Remain In Light

This album is widely regarded as Talking Heads’ best. It represents a major shift from the nervy post-punk of the early albums, and if I’m completely honest, I prefer that version of Talking Heads. This album combines funky dance rhythms with Brian Eno’s sound experimentation and some tasty guitar licks from Adrian Belew. The songs lack the conciseness of the earlier albums, and the rhythmic centricity and light melodies can make them feel repetitive. All that said, there are some truly terrific songs on here (Once In A Lifetime, Crosseyed and Painless, Listening Wind). But it’s not in my core stylistic wheelhouse. Give me “Fear Of Music” any day.

Rating (1-5): ✩✩✩ Will I be listening to this again: Probably not What do I like about it: I already knew the band and heard some songs from other albums, but this one in particular didn't really stuck to me What I dislike about it: It's not bad Higlighted songs: Seen and Not Seen

Loses steam, but an undeniable classic

Amazing album with so many unique and revolutionary synth sounds. The lyrics and overall theme work to put you in a unique headspace, not to mention its just really good.

Favorite: Once in a lifetime Seeing that Brian Eno is the producer makes so much sense. It feels kind of brain numbing, which there's a time and place for, but brain numbing cool guitars are not my favorite. This is not the Talking Heads' best work in my opinion.

Crazy how things come back around. You could tell me this album came out in 1999 and I'd believe it. Pretty ahead of their time with this one, and it makes for a pretty cool listen.

Ganska bra men många underliga låtar

Hard not to love!

Very cool

Nice funky album with great songs. Maybe a bit too repetitive on some songs but the experimental stuff in others is really interesting ! 7,5/10 fav songs : The Great Curve & Once in a Lifetime

I just really like this album.

One of my favorite bands. Easy 5 stars. "Facts all come with points of view Facts don't do what I want them to"

I appreciated the polyrythm, the variety, and the quality.

Great stuff. Need to listen to more Talking Heads.

10/10

The less famous songs are just as good !

Awesome

Remain In Light - Talking Heads I’m going to probably upset some people but, I don’t like the Talking Heads that much. This album included, it’s just really boring. The songs all have fairly uniform sound and that sound (combined with the production) is not one I enjoy. The vocals were ok I guess but this is overall an era I also don’t enjoy all that much. I did enjoy “Once In A Lifetime” though.

And you may find you yourself working your way through the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. And you find yourself listening to Talking Heads' Remain in Light. And you may ask yourself, how many stars should I give this? FIVE STARS!!!

I really don’t like Talking Heads beyond some of there hits. This album was more art school tinkerings with no consistency of sound or feel. The influence on Franz Ferdinand is especially evident on this but I just can’t get into it. I’m not even that into acknowledged “classic” Once in a Lifetime. Too many noises, too many different styles, and no cohesion.

Shite

I liked this one more than the previous TH album. I'll definitely listen again

Talking Heads are not a band I listened to outside of the hits, so was actually a little keen to dig in to this one and see how those sounded. It was ok, Bordering on Avant Guard in some places (The Overload, Houses in Motion, Seen and Not Seen as examples) it was a strange album, interesting as well. Houses in Motion was the gem off this one for me.

Another album I can listen to on vinyl, yeyy!! I love Talking Heads, and this is my favourite from them, so this will be a pleasent revisit! I associate this album to summer afternoons on the bus coming home from school. Anyway, let's go! Immediately in the first seconds of the first song your ears are assaulted by a multitude of sounds. It is impossible to stay neutral to what you are hearing. Personally, I love it, from the bass to the quirky guitars to the vocal delivery (and those ad-libs). This kind of funk and brasilian influence is right up my alley. Great way to set a mood and start a record. In an album with multiple career-highs, this is one of the highest. Crosseyed and Painless has always been a favourite of mine, but I've been going back to it a lot lately. Again, a variety of noise at all times, but in this one I specifically love the chorus (stiiiiiill waiting), the manic vocals, and the little "rap" at the end. Greattttt. The Great Curve is a the biggest track, a giant in the midst of the record. It is also the last track where that factor of no-rest-for-you-ears is present. I'm listening to this on speakers, but I still remember hearing this on headphones for the first time and feeling like I was experiencing at least two songs at the same time. This will certainly keep your brain fully busy. It's the most experimental moment in an already very experimental album. Love it! Then comes Once in A Lifetime, the biggest hit here and one of the band's biggest songs. It has become iconic, along with its accompanying music video, which perfectly captures the music's personality. This is a hit in the way only Talking Heads could do a hit. So, these first four songs have always been my favourite, and for a while I didn't connect to the other four. This changed, with time, but while I like them, I am not as familiar with them as with the rest. So, each new time I listen to them is still interesting, as I may notice some things I hadn't before. Houses in Motion is tough because I love the verses, and the laid-back almost cool vocals there, and the chorus is my least favourite part. Still great though. I love Seen and not Seen. It is a departure from the maniac vocal delivery, David Byrne sounding very distant and withdrawn here, but still the same weird out there lyrics. Listening Wind is another one that I had to get used to, but it has grown on me with time. The percussion here is great, and the storytelling continues the same high it reached in the previous track. Now, The Overload... the one track here I don't like. I know the story of why it was made, and honestly that seems more interesting than the song itself. Instrumentally, it kind of reminds me of some moments from Bowie's Low. But yeah, it goes on for too long. This album is a classic, and deservedly so. I've never heard anything else quite like it. Talking Heads evolve in a way that makes sense considering their previous efforts but is still brand new. The album manages to be experimental and still contain the band's DNA, and it is so much fum. So yeah, definately worthy of an inclusion on this list, and any time I spend listening to the record is time well spent. Bye

Unique and super fun.

