Remain In Light

Interesting, a bit too funky for my listening and not sure when I'd actively listen to it again.

THERE IS WATER AT THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN

After bouts of writer's block and internal tension, Talking Heads came back to record their magnum opus. Producer Brian Eno continued the work started with Bowie to combine elements of work music with post punk. But 'Remain In Light' is a lot funkier than anything on 'Lodger'. This album is another benchmark for a band who reinvented so much during their time.

Unlistenable. It sounds like a boy in his room on a kiddie keyboard.

This album made me want to dance! The beginning of the album was a little reggae and I liked it. Another group I was not that familiar with. I'd heard of them, but knew nothing of their music.

…needs more cowbell. Once in a lifetime… I mean you can’t beat it

Nope

Stone cold classic TH album, but second in line to Speaking in Tongues.

This album is a lot like huffing paint. It's not really enjoyable but there is something inside you that doesn't want to stop. You keep going and you still don't like it but there's some hold on you that it has keeping you coming back for more track after track.

Unique, yes, but still annoying.

Pido perdón, solo escuché 2 canciones😀

No es de m8 gustó y no no lo escucharía de nuevo.

no lo escuché enteri porque las dos primeras canciones se me hicieron horribles 1/10

good

4.7 One of my favourite albums ever, especially side 1. Fave songs: Crosseyed and Painless, The Great Curve, Once in a lifetime

First-rate. Interesting and different. One forgets how funky they were/are/could be. “Born Under Punches” is just killer groovy. “Crosseyed and Painless” also great and "Once In a Lifetime" is a pop song for the ages. Last few cuts maybe shade slighttly us into longeurs territory, but this was a worthy successor to what came before and maybe one's personal fave among a strong catalog. The dynamic and layered complexity feels richer and more ambitious than the previous records, but also a touch more forbidding. Overall, though, aesthetically intriguing and fucking fun, too.

Dat dit komt de dag nadat ik naar de film ben gegaan, kan niet anders dan 5 sterren

Beste tot nu toe. Innovatief, dansbaar, gevoelig, alles. Weet nog niet goed genoeg hoe ik albums moet omschrijven maar dit is de shit.

One of my favorite things about Talking Heads is that every one of their albums, though distinct in its own way, makes sense within the band’s oeuvre. This album does not sound like ‘77 or Speaking in Tongues. But it still sounds like Talking Heads. Thank god for this band.

great album.

Good songs

A fresh and rhythmic joy ride. Sensational.

Good album but not my fav.

Arty. Nerdy. Chaotic. Ambient. Really solid. Tina Weymouth is just outstanding on bass. They're all good players. Pleasure to hear Adrian Belew on this. Not quite perfect but still a worthy listen.

Meh - not my style

- Really funky guitar riffs and bass lines - Great vocals - Catchy guitar rhythm - Possibly dance music? - Very groovy - Sounds similar to world music - Experimental enough to sound different, but not too much as to where it is difficult to listen to - Abstract lyricism - Even in the longer tracks, they do not feel like they drag on - Enticing groove with the bass lines - Feeling of constant motion, never given a chance to slow down - Oddly psychedelic at points - Songs fly by, you are completely absorbed into the listening experience - Lyrics can be very introspective at times - Loads of replay value, as a whole or as tracks individually, as the tracks are just so fun to listen to, having an undeniable allure to them - This is definitely the best album I have listened to so far, as its instruments, vocals, lyricism and overall emotions are extremely strong. This album gets a lot of praise in online music circles, and rightly so. It encorporates aspects from world music, funk, and new wave, and overall creates a hypnotising listening experience, one which does not feel a chore to listen to, rather an unconscious listening experience, where you lose yourself in-between tracks, and soon the album has ended. Then you replay it.

Klasik

I really like Talking Heads. I wasn’t initially as impressed. But then The Overlord comes in and I’m impressed. This is definitely a 4.5

I did not like this very much. It is way too experimental and wacky for me to enjoy it. I can see the appeal of the album but it's just not suitable for me.

It was fine. I can appreciate the musicality and vibe they were going for, but it didn't capture me. I *do* appreciate "Once In a Lifetime" though ("This is not my beautiful house... as the days go by...")

Electro-funk ... not interesting sound and the lyrics make no sense.

Delightful. Once In A Lifetime is a five star song.

You got your Eno in my Talking Heads! You got your Talking Heads in my Eno! This the third and final collaboration between the two, and of the three, probably the more Eno-y, which might be why I like it best (all of them are great.) A phenomenal kaleidoscope of sounds swirling to a polyrhythmic heartbeat, with songs that simultaneously celebrate and eulogize the inevitability of the earth turning. Maybe it’s not perfect, but that makes it better.

Talking Heads have always been a favorite of mine. Since they rereleased Stop Making Sense and we went to see them, they’ve been top of mind in the house and I gifted a first pressing of that vinyl to Shea for Christmas. Remain in Light hasn’t ever been my favorite of theirs and this is my first time listening to it in awhile. I was pleasantly surprised at my enjoyment of it!

This is probably my favorite Talking Heads album. By this point Idk if I would classify them as a punk band. Sure that is their roots when they were art students. but by this point they were drawing from wold music and other stuff that it was no longer just punk.

So wildly weird.

Already a fan

think this one is a grower and not a shower. i really liked a lot of it but it is a little off the beaten path for me. i think if i listened to this again, i would like it more. as it stands, it's still pretty good!

