Reviews (page 4 of 15)
Some of these songs were new to me
As with other artists on the list, this seems like the wrong album. Remain in Light, Fear of Music, and even More Songs about Buildings and Food show much more intensity and depth. However, this one is a very pleasant listen from start to finish. It doesn't have the bangers of the other albums, but not many weak spots either.
I read the term "minimalist punk" to describe this album and instantly seethed with jealousy I didn't think of it first. Byrne & co. were/are famous contrarians, so it comes as no surprise to hear this early work from them and share in their sense of defiance towards the status quo.
Surprised by the album to be honest. Not a fan of the vocals but despite that, I thought it was a very fun and funky album that I quite enjoyed.
4 stars for psycho killer. The rest is fun but not up to par. Might improve with further listens
It is just so GOOD
I hadn't listened to Talking Heads first album before, and really only knew it had "Psycho Killer" on it. After listening, it definitely sounds exactly what their debut album should sound like, given what I know about their later stuff. Fun, quirky, nothing too complicated, but still probably different than most stuff out there in '77. A good album.
Talking Heads are a band I famously took a long time to warm up to, and I think part of the reason was that every time I decided to give them a try, I'd start with this album. Something about the band's early minimalism just went in one ear out the other. But! Having discovered a love for Talking Heads through the rest of their discography, this album has been reframed for me as a perfect time capsule of the band's early sound. Despite differing so heavily from producer Tony Bongiovi (who unfortunately dulls these songs quite a bit from behind the boards) they were still able to work in so many quirks and sonic risks. Byrne is perhaps the most misanthropic he's ever been on this one, literally complaining about human emotions. Fav Tracks: Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town, New Feeling, No Compassion, Happy Day, The Book I Read, Don't Worry About the Government, First Week / Last Week.... Carefree, Psycho Killer, Pulled Up Least Fav: Tentative Decisions Score: 8
Another solid album from TH. No fripp and eno but it diesnt detract, just makes this a different sound, less world musicy
New wave, art rock, art punk.
Love the Talking Heads and this is a great album. Fav tracks — the first two (uh-oh love comes to town and new feeling) as well as pulled up and of course psycho killer) learned — fela kuti was a big influence, also that they hardly charted in America (other than Burning Down the House). They met at RISD. Also learned that Eno didn't produce this album. I think I prefer their afro-beats/funk influenced sound that came after this but still love
Talking Heads’ 1977 debut, Talking Heads ’77, delivers a well-produced collection of art-punk tracks supported by crisp instrument separation and a clean mix. The record relies on catchy guitar riffs, tight drumming, and distinctive basslines, punctuated by unexpected elements like the bongos on "Tentative Decisions" and quirky instrumentation on "The Book I Read" that lightens its tenser musical moments. While David Byrne's vocal delivery on tracks like "New Feelings" may prove polarising, the songwriting holds up strong through the sharp lyricism and beat switches of "No Compassion," the recognizable opening of "Love Comes to Town," and the iconic hook of "Psycho Killer." Balanced by carefree compositions like "First Week / Last Week" and slow-burning tracks like "Who Is It?" and "Pulled Up," the album maintains a cohesive energy from start to finish, earning a solid 4/5 rating overall.
Never anything but love for Talking Heads.
I'm loving the funk rock of this Talking Heads debut. There's always something interesting going on, whether it's steel drums on Uh-Oh, Love Comes To Town, the military drums on Tentative Decisions or the African style guitars opening The Book I Read. It's constantly interesting. David Byrne's lyrically style and delivery seems to have directly influenced REM, and it's easy to see how this band has been so highly regarded. There are many highlights, but if it was to pick a couple, it would be Tentative Decisions and Don't Worry About The Government. It's grown on me after lot. An very good debut earning a high 4 stars.
kinda jammin
In my opinion, this is the second best Talking Heads album. A strong four stars.
Fun album
Two talking heads in a row? Let’s go.
4.5
P good
Think I’m much more a fan of their later stuff, but a hell of a way to come out of the gate, so funky and weird
Definitely not their best but still a pretty great time
Genuinely the most underrated Talking Heads album. It's a high 4
2026-08-16: always liked the the Talking Heads. Not sure I’ve ever listened to an entire album. I liked this one.
4/5. Being their debut, “Talking Heads 77” is not as fully formed as its follow-up albums, but it’s still very good, packed with a ton of songs that have a nervous edge to them. A key example being the records biggest song “Psycho Killer” with that iconic opening bass-line and off-kilter post punk groove which mix perfectly with David Byrnes sing-speak vocal performance where he inhabits a character who seems to be very on edge. But I also love the more laid back groove of opener “Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town” and the tense “don’t worry about the government.” I do tend to prefer the Brian Eno produced trilogy of talking heads albums as well as their live album “stop making sense” but this is still a very fun listen and a great proof of concept of what the talking heads could do when they were still up and comers.
OOh baby. Love Talking Heads. This one I haven't listened to all that much either. Not a lot of 77' songs on Stop Making Sense. This one is more punky or so I've heard. Very fun record. Right mix between nervy post-punk aesthetic and good pop songwriting. Would love to hear or see some of these songs in a live context. Best pop-adjacent - uh oh (9/10) - my favourite song on this album. So joyous. Fun lyrics. Great bass line. Also really like no compassion as well for something a bit edgier. Awesome outro. Worst song - Tentative Decisions (6.5/10) - chorus doesn't do a lot for me. Still catchy and far from a bad song. Final score - 8.5/10. Had a lot of fun. Talking Heads does not dissappoint. Perhaps less variety than their other records, but right up my alley. Love it!
Amazing sonic depth, the whole album is fun to listen to. I especially liked No Compassion because it felt like multiple songs rolled into one, almost like a wild jam session
Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town - 4/5 New Feeling - 4/5 Tentative Decisions - 4/5 Happy Day - 3.5/5 Who Is It? - 3.5/5 No Compassion - 4/5 The Book I Read - 4.5/5 Don't Worry About the Government - 3.5/5 First Week / Last Week… Carefree - 3.5/5 Psycho Killer - 5/5 Pulled Up - 4.5/5 The Heads' first two albums were a good proving ground for them, really getting their footing with how to make a studio album before finally locking in for Fear of Music and beyond. This is a very solid debut punctuated by Psycho Killer, arguably their most well-known track, and for good reason. It's got that spunk that a decent bit of tracks are either lacking or need more of, and is a preview of what's to come from them down the line. It's slightly better than their follow up but pales to their later works. Overall: 4/5 Favorites: Psycho Killer, The Book I Read, Pulled Up
I just recently started to get into their discography. This is such a good album
Just as wacky as I hoped. "Psycho Killer" is obviously the best but the rest are pretty good as well.
Enjoyed!
Fantastisk album, og selv om det er hard konkurranse mener jeg dette er bandets beste. 7/10
Velger meg helst Remain in light, difor er det lenge sidan eg har høyrt på denne. Men det var no eit triveleg gjenhøyr! Passeleg køddete, veldig originalt og mest av alt fengande som berre det.
Andresporet er deres beste, så de peakst tidlig. Voksne i formen, men lekne i stilen. Som et postpunk-band som peker nese til både samtidige og alle som kom etter ved at de har så absolutt kontroll over hva de driver med.
Vrien å sjangerplassere – postpunk, new wave, funk, art rock og pop, alt sammen på én gang. «Psycho Killer» er selvfølgelig høydepunktet, men «Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town» står også sterkt. Midtveis blir det litt søtt og skisseaktig; flere av låtene føles nesten ikke helt ferdige. En gitarfigur her, en idé der, men ikke alltid nok til å bære en hel låt. Noe de skulle fikse fint på senere plater.