decent, nothing special tho

Banda esencial, imprescindible e influyente. Con un discurso propio y un liderazgo a la vanguardia durante años. Este, su cuarto disco, es uno de los mejores y más disfrutables. Supone una entrega al africanismo (Fela´s riff se quedó fuera) pero sin perder de vista esa modernidad que les hacía estar muy por delante de cualquiera (Eno les produce y añadió malestar a la banda con sun afán de protagonismo). Se nota también que habína escuchado Movies de Holger Czukay plagado de ritmos étnicos. Otros colaboradores fueron Nona Hendyx a los coros, o Adrian Belew a la guitarra. La apertura de Born under Punches, ya deja claros los parámetros: ritmos, voces y percusiones por encima de la letra/melodía. Lo importante es el ritmo, y Talking Heads vaya sí lo tenían, con Crosseyed and painless es imposible quedarse quieto. Todo ello conduce a la mejor canción del disco y una de las mejores delos Talking Heads: The Great Curve, que cierra una cara A con solo 3 temas. La B abre con un clásico como Once in a lifetime. Sobran las palabras. La portada es otra joya: homenaje a las máscaras africanas pero desde el lado de la computadora (con una contraportada que iba a ser la portada original y que fue otra colaboración en este caso con el MIT). Es la cumbre de los Talking Heads, situado en medio de otros dos discos fulgurantes como Fear of music y Speaking in tongues. Todo ello conduciría a Stop making sense y de ahí, la ineludible cuesta abajo. Eso sí con enorme clase y poderío (también enormes canciones hasta el final). Bowie tomó el camino de la comercialidad con Nile Rodgers como referente. Talking Heads supieron traducir su legado y transformarlo en lo que la música sería en los siguientes años: paso del punk al sonido de la aldea global, todo ello acompañado de la vanguardia audiovisual. Bueno para bailar, bueno para pensar. Sin duda, esencial.

7.5/10 Cold take: Although interesting (and sometimes plain weird), the album versions of some of these songs simply dont compare to certain recorded live performances. Stop Making Sense not being on the list is a crime. This feels more like an intellectual excercise than being actually emotionally engaging. Highlights: Once in a Lifetime Crosseyes and Painless Listening Wind The Great Curve

Facts are useful in emergencies

I’ve really warmed up to Talking Heads since starting this list. Very fun album, Once In a Lifetime is an undeniable masterpiece

Didn't suffer from the annoying obnoxious vocal style that this band's singer has used on Talking Heads stuff that came up before on this list, but it just ranges between boring and actively unpleasant to listen to. I really don't get the appeal of this band

Fun weirdness. Light, quick, quirky listening.

Will these words add anything to the volume of those already written about this? No.

More of a 4.5 but rounded up. Really good and influence all my favorite bands.

Like Bowie, another staple of early MTV that I would have had a MUCH different perception of had I been older. I'm happy I came of age when I did (and certainly don't want to be older than I am,) but I would have been a MUCH bigger fan of these guys a lot earlier if I hadn't been a little kid when I saw their videos. I read for years about how amazing a film Stop Making Sense was and remember thinking "It's Talking Heads - how great can it be?" Then I watched it and holy shit. These guys were fantastic.

A good album by a great band.

Stone cold classic

Boring

Not good. An interim album from their first amazing sounds to their later amazing sounds. This one is a poor representation of their sounds.

One of the first cool albums I ever fell in love with when getting into music, even if I ended up preferring Fear of Music for a long time. I've always loved songs with overlapping vocals, and I'm sure this is a big contributor to that. Also love how their "let's try to sound like Joy Division, who we have never heard" song is approximately a thousand times better than Joy Division.

Unpleasantly repetitive. Once in a Lifetime was ok. 2.5

I liked it

Was ok

Very interesting art rock, anchored by the absolutely iconic Once in a Lifetime. I never listened to TH albums even tho I liked the singles—this quirky and compelling collection of sounds makes the case for going deeper, finally, on this band.

Мимо

Dancing in my chair rn

I just Love that album

Great album. Amazing looping grooves with strong Fela Kuti influences. Fun and highly-listenable songs. Easy to get into and hard to get bored of. Probably my favorite talking heads album. Perfectly weird - amazing production by Eno.

David Byrne is a genius in his own right. Having read that book about the emerging music scene in NYC in the late 70s / 80s makes me appreciate The Talking Heads that much more. Unadulterated experimentation, free from expectations, actually, not giving a fuck about expectations. The first track jogs with such calculated immortality, and even has infectious chanting sing-a-long phrases.

1. Born Under Punches: A bit strange and slow 2. Crosseyed and Painless: A little more upbeat 3. The Great Curve: Funky fresh? 4. Once in a Lifetime: Classic 5. Houses in Motion: What is that instrument? 6. Seen and Not Seen: Uh oh, Talking Heads with a talking song 7. Listening Wind: Oh boy this is weird. Are we talking about some important global trader? 8. The Overload: What's the opposite of going out with a bang? Well I knew the Talking Heads were an experimental band, but this album is a little too slow and boring

talking heads always iconic

good performance, many styles, like it.

Takes be back in time! Love this!

The creativity is off the charts with this band. A couple of tracks sound like the percussion is played on plastic buckets, otherwise it’s fantastic.

Not a big fan of Talking Heads but this album is not bad. 3 stars or C+.

Talking Heads incorporate polyrhythms, more musicians, and get a bit deeper than even before. Amazing growth by an an equally amazing band.

Same as it ever was, same as it ever was.... It's good but I'm surprised I didn't like it more - it's art rock with talk-singing, both things I enjoy. Highlight - "Once in a Lifetime."

Great music. David Byrnes warbles dont meet the heights of the music though.

Obvious classic. Gets better every time. Last two songs hit harder than usual

Classic of course… house in motion was my sleeper pick of the day. Once in the lifetime is so good

Funky riffs, Once In A Lifetime is a good song, most of the other tracks feel like filler/hold music. One track album, won’t rush to listen again

one good song, the rest is meeh

Top 3 Songs: 1 - The Great Curve (3) 2 - Once in a Lifetime (4) 3 - Crosseyed and Painless (2)

great record

Overrated band oh my laawddd

4* 86%

I'd never listened to this album before. No idea why as I love 'Once In A Lifetime'. I have to say thought it was great on first listen, and immediately played it again. It's hard to believe it's 45 years old, it sounds so fresh.

Pretty funky stuff, you should probably test it out

I can hear why it's good, but the rhythms are slightly too samey for me, and the quirky guitars annoy me more than I like them. Songs are slightly too long as well. The gloomy atmosphere is kinda impressive. But I'll never play this again.

Once in a lifetime >>>> Great album, great group

It’s kind of ridiculous that Talking Heads ever reached mainstream acceptance, but I'm glad they did.

