Reviews (page 9 of 14)
Meh. Best track 'Life during wartime' but even then, there's a much better version on 'Stop Making Sense'.
Talking Heads and Brian Eno <3 Favorite tracks are Mind, Cities, and Memories Can't Wait Don't have anything bad to say about this
Slowly realizing Talking Heads might just be a hits band for me.
Love the band. Good album. Not my top.
Unique music. Very well written very well performed. I forgot how early the Talking Heads came out. I always think of them as an 80s bands, but they came out in the 70s.
Talking Heads has been one of my discoveries of this process. Was only aware of a couple of their big singles previously. Of the 4 albums on my list this is probably my least favourite -its the hardest to get into as its got a lot of energy firing all over of the place and rhythmically diverse with no stand out singles. Still enjoyed alot - but not quite a 5.
Talking Heads - Fear Of Music Finally, I got to listen to Talking Heads for the first time, never listened to them before other than "Once in a Lifetime", but always wanted to listen their albums earlier. This album is packed with a lot of bangers, very consistent and cohesive with the sound they were doing at the time. But you might have to deal with Byrne's antics of singing on these songs, since it's either a hit or miss, for me however it doesn't matter, because it actually makes it a little bit better to the song, making it less boring to me. Overall, this is great! 1.- I Zimbra = 8/10 2.- Mind = 10/10 3.- Paper = 9/10 4.- Cities = 9/10 5.- Life During Wartime = 8/10 6.- Memories Can't Wait = 10/10 7.- Air = 9/10 8.- Heaven = 9/10 9.- Animals = 8/10 10.- Electric Guitar = 8/10 11.- Drugs = 8/10 FINAL SCORE = 8.7/10
Was fine, didn't wow me.
1979. 7/10. New Wave. Post-punk. psychedelic funk Heaven Mind Memories cant wait
more masturbatory than i remember.
Eh... Not for me.
This was a great listen, especially liked the track Heaven. Not my favourite of their albums, but one that I could listen to in different musical moods
Que banda del recarajo 4,5
Byrjaði sem þristur hjá mér, en þetta er bara svo solid hljómsveit. I Zimbra, Cities og Heaven eru geggjuð lög og restin er skemmtó.
Frábær plata. Upptaktur að Remain in light.
Almost perfect except Animals
Good group of guys…. Really good music. Shocked once again that this is from the 70s! Cheers all around
Forgot how many bangers are on this one! Not the number 1 TH album for me..but not number last as well
eno and the heads laying the groundwork for one of the best albums of all time ... this thing rocks and the heads are unreal on it. it is so preposterous to think of eno's output at this time... between the heads, bowie, his solo output... devo, no new york... obscure records... like its mind boggling how productive he was and how everything he touched is some of the most important music made by white people ever ....
Two talking heads albums in one week? On track for my favorite week on the generator yet. Another great one from the Talking Heads. Especially love Life During Wartime. One of the records I listened to the bonus material from the deluxe edition.
喜歡這張專輯的節奏，像是「Cities」、「Life During Wartime」的節奏我特別有印象。
Second song is more appealing than the first. Not my typical sort of album to listen to. But not far from what I'd listen to. "Paper" sounds a lot better.
Didn’t enjoy this one as much as some of their other work
9/10
Most of talking heads' songs sound way too similar
Listened through this one twice and didn't really click with most of it. "Animals" maybe.
I liked this better than the last Talking Heads album, but I just don’t love them (sorry, Dad!)
I vividly remember when this came out I initially thought it was weird, since it was so different from their first 2 more pop albums. It was ant first off-putting, but it steadily grew on me and is now perhaps my favorite album of theirs. Great guitar work throughout, and while I’m not exactly sure what Brian Eno’s “treatments” contributions are, I bet the album would sound different without them.
I think this band is just ok
The songs were funny but not really my thing. The singers voice is annoying too
Not bad. I like the song about air being scary. These guys must write there music from fever dreams lol. It's definitely creative, I would lump them together with Beck. Creative, but strange. 6/10
Lot of Talking Heads in this list
It was okay. I enjoyed some of the other Talking Heads albums more
Pretty good, low 3.
Classic Talking Heads. Awesome music
Good album, enjoyed it
❤️❤️
Really liked it especially Cities and Paper. Second half wasn't my favorite but still really strong.
Awesome
It was alright in places, not likely to be I’ll revisit though.
I unexpectedly really like this one. His voice can be annoying, but some great tunes and very Bowiesque in places. Love the track “Cities” 3.75
On the upside it’s better than their first album (1*). But I still don’t get on with their sound, Byrne’s vocals can be grating, and I’m just not into the quick angular guitar style (sadly also in vogue with more contemporary indie bands). It all sounds so flat to me. ‘Cities’ and ‘Memories can’t wait’ were OK though.
Just blues into one jangly mash up but quite enjoyed it
find eif de gsangsstil nöd guet und mir gfalled zwenig vode harmonie. es fehlt öppis wo mich hooked
Dark aber au melancholisch-hoffnigsvoll. Het aber au iwie ghitted und 1-2 banger. 3.5
For me the lyrics mostly don't land, but there are Infectious grooves even if it is not my favorite Talking Heads record. Favorites: "Life During Wartime", "Memories Can't Wait", "Air" and "Drugs" For my money the best version of "Memories Can't Wait" is the cover by Living Colour. I remain convinced that those of us experiencing the list would all be better served if they dropped any one of the Talking Heads albums on the list for the inclusion of STOP MAKING SENSE instead.
Some good songs
Day 69 (nice) - Nov 23nd, 2024 It's Talking Heads. What do you expect? 4/5
I think of Talking Heads as an 80s band, and this is definitely an 80s album ... just a little ahead of the curve. David Byrne even says as much: "This ain't no party, this ain't no disco. This ain't no fooling around No time for dancing, or lovey-dovey. I ain't got time for that now."
Good album, especially the numbers Air and Heaven, also because of the lyrics. But there are better albums
Best wel prima, paar goeie nummers, paar die wat minder zijn, 7/10.
