Heligoland "Pitcher, Flask & Foxy Moxie" (2005)

Pitcher, Flask & Foxy Moxie

release date: Jan. 1, 2006

format: digital (9 x File, MP3)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,54]

producer: Tim Friese-Greene

label: self-released (bandcamp) - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Wedding Feast" - 3. "Black Girl" - 5. "The War, Stupid" (4 / 5) - 7. "Down to Zero" - 8. "3 Stills"

2nd full-length album by project-band Heligoland (aka Tim Friese-Greene) following Heligoland (Jan. 2000). Friese-Greene was co-composer of most of the music in Talk Talk where he and Mark Hollis were the musical wizards behind a great portion of what later became labelled post rock. With Friese-Greene's heavy legacy in mind, it's actually not difficult to hear similar soundscape in his music by Heligoland, and with this he delivers another criminally overlooked collection of fine alternative music.

Heligoland "Heligoland" (2000)

Heligoland [debut]

release date: Jan. 1, 2000

format: digital (9 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]

producer: Tim Friese-Greene

label: Calcium Chloride - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Lost and Lethal" - 2."Shrug" - 3. "Bluebird" - 5. "Shock Treatment" - 6. "Isn't It Sad" (4 / 5) - 7. "Loaded Gun" - 9. "The Kiss-Off" (contains a cover of Hendrix' "Purple Haze" after 2 mins. pause)

Full-length album debut by Heligoland - not to be confused with the Australian band led by Karen Vogt and Steve Wheeler, nor the album release by Massive Attack. This is instead the one-man project by Tim Friese-Greene after releasing the four-track ep Creosote & Tar (1997) on his own label Calcium Chloride via his bandcamp profile.

This is a like finding a hidden gem everyone should know of but only few have come across, which is really sad. Everyone knows what a fundamental part Friese-Greene played in co-creating the music in one of Britain's most influential bands of the late 80s and early 90s: Talk Talk and his and Mark Hollis' experimental musical approach, which led to albums like Spirit of Eden (Sep. 1988) and Laughing Stock (Nov. 1991), but he was also behind the music by the band as early as It's My Life (Feb. 1984)

It's not that hard to hear the weight of the legacy in these nine compositions. There's a strong experimental and wildness jumping out of the music, and there's a strong and natural denial of making mainstream pop-tunes on the basis of known formulas. Instead, energy and playfulness makes evreything come to life.

Recommended.

Talk Talk "Asides Besides" (1998)

Asides Besides (compilation)
release date: Apr. 20, 1998
format: digital (2-disc)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: various
label: EMI - nationality: England, UK

A 2 cd compilation by Talk Talk is like most other compilations with the band issued by EMI. This was released shortly after Mark Hollis released his eponymous solo album in January on Verve Records. Most tracks here are original Talk Talk compositions in (heavily) altered versions labelled "Extended Version", "Extended Remix", "12'' Mix", "Dub Mix", "Dance Mix", "U.S. Mix", "Demo Version", or just "Edit"... Yes, the old label surely understood how to make profit. Everything, of course, is released without the band's consent, and to make the responsible staff even less sympathetic, they chose to release the album only a few months following the release of Mark Hollis' first and only solo album - using that as promotion to harvest a bit more... The band had sued and won the case against EMI with its release of the album History Revisited (1991, see Natural History...), but here EMI 'only' release the same remixed songs on an album, claiming it's 'demo material'... And my guess - as well as that of EMI - is that the band members simply wouldn't go through another lengthy law suit, so you may ask yourself, who ended up winning the case.
The songs are there - a few of them have been made into extended versions by the band's co-composer and main producer throughout the band's career, Tim Friese-Greene, but the majority of the tracks are edited by EMI engineering staff.
Especially, the older compositions sounds truly fine, but it's also a mixed bag with so many compositions tampered with, and frankly, the studio albums are there, and they're all you need.