Talking Heads - Talking Heads 77 Kul, fargerik plate med ein vokalist som av og til er litt vel langt framme i skoa for min del. “Don’t Worry About the Government” og “Tentative Decisions” er begge fascinerande turar nedom holet til Alice (😱). Og, så klart, dei to siste er knallbra. Likar denne betre no enn sist eg spelte den. Imponerande signatursterk til på være ei debutplate. 7/10
heads
Solid album. A good start to a great discography. 4 stars
A nice debut album, with of course 'Psycho Killer'.
Enjoyed this more than Fear of Music
4/5
Album #234 Talking Heads: Talking Heads 77 When Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa, everyone forgot about all of his other art; but the fact is, in order to make something so beautiful, he had to have started somewhere, making art that was indicative of his promise. When Talking Heads released “Remain in Light,” it seemed like everything they had released up until that point was meaningless. Today, Talking Heads are a pretty respected band amongst music fans, but when you push them further into their favourite album, 99% of these fans will just spit out Remain in Light, because it is the established classic, universally agreed upon greatness. Well, for my money, Talking Heads have about four albums on the level of Remain in Light, and their debut is absolutely one of them. 77 is a real statement of intent; nobody else in the post-punk scene at the time was blending autism and funk like David Byrne, and though the zolo sound would begin to pick up traction with bands like DEVO and Oingo Boing, Talking Heads were the progenitors. Of course Psycho Killer is the standout here, but pretty much every other track holds its own, blending Byrne’s addicting vocal inflections with vivid banal imagery to create songs that feel like everyday epics. The only complaint I have about 77 is that they left some of the best songs out as B-sides, with Sugar on My Tongue and Love Goes to a Building on Fire being two of my favourite Talking Heads tracks. This album is always a blast, and its quality should have left nobody surprised when Remain in Light dropped. Best Songs: Psycho Killer, Uh-Oh Love Comes to Town, Tentative Decisions Worst Song: Happy Day Score out of 10: 9
All the pieces are there for what they’ll achieve. It’s not the beat of what they’ll do - but it’s the first and for that it worth it!
Very groovy album with positive vibes. Vocals were annoying at times.
The second talking heads album for me on this journey. I remember it being rhythmic and dark with distinctive vocals. _______ This is rockier/punkier than the previous album it gave me. I guess that's the risk with this project - hearing bands out of order. The vocals are definitely going to be marmite, but I love the earnestness and honesty of it all. It sounds human, something more modern production wouldn't stand. I really like the guitar throughout, choppy, funky almost proggy and looping (slightly like everyone's favourite polka dot aliens). As a debut this is unreal - a fantastic statement of intent. 4*
Psycho Killer might be the only song I outright love on here and want to belt out, but the rest of that album just has that effortless cool weirdness to it. Incredibly listenable for how otherwise challenging aspects of it are.
Talking Heads are GOATed. I have yet to not at least like one of their albums.
This benefitted from me listening to half of it twice in 3 different sessions. I think that probably speaks to the Talking Heads, where you go "that's kinda fun and whimsical but I don't love it" to... OK that's funny and catchy. Not all of it. Ignoring Psycho Killer, which lives in my head, Uh-Oh, Don't Worry About the Government and The Book I Read were all brilliant. Listened to Don't Worry again afterwards and was amused to read debates about it's meaning. Would definitely listen again.
This starts brilliantly. A bunch of other things I like are clearly influenced by this. The grooves are cool, the rhythms are great. Sadly at some point in the middle it gets a bit samey, and each time I've listened to this I've got a bit distracted... Then psycho killer comes on and it is awesome. I think that due to the middle bit it's probably a low 4.
This was unusual because I could understand anyone giving this any rating from 1-5
Psycho killer good but generally not my type
Great album to me, except the last track.
Замечательный альбом, который я слушал много раз, и даже имею физическую копию которого. Примечательно, что первая пара прослушиваний далась мне довольно тяжело, но после я полюбил этот альбом
I quite enjoyed this album, a mix of many genres and very ambitious in sound and style for a debut release, the first song hooked me right away and the rest of the album was good although as always with the talking heads very weird sounding. Also has one of the most recognisable songs with psycho killer on it. While it’s good I don’t think (like all talking head records) it’s one I’ll revisit often, but still good
Definitely a unique art rock band to check out. It consists of David Byrne's quirky songs and vocal delivery, great Tina Weymouth bass lines with Jerry Harrison (from Modern Lovers) keyboards and guitar. Upbeat, fun and happy. This is their first album and is more stripped down their next 3 albums that were produced by Brian Eno. A few weaker songs but still great.
Phenomenal Never heard a talking heads record I didn’t love. Ranks a bit lower for me than some of the later albums, but would still rather listen to this over most new bands. Favourite track: uh-oh, love comes to town
Solid debut album but not quite at the level as their later stuff. I think this is my last Talking Heads on the list so I'll say that I'm surprised Speaking in Tongues or the Stop Making Sense soundtrack didn't make the cut and this did. I've accepted that this band will probably never do a reunion tour (I saw Byrne on Broadway a few years back which was close enough to be honest), but if they ever do I'll be first in line.
these heads sure are talking also this grooves
Even though it's got a lot of filler because of Psycho Killer it deserves to be on this list. I give it an extra star because David Byrne went to my high school and grew up near me.
Such a brilliant and fun debut from one of the greatest bands in music history. David Byrne shows of his charisma and super witty lyricism, all the while the rest of the band do what they do best, creating such a unique and quirky sound with various influences and ideas being used that on paper feel like they shouldn't work. Looking at the first half of their discography, this album does stick out just a bit. It's definitely the simplest of the lot, as future projects would end up being a hell of a lot more ambitious and innovative. But Talking Heads were still off to a really strong start, and this still serves as a great starting point to such a legendary discography.
Really good album.
good album 👍 7/10 maybe an 8, needs a re-listen probably. i didn't always understand what he was singing about but i liked the guitar
Something about talking heads feels so ahead of their time.. even though it’s clearly funky 70s music. Like the song don’t worry about the government!
Overall rating : 4 / 5 ----------- I had already listened to this one a while ago actually lol. Classic release that ACTUALLY deserves its place in this list (unlike the two previous ones I've got...)
7/10
This must’ve blown peoples minds in the 70’s
Luv. A classic.
I wish I had been in my twenties when Talking Heads was big. I would have gone to so many Talking Heads concerts in the early 80s.
A good and important album. Without the genius that is David Byrne we wouldn’t have the art rock/pop scene we have today. But with all that this album was only great not the best of the best.
It’s Talking Heads. What’s not to like? Even their debut album is a banger.
Clean and odd, I do think this is a valid choice but it's not an album I play constantly. I do like it though.
Have I listened to this album before No How familiar am I with this album Less familiar than any other Talking Heads album How do I feel about this artist? I really like the Talking Heads Pre-Listen Thoughts: The only thing I know here is a psycho killer, I know this isn’t their big break but it’s bound to be pretty good Favorite track(s): Psycho killer Post-Listen Thoughts: I missed my favorites on the other albums, but it was still a great listen. It was a good way to end the week for sure.
I understand the Talking Heads now. Their music is about the small bigness and the big smallness of life. Also Psycho Killers.
Besser als ich dachte, alles klingt zwar etwas repetitive aber ansonsten echt cooles Album
I had not heard this in many years, and it is funny now to think that this was called punk rock at the time. Angular, yes, but pretty mild sonically. An interesting listen - thoughtful, precise, erudite, and considered.
Man, this is good. Also this band came out swinging fully formed.
