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The Hurting would have been a daring debut for a pop-oriented band in any era, but it was an unexpected success in England in 1983, mostly by virtue of its makers' ability to package an unpleasant subject -- the psychologically wretched family histories of Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith -- in an attractive and sellable musical format. Not that there weren't a few predecessors, most obviously John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band album -- which was also, not coincidentally, inspired by the work of primal scream pioneer Arthur Janov. (But Lennon had the advantage of being an ex-Beatle when that meant the equivalent to having a box next to God's in the great arena of life, where Tears for Fears were just starting out.) Decades later, "Pale Shelter," "Ideas as Opiates," "Memories Fade," "Suffer the Children," "Watch Me Bleed," "Change," and "Start of the Breakdown" are powerful pieces of music, beautifully executed in an almost minimalist style. "Memories Fade" offers emotional resonances reminiscent of "Working Class Hero," while "Pale Shelter" functions on a wholly different level, an exquisite sonic painting sweeping the listener up in layers of pulsing synthesizers, acoustic guitar arpeggios, and sheets of electronic sound (and anticipating the sonic texture, if not the precise sound of their international breakthrough pop hit "Everybody Wants to Rule the World"). The work is sometimes uncomfortably personal, but musically compelling enough to bring it back across the decades.
© Bruce Eder /TiVo
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Mel Collins, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Curt Smith, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Ian Stanley, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Hughes, Producer, Percussion, Conductor/Piano, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Ross Cullum, Producer - ROLAND ORZABAL, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tears For Fears, MainArtist - Manny Elias, Drums, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1983 Mercury Records Limited
Mel Collins, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Curt Smith, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Ian Stanley, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Hughes, Producer, Percussion, Conductor/Piano, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Ross Cullum, Producer - ROLAND ORZABAL, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tears For Fears, MainArtist - Manny Elias, Drums, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1982 Mercury Records Limited
Mel Collins, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Curt Smith, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Ian Stanley, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Hughes, Producer, Percussion, Conductor/Piano, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Ross Cullum, Producer - ROLAND ORZABAL, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tears For Fears, MainArtist - Manny Elias, Drums, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1983 Mercury Records Limited
Mel Collins, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Curt Smith, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Ian Stanley, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Hughes, Producer, Percussion, Conductor/Piano, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Ross Cullum, Producer - ROLAND ORZABAL, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tears For Fears, MainArtist - Manny Elias, Drums, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1983 Mercury Records Limited
Mel Collins, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Curt Smith, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Ian Stanley, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Hughes, Producer, Percussion, Conductor/Piano, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Ross Cullum, Producer - ROLAND ORZABAL, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tears For Fears, MainArtist - Manny Elias, Drums, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1983 Mercury Records Limited
Mel Collins, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Curt Smith, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Ian Stanley, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Hughes, Producer, Percussion, Conductor/Piano, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Ross Cullum, Producer - ROLAND ORZABAL, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tears For Fears, MainArtist - Manny Elias, Drums, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Caroline Orzabel, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1983 Mercury Records Limited
Mel Collins, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Curt Smith, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Ian Stanley, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Hughes, Producer, Percussion, Conductor/Piano, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Ross Cullum, Producer - ROLAND ORZABAL, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tears For Fears, MainArtist - Manny Elias, Drums, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1983 Mercury Records Limited
Mel Collins, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Curt Smith, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Ian Stanley, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Hughes, Producer, Percussion, Conductor/Piano, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Ross Cullum, Producer - ROLAND ORZABAL, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tears For Fears, MainArtist - Manny Elias, Drums, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1983 Mercury Records Limited
Mel Collins, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Curt Smith, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Ian Stanley, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Hughes, Producer, Percussion, Conductor/Piano, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Ross Cullum, Producer - ROLAND ORZABAL, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tears For Fears, MainArtist - Manny Elias, Drums, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1983 Mercury Records Limited
