Laughing Stock

Laughing Stock is the fifth and final LP from Talk Talk, released on November 19, 1991 from Polydor records. It marks the pinnacle of the band’s transformation from synth-pop into an experimental, impressionistic sound that would later share characteristics with what music critics called post-rock; as such, it is the quintessential document of a proto-post-rock sound from this incredibly creative group, and it serves as a touchstone record for the era. Since it’s release, many years later it has been hailed as a lost classic of the grunge-era nineties.

Talk Talk had been steadily gestating a sound transformation from records in the late eighties before Laughing Stock, but those records lacked a cohesive, full production level to make their output from that era stand out as much as it could have. Since Laughing Stock has a much higher production value level, it is distinguishable from the earlier records, and generally serves as a reference to this band’s greatest work. Much has been said of this record’s seemingly singular identity; it tends to present itself as if it has its own world of sound. Elements of jazz, contemporary-classical, alternative rock and post-punk collude throughout the album to form a distinctly unique listening experience from start to finish. Despite all those present elements, this record defies easy categorization. It would influence later jazz-inflecting rock combos like Tortoise and Sea and Cake as they crafted similarly engrossing albums.