Talk Talk - Laughing Stock

Posted by: Colin Lorenson on 30 July 2007

Talk Talk - Laughing Stock and Mark Hollis solo album cheap cheap on Amazon. The former $8 from the US site and the latter £6 from UK.

There is surely no reason for any true music lover not to have these masterpiece albums, especially at those prices.

Both powerful moody minimal pieces that are unlike most anything else.

Go on I dare you. Take a risk and enhance your life.
Posted on: 30 July 2007 by SteveGa
quote:
Originally posted by Colin Lorenson:
There is surely no reason for any true music lover not to have these masterpiece albums, especially at those prices.

Both powerful moody minimal pieces that are unlike most anything else.


I could not agree more - the later Talk Talk stuff is magnificent. Forget your "pop" preconceptions of "It's My Life", go buy "Mark Hollis (£5.97) and "Spirit of Eden" at £4.97.
Steve
Posted on: 30 July 2007 by Colin Lorenson
Munch,

Wikipedia says he is Alive but retired from the music biz.

The latter albums and Mark Hollis especially is almost zen in its minimalism, which is what I love. I guess when you music becomes more and more spare the logical step is to stop ( but i really hope he hasn't).
Posted on: 30 July 2007 by droodzilla
Agreed, "Spirit of Eden", "Laughing Stock" and "Mark Hollis" are all essential, and hugely influential in the development of ambient, post-rock, and the like. Though not in the same league, I wouldn't discount "Colour of Spring", which starts to graft the later jazzy, exploratory style onto their pop roots - with some success.

I hope that Mark Hollis does a Kate Bush, and comes out of retireent for at least one more album.
Posted on: 30 July 2007 by Simon Matthews
I adore sririt of eden as well as Laughing stock and the solo album. However (this may be considered contentious) it is The colour of spring which I turn to on a more regular basis. There is a real sence of re-birth and spiritual optimism which pours through this album in the most joyful way.

Don't get me wrong, I love them all. Don't discount the first Tim freese Green produced album either. His influence cannot be underestimated.


Maybe a bad analogy is Radiohead. Spirit of eden is talk talks ok computer. The colour of spring is the bends. Maybe a more commercial album but full of knock out punches.
Posted on: 30 July 2007 by SteveGa
quote:
Originally posted by Simon Matthews:
Maybe a bad analogy is Radiohead. Spirit of eden is talk talks ok computer. The colour of spring is the bends. Maybe a more commercial album but full of knock out punches.


I think it was Mojo who called Spirit Of Eden a Dark Side of The Moon for the '80's.
Steve
Posted on: 31 July 2007 by bhazen
Spirit Of Eden
Laughing Stock
Mark Hollis

Three reasons I haven't thrown myself under a train during this baleful decade.
Posted on: 01 August 2007 by Whizzkid
quote:
Originally posted by Simon Matthews:
I adore sririt of eden as well as Laughing stock and the solo album. However (this may be considered contentious) it is The colour of spring which I turn to on a more regular basis. There is a real sence of re-birth and spiritual optimism which pours through this album in the most joyful way.

Don't get me wrong, I love them all. Don't discount the first Tim freese Green produced album either. His influence cannot be underestimated.


Maybe a bad analogy is Radiohead. Spirit of eden is talk talks ok computer. The colour of spring is the bends. Maybe a more commercial album but full of knock out punches.




Ah! People with real musical taste Winker , I can only add I love all of Talk Talk's output. Shame they gave it all up. Just listening to Radiohead Weird EH!



Dean..
Posted on: 01 August 2007 by bhazen
Worse analogies to follow -

Laughing Stock is rock's Kind Of Blue.
Posted on: 10 August 2007 by thirty three and a third
Here's probably the last video of the band "preforming." I love how Mark doesn't even try to sing into the mike or play the guitar.

Greatest music ever.
Posted on: 10 August 2007 by droodzilla
Thanks very much for the great YouTube link - I had no idea TV footage of the band from that era existed. It's very clear they were no longer a pop band at the time of that performance.
Posted on: 17 August 2007 by Chief Chirpa
I love Spirit of Eden, but I've not played Laughing Stock as much up until reading this thread, so thanks - I've only got a copy of it on cassette (!)

One of my favourite records of recent years is 'Out of Season' by 'Beth Gibbons and Rustin Man' (Beth from Portishead and Talk Talk's Paul Webb).

Just thought I should recommend it for any Spirit of Eden/Laughing Stock fans who haven't heard it. The whole 'atmosphere', for want of a better word, is spell-binding.

Talking of which, there's a new Portishead album out soon...
Posted on: 17 August 2007 by Heath
Everything from Colour Of Spring on is essential listening, especially 'Mark Hollis' This album sees Mark Hollis practice what he preached - "Before you play two notes learn how to play one note - and don't play one note unless you've got a reason to play it" It's beautifully sparse, and more organic than the very studio orientated Spirit Of Eden & Laughing Stock. A good recording IMO too, it's got something called dynamic range, imagine that!

One last point is, even though they have dated rather, they did actually write very well crafted pop songs prior to Colour Of Spring, they just suffered from 1980's production values.
Posted on: 26 August 2007 by thirty three and a third
quote:
Originally posted by Chief Chirpa:

One of my favourite records of recent years is 'Out of Season' by 'Beth Gibbons and Rustin Man' (Beth from Portishead and Talk Talk's Paul Webb).


Paul Webb has gone on to produce James Yorkston's, Year of the Leopard. Apparently he was hired because of the great sound he helped to create on Out of Season. Phill Brown is the engineer. For more info, here's yet another You Tube video for you.