Remain In Light

This is such a strong album. The instrumental work is so unique in each song and there's so much subtle complexity. I feel like I could listen to it for hours and hear new things each time. While I listen I'm constantly guessing where a minor instrumental flourish or touch will show up. Born Under Punches is a strong opener and every song after takes it into new directions. Listening Wind is hypnotic and heads into The Overload perfectly.

The best

Dude this was groovy as fuck I really enjoyed that. Who doesn’t enjoy a good lil bass riff fr.

I don't feel like I need to elaborate too much on this one. It's regarded as a classic for a reason, courtesy of its thrilling sonic architecture and polyrhythmic genius, although I often see opinions along the lines of the second half being a drop off from the first because of its comparative experimentation and inaccessibility. However, for me, that's when Remain in Light is at its most interesting and volatile.

Same as it ever was

n tem nem o que falar ne

Soooo good

Great album

Best album ever

An easy 5 for me! My favorite album by one of my favorite bands! I remember being in my dad's truck—I think I had borrowed it—and when I parked in his driveway, "Once In A Lifetime" came on the radio. I found it so bizarre, but so wonderful at the same time. I sat in the truck transfixed by it, desperate to hear what it was. Not long after, I bought a copy of Remain In Light on CD, which I ended up listening to obsessively through my car stereo the summer before my senior year of high school. I've already written about how singular the Talking Heads are—this album just took it all to the next level. Groovy, funny, fresh. "The Great Curve" is a one chord song with so much development that you'd never guess its simple harmonic underpinnings. "The Listening Wind" is a rare narrative from David Byrne, haunting and beautiful. Adrian Belew's guest guitar solos rip through the mix, at once tonally challenging and perfectly suited to the music. This is the Talking Heads at their absolute peak—which is saying a lot for a band that never really had a bad album. If I could give it 6 stars, I would.

Astounding. Funky as heck, Dave Byrne being a crazy genius and just generally fantastic. One of my favourites.

One of my absolute faves - I bet I don’t go more than 8 months without listening to this one in its entirety too often. Such a breakthrough album that changed so much in modern music…

Tough time on this one, I generally like most Talking Heads I've heard before and Once In A Lifetime is an all timer for me. I bounced off this album initially, finding it too repetitive and jam bandy for me. Read up on the style they were going for and listened again, and then again and realized I needed to meet the album on its terms, I still think there are some songs that go too far in the looping/ layering direction but now I really enjoy most all of the songs and think it will be a common place in my rotation and only get better and better each time I go through.

SAME AS IT EVER WAS Yeah that was excellent, of the tracks new to me I liked The Great Curve most

Honestly, one of the best albums ever. And Born Under Punches is legitimately may be one of the 50 best songs ever recorded. Just to gush about it a little. It best emphasizes the sheer magic of the collision of funky Afro-American rhythm, glossy, avant-garde futurism, and teeth grinding anxiety. The guitar solo here alone is legitimately more exciting, valuable, and fascinating than a lot of bands' entire discographies. And the rest of the album is *very* nearly as good. From alternate dimension funk of Crosseyed And Painless, to the jittery The Great Curve, the tastefully Hip-Hop inspired Seen And Not Seen, the plodding, yet nimble sadness of Listening, and the unlikely hit in Once In A Lifetime. Once In A Lifetime represents a small period of time in which the demands of the public collided with what Talking Heads were giving. And more hits came, but none of them feel quite like this. Remain In Light is just a masterwork, artsy, weird, exciting, punk-y, funky, and remarkably accessible for being so fucking odd. Not to mention David Byrne's magical, irreplacable, vocal presence, and the absolute, locked in precision of the whole band. Remain In Light is a generational accomplishment.

Banger album!!

Of everything that has been or could be said about *Remain in Light*, I still think the most important thing is that it opens with an Organization Man losing his mind ("Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)"). That thread - of old orders and ways of seeing the world tumbling, unraveling, or perhaps even revealing themselves to have been illusory all along - is the thesis of the album, and the source of anxiety for its various narrators. Over and over again they are confronted with ignorance, unfamiliarity, even incompetence; witness the lament of David Byrne's character on "Crosseyed and Painless" as he notes, with wry sarcasm, that the facts he's memorized won't save him. More famously, on "Once in a Lifetime," the dislocation is more thorough - the experience of waking up to realize that the life you're in may have come to pass without any meaningful agency on your part. And what's the source of this unease? This is where Byrne's fascination with funk and Afrobeat start to really signify, and not entirely without some queasiness. Take "Houses in Motion," with its repurposed Seventies wah-wah to indicate the sound of a White guy walking through what's now the Black part of town. Or the next track, "Seen and Not Seen," which repurposes an early hip-hop beat as the sound of paranoia - don't push Byrne 'cause he's close to the edge. Coming from someone of Byrne's White-and-nerdy persona this is a dangerously revealing album; there is a lot of fear on record here, and I suppose it would be easy to accuse Byrne of Orientalism or even flat-out racism and be done with it. But I think that would be a misreading of him, and not just because I also know he made *American Utopia*, one of the most optimistically multicultural works of the 21st century. It's also, for example, because of "Listening Wind," in which Byrne finds a twisted sort of kinship with an African militant sharing the same sense of alienation. And further, on the portentious, funereal "The Overload," where Byrne explores the void left behind by the loss of basic human empathy. It seems clear to me that what he is really doing here is a form of cultural expurgation: admitting his biases, admitting even his fears, and then working them out in public for the purpose of ultimately overcoming them. That's the real reason all the African rhythms are here: they're the sound of recognizing that the world you grew up in is vanishing and being replaced by something different - and, rather than lashing out in fear and anger about that fact, tentatively learning to view the change as a source of possibility, even optimism. It's why "Once in a Lifetime" can treat the prospect of abandoning your on-rails Organization Man life as something worthy of such ecstasy: the loss of your place in the world is just a step in the direction of finding a new one in a new world. And if we can't agree on anything else then at the very least we can all agree on that great unifier of man - that certain things are just damn sexy ("The Great Curve").

maybe the best A side of all time?? Little fall off after once in a lifetime but such a good album

This album makes a lot of sense.

Feels bluesy, listened to in gym and was actually quiet energetic.

*****

The Talking Heads team up with Brian Eno for a final time and create something wonderful together. Interesting to read that Eno was reluctant to work with the band again and also that drummer, Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth considered leaving the band prior to recording. Thankfully they all went forward with it, met in Bahamas and made a masterpiece. 5 Stars

Super fun and awesome

Weird and unbelievably groovy, until The Overload, which is pure Joy Division. The music nerds are right, this one's perfect

Banger after banger, no skips, hell yeah brother

Brilliant

Some incredible songs in this album 5/5

I mean it's a classic. Undeniable Grove, more energetic at the front, more moody and slow in the back. I had to resist singing Once in a Life Time at the top of my lungs lest I wake people.

Lived up to the high expectations I had of the album. Definitely a classic. The production doesn't feel dated, changes itself up throughout the album and the themes remain timeless.

music is love

Stoner Depeche Mode

My brain is just jelly before the Talking Heads. I know I don't like this one as much as Buildings and Food, but I can also see why it is a favorite of so many people. This project has definitely confirmed me as a fan.

