When you read articles about what band, that still has all its original members, people would like to see reform, Talking Heads are always up there.
This seemed unlikely as there seemed a fair bit of bad blood between lead singer David Byrne and the other three member Tina Weymouth, Chris Franz, and Jerry Harrison but last year they reunited to promote their movie Stop Making Sense, so people have everything crossed for the four to get on a stage and play.
You can see why they broke up as they managed to produce eight studio albums in an eleven-year period and were one of those bands that got commercially bigger with each release, they certainly pushed themselves.
Remain In Light was their fourth album and previously Byrne had been responsible for most of the material but this time all four members participated in the music, which was built on jams, loops, percussion, rhythm and afrobeat with Brian Eno also pitching in his tuppence worth.
Opener Born Under Punches has a funk element and a bass and drum that worms its way into your head, I am a man of no rhythm but I am moved by this, to be clear not to a dancefloor that would be ridiculous, the harmonies are to die for and Byrne excels on the rap at the end of Crosseyed and Painless. Adrian Belew was drafted in on guitar and his solo needs to be heard as do the vocal interplay between Byrne and the rest of the band.
Once In a Lifetime you may have heard, I always felt the opening sounded like being underwater (don’t ask me why I’m no musician) Byrne dictates his vocals with Weymouth and Franz rhythms bubbling about underneath, people talk about sublime pop, this is one of those moment.
The rhythm to House In Motion is almost hypnotic and Seen and Not Scene is spoken word but it’s the backings to these tracks that lodge in my brain. Listening Wind has more interesting guitar work from Belew but although enjoyable is the least meaningful track here for me, but The Overload captures perfectly how to end a supreme listen as the atmosphere does not let up and Byrne delivers in a monotone voice as the minimal beats haunt and surround.
Maybe they will never perform on stage together again, but their legacy is intact.
9/10
GIVE IT A STREAM: Once In a Lifetime
Comments