Tom Tom Club

I didn't really "get" the Tom Tom Club the first time I heard them. My love for the Talking Heads was just burgeoning in high school and I wanted to understand the non-David Byrne members better. This was an obvious place to look. I think I couldn't appreciate it for what it is: a fun dance record meant to be fun and danceable. Their performance of "Genius of Love" in Stop Making Sense helped me understand the appeal, and the use of synths is fun throughout. You can really hear Tina Weymouth's unique bass writing. I like the album, though I'm unlikely to listen to it on my own. Cool to see how many songs have sampled music from this album though—especially "Genius of Love."

Funky weird and fun album. Going in didn’t know what I was in for and was pleasantly surprised on what I knew, like ‘Genius of Love’ and ‘Under the Boardwalk’. Rating: 7/10 Favorite Song: Lorelei

I feel like I try very hard to like this and talking heads and others like it but to me this is just the equivalent of unseasoned boiled chicken. So fucking bland bro

It is so weird and quirky

Wordyrappinghood and Genius of Love are great songs that I'm all too familiar with. Great way to kick this album off. Nothing else really hit those heights but it was a good listen. Heard it before? ❌ Listen again? ✅ Rating out of ten? 7

Great pick I respect the quirkiness of the sound on Tom Tom Club immensely. The closest comparison is, fittingly Talking Heads, but it's doing its own thing enough to resist any vapid comparisons of imitation. Sandwiched in this list between a hundred run-of-the-mill 70s rockist quote-unquote 'classics' it's like a cool refreshing splash of spring water. it reminds me of Prince's '1999' but better. By slamming down the throttle and leaning even harder into the hairpin turn it ends up shredding charm like tyre rubber. From track one TTC makes its thesis statement clear - we're doing our own thing. Then we slide on into Genius Of Love, the wet-synth equivalent of the Amen break. In another alternative timeline (the one where Mandela died in prison, perhaps) On On On On...'s funkadelic bass chug is what could have earned the same flowers. Who knows? TTC remains a trove of uneked samples for future producers to lift. There's such an earnestness, a real vivaciously adolescent vulnerability. It avoids the traditional trap of saccharine mawkishness that infects much of the pot-boiling New Wave lovey-dovey muzak, because TTC sounds genuinely fun. It has that feeling of sitting down cross-legged on the bare carpet of a cheap sharehouse with nothing but a third-hand Yamaha synthesizer, a scratched-up drum machine, and the patience to sit for six hours twiddling knobs for playful sonic recreation. Fav tracks: Genius Of Love, As Above So Below, On On On On...

The album was fine. There was some good 80s vibes and I liked learning about the history of the band, but in the end, yes, just fine.

LIke this one. Probably a 3.5

A real surprise, in the sense that I knew loads about this album but had never known, or even imagined, who was behind it. Conclusion: I set out to find out more and only today did I learn that Tina was the bassist for the Talking Heads; that this was a side project; and that in both cases, she, her husband and a few friends earned the highest praise from their peers and enjoyed great success. Of course, now that I know all this, and having thoroughly enjoyed revisiting these tracks, I can’t give it anything other than a resounding 5/5.

Dig this one. Sounds great, and it's enough different from Talking Heads while recognizably adjacent that one could be forgiven for cross referencing them. Still, this one stands in its own.

Knew of it, had never heard this before..loved it. And spotting the sample (or at least where the samples ended up of tracks 1 and 2) was quite a list

Genius of love came on and I knew I’d heard before but with rapping in it, spent the next hour going down a wormhole of all the artists that have sampled it.

Oh shit, it’s the Big Dick Energy sample song 👀. Otherwise it’s weird as hell. I liked it more than I expected to.

Fun and re-listenable

Очень странная, но веселая хренотень

Ah okay so this is just a talking heads side project. Shame it's a bit hard to find, good old youtube came in clutch. Turns out I'd heard Genius of Love in Stop Making Sense though admittedly can't remember it amongst all the other TH tracks I'd not heard before in that film. But then the song starts playing the most recognisable sample ever put to wax since the amen break and I was like OH YEAH. Ridiculously catchy lightning in a bottle type beat Rest of the tracks were okay to decent on a first listen, possibly audio quality worse than it could have been with my main source being 14y old YT videos, but hey ho. Lorelei was good, "On, on, on" sounded immediately very talking heads

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Tedious.

