Search - Talk Talk :: Colour of Spring

As bad as bad becomes it's not a part of you and love is onl

Deven Gadula | san francisco, ca, united states | 10/14/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One of the best albums ever composed. That is what Talk Talk's Colour Of Spring will always be to me. One of the best 10 albums among the 5,000 I have kept. You have to listen to it a few times (7 is a good number) before you quite get there but I can assure you, no matter what is your musical background, you can get to love this music. It is melodic and uplifting, acoustic and atmospheric, peaceful and perfect.



Happiness Is Easy is a perfect song to listen to on Sunday morning around 10 am, if you are at home or alone and feel like surrounding your spirit with harmony. Stay within this song for a while. Although Mark's lyrics leave it a bit open as far as his take on things the feeling this song will place upon you...leaves no doubts. This is one of the most spiritually uplifting songs in rock music. The choir of Children From The School Of Miss Speake is a great addition to this song. I find it more special than the choir in Jerusalem by Vangelis of even Mike Oldfield's work, and the only song I know which exceeds the power of a similar expression is Jan Garbarek's We Are The Stars. The Colour Of Spring is a very exceptional album in terms of talent it brought together. There are 16 musicians and 2 choirs involved here and none of the songs were recorded by the same line up. Happiness Is Easy, for instance, has 10 musicians playing and a choir singing, and the instruments involve drums, 3 sets (and players) of percussion, acoustic bass, electric bass, organ, piano, guitar and effects. Steve Winwood plays organ here and on 2 other songs. I Don't Believe In You is another great song and we have an addition of harp and soprano saxophone here. This spectacular orchestration of this music is what makes it such an unique rock album. Here Mark's words could be directed towards all of us or he could be addressing himself, but no matter how he says it, the spirituality of the music is enormous. Life's What You Make It takes us to the song April 5th which relates more towards Mark's future music. More withdrawn and abstract. The lyrics of April 5th, directed towards spring, are a perfect study of his poetic style. `Let me breathe the colour of spring'...the way he sings his words at the end of this song, by almost breathing them back and forth and distorting the voice to complement the guitar sounds and adding texture to the ambience of our experience is truly amazing. The total instrumentation of this song consists of Mark's voice, soprano saxophone, 2 variophons, organ, piano and dobro. This is the atmosphere building at its best which David Sylvian excels at as well. Living In Another World is a completely different song in terms of rhythm and texture but lyrically...all doors still were left open. Mark's lyrics keep on asking us over and over to work out the details of his poetic tales...on our own. Perhaps the following song, Give It Up is a little more direct, towards all of us again. The music of Chameleon Day again takes us to Mark's future and the atmosphere of his later work. It is limited to his vocal, piano and 2 viriophones. It becomes a great moment of peace before the most powerful moment of this album, to me. The music is more beautiful than ever and the Ambrosia Choir this time adds layers to the texture which is upon us. Time It's Time summarizes the message of Colour Of Spring and is a bit more direct...'love is only sleeping wrapped in neglect'; `contempt is ever breeding trapped in itself'; `the wicked and the weeping ramble or run'; and so, `time it's time to live for living' and we are so fortunate to have this beloved album to help us along...



The Colour Of Spring was just such an awesome stage of a beautiful progression of Mark Hollis' complete musical development and statement. And yes, all of us sometimes wish that more great albums similar to the ones we consider our jewels would be left behind by artists we love. It is often impossible for them and Mark Hollis happens to be the monument to this statement. This phantastic album at hand is the only message he wanted to express in this unique way. Which songs are best? Again, my favorite ones are Time It's Time, Happiness is Easy, I Don't Believe in You, April 5th, and Living in Another World. What a magnificent album this is. Thank you Mark and all of you who have contributed to the release of this music.

"

1997 Remasted Edition UPC is 72438571312

W. Scott | 08/01/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Confirm with seller in advance they are selling you the 1997 remastered edition with UPC 72438571312. Some sellers are incorrectly associating the original 1986 edition (UPC 7777462282) with the remastered listing."

Master piece

I. Levi | 12/03/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"this is a great musical piece, and to my opinion the best of talk talk . romantic and emotional. pure music."