Inspired by primal scream theory, Tears for Fears has always stood for engaging with negative emotions rather than repressing them. Their ‘80s hit songs like “Everybody Wants To Rule The World,” “Shout,” and “Mad World” are characterized with by the upbeat synths and percussion of the decade, juxtaposed with heavy lyrics discussing childhood trauma, war, and social movements of the time. Now, after an acrimonious breakup, various personal hardships, and almost two decades, the English duo has re–emerged with a new perspective and an album to accompany it, The Tipping Point.
In many ways, the album is Tears for Fears doing what they’ve always done. The chorus of the album’s penultimate track, “End Of Night,” tells listeners that “you can't see the beauty for all the hurt.” The pair is still making beautiful music to bring people together because of and in spite of the pain they’re in. But now well into adulthood, Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal have created an album that feels more like an assured shout rather than a primal scream. The Tipping Point’s refined melodies and thought–provoking lyrics integrate wise advice and the catharsis of accepting life’s challenges with their usual societal commentary, this time on topics like female empowerment and the interference of their record label.
The Tipping Point took seven years to write. The band feared losing its essence, suddenly finding themselves regarded as artists of generations past. “Master Plan” deals with this frustration. Lyrics like “If my soul be damned / It’s all part of the master plan” mock the blind trust and obedience record labels expect from those they manage. After firing the younger, hipper songwriters that their management strongly advised they hire, Tears for Fears went back to the style of songwriting familiar to them from their teenage years in Bath, England. Opening track “No Small Thing,” with its ‘60s folk vibe, advises, “Reason gonna blind you / Cripple and confine you." Together with a tape recorder at home, the duo did what they do best: using songs to process emotions. The Tipping Point emerged as a physical representation of Orzabal and Smith’s strengthened relationship.
“Rivers Of Mercy'' is similarly relaxed and full of slow percussion, but it shows a more mature perspective informed by life, stating, “I too often see the world through a veil of tears.” There are limitations to how much we can allow ourselves to live with hardships or regret, and getting consumed in tears can be blinding. After losing his wife to alcohol–related dementia and undergoing health issues himself, Orzabal was inspired to reconnect with Smith. “Please Be Happy,” written as a reflection on Orzabal’s wife’s declining health, paints a grim picture of caring for her in her condition. Yet Orzabal decides, “I still believe this love can grow.” An older Orzabal is committed to finding new love for his wife and acceptance of himself, despite life’s imperfections.
Personally, this album didn’t leave a strong impact on its own. Technically impressive, lyrically poetic, and perfectly balanced, The Tipping Point adheres to its ‘80s roots while managing to produce a new, clean sound. Yet something about it is decidedly less—less angsty, less catchy, and ultimately less memorable. The subtle, self–contained sound comes off as resigned and lacking the youthful urgency of the duo’s previous work. Paradoxically, growing up and deviating from the primal yell that marked the band’s early years led their songs to lose potency. Can music only be effective within our generation if it captures the uncertainty, angst, and gravity of these years? How do we make space for artists to grow up?
This struggle is not unique to artists of an older generation. Listening to The Tipping Point called to mind my excitement at the release of Lorde’s Solar Power, and subsequent disappointment to find that the album had the audacity to sound almost happy. After ending her 2017 world tour for Melodrama, Lorde returned home to Auckland, deleted social media, and was seldom seen in public. The result was a more minimalist, self–assured album without any of the usual drama and restlessness. Similarly, Mitski’s Laurel Hell has been viewed viewed as lacking the command of previous albums, released in the wake of the singer deleting her social media and announcing her "last show indefinitely" in 2019.
When artists make progress personally, it can often come at the expense of their music. But it’s important that we judge the music independently from artists’ personal lives. Artists do not exist solely for their fans, and we can’t rely on their bad circumstances to help us feel something. Even with disappointing albums, there's still something we can learn when our favorite artists mature. In the case of Tears for Fears, their album is a testament to the success of using music to process a range of emotions, allowing Orzabal and Smith to come to terms with personal hardships in a way their early work did not.
While it might be difficult for our generation to identify with the kind of inner peace and catharsis that marks this album, there's merit in examining the journey of how the duo arrived at this place from their teenage years. The Tipping Point is ultimately about change, something we are all able to identify with. Tears for Fears is tangible proof that people can make it through all of life's changes if they embrace emotion rather than stifling it.