Maybe I just don't "get" it... but these songs really didn't do anything for me. I know they were avant garde and were doing a lot of interesting things with their music at the time, and I respect them for their innovative edge. None of these songs did anything for me and just sounded repetitive. I'm not a fan

I’ve already listened to this one before, and it’s really great. While the second half is definitely not as good, it’s still a great experience and the first half more than makes up for it.

Zo ver zijn tijd vooruit. Geen slecht nummer op de plaat te bekennen. "Born Under Punches" blijft wel mijn favoriet, maar ook de downtempo nummers "Seen and Not Seen" en "Listening Wind" werken prima. Alleen de afsluiter "The Overload" gaat niet echt ergens naartoe. Toch vijf sterren. Ik doe gewoon net alsof het album eindigt met "Listening Wind".

THE WORLD MOVES ON A WOMAN’S HIPS

Amazing rhythm and songwriting.

Talking Heads are so good dawg.

Fun and weird. Every time I listen I love it more

Another late 70s/early 80s experimental mashup of different genres. The experimental isn't too far out there. It actually works. I've heard of Talking Heads, but never paid attention to them. It seems I should have. Of course, I've heard Once in a Lifetime many times before. 4.5 - I think this get rounded up. Once in a Lifetime is that good.

This is another album by a band I like, but have only heard a few select songs off the album. Born Under Punches: Excellent and funky. It was a little slow, but in a way I like Crosseyed and Painless: Reading about the album's Fela Kuti/Afrobeat influence, I can hear it plain as day in this song. Fortunately, I have had a Fela Kuti AND a Fema Kuti album in this list so far, so I had a point of reference for that. And THAT, is exactly why I'm doing this list The Great Curve: Cool. No specific comments Once in a Lifetime: I have always loved the spacey feeling of this song. This is probably the first Talking Heads songs I can remember hearing, and I have always liked the band since then. Houses in Motion: Cool funky bass. I probably could have done without the extended flute(?) solo, but still good Seen and Not Seen: maybe one of the only tolerable spoken word tracks I've ever heard Listening Wind: Good track. No specific commentary The Overload: Weird, though strangely enjoyable ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Second time we've had this come up, after I did it whilst Jiff and Stu were still playing. This is clearly amazing but I think I'd need a few more listens to fully grasp it. Extremely funky though.

Very influential album with some great tunes and the Eno atmosphere really coming through at points

4.5 stars

Once in a Lifetime gets 2 stars of its own... but the rest of the album collectively deserves just 1.

They are quirky and a little bit different, and it shows. But they are not so different that it makes them unlistenable or jarring, which makes me actually want to listen to their music.

Highly danceable! This album grooves (with exception of The Overload which just kind of ominously purrs).

Remain In Light is so far ahead of the game that it STILL sounds like the future of music. There is not a single bad song on here. This album is inspired by the (poly)rhythmic music of Fela Kuti and other African musicians. The only song that feels out of place is The Overload, which ends the album with gloom.

This went from a 3 to a 4 to a pretty easy 5 by my third listen once I really sunk my ears in. They have such a cool sound, and I love David Byrne’s vocals and vibe. The best way I can describe this album is that it feels very fluid. It’s not spacey, but it’s never really on solid ground either. It ebbs and flows and drips and ripples and splashes. Which is funny since Once In a Lifetime is water themed. So super good!

some not so perfect slngs drop this down. i want to kep 5s reserved for faveorite albums

Other than Once In A Lifetime, this album is not my cup of tea.

Great change from the main stream.

I never really liked talking heads, and I never really understood why Radiohead, one of my favorite bands liked them so much htey named their band after a reference of theirs. just yesterday I was listening to Radiohead and I realized in comparison to the fusion pop, rock, techno musicians out right now, Radiohead feels a bit pedestrian. I think that is what happened to Talking Heads. It was probably a revelation when they came out, but in retrospect feels a bit clunky and dated. I think this band deserves attention in that it inspired a whole genre of music I specifically am into, but in a pure listening quality, it's just a boring repetitive groove that any black musician of this era did way better.

Pretty goodf

It's the talking heads, it was fucking great. It's a bop, and it's smart. Always a variety, but a familiar style and structure.

I was ready to write very little about this album, give it a "Led Zepplin IV" review, classic, 5-stars, weird, funky, perfect. Then, I started thinking about how critical I was about Bonnie Raitt's lyrics. I don't think I was wrong to be critical. But I think it's important to establish something- I think style is much more important than substance. Ideally, style and substance should be equally important, and they should both be merging and reaching for greatness hand in hand; lyrics revealing universal truth or soul-baring emotion without sacrificing brevity while the music breaks new ground with such skill and deft that it re-defines the genre. But lacking that, if the music is there, the lyrics get a pass for me. "Nick of Time"'s style was definitely NOT there, so the substance had to do the heavy lifting. It was not up for the task, at least not completely. When it comes to "Remain in Light", I've never really bothered to think critically about the substance. With other Talking Heads albums, you can hear most of the lyrics, and the songs for the most part have traditional structures. This album, not so much. There are choruses, sort of, but the words don't necessarily repeat. Or there are layers of vocals over vocals singing different words. So does Remain in Light get a pass substance-wise because the style is so mind-blowing? The production and the instrumentation on this record really is pretty groundbreaking. Talking Heads were progressing album after album, getting a little more complex, getting a little more funky and a little more strange with each record, and this is sort of the zenith of their experimentation. They layered on more synths, more guitars, more vocals, some horns, and DRUMS. Fela Kuti and afrobeat was obviously a huge influence on this record. There are also tape loops in the mix, as David Byrne and Brian Eno were working on (or already finished, I'm too lazy to Google this right now) "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts" an album comprised of lots of samples. And then there's Adrian Belew's guitar. It's kind of hard to describe. If there's a strange but wonderful sound that pops up that sort of sounds like it came from space, it's probably him. So the style is there, what about the substance? What are these songs about? I'm going to do my best to ignore other people's theories about what David Byrne is trying to say with these lyrics. Well, I might tell what other people have said and give you my two cents on that also. 1. Born Under Punches Someone, a government man, is trying to squeeze in, find some space, breathe. The heat goes on, and on, and on. He's a tumbler. Look at his hands. That's basically it. This is about Watergate they say? Before my time. 2. Crosseyed and Painless Struggling to define the squishy parts of one's identity, getting confused, trying to find solace in the rigidity of facts, but facts don't work either. The facts make it worse? 3. The Great Curve "Sometimes the world has a load of questions Seems like the world knows nothing at all The world is near, but it's out of reach Some people touch it, but they can't hold on" True, so true. What do you think? "The world moves on a woman's hips The world moves, and it swivels and bops The world moves on a woman's hips The world moves, and it bounces and hops" This song has LOTS more lyrics than this. Lyrics on top of lyrics. The goddess of light is going to open our eyes up to the definition of the divine. (So let's all Remain in Light?) 4. Once in a Lifetime Oh, middle class life, so fascinating! Those precious common folks! Water=time 5. Houses in Motion Walking a line, digging my own grave forever, divide/disolve, making enough to be living. Some say this is about Capitalism. I guess I could see it. I just now heard Eno's vocal on this song. 6. Seen and Not Seen These are classic Byrne lyrics. Focusing on an ideal face in his mind, and wondering if doing so would change his facial features. 7. Listening Wind Wind and Dust and my heart and head...wait, this song is about a terrorist? Damn. Yeah, it took someone else pointing this out. 8. The Overload The lyrics and the music don't sound a thing like Taking Heads. Why? They decided to make a song that sounded like Joy Division without ever hearing Joy Division, just reading about Joy Division. They kind of nailed it. So yeah, these lyrics are kind of stream-of-consciousness, derived from some book you've never read, some weird paranoid delusion, or abstract thought dreams. But they fit so well in this sonic landscape that it's perfect. These songs are chaotic and complex and simple concepts would just be weird here. This is not to say that I'm totally following what the fuck Byrne is getting at, but any lack of substance totally gets a pass because of this style. No one was making music like this in 1980. "Once in a Lifetime" was not a hit when it came out. This album was ahead of it's time. So yeah, as I was saying, 5 stars. Weird, funky, perfect.

