Reviews (page 4 of 15)
Talking Heads' *Remain in Light* (1980) stands as a landmark achievement in modern music, blending avant-garde experimentation with infectious rhythms to create a record that transcends genre. A collaborative triumph between the band and producer Brian Eno, the album redefined post-punk and new wave through its fusion of African polyrhythms, funk grooves, and dystopian lyricism. Over eight tracks, it explores existential anxiety, societal conformity, and political disillusionment through a lens of rhythmic ecstasy and technological innovation. --- ## Musical Innovation and Production *Remain in Light* marked a radical departure from Talking Heads' earlier guitar-driven post-punk. Inspired by Fela Kuti’s Afrobeat and Eno’s ambient sensibilities, the band constructed songs through layered jams, looping rhythmic patterns, and overdubbed instrumentation. Tracks like **“Born Under Punches”** and **“The Great Curve”** showcase frenetic polyrhythms anchored by Chris Frantz’s drumming and Tina Weymouth’s hypnotic basslines, while Adrian Belew’s guitar work adds searing, synth-like textures[2][3][5]. Brian Eno’s production techniques were revolutionary. The album was built using tape loops and overdubs, creating dense sonic collages that juxtaposed organic percussion with synthetic elements. This approach is exemplified in **“Once in a Lifetime”**, where Jerry Harrison’s pulsing synths and Belew’s chaotic guitar solos coalesce into a transcendent whole[2][6]. The result is a paradoxical mix of mechanical precision and human spontaneity. --- ## Lyrical Themes and Narrative Voice David Byrne’s lyrics oscillate between paranoid introspection and wry social commentary. **“Once in a Lifetime”** remains iconic for its existential refrain (“And you may ask yourself, *How did I get here?*”), critiquing materialism and autopilot existence[1][6]. Meanwhile, **“Crosseyed and Painless”** dissects information overload with lines like *“Facts are simple and facts are straight / Facts don’t do what I want them to”*, presaging the confusion of the digital age[6]. The album’s backing vocals act as a Greek chorus, offering counterpoint to Byrne’s anxious delivery. In **“The Great Curve”**, Nona Hendryx and Eno’s harmonies soften Byrne’s apocalyptic imagery (“The world moves on a woman’s hips”), creating a dynamic tension between chaos and order[7]. This interplay elevates the lyrics from mere observations to universal meditations. --- ## Themes: Existentialism and Societal Critique The record grapples with themes of **alienation** and **identity loss** in a mechanized world. **“Houses in Motion”** uses staccato horns and disjointed rhythms to mirror its protagonist’s fractured self-perception, while **“Listening Wind”** critiques colonialism through the story of Mojique, a marginalized insurgent[3][6]. Byrne’s characters often oscillate between control and helplessness, reflecting the era’s political disillusionment post-Vietnam and Watergate. The closing track, **“The Overload”**, diverges sharply with its gothic-industrial atmosphere. Inspired by Joy Division, its murky synths and cryptic lyrics (“*A terrible signal / Too weak to even recognize*”) evoke societal collapse, serving as a haunting epilogue to the preceding rhythmic euphoria[2][4]. --- ## Influence and Legacy *Remain in Light* reshaped the trajectory of alternative music. Its rhythmic complexity influenced acts like LCD Soundsystem and Radiohead, while its production techniques became blueprints for electronic and world music fusion. Notably: - **Critical Reception**: Ranked #39 on *Rolling Stone*’s 2020 “500 Greatest Albums” list and praised as “a visionary Afrofunk synthesis” by Robert Christgau[5]. - **Genre Impact**: Pioneered the “Afropop” movement, inspiring Paul Simon’s *Graceland* and Vampire Weekend’s eclectic sound[5][6]. - **Cultural Reach**: “Once in a Lifetime” became a cultural touchstone via its surreal MTV video, cementing Talking Heads’ mainstream appeal[3][5]. --- ### Pros 1. **Innovative Sound**: Seamlessly integrates African rhythms, funk, and avant-garde electronics[2][5]. 2. **Lyrical Depth**: Combines existential philosophy with biting social critique[1][6]. 3. **Production Mastery**: Eno’s layered techniques create a richly textured, immersive experience[2][3]. ### Cons 1. **Accessibility**: The abstract structure and dense arrangements may alienate casual listeners[4]. 2. **Uneven Pacing**: Later tracks like **“The Overload”** and **“Listening Wind”** feel disjointed compared to the album’s energetic first half[2][4]. 3. **Ambiguity**: Byrne’s surreal metaphors occasionally obscure narrative coherence[6][7]. --- ## Conclusion Four decades after its release, *Remain in Light* remains a towering achievement. Its exploration of rhythm as a narrative device, coupled with Byrne’s incisive lyricism, creates a record that is both intellectually rigorous and viscerally thrilling. While its experimental nature poses challenges, the album’s willingness to interrogate modernity’s anxieties ensures its relevance in an increasingly fragmented world. A masterpiece of tension and release, it stands as Talking Heads’ definitive statement—a work where danceability and dissonance coexist in perfect harmony.
I LOVE THE TALKING HEADS!!!!!!!!!! And it makes me so upset that Speaking In Tongues and Stop Making Sense aren't on this list. Especially Stop Making Sense since it is one of the most critically acclaimed live events of all time, and there are plenty of subpar live albums here. Like who really cares about a live Cheap Trick album... Anyways, this album is so much fun. Great grooves, infectious melodies, and great song writing throughout. It is impossible not to sing along to the "I'm still waiting" part of Crosseyed and Painless. And don't get me started about that chorus melody. I know people don't like the 2nd half of this album as much but I love how it ends on a slow and creepy song, idk why but it just ties the album together in a really weird way for me. High 5!!!
Wow! Just the right mixture of weirdness, uniqueness and most importantly: absolute quality. 'Remain In Light' sounds awesome with so many diverse and exciting elements. I didn't expect to like it this much, but this one bangs. A strong 5.
Imagine listening to Born Under Punches or Once in a Lifetime for the first time Favourite Track: Once in a Lifetime Least Fav Track: honestly? There isn’t one
One of a kind
Same as it ever was!
