Reviews (page 5 of 8)
Enjoyed listening to this album a blend of electronic pop with elements of left field talking heads underpinnings, potentially worth further listens a 2/3 but I’ll give a 3.
If Blondie formed the Spice Girls in 1971, this would be it.
Musically this is fine, enjoyable even, but the vocals and lyrics are so godawful I've had to downgrade it significantly
Awesome. Ive had this mix on repeat. Puts me in a great mood.
Now I know where the sample is from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tCTm5M3Cp8
Hey it’s that sample! What this album does well is the very danceable beats and rhythms, without strictly being a dance album (maybe it is, I don’t know). Some of the songs drag on a bit but the kit and instruments are varied and fun. The singers add a nice variety to other kinds of dance music; they’re almost like the B-52’s with the double tracking. This was fun, I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did.
This is maybe the ugliest album cover we have had so far. It screams of going to a modern art museum and your friend explaining to you "It doesn't matter that you could do it, it matters that they did it first." It's still shit. The album is good.
LCD Soundsystem owes a huge debt to Tina and Chris. Very fun and funky album but its somewhat of a mixed bag too.
All praise to Tina Weymouth and anything she’s involved in! Essential new wave/punk crossbreeding here. Be still my heart.
drei minus genius of love ++
Hm never heard of these guys. HA! This first track is funny. I like the quirkiness! Dude, this next track has some sexy Japanese vocals, and it's funky! I love it.
Interesting to learn about but not into the music
Oddly the link took me to REM's Automatic for the People. But I won't review that here. As for Tom Tom Club This is a lovely, frenetic groovy album with very few peers. I'm sold!
The best song in the Spotify Playlist was the first song of the next album.
Of course genius of love is one of the all-time jams, but most of the other songs struck me as kind of silly.
Some fun bits of music here and there, but overall just not my vibe.
Not my jams but I love to hear the origins of musical beats like fantasy from Mariah Carey
Nice really enjoyed it
Listens: 3 Standout tracks: Genius of Love, Wordy Rappinghood, Under The Boardwalk Added To Library: TRUE My gut reaction to this was "Oh look. More New Wave...." but there's something different going on here. This is not Depache Mode or Simple Minds or some of the other music I've elected to listen to. This is more like proto-Nightmare on Wax. I get major Nightmare on Wax vibes from this album: African Pirates, Man Tha Journey, Deep Down etc. If I had just heard this album without vocals, Nightmare on Wax would have been a guess. So, all that being said, I was much more impressed with the album than I expected to be. The beat on Genius of Love is... genius (and entirely funky). The pseudo-rapping on Wordy Rappinghood is intriguing. I like how they sneak some French in there. Their cover of Under The Boardwalk is also great. Notably, the Deluxe Edition was not available on YTM, so I only listened to the regular album, plus 3 remix/long version tracks tacked on. And it was plenty. 3.5 Edit: Increase to a 4. I normally do not like New Wave, but this album has an allure to it and some incredibly catchy songs.
This was the weirdest album. Lots of strange sounds, very annoying to listen to. I absolutely hated it.
Okay, a lot of this is silly, but I really like it. (Love it??) “80s” in the very best way - fun, playful, funky, and somehow cool. Never a drag! Favorites: “Genius of Love,” “As Above, So Below,” “Lorelei” Played it from the start once it ended. 4.5
Funky, but mwah
The Good: Tom Tom!!! The Bad: Wasn’t invited to the club… The Ugly: The fact that the only album available on Spotify was 2 hours+ long… When the first track started I was wondering what kind of shit early hip hop I was about to listen to, as the drums are electro-electronic! But then the sons actually kicks in and I was instantly brought back to the early early days of the ‘80s, playing in the pool with my buddies, and just having a dandy of a time. Sadly, that thought only lasted for 1 1/2 songs, at which point it all started to sound the same. What I did find interesting is that, while having the frikin’ long as album playing along on the background, time just kind of past by. So, if you are ever going to have an ‘80s party and you want something that will allow people to actually just have a good time, I can easily recommend this album. Yet, if you are lounging in your favorite seat (chair or sofa) and you want to have an excellent listening experience, you can skip this record without a doubt… Shooting this one straight down the middle… 3*
Kind of silly but I kind of liked it
Won't you look at that? The Tom Tom Club! As a big fan of the Talking Heads for a while now, this band consisting of bassist Tina Weymouth, and her husband, drummer Chris Frantz has always been known for their big hit sampled by other well-known artists years later. And without a doubt, Genius Of Love is a great song through and through even threatening to steal the show during Stop Making Sense. The rest of this album I didn't know about, so now is my chance to hear what else this band's got. I should highlight the fact that this record was put out a year after the release of Talking Heads' Remain In Light; a record which further integrated funk elements into the group's sound. So I consider this as Tina and Chris' own take on that style of music. The real perk of this album is that it lets the great Tina Weymouth be the center of attention for once. On Wordy Rappinghood, the groove builds to something you can't resist shaking your head too. The rapping (Dr Seussian?) even resembles David Byrne's brief rap on Crosseyed and Painless. The rest of the album serves as passable funk grooves with Lorelei being the highlight after the big hits. I wouldn't say it's a must-hear for the average Talking Heads fan, but if one wants to listen to more of a joyous take on Remain In Light's funky style, this exists. A better album than yesterday. (6/10, 3/5 on this scale)
Hello synths! Not being super versed in dance music, it feels like the fingerprints from this record are all over the party sounds of the 80s and 90s - it combines disco beats with New Wave irony and exotic instrumentation. What if Talking Heads went out on a Friday night? Massive groovy bass work, definitely a highlight. ----- Ok, I just saw who this band consists of and who played on the record. It all makes sense! Favourite tracks: Genius of Love, L'elephant, As Above So Below
Some catchy songs but the whole album is incredibly weird, and reminds me of Kids Rock.
The one song keeps this from being a 1 star
There are some true bops in this album.