Talk Talk "The Very Best of Talk Talk" (1997)

The Very Best of Talk Talk (compilation)
release date: Jan. 27, 1997
format: digital
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: Tim Friese-Greene
label: EMI - nationality: England, UK

Another best of compilation album by Talk Talk released by the band's former label EMI, much against the will of the band, and at a time when rumours suggest that Mark Hollis is making studio recordings to be released as a new studio album on Polydor.
Actually, this is basically bootleg material and perhaps shouldn't be purchased as the artist hardly will see a penny, but... now that it's here... the album is an even better compilation of Talk Talk material than the 12 track 1990 issue Natural History - The Very Best of Talk Talk - also on EMI. This revised issue contains 16 tracks of which 9 are identical to the ones on the 1990 album. How on earth they didn't include "Happiness Is Easy" on this must be a blunder. But then again: This is mere profit thinking. By having two almost identical best of albums on the same label, they have better chances in selling both. Sadly, Mark Hollis & Co. never stood behind the selection of songs to figure on any best of album, so this is all we have, except for the full album releases, which we naturally purchased, right!? The album is a fine collection, although, several songs are missing and the lack of chronological order also disturbs my feelings towards it. It's also with some regret to listen to an album that you know consists of songs that have been edited without the band's consent. A few fine B-sides have also found their way on this - securing both general interest and the interest from the fan base.

BEST OF 1991:Talk Talk "Laughing Stock" (1991)

org. vinyl cover

Laughing Stock
release date: Nov. 19, 1991
format: vinyl (847 717-1) / cd (1999 remaster)
[album rate: 5 / 5] [4,86]
producer: Tim Friese-Greene
label: Verve / Polydor - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Myrrhman" (5 / 5) - 2. "Ascension Day" (5 / 5) - 3. "After the Flood" (4,5 / 5) - 4. "Taphead" (4 / 5) - 5. "New Grass" (5 / 5) - 6. "Runeii" (5 / 5)

5th and final studio album by Talk Talk originally released on the Polydor sub-label Verve Records. After the band's controversy with former label EMI, bassist Paul Webb left the band, officially reducing Talk Talk to a duo of Mark Hollis and drummer Lee Harris, but practically, Harris had left Talk Talk before recording the album. The band had become a one-man project, but Harris is still credited as band member because he was hired as session musician, and the 'real' duo of Talk Talk was rather one consisting of Hollis and producer, co-songwriter, and keyboardist Tim Friese-Greene, although he never was an official member of Talk Talk.
The music on Laughing Stock is the extended journey to what was initiated on The Colour of Spring (1986) and much bolder heard on Spirit of Eden (1988). It's like one long coherent composition, although, there are 6 tracks on the album. The music is inter-woven jazz rock, art rock, and / or experimental but ultimately post-rock compositions with thematic ideas as foundation to improvisations.
Of all the great Talk Talk albums, I have always loved this album the most. Alas, the vinyl pressing of the release is not impressively manufactured. The sound is too low and the quality of the record is poor. This is the sort of album you just need to own on optical disc because of the minimal and spatial sound. Hollis was never the arch typical star of the music industry - he always distanced himself from the media circus, be it TV, reporters and-the-like, and he only reluctantly agreed to make music videos to some of the band's singles - as he didn't believe in the whole idea of promoting music.
Laughing Stock was met by positive reviews but Hollis had no intentions of touring to promote the album, very much like it had been the issue with the previous album(s). By 1992 Hollis dissolved the band and withdrew from music to concentrate on his family. However, he would go on to release one critically acclaimed solo album, the eponymous Mark Hollis in 1998 - produced, only to fulfil the contractual obligations of the two albums record deal with Polydor. Unfortunately, he hasn't released music since. He was embraced as a gifted singer and songwriter, and although, he could have continued as a famous solo artist, producer and/or songwriter, Hollis just wanted no part of the business. Paul Webb and Lee Harris went on to launch their duo-project .O.rang - for two full-length albums after which Paul Webb founded his own (acclaimed) project Rustin Man, and Tim Friese-Greene initiated his solo project Heligoland. Both .O.rang and Heligoland expose some of the experimental ideas you'll find resonating with Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock.
Sigur Rós has played Talk Talk compositions when playing live, and alongside many bands of the mid- and late 90s (Mogwai, Recoil, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Radiohead, Portishead - yes, the list goes on) they have found much of their inspiration in Talk Talk and especially the band's last two albums that have come to stand like cornerstones of the modern music era.
To me, Laughing Stock is an album that I have always listened to - never a year without it - and I find it a modern masterpiece.
[ allmusic.com, Sputnikmusic 5 / 5, Q Magazine, Select 4 / 5 stars ]

