2024 the best of talking heads review
Price: $63.91
(as of Dec 09, 2024 01:33:09 UTC - Details)
The Heads released Speaking in Tongues, the first album of new material in three years, in 1983. (A limited edition release of 50,000 copies featured a complex cover designed by artist Robert Rauschenberg. Subsequent copies boasted a simpler design by Byrne.) It was their highest-charting album ever (Number 15, 1983) and yielded their biggest hit single, "Burning Down the House" (Number Nine, 1983), which was also featured in an eye-catching video that MTV had in heavy rotation. They toured with an expanded band including Alex Weir, a guitarist with the Brothers Johnson. The tour was documented in the acclaimed movie Stop Making Sense, directed by Jonathan Demme. The soundtrack (Number 41, 1984) spent nearly two years on the pop albums chart. –Rolling Stone http://rol.st/Sf4C1M
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
Product Dimensions : 12.28 x 12.28 x 0.16 inches; 9.81 ounces
Manufacturer : Rhino/Warner Records
Item model number : 23883
Original Release Date : 2013
Date First Available : April 6, 2013
Label : Rhino/Warner Records
ASIN : B00C81MW6O
Country of Origin : USA
Number of discs : 1
Reviewer: ewomack
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A creative culmination fused with another beginning and the beginnings of a sad ending...
Review: Every Talking Heads album feels equally like an ending and a beginning. With the possible exception of their first and last few albums, none of their releases seem surmountable. How could they top "More Songs About Buildings and Food?" With "Fear of Music." And how could they possibly top that album? With "Remain in Light." They kept re-inventing themselves to such a fervent extreme that no one could possibly predict the next progression. "Remain in Light" seemed like the culmination of aggregating afro-rock and western pop with enlightened stream of consciousness. How would they top that? Some may argue that the follow up to "Remain in Light," arguably their most critcally acclaimed album, doesn't completely measure up. "Speaking in Tongues," released three years later, fully embraced synth pop and the same electrified african rhythms that graced its predecessor. But it contains a different and more subdued kind of energy, not quite as explosive as "Born Under Punches" or "Once in a Lifetime," but a more accessible and subversively quirky aura that feels murkily spontaneous despite its very precise electronic rhythms and sound. It somehow managed to make the Talking Heads a household name while simultaneously solidifying both their artistic and commercial aspirations. Even today it still sounds equally popular and subversive with lines such as "and I don't know what you expect staring into the TV set" and "our president's crazy, did you hear what he said?" "Burning Down the House," a massive hit in its day, now defines the band for the mass of people who tilt their cochleas towards popular music sources. One can still hear the song vibrating air molucules out in the great big world over thirty years later. The elliptical but addictive music video found voluminous play on the then only two years old MTV (which, surprising as it probably seems today, once stood for "Music Television"). At the time, this album felt like the culmination of the band's four previous albums while sounding like yet another re-invention. Its subsequent commercial success seemed well deserved. But cracks began to fracture in the foundations even before this album appeared. Following the equally successful "Stop Making Sense," which filmed the tour that supported this album and the band's final tour, not everyone appreciated what came afterwards or the sometimes puerile and openly public back stabbing between band members that ensued over the next few years."Speaking in Tongues" arose out of improvisation. The band sat in the studio and played together and tightened the lyrics and the music and released an album. It probably sounds far easier than the reality. This also accounts for the change in song writing credits for this album and "Remain in Light." All songs now get credited to every band member rather than just David Byrne. Byrne sang the vocals extemporaneously during the sessions and some of his original ramblings remained on the final mix. The album's title then provides an apt analogy for at least the lyrical methodology. Though the new approach and credits suggest more collaboration, the individual members had gone their separate ways during the three