A unique sound mixing despair, yearning and joy. Low on melody it washes over like a rythmic wailing meditation. A tribal dance. Almost improvisational in its pitch.
토킹헤즈 짱
second half better than first half
I don’t think I realised how familiar this band would be before listening. I’ve definitely danced to Psychokiller before, not realizing it was a TH song, but after listening here, I was excited to revisit bands like Orange Juice and a lot of early-aughts post-punk (The Rapture, etc.) just for the vibes.
La cosa bien hecha pero poco emocionante.
It's hard to believe that Talking Heads released this record in 1977, despite the title. If you told me it came out in 1987, I'd be more inclined to believe it. '77 is well produced, smartly written, and a whole lot of fun. It's not perfect, but Byrne and Co. delivered the goods on this one.
Really liked it - no real appreciation of talking heads - decent album
Much more of the Talking Heads that I'm used to 4/5
These heads certainly are talking. I enjoyed this one more than the other talking heads album we listened to already. I loved when they were like Qu'est que c'est. Huuuuge French fan
I like Talking Heads because of their very interesting vocals, although this album felt just a bit like too much of the same
Never sat down to listen to talking heads before this. There is a reason talking heads is as popular as they are, very hip upbeat and dancy for those 70's and 80's nights. Not a massive fan but can see why some of their most popular songs are in this album
A strong debut. My comments are pretty similar to when I had the follow up to this album, ‘More Songs about Buildings and Food’- it’s a fun and enjoyable album with a nice sound and some classic songs, in this case led by Psycho Killer (contrary to the belief of some, unconnected to the Son of Sam murders in their home city of New York in the year of release). Like that first one, it perhaps just lacks that final gloss to take it to 5*, something that is magnified as a debut album.
While it may not reach the highs of their later few albums, this is still a great record and introduction to one of America's greatest bands. Although the band were still finding their feet, and the album is more song-oriented than later works, there was already evidence of what would become their signature style with an offbeat mix of funk-inspired grooves and punk energy. 'Psycho Killer' remains one of their most iconic tracks with good reason, 'Don't Worry About the Government' and opener 'Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town' are my other favourites.
I wavered between 4 and 5 stars on this one, but eventually decided it was just lacking a little something to take it over the edge. But this is still a great debut album from a great band, with some really strong highlights. ‘Psycho Killer’ is the obvious pick, but I also love both the opening and closing tracks, plus ‘Happy Day’, ‘No Compassion’, ‘The Book I Read’ and ‘Don’t Worry About the Government’. Conversely, while I wouldn’t call them duds, I’m not a huge fan of ‘Tentative Decision’ or ‘First Week/Last Week…Carefree’. Still a brilliant first effort overall.
Oops. I may have accidentally written off, ignored, brushed off and otherwise forgotten about a very cool little album. Was Talking Heads '77 always this good? I don't think it was.
I seem to be handing out 4s like a cheerleader lately, but if anyone deserves these stars, it’s Mr Byrne. The man is a treasure.
This album started off super great with Love comes to town. I thought it was a great track with some super fun lyrics. New feeling was an absolute bop. I thought it was very interesting beat, honestly the same with tentative decisions (which I also loved the name of). Happy day wasn’t as happy as I expected it to be. I didn’t like Who is it personally, but I thought it was super super fun! Worry about the government was actually great. The beat and vocals worked so well together. Psycho killer is obviously great. No notes. Pulled up was a very strange way to end this. It was quite different from the rest of the album. Whatever, it was still a good album. 4/5 ⭐️ 179/1089
very enjoyable album, not the best but still a good album
S'écoute très bien, même si je ne suis pas extrêmement fan des bruits de bouche qui montent par palier. J'attendais plus de Psycho Killer qui pouvait me faire mettre 5 mais j'ai tout de même passé un bon moment
++: Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town, New Feeling, Who Is It?, No Compassion, The Book I Read, Psycho Killer, Pulled Up +: Happy Day, Don't Worry About the Government, First Week/Last Week...Carefree +-: Tentative Decisions 8,5/10
Good album
I know it’s great but I just can’t explain why.
Ganz nett, macht gute Laune
fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh FAH
I've explored Talking Heads a bit but not too much. This is pretty solid. Doesn't hit the highs some of their work does for me, but I can't complain about it. Good music, David Byrne doing David Byrne things. I used to DESPISE "Psycho Killer" but I enjoy it now.
Adore this album and this band. Hard not to give it a 5 but it may be outside of my top 5 Talking Heads albums so 4 it is.
A tale of 2 sides. Side B is significantly better than Side A. Side A is like a warm up that starts off really well and then throws in a some great songs every now and then in Tentative Decisions and No Compassion, but side B is sensational . In fact side B is 5 stars. Standout Song is Pulled Up, closely followed by Psycho Killer and Don't worry about the government. just a pity the first side is not quite up to the same standard as the second side. 4.5 stars added note: It is a pity that Love --> building on Fire was not included in the actual album
fa fa fa fa far better a lot of these albums have just one song that i know lol anyway i like it but i don’t love it, was fun to actually know what album that song comes from
I like this. psycho killer is obviously brilliant and, even though the talking heads are not really my kind of genre (what genre are they anyway? They are quite unique) I found myself interested in what was coming next from start to finish.
Przyjemniaczek, zadna z piosenek nie dorasta do intra z Remain in Light, ale sluchalo sie dobrze
Talking Heads were definitely a staple on the alternative radio station, though by the late eighties is was more of their later hits -- I didn't really know this album at all other than Psycho Killer. It's a little challenging to listen to this with 2026 ears and appreciate the impact this would have had on the musical landscape in 1977, though I feel like we got a little taste of it listening to Television recently. But I have to say this was an enjoyable listen. David Byrne's voice is so unique I feel like I could pick it out of any unfamiliar Talking Heads song without knowing it's Talking Heads. The steel drums in the opening song were very cool. The repetetive nature of Last Week was a little off putting, but other than that the songwriting offers enough variety to keep things interesting.
The debut of a band I’ve heard of but never heard anything from. This was cool and eccentric, plenty of weird, interesting instrumental ideas and vocals from Byrne. I didn’t necessarily love anything all that much but the influence and quality are difficult to deny. 1 listen Favorite Tracks: Pulled Up, Psycho Killer
Love Talking Head, love the 80s trend of having a complete raving lunatic as a front man. Love cocaine. Love songs about apartments that you want to live in that have good convenience. But, it's a 4 because he really can't sing yet and Tina Weymouth is on of the greatest bassist in rock and pop history and the mix is so tinny you can barely hear her! It gets better for them, way better.
Да, это прикольный, хороший альбом. Но лично для меня из истории послушал и забыл, имхо не хватило ощущения цельности альбому, больше вайб сборника песен. Слушается одним большим полотном музыки, да хорошей музыки, но всё равно одним полотном
4.5. I know they have better records, but I love anything that is so immediately recognizable as a band even when it’s their debut. Just a fully formed, unforgettable sound out the gate. ‘77 is also a pillar of one of the best music years ever.
I enjoyed this a lot more than more songs about buildings and food- feels more focused, cohesive, and hungry. Favorites: “uh oh love comes to town”, “No compassion🏆”,”psycho killer” ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
David Byrne is a genius. Such a vision right from the start.
Such a creative force, David Byrne. I don't always want to listen to his music over and over but I always want to hear what he is up to next.
