71) Talk Talk The Colour of Spring

Mark Hollis died in 2019. This is an artist who had not released an album in twenty-one years and who only released six albums in a sixteen career and then retired and was never heard of again. There was a genuine outpouring of grief and tributes for the man. That’s how much this man’s music touched people. I obviously know Talk Talk but in truth, just their singles, I do not think I have listened to one of their albums. The Colour of Spring was their only top ten album, apart from compilations, and found the band at their commercial peak. Eight tracks and four of them released as singles but you can see why as Living In Another World contains just one of the best harmonicas throughout a song I can think of. Life’s What You Make It has a driving organ throughout the song and Hollis vocals on Give it Up and I Don’t Believe In You are full of emotion. This is an organic album the band had moved on from synths to much more lavish arrangements but this is not just for the sake of it this was a band clearly evolving. The album is bookended by two truly exquisite tracks. Opener Happiness is Easy is minimal slowly building before a children’s choir come in at the two minute mark trading off against Hollis vocals. Closing is Time It’s Time where the band bring in the Ambrosian Singers, a choir from London, who chant over a swirling heady track. I have heard people say that sometimes you can put too much on a track, Talk Talk knew exactly what they were doing and where they were going. 8.5/10 GIVE IT A STREAM: Time After Time