Roland Orzabal
Tomcats Screaming Outside

Roland Orzabal is among the select group of authors almost unanimously defined as pop geniuses. And within this circle, due to his shy and reserved personality, he is among the least known, so it's no surprise that many people who stumbled upon this page aren't even aware of his solo work.
Although the activity of the Tears For Fears, especially after Curt Smith's departure, was largely his work, this album is even more personal as it is free from the editorial obligations of his more famous band. In fact, the musical tendencies already manifested in Raul and Many Kings of Spain are accentuated, with a definitive departure from the usual Beatlesque atmospheres. Legend has it that in every respectable recording studio there’s a Tears For Fears album, there to provide inspiration thanks to Orzabal & Co.'s incredible sound assembly capabilities. In this Tomcats Screaming Outside, the legendary sound is contaminated by so many influences that it loses its original features.
The album's opening, Ticket To The World, dark and hypnotic, with its electrifying bursts, immediately dashes any pop expectations: the listening experience requires ears predisposed to walls of sound made of noise, distortion, and electronics. Ticket To The World is a full-on new wave ride, a genre from which Orzabal has often drawn, particularly in the late 90s. The subsequent track, Low Life, follows the same paradigm with a few concessions to more melodic and prominent vocals. In Bullets for Brains, Orzabal's deep voice comes to the forefront, being one of the few performers who, in the opinion of the writer, could credibly sing any song: an irresistible synth-pop track, probably the best episode of the album. For the love of Cain deceives with a folk start, only to open up into a splendid pop piece with a sweeping refrain, reminiscent of the immortal tracks composed in the 80s.
The easy-listening concessions end here. From the sixth track, Orzabal returns to the abyss where he initially led us and does not emerge, except for brief moments. With Under Ether, we are practically on the trip-hop terrain. Dandelion winks at the more rock-oriented Bowie. Hey Andy has almost Jungle-like atmospheres.
The compositional continuity with the previous Tears For Fears album is guaranteed by Alan Griffith writing half of the tracks, although there's a stylistic abyss compared to the subsequent and disappointing Smith's return album: Everybody Loves A Happy Ending. The lyrical themes focus on traditional existential problems, although in a less adolescent manner than that of Tears For Fears. With the onset of maturity, the author extends his prose to religious themes and reflections on couple relationships. All this without ever departing from the renowned pessimistic vein that permeates the album until the last track, already evident from the title: Maybe Our Days Are Numbered.
I dislike when reviews talk about the reviewer rather than the reviewed, but I must make an exception. Those who have read the handful of reviews I've written on debaser over fifteen years know that I prefer to write about unreviewed albums that excite me. As a fan of Orzabal, I am not able to say if this album excites me. It is well-written, played, and sung, but lacks the aforementioned genius. From Orzabal, one can rightfully expect better, and I hope that the oft-announced return album of Tears For Fears will at least give us a clear demonstration of his immense talent.