Although Tomcats Screaming Outside is technically his debut album, Roland Orzabal has been a solo artist in all but name for the best part of a decade. The dominant half of Tears For Fears, Orzabal turned the 1980s pop duo into a one man band after the departure of Curt Smith in the early 1990s, releasing two albums, Elemental and Raoul And The Kings Of Spain. Although "Ticket To The World", "Bullet For Brains" and "For The Love Of Cain"-big chorused, guitar led pop/rock anthems--could happily slot in to either of his post-Curt Smith albums, Tomcats is very much a return to the experimental ways of Tears For Fears' heyday. The dark production and menacing rhythm tracks of "Under Either" and "Hypnoculture", the ambient sway of "Day By Day", the grunge-esque "Dandelion" and the drum & bass of "Kill Love" and "Hey Andy"--all are coupled with contagious melodies and Orzabal's twisted vocals to leave little doubt that the imagination which separated his former band from their peers and made their songs so enduring is still incredibly fertile. Solo album or not, Tomcats Screaming Outside is the best Tears For Fears album in a decade. --Dan Gennoe