Talk Talk Albums Ranked

Talk Talk was an English band formed in 1981, led by Mark Hollis (vocals, guitar, piano), Lee Harris (drums), and Paul Webb (bass). The group achieved early chart success with the synth-pop singles “Talk Talk” (1982), “It’s My Life”, and “Such a Shame” (both 1984) before moving towards a more experimental approach in the mid-1980s,^[5] pioneering what became known as post-rock. Talk Talk achieved widespread critical success in Europe and the UK with the singles “Life’s What You Make It” (1985) and “Living in Another World” (1986); in 1988, they released their fourth album Spirit of Eden, which was critically acclaimed yet failed to sell. Friction with the band’s label, EMI, resulted in legal action and countersuing. Webb departed, and the band switched to Polydor for their final studio album, 1991’s Laughing Stock, but split soon afterward. Singer Mark Hollis released one solo album in 1998 before retiring from the music industry; he died in 2019. The band’s founding bass player and drummer, Paul Webb and Lee Harris played in several bands together; long-term collaborator Tim Friese-Greene continued in the business as a musician and producer. Here are all of the Talk Talk albums ranked.

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10. Remixed (2001)

:This collection of Talk Talk’s remixes is a must-have. There have been some misinformation regarding this particular collection. These remixes are the real deal and are the best remixes of Talk Talk’s best. There are 12 tracks in this collection but they are the long versions and not the remakes. The sound quality is good. So if you are on the fence about getting this import version of the famous out-of-print album by the same name, get this.:

9. London 1986 (1999)

“This is an excellent recording of a great band. The arrangements are for the most part terrific and Mark Hollis’ voice really stands out as being superb, to be honest much better than I thought he’d be live.”

8. Missing Pieces (2001)

“Given the limited output of Talk Talk, any extra bits and pieces of late output are always welecome. There is some great stuff on here and the alternative versions are well worth hearing. Shame about the complete lack of any written information about the tracks….”

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7. Asides Besides (1998)

“If you like Talk Talk you really need to get this album. It’s full of rare material. From the early 80s up to their later albums. My favourite track is it’s getting late in the evening. This song is outstanding. Absolutely stunning vocal over a dreamy musical landscape. Worth the money for this song alone.”

6. Natural History (1990)

“For all the “new wave” music I listened to back in the 80’s I’m amazed to find that I can’t really lump this band in with anyone else. But I’d recommend this collection for anyone with an open mind. The only thing that might put some listeners off, as I already mentioned, is Hollis’ voice. Much like Bryan Ferry from Roxy Music, Hollis had a sound that was immediately identifiable – not always for the better. But his music was always original and ground-breaking.”

5. The Party’s Over (1982)

“Talk Talk is one of the most evolving bands there ever were. Each subsequent album moved the group further into a greater artistic realm with their music until ultimately pioneering the post-rock genre. The Party’s Over is Talk Talk’s debut album, and it is the perfect synth pop/new wave album. The music is heavy with electronic sounds and has a biting attitude reminiscent of punk (but much lighter). If you wanted an album that best personifies the genre this is it.”

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4. It’s My Life (1984)

“When I listen to Talk Talk, I feel like I am in a dream or a different dimension. There’s some kind of space added to their music that feels great. It transports me back to 1980’s when I was a kid and the decade when the best music was created.”

3. The Colour Of Spring (1986)

“In a word this album is beautiful; like an early spring morning, it seems to promise something special. Now that lead singer Mark Hollis has left this earthly existence, it is easy to despair – but this album clearly has words that speak for themselves. From the ethereal ‘April 5th’ to the uplifting ‘Life’s What You Make It’, an attentive listener can be transported to an earlier, perhaps more memorable time.”

2. Laughing Stock (1991)

“This album is special. It is musically very relevant to today. Excellent, inspired writing, musicianship and production continue to keep Laughing Stock a breath of fresh air in what has increasingly become a bland musical landscape across many popular genres, including the supposedly innovative ones. .”

1. Spirit Of Eden (1988)

“By the time Mark Hollis and Talk Talk had arrived at Spirit of Eden all remaining traces of the commercial pop of their first two albums had truly gone. The Colour of Spring marked the watershed into the zen like beauty of what was to come…and then came Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock. Spirit of Eden is a masterpiece. Beautifully constructed; an album where the spaces and quiet are just as important as the notes and the noise. Just occasionally the calm is shattered by rising crescendos or sudden infusions of sounds. There are tinges of jazz, prog rock, even the odd nod to 80s synth pop, but overall the lasting impression is of an album where you sit, listen, immerse and come out of the other side in a better place than where you started.”