New York Album (Revival Series Lp)

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After prison, after first shocking, then disappointing, and perhaps ultimately (and grimly) amusing the jazz world with enough dope-related hijinks to fill a book (as in Straight Life), alto saxist Art Pepper made a triumphant mid-1970s comeback. This 1979 session is rich with the fruits of Pepper's return, a depth of playing that shows itself constantly throughout the New York Album's five tunes. Pepper, as his widow, Laurie, notes in the liners, was always best when out to prove himself. Here, he's out to show pianist Hank Jones, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Al Foster that he's still a force to reckon with. "A Night in Tunisia" is fascinating, if a trifle straightly read, as is "Straight, No Chaser." The best bits here, though, are Pepper's yearning solo rendition of "Lover Man," the piano-bass duo on "Duo Blues," and the blazing, off-time take on "My Friend John," one of the leader's funkiest charts ever. This reissue of New York is additionally bolstered by terrific audiophile sound, the hallmark of Analogue Productions' work in the jazz world. --Andrew Bartlett

New York Album (Revival Series Lp),Art Pepper,Apo (Analogue Productions),Jazz

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Average customer rating: CBGB Exceptional best-of set A nice compilation of The Talking Heads Articulate Collection Excellent Heads Compilation

The Best of Talking Heads Talking Heads Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music American Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Post-Punk | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Rhino Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Cars - Complete Greatest Hits The Very Best of Elvis Costello Best of Bowie Billy Idol - Greatest Hits In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003 ASIN: B0002IQMKM Release Date: 2004-08-17

Tracks:

1. Love ->
2. Building On Fire
3. Psycho Killer
4. Oh, Love Comes To Town
5. Take Me To The River
6. Found A Job
7. Life During Wartime
8. Heaven
9. Memories Can't Wait
10. Once In A Lifetime
11. Houses In Motion
12. This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)
13. Girlfriend Is Better
14. Burning Down The House
15. Road To Nowhere
16. And She Was
17. Wild Wild Life
18. Blind
19. (Nothing But) Flowers

Album Description

Formed in NYC in the mid-'70s by David Byrne, Chris Franz, Tina Weymouth, and ex-Modern Lover Jerry Harrison, the Talking Heads evolved out of their now-legendary humble beginnings at CBGB's to become one of the most adventurous and influential bands ever. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002, the Heads' visionary, polyrhythmic sound daringly combined funk and punk, African beats, avant-garde minimalism, and pure pop. From their 1977 debut through their Brian Eno-produced classics to their '88 farewell, Naked, they both pushed artistic boundaries and delivered indelible radio hits like "Once In A Lifetime" and "Burning Down The House."

Customer Reviews:

CBGB.......2007-07-06

This collection is all a Talking Head fan (except the most devout fan) will ever need. 3/4s of the tunes are great, the rest are still good.

Exceptional best-of set.......2006-10-10

Of course you know all these songs, and of course there are many more great cuts deeper on the original albums, but for a single-disc review of a band with over 10 years' worth of releases, this 18-track set is hard to beat. The group went through several striking stylistic changes over its lifetime, but that variation actually helps this disc hold together as an album as well as a set of songs.

This would make a great introduction for a younger fan of the current crop of danceable art rock bands (Of Montreal, The Killers, Decemberists) or a casual fan looking to supplant an old LP collection.

A nice compilation of The Talking Heads.......2006-08-24

I've always liked The Talking Heads, they always had catchy songs that were fun to listen to. I must admit, my favorite of theirs has always been "Burning Down The House", but there are so many good songs on here, as well. The Talking Heads were one of the best bands of the 80's, that's when they had their best work. The 70's were ok, too, but their 80's work really shined. I'm quite happy with this.

Articulate Collection.......2006-08-17

Oddly, a compilation by Talking Heads should come out uneven and disjointed, but this collection is marvelously done. The songs meld well together and provide a sampler that wouldn't prevent anyone from buying their excellent original albums. ('Talking Heads '77,' 'Remain in Light,' and 'Speaking in Tongues' are their crowning achievements artistically, but 'Fear of Music,' 'More Songs About Buildings and Food,' and 'True Stories' demonstrate that they had a great repertoire. (Unlike, 'Sand in the Vaseline,' which is also excellent, but perhaps takes too many gems and doesn't align them as well.)

For the uninitiated, Talking Heads is one of the freshest and engaging progressive bands from the seventies and eighties. "Psycho Killer," "Once in a Lifetime," "Burning Down the House," and "Wild, Wild Life" all capture the inspired lunacy that dares to match the insanity of ordinary life. All of their albums are well represented. "Life During Wartime" represents them at their progressive best, but "And She Was" showcases their ethereal best.

In sum, 'Best of Talking Heads' provides a great mix and a thoughtful sampler without spoiling all of the fun.

Excellent Heads Compilation.......2006-04-03

Known as much for their quirky style as well as their enigmatic and creative music, Talking Heads were one of the most popular and successful bands of the late 1970s' and early 1980s'. Even today, almost 20 years after they broke up, they still have a large fanbase.

Personally speaking, I'm not the world's biggest Talking Heads fan. However, I've always liked what I heard from them, and I always wanted one of their cds in my collection. So when I found the single disc, 18 track collection "The Best Of Talking Heads", I snatched it up immediately.

This is by far the best collection for the Talking Heads novice. Pretty much all the Talking Heads essentials are here, including "Love - > Building On Fire", "Take Me To The River", "Life During Wartime", "Memories Can't Wait", "Once In A Lifetime" and "Burning Down The House" as well as many others. And every track sounds fantastic.

In addition, there is a wonderful booklet replete with great liner notes, including interviews with Talking Heads fans such as Moby and El P. It is also readily available and affordabe. I highly recommend it.

Average customer rating: Yo-Yo Ma is a genius

The Dvorak Album Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music General | Dvorák, Antonín | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Cello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Ma, Yo-Yo | ( M ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music New York Philharmonic Orchestra | ( N ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music $9.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Dvorák, Antonín | ( D ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Ma, Yo-Yo | ( M ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music New York Philharmonic Orchestra | ( N ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Simply Baroque Paris La Belle Époque Yo-Yo Ma - Simply Baroque II ~ Bach & Boccherini / ABO, Koopman Vivaldi's Cello Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone ASIN: B0002VEPIU Release Date: 2004-09-07

Tracks:

1. Concerto in B minor for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 104
2. Klid (Silent woods) for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 68, No. 5
3. Slavonic Dance No. 2 in E minor, Op. 72
4. Humoresque No. 7 in G-flat Major, Op. 101
5. Songs My Mother Taught Me from Gypsy Melodie, Op. 55

Amazon.com

This compilation of music by Dvorak played by Yo-Yo Ma is just beautiful. Ma seems to understand just when Dvorak wants to be super-Romantic and sappy and when he is in fact being merely his usual expressive self. The former comes into bloom with the Slavonic Dance, in which he's accompanied by Itzhak Perlman and "Songs My Mother Taught Me," with Patricia Zander at the piano. But when it comes to revealing Dvorak as one of the most insightful and truly passionate of composers, with a particular understanding of the cello, Ma's playing of the B minor Concerto (under Kurt Masur, with the New York Philharmonic), the latter description comes into play. Ma gets every nuance out of the cello, and the way in which Masur, for instance, leads the winds against the cello at the start of the 2nd movement is just gorgeous. "Klid" ("Silent Woods") is given a deeply affecting reading as well, under Seiji Ozawa. 2004 is the 100th anniversary of Dvorak's death; this CD is fine tribute. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Yo-Yo Ma is a genius .......2004-11-16

words fail me on how to describe performance in this CD.It's very good, one of the best interpretations I have heard in a very long time. I must confess that since i discovered Ma du Pre I have not been able to listen to anything else nor did I attempt to do so. But out of the blue I bumped into this CD by chance & after hearing Yo Yo Ma's phraising especially the 1st movement infact the whole of Dvorak Cello was like something new to me.Ma plays with passion,emotions & strong commitment to the music in a different way.The Ochestra is in top form & allows the solo cello to shine at the right time.I never thought there is another interpretation that could surpass M.Rostropovich(Im sorry to say this I know he is a living legend & the 1969 record with Karajan is held in high esteem). Ma is accompanied by my favourate violinist Itzhak Perlman on "Humosresque no.7 for piano" & "Slavonic Dance no.10 in E minor"- the results are so sweet as many people know Perlman is a romantic specialist his tone with Ma's cello is heavenly.With regard to the "songs my mother taught me" the cello sounds good not best for the track personally im so used to hear the song being played on violin.There's nothing wrong with the cello it's just that it 's tone is a bit too strong for the composition but it's very well interpreted by Ma. They call this transcription in musical terms. Actually Ma deserves an apology as im one of those who have accused him of lacking in emotions &"look at me now i can play anything" attitude.I think those allegations are baseless & unwarranted when u hear this CD u will know u are into something beautiful. Overall grab this very fast before many people realise Yo-Yo Ma 's greatest gift of song.

