Elemental (Tears for Fears album)

Elemental is the fourth studio album by the British pop band Tears for Fears.[2][5] It was released on 7 June 1993 and includes the hit single "Break It Down Again". The album peaked at No. 5 in the UK and No. 45 in the US. It also reached the Top 10 in France and Italy, the Top 20 in Canada and the Top 30 in several European countries.[6] It has been certified Silver in the UK, and Gold in the US and France.

Elemental
Studio album by
Tears for Fears
Released7 June 1993
StudioNeptune's Kitchen
GenreNew wave, pop rock, alternative rock, progressive pop
Length46:51
LabelMercury[1]
ProducerRoland Orzabal, Tim Palmer, Alan Griffiths
Tears for Fears chronology
Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82–92)
(1992)		 Elemental
(1993)		 Raoul and the Kings of Spain
(1995)
Singles from Elemental
  1. "Break It Down Again"
    Released: 17 May 1993
  2. "Cold"
    Released: 19 July 1993
  3. "Goodnight Song"
    Released: October 1993
  4. "Elemental"
    Released: March 1994
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[3]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide[1]
Rolling Stone[4]

Elemental was the first new Tears for Fears album in four years, following 1989's The Seeds of Love.[7] However, despite being released under the Tears for Fears moniker, it is essentially a solo effort by Roland Orzabal, as Curt Smith had left the band in 1991.[8] For much of the writing and recording, Orzabal was assisted by Alan Griffiths, who had been a session musician for Tears For Fears' world tour in 1985. The album was recorded at Orzabal's newly built home studio, Neptune's Kitchen, and was co-produced by Orzabal, Griffiths and Tim Palmer.[9]

Elemental was the last album that Tears For Fears recorded for the Phonogram/Mercury label, the company to which the band had been signed since 1981.

Critical reception

The New York Times wrote that "the album finds Mr. Orzabal straining self-consciously to make grand statements that lack the concision and spontaneity of Tears for Fears' best early work."[10] Entertainment Weekly wrote that "the sampled guitar bursts and nifty studio tricks, like Squeeze mimicking the Beatles, keep you obediently humming while Orzabal plays teen-neuroses word games."[11] Trouser Press thought that the album "essentially upholds Orzabal’s dedication to create remarkable textures and settings for essentially ordinary pop songs sprung from his bristly, remote and self-critical personality."[9]

Track listing

All songs written by Orzabal/Griffiths, except "Cold", written by Orzabal.

  1. "Elemental" – 5:30
  2. "Cold" – 5:05
  3. "Break It Down Again" – 4:31
  4. "Mr. Pessimist" – 6:16
  5. "Dog's a Best Friend's Dog" – 3:39
  6. "Fish Out of Water" – 5:07
  7. "Gas Giants" – 2:40
  8. "Power" – 5:49
  9. "Brian Wilson Said" – 4:22
  10. "Goodnight Song" – 3:53

Personnel

Tears for Fears

Additional personnel

  • Alan Griffiths – producer, instruments
  • Tim Palmer – producer, instruments
  • Guy Pratt – additional bass guitar (track 4)
  • John Baker – background vocals (track 2), additional backing vocals (track 3)
  • Julian Orzabal – background vocals (track 2)
  • Bob Ludwig – mastering
  • Mark O'Donoughue – engineer, Wurlitzer outro (track 10)
  • David Austen – design

Charts
Year Chart Position Sales
1993 UK 5 Silver (60,000)
US 45[12] Gold (500,000)
CAN 18
FRA 5 Gold (100,000)
GER 26
NL 22
SWI 24

Singles

Year Single Chart Position
1993 "Break It Down Again" UK Singles Chart 20
US Adult Contemporary 25
US Modern Rock Tracks 1[13]
US Billboard Hot 100 25
US Top 40 Mainstream 10
"Cold" UK Singles Chart 72
"Goodnight Song" US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles 251
  • 1 – This position was taken from the US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart, equaling #125 on the main US charts.

References
  1. MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 1128.
  2. "Elemental - Tears for Fears | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  3. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Volume 8: MUZE. p. 76.CS1 maint: location (link)
  4. "Tears for Fears: Elemental : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". web.archive.org. 30 December 2007.
  5. Buckley, Peter (1 February 2003). "The Rough Guide to Rock". Rough Guides – via Google Books.
  6. "swedishcharts.com - Tears For Fears - Elemental". swedishcharts.com.
  7. "TEARS FOR FEARS IS RUNNING WITH ORZABAL". courant.com.
  8. "ORZABAL, TEARS FOR FEARS IN FINE FORM". chicagotribune.com.
  9. "Tears for Fears". Trouser Press. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  10. Holden, Stephen (26 August 1993). "Review/Pop; Tears for Fears, Part 2, From Plural to Singular (Published 1993)" – via NYTimes.com.
  11. "Elemental". EW.com.
  12. "Tears for Fears". Billboard.
  13. "`TEARS' KEEP FLOWING, PLAN CONCERT IN S.L." Deseret News. 22 October 1993.
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