Impressed with the experimentation throughout the album. Sometimes it creates amazing songs (Once in a Lifetime), other times less so, but either way I applaud the creativity.

that was weird. Seemed very jam bandy

Not for me

I listened to this but it didn't really grab me like some of the other Heads albums. I'm not a connoisseur of the Talking Heads, but definitely familiar. The only song that hits is Once in a Lifetime. It's great. The rest are sorta 2-3* songs. 3/5

A great record. So much energy and happiness in one record is awesome!

Just kinda boring. Didn't finish it.

Always enjoy David Byrne...

A blast!

Truly a quirky album, but a heck of a lot of fun. David Byrne is not a stellar singer, but the crafting of these songs use his voice to good effect. That, along with a production that incorporates a diverse mix of excellent musicians, results in a very entertaining collection. This is an album that I, in the right mood, will pull out and play again

Once In a Lifetime is classic 80s song. I prefer Houses In Motion. I owned this on vinyl

Kind of boring and not memorable. Jam session really. Good stuff but not worth listening to again

Tandon Scale Rating: 3 Standouts: Born Under Punches, The Great Curve, Once in a Lifetime, House in Motion Foot Notes: 1 Chaotic and funky and weird 2 The looping beats had me tapping my foot 3 A nice surprise album however it loses steam for me at the end Would I Listen Again: Probably behind the wheel of a large automobile (only a few songs)

"Drawing influence from Nigerian musician Fela Kuti, they experimented with African polyrhythms, funk, and electronics, recording instrumental tracks as a series of looping grooves" MY BOY! You can completely hear it in the first song... and maybe some of the vocals? First song left me confused on where this album is going. Super funky but also has some instrumentation that is very surprising. Once In A Lifetime is on this album??????? Love the artwork of the album. I think best album cover so far. Album slowed down for me at song 5. Best songs: Born Under Punches, Once In A Lifetime Would I listen again?: Speaker garage type of listen.

Vaya maravilla que son los Talking Heads siempre. Solo conocía la más famosa del disco, pero es muy entretenido de principio a fin. Unos grandes.

Wow, never heard this album and it rocks! First few songs are TH at its best. Wish i could have seen them in concert, must have been incredible.

I'd say it hit the spot,,, not with every song, some are skips for sure but like some are very vibey, wouldn't say my favourite album but kinda in the middle.

(First full listen of Remain In Light) Bam! Right out the gate with one of the funkiest grooves I've heard in a minute from Born Under Punches, and the digital synth midway through too... Really solid opening track. The electronic blips among the congas and staccato guitar in Crosseyed and Painless are really neat. Love the guitar fills and solo in The Great Curve. Oh I definitely recognize Once In A Lifetime. I've heard it before for sure. It's a good one. The groove and beat of Houses in Motion are top notch and the horns are a nice touch. Seen and Not Seen was a standout track for me. Everything from the ominous background keys, beat, poppy bass groove and cryptic lyrics. Really loved Listening Wind as well. Possibly my favorite track on the album, but it is very hard to decide. Probably a tie between this one and Born Under Punches (which I know sounds wild because they are very different songs but that just speaks to the range of this album and how it excels in a variety of styles). The echoey harmonies and blippy synth beeps of Listening Wind work really well against the dark lyrics and rhythm. Wow, just when I thought it couldn't get darker, The Overload takes us deeper to close side two out. Yet another solid track on a masterpiece of an album. Overall I love the use of experimental polyrhythms, dark/mystical imagery and Afrofunk fusion. 10/10 album

Great, influential album from an underrated band.

Just amazing!

First song is putting me to sleep

1 good song on the whole album :(.

The Fela influence is unmistakable and amazing.

Listened to on 1/8/24.

another fun adventure with david byrne and crew. weird quirky lyrics and energetic beats.

Yeah. It was fine. It's like the other talking heads stuff. For a song here or there, I can't imagine anyone else doing it. But mostly it feels gimmicky.

Not my type of music. But a couple of really good songs

It is a fun album. Really getty sound

Omg already listened to this and really liked it, I'll copy over my notes: Liked it a lot! Super cool and want to listen again, I see how awesome it is but I didnt LOVE it the way I loved Abbey Road. I guess it’s a little less commercial? Upon first listen I’d give it a 4/5 but I’m going to listen again. Ok Crosseyed and Painless is a highlight, this song is sick. One in a Lifetime hell yea.

Pretty boring, did not like

Did Robin Williams have a side gig with Talking Heads? Once I realised who it sounded like I couldn't shake it the whole album. Was ok.

First time ever listening to this album. Familiar with the hit single, Once in a Lifetime - though it is my least favourite among their hits. Definitely felt a Tom Tom Club vibe in the music, as that band started up close in time to this recording. Not an album I’d necessarily seek out to put on and listen to. But I’d be very happy to have this on in the background of a get-together with friends, sharing some drinks and discussing culture and politics. It has a distinct intellectual vibe to it. It feels very much the product of the NYC new wave, art pop scene in the late 70’s to early 80’s. This is what was being listened to in hipster apartments in Greenwich Village and the LES when the atmosphere outside was too unpredictable. This sounds of the future, standing at the door, about to knock and come in and start the party. I came away feeling that the music on this album supercedes the lyrics. Almost like it became important despite David Byrne’s lyrics. Maybe I’m too far away in time to appreciate them, but I’d listen to this as an instrumental. I’d give this a 4.75 but will give five stars as I don’t want to split hairs.