I've never been huge into Talking Heads. This album sounds pretty alike to their other releases. Not bad but probably won't come back to it after this list. I appreciate some of the funkier bits. 3/5
Eno rules
For a morning that nothing is going right, it was nice to have an album I enjoyed.
Solid album, the first song definitely caught me offguard though with the non-English singing
Pretty good, enjoyed it, a few odd songs
Life During Wartime is a great song. Rest of the album is pretty solid as well.
Talking heads is always an interesting time. Great beats. Lovely album. Loads of surprising elements.
2.5 stars. It was good but nothing that made me want to listen more
Quite mediocre. Their debut was more engaging.
Very fun and different album, but there is better material by talking heads.
Was okay. Some good basslines but dragged on a bit after track 5 or 6
Timbremässig monochromatisch - heavily psychedelic - probably didnt pay enough attention to lyrics - "heaven" het n coole harmonische moment
nice one
macht spass anzuhören, es passiert viel und es sind lustige stellen dabei. gegen ende wird es für meinem geschmack etwas anstrengender zu hören..
That's not my taste in music
It's Talking Heads. It's always elite
No notes. A brilliant album and work of art. Mind and Air are 2 of my favorite songs of all time.
I kind of like Paper, Cities, Life During Wartime
David Byrne and the Talking Heads are special in this industry, and I greatly respect them. Usually unconventional, sometimes even bizarre, and always surprising. The simple disco beat, that many of the tracks use, often contradicts with the intricate layers of unusual sounds the band puts over it. Byrne's lyrics and vocal presentation give the songs then a different spin. All in all weird in a positive way, but nothing I would listen to regularly.
I am already positively biased toward the Talking Heads, as they are one of my babyhood bands. Listening to this album, though, I find that I prefer the live versions of "Life During Wartime," "Heaven," and "Cities" off of Stop Making Sense. This is a solid Talking Heads album, but definitely not my favorite.
Why have I not ever gotten into this band, so much more than just the (accepted great) singles.
He somehow has an English punk voice but the music is not punk? And simultaneously kind of boring.
really great record! not much to say, i wish i could really dig in more with each of these. highlights: “memories can’t wait”, “mind”, “animals”, “drugs”
I’ve enjoyed other music from him. This is a disappointment.
6/11/24 Average at best.
great vibes, so much fun. Maybe just missing the final click for it to be perfect for me.
Not my favorite TH albums
I love the Talking Head’s ability to create music that is goofy and slightly sinister at the same time.
It's good. I don't love the whole album but Heaven and Life During Wartime are amazing! I also like Drugs. "A place where nothing, Nothing ever happens"
Meh…it was ok.
Delightfully batshit. Cities is a great tune.
Exceptional album! Talking Heads never disappoints.
I Zimbra is such a fantastic groove, veering into a joyous Crimsonesque jam that always ALWAYS makes me happier than when I put it on. Mind - clever, astute, amusing, paradoxically minimal and complex. Building on the annoyance of confusion, the guitar breakdown at the end solves nothing but is somehow incredibly helpful. Paper is the epitome of Talking Heads funkiness. The verse part, with the little spoken stream of consciousness double meaning anxiety invoking lyrics - "hold on to that paper, there just might be a chance that it MIGHT work out!" Cities is embedded in my skull (almost typed 'school' just now). What does it say that I often wake up in the middle of the night with this running in my head. Look aver there, dry ice factory, good place to get some thinking done. A guitar solo like no other. This song speaks to me so hard for reasons I just can't explain. "Forgot to mention Memphis, home of Elvis and the Ancient Greeks. Do I smell, do I smell home cooking? It's only the river, it's only the river." We start seeing the source of the anxiety, which the scratchy funk is an expression of. Find myself a city to live in. I got three passports, a couple of visas, don't even know my real name. Being in the Talking Heads is alienating. Life During Wartime is a metaphor for touring, which Cities is a kind of preface. You can almost take it literally. Also SO DANCEABLE I'M LOSING MY MIND. Flip it over to side two. Don't get too far into your own head. Ahh, too late, Memories Can't Wait. Listen to the Living Colour version of this, it will change your life. Whatever this party is, I just want to go home. "Other people can go home. Other people can split. I can never quit." So heavy, dude. But it's a solid idea that I'm not hearing from anyone else, I wish I could love this end part more but that wouldn't be possible. The chorus of Air haunts me daily as well. "Some people never had experience with (Air)" sung with the airiest of vocals... so perfect. It's perfect. I don't know how but it is. And another ripping solo at the end, heavy Talking Heads is just so satisfying. A little anger, feels good to get it off your chest possibly. Heaven is not my favorite thing, but still so clever and the band hits it so perfectly. Nothing ever happens, this feels like a little joke, and it's pretty funny. In heaven, everyone leaves your party at exactly the same time. This is something David Byrne fantasizes about, a place where something isn't happening, where he is in the moment, kissing someone again. Contrast! Nothing is exciting. It's hard to imagine that nothing at all could be so exciting, could be this much fun. Animals. My favorite song. Animals think They understand Trusting them a big mistake Animals want to change my life I will ignore Animals advice... absolute genius, the best of the earlier Talking Heads. Don't even know what a JOKE is.
Top album, zou ik vaker opzetten.
Danceable and upbeat rhythms and creative melodies make this listenable. Who ever told this guy he could sing I’ll never understand. The instrumentals saved it.
Im a big talking head fan in general. This album was good but had a lot of songs that felt unfocused. The hits were definitely hits. Overall- enjoyable
groovy
Nope.
Is this the only talking heads album without a song that I’ve heard before 😭
I was first introduced to Talking Heads with Remain in Light when I got it on the site. I was pleasantly surprised with how much I loved that record, and when I got Fear of Music, I was excited to hear it. I need to relisten to Remain in Light, but I think I prefer Fear of Music. The vocal performance and lyrics from Byrne are so unique and fun. I have Remain in Light a 5, and as I said, I think I prefer this one, but it doesn’t feel like a 5. More like a 4.5, but as we all know, the site does not believe in .5s.
Arty, experimental, funky, punky, neurotic and amazing.
It reminded me a little of David Bowie. Interesting and creative, but I couldn’t really get into it.
