Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Talk Talk
Label: EMI Records
Release: 1982
Length: 36:47
Rating: 4.5/5
»The Party’s Over« was the debut of the cult British band Talk Talk, whose character and work still can’t be pinned down to a single genre, since they outgrew the confines of new wave, ‘played’ with art rock, and toward the end of their career opened the door to post rock. In the early days, their musical approach could most easily be described as somewhere in between synth pop and new wave, though even then, in the early phase of a relatively short career, you could hear some more complex, ‘art’ elements. »The Party’s Over«, which bears the production stamp of Colin Thurston, a former producer of David Bowie and Duran Duran, had no guitars at all, and was all the more steeped in layered synth textures courtesy of Simon Brenner, who left the band right after this album came out. The relatively complex rhythm section of bassist Paul Webb and drummer Lee Harris was the part that carried quite a few jazz influences, although that became much clearer only on later Talk Talk records. From day one, the band’s central ‘star’ could be said to be the unique singer and all-round musician Mark Hollis, whose distinctive voice made sure that, as soon as the first singles came out, they stood apart from their musical peers.
Hollis also brought the first hit single, »Talk Talk«, over from his previous band Reaction, the opening track on »The Party’s Over«, which brought Talk Talk fairly unexpected commercial success. That happened after »Mirror Man«, released even before the official release of »The Party’s Over«, flopped commercially, which luckily didn’t kill the band’s drive to keep making interesting music that was challenging for its time. Funnily enough, the song the band took its name from is also one of the most commercial and best-loved Talk Talk compositions ever, with massive synth textures paving the way for a melodic chorus that lodges itself in your ear receptors in an instant.
The atmosphere of most songs on »The Party’s Over«, an album without a single guitar on it, is soaked in a blend of indescribable melancholy and icy-cold wind, the only logical consequence of a dystopian society that Mr. Hollis tries to escape by any means as he sings. The lyrics were among the smartest when you compare Talk Talk with the new wave bands of the time. Behind the seeming surface of reports on teenage parties, there’s mostly a bitter social critique hiding. Sarcasm radiates throughout »It’s So Serious« too, where complex synth passages build a gripping atmosphere in the middle of which Hollis’ melodramatic vocal approach feels completely at home. »Today«, the next single off the album, also became a hit, which isn’t surprising. The moment the pompous, rousing chorus kicks in, sounding, thanks to Hollis, like it’s coming from the saddest depths of the human soul, it’s clear why this song was such a success. Small synth embellishments are what add extra movement and color to the thoroughly dramatized mood.
The title track opens with an enigmatic intro, while the mocking lyrics deliver an uncompromising satire of hedonistic society, specifically the party-hungry and apathetic youth of the late 20th century, which means it’s just as relevant today. The unforgettable ambient magic is once again the work of the excellent combination of Hollis’ unique vocals and layered synth arrangements, while in the middle section the rhythm duo serves up an unexpected time shift into an almost epic passage. Even early in their career, Talk Talk were incredible masters at creating stunning, distinctive atmospheres that swept the listener away with ease.
»Hate« is, true to its title, the most uncompromising and ‘angry’ piece on the whole album, with a slightly punky chorus on top of the classic new wave synth arrangements. On »Have You Heard The News?«, laced with a new romantic pulse and once again ruled by incredible melancholy, it’s not hard to see why the media of the day so loved comparing Talk Talk to Duran Duran early on, and even to (late) Roxy Music. The aforementioned »Mirror Man« could also be compared to some of the work of Japan, meaning there’s a noticeable art rock component between the individual arrangements and rhythmic nuances. Evidently this one was a bit too rhythmically complex for the masses of the day to become a hit, while the chorus was probably not ‘catchy’ enough for most people to get a favorable commercial response.
»Another World«, another melodramatic gem on which Hollis puts on an unforgettable vocal show, especially when it comes to switching between emotional moods, features an unusually fast tempo and a socially engaged, multi-voiced chorus. »Candy« is a popular female ‘stage’ name that popular fiction often uses to label a good-time girl or a stripper, while in Talk Talk’s case Candy is the lyrical subject of a melancholic love ballad, adorned with mighty symphonic arrangements and where Hollis’ vocals, in terms of sheer emotion poured in, reach entirely new dimensions.
Talk Talk were already pulling back the curtain on the new wave’s seemingly hidden ‘darker’ side on their splendid debut, so it’s no surprise that the parties in the lyrics of individual songs almost always ended in a sad epilogue, which was nothing more than a biting comment on an emotionally numb, spiritually hollowed-out modern society. From »The Party’s Over« on, Hollis’ band of brave explorers of new musical directions, beyond the expected synth pop and new wave circles, moved forward from album to album, which means that each new record showed off something completely new while drifting further and further away from chasing radio hits.
Lineup
Mark Hollis – vocals
Lee Harris – drums
Paul Webb – bass guitar
Simon Brenner – keyboards
Production
Colin Thurston
Track list
1. Talk Talk
2. It’s So Serious
3. Today
4. The Party’s Over
5. Hate
6. Have You Heard the News?
7. Mirror Man
8. Another World
9. Candy
