I particularly enjoyed how you explored the album's experimental sound and unique approach to dark, paranoid themes. The way you connected the album's creative evolution to its lasting influence on music adds a compelling layer to your review. As a Talking Heads fan, you really brought this to life. Brilliant work.
I do love the albums that came before Fear of Music, but I think it's this album that elevated them to a whole 'nuther plane. I probably listen to Remain in Light and Speaking in Tongues more than this one, but in college this was quite possibly my favorite album. My college band used to do a funkified cover of "Drugs," that would get the crowd dancing. Speaking of covers, I've always loved Simply Red's cover of "Heaven," another Fear of Music classic. I feel like Talking Heads songs have led to some amazing covers, including Angelique Kidjo's album-take on Remain in Light.
Thanks for sharing Steve! I agree RE: the Talking Heads’ discog making for excellent fodder for covers. I really enjoyed the recent takes on the Stop Making Sense soundtrack—didn’t think some of the participating artists had it in them. https://album.link/i/1739474282
Wow - I didn't know about that tribute album! I've just started listening to it, but if it's half as good as the Miley Cyrus "Psycho Killer" it's gonna make my top albums list by year end! I've also been listening to the new Orville Peck, which is all collaborations and covers. It's very up and down to me, but I admire his willingness to go out of his comfort zone.
That Orville record is on my list as well, slowly but surely making my way through all recommendations I've been sent recently. The upside of running this newsletter. :) And let me know what you think once you've finished the covers album—I thought it was one of the year's most pleasant surprises so far for sure.
It's hard to judge after one listen, but I thought after listening to the whole album that, like most tribute albums, it was hit and miss. I thought some of the more ambitious takes on the songs worked more than others. I was oddly most disappointed with Lorde's fairly flat cover of "Take Me to the River." Probably because I love her solo work so much. I also thought the Linda Linda's "Found a Job" was the best cover (or maybe Miley). Chicano Batman/Money Mark was also a favorite.
I saw Talking Heads in Kansas City, October of 1979. Johnny Cougar opened. Soldier Coliseum was less than 1/2 full with a group near the stage and smattering of people throughout the second floor. I tend to think the band was funkiest as a small group versus the Fear of Music version which I also saw Live. I saw Byrne with Saint Vincent and enjoyed that show as well.
Byrne was recently the darling of Broadway….sometimes it takes someone their entire career to connect with the masses.
I listened to the album today on the basis of your recommendation and it was really really great. Talking Heads is a band I have not listened to, and I rarely listen to entire albums all the way through, but I am so glad I did. Thanks for waking me up to this amazing band!!
Great appreciation. You reminded me that when I was in high school I worked at a CVS unloading trucks of stuff and putting it all in the storeroom—and this was the one cassette I had in the boom box that I played over and over and over.
Know it well. Saw them at Montreux '82 and it was off-the-charts w/ Steve Miller opening in lieu of Laurie Anderson who cancelled last minute because the tech wasn't up to snuff so why not recite a poem or two? Things were at their peak for the avant-pop movement, so far from punk roots that it would soon implode. The boo birds (See Stevie Ray and DT video same summer) gave Miller a load until I terrorized them with, "Shuddayouup! and pay some respect!" while my new Swiss friends wondered if I was the right guy to include in their hash-dazed clan. I was there solo but was treated well by them. Suffice to say Miller delivered with Snortin' Norton Buffalo and his own modern sounds from days not so far in the distant in the past and then passed the baton to the Tom Tom Club next w/ the same throbbing band backing them up Bernie Worrell etc. When the Heads came on it was the future of music, not the fear of it, and it was glorious pandemonium. I've written about that summer and Montreux (See my Stack for the night I played with Dana Gillespie...) but this is new. I came home from my summer abroad ready see/hear the future of music eventually landed a job at Island Records NY and got an advance cassette copy of Speaking in Tongues. I put on my headphones from my new Panasonic recording portable "Walkman" (made all my bootlegs with it See JB post) and was ready to be blown away by my favorite band summer '83 walking from East 5th Ave (Island office) through Central Park to West where I lived in my one room APT on 71st $213/mo. By the time I got home, I knew it was over. Nobody in the US had that tape (Island was their UK distributor/SIRE Records US) but what seemed limitless in Montreux was easily codifiable in the US. The Catherine Wheel was another small step ahead and it wasn't the end of their climb but now it was commercial! Byrne was loyal and they hit it big while literally Burning Down the House that David built. David has kept their legacy clean and Stop Making Sense made them all secure for life. He kept going and getting it right, but I was forevermore disillusioned with the band. Once in a Lifetime Indeed! This ain't no Mudd Club or CBGBs!
I particularly enjoyed how you explored the album's experimental sound and unique approach to dark, paranoid themes. The way you connected the album's creative evolution to its lasting influence on music adds a compelling layer to your review. As a Talking Heads fan, you really brought this to life. Brilliant work.
Thanks!
