The story surrounding Talk Talk is much more interesting than the record covered in this entry. From the minute that I pressed play, I was confused why “Spirit of Eden” was qualified as New Wave. The opening number, “The Rainbow,” is a nine minute experimental jazz-rock opus that has more in common with King Crimson than anybody I’ve covered with exception to maybe Soft Boys or Japan. For as much as New Wave is a malleable genre that I think has the potential to expand the potential of Top 40 rock, I don’t think it’s controversial to say that this record is very much not that. If anything, it’s antithetical to the behaviors of bands of the time who sought to tear apart the pretensions of 70s rock’s grandiosity.
In a lot of ways, releasing a record like this is the most New Wave act a band could do after acquiring success. Many have taken left turns in efforts to challenge audiences and fulfill the creative talents’ potential. This even lead to behind the scenes conflicts that will be discussed later, which reflect that this was not an ideal record. For a band who had released more conventionally New Wave synth-driven tracks like “It’s My Life” and “Life’s What You Make Of It,” having this be the Talk Talk record that was highlighted makes me wonder if the person who compiled the list for Paste is challenging our understanding of definitions, or if they just don’t know what they’re talking about.
Unlike the ending, the story starts on a familiar plane. Mark Hollis was a musician who, in 1977, started a punk band called The Reaction. Along with his brother Ed, who was a DJ, he managed to acquire a record contract with Island Records. They would release the demo “Talk Talk Talk Talk” that was inspired by garage rock bands of the time. The band would disband in 1979, though the Hollis brothers would have a strong impact on each other. Ed would introduce Mark to various genres, including jazz icons like Miles Davis. Given that Mark also listed author William Burroughs among his inspirations, it was clear that he wanted to make something more poetic and abstract than whatever The Reaction would offer.
Taking their name from an abbreviated version of Hollis’ big single, Talk Talk would form in 1981 and release their debut album “The Party’s Over” the following year. The band was from London, England and could be considered a more conventional New Wave band over their first few releases. Many criticized their reliance on synthesizers over acoustic instruments, though it was largely believed this was a cost saving measure.
Along with the double-talk name, their early sound was compared to Duran Duran. Part of the reason was sharing influence from Roxy Music as well as being on the same label, EMI. A later album would feature Duran Duran producer Colin Thurston, though Hollis claims that it’s because of his appreciation for his work on David Bowie’s “Heroes.” In another moment of coincidence, Talk Talk would serve as the opening act on their tour in 1982. The final ironic coincidence was that both also released remix albums. The only difference was that Talk Talk didn’t authorize theirs.
Despite having moderate acclaim, it wasn’t until 1986 with “The Colour Of Spring” that the band garnered significant success. The sales meant that EMI would offer them a larger budget for their follow-up. Signs of the band’s sound change were heard by then, though the record label wasn’t ready for the direction they would ultimately go in. Whereas they could sell everything that came before, even rereleasing “It’s My Life” as a single, “Spirit of Eden” was going to test the limits of their marketing department.
To be completely honest, I don’t know the best way to delve into this record. Whereas I’ve been able to go track by track in the past and find unique quirks popping up, “Spirit of Eden” feels like a fluid, meditative piece of music. Even if there are changes, there’s nothing significant enough to want to go in depth. For me, this is an album that’s best consumed as one whole experience. For the sake of clarity, I’ll only choose to talk about the opening song, “The Rainbow,” which serves as the longest track and possibly their most ambitious of the line-up.
As mentioned towards the start, this album reminds me more of King Crimson than, say, Devo or Siouxsie and the Banshees. There is a lack of aggression on this record and the hooks aren’t conventionally catchy. Hollis claims that his influence came from artists like Miles Davis and John Coltrane, and it shows. While there’s elements of art rock in terms of guitars and drums, they’re a lot less focused on a melody. The elements at play are about the mellow build, crafting something more akin to a soundscape. The ideal listening experience is to put on headphones and navigate through the music to find small details emerging throughout the minutes.
