TEARS FOR FEARS: Songs For A Nervous Planet (POP): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

After their all-too-long break concluded with the release of the excellent “The Tipping Point”, Tears For Fears persevere with the release of “Songs for a Nervous Planet”, the band's first official live album - almost an incongruity after a career spanning over 40 years! And as the Smith/Orzabal duo are no strangers to originality, this double live album is introduced by... four previously unreleased studio tracks.

These new songs are presented in a short format, in a musical vein straight out of the “The Tipping Point” sessions. While the latter clearly evoked the pain of losing his wife, Roland Orzabal follows up with a song directly inspired by his new partner ('Emily Said'). The darker side remains in force, however, with 'Say Goodbye to Mum and Dad' which, despite its light, upbeat melody, remains very dark in its evocation of the war in the Ukraine, while the last two previously unreleased tracks remain in a similar musical vein.

Recorded in the U.S., the live part of the album saw Tears for Fears extract from their catalog a veritable collection of nuggets from six studio albums (only “Raoul and the Kings of Pain” is left out), featuring six tracks from the latest album, but also from the very first, whose tracks, already excellent to begin with, are given a second lease of life to our great delight, including a new version of 'Change' to great effect.

The must-haves are also present, including the concluding 'Shout', a 'Woman in Chains' less full of emotion than its initial version, but as addictive as ever, and the hits 'Everybody Wants to Rule the World' and 'Sowing the Seeds of Love'. Also worthy of mention is the lesser-known 'Break it Down Again' (from “Elemental”) and, above all, a wonderfully extended version of 'Badman's Song', with its jazzy middle section as exciting as ever, and an extraordinary final display of female vocals.

The production of the whole is more than meticulous and allows us, if not to immerse ourselves in the atmosphere of the concert, to savor each track with delectation, highlighting, if it were still necessary, all the quality of this band which has been shining at the very top of the pop galaxy for four decades now. - Official website

TEARS FOR FEARS

SONGS FOR A NERVOUS PLANET

CONCORD RECORDS

POP