1991 Favourite releases: 1. Talk Talk Laughing Stock - 2. Van Morrison Hymns to the Silence - 3. Kitchens of Distinction Strange Free World


[ collectors' item - plus €100,- and up for VG+ ]

1999 cd remaster

Talk Talk "Natural History - The Very Best of Talk Talk" (1990)

Natural History - The Very Best of Talk Talk (compilation)
release date: May 1990
format: digital
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: Colin Thurston, Tim Friese-Greene, Rhett Davies
label: Parlophone / EMI - nationality: England, UK

Compilation album by Talk Talk is the band's first best of release issued by EMI as the band was sacked from the record label after having released Spirit of Eden (Sep. 1988), which was anything than what EMI had hoped for.
The original issue contains 12 tracks but as early as of Jul. 1990, 14 tracks re-issues were released for the Japanese and North American markets. In 2004, EMI re-issued the album as The Essential, although with an identical tracklist of the original 12 track issue. In 2007, EMI launched a 2-disc issue based on the original UK release containing a bonus DVD with video versions for the European market. This was reissued by EMI in 2013 - but now with the title Natural History 1982 - 1988. Talking about milking the sacred cow!
Needless say, the album is both an album for everyone else as well as a collectors' item. Lead vocalist and frontman of the band, Mark Hollis, alledgedly said of the album that EMI compiled the album entirely without the band's consent, and that he didn't like the idea of best of albums in the first place.
A year later, EMI also released the album History Revisited - The Remixes - once again made without having informed the band, and what's seems even worse: EMI had the 10 tracks remixed in new extended versions without involving the band when altering its music. As a consequence, Mark Hollis and the band sued EMI for having remixed their songs without asking for permission of the band - and the band won the case, which among other things meant that the company was obliged "to withdraw and destroy all remaining copies of the album" [VOX, 1998].
Natural History - The Very Best of Talk Talk is nevertheless a fine collection of songs, but as Mark Hollis also commented [in Melody Maker, Sep. 7, 1991] about an album he wouldn't release: "It certainly wasn't the selection of tracks I would have liked even if there had to be one".
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Talk Talk "Spirit of Eden" (1988)

1988 cd

Spirit of Eden
release date: Sep. 16, 1988
format: cd (2003 remaster) / vinyl + dvd (2012 reissue)
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,28]
producer: Tim Friese-Greene
label: Parlophone (EMI) - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "The Rainbow / Eden / Desire" (4 / 5) - 2. "Inheritance" - 3. "I Believe in You" (4 / 5) - 4. "Wealth" (4 / 5)
[ in memoriam: rehearsal tape ]