This was very synthy and electronic drummy which is not my favorite. But... these were catchy and fun songs.
Genius of Love is still so groovy, but I wish they had autotune going for Lorelei. Overall ok.
Must be hard being in Talking Heads and not called David. This is good stuff - funky and tight. But - I don't think we get this album on the 1001 if they weren't also in TH.
Really wanted to enjoy this but it was just a bit too much and not my cup of tea. Highlight for me was ‘Spooks’
Solid
I didn't get it at first, but the more I listened the more fun it got I guess?
Between a 4-5 for me (would've been a 5 if the second half was just as fun as the first). Really really enjoyed it!
Joyful, cheerful, energetic.
The album is uneven, but still so fun.
A fun and interesting album of funky, experimental pop. "Genius of Love" is the clear standout, but there are plenty of cool songs throughout the album. The fact that Tom Tom Club was formed by the bassist and drummer from Talking Heads is important context. There's a focus on grooves and rhythms throughout the album, as well as some of the experimentation Talking Heads is known for. 3.5
Pretty fun and interesting album for it's time, right from track 1 I started to really get into a groove. "Genius Of Love" is a certified banger, timeless sound, and has really lived on as a sample. "Tom Tom Club", what a great idea? A club for tom toms.
Eccentric comedy dance funk rap probably shouldn't be a genre, but it is testament to the supreme talent of Weymouth and Frantz that this album has endured. In hindsight, it's all just a bit silly, but, when it grooves, the music itself still sounds fresh as a daisy in places. A bit of a curiosity, but full of charm.
Really not my cup of tea.
Mundane, repetative, and boring to say the least. I expected more from a band that is so highly revered in the new wave scene.
Really enjoyed this... Great synths
Ég hafði aldrei heyrt um þetta band áður. Lögin voru öðruvísi en ég bjóst við. Þetta var eiginlega eins og ef B-52s væru að koma fram í Sesame street þætti. Barnalega skemmtilegt en samt fullorðins inn á milli.
Genius
Heard Genius of Love before. I believe this album wasn't available on Spotify in my region not so long ago? But it's here now and it's quite good, I sometimes felt that the songs were ragging on a bit though 3/5
Instantly in a good mood.
Ok
Maria Carey sample!
After hearing some of these songs for most of my life, it's entertaining to know Tom Tom Club is simply a goofy side project to offer the Weymouths some space from David Byrne and the pressure of the Talking Heads. Its light and fun, though a bit repetitive. Early traces of GRLPWR here allude to some of the bigger acts of the genre popping out in the 90's.
Funky, funky, summer fun.
Talking shits
Fun and wild
tom tom club? nie gehört. 2/3 von talking heads? ach so. kunststudenten und austoben ohne produzent - so tönt das. not my favourite, aber einmal mehr „interessant“.
Crispy Musik mit furchtbarem Gesang. Und manchmal völlig abdriftet. Hätte nicht gedacht, dass die gleichen Leute dahinter stecken wie bei Talking Heads aber dann hört man es schon.
80’s dance music, but not the good stuff. I was there, and most of this was really uninspiring even back then. Songs are far too long and the beats are too pedestrian.
An adventurous album for sure. Not so much my speed but gotta appreciate taking risks. 4.1/10
Glad to finally hear this album after knowing about the Tom Tom Club for a long time - big fan of Talking Heads and of the Genius of Love segment in Stop Making Sense. Liked Under the Boardwalk and Lorelei. Some of the other songs a bit more prosaic. Don't know that I'd listen to the whole album again, but good and enjoyable listen.
I think a major reason that this album is only remembered for one or two songs is because its not Talking Heads, in fact its quite different, but I think the charm here is on par with Talking Heads, even if it is presented completely differently. Obviously the hit Genius of Love is catchy and a sampling machine, but most of the other tracks are also extremely catchy, such as Wordy Rappinghood asking "what if Blondie's rap was a whole song?" and Lorelei giving this sad edge to a still quite dance-y track, it has enough variety even in its short run time to be a really good time at points. I think the middle run on the album can tend to run too long, but the tracks at the start and finish are far too good to pass up, and Booming and Zooming is almost terrifying to me for some reason, with a eclectic yet catchy riff with dialogue just audible enough to give off a tense edge, I think its a fantastic closer. Were the album to replace some of its lesser tracks with even better runs from the time, such as Under the Boardwalk, then I could see this being a really great album from an admittedly bygone era. Unfortunately, it seems to just be remembered for the one track, and that's a shame in my eyes, because there's some great stuff here under the surface level.
NPC female music. Most popular song backround used in commercials
One hit wonder
Wonderful! Especially because the tracks I already knew (e.g. Genius of Love) were deep in. At first I thought, "this sounds vaguely familiar." And then, "oh, yeah, they made that!"
27/04/2025 It was alright. Nothing to write home about.
I don't like it. The beats feel stiff and the flow likewise. It almost feels like it's bad on purpose, but I get the feeling that they are completely serious. It's giving "Math's teacher doing hip-hop to try to make the kids think that it's cool" vibes Standouts Wordy Rappinghood 2/5
I know a lot of toms in my life, I know it’s a common name and the tom tom is a type of drum but I just get a cringey image of all the tom’s I know dancing to wordy rappinghood behind a green screen. Also I didn’t recognise Genius of love which is meant to be the hit. L’elephant, I decided to give the English lyrics a read… bit cursed You can just tell it’s a talking heads adjacent project actually if I was to best describe the sound I think I’d say talking heads meets stereolab. Also one of them ones that just sounds like the early 80’s- you can imagine ‘antmusic’ coming on at the same time as one of these songs. While that all may sound positive… I don’t like it 2/5
Fairly peculiar vibe but fun and well preformed 3.5*
This was weird, silly and fun. I need more of this in my life.
4 stars
great album, I had already listened to it. I listened it while working in the bakery.
