Tears for Fears’ 1985 debut album Songs From the Big Chair turned one small English band into one of the defining sounds of the 1980s. With three top ten hits in the United States, Tears for Fears broke on to the global music scene. This album has been defined as one of the top albums of the decade, and one of the most influential albums of the past 50 years. Tears for Fears’ influence is still seen to this day, as their optimistic-yet-melancholy style underlines many new-age popular bands to this day.

I purchased Songs from the Big Chair from my local used CD store this past weekend. I’d heard a lot about it, but I never sat down and actually listened to this influential album that so many people have told me about. What did I think of it?

You’ll find out after the jump! We’re going track by track as I always do, and giving my honest critique – Is Songs from the Big Chair any good?

OHHHH HELLLLLL YEAH IT IS BOYS

1) Shout (10/10)

HELL YEAH BOYS, THIS IS THE FIRST TRACK AND IT MAKES ME EXCITED TO LISTEN TO THE REST OF THE ALBUM, THIS IS A GOOD SONG

2) The Working Hour (10/10)

MMMMM the second TRACK ON THE ALBUM IT’S ALSO GOOD REALLY CEMENTS THE MOOD SET UP BY THE FIRST TRACK SHOUT WHICH IS ALSO SUPER GOOD

 3) Everybody Wants to Rule the World (10/10)

There’s one part in this song, I think it’s technically the bridge, it’s about at the middle here, I’ve linked to it, this is kind of the sound that I think of when one defines late 80’s pop. Triumphant but restrained, there’s a good sort of control to the sound. I can’t really critique music well if I’m actually trying, but I had probably heard this song hundreds of times before I actually tried to listen to it in my car last week, and that bridge is just beautiful. Probably a fun song for karaoke, I’d think.

4) Mothers Talk (10/10)

MMMMMMY EAHHH

5) I Believe (10/10)

this one’s a little toned-down but it’s still good in the context of the album thematically

6) Broken (10/10)

ALRIGHT SO THIS ONE’S WEIRD, THIS IS LIKE THE TRACK BEFORE THE NEXT TRACK BUT THEY FLOW ONE INTO ANOTHER SO WELL, I’VE NEVER KNOWN A BAND TO DO THIS IN ANOTHER ALBUM, THIS IS SO WEIRD BUT I LOVE IT, IT ACTUALLY WORKS WELL BECAUSE I’M JUST ANTICIPATING WHAT’S COMING NEXT WHICH IS

7) Head Over Heels/Broken (10/10)

Now, I’ve said for a long while that my favorite instrument in popular music is just a piano played at fortissimo, and this is a song that prominently features a piano played at fortissimo. The idea of just feeling that sort of intense love for someone is conveyed so well, again like track 3, they convey this one hundred percent feeling without going too far over and falling into the saccharine and the over-sentimental. It’s real, but it’s controlled so well that I have to fall for it.

8) Listen (10/10)

YEEEEAHHHHHHHHHHH