My Amazon Reviews: Talk Talk "Essential"

All That Talk
3 Out Of 5 Stars

Mark Hollis and Talk Talk may be one of the most misunderstood bands of the new wave period. Starting life as a Duran Duran clone (and the hit dance single "Talk Talk"), Hollis soon turned the band from a synth heavy pop sound to a more brooding and experimental band. By the time of their fourth album, the outstanding "Spirit Of Eden," they were completely unrecognizable from the original incarnation.

That makes this compilation a tough call. The obvious hits are here, like "Talk Talk" and "It's My Life," (missing the great "Such a Shame," a serious UK hit). It also means that "Spirit of Eden" is completely ignored. The singles are all prime material, and Hollis (along with multi-instrumentalist and producer Tim Friese-Greene) were evolving with every album. This collection cuts the band short. You get a better overview with "Natural History."