Album: Remain In Light
Artist: Talking Heads
Born: Providence, Rhode Island
Released: October 1980
Genre: Funk Rock
Influenced: Arthur Russell, Beck, Franz Ferdinand, Vampire Weekend, Arcade Fire
Across the Atlantic, there wasn't the same concentrated burst of post-punk activity as seen in Britain in the late 70s / early 80s, partly because punk didn't die such a spectacular death in the US. Some of the best American punk bands, like the Dead Kennedys, the Minutemen and Black Flag, developed a more hardcore sound, while a separate strain of geeky, new wave acts emerged including the B-52s, the Cars, Devo and the Talking Heads. Teaming up with Brian Eno and drawing on African and funk music, the Talking Heads were one of the most innovative and forward-looking groups on the American scene. Like many bands of that era, the Talking Heads' sound evolved fast, starting out part of the New York punk scene in 1975 (their first gig was opening for the Ramones at CBGB), initially inspired by the Modern Lovers and Patti Smith, as well as 60s pop and funk, but later incorporating elements of Afrobeat, krautrock and hip hop. Each of their first three albums has fantastically original songs, from Talking Heads: 77 (Psycho Killer, Love -> Building On Fire) to More Songs About Buildings & Food (Artists Only, The Big Country) and Fear of Music (Life During Wartime, I Zimbra) but, for me, Remain In Light is their most complete statement. The improvised playing and fusion of dance and rock music opens up completely new musical territory.
Each of the songs on side 1 are first rate, but my favourite is Crosseyed and Painless, music for the head and the feet. Predating the growing influence of African music on solo artists like Peter Gabriel and Paul Simon throughout the 80s, Brian Eno and the Talking Heads draw heavily on African rhythms, fusing them with Adrian Belew's funky guitar riffs and David Byrne's Kurtis Blow-inspired rapping. The brilliant video (above) also featured New York street dancing. The sampling and electronic beeps that Eno adds to Born Under Punches, as well as the various layers of funky guitar and rhythmic drums, emphasise Byrne's lyrics about a man on the edge, overwhelmed by the information age. Both The Great Curve and Once In A Lifetime reveal a heavy debt to Fela Kuti, the first building to a sensual finale with brilliant ensemble vocals and the second with its off-kilter rhythm. Released as a single, Once In A Lifetime was a Top 20 hit in the UK but barely registered in the US; it would, however, find a new life in the MTV age. I loved the song long before I knew who it was by. Other side 2 highlights are Houses In Motion, Listening Wind and The Overload, the latter clearly influenced by Joy Division (who also incorporated African rhythms on Closer). "We wanted to develop an understanding of the African musical concept of interlocking, interdependent parts and rhythms that combine to make a coherent whole," Byrne said in an interview with Rolling Stone in 1980. Like Bowie, Talking Heads enlivened rock with new musical forms and stunningly original arrangements.
Across the Atlantic, there wasn't the same concentrated burst of post-punk activity as seen in Britain in the late 70s / early 80s, partly because punk didn't die such a spectacular death in the US. Some of the best American punk bands, like the Dead Kennedys, the Minutemen and Black Flag, developed a more hardcore sound, while a separate strain of geeky, new wave acts emerged including the B-52s, the Cars, Devo and the Talking Heads. Teaming up with Brian Eno and drawing on African and funk music, the Talking Heads were one of the most innovative and forward-looking groups on the American scene. Like many bands of that era, the Talking Heads' sound evolved fast, starting out part of the New York punk scene in 1975 (their first gig was opening for the Ramones at CBGB), initially inspired by the Modern Lovers and Patti Smith, as well as 60s pop and funk, but later incorporating elements of Afrobeat, krautrock and hip hop. Each of their first three albums has fantastically original songs, from Talking Heads: 77 (Psycho Killer, Love -> Building On Fire) to More Songs About Buildings & Food (Artists Only, The Big Country) and Fear of Music (Life During Wartime, I Zimbra) but, for me, Remain In Light is their most complete statement. The improvised playing and fusion of dance and rock music opens up completely new musical territory.
Each of the songs on side 1 are first rate, but my favourite is Crosseyed and Painless, music for the head and the feet. Predating the growing influence of African music on solo artists like Peter Gabriel and Paul Simon throughout the 80s, Brian Eno and the Talking Heads draw heavily on African rhythms, fusing them with Adrian Belew's funky guitar riffs and David Byrne's Kurtis Blow-inspired rapping. The brilliant video (above) also featured New York street dancing. The sampling and electronic beeps that Eno adds to Born Under Punches, as well as the various layers of funky guitar and rhythmic drums, emphasise Byrne's lyrics about a man on the edge, overwhelmed by the information age. Both The Great Curve and Once In A Lifetime reveal a heavy debt to Fela Kuti, the first building to a sensual finale with brilliant ensemble vocals and the second with its off-kilter rhythm. Released as a single, Once In A Lifetime was a Top 20 hit in the UK but barely registered in the US; it would, however, find a new life in the MTV age. I loved the song long before I knew who it was by. Other side 2 highlights are Houses In Motion, Listening Wind and The Overload, the latter clearly influenced by Joy Division (who also incorporated African rhythms on Closer). "We wanted to develop an understanding of the African musical concept of interlocking, interdependent parts and rhythms that combine to make a coherent whole," Byrne said in an interview with Rolling Stone in 1980. Like Bowie, Talking Heads enlivened rock with new musical forms and stunningly original arrangements.
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