This one has some of my favorite talking heads songs. Heaven…Heaven is a banger. Overall a little too raw and weird though for me to bump consistently
Very fun and weird album. Can't quite in good conscience give it a 5/5, but a very enjoyable listen. Great production, fun funky percussion and guitar, weird lyrics with equally weird vocals.
Put some respect on the best Talking Heads album!!!!
I was always scared of listening to Talking Heads albums cause I thought they'd be too weird but I keep being proven wrong. This is another great, fun album and the core of Cities - Life During Wartime is incredible
I have wanted to like Talking Heads my whole life. I have tried and tried and tried. But I guess I’m not destined to. I think David Byrne is a Genius…just not one I understand. Is this how people who don’t get Radiohead feel? Cause I really don’t get it. Like truly.
I enjoyed it, it was really short and an easy listen.
One of the greatest albums of all time, for a long time!
Some fun songs. Some boring and repetitive songs. Overall nothing about this album really grabbed my attention.
Talking Heads & Eno, de meesters van de 'weird grooves'. Want anders kun je het niet omschrijven. Elke song heeft z'n eigen onorthodoxe schwung, die eerst ongemakkelijk is, maar je al snel hypnotiseert op het ritme van Byrne's heupen. En waar die groove echt gigantisch in your face is op - wellicht hun beste album - 'Remain in Light' - plant 'Fear Of Music' eerst een zaadje in je oor die pas later na meerdere luisterbeurten opbloeit tot een aanstekelijke, funky en vooral eigenzinnige bloem. Waar z'n opvolger sterk voortborduurt op Afrobeat en High Life genres, is dit veel meer geworteld in de spooky en curieuze ritmes uit de Krautrock scene. 'I Zimbra' vindt een tussenweg, en slaat dus de brug tussen de twee. Maar bijvoorbeeld 'Animals', 'Air' en het geweldige 'Mind' zijn zo vreemd, en tekent de band als artistiek buitenbeentje in een tijd waar op muziekvlak zoveel gebeurde dat het moeilijk was om echt een buitenbeentje te zijn. Maar TH lukt het toch, door die unieke positie als hoogstvreemde, grensverleggende kunstgroep met de aantrekkingskracht van een mainstream pop band. En ik denk dat dit album die tweestrijd het best laat zien. Het dualisme gaat verder dan dat. Op deze plaat is er telkens een strijd gaande tussen 'donker' en 'licht'. Veel songs hebben de gloomy energie van een doorgewinterde post-punk/goth band, maar zelfs een paranoïde meesterwerk als 'Memories Can't Wait' laat altijd even de zon achter de wolken vandaan komen. Dat lichtvoetige, tegen een achtergrond van angst, paranoïa en isolatie, is zo waanzinnig knap gedaan. 'Life During Wartime' swingt als een uiterst catchy new wave band, maar heeft een deprimerende ondertoon. Ik denk dat die 'weird groove' is waar ik het over had. Je lichaam wil bewegen maar je hoofd zegt telkens dat dat bij deze muziek niet de bedoeling is. En als je dan toch die tegenstelling van donker en licht wil maken, dan is 'Heaven' natuurlijk obvious, alsof de hemel openbreekt. Een album waar ik naarmate ik meer van hun discografie leerde kennen steeds meer van ben gaan houden, omdat het de essentie van David Byrne's werk het beste vangt, denk ik. Die spanning tussen de mentale geesten van een uiterst intelligente man, en zijn waanzinnige dance moves. Die unieke positie waar het zich in nestelde door dit in 1979 uit te brengen heeft er voor gezorgd dat ze voor eeuwig én bij subculturen én in de mainstream in het gedachtegoed zijn beland. 'Fear Of Music' is daarnaast ook een titel die de lading perfect dekt. Het schrikt eerst af, maar het omarmt je als je het de tijd gunt. 9,5/10 Highlights: Mind Cities Life During Wartime Memories Can't Wait
Wat een fantastisch album is dit. Hele plaat heeft een fantastische post-punk groove. Maar de funk/dancerock van Remain in Light piept al door de kieren. Fear of Music bouwt voort op disco ritmes en catchy melodieen van de vorige twee albums, maar deze keer een stuk dystopischer, vuiger en vunziger. Post-punk op z'n best! Talking Heads zet je deze misschien niet aan om een slinger aan je feestje te geven. Het wordt een minder gezellig plaatje door het dystopische urban karakter, maar daardoor niet minder sterk. Afhankelijk wanneer je het me vraagt vind ik Fear Of Music misschien wel hun beste werk. Ik twijfel door de laatste paar tracks op het album, die toch iets minder speciaal zijn dan de A-kant, tot aan Heaven. 9/10 Highlights I Zimbra Cities Life During Wartime Heaven
Same as the previous album, not my jam.
Really enjoyed, some really interesting stuff here. Talking heads really have a unique sound don't they?
4/5
I didn't get it at all
This was pretty meh. 'Drugs' was the only one I cared about but the rest was not clicking for me.
Little bit Bowie-esque sometimes
Bot as fun as their first album, this one was a little more experimental. Bit bad at all, just not for me.
It's my 4th Talking Heads album from the list. And now I can say you should definitely listen to them in chronological order. It gives you a greater perspective on overall great performances and evolution of this band. The evolution itself is phenomenal, it takes new wave into funk and it doesn't make their sound odd.
Can’t do it.
From the dada inspired I Zimbra, to the classic Talking Heads Cities, and Life During Wartime, through the mellow vibes of Heaven. This album is a classic.
Albumi #81, 17.10.2024 Talking Headsin kolmas studioalbumi ilmestyi vuonna 1979. Mainio levy, ehdottomasti Talking Headsin parhaimmistoa.
Very familiar with about 1/2 of this album. Interesting discoveries: Basic tracks recorded in Tina & Chris' apartment w/ cables through the windows. Robert Fripp plays guitar on a couple tracks. Favorites: "I Zimbra", "Cities", "Life During Wartime" Least Favorites: "Animals" (x2, many times previously) 4 Stars, B+/A-
Good album, got better in the second half
202/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
The Talking Heads continue to be fantastic. David Byrne's enigmatic, almost awkward, everyman lyrics and vocals are such a breath of fresh air amongst the music of the 70's and 80's, and are a large part of the band's timelessness (although the influence of the other band members is not to be understated!) Favorite track: today, I'll say "Life During Wartime," although "Memories Can't Wait" also stuck out to me on this listen.
