Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Talk Talk
Label: EMI Records
Released: 1986
Running time: 45:40
Rating: 5/5
By the time the cult British new wave/art rock outfit Talk Talk were recording their third album, »The Colour of Spring«, they were enjoying the biggest popularity of their career thanks to hits like »Such a Shame« and »It’s My Life«. But their charismatic creative leader, multi-instrumentalist and singer Mark Hollis, was determined that their future sound, already more than obvious on that third studio effort, would steer them as far as possible from synthpop and the new wave movement of the eighties, even if it meant closing the door forever on any further mass success. Success never meant much to Hollis anyway, and when it came to sonic uncompromising-ness, after the 1986 jaunt he was even ready to quit playing live and doing any kind of promotion. That made his band, especially in the eyes of the record labels, a mysterious bunch of oddballs who cared only about their own musical development and their own creativity, which was of course always a worry for the corporate heads of the music industry.
From this album onward, then, Talk Talk became a band for the refined taste of a handful of music gourmets, which means they get mentioned far too rarely these days and so remain widely overlooked whenever someone recalls the best acts that left their mark on the eighties. Hollis’s gang of uncompromising music zealots had, to be fair, been deepening the progressive rock elements in their music on every album since the debut »The Party’s Over« (1982), drifting further and further away from the then-popular synthpop. What’s most surprising (or maybe not) is that, unlike most bands that came out of new wave, their albums passed the test of time with flying colors. For the ‘select circle’ they’re even more appreciated today than they were on release, and that’s the best proof of their sonic vision.
»The Colour of Spring« was an almost completely different album from its excellent predecessor »It’s My Life« (1984). It served as a kind of sonic bridge between two different musical worlds: the innovative new wave of their first two albums, and progressive rock with touches of jazz fusion and ambient music. At the same time, it was the overture and announcement of the even more experimental approach on Talk Talk’s next two records. It’s exactly this stylistic crossroads between the old and the new, with a far more ‘organic’ sound than the two previous efforts, that made »The Colour of Spring« their most balanced album and perhaps even the best in the whole discography of this cult band. On it, Talk Talk flung the doors wide open to ambient, jazz fusion and classical elements, so it’s easy to say they also played a significant part in reviving the progressive rock movement, which had all but been written off.
Hollis’s key songwriting partner remained keyboardist and producer Tim Friese-Greene. Even though he never actually became an official member of the band, on this album he started using the Mellotron and piano extensively, while the great vocal oddball Hollis showed off his multi-instrumental chops for the first time in his career, playing a good chunk of the keyboards, including organ and Mellotron, as well as a few guitar parts. Talk Talk picking up the ‘ancient’ prog rock keyboard, the Mellotron, was a downright rarity in the eighties, when most musicians turned up their noses at anything that smelled even slightly of the seventies. It let them lay down individual symphonic arrangements with a much more layered, orchestral sound. Once again there was a whole host of guest musicians besides Friese-Greene, so let’s single out just the most revered name among them: the legendary Steve Winwood (ex-Spencer Davis Group, Traffic, Blind Faith) on organ.
Just how huge a leap forward Talk Talk made in less than two years is clear from the opening track, »Happiness Is Easy«, which opens with minimalist rhythmic nuances, delicate guitar chords and shy but effective saxophone touches. Bassist Paul Webb stretches out properly right from the start, laying down complex yet subtle bass lines, while Lee Harris gets a nice chance to show off his jazzy approach to the drum kit. Not long after Hollis’s unique vocal comes in, ethereal Mellotron curtains begin to flow in the background, creating a magical atmosphere, while the addition of children’s choir vocals makes for an interesting experiment. The level of subtlety, minimalism and craftiness in building these mighty arrangements, with several kinds of keyboards flowing back and forth, is still enviable today.