Mel Collins, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Curt Smith, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Ian Stanley, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Hughes, Producer, Percussion, Conductor/Piano, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Ross Cullum, Producer - ROLAND ORZABAL, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tears For Fears, MainArtist - Manny Elias, Drums, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1983 Mercury Records Limited
DISC 2
David Lord, Producer - ROLAND ORZABAL, ComposerLyricist - Tears For Fears, MainArtist
℗ 1981 Mercury Records Limited
Curt Smith, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - ROLAND ORZABAL, Keyboards, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - MIKE HOWLETT, Producer - Tears For Fears, MainArtist
℗ 1982 Mercury Records Limited
Curt Smith, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Ian Stanley, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - ROLAND ORZABAL, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - MIKE HOWLETT, Producer - Tears For Fears, MainArtist - Manny Elias, Drums, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1982 Mercury Records Limited
Mel Collins, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Curt Smith, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Ian Stanley, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Hughes, Producer, Percussion, Conductor/Piano, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Ross Cullum, Producer - ROLAND ORZABAL, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tears For Fears, MainArtist - Manny Elias, Drums, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1983 Mercury Records Limited
Tears For Fears, MainArtist
℗ 1983 Mercury Records Limited
David Lord, Producer - ROLAND ORZABAL, ComposerLyricist - Tears For Fears, MainArtist
℗ 1981 Mercury Records Limited
ROLAND ORZABAL, ComposerLyricist - MIKE HOWLETT, Producer - Tears For Fears, MainArtist
℗ 1982 Mercury Records Limited
Chris Hughes, Producer - Ross Cullum, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - ROLAND ORZABAL, ComposerLyricist - Tears For Fears, MainArtist
℗ 1982 Mercury Records Limited
Chris Hughes, Producer - Ross Cullum, Producer - ROLAND ORZABAL, ComposerLyricist - Christopher Merrick Hughes, Producer - Tears For Fears, MainArtist
℗ 1983 Mercury Records Limited
Curt Smith, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Hughes, Producer - Ross Cullum, Producer - ROLAND ORZABAL, Keyboards, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tears For Fears, MainArtist
℗ 1983 Mercury Records Limited
David Lord, Producer - Curt Smith, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Ian Stanley, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - ROLAND ORZABAL, Guitar, Keyboards, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tears For Fears, MainArtist - Manny Elias, Drums, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1981 Mercury Records Limited
Curt Smith, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Ian Stanley, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Hughes, Producer - Ross Cullum, Producer - ROLAND ORZABAL, Guitar, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tears For Fears, MainArtist - Manny Elias, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1983 Mercury Records Limited
C. Smith, ComposerLyricist - David Lord, Producer - Curt Smith, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Ian Stanley, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - ROLAND ORZABAL, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tears For Fears, MainArtist - Manny Elias, Drums, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1981 Mercury Records Limited
Curt Smith, Producer, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Ian Stanley, Producer, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - ROLAND ORZABAL, Producer, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tears For Fears, MainArtist
℗ 1983 Mercury Records Limited
Ian Stanley, Producer - ROLAND ORZABAL, ComposerLyricist - Tears For Fears, Producer, MainArtist
℗ 1983 Mercury Records Limited
David Lord, Producer - Curt Smith, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Ian Stanley, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - ROLAND ORZABAL, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tears For Fears, MainArtist - Manny Elias, Drums, Rhythm Programming, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1983 Mercury Records Limited
Album review
The Hurting would have been a daring debut for a pop-oriented band in any era, but it was an unexpected success in England in 1983, mostly by virtue of its makers' ability to package an unpleasant subject -- the psychologically wretched family histories of Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith -- in an attractive and sellable musical format. Not that there weren't a few predecessors, most obviously John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band album -- which was also, not coincidentally, inspired by the work of primal scream pioneer Arthur Janov. (But Lennon had the advantage of being an ex-Beatle when that meant the equivalent to having a box next to God's in the great arena of life, where Tears for Fears were just starting out.) Decades later, "Pale Shelter," "Ideas as Opiates," "Memories Fade," "Suffer the Children," "Watch Me Bleed," "Change," and "Start of the Breakdown" are powerful pieces of music, beautifully executed in an almost minimalist style. "Memories Fade" offers emotional resonances reminiscent of "Working Class Hero," while "Pale Shelter" functions on a wholly different level, an exquisite sonic painting sweeping the listener up in layers of pulsing synthesizers, acoustic guitar arpeggios, and sheets of electronic sound (and anticipating the sonic texture, if not the precise sound of their international breakthrough pop hit "Everybody Wants to Rule the World"). The work is sometimes uncomfortably personal, but musically compelling enough to bring it back across the decades.
© Bruce Eder /TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 26 track(s)
- Total length: 01:52:55
- Main artists: Tears For Fears
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: UMC (Universal Music Catalogue)
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 2013 Mercury Records Limited This Compilation ℗ 2013 Mercury Records Limited
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