Remain In Light

6/10

I know the single, liked the album but didn’t love it. All very percussion and rhythm based with repeating riffs as the idea expanded for each song. I still want to persevere with talking heads so I will return for relistens

I have never been a huge fan of Talking Heads, and they have never been able to blow me away. There was a time, I didn't care much for their jerky post-punk. However, I have grown to understand them more and like some of their albums. Remain in Light does feel somewhat epic in what it covers and has songs that stand out on their own, too. I'd probably give it a 3.5, but I think a 4 is warranted for this scale due to the artistry and impact on larger music.

Really solid album with some great tracks. Can hear some early ground work for some of the current bands I really like.

There's no band quite like Talking Heads with their mix of Funky New Wave Art Rock. Caontain one of my favourite Talking Heads tracks, "Once in a Lifetime".

Good album from a band I hadn’t listened to

Obviously once you hear some of the songs a few times, you know what's coming, but nothing really can prepare you for that first listen. There's such a wide range of sounds on here, I understand 'new age' whatever that means, but it does feel like that, because nothing before (and even since) sounds like this. The afrobeat, funk and electronic influences are what really makes it though. Brian Eno ties everything together and I think quite a lot of the vocals which I thought were David Byrne are actually him. I also definitely recognise Adrian Belew on here as well, as his slide lead guitar thing is very recognisable. The whole album nearly is just looped sections, not really chords, which again hadn't really been done in western music at the time and really since. The deluxe extra songs are pretty good as well. Favourite songs: All other than some of the deluxe instrumental ones. Overall around 9/10

It's taken me a long long time to appreciate Talking Heads. This album has good and bad. It's a 3 from me

Ретро-звук, экспериментальная музыка, много игры с примочками, необычным из инструментами, с голосом. Тёплое и часто приятное звучание, навевает ностальгию.

Interesting and no saves

Strange, off beat, quirky, melodic and brilliant. Probably the quintessential Talking Heads' record and a stone cold classic; every track's a banger. Best Tracks: Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On); Once In A Lifetime; Houses in Motion

take a drink every time there's a chord change

New to me.

I'm actually torn on this one--I love TH and this album is revered, but the second half really drops off. The first side and up to Once In a Lifetime are epically good, but I like them better on Stop Making Sense. They just have more life live. I think this is a 3.5 for me, but bumping to:

didn't really like it

A real classic’s classic

This is just so funky and absolutly incredible

Not my thing. I don't see any of the stuff that all the other comments say. The first song is alright, but nothing after that was particularly interesting to me

This is an 8 track album and the first five songs are ALL home runs. From the gutsy intro, to the settled jams of “the great curve”, to the pop appeal of “once in a lifetime”. Holy shit! The final three songs pack less of a punch. “Seen and not seen” has a spoken word boringness. “Listening Wind” fails to inspire and “The Overload” somehow takes us into brooding… metal? Not for me. The first five tracks are five stars. The final three tracks are three stars. We’ll settle on four.

Some nerds of note include popcorn magnate Orville Redenbacher, rockstar David Byrne and Supreme Court justice David Souter

Very cool and creative, weird but a lot of fun too. Much of the album has a chaotic, nervous energy, there's so much going on each track that I usually notice something I didnt pick up on on previous listens. Cool that a western band used African polyrhythms, that's not something you hear very often so it helps them stand out The turn from more danceable and upbeat to slower, more eery and sinister tracks on the second half reminds me a little bit of David Bowie's Low, at least in terms of structuring (not that anything that is particularly upbeat) I had More Songs About Buildings and Food previously, which I do like but to me they took what they were trying to do previously and perfected it here 4.5 Highlights: Once in a Lifetime, Houses in Motion, Born Under Punches

3.0

5 stars. Same as it ever was.

Do I even need to explain why this is one of the greatest albums of all time? No. But I'm going to anyway because I love admiring this album. The blend of post punk with afro beats is such an interesting idea that was pulled off absolutely flawlessly. Not to mention that every single song is so beautifully unique and does something that none of the others do, while still coming together as a collective to make the album flow perfectly.

It goes like this: you put the probably metaphorical needle on this record and you are immediately greeted by strange sounds all around. The guitars are erratic, the bass all over the place, the singing barely sounds human and worst of all, you're not even sure what *that* sound's even supposed to be. But while you're trying to figure out how to count along to the beat, your body has already understood the assignment - you notice it has started moving along. It is then that you start to realise that what you are listening to is in fact a wildly creative, uniquely groovy and even cathartic piece of music, and that's just the first track. When you realise the rest of the bunch is just as good, if not even better, you know it's time to give this album a five-star rating. Yes, you heard that right, that's an imperative. Sure, music's subjective and all that, but if you dare give this album less than four stars, just know that you *will* be found.