Not bad
Too difficult I'm afraid. Not for me
I Zimbra was good. The rest I could leave
Fantastic album. Always delivers on this album. David Byrne can’t do any wrong in my opinion. This music is infectious.
I need to disclose that after watching Stop Making Sense at the cinema, right now I'm experiencing a "Talking Heads Renaissance". I remember listening to this album a couple of years ago, the only songs that struck out to me at that moment were "I Zimbra" and "Life During Wartime". During this last listen, I found all of the songs to be amazing, energetic, and just perfect. Quite a pleasant surprise.
Not yet so super great as the following work but still impressive to be so far ahead of their own time.
It's alright. It's mostly 'talk' singing, but I like the background instrumentals to the songs a lot more than the actual song altogether (singing and instrumental together). My favorite song is probably "Cities", or "Life During Wartime".
Well, they'd found a new sound. I understand that you have to be willing to create something unlistenable in order to make an omelette, but all I hear is some cool ideas completely ruined by trying to be purposefully punk. Maybe the cool part here is Brian Eno
Two reviews ago, during my 532nd review, I wrote a little statement about it finally "clicking" for me and how I only just now understood the reason for all of these albums having been included on the list, even the ones I did not personally like and I was able to understand the cultural impact that some albums have had on musical culture as a whole. I rescind my statement. Since that far gone time (yesterday evening) I have listened to yet two more albums on this list of 1001 albums you MUST hear before you die. Those albums were *Bringing It All Back Home' by Bob Dylan and this album that I am reviewing right now. I no longer understand why any of these two horrendous albums are on any list of albums someone ought to have heard according to the music critics and authors of the book(s). I only now realize that it was specifically Elvis Presley that I could understand the cultural importance of; almost all of the other worthless albums on this long list of sonic torture carry no importance and are only there because the author heard these albums once upon a time at a friend's brother's girlfriend's nephew's party that he had attended at the time and the memory of ingesting his first shot of alcohol (4,2% ABV Coors Lite) and getting "totally wicked!!" during the 80s imprinted the names of these groups and their songs into his mind. For my review of this album in particular, the only song I kind of "liked" (very loosely stated) was the one where they weren't trying to sing properly, which somehow made it the most well-sung
This is the second? Third? ...Talking Heads album so far on 1001 Albums. My opinion remains the same: I like them... but not as much as I should probably. It seems like my sort of thing but, as well as liking them, I simultaneously find them a little bit annoying. Generally I think "Stop Making Sense," which I love, has all my Talking Heads needs covered. I enjoyed listening to this album though, especially the songs I already knew from "Stop Making Sense."
Clever but I’ve never really connected with TH’s….
This album doesn't really have any pop hits and it does all blend together a bit for me but I like the chunky low end and gradual progressions. I could see this getting better with repeated listens. Highlights: Memories Can't Wait, Heaven.
my favourite talking heads album <3 mind is a masterpiece
Good old Talking Heads <3
Is this their best album? I'm not sure. Anyway, it's ok.
Good album. Talking heads are usually a hit for me.
Best wel cute
OK for once
Not my favourite Talking Heads album
Fairly typical Talking Heads album. Some good songs, some experimental stuff from Bryne. Overall good.
Good listen front to back
Pretty decent
It’s good but not my cup of tea
FINALLY SOME TALKING HEADS!!! This review may be a little biased because I love the Talking Heads. They are just so groovy, funky, influential, innovative, and most importantly fun to listen to. Talking Heads and LCD Sound System are my goto party bands when I want to have a good time. This is the first Talking Heads album were they really found their sound and started making truly great music. The first 6 songs on this album are really strong, funky, and have great melodies. The rest are weaker but I've grown to really love them. Heaven is a lovely little song, I LOVE the outro to Animals, it is just so weird, and this may be a strange opinion but Drugs is one of my favorite songs off of this album. I just love how creepy and weird it is, and that guitar solo is just perfect (listening tip: the more of a stank face you make while listening to this solo the better it sounds). Somehow I wrote this whole review without mentioning how great David Byrne's lyrics and vocal delivery is. Everything he does and sings about is so weird, but he just sells it so well that it becomes infectious and endearing. I also love how the guitars are really understated on this album and really let the vocal melodies breathe. They are more of a rhythmic element rather than a melodic one. High 5!
You know when you see Talking Heads come up you’re getting something pretty solid. Life During Wartime is definitely the highlight, and Drugs is the low point. But overall a strong album with a lot to like
This was better than I expected. This 'era' of rock is not my favourite in a lot of ways. This one was pretty good though!
Somehow I don't get on with Talking Heads anymore. This album didn't inspire me either. I didn't listen to it in its entirety. The voice reminded me of my favorite piece of the band, Psycho Killer. I quite liked the track Life During Wartime. But that didn't persuade me to listen to the rest. 3/5
This album is music heaven for me. Play it all night long
It was fun, better suited for the car or loud speaker on a sunny day
leuk album... goeie nummers... toffe ritmes
Fabulous album from the Talking Heads, as always.
I knew some songs from the Talking Heads but this album had a bit more David Bowie-ness than I expected (maybe this is their typical sound and I just know the new-wave ‘hits’). Fun listen, 4/5
Another solid Talking Heads album I hadn't heard. I swear at 1:30 into Drugs it sounds like Homer saying "doh" but its obviously not.
I like the melodic version of Talking Heads far better than spooky / weird Talking Heads (Heaven > Animals, for example). This album has some real bangers, but it is too far toward the weird pole of the Talking Heads spectrum for me to love this.
Kinda sucks.
Not my style, but interesting. Very 80s.
Chaotic, full of cacophony. But it also lots of positive energy. 5/10
Such a good album. For 79, this is absurdly ahead of it's time.