Nice / pleasant. I probably wouldn't go out of my way to listen to this voluntarily though. 6.5/10.

was okay

Talking Heads' magnum opus. No one does weird pop like David Byrne.

I don't even know if I think this is a 5 star album because I simply cannot evaluate it objectively, but I am very comfortable re-listening to this anytime and it carried me through Fall 2019 so I feel like it must be. David Byrne I will always love you <3

funky and whimsical, really catchy tunes but wasn't as impressed as i thought i would be 3.5/5

WOOHOO

Great to listen to when I'm at work. The Overload is great!

3.75/5

If you have seen my reviews, you know that I love Talking Heads, and that I’m very biased towards them. This album is no exception. This is probably my favorite or second favorite album by them. There’s a lot of variety as always. And the only skip on the whole album is the very last song that’s mostly just ambient anyways. Seriously if you haven’t heard of Talking Heads, this is a great entry point.

Fantastic album. Once in a lifetime obviously the standout. But a bunch of other great songs on here. Love the afrobeat inflected sounds.

I’ve always enjoyed Talking Heads. They experiment with different sounds and this album is no exception. The stand out Once in a Lifetime sounds just as good now as at release. I’ve seen David Byrne live and it was an amazing experience, he’s always experimenting with new ideas. Great album

Quite liked this with its Fela Kuti influence. Quite funky and musically pleasant to listen to. Ok so it dipped a bit towards the end but overall very enjoyable.

I often hate 80s music as it sounds so dated and feels like it is struggling to transition away from what has come before. This one proves that artists had already mastered the sound and it sets the standard for what the 80s should have been. It sounds fresh and original decades later, and I love the way it combines so many styles. Once in a lifetime is the stand out track and The Overload the dud.

The relief I felt when this album ended can only be compared to the first confident fart achieved after a bad dose of the shits.

College rock for the college educated? I'm not "against" cerebral music per se, but there has always been something about the Talking Heads that made me question whether it was me? Or was it them? I mean, a LOT of people love them. So I naturally wondered what it was about their musuc that I was missing, while "everyone else" got it. Upon listening to this full album through for the first time, at 52, I think I may have discovered what it is. It's musically appropriate for the era, and unabashedly lyrics for smart people comfortable with abatract concepts, diffuse meanings unascribed to the author and intentionally left to the listener to assemble their own meaning into it. Man, I'm way too tired to do all that. Genre Impact: Very High (TH is their own genre) Decade Impact: Medium Absolute Impact: Low Listenability: Medium Relistenability: Low

Excelente álbum. Me gustó la combinación de rock con afrobeat. Los coros son muy buenos, los beats de la batería y las líneas de bajo tienen mucho groove. Las letras y el trabajo del cantanta dan una sensación onírica y surreal.

Not my favorite talking heads album but so good nonetheless. Listening wind rocks and the instrumentals go crazy.

Perfect!!!

A few good tunes needs a few more to be a great album

That's not my taste in music

This was one of the worst albums I ever listened to, it actually brought me pain to make it all the way through.

Pretty good, as I expected it to be! Once In A Lifetime is such a banger and overall the album is really solid.

Short but sweet, still a fantastic listen

An uplifting burst of cerebral quirk-funk/rock. Once in a Lifetime obviously one of the highlights but also found myself tapping my feet vigorously to The Great Curve (not overly wise when driving). Have I caught up now?

Some great songs and overall a really good album, but I found myself losing attention. Possibly not enough variety (and maybe I’m bored of the string of male vocalists) to love it.

I’m going to start this review by saying that the temptation to abandon this project is high, as we are now 9-10 albums in and there hasn’t been a single female artist and a total fail of diversity, with every performer so far either British or American, and all but one has been white. I didn’t come here to listen to familiar chart toppers from 1970s and 80s but to discover new sounds…secondly, Eminem is a sexist homophobe and doesn’t deserve even 1 on that basis but by that measure I’d have to eliminate huge chunks of the music making zeitgeist. I also need to allow for slim shady being a no filter alter ego used for artistic purposes to spout violent fantasies. But I can dislike all that while also thinking he lived an early life I can’t contemplate and that his anger and bitterness are rooted in the actions of adults around him. Some of his work is real poetry, some of the tunes are bangers. I gave an extra point for using music to get out of misery, and a point for the humour. Now Talking Heads - I didn’t get round to listening this time round but i remember it as a brilliant LP of the era, a classic and worth a 4 for Once in a Lifetime alone

i’ll work on this one later

Much better than Fear of Music. Even the outtakes at the end were catchy. Feels much more put together

Litt travelt til tider

good background stuff.