A swell debut of disco, punk, and other mashups. 'Talking Heads: 77' isn't the band's best--that would be 'Speaking in Tongues'--but this was a tough call between a four or five star. In the end, I went four but I could change my mind soon. Top tracks: "Psycho Killer," "No Compassion," "Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town"
--Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town...oh yeah, that's the stuff. gimme steelpan --New Feeling...Tina doing work --Tentative Decisions...kind of a march. piano outro is fun --Happy Day...really like the guitar tone. Byrne maybe a little too confident in his voice here --Who Is It?...quick, weird, and fun --No Compassion...bit of an epic. groovy track with a few twists --The Book I Read...slick groove but a little niche overall. which describes the band, I suppose --Don't Worry About the Government...is this about zoning laws? --"First Week/Last Week…Carefree"...there's an ellipses in the title of this song. my poor formatting choices haunting me. nice reggae beat. then we bring in the sax! fun times --Psycho Killer...classic --Pulled Up...killer closer
3.5⭐️/5 06.10.2026
Never really listened to much of talking heads except for their live album Stop Making Sense, which I think is considered to be their best work. Despite this, I did enjoy their debut album quite a bit. I do how satisfying the percussive elements are and Tina Weymouth puts out some very memorable basslines. I will definitely listen to their other albums in future
A very fun album that is absolutely dominated by some excellent guitar work and catchy hooks. At only 38 minutes, it absolutely flies by and leaves you wanting more, and is one I will definitely come back to.
Iconoc Psycho Killer
Um ótimo classico
Really enjoyed this. I've not listened to much talking heads before, but I could definitely hear how they've influenced other bands. Great album, would listen again
Choppy, catchy and upbeat, the Talking Heads' debut cements them as a standout act in New York's bustling 70s scene. Simple (as one-two-three!) but with many underlying complex elements, fun but disturbing in many ways, it's a great album to immerse oneself in. 3.5/5
I was be-booping around the whole time
Favorite Song: Psycho Killer
One of the many things that makes Talking Heads unique: They're an incredible studio band (thanks Brian Eno!) but are also transcendent live performers. When I listen to this record now, as a Talking Heads fan, it feels very quaint. Like they were all just learning their instruments. It isn't quite "there" yet, and I guess that's charming. But I'd rather listen to most of their other records. 4⭐️
Весёлый, летний альбом. Твёрдая 8 из 10
loves come to town a mewlhor e sycho killer tb ner rs
One massive hit and they certainly sound different from everyone else. Interesting listen. I can understand if you don't like David Byrne's vocals but to me they are appealing. Recommended.
Poppier and more enjoyable than I expected given that I've never liked Psycho Killer. Definitely a solid debut Fav track: No Compassion
71/100. A fun and creative introduction to the Talking Heads. An impressive debut that laid the groundwork for what would become one of the most iconic bands in the new wave scene.
belle découverte franchement
Day 288 Highlights Happy Day Psycho Killer Pulled Up
still sounds weird, nervous, smart, and completely fresh almost 50 years later.
Not bad at all!
my bitch like david byrne she let that head do the talking
The debut album of Talking Heads, among the best New Wave artists. Particularly for a debut album, the talent as musicians and composers is on full display. While not as ambitious as later works, 77 is a cohesive album that gives us glimpses of a truly iconic band. One thing I love about Talking Heads is their ability to use pop-hooks without being overly poppy. The songs on this album are pop savvy, yet the music is innovative, particularly for the time it was produced. This is just enough punk influence that I consider this album to be among the first post-punk records. Another stand out on this and all Talking Head albums are the lyrics that are brilliant, often in contrast with the vibes of the surrounding instrumentation. I mean Psycho Killer must be the most ebullient tune about a serial killer ever composed. All delivered through David Byrne’s emotionally expressive vocals. This is a fun, funky album and while it is not Talking Heads’ best album, it is an important album because it foreshadows so much of the music that would follow, both from this band and the many others who they influenced. People participate in this project for many reasons, but this album should be of interest to those who enjoy following modern music history. Plus, it is just plain fun.
70’s New Wave ⭐️Psycho Killer
This is the most British sounding American band I've ever heard. Talking Heads 77 has a lot of good and a lot of empty rambling. The main problem when listening to this record is that some tracks feel like they're missing instruments. I don't know how to explain it, but the songs feel unfinished sometimes. However, the tracks that bang, certainly do bang. The latter half of the album is surprisingly better than the front, which is the opposite for most records. It's fun music, but sometimes David Byrne is just blabbering about straight nothing. I guess it's fitting cause they're the Talking Heads. Safe to say it was an enjoyable experience overall.
Dope
That's fun and I like them, but something always seems of for me in their music, it's too major
Great listen
Très content d’écouter ce premier album des TH. C’est déjà tout à fait leur style No compassion ! C’était bien !
4,8/5 ✱✱✱✱✱
DAVID BYRNE U WILL ALWAYS BE FAMOUS Funky white dad music ily Other people’s problems overwhelm my mind too, David. Fav song: Pulled Up
Psycho Killer is such a song of all time. Something about this music is very nonbinary. be sure to get a lot of fiber in your diet 7.395/10
I have already heard this album it is good
Un album qui m'a donné envie de conduire une décapotable en été. Je ne connaissais pas le groupe jusqu'a Psycho Killer. Plutôt bon album, psycho killer, love -> building on fire and sugar on my tongue sortent du lot, je pourrais les mettre dans une playlist.
Just a bunch of goofballs having fun with one of the best debut albums there are.
Liked it
Early Talking Heads with unique delivery and great sound
Can't imaging hearing this in 1977. I think their later stuff is better, but this is quite an opening statement.
Riktigt fett faktiskt. Blev positivt överraskad!
❣️
Bättre än jag mindes. Autistic swing
AYE YI YI YI YI 7 / 10 best track/s: First Week / Last Week, No Compassion, The Book I Read
Great instruments, beats and flow. Motivating and moving great for doing chores or a chill pool party. Reminds me of if horsey before meth
Absolutely classic!
I have never really listened to talking heads but this really surprised me. It had an absolute clasic physci killer which in my opinion is little bit overrated but the book i read and who is it were really fun songs
I sadly didn't enjoy this record as much as their second one (more songs about buildings and food) but as a debut album I really was surprised by how much of their signature stylings still remain. It is still danceable and catchy and so so fun to see where it all started. I think my biggest sticking point was the lyrics-- they almost seem too "normie" for what I'm used to when it comes to David Byrne and just being handed the mic to do whatever he wants. But at the very least, Psycho Killer is the closest they get to their sound that I'm more used to, and it's great that they evolved in the direction they did. A solid debut from one of, I can now confidently say, my favorite rock bands from the 70s. Highlights: Uh-Oh Love Comes To Town, New Feeling, Don't Worry About the Government, Psycho Killer, No Compassion. If i get a third TH album next week i will get suspicious fr.
8/10 Buen album, me gusto bastante, tiene muy buenos temas y me gusta como encaja la voz con la instrumental
My third Talking Heads album on the list, and another 4/5. A fantastic album. They certainly evolved from this, and seldom put a foot wrong. Great band. Enjoyable.
I'm a big fan of TH later records but younger me dismissed these early albums as too weird & punky. Revisiting there's the definite sense of a band trying to find it's feet but it's also apparent to older me just how extraordinary inventive & quirky this was in the context of 1977, a weird, fascinating amalgam of pop, punk and worldbeat with unique lyrical concerns about the confusion of modern culture.