Brian Eno makes everything better.

Slapa dat bass! Love Tina Weymouth

Crosseyed and Painless/Great Curve/Once in a Lifetime might be the best 3 consecutive songs on an album ever.

I don’t have the music words to explain why this is 5 stars, it just is.

I was the first amongst all my friends to buy their debut album and I've been hooked ever since. I remember that when I played it for them they all laughed and said these guys would never make it. This is Talking heads at their absolute peak but it is not their only great album. This album proved that the Talking heads were not just David Byrne's backup band

It was a good album

What an album this is, a joy to revisit it. Expansive. Antsy. Tuned in. Taking in African influences and creatively playing and dancing with them. Wild and accepting. Big and human. My fav by them for sure.

talking heads? more like yapping faces

amazing

Hahahah jeg har manglet en reminder om hvor godt jeg synes det her er!! Genialt at sidde og skrive opgave til. Highlights: Once in a Lifetime

Unique. Innovative. Fun. Loved it!

I’ve heard this before and I used to own it on vinyl. It was lost during one of my many moves in my early 20s and is probably sitting in one of my former roommates’ collections. This gets written up as a funk or afrobeat or new wave or dance pop album, and it is all those things, but at its heart it is a punk album by a punk band. Punk cast a much wider net in its early stages that included Talking Heads, Television, and the Minutemen before it was narrowed down to one inbred white gene that it is considered today. And this is one of the best punk albums.

The third and final album that the band made with Brian Eno and this process moved them to a stylistic position light years away from the '77 punky debut. Polyphonic textures, patterns, loops and tracks formed out of cyclical jams were the basis of this innovative record. I recall being hugely curious of 'Once in a lifetime' as an 11 year old after seeing it on Swap Shop and then heard nothing else from the Heads until 'road to nowhere' 5 years later. Rediscovering it a decade later made me realise it was one of the finest tracks of them all. Pop music was becoming art yet again but not in the wake of the 60s and progressive counterculture, from the Post punk new wave.......

That’s a five from me. Musically it tickles my brain the right way. It just makes me smile and want to dance. I have lots of great memories of this album. I bought it in vinyl at amoeba in Hollywood, saw Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew play it in full in Chicago a few years ago, and recently saw David Byrne play some songs for this album. Everyone it just makes me want to smile and put on an oversized suit and dance. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I'm a huge fan of this band, and this is one of their best records, though I probably prefer "Fear of Music" as it's weirder, and "Speaking in Tongues" as it's way more funky. That said, it's a great listen, with many different moods and a unique sound. Brian Eno did a great job producing this album and "Fear of Music".

Once in a lifetime might be one of the best songs ever.

Bruh

Lowkey layered.

Bara Once in a Lifetime ensam är värd högsta betyg. Uppfinningsrika, eget och det svänger otroligt. En femma

Unbelievably infectious music. No wonder it changed the world like it did.

A stunning album of both breadth and depth, Talking Heads unmoor themselves from conventional song structures without losing the emotional pull that typical verse-chorus songs can have. The musicians here juxtapose rhythmic complexity against often-static harmonic progressions in a combination that works remarkably well track after track.

One of my favorite bands because of their uniqueness and creativity. Very very unpredictable music, experimental with an insane production value. This is not their best album but its an amazing album none the less. Must listen for any music lover looking for something out of the box

Talking bout talking about the Talking Heads. 9/10

Hace poco lo estuve escuchando, de verdad me parecio un album excelente

Let them speak.

Same as it ever was (5 stars)!

just so, so incredibly interesting i grew up with this album so hard not to be overly fond born under punches through to houses in motion is a near perfect run

David Byrne is a genius and this album is so fun

EXCELLENT EXCELLENT EXCELLENT. Freaking classic.

If I had to nominate an all time best or favourite album, I'd try to dodge the question of course - but it would be this one that sprang instantly to mind. It's not perfect - it definitely tails off towards the end - but the rest of it more than makes up for that. The polyrhythms and layered vocals are the very definition of my kind of thing.

This is a great album! I love Talking Heads, and this was a fun album!

GOATed

Brillant album. The mesmerising rhythm that flow across the record. Fantastic 5

As I recall the last Talking Heads album was meh, even though I’ve heard and liked them before… and this was what I’d been hoping for from that one. Putting aside the unnecessary Outtake additions at the end and a bit of weirdness, quite enjoyed!

Amazing album. Every track.

One of my most favorite !

Probably my 4th favourite album of theirs and it still knocks half of these albums out of the park. a pretty much perfect piece of art.

Angular, African, amazing.

Top 10, Top 15 albums all time.

clássico absoluto, disruptivo e muito divertido de se ouvir (pelo menos a primeira metade)

A masterpiece

Groundbreaking. A top ten album for me. 5 stars.

cant imagine i have any valuable addition to the commentary surrounding this perfect perfect album ... below is my rym review --- talking heads and brian eno consistently manage to make the most detailed and tightly written songs with maybe the best and most memorable grooves on any album ever the world moves on a woman's hips

This change my life. This change music. Maybe the best album ever made. MASTERPIECE. 10 stars.

A favourite

One of the best albums ever. Never get tired of it. One of my main go-to albums and it will always be that way. Top 10 for sure.

Nice

Love it

Me encanta

One of my all-time favorite albums. Still feels relevant.

Those first three tracks are pretty much perfect.

4.5

the first song is pretty cool, i like it

this is the most important new wave album, this is amazing experimentation and fusion in an album, the amount of skill and genius intent this album took is frightening

You can read a bunch of music nerds reviews of this and mine will probably just agree with them. This albums full of bangers, not my favorite Talking Heads album, but a perfect one none-the-less.

Crosseyed and Painless, Houses in Motion... Once in a Lifetime ain't bad either. Absolute heater

Another example of why going through this list is worth it. This is a great, weird, funky, fun, and moody album, sounds never put together on an album before. And I was only familiar with the one huge song. Another good thing about going through this list is that the great songs always sound so much better when they aren't playing incidentally on the radio or popping up edited into 30-second snippets on tv. This is really worth a sit-down listen with the volume way up. 5/5. Not surprised that I like it this much, but it feels good to fill this gap in my music experience. Has to be on this list.

Another record that I wouldn't need to listen to in order to review it because when it first came out we played it constantly. The rhythms are infectious; the lyrics weird, interesting, and occasionally inspiring; and Brian Eno worked on it (he's why I started listening to the Talking Heads in the first place back then). I'll admit I had gotten a little tired of hearing "Once in a Lifetime" after the thousandth time I heard it on the radio, but listening to it closely again today reminds me of how those lyrics helped me adjust to a large, sudden life change at the time. One of those records that has stuck with me - 5 stars.

Enjoyed the listen, even though is not my type of music

Hugely influential, inventive, funky, brilliant

Classic

Perfekt

Excellence,

Wondrous and weird and unmistakable. Flipped back and forth between a 4 and a 5, so listened again, and then again, and settled on 5. Just an absolutely seminal album, one that has aged with grace.

Magnificent. Went to new places and nobody has been there since. Fantastic rhythms with beautiful layers of melody woven through. Just about perfect.

