The best word I can use to describe the Talking Heads is "twitchy". There is frantic movement in everything they produced, from the jittery, quirky guitars to the African influenced poly-rhythmic drumming that has been a heavy influence on indie rock since the Heads' beginning in the late 1970s. They are one of the most important American rock bands of the last 30 years, and were the major influence on the new-wave scene that struck the United States and Great Britain throughout the 1980s.
Led by Scottish-born (although he moved to Canada at the age of 2, and then to the U.S. a few years later) vocalist David Byrne, the husband-wife duo of bassist Tina Weymouth and drummer Chris Frantz along with former Modern Lovers guitarist/keyboardist Jerry Harrison, the Talking Heads burst onto the New York City music scene in 1975 opening for the Ramones at the famed music venue CBGB. The Talking Heads took some influences from the then-burgeoning punk scene that CBGB was mostly known for, but they created their own sound by taking the punk sound and mixing it with much better instrumental abilities than had been heard throughout the scene. This enabled them to create their own fan base outside that of the punk world, and in turn helped to give the art rock scene a further kick in the direction in which it was to move in later years.
The first few Talking Heads albums show the real quirkiness in their songwriting, and are really just a lot of fun to listen to. With 1980's Remain In Light, however, the band collaborated with legendary producer Brian Eno to create a brand new sound that was as influenced by African percussive music as the punk music that had spawned their earlier works. The band would later go on to some commercial success with the follow-up to this album, but it's the early years that I enjoy the most, which is why I've chosen to focus on them for this week.
The Albums:
1.) Talking Heads '77 (1977)
2.) More Songs About Buildings and Food (1978)
3.) Remain in Light (1980)
Also, here's the iconic video for "Once in a Lifetime", off of Remain in Light....featuring David Byrne's crazy dancing.
All I think of when anyone says Talking Heads is 80’s rock band. As I can see from what David posted about them they were even around in the 70’s. Needless to say I am going into this week with a completely open mind, having no previous knowledge of them.
ReplyDeleteYou can definitely see in the first two tracks that they are definitely different than the typical music you would hear in the 70’s. I am guessing that David Byrne set the standard for the way 80’s vocalists would gear their sound towards. “New Feeling” is quite catchy, and after repeat listening actually grew on me quite a bit. “Tentative Decisions” actually was quite humorous to me, it may be because I watch way too much SpongeBob Squarepants but this song reminded me of some sort of parody song that would be used in the show. “No Compassion” starts off with a little slower tempo, and really shows off nice acoustics. It then abruptly switches gears, so David Byrne is able to get his message across to the listener. In the end we return to the slower tempo, and I can say that this song stands out most for me. It is by far the most advanced song on this album in my opinion. The song “Don’t Worry About the Government,” reminds me of the song “Don’t you forget about me.” I am thinking that “Simple Minds” must have been influenced majorly by the Talking Heads. “Psycho Killer” is the first song that I am familiar with. I have to admit that I have never liked this song, and still don’t. I am quite impressed that it did come out in the 70’s though, and think it is a futuristic sound. “Love Building on Fire,” had a different sound to it. It seemed like they brought in some new instruments to really give it flare. Overall, this album is exactly how I thought it would be in terms of that 80’s sound to it. It is though a huge step forward in the music world and therefore I appreciate their efforts.
“Thank you for sending me an angel” starts out sounding like a Bruce Springsteen song. Even David’s voice is reminiscent of Bruce. The song is very repetitive and It makes me hope that this is not the direction the album is going to take. “With our Love” is definitely better than the first track, I really like the guitar solo in the intro it really caught my interest right away. This song is very “twitchy” as to quote David, kind of all over the place. “The good thing” is very goofy to me, and until it gets to the chorus could be easily mistaken for Elevator music. I have to say that I have not paid too much attention to the drums until now, but on “Girls want to be with the girls” I can definitely notice the rhythmic drumming. The repetitiveness of it makes me want to tap my feet. On “Artists Only” I am trying to figure out if the singing is supposed to be goofy or if this is just how David wants to convey what he is saying. This song wins for overall cheesiness. I think my main problem with the Talking Heads is David Byrne. While I understand that he is in a class of his own, I am one of those people who just don’t like his particular style. I think if they would have had a different singer they would probably be just like everyone else, so I do give them props for stepping out of the box. I love the guitar solo in “Stay Hungry.” I think this is my favorite song on the album, and that is probably due to the lack of David’s voice. I am still not sure exactly what I think of the band overall, probably good that I have one more album to listen to before I make my final decision.