The more you listen to it, the better it gets. #TrustMe
01) Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town - 8,0 02) New Feeling - 7,0 03) Tentative Decisions - 7,0 04) Happy Day - 7,5 05) Who Is It? - 8,0 06) No Compassion - 8,0 07) The Book I Read - 8,0 08) Don't Worry About the Government - 7,5 09) First Week/Last Week…Carefree - 8,0 10) Psycho Killer - 10,0 11) Pulled Up - 8,0 TOTAL: 7,91 (79/100) Current ranking: 276/909
:)
4.5
Talking Heads are so delightfully odd, I love it. Everything they do is just slightly removed from the norm, sometimes so subtly it's barely noticeable, but it's there in all it's wonderful strangeness. This album is full of great songs, and of course Psycho Killer is a masterpiece.
4 Not quite as good as some of their later stuff but most of the songs are still pretty good and it does have psycho killer
I’m so used to their 80s work that it’s unusual to hear David Byrne sounding so… young here. This album is a little rudimentary by the standards of their later work but imaginative and crisp as a debut.
These cars never missed. Even from their very first album. The whole album is good with a couple of great spots. Especially Psycho Killer which is an absolute all timer by any standards. I will say though, I think albums that came after this feel like they have a little more bounce to them. I know they had legendary live shows, my guess is they bottled that energy a little better in the future but either way this is a must listen and an awesome debut.
I think this is the best Talking Heads album on the list. I didn't really like the other 2 that we've gotten, but there are some good songs here.
This is a very solid debut album. All the instruments work great together. The singing works for what the album is. Psycho Killer is great as always, but Who Is It? ended up being one of my favorites as well. Definitely a really good album
Good
As I said in the previous Talking Heads review, some of their songs I really like and some of the songs are really “wtf” to my ears. And this album leans to the side of the songs I like.
I wrote the following about our previous Talking Heads album (Remain in Light): "Like Bowie, another staple of early MTV that I would have had a MUCH different perception of had I been older. I'm happy I came of age when I did (and certainly don't want to be older than I am,) but I would have been a MUCH bigger fan of these guys a lot earlier if I hadn't been a little kid when I saw their videos." This was a fantastic debut album. I saw David Byrne live about a month ago and his show is still amazing.
I own a physical copy. Solid album, but Talking Heads have better in their discography in my opinion. Shit was probably pretty amazing in the late 70’s.
хел єа
The start of something special.
Tight sound tight playing cool and interesting songs, musically, thematically, lyrically.
This one will be easy to rate, I already rated it 4.0 on RYM so easy solid 4 stars here, however I would replace their debut on the list with "Speaking in Tongues" which is a superior album I think, but this is great album as well, still unpolished TH sound, and just before Eno joins them.
Este álbum tiene el sonido del rock 70 y 80 que tanto me gusta de otras bandas de su época, es muy disfrutable. . Diseño de portada: 2/5 → Portada simple, con color sólido y letras verdes, incluso en su época había portadas con más personalidad. . Canciones favoritas: "Sugar on my tongue" y "Uh-oh, love comes to town".
The weakest of Talking Heads discography, but that’s hardly saying anything because the worst Talking Heads is still better than 90% of music. Psycho Killer is a stone cold banger and is the best indication of how awesome Talking Heads would become.
I love this record. Agro and uptight music for art school nerds
Very weird and good
I love all of the 70’s CGBG era bands and artists. I worship Lou Reed. There were so much great shit happening and still Byrne’s stood out in the crowd.
I hadn't heard this album! Talking Heads are so damn good.
The Talking Heads debut is a very strong opening statement to a huge career. I love the funkiness and punkiness of this imaginative and creative songs. The band already sounds incredible here. Great foundations for a sound that will only grow in the next years. It's a solid 4. Love it. (I have to say that the cover art is some of the worst I have ever seen. Making something so simple that bad is an achievement by itself)
This album remindes me of sneaking out at 3am haha
Not my favourite talking heads album
Fun to listen to some talking heads
Nice upbeat sounds but dark subject matter
This album was psychoactive. Downright banger of an album, and I have only just recently come around to the talking heads.
Hyvähyvä. Kuuntelisin uudelleen ja mieluinen.
Psycho Killer stands out nicely. But the whole album is toe-tapping and infectious. Low 4
A solid 4 - great sound and debut. Their third best album
77 has a lot of charm. Better on 2nd listen.
Straight out the gates Talking Heads have a perfectly defined, unmistakable sound dense with detail, curious melodies and eccentric vocals. While setting some of the template for what came to be post-punk and new wave, aspects of the performance, particularly, David Byrne's uniquely strained, high in the register vocal style has never been effectively copied. Its a very exciting debut. Every Talking Heads record that follows is a variation on this theme!
So chill and oddly comforting… feels like a quiet evening inside my head.
It was an ordinary Monday morning at work when I opened 1001 and got this album.. It is a good Monday morning now.
Classic intro to the Talking Heads.
First full Talking Heads album I’ve listened to and it was better than I expected. The current average is 3.56 and that seems to be the right score to me. Some really good songs with only a little of the David Byrne weirdness creeping in from time to time.
A great combination of what makes music great. Catchy, funky, great changes, upbeat at times, but constant strange turns. Instruments, structures, chord changes you wouldn't expect etc. Byrne is weird throughout. One potential knock is I couldn't tell you what one of these songs is about. Feel like if I go 5 I'm a classic rock whore and if I go 4 I'm a coward. I'll go coward today.
Im trying to imagine myself in the 70s hearing Byrne do his “Neeuuhh neuuh neuuhh” or a “buuububbuubuu YAYAYAYAYA” live. I think I wouldve initially hated it and quickly come around to how charming it is. After writing that out, I realize I kinda reacted the same way today. Only negatives: happy day is annoying, 40 mins is plenty Talking Heads for one day Favorites: psycho killer, pull me up, who is it
Love these guys, but not their most cohesive album.
First real Talking Heads record, and to be completely honest... I don't see the crazy appeal. I mean they are good, don't get me wrong, and this is 100% a better record than some of the ones I've gotten days prior. But a lot of the songs sound the same, and I don't really enjoy the singer all that much. The only time I've heard of this band is when I am talking to someone who is a cult follower, or to someone who's listened to them once or twice and spoke on them, and then never mentioned them again. It does kind of remind me of Mr. McDermitt, my Middle School English 8 teacher, who was a splendid fellow, and was one of my first big music/literature inspirations, So it did kind of bring back some fond memories of listening to these guys in his class. Personal Ranking: 7.5/10 Favorite Tracks: Who Is It? Psycho Killer
Second Taklking Heads album in this experience. I liked this one a lot more than the first one I got. Fun and a bit goofy while at the same time being incredibly groovy. Of course "Psycho Killer" is an all timer but I think the rest of the songs aren't slouches either. 3.5/5 rounded up to a 4/5
Funky AND fresh, baby! 8/10
More like a 4.5…Psycho Killerrrrr, and killer on my tongue!!
I quite liked the album. It’s really fun and enjoyable. Def will listen again
Hell yesssss. Fave tracks are No Compassion, The Book I Read, Pulled Up. Definitely was bopping my head to most of these songs.
any shy person can feel each lyrics are toalking to them.
Tina Weymouth is astonishing on this. Well, on everything. But especially on this. Belter of a debut
Did not make the impression on me it did on others when released, but a strong debut, though not to me as interesting as what followed. At the time, I wasn’t introduced to Television’s first which I now find more exciting.
Musically, I love the Talking Heads, it has this tight, snappy feel to it. Funky without being funk. I have a love-hate relationship with Byrne's vocals though. On the one hand, Talking Heads wouldn't be Talking Heads without Byrne's instantly recognisable vocals. But... I don't like them... I find find voice not very musical (esp. in the longer notes) and in many songs the pitch is just too high for my liking. Songwriting and musicianship is is great though. Of course, Psycho Killer is a deserved classic, but I've just heard it too many times. The other songs are fine but they don't move me very much. For a moment I thought to give it a 3, but it's too good for that.
