Talk Talk‘s classic third album, The Colour of Spring, turned 40 this year and to celebrate, surviving members of the band, plus some special guests, are reuniting to play a show at London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town on September 5. There’s also a new vinyl reissue of the album out September 4 and you can preorder it from the BV shop.
The lineup for The Spirit of Talk Talk show, as it’s being called, includes founding keyboardist Simon Brenner and touring members Phil Ramacon and Ian Curnow, plus Sophie Barker (Zero 7), Gale Paridjanian (Turin Brakes), Tim Eisenberg (Sweet Billy Pilgrim), Chris Hampson and Jacob Brown. Also joining the band for guest appearances will be Ed Harcourt and Fyfe Dangerfield (Guillemots), who are also playing opening sets, and Ride’s Mark Gardener.
While Talk Talk drummer Lee Harris doesn’t appear to be involved with the show, he did oversee the new The Colour of Spring reissue along with Charlie Hollis, son of late frontman Mark Hollis. The reissue was cut at half-speed by Matt Colton at Metropolis Studios from the original tapes.
Looking back on the album now, The Colour of Spring was a bridge between Talk Talk’s early post-punk/synthpop roots and the much more experimental direction they would take on Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock. There were still pop songs, but they’d taken their sound into art rock directions. The album includes what is arguably their best-ever single, “Life’s What You Make It.” Listen below.
The Colour of Spring 40th Anniversary Edition:
Side 1
01. Happiness Is Easy
02. I Don’t Believe in You
03. Life’s What You Make It
04. April 5th
Side 2
01. Living in Another World
02. Give It Up
03. Chameleon Day
04. Time It’s Time