Reviews (page 3 of 13)
Talking Heads are one of the GOATs
What do you want me to say? Don’t ask a Talking Heads superfan for an objective review here. It’s one of the many perfect albums from one of the greatest bands of all time. If you disagree you’re wrong.
Absolutely crushed it
I had a friend in High School who had a cool older brother. My friend would play me albums from his brother's collection (I don't remember ever meeting the older brother). I remember hearing this went it was still relatively new and being blown away. Listening to it today, I'm still kind of impressed, This was the lead in to their best album (Fear Of Music) and before they started their slow decline into caricatures of themselves. I've enjoyed this album for most of my life and it's still enjoyable.
Funky, fun, quirky
This is one of those bands that you don't realize you are already a fan of without knowing it.
Bangin'
Good
I just love Talking Heads
Pretty classic album
This album isn’t full of hits, but sometimes that’s a sneaky strategy to build a well-balanced classic. I particularly like how the album title implies that the record’s contents are about inconsequential things. “What’s the new record about, David?” “Oh, I don’t know, buildings and food.” Given the Talking Heads’ nonchalant style and Byrne’s blithe voice, you’d be tempted to believe him. But it’s far more than buildings and food, and that’s the beauty of it. From couples who save their relationship by replacing the monotony of TV with nutty games of make-believe (“Found a Job”) to boys who can’t come face to face with their emotions (“With Our Love”) to a comical anti-love song (“The Girl Wants to Be with the Girls”), the contents of this album are anything but normal and expected. With lines like “You can’t see it till it’s finished,” the bizarre “Artists Only” might just be the musical interpretation of Vonnegut’s underrated 1987 novel Bluebeard. Of all the possible songs to cover, the band does a fantastic job with Al Green’s “Take Me To The River,” another late night banger I associate with the Hanszen Old Section movie room. “The Big Country” feels like a Tralfamadorian disapproval of Earthlings and our meaningless lives, but why should we care what they think? It’s a great song, and I stand by it. David Byrne’s voice may be an acquired taste, especially aside from the Talking Heads’ most popular tracks. I didn’t know much about this album coming into this listen, and while I wouldn’t expect to hear much of it on the radio, it is extremely well written. I’d go so far as to say it talks about a bit more than just buildings and food.
Enjoyed this a lot, one of my favourite Talking Heads albums. You can hear clear influences here on late bands. Particularly on Warning Sign, there's a part in that song that I swear I regognize from some Radiohead song, but can't remember which one. The Big Country is one of my favourite Talking Heads songs by far!
Funky, punky, lean and punchy.
Thank You for Sending Me an Angel- 4.6/5 With Our Love- 5/5 The Good Thing- 4.8/5 Warning Sign- 5/5 The Girls Want to Be With the Girls- 5/5 Found a Job- 5/5 Artists Only- 3.6/5 I'm Not in Love- 4.9/5 Stay Hungry- 4.9/5 Take Me to the River- 5/5 The Big Country- 4.7 Total- 4.77
Maybe I’m rounding up a bit but I love this album. Inventive in so many ways, especially the lyrics and his vocal creativity.
Cool album. Kind of has an 80’s rock vibe with som modern production. Favorite songs are the last two : “I’m so lonely you could die”and “Heat” The title track is cool kinda reminds me of the talking heads (I thought it may have been a David Byrne colab). Other favorites are “ If you can see me” and “Dancing out in Space” Feels hard to rate this after listening only once. 4.5
Take me to the river was the only song I recognized, super cool song and album. His singing is kinda hilarious at times but I am a huge fan of David Byrne. 4? 5?
Well I was expecting to hate this. Instead, Bowie and I had a super fun dance party. Loved it
Three full albums later, I GET IT NOW! I LIKE TALKING HEADS. Standout tracks are With Our Love, Artists Only, and Take Me to the River.
Perfect
If I stick to my goal of one release per band, I am not sure this would be my Talking Heads entry. However, this is a great disc and has one foot in the version of punk they displayed on their first release and one foot into the funk, rhythmic focus that would dominate the next few releases. Tina Weymouth is tremendous throughout. As Talking Heads are in my top five of all time, I recommend all of their releases (even True Stories).
Easily one of my favorite bands, fantastic album
cool
В последнее время это одна из моих любимых групп, так шо все альбомы зоходят. Жаль, что тут не ремейн ин лайт, можно было бы побольше расписать. А так альбом выдержанный, вайбовый, звучный. 10/10.
I understand that Byrne's vocals might not be for some, but me personally, I love them. The bass lines and funky sounding guitar hooks throughout this album make it really fun, and very different. Absolutely awesome album.
Much more acoustic than later Talking Heads stuff. Take me to the river stands out as the big banger. Overall cool look into what they would become
This is the second Talking Heads album that I've gotten on this list (the first being Remain in Light), and I absolutely loved this album. I loved the rhythm-heavy sound of this album, both for the bass and lead guitar parts. The rhythm focused sound worked well regardless of whether the song was a faster tempo, like the lead track "Thank You for Sending Me an Angel," or a slower tempo, like the cover of "Take Me to the River." And speaking of the title track, "Thank You for Sending Me an Angel" was the perfect way to start this album off. There were some wonderful piano, organ, and synthesizer parts on this album as well, especially on "Artists Only," "Stay Hungry," and the "Take Me to the River." This album had the perfect amount of funk influence, and even a little rockabilly in my opinion. Every track on here was fantastic, with "I'm Not in Love" being my favorite of the bunch. I don't know if the sound of this album was due completely to Brian Eno's production, or if it was just the direction the band decided to take, but either way, this is a masterpiece of late 70's post punk music.
Talking Heads have at least 3, probably 4, albums which are arguably their best. This is one of them. Straight 🔥
I always love some Talking Heads. From the interesting rhythmic guitar playing to the unique vocals, this is a great album. I also love the Brian Eno production, which probably at least in part due to the fact that it’s Brian Eno. Amazing, and it only foreshadows the absolute masterpiece Remain in Light.
I love a T-Heads and Eno collaboration, always. Eno has a way of teasing the best work out of brilliant artists, and it's no different here. These songs are quirky and energetic, frequently strange, adventurous and insanely funky. This is the kind of album that's full of angular twists and turns, without much in the way of hooks. You have to work a little to settle into this one, but once you're in the groove, it's amazing. The funny part is that one of the greatest covers of all time resides on this album, and it's not even remotely the most interesting song. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): I'm Not in Love, Stay Hungry, The Big Country, Found a Job, Artists Only, Take Me to the River, Thank You for Sending Me an Angel, The Good Thing, With Our Love, Warning Sign, The Girls Want to Be with the Girls
I'm a huge Talking Heads fan. There will be Talking Heads albums (that I assume appear on this list) that WILL hit 5 stars. I even considered giving this one a perfect rating. In fact, in the writing of this and in considering why I *wouldn't*, I talked myself into doing just that.
This is the album where Talking Heads started putting some space between them and the other bands of the time, making a move in the direction of funk/electronic dance music. Songs like “Warning Sign” and “Stay Hungry” are good examples (and I was thrilled they played them when I saw them live in ‘80). “Artists Only” is fresh, and along with “Found a Job” offer up Davis Byrne’s lyrics at this hilarious best. There isn’t a weak song on the album, though when I was in University and I asked a friend to tape it for me, I requested that leave out “Take me to the River”. It seemed like a shame to include a soul cover on such a ground-breaking collection of original songs. But one thing that 1001 has taught me is that it’s rare for albums to be remembered if they don’t include a single for mass appeal. The first 4 TH LPs get 5s from me but this one easily has the best title.