Not the stiff, nervy rock debut I expected. Talking Heads 77 is surprisingly groove-forward, stripped-back, rhythm-first, and far more danceable than I initially thought. It’s art rock shot through with punk’s DIY aesthetic and the band’s emerging funk sensibility.
I liked this but felt it could have gone further, been better. That said, I got more out of it on the second listen. Pretty solid debut
Want to love it but im in a weird mood today. Probs a 3 but its talking heads soooo… 4
Great debut from great band
lively, passionate, quirky
I have listened to this album hundreds of times. I made an effort to listen to it critically and, being honest, it does sound like a debut album. It is a taste of what is to come but not as formed as later work.
Music for the would-be rockstar that ends up working corporate ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Highlight: “No Compassion”
Ganske bra, men er spesielt psycho killer som drar opp. Sterk 4.
Good 70s classic
Good to know they were always this weird. I can always appreciate that about this band. I feel like they didn't really reach maximum weirdness until Remain in Light, but they were always weird. Early Talking Heads has this goofy charm to it, though. It's just some happy, upbeat music about social problems and socially anxious serial killers. Normal happy topics. I got totally jumpscared by the saxophone in First Week / Last Week. I don't think saxophones when I think Talking Heads, but it works surprisingly well. Of course it does, it's a saxophone. The band only gets 10% of the credit. It gets 110% of the saxophone bonus points because I feel like it.
Maaaaaybe their second best album, maybe? Really good. Really enjoyable. Great guitar on this album. Great
Es wirkt wie ein unscheinbarer Startschuss, der erst beim genauen Hinhören seine Sprengkraft entfaltet. Das Debütalbum tastet sich mit nervöser Energie, kantigem Minimalismus und Byrne’s verschrobenem Charisma an eine neue Form des Art-Punk heran. Viele Songs wirken bewusst unspektakulär, fast skizzenhaft – doch genau darin liegt der Reiz: eine Band, die ihre Sprache erst erfindet. Und dann ist da „Psycho Killer“, der alles überragt. Der Song hebt das Album aus dem soliden New-Wave-Umfeld heraus und verleiht ihm jene ikonische Schärfe, die es bis heute relevant macht. Dank dieses Stücks wird Talking Heads: 77 mehr als nur ein ordentliches Debüt: Es wird zum Manifest einer Ära, die gerade erst beginnt, sich selbst zu begreifen.
Что-ж, я давно хотел начтаь знакомство с Talking Heads и челлендж меня на это подтолкнул. Дебютный альбом этой группы.. Не скажу что сильно меня впечатлил, здесь не так много песен которые приблизились бы к уровню Psycho Killer, предпоследнему треку этого альбома. Но чёрт, какая же это песня!.. Не буду лукавить, я немного предвзят в этом смысле, потому что Talking Heads и Дэвид Бирн всегда вызывали у меня симпатию и интерес, и несмотря на то, что, по-настоящему, серьёзно зацепивших песен на альбоме (кроме Psycho Killer конечно же) для меня не оказалось, всё же, это отличный альбом с парой приятных песен которые я добавил в свой плейлист. Интересное исполнение, вскрики, эклектичные аранжировки, альбом существующий на границе жанров, это то ли арт-рок, то ли панк, то ли арт-панк, то ли пост-панк, нечто совершенно новое, то чего на момент 77' года, Нью-Йоркская сцена ещё не видела и не слышала. С удовольствием продолжу знакомство с группой Talking Heads и дальше.
4/5
Talking Heads are so different from their contemporaries- they remind me of Radiohead in many ways and I can see the influence from them. This album followed my general preference (best track near the end - psycho killer) but was a bit long to be truly effective. I would add to my collection for sure.
Early Talking Heads
Another banger Talking Heads album, mostly just cementing that I love Talking Heads!
It may have came out in 1977, but it sure feels timeless as hell.
Оно мне знакомо, приятно
Other than Psycho Killer I've never listened to this album. It's raw, but it is definitely Talking Heads. I like their later stuff better, but it's all good.
you cant complain about byrne going at it
only listened to psycho killer let's see 🤞 realistically happy album realised after Happy Day bouncy this is an album about a man facing the banalities and mundanities and unfairnesses of life with an upbeat spirit actually really liking this album after Happy Day lol upbeat but grounded and the instrumentation is goading him on but ALSO surrounding him No Compassion is a banger, Who Is It best song so far there's a sense of detachment in the protag, he's engaged but also checked out to the seriousness of it so he deals with it with absurdity and engages in frivolity. Psycho killer bassline is 🤌🤌🤌, keys are pristine and so fucking apt and the ending is so fucking jubilant!!!! his vocals the guitars and the drums and the bass anchoring it, there's anticipation there's buildup theres realism fuuuck solidd 4
Slippery nipples and smearing the pork loins
4 звёзды за Psyco Killer и фанковые мотивы. Альбом было приятно слушать в начале, ближе к концу он поднадоел, но в этом, видимо, и была задумка.
Not all CBGB bands were punk. Punk adjacent art school disco rock. Tina Weymouth is a bass goddess. Psycho Killer takes it to the next level.
Super cool album, very accessible. I think I could play this for my wife.
Great stuff a bit samey, talking heads just really do their specific thing which is great but it was enough by the end of the album
I'm not surprised this album made the cut. It's got that Talking Heads charm that oozes a funky, confident, touch of weird. Some songs are instant classics, others grow on you. But that's the beauty of it. It's not perfect, but it's certainly special. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions - Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town - Psycho Killer - Love → Building on Fire - Sugar on My Tongue
Feeling generous so 4 stars it is
Not my favorite Talking Heads album, but I love it. Great band, and Psycho Killer is one of my favorite songs.
I already had a song saved. Love the Talking Heads.
Not much to say except this rules
Funky, New Wave and just a bit weird. Never a bad time for some Talking Heads
4.5
Enjoyed it Standout songs Psycho killer The book I read Dont worry about the government
Un par de canciones míticas Bien en general
Great start to a career for this band, but this is not my favorite album from them. Their timeless sound was established here and as their career went on they did not stray away from it too often. But they found a million ways to make each song unique. I could keep listening to these guys even if its not this album. Biggest Hit - Psycho Killer Biggest Miss (if I had to choose) - Happy Day Hidden Gem - Don't Worry About The Government
Jaunty, sometimes droning and repetitive. A little funk, jangly guitars, voice sounds and percussion sounds. Reminds me of TMBG in some of the music and lots of the goofy lyrics.
qu'est-ce que c'est!
an interesting insight into this band in a more stripped down timbre and approach. i like it but definitely an early effort from a group that would later reach much greater heights. "No Compassion" is the standout for me.