year gap between albums. Byrne had recorded two solo records, Frantz and Weymouth formed "The Tom Tom Club" and scored a hit of their own, and Harrison had even recorded a solo album. They finally came together again to create a fetchingly danceable album."Making Flippy Floppy" contains an ethereal violin solo by Shankar that reaches in and grabs something primordial. Razor slices and gurglings punctuate the incomprehensibly comprehensible lyrics of "Girlfriend is Better." The lines "we're being taken for a ride again" and "nothing was lost, everything's free, I don't care how impossible it seems" still resonate today. They may even prophetically define our current times. "Slippery People," we've all known some, includes an infectious groove and more profoundly dadaist lyrics. The skippy "This Must be the Place (Naive Melody)" seems to provide a rare bittersweet moment of consolation in the Talking Head's catalog, but something sinister bubbles beneath the surface, again revealed by the lyrics, "the less we say about it the better, make it up as we go along" and "It's okay, I know nothing's wrong, nothing." Though some genuinely touching moments peek through, such as "Out of all those kinds of people, you got a face with a view" and "and you love me till my heart stops, love me till I'm dead." A great mellow album closer.Many of these songs received new, sometimes more frenetic, treatments for the concert film "Stop Making Sense," which may make the original albums versions feel slightly more lax for those who experience the concert before the album. The movie also featured a sampling of songs from the album, leaving some truly great tracks slightly obscured. "I Get Wild/Wild Gravity" contains a hearty mix of juicy groove. "Moon Rocks" opens with the classic line "Flying saucers, levitation, yo, I could do that" and doesn't let up through "talkin' transubstantiation, any version will do" and "Moon in the rock, rock in the moon, there's a moon in my throat." Its angular funky beat evokes the rage of "Remain in Light." One wonders just how awesome "Pull Up the Roots" would have sounded in the "Stop Making Sense" set list. The fiery chorus provides one of the most powerful moments on the entire album. Of course immensely evocative stream of consciousness lines permeate the entire number: "Well I have a good time when I go out of my mind," "towns that disappeared completely, pull up the roots, pull up the roots," "I don't mind some slight disorder" and "and I hear beautiful sounds coming outta the ground, gonna take us a while but we'll go hundreds of times.""Stop Making Sense," the film and the soundtrack, re-invented the band yet again, but this time also visually. Sadly, things fell apart and the band never toured again. "Speaking in Tongues," though not the end by any means, does seem like the end of the heightened creative progression and innovation that evolved during their first five albums. The next two albums put Byrne back in the writer's seat exclusively and furthered the band's commercial exposure, though some critics and long time fans found the new "for the people" direction regressive, despite many admittedly strong songs. Regardless of diverse personal opinions, the Talking Heads were never the same after "Speaking in Tongues." The "bad blood" Byrne later spoke of seemed to start during "Stop Making Sense" and then climaxed a few years later as the band members openly defied and betrayed each other. One can feel some of this tension on a 1983 David Letterman appearance (now easily accessible via the new museum of television called "YouTube"). After finishing a rousing live version of "Burning Down the House" only Byrne runs forward to Letterman's desk for an interview. The remaining band members, who share equal writing credits with Byrne, fade into blackness in the background. Then Byrne appeared by himself on the cover of Time Magazine. The other band members appeared almost parenthetically on the inner pages. Then, as if to even the score, a scathing Rolling Stone article featured other band members excoriating Byrne. It was sad. Wounds that apparently won't heal continue to the present day. It happens. Regardless of depressing personal politics, no one can deny the freshness and vitality that the Talking Heads brought to popular music during their insanely provocative run on the pop music scene. Their voluminous contributions still feel unprecedented and unsurpassed today.
Reviewer: ADRIENNE MILLER
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: "No one makes a monkey out of me!"
