New Tears for Fears - review

[duane@EBay.Sun.COM (Duane Day, I.R. - Applications Development)]

TEARS FOR FEARS - The Seeds of Love
-----------------------------------

Three years late and a week early comes the release of the long-awaited
third album from Tears for Fears, _The Seeds of Love_, and it covers a
much wider range of musical styles than either of their previous records,
_The Hurting_ and _Songs from the Big Chair_.  This is a mature piece of
work from songwriter/singer/guitarist/keyboardist Roland Orzabal and
bassist/singer Curt Smith.

The album opens with "Woman in Chains", with Curt's bass, Roland's keyboard
ostinatos and Phil Collins' drums evoking _Security_-era Peter Gabriel. 
The lyrics are an indictment of those who would keep women in a subservient
role:  "It's a world gone crazy keeps woman in chains/So free her/So free
her."  An interesting way to begin an album.  Roland's vocal intertwines
with that of new vocalist/keyboardist Oleta Adams, (who Curt and Roland
discovered in a piano bar in Kansas City).

Next comes a sprawling, 8-minute-plus epic, "Badman's Song."  Almost rootsy
rock sections alternate with jazzy, piano-dominated sections - the former
driven by former Pretenders guitarist Robbie McIntosh, the latter by the
versatile and powerful rhythm section of drummer Manu Katche (Gabriel,
Sting, Joni Mitchell) and bassist Pino Palladino (perhaps best known for
his work with Paul Young).

The first single, "Sowing the Seeds of Love," comes next, an open tribute
to the Beatles, musically highly evocative of "I am the Walrus."  The
lyrics explore the creative power of love, an oft-used topic but one
which is here expressed nicely:  "I believe in lovepower...sowing the
seeds/an end to need/and the Politics of Greed/with Love."

The bouncy, latin-flavored "Advice for the Young at Heart" follows.  A
simple verse alternates with some nice, complex chords in the bridge
and chorus.  Unexpectedly, the tempo slows at the end, for the lines
"Working hour is over/We can do anything that we want/Anything that we
feel like doing."  (The last, perhaps, is a reference to _Big Chair's_
emotional centerpiece, "The Working Hour", and also to those who might
have attempted to force them to produce _Big Chair II_ to capitalize
on that album's success.  As Roland has pointed out in recent magazine
interviews, the massive worldwide success of singles such as "Shout",
"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" and "Head Over Heels" provided
them with enough money that they never needed to make another record.)

Katche, Palladino return for the following track, "Standing On the
Corner of the Third World."  Again, a well-worn theme is given an
intelligent and compassionate lyrical treatment.  Musically, this
song is sometimes *very* reminiscent of "I Believe" (from _Big Chair_).
A thoroughly hypnotic section near the end, with fast, fluid, melodic bass
work from Palladino, tasteful percussion by Katche, and another Gabrielesque
keyboard ostinato, is punctuated by Peter Hope-Evans' harmonica, and then
by Roland singing "Hold me I'm crying/Hold me I'm dying."  Very striking,
and very nice.

"Swords and Knives" marks Roland's return to his familiar theme of the pain
and frustration of birth and childhood echoed in the emotional upheavals
of adulthood:  "A waking world of innocence/so grave those first born
cries/When life begins with needles and pins/it ends with swords and
knives."  Although no drummer is credited, the groove sounds like Katche -
perhaps a little like "Red Rain."  A strange treated saxophone solo in 
the middle and a nice guitar solo (presumably by Roland; no other guitarist
is credited on the track) lead to a symphonic climax and a gentle, somewhat
spacey, piano and guitar ending.

This segues, via simulated or real audience noise (again?) into "Year of
the Knife," another rather rootsy effort again featuring McIntosh, as well
as some Steely Dan-like mass harmony vocals.  It's not George Thorogood
by any means, but the mostly "boom chick boom chick" straight ahead drums
and McIntosh's slide guitar anchor much of the track in familiar rhythmic
and textural territory - when all of a sudden, the drum beat changes to 
a more "Not Fade Away" Bo Diddley figure, and a swirl of strings builds
to the next verse, followed again by the harmony vocals on the chorus.

The closer, "Famous Last Words," features the introspective piano and
synthesized strings of Nicky Holland (who co-wrote five of the eight
songs with Roland, and who played keyboards on the _Big Chair_ tour),
as well as the sensitive trumpet work of Jon Hassell.  These elements
form the backdrop for Roland's expressive, emotional vocal, which
builds to a climax, then stops short for one last refrain, accompanied
only by Holland's piano and strings.

On first hearing, I was troubled by an apparent lack (in some sections
at least) of harmonic inventiveness.  Soon, however, the strength of
the songwriting jumps out.  The production, by Tears for Fears with
David Bascombe, is great, maintaining a balance between the washes of
reverb which characterized _Big Chair_ and the more stark sound
associated with producers such as Daniel Lanois.  This is a work which
will probably require several more listenings before its full impact
is felt, but one to which I'm already sure I will form strong emotional
attachments.  This album is as different from _Big Chair_ as the latter
was from it's predecessor, _The Hurting_; there is a broader range of
sounds and musical styles covered, and yet the album seems to flow as
a continuous whole.  This is very mature work from a composer still in 
his late twenties.  I'll be very interested to see how this one fares
in the marketplace, but whether or not it matches the sales success of
_Big Chair_, _The Seeds of Love_ is perhaps a deeper and ultimately
more meaningful album.

************************ |UUCP: {hplabs,decwrl,<others>}!sun!thismoment!duane
  but one of the choices | COM: duane%thismoment@sun.com
turns existence into art |ARPA: duane@sun.arpa                      
************************ |USPS: 2550 Garcia Ave. M/S M3-76, Mtn. View CA 94042