Got a bit much quite quickly.

didn’t lost

muy bueno, experimental y variado. lo volveria a escuchar

Funky

I’m not always a fan of punk so I was prepared for a bad album - but I was pleasantly surprised! This sounded very experimental which I always enjoy. There wasn’t a single bad track on this album.

one thing i've learned from this list so far, I can always skip New Wave/Post Punk albums

Interesting music sound. Liked a few songs but not really my specific taste!

They scared a lot of people back in the day, but hindsight let’s this album stand it’s ground. Layered instrumentation & memorable grooves. I’m addicted to the opening song on this record there’s like 3 separate perfect melodies going at once towards the end of it

This album slaps. It’s catchy, complex, full of paranoid energy, all the good things. ‘Born Under Punches’ has great rhythm and the chorus just HITS, especially when it comes in during the outro. ‘Crosseyed And Painless’ is sharp and David Byrne has a great performance. ‘The Great Curve’ just stays in motion for the whole 6 and a half minute runtime. ‘Once In A Lifetime’ is a classic. This praise goes on practically throughout the album. Easy 5.

All-time Pantheon album

It’s good - not my favorite of theirs.

- Interesting album. Surprisingly energetic and fun. - Seeing that it came out in 1980, it makes me think how much did this set the tone for upcoming bands in the decade.

Once in a Lifetime is obviously great and Crosseyed and Painless had me tapping my pen. A few of these songs got me going but overall the album didn't do much for me. Some songs felt chaotic and thrown together. I think there's probably better albums of theirs out there and I'm happy to investigate further.

Whoa...mind blown. Totally thrown by his album. I knew I would like it but not as much as I did. Byrne is on another level here. So full of everything...funk, soul, rock, Electronica, tribal, island groove...ah! Starts out with an engine house like a locomotive pounding down the rails and slows down to a groovy ooze (grooze). Good beats, eery Byrne over top, souls sistahs backing it up, and some riffs chopping the madness. Gatdamn! Albums like this tell me we need to give more awkward white boys instruments. Seeing "Stop Making Sense" dance party at the Frida recently has some influence on this review; even so, a must listen for all. (If you enjoyed as much as I did, listen to the deluxe with outakes)

Talking Heads 11 year run was truly something special. Remain In Light is a great album in the middle of their discography. They had already hit their groove and proved to be one of the most unique rock bands ever. First half of the album is loaded. Second half is still strong and full of unique sounds. I personally prefer Speaking in Tongues to RIL but this was a complete joy on a re-listen. Anybody who hasn't delved into Talking Heads needs to do themselves a favor. 4.09 stars

Aaaivan liian raskasta kokeellista päällelaulantaa. Kiva kokonaisuushan siitä on saatu aikaan, ei hajoa, muutamia erittäin mukaansatempaavia kohtia.

Kaikessa nytkähtelevässä pysäyttävyydessäänkin levyn kolme ensimmäistä biisiä herättävät kysymyksen: onko keskeliään (eli taitavasti approprioidun) rytmiikan lisäksi tulossa mitään muuta? Kyllä on: Once in a Lifetime/Houses in Motion -kaksikko ovat intensiivisen koukkuisia, ja Listening Wind rauhoittelee kuulijaa, joka saattaa pelätä Seen and Not Seenin jäljiltä, että levy ajelehtii loppua kohti jännäksi ääneksi. Minkä se lopulta tekee.

A little too discordant for my current taste.

Yep. This is a masterpiece.

10/10

Pretty good. Solid talking heads.

Better then I expected.

Spannender Soundteppich, unverkennbar talking heads. 3.5 stars

My love towards Talking Heads came with their first live album collection and I quickly expanded my listening-in to the regular studio records. In my opinion their best album during their formative early years, before they went massively mainstream with "Road to Nowhere" and "Stop making sense".

Schade, dass ich das Album erst heute entdeckt habe. Toller Groove.

Bra.

I listened to my first Talking a heads album only a week or so ago and absolutely loved it. Today I’ll be listening to another, and I’m quite understandably optimistic for this one. If it’s anything like the other, then it certainly bodes well. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Once In A Lifetime Favourites: Once In A Lifetime, Crosseyed and Painless Thankfully, this did not let me down! The music is so very interesting, and I love the slap bass and just how much it adds to the music. I’ll definitely have to learn some of these tracks on my bass because they sound so fun! I also never realised that Once In A Lifetime was Talking Heads. It comes on the radio every now and then and it’s an absolute bop. Definitely give this a listen because it’s great.

Love it!! It’s my first time listening to a full Talking Heads album and it really makes for a good time.

Once in a Lifetime always thrills me; the rest fusses past. The torrent of words and instruments, full of excitement, do not excite me much of the time. Three TH albums in, I respect them and am usually left tepid. This got a little stickier on the second and third plays, reminding me of the Fall, who have a similar effect on me: impressed by the density of ideas, unconvinced by the structure beneath them.