4th studio album by Talk Talk following 2½ years after The Colour of Spring (Feb. 1986) is the band's final studio release of new material on EMI, and it's literally 'something else'. In the aftermath of the '86 album Talk Talk had experienced a stronger popularity but at the same time frontman Mark Hollis had no desire of the implications of stardom - actually he found out that he didn't want to tour anymore - a decision which ultimately had deep consequences for the band that basically ended up being a Hollis and Friese-Greene project with the latter only taking part as co-composer and never officially entering the projct. All tracks are co-written by Mark Hollis and Tim Friese-Greene as was the case on the predecessor, but the style has evolved to something completely new. The first track is divided into three parts, which have been merged into one composition on the 2003 remastered version where it has a running time of more than 23 min - originally the entire A-side on the vinyl issue. Comparing the debut to this, is like listening to two completely different bands, but by following the band's stylistic progression through its second and third albums it makes much more sense. The style is like a natural development of what they were looking at on The Colour of Spring, and what they have produced here is music in a style that wasn't given a term until a decade later: post-rock, although, that specific term and style may lead to another discussion. There are slow progressive art rock and jazz rock elements, but that's far from telling the whole story. It's a play with composition from a new perspective, and both Hollis and Friese-Greene took inspiration from jazz and classical music. And that was not what fans and music lovers expected from a band, who had recently released an album of international interest.
By music critics, the album was met by lukewarm reviews and an almost total rejection from record buyers. The label, EMI, felt that the band neglected its contractual obligations by recording something 'so anti-commercial' and even tried a law-suit against the band at court but [thankfully] the label lost the case. However, as a consequence, the band's contract with EMI was terminated. By the end of the year, bassist Paul Webb left the band.
I recall, I also felt 'betrayed' by a band that I had other hopes for. I actually purchased the vinyl album shortly after its release, but never really listened to it - or: I tried, but I never came even close to thinking anything positive about it - that is, back then. About another three years later, I actually resold the album in a pile with other gems, in trade for quick cash, so I could afford one or two new albums [gosh, what stupidity!]. I guess, the sound and style of this was way ahead of its time - not many were prepared for it, and neither was I.
From a modern perspective, the band, and Mark Hollis in particular, are now praised for the ground-breaking musical content, which has inspired post-rock artists like Sigur Rós, Mogwai, and Godspeed You! Black Emperor a whole decade later, but surely without Talk Talk and without Spirit of Eden and the successor, the music by these later artists seems rather unlikely. As much as I hate to admit it, I would perhaps have rated this 2 / 5 stars back in '88. Today, I find it a 4,5 album, and yes! I eventually got myself a new 2012 reissue on vinyl. And I have to add, the 2012 pressing is better than the original 'cause EMI made some poor vinyl pressings in the late 80s, which also is the case with the band's final album.
A highly recommended album!
[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, Sound 4,5 / 5, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

1988 Favourite releases: 1. Chet Baker Memories: Chet Baker in Tokyo - 2. R.E.M. Green - 3. Talk Talk Spirit of Eden

     

org. vinyl cover
(same as 2012 reissue)

2003 remaster

Talk Talk "Give It Up" (1986) (single)

Give It Up, 7'' single

release date: May 1986

format: vinyl

[single rate: 4 / 5] [3,92]

producer: Tim Friese-Greene

label: EMI - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "Give It Up" - - B) "It's Getting Late in the Evening"

Single release taken from the album The Colour of Spring (Feb. 1986) - the third of four singles from the album and succeeding the single "Living in Another World" (Mar. 1986) and preceeding "I Don't Believe in You" (Nov. 1986).

Talk Talk "The Colour of Spring" (1986)

The Colour of Spring
release date: Feb. 17, 1986
format: vinyl / cd (2003 remaster)
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,52]
producer: Tim Friese-Greene
label: EMI Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Happiness Is Easy" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "I Don't Believe in You" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "Life's What You Make It" (5 / 5) - 4. "April 5th" (4,5 / 5) - 5. "Living in Another World" (4 / 5) - 6. "Give It Up" - 7. "Chameleon Day" - 8. "Time It's Time" (5 / 5)

3rd studio album by Talk Talk and the band's major commercial breakthrough as well as critically acclaimed album. The trio remains the same, only with the fourth unofficial member, Tim Friese-Greene in a more dominant role as the band's (unaccredited) keyboardist, who has co-written all tracks together with Mark Hollis. The sound and style has changed to an undefinable mix of art pop, chamber pop, and synthpop albeit with less focus on synths and a tentative addition of 'progressiveness' without being traditional progressive pop or pop / rock but basically foreshadowing what would later be labelled post rock - something that should materialise even further on the band's fourth album Spirit of Eden (1988) - an album many misinterpreted as a bit odd at first, but something that wasn't understood and fully recognised until after Sigur Rós, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and Mogwai had distilled that style about a decade later.
The Colour of Spring is quite naturally included in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die", although, it remains the only by Talk Talk on that list.
The album was the first that I purchased by Talk Talk, and at the time I found it fine and a bit complex for my liking at the age of 21, but I have always enjoyed it, and over the years, only increasingly more. The single release of "Life's What You Make It" became an international hit, and it is a great track, however, throughout the years, I have always loved the end-track "Time It's Time" the most, and I have never felt that its playing time of 8:15 mins. ever was one second too long. In fact, I've always thought and wished that it should be longer.
Nowadays, I consider this album a modern masterpiece that I shall never tire of. Some day it may even replace The Smiths and their masterpiece on my personal year-best-album-list. But really, this isn't even the best album from Talk Talk, imho.
My vinyl pressing is by French Pathé Marconi (sub-label of EMI), and the cd is a 2003 remaster released by EMI.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