This is on my top 10 albuns. No stranger to that is my devotion to Talking Heads. This album was created in a context of discovery, it only from TA but also from many other musicians of African or non western rhythms, creating a fascinating art work that encapsulates it only an era, but the creativity power of David Byrne.

After the first Talking Heads album I got, I was looking forward to hearing more of them. Was kind of disappointed. Talking Heads 77 is definitely a much better album. Most of this album is just kind of there, doesn't really go anywhere. Not terrible, but not really all that interesting either. Best song: Crosseyed And Painless

First song already starts funky and disco, groovy and very interesting. Sets an energetic and relaxed mood. Nice for a first song. Second song, very nice, funky and groovy. Sounds a little like alternative rock. Sounds quite unique. Third song, has a really nice beat, sounds varied, unique and multifaceted. Interesting. Sounds like a great one so far, probably one of the best of the album. Fourth song sounds quite otherworldly and more disco. Not bad. Sounds very familiar and nostalgic. Quite comedic and make you feel at ease. Fifth song sounds groovy, easy to listen to, funky, nice worldbeat music. Sixth song comes off with a relaxing, funky and groovy beat. Consistent and nice rhythm, that slightly changes throughout. Nice and original. Seventh song, unique beat at the start. Really funky and relaxing, slightly psychedelic. Great and mellow. Eight song starts off haunting and interesting, sounds psychedelic and ambient with some groovy elements. The most relaxing, and best one so far. I'd give it a 9/10, and 5 out of 5 stars.

I wasn’t as familiar with the songs on this album. Nothing stood out per se, it it was as always, dense with musical genius and a great vibe.

The Good: Talking Heads!!! The Bad: Sometimes we don’t really want heads to be talking… The Ugly: Remaining in light can become tiresome… I do appreciate me some Talking Heads! The album was nice, but not one of my favorites… all this world music vibe isn’t what I was waiting for. Anyway, it does merit to be on this list for sure, and will give it another spin soon!

Niet voor mij gemaakt

Fun, punchy alternative rock made for dancing. Feels a bit repetitive at times, but overall a banger

good but kinda boring, idk

Funky in a way that only the Talking Heads can be… Once in a Lifetime is an outstanding song of course but the rest are a little less memorable/tuneful. Great album though

Not my favorite Heads record but still a classic. Everyone I knew in college that was serious about music had a copy of this one

Wonderful fusion. Can dance, sway, tap the foot and use as daily background music. ONCE IN A LIFETIME is a top 100 song for me (if not top 5).

Thought the vocals mostly brought everything down. Really liked the funky mood though

Once in a Lifetime is a fav of mine, had never heard the other songs but was really enjoyed them as background music while working

Better than the first time I listened but still not really wowing me

I think it’s because I wasn’t exposed to them a ton growing up, but Talking Heads is fun but not necessarily something I ~get~ per se. Happy to get more exposure tho

I enjoyed this album as far. As far as the Talkinh Heads go, I still don’t really understand them as a phenomenon

I never fully got the Talking Heads, but something clicked for me when listening to this album. Weird, funky, groovy, and catchy. Interesting to see Brian Eno produced it and it draws from that Nigerian artist Fela Kuti that we liked earlier in the project.

Just good

The first time I listened to this album was in 2023. My first impression was that the album didn't add much to Talking Heads' discography. 1 year later and my opinion remains the same, what changed was that the first time I was focusing too much on the lyrical part when what really shines here is Brian Eno's production that elevates the songs on the album a bit. He deserves the credit for turning this album into something listenable.

Fantastic. Fun, high energy, musical creativity, sharp lyrics. Everything I’m looking for in a five star album.

enjoyed this album. I only knew 'Once in a lifetime' but the other song were very enjoyable with a clear Talking Heads sound

3.5

You may find yourself listening to this album.

I love the funk and Fela Kuti influences on this album. Great rhythm and bass and quirky singing on side one. A chiller, more electronic feel on the second side. The last song sounds like a slightly less intense Joy Division.

3 minus, only because of Once In A Lifetime

Very cool

2/5, abbastanza monotono

Talking Heads are so interesting rhythmically. I was previously only familiar with Once in a Lifetime from this album, but it's a good listen.

Good stuff, maybe enjoy their later albums as a whole

Classic, once a heavy in rotation album for me. Not so much these days, but among their very best for sure

If every song was Once in a Lifetime good then it would have been a 4 or 5 but there were so many noises it scrambled my brain for most of the album.

This was a fun frantic album. Kept me grooving while I worked.

Insgesamt gute Lieder, nichts Schlechtes bei, zwei Rausstecher

An excellent record in its entirety, definitely a more artistic approach than what other Talking Heads' works. Jazzy elements, playing with effects, hints of electronic elements, it's almost Pink-Floyd-esque.