I recall reading an article on Reddit recently asking which group has released the best three album streak. The usual suspects like the Beatles and Led Zep were in that list, but Talking Heads also got a lot of votes and deservedly so. Actually they one upped those legendary bands with four consecutive monster albums starting with their astonishing debut, Talking Heads 77, then More Songs about buildings and food, Fear of Music and Remain in light. More Songs was also the first of three produced by Brian Eno and it was a stroke of genius to combine them in the studio, truly lightning in a bottle. This album is unrelentingly brilliant, every fricking song is a killer, absolutely no filler. Also, some of the segueways are also a match made in heaven, flowing so effortlessly into each other eg. The Good thing --> Warning Sign, I'm not in love ---> Stay Hungry. Tina Weymouth's bass is so infectious, Chris Franz' drumming is tight and punky and Byrne's funky jerky guitar riffs are a perfect foil to his equally herky jerky singing style. And I haven't even mentioned their hit single Take me to the river yet, but thats moot since I've already said enough to give this album 5 stars.
This is a perfect album. Easily my most listened to output from Talking Heads. Not a miss on the whole album. The bass line on "Warning Sign" might be my favorite bass line ever.
wtwtw
Yup yup yup
First David Byrne/Talking Heads project I've gotten on this generator, as well as my first time actually listening to a full album, and it does not disappoint. I never realized how funky this could get, and the fact that this is so ahead of its time comparatively is just awesome. What an excellent album, looking forward to more.
One of my least favorite albums from my favorite band. Still... it's Talking Heads...
I can’t believe this is from the 70s. All of the post punk that I love now is directly influenced from talking heads. Dave Byrne can’t miss.
Tempora mutantur, this is one of those records and moments that changed everything. My next door neighbour left school early and went and got a job in a record bar, as you did in those far off 70's days. I went to visit her during Thursday night shopping (another life changing innovation) on my way to Maroubra Junction library and she said "buy this, it will change your life". And she was right, I listened to this in 78 and everything changed (I'd missed the first album and thought this was their first). The Pistols had scared me (they were scary..) and as much as I loved EC from the get go, I knew the traditions he was drawing on. But this, bloody hell. Even though I didn't know it at the time, as a riposte to the dreaded CSNY (hope you are well Stephen) I indeed went and cut my hair. I also gleefully frisbeed Supertramp's Even in The Quietest Moments into the clothesline, felt I was pretty rad and punk for doing it too (no doubt that fucking record is probably going to pop up in this process, Rick Davies revenge..). Just the album cover alone was an inspiration, I went and knicked my mum's polaroid camera and wasted a hell of lot of shots finding out how hard it was to assemble a shot of your head! I think the beauty of it is the creative tension between Byrne/Eno and Frantz/Weymouth, with Jerry happily looking on and providing so much of the pad to all of these great songs. Take I'm Not In Love, the riff, the rhythm section, the spoken word and the stops, tension tension tension, perfect. Artists Only, all the Byrne themes are there, offset nicely by the bass harmonics, and then Harrison's superb organ riffing..it leads us into the funky mind fuck that is David thinking whatever it is he's thinking about as a songwriter. The lightness leads to dark, while his little meditation on getting his stuff out of his head unfolds. Ditto Warning Signs, glissando bass line perfectly complementing David's musings and Frantz's funky drumming. A truly great record.
Saw them on their first tour here, at Sydney’s beautiful State Theatre. Went with my Girlfriend Julie & my gay friend, Fish. I was already in love with the band - I think Life During Wartime had just been released. I went home convinced I had just seen the next big thing. Fish went home having fallen in love with the dreadful support band, Mi-Sex. This album sounds as fresh today as it did then. Talking Heads were unique. Thank You For Sending Me An Angel is as good an opening track as you would want. It literally gallops - as does I’m Not In Love. In fact, as do so many cuts here. The flow between tracks is great - 1 runs into 2, 3 runs into 4. You’re breathless after Side 1, but Side 2 keeps at it. There’s a sidetrack with the band’s cover of the Al Green classic, Take Me To The River, one of the great covers of all time, but by the album’s end with The Big Country, you just knew David Byrne & genius producer Brian Eno were onto something great. And the great rhythm section should not be overlooked. I was lucky enough to see Byrne’s American Utopia tour in 2018. A genius still.
Fun album! Would listen again. Holds interest for sure!
When I first discovered Talking Heads it felt like a gift. Something so new I didn’t even know that I needed. This album still sounds groundbreaking and I still love it.
The Talking Heads’ first album with Brian Eno as producer is new wave masterpiece. The pop elements certainly date this album, but are not intrusive or cloying. You can definitely hear the seeds of their sound that would be defined in Remain in Light and Speaking in Tongues. David Byrne’s lyrics are hyper focused to the point of near absurdity but I absolutely love them. Honestly, I’ll give a 5 to most Talking Heads albums, but they truly deserve it.
You gotta love some Brian Eno produced talking heads.
Solid album as always from them.
my top 2
I don't know why I love her like I do All the changes you put me through Take my money, my cigarettes I haven't seen the worst of it yet I want to know that you'll tell me I love to stay Take me to the river, drop me in the water Take me to the river, dip me in the water Washing me down, washing me down I don't know why you treat me so bad Think of all the things we could have had Love is an ocean that I can't forget My sweet sixteen I would never regret I want to know that you'll tell me I love to stay Take me to the river, drop me in the water Push me in the river, dip me in the water Washing me down, washing me Hug me, squeeze me, love me, tease me 'Til I can't, 'til I can't, 'til I can't take no more of it Take me to the water, drop me in the river Push me in the water, drop me in the river Washing me down, washing me down I don't know why I love you like I do All the troubles you put me through Sixteen candles there on my wall And here am I the biggest fool of them all I want to know that you'll tell me I love to stay Take me to the river and drop me in the water Dip me in the river, drop me in the water Washing me down, washing me down
Take me to the river
Objective masterpiece such as all the first four albums by this amazing band called Talking Heads.
I hadn't listened to this one all the way through before. I own Little Creatures and much preferred this within the second tier popularity Talking Heads albums. It's probably less innovative than some others... But it felt less like riding a wave in a bunch of different directions, stopping and going. More grounded in some way. This felt like maybe the easiest background music talking heads album, and probably the easiest to listen to -- i could see myself having this one in background in the way I have Darklands in the background a lot right now. Wish it had at least 1-2 more hits on it.
Talking Heads are in my top 5 fav bands of all time. There are only a couple of releases that aren't a 5 and this isn't one of them.
Really great TH album. Possibly the best...
Perfection!
great
you can really see brian eno’s influence on this album, and it feels like exactly what i want from the talking heads.
Very good. Love the driving rhythms. Will be listening to more of Talking Heads.
It’s just a mesmerising collection of rhythms and auditory patterns. Like Jackson Pollock on a 45.
Great album, sounds stronger than their first and you can feel the confidence through the strong grooves throughout.
Got this a few weeks ago and originally gave it a 3 and forgot about it, but haven’t stopped listening to it today. Vocals were so unique. drums and bass spazzed the entire album. Take me to the river and the big country was an extremely powerful 1 2 punch to close out the album. “Everything Hit” - Nav
one of the all time greats, massively overlooked within the Talking Heads catalogue
I have the deepest love for David Byrne and I already knew I loved this album so an easy 5 for me.
Love the Talking Heads!
Bastante buen disco
I love this album I love everything Talking Heads do.
I think this album is a big step up from Talking Heads' first album, even though a lot of the songs at first have a similar feel to the first album. There's a lot more of this album I know though, whether it's from "Stop Making Sense" or greatest hits. My 2 favorite songs: 1) "Thank You For Sending Me An Angel" - every time I hear this song, I envision Jackie Gleason dancing. It just has that musical freneticism to it. 2) "Take Me To The River" - It's so weird to hear the original Al Green version now. This one is so definitive to me. Although not my favorite of their albums (either Fear of Music or Remain In Light), there were so many of the songs I sang along to in the car while listening to it.
One of my favorite albums
Not my favorite Talking Heads album but that's not saying much
Não se deve saltar para piscinas no ano novo com risco de hipotermia mas tu saltaste, sempre foste a mais teimosa dos dois, eu esperei com a toalha o teu corpo pálido e tremeluzente, sim, irradias luz própria ainda que vacile, iluminas água escura, não te cabes nos teus sonhos, demoraste de bruços e o vento cá fora aumentou, a toalha fica húmida só da aragem e eu cá fora à espera, secámos o corpo como um trabalho de grupo da escola e quando o sol raiou estavas seca, quis mandá-lo embora, ano novo lua nova, mas já o horizonte te engolia, a ti, à que todos os dias virou nunca mais e a hipotermia ficou comigo que sei melhor que saltar para piscinas no ano novo.
