Virtually ignored upon its initial release, Laughing Stock continues to grow in stature and influence by leaps and bounds. Picking up where Spirit of Eden left off, the album operates outside of the accepted sphere of rock to create music which is both delicate and intense. A work of staggering complexity and immense beauty, Laughing Stock remains an under-recognized masterpiece, and its echoes can be heard throughout much of the finest experimental music issued in its wake.

Compare Spirit of Eden with any other previous release in the Talk Talk catalog, and it's almost impossible to believe it's the work of the same band -- exchanging electronics for live, organic sounds and rejecting structure in favor of mood and atmosphere, the album is an unprecedented breakthrough, a musical and emotional catharsis of immense power. Mark Hollis' songs exist far outside of the pop idiom, drawing instead on ambient textures, jazz-like arrangements, and avant-garde accents.

This two-disc set of live recordings from throughout 1986 no doubt captures the Waterboys at their peak as a live band. It also offers a rare glimpse of leader Mike Scott in the transition period between the "big music" of the band's early albums and the folksy traditionalism of his and the band's most enduring work, Fisherman's Blues, which was just around the corner.

To many, Talk Talk are not known as a "live band." They are known as a synth pop dance band from the 1980s with a couple of radio hits. But in actuality Mark Hollis (founder and leader of Talk Talk) is a true musical genius who tried to alter that perception of Talk Talk by producing a number of superb albums that sadly have largely gone unnoticed. He also toured Talk Talk and managed to produce their sublime sound live. Recorded during the Colour of Spring tour, this would be the last time Talk Talk performed these "pop" titles, which makes this somewhat of a historical piece.

With It's My Life, Talk Talk proved that they could pull off an entire album of strong material. With The Colour of Spring, they took it one step further, moving to a near-concept song cycle, following the emotional ups and downs of relationships and pondering life in general. Musically, they built on the experimental direction of the previous album with interesting rhythms, sweeping orchestration, complex arrangements, and even a children's chorus to create an evocative, hypnotic groove.

This Is The Sea is the final, fully realised expression on the early Waterboys sound begun on the albums The waterboys and A Pagan Place. Expanding the epic, multi-layered sound of the previous album, this is a more ambitious yet a more successful record, since it finds Mike Scott at his melodic peak.

"I have heard the Big Music and I will never be the same," Mike Scott declares triumphantly on Big Music. On their second album, the Waterboys turn celtic folk-rock into a monumental fusion of Van Morrison's poetry, arena rock, and Phil Spector's monolithic wall of sound. This edition includes remastered original album plus 6 previously unrealeased tracks, all from the same period.

The Waterboys' eponymous debut album finds Mike Scott essaying his vision of "big music." Part Van Morrison, part U2, it was sweeping and romantic, with nearly every song stretched out to epic length. This edition includes remastered original album plus 7 previously unrealeased or unavailable tracks, all from the same period.

The introspective, often dark lyrics put Morrissey to shame. The deceptively simple music that backs it up is filled with enough pop hooks to make it instantly recognizable. And it stands the test of time, sounding as fresh and relevant today as it did when released going on 25 years ago.

Talk Talk began life as a slavishly derivative, Duran Duran-styled new romantic synth pop band, as their debut, The Party's Over, clearly shows. But even with their most blatant rip-offs, like the single "Talk Talk," they do it with a naïve charm that makes for some really enjoyable music.

After an unremarkable debut, Talk Talk regrouped and refashioned themselves more in the style of sophisto-era Roxy Music while developing their own voice. It's My Life shows a great leap in songwriting, the band making highly personal statements with a sexy, seductive groove and a diversity that transcends the synth pop tag.

On the back of an enormous publicity campaign, FGTH dominated British music in 1984. Frankie's dance-pop borrowed heavily from the then-current Hi-NRG movement, adding a slick pop sensibility and production. Strip away all the hype, controversy, and attendant craziness surrounding Frankie and Welcome to the Pleasuredome holds up as an outrageously over-the-top, bizarre, but fun release. The end result was catchy, consciously modern -- almost to a fault -- arena-level synth rock of the early '80s that holds up just fine today.

Simply Red's shimmering Pop Soul and elegantly heartworn balladry have provided a glistening, emotional soundtrack to our turbulent times. This greatest hits video collection chronicles the band's illustrious twenty five year old career.

One of the most beloved British pop bands of the '80s and '90s, Prefab Sprout has had a minimum of chart success in the United States, where they're all but unknown outside of their devoted cult following, but singer/songwriter Paddy McAloon is regularly hailed as one of the great songwriters of his era.

Alphaville's 1984 debut, Forever Young, deserves to be viewed as a classic synth pop album. There's no doubting that Germans are behind the crystalline Teutonic textures and massive beats that permeate the album, but vocalist Marian Gold's impressive ability to handle a Bryan Ferry croon and many impassioned high passages meant the album would have worldwide appeal. Forever Young is a technically perfect and emotionally compelling slice of 1980s electronic pop/rock music.