4 sterne

heard this before but I do not remember grooving this hard to an album, ever. track after track of danceable - in the nervous, jittery way - music and the greatest climax rock music has ever bestowed upon us. what more could you ask for?

One of my favourite albums, and Crosseyed and Painless one of my favourite songs - amazing the range of genres they played with and foreshadowed (The Overload - sounds like Joy Division for example). Amazing record - hard 5

fucking banger, every song is really good favorites are: once in a lifetime, born under punches, crosseyed and painless, the great curve, houses in motion, listening wind

A bop, reminded me of dylan otherwise pretty classic

-ok so it was weird, they kinda talked a lot during their songs.... -idk if like this band... -id be open to hearing some of their other music tho -im thinking my fav song was Once in a Lifetime just cuz i knew it so it was familiar and easier to digest

No one is the history of cultural appropriation has ever said "play that funky music white boy." Rhode Island Art school ensemble and CBGB headliner that came to embody NYC punk before transitioning to New Wave, Talking Heads are definitively 1980s like Patrick Nagel, Reaganomics, Don Delillo and post-structuralism. Talking Heads 77 is iconic, angular and catchy, Remain in Light is a critic's favorite that incorporates global grooves and Afrobeat poly-rhythms all while abandoning choruses. Radio and MTV hit "Once In a Lifetime" and "Crosseyed and Painless," which would later appear in the classic Jonathan Demme directed concert documentary "Stop Making Sense" are fractured funk pop with surreal spoken word lyrics. "Listening Wind" is a spoken word meditation on cultural imperialism and terrorism. "Houses in Motion" the death march of consumerism, while "Seen and Not Seen" is a Laurie Anderson inspired spoken word meditation on identity mediated by cultural media and narrative conventions. It is surprising how devoid of hooks most of these stream of consciousness songs tend to be.

I got 2 older talking heads records before. It has the same problems as the other albums, too repetitive and annoying singing, but some songs are alright. Favorite song: born under punches

Of course this is brilliant. I find their music largely repetitive and annoying but as I listen I am constantly thrown by how innovative it is too.

Second listen. Fan of this one.

Good album 👍

A classic but I don't think it is consistent enough from front to back to be one of my personal favorites.

Perfect no notes

Top-notch songwriting

Didnt get it

Yell-singing,nothing to recommend itself. Even the instruments are uninteresting. 1/5

Pretty fun pretty funky!

Big talking heads fan, this is another album I had and listened to on vinyl. It's a weird album, like all other talking heads albums I've listened to they have like 1 or 2 of their most popular songs sprinkled in the album, and then the rest of the album is made up of pretty wacky tracks, but they're all super unique. I'd give most of the songs on this album a 3 or 4 out of 5. Gonna give it a very generous 4 overall Fav song: Once in a Lifetime

It's fine

Same as it ever was

Punk afro rock, funky and carefree - Once in a Lifetime is a good song - Nice beats and drums - Gets a little repeptitive

IMO the best Talking Heads album.

It’s impossible to talk about Remain in Light without talking about rhythm—layered, hypnotic, unrelenting. This isn’t just an album that flirts with Afrobeat; it fully absorbs it, reshaping itself in its image. Talking Heads fully commit, building entire songs out of restless, looping patterns that never stop moving. The opening one-two punch of Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On) and Crosseyed and Painless is pure nervous energy, while The Great Curve is a monster—Tina Weymouth’s bass and Chris Frantz’s drums locked together like a machine, with Adrian Belew’s guitar screeching and contorting like it’s trying to escape reality itself. It’s dense, intricate, and completely hypnotic. Brian Eno fingerprints are everywhere. He didn’t just produce this record; he shaped it, layering sounds in a way that pushes Remain in Light beyond post-punk into something closer to a living organism. There’s an argument to be made that this is just as much an Eno album as a Talking Heads one, but if that’s true, it’s one of the best things either of them ever put their names on. Remain in Light never loses that Talking Head weirdness though David Byrne spends the whole record sounding like a man having a crisis, ranting about political paranoia, fragmented identity, and, in Seen and Not Seen, literally monologuing about reshaping his own face through sheer willpower. And then there’s Once in a Lifetime, the most famous track here—somehow fusing pop, anxiety and existential dread into one of the greatest singles of the ‘80s. It’s a song that feels like a nervous breakdown you can dance to. This is one of those albums that was so ahead of its time that entire genres are still catching up. There is still water flowing underground...

Certain Talking Heads songs are just incredible. But on a full album there's a lot of stuff that just isn't for me (it almost feels too spooky for me). So I am a Talking Heads fan without actually liking their albums. I'm a greatest hits simp I guess? Disappointed in myself ultimately.