Just a classic.

This album is a true auditive experience, Talking Heads explores a vast layer of sounds, the songs have much tribal vibes and female chorus. I've found it very eclectic this album is not ideal to listen at the office while you are talking about soccer with someone at the office. I really enjoy the experimentation that Talking Heads achieve in this work.

*immediate impression: this sure is the talking heads, huh! *OK but once in a lifetime is still always, ALWAYS so good *my overall vibe is that while I wouldn't actively listen to this album again I also wouldn't turn it off? I think this style for me is meant for small doses *in a world where there's half stars this is 3.5, but probably it'll be a 3. maybe a 4? probably a 3, though.

If this 1980 album were released today, it would be considered innovative and ahead of its time. When the album hits, it’s excellent. Too much filler in between the hits for it to be 4 stars. Album is largely carried by Once in A Lifetime.

talking heads? more like they need to shut the fuck up

Awesome wrapped in an enigma surrounded by a tortilla.

Talking Heads weird me out for some reason. I tried giving them a listen a few times and the result is the same as it is with this album - I feel like I'm listening to a band made of psychopaths and murderers. Don't ask me why.

Psycho killer.

Listened to it a couple times to fully appreciate it. Felt like I found new things to love each time. Absolutely wonderful album. Fun and interesting all the way through

Niet mijn favoriete Talking Heads album, maar alsnog wel een plaatje. Bijzondere vent, die zanger.

A few good songs, but it sort of peters out.

Listened in October 2023. Just a fantastic, loose, groovy vibe. I will always prefer the more raw energy of the live recordings, but these songs are an amazing mix of new wave pop melodies and world music. Not my favourite Talking Heads album, but clearly essential.

really cool

Probably the best of an insane run of albums. First side is mad, the opening track one of their very best. It's actually the second side that has grown on me a bit though - Houses in Motion, Seen and Not Seen, Listening Wind all brilliant.

This album brings in wider influences while retaining an essentially Talking Heads sound.

Already listened. Only got halfway (againnnn). Fun album but not the most groundbreaking thing I’ve heard. Love Once in a Lifetime though

Changed my perception of talking heads, preferred to psyco-killer

This album is so close to perfect, just a couple of tracks drag it down from 5 stars( most notably the closer). But the grooves on this record are iconic and not to be missed.

Very very mid beeps and boops. It's too 80's for me, but I guess this set the tone for the 80's? Bad tone.

I don't know why, but I really cannot get behind Talking Heads. Generally, I'm a huge fan of 70s and 80s music, regardless of the genre, but there's just something about their particular style that doesn't draw me in. I'm glad I listened to this album to broaden my horizons, though, as I'm well aware how well-loved and influential they are to this day.

Really interesting.

I think I like Brian Eno as a producer better than Brian Eno as an artist, and this album was fine. Not sure why Apple Music says it's justified as one of the best albums of all time, but maybe that takes repeated listenings

Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On) 4.2 Crosseyed and Painless 4.7 The Great Curve 4.5 Once in a Lifetime 4.6 Houses in Motion 4.2 Seen and Not Seen 4 Listening Wind 3.7 The Overload 3.5 Score: 4.171428571

Feels like art. Even though I usually never pay attention to lyrics, these stand out as making no sense, delivered with Byrne's almost deadpan exclamation. The only downer is that Once in a Lifetime is tired. I feel obligated to rate it highly due to its quality rather than enjoyment, but not by much. Favorite track: The Great Curve; the guitar solos reminds me of Adrian Belew (who would later play with them).

The vinyl copy came off the shelf for this listen...an essential album I think.

You can always count on the Talking Heads for something unconventional. And as I have gotten older, I have come to appreciate just how entertaining that is!

Can really hear Eno’s influence on this album. Good, but not as good as some of their other albums. I don’t know if he made this one better or worse.

This is an anomalous album for me. I liked it more than I expected, but I don't think I'll come back to it very often. It's interesting once in a while, but I don't see myself, "craving it," again any time soon. Mostly, a 4* from me will almost definitely get revisited. I'm not sure about this one, though.

ehhh not for me. I like some of their music, but not this

Earlier in their career and it has some notable Latin influences. Fun songs and enjoyable record to listen to.

Another solid entry. I could see listening to this again

very long songs, loved the instrumental, lyrics were a bit off

I wasn’t as moved as I would’ve liked to have been

Probably Talking Heads' best album, has plenty of hits and great representation of their style. -Crosseyed and Painless -The Great Curve -Once in a Lifetime

Wow what an album just sublime

its alright, solid two and a half

Album 2/1089 2.5 stars Meh... some of the songs were good but honestly I spent most of the time waiting for it to be over lol

A classic Talking heads album, featuring Once In A Lifetime.

Album 758 of 1089 Talking Heads -Remain In Light (1980) Rating : 4 / 5 With Producer Brian Eno, this blends new wave, funk, Afrobeat, and experimental rock, creating a sound that was ahead of its time. Love Talking Heads, their 'Stop Making Sense' is also a big favorite.

Jako lepo

topčina, al ni blizu njihov najbolji

alright, has some good songs

Good. Sometimes felt a little repetitive.

wow talk about never judging a book by its cover. i definitely thought this was going to be a rock album. talking heads, i underestimated you. (more than a three star rating but not a 4). maybe 3.6....3.7

- am Anfang etwas nervig, später dann besser geworden - werde ich aber wohl nicht nochmal hören

4.25

it was all right

Funky. Me like

I swear I've heard this album sometime in my childhood. It was fun and quick.

Interesting album. But alas, Talking Heads are always interesting. It was catchy

Autism in Africa. Not my all time favourite Talking Heads album, but certainly one of the most experimental ones. This album had a huge amount of influence on music at the time, and is responsible for artists of the time trying new styles. That being said, its more of a whole album experience in my opinion, and not something you put on casually. You gotta be in the right mood.

