Matrix / Runout (Side B runout, variant 8): 422 824 3001-BS-PRC-R2̶3- 2 - 2 Q-51 21 5-180-207 STERLING

Initially released on March 7, 1983, The Hurting featured three classic top-five hit singles: “Mad World,”“Change” and “Pale Shelter’.” The album peaked at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart in its second week of release and was certified Gold by the BPI within three weeks, staying in the charts for over a year and reaching Platinum status in early 1985. The album also entered the Top 40 in several countries, including Canada, Germany, and Australia. The Hurting was an incredibly influential album in America, and its influence can be felt in the work of The Weeknd, Nine Inch Nails, Arcade Fire, Smashing Pumpkins, and the massive hit version of “Mad World” by Michael Andrews & Gary Jules from the cult movie Donnie Darko. Musically the album was informed by Roland & Curt’s shared love of Remain In Light by Talking Heads, David Bowie’s Scary Monsters And Super Creeps, David Byrne and Brian Eno’s My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts and especially Peter Gabriel’s untitled third album aka Melt. The new Half Speed Remaster of The Hurting was done by respected audio engineer Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios using a half-speed mastering technique which produces a superior vinyl cut. The Dolby Atmos mix, which remixes the album into spatial, three-dimensional audio, has been created by the artist Steven Wilson who has previously remixed Tears For Fears’ Songs From The Big Chair, The Seeds Of Love and The Tipping Point into spatial audio formats. Songs From The Big Chair has some pretty good songs such as 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World' and 'Shout' which definitely make the album better. It does fall short on the other songs though in my opinion. It isnt a bad album by any means and the songs I mentioned are definitely worth a listen but, like many albums out there, it wouldnt be my first choice.As well as streaming, the Dolby Atmos mix will be available as a standalone blu-ray disc featuring Wilson’s Atmos Mix, his 5.1 mix and his stereo instrumental mix as well the original 1985 stereo master and two recently rediscovered unreleased versions of “Mad World”&“Watch Me Bleed” produced by Mike Howlett.

Roland Orzabal said: “It’s a very consistent album with its own distinct personality. I’m not sure if we’ve made a more emotional record since, but I’d like to think we’ve hit higher musical peaks.”