One of my all time favourite albums. Just immense. Brian Eno brings so many layers and textures. So funky but complex. David Byrne’s lyrics are fascinating and intense. His delivery as always is brilliant

Instant 5 star. I already liked this album but comparing it to other albums from 1975-1985 on this list, it's honestly embarrassing how much this clears.

i’m sick of this album cuz i listened too it too much, but damned if it’s not amazing

My third Talking Heads album (and third in the last 4 months, so I've got most Talking Heads albums in the list around the same time). For context, I rated More Songs About Buildings And Food, and Fear Of Music (which I got on consecutive days, funnily enough) 3 and 4, respectively. So either I've been getting their albums in order of how good they are, or I'm really taking a liking to them. Probably both things at the same time. I can see how this must have been very innovative for its time, and still it sounds fresh to new ears after 46 years. The fact that they made an album with such a merge of genres sound so cohesive at the same time is truly amazing. I haven't even got familiar with the specific songs, but it's so clear on first listen how extraordinary Remain In Light is.

Absolute classic

Extremely inventive and fun

This rules

Apart from a best of that I listen to every once in a while, I don't know much about the Talking Heads and yes I should have paid more attention to them. The cohesion on the first songs is very strong with this funky vibe and it hooked me directly. Favorite songs: Born under punches ; The Great Curve ; Once in a Lifetime ; Listening Wind

never actually listened through before. the energy is unreal. favorite song is Listening Wind

My first album I bought in vinyl say less

Oh yeah. I was already very familiar with this album, and I had Once in a Lifetime and Born under Punches in my playlist for a long time, so this was a good opportunity to get more familiar with some of the songs I haven't heard as much. They did not disappoint. This album is basically divided into two halves; the first is funky and high energy, and the second is contemplative, eerie, and wonderfully psychedelic. The first half features more live instrumentation and the second is more electronic. I might slightly prefer the first half for that reason (the two note bass line on born under punches is one of my favorites.) The instrumentals are all just busy enough to have maximal rhythmic interest without overwhelming you; all the different bleeps and clicks are so delicious. Like Ray said, the lead singer has a somewhat similar quality to Pere Ubu, but I much prefer his singing because it is more tool and he uses nice harmonies. I went into this album thinking I'd give it a three or four, but there are no weak tracks, so I might have to go to five.

5 stars! One of my all-time faves. Still sounds so fresh (after 46 -- wtf? -- years), and bursting with creativity, and funk and . . . how did they do that?! It still sounds so original, and also so full, and dense (multi-layered) - but also tight. Never goes stale for me. The closest to doing this (i.e., going stale) is probably "Once in a Lifetime," which I still hear fairly often on the radio. As I recall, it was one of the songs that first grabbed me, but for much longer, now, it has been all of the other songs that I've really grown to love, and, even more so, all of them together as a group. I can think of few albums (if any) where I have a stronger sense of the perfect cohesiveness of an entire album; it's like entering a another (and fascinating) world. A world with satisfying, catchy, danceable rhythms.

excelente!!

Probably the only Talking Heads album I still consistently listen to from start to finish. Brilliant collaboration between Eno and the band on the production, and an incredible stylistic left turn to even take to begin with. Truly an album to hear before you die.

Groovy

I havent heard this in a long time and have never given it close attention. What a great mix of almost afrobeat rythms and percussion layered over a funk groove that underpins and provides a solid base for some more arty and experimental elements. The solid base is Provided by a great bass/drums rythm section playing so solidly together. It gives it a rock/pop appeal that the album may not have otherwise had. I suspect a lot of kudos to Brian Eno for this given his role producing, playing, songwriting (how much songwriting I dont know as all the band get songwriting credits here. Blending so many elements without letting one stand out or have it come out sounding like a dogs breakfast is incredible. The drone and repetition of track 1 had me worried the whole album would be the same, no chords structure like you’d expect in a rock/pop/most songs but it was the same, in fact there werent any chord changes at all, just the individual instruments weaving melody in and around the one chord, but it was not boring at all and i didnt really focua on it after song 1 and that is a fucking amazing feat.

I love this one so much. You're making it hard on me, all this classic albums. A few years ago I followed the Talking Heads discography, and I remember very well the excitement of getting to listen to this album. Another 5. I think that even if it dropped as a 2000's dance record it would have made waves in the music scene. 1980? Revolutionary.

One of the most influential new wave albums of all time.

Fantastic album. All hangs together super well.

I'm a bit miffed Speaking in Tongues isn't on here (I don't think?), but this is still an incredible album, definitely worthy of a 5

Tina Weymouth I would still do anything for you...

(Relisten) This is the kind of enlightenment that every musician hopes to achieve. This album is so deeply introspective whilst remaining unapologetically chaotic that it's truly a wonder that it has stood the test of time. Being Talking Head's most well-revered project, it's intimidating to pick up but impossible for me to put down. Although I prefer Speaking In Tongues, I can't ignore how fun this album's front half is. Comparatively, the back half has never fully clicked with me, however, I appreciate it's delivery and effort. Also, I'd like to note that Tina Weymouth's bass playing on this record is genius. I adore it. Highlights: Born Under Punches, Crosseyed and Painless, The Great Curve, Once in a Lifetime, Listening Wind, The Overload Lowlight: Houses in Motion

A masterpiece of an album. The first 3 tracks are so energetic and frenetic and that's before you get to the band's signature song. The second half of the album is more moody and contemplative but all the songs still groove. This is the best Talking Heads album - they take a lot of risks but all of them work. The end of Great Curve makes me wish they had more guitar solos. Best tracks: Crosseyed and Painless, The Great Curve, Once in a Lifetime, Seen and Not Seen

I'm never passing up the chance to listen to this beauty. One small point. I prefer the original release instead of the deluxe. It's shorter and concise. The outtakes don't add much of value.

Innovative genius

A great album. I was a little disappointed when I saw that Speaking in Tongues wasn't on the list, but this album is probably my favorite of the remaining four. This is a group that deserves multiple albums on the list because of how their sound and focuses changed over time.

So ahead of it's time, how can anyone who seriously like music hate on this.

David Byrne and Brian Eno i love you both forever

Another all time favorite.

This was an enjoyable listen. The laid back attitude with quirky directions was fascinating without being weird. There were some good hooks throughout as well. I am not sure there was a main idea or at least I didn’t catch it.

