Talk Talk: 'Spirit of Eden' vs. 'Laughing Stock'

His voice absolutely does code 80s to some people, and not 'cool' 80s either. Emma's never liked Talk Talk for exactly this reason; she's got no issue with the music, but doesn't like the vocals. And she doesn't single out Hollis' <i>voice</i> per se, but, like Poliopolice, a certain hard-to-define 80s quality or sound that is part of the voice, if that makes sense. And it does almost feel like a 'production' aesthetic, rather than a human voicebox, that's problematic here, but it patently can't be that, because Hollis is strongly identifiable as the same singer whether it's on "The party's Over" or "A Life (1895 to 1915)" and the production approach on those two songs is 15+ years apart and wildly different.

But y'know, different strokes for different folks. I love his voice and find it insanely affecting.

His voice absolutely does code 80s to some people, and not 'cool' 80s either.

What do you mean by "cool '80s"? Are you saying that Hollis gives off a similar vibe to, I dunno, Phil Collins or something?

Cool 80s means... The Smiths, late postpunk, maybe. Alternative / indie stuff. Hollis codes differently to that.

If Hollis sounds 80s then I was trying to think what other 80s singers sound like Hollis? Orzabel, Weller, Winwood, Rowland? They all have a bit of the oi-mates-soulboy-cum-braying-donkey thing going on, would put Hollis at the more sensitive end of the spectrum though

Oh god, yeah, I can definitely see how Hollis would code differently when compared to The Smiths, and I definitely wouldn't have Talk Talk down as an indie band. I guess Talk Talk are alternative in a way, but not in the way that most would think of when they read the words "'80s alternative". I have Talk Talk down in the same bracket as someone like, say, David Sylvian, who makes music that I personally would describe as "adult oriented", but not in the sense that that term suggests. More that Talk Talk and David Sylvian make "mature" (for want of a better term) music that is also arty and off-kilter. It's not The Smiths, but it's not Chris de Burgh either.

If Hollis sounds 80s then I was trying to think what other 80s singers sound like Hollis? Orzabel, Weller, Winwood, Rowland? They all have a bit of the oi-mates-soulboy-cum-braying-donkey thing going on, would put Hollis at the more sensitive end of the spectrum though

― we reward the hake (NickB), Friday, February 27, 2015 12:51 PM (5 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I don't think Weller, Winwood or Rowland sound much like Hollis at all. Orzabal is probably the closest, but not that close.

This is the thing, I think Hollis has a really unique voice, but it obviously carries associations even though no one actually sounds like him.

I also had issues with his voice but as i did with coffee, I kept consuming it because I liked the way it made me feel. Now I love them both.

Talk Talk down in the same bracket as someone like, say, David Sylvian,

OTM, dont like his voice either.

I never thought of Hollis as an '80s-sounding vocalist, unlike the sounds-like-Bowie-n-Ferry crew (including Sylvian, Fry, et al). Hollis is of the sensitive sounds like Peter Gabriel art rock crew, which is a lot less 80s lounge lizard louche.

I am a Sylvian fan but could not get into Talk Talk because of his voice! I can't even remember now I tried so long ago, but it sounded like Radiohead or Coldplay to me, I think?

Jeebus, what albums are you guys listening to?! For the life of me I cannot imagine someone liking prime Sylvian (like "Gone to Earth," say) and thinking Talk Talk sounds like Coldplay.

Like, you sure you're not listening to Keane or something?

Not the music, mind you, just what I remember as his tremulous voice irritated me. I'm going to re listen today and see what I'm on about!

Yeah, it was the tremulousness that took getting used to. I'm fine now.

is tremulous like, warbly? that's what i meant...sorry, bowing out in embarrassment over this whole thing!

to me it conveys "warbly but quiet; fragile"

I found the "adult contemporary" thing objectionable because to me "adult contemporary" as a put-down tends to mean "populist" & in this case the affectation being derided seems more art than pop? but then I think about like, Josh Groban, and I don't know what to think

Yes, Bernard! (xp) I just skipped thru SofE and his voice IS indeed tremulous. I love the music but that voice...

Adult contemporary has nothing to do with "populist" for me. It's about production choices and the particular way that the singer emotes.