A little goofy, but a solid and fun diversion for Talking Heads fans.
weirdly this doesn't actually sound very dated. still, I don't quite get it.
Unlistenable. Hated every second of it
Niet veel geluisterd, stukje dat ik er van heb gehoord klonk wel leuk.
Really bonkers album but I really enjoyed it, just something sonically and lyrically appealed to me, was almost tempted to give 5 stars but I don’t think it’s quite up to that standard but still definitely worthy of 4
Didn’t hate it. Didn’t love it. It was fun for its time, but now’s not that time.
Sometimes I find myself just saying “James Brown, James Brown!” This is a fun album. Of course I knew Genius Of Love, but the other songs were good I liked the usage of other styles to influence this. Probably not something I would return to super often. Favorites were Wordy Rappinghood, Genius Of Love, and As Above, So Below.
This has some good moments.
This was a lot more fun and creative than expected. Genius of Love is still one of the best songs ever recorded. But the rest is a real trip. Seriously unserious. Sweetly romantic, without ever being schmaltzy.
Kind of corny but pretty fun. Even the songs that I didn't like at first grew on me by the end. Could easily remove half the songs though. Just below 4 stars but I'm rounding up
Agradable escucha. Podria haber sido mejor, si no se excedieran en la longitud de casi todos los temas...
listened to the non-deluxe version because that was the only available one. not really my type of album and i honestly found it odd that it was classified as pop. especially considering after i listened to this album airbuds told me i was the top listener on the app for tomorrow tom. i felt the long version of “genius of love” was an unnecessary addition (considering the short version sucked too). thankful i didn’t have access to the deluxe version. 1/5.
Day461 - everyone knows genius of love cause it’s great but i can’t say that for the rest
One of the better new wave albums but too long and a bit patchy. I preferred the sunnier funky songs
Neat album. This sounds like something that could have been a nerdy electronic indie album made today.
I really love all the funk and punk components and influences they incorporate into their projects, both as Tom Tom Club and Talking Heads. I was just always destined to like anything this collection of musicians would put out.
Not for me.
Well, there's no debate about Genius Of Love, and the rest of the album is of the same cut, albeit not as catchy. You can feel the fun they had making this record, and it shows.
Early instance of ‘rap’ when it was fun, cool and trendy. I knew genius of love, but I didn’t know that each song on this album is at least 4.5 minutes of repetition. Some good moments, but it’s not for me.
I can see why these guys would want out of Talking Heads and away from David Byrne's shadow. But it was a mistake. Wordy Rappinghood the opened is brilliant, but its rapidly downhill from thereon.
I had no idea these were two thirds of Talking Heads, but it's clear they had a lot of fun. This was the heyday of the synthesizer and twisted effects. The catchy beats grounds it throughout.
Absolute dog arse
Quirky and funky, like autistic prince
It was alright, didn’t finish it but don’t think I missed out on much
Love the grooves, not too crazy about the vocals/rapping at times. Still, pretty enjoyable album. It’s also insane how often Genius Of Love has been sampled.
Really good album, to be honest was not expecting much from it. Genius of Love is bloody brilliant.
Easy 5 star
Meh
Better than I expected
Fav: Under The Boardwalk Least Fav: Tom Tom Theme Shows that it wasn’t just David Byrne who made Talking Heads work
Other than the chorus in the first song and the well known second song, not a lot of memorable moments. Not a big fan. 2/5
How many side projects are there on this list? I don't know. All I know now is that it's at least one. Wait, does Gorillaz count as a side project? If so, then it's at least two. Anyways, here's Tom Tom Club. This, of course, is the side project of Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz who, aside from being married to each other, were also the bassist and drummer respectively for one of my favorite bands that I discovered from this album project, Talking Heads. I love Talking Heads, so my expectations were somewhat high for Tom Tom Club. Were those expectations met? Well, I don't think this album holds a candle to any of the Talking Heads albums I've heard, but it's definitely not bad either. This album's pretty solid. I like it. The sound is neat. It's a nice blend of funk and new wave, not too dissimilar to some of the late 70s/early 80s Talking Heads songs. The instrumentation is pretty good too. I've always really liked Tina Weymouth's basslines. They're not the craziest things out there, but they always provide a strong and fun backbone for the song at hand. Speaking of songs, this album sure does have them. I don't think every song hits as great as I want it to, but there is at least one standout track on here. That, of course, is "Genius of Love." Most people know this song as "that one song that's been sampled a lot." I know it as the song they played in Stop Making Sense to allow David Byrne to switch into his big suit. I'll always appreciate the song for that. I'll also appreciate it for being a great song. The singing isn't my favorite, but it works. Overall, for being a side project, Tom Tom Club has some cool things going on. I wouldn't say I loved this album, but I like it for what it is. Solid 3/5.
3.5/5. I liked this. It was different and enjoyable.
Not my cup of tea, but I can appreciate the fun vibe they tried to curate. Also points for creating the track that Mariah sampled for "Fantasy".
quite possibly the ultimate early 80s party album from the minds of talking heads. creative and wacky funk rock music. with its lighthearted tone, call-and-response kitschy vocals and some seriously trippy instrumentals, tom tom club stands by themselves in the sea of other rock bands... it’s like the album equivalent of the artsy kid at the party who ends up DJing and somehow everyone loves it.
Weird and fun but not likely to listen too again
i usually dislike this kind of electronic-y stuff but this is good
This self-titled debut from the Tom Tom Club, a side project of Talking Heads members Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, showcases a unique blend of sounds. Musically, it represents a funky and adventurous meeting place of new wave alternative and the burgeoning hip hop scene in New York during the early 1980s. Lyrically, the album draws parallels to the artistic style of Andy Warhol, brimming with references to pop culture and their various musical influences. The highlight tracks, "Genius of Love" and "Wordy Rappinghood," remain lively and energetic, while the remainder of the album may feel somewhat dated yet continues to be enjoyable. Overall, this just a fun listen.
Fun!