Another very interesting album from Talking Heads.
great record awesome band
I liked it
Even the radio hit that sounds almost out of place cant force a flaw I this absolute masterpiece
Love it! Weird and accessible
This record honestly feels like a turning point in music. They easily could’ve made a safe album and kept coasting instead they basically reinvented how they write songs. It’s not really verse–chorus rock anymore. It’s loops, layers, grooves that just keep building and mutating. A lot of these tracks feel like they started as long jams. The rhythm section pretty much becomes the main character: bass, drums, tiny guitar riffs repeating over and over while everything slowly changes. On top of that, David Byrne sounds like he’s losing his mind, paranoia, identity crisis, religion, technology all that human anxiety hiding inside these cold, machine-like grooves. It somehow feels nervous and beautiful at the same time. They pull from African rhythms, funk, and experimental studio tricks (shoutout Brian Eno), but it never feels copied. They twist it into their own weird, jittery world. The album proves repetition doesn’t have to be boring, it can hypnotize you, build tension, and hit harder the longer it goes. And yeah, I really think this influenced a lot of production-heavy music later. New wave, indie, electronic stuff even hip-hop in spirit, because it leans so much on looping and studio work instead of just “band plays song.” It’s one of those albums you don’t just listen to, you get trapped inside it for a while. And it’s the kind of thing you keep returning to, because there’s always some new detail hiding in the loops. Classic. Straight up.
This was such a great album. It might be my favorite Talking Heads album although Speaking in Tongues is also amazing. I love the afro beat influence on this record and specifically the influence from Fela Kuti. The rhythms and polyrhythms and experimental nature on this album really grabbed me. I liked the instrumentals. Once in a Lifetime is an all time classic but I also really enjoyed The Great Curve. Once again, I'm realizing that LCD Soundsystem is basically just a continued Talking Heads and I love LCD Soundsystem. The Overload by Talking Heads also made me want to listen to The Overload by Yard Act. Now that I think of it.... Yard Act is also definitely inspired by Talking Heads.
In Jeff Tweedy's book he says "to create a music that exists only because they looked for it somewhere inside of themselves-knowing that there's a record they want to hear and that the only way they'll ever get to hear it is to make it themselves ... Well, that's a miracle made of miracles." I'm not saying that this is my favorite TH album or even my favorite on this list. Probably not even in Top 10 of what I've listened to, but I feel like that quote really resonates with this album. It feels like these guys wanted a specific sound that no one else was doing and they were the only ones that could do it. Its the weird vocals and lyrics. The interesting synths and even guitars. Its the rolling and bubbling percussion and drums. Its the sad dancy flavor that keeps this going. "Once in a Lifetime."
hell yeah this is fucking cool. i just... how the fuck did they manage to make such a cool album? 5/5 (some other things about the talking heads: i was in the costume department of the school play, and the drama teacher/director asked us to design a set of costume that both looks cool and convinent for the actor to dance in. And i just thought of david bryne's big suit and made a parody of it. although it is just a not-so-oversized suit while still exaggrating the body outline. although the idea is ultimately rejected by both the actor and the director.)
Let's get one thing out of the way for starters. Could someone handling this app just erase the "contributions" of the lunatic who kept on leaving stupid salacious "stories" instead of reviews at some point -- stories such as the one currently topping this section for *Remain In Light", for instance, *this one being particularly dumb, predictable and unfunny*. For real, who "liked" that review? (sigh). You could preserve the one said deranged bloke wrote about Napalm Death's *Scum*, because it's obviously his Sistine Chapel -- very graphic and picturesque, and somehow indirectly pertaining to the actual contents of that other album, in a way, lol. But anything else can be scrapped, honestly. It's so dour and tiring. I'm all for free speech and the likes, but the man isn't even among us anymore, he left after 600 hundred albums or so. So who cares, really? OK, take this as an unfunny joke of my own... I know I'm here to review *albums*, and not to *review other reviews* anyway. The thing is, I'm not sure of what I could say about Talking Heads' magnum opus that hasn't already be written a hundred times before. "Remain In Light* is their own masterpiece, their own Afrobeat-influenced Sistine Chapel, famously pulled off with the pivotal help of genius producer Brian Eno (and also stellar musicians such as Jon Hassel or King Crimson's Andrian Belew). *Once In A Lifetime* must be among my ten favorite songs ever, so it's the obvious centerpiece here -- one I don't think I will ever be tired of listening to, because there are always some new details that bring me back to it. These days, it's the fact that Brian Eno's voice is actually so prominent alongside David Byrne's vocals for its perfect chorus, for instance... With a calling card like that, how can you *not* explore the album? And truth be told, large swaths of the whole LP reach those exact same heights. "Born Under Punches" and "Crosseyed and Painless" are infectious white funk machines with catchy hooks and a relentless groove. "Houses In Motion" or "The Great Curve" are less immediate, but they reward repeated listens. And the album's got another absolutely favorite TH song of mine, "Listening Wind", with its suddenly moving and elegiac atmosphere and its not-so-cryptic critique of American economic colonialism. Even so-called "deeper cuts" such as "Seen And Not Seen" (about the psychotic effects of consumer society) and ominous closer "The Overload" (possibly Joy Division-adjacent, or so I hear from a reviewer) are worth the detour here. I can picture myself going out from a projection of *Blade Runner* in 1981 and listening to those songs on my walkman (did they already exist, then?), my head still in the movie's hellish urban landscapes... Byrne's postmodernist imagination is also on fire for the lyrics (and as some other reviewers pointed out in here, the themes of constant simulacrum, derealization and alienation they suggest are just timeless). And sonic flourishes abound, never so prominent to distract from the overall grooves of the song, and yet still distinctively there to give the flavours needed to take those tracks to a whole other level. That studio-as-an-instrument approach did wonders here (just as it did for Byrne and Eno's collaborative album "My Life In The Bush Of Ghost", another reference point recorded in that same era that sheds light on the way *Remain In Light" was conceptualized and performed in general). Lots of genius brains involved, but lots of heart as well. You don't pull off vocals like that, or insane rhythms sections like this (the Frantz-Weymouth combo), or intricate and out-of-this-world guitar licks like that (Jerry Harrison) without giving out a little sweat. The best of both worlds, and the best album of 1980. 5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums. 10/10 for more general purposes (5 + 5) Number of albums left to review: around forty, as I've gone over the 1000 line and this generator is including albums from all editions of the book Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 459 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 271 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 331
Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On) Crosseyed and Painless Once in a Lifetime Houses in Motion
Added to my rotation
One of my favourite albums ever, didn't click on the first listen, then boy did it click after watching "Stop Making Sense" - which made it.... make... sense... Amazing album :)
Thanks ENA
Will never forget listening to born under punches for the first time while I was mean to be revising for my GCSEs. I became a talking heads aficionado soon after. I failed History.