I actually have the album. It's not my favorite record but Memories can Wait is one of my favorite songs
I enjoyed this a bit
David Byrne is just cool
Far from the best Talking Heads album but a couple cool moments, Cities, Lifetime During Wartime, Heaven
thought it was a fun album!
Don’t see the need for this with all the other Talking Heads on the list but it’s fine.
I Zimba and Life During Wartime are both outstanding songs that definitely were a unique sound when this came out. The rest is very good but not at that level.
I don't think this is the Talking Heads' best album, but it is still pretty strong. Lots of great song ideas in here! I like Heaven, Life During Wartime and Cities the best. Talking Heads have a range of sound in their arsenal and all of that is on display here. Lots of fun guitar parts too. The end of "animals" sounds like the Muppets.
Groovy, though not their best project
I had an awful morning yesterday, just got news that made me want to scream and cry and give up. And then I got this album. I’ve actually been listening to Talking Heads a lot in my personal time, just throwing on greatest hits playlists and what not for relaxation or when I’m walking around. Idk if other fans consider this the best TH album or whatever, but it was exactly what I needed to hear yesterday. A comfort in the dark.
This was pretty interesting and psych. Not my favorite Talking Heads record. I hadn't ever listened to it and I'm not sure I will go out of my way to listen to it in the future. I definitely heard some things that likely inspired LCD Soundsystem though.
Such a sweet record! I love how groovy and odd this album is. In some ways, it almost feels *disjointed* like something is off, but whatever it is that is *off* is the magic that pulls it all together. Is it the bopping bass lines or the sharp synths? Maybe its just David Byrne's vocals and odd lyrics. But its different than say, Frank Zappa, who also had kind of an odd style of lyrics and vocals. The Talking Heads doesn't feel like a novelty act. Its fun, but its also feels real. I think I liked the run from Heaven through Drugs the best on the album. I feel like its where it really takes off and has more variety.
A classic, especially with I Zimbra, Mind, Heaven, Life During Wartime, and Air. Honestly just this entire album is great and was a huge part of my childhood. Love the instrumentation and lyrics. Great beats.
No songs on here that I recognised but they’re always an interesting band to listen to. Didn’t find this as memorable as some of their other stuff though
Talking Heads is one of those bands that I keep hearing about, but have not really heard much of their music. Outside of Psycho Killer and Once in a Lifetime, I haven’t heard much from them. I’m hoping this list will change that…assuming the generator’s nice to me. However, this album is kind of what I expected from the little of Talking Heads I heard. I admire how accepted Talking Heads is with the music world given how experimental they are. David Byrne is the perfect paranoid vocalist, as he anxiously decides on what city he’ll live in, wonders why he can’t persuade people, and verbally assaults animals for thinking that are better than us.(lowkey that ridiculous track is my second favorite from the album) Always bizarre, but never ostracizing, this is Talking Heads at what they are good at: balancing the line between commercially safe and abstract. Favorite track: Cities Other hits: Animals, Life During Wartime, Drugs, Mind, Paper
Eclectic genre bending at its finest
Noteworthy songs - 808080808 Magical Dream - Kinda catchy synth, but the rest is bland. Ancodia - Good background noise. Cobra Bora - Actually kind of cool, reminds me of Bomberman Hero. Pacific 202 - N64 vibes, but melody isn't great. Donkey Doctor - Nothing too special, weird ending. 808080808 - Really cool beginning. A little slow in the middle but stays interesting enough. Sunrise - Nothing remarkable. The Fat Shadow - Eerie. Very short.
Pretty crazy for 1979, probably not their best work
Major “Oil Spill” from Bob’s Burgers vibes
Didn't love this one! I think it's a bit too grimy and repetitive without doing much exciting. Still got some highlights but I won't revisit it on it's own. 3/3.5
Love it. Wouldn’t have been 1 of the 4 Talking Heads I would have chosen. But they are all brilliant
Favourites Cities Life During wartime Heaven Animals I love Talking Heads
Three five stars in four days! I think probably Talking Heads at the peak of their powers. This is where they get quite out there in terms of production, style and mannerism, without being at all inaccessible. Tremendous stuff.
BEST SONGS: -Mind -Memories Can´t Wait -Air
Didn’t really care for this, got super repetitive at the ends of lots of songs, which made it sound over produced.
these guys are so weird. overall a fun album, but not much that i expect to revisit.
I respect the Talking Heads and what they did for New Wave, but it’s not a genre I’m super fond of. Still a fine listen for what it is.
This album has three of my favorite Talking Heads songs: Cities, Life During Wartime, & Air. The rest of the album can be a bit experimental and chaotic. I don’t dislike the other songs, they just don’t scratch that Talking Heads itch like the three I listed do. Might be a bit biased based off have three of my favs but this is still a great listen. 8/10
чотко прикольно, наче в барі тусиш
Life During Wartime and Heaven are great.
The opening track is fantastic! I would not have guessed this is talking heads. I really like this album. It’s all over the place.
# 316 : Good album, its ok. I am not a Talking Heads afishionado, but it's Full of catchy bops and I could go back to this. it's a bit samey and nothing spectacular, as in it seems like all the other Talking Albums I've heard so far. Favourite track : Cities
Whole lotta noise but not terrible
Hah! Quoth I, as the first album is revealed. I must have played this 100 times back in the day. I wrote a lesson plan around the lyrics to this LP when I was a student teacher. I still have the original LP with the lovely checkerplate embossed sleeve, and the lyric sheet insert, of course. It's still in a lovely playable condition, but has been superseded by CD copies and clones thereof for the car. Do you imagine that I think it's wonderful? You imagine correctly. Good start.
*disclaimer - multiple listen bias as I already knew this album* Whilst not my favourite talking heads album it has some of their best songs on (cities, memories can’t wait, heaven) and it’s really cool to hear as a transitional album between first 2 more straightforward post punk/art rock albums and the experimental and very hard to define Remain In Light. As with most talking heads albums it is really not much like anything else. My one critism is that slightly trails of in quality right at the end.
Pretty much a Talking Heads album. By no means their best, but yeah, I mean, it's OK. David Byrne is not shining his brightest here, but the band sure are.
Zooms to the top 3 favorite TH 💿s...
