Well, some things are really worth the wait. Tears for Fears returns after 18 years, to record “The Album of 2022”, so far. The Tipping Point is the album they had to make, after all of their fans have been up and down over the years, wondering if they would return. Yes, there were stories of conflict and the tragic death of Roland Orzabal’s wife. But like Tool, who had been gone for a while; T4F returned with a triumphant album which will definitely be in many people’s list of top ten albums, at the end of this year.
It is the album we all needed from them. Are they talking about the tipping point of the ecology of the Earth? Or the brink of World War III, (as no one could possibly have predicted when they wrote it), but absolutely relevant now. But yes, the world does seem to be on a tipping point. We can go forward into a bright future or backward into the mistakes of the past, that we always seem to forget. Into glory or destruction. Yes, T4F have captured the message of our time and the year – 2022.
The album opens with “No Small Thing”. And how you open an album is just as important as how you close it. (And they always close an album well). This was the first song Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith wrote together for the album, and you can tell, they wanted a powerful start. The song opens with acoustic guitar. Then Roland sings, “Get your sweets from the Candyman. Get your truth from the shelf. Don’t buy into the fairy tale. Just be good to yourself”. In other words, know the source of the stuff you’re buying or believing. Where does it originate? “Be good to yourself”. Don’t we all need that last line, after all the world has been through over the last two years. The music is ominous and forbidding on keys and electric guitar. But then they take you away, when they sing, “Take a trip to America, (and that famous video we all know, comes immediately back to mind, of Curt driving solo through the desert on Highway 10, in America, back in the 80s, with their most popular song playing). A deeper song, for an aged and knowledgeable team. Hardened by time and tragedies. Then, the catch phrase that flies by so fast you might miss it, “We punish the child for flying too high. For rushing like the wind”. Yes, we do, unfortunately. To the world’s detriment.
“The Tipping Point”, was everyone’s first introduction to this album. The first single. The reason behind the album. A perfect follow up to “Every Body Wants to Rule the World”, and all of the other wonderful titles; of all of their albums. The beat and harmonies, and the chorus are unforgettable. It stayed with me night after night after I heard it back around December. They had me pulled in, with this song alone. I have been a fan since The Hurting. This is a much happier album than The Hurting, but I definitely see the connection regarding mental health and behavior. I think this song was made for Roland’s wife. The, “You know I can’t love you more”. The ghosts and reality that someone very close to you is gone, forever. Something many people have also felt over the last two years of the Pandemic. It is a tough song, if you listen carefully to the words. But you can learn a lot about life and grief, from their sharing of the story. A song rivelling the power of “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”.
“Long, Long, Long Time”, opens with, “The higher the mountain, the harder the fall. Looking for blood at the scene of the crime. It’s been running in circles or nothing at all. For a long, long, long time”. Too many details, instead of envisioning the “Big Picture”. It sounds like the pathway towards making this record. “We haven’t been honest or clever or sure, in a long, long, long time”. But the answer isn’t far away, “Funny how the heart of holding on is letting go”. Yes, the Beatles again, “Let it Be”.
“Break the Man”, is another deep look inside grief, especially after losing someone important in your life. “She’s the fire and the fallout. She reminds you of the things we never talk about. She’s the lover with the best-laid plan. To break the man”. Trying to put into words what you have lost, forever. A difficult song, set to a bouncy pace.
“My Demons”, is one of my favorite songs on the album. T4F set to a Depeche Mode vibe. Love it. They open it with some of the best keyboards I’ve heard this year. The keyboards at times, remind me a little of Sylvan’s “Go Viral”. They sing, “Go faster, young master. You’re breathing disaster. ‘Cos these human hands need a human touch. ‘Cos my demons don’t get out that much”. They covered so much ground there. They cover everything from gun violence, ecological ruin, “We’re not one of you, you’re not one of us”. It is all there for you to find. Look carefully. And don’t repeat the same mistakes. A song for all seasons.
“Rivers of Mercy”, took me immediately back to Peter Gabriel’s ‘Mercy Street”. The same kinda cadence and rhythm. The same feeling, for a cold world, with trouble in the streets and human conflict on the rise. I love the verses, “If by magic you mean the ocean. If by tragic you mean the end”. Perfect! Then, maybe the best line on the album, “We weren’t wrong. We were just hungry. For Manna from Heaven. Come and drown me in the infinite sea”. I think they may have outdone Peter Gabriel on this one. “Slow down river and float me upstream”. Another great Beatles Revolver line, (“I’m Only Sleeping”). Another great line, “Bring out the dead tonight, and bathe them in your sacred light, to wash away the pain”. There is so much in this album, if you listen.
“Please Be Happy”, is a very sad song of remembrance for Roland’s wife. I hear the melody of the Beatles’ “Something in the Way’, or “Long And Winding Road” playing in the chorus. Either way, good choice. I bet he listened to them many times, especially during the hard times. Maybe, they were his wife’s favorites, as well. This is a similar tribute, to those classics, for the woman you love.
“Master Plan”, has a very cool keyboard opening before a Beatle-like melody begins. This is another of the best songs on the album. The depth is incredible, if you read the lyrics well. It opens with the record industry pressure these two felt to make a record, “With sorrow undivided by the love of gold. When nothing is so pure it can’t be sold”. Yes, the record industry “Master Plan”. Also, corruption and the materialism of the world, in general. Then, the piece of advice we need right now, “Believe me now, believe me when I tell you there’s another way. The sun will rise tomorrow on your world of pain. If you would let your feelings show”. Then even more great advice, “I feel rage. I need faith”. Yes, indeed. John and Paul would approve, for sure.
“End of Night”, is the way out. After all the grief, they sing, “Tears she turned to joy. No need to worry about the world. You can’t see the beauty for all the hurt. Turn the world around. Blind them with your sound. ‘Cos it’s the end of night”. Yes, “This must be the end of night!”
“Stay”, is the epic deep dive, to close this immaculate album. Curt sings, “Speak, don’t speak. Go, don’t go. Young enough to play the game. Old enough to know”. They have come far in their journey of life. “Dust to dust. We all fall down”, a glimpse back at “Falling Down”, from The Hurting. Nice.
This is one of the best albums of recent years. It is also one of my favorite Tears for Fears albums. The rankings have changed to: Songs from the Big Chair, The Seeds of Love, The Tipping Point and Everybody Loves a Happy Ending. Please get this album to help this band come back for more music. We need their inspiration and writing in today’s world, more than ever.
Track List
- No Small Thing – 4:42
- The Tipping Point – 4:13
- Long, Long, Long Time – 4:32
- Break the Man – 3:56
- My Demons – 3:08
- Rivers of Mercy – 6:09
- Please Be Happy – 3:06
- Master Plan – 4:37
- End of Night – 3:24
- Stay – 4:37