One of my favorites and a very important and influential album for reasons most here would find too boring or weird
one of my all time favorites. killer from front to back
Although this is only my 2nd favourite Talking Heads album (Speaking In Tongues not being included in the book is an appalling decision), it is by far their most unique. There’s really not anything else much like this and the level of creativity on display is incredible. Only David Byrne and Brian Eno could produce something this, over 40 years ago! The run of tracks 1-5 is possibly the best 5 song run I’ve ever heard. The one negative about this album is the next 3 songs, which aren’t quite as good. But it’s still a solid 5/5.
Fantastic album, incredibly eclectic but in the best way. Front-loaded but still consistently good
Amazing album. From "Born Under Punches" to "Houses in Motion" is up there for best song runs on an album. Appreciate the meditative later half- I kind of forgot about those songs and enjoyed the opportunity to re-listen.
Definitely exceptional "post-funk" statement of the politics, anxiety, absurdism and the world itself, with catchy choruses, sometimes crazy and amazing performances from Byrne and the band. May be my favourite Talking Heads studio album.
Uskomattpman terävää menoa huhhuh
❤️
Full-on 10/10 classic album. The first side is a masterpiece of ethnic-inspired funk, and side two is as good, with a more traditional (?) alt-rock viewpoint. Every music lover should listen to this album , at least once and at high volume.
Me gusta
This is music that paints a movie in your mind. Pure symphonic composition. This band was limitless.
Great
One of the GOATs for sure. One of those albums that is so influential and yet still stands up as simply an incredible record that is inimitable.
Incredible. No other notes.
Yep, I am doing it. Out of the 33 other albums I have listened to on this list, this is my first 5 star. I ended up actually downloading 2 songs - Born Under Punches and Once In A Lifetime. The uniqueness is right up my alley.
Classic album Ive already listened to dozens of times.
Very unique and rhythmic based music highlighted with sparse guitar work for the most part. Lyrical content is really good like you'd expect from Bryne but the delivery was a change for this album, toward a more fluid almost rap style, and it worked well.
22/12/24 I've never listened to Talking Heads before but this is a proper funky fresh album.
Loved it
Duh.
Superb!
finishing the hard day with one of my favorite albums.
AHEAD of its time.
When I started this list I told myself I was gonna relisten to all the albums I was already familiar with. And this is one of those I’m glad I did. Love the Heads.
Hell yeah
I wanna talk about head ykwims
IMHO the greatest TH album that blends agit pop with Africal polyrhythms. Masterful.
This is an excellent album all around, and one of the best from Talking Heads. Not a single bad track, or even mediocre track.
Uno de mis discos favoritos de la historia, la produccion de brian eno es lo mejor de la vida
This is the weird one and that’s saying a lot. Love it!
I fell in love with this album in High-school/College, and its always been a favorite. It is top tier, interesting, funky music from the 80s that holds up through today. I don't know if its on the list, but do yourself a favor and watch the film Stop Making Sense. I don't really care for live albums/concert films, but its transcendent.
The talking heads don’t miss
The most rhythmically complex music I’ve heard. Really fun album that gets me moving.
Por hora facil de escutar. Once in a Life time é literal eu. Fella Riff é outro banger. do geral HOLY SHIT A TALKING HEAD Album gostoso de ouvir, eu realmente curti ele. 10/10
A great album, not quite as good as the two preceding Eno involved albums (Fear of Music and More Songs About Buildings and Food). The first 4 tracks are stronger than the latter 4, but repeated listenings to the latter 4 reveal nuances that are quite appealing. Adrian Belew’s guitar work on several tracks adds enough to this album to bump it from a 4.5 to a 5.
Easy 5. This record is one of very few that sounds like a bunch of non songs that are just getting along as great humable trax.
What’s better than a Talking Heads LP? A Talking Heads LP that’s inspired by Fela Kuti!
Very unique sound and starts extremely strong - Born under punches and The Great Curve are amazing. Latter part of the album may require more listens to properly understand. After another listen, I am blown away - all songs are bangers, maybe except the last one which is a bit of a weaker track. The album is so cohesive yet explores many different sounds. Fav tracks: Born under punches, The Great Curve, Houses in Motion
-houly shit ok this is definitely the best Talking Heads album I’ve heard so far. Every song feels sort of like it’s from a completely new album, or maybe even completely new universe. Both the vocals and instrumentation are so fun and interesting… The Great Curve feels like the absolute highlight. Time to binge their entire discography -Favorites are Born Under Punches, Crosseyed and Painless, The Great Curve, and Listening Wind
Flawless Victory
Day318 - i love talking heads and i rated the last album to low but ill make it up on this one
I was catching up on my list and just enjoyed "Zombie" by Fela Kuti before I listened to this album. I almost immediately felt the shared DNA, and was rather pleased with myself when I saw that his work was an influence on this album! One thing I appreciate about this list is when it adds context and meaning to music I already enjoy. I've become a big fan of the Talking Heads over the last few years, and although this isn't my favorite of their albums, I still find it excellent. It's a great display of the band's talents and each of the member's skills as a songwriter. Also, shoutout to the amazing music video for "Once in a Lifetime." I would point anyone unfamiliar with the band to that video, as I believe it is the most succinct expression of what the Talking Heads "are."
Hands. Once in a lifetime
Sparse and droning melodies, in-your-face spoken-word social commentary, and funk - what's not to love? I'd never heard this album and it's a fun listening experience to see how it's influenced the bands that have influenced my taste. I'd never heard 'Seen and Not Seen' before and it's been on repeat since.
M-A-S-T-E-R-P-I-E-C-E
wiild
Favourite songs: - Once in a Lifetime - The Great Curve - The Overload - Double Groove 10/10
LOVE this record.
Really good. Some bangers.
This album is fantastic. I read about this in his book and really wanted to give it a good listen.
It's all loops and repetitive sections but each song still fascinates me. A kind of album that only a band can make. The freedom to make albums like this, and giving it a way to find an audience feels like something that's been lost a bit in music. This is a real piece of art.