No dudo que deben tener un gran número de fans, pero está música electrónica no alcanzo a disfrutarla como quisiera
a lot of fun, great album
Странный древний хип-хоп
Pretty clear that this was spun off from Talking Heads, and also pretty clear that it's a different singer. I love this album, and I think it's obvious how much this influenced other artists and genres, but I have a hard time shaking the feeling that something is missing.
Favorite Track: Wordy Rappinghood
It was okay
Pretty fun funky new-wave to start, but got to be a little much after a while.. I was curious why this was a 2-part collection only to read that it was a rerelease with both the debut and 2nd album. Overall decent and I may have rated higher if the link directed to just the debut in question and I didn’t burn out. 3.25/5
David Byrne was right
Still very catchy and was very ground breaking at the time
This was an interesting listen. Weird but not in an off putting way. I had no idea Genius of Love was where the beat for Mariah Carey's Fantasy originated. That track was probably my favourite, but I'm not keen hear this album again any time soon
Good vibes album. nothing sticks out though
They funny voices they do on every song get a little tiring, but the funk is strong
Maybe more like a 3.5
Lite skumt
An interesting and new sound for me
Första albumet jag inte orkade lyssna igenom hela. Allt låter så likadant och det är inget som tilltalar mig.
Fun dance/pop band out of the 90’s.
Funky in more ways than one
Unfair that Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz could just go out and do this as a side project. Insanely danceable.
If I were a member of Talking Heads, I too would use my off time to record albums in The Bahamas.
Interesting
Fun album that was clearly very influential
I was surprised by how many songs I recognized from this album. The songs were fun and upbeat and I wouldn't be mad if I heard a song from this album come up on a playlist.
I imagine this is how those who dislike Parappa the rapper felt in 1996.
I like it
This album absolutely deserves to be on this list. It showcases how much Frantz and Weymouth brought to the sound of their main band. It's also an early adventure in sampling, and making something out of fairly repetitive patterns and riffs. It's no wonder elements of this album have been sampled so much. But. As an album, it's not a very enjoyable listen for me. It's often more like listening to a sound library than to a music album.
genius of love is the song every artist wish they made
I liked track 1, then with “Genius of love” I was actually more familiar with where the backtrack was sampled in its entirety for the 12” “It’s Nasty” from Grand Master Flash of the same time period. After that it more or less came to a painful slow burn to the finish.
Always thought of these guys as a novelty kitschy act, and this album kinda confirms it. Maybe that was the point. A few good tracks here, but for the most part Tina and Chris were much better served when they were putting their energy into the Talking Heads.
What in the holy hell did I just listen to? I guess musically this wasn’t offensive and the singer didn’t sound like yoko ono (which I was expecting to happen). But just felt a bit too much of a novelty and simple white person trying to rap for me to go higher. I mean what the eff is this? Words in papers, words in books Words on TV, words for crooks Words of comfort, words of peace Words to make the fighting cease Words to tell you what to do Words are working hard for you Eat your words but don't go hungry Words have always nearly hung me
First track is pure WTF comedy. Then we get the “oh hey it’s that Mariah song” track Genius of Love. Rest of the record is pretty ok until Under the Boardwalk. Really like this rendition but it drags… I’m torn between a 2 or 3 but don’t feel there’s enough here to round up. 2.5/5
This is just catchy, mindless fun! I usually like a little more lyrical content, but I really enjoyed this.
Oh, this is where that IASIP song comes from! The first track is great. Under the Boardwalk is refreshing after the aerial warfare. It's a cute vibe.
I like funk, I like jazz, I like noise, I like world music. There’s one good song and the rest is okay but reminds me of a 90’s plastic charm bracelet overloaded with trinkets.
On, On, On, On… is a cool song. The lyrics seem like the strong point. I’m not able to place myself in the time where the sounds of this album are anything except silly. Some of the lyrics indicate that is intentional.
Eikös just jollain toisellakin levyllä ollut Big Dick Energy orkkis sample? Tällä taas, mikä on sit se oikee orkkis. Wiki sanoo funk, mutta on tää musta enemmän jotain new wavea. Parhaat: Genious Of Love, Lorelai, Under The Boardwalk
Pretty good actually , more like a 3.8 buts let round up hey
Net als Duck Rock laatst nog meer gekkigheid uit de jaren tachtig. Beetje reggae, beetje rock, beetje vaagheid. Maar veel indruk maakt het niet deze keer.
Ik sluit het vorige album CHIQ af en krijg nu als start van dit album Wordy Rappinghood. Je blijft dan toch in die vrolijke stemming hangen. Van de Tom Tom Club had ik nog nooit gehoord, maar dit nummer ken ik wel. Het is een beetje een weinig serieuze doorzetting van disco en een voorloper van bands als Chicks On Speed. Maar daarom zal de laatstgenoemde dit nummer ook wel gecoverd hebben. Mijn enthousiasme ebt toch snel weg. De rest van het album is vooral wat gerommel. Niet interessant en bij vlagen zelfs vervelend om te luisteren. Het moet het dus van één nummer hebben. En dat nummer is dus vrolijkmakend, maar kan dit aanmodderen niet zelfstandig naar een voldoende trekken.
Ik had eerst de wiki gelezen en gezien dat dit een sideproject was van leden van the Talking Heads. En dan hoor ik het eerste nummer en denk "hey, dat ken ik". Maar ik had de muziek eerder geplaatst in de hoek van de Sugarhill Gang of de Rocksteady Crew. Al staan er op de rest van het album ook wel meer new wave achtige nummers, van die wazige Blondie nummers ofzo. Ik vraag me wel sterk af, of dit net zo'n succes was geweest als ze niet van Talking Heads afkomstig waren, maar als ze van een bandje uit een sociaal lager geklasseerd (bij voorkeur gekleurd) deel van Amerika waren gekomen. Iets snobistisch en cultureel toegeeigend voelt dit wel aan. Aan de andere kant is het ook wel weer enigszins vrolijk. Al mogen ze de gilletjes en het gekrijs a la Siouxsie of B-52s achterwege laten. Al met al krijgen ze 3 sterretjes van me, krap aan. En dan ben ik vrij mild doordat die wordy rappinghood 4 sterren waard is, de rest amper 3 en ik eigenlijk strafpunten hoor te geven voor het snobisme.
