Prior to 'Laughing Stock', all I knew of Talk Talk was their synth-pop offerings that peppered the 80s, which of course I also liked, though not enough to compel me to pick up any of their albums.
'Laughing Stock' came to my awareness by way of an Under Byen interview in which they cited this and 'Spirit of Eden' as an influence. This made me curious as owing to my obsession with Under Byen, I wanted to know more about any music that influenced their own. At the time, 'Spirit...' didn't grab me too much (I'll give it another go at some point), but 'Laughing Stock' did, and after a few plays, became an instant favourite.
I have this ongoing fantasy of being a late-night radio DJ, playing moody, nocturnal music in the early hours to whoever might be listening, and this album fits right in with that, given the overall vibe of the record itself (I even read that they recorded at night by candlelight to get in the mood, which explains a lot...). And yes, I can definitely hear how this influenced Under Byen.
Linked below is what I consider to be the standout track on the album. It's the languid, but driven pace, the gliding drums and that chord change just before the chorus that gets me every single time I play this album. Laughing Stock's six darkly evocative pieces have earned themselves that special place in my music collection. A perfect nighttime record.
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