I'm about 350 albums in, and the best thing the project has given me is a total live for Talking Heads. This is my third Talking Heads album, and it's my third 5 stars. Excellent, through and through. Oh, and Once In A Lifetime is one of the best songs ever written.
Great stuff. Lovely album. Such good BEATS
Ok, so this one blew me away. By far the best album of theirs on here. And I can really see how influential it has been. Leftfield, Massive Attack, Django Django etc. Triple whammy for Scotland also (yes I am claiming David Byrne)
one of those albums that obviously deserves a spot on this list. incredibly consistent and great the whole time
Favourite tracks: the great divide; once in a lifetime; crosseyed and painless; born under punches
YEAH!!!!
Remain in Light is both a feat and feature of postmodern vertigo, and David Byrne is all of us losing our shape trying to act natural. The Talking Heads, in collaboration with Brian Eno burst from the post-punk confines of New York City's CBGB club into an uncertain yet thrilling soundscape where the old maps are useless and the boundaries of genre are permeable. "The world is near, but it's out of reach." The spaces and places that used to ground us are unmoored, and we may ask ourselves, "How did I get here?" What's the soundtrack to the collapse of overarching frames of reference? It is something like this: frenetic, driving and looping polyrhythms, afrobeats and electronic droid speak, and the specter of Byrne's rootlessness. This album sees the maturation of the band's art rock into global ambitions. Our musical horizons burst open, and we found no firm place to stand, but plenty of room to dance. "My God, what have I done?"
YES great day! Such an amazing album, and I felt like I was discovering it anew today. I had My Life in the Bush of Ghosts not so long ago, which Eno and Byrne recorded prior to recording Remain In Light. I've loved Talking Heads for some time now, but I'm really gaining appreciation for Eno as well through this project, and you can really hear how close together the albums were recorded. I've also had two albums by Fela Kuti, whose music hugely influenced this album. The timing of this album generating after those others has really allowed me to treasure Remain In Light even more. Also, Angélique Kidjo has an absolutely brilliant track by track tribute album that came out in 2018. It's an homage that celebrates the African musical styles which make up the backbone of the original tracks. I can't recommend it enough if you love both this album and African music in general.
An excellent album containing a variety of Afro-rhythms which the band combines in a highly effective way with Byrne's lyrics.
Just a few days ago, I got Talking Heads ‘77 as my album of the day. While I didn’t dislike the album, the difference in quality between Psycho Killer and the rest of the album was pretty clear. Remain In Light, however, does not suffer the same issue. Each song is as bizarre and interesting as the last. Usually I’m more privy to paying attention to the sound of an album over its lyrical content, but the lyrics here are really interesting. I’m sure someone with a more attentive mind and less sleep deprivation could discern the greater theme of the album. “Listening Wind” was particularly intriguing. Cool album. Odd in the best way.
Such a classic and my favourite talking heads album. Polyrhythmic and influenced by fela. The lyrics are insightful (‘lost my shape trying to act casual’). I could go on but I’m going back to listen again.
Okay, so this is one of those 'put everything down and listen to me' albums. And I want to listen more and more. It draws you in and plays tricks with your mind. It sounds like a bit of madness: when you get all these good ideas and put them together and realise you have the answer to everything. And nothing. Two sides of the same coin. And an amazing (heart) beat running through it all. I shall listen to this more and more. I like to be immersed in music ... be it soft, be it loud, or be it just something that makes you feel removed ... yet very present. Same as it ever was. I can't really take any stars away from something like this.
Top notch. Really unique sound, so many layers and intriguing sounds going on. I love the fast, frantic pace of the first half of the album. It’s almost like house and dance music, pulls you into a trance.
I love Talking Heads ❤️
Timeless, relentlessly weird but in all of the good ways. I knew this one before starting the tour, but running into so many failed ' experimental' albums shows why Talking Heads are Talking Heads. Once in a Lifetime is still the most pop-like of the album, but the way the all songs come together to form a relentless march forward of uniqueness is amazing.
Immaculate vibes. I knew of many of the more popular Talking Heads songs already, but there is a number on this album I can see joining my playlist.
The only thing that would make this album better is more Eno!
A perfect album.
One of my favorite Talking Heads albums.
Great album. I love the funky, experimental jive of this record. I am a fan of Eno's work and I can definitely hear his influences here. The musicianship is top-notch. This is one of my favorites!
Brilliant album!
Their best after fear of music
The beginning of a decade brings along great promise and frenetic potential that buzzes in the air. In the case of Talking Heads, not only did that ring true but it brought forth perhaps the greatest forty minutes of the decade in Remain in Light. The perfect distillation of all they've learned in the last three years and all they've absorbed, Remain in Light jitters, skewers, jives, mellows and ultimately permeates in the body of the listener in what is an unforgettable listening experience. Talking Heads had crafted, with their greatest album, a body of work that would serve as a bridge to many musical styles that was alluded to but never fully explored until then. And it was a bridge that served its purpose in garnering mainstream infiltration for the band with the masses, for afterwards it would only make sense to stop making sense and it can all be pinpointed here.
LOVE
Incredible album, not only Talking Heads magnum opus, but maybe the best production work that Eno has done to date. The sample based songs, the infectious grooves it’s all so good. Plus, Once in a Lifetime! Too 10, maybe Top 5 for me. Endlessly replayable, playful and weird while still being listenable. A band at the height of their power coupled with a production wizard.
Hermoso!
houses move and houses speak
Amazing mix of genres, moods and styles! It’s odd but not overwhelmingly strange and a lot of fun! All in a tight 40-minute package! Highlights: “Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)”, “Once in a Lifetime”, “Listening Wind” & “The Overload”. 5 stars.
I like the music very much.
Talking Heads is the greatest band of all time. I could write a lot about this album but it speaks completely for itself
This is my third Talking Heads album from this list and seems I've not been ready to commit and just been handing out 4s. This album is like a 4.5 for me so I'll finally commit and give it a 5. Faves: Once in a Lifetime is just epic, Listening Wind, and Right Start are also faves.
Oh yeah, Talking Heads firing on all cylinders - magic! Fave tracks - "Once in a Lifetime" is obviously a cultural juggernaut and absolutely deserves all praise heaped upon it. I love the opening three track run leading up to it, "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)" -> "Crosseyed and Painless" -> "The Great Curve" - they kinda carve out their own world and set up the rest of the album...