At times it was fun, but definitely nothing I'd put on myself. That's all I got. 1 Favorite Song: Genius of Love Least Favorite: The Rest of the album
Not bad, eclectic and with some nice vibes ! Genius of love for Mariah's Fantasy inspiration ! Will definitely revisit 3.5
Low 3
Have you ever heard something for the first time and learn you had NO IDEA it already existed? Yeah, happened here with "Genius Of Love". Looking at you, Mariah (my introduction to that song as a sample in Fantasy). The album is dancey, light, and definitely doesn’t take itself too seriously. I dunno, it all starts to blend together. Feels like they're trying to mix early hip-hop and new wave, but something is missing. Cool for background music, not much else. Playlist Additions: - Genius Of Love - Under The Boardwalk
I loved the first track and most of this album...some of it is kinda weird..but that's ok! Just under a 4 for me.
One of the most sampled songs is Tom Tom Clubs Genius of Love. Fun album for people who like a solid groove but don’t take themselves too seriously.
The 80s are inherently dumb and playful. I never liked that about this decade, but I admit that it works for me when it goes all in on the weirdness. This album does exactly that. "Wordy Rappinghood" is a masterpiece.
Classic New Wave. A bit goofy at times, but Genius of Love is really really good. 3/5
The fact that this was tina and chris of the talking heads side project is insane. Working a completely different music as members of talking jeads amd coming up with thos sound and have a chatt topper amd then a sample by mariah carey that reached #1 is mindblowing. Its dated but knowing they were ahead of time with the talking heads music kinds of balances it out. Good sound and production. Solid album short but sweet.
3.5/5. No David Byrne, no thanks.
Songs with steel drums, songs that bounce Songs to dance to in your underpants. Instrumentation sparse around beats that groove Or the lush lake of funk that is “Genius of Love”. Is it a holiday diary, or songs dreamed up in incarceration? For these two, is that two sides of the same equation? Enjoy the trampoline made of sunbeams, retire to a hammock for a bed I loved my time inside the laughing heads.
Very groovy! You can believe that these two backed David Byrne in the Talking Heads.
Nice to learn that Genius of Love was sampled for a few more recent songs.
This album just brings happiness and joy. I'm o-o-o-over it. It's so o-o-o-over me.
3/5
This was a really fun album. It’s poppy funk that gives the image of the band having a great time recording it, which comes through into my own little tiny brain and makes me want to dance. There were any original songs that I recognised, but the cover of Under The Boardwalk was fun, and definitely showed their own spin on this classic. This reminded me a little of the B-52’s, but less psychedelic (you decide if that’s a good or bad thing). Overall, fun fun fun!
weird and quirky. basically just sounded like a female version of the talking heads for most of the songs. twas ok.
Just a fun groovy album.
Talking Heads jam without the greatness of David Byrne. But it’s still pretty good though
When I first heard Wordy Rappinghood I assumed that it was just a novelty single. It wasn’t until I saw the Tom Tom Club segment of Stop Making Sense that I realised that this was actually a side project of Chris Franz and Tina Weymouth, drummer and bassist of Talking Heads respectively. Turns out it actually has some really interesting and catchy tracks outside of the two hit singles. As might be expected Weymouth and Franz provide a rock solid core with Adrian Belew of King Crimson playing some funky guitar on top. The quirky lyrics and excellent vocals as well from Tina Weymouth make this a lot more than a novelty record.
A quirky, strange, dancing and fun album. Some funk, some rock, lots of sillyness, lyrics in French that could be songs for kids. It's a mess, but it works. I can see the influence they might have on a series of bizarre bands since then.
after THeads, Tina Weymouth is great
too alternative for me
7/10 Favorite Tracks: Genius of Love, Boardwalk Least Favorite: Booming and Zooming
The first two songs (Wordy Rappinghood / Genius Of Love) are great, but the rest of the album is a bit rocky. The beat on Lorelei is catchy yet infuriating. Might go back to this album on a whim.
Fun and different than what I usually listen to.
Some daft soft dance?
I've had this one before. I like the grooves but songs go on for a bit too long. It feels a little bit joyless at times, I enjoy them much more live! 3
Not so great. Songs sounded a bit like gibberish and the instruments sounded the same on every track
Fine album.
female voices are always nice. Good unobtrusive background music for working, with a nice sound, but nothing really stood out.
A fun album that features great rhythmic drive and some witty lyrics but not very much else. I do enjoy the rendition of Under the Boardwalk that closes the album. 3 stars
++: Genius of Love, L'éléphant +: Wordy Rappinghood, Tom Tom Theme, Lorelei, On, On, On, On..., Under the Boardwalk +-: As Above, So Below, Booming And Zooming 7,0/10
I must be missing some context or something, but as a raw listen, this is pretty trash. One hit wonder and even the hit is only recognizable for the sample (shoutout Return of the Mack!)
Fuego beats and weird lyrics I fully support
nagyon fura hangulat és goofy de valamiért közben kinda megfogott lmao. nem tudom azt mondani, hogy mindennapos hallgatás de közben tök groovy.
Kedvenc/Favourite: On On On On... Meglepett, hogy mennyire tetszett, nagyon groovy és fun a legtöbb szám. Van azért néhány kevésbé erős, meg párat kicsit sokáig húztak, de összességében jó kis album. I was surprised by how much I liked it, most of the songs are very groovy and fun. There are some less than great ones, and a couple of songs were a bit drawn out, but overall a good album.
I just really dislike this.