Average customer rating: thanks, new york dolls. Hello Dolly New York Dolls - self-titled (Mercury) What more can really be said? Something Happened in Lower Manhattan

New York Dolls New York Dolls Manufacturer: Island / Mercury ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Proto Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music American Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Glam | Classic Rock | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Alternative General | Alternative Rock | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Alternative General | Alternative Rock | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Pop General | Pop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Oldies | Pop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Glam | Classic Rock | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Glam | Classic Rock | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music $7.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Classic Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Alternative Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music $7.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Alternative Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Classic Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Hard Rock & Metal | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Raw Power One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This Marquee Moon Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols Too Much Too Soon ASIN: B000001FMX Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Personality Crisis
2. Looking For A Kiss
3. Vietnamese Baby
4. Lonely Planet Boy
5. Frankenstein (Orig.)
6. Trash
7. Bad Girl
8. Subway Train
9. Pills
10. Private World
11. Jet Boy

Amazon.com

In 1972, when rock & roll was all but dead in Manhattan, five cross-dressing glam punks from the boroughs convened and began hammering out crude, sub-Chuck Berry rock for the downtown in-crowd. It took another year before a record company dared to sign them, thus foisting The New York Dolls on an essentially uninterested world. Taking their cue from the band's guitarist/Keefalike Johnny Thunders, hardcore Dolls fans pooh-poohed Todd Rundgren's production as wimpy: twenty-five years after its release, songs like "Personality Crisis" and "Looking for a Kiss" sound more trashily invigorating than ever. With the Rolling Stones finished as a vital force by '73, the doomed Dolls were there to step into the void. A classic. --Barney Hoskyns

Customer Reviews:

thanks, new york dolls........2007-04-12

i had just lost my little boy, my husband of 19 years had recently left me for a woman 22 years my junior, and i had a horrible rash all up and down my left side. i was DEPRESSED! i wasn't the old me anymore. kicked by life one too many times, if you know what i mean. then i heard this album. and suddenly i wanted to wear lipstick again. i wanted to put on lipstick and go out dancing. i was back! thanks, new york dolls.

Hello Dolly.......2007-03-09

After recently seeing the movie, "New York Doll," I was jogged back to a time before we ever knew about The Ramones, Graham Parker, Cracker, and The Psychedelic Furs. This was sometime around 1973 where the glam sound was subtly mutating into early punk. And The New York Dolls may have been ground zero for that morph.

With the possible exception of The Velvet Underground, I can't trace any more seminal linkage to what was to come in the late seventies than The Dolls. Listening to this CD is like going back before the time of Constantine: no Sea of Marmara, no Anatolia, no Ephesus, no Byzantium. Just Rome as the center of the universe in the way The Beatles and the Stones staked an Augustinian claim to that center. The eastwardly itinerant Constantine seemed to be swiping at the wind; who could expect anything to come from that.

But listening to this eponymously titled debut, you begin to see the shape of things to come. At the time of its release, I remember the song "Trash" being introduced on a local New York FM station as the flagship cut from this raw new band out of the dross of Hells Kitchen. I remember thinking it to be a discordant, sneering mess of cacophony, scratching it off my list, searching more for the mellifluous sounds of emerging early seventies semi-prog Brit acts like The Strawbs, The Electric Light Orchestra, and Stealer's Wheel in addition to new acoustic, Dylany singer songwriters like Elliott Murphy, Daydo, Ralph McTell, Nick Drake, and, of course, Jackson Browne.

The Dolls simply didn't register on my new-bands-to-follow meter. But hearing them now, and placing them into the context of the post-Constantine period in rock and roll, I can suddenly feel their greatness. How they, maybe singlehandedly, constructed a new musical cosmos through a counterpoint of Shirelles cooing and Peter Wolf goof-shouting.

If you were alive in the early seventies, this is a great way to go back to a time in your life that was right at the dawn of modernism. As Chrissie Hynde said in the movie, The New York Dolls were "the one pinhole of light" coming out of this time. I still like Elliott Murphy, but there is no arguing with the vital sensibility The Dolls created that is with us today.

New York Dolls - self-titled (Mercury).......2006-10-05

Review number 63.Originally unleashed to an unexpected public in summer of 1973,this was of course the glam rocker's very first record.If you think the Stooges were great,step aside,this CD reissue is ALSO a true Proto-Punk classic. Every one of this album's slamming tunes 'practically' pulls you in,like "Personality Crisis", the radio friendly(?) "Looking For A Kiss", "Lonely Planet Boy" (one of my personal favorites), "Bad Girl", "Pills" and "Jet Boy". So glad they've recently reunited,aren't you? Highly recommended.

What more can really be said?.......2006-08-21

I'm a big fan of Bowie, Iggy, T. Rex and other bands of that glam/early punk era. This album provides a perfect mix of those genres. It's really hard to listen to this album and not hear how their influence spread to a lot of bands that would proceed them.

There really isn't anything I can say about this album that hasn't been said already. If you like the bands that I mentioned above, this is a must have addition to your collection.

Something Happened in Lower Manhattan.......2006-08-11

I had pretty high expectations for this CD when I first listened to it way back when. I understood that it was a recording of high historical importance and influence, and the fact that Morrissey endorsed it as his favorite CD - and does to this very day - certainly bode well for it. Besides, I couldn't help but be drawn in by a bunch of guys dressed as red light district Barbies playing trashy, menacing rock 'n roll in a brew of Rolling Stones-style blues and reckless proto-punk abandon. Moreover, in the wake of the glam rock of T. Rex and David Bowie, the New York Dolls imitated their fashions so as to flatter them, but took it to the extreme and gave it an irresistibly kitschy quality. Image was very important at the time, and the Dolls were wise enough to embrace it.

The best examples of what make the New York Dolls' debut so interesting are the manic opener "Personality Crisis", the jaunty, appropriately-titled "Trash", the absolutely superb swagger of "Jet Boy", which fully captures the "trashy glory" which is guaranteed to the listener by almost every reviewer out there. This is probably the best song that the band ever recorded. But the Dolls have more than sloppy rock 'n roll going for them. The poignant "Subway Train" - the first few lines of which are often used live by Morrissey as a segue way into other songs - and the acoustic "Lonely Planet Boy" highlight the band's softer side. "Bad Girl", on the other hand, sounds like a cover of a Rolling Stones song, and "Pills" is an actual cover (of a Bo Diddley tune), and a pretty inspired one at that.

There is much talk of the Dolls' debut as the definitive proto-punk album. I am reluctant to agree with this wholeheartedly, as the emergence of American punk rock was a very gradual one. From the unlikely spring of the early Love singles "My Little Red Book" (1966) and "7&7 Is", to the 1967 release of The Velvet Underground & Nico and the 1969 debut by The Stooges, through the New York Dolls (1973) and up to the first release by The Ramones (1976), it is difficult to pinpoint when the punk aesthetic was first realized - fully or partially - in the form of a single or an LP. (And it was surely before The Ramones started making an entire career out of it.)

Whatever the case, the debut by the New York Dolls and its follow-up, Too Much Too Soon, are fascinating artifacts in rock 'n roll history. By artifacts, I definitely don't mean that they are outdated or worthwhile as simple historical curios. Rather, I mean that they capture moments when rock had become more image-conscious, and less concerned about whether the music was tailor-made for mass consumption. As mentioned previously, the Dolls took the image thing to a ridiculous extreme, most likely for the sake of actually ridiculing it. On their first record, they were unrefined but accessible, thanks to Todd Rundgren's production, which gave the songs the muscle and sprinkles of pop sweetness that they needed for their intended impact. Overall, this is a must-hear record, and I recommend it highly.