Due to my lack of awareness around the record, I was ready to assume that the nine minutes would be entirely instrumental. As someone who is familiar with jazz records like Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme,” I was enjoying the idea. This was a patient record that didn’t reveal all of its cards at once. The horns and melodies would emerge several minutes in, resulting in this operatic build. Even if it’s far from an intense record, there is something electric about every introduction. The escalation makes you feel something more instinctual. The music works at playing with your neurons as you prepare for Hollis’ vocals to emerge over halfway through the running time. Given that they’re centered around spirituality and self-reflection, it’s a peaceful experience that will carry for the rest of the record. Your mileage may vary on how successful it is.
For me, it’s fine. I am not necessarily a fan of the prog-rock style that this reminds me of. I do admire the scope and think that it does a great job of immersing the listener. However, I think Hollis’ vocals are weirdly my least favorite part of the music as the soundscapes are more impressively dense. The novelty does wear off by the end for me, but given that I’m a fan of King Crimson who delve even further into similar jazz rock ideas, I’m not opposed to anything this does. I’m still a bit confused on how this qualifies as New Wave, but as the remainder of this essay will suggest, I’m not alone.
Compared to Talk Talk’s previous records, “Spirit of Eden” was going to be an undertaking. With a larger budget, Hollis took advantage of the opportunity by crafting what amounted to jam sessions into the final product. Along with several studio musicians, Talk Talk was said to have recorded the record in the dark with many only able to hear the songs through headphones. They’d sit around and figure things out instinctively. From there they’d edit the music together over a period that was said to have lasted over a year. EMI would become so annoyed at the time it took to record and edit the album that they complained when it took over three months to release it in 1988.
According to Hollis, one thing was certain: Talk Talk would not perform the album live. Audiences would want a faithful regurgitation, and that was not in his interest. As a result, they stopped touring and playing live altogether. Similarly, there was initial concern over releasing a single given that every track averaged over six minutes. They would land on a radio friendly version of “I Believe in You.” It wouldn’t be enough for success and early feedback was mixed. Following a career more in line with conventional New Wave stylings, audiences were confused and Rolling Stone was quick to offer the album a one star rating.
This looked like the end for Talk Talk, especially seeing as they weren’t going to regress. While Hollis has later been praised for making art that spoke to him in the face of industry standards, at the time it lead to controversies. Their manager Keith Aspden encouraged the band to go to court over contract disputes. Given their new direction, they believed that EMI would take advantage of them and offer less money. Concern over the band being screwed over was not a good enough excuse as they wound up losing the lawsuit. However, it was overturned and they signed a two album contract with Polydor.
Unlike most New Wave bands that I’ve covered, Talk Talk’s post-album career doesn’t have too many hallmarks. Following their 1991 follow-up “Laughing Stock,” they broke up. There would be no additional reunion. The most noteworthy work included members starting the experimental rock group .O.rang as well as Mark Hollis having a small solo career that included one release. The band largely faded into obscurity after this with the 21st century featuring almost zero significant output from the central musicians. Given that Hollis died in 2019, there’s not a lot of room to speculate a comeback.
With that said, their legacy has been meaningful. “Spirit of Eden” is said to have inspired the post-rock genre with bands like Slint, Sigur Ross, and Godspeed! You Black Emperor. Elsewhere, Weezer and No Doubt have covered their earlier New Wave hits with the latter’s “It’s My Life” cover becoming a Top 40 hit. Upon the passing of Hollis, London held an event at Royal Festival Hall where several high profile musicians performed music from each of the band’s albums. Along with later documentaries, the band’s legacy continues to resonate with various demographics.
At the end of the day, I don’t fully understand including “Spirit of Eden” on a list discussing New Wave. This is likely to the be the most abstract entry that I’ll cover. While the band’s origins may have been in the genre, I want to believe this evolution barely counts in ways other than pushing boundaries of what mainstream music could achieve. I like it for the most part, but I’d have to agree with EMI that this isn’t a classically marketable album. It found its audience eventually and even has landed on many best of lists. However, I think the behind the scenes debacle may have been more interesting than anything I’ve heard. It’s worth checking out, though don’t expect anything buzzy or upbeat.
Coming Up Next: The Go-Go’s – “Beauty and the Beat” (1981)
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