Tears For Fears - Everybody Loves A Happy Ending (Gut)
UK release date: 13 June 2005
Roland and Curt's family reunion hasn't exactly gone to plan on the UK
sales front, but despite a lukewarm reception from the critics (including
our own!) I have to confess that for me the record wasn't at all bad. In
fact I'd venture as far to say it continued to provide evidence of Roland
Orzabal's standing as a melodic and harmonic inventor to rival the best of
the 1980s.
Unfortunately it's a bad choice of single. Sub-Beatles harmonies
abound (so no change there), but there's a bluster that doesn't quite find
the right direction in Steve Fitzmaurice's clumsy radio edit, surrendering
rather meekly at the end. The flip side, Call Me Mellow, is remarkably
similar to The Las in melodic content, and has received several
remixes to boost the cause.
The duo seem keen to stay close to the music of their Seeds Of Love era,
the lush production and harmonies relatively unchanged. It's just a shame
their record company didn't plump for one of the (many) better songs off
the album.