CD Review

To say the Talking Heads were an original band is putting it mildly - they changed the landscape of music forever. Now with DVD-A, we can listen to their entire studio catalog which has just been reissued, along with bonus videos from the archives and alternate and unfinished takes of tracks you never heard before. It’s all thanks to Rhino, one of the best at repackaging catalogs.

Speaking In Tongues

Where were you in 1983? I remember going to parties carrying my tape player and one of the cassette tapes I always had with me was the Talking Heads Speaking In Tongues. This was by far my favorite album by this band. "Burning Down The House" was the coolest song, it was so different than anything I had ever heard before, so it should come as no surprise that when I dove into this massive undertaking, I cracked open this one first. I couldn’t wait to hear this is in 5.1 Surround Sound. It was everything I thought it would be and more.

This was a groundbreaking album, in essence the opening of the door to world music sounds for rock and pop music fans and it expanded their listening scope by leaps and bounds, whether they realized it or not. And it’s important to realize the significant contribution of Chris Franz's percussion on that sound, which is more evident now than it ever was. The "Burning Down The House" alternate mix is ultra cool, and those who enjoy electronica mixes will be nuts about this version. The original video of "Burning Down The House," back when MTV was a baby (who can forget David Bryne's face moving along the asphalt?), and the “This Must Be The Place (Naïve Melody)” video is included as well.

Remain In Light

Same as it ever was, same as it ever was...when you hear David Byrne sing those lyrics in their surrealistic song "Once In A Lifetime" you begin to recollect another classic Talking Heads album, Remain In Light. The 80s would morph into something much less years after this recording was released. There were few bands in that decade with the originality and vision of the Talking Heads.

This was their fourth studio album and you could hear the direction they were going. The sound was funky and progressive with swirling punctual keyboards pushed along with David Byrne's unique singing/talk vocals. Jerry Harrison commented that this was their most dense album to date and indeed, it was. It’s also the first album they worked on bringing into the future with 5.1 surround sound. Much of that is probably due to the Eno influence, which is highly prominent.

Highlights are "Crosseyed And Painless" and "Once In A Lifetime," which are celebrated on the bonus videos in fitting fashion on stage, and "The Overload," one of the heaviest songs they have ever performed. You get four unfinished outtakes on this remaster, which is an interesting look at this band and how they built a track from the ground up. The artwork of the album is a product of their NYC heritage and influence, mimicking the avant-garde art of Andy Warhol on the front and back cover.

More Songs About Buildings And Food

I still have no idea why this album was titled More Songs About Buildings And Food. There is nothing in the recording that fits any of those descriptive words, but who can contemplate the inklings of Byrne. This is the first Eno produced album and he decided that bringing out the bass and drums was more appropriate. It works, and somehow never manages to drown out Byrne at all.

This album finds the band creating danceable cuts with great hooks - quite radio ready. The song structures are much simpler than Remain In Light and Speaking In Tongues. Aside from Byrne's distinctive vocals, they sound like an entirely different band on preceding albums. "Artists Only" is very new wave and there is even a few segments that have a cool 60s surf organ sound to them. "Take Me To The River" surprised everyone at the time, its a compelling version and very pragmatic and bluesy.

Four bonus tracks featuring alternate takes of "Stay Hungry," “I’m Not In Love", "The Big Country" and an interesting “Thank You For Sending Me An Angel” – “Country Angel” version including live videos of "Found A Job” and "Warning Sign" make the package complete.

Fear Of Music

This is one of the Talking Heads darker and stranger albums. "Drugs" and "Electric Guitar" are odd numbers, and the repetitive lyrics put you one edge, which you can imagine was the initial intent. "Life During Wartime" is one of their greatest songs, its right up there with "Burning Down The House" and "Psycho Killer." "Cities" is a standou track as well, with a temperament and atmosphere built to last. The alternate versions of "Life During Wartime," "Cities," and "Mind" are a real trip, definitely worth several listens and some introspection on how complex and conscious this band was of its audience and what goes on inside their minds.

The Talking Heads could be intense, funny, witty and light…on Fear Of Music they chilled you to the bone with the harsh realities of life backed by some of the coolest and most original music anyone was producing at the time.

True Stories

This isn’t the greatest Talking Heads album, but it is a fun listen. It’s getting back to basic, not as in your face and poignant as 77, nevertheless effective. This was David Byrne's stab at celluloid and matching a soundtrack with it. "Wild Wild Life" was a great song when it was released, and it holds today - the Talking Heads at their best. They may have been fragmenting and had presumably seen better days, yet they remained one of the most creative and popular acts in the world. The great bands are like that, even on a bad day they sound above average. This was a good recording but definitely not one of their best.

Bonuses include videos "Wild Wild Life" and "Love For Sale," and on the audio side you get a 5.1 mix Pops Staples version of “Papa Legba,” one of the more interesting tracks on the album.

Naked

If True Stories is where they start to lose you, by the time you get through Naked you’ll be headed for the next record. Uninspired and disjointed, this would eventually be their last studio effort and with good reason, its one of those albums that probably should never have happened at all, aside from the stellar "(Nothing But) Flowers." The bonus track "Sax and Violins" is the other saving element here.

77

There aren’t many bands that separate themselves from the pack while clearly defining a new genre of music. The Talking Heads did just that with their first effort. "Psycho Killer" makes you think of the new wave of punk bands in NYC and CBGBs in the 70s. "Pulled Up," which is also a featured bonus video, is another standout track that is nothing but Talking Heads, and "Happy Day" impresses me as another archetypal track of that era.

What a great album this is. Its so consistent and strong from start to finish, and with the addition of five additional bonus tracks, a remastered dual disc and videos, its quite the package, and one all Talking Heads fans shouldn't miss.

Little Creatures

I always loved the Little Creatures album, with its infectious rhythms and pop sensibilities, it was one of the best albums of 1985, and it was loaded with potential hit singles. The recording was a perfect fit for the MTV format at the time, the “Stay Up Late” video the prime example. “Road To Nowhere” is one of the best songs the Talking Heads ever recorded, its in my personal top ten for the band.

The bonus tracks feature the early versions of “Road To Nowhere” and “And She Was” and a wonderful extended mix of “Television Man.” All three were real bonus tracks, not bogus tracks. The videos of “Road To Nowhere” and “And She Was” were a pleasure to view as well, all of their videos were interesting but these two were Warhol influenced masterpieces. This is an album to cherish, the last truly great Talking Heads studio recording.

Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck