Talk Talk - Laughing Stock

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Free Music Notes for Laughing Stock

Free Music Review: A New Prog-Rock Masterpiece.
Hit: 5 Stars

1982, New Romantics, synthesizers, Anglophillic vocals, MTV (hey, even MV3...Richard Blade), "Talk Talk" (the song), white suits, lopsided hair-dos.

Now the last things you think of when it comes to Talk Talk:

Haunting soundscapes, soulful vocals, eerie sentiments of loss & longing, jazzy influences, organic instrumentation, updated psychedelia, Hammond B-3 organ dirt.

Well, the latter is very much the truth, especially when it applies to Talk Talk's final album, "Laughing Stock". Getting acquainted with it in 1996, five years after its release, took me by shock when I heard it in a reocrd store (and kudos to that person who decided to throw this on the system).

"Laughing Stock" has been compared to numerous artists over the years ranging from Steve Winwood to John Martyn, and the similarities are very understandable (I have a car tape with Martyn & Talk Talk that I play on a good basis). To me, it reminds me of latter period Rascals (1969-1972), only slowed down quite a bit.

Mark Hollis is a most unusual soul singer. He could have slipped into a plastic 80's soul bag mode (a' la overproduced and slick production values...in fact, come to think of it, he did with the "Colour Of Spring"). But with albums like "Spirit Of Eden" and "Laughing Stock", the efforts sound like Hollis is learning how to sing all over again. And by going this direction, he sacrificed every damned temptation and commercial trapping that was redemptive to his soul and damning to his popular career.

And it works. Obviously, he discovered some new things about himself that are hard to ignore, for there's some serious pain being voiced. What was once a rather melodramatic instrument used for a slick pop product (though I'll give nods towards 1984's "It's My Life" album for taking a small step forward), turns into a voice that reveals a true human frailty that makes it a challenge to listen to sometimes. It creeps into the soul quite effectively, alongside the stripped down arrangements that are jazzy, haunting and reminiscent of the early 70's British jazz-folk movement.

When I hear Mark's voice, not only do I hear Martyn and the Rascals' Eddie Brigati & Felix Cavaliere, but also Robert Wyatt & Richard Thompson (brother Danny played on "The Spirit of Eden"). Strange bedfellows? Perhaps. But there's a lot of folk roots in those above singers, whether they may be from singing renditions of 'John Barleycorn' in folk pub circles or New Jersey blue eyed soul played garage-style in skating rinks & teen clubs. Hollis's soul was always there, but it had to take a few knocks along the way (one of the major ones being the 80's).

There's only 6 tracks, but all are excellent. "Ascension Day" with its long droning lines, garage/jazz rhythm guitar and lyrics that are clearly open to interpretation (they're not happy ones) builds up to a beautiful intensity until it's cold cut-off and sudden segue into "After The Flood" with it's opening of tranquil piano notes into a nine minute epic with a metronomic jazz drum pattern, harmonica, organ and some remarkable chord changes. "Taphead" is damn eerie, as well as "Myrrhman" (with it's sad muted trumpet) and the closer "Runeii". Only "New Grass" provides some slight emotional relief.

This album is cut from the cloth of the great Prog Rock tradition: plenty of space for composition, breath and approach. Forget the 3 minute pop singles. It's not welcome here.

It's also true and faithful to Eric Dolphy's great philosophy of music, that when it's played, it disappears into air, never to be recovered again. Maybe tape can be a slight remedy to capturing that magic, but what about the after-effects on the soul itself? It's the moment that cannot be recaptured, no matter how much you want to try to revisit or relive it. It's impossible.

"Laughing Stock" is a beautiful example of the above philosophy. A moment in time that cannot and will not be relived. Thankfully, there's the record.

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