An enjoyable album, although some of the songs definitely took up too much track time and we were waiting for them to be over. Cities' 4 minutes may not sound like much but, for this song, it should have been 2. We started off enjoying it and were over it by the end.
First Talking Heafs album I ever bought on vinyl. Not their best I don’t think but very quirky and interesting. It’s best with the volume up loud to hear how much this really rocks.
I really appreciate getting the Talking Heads discography in release order. They’re a band I have been meaning to get into and I love seeing their songwriting and performances improve with each album. While this isn’t a perfect Talking Heads album, I probably won’t have to wait much longer for it.
Didn't recognize any of the songs, but like their general vibe. Would definitely listen to this again
I listened to this a few days ago and can't remember a single thing about the album. I couldn't have told you which songs I liked or disliked—classic three-star album review for me.
Fun and upbeat. Not nearly as grating as the last Talking Heads album to pot.
Pretty solid. I've always like the Talking Heads but hadn't listened to their earlier stuff, or some more of it anyway.
- first one today 30.08 6.5/10
The Talking Heads are cool. I'm a little disappointed in myself that I didn't realize "Cities" was originally their tune. I used to listen to Phish's version of it all the time back when I was working at Sam Goody (remember those?). It always had some TH vibes - now I know why.
Love talking heads always. 80s rock vibes
This is comparable to Bowie’s Lodger record, released the same year in its unhinged eclectic zaniness. Lodger is my favorite Bowie record. This isn’t quite as good as that but is still great.
Uuuurgh. I've already had to review a Talking Heads album. Maybe this one is better? Nope. Could not finish this. Like some weird food someone offers you that they are evangelical about, but you think tastes spoiled. I have no taste for this, and life is too short. One annoying weird star.
A few good songs.
Egész jó volt, érdekes, kicsit trippy gitáros cucc. A vokál nagyon érdekesnek tűnt, volt kicsit korai punkos beütése, főleg a dalszövegeknek.
"Dad, nerds are nothing to fear. In fact, they've done some pretty memorable things. Some nerds of note include popcorn magnate Orville Redenbacher, rock star David Byrne and Supreme Court Justice David Souter." -Lisa Simpson
i'm a talking heads newbie so i'm not familiar with their album cuts, really. this was my first time with this album and i enjoyed it! the thing that i have come to appreciate about the talking heads is that they were bringing in a unique style in an era that i think was fairly homogenous. my only qualm is that i find a lot of the deeper cut talking heads songs are a little too rough around the edges (read: dissonant) for my taste. it is interesting, but i would have to dive in on repeated listens to appreciate it more, i think. overall, a cool album!
Not my favorite by them, but still a solid album through and through.
Amazing
will listen to it more. it's great
I don't get it. I like plenty of stuff that the Talking Heads perform, but after 30 years of listening to this album, I don't get it. The style is a bit unique, and the songs aren't bad, yet I don't consider it anything special. In fact, I find it so middle of the road, I'd give it 5 out of 10, and I'm going to round down to 2 stars.
After 3 albums, I’ve come to the conclusion that this band just isn’t for me. They’re talented for sure but it’s just too weird for me. I did like this album more than the other though.
I'll say what I said in my previous Talking Heads review: TH are so often touted as one of the "classics" - to be revered, reviewed, and NOT reviled. Everyone loves TH, right? Not this guy. The music is just difficult to latch onto, largely because of the very weak and questionable vocal delivery. Byrne's voice is just not good in any context, but particularly for this funky instrument lineup, the music works best when there's no singing. It actually sounds pretty darn great during instrumental breaks like the intro of Drugs, and parts of I Zimbra, Paper, and Cities (among others). But when Byrne's vocal comes in... ugh. It's incredibly off-putting, marginally out-of-tune, slightly ahead of or behind the beat at times, and there's little in the way of articulation or emotion within each track. I like the compositions on this album, particularly Memories Can't Wait, Air, Paper, and Cities. Life During Wartime is also worth a shoutout – I think I recognised it from somewhere. If the right band had been playing these tunes, this album could've easily scored a 3 or even higher. As another reviewer commented, "Every track is completely original and arrestingly immediate. They would move onto more ambitious work immediately afterwards, but 'Fear of Music' shows the band absolutely mastering three-minute songcraft." I guess the only task now is to hire the right frontman for the job. 2/5 Key tracks: Cities, Drugs, Paper
Talking heads is an immediate five but I will say this is probably my least favorite of their first four. It’s a unique blend of their early sound with the experimental elements that they will soon amp up. So cool album when looking through the lens of the bands development and has some of their all time best songs. Still think it is weaker than the albums around it on a song by song basis. Rating: 4.6
If anything their better album. Tighter.
not bad but not good either
Not a fan
yessssssssssssssssssssss, wat een heerlijke verrassing 1e talking heads album volgens mij, maar boi wat lekker Life during wartime is echt een banger de live versie van "Stop making sense" is ook echt goed Heaven / Cities / I Zimbra ook lekker
Perfect!
Its talen me a lot of my life to appreciate peak Talking Heads It's all about the rhythms. Great stuff. 4
Good album. It's a good Talking Heads album. Nice texture and always interesting. ****
I didn’t like any of the songs except Heaven
Fear Of Music is Talking Heads at their most neurotic. David Byrne's regular energetic, bouncing vocals come off less eccentric more nervous. He's still singing about everyday subjects, but the motivations feel more pessimistic than normal. Quite the change in tone from their previous album. *Heard before.
You cant spell zany without "omg I wish to make a twig nest inside the Talking Heads and lay electric eggs there.
This is a great album. Super fun, pretty clear inspiration for lots of other bands that followed in the 80's that I also enjoy. 4/5
Decent album, but I am not nearly as taken with this as I am with Remain in Light. 3/5
Maybe their best? A strong contender, anyway. A-
fun one
How does one conjure up a fear of music? Is it the air that we breathe? The drugs we take? The animals we walk amongst and consume each day? The paper that informs us of the daily happenings in our lives? Is it something that could change our mind? A way to justify finding a city to live in? Whatever it is, Talking Heads seemed to have a good grasp on the feeling. On their third album, and first in a fabled and contentious collaboration with Brian Eno, Talking Heads increasingly eek themselves out of their latent punk roots and roam across a little more global soundscape whilst keeping their toes in firmly experimental waters. As the 70s drew to a close and the 80s began to burst, it was proper time for the band to come to light and remain there for us to see and examine their influence and their fear of music was a means to get there.
