I did listened to the entire album again and again on YouTube, I loved it so much that I bought it. I love everything Mr Mark Hollis does. But this album is like a spiritual experience. When I start listening to it, I can't stop, I feel subjugated.It makes me cry, it reminds me my childhood, it is like if Mark Hollis had re-created the spirit of the 60's - 70's. I listen to this and I see myself in the South of France, in summer, with my family. Incredible how he could recreate so well a feeling, a souvenir, the whole world of our childhood, he was in England, I was in France, but suddenly, I realize that we may have the same musical background. Without speaking of a vague Pink Floyd reminiscence as well.Eden and Wealth are among my favorite ones. Of course, I Believe in You and Desire are a must, but Rainbow and Inheritance are wonderful too, basically the whole album is magic.I don't understand why the record company freaked out when they listened to it, because it is full of marvelous gems.Not taking the time to dive in this music would be such a shame.I would like to add this today: for the first time, I played this CD in my shop. I had some kind of hesitations because it makes me cry, for the business, crying in front of the clients is not the best... But today, it was very hot in L.A., and there was not a lot of people, so I tried, by taking the risk of a few tears.It was extraordinary. I was painting while listening to it, and there was the sunset in front of me, at the same time. I think I lived a spiritual, divine, sacred experience. This music is flirting with the divine for sure, and I am not a religious person at all but all this goes far beyond the usual musical listening.When I was younger, I already had this kind of adventure with some Pink Floyd music during an exceptional situation. But this, is so much better, it is so powerful. For any person who has a minimum of sensibility, you have to listen to it at least twice, and it will become an addiction.It will awake your creativity and will make you see the world by a whole different way.

Each song is more than a song. It's an experience that you have to have personally with the artists. There are portions and sounds and instruments played in ways you never hear anywhere else, and when you think it sounds a little chaotic, you soon realize that's exactly what you were supposed to hear, but Mark Hollis always brings it back around to a most sublime, lovely and haunting melody that soothes you... until he decides to jar you awake again. And then there's "I Believe In you," one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. It's far too short, even at 6 minutes. The Choir of Chelmsford Cathedral and the accompanying instruments is nothing short of heavenly, and it's become one of my favorite songs. Ever. This album is said to have created the Post Rock genre, and I believe it. I recommend doing your own research on this album, this band, this genius Mark Hollis (RIP), and their entire body of work so you can witness their evolution with your own ears. The time spent will be well worth the journey.

I'm sitting here listening to Talk Talk's "Spirit Of Eden" and I have to say I haven't heard an album this great, maybe ever. Without a doubt, this is Mark Hollis"s finest effort and one for the ages at that. The only problem with this album is that it was 30 years ahead of it's time back in the late 80's. The haunting sparse arrangements lend to its appeal and the recording has top notch engineering. I'm truly moved by this work. I can't even explain this album. The best thing I can offer is you need to hear it. It's amazing how Talk Talk started as an early 80's pop group and transformed into this. I'm glad they did. If you like this recording, I also recommend their final album, "Laughing Stock", but for most listeners their third Album, " The Colour Of Spring " is their most accessible album, and a great place to start your journey with Talk Talk. It's their third album and qualifies as another masterpiece. "Colour Of Spring" is a collection of great songs, including numerous singles, way way different than "Spirit Of Eden" and "Laughing Stock". In a way, I see "Spirit Of Eden" and "Laughing Stock" mirror each other much like Radiohead's albums "Kid A" and "Amnesiac" do. It's albums like these that make searching for new music so much fun. Highly recommended!

Good album, just not my favorite of theirs. Kind of mixed on the quality of the pressing I received, clean the record upon receipt and it was still somewhat noisy. Cleaned it a 2nd time and it is somewhat better noise wise but not what I'd expect of a new album. Will give it another cleaning and see what happens

An incredible recording . The emotions in the vocals are breathtaking.