So many interesting sounds, rhythms and melodies colliding all over this. Very clever how the first half is relentlessly upbeat, followed by the complete opposite at the end. Most of this is probably obscure to the casual fan apart from "Once In A Lifetime", which amazingly is in the bottom tier of songs here. Excellent stuff

Fun, fun, fun creative and engaging. Nice selection

One of my all time favorites for my 50th album! Feels special, man. "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)" is a disorientingly funky opener- this is a song that I can comfortably say changed my life and the way I listen to music. There are so many layers of sound and rhythm driving this one, I've been a fan of Talking Heads for most of my life and I still feel like I focus on new rhythm loops each time I get into this song. And that's what this album is all about- rhythms on rhythms inspired by Afrobeat and filtered through Talking Heads anxious post punk sensibility and Brian Eno's atmospheric production prowess. For a different spin check out Beninese singer Angelique Kidjo's song for song remake album released in 2018 - it also slaps!

On first listen this was a bit hit and miss. At times chaotic, at times overly repetitive. With the exception of Once in a Lifetime, I wasn't overly impressed tbh. So I slept on it and came back with a fresh mind. I really like the elements in the songs individually, but they don't really gel properly a lot of the time. I get what they were trying to do and can see how this would have influenced a lot of future artists. After a few listens through, I would call this ok, but not great.

Not my jam

another one of my favorite albums

One of my favourites, Born Under Punches blew my mind the first time I heard it and still does

Love the instrumentation on this album. Such a fun listen through, not a single song I don't enjoy, although not quite deserving of a 5 to me.

Not a record i’d listen to a ton but lots of cool basslines and cool grooves.

3.5

This album has a crazy energy, it kind of makes me happy

Known before: Yes Standouts: The Great Curve Once in a Lifetime 7.5/10

Known Before: Standouts: 3. The Great Curve 4. Once in a Lifetime 8.0

Known before: Band Standouts: 04. Once in a lifetime 06. Seen and not seen Rating: 7.0

Very good album. Enjoyed the entire thing

Probably just a perfect album. To sum it all up in one single word, that word would simply be INFECTIOUS. The album just makes you want to get up and move around and flail your arms and legs and head in all different directions, it's fantastic! 10/10

Nothing impressive

I love Talking Heads, but this might be one of the albums I listen to the least. I know it's the most acclaimed, the most inventive, etc. but it doesn't hit me the way Fear of Music does. Still, its Talking Heads, so I'd rather listen to this than most other music.

behind the wheel of a large automobile/10

Endelig. Mer stabilt enn forrige album, psykosen hadde kansje ikke kicket inn helt her. Men god damn det er så digg. Det er groovy, det er weird og jeg føler tekstene så jævlig hardt. er nå blitt fan av talking heads

Originalt og helt sin egen greie, dessverre bare ikke min greie. Mye mer spennende enn det forrige vi hørte på. Respekterer mye, men digger ikke.

Pop sounds with punk energy. Once in a Lifetime is a banger. The rest is stylistically similar but not as catchy. Rating: 2.5/5 Playlist track: Once in a Lifetime Date listened: 10/12/23

- One of the funkiest and grooviest albums I've ever listened to. Initial thoughts: how tf can people create music like this?

eclectic

80s alt weirdness in the best way possible

The Talking Heads are great. At least a four star band. But I'm not sure any of their albums, individually, are four stars. I'd put this at 7 out of 10, and I'm rounding down (and converting to a 5 point scale).

This is a funky album that I really enjoy. Once in a Lifetime is a classic song. There is so much 80s about this album and I love it which is surprising considering it was a 1980 release instead of later in the decade. That being said it's a rather inconsistent listening experience. Really good and a great way to take in 80s music if you are looking for that but overall I'd give this a 3 out of 5.

Classic

This is a pretty cool album, but it seems like there’s a fair amount of filler songs.

Classic from first to last track

Once in a lifetime is great, but the album is otherwise not that memorable.

Once In A Lifetime //

אלבום מעוד מעניין וכיף להאזין אליו. מאוד פאנקי ומיוחד. בהחלט היצירה הכי טובה של הראשים המדברים.

Great listen; "The Overload" had Joy Division undertones. Dry guitars, great rhythm construction.

Creative, but not really my thing

Nice album

Definetly one of the better Talking Heads records!

I love this album. So much I bought an OG pressing this weekend. But the hilarious thing is—all these years I thought David Bowie sang Once In a Lifetime. 😳😄

I totally get why Bowie was a fan...The lyrics are ridiculously pretentious, but the delivery is so lighthearted, yet intentional... It's interesting! Can't really rank from one listen. 4/5, might give this band another shot.

Good music!

Was never a fan. Only semi liked one song on the album and it the most popular one

Nostalgia!

Didn't enjoy this as much as Fear Of Music - I guess they were going further in their experimentation and it didn't land we strongly with me. Definitely would have been better without the outtakes at the end.

Goat album

Once in a Lifetime - classic. Album gets boring fast though

neh... not my type...

This album is confusing Once in a lifetime is a banger though

The funky Heads, exploring African rhythm and bringing it to white America. Containing one of the best Heads songs, "Once In A Lifetime" with its infectious bass line. Excellent.

Okay album. Not my style of music.

actually p good

5/5

this is how good summer home could be if they let me in the band. a classic. 4/5

This is what the kids call goated. What can be said about this classic that hasn’t already been said…. Ooga booga poopy pee pee? Anyways, love this album what a fuckin wicked time logan showed it to me back in grade ten, I’ve always had a crush on the talking head in the bottom left square of the album cover. Highlight tracks are Seen and not seen, cross eyed and painless, listening wind, born under punches and of course once in a lifetime. This album sounds so fucking cool idk what they did on the vocals but I can’t get enough of the vhs/HD sway they sound if that makes any sense!