Average customer rating: Not applicable If They're Not In The Rock 'n' Roll Hall Of Fame, Heads Should Roll! Sounds great,sounds like they are right next to you. Worthwhile; possibly obsolete Strong compilation from a smart pop band

Popular Favorites 1976-1992/Sand In the Vaseline Talking Heads Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music American Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Post-Punk | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Name of This Band is Talking Heads Speaking in Tongues Little Creatures Time Capsule: Songs For A Future Generation Remain in Light ASIN: B000002LRK Release Date: 1992-10-13

Tracks:

1. Sugar On My Tongue
2. I Want To Live
3. Love/Building On Fire
4. I Wish You Wouldn't Say That
5. Psycho Killer
6. Don't Worry About The Government
7. No Compassion
8. Warning Sign
9. The Big Country
10. Take Me To The River
11. Heaven
12. Memories Can't Wait
13. I Zimbra
14. Once In A Lifetime
15. Crosseyed And Painless
16. Burning Down The House
17. Swamp
18. This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)

Tracks:

1. Life During Wartime (Live)
2. Girlfriend Is Better (Live)
3. And She Was
4. Stay Up Late
5. Road To Nowhere
6. Wild Wild Life
7. Love For Sale
8. City Of Dreams
9. Mr. Jones
10. Blind
11. (Nothing But) Flowers
12. Sax And Violins
13. Gangster Of Love
14. Lifetime Piling Up
15. Popsicle

Amazon.com

Released four years after the Talking Heads called it a day with 1988's Naked, Popular Favorites provides a thorough overview of one of the most important American bands of the '80s. From tightly wound early efforts such as "Psycho Killer" and "Don't Worry About the Government" to the seriously funky likes of "I Zimbra" and "Burning Down the House," David Byrne, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth, and Chris Franz grew as musicians as they stretched the original concepts of the unit to the breaking point. Over the course of two discs and 32 selections, the anthology chronicles the Heads' development from Bowery art punks (albeit of the most civil stripe) to unlikely arena stars. A smattering of unreleased tracks and notes from the original quartet nicely flesh out the retrospective. --Steven Stolder

Customer Reviews:

Not applicable.......2007-07-08

Tried twice to purchase this CD. Both times only 1 of the 2 cds arrived in the package.

If They're Not In The Rock 'n' Roll Hall Of Fame, Heads Should Roll!.......2007-03-20

I found it interesting being referred to in general in one of the spotlight reviews (I'm an evangelical Christian). There are some things I don't like about Talking Heads, and that is a leaning toward Nihlism (no meaning to anything). However, I applaud a band that makes you think, especially one this creative.

I won't make a list of favorite songs like I normally do; there are many good ones. I will say, though, that the band was strongest when more of the band collaborated together on the songs than in the latter years (most of disc 2) when Byrne wrote most of the songs solo.

Another thing that I consider negative, more present in the booklets, is the unnecessary cussing from Byrne. This did give me a negative point of view towards Byrne in general.

I saw "Stop Making Sense" first, and that converted me to being a fan of the group. Actually, the first time I heard this cooled me off, but re-listening helped make me a bit more of a fan again.

Sounds great,sounds like they are right next to you........2007-01-26

This cd has so many songs that you won't believe they squeezed it on the 2 cd set.David Byrne at his finest.

Worthwhile; possibly obsolete.......2006-10-10

This 2-disc set spans, somewhat uncomfortably, the boundary between a greatest-hits collection (targeted at the casual fan) and a retrospective box set (targeted at the completist). Nearly all of the band's well-known hits are here (with the odd exception of "Uh Oh, Love Comes to Town"), padded out to double-CD length with live cuts and non-album tracks. The result is completely listenable, as the boundary between the group's quirky art-rock days and their FM-radio heyday falls nicely between discs, but new fans might consider the later, single-disc hits collection a better value while fans wanting to go deeper will seek out the recent DualDisc re-releases which feature lots of bonus tracks.

It's all great stuff, however, with the first disc showcasing the band's uncanny ability to merge art tendencies with pop instinct even as they were mastering their instruments, and the second bringing key tracks from some of the less-heard later albums to light.

Of special note is the superb re-mastering job by Bob Ludwig, which gives the early songs a punch and presence missing from the prior releases.

Strong compilation from a smart pop band.......2006-09-16

Talking Heads is one of those rare bands with the distinction of making smart pop music accesible for the masses. The double disc "Sand in the Vaseline" is a good reflection of their career. I first became familar with them in the early eighties when songs like "Burning down the House" was all over FM radio and MTV. Disc 2 represents this era thoroughly, and includes some smaller hits that I forgot about until I bought the CD.

The pleasant surprise was Disc 1. Disc 1 focuses more on their earlier music from the late 70's, like "Life During Wartime." While I was familar with these hits as well, some of the more obscure songs on Disc 1 became my favorites on either disc. "Sugar on My Tongue" and "I Wish You Wouldn't Say That" stood out immediately as I was listening to them for the first time. I also liked some of the last songs on Disc 2 that they released before finally disbanding. "Sax and Violins" and especially "Lifetime Piling Up" come to mind. But that's what a good band does. Good bands produce timeless music throughout the decades that stand the test of time. This is a thorough compilation of a good band and a starting point for those becoming familiar with Talking Heads for the first time.

Average customer rating: Probably the best concert ever preserved good Talking Heads record Bigger is not always better One of the greatest live albums ever. Great Improvement Over The Original Version

Stop Making Sense: Special New Edition (1984 Film) Talking Heads Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music American Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Post-Punk | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Alternative | Live Albums | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Alternative Rock | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Stop Making Sense The Name of This Band is Talking Heads Little Creatures Speaking in Tongues Remain in Light ASIN: B00000K3G8 Release Date: 1999-09-07

Tracks:

1. Psycho Killer
2. Heaven
3. Thank You for Sending Me an Angel
4. Found a Job
5. Slippery People
6. Burning Down the House
7. Life During Wartime
8. Making Flippy Floppy
9. Swamp
10. What a Day That Was
11. This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)
12. Once in a Lifetime
13. Genius of Love
14. Girlfriend Is Better
15. Take Me to the River
16. Crosseyed and Painless

Amazon.com

The soundtrack to the Jonathan Demme documentary, Stop Making Sense captures the Talking Heads live in 1984 on what would turn out to be their last major tour. This collection, and the film, is a true gift to the band's fans, a testament to the Heads' extraordinary talent, both in the studio and especially onstage. Frontman David Byrne infuses each song with a jolt of energy and drama that could only have come from a late-'70s art-school student. Now-classic tracks such as "Psycho Killer," "Girlfriend is Better," "Once in a Lifetime," "Take Me to the River," and "Burning Down the House" have never sounded better. This expanded 1999 reissue includes all nine of the original tracks, plus seven previously unheard cuts, including "Heaven," "Found a Job," and "Crosseyed and Painless." --Lorry Fleming

Customer Reviews:

Probably the best concert ever preserved.......2007-02-19

Simply the single best set by any band in the history of rock and roll. I know there will be people out there who will point to some Dead concert that's only available on a third generation cassette, but this set is as hot as the Heads ever were. The expanded edition is a great gift to the world.

good Talking Heads record.......2006-02-20

i own this on vinyl and it's just good talking head songs live,although i have to say the original version of some songs are better but if you have the money i guess go for it but i recommend buying non live recordings.

Bigger is not always better.......2004-10-26

The original LP version of this was a mere 9 songs, and was absolutely brilliant. I remember playing it constantly, wearing it out much like my two album "The Name Of This Band Is Talking Heads" double live album. I also got to see the concert film at some midnight show and was enthralled...a concert movie for people who liked music! I loved it so much that I eventually got David Byrne to sign the book that came with the album.

So I was really hyped to hear that the entire concert soundtrack was about to be reissued on CD. Seven extra songs! Warm with nostalgia, I finally bought the disc. Boy, was I let down. First, it isn't the whole concert. "I Zimbra" is particularly missed. Then, of all the crappy songs to include over that one, we have the Tom Tom Club and their SERIOUSLY dated "Genius Of Love."

One of the brilliant things about Talking Heads is that they may have been trend setters, but they were never trend mongers. The music sounds just as fresh today as it did when I slit the shrink wrap on the 1984 Album. But the Tom Tom Club was a lightweight side project that scored one novelty hit, and it sticks out like crayon smears on a DaVinci. I reach for the skip button just about everytime its lame, cliched, and oh so 80's stage patter starts to invade what used to be a flawless CD.

It takes what used to be a 5 star CD and knocks it down by one. It also provides continual proof that that not all unreleased tracks are really a "bonus." Since it has finally come out on a double disc, I strongly recommend the remastered and reissued "The Name Of This Band is Talking Heads" over this. At least the expanded tracks aren't an emarrassment.

One of the greatest live albums ever........2004-10-23

Jonathon Demme's 1984 concert film of the Talking Heads was an incredible experience. Sadly, when the original soundtrack was released, it contained only nine of the songs performed. Not only that, but they were entirely out of sequence, completely destroying the original purpose behind David Byrne's conception of the concert. Thank God they released this anniversary edition of the soundtrack, as this really does the film justice. Every song is here, and in its proper place, the way it was meant to be heard.