Its fine

2nd Talking Heads album in a week, but no complaints - they're both 5 stars. This may be my favorite TH album, with Fear of Music a close second.

energetic, kept me hooked the entire time - last song is really fantastic

Banger after banger

Ich habe mich gefragt, wieso ich das Tom Tom Club Album so sehr gehasst hatte, obwohl ich die Talking Heads bisher in Ordnung fand. Das ist die Antwort, die ersten paar Songs waren kaum zu ertragen, Once In A Lifetime rettet das Ganze und der Song danach war auch okay, aber ansonsten echt nicht meins.

имба. сохранил.

Wikipedian mukaan tämä oli äänestetty 80-luvun 4. parhaaksi rock-albumiksi. Ehkä minulla on käsitteet hukassa, mutta en tätä rock-albumina osaa nähdä. Ensimmäinen kappale aiheutti jo ärsyyntymistä, onko tämä levy taas pelkkää puhetta, mutta onneksi se siitä muuttui. Monipuolista musiikkia ja soitinten käyttöä, jaksoi hyvin kuunnella, vaikka tämäkään tuskin omaan hyllyyn päätyy.

Siis ei hitsi mikä albumi! Kuulen tässä niin monen bändin soundeja - Coldplayn uudempi tuotanto (Once in a lifetime), Rhcp:n kasarituotano (esim. The great curve ja houses in motion). Policelta paljolti kuulostava "listening wind" yksi mainitsemisen arvoinen. Yllätyslevy, muttei omalla skaalalla yllä klassikoksi. Vaikuttavuutensa vuoksi 4.

Byrnen jutut ok pienessä mittakaavassa. Koko albumi saa pään kiehumaan

Tiukkaa tykittelyä mutta myös paljon vaihtelua levyn mittaan. Tykkäsin!

This album has the best balance of all sides of Talking heads. The groove, experimental side, hits, the wit. Remain in light and the debut are my favourite Talking heads albums

This album would demand several rounds of listening and result might vary based on that. With one run-through this falls to two stars level.

It started off really groovy and funky, and I was like, wow, I’m gonna like this album. But after few songs, it just faded into the background. Maybe Brian Eno showed up and froze everything after the other guys tried to keep it groovy. Two stars belong to those first few songs.

I've always had problems with Talking Heads, especially with Mr. Byrne's vocals, probably more than a bit with his lyrics as well. This time however, vocals were not an issue. While the album has it's moments, Once in a Lifetime comes on top and most of the other songs don't make much of an impact. I like that there are a lot of cool rhytmics from around the world, clumped into songs that work, but many of the tracks felt like background hum and it was easy to lose concentration.

Started promising with the African influence, but not for me.

I didn't like this one. Not my style.

Classic, love it

Literally best album ever

I wasn't much of a Talking Heads fan when this album came out (I was only ten), though today it seems to have a much different meaning than it would have in 1980 had I the ability to listen to it then in it's entirety. As it is, I think I only heard "Once in a Lifetime" because it had to have been played on rock radio around that time.

Already listened ❤️ Fun instruments, fun album

REMAIN IN LIGHT par TALKINGHEADS: bongo bongui, funki, ritmu, punki, rockinho, africanho bongos, esperimental un poquet 😜. -Le chaisson 3 est tres jolie pourquoi des chaison j'ai jolie guitarra solo. -De la même maniere le chaisson sept est tres, qua non trop, tres moola muucho. Boucoupe tranquille et jolie aussie. -Molto ritmo et beacoup guitarre avec ma solitude de chaison nef.

Psycho Killer

i liked it instrumentally and how it was produced, but vocally i didn't really liked it

Очередной загадочный альбом Говорящих Голов. надо разбираться еще. Новая волна с прививкой соула.

I quite enjoyed listening to this album but I do find Talking Heads to be one of those bands where I would be happy with either a anthology or best of album

a few recognizable songs that hold up 45 years later

Talking Heads is one of those interesting bands for me where I want to like them. They represent a goal of what I want to be like - a cool 35-year-old who listens to Talking Heads.

Not my favorite, repetitive sound that made it hard to listen

Besides the hit nothing was listenable

Very bold of Talking Heads to release the best album of the 1980s in the first year of the entire decade 🤌🏼

3.5

Layers on layers of sound. Born Under Punches almost sounds like two songs playing at once, it's that dense. Next up: Crosseyed and Painless and the quirky percussion takes center stage. There's a ton going on but the simple funky baseline underneath has me nodding my head. The Great Curve still has an African sound but introduces some great distorted guitar to the mix. It's a nice buildup to Once in a Lifetime with its sing along chorus. The low rumbling bass still drives everything, but it's the little details in the Eno production that reward careful listening. Same as it ever was... The second half is subtler, focusing on atmosphere and groove. I'm lulled into a trave a bit by the time we get to the relaxing sounds and vocals of Listening Wind, before the Overload goes deeper and darker. It's a slow droning finish. Brilliant.

I didn't get this the first time I heard it. I mean, I liked it, but I wouldn't call it one of the best albums of all time. I don't know what changed in the meantime, but I just kept coming back and loved it more and more. The pure frenetic peak cocaine music. I've never done it, but I imagine this is exactly what how it is. There so much going on in this song, the polyrhythms going wild, the chanting vocals worming up in your brain and staying there, the whole thing demaning you to get up and dance. And then the second half is like the comedown after the high. Just perfect. Key tracks: Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On) Crosseyed and Painless The Great Curve Once in a Lifetime Houses in Motion Listening Wind

Do you like sounds? I do. There’s a lot of them for you here. Honestly though, this is beyond genre or classification. Funky, dense, innovative. Well deserving of more listens to truly appreciate it, but it was a very unique but enjoyable listening experience.

84% Best: Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On); Crosseyed and Painless; Once in a Lifetime Must-Hear? Sure

Quite Jazzy. Not a big fan. I actually liked the last few unfinished songs. Once in a lifetime was also okay.

Take a look at these hands!

I'm a big Talking Heads fan, and this album is probably my favorite of theirs that I've listened to so far. I really enjoy the manic and dark yet groovy sound this album has. Favorite Songs: "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)" and "Houses in Motion"

Hodeeeeeeee Was al aan t wachten totdat deze kwam Wat een album

"Talking Heads" are one of those bands that people get very pretentious about. I'll try and avoid that. This is OK. It isn't my favourite TH album and it isn't the best one that has been suggested from this list. It hasn't aged well. 30 years ago this would have gained a 4 from me. Now, 3/5.

