And now it’s time for some kick-ass new wave! This is the first song I’d ever heard by Tears For Fears, and it was a sound like not much else I’d ever heard. This fact, coupled with the fact that my Linda loved TFF, made me really dig this song. There have been many new wave songs in my countdowns, and I think each has its own unique sound and raison d’être. Pale Shelter has a beautiful guitar strum mixed with the synth beat that makes my head sway and brings me back in my own mental time machine. And the voice of Roland Orzabal is just perfection in the context of their music. Perhaps not the best vocalist alive, but certainly he has a unique set of pipes that is immediately identifiable and swoon-worthy. I just love listening to him ask 'How can I be sure?'
From the historical writing archive. Original date: November 12, 2018. Recovered from local source material; editorial review is still in progress.