I stumbled over one of my old Talk Talk records the other day. “Laughing Stock”.
Fantastic cover I think. A futuristic tree with many very weird birds sitting in it.
It looks like they are glued to the tree. Well, I have a thing with trees.
Talk Talk started out as a synt pop band, you may remember hits like “Life´s what you make it” and “Such a shame”.
The album “Its my life”, was a huge commercial succes, sort of in the new wave line at the same time as Duran Duran started out.
I didnt really care much for this music when they were big in the start eighties, but then a few years back I realised they made a few very fantastic albums at the end of their career as a band. (I honestly dont know if they still make records together – doubt it – I think these last records were made to fulfill their contract with the record company – boy must they have been dissapointed at first).
The laughing Stock is a very mellow affair with all acoustic instruments. The occassional synt is there, but it sounds like they actually recorded the whole thing together in the studio as a band playing. Like in the good old days.
I can imagine that this was a path they were likely to take, after all the years in the synt pop machine. Its really easy flowing music, perfect for a chill out nap in the hammock. Mind you, you can easily get lost in the many beautiful details if you care to listen!
Laughing Stock is the last of three “experimental” albums they made between 1984 and 1989 and they are all produced by the unofficial member of the band in that period: Tim Friese-Greene, who some might know as the producer behind Thomas Dolby.
The other albums from that period: “Spirit of Eden”, and the colour of spring, are both fantastic albums. All produced in the same frame of mind as “Laughing Stock” who is the latest of the three, from 1991.
I love the music, but I must admit that it is his voice that takes home the price from this listener.
Really special, I guess you could put it on top of everything and it would be interesting to listen to – well, you know what I mean.
chill out downbeat artist Ganga
Ganga – Downbeat / Chill Out Music
http://www.ganga.dk
http://www.flincmusic.com
http://www.myspace.com/gangalounge
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http://www.last.fm/music/Ganga
http://www.ilike.com/artist/Ganga
http://www.gangamusic.info
http://www.bandbase.dk/ganga
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Tags: Chill Out, Downbeat, Ganga, Laughing Stock, Spirit of Eden, Talk Talk