One of my favorites. Great rhythms

I've already run through one or two albums made by (or featuring) members of Talking Heads, and quite a few more by future artists who were heavily inspired by their work; here, for the first time, we get the genuine artifact, and it's probably their best work! I would've liked to lead up to this a little bit more but hey, that's the luck of the draw for you. Remain in Light has always felt like kind of a miracle to me, even from the first time I heard it as a teenager. even for 1980, it feels wildly ahead of the curve. of course, we owe at least some of this to producer Brian Eno, who's also shown up a few times in my 1001 Albums journey on the grounds that he's one of the most important, forward-thinking musicians in all of recorded music. however, even more important than Eno's contributions is the heavy influence of Fela Kuti and Tony Allen. yes, underneath all the funk and punk and disco influences, the propulsive, driving weight of Afrobeat really drives the proceedings, especially on side A. these songs are borderline modal, with pretty static harmonic treatments. you could boil most of 'em down to a single chord. but, like with Afrobeat, the intrigue comes from all the layers. damn, there's so many layers to these songs. a shit-ton of percussion, guitar and synth riffs popping in and out, vocal melodies and countermelodies, David Byrne's nervous shout, Adrian Belew howling away, the basslines! even on the second side, when things get slower and more ambient, the attention to detail never lets up. if you've yet to experience Remain in Light, do it now! you'll likely fill in some pretty major historical gaps. 10/10.

solid and sounds as relevant today as it did when it came out

God

Sweet

the great curve is top 500 songs ever by the way

One of the greatest ever. Hard to say anything new here but the concept, innovation, and album cover are as good as it comes. Side A might be my favorite side of any album. The subtleties of Side B hit me a bit harder this time around. The second half isn’t as good as the first but it’s a case where the good is so good that I look over any “flaws” I have with it. 31st perfect album, 987 albums in. Rating: 5.0

An exceptional album, one of the best by the Talking Heads

Cool niet gebaseerd op ckassic rock/bkues

Fantastic record. Wall to wall hits; no misses

Maaaaaaassstterpiieeeccceee

Pure class.

Offbeat, engaging, and hauntingly beautiful. Not sure if I've ever heard anything like this album, it's wildly inventive and very interesting. Zero wasted space and a lot going on in a shorter runtime. Will most likely be coming back to this one since I'm sure repeat listens are even more musically rewarding

From the first bar of the first song you know you’re in uncharted territory. Layered, syncopated rhythm guitars pulling off something akin to some vein of world music, new wave funk dub bass, groovy solid drum lines, and a front man just dripping with bravado who sings the only thing that can be sung over these tunes while remaining firmly rooted in his own unique style without being gimmicky. These songs are weird and thoroughly pretentious in a way, but they’re great. Maybe it’s exactly that weirdness that makes this so fresh and captivating. The songs never really change. There’s seldom to never a verse/chorus structure. The songs never really end either. They just groove off into the sunset to make way for the next experience. Adrian Belew’s guitar solos are bizarre and somehow always perfect. This is a masterful set of songs.

The third and final record Eno produced for the Talking Heads is also my favorite Talking Heads album. There is so much going on on this record: interesting world instruments and rhythms; great backing vocals; amazing guitar work by Adrian Belew. I’ve been listening to this record for over 20 years and I still hear new things on it. After this record, TH took a break then recorded Speaking in Tongues, which included the hit single Burning Down the House. But that record suffers from slick overproduction and a spotty track list. Remain in Light was the last truly exceptional Talking Heads album, and, I believe, their very best work.

And you may find yourself living in a shotgun shack And you may find yourself in another part of the world And you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife And you may ask yourself, "Well, how did I get here?" Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down Letting the days go by, water flowing underground Into the blue again, after the money's gone Once in a lifetime, water flowing underground And you may ask yourself, "How do I work this?" And you may ask yourself, "Where is that large automobile?" And you may tell yourself, "This is not my beautiful house" And you may tell yourself, "This is not my beautiful wife" Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down Letting the days go by, water flowing underground Into the blue again, after the money's gone Once in a lifetime, water flowing underground Same as it ever was, same as it ever was Same as it ever was, same as it ever was Same as it ever was, same as it ever was Same as it ever was, same as it ever was Water dissolving and water removing There is water at the bottom of the ocean Under the water, carry the water Remove the water from the bottom of the ocean Water dissolving and water removing Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down Letting the days go by, water flowing underground Into the blue again, into the silent water Under the rocks and stones, there is water underground Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down Leting the days go by, water flowing underground Into the blue again, after the money's gone Once in a lifetime, water flowing underground You may ask yourself, "What is that beautiful house?" You may ask yourself, "Where does that highway go to?" And you may ask yourself, "Am I right, am I wrong?" And you may say to yourself, "My God, what have I done?" Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down Letting the days go by, water flowing underground Into the blue again, into the silent water Under the rocks and stones, there is water underground Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down Letting the days go by, water flowing underground Into the blue again, after the money's gone Once in a lifetime, water flowing underground Same as it ever was, same as it ever was Same as it ever was, look where my hand was Time isn't holding up, time isn't after us Same as it ever was, same as it ever was Same as it ever was, same as it ever was Same as it ever was, same as it ever was (I couldn't get no rest) Same as it ever was, hey let's all twist our thumbs Here comes the twister Letting the days go by (same as it ever was, same as it ever was) Letting the days go by (same as it ever was, same as it ever was) Once in a lifetime, let the water hold me down Letting the days go by, water flowing underground

Love the album, love the band. It may sound strange to most, but back in the 80's, I used to imagine being David Byrne, dorking around live on stage in a packed club. Cool, right? Of all the rock stars to emulate, I pick the nerd, quirky, socially awkward, skinny white boy with a clear learning disability. Some silly shit right there, but man, the 80's were fun times. Not my favorite album from this group, but a close second, and every bit excellent.

All timer

Same as it ever was Fav tracks: Born Under Punches, Crosseyed and Painless, The Great Curve, Once in a Lifetime

i love this album 😭♥️

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!

Truly one of the all time classic albums. Such densely layered rhythms Fav tracks: Crosseyed and Painless, The Great Curve, Once in a Lifetime, Seen and Not Seen

Yeah this is a classic

Perfect

Again, one of the very best

Talking Heads are a top 5 band of all time for me and this is their best album. Absolutely flawless.

My all time favourite.

An all time classic.

"Remain in Light" kicks off with "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)," driven by pulsating, "human-sampled" percussion and a relentless dance rhythm. David Byrne’s distinctive vocal cadence - neither truly sung nor purely spoken - sets a paranoid yet commanding tone, backed by superb vocal harmonies, tasteful guitar work, and a great bassline. That opening defines the album's DNA. The first side, in particular, swings with a potent degree of funk, provided largely by the wonderful Tina Weymouth (most notably on the unstoppable "Crosseyed and Painless"). At a smidgeon over 40 minutes, the record is expertly paced; it is a captivating, engaging listen that never risks becoming boring. To these ears, Side One is simply faultless. Side Two introduces a shift in temperament with the "perfect pop" of "Once in a Lifetime," which pivots away from the manic swing of the first half toward something more atmospheric. As the album progresses, the pace slows, but the groove deepens - particularly on the slinky, menacing "Houses in Motion." By the time we reach "Listening Wind," the soundscape becomes lovely yet profoundly mournful. The album concludes with the stark, haunting "The Overload," which stands in complete opposition to the album's opening energy. For an album approaching its 46th anniversary, it has aged remarkably well. The production by Brian Eno and the collaborative mix are stellar, creating a sonic depth that felt futuristic in 1980 and remains utterly distinctive today. I’m usually the first to cringe when an album is lazily labelled a "masterpiece", but here, the hyperbole is entirely justified. Five stars. Side One 1 "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)" (5/5) 2 "Crosseyed and Painless" (5/5) 3 "The Great Curve" (5/5) Side Two 1 "Once in a Lifetime" (5/5) 2 "Houses in Motion" (5/5) 3 "Seen and Not Seen" (4/5) 4 "Listening Wind" (5/5) 5 "The Overload" (5/5) Total - 39 Average - 4.88 259/1001 140/259 albums reviewed were new to me

I've said it before probably on Fear of Music when I got that on here. This is the music of my people. I still know that I'm not going to give people all of '77 or something as their first foray into Talking Heads. If you only have 5 minutes of someone's attention to explain what this band is about, you would use the tracks here. Must hear before death etc

Y'all mind if some swaged out white people get a lil funky?

