Talk Talk

If you doubt that Talk Talk had a short, interesting career trajectory, give this "best of" comp a spin. The band started off as a respectable, if unnecessary, Duran Duran-style synth group. Then, leader Mark Hollis retooled them into a moody, upscale pop outfit, with hits like "It's My Life," the neglected "It's a Shame" and the sincere "Life's What You Make It." The brilliant "Happiness is Easy" marked an even more startling departure for the band, who ended up as an impressionistic, baroque jazz rock collective.