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. Synthesizers still play a dominant role, but the music is made far more interesting by mixing "real" instruments and challenging
world
music rhythms seamlessly with the technology. Still pulling off the catchy single (like
"Dum Dum Girl"
and the title track, as well as the simply sublime
"Does Caroline Know?"
) on
,
also proved themselves capable of achieving a cohesive album -- a rare feat for the time and an unexpected surprise from a band that seemed to be simply a bandwagon-jumper. ~ Chris Woodstra