Could barely get through this one....not for me
Rating: 7.5/10 No David Byrne, no problem. Definitely hear the Talking Heads sound in the instrumentation but different enough to make a unique, fun, and catchy album. Not everything hit but the highlights are great.
It grows on you
I know the deluxe is actually 2 albums but I don't really have the heart to listen to the other one. Plus I think I get the picture. I like some of the synths and stuff but overall this feels like talking heads but worse. Its really repetitive, and quite a lot of the choruses are boring. Favourite songs: L elephant, Lorelei, on on on on..., under the boardwalk. Overall around 5/10
Loved it. 4.5
Hypnotic beats that are more substantive and less silly than they sound actually. "Lorelei" is a sneak-good, refreshingly so, and "Genius of Love" surprisingly effective after all this time, nearly entrancing, and justifiably sampled extensively. Sounds like a perfect summer beat.
I didn't go into this with expectations of how it might sound like Talking Heads but it does feels like a bit of a cheap copy. Obviously Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth played their part in forming the sound of Talking Heads but without David Byrne, it feels kind of second rate. Other than Genius of Love, the first half is quite weak. Wordy Rappinghood is pretty bad, very dated and kind of cringe 80s funk/hip hop thing. The second half is a bit better though Tina Weymouth isn't anything special as a vocalist. She's not particularly bad or anything but it feels like she's trying to replicate the awkward charisma of David Byrne and it doesn't really work for me. I much prefer when she just sings plainly like on Genius of Love Also I've heard Genius of Love somewhere before, like a game or film or something, but I can't figure it out for the life of me Highlights: Genius of Love, On On On On...
Good and interesting
Definitely interesting
Weird, good
Genius of Love is the most danceable song ever written The rest is fine but not on that level
kind of new wave; kind of hip hop. Good performances and production.
Why is this kind of the coolest thing I’ve ever heard? It’s brimming with earnestness and enthusiasm. It’s delightfully, unapologetically weird. Good stuff.
I aspire to this level of weirdness and fun.
This one had me Booming and Zooming when I was jamming to it Under the Boardwalk.
Has a very strange endearing quality.
You can make a better album out of songs that sampled these songs.
Could have been a real solid funk album, what was up with the occasional wacky and obnoxious sound effects and singing? "...side project of Talking Heads" Oh.
Just the pick-up I needed to get back into the swing of work after the holidays. Peppy, poppy, clever.
Whenever I come across a band I've never heard of from this list, it makes me uneasy. I'm anxious and excited to see what the music has in store for me. I always try to err on the side of being prepared to dislike it. From track 1, this album had my attention. By the end of the first song, I was asking myself who was in this band. Lo and behold, it's a fucking Talking Heads side project. What a delightful little surprise. Absolute banger of an album and 39 minutes is perfect.
3 - It's creative for sure, but found a lot of it quite repetitive
Good fine, as you might expect from a Talking Heads offshoot. More than just the inimitable Genius of Love. Fave Tracks: Wordy Rappinghood, Genius of Love, L Elephant, Lorelei, Booming and Zooming 4.2/5
I’ve tried to like Tom Tom Club but I just can’t do it.
Thoroughly enjoyable.
Furchtbar. Ich entschuldige mich bei allen Alben, denen ich vorher 1 Stern gegeben habe. Das war schlecht. Derselbe schlechte Song acht Mal oder so wiederholt. Ich will kotzen. Ich hoffe, ich kriege die wieder aus meinem Algorithmus raus und es gibt keine anderen Alben von denen auf der Liste. Habe schon beim Cover und Namen der Band nicht viel erwartet, aber das war schlimmer als ich dachte. Bin froh, dass es vorbei ist. 0 Sterne.
James Brown? James Brown.
Opens with two instantly recognisable tracks, and the rest is quite nice and summery fun too. Could happily listen to this on a yacht.
Really enjoyed wordy rappinghood. The rest was ok - didn't really leave much of an impression.
I can see a lot of these songs being used in samples or stuff like that, but other than that once again nothing was good. It felt like nothing more than a background beat or an introduction, but it just kept going.
I feel trapped in a never-ending 1981 Sesame Street animation. Interminable. Given any 15 second segment it's fine enough in a boring early 80s way but repeat that for an hour - no thank you. 3/10 1 star
найс, понравилось, прикольное типо-диско. альбом сохранил. очень напомнило LCD Soundsystem. подойдет для вечеринок)
How had I never listened to this album before now? It's going in my regular rotation immediately.
Staple of every DJs flight case and a sampler’s dream. Really influential record that still sounds fresh, even if the individual components are a bit threadbare at times. Obviously overshadowed by the Talking Heads’ output but I much prefer this record to anything that band put out.
Experimental. New Wave. Playful. Reminds of Talking Heads. Side project of TH. Funk. Really not my thing, very repetitive.
7.5/10 A Talking Heads offshoot that is better than the band itself? Maybe. More fun? Definitely Funky poppy r&b with interesting electronic touches Groovy, relaxed, sounds like they enjoyed making it Best: Genius of Love
I think this album is not that bad. I like the beat . Old but good album i would recommend to SOME people. 7/10
2,5
For real for real, the first track sounds like some weird shit on a kid’s album. Ooooh okay Tom Tom, you got me with the Mariah jam. This is fun music, but I wouldn’t listen to it on a regular basis.
There would be plenty of moments when I’m not at all in the mood for this, but this was not one of those moments. Caught myself pretty early on bobbing my head, drumming my fingers, and thinking “hell yeah, Tom Tom Club.” It’s pretty wild that this thing came out in 1981. I feel like it could come out today and slide right in to the new releases pile.
A bit of a snoozer. If only the whole album were as tight and fun as its most influential cuts.
Fun and cheerful, which I always enjoy. However, except for Genius of Love, the songs all feel a little contained. We never quite acheive the unrestrained joy that, say, the B-52's can bring to the table. Perfectly pleasant, interesting enough to be on this list, but not truly great.