Weird, but sometimes good weird.

Hard to describe this album. It's kind of a fun weird pop album. One of the songs I remember hearing before today but the rest were strange and new to me. Not bad if you are in the mood for it. Not sure if it is for me though.

Fun

Nice little sweet new wave gem I've never heard about before. The vibe of this album is immaculate, it's just an album that you HAVE to love, because it's so quirky and vulnerable. The lead singer/bassist and the drummer were (at the time) members of Talking Heads, so I suppose was a just quick side project from them. I had previously a bit "Genius of Love" from used as a sample in Grandmaster Flash's "It's Nasty." It threw me off initially, and still it sounded a bit weird as the song went on as I'm so used to how Grandmaster Flash uses it. I think this definitely deserves to be on the list. It really nails the new wave/funk rock mixture of a sound. Highlight Song/s: "Genius of Love" and "On, on, on, on..."

Nonsense over amazing beats. I like it

This is one of those albums that walks the very fine line between amazing and annoying. The white girl rapping sounds like my aunt, hopelessly uncool and lame, but in an insanely fun way. This is pure novelty party music and there is no other context in which this works. Of course, without the Talking Heads association, this would be condemned to complete obscurity. Key tracks: Wordy Rappinghood Genius of Love

Highlight: Genius of Love 3.2

what in the school house rock was this? some sick beats tho. but why was it 2 hrs long?

I can't believe I like new wave / synth pop now. Never heard of them but this is the side project of husband (drummer) and wife (bassist) of the Talking Heads. And it's sick! Couldn't believe it when the first track came on as I'd never heard it before and it was featured in the movie Finding Emily which I just watched two days ago. Great flick. Great album. Genius of Love is so fucking good.

Not on Spotify but I already know the song genius of love and it’s a banger so I’ll just assume the rest of the album is pretty decent

Mmm a bit disappointed by this to be honest. It was alright. Definitely very funky and groovy, but also a bit boring, I guess. Not as danceable as Talking Heads. So yeah it failed to grab my attention a bit and even though it is not a long album, it sort of dragged near the end.

Didn’t realize this was a Talking Heads side project. Pretty alright.

Quite a few bangers on here

4.5. Great new wave

What a delightfully weird album.

an early example of the convergence of the uptown and downtown scenes, with artists and rappers coexisting. Interesting early electronic tracks, Wordy Rappinghood is so cringey, Genius of Love is an all timer.

6/10

Not available.

I remember almost nothing about this, apart from when I went “oh, I know this from an advert or something!”, but couldn’t tell you which advert, which track, or even how it goes. Not bad, not good, not memorable.

Unfortunately unable to listen to the album as it’s not on my music provider. To my astonishment I recognised Wordy Rappinghood though I’d never heard of the band or the song. Kind of like Talking Heads but more fun?

7/10

This way ok. A bit strange though I did recognize a handful of tracks. Not really for me though. 2/5

it’s pretty groovy and stands the test of time.

Pas dispo sur Deezer!

Had to listen on YouTube as at the time of writing this the album is not available on Apple Music or Qobuz. I had a nice time with this album, definitely a quirky and fun album that I will listen to again.

3!!! I LOOOVVEEEED genius of love and as above so below

Love this whole album, 5 out of 5!

This is good in the right setting, and an extra star for Fantasy.

difficult to find online

“Oh, that’s what this song is from” is pretty much the only positive thought I had here. The Under the Boardwalk cover was okay.

Genius of Love is the obvious standout. Measure Up was ok. Once again an album that suffers for me from being a double. There's enough little funky bits here and there that make it a 2 for me but there were other times I was ready to shut it off. New wave just might not be my thing.

Wat een mooie verrassing op deze lijst!

Amazing

Pure 80s magic

Bastante nice, que buen trip, que estilo tan chido tenían

Tom Tom Club was definitely as weird as i was expecting it to be. What i didn't know about this album was that this band consists of two of the Talking Heads musicians being Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz. I also thought that Wordy Rappinghood was gonna be the song i would be familiar with from this album but it was actually Genius of Love which i hear all the time on the radio in various places. This album definitely is as weird as i thought it was going to be like i said above but despite all it's quirkiness, it still managed to work pretty well with what it had. It's far from the greatest thing i have heard but it's still solid for what it is. Best Song: Genius Of Love Worst Song: Tom Tom Theme

Will definitely take more speaking in tongues-adjacent material. Definitely not as good, but some fun ones in there. Pretty good, didn't connect with it as much on the second listen. Worthwhile I think. 6.5/10

Not my taste of music.