1986 Favourite releases: 1. The Smiths The Queen Is Dead - 2. Talk Talk The Colour of Spring - 3. R.E.M. Lifes Rich Pageant

2003 remaster

Talk Talk "Life's What You Make It" (1985) (single)

Life's What You Make It, 7'' single

release date: Dec.? 1985

format: vinyl

[single rate: 4 / 5] [4,12]

producer: Tim Friese-Greene

label: EMI - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "Life's What You Make It" (5 / 5) - - B) "It's Getting Late in the Evening"

Single release by Talk Talk taken from the forthcoming third album The Colour of Spring (Mar. 1986). The single was first issued in Australia and New Zealand in late '85 and then later, close to the album release, in the rest of the world. Only the title track is found on the album, and both tracks are credited Mark Hollis and Tim Friese-Greene. This is the first of four singles to be released from the '86 album, and it was the best-charting of these four peaking at number #16 on the national singles chart.

As all the albums by Talk Talk, the cover is made by James Marsh.

Talk Talk "It's My Life" (1984)

It's My Life
release date: Feb. 1984
format: vinyl (reissue) / cd (1997 remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: Tim Friese-Greene
label: EMI Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Dum Dum Girl" (3,5 / 5) - 2. "Such a Shame" (3,5 / 5) - 3. "Renée" - 4. "It's My Life" (5 / 5) (live) - 5. "Tomorrow Started" (4 / 5) - 6. "The Last Time" (4 / 5) - 7. "Call in the Night Boy" (3,5 / 5) - 8. "Does Caroline Know?" - 9. "It's You"

2nd studio album by Talk Talk is a strong follow-up to the debut from '82. By now the band is officially reduced to a trio as keyboardist Simon Brenner has left the band; however, producer Tim Friese-Greene is co-writer with Mark Hollis on three of the tracks, and Friese-Greene is also credited for playing keyboards alongside Ian Curnow. Friese-Greene would later be the band's second major songwriter alongside Mark Hollis, although he should never become an official member of the band.
The style is still very much synthpop but now more evidently art pop. It's no longer chorus-based pop compositions for the teenage-filled dance floors, and the band has in a way alienated itself from what was formerly seen as Duran Duran-associated music. Where the debut was more of a whole, this is still rather distinct in style, but it also points in new (yet obscure) directions.
The title track was undoubtedly the band's biggest radio hit, and both single and album generally fared well making it to top-10 entries in many countries except for in the UK where the single topped at #13 (the highest ranked single ever by Talk Talk on national scale), whereas the album topped at #35, but it made it to #2 in Switzerland, #3 in The Netherlands, and #4 in Germany. The title track was brought back to fame in 2003 when the American band No Doubt covered the song to promote its compilation album The Singles 1992-2003. The Talk Talk version of the song is not 'just' pop as it's a rather great and complex composition. Several other tracks drag the tempo and in that link the style more to that of Japan / David Sylvian (listen to "Tomorrow Started" and "Does Caroline Know?") and to the band's future trademark of what was much later labelled post rock and what slowly lifted both the band's and especially Mark Hollis' status. Tracks like #5, #6 and #8 already contain parts of that style. Bassist Paul Webb has a playing style that resembles that of Mick Karn (Japan) quite a bit - but then again: what bassist from (almost) any synthpop band of the early 1980s didn't copy his style? Compared to the debut, this is different and perhaps more original on its own premises and without falling into a specific stylistic category.
I have this particular album in 3 versions: a later vinyl reissue [Dutch pressing, year unknown], the original cd mastering (as of 1988), and a '97 remastered cd version, with no significant audible differences, although, I think that the remastered version offers slightly broader dynamics.
Highly recommendable.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

vinyl cover (reissue)