Heard this album many times love this band
Love this. I just stuck it on repeat and let it go for hours.
Good
Intrinsic wildness Dance worthy blend of genres homage to Fela
luv
My absolute favorite Talking Heads album 10 ★★★★★
Really cool blend of funk, afrobeat, electronic music, sampling, punk, and new wave. Super groundbreaking and ahead of it's time. 5 stars
Byrne, Eno, Belew, Weymouth... an absolute powerhouse
This album blew my mind when it first came out--I was in high school and the complexity of the rhythms and the nod to more experimental music like that of Philip Glass and Brian Eno rocked my world, though now, thanks to this project, I realize I missed all the African beat adoption. I've probably listened to this more than any other Talking Heads albums and it might be one of my top 10 albums of all time, though "The Overload" is downer. Still sounds great after nearly 50 years!
Great album. The Great Curve is 6/5.
Love Talking Heads. Love this album. One of my favs. 5/5
One of my favorites. This is required listening
The best!!!
Brilliant.
Excellent album. Talking Heads put together an incredibly interesting pop/new wave album that somehow sounds like everything else and nothing else. It's artsy as expected but also accessible and familiar. *****
Absolutely awesome album. I'd give it a 6/5 if I could.
This is a great album, and I think is clearly the best Talking Heads album. It's consistently exciting and rhythmically interesting for 40 minutes. It's great to listen to. It's fun and feels distinctly Talking Heads. That being said, I find the vocals always sound like a carnival barker and it's just kind of silly to me. It feels like an act, not in a phony way, more like in a drama. He's hamming it up and I appreciate that. I tend to like more vulnerable music, and this doesn't feel particularly vulnerable. Once in a lifetime is unique and it feels almost like a radio opera or a twilight zone episode. It's just cool. This feels groundbreaking and exciting and influential. Hard to say whether I should give it a 5 because I think it's that good or give it a 4 because it's not the type of thing I usually listen to. I'll give it a listen in the right set and setting and I'm sure I'll enjoy it even more.
A scant year after the release of Fear of music and a full tour the Talking Heads put this together. I like this even more than the previous entry. Crosseyed and Painless starts us off strong with the almost chaotic drum kit, The Overload is why we have Type O Negative, and Once in a Lifetime is a banger The only miss is the first track. I just can't find the groove. Talking Heads is so far my "big find" of this journey.
❤️ no misses
when the belew solos hit,,,they hit so hard so incredibly good, jumped with joy when this was revealed as my next album
Liked more than previous listens. Great buildups, clearly talented band. More groovy than most rock
first time i gave this record a listen i was terrified how appalingly involving ad catchy it was. Some of the songs gave me ind of chills but in a good way of course. Thew i went in all that deep lyrics, not that easy to get them right from first attempt but they do have a lot of sense. technically wise this album is significantly better than other records by this group. definetely worth a listen.
Best album ever
Seriously just some of the most fun music to listen to, every single song here is meticulously crafted into the very most funky, dancey and impressive New Wave music to ever be released. This isn't even my favorite album from Talking Heads but somehow manages to be one of the greatest albums ever created, that shows the insane level of creativity and musical talent shown by every single member. A must listen for anyone into any kind of music just because of how much of today's music has been inspired by it. One of the greatest of all time.
ja leuuuk
A legendary album, and it deserves that title. The way it melds Afrobeat and funk influences with art rock and post-punk music is masterful. Byrne is a visionary, and his lyrics are simultaneously thought-provoking and occasionally funny. The rest of the Heads are great in their own right; Jerry Harrison might be my favorite. I'll be honest in saying that it took many years for the back half of this album to grow on me, but grow it certainly has. I can probably mine more from those songs these days, due to not having played them out the way the hits have been. But even though this album might have a stronger A-side, I cannot fathom granting it less than a full 5 stars.
I LOVE THIS ALBUM SO SO MUCH Favs: born under pressure, cross eyed and painless, once in a lifetime , houses in motion
David Byrne is delightfully quirky. His music is always bold and brash and I love it.
Sehr gutes Album. Talking Heads kann man immer noch gut hören
5/5 This classic album is often deservedly listed among the greatest ever made. The rich, catchy instrumentals slap over and over again, with brilliant percussion. The production is out-of-this-world good to achieve a unique recognisable sound, over which David Byrne alternately whispers, preaches, screeches and serenades to us with manic energy. The African influence, incorporating complex polyrhythms, just takes these songs to the stratosphere. By the time the dark and intense The Overload kicks in, I feel enriched. I don't know if 40 minutes of music have ever sounded so good before, or if they will again. Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On) 5/5 (FAV) Crosseyed and Painless 5/5 The Great Curve 5/5 Once in a Lifetime 5/5 Houses in Motion 5/5 (LEAST FAV) Seen and Not Seen 5/5 Listening Wind 5/5 The Overload 5/5
Great! lol
This album is consistently amazing. Every track brings the same, rich feeling of the last in a totally new way. Obviously Once in a Lifetime is great, but compared to the rest of the tracks, it’s a wonder how THIS was the one to hit it big. In addition, the mixing of genres and overall feelings is a true marvel. The lyrics are weird yet relatable. The melodies are modern yet classic. This record is a true joy to listen to for any occasion.
Talking Heads' very best album. An easy classic. Artsy-fartsy, but still (mostly) danceable.
funkay
These guys might be onto something
Also in the vinyl collection. Cool to come back to the studio versions since I mostly listen to their live albums to get pumped up to.
Awesome classic album
Top 25 album of all time, it's perfect. Not one bad track.
One of the best albums of the 80s, and ever made. It’s an amazing album. I’d highly recommend it. Very cool!
מושלם
Sensational
What a blast!