The second best Talking Heads album 9/10

That this is clearly just for fun and turned out so well is a testament to the band members’ ability.

It's ok.

Loved it. As a bassist, seeing Tina Weymouth do anything is amazing and this side project was more enjoyable than Talking Heads stuff. I get a lot of Bridget Kearney songwriting vibes from her and this. Also sounds like Rubblebucket meets Robert DeLong too.

Concerned the Talking Heads were not quirky enough, The Tom Tom Club has created an album full of songs that are even more quirky than David Byrne could imagine. I prefer the Talking Heads and this may just not be my kind of album. It sounds good, the music is fine, but I just don't know if I care to listen to this one again. The songs were just okay for me, as I think this was a fun side project that I found it difficult to engage with entirely. I don't know what Booming and Zooming was supposed to be. I do not like spoken-word songs and that's all that one is. Otherwise, the music was interesting but forgettable for me. My favorite tracks: Genius of Love As Above, So Below On, On, On, On... Under the Boardwalk

Not a fan except for one or two songs. Does not hold up.

Would not play on Spotify so listened to live album of same stuff

One great song surrounded by meh.

This doesn't exist on Spotify, But i get listen to some of it at least through the live album. This is pretty sweet. I had to look up who they were, but it does make perfect sense that this is 2/3 of Talking Heads.

Very fun album, rythms are so catchy and the production is immaculate. Loved every second of it.

Genius, for sure.

This was definitely a fun and playful new wave and post-disco album, and little did I know, Tom Tom Club was actually a side project from members of Talking Heads. I never would have guessed it, but now it makes sense because both bands are built on a foundation of funk. Talking Heads takes that foundation in more of an art-rock direction, whereas Tom Tom Club pushes it more toward post-disco, funk rock, and dance-rock, with dub and early hip-hop influences mixed throughout.

This was exactly why im here: sn album i had no idea about, that when i played recognised i recognised some if it, that i actually really enjoyed and then sent me down a rabbit hole of who they are and what else they have done. Like a much much better Malcolm Mclaren, this is appropriation done well. Mad and varied and interesting and sampleable, the Talking Heads link is obvious in hindsight.

Talking Heads could never

First listen

Annoying background music that is loved by someone, I suppose

I like the talking heads but not this

Some catchy songs and parts in here, but not sure what I think of it overall?

Quirky and lighthearted, this was a very cool spin-off from the Talking Heads bass player and drummer. Still has that new wave backbone you'd expect to it but leans heavily into creating its own style of minimalist funk, blending live instrumentation with electronics. I love the arrangements. Simple and repetitive rhythms anchor each song, while a host of different instruments weave unique phrases into that fabric. All of this is topped with the Weymouth sisters syrupy vocal melodies. It's so refreshingly upbeat it's like a musical antidepressant.

I am a bit conflicted on this one. I appreciate that it's something a bit different but maybe it's too different and not actually that enjoyable.

696/1001 2026.09.07

funky greatness (not on my Apple Music, so had to listen via YouTube)

412/1089 standard album just not being available on (UK) streaming for some reason is a bit irritating. Wordy Rappinghood is annoying in a fun way. like it’s dated but in a way that works well. love hearing the fantasy sample pop up, the cross-genre pollination of it is so interesting because it feels like the sample was perfectly plucked where any other hook wouldn’t work for mariah the album’s taken quite an interesting turn to a chanty sort of hippie (?) sound which i’m liking (as above so below is pretty cool) this was a good project, glad i heard it faves: as above so below, genius of love, wordy rappinghood 63/100

Maybe I just really fucking loved this

That was a good time

Wordy Rappinghood L’Elephant Lorelei Under the Boardwalk

Genius of Love As Above So Below

no he podido escucharlo en spoty, así que votaré por un par de canciones que he escuchado del This Is

This actually pissed me off the whole time. Genius of Love lick still a banger

That was some weird shit. Talking Heads are some weird and funky guys. Little offshoot band. Didn’t hate it though. Weird shit.

Pas mauvais!