So, what is the big deal, you ask? Well, picture this. The soundtrack begins with "Psycho Killer," one of the first really big hits for the group. Instead of the entire band being onstage, David Byrne walks out with an acoustic guitar and a boom box. He presses PLAY on the box, which cues a drum program to begin playing. So the first song is just David Byrne singing and strumming his guitar, accompanied by pre-recorded percussion. For the next song, "Heaven," Byrne is joined onstage by bassist Tina Weymouth. Then Chris Frantz's drumset is wheeled out, and the three of them go into "Thank You For Sending Me an Angel." We finally hear some real drumming, not the predictable, computerized beats in "Psycho Killer." The album really begins to come alive. Then they go into "Found a Job," and things get more interesting. Byrne swaps his acoustic guitar for an electric, and lead guitarist Jerry Harrison comes out, meaning we now have two guitars. By the time the fifth track, "Slippery People," is underway, the entire band (including the extra musicians and backup singers) are on the stage, and now things are cooking. What happens over the remaining twelve tracks can only be described as an overload of the senses.

The purpose behind the concert was to provide a unique experience for the concert-goer, to create visual as well as aural art. Some of that sense is lost on the CD listener, but some of it remains. The songs were translated to disk beautifully, so that they still retain just about everything that made them a pleasure to listen to while watching the film. One can almost picture David Byrne running laps around the stage, dancing with the lamp, or wearing the big suit.

The concert resulting in the film and this album was performed shortly after the band released their 1983 album "Speaking in Tongues." So, needless to say, many of the songs you will hear are from that album. And I have to say that for each of them, I prefer the live version to the studio version. Each one of them sounds more vibrant, more full of life when performed on the stage. The improvisation on "Burning Down the House" is as good as it gets. Ditto "This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)," which is one of the most beautiful things I've heard, and I don't even like love songs. The studio versions lack that extra energy. Their pulse is just too slow. This is never more true for "Life During Wartime," which is actually a song from 1979's "Fear of Music." But anyway, this song displays Byrne's tendency to perfectly mismatch music and lyrics. The pulsating beat of club rock flows beneath what I interpret to be a humourously disturbing tale of a country under martial law. The song should not work as well as it does, and yet somehow, they pull it off. Anyway, after hearing the live version of it, I can no longer listen to the studio version. Also noteworthy is the improvisation on "Crosseyed and Painless." The intro and the extended guitar solos are just the icing on the cake for that one!

If there is a bad song on this album, it would have to be the interlude by the Tom Tom Club (a solo project of Heads drummer Chris Frantz and bassist Tina Weymouth). "Genius of Love" could have been a great song. The instrumentation is very good. Sadly, it's ruined by Frantz's raucous babbling. He's attempting to be random like David Byrne, but tragically, he's not good at it. Other than that, this album is solid gold. It demonstrates the full potential of live music, and sounds amazing while doing it. Whether you're a fan of the Talking Heads or not, this album belongs in your collection.

Great Improvement Over The Original Version.......2004-10-17

It's true, to really appreciate this album, you have to see the film. And that's no chore. Stop Making Sense is probably the best concert film ever made. It's hard to imagine just listening to the album without thinking of Byrne's amazing stage presence (in or out of the big suit).

The Special Edition is the entire film soundtrack (minus some stage banter and the cut performances of "Cities" and "I Zimbra"). Their imagination made Talking Heads one of the greatest live bands of all time. The songs are mostly from SPEAKING IN TONGUES, but they also include interesting and in some cases superior versions of songs from all of their albums prior to 1983 with the help of the Tom Tom Club.

In addition to STOP MAKING SENSE, I recommend the newly released CD version of THE NAME OF THIS BAND IS TALKING HEADS. Listening to both would map eight years of live performances and barely short of 4 hours of live material.

Average customer rating: Content excellent but hard to rip excellent (and much needed) reissue set Soooo close to being perfect, but no! Anything less than 5 stars is absurd Packaging? meh. Music? yeah!

Talking Heads Brick Talking Heads Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music American Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Post-Punk | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Box Sets | Stores | Music Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Box Sets | Stores | Music General | Pop | Box Sets | Stores | Music General | Rock | Box Sets | Stores | Music Rhino Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Box Sets at 30% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Classic Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Alternative Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Name of This Band is Talking Heads My Life in the Bush of Ghosts A Musical History Running on Empty (CD & DVD Audio) Pirate Radio ASIN: B000B5XSK8 Release Date: 2005-10-04

Tracks:

1. Uh-Oh, Love Comes To Town
2. New Feeling
3. Tenative Decisions
4. Happy Day
5. Who Is It?
6. No Compassion
7. The Book I Read
8. Don't Worry About The Government
9. First Week/Last Week...Carefree
10. Psycho Killer
11. Pulled Up
12. Love Building On Fire
13. I Wish You Wouldn't Say That
14. Psycho Killer (Acoustic)
15. I Feel It My Heart
16. Sugar On My Tongue

Tracks:

1. Thank God For Sending Me An Angel
2. With Our Love
3. The Good Thing
4. Warning Sign
5. The Girls Want To Be With The Girls
6. Found A Job
7. Artists Only
8. I'm Not In Love
9. Stay Hungry
10. Take Me To The River
11. The Big Country
12. Stay Hungry (1977 Version)
13. I'm Not In Love (Alternate Version)
14. The Big Country (Alternate Version)
15. Thank You For Sending Me An Angel (Country Angel Version)

Tracks:

1. I Zimbra
2. Mind
3. Paper
4. Cities
5. Life During Wartime
6. Memories Can't Wait
7. Air
8. Heaven
9. Animals
10. Electric Guitar
11. Drugs
12. Dancing For Money (Unfinished Outtake)
13. Life During Wartime (Alternate Version)
14. Cities (Alternate Version)
15. Mind (Alternate Version)

Tracks:

1. Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)
2. Crosseyed And Painless
3. The Great Curve
4. Once In A Lifetime
5. Houses In Motion
6. Seen And Not Seen
7. Listening Wind
8. The Overload
9. Fela's Riff (Unfinished Outtake)
10. Unison (Unfinished Outtake)
11. Double Groove (Unfinished Outtake)
12. Right Start (Unfinished Outtake)

Tracks:

1. Burning Down The House
2. Making Flippy floppy
3. Girlfriend Is Better
4. Slippery People
5. I Get Wild/Wild Gravity
6. Swamp
7. Moon Rocks
8. Pull Up The Roots
9. This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)
10. Two Note Swivel (Unfinished Outtake)
11. Burning Down The House (Alternate Version)

Tracks:

1. And She Was
2. Give Me Back My Name
3. Creatures Of Love
4. The Lady Don't Mind
5. Perfect World
6. Stay Up Late
7. Walk It Down
8. Television Man
9. Road To Nowhere
10. Road To Nowhere (Early Version)
11. And She Was (Early Version)
12. Television Man (Extended Mix)

Tracks:

1. Love For Sale
2. Puzzlin' Evidence
3. Hey Now
4. Papa Legba
5. Wild Wild Life
6. Radio Head
7. Dream Operator
8. People Like Us
9. City Of Dreams
10. Wild Wild Life (Extended Mix)
11. Papa Legba (Pops Staples Vocal Version)
12. Radio Head (Tito Larriva Vocal Version)

Tracks:

1. Blind
2. Mr. Jones
3. Totally Nude
4. Ruby Dear
5. (Nothing But) Flowers
6. The Democratic Circus
7. The Facts Of Life
8. Mommy Daddy You And I
9. Big Daddy
10. Bill
11. Cool Water
12. Sax And Violins

Amazon.com

Talking Heads' 30th anniversary is commemorated in typically artful style here, sonically upgrading their eight, era-defining albums via bonus-packed Dual Discs and encasing them in a molded white plastic box intricately embossed with the band's song titles. Each disc contains complete album tracks and bonus cuts remastered in High Resolution Stereo on its CD side, while the DVD programming on the flip offers up the audio tracks in expansive new 5.1 Surround Sound mixes, with all of the sonic upgrading personally supervised by Heads drummer Jerry Harrison. Those long overdue audio improvements alone would make it an attractive set, but fans of the band will find its wealth of bonus music (various B-sides and previously unreleased outtakes) and video (including a number of rare live clips seeing their first release here) supplements equally intriguing.

