Talk Talk tribute album featuring Alan Wilder (Recoil), Anthony and the Johnsons, ... UPDATE

Update: Anthony and the Johnsons will not be part of this compilation after all. But instead, we have Elbow which seems to be up to doing a cover so the rumour is.

Along with a series of special guests , Alan Wilder aka Recoil has recorded a cover for a forthcoming Talk Talk tribute album and book. Also included on the tribute album are The Lovetones, Anthony and the Johnsons, Chris Walla from Death Cab For Cutie, Turin Brakes, and Stars Of The Lid amongst many others. Rumour has it that also Elbow would be delivering a cover though we couldn't find any confirmation of this so far.

In a comment on the Recoil blog Alan Wilder says: "In direct opposition to their commercial decline, my interest in the group increased as their more avant garde leanings came to the forefront. 'The Colour Of Spring' (1986) was an excellent but transitional album where one could visibly see the band mutating from well-crafted, intelligent pop into something much deeper and more thought- provoking. It reflected producer Tim Friese-Greene's more fluid and melodic keyboard arrangements with a far more expansive production. However, the revelation that followed - 'Spirit of Eden' - was still totally unexpected. This has to be one of my all-time favourite albums. Mind-blowingly brilliant in its diversity, minimalism, atmospherics, musicianship and topped off with the voice which found it's true position floating painfully over the top (in the best possible way). Whenever I'm stumped for something to listen to, I reach for this album to restore my faith in all that is good about modern music."

Talk Talk was an English musical group, active from 1981 to 1991. The group had a string of international hit singles including "Today", "Talk Talk", "It's My Life", "Such a Shame", "Dum Dum Girl", "Life's What You Make It" and "Living in Another World".

In their later years the band's commercial appeal receded, and their critical reputation increased as they moved from synthpop to a more experimental form. Their last two albums, "Spirit of Eden" and "Laughing Stock", were highly acclaimed and remain influential to experimental alternative rock genres.

After Laughing Stock, Talk Talk disbanded in 1992. Paul Webb rejoined Lee Harris, and the two went on to form the band .O.rang, while Tim Friese-Greene started recording under the name Heligoland. In 1998, Mark Hollis released his self-titled solo debut "Mark Hollis", which was very much in keeping with the minimalist post-rock sound of "Spirit of Eden" and "Laughing Stock". Hollis retired from the music industry shortly afterwards.

Webb also collaborated under the name of Rustin Man with Portishead lead singer Beth Gibbons and released "Out of Season" in 2002, while Lee Harris featured on the Bark Psychosis 2004 album, "///Codename: Dustsucker".

Posted by B. Van Isacker