• Reviews

• All
• Music
• DVDs
• Live
• Cinema
• TV
• Books
• Comic Books
• Video Games

Feb 19, 2026 Web Exclusive By Matthew Berlyant

For the uninitiated, ’80s New Wavers turned experimental group and “post-rock” pioneers Talk Talk’s fourth album, 1988’s Spirit of Eden, was a turning point from which they, and particularly their leader Mark Hollis (R.I.P.), wouldn’t come back from. Gone were any pop conventions, much to the detriment of their label EMI, who wanted them to replicate the success of their earlier albums, which includes singles such as “It’s My Life,” and the eponymous single “Talk Talk” (a reworking of Hollis’ previous punk band The Reaction’s song of the same name for which the then new band was also named after). Those were songs that would show up on those generic best of the ’80s comps that used to be advertised on late night TV and still get played on ’80s nights in bars on both sides of the Atlantic to this day. As they went on, though, 1986’s third album, The Colour of Spring, was already a drastic departure from their earlier work.

The Colour of Spring was a more mature work that jettisoned the synthesizers of their earlier albums in favor of a more dominant guitar, piano, and organ, and incorporated some of the art-pop and jazz elements they would employ later on Spirit of Eden and on subsequent efforts. Still, The Colour of Spring also included the UK hit singles “Life’s What You Make It” (memorably covered by the late Rowland S. Howard on his final album Pop Crimes in 2009) and “Living in Another World.” Therefore, EMI was hoping for something similar, but what they got instead was something forward-thinking, totally unconventional, and utterly timeless, easily their best album up to that point. Less concerned with singles than with mood, songs such as the opener “The Rainbow” and the single “I Believe in You” shimmer with tension and very little release, audibly influencing the likes of everyone from Bark Psychosis to Tortoise to Elbow in the years to come.

This pressing, a half-speed master, is also top-notch, done with the utmost care, and it shows in the grooves. This album perhaps isn’t the most ideal choice for vinyl, given its many quiet passages and the fact that it was assembled digitally during its creation, but I’m happy to say that said passages are as quiet as a church mouse and that the dynamics are simply stunning. This is an audiophile-quality reissue for a budget price, and as such, a treat for anyone who doesn’t own this album or who loves it and wants to hear it again. It’s like hearing it again for the first time and certainly does Hollis’ sizable legacy justice. Let’s just hope that 1991’s swan song Laughing Stock and Hollis’ 1998 solo album are next in this series. If so, I can’t wait. (https://store.rhino.com/products/spirit-of-eden-lp-half-speed-master)

Author rating: 9.5/10