If you only know the radio hits then this one will throw you in a loop. There's a hit on this one that you'll know. As for the rest of it..It's weird. It's out there. It's frantic. The music is all over the place & it might've been influenced by some outside substances. & that's exactly how I want my Talking Heads!! A classic & I love it!!

a while after I met my bf he dragged me into stop making sense. loved it and ever since then listening to the talking heads makes me happy

absolutely fucking legendary

One of the greatest albums of all time. I genuinely cannot fathom what stroke of genius brings forth something like this. Absolute madness.

A treat

Det är nog deras bästa va? Meditativt och poppigt samtidigt, med otroliga små nuggets till solon och annat trams som kommer in och förgyller. Man hör ju Fela-inspirationen tydligt men de lyckas göra det till sitt eget! Äsch, känner mig generös!

Best heads album. Still is after a relisten. Just listen to it and you'll see.

More Talking Heads! Probably my favourite album of them. This is a bit more up-tempo, percussive and rhythm focused, which I like a lot. The first half is the best, with 'Born Under Punches', 'Once in a Lifetime', and 'Houses in Motion' being the absolute best songs. The second half is a bit more down-tempo, but still really tasteful and cool. As with their other music, this is equally quirky. But on this record I think they found a coolness that I'm sometimes missing in their music. Not much more to say, just really good stuff! If there is one Talking Heads album you should listen to, it should be this. Weak 5!

another massive win for autism!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love Dave Byrne.

The Great Curve (of my dick) Great album.

Always love when I get to listen to a Talking Heads album as part of this project -- same as it ever was!

C'mon now 5/5

Somehow, I'm not sure I ever recall listening to this all the way through, but I'd definitely call this a masterpiece and the best thing Talking Heads ever did. What stood out to me most is just how relentlessly RHYTHMIC this is - it's groovy and percussive, just not in typical ways. Born Under Punches maybe typifies this, with slap bass and the plunky guitar, but it doesn't sound very much like typical funk. The production is so cool and layered and most songs just have so much happening. Once in a Lifetime truly lives up to its namesake as a song - I know of nothing else really like it. I was maybe most surprised by the closing track and how brooding and ominous of an atmosphere it creates. Overall just a fantastic record.

Never has there been an album with so much stylistic variation, unsettling atmosphere, and infectious grooves. Talking Heads were able to blend funk, African music, new wave, post punk, and so much more into 8 tracks and make it a cohesive body of work. It’s a truly unique album with endless replay value in my eyes. I have always adored this record and its colorfulness juxtaposing its smokiness.

Surprised me. The whole thing holds together as one delightfully weird album.

4.7/5 great album not my fav talking heads tho does have crossed and painless

Talking Heads was a collective noun for Len Houmous’ wives 2,19,21 and 32. 4.7 4/8 Once In A Lifetime

Great! Just great!

Is this a perfect album? No. Is it great? Yes. Side A is near perfect and side B is a bit slower but still has some great songs. Talking Heads are all about the rhythm and mood. Going into deep idea while having fun is a trick that they pull off masterfully.

High energy, layered, sometimes manic. Funky, melodic, percussive.

goddamn perfect album. i still remember the first time listening to this all the way through

Another one to which is give 10,000 stars if I could.

Great album

I forgot how much “Crosseyed and Painless” rips

Banger after BANGER. From the first YAH! I’m enthralled.

KR: jeg tror aldri det har slått meg før hvor mye (i alle fall starten av) The Overload høres ut som Joy Division. Noe som egentlig er litt rart, siden mitt forhold til denne skiva er fra en periode (typ starten/midten av 2000-tallet) der jeg hørte *masse* på JD

Amazing album. Within seconds of starting it’s already in full flow, like you as the listener have put your fingers on a pulse to find that it’s already beating fast. The album brings rock infected with anxiety and imagination, layering frenetic rhythms, funky ensemble flourishes, blurted and chanted and murmured lyrical evocations. But for all the oddity of the sound and bewilderment of the lyrics, it’s never disjointed or self satisfyingly sad. It transmutes all that into verve and groove. Wonderfully odd and earnest from the first seconds

9/10 It took a few listens for this album to settle in but I enjoyed it a lot.

Fantastic

So funky but perfectly balanced. Extra points for being released on my birthday, but I do genuinely love this. I listened to it twice for good measure

At the time this was called dancing music for thinking people. Fela Kuti meets Top of the Pops - an exciting moment in 20th century popular music.

The rhythm, the layers and layers of instruments and the constant repetition on all tracks make this record hypnotic and unforgettable. My God, Adrian Belew's solo on 'Born Under Punches' is out of this world. Can't get enough of the OCD controlled chaos in 'The Great Curve', and its call-and-response vocal harmonies. Can't count how many times I've listened to this album. It's SO addictive.

What an amazing album. Byrne is such a weirdo! I love his lyricism. Seen and Not Seen was so real. I feel like this is a guy who really gets it. And the music ! Oh my ! The music is phenomenal. This is what Lou Reed wishes he sounded like. I feel like I hear all of the instruments both separately and entirely indistinguishable from the whole.

I love Talking Heads so much. No notes.

Duh its a 5/5. On a good day its my favourite album of all time, the creativity and claustrophobic energy of the first five tracks is unmatched by almost any other album I've had the pleasure of listening to

it’s so goddamn good I want to light myself on fire

It’s a classic. So good.

Fantastic album. I don't understand why the second half of the album tends to get so much shade. Seen and Not Seen and The Listening Wind are my two favourite tracks on here.

Didn't initally resonate with this -- probably not a running album! Upon second full listen… loved it all except the last two songs (bit slow). Very dance-able and vibey!! Completely understand the acclaim with this album, love the funkiness

Not my favorite Heads album, but also not hard to see why it's on this list. Even besides "Once In A Lifetime" being a new wave classic, the rest of the album is no slouch. Big fan of the entire rhythm section in particular with all the amazing bass, drum and percussion work. Adrian Belew's session guitar work is also a treat. 9/10.

Masterpiece

Stellar. Another album with a variety of sounds, and a song i've always heard but never knew the name of.