»I Don’t Believe In You« is a complex power ballad built on gentle guitar passages and subtle organ backing, with a wealth of witty sound effects tucked inside. Hollis’s heart-wrenchingly melancholic vocal reaches even greater expression this time, especially in the mighty chorus, which is accompanied by melodramatic guitar chords. With the evergreen »Life’s What You Make It«, the album’s first single, which was also promoted with an unforgettable video of the band finding themselves in the company of assorted woodland ‘friends’ in the early morning hours, Talk Talk created their last big hit on both sides of the Atlantic and one of the most picturesque pieces of their short career. Minimalist rhythmic nuances, with an emphasis on spirited bass lines, are woven together with rolling synth layers and clever guitar phrases that crank up the enigmatic atmosphere, while Hollis’s singing simply ‘isn’t of this world’ and is full of contradictory emotions. Piano improvisations spice up the incredible atmosphere even more, and it doesn’t let up until the very end. As a fun fact about this classic, »Life’s What You Make It« was used in 2002 in the popular video game »Grand Theft Auto: Vice City«.
»April 5th« features gorgeous symphonic arrangements on organ and Mellotron, plus jazz-leaning flourishes on sax and percussion, which sound even more minimalist than usual this time. Such subtlety in the use of the Mellotron, serving as the ideal bed for Hollis’s vocal approach, which is distinctly experimental here, hadn’t been heard since pretty much the end of the seventies. »Living in Another World«, the album’s second single, was a minor hit and ranks among the best-known creations of their career. It’s one of the few pieces on »The Colour of Spring« where you can still catch a bit of that new wave charm, although we’re already talking about rhythmically complex art rock with a distinctly melodic chorus. Hollis’s vocal is wonderfully complemented by backing harmonies, while the richness of the arrangements is also ensured by touches of harmonica and, above all, generous layers of organ.
»Give It Up« was picked as the third single, which is hardly surprising given that it’s the most commercially minded piece on the album, with a distinctly catchy, melodic chorus, while the mighty symphonic arrangements, led by massive layers of organ, are generously backed by a fusion-style rhythmic seasoning. A tasteful guitar solo in the middle nicely livens up the melancholic yet, for Talk Talk, fairly atypically optimistic mood, which radiates from Hollis’s singing at the same time. »Chameleon Day«, on the other hand, is a thoroughly melancholic effort that opens with interesting woodwind improvisations and jazzy piano passages. Hollis sounds here as if his heart had been pierced by a thousand needles, while gentle Mellotron waves keep the sad message of this unhappy testament going the whole way through. On the closing ambient treat »Time It’s Time«, where Talk Talk blend gorgeous symphonic arrangements, jazzy rhythmic nuances and Hollis’s versatile vocal into an ideal mix, the band wraps everything up in a cheerful mood with dramatic backing harmonies, which together create an almost otherworldly atmosphere.
With »The Colour of Spring«, Talk Talk created one of the few art rock masterpieces of the 1980s, one that has aged beautifully over the decades, which says a lot about how far ahead of their time their sonic vision was. Its incredible stylistic balance, the depth of the individual arrangements and the ability to build magical ambient ‘disconnects’ are still its main strengths today. »The Colour of Spring« was their last big commercial success, since Hollis’s crew, as already mentioned, began to fence themselves off more and more from commercial demands and the designs of the label EMI. The next two records delivered even greater sonic vision and experimentation than anyone could have imagined after »The Colour of Spring«, and by then it was already somewhat clear that the band’s ‘days were numbered’, even though it was precisely in the closing phase of their career that they secured cult status for all eternity.
Lineup
Mark Hollis – vocals, organ, guitar, piano, melodica, Mellotron
Paul Webb – bass guitar, backing vocals
Lee Harris – drums, percussion
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Tim Friese-Greene – producer, piano, Mellotron, synthesizer
Ian Curnow – keyboards
Martin Ditcham – percussion
Mark Feltham – harmonica, hornAlan Gorrie – bass guitar
Robbie McIntosh – guitar, dobro guitar
Morris Pert – percussion
Phil Reis – percussion
David Rhodes – guitar
David Roach – saxophone
Gaynor Sadler – harp, horn
Danny Thompson – double bass
Steve Winwood – organ
Production
Tim Friese-Greene
Tracklist
1. Happiness Is Easy (6:30)
2. I Don’t Believe in You (5:02)
3. Life’s What You Make It (4:28)
4. April 5th (5:51)
5. Living in Another World (6:58)
6. Give It Up (5:17)
7. Chameleon Day (3:20)
8. Time It’s Time (8:14)