A couple of good gems on here but not my favorite Talking Heads album. 3 I would think.
There's some really good music on Fear Of Music, but the odder tracks didn't always land for me. Overall, it's a 2 star album that gets an added star for the proto-Discipline-era King Crimson opening track (I Zimbra).
🤘bought back some memories
Look over there, a dry ice factory. Good place to get some thinking done.
Was okay?
Album 493 of 1001 Thin Lizzy - Live And Dangerous Rating : 4.5 / 5 Was thinking this may not hold up to some of the Talking Heads I've heard but was wrong. Good album. Some great tracks. No losers in the bunch.
not bad. didnt click with me first time round. ill come back for another though.
a perfectly fine album, but nothing i’d revisit in full
Some good stuff but it all felt samey.
I don't get it. This album sounds pretty average to me. The drum loops are monotonous and repetitive, with barely any variation throughout the songs. On top of that, there's a boring guitar or synth, occasionally accompanied by vocals shouting a phrase. That's it. It's reminiscent of those radio songs that aren't bad, but also aren't good. You just wait for them to be over so you can listen to something actually worthwhile. 2.5
Always liked talking heads
Love love love Talking Heads. But this is a tough one for me too rate, since I feel this list suffers from having too many albums from the same groups. On one hand, you could make a case or just about all of Talking Heads catalog being considered “must listen”; on the other hand, that dilutes the diversity of our experience. That said, fear of music was an extraordinary bridge within Talking Heads career. The influence of Eno is immediately evident in the chaotic and rapturous I Zimbra. Other standouts like life during wartime, Cities, Heaven, and Drugs, are indicative of the transition in the band’s style. Unfortunately, several of the remaining tracks feel like filler. In the end, a worthy listen for fans of Talking Heads, but not one which should be recommended to newbies. The list would be improved by having footnotes along the lines of “if you like this record, here are others to check out”. So put that note on Remain in Light, and we keep fans and non-fans happier.
Liked it
good album but talking heads has that funk that i cant really get over. its their signature sound but i cant fully get into it. though that applies to all of their music, i thought this album was fun and groovy despite that. the second half of side b was pretty weak but the rest was great. 4 personal favs: i zimbra, cities, life during wartime, heaven
I went on a deep dive of the Talking Heads a little over ten years ago (A+ decision), and I came away thinking Fear Of Music was my favorite album by them. The brilliance of Remain In Light finally clicked with me later and I think that one holds the top spot for TH, but Fear of Music is still a masterpiece in its own right. It’s so quirky, awkward, paranoid, funny at times, and existential. David Byrne is at his nervous energetic best. I Zimbra starts things off in Africa or something, Cities are traveled, and we go to Heaven and find ourselves underwhelmed. This is the album that made me love Talking Heads, and I’m very grateful for that.
Their signature sound Dances playfully along This alt pop album
Perfect album to jog to. Makes paranoia fun!
Best album of 1979, eh? That’s a mean feat given all the New Wave, Two-Tone, punk, disco, early rap, and prog rock bombs dropping at the same time. Interesting that Talking Heads could be considered to represent any of those. I liked this album. I loved Byrne’s voice and the blessed rhythm section. Again, I find myself wrestling with the “it’s not my FAVOURITE Talking Heads album” fallacy. So let’s try this: if this wasn’t Talking Heads, would I be raving about it? Yup.
Not too bad
Quirky and fun
Bueno
Fourth Talking Heads album from this list and I still think they're just another mid new wave who just happened to be overhyped. Still, "Fear of Music" is the most interesting one I've heard so far. The tunes have a character and carry that beloved new-wave energy. The vocals are still annoying but at least it's not as spotlighted as it was in their other albums. I would say this is my favorite from them, I guess.
Didn't find too many bangers on this album. Didn't mind listening to it, but hoping to find some better albums from them on this list.
Maybe not their height, but you know, still David Byrne great.
++: I Zimbra, Cities, Memories Can't Wait, Animals, Drugs +: Paper, Life During Wartime, Air, Heaven, Electric Guitar +-: Mind 8,8/10
Absolutely brilliant.
One of my favorite Talking Heads albums! Happy to see it come up on this list!
Wow - I was never much of a Talking Heads fan...but this album fell way short of my already low expectations. A fair number of the cuts are simply unlistenable. Pass...
Funky punky spiky angular pop rock. No one sounds like talking heads. They create a world that is uniquely their own and this is one of the best from them.
Heel goed album, zo veel rare funk, gave invloeden, en echt origineel.
Man, this was annoying... When it started, I was like "This might be a good record for riding the bike home". Then it kept going and became more and more annoying... Musically it is so bland, nothing sticks in my mind. This is a clear NO from me.
A solid album, though not my favorite from TH (that's probably Little Creatures, though this is influenced by hearing that at a young age). TH still manages to sound fresh and interesting, and while there are elements of their time (punk, new wave) they don't sound dated or generic.
Fun, poppy, quirky
I think this is my third album by the Talking Heads and I've accepted the just aren't for me. The band is great but the vocals just don't do enough for me.
I don’t even like Talking Heads hits let alone their less known songs. Grating vocals. I appreciate him embracing weirdness but this is not my brand of weird sorry.
3eme album de Talking Heads généré dans la liste. Contrairement aux 2 autres, je ne connaissais aucun des morceaux. Memories Can't Wait+ Sinon globalement pas convaincu, j'ai trouvé Remain in Light plus original. => 2/5
I appreciate people who try different things, and this was certainly that. I didn’t enjoy most of it, but I could appreciate it.
I like Talking Heads. Didn’t necessarily like this.
Absolutely brilliant. Talking Heads have always been in my periphery so it was about time I paid attention to their music. I loved this album. Usually, his voice grates but in the context of the entire album I really enjoyed it.
