Remain In Light - Talking Heads > Reviews > The Talking heads zenith…

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Groundbreaking
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money

Advantages:	truly ground breaking
Disadvantages:	nothing comes to mind

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

This 1980 release from one of my favourite bands of the time was the last in a trilogy of albums released with Brian Eno producing the previous 2 being “More songs about buildings and food” and “Fear of Music”, this album took further the “African” influences first used on the previous album “Fear of Music”

For this incarnation of the band they added to the normal line-up of personal Byrne, Harrison, Weymouth, and Frantz an extra guitarist in the form of Adrian Belew who had played for Frank Zappa and David Bowie in the past.

Another change was the use of several vocal tracks, where before the songs were monologues with only David Byrne voice, now they used several vocal tracks that featured other people’s voices apart from Mr Byrne.
In the mix was Eno’s voice along with Nona Hendrix from the trio “Labelle”.

Along with extra vocal tracks the band were using a large amount of “African” flavoured percussion parts that along with Eno’s treatments added a new feel to the songs.

As the opening track barks into life the first thing that catches my attention is the wah-wah guitar sound of Adrian Belew which sounds so out of place to begin with, then the percussion tracks begin, the guitar now becomes the perfect counter-point.

As David Byrne begins to sing the opening line of the song “Cross eyed and Painless”, “Lost my shape trying to act casual” the listener isn’t ready for what this song contains after the guitar solo of Belew, David Byrne launch’s into what’s best described as a “rap” after that, the chorus of voices are heard to repeat the line “I’m still waiting…. I’m still waiting”.

The track “The great Curve” is best called a muscular guitar workout where the player really lets his instrument do the talking.
As the song “Once in a Lifetime” begins it’s hard for me not to see in my head the video that goes along with the track, the sight of David Byrne doing a Toni Basil choreographed dance routine is quite a difficult image to get out of my mind, in the days of vinyl that was the end of side 1.

The song “Houses in Motion” sets the tone for the rest of the tracks on the album, more sombre paced and played using minor sounding chords, such as the trumpet and horn arrangements on this track by long time Eno’s collaborator Jon Hassell. The trumpet playing of Mr Hassell adds to the sense of drama that the song is trying to convey.

The next stand out track in my opinion is the song “Listening Wind” which I think has one of the best vocal performances of David Byrnes career.

As this album closes with the song “The Overload”, I can’t help but think how much better this whole collection would sound if it were given a sonic overhaul to bring it to a modern audience, music of this importance deserves to heard in the best possible way, 24bit version anyone? …