I recognized Once in a Lifetime. I didn’t know any of the other songs. I didn’t feel hooked by any of those other songs, but I’m curving the album up because other folks in the group are really into the talking heads so I’d want to give them another try.

I listen to so much solo Byrne stuff or greatest hits/live albums by Talking Heads that it's been a while since I listened to a studio album all the way through. Makes me want to revisit their discography chronologically.

Forgive me, Tyler.

Glemte visst å rata denna, men e kje så stor Talking Heads-fanboy

I appreciate the Talking Heads, I just don't always enjoy listening to them.

Interesting concept album, integrating the African beats. It's not my favorite talking heads, but the highs are pretty high

Mediocre, didn't really like it...

A classic.

Lovely!

How did I get here?!

Love me some Talking Heads.

Good bongos. Some darker tracks

It felt off rhythm sometimes with talking with music in the background vs. singing and sometimes I actually like it because it felt different but sometimes I just some regular on rhythm singing.

A masterpiece and amongst my favorite albums of all time. Richly textured polyrhythms with interesting vocals and lyrics. The only song I don’t love is final track the Overload. All the other tracks are sensational

Awesome album

This album is arguably the best from Talking Heads. It's not my favorite of theirs, but it's nearly perfect. Very stoked to get this today.

La première fois que j’ai écouté cet album là, j’étais pas certain de savoir ce que j’écoutais. Là, quand je l’écoute, j’ai envie de me claquer les couilles

Repetitive but funky sounds, definitely “interesting” as it doesn’t follow the normal music theory but not for me otherwise

Good music, bad vocals.

This may be my favorite album by them. Always ahead of their time. love every song.

Unique, but never my favorite.

meget muligt det er mit yndlingsalbum vi har haft indtil videre. wall to wall bangers

Bedste plade fra 80erne!

👍🤷

I liked it. Loved the bass. Might listen to it in the background again.

Wacky album very Brian Edo, knew one song and thats the one I put into playlists.

This album has amazing songs, my favorite has to be Once in a Lifetime

There is too much good music. Not everything can be a 4.

And you may ask yourself...how can you rate this anything else?

It's alright. I'd hear it again.

oooo this is a weird album i like it

The goat

Great jam, super funky and quite iconic.

I usually listen to album two times in a row and most of the time I know what my rating will be. This time however, I've been listening to this for five hours straight and still finding something new, which keep me thinking about it. Last time I had identical case with Rumours by Fleetwood Mac. Judging by the pretty average score (3,46 today) I think that many listeners share the similar: they didn't listen long enough to this record. Because ladies and gentleman, this... this is one of the best albums ever created.

I have always remembered this album as a vehicle for David Byrne's creativity, but it has been a long time since I've listened to it. I has hit was a sudden feeling of recognition but also I think I forgot how influential African music (like funk and afrobeat) had on this album. I mentioned it in Graceland by Paul Simon, how much of this is influences and how much is cultural appropriation? But I have to admit I enjoyed the experimental nature of this album, maybe because I like this band or maybe because it was being experimental in all types of musical styles. What I've always liked about this album, is that it feels like it's almost entirely stream-of-consciousness, making it hard to predict what is going to happen next. I know David Byrne's did struggle with writers block and the band just went with this approach and resulted in such a great album. Standouts: Crosseyed and Painless, Once In a Lifetime, Houses In Motion, Listening Wind

Love this one.

I really wasn’t expecting to like it for its year of debut lol. It was very good although a bit weird

Overall if this album is Talking Heads' "magnum opus" then I'm not really impressed. I suppose at the time of release this style of music was more modern, edgy and experimental but listening to it in 2023 I don't find anything in particular that grabs me. It's all just sort of a jumble of sound with some haphazard lyrics thrown in and not mixed well, maybe that's the point, I don't know.

Classic Talking Heads.

Sorry, I actually found this kind of painful to listen to. The first song I had hopes, the one radio release was all right, but by the end of it I had to take a couple of breaks, because, woof.

Stone cold classic

I preferred the first half of the album but enjoyed it more than I was expecting.

Mostly just okay Once In a Lifetime is great

Great record, love all the samples, synths, and harmonizing vocals on this album. Once in a Lifetime is the star, but the rest of the tracks do not miss.

Once in a Lifetime is a great song. The rest of it was good, but not great.

They would be ahead of their time in any era. Good album. Some iconic songs.

Super weird but great jams

Excellent album.

Nothing like this. So very good. Seen and Not Seen is great. Let's not even mention Once in a Lifetime.