2.9 stars

Boring I'm sorry... I kept zoning out. All the songs sound the same, they sound cool! But the same

Phwoarrrrrr. No notes. One of the GOATs.

might become a 10/10 someday

Very ecliptic. Good melodies with great drum beats

lets go born under punches- 8 crosseyed and painless- 8 the great curve- 7 once in a life time- 11 houses in motion- 7 seen and not seen- 7 or 8 listening wind- 7 the overload- 8

Enigmatic. Frustrating. Odd. Unnerving. Amusing. Hypnotic. Adrian Belew's solos on The Great Curve belong in a museum. Is this a magnum opus? The first three songs completely dispose of any - ANY - traditional rock format. Talking Heads and Eno reinvent rock, from what I can tell. I haven't heard anything like it. It has relationships to everything the band did before it, but they just develop their own drone-like experimental version of themselves. Even "Once in a Lifetime" is a strange new world. Weird and multi-layered. Gets better with every listen.

Listened to this a few times last year, it’s very good but dare I say overhyped. Can be a tad monotonous and some songs go on too long. Speaking in Tongues for me is the more enjoyable album. That said it’s still a cracking listen 4.25/5

This really deserves its reputation. Absolute bop throughout with once in a lifetime and crosseyed highlights

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.

Only really listened to Talking Heads greatest hits previously. Track 1 - cool guitar work Track 2 - enjoyed Track 3 - bass and drum work very cool Track 4 - great tune, always think about the video of this song as that is how I was originally exposed to the song and the Talking Heads. Very memorable. Track 5 - a lot going on in this tune. did not really resonate with me. Track 6 - different tune. another that I don't really have an opinion on. did not move me. Track 7 - another tune that did not resonate with me Track 8 - very dark feeling tune. could see it being used in a movie to set the tone.

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.

I don’t mind a bit of talking heads every now and then but they don’t blow me away. This one was fun and funky, but I don’t think I’d go out of my way to put it on again and listen. Ether way, inoffensive and a fun morning listen!

Loving all the layers and rhythms! Trails off towards the end though.

I like how they just crammed the first song with whatever noise they thought of!! “Once in a Lifetime” a stone cold classic of course.

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

It was short at least.

Yeah love it.

I love the Talking Heads, but they’ve got better albums. Remain in Light starts off as a brilliant 5-star record with incredible energy and creativity, but it slowly fades, settling into a solid 4-star listen by the end. Still great, just not their best.

This is the first album on this journey that Ive been pretty lukewarm toward but Ill listen to it a couple times bc I hate being a Hater

i just love when you can tell artists had fun making something.

mjög mjög gott, 4,5.

Amazing

Same as it ever was!

not my type...

Pretty cool, enjoyed this one.

Another very interesting album from Talking Heads.

A few bangers, a few oddities, a few that were just alright...it's definitely a Talking Heads album!

great record awesome band

Classic

A classic album from the 80’s that is still fresh and can sit well in between albums of today…. Well crafted from David Byrne!

I liked it

Even the radio hit that sounds almost out of place cant force a flaw I this absolute masterpiece

I knew Talking Heads before, mostly their big hits. And I’ve listened to this album before since it’s very highly rated. I never got it. Listened to it again, I still don’t get it. I mean I’m sure it’s great and beloved by many, I just don’t see how this is fun or interesting to listen to. Incessant beats that are somehow not intuitively rhythmic, just overpowering. Disaffected vocals. Very sparse instrumentation. Feels like some sort of weird sermon. Maybe some folks get some deep emotional connection to this stuff but I don’t. I give it two stars because I can see how it might be considered a seminal work for the genre, I just don’t like listening to it.

Love it! Weird and accessible

Done

I knew the hits from it

songs are too long; talking heads has much better

I preferred their first album. This one doesn't hold as much appeal for me, although it's not bad. I gave their first album four stars, so this one gets three.

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.

3.5 didn't finish but got almost all the way and liked it

Insanely polarizing and weird start to the album, but it is groovy; love the chorus on this track. I appreciated the bass on the second track, the panning strange one shot guitars were also interesting. The chorus was really good. The guitar in The Great Curve is fantastic and the percussion is great too. This definitely is an album that has to grow on you through multiple listens. The chorus on Once in A Lifetime is amazing, but the lead vocalists shouty vocals detract from it. Seen and not seen has a great background surrounding it, but the spoken word vocals do not help the song. Listening Wind is a highlight on the album, it has less energy and allows space to focus on the lyrics and the meaning of the song. While The Overload is a departure from the rest of the high energy and frantic performances seen on the album, it is still very interesting and ominous. Personally, I think this is the weakest track on the album but it is still a good song and it ties the album together. Initial Listen: 7.5/10 or 3.75/5.

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."

Strong 4. That was an awesome ride

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

Creo que me gusta más 77', pero está bueno también

Once in a lifetime is great classic. The rest was alright rock, pop mix. Whatever talking heads sound is described as

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.

