Laughing Stock was Talk Talk's fifth and final album, released in 1991. Previously, the group's sound changed significantly with each new release, but Laughing Stock was almost a mirror image of their previous album Spirit of Eden. Both featured improvised instrumentals from a large pool of musicians and used the same six song structure. Consequently, the members felt they had accomplished all they had set out to do, deciding that this was a natural place to end the band.

Track listing

All songs written by Mark Hollis and Tim Friese-Greene.

1. "Myrrhman" - 5:33
2. "Ascension Day" - 6:00
3. "After the Flood" - 9:39
4. "Taphead" - 7:30
5. "New Grass" - 9:40
6. "Runeii" - 4:58

Personnel

• Lee Harris - drums
• Mark Feltham - harmonica
• Martin Ditcham - percussion
• Mark Hollis - vocals, guitar, piano, organ
• Tim Friese-Greene - organ, piano, harmonium
• Levine Andrade, Stephen Tees, George Robertson, Gavyn Wright, Jack Glickman, Wilf Gibson, Garfield Jackson - viola
• Simon Edwards, Ernest Mothle - acoustic bass
• Roger Smith, Paul Kegg - cello
• Henry Lowther - trumpet, flugel horn
• Dave White - contra bass, clarinet