Creo que es el primer disco de post punk que escucho y muy bueno la verdad , muy groovy la verdad. El primer track es súper funky.
Hmm, this one was not as goood as their last, the fear is real
Nich so meins Favs: /
OK, this was good. I've only ever known their singles but the album was full-on - kept coming at you Solid 4/5
I just love the talking heads!
FFS
Fear of Music is the Talking Head's third album, and includes some of their biggest hits, like "Life During Wartime," "Cities," and "Heaven." The band's version of art-rock funk had fully development, complete with their intricate rhythms and Byrne's quirky lyrics. Fear of Music was the second of the band's albums to be produced by Brian Eno. The collaboration was very successful, resulting in some of the band's most acclaimed work. This incredible collection of songs helped make the Talking Heads one of the most influential bands in popular music.
Outoa ja veikeätä, eikä välttämättä hyvällä tavalla. Se on ae gimmick, mutta ei mulle oikein toiminut. Parhaat: Heaven
I feel like I've gotten a lot of repeat artists recently. In the past two weeks, I have gotten my second Steely Dan album, my third Pink Floyd album, my second Sonic Youth album, my third Beastie Boys album, my second Taylor Swift album, and now my second Talking Heads album. Interesting. Anyways, I really like this album! I liked More Songs About Buildings and Food, but I felt it could be improved on. Fortunately, it was improved on in its followup, Fear of Music. My two big complaints with More Songs were the singing and writing. In hindsight, I don't know why I complained about the singing. I said it was goofy, but I don't know why I had a problem with it. Maybe it just grew on me or something, but I like the singing on Fear of Music. It's fun. I complained about the writing being a bit unclear in More Songs, which was fixed in this album. These songs are quite interesting, and the writing provides some interesting messages. The songs are good, and the sound is fun. Despite the fun sound of the album, it's also weirdly dark in a way. I saw someone say that this album could also be called "Music of Fear" and I think that's pretty fitting. Songs like the closer, "Drugs" embody that very well, and the themes of songs like "Mind" and "Air" fit that as well. There's lots to say about this album, but I think I'll leave it at that. This is just an amazing album that cements my liking of Talking Heads. Light 5/5
Funky, relaxing. Didn’t challenge me, not a fan of the singers voice.
Occasionally uneven, but still has enough tracks that I love to carry it to four stars.
A number of these songs I have heard live first, so the studio versions sound weird and quirkier to me. The band was still finding its sound, moving from the new wave quartet to the experimental collective that they would be. Songs like "I Zimbra" showed them experimenting with other musicians in ways not thought of. "Life During Wartime" I had heard the "Stop Making Sense" version first, so it was weird to hear the fade out while they were still singing lines. "Cities" & "Mind" I had heard live as well, but not much difference to them. "Memories Can't Wait"... I had first heard the Living Colour version and then the original. Both are effective in different ways and I love them both. It's not my favorite of their albums, but a lot of good tracks and a step towards the band that they would become and I would love. Top tracks: "I Zimbra," "Mind," "Cities," "Memories Can't Wait," "Heaven"
Geez, the first four Talking Heads albums all make the list? Are they all remarkable or that different from each other? I feel like this one and Remain in Light both started to explore different more worldly beats so maybe only one deserves to be on the list. Nevertheless, I will say something that I noted on their first album - Tina Weymouth's bass lines kick serious ass. So good on the opener I Zimbra. And Life During Wartime - what a perfect example of TH's (and in particular David Byrne's) eccentricity and skill in lyrics and musicianship. New wave at its finest - put that song on repeat for hours on end. Still, this album is up and down and side two drags a bit, both of which I've said about all their albums, but even moreso than their debut or their fourth album. These guys are an important band in the whole New Wave genre but this album is a bit inconsistent in my opinion.
As a King Crimson fan, I love hearing Robert Fripp's pointillist guitar work in I Zimbra. Two years before King Crimson's Discipline we get hints of what's to come (it's criminal that Discipline is not in the 1001). The classics alone on this album make it a 5 - Life During Wartime, Memories Can't Wait, and Heaven are all fantastic (and I love the line in Life During Wartime, "I changed my hairstyle so many times now I don't know what I look like"). On top of that, all the other tracks are excellent and the recording quality is outstanding. Easy 5.
You can hear Eno's influence all over this one, which works sometimes and doesn't at others. Drugs is a particularly bad way to end the album.
Talking Heads are just always fun. This one isn't their best - it's a little light on hits - but I enjoyed listening to it and would put it on again. "Life During Wartime" is the highlight, that's a great song. But anything that's primarily rhythm- and groove-based is good music to have on in the background, and this fits the bill.
The Talking Heads rock. Funky, quirky, funny at times, this was a very enjoyable album. Cities and Air were my favorites but the whole album worked for me. Definitely feels like the start of a shift in the music that came before and what would come in the 80s.
Amazing album with hints of world music tied into new wave/punk.
There are some Talking Heads albums that I won't give 5 stars to, but this isn't one of them. A great leap forward.
I'd give this rating just for the way the piano sounds in "Cities" alone.
Favorite Track: Memories can't wait other picks: I Zimbra, Life during wartime, Drugs
Groovy
Solid album but not the best this band put out. They’re at their best with high energy efforts (I zombies, cities, life during wartime), though the slower and more standard songs don’t bore (Heaven). There’s just something f about this that leave it out of the top tier for me.
I really don't like the 80s.
Roots for "the robocop kraus"?
Decent, but not my favorite Talking Heads album
4.9 - really cool album. He really is super unique and his own thing
Great album with no skips, but also none of my very favourite Talking Heads songs. 4.5/5
Kinda funky Kinda psychy Upbeat sounding Got bored
Second Talking Heads album so just checked back to see what I wrote the first time. Horror of Horrors that was the day Leeds United lost at Wembley. This album now only serves to remind me of that sad day. Like the day I do not want to experience this album again. Seriously, I’ve tried numerous times to like Talking Heads but I don’t get them at all. Brian Eno features a lot on this album so for that alone is worth another star. But still a lowly score - shame really as yesterday my average rating just clicked above 2.5 for first time in ages. 2/5 27/6/24