I am very familiar with TALKING HEADS with being a fan having and listening to their second album, MORE SONGS ABOUT BUILDINGS AND FOOD, along with most of their entire oeuvre. After re-listening to MORE SONGS ABOUT BUILDINGS AND FOOD, this album still great and fresh as it was in 1978. In 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, along with TALKING HEADS - MORE SONGS ABOUT BUILDINGS AND FOOD, their debut, third and fourth albums are also listed: TALKING HEADSː 77 (1977); FEAR OF MUSIC (1979); REMAIN IN LIGHT (1980) Rate Artist: TALKING HEADS (5.0) Rate Album (Year): MORE SONGS ABOUT BUILDINGS AND FOOD (US 1978 Original) (5.0) Rate Album (Year): MORE SONGS ABOUT BUILDINGS AND FOOD (US 2006 Rhino version) (5.0) Ranking of TALKING HEADS - MORE SONGS ABOUT BUILDINGS AND FOOD songs No. Title Length Ranking 01. "Thank You for Sending Me an Angel" 2:11 09.5/10 02. "With Our Love" 3:30 08.5/10 03. "The Good Thing" 3:03 10.0/10 04. "Warning Sign" 3:55 10.0/10 05. "The Girls Want to Be with the Girls" 2:37 10.0/10 06. "Found a Job" [a] 5:00 10.0/10 07. "Artists Only" 3:34 10.0/10 08. "I'm Not in Love" 4:33 10.0/10 09. "Stay Hungry" 2:39 10.0/10 10. "Take Me to the River" 5:00 10.0/10 11. "The Big Country" 5:30 10.0/10 US 1978 Original Release 108.0/110 = 9.82 / 2 = 4.91 Bonus Tracks (CD Side Only) 12. “Stay Hungry” (1977 Version) 3:47 10.0/10 13. “I'm Not In Love” (Alternate Version) 5:17 10.0/10 14. “The Big Country” (Alternate Version) 5:03 10.0/10 15. “Thank You For Sending Me An Angel” ("Country Angel" Version) 2:11 10.0/10 US 2006 Rhino Release 148.0/150 = 9.87 / 2 = 4.93
Honestly, very good stuff, some very good songs.
Listening to this album has brought me to an entire day of Talking Heads and it's a discovery I really enjoyed. Now I've likely listened to most albums once or twice in my life before, but it has made for a great day with some incredible music. First of all, this album itself, it's so incredibly infectious and fun. The basslines are jumpy, the lyrics are different, the music is clever. And, what's more, it's a strong album. There's no song to skip, not even the Al Green cover.
I absolutely adore Talking Heads and David Byrne in general. They are so creative and different and such an excellent sound in everything they do. I'm currently reading David Byrne's book How Music Works which is great and he outlook on what music is and 'how it works' is great. This album really shows so many different aspects of what makes great music great. Also I think Tina Weymouth is the best bassist I know of, Talking Heads basslines are so so good and a big fat middle finger up to people who think bass is just a necessary but boring thing, the bass in Talking Heads is so integral to their sound.
Love Talking Heads and this album delivers exactly what I want from them. Excellent follow up to their debut Talking Heads: 77, it’s like a seamless continuation of that album. I’m Not in Love is my new favourite Talking Heads song.
Excellent album.
Amazing. Wheelhouse.
I loved it, it had a very unique sound.
Timeless music. Miles better than most of the other albums on the list.
Another brilliant Talking Heads album.
Love this album and a big fan of this new wave-post punk genre
The first of a trio of masterpieces (and my second-favorite of the bunch). There is not an ounce of fat on this record and not a single disposable track. I would also recommend this as the perfect introduction album for Talking Heads. The Big Country is my favorite track.
As TH no. 1 fan ;) I think that this album should be replaced by Speaking With Tongues, which to my best knowledge isn't among the 1000 (and one). Still, it's great to observe the transformation of the band from '77 to Fear Of Music. If you ever wondered how the mix of '77 and FOM would look like, that's the answer. When you listen to all the band's albums, it'll become very clear that an album like "More Songs..." had to be recorded. For me it always seemed like a natural step and maybe that's why I wasn't focusing on it. But songs like: "Thank You for Sending Me an Angel", "Found a Job'', "I'm Not in Love", "Stay Hungry", "The Big Country" and "Take Ne to the River" are absolutely TOP. I also have to say that "The Good Thing" sounds too calm and predictable for a TH song and "Artist Only" sounds too much like a Talking Heads song.
Fantastic, enjoyed this immensely
super fun, super good, really great album
Oh my god
My fiftieth album from perhaps my favourite band!
Top album
I really enjoyed this album, more than I thought I would. After all the "challenging" prog and art rock that this list has been suggesting, I was braced for more despite my general appreciation for talking heads. This album was listenable end-to-end and I found myself picking my head up from my work to just sit and enjoy it. Really good stuff.
Talking Heads you say? Well they're no Stuart Maconie in the talking heads stakes. When was the last time you saw David Byrne on one of those I Heart The 1980s, I Heart the 1990s, I Heart Whatever Happened A Week Last Tuesday TV shows? And when was the last time Stuart Maconie wasn't featured in one of those I Heart The 1980s, I Heart the 1990s, I Heart Whatever Happened A Week Last Tuesday TV shows? Byrne just isn't putting the work in to be considered a real top level talking head. He's just not in the conversation when Channel 4 are looking for someone to reminisce about the first series of Big Brother. This album is great though, I'm sure Maconie has pretended he remembers its release vividly on some nostalgia-fest TV show or other.
Own this on vinyl, love all things Talking Heads!
Automatic five stars
Album #131, Talking Heads, More Songs About Buildings and Food ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Probably my favourite Talking Heads album. It’s between this and Fear of Music as what I’d consider their best. album. My controversial take is that I don’t think Remain in Light is quite as good as everyone else seems to think it is. I’d definitely lean more towards this album. It’s a much more interesting album from a songwriting perspective. This is the album where they expand on the formula of their debut and really push the boat out with slightly more unconventional songwriting. It’s much more guitar-focused and less rhythm-heavy than Remain in Light, for example, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing at all because I think they’re a fantastic guitar band. The melodies are brilliant, and the guitar textures throughout are fantastic. The song structures and weird chord progressions remind me a lot of Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band, which is always meant as a compliment. I’d love to call it underrated, but it’s on the 1001 Albums list, so I suppose it can’t be that underrated. It’s just a cracker of a record. Sinister in places, beautiful in others, and it really shows the full scope of what Talking Heads could do. I’d even go as far as to say it’s probably the best introduction to the band.
Very straightforward and tuneful, the more I listened the more I liked it.
This album makes me want to go out and invent situations
If you prefer this rendition of Take Me to the River over the Stop Making Sense version then, I'm sorry, I can't stress enough how wrong that opinion is.
this is also my notes for dre apparently. (DD) like don’t love but might take a few listens. talking heads I LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU MWAH MWAH MWAH 💋💋💋
Not sure how high this would have been among the best Talking Heads albums but it's good. Not sure it's necessary though.
Really enjoyed the vibe and creativity on this one.
