Tears For Fears first new album since 2004... The Tipping Point!

[kap'n krunch]

So I finally got my replacement copy of the "green" LP I did NOT order and finally got the blue one with the extra 7"...
Only to find that:
1-they shipped it in a normal box which barely reached the dimensions of the LP and on top of that , had been crushed
2-the shrink was OPEN on the LP side , so it looked like it was a return
3-the cover and the LP are warped...

I feel bad for Curt and Rolly but I had to open another claim WITH pics this time...and they say I can keep it but I don't feel like keeping either of them

(I guess I need to take my meds...)

Proof with some toe porn...

 

[The Bright Side]

Did any of our UK friends get the special CD version with the three extra tracks?

@Strilo I picked mine up from the post office today. It's a fold-out cardboard package, looks very nice. I don't know if I'll get to check it out tomorrow, but I'll be happy to report back about the 3 bonus tracks when I do.

I already had a chance to listen to the Atmos mix on my 7.1 system and damn it's fantastic.

 

[JulesRules]

I picked mine up today too, finally, and listened to it shortly afterwards. (I didn't want to hear or even open the BD until I had the CD...) The bonus tracks are all really good - "Let It All Evolve" may even make the jump into my shortlist of favourite TFF songs, it's that good. And of course Paul's interview is excellent and adds to the value.

If anyone wants to see me posing with the exclusive discs

Spoiler

 

[JediJoker]

Did any of our UK friends get the special CD version with the three extra tracks?

I got the European version with the single bonus track. Might track down a Target-exclusive U.S. variant to get the other two.

 

[Sal1950]

And does the hi res stereo version have the same dynamic range issues as the CD?

Yes, At least the 24/44.1 version distributed by HDTracks

foobar2000 1.6 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
log date: 2022-03-05 16:30:27

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed: Tears For Fears / The Tipping Point
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DR Peak RMS Duration Track
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR5 -0.35 dB -6.67 dB 4:42 01-No Small Thing
DR5 -0.35 dB -7.76 dB 4:13 02-The Tipping Point
DR5 -0.35 dB -7.11 dB 4:32 03-Long, Long, Long Time
DR5 -0.35 dB -8.04 dB 3:56 04-Break The Man
DR5 -0.35 dB -7.21 dB 3:08 05-My Demons
DR5 -0.35 dB -7.93 dB 6:09 06-Rivers Of Mercy
DR6 -0.20 dB -10.91 dB 3:06 07-Please Be Happy
DR6 -0.35 dB -8.03 dB 4:37 08-Master Plan
DR4 -0.32 dB -5.89 dB 3:24 09-End Of Night
DR6 -0.20 dB -9.12 dB 4:37 10-Stay
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of tracks: 10
Official DR value: DR5

Samplerate: 44100 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 24
Bitrate: 1536 kbps
Codec: FLAC

 

[humprof]

Feature story in the Sunday NYT (paywalled, but if you don't have a subscription and haven't already read several articles from the Times this month, you should still be able to read it, I think). Lots of behind-the-scenes info on the state of the industry and the difficulty of getting a new album greenlighted as a legacy act.
https://nyti.ms/3JW7n5Q

 

[Mackspower]

Yes, At least the 24/44.1 version distributed by HDTracks

foobar2000 1.6 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
log date: 2022-03-05 16:30:27

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed: Tears For Fears / The Tipping Point
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DR Peak RMS Duration Track
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR5 -0.35 dB -6.67 dB 4:42 01-No Small Thing
DR5 -0.35 dB -7.76 dB 4:13 02-The Tipping Point
DR5 -0.35 dB -7.11 dB 4:32 03-Long, Long, Long Time
DR5 -0.35 dB -8.04 dB 3:56 04-Break The Man
DR5 -0.35 dB -7.21 dB 3:08 05-My Demons
DR5 -0.35 dB -7.93 dB 6:09 06-Rivers Of Mercy
DR6 -0.20 dB -10.91 dB 3:06 07-Please Be Happy
DR6 -0.35 dB -8.03 dB 4:37 08-Master Plan
DR4 -0.32 dB -5.89 dB 3:24 09-End Of Night
DR6 -0.20 dB -9.12 dB 4:37 10-Stay
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of tracks: 10
Official DR value: DR5

Samplerate: 44100 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 24
Bitrate: 1536 kbps
Codec: FLAC

Thought it would be interesting to add the same view for the SHM-CD. The two bonus tracks skew the overall number a bit.