I do love the albums that came before Fear of Music, but I think it's this album that elevated them to a whole 'nuther plane. I probably listen to Remain in Light and Speaking in Tongues more than this one, but in college this was quite possibly my favorite album. My college band used to do a funkified cover of "Drugs," that would get the crowd dancing. Speaking of covers, I've always loved Simply Red's cover of "Heaven," another Fear of Music classic. I feel like Talking Heads songs have led to some amazing covers, including Angelique Kidjo's album-take on Remain in Light.
https://youtu.be/gC2bGMoop_k?si=CnEaYVTOyj4VPD0l
Thanks for sharing Steve! I agree RE: the Talking Heads’ discog making for excellent fodder for covers. I really enjoyed the recent takes on the Stop Making Sense soundtrack—didn’t think some of the participating artists had it in them. https://album.link/i/1739474282
Wow - I didn't know about that tribute album! I've just started listening to it, but if it's half as good as the Miley Cyrus "Psycho Killer" it's gonna make my top albums list by year end! I've also been listening to the new Orville Peck, which is all collaborations and covers. It's very up and down to me, but I admire his willingness to go out of his comfort zone.
That Orville record is on my list as well, slowly but surely making my way through all recommendations I've been sent recently. The upside of running this newsletter. :) And let me know what you think once you've finished the covers album—I thought it was one of the year's most pleasant surprises so far for sure.
It's hard to judge after one listen, but I thought after listening to the whole album that, like most tribute albums, it was hit and miss. I thought some of the more ambitious takes on the songs worked more than others. I was oddly most disappointed with Lorde's fairly flat cover of "Take Me to the River." Probably because I love her solo work so much. I also thought the Linda Linda's "Found a Job" was the best cover (or maybe Miley). Chicano Batman/Money Mark was also a favorite.
Nice piece on a terrific record. Great work by Robert Fripp on I Zimbra. Thanks
Thanks for reading! :)
I saw Talking Heads in Kansas City, October of 1979. Johnny Cougar opened. Soldier Coliseum was less than 1/2 full with a group near the stage and smattering of people throughout the second floor. I tend to think the band was funkiest as a small group versus the Fear of Music version which I also saw Live. I saw Byrne with Saint Vincent and enjoyed that show as well.
Byrne was recently the darling of Broadway….sometimes it takes someone their entire career to connect with the masses.
Thanks for commenting, Ray. I have the concert film from Byrnes broadway show, so great! 😄
Great article. When it first came out it took more than a few plays to warm to it. But now it’s the album I go back to the most.
Love it, thanks for reading!
For sure. I do a weekly Friday Fave music post but I don’t write nearly as well Cheers
I'll defs check it out. :)
I like that you changed Hugo Ball's name to Huge Ball. : )
Why do you think he’s so popular?
I listened to the album today on the basis of your recommendation and it was really really great. Talking Heads is a band I have not listened to, and I rarely listen to entire albums all the way through, but I am so glad I did. Thanks for waking me up to this amazing band!!
Awesome!! Thanks for reading Caroline!
Great appreciation. You reminded me that when I was in high school I worked at a CVS unloading trucks of stuff and putting it all in the storeroom—and this was the one cassette I had in the boom box that I played over and over and over.
What a memory—thanks for sharing Daniel!
Know it well. Saw them at Montreux '82 and it was off-the-charts w/ Steve Miller opening in lieu of Laurie Anderson who cancelled last minute because the tech wasn't up to snuff so why not recite a poem or two? Things were at their peak for the avant-pop movement, so far from punk roots that it would soon implode. The boo birds (See Stevie Ray and DT video same summer) gave Miller a load until I terrorized them with, "Shuddayouup! and pay some respect!" while my new Swiss friends wondered if I was the right guy to include in their hash-dazed clan. I was there solo but was treated well by them. Suffice to say Miller delivered with Snortin' Norton Buffalo and his own modern sounds from days not so far in the distant in the past and then passed the baton to the Tom Tom Club next w/ the same throbbing band backing them up Bernie Worrell etc. When the Heads came on it was the future of music, not the fear of it, and it was glorious pandemonium. I've written about that summer and Montreux (See my Stack for the night I played with Dana Gillespie...) but this is new. I came home from my summer abroad ready see/hear the future of music eventually landed a job at Island Records NY and got an advance cassette copy of Speaking in Tongues. I put on my headphones from my new Panasonic recording portable "Walkman" (made all my bootlegs with it See JB post) and was ready to be blown away by my favorite band summer '83 walking from East 5th Ave (Island office) through Central Park to West where I lived in my one room APT on 71st $213/mo. By the time I got home, I knew it was over. Nobody in the US had that tape (Island was their UK distributor/SIRE Records US) but what seemed limitless in Montreux was easily codifiable in the US. The Catherine Wheel was another small step ahead and it wasn't the end of their climb but now it was commercial! Byrne was loyal and they hit it big while literally Burning Down the House that David built. David has kept their legacy clean and Stop Making Sense made them all secure for life. He kept going and getting it right, but I was forevermore disillusioned with the band. Once in a Lifetime Indeed! This ain't no Mudd Club or CBGBs!
Thanks for terrific comment Steve. Always love to hear the perspective of those who experienced this music in real time when it was released. Cheers!