Q: What do you get when you cross a bunch of nerdy, middle-class Rhode Island School of Design students with the burgeoning mid-‘70s New York City punk rock scene?
A: The Talking Heads, obviously.
With a blend of mildly punk-ish aggression and off-beat charm, the Talking Heads grew to become one of the major bands of their time, incorporating elements of funk and world music into a seamless new wave whole. Lead singer David Byrne had a knack for finding mystery and awe in what would seem like the most mundane aspects of contemporary life.
Playlist 1
Playlist one covers the time of their first three albums, from the pleasantly agitated new wave eccentricity of Talking Heads ’77 and More Songs About Buildings and Food to the dark, near-paranoia of Fear of Music, which somehow manages to be simultaneously the most disturbing and funniest album of their career (for those of us with a suitably twisted sense of humor).
Playlist 2
Playlist 2 focuses on their incorporation of African rhythms on the brilliant classic Remain in Light and follow-up Speaking in Tongues. This shows the band at its peak—probably the playlist to start with, if you don’t know the band well.
Playlist 3
Playlist 3 shows a more relaxed band (both musically and psychologically) on Little Creatures, True Stories, and the worldbeat-influenced Naked, before going back full-circle to end with their very first single.
Cover Art:
- Remain in Light and More Songs About Buildings and Food: Source, Discogs.com
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