If you were to ask most people if they'd even heard of Talk Talk, I'm pretty sure no one would say they had. Maybe a couple would say yes, but they would only know their new wave hits like "It's My Life", "Talk Talk" or "Happiness Is Easy". While those are great songs, Talk Talk created a masterpiece with "Spirit Of Eden"! Who would've though that a hardcore new wave/pop rock band from the 80's would create such an amazingly interesting and soothing experimental rock album? What's so great about this album is not only that it's soothingly ambient, but also that it has so many influences. There's definitely some Miles Davis, Brian Eno and Yes influences here, with a little hint of new wave in some of the songs. There's a minimal amount of singing, and sometimes guitars kick in loud and fast. What's great about the guitar parts is that they go RIGHT up to the line of too-much-noise, but then right before you're about to not like the sound they slow things down again. They're essentially messing with your mind! This is just a wonderful wonderful album that most people will enjoy, and for anyone seeking a nice soothing ambient album this is a great buy! Highly recommended!Highlights include:the entire album!

this album is a force of nature, with the grace and beauty you really can't create these days. talk talk are one of the few bands that evolved in such a dramatic and striking way. with the exception of their first album, they have such a solid output that it is just silly. of the 2 latter albums, I love this one and think laughing stock is okay but not essential. it's my life, colour of spring and this one are just amazing. and a sides and b sides has some great stuff on it too. just a special band. the best moments of this album have to be heard to be believed. played at a nice volume, you appreciate the blanket of sound they create, with many moments falling into silence. it is an album that takes its time and is well worth every praise it has ever gotten

This is such a killer work of art. Buy it, spin it, sit back and enjoy the ride!

The first side of mine is absolutely gorgeous and noise free, which proves that it can be, but I just can't play the second side for the fusillade of Rice Krispies giving it all that. I don't think it's a case of folk being used to cds, blu-rays or whatever, because side one, which sounds that vinyl way, is great. One that I suspect might fall prey to the cd silent/vinyl noisy problem though is Playing With Fire by Spacemen 3. Stay with your cd for that one - no vinyl can reproduce silence as well - silently as that. As for this one though, if you get a good one, it'll be really great, if not, play the dvd, which is worth your £20 or whatever any day. What a stunning album though, whatever way you hear it really.