4.5/5
After years of forced rejection, finally giving this a listen and doing the research shows how amazing this album is (sorry mom). The references of polyrhythms and early hip-hop combined with Eno's ambient guidance with anxiousness and tension in the band really generated something special that would effect music forever. 4.5/5
All-time classic
fans of this album dont get invited to parties (not like they needed them in the first place)
this album was my favorite for a long time and is currently my second favorite. it is seriously incredible to me that this album exists, its so drastically different from anything else ive ever heard. byrne is one of the most interesting musicians ive ever seen and its unfortunate he was never able to make anything else like this. having eno produce this record was huge imo as hes my favorite producer. i often see people criticize the tracks that come after once in a lifetime for being boring which i find absolutely absurd. i believe this album represents a downfall going from the chaotic energy in the start down to the depressing collapse seen in the overload. i view it in a similar way as i do bowie's low (also produced by eno) where the art rock first side and the ambient second side are great by themselves but together create something much greater. also, this album has some of my favorite lyrics ever. to be frank half the time i have no clue what hes talking about but thats whats so cool about it. i can tell hes saying something important but its so cryptic it gives a similar charm to bob dylan's most complex writings. i love repetition in my music and this is the album i credit for creating my love for it. when i first heard this record it felt like a repetitive slob but once i was able to pay attention to the minute details changing throughout the songs you can see what makes this so distinct. this is done in a similar way to aphex twin's debut but imo this album is much more dense than that one could ever be. i would like to note at the end of these ramblings that no one is going to read that i find once in a lifetime to be the worst song here (still great ofc). i see a lot of people dismiss the album outside of that track but i want to highlight how much more there is to try to understand here. try to get lost into the slow grooves following that track and try to follow what the lyrics are attempting to say. otherwise you are missing out on an incredible experience. 10/10
I'm a tumbler. I'm a government man.
I had only ever heard Once in a Lifetime and who hasn't heard that? But the rest of this album is just if not more amazing than that song. I never realized I would enjoy every song by the Talking Heads and I'm not sure why I have never listened to their entire catalog. I do think sometimes David Byrne's voice and flow can get repetitive. But as evidenced by this album, the other members actually put in a lot of work to keep the music moving in interesting directions. And in reading about this album that seemed to be the case. They were fed up with Byrne running the show and wanted to have more of a full collaborative feeling. I believe they achieved that here. The manual looping of sounds, the African influence, and the foresight that rap was going to hit it big so they should embrace the style to some extent make this album amazing.
Loved this. Hadn’t heard the full album before.
Already listened.
So this album is amazing but you knew that already 👍
LOVED THIS
Brian Eno MVP
Where is that large automobile??
You'll be tapping your feet as the dread sinks in.
Classic
One long groove
One of the best rock albums ever.
I mean .... this is just a work of art. I love it, I listened to it to confirm it gets a 5. I've been singing The Great Curve since and I'm happy about it.
my mom used to play this album all the time when i was growing up and i am supremely fond of it
I've have grown to love this band exponentially over the years. A former coworker recommend Stop Making Sense about 20 years ago, and I've been intrigued ever since. I saw Stop Making Sense on the big screen last year & it made me weep. This band is multi-talented, funky, and weird - pretty spot on for a group that formed in art school. Crosseyed and Painless is my favorite on this album & Tina Weymouth is a phenomenal bass player. Girlfriend is a bad ass. Let's not forget all that percussion & David Byrne's oddball vocal stylings. 4.5 stars.
This is definitely my favorite Talking Heads album. The production is stellar (no surprise), and it’s just pretentious enough to make me happy without overdoing it.
In truth, I would give this like, a 9.3/10, because I think Seen and Not Seen is a little weak in comparison to everything before and after it, but in the absence of that level of granularity, what am I gonna do, not give it 5 stars? Yeah right.
8 distillations of a band firing on all creative cylinders that result in some of the most freaked-out, funky nonsense you've ever heard. And yet, it's perfect.
how were they so good?
yum
New wave, post-punk. There's a lot that can be said about this album. And I don't have the energy to say it, and I certainly don't have the vocabulary. I love this album, that's what I know. It's weird, it's funny, it kind of makes me anxious. It's over before you know it, I really value albums that can pull you in that well. I have not listened to this album enough but the few times that I have always leave a lasting impression on me. And my god is Once in a Lifetime catchy. Will revisit, no doubt. 5/5
Great, classic album
Thoroughly enjoyed listening to this album. Of their 3 albums I've heard on this list so far, this is the best.
First existential crisis on the list. Four or five? The back half does kinda fade out, but the songs on the first half are something else. Amazing that they managed to blueprint this with big Fela Kuti, and come up with this, which really only gives away the african influence to my ears on the great curve. Great call and response. There might actually be real polyrhythms on this (usually just music journalist's take on more than one percussionist), though I don't have enough of an ear to tell. Belew solos! Not my beautiful wife! The world moves on a womans hips/The world moves and it swivels and bops!
I mean it’s incredible. It merges a kind of African sound with the new wave of the early 80s and with eno’s electronic sound and it comes together so well and sounds so fucking cool. Houses in motion, once in a lifetime, listening wind and born under punches are all highlights for me
These heads sure can talk I really love this album, the talking heads were one of the first bands I properly listened to and this album is great although I slightly prefer speaking In toungues
Such a strange, interesting album. I never knew what the next track was going to bring. Great lyricism, creepy and funky tones. There's really not much like it.
Iconic and revolutionary. There's no one like David Byrne.
Utterly brilliant. I first heard this properly in about 1990, and I've never got tired of it. As others have said, the sense of drive is incredible. So many interesting cross-rhythms and melodies in the instruments and vocals. It shouldn't be possible to create fascinating songs around a single chord, but TH manage the brilliance of Crosseyed and Painless, then immediately eclipse themselves with The Great Curve: just two of the "one chord" songs on the album. I didn't know until today that Brian Eno was involved, oops, but the production is certainly masterful. I agree with David Byrne, who apparently said it was "joyous and ecstatic and yet it's serious." It's genre-less, fabulous and even better, makes me want to dance, at least until the (still wonderful) darkness of the final track. 11 out of 10.
Loved it. Nothing can beat Fear Of Music, for me, but it’s still a definite 5 stars. Genius.
Zo funky, lekker weird, bijna geen matige nummers. Gewoon echt lekker!
Maybe the coolest band.
10/10. 100%. One of, if not the best album of all time. Talking Heads created something so timeless that it will be adored for decades to come. Even decades later this album still sounds fresh and new. The lyrical genius at play here, leaves room for discussion in terms of meaning of the songs, such as on "Seen And Not Seen". And "Once in a Lifetime" is definitely one of my all time favourite songs.
Creative genius. 6/5
Party on the A-side, brooding on B, every single song brings it
A truly gem
This one hasn’t been far from the turntable since the day it was released. Never tired of it.