I like the ones about buildings
Honestly, was extremely curious about the other Talking Heads albums on the list, because I absolutely loathed Fear of Music (As of writing this, I haven't relistened to Fear of Music, which I will do once I finish listening to More Songs, so look for my updated thoughts on Fear of Music at the end of the review). And even as much as I hated Fear of Music, I had a hard time believing that I'd hate the rest of the Talking Heads' stuff as much as that, and lo and behold, I'm quite enjoying this. From what I remember of Fear of Music, it was just extremely unpleasant, not catchy at all, and sounded like the band was way too far up their own ass trying to create "Real music". Luckily, More Songs is catchy, pleasant to listen to, and they sound like they're actually having fun. Warning Sign is giving me a very New Order/Pacific Northwest punk sound (Hot Rock era Sleater-Kinney), which I'm enjoying quite a bit. Found a Job is more along the lines of what I expect from Talking Heads though. Perfectly fine song, but not something I'm crazy about. Especially since I don't think David Byrne is a particularly good singer. I'm Not In Love is a great track though. Guitar, bass, and drums are GOING. And of course, you got the more commercial hit in Take Me to the River, which is a solid track. I'm starting to realize that Talking Heads basically sound like the art version of The Cars on this album. _________________________ Thoughts on Fear of Music after a relisten: Yeah, it's not as bad as I remember it being, but I still don't like it. Is it enough to get me to bump it up to a 2? I don't think so at this point. And I don't know if I'll go back again a third time to spend more time with it. But yeah, compared to Some Songs, it just doesn't have the hooks, is far less concerned with being accessible, some songs go on for too long with the same idea without changing up, and David Byrne's singing is kinda bad on some of the songs. Really the only truly good song is Heaven. Some Songs is just the far better album. Catchier, more accessible, interesting.
Huge talking heads fan; however, forced to give this a 4. Some outstanding stuff like "found a job", "take me to the river", and "thank you for sending me an angel", but some tracks don't thrill you. Additionally, these songs are done better in different albums or the stop making sense concert film.
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. might be one of my top talking hands picks
Tof plaatje, goofy Byrne
First, maybe my favorite album title of all time. We've got songs about buildings. We've got songs about food. What more could you want? This is definitely not the best Talking Heads record, but it's still a classic Talking Heads record. The songwriting is not quite where it is on other stuff like Fear of Music, but it still rips.
somehow don't think ive listened to a full talking heads album besides stop making sense. think i was waiting for the background girls to come in and start singing and didn't get enough of that. overall very solid and i loved found a job!!
when the album generator generates you a peak album from a peak artist that you like so you know your taste is peak. this one's pretty good, i have listened to a few songs off of this album and now that im listening to all of it im getting a little 77 and speaking in tongues vibe, it's pretty good.
The Talking Heads were so ahead of their time, dancy, arty rock Album. Fav: Stay Hungry
not AS good as fear of music but damn was this amazing from front to back. i really should have listened to talking heads sooner…
Hey loser, we need to take a 5 hour car ride out of nowhere for no reason right now. Listen, I said right now! I'll drive, but you make sure to put on something on the sound system.. and it's gotta be great road trip music.. you got something?
Favorite Track: Found a Job Least Favorite Track: Thank You for Sending Me an Angel
Quirky and lively set of songs from Byrne and Co. Lots of great percussion sound effects throughout, most famously on Take Me to the River. Even the slower, more melodic offerings (like The Good Thing) are upbeat and groovy. A taste of things to come.
05/06/2026 Another band from that 70s era that actually seems to do something a little different. Spotify listeners: 11.1 million
not my fav talking heads but still has jams. love me some david byrne
Rate: 8/10
An enjoyable listen. Favorite: The Big Country Would I listen to it again: Yes
This was great! I love the groove they find in here and the kinda weird vibe that coats most of these songs. Definitely gotta listen to more Talking Heads now! Favorites: Thank You for Sending Me an Angel, Warning Sign, I'm Not in Love, Take Me to the River, The Big Country
'77 was good but this is when the Heads truly became a band, started plugging away at the sound that truly interested them, and established Tina and Chris as a force. This is an incredible sounding record. Warning Sign honestly sounds like it came out today. May not reach the peaks of their next two records (which is crazy to say), but this is very good.
Take me to the river.
Idk I think Big Mouth Billy Bass did Take Me to the River better Just a really solid album with well executed songs all around. I love Talking Head’s sound, with Weymouth laying down some awesome bass lines and there always just being a bit of an ethereal sound to their stuff. Aforementioned Take Me to the River is probably the best song on the album; they did a great job taking it and making it fit their style I don’t think the highs of this one are as good as their other albums, as in there’s not a song I absolutely love on here, but I know that’s kinda unfair when you’re talking about a group like this. Very little to complain about on this one; out of the 4 albums they have on here this is the lowest rated one so it’s all uphill from here. Very much looking forward to more of these
A little weird. I listen to Stop Making Sense a lot and it's hard not to think that the tunes are just better there. How can you listen to an album when there is a superior verison of it right next to it?
Pretty damn good sophomore effort, following up Talking Heads '77. Kicks off with a banger of an Opening Track, Thank You For Sending Me An Angel. Lately, this has been my favorite from Stop Making Sense. Moves on to other strong jams and peaks at Take Me To The River, a remake but one that they absolutely became attached to the rest of their time together. Showed that the first album was no fluke, showed that this band had some chops and a new way to look at music and -- above all -- how to have fun playing music. I'm hovering around 3 1/2 to 4, and kicking it to a 4 based on the 1978 release and the strength of the music.
Just a good vibe to listen to and not much else to say. I liked listening to this album, but at times it felt repetitive. Which makes it weird to rank because, despite being repetitive, I still really liked listening to it.
Why is there not a single song on this album about buildings or food? I can't believe I was lied to. All jokes aside, this album's pretty alright. I really like the instrumentals for this one. The whole album is very funky and I like that. The lyrics, while some songs had me a bit stumped as to what they were about, were well written and some of the meaning behind some of the songs were quite good. The pacing of this album is pretty alright as well. Now, let's talk a bit about what is, if I had to guess, the most divisive aspect of this album and band; the singing. I feel like David Byrne's singing is very love it or hate it. I myself think it's really goofy most of the time, but sometimes the singing is pretty good. I don't hate listening to the singing, but it's not the ideal experience for me. Overall, this album is definitely influential and I understand why people really like it. Though compared to other Talking Heads albums, why did this one make the cut.
Gražios melodingos dainos. Kartais crazy.
Highlights: Thank You For Sending Me An Angel, Found A Job, Take Me To The River, The Good Thing. In a nutshell: "as we economise, efficiency multiplies" Smart lyrics, excellent band interaction (still fawning over the bass and the drumming!). It's the beginning of an incredible album run. Overall: 7/10
Our third Talking Head entry by my count, and unlike many (most?) other bands with multiple albums in the list, I actually agree that all three of these have been essential listening. This album is fantastic from start to finish and the final track ("The Big Country") is one of my favorite Talking Heads songs ever.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I had a review typed up but it was somehow lost. I’ve listened to various Talking Heads songs over the years but never a full album. What a weird ass experience bolstered by the unconventional vocals. I loved it though. Standouts: The Good Thing, Take Me to the River
Was hoping for better songwriting but I guess that's still to come in their catalog. Still some choice cuts here. 3.5/5
Another childhood listen for me. I do like it, would listen again. Also love an album that includes career advice and will look to broadcast situations on tv from here on.
I'd say that this is the worst Talking Heads album in the book, but that the worst Talking Heads album is still worth a solid 4/5.
Although their best work would come after, this is still a very enjoyable album and their first collaboration with Brian Eno. I often think the 3 songs from here that feature in Stop Making Sense sound much better in that live performance and it makes me wonder if it’s why I appreciate this album more than what others seem to do. Even though I do love this album, I don’t think it needs to be on the 1001 list, in all honesty.
Sounds pretty groovy. “Artists Only” is my favourite so far. “Stay Hungry” reminded me of “Psycho Killer” for a bit.
I got Einstürzende Neubauten before this, so I am in fact listening to more songs about buildings.
Whilst I think you have to wait until Fear of Music for Talking Heads to become a truly great band, there are definitely hints of what lies ahead on this record. More Songs... acts as a kind of bridge between the art-school punkiness of their debut and the new wave funkiness of their best albums.