Mit dem kommerziell erfolgreichen und künstlerisch überaus beeindruckenden "The colour of spring" erreichten "Talk Talk" den Höhepunkt ihrer Karriere. Einer erfolgreichen Welttournee folgte dann ein 14-monatiger Aufnahmeprozess in einer verlassenen Kirche in Suffolk. Bereits der Gedanke an Aufnahmen in einem Gotteshaus hätten manchen Anlass zur Sorge geben können. Das Entsetzen der Labelbosse folgte dann bei der erstmaligen Vorführung des Materials, nachdem Hollis zuvor mehrfach Einsicht in das neue Werk verweigert hatte.In der Tat: "Spirit of Eden" fällt völlig aus dem Rahmen - damals und auch heute. Vieles in einem. Sparsamkeit und Opulenz, überragendes Meisterwerk und kommerzieller Selbstmord zugleich. Hier zählt jede Note und jede Pause, jeder noch so sparsame Instrumenteneinsatz. Mögen Melodie und die ausschließlich akustische Instrumentierung zunächst einfach wirken - sie sind es nicht! Ein Album, das dem Hörer Disziplin aufzwingt. Disziplin, genau hinzuhören, jedem noch so kleinem Detail zu lauschen, dem Fluss von Noten, dem Einsetzen und Ausscheiden einzelner Instrumente zu folgen, die Bedeutung der Einordnung einzelner Tonspuren innerhalb eines Titels zu erkennen. Erst wenn diese Disziplin aufgebracht ist, wenn Geduld und innere Ruhe hergestellt sind, wird Sparsamkeit zu Opulenz, vermeintliche Langeweile zu grenzenloser Spannung. Hier gelang Hollis das, was u.a. in der modernen bildenden Kunst zu beobachten ist: durch vermeintliche Zurückhaltung in der Umsetzung bzw. Darstellung werden neue Perspektiven geschaffen. Das Werk gibt nicht mehr alle Antworten, vielmehr lassen Ruhe und Zurückhaltung, der Verzicht auf Noten und Instrumente, die einzusetzen man versucht ist, die scheinbare Unvollkommenheit ein ganzes Universum neuer Interpretations- und Denkanstöße entstehen. Es ist, als sprenge diese Art der Musik die Zweidimensionalität gewöhnlicher Populärmusik, in der das was zu sagen ist, bereits komplett in den Werken zu finden ist. Die sehr kryptischen, christliche Motive beinhaltenden Texte tun dabei ein übriges.Dass diese Art von Musik weder damals noch heute eine Chance auf kommerziellen Erfolg hatte, liegt auf der Hand. Schon die zweieinhalb Minuten, bis, nach leisen vorsichtigen Tönen, "The Rainbow" beginnt, dürften den meisten der damaligen Hörern zu viel abverlangt haben. Die sich langsam steigernde Spannung, die sich über "Eden" zu "Desire" entwickelt, wird vielen ebenfalls entgangen sein. Auch wird es erst im Refrain von "Desire" richtig laut. Aber das ist kaum mehr als ein kurzes Aufflackern eines starken (weil lauten) Lichts in einer scheinbar unendlichen Dunkelheit. Alle drei Titel werden jeweils ineinander übergeleitet und stellten auf der LP die zusammenhängende A-Seite dar.Apropos Dunkelheit: Eigentlich wirkt das Album melodisch auf mich nicht durchgehend dunkel. Die ersten drei Titel führen von warmer Düsternis ("The rainbow") über Ungewissheit und Depression ("Eden") zu gespanntem, manchmal laut ausbrechendem Optimismus ("Desire"). Die längere Pause zum folgenden "Inheritance" markiert gut die Zweiteilung des Albums. "Inheritance" zelebriert Melancholie und Hoffnung zugleich; es ist von verstörender Schönheit. Zugleich ist seine Struktur nicht ganz so weit von Bekanntem entfernt wie die seiner Vorgänger. Das sich ihm anschließende "I believe in you" führt dann ins Licht, beinahe wie das Herauskommen aus einem dunklen, unendlich großen Gewölbe auf ein weites Feld an einem frühen Sommerabend. Zugleich ist es sicher der am leichtesten zu erfassende Titel des Albums. Sanft wird man von Melodie und Instrumenten dahin getragen, der behutsame Ausklang erzeugt fast Wehmütigkeit. Die längere Pause zu "Wealth" ist sehr wichtig, sie federt den Wechsel der Instrumente ab und lässt dem Hörer Zeit, sich von dieser Sommerstimmung zu verabschieden. Nun geht es mit Orgelklängen wieder in die Dunkelheit, einer warmen angenehmen Dunkelheit, die sich mit dem langsamen (über 2 minütigen) Ausklang der Instrumente schließlich im Nichts verliert.Was bleibt für den Hörer? Am wahrscheinlichsten sind zwei Optionen: Einmal, die Welt von Eindrücken und Perspektiven, die ihm eröffnet wurde, zu rekapitulieren, oder aber, auf die Repeat-Taste zu drücken und das Werk noch einmal zu genießen. Seine ganze Größe zu begreifen, könnte sehr lange dauern, der Vorrat an Inspiration sehr lange vorhalten. Ermüdung oder gar Überdruss sind bei mir auch nach 8 Jahren nicht abzusehen.

Dut is een sublieme LP, met uitstekende muziek! Een echte aanrader. Hoe meer je hem speelt, hoe beter hij wordt. Wordt geleverd met een audio dvd met een hoge resolutie versie van de LP. Een fantastische LP. Stil vinyl, en een goede persing! AANRADER!!!

Capolavoro

お金をかけてやりたい事をした集大成なアルバムに感じます。アナログだと尚更感激しました。