Love this album. Big Talking Heads fan already

A very interesting album of very eclectic genres. Though they have their famous single on here. Only a handle of songs are true bangers and the others are quite esoteric.

One of my favorites and a very important and influential album for reasons most here would find too boring or weird

6/10

Lively. Strange. Pleasant listen

The heads are talking and spinning and talking and spinning. Anyway. Hi how are ya??? Another trip through my mind to the beat of some sort of musical composition dumped fresh and steaming into my phones browser via the algorithm (or malignant intentionality). Let give this a whirl and ruin my Spotify for another day!! A big congrats to me on being 1 bloody tenth of the way through this futile exercise. Album 100 and still no 5s. Will big suit man break the curse? We open with some interesting stuff happening. Oh man. Cool. The psychotic vocals are a lot of fun and what I was hoping for coming into this. VERGING on reggae lameness, but skillfully dodging the steel drum in favour of digital oddity that works so well. How can something be this accessible and still so off the wall? Fantastic. Cool song title. I love a good song title. Man, my vocabulary really is bad. Too much proximity to the US has fried my brain. Anyway, this song was alright. A much better track. So much African influence. I remember hearing that on some college radio station, so it has to be true. I like it. Repetition that doesn’t drive me insane. A classic deserving of this distinction. A regular listen for me and a perfect song. Lyrically thought provoking, musically cool and ultimately a beautiful experience. Coooool. Man the songs are catchy and yet also full of depth. This one really highlights that. Seen and Not Seen is a gem. What an odd series of words. Certainly just sat and listened. Didn’t even try to conjure up any bad jokes. That’s a first. The listening wind makes me wish I was listening to wind!!!!! Man I’ve been killing the zingers lately. Just smashing them out of the park. This is a disappointment. Boring and sappy. Twas a dusty eve on the windswept prairie. Only warmth was the revolver, freshly expunged into the doubting heart of yet another uncooperative town marshal. The villages run together, the crimes, once a means to an end, seem to now be senseless, yet they continue to itch like an inert reflex. Wind whips the dust into the eyes of the lone traveler. A tear where there have been none for an age. Ride forth. Pillage. Burn. American Dream. This album was fantastic. An eerie soundscape at points that shifted and evolved into bombastic exultations with tinges of neuroticism. Themes of dissatisfaction mixed with passage of time colour what is an emotionally excellent piece despite the accessible nature of much of the music. A real gem that gets close enough to perfection to almost break the curse. This is not my beautiful five, but it’s certainly a leap in the right direction. 4.5 HIGHLIGHTS: Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On), The Great Curve, Once in a Lifetime, Seen and Not Seen

Did not like this album. The sound was very robotic and very noisy. It felt like I was hearing loud noises instead of music.

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

Probably my favorite album of theirs. Not too weird, a good mix of pop and their brand of .

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.

Good Talking Heads album. Has Once in a Lifetime

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.

Really interesting. Haven’t heard such music before

didnt like the first talking heads album I heard. i get this one. The groove on this album is far more creative and out there, which makes for a more interesting listening experience. That solo on the first track is really cool i like it a lot. That being said I'm still a bit underwhelmed by the overall project. Its an okay album. I still really don't understand what so great about this band. This is best album I've heard from though for sure

Freking amazing. David Byrne is a genius.

It's ok.... if you like Talking Heads; not my thing.

Uskomattpman terävää menoa huhhuh

❤️

groovy

It’s good

Once in a Lifetime is by far the best song on here. The rest are ok.

When it was good it was great but when it was dragging it was a chore. I knew “Once in a lifetime” already and I really enjoy this song but overall the album did not have a ton of parts that made me want to focus in more. High 2 but a 3 doesn’t feel correct.

gonna be honest... don't particularly like the talking heads. I find their sound to be a bit odd, like they themselves can't decide what direction to go in. I'll give this one a two, because it didn't really do much for me

I like the style overall and appreciate the variety of tones throughout the album, but I can’t say anything really stuck out as amazing. My favorite song was Once In a Lifetime, which was catchy but not mind-blowing. Overall it’s an enjoyable listen though.

Too boring. Very moody but I didn’t take anything away from it.

Once in a Lifetime is a hit, but that’s really all that sticks out from this album. Better than a lot of other ones we’ve listened to, but a surprisingly bland debut album from a beloved band.

I absolutely love the song "Once In a Lifetime". It's been in my rotation for some time now, and I was excited to listen to more talking heads. I was hoping this would be an entire album of the same, but I was disappointed. I spent the first half waiting for "Once In a Lifetime" to come on, and I spent the second half wishing I was listing to it again rather than everything else. Maybe it's my bias, but the rest of the album was a bit disappointing for me.

Serviceable. Not the worst to listen to. Not a band that clicked for me.

Once in a Lifetime is a banger, rest is kinda mid honestly. Polyrhythms are dope and production is good but otherwise kinda meh.