Can’t tell if I like this. Fun, some parts early 80’s, some parts kind of high-school level of experimenting.

Good news: Got out of space ok, bad news: More new wave… Yeah if you can’t tell I’m getting kind of sick of random new wave albums, and I was hoping this one was going to be good since this band has one half of the Talking Heads, but the music just doesn’t really catch me. I do think that Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz are a great bass and drum duo, and their rhythms are one of the reasons I enjoy Talking Heads, but this album just lacks the unique flair that made their other work so special. I can’t think of Genius of Love without thinking of a Homegoods commercial. I did rather enjoy their cover of Under The Boardwalk, though, my first standout track, that song did have a fun, kind of B-52s beachy vibe to it, though. Wordy Rappinghood is also kind of unique, but not my favorite. I guess that’s really the only song I can recommend without feeling like I’m selling something I don’t believe in. Overall, not a very interesting album. I’m hoping I’ll find a good album instead of these boring ones that go on and on and on and on…

The gals from HR in the medical clinic had to put together a rap song for the upcoming office retreat. This isn't like your modern HR Gen Z girls either. These are some old broads who learned the hard way. These are the cardigan wearers that will write you up for chewing gum in the office. Carole and the gang really let loose and wrote this bitchin' opener, and it somehow made it onto a lauded commercial release. Don't laugh, last time somebody did and one of them cried and it was a whole thing. Much like mandatory social time during our modern day salve toils, this was pretty abysmal. I see why it was included as it was so quirky and included that Genius of Love song but it also wasn't very good beyond that. A couple of infectious grooves does not a good album make. Also, if you think I'm listening to the "Deluxe Edition," you're out of your gourd. I sincerely hope you can become re-melloned or perhaps, squashed. Scream behind the walls of the giant pumpkin. As the massive plant takes root in your eye sockets, maybe take a moment to ponder music, and what it truly means to be essential. 2 GENRE: New meeting invite with HR for Friday at 4

Curious to hear the non-"Genius of Love" tracks here, as I don't know too much about this group outside of their partial Talking Heads affiliation. They certainly are quirky, makes sense given Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz's experience with Talking Heads and what they contributed to the band. Very funky, very new wave, but also dips into the sounds that hip-hop was producing in its infancy during this time. It was pretty fun, honestly. Just gotta embrace the weird!

Kind of interesting at least. Plus it had that one song

Whether we want to call it a Talking Heads offshoot or its own thing, Tom Tom was doing something unique from TH. Ultimately it's still cribbing from the nascent hip-hop movement and it always it's a little cringy when white people did early rapping and got more attention than the black artists of the time (see also Blondie, The Clash) but at least TTC were making it their own through being more playful. The first two songs still hold up as classics with Genius being the absolute standout but the rest of the album is a fun listen too. The album still does sound dated but not one that I'll turn down a listen to.

I have mixed feelings about this album. On one hand the instrumentation is great and unique, but on the other hand some of the vocals are just way too quirky. Like they heard the B-52s and thought they sounded too normal.

Ahh, an entire album that explores the Tom Tom musical cul de sac that brought Stop Making Sense to a screeching halt for 10 minutes. I love the talking heads, so the members get a lot of grace. In this case, every song feels mires in molasses, every musical choice feels like the most boring one that could be made. Listening today gave a feeling inside akin to road rage: GO FASTER! DO SOMETHING! BE BETTER! I honestly don’t know how the musicians endured playing these songs. Delivering this rating gives me no pleasure.

This had moments of four stars and moments of two stars. Overall, the hyperactive, generally stressful nature of the album doesn’t gel with me. Also lost marks for the dumbass band name. It’s like something a toddler would call his cricket bat.

I couldn’t access this album and so have not listened

This charming album sounds like bit more easy going version of this era's Talking heads albums. I'm not sure if Tina Waymouth gets enough credit for her groovy bass playing. She can even make the straight Chris Franz drumbeats groove like hell!

I would give just a half star if it would be possible. Just shitty album.

#461 / 1089 Heard before? ❌ Revisit? ❌ Fun rhythm fueled, funk infused pop music. Nothing really stuck out as far as single songs goes, I did listen to the those thing however. I like how prevalent bass lines and all sorts of percussions were on the album. Nothing pops up as good or bad, nothing sticks to me either. Decent and nice 3/5