Review: "Speaking in Tongues" by Talking Heads is their best album. The reason I think that because the music is tight, wildly original, and experimental. This album was released in 1983 and "Speaking in Tongues" was the epitome of New Wave and for me personally, this album is a New Wave masterpiece. This was the first album that Talking Heads produced on their own. They ended their long-term collaboration with producer Brian Eno and what could've been a disaster without his expertise, turned out to be the Talking Heads finest moment. There are A LOT of synths on "Speaking in Tongues" which makes this album memorable and perfect for the time period. Synths can either strengthen or weaken a song if not done correctly, but the Talking Heads use the synths/loops/samples to display their musical abilities/talents and this album brought them into the mainstream with the first single, "Burning Down the House". "Burning..." is a timeless song that still sounds relevant/fresh all these years later (love the record scratching), but I'm glad that's not the only standout track from "Speaking in Tongues". There are 9 tracks and there is not one I skip over. David Byrne proves he's a fantastic songwriter and vocalist (I like when he sings in his lower register especially in the song "Swamp"). He was called a "mad genius" during his peak and it's pretty obvious why. He knew how to write a quirky song, give it flavor and then add his special touch of "weirdness" flawlessly. All these songs on "Speaking in Tongues" I would classify as dance tracks expect "This Must Be The Place (Naïve Melody)" which is Byrne's most beautiful ballad. The dance tracks have some very confusing, contradicting lyrics but somehow they work when they shouldn't. The theme of this album can best be described when Byrne decided to "stop making sense" literally and who knew making sense out of nonsense could be so awesome? I think my favorite track is "Pull Up the Roots" in which Byrne fully embraces his "neurotic" nature and doesn't mind losing his marbles: "Well I have a good time, when I go out of my mind. And it's a wonderful place, and I can't wait to be there. I hear beautiful sounds coming out of the ground...". But I think the best track is "I Get Wild/Wild Gravity". The keyboards, blistering guitars from Jerry Harrison are so fluid and rich, and the song also contains my favorite lyric from Byrne: "And the sound inside your mind is playing all the time, playing with a heart of steel..." Tina Weymouth proves she's got the goods (her bass pulsates effortlessly) on the deliciously wicked, "Girlfriend is Better", and "Moon Rocks" has some spacey/trippy sound effects. Keep in mind, there is nothing artificial about these dance cuts. These songs clock in around or over 5 minutes, they are intellectual and have aged amazingly well. And of course, there is "Making Flippy Floppy". I have no clue what this song is about? At first I thought it was about making babies but each verse talks about something different and even touches on capitalism. Also Byrne openly "disses" Ronald Reagan in the lyrics which I can't help but chuckle at: "I can't believe it and people are strange. Our President's crazy, did you hear what he said? Business and pleasure lie right to your face. Divide it in sections and give it away..." The last song I will discuss is "Slippery People". This song has some gorgeous harmonies from Nona Hendryx and Dolette MacDonald. "Slippery People is another track that makes me scratch my head in terms of the lyrical content but musically, it's the most engaging. I think this album is brilliant. Every time I listen to it, it makes me joyful. If you're looking for a fun, zany New Wave album from the early '80s (that has substance) then "Speaking in Tongues" is the one for you. Enjoy!
Reviewer: W.T.
Rating: 1.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Skips, replacement skips too
Review: I love this album, but there must be a bad batch out there right now. My copy had some terrible skips on the first track. If I had read the recent reviews, I would have seen that this is not a one-off issue. My first copy skipped on track one (Burning Down the House). Rest of the album was fine. I returned and got a replacement. This one skips even worse. I'll have to return this one too, I guess. Don't buy this one from Amazon (or wait a while). Who knows how many copies they have in inventory...could be a while.
Reviewer: John M.
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Hallelujah!
Review: After 6 tryâs over a number of years, finally got a copy that doesnât skip. Either itâs a new pressing or just luck of the draw, it is an album necessary for a good collection. Keep trying. They are good about returns.
Reviewer: Kaitlin Cook
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great
Review: Great album from a great artist. The vinyl was not damaged when I received it, and it plays well on my record player.
Reviewer: Michael
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Plays perfectly, sounds fantastic (vinyl)
Review: I almost didnât get this from all the negative reviews but Iâm glad I did as it sounds amazing. Super clean and bass you feel in your gut, even without a subwoofer.Most of the video reviews that complain about skipping are from customers with lower end all-in-one turntables. Sure, all brand new records should be able to play on any setup, but if you have a decent turntable, I wouldnât hesitate to buy this based on the negative reviews
Reviewer: eddie
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Cracked case
Review: i absolutely love this album and the cd sounds great, but the case was cracked when it arrived. nothing too bad and iâm not gonna bother sending it back but it was a little disappointing.
Reviewer: Andy
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: lo amo
Reviewer: Pedro
Rating: 1.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Não recomendo, o disco veio todo arranhado e não consigo mais trocar. Produto agora só servirá de decoração, pois não tem condições de ouvir.
Reviewer: Danny
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Kudos for the seller rarewaves-ca for excellent service after the record arrived with several broken songs and repeating issues. The seller advised it was shipped from the manufacturer and dispatched a replacement...sadly it was also faulty so they refunded my money. Thank you rarewaves-ca
Reviewer: Reiner Dongmann
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Schnelle Lieferung
Reviewer: Matt
Rating: 1.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: PÅyta zacina siÄ na praktycznie każdej piosence.