Bonus musical highlights include four rhythmically-charged, unfinished Remain in Light outtakes (including one that eventually evolved into the band's signature "Once in a Lifetime") that allow insightful glimpses into Eno's innovative production techniques on the album, alternate versions of "Cities," "Life During Wartime" and "Mind" from Fear of Music, a countrified version of "Thank You For Sending Me an Angel" from More Songs About.. and a strangely muted early version of another Heads staple, Speaking in Tongue's "Burning Down the House." An early demo of "And She Was" from Little Creatures demostrates that the whole of a glorius pop song can be the assembly of its simple parts. While the additional visual materials (especially the raw early performance clips) are a welcome addition to the Heads' canon, they're also something of a tradeoff: a few of the band's videos are conspicuously absent, including Remain in Light's "Once in a Lifetime." But overlooking a couple of the band's better known promotional moments in favor of revealing new musical treasures and vastly improved, state-of-the-art audio scarcely blunts the appeal of this rewarding career overview. -- Jerry McCulley

Album Description

Formed in the mid-70's by art school chums David Byrne, Chris Franz, and Tina Weymouth-and ex-Modern lover Jerry Harrison-Talking Heads rose out of the CBGB punk crucible and proved themselves one of the most artistically adventurous and influential bands ever. Their visionary, polyrhyhmic sound fused elements including rock, funk, and punk with diverse world beats, avant-garde minimalism, and pure pop genius. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002, the band and their groundbreaking repertoire are celebrated in Rhino's deluxe DualDisc upgrade of their catalog. Now their critically praised recordings can be reexperienced as never before, with new DVD-A Surround mixes personally supervised by Jerry Harrison.

Customer Reviews:

Content excellent but hard to rip.......2007-07-09

The music is awesome, the bonus tracks are great, and the dvd features are pretty cool- HOWEVER, Duel Discs are excruciatingly difficult to rip to your computer. Some take hours per disc and you'll get skips in the tracks occasionally but some computers can't even rip them at all. BE WARNED!

excellent (and much needed) reissue set.......2007-06-19

I am beyond satisfied with the Talking Heads' Brick. While some complain of compatibility problems with their standard cd players and dual discs, I haven't experienced anything of the sort (but clearly it pays to check these things before making this purchase).

I'll also say that I do not have a 5.1 DVD system, so I'm only able to comment on the CD audio of this set.

That said, I was immediately taken aback by how good these discs sound. The clarity and depth of the recordings on the remastered cds far surpasses their predecessors, even more so than I anticipated. And I'm not much of an audiophile, but the difference is immediately noticeable, and certainly welcome.

The bonus video content is interesting and enjoyable. Admittedly it would have been more convenient to have a separate DVD disc with all of the video content, but it's not a big deal. The omission of the music video for "Once in a Lifetime" is indeed curious. All of the other promo videos are present (that I know of anyway), and the "Once in a Lifetime" video was a landmark for the group. There is a great live performance of the song included, but I can't imagine why the video was left off.

That's really my only complaint about this set. There are few bands whose catalog I will repurchase without hesitation, and the Talking Heads are among that elite class. And it's well worth it.

Soooo close to being perfect, but no!.......2006-12-09

Since most people visiting this site are already probably familiar with Talking Heads' music, I'll skip the hyperbole. You know how good their music is. And before I say anything else, I have to mention that it's definitely worth owning every single one of the albums included in this box. But you should also know how alternately revelatory and frustrating this boxed set turns out to be.

Now, then...the Brick.

What a great idea. Remaster all the albums, both in 2.0 and 5.1 mixes, one mix on either side of each disc in the DualDisc format, and box them all together. The thing to remember is, this isn't in a regular 5.1 DVD format where you can stick the disc in your DVD player and let it go. You have to have a DVD-Audio compatible DVD player to play these, so be sure about this before you take the plunge. (I've read that other people may have had some luck hearing a 5.1 mix without using DVD-A, but I haven't.) DVD-Audio requires a cable going from each channel on the DVD player to the corresponding ones on your receiver, so it's an extremely pure sound, but I really wish for convenience's sake that they'd formatted it in regular ol' DTS or Dolby Digital 5.1 sound for those without. I'm sure they had the best intentions, but on my Harman/Kardon 31 DVD player this means that you have to hit "play" on your DVD player, then "pause", then hit the "6-Channel" button on your remote before hitting "play" again to listen to the disc. Whatever.

The 5.1 mixes are a revelation...I've been listening to this music for over 20 years and I'm hearing so many things for the first time that have previously been buried in the mix...really incredible. Almost all of the discs benefit from this depth and clarity - especially More Songs, Remain in Light, and Naked. However, these were remixed by Jerry Harrison...so the keyboards are jacked up really high in the mix. Which is cool in some cases as they were initially (unfairly) minimized on certain albums. But it also means that Speaking In Tongues is an entirely different listen. The keyboard parts have dated a little bit, so it becomes a true artifact of the 80's. Huge sound, swirling effects, and distracting stereo trickery. It's almost as if it were reproduced by Esquivel.

Now for the bonuses -- the extra tracks on each disc are fascinating. Not fascinating enough to warrant repeated listenings in most cases, but intriguing if you're a Talking Headsophile. The artifacts from the Fear of Music and Remain in Light sessions, especially, provide indications as to Eno's influence in their writing process at the time. They sound much like Eno songs backed by the Heads. The demos, alternate takes, and remixes of several songs are also very cool. There are also a handful of additional outtakes, such as "I Feel It In My Heart" from the 77 sessions (which was deservedly left off the album) and "Sax and Violins" from the Naked sessions (which would have provided a much-needed ray of hope to close out the oppressively bleak second half of that album). However, some of them are given the 5.1 treatment while others inexplicably are not.

Worse, they've neglected to include some of the outtakes they've released on other collections in the past. Where's "I Want to Live", "Popsicle", "In Asking Land", "Gangster of Love", and "Lifetime Piling Up"? Those last two or three songs are lame, but as long as they're being comprehensive here, what gives? Also missing are the alternate versions of "Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town" and "New Feeling" previously released elsewhere. You can get some of this stuff on iTunes, by the way -- just not here. But that's not as unforgivable as the video omissions.

Although their last feeble collection, "Once in a Lifetime", was kind of a joke, it came boxed with the spectacular, expanded DVD version of their video collection "A Storytelling Giant". All of their videos were included with the original between-song vignettes intact. The Brick doesn't include this disc. Instead, they give us some early live stuff (admittedly, the shaky footage of "Warning Sign" gives me the shivers, it's so good) some Fear of Music-era live stuff (fine) and a smattering of their videos later on.

Excellent, but where's my favorite video of theirs, for "(Nothing But) Flowers"? How about "The Lady Don't Mind" or "Stay Up Late?" For god's sake, where are the original, revolutionary videos for "Crosseyed and Painless" and "Once in a Lifetime"!? They're shucked for live versions of both songs. This is shocking.

The packaging looks neat from the outside. Like everything else the band does, it's designed to fascinate. But it couldn't have killed them to have the names of the discs embossed on the spines. Likewise, it'd be great to be able to see exactly where the bonus songs are on the disc without digging through the CD insert to find the song titles. But now I'm nitpicking.

All that aside, I've spent hours poring over this treasure trove. It's my favorite band, after all. But you shouldn't spend this much on a boxed set and not get everything they could feasibly have crammed into it. Was it a contract issue or some kind of rights agreement that kept these significant items off the set? Good thing it was a gift, or I'd feel a liiiiiiitle cheated. But I'm going to give the Brick four stars because the band's just about the best thing in the world and this is where you can find (almost) all of it.

Anything less than 5 stars is absurd.......2006-12-02

Good God this is the greatest set EVER!!!
I am a music lover with over 500 CDs and 600+ vinyl. I've got all the Heads on vinyl and always came back to 'em year after year.
So when I found out that Jerry Harrison himself was doing the surround mixes, I couldn't resist. Especially after hearing such good things about the results!
So I bought The Brick. 1st - the packaging is unique. A sturdy molded white plastic box with emboss/extruded song titles all over it. Okay the CD cases are just plain white, and you have to open up the booklet just to see the song titles...but really this is not bad at all, as you tend not to skip around so much and just listen to it even more!
The bonuses consist of DVD videos and live clips, 2 or 3 per disc reflecting each era. Of course they are not up to the quality of the studio stuff, but that's to be expected and really there's little way to 'spruce up' an old videotape from a live show. The bonuses are still really good, though. The only wish that went unfulfilled here is that they don't include either live albums - I would especially have loved to get TNOTBITH with this, but it's understandable since that double album is a compilation in it's own right.
Now for the MUSIC: Holy God, this is the best ever. No band ever grooved like The Heads! The mix goes waaaay beyond typical surround and you feel like you're in the middle of the band itself, with FULL VOLUME instruments all around! That's Dave upfront, Tina thumping underneath, Chris wide open l-r, Jerry popping up in the front, back and sides...Bernie over there somewhere...Eno freaking the rhythm section through the rear...Belew soaring over my shoulders...synths, congas and rhythm guitars pecking away through the sides and rear...it goes on and on. Albums that I always enjoyed but never dug far into before ('77 & Food) are given glorious new mixes and have a whole new freshness and power to them.
There are other essential 5.1 rock discs out there...Roxy Music AVALON and Floyd's DSOTM being two...but this is THE BEST OF ALL.
EVERY SINGLE ALBUM in TOTAL SURROUND!!!