 

[Strilo]

I feel like "End of Night" should be the next single.

 

[Tres Discrete]

I feel like "End of Night" should be the next single.

Funny - I used to promote records to radio for a living, and used to live and die (metaphorically) by singles.
I don’t think that way any more…I am enjoying this album in its entirety…honestly I don’t think there is a clunker to be had here.
Having said that..if such things matter any more…and if you are right…and it helps to expose what I consider to be a great album…more power to you - and TFF!

 

[kap'n krunch]

it's definitely brilliant...
BUT IT'S SUCH A SAD ALBUM!!!!
as it is, it is a bit far away from the mood of ELAHE...actually it seems more in the vein of "Tomcats screaming outside", quite dark...

I mean, it's not like the group's name is "Laughter for Happiness"...

 

[Tres Discrete]

it's definitely brilliant...
BUT IT'S SUCH A SAD ALBUM!!!!
as it is, it is a bit far away from the mood of ELAHE...actually it seems more in the vein of "Tomcats screaming outside", quite dark...

I mean, it's not like the group's name is "Laughter for Happiness"...

Good point on the band’s name
Dunno if the album is sad…or if it is the result of the wisdom of age tempering youthful platitudes...
I would say “No Small Thing” could be construed as optimistic…realizing & recognizing the small joys in life during a complicated & difficult time.
Interesting that some of the lyrics are so timely: “freedom is no small thing” given the events in the Ukraine…and today I both read and heard on the radio that The Amazon Rainforest was on the verge of an environmental “tipping point”
A band that could be construed as “dinosaurs” may ironically have their finger on the pulse…
In any event, I suppose I have reached the age where this all makes sense to me - for better or worse

 

[JulesRules]

It's a thoughtful album. I wouldn't call "No Small Thing", "Break the Man" or "End of Night" sad. Considering that the scrapped album was an attack on the club scene or whatever, I understand them fishing out "Please Be Happy" to accurately represent what Roland went through.

Everybody Loves a Happy Ending was a bit of an anomaly anyway, at least with songs like "Call Me Mellow" and "Secret World". I'm not knocking it, but the albums represent the writers' mindsets at the time, and in that sense The Tipping Point is a good, honest record...

 

[Strilo]

Is there any album from Tears For Fears that is not thoughtful?

 

[Sal1950]

If you do facebook, please post a polite note expressing your displeasure with the DR5 mastering. I just did under my fb alias JB.
https://www.facebook.com/TearsForFears/mentions

 

[Rhinojack]

Here is my quick review of the Blu-ray. Listened to the 5.1 twice now, and overall, I feel it is a slow warm-up to the music in general. The Tipping Point and Break The Man are the only two standout songs for me so far. I'm sure with more listening I'll appreciate the others. The multichannel presentation is good, but I feel that the vocals are over powered by the instruments, and the vocals themselves are somewhat muddy and hard to clarify in a lot of instances.

 

[privateuniverse]

After sitting in some postal service center in Los Angeles for 16 days and then somehow ending up on Cape Cod, my copy has finally arrived! It can now sit proudly next to the other two formats.

 

[esimms86]

After sitting in some postal service center in Los Angeles for 16 days and then somehow ending up on Cape Cod, my copy has finally arrived! It can now sit proudly next to the other two formats.


View attachment 76945

You’re not in Hyannis or Harwich?

 

[Tres Discrete]

After sitting in some postal service center in Los Angeles for 16 days and then somehow ending up on Cape Cod, my copy has finally arrived! It can now sit proudly next to the other two formats.


View attachment 76945

I would like to get your impression re: how the blu-ray stacks up against the other two…I only have the blu-ray and think it is pretty spectacular

 

[privateuniverse]

I would like to get your impression re: how the blu-ray stacks up against the other two…I only have the blu-ray and think it is pretty spectacular

The Blu-ray is the clear winner. The CD isn't too bad despite the not-so-great DR values. The vinyl is unfortunately not good at all. Although my copy is the indie exclusive green vinyl. I read somewhere (I forget where, maybe SHF) that the standard black vinyl sounds significantly better.

 

[kap'n krunch]

I sold my green LP to a very nice chap in Chile(!!!) with an *ehem* bonus *ehem* disc which he was very happy to get (gathering good karma)...
Actually, my Blue copy sounds pretty decent and it comes with an extra 45 with 2 other not very excellent but still nice to have songs...
But , yeah, the BD rules...