Oh yeah

"Life During Wartime" is an great song and massive hit. And featured an iconic MTV video. But outside of that song, it's not my favorite. Not my favorite Talking Heads Album, not my favorite album from 1980. One of the things I liked about Talking Heads' first two albums was the focus on concise songs with pretty simple instrumentation. That's gone here on the 2nd of the their Brian Eno produced albums. In their 1st 3 albums, the average song length is under 3:40, here it has ballooned to just over 5:00. Lots of synths and polyrythms, and looping grooves. Which is OK, I suppose, but really drags when songs are stretched out forever. They get points for evolving. I'll give 5 for the hit, 3 for the rest... call it 3/5, 'cause I can't do 3.5

One of the best albums by one of the best bands of all time, unofficial 6 star

Not doing it for me, rhythms are way too repetitive

this album is one of my favorites. just the right amount of weird and interesting without sacrificing quality. once in a lifetime is one of my favorite songs ever, and the entire front half of this album is banger after banger. favorites: born under punches (the heat goes on), cross-eyed and painless, the great curve, once in a lifetime

The electronic noises are hilarious. This is 1980. So it's like all this shit was new and so they just are playing with the random sounds. Has an underlying kind of funk rhythm to it. I don't particularly like it. But I also don't hate it.

Not really into new wave

I forgot how good this album is. I first listened to it when I was about 19, and it was almost too weird. A few years later I could appreciate it more. Now I'm just shaking my head at my younger self for not loving it immediately.

The first five tracks on this album are tremendous, and the last three tracks…well, those first five are really, really good.

- zu chaotisch für mich

2nd Talking Heads album on day 4??? I must have done something right in a past life. Poetry smashed over smooth funky beats, top tier

Eclectic but very accessible, so cool that all of the "looping" was manual. Definitely gives it a human feel, even if it's subconscious. Liked this a lot. Favorite track: Crosseyed & Painless

Déjà vu review One song’s a stained glass window in a church where all the other windows are clear or have been blown out. Once in a lifetime is vivid colour and the rest aren’t worth a mention in the visitors book.

Except for the songs Once in a Lifetime and Overload, this album left me cold

While I didn't LOVE every second of this album, it reinforced just how original, arty, interesting, and damn good this band was. No question that David Byrne's vision drove the band from a creative perspective, but the culmination of these four members made them something special, and the more I go back and listen to their records, the clearer that becomes. Unapologetically quirky and intellectual and odd, they are also accessible, funny, and melodic. Great band, solid album.

One of the nice surprises with this exercise is that it's made me a Talking Heads fan. I already knew this album and enjoyed it well enough, but it's been cool to arrive here now that we've listened to three other TH albums, so I could hear it in context. I dig the Fela-Kuti-inspired-but-not-appropriated vibe they've got going on here. And I love the crazy guitar solo from Adrian Belew on "The Great Curve." That final track is menacing and dark and I'm so there for it. Great stuff.

Always a joy to revisit Talking Heads' brilliance.

K, that was not the Talking Heads I was expecting. 😂 Big Weirdos. But I love them. Not my favourite TH album, but glad I gave it a play through. 👍

Very cool album

I don't think I'd ever listened to this, surprisingly. Only one song I knew but it was good.

“Once in a Lifetime” is one of the best songs of the 80s and is my go-to whenever I’m near a TouchTunes. It never fails to make people smile and sing along with “same as it ever was…”. The rest of the album doesn’t *quite* meet that standard. However, ever since seeing “American Utopia” (David Byrne’s recent Broadway contribution), I have a new appreciation for Byrne’s creativity and fusion of musical styles. He also mixes music and message very well.

I enjoyed this album much more than the food and buildings album.

I really enjoyed this album. Although the vocals could be annoying at times (in my opinion), the concepts and songwriting were really creative. I loved the synth computer / guitar noise SFX!

talking heads is very unique, good solid album

A classic in my life, one of the all time greats for me. A breathtaking collections of creative, energetic, and rhythmically complex songs: life pulses vibrantly through the whole album. My favorite of the many greatTalking Heads albums, and an album I put on when I don’t know what to listen to. Highly danceable, texturally multilayered, and honestly downright fun in parts, this album also contains some stunning turns of phrases and moments of real lyrical beautiful sing with real feelings and depth of emotion. Though overplayed, Once in a Lifetime is still a stunner of a pop track. If only the album had This Must Be the Place. Nonetheless, this is a stunning achievement and a monumental testament to the creativity and ingenuity of modern western music.

Enjoyed it, which kind of surprised me. An array of instruments used made it even better 4/5

kinda dissapointing consider how hyped this album is on sites like RYM, decent album with 2 catchy songs but nothing more than 3 stars

Funky or sometimes not so funky backing track that repeats throughout entire song - one of those albums where the music DEFINITELY matches the album cover. Voiceover or repeated snippets of melody are layered over track - definitely worth a relisten. Fave tracks: Born under Punches, Once in a Lifetime, Seen and Not Seen

I enter a familiar room, filled with familiar shapes. We nod at each other (how's the week been? woah, really? not too bad not too bad) and step back, admire each other's colours and edges (quite the sparkle round there). We jiggle, we jangle, iridescent slicks streak the midground, bubbling at the fringes, we finkle, we fankle, following the piper past furred bamboo shooting heavenwards, stroking bleeps and bloops, having a great time. Same as it ever was.

This is definitely a talking heads algorithm. Each song is completely forgettable (except maybe once in a lifetime), but the vibe is so unmistakable talking heads that I can't help but be impressed by their ability to craft such a unique sound. 3 stars. The last two songs almost ruined the album for me. I'm going to ignore them and stick with 3 stars.

Melodically unsatisfying, rhythmically bonkers. Interesting mix, vocals not at the forefront on some songs. The second to last song was surprising in a good way.

