Search - Curt Smith :: Soul on Board

A few pleasant tracks, but uninspired overall

Fredric A. Cooper | Los Angeles, CA | 05/29/2010

(2 out of 5 stars)

"1993 brought the first Tears For Fears album without Curt Smith, the classic "Elemental". Also released in the same year was this solo effort from Curt. The single "Calling Out" is the highlight, with its sweeping string arrangement carrying the tune along nicely. A few spins and the melody is stuck in your head. Unfortunately the singles ("Words" was the second) and album tanked in the UK, resulting in the cancellation of its proposed US release. An advance promo cassette was issued in the US, but no commercial release followed. The album was released in Canada (a territory that has been special for Tears For Fears, with a number of exclusive releases) and was a success in Spain. But the project ultimately was a failure. TFF fans will be want to hear this, but it is more of a collectors item than anything else. The two Curt-less TFF albums (the other being the masterpiece "Raoul and The Kings of Spain") are outright classics that leave this album in the dust. Curt himself hates the record, not a good indication of its quality."