and further reissues on the horizon, Roland and Curt remain as loud as ever, while yet another generation gets ready to "Shout" with them all over again.