If I had my own radio station - Talk Talk

This is a band whose first (self titled) album is in fact my least favourite of the bunch. This is a group that eclipses many genres, which in this day and age is a rarity. Their second album, It's My Life, has a few original surprises even though it still has that new wave flavour of the time (1984). The opening track, Dum Dum Girl, is a clever bit of pop. It's my Life was the first hit on this of the ocean and displayed enough longevity as a pop song to be covered by the likes of No Doubt.

Then came The Colour of Spring, which spawned the hits Life's What You Make It and Give It Up (two of my absolute favourite songs ever) along with a few other memorable tunes like Living in Another World and Happiness is Easy. By this time, Talk Talk are certainly no longer a new wave band.

Spirit of Eden is probably 4 times as different from the album that precedes it as Colour of Spring was from It's My Life. The pop feel is gone - this is bordering on jazz-ambient. Desire starts out slowly with atmospheric guitar, sax and piano, then builds with some soulful organ while Mark Hollis' unique voice chimes in and grabs hold of you before rocking out. Then the cycle repeats itself to great effect. I Believe in You continues the trend, the instruments as percussive as they are musical. The organ work alone is genius, starting at about the halfway point in the piece. This would be the perfect soundtrack album for a late summer storm.

If the jazziness of Spirit of Eden meets with your approval, then the follow up album Laughing Stock will please as well. Only this is even more 'out there' than before. Ascension Day is a glimpse of the wonderful work on this record. This is what I think U2 would have sounded like if they grew up in New Orleans.

These last two albums are some of the best music Talk Talk have made in their entire careers, yet this stuff doesn't see the light of day. Well, if I had my own radio station, this would be in regular rotation, my friends. Yes it would....