This is almost as good as the Talking Heads. <Insert Face-Palm emoji here!> Liked Songs Added: Genius of Love
When someone thinks you might be kinda cool, thoughtful, quiet, & mysterious then you go and blather on trying to impress them with comments & jokes that aren't that clever as an album music: hated. (⌐■_■)
This rules, this is cool, it’s a lot of fun and a lot of good stuff.
“Genius of Love” is awesome and I really respect these musicians, but not my favorite listening experience. It felt like a novelty record sometimes, and not in a good way.
I don't get it. Included in the 1000 ɓest albums by mistake, perhaps
Enjoyed thuro!
All based on repetitive synth-based grooves. A bit silly, but not unpleasant. Don't ever want or need to hear it again.
Talking Heads with female vocals and a more dub influence.
Too quirky for me.
It's not bad, exactly, but I just couldn't listen to it.
A weird and silly album, that has a quirky appeal that doesn't sound like the Talking Heads. Glad to hear, Tina and Chris from the Heads branching off to create their own music that is fun overall, strange and fascinating. The record starts off strong (it's hard not to like that wordy rap song), but it eventually begins to feel like filler and it's unique sound becomes bland and less interesting. I can't help think about another big name group, over ten years later fronted by another egotistical male singer/guitarist, with a female bass player that assembles a spin-off band with her sister(s) and releases music almost as good (or better) than their previous band. Well, the Tom Tom Club comes close, but not quite.
This album is pop at its silliest and it works well through most of the album. There are a couple dud tracks, but I’m not even mad because you can tell they just went all in on having fun, and I’m here for it. More of a 3.5 than a 4, but no half stars unfortunately
The type of music you'd be tortured with at Butlins No thanks 2 ⭐️
Strong start which is not lived up to. Favourite track: Wordy Rappinghood.
Interesting album
AMAZING
Just kind of annoying to me. Some cool little guitar riffs and lines but mostly just obnoxious quacking like a flight of ducks.
Love it
This is a fun listen. Knew the first two tracks but didn’t know it was them. Did check Wikipedia for the original track listing as I wasn’t listening to over 2 hours worth. With more listens this could even stretch to a 5
A decent early Valley Girl style album that reminds me of Target for some reason.
2.5
Whitest music I've heard in a hot second
Sounds like it's been sampled a lot. Liked it
An exuberant global funk explosion, just gleefully letting loose, pure fun. We're going to have a synthesizer party tonight! Favorites: wordy rappinghood, l elephant, Lorelei
It's random wins like this that keep me going. This is great stuff! Love the opening track. "Booming and Zooming" is very odd, and I love it! The cover of Under the Boardwalk is quality stuff as well.
Absolutely cracking. Start to finish, it's simple, yet complex. Lovely.
That was a good sound and fun. Not sure I’ve ever heard these before.
It’s the one with genius of love on it. And only the first few mins of that song are interesting
Things haven't changed that much since the advent of the internet. In a world where the latter didn't exist yet, you had the same phenomenon as the one that still routinely occurs in 2024: you take a hot band absolutely deserving the raving success they recently experienced (here, the Talking Heads), then critics get interested in a side-project from some of their members (here the 'Heads' rhythm section, also a couple in their private lives), and whaddayaknow?, you have a huge hype going on. The thing is, let's be honest for one frigging second, shall we? If Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz had not been a part of Talking Heads, you can bet your mohair boots *Tim Tom Club* (both this debut and the name of the whole project) would have faded into oblivion as soon as the latter half of the eighties had been reached. Just look at the way critics panned their following LPs by the way. As soon as the project lost its "freshness", so to speak, it's as if scales immediately fell off the eyes (and ears) of everyone. How amusing... What this record has going for it from today's vantage point is that its first tracks are attuned to the nascent sounds of rap and prehistorical hip hop, and you gotta give credit to Frantz and Weymouth's open minds and adventurous spirit. But the musicality is so paper-thin in those pivotal (and relatively popular) cuts, the experimentation is often so linear, that I can't bring myself to consider it a mandatory listen. "L'Eléphant" and "As Above, So Below" expand the initial scope in interesting ways. Then "Lorelei" goes on for too long, unfortunately. "On On On On" is pretty good and catchier than the rest, but it still sounds like a lesser version of what David Byrne could write with the 'Heads. "Booming And Zooming" is a borefest and the cover of "Under The Boardwalk" is just plain ridiculous. And then the album is already over, and its memory is gonna fade into oblivion again. At least in my mind. 2/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums. 7/10 for more general purposes (5 + 2) Number of albums left to review: around a hundred, as I've went 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: 431 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 255 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 316 (including this one)
Best Song: Genius Of Love. The light vocals contrast nicely with the heavy oomph of the bass. Worst Song: As Above So Below. Repetition of a neat phrase ad nauseum. Overall: Half the songs were absent on Spotify - and seemingly most streaming platforms - but unless there was some absolute gold hidden in those missing tracks, I'm grateful for the reduced runtime. It wasn't terrible, but it just feels like that minimally psychedelic mush that came out of the this era. Not experimental enough to be interesting, nor pop enough to be catchy, it just wallows in a disappointing middle.
One of the more relaxing and fun art rock albums from the 80s, as this album cover suggest. Very creative production and solid performances. Different enough from the Talking Heads to merit the spinning off of this new act Tom Tom Club from the whole.
An insanely fun, easy-to-digest album that you can get loose with. This might be a hot take but I’ve always enjoyed this more than TH’s debut.
Call me contrarian if you'd like, but I'd rather listen to this quirky curio than anything from Talking Heads.
The breakage of Talking Heads yields highly positive results.
2 sterne
Cool.
4/10 There are highlights but poor overall Favourite Song=Genius of Love Least Favourite Song=Wordy Rappinghood
I had never heard this album, just the singles. I was entertained all the way through. Not surprising that I liked it, given the Talking Heads association. I’m a fan of that band too.