The Talking Heads were a band that I never really ventured into because of the weirdness and mediocrity of the tracks I knew. The songs seemed to never end and were drenched in funky grooves that seemed awkward to me.

10/10 this album whips

Crazy guitar solo in Born Under Punches

Wasn't a fan of their other album I rated previously but this one was much better. These basslines are awesome and I'm loving the African influences on it. It doesn't really sound like a New Wave album at all The first half of the album is fantastic. The last three songs aren't so much. They aren't bad, but they kinda just peter out and it leaves quite a dissatisfying end to a good album. It gets a 4 as the songs before carried. Just wish it had ended better

It's good. It's not my thing. I can appreciate the layers and the poly-rhythms. It's really good, it just leaves me a little cold.

Talking Heads' 1980 "Remain in Light," produced with Brian Eno, is a post-punk classic. Its innovative mix of African rhythms and experimental sounds, featuring Byrne's unique vocals on tracks like "Once in a Lifetime," offers a complex but ultimately satisfying listen. A 4.

yeah I was just not feeling this one on a first pass

Rigtig meget som jeg forventede takling head, bare endnu mere kedelig...

Funky Afrobeat rytmer møder cool Post-Punk vokal. Det fungerer godt for mig.

I do really like Talking Heads but this just wasn't doing it for me. I thought I'd like it more than I did

Oh come on this isn’t getting anything lower than 5, a review isn’t even necessary. Favorite Tracks: The Great Curve, Listening Wind, Once In A Lifetime, Houses In Motion, The Overload, and everything else! Fine! I’ll give you a review. What’s to be said that hasn’t been said before? This is a genre-blending, an experimentive, and a cohesive work of art, the lyrics, production, and everything put into this all come together in some of the most perfect ways I have ever listened to. Absolute masterpiece!

Better as expected

I always thought Talking Heads didn’t sound like anyone else, but I stand corrected - The Overload sounds like Joy Division covering Tomorrow Never Knows. Still Revolver and Unknown Pleasures are both five-star albums and so is this.

Странный альбом, очень странный. С одной стороны, звучит как самое восьмидесяточное, что только может быть, с другой какой-то краут-рок, с третьей - полиритмы и всякие рандомные звуки. В общем, намешано тут много чего. Настроение у альбома такое иронично-позитивное, немного местами меланхоличное. В целом я бы сказал, что он мне скорее понравился, чем нет, но много раз я бы его слушать не стал, а то от обилия музыкальных партий на одном треке крыша поедет. Но есть тут что почерпнуть как слушателю, так и музыканту.

I listened to this not very long ago actually

Remain in classics; Talking Heads were a flash in the pan and while they'll never escape reunion rumors, we always have their originals.

Very good, will probably checkout more of the band

I want to like Talking Heads. I respect the impact and influence that they have had on the music industry and its artists. It's all a bit too 'Art school' for me.

I have an irrational dislike of Talking Heads - I have no idea why or where it came from. The music isn't THAT bad, it just irks me in a way I don't fully understand. Stars adjusted up slightly because I feel like my dislike is unreasonable.

Wanted this to be so much more.

This band has always been baffling to me. Many of their songs seem like unfinished ideas. When does experimentation cross over into masturbation? This band seems like less than the sum of its parts. And yet I often find myself bopping along.

Thought I’d like this better.

Eh

The talking heads have always been average. Not real good but not bad either. I doubt I would purchase their album (back when that was a thing) but I probably wouldn't change the channel if they came on the radio either.

not their best but good one

"THIS IS NOT MY BEAUTIFUL WIFE!!" An absolute classic. This is the most celebrated Talking Heads album and it certainly is great though I do prefer their follow-up "Speaking in Tongues" (which isn't on this list somehow). This album starts out incredibly strong with banger after banger but unfortunately the second half is not as solid whereas "Speaking in Tongues" is more consistent in my opinion. Nonetheless, this is at least my second favorite Talking Heads album and I completely understand why so many consider this to be their masterpiece. This album is just as good "as it ever was". Favorite track: Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)

Glad I stopped listening to this in my car and pulled out the big headphones. On the car stereo so much that I couldn’t hear that I could on the headphones. This one is interesting to me. A lot of it has sort of a tinny quality and Byrne sounds like he might have marbles in his mouth. Then when you put on the headphones, you can hear all of the little things that are added to give it its sound. I don’t know that I’ll return to this, but I can’t deny it’s genius.

Fun, 70s style with a hint of 80s

Classique, timeless

Very different sound - not my favorite but unique and genuine.

Didn't manage to listen to the entirety of the album but I must admit, even if there were parts I enjoyed, there was a kind of constant intensity about it that I didn't appreciate. I think in art I need contrast, and the songs that I did hear didn't speak to me the way I had hoped they might, since a close friend of mine recommended this album. I'll give it another chance, but it's a 3 from me for now.

New York rivers.

2.5 - not bad but not amazing

Talking heads is one of those bands that I can fully appreciate why people love them, but I can't seem to get into it. All the same this is still good 4*

Had a few good ones, not the best continuous listen

An important album in the evolution of the sound of Talking Heads. Not my favorite of theirs but even so it's quite good. Funky rhythms abound and Tina's bass is spectacular. Glad to have revisited it on my first day of 1000.

Love Talking Heads but this album is a tad bit too alternative for my tastes. Enjoyed the listen!

Prefer this one to Talking Heads 77. Born Under Punches and Crosseyed and Painless are both pretty good. The Great Curve and Once in a Lifetime (love the effect halfway in - "the MOVE-the MOVE-") are excellent. I like that Houses in Motion starts out like an 80s rap song and is wonderfully weird throughout. Love the weirdness of Seen and Not Seen and Listening Wind. Only song I didn't like was The Overload which was a pity considering it's the closer.

The moment I realised this could be the first Talking Heads album that I rate 4.5 or 5 instead of 3.5 or 4 was halfway through Seen and Not Seen, which has the best lyrics I’ve heard in ages. Batshit lyrical themes were nothing new for the band, of course, and nor were grooves that gradually permeate the subconscious, but this particular blend of musical influences does sound like it must’ve been a bit of a Great Leap Forward at the time. Plus, Once In A Lifetime deserves to be on a great album, and even though none of the other songs (by which I mean in the world, ever) sound quite like it, the rest of the album is imbued with the same adventurous spirit.