Not the best talking heads song, but still a 4
Liked the music a lot! I think I could really like this band. Singer's voice was not completely for me, but nice enough to listen to! Will listen to this again
daid byner
All Talking Heads albums are 4 or 5’s I don’t make those rules compadre xx
I! Love! Talking! Heads!
I own a physical copy. Solid album, but I lean more 80’s Talking Heads.
Great album, takes me back to happy times. Best track, found a job
Pretty good. Weird ahead of its time but fun
Consistently strong, but not Talking Heads' best album. Deserves its place on the list.
Gran cover de take me to the river…y se siente donde se conectan con B Eno
I’m into this. You could sample a lot of this album and have a real time.
When to listen: commuting, driving, concentrating. I really liked this album, I felt like it had variety despite being classic Talking Heads. Especially liked "The Girl Wants to Be with the Girls" "Stay Hungry" and their cover of "Take Me to the River."
Good vibes and a funny name
great album by the talking heads. love "take me to the river" and "the big country", the other stuff is good too, but they are not quite yet at their peak.
I'm a pretty big fan of Talking Heads, but this one definitely isn't the best introduction to them. While I find this sophomore effort tight and incredibly proficient from start to finish, it doesn't have the pop and flair of some of their other work. Still, the floor for me is a 3.5/5 rounded up, which is what this one gets today.
Variety: 4 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 5 Uniqueness: 5 Emotionality: 2 = 4.2 rounded down to 4 "I'm tired of looking/ Out the window of the airplane/ I'm tired of traveling/ I want to be somewhere" I love the Talking Heads. Their hits are as strong as any American band I can think of. Only the Cars and CCR I think give them any competition in that regard. The problem with the band is that these great songs are spread across their entire discography which requires wading through a LOT of stuff that a good portion of people ( not me - I genuinely love their weirder dance funk stuff) have little patience for. The fact that they never had a radio friendly-stuffef giant like Revolver or The Cars self-titled that was approachable banger after approachable banger is a shame, and while there's a whole lot to love about the band ( god tier deep cuts imo), from live albums, to movies, to awesome side-projects... they will always be one of those bands where most people will just choose to listen to the greatest hits package. It's been quite some time since I listened to this one. I remember liking it a whole bunch, but it was never my favorite. THE TRACKS Side one "Thank You for Sending Me an Angel" - Awesome galloping drums ride us right into things, and when that chiming guitar kicks in you know you're in for a treat. Other than the obvious one, this is as close to this album comes to user-friendly hit material. Great. "With Our Love" - Heavy disco flavors on this one. Weymouth and Franz are key to this band and makes complete sense that they were the ones who had the best side project. Readily apparent here. But that's not to sell Harrison or Byrne short. I think as a unit they all were so much more than what the image eventually became, which is Byrne in his giant suit. This is lovely and full of hooks. It's just a little to unconcerned with being approachable. Not that I think they were purposefully making unapproachable avante garde material for elitists. The opposite in fact. As far as "art rock" goes these guys WANT you to have a good time. Wonderful melodies, hooks abound, they just don't slot neatly into what most would consider radio friendly. "The Good Thing" - Another lovely song that I think would have had a much better chance at hitting the popular consciousness in the 2000's. You can see the influence of this band all over the weirder stuff from that period where bands like MGMT or Florence and teh Machine could have massive, yet still very strange, hits. "Warning Sign" - Modern rock radio of the late 80s and early 90s sounds very different without stuff like this setting the stage. I compare Talking Heads a lot to The Cars I find, and this one in particular seems like maybe a prime example of how these guys Zag where The Cars Zig. On the surface there a lot of similarities. Texturally, and even production wise this rubs up against a lot of The Cars best stuff. You even have a the heavily processed staccato, mannered and wavering male vocals. But where The Cars wear their doo-wop, and 60s bubblegum influences on their sleeve, these guys are dipping more into funk. The Cars approach things very traditionally if you look under all the weirdo window dressing. Tight poppy, ultra melodic, in and out in under three ( usually). The Talking Heads love never met a groove they didn't just repeat for the whole song ( usually). I've listened to this one 3 ties in a row now, and still not bored with it. "The Girls Want to Be with the Girls" - Bright and jumpy, with a ton of great little production touches like the chimey little keyboard accents. This is as disco-ey as they get and I love it. "Found a Job" - The Nile Rogers guitar here to open up is not my favorite. The track itself is fine, but it suffers a bit from being a little too constrained. The whole thing feels like a tightly wound spring that never explodes. The best part is 2/3 of teh way through when Frantz finally gets to go to town with the beat, and we get a prototype for the Tom Tom Club sound. Side two "Artists Only" - We get a little downbeat as the band packs up and heads over to the darker corner to set up shop. Krautrock and disco intertwine here with some bits that would not be out of place on a B-52's track. "I'm Not in Love" - Best drumming on the albums. Frantz kills it here. Very solid stuff, but I like the 10cc version better ;) "Stay Hungry" - After that minor detour we're back on the funky energy track. This one does not let up for a moment and ends feeling a bit breathless. Fine stuff. "Take Me to the River" - I love the idea of cover songs. I love the opportunities they open up to intellectually analyze and compare what does and does not work for a given song. Is the trick in the production? Is the interpretive changes more important than the core elements of the song itself? What makes a cover fail ( generally when things are played safe and it's a pretty straightforward copy) or what makes a cover succeed ( this is a bit harder to pin down) are fascinating to me. I have gigabytes of playlists on my old iPod where the original sits alongside any number of covers. This one largely works for me. The interpretation is key here as the band definitely makes it their own ( it was certainly the first version I ever heard). "The Big Country" - This south western tinged track just might be my favorite on the album. It points quite strongly towards the string of beautiful ear candy you can find spread amongst their discography up until the very end. There also seems to be a throughline in their stuff of an obsession with geography that this one falls right into. HIGHLIGHTS - "Thank You for Sending Me an Angel" - "With Our Love" - "The Good Thing" - "Warning Sign" - "The Girls Want to Be with the Girls" - "Artists Only" - "Stay Hungry" - "Take Me to the River" - "The Big Country" MIDLIGHTS - "Found a Job" - "I'm Not in Love" LOWLIGHTS - FINAL THOUGHTS A whole album made up of great deep cuts ( and one anomalous hit). It drags a bit for me on side two, but not too any great deficit. The whole thing is well worth listening to, and even the middling tracks have a lot to admire. I just really wish there had been one or two more all-timers on here. "Take Me to the River" is still great, despite being bottom of my list as gar as their hits go, but that's not enough to rocket this one into the stratosphere next to what they have coming after this. The very definition of a 4-star album. Great, but not jaw-droppingly memorable. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - Nah FURTHER LISTENING - Marquee Moon by Television - Mesopotamia by The B-52's - Tom Tom Club by Tom Tom Club - Drums and Wires by XTC - Discipline by King Crimson ( look for the live concert from Munich 1982 - the whole band is amazing but Adrian Belew is on fire the whole time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIBsSZvmSN0) - Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! by Devo - Total Life Forever by Foals
Yes i love talking heads
Classic!
esse pessoal manda bem
Somehow didn't know any songs on this album besides Take Me To The River (which is a banger). The classic Talking Heads sound is very much here, but not as interesting as some of their other material. The guitars in particular are the standout element as they are across a lot of their discography. Quite good but not a masterpiece.
Overraskende seigt til å være så groovy
Talking Heads should have been playing as much as any other band on the radio for decades.
banger. amazing vocals. love how percussive and punchy they are reminds me a tad of mr mountain goats really just a relaxing listen. sank into it tbqh highlights: thank you for sending me an angel
The first Talking Heads album I’ve had on this list and it comfortably fits the bill for what you’d want from them. This is fun, lively, and creative art rock that shows why they are the leading band out of New York in these years. Thank You for Sending Me an Angel a standout to start the album, and although Take Me to the River is a cover, they really make it their own. Probably didn’t quite enjoy it enough for 5, but there’s nothing I disliked about it.