I tried to like this album but I can't. It's not my thing, if it's your style, I like that for you. It's just not for me.
This was kind of an absurd new wave album. It's fine, but not my favorite music. You can obviously tell it was made during the 80s. Best Songs: Genius of Love, On... Worst Songs: Under the Boardwalk
Genijalna pjesma (genius of love) i prosječan ostatak
This is #day93 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... how about something funky and new wavy? As a spin-off of Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club brings a lot to the table on their debut. Released a year after the groundbreaking Remain In Light, Tom Tom Club shares a similar edgy and artsy vibe: infectious rhythms and experimental sounds... The album blends sharp, quirky early '80s synths and playful beats with a laid-back, tropical-tinged quality, giving it a distinct personality. It feels like Tina and Chris were just having fun, making music together, and it shows. Standout tracks for me are "Wordy Rappinghood," "Genius of Love," "As Above So Below," and "Lorelei," which is half of the record. This is a solid 4 out of 5 again. Looking forward to #day94.
I weirdly like this a lot.
Interesting. Didn’t make me want to go back to it. But an interesting listen nonetheless.
Feels like Kraftwerk meets Talking Heads which makes sense because of who the band is. I enjoy the electronic music with funky guitar playing over the top of it. I like the silly lyrics too. To me it's just kind of an easy going fun record.
Maybe the most annoying collection of songs of the 20th Century. I mean there are cool elements, especially as the album goes on. It almost feels like Talking Heads or even some David Bowie. But Wordy Rappinghood is irredeemable.
The Tom Tom Club has its own style, a good groove, a nice experiment, but it's one of those albums were one type of track gets repeated all over the album. Enjoy the singles - or better, go back to Talking Heads. You guys were a great band!
Starts strong and the beats are cool, but it becomes more silly by the minute
Way too long at 2hrs 17m. Recognised and liked some of the tracks, didn't know the name of the band before. Disc One was quite nice, but not so bothered about the start of disc 2 and decided to call it quits there.
A couple good songs but nothing great
Sometimes grooves, sometimes more than a bit silly, at times challenging, but always engaging in some way.
Mjög skemmtileg plata, ég var næstum farinn í fimmu hérna. Afskaplega hresst og quirky. Plata bandsins nr. 2, sem fylgir í Deluxe útgáfunni, er aftur á móti lítt eftirminnileg.
This is a big yes from me
I appreciate the what the band is doing here, the innovation, and it’s likely an expertly mixed and produced album. The music itself just isn’t for me, although there are some bright spots and the Under the Boardwalk is a cool cover.
fun, natural fun!
Whoa never heard this end to end - only a few songs here and there but this one is a gem. Loved every second of it - dance-y, clever, tongue-in-cheek and fun while sounding original. Tops.
I ugh… I’m not sure what this is . And I’m only half way through wordy rappinghood
So how do you exactly start with Talkin Heads and end up here? Terrible album, easily bottom 10. It's just not my aesthetics.
I didn't quite no what to expect going in, aside from knowing that Genius of Love is super catchy and it's been sampled to death to prove it. The whole album was mostly fine. Enjoyable but not necessarily great to my ears. I would give it a 3.5 if that were an option.
1.7 1x catchup 11/5/2024
Not terribly interesting, rather weird and quirky. As a big fan of 80s King Crimson, it's fun to see where Adrian Belew got a lot of musical ideas from that come through on their albums. He's also the best part of this album in my opinion. Do have to give some respect to the Genius of Love riff, which I never knew came from this album. Largely forgettable, but a neat little peak into inspiration for other musicians. Top tracks: Wordy Rappinghood, L'elephant
O gawd, there's another disk! Please stop - no fun on here at all. I think it says something when the best track on the collection is a cover.
Talking Heads without David Byrne This album was fun but not my style. A little out there. I'm not sure I'd ever listen to this again tbh. The beats were super 80s (a lil too 80s for me)...I just can't get into the vocals either Liked songs: None Disliked songs: Wordy Rappinghood
Mostly good, with some songs I knew that I didn't know I knew. A few of the later songs run a little long. 3.5
This has one of the catchiest beats that I've heard in a long time, and the rest of the album is borderline unlistenable. I'm not sure exactly what to make of that. Tom Tom Club is the side project of the drummer and bassist from Talking Heads (who also happen to be married to one another). "Genius of Love" is incredibly good, the beat is iconic (Mariah Carey sampled it in one of her most famous songs), it's a certified bop. The lyrics are little ridiculous (Bohannon, Bohannon...), but whatever, it's great. The rest? Not really doing it for me. It starts with "Wordy Rappinghood" which was the other big hit on here, and it's a little catchy but nothing like "Genius of Love". Then you get "Genius of Love" and then it kind of falls apart for me. A few songs were ok, but this was a little too much over the top new wave silliness for my liking. I might be underrating this a bit, but this music is just a bit grating to me (though I find myself being a bit more open to new wave stuff than I used to be, so maybe I'll change my mind after a few hundred more albums). Favorite song: Genius of Love Other: Wordy Rappinghood, Lorelei, Under the Boardwalk 10/23/24
Wordy Rappinghood is basically a declaration of war, but overall this is unhinged in a fun way
Some somewhat likeable songs intermingled with some of truly unlistenable garbage. Have to admit that I only like genius of love because of Sunny. Best song: Genius of Love Worst song: Atsababy! (Life is Great)
Iconic hook in one song, but the rest feels like they're just goofing off.
Genius of Love //
Bits of it were OK but not great.
The only problem here is long it's like forever other than that cool
Proyecto paralelo de los Talking Heads, Tina Weymouth y Chris Frantz, en este su disco de debut mostraron una gran habilidad para componer e interpretar funk dance, alejándose del rock artístico e intelectual de la banda. Es un disco divertido, sin pretensiones que, sin embargo, obtuvo gran éxito con temas como "Genius of Love" y "Wordy Rappinghood" que influyeron bastante en otros músicos durante dos décas.