Listening to 'Remain In Light' for the first time, it might actually boggle the mind as to why it's considered one of the greatest albums ever recorded. There are more genres on display than songs, David Byrne's voice sounds like he's in constant danger and none of the songs are really conventional pop hits. But to truly understand and appreciate the brilliance of 'Remain In Light', multiple listens are a must. This is truly a rewarding listening experience. Inspired primarily by afrobeat, worldbeat and funk, with dashes of electronica and punk, 'Remain In Light' is a beautifully-arranged collection of music that is, without a doubt, as challenging and as inventive as new wave ever got. With the legendary Brian Eno at the production helm, he only took what he learned working with David Bowie and added more variety, not that Bowie's Berlin records weren't varied enough already. Lead single 'Once In A Lifetime' is such a brilliant rumination about existentialism and living life on autopilot, questioning whether it is truly "living". It is only further complemented by 'Houses In Motion', which takes the mood of 'Once In a Lifetime' and laments deeper about how that autopilot way of life can lead to eventual insecurity and losd of all meaning. The songs play out like a real cause and effect scenario, and in both instances, David Byrne is imploring the listener to wake up and smell the roses, essentially. The rest of the record is solid too, of course, but I needed to highlight those two songs in particular as they are essential to understanding this record. 'Remain In Light', at its very core, is about maintaining that will to be weird in a society that pushes you towards conformity and following the life script, and through some of the funkiest bass lines you'll ever hear (courtesy of Byrne and Tina Weymouth), truly innovative guitar lines (Byrne, Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew) and Eno's astute production, 'you may find yourself' really appreciating how genius this record truly is. Best songs: All of them!

Good

A bonafide classic rock album.

The best Talking Heads album

One of my favorite albums of all time. Peak Talking Heads.

So is this too obvious or, am I reading too much into it, but the cover is some kind of nod to both Andy Warhol and the Beatles, Let it Be. Anyway, then the album sounds a bit like the Beatles as written by Andy Warhol in a full on pop art style. But there's also Afro beat, funk, rap, rock and pop music as well as pop art. But with many bands, it could all be too much but not here. Works perfectly to me. Fantastic album, 5 out of 5 for me.

Quite possibly the best album from one of my favorite bands. Might not be my favorite TH album but probably the closest this band has come to a perfect album. Beautifully layered instrumentation with catchy grooves; What more can you ask for? I will admit the outtakes on this album leave a bit to be desired so I would skip them if you want the untainted experience.

Yay

this is a classic, of course i've already heard this!! i don't really have to rate this necessarily, i know for sure it's a near-perfect album Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On) - 5/5 Crosseyed and Painless - 5/5 The Great Curve - 5/5 Once in a Lifetime - 5/5 Houses in Motion - 5/5 Seen and Not Seen - 4/5 Listening Wind - 5/5 The Overload - 3/5 Average score: 4.6/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ honestly, only track(s) that keep this from being a solid 5-stars in my book is The Overload (maaaaybe Seen and Not Seen as well as it's also a bit weak). that being said, that certainlg doesn't keep me from giving it 5 stars here

Another album I have on vinyl. It’s without a doubt their best album, Side A is FLAWLESS

Doesn’t get any better than this.

It's inventive, and it's nice to listen back with hindsight and spot the Afrobeat influences behind this album and those emanating forward from it. 'Once in a Lifetime' is the one standout track to me, extraordinary and stirring. I'd give it a solid 3 stars but Adrian Belew's spellbinding bat-mess-crazy guitar solos take it up to a 5.

One of my favorite albums. I love Talking Heads. I remember being introduced to this 80s alternative extravagance during my university days. Great album, come for 'Once in a Lifetime,' stay for the for David Byrne.

4.5 - Great

slay

This has always been my favorite Talking Heads album. I first listened to it in college as part of a class I took called 'The Producer as Composer', and ever since then it has slowly been revealing itself to me. It had been awhile since I'd listened to the studio versions of these songs - the live versions from Stop Making Sense and The Name of This Band tend to make it into my rotation more often. Despite all of this, I’m alarmed to note that until this very moment I thought the title of the record was 'Remain in THE Light'. The fact that there is no 'the' in there is bewildering. How the fuck?? Regardless, if I could give this a 10, I would. It’s a tidal wave of sound, rhythm and counterpoint, with blistering instrumental solos that resemble everything from buzz saws to dial-up modems. In the first half of the record, songs that are transparently made up of interlocking, yet fully distinct parts somehow resolve into a piece that feels like it emerged fully-formed from the mouth of the universe- ‘Once in a Lifetime’. In the second half, the ebullience and inspiration of afrobeat dissolves into dead-eyed spoken word and a haunted ballad from the perspective of a terrorist. In terms of scope, ambition and pure creative muscle, it’s hard to imagine anything on this list can match it.

a solid 10/10, every song in the album is a hit.

I love the talking heads! I was most familiar with Once in a Lifetime on this album, but I really enjoyed listening to the whole thing.

iconic of COURSE

There is absolutely nothing like this album and there won’t be anything quite like it again. Before this record, Talking Heads were a punk band with a funk streak. After this album, they were a killer pop band with a massive repertoire of musical styles. But this was a moment of utter synthesis, of merging funk and world music exploration, expanded soundscapes, and punk attack into a real masterpiece. Adding more musicians like Adrian Belew and Bernie Worrell pushed the music to new heights, and also stretched the concept of what music could be. Yeah it’s a masterpiece, but it’s rare when you can pull out a record and say “this changed music forever.” Remain in Light is one of those records.

Psychedelic and a skipper.. the way I imagine the 80s. Captured a feeling. Heard a feeling.

The Talking Heads at their weirdest, full of great grooves and a lot of understated tracks that reward multiple listens, plus of course the masterpiece Once in A Lifetime. This starts very high energy and stays that way for the first several songs, and then mellows out dramatically for the last three songs, which are almost ambient. I could argue that the album might be better with the songs ordered differently, but it’s a great album either way.

extremely good

One of the greatest albums of all time, easy 5 out of 5. I personally enjoy Fear of Music a bit more, but that does not take away from Remain in Light's greatness.

I listen to this album at least once a week.

I already listened to this album a while ago! 10/10

Lo voy a comprar en vinil, 10/10

Each song in the back half gets slower, just when you think it can’t get slower they hit you with the overload

I love so much.

One of the all time greats. Rhythmic beauty

The rhythm in this album is really something else. The Fela Kuti and African influence is so present throughout this album, though it is not an imitation but a new and completely distinct feeling in the music. There's so much energy throughout this album. Once In A Lifetime is a classic, but The Great Curve is too darn good as well. It was completely new to me on my first listen and it just blew my mind. This whole album's a real mind bender and definitely an essential for all to listen.

Facts are useful in emergencies

First album of 2026 and it's my favourite Talking Heads album. Hopefully an omen for a good year!

This is the best album i’ve ever heard, can’t believe I only knew Once in a Lifetime. David Byrne invented music and I stand by that

Excellent album very Zappa Influenced

Вот еще одно клише в список (думаю, что оно уже применялось триста раз до этого, но): если бы этот альбом вышел в 2026-ом, возможно, у человечества была бы надежда. Лучшая песня - Listening Wind.

I love Talking Heads but have always preferred their live albums, so I don't really know their records well. This one is insanely stacked. Born Under Punches into Crosseyed and Painless to The Great Curve is just killer. I'm so pumped up. What can you even say about Once in a Lifetime? just thinking about it can make me cry. perfect song. SAME AS IT EVER WAS! Falls off a little after that but this still gets a perfect score for the first half of the album. 4.6/5

What a great album to start this project with

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

the (only) talking heads that i reach for

Fantastic start to finish.

