The Colour of Spring

by Talk Talk

The Colour of Spring cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: 17 February 1986
  • Label: EMI
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Length: 45:40
  • Community rating: 4.35/5 from 21 ratings

Artists on this release: Paul Webb, Lee Harris, Mark Hollis

Album Notes & Community Reviews

'The Colour of Spring' documents Talk Talk's crucial pivot from their established synth-pop sound toward a more organic and expansive style, consciously replacing synthesizers with piano, organ, and live instrumentation. This deliberate shift to art-pop arrangements with jazz and classical influences served as a vital bridge, connecting the commercial success of their early work to the highly experimental and improvisational albums that would follow.

Genres

Descriptors: melodic, sophisticated, organic, expansive, elegant, orchestral, synthesizers, piano

Tracklist

  1. Happiness Is Easy (06:30)
  2. I Don't Believe in You (05:02)
  3. Life's What You Make It (04:28)
  4. April 5th (05:51)
  5. Living in Another World (06:58)
  6. Give It Up (05:17)
  7. Chameleon Day (03:20)
  8. Time It's Time (08:14)

Credits

  • Mark Hollis - lead vocals, piano (tracks 3, 5, 6, 7), variophon (tracks 1, 4 and 7), organ (track 4), mellotron (track 6), electric guitar (track 8), melodica (track 8)
  • Lee Harris - drums (except 4, 7)
  • Paul Webb - bass guitar (tracks 2, 4, 5, 6, and 8), backing vocals (tracks 3 and 5)
  • Tim Friese-Greene - producer, piano (tracks 1, 2, and 8), kurzweil synthesizer (tracks 1, 4 and 7), organ (tracks 3, 6 and 8), variophon (tracks 4 and 7), mellotron (track 3)
  • Ian Curnow - synthesizer solos (tracks 2 and 6)
  • Martin Ditcham - percussion (tracks 1, 3, 5, 6 and 8)
  • Mark Feltham - harmonica (track 5)
  • Alan Gorrie - electric bass (track 1)
  • Robbie McIntosh - guitar (tracks 1, 2, 5 and 8), dobro (tracks 4 and 6)
  • Morris Pert - percussion (tracks 1, 2, 5, and 8)
  • Phil Reis - percussion (track 1)
  • David Rhodes - guitar (tracks 3, 5, and 6)
  • David Roach - soprano saxophone (tracks 2, 4, and 5)
  • Gaynor Sadler - harp (track 2)
  • Danny Thompson - acoustic bass (track 1)
  • Children from the school of Miss Speake - children's choir (track 1)
  • Ambrosian Singers - choir (track 8)
  • Steve Winwood - organ (tracks 1, 2, and 5)
  • Dennis Weinrich - engineer
  • Dietmar Schillinger - engineer
  • Paul Schroeder - engineer
  • Pete Wooliscroft - engineer
  • James Marsh - cover art

More from Talk Talk: full discography