Un Viaje Sonoro Desafiante Si bien "Remain in Light" de Talking Heads ofrece una experiencia musical única y experimental, no es para todos los gustos. Este álbum es un viaje sonoro que te transporta desde tu lugar de escucha hasta los vibrantes paisajes africanos. El disco está lleno de ritmos africanos, guitarras funk y una velocidad vertiginosa que mantiene la energía en todo momento. Las capas de ritmos y sonidos crean una experiencia auditiva envolvente que te hace sentir como si estuvieras en medio de una calle africana. El bajo, con su groove infeccioso, es uno de los aspectos destacados del álbum. Sin embargo, a pesar de toda su frescura y vitalidad, "Remain in Light" a veces cae en la repetición y la monotonía, lo que podría desconectar a algunos oyentes. A pesar de su repetitividad, canciones como "Once in a Lifetime" se destacan con su coro pegajoso. Los solos de guitarra que emulan el sonido de un saxofón aportan un toque inusual a la mezcla. En general, "Remain in Light" es un disco desafiante que puede no ser del agrado de todos. Su enfoque experimental lo hace interesante pero no necesariamente accesible. Si estás buscando una experiencia musical inusual y estás dispuesto a explorar nuevos territorios sonoros, este álbum podría ser una elección interesante. Sin embargo, si prefieres un sonido más convencional, es posible que te encuentres deseando más variedad. En mi opinión, este álbum merece una calificación de 3 de 5.

Short and sweet. I love Speaking in Tongues so I'm glad I got to play this album out. Funky and fun. Once In A Lifetime is an anthem.

It’s a classic. At least for me. One of the first albums I bought on vinyl.

born under punches 6.2 crosseyed and painless 7 the great curve 7.1 once in a lifetime 8 house in motion 7 seen and not seen 5 listening wind 6.6 the overload 6.5 I don't think it holds up extremely well but mostly inoffensive. 3.5 stars.

Greatly appreciated this one popping up in the generator, as I’m on quite the Talking Heads kick at the moment. Love this album - it’s quintessential to the band’s discography. Silly, funny, at times scary, and endlessly groovy. Standout tracks: Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On), Crosseyed and Painless, Once in a Lifetime, Houses in Motion 4.5/5

David Byrne might be weird as heck, but you can never say he's boring. This album takes some unexpected turns but it's a fun ride.

Good stuff, a tad on the long side but still a good listen

Another classically Talking Heads album. Full of their patented rock sound with the insertion of weird lyrics and noises. “Once in a Lifetime” sits on the back half, which will always be a great listen. Nothing else pulls me back here. 3/5.

Somehow I’ve never listened to this album… or any Talking Heads all the way through. LFG 1. Very funky bass line and eclectic guitar work. Feeling this. Drums good too. Whoa wtf is this weird electric stuff happening in the middle. This song is madness 🤘🏾 2. Man another banger. The layers on this instrumental is crazy. There’s so much going on and the vocal melody is fire 3. You can really hear the African influence on this track. Another banger somehow. 3/3 LFG. Great drums and the lyrics are awesome. The background vocals are sick too 4. The song everyone knows. It’s an anthem. But honestly the other three tracks I’ve heard were more interesting. But that’s probably because I’ve heard this song a million times. It’s still a banger tho 5. A funky number. The layers my god. Sooo good 6. Ok another weird cut but I’m vibing. The tracks are really riding into each other so well. This album is incredible so far. No skips 7. This song is vibes. I love this record. 8. Another banger. 9. No misses. What a creepy brooding closer. This album is a certified classic. 10/10

mid

nice

Absolutely seminal album from one of my favourite bands of all time. Cannot imagine how fresh this must have sounded in 1980, especially a year after Fear of Music.

This album overall is just a nice album to just sit and kind of just listen, I like how longer most of the songs are. So overall I will definitely be listening to this again!

Decent, I enjoyed it

Chaotic. Stressed me out. 1-2 beats I liked though.

favorite!

It has the vibes of songs from that era. Honestly, it didn't stand out for me and I wasn't really moved by it but still pretty decent i guess. won't listen to it again though sadly

Fantastic. Starts perfect through first 3 tracks. Slows down little by the end, but all great.

#2 fav talking heads album

I enjoyed the album, and I'm glad I listened to it, but it's not really my cup of tea. I'm glad that this site made me listen to it.

Great album. Love the talking heads.

Great album.

I fell in love with Once in a Lifetime years ago and instantly explored the rest of the album to find myself disappointed. Then about 3 months ago More Songs... came up on this list and I found myself completely hooked. Going back to listening to this album again, I just can't get on board with it. The first half is alright, it leans too heavily into the African theme but has some good hooks. The latter half, specifically the last two songs, are just pretty weak. Disappointing given how good buildings and food was.

Kolmekauttaviis

On näil parempaaki kamaa

It's tough to come out with a truly unique sound and be a borderline genre defining band but Talking Heads managed to mix several sounds to create their own "voice."

Smá Before and After Science og smá Lodger, og kannski gráðu of mikil David Byrne rödd (fíla samt samgöngustefnuna hans: Hjól og Citroën DS). Er að fíla pólýrytmann og fjörið á A hliðinni mikið, en B hliðin er aðeins of þunglamaleg fyrir mig í dag. Tæpur fjarki held ég.

Once in a Lifetime is good. The rest had good music but I'm not a big fan of the talking singing style.

People come for Once In a Lifetime, but stay for the absolute, unrelenting, forward velocity of The Great Curve.