And you may find yourself listening to this album, And you may find yourself in another part of the world, And you may find yourself having the time of your life, And you may find yourself asking to give this album 6 stars, And you may ask yourself, "how did I get here?"

Played this for the kids yesterday and expected to be told to turn it off near-immediately. On the contrary, they were super into it. I was jealous because it took me decades and some cajoling from Thom Yorke and James Murphy to really connect with Remain in Light, and with Talking Heads in general. Once it clicked, it clicked hard. What a unique, off-kilter masterpiece.

I don't know why I didn't listen to this before. So many good grooves.

Love it

Canon for a reason.

100%!!! Amazing album!

Silly!

YES

One of my ALL TIME FAVES !!

Classic album and a great mix of sounds and influences

What a great album. So dense. So full of energy. So clever. Have listened before and listen to lots of the songs separately from the whole album, but I think the whole album sounds better than previous listens. Almost feels like a David lynch soundtrack, especially songs 6 to 8 - surprisingly moody.

Exceptional record, every song great. All unique but along the same theme, feels really cohesive without being dull. Worthy of the hype

Born Under Punches and Right Start are cool

One of my favourite albums of all time

A classic

On Remain in Light Talking Heads produce something that captures the feel of spontaneous creativity and the magic of the first draft, without compromising on perfect arrangements of meticulously developed sound beds. The vibe is loosey-goosey but the performances are tight and expertly judged. The chaos is all -planned. Their sound is a world away from their first two albums, embracing something far more abstract and ethereal. Its unprecedentedly atmospheric arrangements of noise which act as a poppy, angular backdrop for David Byrne to pour his stream of consciousness vocals into - a perfect match. Given how popular this album is you'd expect there to be copycat bands pilfering these rich ideas for inspiration, but artists are not doing this because its incredibly challenging music to write and very difficult to copy. Remain in Light is a rare beast and one of the best albums ever made.

Today’s Talking Heads record is my favourite of theirs and a solid 5, I think they do everything they do well here better than anywhere else and the whole product is consistently excellent

I clearly haven't given them enough time for god only knows why.

Like the coolest mixtape you ever owned.

Spectacular. One of my favourites.

A brilliant blend of Fela Kuti afro-pop, Brian Eno production (and songwriting credit), great backing players like Adrian Belew, and David Byrne at his Byrniest...there's nothing like Remain in Light. In four years to go from Talking Heads 77 to this album is mind boggling. Eno had a lot to do with it but the four members matured in songwriting and created songs from jamming together that formed the basis for these songs. I discovered this album later as I first came to love them with Speaking in Tongues and Stop Making Sense. Remain in Light is the album that led to their breakthrough. Listening again, the standouts for me are "The Great Curve," " Houses in Motion," and "Listening Wind." Not enough superlatives in the world for this album.

One of those albums i could just listen to forever. Unlike a lot of Talking Heads albums, I struggle to remember/mix up some of the names of songs on this album, and i think thats down to how fantastic the continuity is. The songs blend together in the best way, listening is like being in a flow state, with the hypnotic grooves and odd guitar tones. My favorites are probably Born Under Punches and the very underrated, spooky, Listening Wind, but almost everything is essential. Ive never been too crazy about The Overload but even that one starts to grow on you after awhile

I'm floored by how much better this is than the other Talking Heads records I've heard. Talking Heads 77, Fear Of Music, and More Songs About Buildings And Food all got nothing on this. And sure, most of these 5 stars come from Once in a Lifetime, but the rest of the album packs a real punch too (nudge, nudge). Especially with headphones. I love the interacting guitar lines in Born Under Punches. They're so fast, peppy, slick. And dirty at the same time. I appreciate that Byrne isn't trying too hard to pass off his singing as competent, instead adopting a sort of ad-lib expressive talking, as well as using vocal harmonies in some places. Towards the end of the song, the band really keys in on overlapping vocals in the second half. (Dang. This is a great piece of music.) Am I right to think this counts as world-inspired music? Some of the unusual vocal tendencies, and the light, varied percussion, remind me of Fela Kuti's Zombie record. But I enjoy this significantly more. Crosseyed and Painless makes it clear that the band's committing to that twangy, distorted bass sound that was a staple of the disco and post-disco genre. It sounds fantastic though. That repeating line "Stilllll waiting", combined with all the other overlapping elements... there's so much to focus on. The highlight of The Great Curve is the instrumental in the middle, which combines the ubiquitous rapid guitar riff with some solid horn hits (sounding suspiciously like those orchestra hits you can get on keyboards, but I'm sure they're legitimate here) and a very odd guitar solo. The backing vocals – especially "So say so, so say so" – again do wonders here. No idea what's going on in Once in a Lifetime. I assume those are keyboards... and Byrne yelling about my beautiful wife... and some odd percussion and bass. The chorus is very recognisable. Combined with that wacky, ethereal keyboard part, the chorus really lifts the song above the rest of the album. It's so, so good. Goddamn. Houses in Motion is the "bacteria music" of the album, but I still enjoy it. Seen and Not Seen flashes by quickly, and seems to be mostly a glitzy keyboard jam session alongside Byrne calmly talking about facial structure. Listening Wind has a fun chorus melody, and an echoey, sort of arcade-esque synth line that complements it well. Before listening to The Overload, I was apprehensive because it has so few streams on Spotify compared to the other tracks. But it's just as strong as most of the other tracks. Dark, slow, psychedelic, and I enjoy the low drone that stops the track from sounding too desolate. 5/5 Key tracks: Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On), Crosseyed and Painless, Once in a Lifetime

vad i fanvete det svänger ju!

𝘙𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘓𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 thrives on its dense, interlocking polyrhythms. The album layers guitars, bass, keyboards and percussion in repeating patterns that continuously shift, overlap and evolve, creating a hypnotic sense of motion. Instead of traditional verse–chorus structures, the music builds gradually, adding new rhythmic and textural elements until each track becomes almost trance-like. What makes it compelling is how the grooves feel both mechanical and organic — tight enough to sound engineered, yet fluid enough to feel alive. The influence of West African rhythmic concepts is clear, but they’re reinterpreted through a distinctly art-rock perspective, resulting in music that’s experimental without losing its sense of momentum and drive. It’s an album that stays engaging because the further you listen into a track, the more there is happening. The complexity never overwhelms; it pulls the listener deeper. A rare case where intellectual and physical energy work perfectly together.

Very good

You may ask yourself, “What other band sounded like this in 1980?” For a band that was already expanding their sound on each new album, Talking Heads’ fourth studio album was still a huge leap forward. They added many new layers here, both philosophically, lyrically, and musically. While I most enjoy the sheer energy and punchiness of other albums, this is a great achievement. Favorite songs: The Great Curve because it’s such a great groove; and Listening Wind, because it’s such a great story. Song Credits Where Credits Due: Chris Franz and Tina Weymouth write in their autobiography that the band nearly broke up over David Byrne’s waywardness / solo projects, but they coaxed him back into the studio by the jams that laid the foundation of this album. Don’t undervalue the rhythm section here!

Near perfect.

Masterpiece!!!

Such a unique sound its difficult to categorise but not one skippable track on here.