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.

Unconventional. A new experience.

Really really not my style. Very busy percussion in most songs.

awesomeeee

It’s Talking Heads, I was bound to like it :-) Favorite track: Once in a Lifetime

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.

let me preface this by saying that i’ve never liked talking heads much. i just didnt like the some of the songs at all. much prefer their other albums

Classic album Ive already listened to dozens of times.

***An ok album

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.

Uh, what did I just listen to?

I went in with high hopes but my hopes were dashed. I don’t even know if that’s how you use that term in a sentence. This album just plods along, one song into another. You catch yourself drifting off in thought for an unknown amount of time, only to discover that you are listening again and find that it’s a different song but same tempo. I did not turn into a fan of these guys after this album. Listen at your own risk. Choice cut: Once in a Lifetime

Talking Heads are band I’d obviously heard of a lot but never really listened to until starting this project and for someone who doesn’t love 80s music, I’ve been impressed. I was excited for Remain In Light, and shocked when hearing it My first impression was Graceland-esque. White people do African tribe music. But this isn’t half as cringe. It’s very rhythmic and repetitive. I need to listen to it again but currently don’t see the genius 5.3/10

I 🙅🏻‍♀️ don't 🙅🏻‍♀️ like 🙅🏻‍♀️ new 🙅🏻‍♀️ wave 2 ⭐️

22/12/24 I've never listened to Talking Heads before but this is a proper funky fresh album.

Good.

Loved it

Duh.

Music as drugs (compliment)

Meget ambient, lidt funk akkorder hvor de holder det same riff/groove hele vejen i gennem men mere atmosfærisk og langsommere tempo. Synes ikke det mega rockede, selvom Once in a Lifetime er en super sang

Superb!

finishing the hard day with one of my favorite albums.

Unique does not mean good. Tough listen

"Once in a Lifetime" is the first song I remember loving as a kid. This one will always have a special place.

AHEAD of its time.

For me the Talking Heads were a little too leading edge of new wave/progressive music for me. I liked some of their songs, but a lot were incomprehensible or plain weird. That being said, I enjoyed this one. Another one that I have never listened to and recognize only one song that everyone probably recognizes, Once in a Lifetime, which had some popular success and a pretty interesting video at the beginning of the MTV era. There's a lot of riffs or grooves that are just repeated over and over in songs, to nice effect. I had friends who smoked pot and listened to a lot of Pink Floyd, they probably would have liked most of this album for that purpose. Some progressive music can be difficult to listen to, but not the case here. A good album by an influential band.

One of my all time favorite albums. The inflexion point where Talking Heads became SO much more than a New York-CBGB band. David Byrne blossomed into (imho) the most creative and visionary songwriter, lyricist, musician and he guided this band onto bigger and better things. but it all started with this LP... so many great tracks -- Crosseyed and Painless (Facts are simple and facts are straight. Facts are lazy and facts are late); Once in a Lifetime (And you may tell yourself, "This is not my beautiful house, And you may tell yourself, "This is not my beautiful wife); Born Under Punches (The hand speaks, the hand of a government man) , Houses In Motion (And as we watch him, Digging his own grave, It is important to know, That was where he's at, He can't afford to stop, That is what he believe He'll keep on digging, For a thousand years.... just an awesomely ecclectic collection of indelible songs. 10 stars

I'm getting the feeling that I don't enjoy the Talking Heads. Their music is just banal to me. I do admit it's a bit funky sometimes. "The Overload" is the best song; the whole album should've been like that. In other news, I've been discovering new and better music. 2 stars for "Remain In Light".

Поёдет

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.

Of course, the first album it generates is my favorite album at the moment.

Hell yeah

the rhythms aren't riveting, incredibly repetitive and frankly the unique sounds don't justify listening. The execution is good but their heads were in the wrong place I feel. Standout tracks: the great curve, once in a lifetime

I have no thoughtful or academic review of this album, but it's so weird and I loved it.

It's alright, nothing special.

Very fun and easy beats. Lots to dance to. Very Talking Heads, their own unique sound.

Good

Lots of interesting rhythms, a little funk, and a very international feel on most of the tracks. "Overload" had a very Doors feel to it. Unfortunately, none of this did anything for me today. It just sounded like a mess to me.

⭐️⭐️

this shit is cash i really like new wave but listenability is 50/50 for this one, it's like a level 6 or 7 of ten of snooty palate buuuuuut nonetheless i really like talking heads and what they do. I enjoy little creatures a lot more as an album but this was probably the best and most accessible one they put out.

I wanna talk about head ykwims

its alright

Good, but not as good as I was expecting

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.

Good fun post punk - Talking Heads are always a good thing in my book and love this record.

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.

great stuff, but Once In A Lifetime is so much higher than the rest album, it's hard to compare

mmm...