Their first album with Brian Eno as producer is a step up from an already good debut, with a range of brilliant well-crafted tracks. The musicianship is impeccable and tracks such as ‘Warning Sign’ and ‘Artists Only’ demonstrate Eno’s influence and serve as indication of the direction they take on the next two albums. Other highlights are the opener, ‘The Girl Wants to Be With the Girls’, and ‘Take Me to the River’. I didn’t love it quite as much as their next three which is why I’m not giving it the maximum 5 stars, but still a very strong 4.
A really good album, and a definite improvement from an already very solid debut. New producer Brian Eno does a great job, particularly in introducing a greater focus on the rhythm section. There are no bad songs here, but the opening track, ‘The Girls Want to Be with the Girls’, ‘Found a Job’, ‘The Big Country’, and a brilliant cover version of ‘Take Me to the River’ are my highlights. It’s lacking that bit of stardust to take it to the full 5-stars for me, but the good news is that the band would get even better on later albums.
Pretty good I think. One I’ll need to listen to again.
Was really enjoyable. Was working on stuff while listening so I couldn't think too much about what I was hearing, but I did have a fun time. alalala
The fun, frantic, funky sound of Talking Heads. Only ever listened to Remain in the Light. I thought that’s all I needed but I was wrong.
I dont think talking heads have a bad album. Could be your favourite band if you let em
8/10 - They do a great job keeping things interesting and unexpected!
It's really great and is a sign of things to come for them. If I didn't know the rest of their discography I would probably like it even more. 8/10
Loved it
classic heads
listened, 4 stars
Top to bottom greatness from one of the best alternative bands at the height of their powers, though it’s a small notch below their best albums.
The talking heads are excellent. I think David Byrne is an artistic genius.
Loved this album when it came out and it’s still so good. The very definition of art rock.
Good album, though this band is an acquired taste beyond their very famous songs. I learned to like David Byrne and had to also learn how to appreciate this record.
Brian Eno bringing it home again. 4/5
Har du hørt, det hørtes ut som Talking Heads! Så rart, så gøy! Æ likte det godt, men æ høre neppe på det igjen.
Vocals don't always do it for me but the composition is very interesting and there's no dull moments. Favourite track: Warning Sign
8.5/10 I really like how prominent the guitar and drums sound as it showcases how well-crafted the melodies are, even if that meant drowning out David Byrne's voice in some of the songs.
Talking Heads are cool whatever they are doing.
Love it.
Very ahead of its time! This would have blown my mind at the time.
Yessss Talking Heads
Tiene un buen tono alegre
4/5, another great talking heads album.
pretty neato and the artists only song is catchy. its nice finally listening to earlier talking heads stuff XD ive been slacking off on that
unreal to not have 'speaking in tongues' in this list, but i will Accept that this is a solid album from talking heads. i have about half of these tracks in my library and regularly listen to them, though some tracks like "warning sign" maybe i should add, and "with our love" is my easy fave from here (though i agree with ana it's NOT the best rendition of "found a job" for instance). it's all pretty good because they found their style and eccentricity with this album which is exactly what i love. it's so bass forward and tina, as horrible as she is as a person, damn that girl can play. delightful stuff a real Classic imo.
I really love Talking Heads and this feels like the point where they finally know who they want to be. That makes it more even then '77, but also with less heights imo. It's my 5th (7th if you include The Name of This Band and Stop Making Sense) favorite Talking Heads album but the fact that it makes it on here when Speaking in Tongues doesn't is wild to me. I think I'd give this album a 5 if not for the fact that I feel a lot of my favorite songs here are done better in other forms later on. Found a Job, the girl wants to be with the girls, Take me to the River and Thank you for Sending me an Angel are all examples of that. Its still a really good album but with the benefit of hindsight it's not one of the albums I'd put on this list.
The Talking Heads are even better than everyone says. I wasn’t familiar w this album (outside of TMTTR) but it gave me nonstop disco dancy vibes and man this band were artists
Four Talking Heads records into this project and the pattern is clear: a band with such a singular identity that recognition is instant within seconds, whose music doesn’t always fully land emotionally but when it does is genuinely awesome. More Songs About Buildings and Food fits comfortably in that consistent 4-star tier — really good without being transformative, which turns out to be exactly enough. The cover of Al Green’s “Take Me to the River” is the centerpiece and it’s brilliant. Taking one of the most soulful performances in American music and running it through the Talking Heads’ nervous, angular filter is an audacious choice that earns every second. The fact that it works — that the song survives and even thrives in such an unlikely interpretive context — says something real about both the strength of the original and the band’s ability to fully inhabit material miles outside their natural aesthetic. Coming from someone who gave Let’s Stay Together five stars, “brilliant” is not a word deployed lightly. Brian Eno’s production debut with the band adds warmth and texture without overwhelming the identity. Tina Weymouth’s bass takes on more melodic personality here than on the debut, giving the rhythm section a groove dimension that keeps Byrne’s anxious intellectualism grounded. The transition toward the funkier, more rhythmically adventurous sound of their peak is clearly underway. A confident four — distinctive, often awesome, and exactly where this band lives in this listening world.
I liked it not sure why the album has three different disc, one being remastered, one alternate and remaaters and the last disc being live. But I did like the music!
The idea that these guys - all art school, jerky, nervous twitchy energy - used to open for The Ramones and shared a tour bus with them is hard to imagine. The first album was "nearly, but not quite." A fine announcement of intent, but Jerry Harrison has only just joined the band and they hadn't quite developed complete confidence in their abilities. But here, with the guiding hand of Brian Eno, they hit their stride. From the first track, Thankyou for Sending Me an Angel, (what a title) they grab the listeners attention and don't let go. Full of Byrne's quizzical lyrics and yelping vocals Franz and Weymouth's solid, driving rhythm section and Harrison's decorative keyboards it's a hell of a way to start. Byrne writes songs that sound like they ought to mean something, but whose key stays just frustratingly out of reach. The titles are no help at all. "Found a job" seems to be about a couple who view their life as a TV show and are hoping for a spin off series. "The Girls Want to Be With the Girls" could be about the differences between the sexes could be about lesbianism or could be about how girls are into abstract analysis. Or maybe not. The crowning moment is their take on Al Green's up-tempo, horn driven, soul classic "Take Me To the River". They slow it down, strip it back, give it a monster bass line from Weymouth, fill it with electronic percussion and turn it into a song that seems more about baptism than love. It's an early direction sign towards what was to come. Just a classic album. Is it for everyone? Probably not. But hlget on board and its a joy.
Хороший альбом. Весёлый, легко слушается, довольно необычный, почти все песни понравились.
Not heard this one before, I would give it higher but they do better.
めっちゃええやん
Man this was awesome. I really liked it waaaaayyyy more than I expected. I knew one song. The others were even better. I think the singer name is David Byrne he’s awesome. There is great music on this record.
Strong 3,5
i like
One of those albums that doesn't really have specific standout tracks but is just very enjoyable as a whole. Good improvement on the sound from 77, Eno's involvement adds a lot. Fav track: Warning Sign
Another one of those bands where I have to grade on a curve because their best albums are so good but even though this has their cover of Take Me To The River, Found a Job, and Thank You For Sending Me an Angel, it doesn't quite reach the heights of their other albums.
A good album, certainly not their best. But with the bangers on it, and that I'd probably play it at home, it'll have to be a 4
Singin heads
I enjoy this band!
not my favorite talking heads record, but still pretty damn good.
Talking Heads are a real nostalgic band for me. I didn’t know this album very well, but found that it had a lot of the classic sounds that I love. I think they borrow a lot from soul music, but really make the sounds their own, and it very danceable and upbeat. Take Me to the River was a real stand out!