I'm sure it was groundbreaking at the time, but I was not a fan of the repetitive sounds (even with the experimentation on top) and the vocals are tough for me to get into.

I like it but not mind blowing probably like a 4.5 or 4

1/10

African beats/syncopations, loop patterns. All analog baby!

Talking Heads first album only hints at what they would become.

This album has some funk. Not for nothing, but Bernie Worrell of Parliament/Funkadelic played with the band on the ensuing tour. It also draws on producer Brian Eno's ambient work (there's a straight line from Music for Airports to the atmosphere of the sound m album's closer, The Overload). It's a lot and it's often weird -- and you should listen to it. Thanks to Eno, Talking Heads take this album to explore rhythms, melodies and structures common to West African (especially Fela Kuti) and North African music (Arab influence, in particular). Bearing in mind that these four came up through the same New York scene at CBGBs that incubated New York Dolls and the Ramones (keys/guitar man Jerry Harrison previously played in the Modern Lovers), you need to imagine this as a close relative of punk, even if it may not seem so immediately. It's just less-distorted and departs more from the early rock & roll song structures. Tina Weymouth she Chris Frantz kill it all record long. They're an underrated rhythm section outside of the New Wave world. Singer, guitar player and chief songwriter David Byrne is in fine form as well, pushing the envelope of that a front person does in popular music. Remain In Light does occasionally drift far enough into experiment to lose its emotional resonance. The record drifts out on a pair of songs that communicate dread, but you'll need a few listens to start feeling the what and the why of it. Talking Heads polished up a product that sits in the middle of a Venn diagram with bubbles for West African dance, King Crimson and CBGBs. It's weird. Not every track is a banger. But everything has a purpose here and you should listen to this if you wonder what kind of creative bravery went on as the NYC punk scene faded from the popular eye. A classic, but a challenging one.

Weird, wacky, crisp, and completely unique.

It is just so unbelievable great. 5/5 Frequently listen to

Nice for someone who likes random Electronic noises in the background

Amazing!

Such a funky record. You can really hear the afrobeat influences they were into at the time. Aside from the obvious hit, all the other songs are really solid as well. They also kept a bit of their punk edge on some of the tracks.

Une sorte de funk pas mal mais avec des éléments électroniques nul Écoutable mais pas incroyable Once in a lifetime est sympa Mais sinon belle découverte de Talking Heads j'aime bien leurs autres sons

Always had a soft spot for this album

I like once in a lifetime but the rest were too artsy

Pretty great! Versatile, creative, funky, cool.

After listening to this album I felt the odd compulsion to ask myself, "Where is my large automobile?"

This album is strange, but I like it.

Brilliant brilliant brilliant. Is there anything better than Once in a Lifetime? It is just a tiny bit long, and could probably have done with a little more quality control, but we're nit-picking here.

Besides Once in a Lifetime, I wasn’t much moved by the rest of it.

do prefer the quirky upbeat first half but really really enjoy everything here and i do think it’ll grow on me further standout- once in a lifetime 😝

2nd song was good, definitely the talking heads would not seek out.

the one good song on there i will always remember is that one one in a life time

pretty iconic but some of the songs are a tad too long

Quirky, weird, autistic and wonderful

Groovy

Good shit, proto LCD. His vocal gets a bit annoying at time for me tho.

Brill

j'aime pas la funk,mais au moins ça dure pas 1h once in a lifetime ok listening wind ok the overloard ok,style pink floyd

took me a few listens to fully get it but man I finally understand why everyone loves this so much. production is absolutely incredible and complements the already great songwriting and performances. best tracks: once in a lifetime, the overload, born under punches

Never got too deep into Talking Heads and definitely never listend to this all the way through. Was jamming for the first few songs but then slowed way down and a couple of songs were hard to get through. All told a very good album.

3.2

surprisingly not bad

Whilst I would always turn up the volume when ‘Once in a Lifetime’ came on the radio, I’d never explored their albums. So this was a nice surprise to have a reason to give this a listen. Love the energy of the first side (fired up my Monday morning nicely), and then the change of pace and mood that followed in the 2nd side. Lots of grooves, loops and different influences. Rated as a high 3 star, but will definitely listen again and maybe explore some of their other work.

Interesting album, which I have been aware of ever since I was 9 years old. I remember the lyrics and vocal style on Once In a Lifetime used to scare me as a kid 😂 never really listened to much by them over the years, however, it must have been one of the earliest western albums inspired by Afrobeats, I'll definitely have a few more listens, but really loved The Overload especially. A high 3

This is what I’d expect from a Talking Heads album. Eclectic and weird. But I vibe with it. Couple of classics in the middle.

Groovy, interesting, but not my cup of tea.

This one is 3, maybe heading to 4 upon repeated listenings. This album is very funky, although it's missing a key component of funk–some looseness of wrist. This shit is tight, often over-caffeinated (over-coked?) highly BPMed, and right on the fucking beat. That said, it is a very quirky, unique-sounding work, with repetitive, droney (mostly in the funk way) soundscapes, and David Byrne's alien observing human lyrics and delivery. I could talk myself into four stars for this one, but I don't know if I'll be saving this for repeated listenings, which is generally my bar for four.

Not that it matters, but I want everyone that rated this less than a 4 or 5 to know that i'm judging you and your taste very harshly.

nahhh

Good songs but overall really weird experience.