Review #39: Remain in Light, Talking Heads

#39: Remain In Light, Talking Heads

So my roommate is obsessed with David Byrne right now. That means that I have had to listen to David Byrne wail like a stuck cat almost a thousand times. She sits in our living room and watches Stop Making Sense like some kind of monster. I’m worried about the influence she’s having on my fish.

I’ve tried to listen to Talking Heads albums before. Back then I found them absolutely intolerable. Now I can appreciate that David Byrne is a genius or whatever who wrote really unique music or who cares. Some of the songs on this album are okay, but for the most part it STRESSED me OUT. This album feels like a panic attack in a crowded room to me.

It is, however, mercifully short.

FAVORITE SONGS:

“Once in a Lifetime” — Sweet God, a keyboard reprieve! This song was an oasis for me. This music video is the only piece of art David Byrne has made where I feel like I can recognize his genius. Everything else feels like being spoken to angrily by somebody in a different language.

“Listening Wind” — For some reason this one creeped me out in a good way. Go figure.

SONGS THAT CONFUSED ME AND MADE ME SCARED:

“Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)” — The guitar on this is great, but everything else is insane chaos. God it goes on for forever.

“Crosseyed and Painless” — More like clear-eyed and painful.

“The Great Curve” — Sometimes I pretend that David Byrne is just someone the rest of the band is taking pity on, and his only job is to go Hngyawwwwww in a deep voice. This guitar solo is amazing, though.

“Houses In Motion” — Whatever vuvuzela-like instrument that is sounds out of key.

“Seen and Not Seen” — Wow, and I thought I hated it when David Byrne wailed. Turns out I hate it when he talks too.

LEAST FAVORITE SONGS:

“The Overload” — “Just six more minutes, Karla, you can do it… Six more minutes of David Byrne tunelessly droning over eery synth music… Maybe it will be easier if I pop my own eardrums…”

IS RS FULL OF IT?

Nope, this is definitely the 39th best album of all time. Just because I hate something doesn’t mean I don’t get it, you know? Also, “Once in a Lifetime” is so good it cancels out the rest of it for me. My roommate can eat her heart out.

Review #38: Blonde on Blonde, Bob Dylan

Review #40: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, David Bowie