Packaging? meh. Music? yeah!.......2006-10-04

So Talking Heads fans will be wondering whether this is worth it if they already have most or all of the above-mentioned releases, and the answer is YES. This is true for all of the albums, but especially for Remain in Light and Naked, which really sound like new albums. Listening to either one of these records on the DVD-side surround mixes on solid speakers is a life-altering experience. (And furthermore, thanks to some tweaks and editing, in many ways the DVD sides really are different from the CD sides.) Even without surround, the remastered CD sides are an instantly noticeable improvement. The unreleased material and B-sides are generally excellent, and often provide insight into how the album, or its songs, were made or put together. The video extras, while few in number, are surprisingly good and aren't dated, grainy, or cheesy. Given how wretched music videos from the 70s and 80s tend to be, this is a testament to the artistic skill of the Heads.

As mentioned above in the title of this review, the packaging on this, while it looks cool, was really poorly designed. The backs of the individual cases are white, so we don't get to see the rear cover art, and they're also white on the side, so you can't tell which CD you've got until you pull it out. The exterior case is creatively designed but the CDs fit in it rather tightly, which means their cases are prone to breaking when you take them out, and they're rather difficult to get out. Also, many have had problems with the Dualdisc format (on my computer, the DVD-side is finicky on several of the discs and sometimes doesn't want to play).

But the heck with that. You buy CDs for the music, not to look at the tracklist on the back. If you are a Heads fan then get this. Believe the hype.

Average customer rating: my favourite A superb debut, but get the remaster. Not for everyone, but post-punk fans and the open-minded will LOVE this influential album Fantastic debut Yes! it IS punk!

Talking Heads: 77 Talking Heads Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music American Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: More Songs About Buildings and Food Fear of Music Remain in Light Speaking in Tongues Little Creatures ASIN: B000002KNU Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town
2. New Feeling
3. Tentative Decisions
4. Happy Day
5. Who Is It?
6. No Compassion
7. The Book I Read
8. Don't Worry About The Government
9. First Week/Last Week...Care Free
10. Psycho Killer
11. Pulled Up

Amazon.com essential recording

Next to CBGBs peers like the Ramones and the Voidoids, Talking Heads barely sounded like a punk band. After the startlingly non-conformist "Love Building on Fire," 77 made for a surprisingly tuneful collection of songs: nervy vignettes of urban unease, arranged for a tight little new wave quartet. The most overtly disturbed song, "Psycho Killer," now sounds a touch heavy-handed; more unassuming tracks like "New Feeling," "Happy Day," and "Don't Worry About the Government"--preppie pop with brains--have aged better. The first of four consecutive masterpieces for Sire, 77 is the work of a truly great American band. --Barney Hoskyns

Customer Reviews:

my favourite.......2007-05-13

funky and very singalong. first week last week carefree is my favourite, this has some good saxaphone, dont think they used this instrument often enough on their albums.great pick me up!

A superb debut, but get the remaster........2006-02-21

One of those debut albums that is clearly the beginning of a legacy, "Talking Heads '77" finds the band raw yet somehow fully formed. At its best, it is absolutely brilliant, somewhat schizophrenic new wave pop, at its worst, quite frankly, it's not much different.

Having met in art school in Rhode Island, David Byrne (guitar and vocals), Tina Weymouth (bass) and Chris Frantz (drums) relocated to New York to pursue their destiny as a band, eventually adding Jerry Harrison to the mix (keyboards and guitar) from Jonathan Richman's Modern Lovers (highly recommended for anyone who enjoys this album). The band performed Byrne's songs-- a fractured, paranoid, intelligent and yet goofy sort of off-kilter pop-- the key to his music is that you can't readily identify when it was recorded, it has that magic timeless nature to it such that if you played this album for someone who had never heard it, they'd have no reason to assume it was recorded nearly thirty years ago. With Byrne's strained, frantic vocals and an unnervingly able and inventive rhythm section, the pieces all get superb readings.

Again, at its best it's brilliant schizophrenic pop-- from the deep groove of paranoid "Psycho Killer" to the mildly funky, building and paranoid "No Compassion" (the clearest pointer to what the future holds) to goofy-yet-serious chirping opener "Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town" or the seemingly endless imagery of "Don't Worry About the Government". The less intriguing tracks are pleasant enough ("New Feeling"), but often fairly unmemorable ("First Week/Last Week... Carefree") when compared to the rest of the record. They'd probably stand out on anyone else's album, but the better material on here raises the bar.

A reissue just came out in dualdisc format, nicely remastering the sound to match the timeless quality of the music and adding several bonus tracks to both sides, this is a fantastic upgrade and well worth the extra couple bucks to get it.

Truthfully, the Talking Heads would go on to bigger and better things in the company of Brian Eno on their next three records, all pretty much flawless, but this one is essential. Four stars without the remastering job, five with the cleaned up sound and the bonus tracks. Recommended.

Not for everyone, but post-punk fans and the open-minded will LOVE this influential album.......2006-01-03

"Talking Heads: 77" is an incredibly original album; it essentially made post-punk a credible "sub"genre. It doesn't sound too dated (it did come out in 1977 after all) and although it could probably use a remastering, you won't mind too much. I'll admit that basically the only Talking Heads song I knew before I heard this album was "Once In A Lifetime" (off "Remain In Light"), and although that's a pretty good album and a great song, "Talking Heads: 77" is WAY better (and I'll also admit that at first I didn't really like this album - it definitely grows on you over time). It is definitely straight up post-punk (think of Gang Of Four's "Entertainment!") that features completely nonsensical (but interesting and sometimes funny) lyrics as well as David Byrne's quirky-yet-lovable singing style. This album DID have two hits - "Uh-Oh, Love Comes To Town" and "Psycho Killer" - and although they DO help make the album more appealing to non-genre fans I still don't think the majority of people will like it. Despite this it's also arguably their most accessible album. Not all of the songs are as instantly catchy and appealing as these two, but the rest are still very very good. With all this in mind I would've given it 5 stars, but it's historical influence makes it that much more worth it. Post-punk fans and open-minded listeners will definitely love it, though. A classic album that's highly recommended!

Highlights include:
the entire album!

Fantastic debut.......2004-06-02

This is not Talking Heads' best album - fans tend to rate any one of their four subsequent studio releases - but it's definitely worth having. Quirky, poppy and slightly amateurish, it has a sound all of its own. The emphasis is squarely on David Byrne's songs, to which the band are at this stage subordinated, and the songs are pretty much uniformly great. The best known is of course Psycho Killer, a jarring and twisted number written from the point of view of a (surprise) psycho killer, but there is better fare on offer here. Don't Worry About The Government, Uh-Oh, Love Comes To Town, Happy Day and Book I Read are all cheerfully deranged masterpieces; Byrne's ability to write a song in character is utilised to the full, as is his ability to explore themes that other lyricists just wouldn't think of: who else could write a line like 'some civil servants are just like my loved ones'? However, the album's crowning glory is Pulled Up, an ecstatically cheerful pop song which, in its middle eight, showcases the band's ability to 'be funky' with a sparse guitar riff, wonderful bassline and soaring tune.
But it's not perfect by any means - when Byrne runs out of decent tunes the songs fall flat on their faces because the band don't quite have the chemistry going on that they did over the next few albums. Songs like Who Is It are lightweight and throwaway, and although they're not particularly bad, I certainly wouldn't have bought the album if they were all like that. Maybe this lack of chemistry was simply because the band were entering the studio to record an album for the first time and their nerves got the better of them - certainly they had a great reputation as a live band at around the same time - but they do bring the album's star rating down a notch. But if you've bought and liked any of their albums, you should enjoy this.

Yes! it IS punk!.......2004-02-04

Some guy a few reviews ago said that "hardcore / punk fans won't find what they're looking for" here, and I disagree. I got into punk rock the backwards way (90s, then accesible 70s, then 80s, then 70s) and have only recently gotten more interested in the original New York / CBGB scene. I was "brought up" on the punk of Bad Religion, Crass, Dead Kennedys, Ramones, Sex Pistols etc. and have still found this great album and a great PUNK album. Richard Hell & the Voidoids mix punk and poetic sensibilities better than Talking Heads, but I get the feeling that was never the Heads aim. Their seminal album starts out great with "New Feeling" "Tentative Decisions" and (one of my favourites) "Love Comes to Town." Then it loses me there in the middle (ya gotta understand, I can't take long songs) but then redeems itself at the end with the long but spectacular "Psycho Killer" and "Pulled Up." Not compared to what we've come to know as punk, but compared to the rest of the album, the last two have a harder guitar sound. The rest may not have a particularly 'vicious' punk sound, but the substance is pure neurotic, on-the-edge punk.