Just great and hits all the criteria for a cool record – original yet accessible, ambitious yet humane, rhythmically complex yet sweetly melodious, serious/substantive yet fun and danceable. The best of the early records and their high-water mark generally. Eno is in top form, too (his obsession with Fela Kuti paid off handsomely). “Born Under Punches” offers a killer opening groove. "Crosseyed and Painless” and "Seen and Not Seen" are also first-rate and "Once In a Lifetime" is a valid contender for best song of the '80s.

Nice, interesting sounds, I feel like it's innovative for it's team. Catchy tunes

It’s Talking Heads… Weird music that ran together. Did I hate it? No. Did I skip to the next song mid way through each song? ABSOLUTELY!

Not bad, see where a few bands got their influence from

I think it's possible this is better than the other Talking Heads albums we've done so far, but because they insist on putting this many of their albums on here I don't even know how to differentiate them.

2.5/5. Not very impressive.

More drugs but at least there’s words

This was great! I can’t wait to listen to again! Funky and catchy!

Repetitive new wave album with some cool ideas and 'Once In a Lifetime'. AnD yOU MaY Ask YouRSeLf is this album any good? It didn't click with me but its hard to argue its anything but unique and full of fresh ideas. Highlights include the song where the vocal is a monotone reading of the Face Off wiki and Fela's Riff, a song entirely comprised of a fella's dope riff.

And you my ask yourself, "Well, why have I never listened to this full album before?"

A good album, but there are different versions of these songs I prefer to listen to. In general I tend to gravitate towards live Talking Heads. The albums are a bit stiff and sterile to my ears while the live performances from Stop Making Sense and The Name of This Band are more colorful. I even prefer the Phish version of this record. The album also suffers from being front loaded. Side A has some of the best songs TH ever recorded while the back half is rather forgettable

Naja, etwas anstrengend manche Songs

Yep. 3/5

Musically really interesting - feels distinctly 80s despite using (I think) real instruments, so must have been quite influential at the time. Not really to my taste but can appreciate it's impressive. Once in a Lifetime clearly the stand out song.

Fantastic album. Grew up with it, absolute masterpiece. "Crosseyed and Painless", "Listening Wind" and "The Overload" are my personal faves.

Darkly funky in a New York art school cocaine way. Crosseyed and painless is a jammer for the ages.

Not really my jam. The vocals are not good.

I keep thinking that I know more of Talking Heads's work than I really do. Here, I only know Once In A Lifetime and to a lesser extent Born Under Punches. Not that the rest is bad.

Luv me beautiful house Luv me beautiful wife Same as it ever was Simple as

My first Talking Heads album! I appreciate how stylistic this album was- so much experimentation with themes and genres while still keeping a coherent sound. The hits definitely hit, and the extended instrumental sections were fun to listen to. Overall- enjoyed it a lot!

custom_rating:10

Wanted to like this more than I did but it’s definitely cool

Masterpiece

This is probably the most nailed on 5 on this list for me (after Stop Making Sense obviously), still blows my mind

Haven't listened to much Talking Heads and have never listened to the album before. It was pretty good, I recognised Once In A Lifetime. I'm not against listening again.

Polyrhythmic, Remain in Light is also poly-lyrical: 'Sharp as a knife / Facts cut a hole in us'; 'The world is near, but it's out of reach'; 'There is water at the bottom of the ocean.' Many albums pontificate, may even sermonize, inspire, and theorize, but I can't think of a record that philosophizes like this one, that prompts abstract reflections on 'facts,' 'the world,' and the ocean's bottommost water. 'Time isn't holding up, time isn't after us.' On More Songs About Buildings and Food, Byrne generates interest in objects and stays at their level for a funky, quirky trip into everydayness. On this, actual ideas are spawned, new notions, maybe a metaphysics even. Yet, the music remains light, danceable, wholly unburdened by the intellect.

Fela inspired, punk/new-wave infused, and so much more - an innovative and timeless album.

I have always had a difficult relationship with the Talking Heads. Right era, right genre, no specific sound or political flaw... But somehow I never really got into them. I figured this album with a fresh listen might change me towards a more (even nostalgic) change of mind. But, alas, not really. I think, as I always have, that they are OK. I think this is OK actually. Nobody loves all music from any time period or genre. I don't even know what it is exactly? But at least my feelings are consistent.

I love the Talking Heads. I’ve never really understood all the fuss around Remain In Light? Why is it widely considered their best? I think it’s one of their worst. You’ve got Crosseyed and Painless and Once in a Lifetime. Great songs, the latter a classic. Everything else here is mediocre to average.

One of my favorite Talking Heads albums. Very esoteric sound from them and hasn’t been replicated by them since

yeah

Too long and self indulgent

The back end of this album gets a bit lost up its own arsehole (listening wind and the overload), but still a lot of bangers, with that super iconic choppy talking heads sound you couldn't mistake for anyone else. It's a good album but nowhere near their best.

The older I get and the more I listen to a variety of music, the more I consider this to be one of the greatest albums ever made. There’s nothing like it. It’s singular within Talking Heads’ discography and within the entire genre of rock music. It’s a perfect storm of rock, world music, electronic, dance, and psychedelic. There’s an urgency to it, a paranoia. It’s existential. Once In A Lifetime is one of the best songs ever recorded, and stands out as a song that can be enjoyed in the context of the album or by itself. Overall I think a front to back listen of this album is essential. Every song is fantastic and it’s cohesive. I think Born Under Punches is one an all time great opening track. It’s the quintessential “it’s late, I’m stoned, and questioning everything in my life” album. Same as if ever was. Perfection.

Way too experimental for me to enjoy it, still sounding interesting

Highs and lows on this album, probably would’ve been higher if it had more consistency/didnt love the slow tracks. Still found myself foot tapping through first 4 tracks

Liked first two songs

.....

This was not for me. I was waiting for it to end

Didn’t enjoy it as much as I hoped.

All a bit weird and meh... apart from the obvious standout track

Not sure whether Once In A Lifetime lifts up an average album or makes the rest of the album seem average

Amazing album

Don’t like it.

I could loop this (and Fear of Music) indefinitely and never grow tired band + Belew absolutely killing it