Cheio de energia e diversão
Primer album que escucho de Talking Heads, una onda medio rara, pero muy bueno. Hay un par de perlitas en este album, pero el promedio de temas es bueno
My first Talking Heads album! I'm excited! I know the songs "Psycho Killer", but that's not on here, and I don't think I know anything else. I know how influential they are tho, so I'm so interested to finally dive into one of their albums! 1. Thank You for Sending Me an Angel - I wasn't expecting this sound? I like it tho. Lyrically It's not hitting me right now. It might grow 2. With Our Love - Ooh I like the sound! I accidentally got distracted with texting a friend, oops. Um, this song is cool tho. Might hit more when I pay more attention. 3. The Good Thing - I didn't love it, but it's fun 4. Warning Sign - Okay, I like the start. Oh, pretty guitar. This one is interesting 5. The Girls Want to Be with the Girls - Oh, pretty start. I like this one, it's fun! "Girls are getting into abstract analysis" is something I never thought I'd hear in a song, but it's iconic 6. Found a Job - I love how this one just jumps into it. This one is really cool! I really like it! That guitar throughout is soooo good, omfg. 7. Artists Only - What a pretty intro, omg. I love the production on this, but otherwise it's not hitting for me right now. It might grow on me, but it's just okay for now imo 8. I'm Not In Love - Oh, I like the start. Okay I love this one! How it's chaotic and everything then how it slows down for a minute before jumping back in. The vocal performance changing then going back. Yeah, everything about this one is just really really cool. I really like this one! Holy shit, the outro! yeah, this is amazing. 9. Stay Hungry - This one is fun 10 . Take Me to the River - Okay drums. This one's cool. I guess it's a cover. 11. Big Country - We're kinda yeehaw here? I like this one, it's cool. This album must've been insane for a late 70s small town kid to hear. Okay, so I'm gonna give this a 4. I had a lot of fun with it, but I'm not like insanely amazed by it? On repeat listens I'll probably vibe with it more, maybe end up kicking myself for this original rating, but oh well lol. I'm excited to hear more of them whenever they spawn next for me. 4.25/5
Previously known. Just a great listen.
Overall not my favorite TH album, but it's so good and cool to hear them start to play with rhythm in a way that hits on the next 2 albums. Maybe a 4.5 for me for Found a Job and Big Country alone.
I like this Talking Heads so much better than the watered down Fela Kuti rip off version they become later on. These songs have urgency and vibrancy that is all their own. The album artwork is also some of the greatest of all time.
i have a feeling that if i had experienced this album without already knowing the talking heads i mightve been less charitable. but i do know them
*Dance rhythm Thank you The good thing Take me to the river
An absolute pleasure of a listen and a reason to make another full pass of the band's discography.
I don't have a ton of attachment to this album as I do with some others. Technically amazing but some songs are hard to listen to for me. Overall a pretty brilliant second release.
𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘚𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘉𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘰𝘰𝘥 is a record that really clicks with me. The band refines their nervous, quirky sound and gives it a stronger rhythmic focus, helped by the crisp production of Brian Eno. The songs are tight, catchy, and slightly off-kilter in a way that keeps them interesting. It’s a confident step forward for the band and an enjoyable listen throughout.
I don't have to listen to it to hear it. But listening to it, man, that is something.
It took a couple listens to get used to his voice, and I still picture Byrne as Grandpa Simpson for some reason. Once I got used to the singing this grew on me so much. The lyrics are great and it's very funky and fun.
Celkom fajn. Nikdy nepatrili medzi mojich najobľúbenejších, ale niektoré pesničky mám rád. Zvukovo patria u mňa medzi tie kapely, ktoré si našli svoj vlastný zvuk a sú nezameniteľný. Len to už nerozvinuli...
Loved it! Great album with great instrumentals. David Byrne's vocals are very unique and recognizable, adding to the band's signature style. I loved the bass in this thing, as a bass player, it really fascinated me. Absolutely fantastic, definitely belongs on a 'Best Albums of the 70s' list.
Talking heads are great, havent listed before this - fun times
Love Talking Heads! Not one of my favourite of their albums, but my favorite song from this album is Take Me To The River.
Ein wirklich gutes Album. Abwechslungsreich mit ein paar Ohrwürmern.
Love Talking Heads. Das Album kenne ich weniger als ein paar der anderen von denen aber wie die anderen nice. David Byrne is the man! Cover ist funny. Intro ist nice und ab da hat mir auch das ganze Album spaß gemacht. I'm not in Love ist eins der Highlights für mich. Nix geskippt und zweimal hintereinander gehört. Sehr hohe 4 nur weil ich weiß das ich andere Talking Heads Sachen noch besser finde
Funky Gute Melodien und Basslines Fast 50 Jahre alt aber Texte/Themen noch aktuell Kann man gut durchlaufen lassen, hör ich nochmal Fav: Take me to the river, artists only, found a Job, warning sign, im not in love
Geinig
Good
Love the talking heads! Great follow up album!
Go figure the lowest rated talking heads album on this list is the one I somewhat enjoyed. Maybe I need to revisit the others!
favourites: Warning Sign Artists Only I'm Not In Love Take Me To The River instrumentation sounds so good and variety throughout, vocals are a bit grating once a few songs in but the overall melodies made me kept listening. really enjoyed it but not sure if i'd come back and listen to it in full again (wouldn't rule me out changing my mind yet)
So I knew Remain in Light a little bit and saw Stop Making Sense last October (2024), so I've heard plenty of Talking Heads. I actually found that movie impossibly boring...but I have always said I don't like live performances recorded. There's something that's inauthentic about it despite it being "live". A story for another time! Anyway, for the last year or so I was wondering if Talking Heads were a little overrated. Listening to this album today, I can see some of David Byrne's genius. It's certainly a solid album with several digressions instrumentally - enough to hold your interest and return to if you're into the style, which I am! I just think studio albums are so much better than live versions of these songs...so I think I just need that sound mixing, baby! It's really good on this one!
4.0 - Very Good
++: Thank You for Sending Me an Angel, With Our Love, The Good Thing, The Girl Want to Be with the Girls, Found a Job, Artists Only, I'm Not in Love, Take Me to the River +: Stay Hungry +-: Warning Sign, The Big Country 9,1/10
Good memories.
Listened twice and it improved on the second listen. Hits are good and the rest of it is interesting as "more David Byrne singing about alienation" Last track reminds me of prototype REM / B52s
This band can do no wrong. David Byrne gets it. Equal parts panache, conviction, and honesty.
Dope
8/10 Favorite: Take Me to the River
Wasn't sure how this album would hold up but it's still great. Perfect stepping stone for a band bursting with ideas, sticking to tight arrangements with cool flourishes/studio effects to bring the songs more flavor. I love when an album keeps me guessing what's coming else.
Analysis is like a lobotomy. Who wants to have all their edges shaved off? David Byrne
Man, I didn't know they were so funky. I definitely see where their sound grew out of but I really enjoyed it.
Good
Well, I liked a Talking Heads album then. This was a fun listen and I had to listen to it twice to confirm that yep, it is a good album. I really like how catchy the songs are, pop format, easy access, what not to love! 4/5
I liked this - I only knew Talking Heads from what I had heard on the radio. I enjoyed all of these.
A brilliant album. Like the B-52s debut. Weird, wonderful but still commercial.
Talking Heads is a band I want to, but just can't quite, love. They have a catalog of great songs. This album got better with a second listen. The musicianship is fantastic. Tina Weymouth is an underrated bass player; she adds so much depth to these songs.
Talking heads are a favorite (Remain in the Light is an all time album). This album has its bright moments… but also had a few lowlights as well. I’ll go 3.5.
This was fun! Enjoyable but not particularly sticky. 7/10 Quite Likeable
It was fine
Yay
A prelude to greatness…but not perfect yet.
I found myself really dancing along to this album, really enjoyable stuff all the way through. I hesitate to give it a 5 because it only scratches the floor, but it has potential.
A middle of the pack talking heads album is still better than most bands best album.
Favorite Tracks: Thank You for Sending Me an Angel / The Good Thing / I'm Not in Love Rating: 4.2 Listened to the 2025 remaster from the Super Deluxe Edition in lossless. Gave this 3 listens within about a week, and it just keeps growing on me. Byrne's vocals certainly require some time to get used to, granted. I love the bass playing throughout this album, there's some incredible jams on tracks like The Good Thing , Found a Job, and even Take Me to the River. It's quirky, it's pop, it's surprisingly funky, the playing is really tight. Gimme this kind of "artsy" 10 times out of 10 over all the synthy new-wave/new-Romantic early 80's stuff!