Average customer rating: The album that changed what I listened to Fear Itself Best Talking Heads album Nothing to Fear The HEADS are TALKING to people who have no FEAR OF MUSIC

Fear of Music Talking Heads Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music American Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Post-Punk | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Remain in Light More Songs About Buildings and Food Talking Heads: 77 Speaking in Tongues Little Creatures ASIN: B000002KNY Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. I Zimbra
2. Mind
3. Paper
4. Cities
5. Life During Wartime
6. Memories Can't Wait
7. Air
8. Heaven
9. Animals
10. Electric Guitar
11. Drugs

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This disc represents the bridge between Talking Heads' first two herky-jerkier albums and the next two funky ones. Fear of Music is more than just a bridge, though. It's the water under the bridge, the air, the animals, the cities the river flows through, and the heaven on top of it all: "...a place where nothing ever happens." Plenty happens here, however. The CD starts out with its feet off the ground and both arms in the air: "I Zimbra" is all-out celebration. The rest of the songs are pretty much exercises in simplicity: one-word titles with music to match. (Witness the lightness of "Air," the trippiness of "Drugs," the "ooga"-ness of "Animals.") David Byrne's artful naiveté ("Hold the paper up to the light/Some rays pass right through"), coupled with the whole band's musical playfulness (for example, the tuba on "Electric Guitar"), makes for fun fun fun. --Dan Leone

Customer Reviews:

The album that changed what I listened to.......2007-04-21

Summer of 1979. I just graduated from high school. I was into The Who and Led Zep during those years and then I listened to this album. Fear of Music instantly changed my listening preferences much like in the scene from Taxi when Jim, as a college student, eats a pot brownie and changes immediately into the stoned Reverend Jim. Fear of Music introduced me to Eno, Bowie, early Roxy Music, and alot of the new wave music that was coming out at that time. David Johansen's first album stayed on my turntable for a long while. Today Luna and Wilco take up alot of space on my iPod, and I thank Fear of Music for this.

Fear Itself.......2007-03-11

David Byrne always passes off the "Fear" angle/theme here as a joke -- but I don't buy it. These songs are anxious, clautrophobic, and twisted -- and legitimately so to my ears. They're also poppy as a laundry basket full of poppyseed muffins, and this aural culture clash has been known to lead to vertigo -- don't look down....

Best Talking Heads album.......2006-11-12

Buy it, definitely. Every song is great (except Animals - I never could get into that one). It's dark, it's funny, it's artsy (in a good way), it's 100% unique, like the Talking Heads in general. Best cuts: I Zimbra; Cities; Life During Wartime; Air; Heaven (my favorite of the bunch) and Drugs. Buy it, and pick up More Songs About Buildings and Food, Remain in Light and Speaking in Tongues while you're at it.

Nothing to Fear.......2006-09-22

First off....What an amazing title for a record. "Fear Of Music"....I find that hilarious. But coming from the mind of David Byrne I guess it should not come as such a huge surprise. What IS surprising about this record is how FUNKY it is. That's right's....funky. Who knew that David Byrne, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz had it in them? "More Songs About Buildings and Food" (another hilarious title) may have hinted at this direction slighty but I don't know how to catergorize this band and that may be the reason they fascinate me so much. Along with "Remain In Light" this record showed the Talking Heads maturing and at the same time we get to see what their souls look like.

This is the record where the band began to rely heavily on their rhythm section. This is music that grabs you at first listen and just does not let go on repeated listens. The more listens, the more addicting it becomes. As I said before I don't know if this is R&B, Funk, Rock or New Wave but I do know that the band makes it work. (Think about it....they are considered art-school Punks)

"I Zimbra" kicks the record off and the change in style from the previous records is immediately noticeable. Nonsense lyrics, great bass....it sets the record up nicely. "Mind" and "Paper" follow and then tracks 4 and 5 kick in and to me are worth the price of the CD.

"Cities" and "Life During Wartime" simply are stunning. (Great live versions are present on the "Stop Making Sense" DVD) Have you ever heard of a lead bass part?? (I'm not talking Geddy Lee, Les Claypool, Cliff Burton, Bootsy Collins, Victor Wooten, Jaco Pastorius virtuso bass) I mean a straight driving, funky bassline that is in essence the melody of the song. (Until the solo in the middle section but it's a solo, not melody) I know what I wrote may not make sense because it is a bass but Tina Weymouth put it down on this track!! She has the only moving part in the song which accounts for the melody. The first time I heard "Cities" I was in disbelief and it is funky as hell!! She's not the most technically proficient bassist but she has to be on the greatest bassist of the late 70's and early 80's. (In my opinion one of the greatest ever). If you need someone to hold down a rhythm she is right up there with the best. Frantz's drums blend it perfectly and David's playing his rhythm part and singing in his glorious vocal style. "Cities" is just a great song and one of my favorite by the band.

No time to rest though because "Life During Wartime" follows and the momentum does not stop. The funk vibe continues and David has some of his most famous lyrics...."This ain't no party/This ain't no disco/This ain't foolin' around. This ain't the mud club/or CBGB/I ain't got time for that now!" This was the only single from the record and the most popular song because of it. It's a great song. Tina's bass is not as forceful in this track but she's in the back doin' her thing. David is the star of this one and it is what we expect from him. Great song.

"Heaven" is another great track and a beautiful ballad about a bar in England. This slows the momentum some after "Air" (some people have a problem with air) but still is amazing. The rest of the record holds together nicely although there are some weaker moments that don't deter from the end product which is an awesome record. This is a very unique band that were not afraid of taking risks to create art. And before I forget....this record was produced by Brian Eno who knows a little bit about what he's doing. (that was an understatement, Eno is awesome). He produced "Buildings and Food" and "Remain in Light" as well. NOTE: This is a transitional album. (Like "Station to Station" before Bowie went on the make "Low" and Heroes" also produced by Eno) All that means is a definite change is taking place to set up music in the future. The funkiness that was present on this record comes full blown on "Remain in Light" but this record is great on it's own. If you like this band and don't have this you are missing out. Even though the Talking Heads started at CBGB and are sometimes called a "Punk" band I think "New Wave" fits them better. It may take a while to warm up to but once you give it chance it will not be too far away from you.

The HEADS are TALKING to people who have no FEAR OF MUSIC.......2006-06-26

"I Zimbra" opens FEAR OF MUSIC kind of famously for its wordless or "nonsense" lyric, merely vocal utterances, musical syllables coupled with complex rhythmic styling and an irresistible groove. This is followed by the equally rhythmic yet persecuted "Mind," the HEADS at their most minimalist, "I need something to change your mind..." We're then freed by "Paper" and its translucent and resonant homage to guitar rock. "Cities" perhaps defines this record and its era ("...Some good points! Some bad points! Find a city, find myself a city to live in!") It's absurd minimalism at its most ironic. We're then necessarily treated to the woeful "Life During Wartime" which also happens to be one of the great party grooves of that era ("This ain't no party! This ain't no disco! This ain't no foolin' around!" This ain't the Mud Club or CBGB's...I ain't got time for that now!")

"Memories Can't Wait" has an unusually lush production for this album, and is reminiscent of acid rock at its most obscure, but is more off-key and desperate, like its lyric suggests. There is something terribly true, insightful, and disturbing, about David Byrne's lyric "Take a walk thru the land of shadows take a walk thru the peaceful meadows...don't look so disappointed, it isn't what you hoped for, is it?" Perhaps the most influential track on the album, Byrne sings, "I'm wide awake on memories...these memories can't wait!" That tune is about as profound as the TALKING HEADS get.

"Air" is a delight as light as its name and humorous, and like all these weird little songs, a catchy tune. "Heaven" is perhaps the most quoted of all songs on this album ("Heaven is a place where nothing ever happens...!") Brilliant but cold, it does remind me of (the great) Neil Young at his most ponderous and protracted. "Animals" is what we are, capiche? Funky, and a little skunky. "They're livin' on nuts and berries..."

Like objects "Paper" upon which he writes his lyrics, or "Mind" from which ideas spring, the artist's "Electric Guitar" is essential and that track comes across like a 1950s Sci-Fi homage to the institutional claim of one's art, or perhaps the fascist claim of same by the state, or more likely, the cognescenti (i.e. the New York press or Rolling Stone magazine) bringing FEAR OF MUSIC back to personal expression and the hold of such expression on the artist, both fearful and funny. "Someone controls electric guitar...Someone controls electric guitar..."