“Born under punches” really has that tribal vibe to it. This song is unlike anything that I have heard from their previous efforts. I really like the fact that they are dappling in many different sounds, and have to say that David’s voice has a little smoother tone to it. “Cross-eyed and Painless” is another song that I find to be much more tolerable than anything I had heard on previous albums. I really like the fact that David sounds like he is trying o sing normally on these tracks. “Once in a Livetime” is an alright song, I thought the music video was quite entertaining. “Houses in Motion” had a very funky, soulful, sound to it. This album is definitely all over the place, but I think it shows a lot of growth for the band. I like the message in “Seen and not Seen” I just have a hard time getting into spoken word kind of music. “Listening Wind” has a very neat atmospheric feel to it. “Fela’s Riff” is I am assuming a take from Fela Kuti himself. While I am not too familiar with his work I know that Justin and David REALLY like him, and I have to say that I like the fact that this song lets it speak for itself. It really just lets the guitar do all the talking. The length of the song make it seem like it is never going to end, it’s what I call a marathon song. This album was probably my favorite of the week.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that I am highly impressed by what the band was able to accomplish, and the diversity to their music. Unfortunately I am not a fan of this genre of music so I don’t think I will be listening to this music ever again. That being said, thanks David for making me take a closer look at a band I know I would never have listened to otherwise.
It is difficult for me to take the Talking Heads seriously on their debut album. Between the music that appears to have inspired Super Mario Brothers and the rather odd delivery of the vocals. This is really borderline spoken word. Outside of the surfer guitar, I am surprised David likes this group. Their ‘quirkiness’ is far less sophisticated as previously selected artists and there is definitely an over enunciation. That being said, I agree this is a fun group to listen to and it is clear they were able to generate their own fanbase with a unique sound. The vocals are not fantastic and the music itself is not that impressive, the results are quite entertaining. Due to these facts, each song really runs into the next and I am really only left with a few clever lyrics to help separate them. ‘Tentative Decisions’ was an extremely funny track and I can picture a group of guys having a lot of fun writing the most random stuff down and having the lyrics to this track result. ‘No Compassion’ was also humorous in how blunt the insults were and I can relate with what I would really like to say to some people. ‘Don’t Worry about the Government’ was the least quirky song of the bunch and is a very good lead into this week’s other two selections in how cynical it is.
ReplyDeleteMore Songs… immediately gives off a more polished vibe with the first few tracks. The lyrics are a bit more serious and there is less of a focus on David’s voice. After listening to this, I find that I liked it more than the first effort, which means that I am guessing their initial fan base probably did not like this one as much. I think David’s voice really separates them from the rest and his voice is not nearly as annoying on this effort. His voice is one that you could easily love or hate and I am leaning a bit toward the latter. I think what really stands out on this album is Tina’s basslines. They carry the weight on all of the tracks and is a rare instance of the bass player standing out. ‘Warning Sign’ is about as dark as it gets for them, and I which we know I like. The guitar riff is compelling and the backing vocals remind me of how the ghosts talk in ’13 Ghosts.’ The piano was another standout on ‘The Girls Want to Be with the Girls.’ I do have to say I don’t like how David pronounces the word ‘mee-ee-ee-an’. ‘Artists Only’ is yet another track that is hard to take seriously. I think he knows the fanbase loves his quirkiness and he is trying to see what he can get away with on this track. I think this is the 8th week of Music Togetherness where we have had a song titled ‘I Am not in Love.’ This one is a standout this week, where it is probably the first radio friendly track I’ve heard.
I am immediately taken back to Paul Simon week with the African influence of this album. ‘Born Under Punches’ has a sound unlike anything I have ever heard. It is still just as quirky as their previous works, but the African chanting and drums add a bit of complexity that is electric. ‘Once in a Lifetime’ was the only track I was familiar with prior to this week. This is a real outlier this week in that there is an actual chorus and format to the song. I love it when groups deviate, so this song was probably used as the radio friendly track to commercialize the album. The actual spoken word with a bit of funk in ‘House in Motion’ adds yet another dimension to their repertoire. It was nice to hear Tina’s bass show up again in ‘Crosseyed and Painless’. She really rocks the shit out of this song, and David’s vocals are better than ever. This was definitely my favorite track of the week.
