Tears For Fears – Songs From The Big Chair (2xLP, Transparent Red Vinyl, 40th Anniversary Edition)

Tears For Fears' Songs From The Big Chair arrived on 25 February 1985 and turned the duo's second album into a genuine global breakthrough, topping the US charts and spinning off five hit singles. Built on bigger arrangements and a more expansive pop sound than their debut, it balances the widescreen pull of Shout and Everybody Wants To Rule The World with the emotional undercurrent that made Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith more than synth-pop chart regulars.

What still stands out is how confidently the record stretches its palette without losing its hooks. The album moves between polished new wave, dramatic balladry and carefully layered production, with songs that feel both immediate and thoughtfully constructed. Head Over Heels is a perfect example of that blend of melody and unease, while the set as a whole shows a band pushing beyond the introspective tone of The Hurting into something broader, brighter and more ambitious.

This 40th anniversary edition explains why the album remains such a rewarding revisit. Alongside the original LP, the second disc gathers alternate mixes, early versions and rarities, with several tracks appearing on vinyl for the first time. It also restores the original unused cover design, making this a genuinely worthwhile expanded edition rather than a routine repress.

Features

• 2xLP, Transparent Red Vinyl, 40th Anniversary Deluxe Limited Edition
• Remastered
• Original alternate unused cover design
• Second LP of rare versions and mixes, including several tracks released on vinyl for the first time

Reviews

• beefy, bizarre, sometimes preposterous pop - The Guardian