The last track "Drugs" is an afterthought nightmare dream float you forget in the night, a footnote, a dream float, an insight and epiphany, the last secret little piece...

Produced by Brian Eno, who may have been a bit heavy handed here or there, but only in comparison with the HEADS' followup, FEAR OF MUSIC remains a mesmerizing album that is also underrated. Perceived by some as an extention of MORE SONGS ABOUT BUILDINGS AND FOOD, but FEAR OF MUSIC is moving towards the HEADS' masterpiece and has a unique transitional quality. Not exactly loveable, hardly perfect, but nonetheless groundbreaking, fascinating, and essential. There would be no REMAIN IN LIGHT if there was not FEAR OF MUSIC.

Average customer rating: Talking Heads hit their stride best TH album 4 1/2 stars-- the "second debut" with Brian Eno. Stands the test of time Inventing Situations

More Songs About Buildings and Food Talking Heads Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music American Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Eccentrics | Warner Brothers Records | Stores | Music Similar Items: Talking Heads: 77 Fear of Music Remain in Light Speaking in Tongues Little Creatures ASIN: B000002KNV Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Thank You For Sending Me An Angel
2. With Our Love
3. The Good Thing
4. Warning Signs
5. The Girls Want To Be With The Girls
6. Found A Job
7. Artists Only
8. I'm Not In Love
9. Stay Hungry
10. Take Me To The River
11. The Big Country

Amazon.com essential recording

Choosing former Roxy Music member and David Bowie collaborator Brian Eno to produce them, Talking Heads expanded their sound greatly for their 1978-released second album. While most associated Eno with hi-tech, electronic fare, he surprisingly brought out the more organically rhythmic side of the Heads' material. With Jerry Harrison's keyboards playing a more pronounced role--most notably on their spirited hit cover of Al Green's "Take Me to the River"--and drummer Chris Frantz and bassist Tina Weymouth powering the band through tracks like "Stay Hungry" and "Warning Sign," leader David Byrne sounded more relaxed and "normal," even as he wandered through such high-concept works as "Artists Only" and the sprawling "Big Country." --Billy Altman

Customer Reviews:

Talking Heads hit their stride.......2006-10-11

The Talking Heads' debut album, Talking Heads: 77, clearly stood the test of time like few punk and proto-punk albums. But if 77 was one of the best creations of the punk genre, then with their second album, More Songs About Buildings And Food, David Byrne and co. achieved a sound of their own that transcended time and genre, and assured their place in the pantheon of rock n' roll.

In no small part, thanks are due to producer Brian Eno; though he was only four years older than Byrne himself, Eno had a rich career behind him, not only as a former member of art-school heroes Roxy Music but also as a collaborator with varied artists such as David Bowie, Devo, John Cale and Robert Wyatt. Eno helped the Heads mature their style, giving Jerry Harrison's keyboard a more important role than in 77, and Harrison carries many of the songs on his wonderful playing. But Eno or no Eno, the show still belongs to Byrne, and he matured greatly in his singing and most notably in his songwriting from the first album. The angst and cynicism of Psycho Killer and Don't Worry About The Government is still there, but it's more subtle, more low-key, and much, much nastier. In fact, the beautiful The Big Country may just be the meanest piece he has ever written.

Not all the tracks on More Songs are standouts; in fact it starts out pretty mildly. The first three tracks - Thank You For Sending Me An Angel, With Our Love and The Good Thing - are relatively lukewarm, nice little tunes with good and intelligent lyrics, and aren't as powerful and straightforward as most of 77. But when Warning Signs hits, it's clear that the change that went over the Heads is not a mellowing of their first album, but on the contrary - Byrne merely sharpened his knives. Warning Signs is a phenomenal song and a strong one, and once the album hits its stride, it doesn't let go. Warning Signs is quickly followed by the brilliant Found A Job, that remains one of the Heads' greatest songs, and one of Byrne's best lyrical inventions, telling the story of a problem couple who start creating their own TV shows at home; the song is sharp and cynical, and in its subtle ways the message is more powerful than in straightforward anti-social numbers like the classic Psycho Killer. The next three tracks - Artists Only, I'm No In Love and Stay Hungry, are consistently engaging and challenging and keep the album running smoothly, even if Stay Hungry might have felt more at ease on 77.

The last two tracks show just how much the Heads have grown in the past year, and how much they have increased their versatility. The cover version of Al Green's Motown classic Take Me To The River instantly became the Heads' biggest radio hit, and even if it's not one of the best tracks on the album it's easy to see why; it's a fantastic cover version, done with every bit of respect and love for the original and for the Motown sound, but infusing it with new life and modern sounds. Byrne and co. prove on that track just how talented a group of musicians they were, setting themselves completely apart from punk rockers like the Sex Pistols or the Ramones; the Heads were capable of instrumental grooves that few punk bands could master. On the other hand, the epic The Big Country is the best showcase of Byrne's song craftsmanship, and it remains one of his greatest creations. Byrne's mild and subtle sarcasm on The Big Country is immensely stronger and nastier than anything on 77, and it's perfect in composition and in delivery both. The Big Country is the best track on More Songs, and it would be the springboard for their finest albums.

So even if More Songs About Buildings And Food is not the Heads' best album, it's the beginning of their creative prime, one that would produce the brilliant masterpieces Fear Of Music and Remain In Light, and even if it's not necessarily better on the whole than Talking Heads: 77, in many ways it's the first true Heads album. It's essential for any fan, and a standout album of its time.

best TH album.......2006-05-17

Talking Heads were one of my favorite bands in the early 80's, but back then I listened mostly to Fear of Music; and Remain in Light has always been the critically more acclaimed album by the band.
Although many consider those two albums more significant, and I do not want to argue that opinion, 25 years later it's "More songs..." the CD I elect to listen to. That makes it the best Talking Heads album for me

4 1/2 stars-- the "second debut" with Brian Eno........2006-02-21

After hitting the ground running with their stunning debut, the Talking Heads decided to enlist the assistance of Brian Eno for their second album, "MOre Songs About Buildings and Food". In all likelihood, this was a wise move-- following up a debut as fresh and superb as "Talking Heads '77" was a difficult task, and in Eno they had someone who could grow their music. The partnership would last through the next two Talking Heads albums, a collaborative effort between Eno and Byrne ("My Life in the Bush of Ghosts") and Byrne's "Catherine Wheel". The one thing that's pretty much consistent throughout is that the union of Byrne and Eno produces high results.

In many ways, all Eno did was encourage natural outgrowth from the last album-- certainly the debut record was a quirky and timeless effort and more than a superb springboard to work from and pieces such as "Stay Hungry" (in fact originally attempted for the debut left unused) and "Artists Only" recall the best of '77'. But Eno also seemed to encourage more diversity, pushing the band in a number of different directiosn-- opener "Thank You for Sending An Angel" uses march rhythms and high energy, "With Our Love" hints at Eastern European sounds and the Ramones, "Warning Sign" bubbles with a frantic power that sounds like the successor to Eno's "Third Uncle" and the cover of Al Green's "Take Me to the River" slinks into a deep organ groove with Byrne bringing a quite unexpected vocal to the table for the gospel-infused monster (and proved to be the first major exposure the band got). But perhaps closer "The Big Country" is the best of all of them-- Byrne sinks into a more calm and melancholy delivery over a laid back and yet somehow still energetic groove. Like the debut, there's some less than fantastic material, but even that is very listenable ("Found a Job").

This album has just been rereleased in dualdisc format and the sonic upgrade is well worth the extra couple bucks investment.

The collaboration between Brian Eno and the Talking Heads would continue to yield superb results-- in many ways, this is as much a debut as the previous album was, and like the debut, is equally essential. Recommended.

Stands the test of time.......2006-01-10

"Take me to the River" was the first Talking Heads song I ever heard, being a huge radio hit way back when. I got around to buying this album a couple years later (along with Talking Heads 77) I only wondered "why that song, when there are so many better ones on the record?"
That being said, this album is chock-full of great songs, and with great production to put them across. Worth every cent!

Inventing Situations.......2006-01-10

This is my personal favorite of the Talking Heads CD's I own. Why? It is both playful and lyrical. Each song seems to tell a complete story, with characters, motivations, and conflict. The best example of this on the album is "found a job", explaining how a couple saves their relationshp through creating their own TV shows on a new videocamera. Every song seems to create a complete lyrical and sonic vision, with catchy melodies that make the CD easy to listen to over and over again.

Average customer rating: Very good introduction to '70's punk. punk rebellion "Yes Thanks" to No Thanks The soundtrack to my college years The Real Epitaph

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