Spet mam fajn streak - med pando sem velik preposlušala Speaking In Tongues, ne pa ta album! Fajn funky začetek z "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)". "Crosseyed and Painless" mi je bil zmer všeč. Kombinacija tega hitrega ritma s počasnim, zategnjenim petjem mi je ful zanimiva. Prou noro je kako hitr je percussion, tud v naslednjem komadu ("The Great Curve"). Po pa sam en boljših komadov to exist, "Once in a Lifetime". Fak, ker dobr bass line. Morm rewatchat Stop Making Sense. Ta polovica albuma ja mal bl chill. Začetek zadnjega komada ("The Overload" je kr epski. Zanimiv je kako je album iz brutalno hitrih ritmov na koncu pristal v najbl mirnem, mal temačnem vzdušju.

David Byrne joy and Brian Eno weird.

(100/100)

Love me some talking heads

Ok maybe my brother is onto something.

Talking Heads at the height of their prime. Coupled with the legendary Brian Eno producing for them, this album is a juggernaut of New Wave and 80s music. The first 5 songs are such a fantastic experience, not to downplay the dark and mysterious sonic intrigue of the last 3 songs. Once in a Lifetime is legendary amongst their catalogue and has come back time and again into the pop zeitgeist in one way or another. The energy of Crosseyed and Painless is fantastic, I especially can't recommend the Stop Making Sense version enough (honestly, go listen to Stop Making Sense, too. Absolutely phenomenal). My personal favorite here is The Great Curve. Frantic, energetic rhythms overlaid with layers of vocals and guitar and synth work that really raises the whole experience. Around the 4 minute mark to the end when the whole thing becomes a wall of multiple different backing vocal lines on top of the instruments followed by the outro guitar solo is so good.

One of the tightest albums ever. Polyrhythms! The mood shifts with each song, perfectly laid out.

I feel like I can imagine most of these songs as physical textures. The talking heads synthetically gave me synesthesia 😍. Anyways I liked this album a lot it’s super interesting to listen to. I like other talking heads albums a little more probably, but this is still pretty sick. Fav songs: once in a lifetime, the overload

Brian Eno, David Bryne and their amazing friends

stone cold classic

Great Album. Talking HEads is always a great listen.

I love Talking Heads. This is not my favorite album of theirs, but I think my blinding love for them distorts my objectivity.

masterpeça

My father in law is a massive Talking Heads fan. He’s fortunate enough to have met Brian Eno, Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth thanks to working in the music industry. He used to play Once in a Lifetime to my eldest when he used to look after him. At that time, I was fond of Talking Heads and the songs I knew but it wasn’t until the re-release of Stop Making Sense a few years ago that I started becoming more interested. Seeing the advert, seeing the clips, seeing the energy on stage, literally running around and then of course, the unusual David Byrne dancing, and that suit! I couldn’t help but laugh but at the same time I was mesmerised. At the time, the original was included in Prime Video so decided to watch it, I got to know the songs and then it started to become an obsession. The live arrangements of their music in this show, for me, still surpass much of what is on their studio albums, but there was far more treasure to be found on the studio albums, and to a certain extent, I’m still getting to know all of their 8 studio albums. Remain in Light is widely regarded as their magnum opus and the more I have listened, the more I’m inclined to agree. They close Stop Making Sense with one of my favourites here, Crosseyed and Painless, which just gets better and better with each listen and is proving rather prescient with lyrics about facts and the twisting of the truth. The Afro beat and rhythmic arrangements of the first half of this album in particular, are wonderful. The Great Curve is an absolute gem, and as for Once in a Lifetime, it’s a song that I found to be far better than I ever realised, and I always liked it. The second half of the album is much more spacious and downbeat, with the closer, The Overload, seemingly an ode to Joy Division.

Once in a lifetime

Absolutely essential.

++*: Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On), The Great Curve, Once in a Lifetime ++: Crosseyed and Painless, Houses in Motion, Seen and Not Seen, Listening Wind, The Overload 9,9/10

I love this album, each song sounds like a totally unique musical journey! I know Once In A Lifetime is the big hit song, but The Great Curve is definitely my favorite. The intricacies and complexity of how the different parts of the band blend together is truly one of a kind.

Este projeto é super competente -- sobretudo na sua musicalidade -- e é compreensível que seja lembrado como um dos melhores da sua época.

One of the ebst front sides of an album ever, second half was slower than I remember so maybe not a best ever contender as I might have previously had it. Still undeniable

perfect album

Cerramos definitivamente octubre con mi disco favorito de Talking Heads, el cual he escuchado incontables veces y al que cada cierto tiempo vuelvo y le encuentro algo nuevo, distinto en su propuesta sonora y artística. Me lleva a momentos felices pero siento que el disco no se agota ni tampoco mis sentimientos para con él y las ganas de bailar y de meterme en mí que me dan. Creo que estoy en mi época post-punk/gótica/new wave y que esta época durará mucho tiempo más. Sin más que agregar que la alegría que me da éste disco, me despido hasta el lunes, ya con noviembre entre nosotros, gente. Buen finde.

I officially love the talking heads thanks to this album journey.

I have seen every pretentious music bitch in the world post this album art at some point so I assume it's like a big deal or something Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On): sploinky. I can't think of a single direct comparison for what this sounds like, really really interesting. not sure if I like it but it's worming its way into my brain the longer it goes on *Crosseyed and Painless: this one rips. dropped 45 years ago and still sounds fresh. I can hear the fingerprints of this in like every modern day British post-punk song I've ever heard *The Great Curve: they are grooving the fuck out for real. really digging how a lot of these songs aren't immediate for me, they don't start clicking until I let it ride for a bit. songs like that tend to have more longevity for me. they are still grooving the fuck out Once In A Lifetime: oh my god this is the "this is not my beautiful wife" song. and the "same as it ever was" song. single-handedly feeding the tumblr ecosystem. it's just okay though *Houses in Motion: love how restrained is is. it feels like a song you would have the instinct to go Big with but they kept it dialed back the whole way through. super funky, bassline is bananas *Seen and Not Seen: such a dope soundscape Listening Wind: I've never heard anything that sounds quite like this. I was hooked at the start but it didn't go anywhere *The Overload: glooooooomy. again doesn't go much of anywhere but it has such a cool atmosphere I didn't mind just hangin with that for six minutes cool cool stuff. it seems like an album that I'd need to run back a few times to really know how I feel about it, but I get why people hype it. this came out in 1980 and it still sounds innovative and boundary-pushing to me in 2025, that's crazy impressive. there's a couple songs on here that I think are gonna get a lot of play from me __ SCORE: 8/10 ADDED TO PLAYLIST: Crosseyed and Painless, The Great Curve, Houses in Motion, Seen and Not Seen, The Overload

Highlight songs: Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On) Crosseyed and Painless The Great Curve Once In a Lifetime Houses in Motion Seen and Not Seen Listening Wind The Overload

Such an amazing album. Keeping the same basic rhythm on the songs and then doing weird stuff over it. Not a very technical explanation but that’s how these songs work! A masterpiece.

Love it but again not the album I was expecting in the list.

This album has always been the ALBUM people should listen to. truly an outstanding album.