For some reason Blogger deleted by original version of this post so I am having to rewrite it. This unexpected turn of events has given me the opportunity to re-think how I write about this album.
You see, I like this album and it has some great songs; but I think I am drawn to it as it reminds me of a very specific time in my life.
During the summer of 1995 I played this album as I commuted back and forth to my first 'proper' job. Like a lot of people, my first car was a little dilapidated and it had no in-car entertainment of any kind. In order to hear music I had to use a personal cassette player and some portable speakers. In my memory, the sun was always shining as I swept along empty streets with "Tell Me When" blaring from the passenger seat. Great days.
Yet, when I look back now, I can see that I used to work long hours with horrible people for little money and absolutely no thanks. The car was actually borderline dangerous and, whilst the streets were definitely less crowded back then, the paving stones had also been torn up and thrown at the Police.
In the cold light of day this album seems to lack a little punch. Producer Ian Stanley (I didn't realise it was the Tears for Fears Ian Stanley for a loooong time) seems to have pulled back on the transients and gone for a much more rounded, analogue sound. To this day I prefer the Utah Saints remix of "Tell Me When" to the album version and the Hardfloor remix of "Filling Up With Heaven" wipes the floor with the original. There's clearly some album filler on here too and the last track could never merit its seven minute run time.
When I put my rose tinted spectacles back on, this album can transport me to the warm summer of 1995 when I was young and my future stretched out before me. Some of the songs might be a bit limp, but they are redolent of summer mornings and new beginnings. Which is along winded way of saying my assessment of this album is completely flawed. 5/5
