Talking Heads – More Songs About Buildings and Food – 1978
Remember when bands gave a shit what their album covers looked like? Sigh…
The reason for the Talking Heads-rospective is because of Eno. I immersed myself in so much of his work (and come to love his work and his ambient work even more) that it seemed only natural, having looked at the album he produced for Devo and covered U2 in the very first Listening Post, that I should jump in to TH. (Another connection: Jerry Harrison, Guitar and Keys for TH, produced Violent Femmes 3rd album.)
More Songs is an album that I actually never heard. My cousin had it, I think. Some roommate in college had it, too. In 198? NY who DIDN’T own it?
Me.
So, what did Eno do? He’s got to deal with Warbling Dave up there and it’s not like he can just SHOVE him back in the mix. Instead, what you notice on MSAB&F are the drums and bass. The rhythm section is what this album’s about. Byrne’s still the bug-eyed demento but the band is more cohesive. They don’t just exist to serve him and his words. Eno brings them together and a unit of four.
Just as I start to find all the awkwardness a bit unrewarding, in comes “I’m Not in Love” and I’m reminded that the band is more than just a low-fi groove outfit. Now, it’s just as straining as the others but it doesn’t seem like it’s weird for weirdness sake. There’s a real sense of trying to accomplish something here.
But nothing on the record prepares you for “Take Me to the River”, the old Al Green song. Listening now, it’s obviously a companion piece to “Psycho Killer”. Maybe it’s sung by a victim of the psycho as he’s being dragged to his final resting place in some creek somewhere in the pacific northwest.
Works for me.
The album’s closer, “The Big Country” is actually a nice little track. A bit of country confection that, to be honest, I would never have expected from them. Well, it’s country, run through the hiccuping taffy machine that is David Byrne.
Sidenote: As I read bios for the band while listening to the music I found a quote where David Byrne refers to himself as “Borderline Asperger’s, I guess.” So, I’m not that far off.
Grade: B+
ASide: Take Me To The River,
BlindSide: Thank You for Sending Me an Angel, The Good Thing