Kept me awake while driving late at night so that’s pretty good.
Sad funky futuristic retro beats. Class.
I mean, how can this be anything but a 5? I love everything about this album.
Great riffs and sound
Worth it alone for ‘Once In A Lifetime’, one of the greatest songs ever written, full of layers and subtext, and the soundtrack to my midlife crisis. Elsewhere, ‘Born Under Punches’ is a nervous, edgy, anxious opener, ‘Cross Eyed And Painless’ is full of paranoia and doubt, ‘Listening Wind’ is the story of a foreign terrorist who carries out a bombing of American colonialists, ‘Seen And Not Seen’ is about insecurity and identity, ‘Houses In Motion’ is about capitalism and corruption, and ‘The Great Curve’…well I’m not quite sure what that one is about. Regardless, ‘Remain In Light’ is a beautiful, complex record that manages to fuse art rock, post-punk, New Wave and Afrobeat dance rhythms into something thought provoking, otherworldly and wonderfully transcendent. Talking Heads made a lot of good albums, but this one was their best.
Love the Talking Heads. Love David Byrne. No notes.
Some great songs on here. Houses in Motion is terrific but Listening Wind really stood out this time. We are so lucky to have Talking Heads
I mean it's a classic what more can I say
I only ever had a greatest hits for the Talking Heads, so I don't know what a full album experience will be like. Honestly I was intimated and wasn't sure when and where to start. But very excited for this. This rules, plain and simple.
Awesome sound
Ohhhh yes please, gimme more! I love Talking Heads, I don’t necessarily know why as it’s not massively aligned with the rest of my music, but I just do! Just makes me feel happy to imagine David Byrne doing his funny little dances. Simpsons: Byrne has guest starred and him and the band mentioned quite a few times!
Epic, influenced so many bands.
Still an extremely listenable album, rhythmically and the distinctive vocals of David Byrne are simply a novelty. .. all I want is to breath.
Amazing album
Such a creative album. If Stop Making Sense is the best concert film I’ve ever seen this album contributes a lot to that. 4.5/5
an incredible album. Really nothing else needs said. A never skip
I really enjoy the Talking Heads. Sometimes they can be a little much for me, but overall I really enjoy their music, and this album is no exception. "Born Under Punches," "Crosseyed and Painless," and "Once in a Lifetime" are the best songs on here, but they're all pretty good. This is between a 4 and 5 for me, but I've been listening to "Born Under Punches" on repeat all day, so it's getting a 5.
Love this album so much. Really intricate, but poppy new wave.
Love, love, love this band so much. Such a unique sound that blends so many different genres into a beautiful, interesting whole. That's basically the recipe for my perfect album. Favorite track: Once in a Lifetime
I'm glad that I listened to both of the Talking Heads albums on the same day. Earlier, I listened to Talking Heads: 77, and one of my main critiques was that the vocals just needed to be tightened up. They listened, obviously, and three years later they came out with this. The vocals are tighter, and they even harmonized and added some background vocals. Everything I said about the other one still applies here. Great album. Great band. Same as it ever was.
One of their best albums. their work with Eno is a shining start
Only recognized one song. The rest was really great.
Probably the best album on this list so far. One of the most influential bands ever and this is their crowning piece. Simply majestic. 5/5
A rare repeat artist. Only had a few of those so far (Metallica, A Tribe Called Quest). This is my favorite Talking Heads studio album. Has been for a while now. The use of syncopation, the influence of African rhythms and styles, the at times enigmatic, at times incredibly insightful lyrics, and the intangible mood and attitude of this album just grab me in a way no other Talking Heads album has. I’m a little biased, I think. “Speaking in Tongues” has what I consider inferior versions of songs that were in “Stop Making Sense,” so I just find it hard to listen to. “Fear of Music” (the first album I reviewed in this project), falls flat for me for most of the album and comes off as overly pretentious (not that “Remain in Light” isn’t, at times, pretentious). “Talking Heads 77” is my second favorite but it just comes with so much naivety and has a very specific sound of a band early in its lifespan that it can’t be my favorite. Anything after “Little Creatures” is just a band in decline. No, this is the best one if you ask me. This was a thrill to listen to again with a purpose. I was reminded of why I loved songs like “Born Under Punches,” “Houses in Motion,” and “The Great Curve.” Deeper cuts like “Listening Wind” earned a little more favor this time around. Overall I love this album and it’s almost cheating to hand it to me because it was an automatic five stars before I even started the first track. My one complaint about my listening experience is that the Dolby Atmos mix on Apple Music was…bad. Certain elements I felt were key to certain songs we mixed far too low and some songs almost sounded new, and not in a good way. But that’s not the album’s fault. Five stars. Standout tracks: Born Under Punches, The Great Curve, Once in a Lifetime, Houses in Motion
Talking heads are great & this album just reinforces it. Combining sounds from a wide array of genres to make their own unique sound.
Loooooooved it
Listen to this!!
Amazing album. Pushed the boundaries of music in directions that defied typical labels. I immediately went back and listened to the entire album again.
One reason i had never listened to talking heads before was i had no idea where to start but this album was great. No skips
This is a high 4 for me that gets pushed into the 5 territory on the virtue of its lyrics. The continued feeling of paranoia and frenzy and undeserved self-confidence and cyclicality and !!! It's all very good. We love you Talking Heads.
Absolute classic, one of the true must-hear of this collection. Everybody knows the track watching the days go by, yet it is all of the other tracks, like Crosseyed and Painless, Born Under Punches, and Houses in Motion for which is album really stand out. The Overload is the one track that doesn’t fit, and I don’t even begrudge that - just puts a backdrop for the funky light of the rest of the tracks.
I enjoyed this one thoroughly. I only knew Once In A Lifetime coming in but it’s full of great songs
Pure kinetic perfection that appropriates all the most exciting energies of its era to create something unheard and strangely alien. Relentless grooves, complex poly-rhythms, hyperactive guitars that are at once post-punk and disco, new-wave sythns, funk bass, Krautrock trance, lush gospel harmonies, intriguing imagistic lyrics and off the wall charismatic vocal delivery. Nervous, ferenetic and anxious and yet totally self-assured in vision and delivery. I've listened to this thousands of times and hope to listen thousands more, one of the best albums ever recorded.
10/10, one of the all-time favourites
Another classic.