ReplyDeleteThe last album was definitely the highlight of the week. Based on what I heard this week and what I have read, they would be a very entertaining group to see live. I can really picture David working the crowd. Another unique artist and a nice change of pace.
I’m glad David chose the Talking Heads this week because I’ve wanted to explore more of their work. I remember listening to Remain In Light one day hanging out with David and absolutely loving its world sound. “Psycho Killer” and “Once in a Lifetime” was my only exposure to the Heads for the longest time; I feel this will be a very promising listening experience.
ReplyDeleteTalking Heads ’77 leads of with the tropical, carefree “Uh Oh, Love Comes to Town” which I feel could have been played in the opening credits of a cheesy 70’s beach flick. I love David Byrne’s voice, he borders on Bob Dylan territory where you either love his voice or can’t stand it; David’s quirkiness is what draws me in with the Heads. I like the song sequencing because there is a gradual musical progression and heaviness in thematic elements in the songwriting. “Tentative Decisions” is the first track that really grabs me on this debut effort; there is a rigid tempo that is maintained throughout the song that demands your attention. The brief “Who Is It” has David inspiring future quirky frontman Rivers Cuomo. I absolutely love “No Compassion”, I can’t stand people who fill their day whining about all their problems, even the most miniscule and mundane; nobody cares about that shit, keep it to yourself. “Don’t Worry About the Government” provides a blueprint for current artist and former MusicTogetherness pick Vampire Weekend. “Psycho Killer” is such an iconic and dark song, it seems too grand to be on this debut album; not to diminish the quality of the album, but it’s execution and resonating power easily overshadow everything else. You can tell there are greater things to come from these guys after listening to this solid debut.
There is a fuller sound with More Songs About Buildings and Food; the opening track serves as a galloping, triumphant rally call. “With Our Love” is unexpectedly funky, the musical growth is already quite prevalent but a small part of me is yearning for the simpler, quirkiness from their debut. Ask and ye shall receive, “The Good Thing” is a nod to their roots. I was unaware that “Warning Sign” was a Talking Heads song because I first heard it covered by Local Natives on their amazing debut album; after hearing them perform it live, I think they are right on par with the original if not better. “Found a Job” delivers a great message of getting off the couch and creating your own happiness through new adventures, being responsible for your own happiness and not relying on the idiot box to entertain you. I really dug the swelling and surging of “Artist Only”. “I’m Not in Love” is my favorite track on the album; Chris Frantz drumming is superb and the band plays with precision not heard before. The latter part of this album is shaping up very well with David’s unique cadence on “Stay Hungry” and with the help of Brian Eno behind the boards there is continuing transition to a greater sound. Covering Al Green is a slippery slope, but the Heads really build upon the original with the organ and full guitars on “Take Me To the River”. I was surprised at the choice to end the album with the country-tinged “The Big Country”, but it’s not overdone and proves that the Heads can probably successfully tackle any genre they wanted.
ReplyDeleteIt was great re-visiting Remain In Light this week. “Born Under Punches” is my favorite track from the Heads to date; I’m glad Thomas referenced Paul Simon upon listening to this opening track. The African rhythms are undeniably danceable and continue the trend of attacking varied musical styles. I use the word attack because nothing the Heads do is subtle. If one were to listen to their debut and go straight to this album there would be complete disbelief that what they were listening to was the same band. More Songs.. served as a transition between these works and solidify the Heads as musical phenoms. For the first time, I feel like the music is surpassing David for my attention. “The Great Curve” moves at a breakneck pace and dares you to keep up; there are definite nods to P-Funk on this track with the noisy guitars and group vocals. The first half of the album ends with “Once In a Lifetime” which is still groovy, but prepares us for the dramatic slowdown on the proceeding tracks. David regains my attention on “Houses In Motion” with its funky strut, the trumpet solos are a welcomed addition and falls in line with the music Miles Davis was making at the time. “Seen and Not Seen” delivers the message of being happy with your God given physical features and not being hung up on society’s impression of what’s beautiful. “Overload” has a very mechanical Pink Floyd feel to it and leaves me a little disappointed. The blistering pace the Heads set with the first half of the album is only magnified by the slow churning antithesis that was the final 4 tracks. Still, their fearless musical style is refreshing and definitely a superb selection for our blog.
