Talk Talk - Live At Montreux 1986 (2008)

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Talk Talk - Live At Montreux 1986 (2008)

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It's a fortunate thing that this DVD exists. Up until now, we've been limited to audio examples of Talk Talk's excellence as an innovative group unnecessarily burdened with the limiting "80s" tag. Now we have some definitive video proof of their greatness. Recorded during their final tour, Live At Montreux 1986 is what fans of the band have been hoping for ever since… well, ever since 1986. Recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival before an enthusiastic audience, this video captures the band at not only the height, but the end of their pop prowess. Comprising material from their first three albums, ending with Colour Of Spring, it almost comes off as an exuberant summation of their radio-friendly period, knowing full well that they're about to switch gears entirely. And that's not a bad thing; it's a wonderful thing. Because they decided to go out with a bang.

The band surrounds themselves with the addition of a guitarist, two keyboard players and two percussion players (back in a time when it must not have seemed odd to have two percussionists and a drummer, but only one guitar player). Mark Hollis leads the pack, both as the lead but also as the sonic force. Tragically unheralded for his unique and flawless vocals, he's one of the rare lead men who actually sound better and more energetic in a live setting, and his presence carries very able performances from the rest of the band.

At first it seem a tad disposable with the early signature song "Talk Talk", but it soon flows into more classic territory. The 80s sound definitely shines through during "Dum Dum Girl" and the start of "Call In The Night Boy", which then turns into a fusion jazz improv piece before finally settling back into the song. By the time you get to "Tomorrow Started", the band is definitely hitting their groove and starting to deliver a string of fan favorites.

The concert clocks in at almost an hour and a half, and features most of the tracks from this period that you would hope/expect, including "Life's What You Make It", "Does Caroline Know", "Give It Up" and of course "It's My Life." The inclusion of stellar versions of albums cuts like "I Don't Believe In You", an extended version of "Such A Shame" and the closing stunner "Renee" make for a completely fulfilling experience.

If there is a tarnish to the recording, it's only because of the presence of an even better live recording. Recorded during the same tour, yet towards the end, the audio release of London 1986 is the benchmark for Talk Talk performances, and perhaps even live albums in general. It features a smaller set of songs from this show (and notably also in the same order) but are flawlessly performed. Live At Montreux 1986, however, showcases a more complete set of material and so wins the completist merit badge. But if you are able to find a copy of the increasingly rare London recording, do yourself the favor.

Video and audio for this DVD release are remarkably clean. Presented in standard-def 4:3, the video looks great, minus the 80s fashion faux pas. It's filmed multi-camera in a small venue, and although it won't win any editing awards, it's ably put together, giving a very natural feel to the show. The audio is also very well done. There are surround versions, but to be honest they are only marginally up-mixed. However, the sound overall is very good for a twenty year old festival video. The packaging also contains a small, but nice booklet containing more photos from the performance, as well as the festival poster for that year, featuring the iconic artwork of Keith Haring (which is also used as the stage backdrop for the show).

This DVD is an absolute no-brainer for fans of the group, as well as both 80s and general music fans. It's a rare (and the only) live performance from a truly original band giving an impressive show.

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Talk Talk - Live At Montreux 1986 (2008)

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Talk Talk - Live At Montreux 1986 (2008)

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Talk Talk - Live At Montreux 1986 (2008)

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Talk Talk - Live At Montreux 1986 (2008)

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Talk Talk - Live At Montreux 1986 (2008)

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