The Party's Over [Original recording remastered]

I have listened to this complete album many times on my Ipod, so its a great pleasure to review it.

1. Talk Talk : This song gets straight down to business and outlines where the album, (and indeed the first two albums) are heading. Short and sweet!

2. It's So Serious :
"I've given everything with nothing in return."
Hot on the heels from Talk Talk this is another great song. Not quite as veoricous, yet another good song none the less. The, "Its so serious," tag line, (very drawn out), stays in your head after listening to this song. There's a short middle part, which is wonderfully modest and works well as the song goes back into the ending chorus, ("Its so serious, its so serious.")

3. Today : Apparently this is Talk Talk's biggest selling single. Its an up tempo song along parallel lines to their first album song, Talk Talk. (Incidentally the video for Today is great too). Towards the end of the song there's a very effective slowing down which just makes the song seem even more powerful.

4. The Party's Over : Right off the bat there's a great couple of riffs. In fact like a lot of Talk Talk songs its hard to make out the lyrics. Maybe that's intentional? Yet for me, it doesn't take away from the enjoyment, (maybe it adds to it!) The keyboard which comes in after the verses is amazing and really lifts the song, (to its elongated end).

5. Hate : I absolutely love this song. It has a very haunting start, (brought about by the keyboard). After the lull of The Party's Over it quickly builds up the tempo again, (to that of the first three songs). When you listen to this song on an Ipod the ending is absolutely fantastic and makes a contender for the best song of the album.

6. Have You Heard The News : After all that velocity, proceedings slow down again. It took me several listens to get into this song, but its another stella offering.
"I don't like to read the news," (its the way that its sung).
"I'm so disposable you can throw me away."
The riff sends shivers down my spine!

7. Mirror Man : I like the start and the singer comes in exactly on cue and then he does exactly the same at the start of the second verse, (text book in the singing world!) After the second verse I don't feel though that this a song for me.

8. Another Word : I love the electric drums right at the start! This song just proves that only a handful of songs on Talk Talk's first album aren't fast and upbeat. Its a great song. I can imagine people singing along to the chorus and I love how it goes into an instrumental, breaks everything down and then finishes off on high tempo.

9. Candy : After all that excitment Talk Talk finish their first album on a low, (well lower) tempo. Personally I always skip this song on my Ipod,. (The weakest out of the lot and in fact probably the only bad song on the album).

I would have given this album four and half stars out of five if that were possible, (it doesn't quite warrant five stars. - Which album does?!) It has to be said that the singer's voice is absolutely fantastic, (and I can't honestly think of a compartable singer in today's "Music," market). I feel Talk Talk's first two albums are fantastic and then they steadily go down hill thereafter. - A definite purchase for a Talk Talk fan and a music lover of the 80s who wants to deleve in the real music from that era.

The Talk Talk story really should begin with the underrated It's My Life, a good to great album that preceded a run of three masterpieces. Sadly it doesn't and instead we have somehow to deal with The Party's Over. Taken on it's own merits this is an OK early 80's pop album, it's relative lack of success down simply to the fact that it wasn't good enough at the time. It's by no means an embarrassment but it contains no visible signs of the greatness Talk Talk would achieve.

This is a really good album, my favourite tracks on the album are Talk Talk, It"s So Serious and Today