ReplyDeleteDavid said while we were listening in the car today that these guys were influences to another band we've done on Music Togetherness - one that I've even picked - Vampire Weekend. Listening through Talking Heads '77, I can see that. Still, I don't like them as much as I may have been expected to. There are interesting bits to the instrumentals of some songs, but I just can't get into the vocals, and the music for me just isn't strong enough to stand out unless you have some interest in the vocalist. Nevertheless, I see why David chose this band, and even if I wasn't their biggest fan, I feel a little more knowledgeable about music being familiar with this portion of their repertoir.
ReplyDeleteI could be totally off on this, but one thing I can say going through here is that most of the songs are fairly upbeat. Even "Psycho Killer," which is my favorite track on the CD, probably mostly based on subject matter. Plus, it just sounds cool.
ReplyDeleteThe first track, "Uh Oh, Love Comes to Town," flows well, but I wouldn't say it's anything to get too excited about. Again, I think it's because of the vocalist. The little tropical sounds in the background are an interesting touch. The guitar on "New Feeling" is a little more cool for me, but it still sounds like I'm on a beach. My favorite track other than "Psycho Killer" is probably "Don't Worry About the Government." Those two songs seem to fit the vocals the best.
Being somewhat familiar with this band's two biggest hits (or what I'm assuming are their two biggest hits), and not liking them very much, I actually liked this album more than I thought I would. But this guy's voice has got a lot of growing on me to do.
On a side note, I'm kind of glad I missed David Byrne at Bonnaroo last year if this is the vocalist we're talking about.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the dude all the way to the right in the picture David posted really looks like Jesse Eisenberg from Zombieland.
Right off, "More Songs About Buildings and Food" sounds a little heavier rock than the previous album. Not to mention the album name is kind of awesome.
ReplyDelete"Thank You for Sending Me an Angel" is a great song, and for me stands head and shoulders above everything on Talking Heads '77. "With Our Love" starts out awesome but settles into that voice I'm still not so sure of,and "The Good Thing" turns out not to be so good for me. "Warning Sign" goes on for a bit with a good groove before the vocals kick in. "Found a Job" features some interesting guitar riffs, which I enjoyed, and a badass sounding chorus. "I'm Not in Love" is another strong track - although I feel like I've heard it before so it might be the familiarity there, but I thought it was quite well done. I also liked the intro to "Stay Hungry," making this album wildly more popular with me than our first this week.
"Remain in Life" starts out with the funky, but also a little strange "Born Under Punches." I notice that we've entered the 80s with this album so I'm not all that surprised, but unhappily awaiting for David Byrne's voice to annoy me some more. The only song I'm familiar with on this CD is "Once in a Lifetime," which I always had mixed feelings about. I love the chorus. For me, this stands out more than any other song on any other album we've listened to this week *which I'm guessing is why this song is the one most of us know out of all these. I do think the verses - the talking - is just kind of annoying, but I try not to let that take too much away from the rest of the song. I don't LOVE it, but I admit the chorus is very catchy, and gets me going. "Houses in Motion" starts out with this Stevie Wonder-esque boogie groove. "The Overload" is kind of cool because it scared the crap out of me like some sort of cult chant. David, this is the song that should be in a horror film. I'm getting the chills just sitting here. Though I see David gave every song on this album a 5-star rating, I just didn't see anything else that stood out to me.
ReplyDeleteI do, however, appreciate the progress this band made in the four-year span of these three albums.
Although it wasn't our assignment, I cheated ahead and listened to a bit of their later albums as well.
In 1983, you have the ever popular song "Burning Down the House," which is totally 80s. Knowing where the band is headed at this point, the progression of their previous albums makes perfect sense.
In 1985, I recognized the hit "And She Was," which I like more than their previous albums. I'm not sure if I saw their progression leading toward this, but I'm kind of glad to hear it. I finally don't hate Byrne's voice here. Justin and David would probably disagree with me 100 percent on my observation here, but that's because I tend to like music that's more accessible than what's groundbreaking. (Although I do appreciate groundbreaking, don't get me wrong. I just don't think that's what it's all about.)
Anyway, this week my favorite album of the three was "More Songs About Buildings and Food." I found more songs to enjoy and connect with on that album than the other three, and I found it a bit more accessible than the other three.
Thanks David for picking this group, because even though I didn't get to get totally in depth with everything this week with all that's been going on, I appreciate getting a closer listen to a band I never would have explored otherwise. Plus, it's good to know more about David Byrne - since I was totally ignorant about him when he played opposite the Beastie Boys at Roo in 09.