Definitely notable. Just good rock. Take me to the river goes hard.
Solid album. Very unique sound which I quite enjoyed. Could be said to be slightly repetitive. Enjoyed the instrumentation and the unique voice.
The Talking Heads really don’t miss do they? One note, the alternative version of I’m Not in Love that’s on the reissue is the superior version imo
Second talking heads album for me on the list and enjoyed the first (despite my blossoming dislike of Eno through this list) more than I thought. Enjoy the kind of dissonance of it. Makes you sit up a bit and pay attention and always nice to have some unique sounds. Vocals feel like they get lost quite a lot in the mix. Production feels a bit meh. Really don’t think it’s my Eno hate, but the mix feels terrible and gets in the way of enjoying it fully a bit. Nothing grabbing me big time yet, other than the general originality, which is enjoyable. It’s a weird mix for me, because I crave this individuality but this one still has a little disconnect for me for some reason. But enjoyable and warrants a second listen for sure. Maybe I’m becoming a TH fan!
There should be even more songs about buildings and food
I love Talking Heads. Not their best work, but good nonetheless.
Musical originality will always come first for me, and Talking Heads certainly have no shortage of it.
Buen disco. Los Talking Heads no fallan. Este no me lo había escuchado. Diría que Artists Only fue la que más me moló. Me molan más el resto de discos suyos que me escuché pero eso no quiere decir nada porque son todos increíbles.
One of my all time favorite bands, very similar style and vibe as their debut, prelude to their most creative leap. Favorites are Found a Job, Artists Only and of course, Al Green's Take Me to the River.
I’m not a Talking Heads fan. At all. I’m not sure if it’s because I only knew one of these songs but this is surprisingly good. The Black Album is officially on notice.
Big improvement on their earlier work in my opinion. Eclectic, groovy, beautiful. Favorite track: The Good Thing
It was quite fun to walk with this album. I picked tree songs for my enjoyment, I'm not in love, The big country, thank you for sending me angel
epic music... but not their best obviously
Thoroughly enjoyed- didn’t know many songs from this album before.
Such a relief to hear real music after that atrocious Liars thing. Talking Heads burnishing their sound on their second album. The songs are sharp, punchy and innovative. The band is tight and moves easily with Byrne’s sideways energy. Legends are building.
fun!
Thank You for Sending Me an Angel - 4/5 With Our Love - 3/5 The Good Thing - 3.5/5 Warning Sign - 4/5 The Girls Want to Be With the Girls - 4/5 Found a Job - 4.5/5 Artists Only - 4/5 I'm Not in Love - 4.5/5 Stay Hungry - 3.5/5 Take Me to the River - 4.5/5 The Big Country - 3.5/5 The first half nearly lost me but it rebounded once the sides turned over and it became a pretty good listen-through. Not my favorite bit of the Heads but that B-side is a killer. Overall: 4/5 Favorites: Found a Job, I'm Not in Love, Take Me to the River
für talking heads lüpfts mi sogar churzerhand us'm zwüscheziitliche album klöpp winterschlaf hed guet tah, für volli punktzahl langts aber doch knapp nöd
More Songs About Buildings And Food was a huge surprise coming from the Talking Heads seeing as its significantly better than the last album i looked at by then and actually manages to be a really good album. The main reason this album is so much better than Fear Of Music is just the simple fact that it is mixed far better than that album was which makes no sense considering this album came first so I'm left wondering how did Brian Eno manage to drop the ball that hard on that album. The music itself is still really solid being super catchy while having a certain 80s sound to it that i enjoy. It may not be the best album ever but it is leagues ahead Fear Of Music. Best Song: Take Me to the River Worst Song: Stay Hungry
Dude, I could hardly understand what they were singing a lot of the time but I liked the sound. I could listen again, think i will. But need to read the lyrics with it.
The most accurate album title ever. If I had to describe the vibe of the album, buildings and food come to mind
Edgy and fun
I'm starting to find out that I don't love Talking Heads. This was fine, and maybe on more listens I'd enjoy it more. The Take Me To the River Cover and Big Country were great. Alright, I probably liked it more than I though, and it was better than Fear of Music, so low 4.
This is pretty fantastic. The music is so fun and fancy and has you bopping away from the start. So many lovely intricate guitar riff, all played very clean and staccato, gives us all a real drive along with the upbeat drums and bass. Then Byrne's unique vocal style really makes it very identifiable and generally great. I wasn't really familiar with this album and that is pretty much the only criticism I can give it. I suspect after a few more listens I'd bump this up a bit, but it is tremendous.
Great and inventive songwriting
An album with infectious enthusiasm; almost as if its creators were so happy to be recording it. The primary criticism here is that it gets to be a bit repetitive in the B side, but redeems itself with Take Me to the River.
pretty funky
Incredibly funky for a bunch of rhode islander college design nerds. I imagine that school as Real Genius but for style.
Certified street banger
Takes 2 or more listens but can see the appeal. I liked the instrumentals of the later tracks almost felt like electronic music how you need to notice the subtleties between the bars to appreciate. Lead singer is a mad man
Trapped indoors during a blizzard so fix up the old stereo equipment and blast this
Not a big fan of Talking Heads but I liked it, maybe because it's rock so,
Not my favorite TH album but an excellent one none the less. Eno never hurts and you can hear the roots of the 80's TH I love so much in these tracks. It had been a while so it was great to revisit and made me think I should pick up a copy.
The Talking Heads are another band I appreciate more than I actually enjoy. They've always skewed too cerebral for my tastes, which are more emotional and gut-based. But More Songs About Buildings and Food hooked me more than usual. Opener "Thank You For Sending Me an Angel" is great—and deserves waaaay more plays than it has—"I'm Not in Love" and "The Big Country" are solid, and of course their cover of "Take Me to the River" is one of their biggest songs. Thumbs up.
Talking Heads is a bit kooky at times but they do a lot of interesting work and this album has some great high points. The Good Thing is a unique song.
So, this is a non stop fun album. I wouldn't say it's a 5/5 (David Byrne's singing is horrible), but it's a new wave masterpiece nontheless. Fun instrumentation with lyrics ranging from playful and silly to serious. Definitely a step up form their debut (which wasn't bad). A very strong 4/5
Their staccato is fun
Classic. Not a bad word to say.
It's the Talking Heads! Take Me to the River!
Pretty great album. Nearly every track has fantastic instrumental hooks, and Byrne's antics are pretty entertaining as well. Rhythm section is amazing, so many great moments between the keys, bass, and drums.
Περα απο το tone που μου αρεσει, μουσικα εχει πολυ ενδιαφερον και μαρεσει που τα κομματια , αν και είναι καπως επαναλμβανομενα, δεν κρατανε πολλη ωρα οποτε δεν σε κουραζουν
I love this album. I actually listened to it several times yesterday. It may eventually reach 5 star status once I am more familiar with it.
Lacks the standout tracks from some of their other albums but still works well as a coherent piece of work. Their use of rhythm and syncopation is wonderful but it took a bit of time to match it with the melodies of their best work.
This isn’t my favourite Talking Heads album, partly because it lacks some of the standout songs from others but as a cohesive piece of work and particularly in an album format this works well as there is little weakness in it overall. Funky, quirky, and good grooves in it. The only criticism I have is that it doesn’t fuse quite so many diverse genres in it as some of their later works, this having much more emphasis on the post-punk jams, and I think as a band they are all the better for it when they do.
Classic Talking Heads from the late 1970s. Contains "Stay Hungry", plus one of my favourite Talking Heads tracks - their superb cover of Al Green's "Take Me to the River".
70s rock vibes
I've always respected Talking Heads more than I actually like them, for the most part. I cannot in good conscience give this less then 4 stars because it's so unique and interesting to listen to, but I will say that little here would rank among my favorite TH songs.
Really good indie rock album.