The talking heads don’t miss

Enjoyable! It's weird but in a good way.

The most rhythmically complex music I’ve heard. Really fun album that gets me moving.

I was Crosseyed and Painless until this album came along. Now I’m dancing to the Double Groove.

Not really my thing.

i thought this was mostly just ok. not bad but not my thing

About average

I NEED TO REVISIT THIS FEELS LIKE AN ALBUM THAT CANT BE UNPACKED WITH ONE LISTEN. I would love to learn about the process by which this album was created, there are so many sonic layers to it!

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

Once in a Lifetime is great…and I really didn’t like the rest of the album.

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.

I’m sure I’ve listened to this before, but it isn’t one I know well. I know I love “born under punches” and, obviously, “once in a lifetime.” I have a distinct memory of once in a lifetime coming on the radio once when my dad was driving me to school and I was like, “WHAT is this?” (I think I had a similar reaction to a Frank Zappa song on another trip to school.) Overall, just okay.

Hmmm, this was just okay. I've learned to love the Talking Heads from a friend, but this album didn't really hook me. I'd rather re-watch Stop Making Sense.

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.

This was one of my favorite bands from the 1970s-80s. I heard once that they never used more than three chords in any of their songs. One negative - I thought the end was a bit slow. Heavy on electronica.

I have loved Talking Heads for decades, but never listened to this album in full before. Glad I did. The way they constructed their lyrics is unusual and striking, not always but often addressing the listener directly: "Look at these hands", "You may find yourself...", "You may ask yourself..." The songs seem quirky, and awesome.

Who knew I'd be so happy to get a 1980 Talking Heads album? But I really liked when that guy was on SNL recently. He's definitely got a unique voice, and there's some funny little noises here too. A little bit of a modern poetry vibe. Highlights: 'Once in a Lifetime' (obvi), 'Seen and not Seen' (like, is this a Ted Chiang short story set to music?) Lowlights: The last 4 songs are "unfinished outtakes" and mostly instrumental. They're less compelling. 'Right Start' is my favorite of the four, probably because it's extremely repetitive.

I'm familiar with some Talking Heads beyond the hits, but not a lot. They pushed the envelope, showing that you can understand music and it doesn't have to be just self-fellating, but substantive and connecting with people across the board.

What’s better than a Talking Heads LP? A Talking Heads LP that’s inspired by Fela Kuti!

last song is nice but wow was this album mid

As a casual fan, this album didn’t change that. It’s a decent listen, if you’re looking for something different. Growing up during the time when MTV was on fire (when they aired actual music videos) I was exposed to Once in a Lifetime. Houses in Motion was a sleeper track for me. 1001 album worthy: Yes - 4/6

Really great Prefer fear of music Still really good A classic really

80ies Brit Pop. For me not overwhelming

Yeah I don’t get the appeal here. The guitar was weird (yet interesting), the singing was more like slam poetry, overall it was kinda just okay. Perhaps the novelty is why this album is held in such high regard but idk

This album was the final collaboration between Brian Eno and Talking Heads, and it builds on the previous albums with complex Afrobeat rhythms and Byrne’s occasionally obtuse lyrics. The music relies on the absolute precision of drummer Chris Franz and bassist Tina Weymouth in maintaining repeating patterns for extended periods, until they become almost hypnotic. Fela Kuti was an inspiration for this, with a name check on a bonus track. Polyrhythm-tastic!

This is an impressive piece of work. The rhythm section is solid and really the backbone of the album; the polyrhythms and the apparently Kuti inspiration are worth listening to. It efficiently blends different genres and inspirations (their post-punk roots, afrofunk, electronic music) for something completely new. I love the fact that Byrne said that they were "human samplers", and how they created loops to build the music. If I sometimes question the existence of some records in this list, this one indubitably belongs here.

Some classics and good overall.

I did not like this.

Funky. Quirky. Lotta good beats. Solid 4/5 for sure. Could potentially see it growing on me to the point where it’s 5/5

Insgesamt gute Lieder, nichts Schlechtes bei, zwei Rausstecher

What jake said Once in a Lifetime might be one of my favourite songs of all time (top 25 at the very least)

I've listened to this before, but I gave it a relisten. Track reviews: 1-5. great 6. one of those artistic only tracks that you don't listen to by itself. Not terrible I suppose. 7. didn't add first listen, it's definitely a good song and I might add, but worse than 1-5. 8. didn't add first listen and I stand by that. It's good for the album though! All in all, very good.

3.4 1x catch up 12/27

Experiments with African beats and scattered vocals. Very cohesive sound scape, not single outstanding songs.

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

这个算是能接受的了，封面有点引荐

I enjoyed this album - includes the classic song Once in a Lifetime. Nothing stood out but it was fun.