Simultaneously an amazing album and also Talking Heads’ worst album until late in their careers
Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town - I love this as an opening track. An addicting guitar lick and an overall goofy mindlessness that is charming and every sense of the word. 10/10 New Feelings - This song is still good, but not quite as good as the other one. It has the same general feeling as the previous track, but succesfully stands on it own, unlike the Sex Pistols... Not quite as striking as the previous track - 8.4/10 Tentative Decisions - This song follows the status quo, but it differentiates itself brilliantly. The song's harmonies, piano, and percussion bring it all together into a beautiful piece - 9.3/10 Happy Day - This was a very relaxing piece. It may not be as memorable as the previous tracks, but it's a very pleasant song. 8.35/10 Who Is It? - This track has a funky guitar riff and is entertaining throughout. This song stands out for its "in your face energy" and the fun feeling present throughout. - 8.7/10 No Compassion - A dreamy and eerie feel at times. I love the bassline. Very "chill". 8.54/10 The Book I Read - I never felt bored throughout this song. A wonderful chord progression. An amazing use of the organ. A little hesitant on this, but I am giving this song a 10/10 Don't Worry About The Government - This song is still charming, but it doesn't have the same sense of excitement present in the previous tracks. Out of all the tracks I have listened to so far, this might be the only song I'd skip - 7.97/10 First Week/Last Week... Carefree - Not the biggest fan of this song, but I love the strumming pattern, and I do like the sax "solo". - 8.1/10 Psycho Killer - 10/10.... Need I say more? Pulled Up - Feels very similar to the opening track, but in a great and conclusive way. Considering this comes after Psycho Killer, it's this album's rainbow after the flood, so to speak. Reminds of Springsteen for some reason. Only thing is the screaming got to me. If it wasn't for that, it'd be a 10. - 9/10 Overall" 8.9/10 - Very calming and exciting album. Has a youthful, energetic, yet serene feel.
Not exactly how I expected Talking Heads to sound but damn this was good. Fun and poppy but with intricate elements. Good musicianship.
Talking Heads: '77 Overall: I kind of have a bias because I already own/love all of their albums. This is protean. It has aspects of all their later works. I just love how David Byrne sings. Just a bunch of enjoyable songs. Not all of them memorable, but I never have the instinct that I should just immediately skip to the next track. Individual Tracks: Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town: Good strong song to start. Upbeat and easy to listen to. Tentative Decisions: Liked the marching snare in the background. Can definitely empathize with the feeling of being stuck in life decisions. Happy Day: Not upbeat sounding, which I guess is part of the point. Who Is It? That's it, that's like 80% of the lyrics. Probably could get the same experience with just listening to somebody playing peek-a-boo. No Compassion: Kind of like a prelude to Psycho Killer. A lot of the same undertones. Same kind of David Byrne "I am stuttering my emotions to you" energy. The Book I Read: Howling. Don't Worry About the Government: Manic clown energy. Thumping energy. Weirdly relevant with my feelings about changing what I can and letting go of the things I can't. First Week/Last Week... Carefree: Couldn't tell you a single thing about this song. Psycho Killer: Carries the entire album. Catchy and has the best aspects of what the Talking Heads would become musically and otherwise. Pulled Up: Also great! I liked it when he sang pulled up and it sounded just like somebody pulled him up mid-lyric.
Really enjoying this new introduction to talking heads via this project
I'm a Talking Heads super fan so...
Liked it a low!
That was really fun.
Überraschend funky. "Who Is It?" Ist jetzt in meiner Playlist.
Really fun!!
So good love talking heads
Well written, well performed and well produced. This album is a hit!
Another enjoyable outing from Talking Heads. Nervy, clever, and packed with quirky charm, with “Psycho Killer” leading the way. A lean, energetic debut that hints at the brilliance to come.
still crazy that stop making sense isn't on here
So this is the talking heads? Very nice
Funky little album I would have grooved to in college. Love the expressiveness of the singing, the nerdy post-punk energy, the unique instrumentation, and of course “Psycho Killer”.
Very passionate tracks with an almost artistic approach. It feels very old school as it is, but it feels also very new. This was before the punk we know in the 80s, a very soft sound compared to the now but insanely upbeat and quite catchy. You can say it’s a very classic type of punk. It’s a very short album though, only stretching to about 38 mins all throughout. Nonetheless, very cool and very radical for the time, it is also very cool how radiohead really liked talking heads so that’s that. Considering that this is the first Talking Heads album, it is pretty good.
This is the one with “Psycho Killer”!!!! Let’s freaking go. Finally, some good food this week. This is the second Talking Heads album I have rolled so far out of 4, following Remain in Light. Talking Heads is one of those bands where I’ve never bothered playing an album from top to bottom, but whenever I hear something new, I end up adding it to my frequent rotation. I’ve used that line a bunch already, and I’m going continue using it whenever applicable. Lucky for me, by the end of this journey, I’ll have heard at least 4 complete albums from these guys. As if to prove my point, the only song from Talking Heads 77 I’d heard of up until now is their magnum opus itself, “Psycho Killer”. Of course that one is going to have to be my favorite, I’m not insane. It’s peak music, and I even love some of the covers, especially the one by Cage The Elephant. But I’m not going to let my love for a single song sway how I rank the album as a whole. So, how is Talking Heads 77?? Let’s talk about it. Spoiler alert: It's great!! Comparable to Remain in Light, and the Deluxe Edition actually adds some of my favorite songs on the album, on top of still not even being over an hour long, which is just perfect. Any album with a Deluxe Edition that only adds a few songs is perfectly fine by me to listen to for this project. This is absolutely a Talking Heads album, complete with David Byrne's absolutely iconic vocal stims. He really does have to have one of the most recognizable voices in music, and I love him for that. Besides "Psycho Killer", my favorite songs on this album are the last 2 songs on the album, "I Feel It in My Heart" and "Sugar on My Tongue". I'm always going to be in the mood for some Talking Heads. They're the perfect example of a band that consistently put out 4 star albums. I'm always going to want to listen to it, it doesn't blow me away, but it's consistent in the fact that it's always almost perfect. That's just what I need it to be at the end of the day. Been having a rough last couple of days on the site, so this was exactly what I needed today as well. Side Note: Every time David unleashes a "YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYA", an angel gets its wings. Peak. Psycho killer, qu'est-ce que c'est? Fa-fa-fa-fa, fa-fa-fa-fa-fa, fa, better Run, run, run, run, run, run, run away Oh-oh-oh-oh, aye-ya-ya-ya-ya
I believe a lot of the appreciation for this album comes from people wanting to see where their sound evolved from and discovering that they already had a very particular and distinguishable sound from the start. This record is a composition of very infectiously happy and sincere sounding tracks with a little touch of goofiness that makes the experience quite exciting. I think a lot of the personality comes from David Byrne's voice and lyrics, but the music also has its own uniqueness, thanks to the mixing of different genres such as funk, art and post punk. Even thought I think there are some very memorable moments, like the opening "Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town", the incredibly catchy "Don't Worry About the Government" and the classic "Psycho Killer", there are a lot of tracks that don't really strike and are a bit flat, specially the run from "New Feeling" to "Who Is It?". Fortunately, they don't make the experience less fun and I do believe there is not a bad song. All of them show a lot of personality to some degree. In conclusion, it was super interesting to see where they came from and finding out that they were really fun to listen to in their earliest stage, regardless of not being their strongest material.
Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town: hella groooovy. That base line is infectious. I dont know how i feel about the vocalist tho. Nevermind he hit that high-ish note hes pretty good. It just sounds like he has asthma with the way he ends his words. Oh I love the way he says the title lines that little roar was great. That ba da dam da dam with the guitar while he's saying pull me up before the refrain is wonderful. Vocalist's more relaxed tone when he says he'll eat in a while is a change but honestly thru this album his voice has been growing on me hard. New Feeling: i have a feeling this is gonna be a shit ton of groovy tracks. Damn when the vocalist isn't singing strongly i lowk dislike his voice. The guitar is flickering in both ears and is simply great. Im sortable getting the feeling that the vocalist serves as not the main focus but is sort of riding the smooth guitar work. It's very jarring but in an artistic way. Tentative Decisions: the lyrics here are banging. That marching drum is kicking in all the right ways. Might be my favourite of the first three. The intro is really good. Maybe the chorus is the back is softening the lead vocalist and his squeaking. Happy Day: intro twinkly sound immediately caught my attention. His squeaking actually really fits here and im loving it. Id summarise the sound by saying it just sounds very happy. Like... ✨️whimsy✨️. Who Is It?: whats standing out to me.is just how much the guitar work is fucking fire. Not to mention the drums and the bass. This song so far is just a showcase of all of these positives. Wow that ended abrupt- No Compassion: OOH THAT TRANSITON THOOO!!! ITS STARTING SO HARD FUCJ YEAH. "Compassion is a virtue but I don't have the time" 😭😭 real sometimes. This songs talking about people's problems and how we should just NOT. GIVE. A FUCK. its truly beautiful. Like genuinely fuck all the assholes that make their problems my problem (unless I SPECIFICALLY want to help them) like yeah BE FUCJING SELFISH. THIS SONG MAKES ME JUST HEADBANG AUGHFHDJSI. THAT DISTORTED GUITAR AND DRUM FILL !!!! Favourite song so far. The Book I Read: na na na na na na... the piano in the back is strong and sweet and im loving it. Also this is a love song and it is giving very much here comes the bride or other marriage/walking down the aisle vibes at some point. Quite like it. Dont Worry About The Government: the lingered guitar plucks in the track are electric. An ode to civil servants??? Okay pop off kings. Additionally im pretty sure his building is his government, or his ideal government/nation. He just wants to chill with his loved ones frr. This just feels like an artist trying to ask or at the very least envision a place where he can belong and all of his loved ones can too. The perfect government that you dont have to worry about. Pity the clouds mentioned have been blowing right back in the building's face as of late. Maybe a Critique on the steeple mindset? First Week / Last Week...Carefree: that bass is firing up my ears. Also the jingle in the back of the mix is not going unnoticed. Its intentionally discombobulated and awkward and wow I love that brass. Good shit. Psycho Killer: this is the albums big hit and it's already starting off with a catchy ass baseline. Oop and now its building hell yes. OOOH THAT BASE AND DRUM at the same time is mwah. OH ITS THE FAH FAH FAH FAH SONG. this is so fun and also like French. About social anxiety? Or people that just blab tf out yknow. Im feelin far better listening to this song. The "psycho killer" gets so much more frantic after talking in French. I quite like that dichotomy like a shift in mindset. Either way this song is absolutely killer. The two guitars at the end... on ultra frantic and one going crazy in the back. AH ITS JUST SO CATCHY MAN. Pulled Up: gahdamn the bass in this entire album is wonderful. I love the little riffs they have throughout the album (dunno the actually technical name) where the guitar is struck like super fast like dudududu theyre great. Awww and its an ode to parents hell tf yeah. Lowk loving how joyful ts is. I SLIPPED. AND THEN YOU PULLED. YOU PULLED ME UP, PULL ME UP AH. Wow that slight growl at the end is just is so good ah.
One of the most unmistakable bands from their era. I don’t actually listen to TH that much, but listening to this record for the first time may change that. Everyone knows Psycho Killer, but there are some other great tracks here that I’ve never heard. The Book I Read was a standout for me, along with First Week/Last Week…Carefree. The opening track grabbed me immediately. Byrnes vocals are identifiable right away with his herky jerky highs. I feel like you either love it or hate it, but the chops and melodies of this record surprised me as I always just think of Byrnes voice as the singular driver of TH, but I feel a bit differently now.
This album felt like an experience in evolution. The experimenting of each of the songs made "Psycho Killer" happen. So although most of the album was a 3-3.5 for me, the experience itself deserves 4 at least :)
Love this band
Even an average Talking Heads album is above average. This is nice, even if it doesn't set the world on fire.
high carefree energy, yelping and shouting bopping drums
Surprised by the album. Some Talking Heads music feels too esoteric and arty for me to really enjoy. This is just joyous and feels like some of David Bowie's fun albums.
To be sure, this isn't Talking Heads best album. But what a great way to introduce yourself to the world. What comes through most is the incredible personality of the band - David Byrne obviously gets a lot of attention, and his vocal theatrics are one-of-a-kind. But the rhythm section also puts in a standout performance throughout, incorporating grooving bass lines with an eclectic mix of percussion, including steel drums and xylophone. At several points during the album, I struggled to figure out just how seriously to take the band, with sunny-sounding instrumentals butting up against lyrics that could only be taken as ironic. They are clearly a smart, art-focused group, but without coming off as overly pretentious. With some lulls on the first side of the record, this album didn't reach the near-perfection of Remain in Light, but it makes a strong template to build from.
Solid 4, the duo David Byrne (voice), and Tina Weymounth (bass) is amazing and one of the best thinks i heard in this kind of music.
Really loved the heavy and fun bass lines
Album Review 075 Talking Heads 77 by Talking Heads (1988) Rating 3.5/5 Despite originating from the New York punk scene, this is very much pop. There are a few excellent tracks here including the two closers, Psycho Killer and Pulled Up, but it is a little inconsistent and doesn’t reach the heights or creativeness of their follow-ups. It’s a really strong debut though and showcases the potential of the band and their unique quirkiness.
I liked the vibe, pretty poppy, easy to listen
Good stuff
muy escuchable y disfrutable. enorme primera opción
The vocals are uniquely unsettling and the music backs that up with bravado. Favorite song: Psycho Killer (duhh)
experimental, i only love psycho killer
Love the talking heads
Solid debut. Clean sound and classic Talking Heads style. Love it.
Enjoyed revisiting this a lot because it’s not the Talking Heads I usually go for. It’s not quite the finished product but all the pieces are there.
Uh-Oh, Love Comes To Town 5/5 New Feeling 3/5 Tentative Decisions 4/5 Happy Day 3/5 Who Is It? 3/5 No Compassion 3/5 The Book I Read 3/5 Don't Worry About the Government 4/5 First Week/ Last Week Carefree 3/5 Psycho Killer 5/5 Pulled Up 3/5 Overall Album: 3.54
sinister rinky tink beach party pop music in a good way
I've Been To College And I've Been To School 1001 Albums Generator 227 (2/16/2026) Dude why is this album so fun? This is punk rock? Like I get that Talking Heads have always been more of an upbeat type of punk, but even the two other albums I've heard by them are not as relentlessly playful and bouncy as Talking Heads 77. This album's got the big hit, Psycho Killer, which is a fantastic song of course. The ending of it with the really slacky tremolo guitars is so great and one of the most pure punk moments on the album. Bon Jovi's cousin produced this album and apparently he was kind of a disinterested asshole, but drummer Chris Frantz said that at one point during the recording of this song, he gave David Byrne a knife and said to "get in character". Anyway, Byrne ended up saying that he was uncomfortable with Bongiovi there and the band decided to only record early in the morning and late at night when Bongiovi wasn't there. Bongiovi never noticed. Anyway, good album. I like it more than Fear of Music I think. 4/5. Favs: Uh-Oh, Love Comes To Town Don't Worry About The Government Psycho Killer Least Fav: No Compassion
Pretty much enjoyed every track on this album!
fa fa fa fa fa fa fa funky
Amazing set of songs, they were lively, joyful and legendary. The legacy this album and the band carries, is enormous. Loved every second of it.
Having only ever listened to a handful of Talking Heads tracks before listening to this album, I was looking forward to diving deeper into their discography and I definitely wasn’t disappointed. Psycho Killer is obviously great (being one of two tracks I’d heard before off this album along with Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town). Having listened to ‘77’ in its entirety I would say Psycho Killer is still my favourite track on here, but No Compassion was really enjoyable as well. The Book I Read had a nice, catchy riff to it and I just wish Who Is It? was a bit longer. Overall though for my first Talking Heads album it was a really enjoyable way to start the 1001!