Adult contemporary always meant to me "consciously over-safe music pandering to 50+ demographic" or basically singer-songwriter/pop/rock that is barely more daring than muzak if at all.

Adult contemporary is NOT a genre -- it's a chart.

Lots of songs have made Billboard's A/C chart without qualifying as "consciously over-safe music pandering to 50+ demographic."

the stereotypical "Adult contemporary song" supplied by my mind is either a big weepy cinematic ballad ("My Heart Will Go On"/"Unbreak My Heart"/"Iris"), or a Maroon-5-wave funky white turd -- not sure how broadly these observations can be applied

Train, too... that guy's hair = totally adult contemporary

thread has gotten really off-track

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adult_Contemporary_%28chart%29

To each their own and all that but, I can't imagine these records without Hollis's voice.

Lots of songs have made Billboard's A/C chart without qualifying as "consciously over-safe music pandering to 50+ demographic."

― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, March 1, 2015 1:46 PM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Well yeah, I guess my wording only applies to artists with that specific intent. But I think what it means to have an Adult Contemporary vibe is when any particular song conforms to a conservative, unoffensive and measured set of guidelines, again not far removed from those of what qualifies as muzak. Except unlike muzak, the genre is generally singer-songwriter/pop/rock oriented. It's the kind of stuff I hear on something like "coffee house radio" (whose main listenership is likely hovering around the 50 age range which is why I included that).

so it's indie rock, in other words

it's true hollis sings in an affected way that may not be to all tastes. i knew someone who couldn't stand early roxy music for similar reasons (by "avalon" ferry had toned it down significantly). thinking about it though most of my favorite male voices are affected in some way or another- brian wilson with his falsetto, robert wyatt with his muddy mouth, peter hammill with his precise diction... affectations are what give a voice personality.

Damn right. I know people who struggle with Wild Beasts because of the voices, but I love them.

yeah, i love ferry and hollis for these exact reasons.

I think unusual voices are something some people have to get used to. I didn't like unusual voices as a teenager, but I've got over myself.

we all hear things differently i suppose but i'm not sure i see hollis's voice as being at all affected. i think the timbre and the accent are very much in line with his natural speaking voice - in a way he's got quite a ordinary blokey voice, it's just he uses it with a great amount of control and delicacy.

I think I heard Life's what you make it before the last couple of albums and iirc it felt like his voice was evolving in parallel with the fairly different pared down arrangements. It all went so well together.

Annoying and ridiculous singing voices are the best voices

I love Bryan Ferry's early, middle, and late voices but had trouble with Hollis initially.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hop1tb-DR_k

that's a weird video for me. his voice sounds totally unlike what I would it to sound like, based on his appearance.

I miss Geir sometimes

Did anyone ever get a copy of the book Spirit Of Talk Talk? It goes for a small fortune these days when it pops up on Ebay
https://spiritoftalktalk.com/

I have it with some weird spongy cover, it's nice enough but not at all worth £143

nope, but it looks good!

timely revive, as this pair of albums has been in heavy rotation for me recently (along with hollis' S/T). the discussion from late Feb 2015 above is also fun to read, as i also struggled with the vocals for quite a while. which seems to be a concept that some people on this thread have a really hard time imagining! but ultimately, they grew on me quite a bit. and it was apparent from the very beginning that his voice forms the very core of these songs. still, i still feel a tinge of irrational embarrassment whenever someone catches me listening to late period talk talk, because if you're not familiar with them and don't have a full hour to listen at a loud volume on decent speakers, the subtlety of the music can be completely lost, and all that stands out is the "adult contemporary" voice.

I got it because I love James Marsh's artwork but don't feel like hunting down all the various 12" releases

(xp) Depressed goat surely?

funny, i bought all the 12"s because i'd rather see the artwork full size than in a book. The Talk Talk 12"s have been pretty cheap too. I guess they must have made millions of copies of each, so they're not hard to find.

Marsh sells nice prints of most of the Talk Talk artwork on his web site as well!

(it was mostly a matter of me having space on my bookshelves but none on my record shelves)

wow, you can also buy Laughing Stock toddler pajamas! I love the 21st century