Having given LCD Soundsystem a 5, I couldn't very well give Talking Heads anything less. Even if this isn't your type of music, you have to appreciate that this was released in 1980. Groundbreaking.

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."

I was happy to receive this album because for several years I've had a strong aversion to David Byrne, and I was starting to wonder if it was unjust. It wasn't. Make no mistake, the Heads have a phenomenal rhythm section that drives the funky-dance aesthetic of this album. And, of course, "Once in a Lifetime" is a classic. No complaints there. But the album is otherwise overly indulgent and occasionally borderline pretentious. Certain songs are far too long, and Bryne's "I'm a funky nerd" aesthetic loses its charm over time. I get that the Heads were enormously important and influential for a generation of fans, but this band will never move me. God, I wish Tina Weymouth had been in a different band....

This is not my thing, but there are some great tracks on here that aren't as popular as Once in a Lifetime.

5 talking heads out of 10. This was really cool, I didn’t know taking heads was going to be like that. I thought they were a bit goofy and samey but I like the structure of some of their songs, they take a phrase and just keep adding to each and that’s pretty much each song. Some cool electronic music. I bet it was super fun to make.

Hands. Once in a lifetime

Not for me

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.

Weird as fuck, but lots of interesting musical elements. I would have gone two stars, but I fuck hard with "Once in a Lifetime" and quite seriously every time I hear it it gets stuck in my head. 3 stars, weird, absolute vibe, earworm track saved it

Solid. But really only one or two songs I go back to.

Pretty good. I like their style and some of the songs were pretty familiar.

M-A-S-T-E-R-P-I-E-C-E

very experimental? there's a lot going on in every song, definitely too much going on. there's a gem or two in there but not worth the rest of the album 3/10

Brian Eno!! Understanding that this record was made by drawing influence from Nigerian musician Fela Kuti, as they experimented with African polyrhythms, funk, and electronic reframes how fun and brilliant it is. It’s a specific vibe but loads of fun

wiild

For some strange reason, Stop Making Sense, a clear 5, is not on this list. Remain in Light is, though. And while very good and innovaative in terms of the way they work with effects, repetitive riffs etc., the songs sound a bit too restrained at times compared to Stop Making Sense.

Favourite songs: - Once in a Lifetime - The Great Curve - The Overload - Double Groove 10/10

Aight

风格有点迷幻？？有时候稍微有点吵了

LOVE this record.

I quite like talking heads, this is one of the weaker albums but it's still pretty solid

Really good. Some bangers.

First time listening, I did not like this album. Second time, connected with it more. I was on the wavelength they were using and, also have listened to a lot more Brian Eno (producer) since I last heard this. Probably primed my brain to accept it.

Nice.

Love them. Once in a lifetime is one of the bangers of all time

Remain in Light is lightning in a bottle, an album so unique that I've seen at least fifty bands in the past 10 years try—and fail—to replicate it. For Talking Heads to release something this audacious in 1980, a year after Fear of Music, is remarkable. Drawing heavily from Fela Kuti’s Afrobeat, the album breaks rock conventions with looping polyrhythms, layered instrumentals, and Brian Eno’s experimental production, which gave the music a strange hypnotic pull. The band’s approach—building instrumental tracks first and improvising lyrics later—gave them a new creative spark. The opening trio—“Born Under Punches,” “Crosseyed and Painless,” and “The Great Curve”—is relentless, each track intensifying the listener's pulse. “Born Under Punches” bursts out of the gates with a frenetic groove, while “Crosseyed and Painless” dives into paranoia with a pounding funk bassline. “The Great Curve” cranks up the tempo further, layering sharp guitar and rapid percussion to dizzying effect. It’s an explosive start to the album. Then comes “Once in a Lifetime,” the album’s crown jewel and one of the band's, and indeed rock’s, most iconic songs. Its unforgettable bassline and surreal, existential lyrics on identity and alienation make it both of it's time and sharply contemporary, a song that resonates as much today as it did over forty years ago. The album’s intensity dips slightly in the final few tracks, revisiting earlier concepts with a touch less punch. Still, Remain in Light remains a genre-shattering gem—a singular fusion of rock, funk, and global rhythms. - Did/Do I own this release? No - Does this release belong on the list? Unique for its time, it fits well on a list like this. - Would this release make my personal list? I genuinely love Talking Heads, but with such a rich discography I may be inclined to pick one of their other brilliant albums instead - Will I be listening to it again? There is always room for more Talking Heads.

Once in a lifetime - Iconic. And a bunch of other songs.

Experimental

really like the vibe, cool to listen in the background, but none of the songs really captivated me enough for wanting to add it to my playlist

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.

Nothing remarkable as it is not the kind of music I would generally listen to. I would not seek out similar albums.

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.

This was sweet relief after quite a bad run of albums. Thank goodness! Has some absolute classics on it. interesting and varied and fun and creative.