One of my favorites from one of my favorites. I have not gotten tired of it.
Amazing
Their best album. Funky songs like Born Under Punches (Take a look at these hands!), of course Once In a Lifetime, and as the last song the frightening the Overload. David Byrne sings in his best maniac-like way and the African rhythms and production by the genius Brian Eno finished it off. Well deserved that they are again very hip and hot with the re-release of the Stop making Sense concert film. Do hope we also the Speaking in Tongues album in the 1001 list.
I don't even have to turn this album on to know that it gets FIVE STARS from me. One of the most listened to albums in my life. This was part of the beginning of the spiritual awakening that listening to music gave me.
This album had lots of funk and 70 influence. I enjoyed it a good amount
Always a 5, every track is perfect. TH was one of the best.
Wow. Excellent album all the way through. I had no idea.
take a look at these hands
Indisputably my favorite Talking Heads album. Every song is just full of energy and VIBES. You'd be hard pressed to find anything like this before or after their time. It's just so unique and quirky. 20/10. Cannot recommend enough. Standout Tracks: Born Under Punches, Crosseyed and Painless, Once in a Lifetime, LIstening Wind
Inattendu mais vraiment bon
Weird and fun!
I thought it was solid and contrasted each song well
Great opening 5 tracks, how many albums can repeat that!
I love hearing the influences from this album on other albums!
My all-time favorite. Seriously, play this at my funeral. 5 stars. No skips.
Indispensable.
Particularly enjoyed listening wind. Enjoyed this start to finish.
RAHHHH I LOVE THE TALKING HEADS WHAT THE FUCK IS A SMALL SUIT JACKET🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Ok I like where this list is going. I have heard this album plenty of times before. Highlights: energy of first three tracks... When Born Under Punches turns into The Heat Goes on and every repeat of the lyrics David Byrne is in the background coming up with unique nonverbal ways to enhance the track... "She is moving by remote control"... "Facts just twist the truth around"... "Same as it ever was"... Side 2 never really did it for me.
Mehrstimmig, klingt immer irgendwie richtig voll.
5 stars because “once in a lifetime” is on here and that song bangs. david bryne is an icon
This album rules. The songs are busy, chaotic, repetitive, and driving. Houses in motion is a groove. Definitely feel like this album pushed the envelope and paved the way for a lot of post punk artists out there. Anyway, I’m just here so I wont get fined
I loved this, super chaotic and fun. Added most of the songs to my library.
A masterpiece.
hatte ich ganz vergessen, das bessere bei beiden grossartigen th alben
So Good 👍 years ahead
Talking Head's 1980 Brian Eno-produced record stands as one of the funkiest displays of post-punk attitudes and ethos. Digitally spliced with tight licks of guitar, bass, and horn enterlaced through each track, this album remains one of the most mind-bending listens of the 80s. The unrelenting punch of the polyrhythmic, afro-inspired percussion and the slap bass hits are woven throughout the first track as Byrne rambles about his mortality under a controlling government. "Fire cannot hurt a man". I love the group vocals that close this track off, alongside the cacophonous nature of its guitar solo. There's a moment in the song "The Great Curve" right after the strung-out and noisy guitar solo where the drums, bass, and horns form an insatiable groove that I consider to be one of those "How does music get this good" moments. "Once in a Lifetime" has Byrne's best ramblings. It feels like a burst of panic runs through him as he comes to terms with all his regrets, as well as with what's to come. A great psychedelic synth loop arpeggiates throughout this track with one of the catchiest choruses in their entire catalog. I love the downward and dark spiral this album takes, both sonically and thematically. "Seen and Not Seen" is subtle instrumentally and Byrne talks about his desire to morph his face into an ideally attractive magazine-ready image. "Listening Wind" leans towards the New Wave sounds of this album; dark and gothic laced with lyrics about a rebel's journey for liberation. "The Overload" is the darkest and most ambient track, allegedly based on a Joy Division sound. All the tracks on this record are so distinct and enjoyable. The album starts fast, punchy, and visceral and slowly spirals down into something gloomy, gothic, and dark, all the while remaining one of the cleanest and futuristic-sounding albums of all time. 10/10
Great album!
Awesome album. Love pretty much everything about it. Combines so many aspects of rock and metal into a perfect blend. I liked the change of pace into changes and leguna even though it can seem to come out of left field. It was the brief respite before continuing on. I'll definitely keep this one in rotation. I think it's a 4.75 rounded up to 5
i was verrrry excited to see this one today. an absolute classic by one of my favorite bands.
Appreciate this album very much, all the lyrics and tune.
Unrelenting energy - expect nothing less
Thoughts before listening: This is a 5-star album, and one of my personal favorites. I was first introduced to this through Phish's cover, but the Talking Heads soon became a band that I loved all on their own. Review: Yeah this is great. Such a unique sound for the Talking Heads at the time, and I have always loved the tempo of this album. Especially with the first 5 songs, they are playing funky, world music inspired songs but at the tempo of the punk scene they came out of. I have always appreciated the Talking Heads' place as a bridge between the late 70s CBGBs punk scene and the more party aspects of 80s new wave. Those first five songs are the star here: "Born Under Punches", "Crosseyed and Painless", "The Great Curve", "Once in a Lifetime", and "Houses in Motion". These are the whole album to me and some of the best songs of their era. I am less of a fan of the final three spacey, moody songs that follow, but the quality of the top of the album still makes this an easy 5-star for me.
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.
…needs more cowbell. Once in a lifetime… I mean you can’t beat it
4.7 One of my favourite albums ever, especially side 1. Fave songs: Crosseyed and Painless, The Great Curve, Once in a lifetime
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.
A fresh and rhythmic joy ride. Sensational.
- 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
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.
So wildly weird.
Already a fan
A great record. So much energy and happiness in one record is awesome!
A blast!
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.
(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
Just amazing!
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.
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.
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.
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
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)
Yep. This is a masterpiece.
10/10
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.
Love it!! It’s my first time listening to a full Talking Heads album and it really makes for a good time.
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!
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
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
- One of the funkiest and grooviest albums I've ever listened to. Initial thoughts: how tf can people create music like this?
Classic from first to last track
Great listen; "The Overload" had Joy Division undertones. Dry guitars, great rhythm construction.
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. 😳😄
Good music!
Nostalgia!
Goat album
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.