Strange Overtones

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Eno has also said the album is about "paint[ing] a picture of the human trying to survive in an increasingly digital world;" [6] themes that are explored in this song. "Strange Overtones" has been described as "a song about writing a song" [12] —the subject of the song struggles to write innovative music, but is overheard by a neighbor using beats that are "twenty years old." In terms of the genre of music, both Byrne [13] and Eno [12] have called it "electronic Gospel"—the backing tracks are the kind of electronic music for which Eno is known, paired with hopeful and inspiring lyrics from Byrne— [14] this song in particular features an uptempo backing track. [4] Eno had been thinking about Gospel for several years, [15] but couldn't write lyrics to hopeful songs. [16]

Eno considers the album "[S]omething that combines something very human and fallible and personal, with something very electronic and mathematical sometimes." And they tried to "make that picture of the human still trying to survive in an increasingly complicated digital world... It's quite easy to make just digital music and it's quite easy to make just human music, but to try and make a combination is sort of, exciting, I think." [17] Byrne considered his job as lyricist to "bring more humanity" to Eno's instrumentals, which can be "cold and academic." [18]

Reception

The song was downloaded over 40,000 times in its first three days of availability. [19] One of the earliest reviews for "Strange Overtones" was on the August 11, 2008, episode of NPR's All Songs Considered . [20] The Los Angeles Times called the track "intimate" [21] and Stereogum [22] echoed this by labeling it "warm"; it also received a positive review from Rolling Stone . [23]

Pitchfork Media gave the song several adulations, including a positive review in their discussion of Everything That Happens Will Happen Today [24] and naming the song number 11 track of 2008 [25] —including appearances on eight editors' end of the year lists [26] —and placing number 297 on the Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s. [27] Pitchfork also solicited the opinions of musicians for their favorite albums and songs of the year and The Watson Twins proclaimed "Strange Overtones" one of the best songs of 2008. [28] KCMP's Top 89 of 2009 featured the song on two editor's lists. [29] Mark Wheat of NPR named it one of the top 10 songs of 2009. [30]

Ranking 60th for the year, this song was one of several from Everything That Happens Will Happen Today which appeared on The Village Voice's Pazz & Jop singles poll for 2008—"Life Is Long" placed 337, "My Big Nurse" was 350, "Everything That Happens" ended up at 748, and "I Feel My Stuff" reached 942. In addition, a vote was cast for "Strange Undertones". [31]

Personnel

See also

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References

  1. Byrne, David. "DavidByrne.com — Everything That Happens Will Happen Today". David Byrne . Retrieved August 5, 2008.
  2. 1 2 Abrahams, Leo (May 18, 2008). "Pie 'n' mash with Brian Eno". Leo Abrahams. Archived from the original on July 20, 2009. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
  3. Abrahams, Leo (April 6, 2008). "Unexpected Prog Roast". Archived from the original on October 6, 2008. Retrieved April 22, 2009.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  4. 1 2 "Dynamic Duo". Billboard . Retrieved June 15, 2011.
  5. Byrne, David (August 4, 2008). "David Byrne Journal: 08.04.2008: 'Strange Overtones' Available". David Byrne. Archived from the original on September 12, 2008. Retrieved August 4, 2008.
  6. 1 2 "Eno: "I've stopped buying CDs"". Yahoo!. August 8, 2008. Retrieved March 2, 2010.
  7. Fernández Escobar, Ramón (February 21, 2009). "Genios reunidos". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved June 8, 2011. Tras las experiencias de Radiohead o Nine Inch Nails y lo mucho que había escrito sobre el tema, creí que debíamos llevarlo a la práctica.
  8. Dogonaut (September 4, 2008). ""Strange Overtones" video". David Byrne . Retrieved September 4, 2008.
  9. Lapatine, Scott (July 20, 2010). "David Byrne, St. Vincent Collaborate With Bang On A Can's Asphalt Orchestra". Stereogum . Retrieved July 20, 2010.
  10. Whatley, Jack (August 5, 2020). "Listen to Whitney's cover of David Byrne and Brian Eno's 'Strange Overtones'". Far Out Magazine. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  11. "Whitney cover David Byrne and Brian Eno's "Strange Overtones": Stream". Consequence of Sound. August 4, 2020. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
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  13. "Side Dish: David Byrne performs with Paul Simon". Daily News. New York City, New York, United States. April 11, 2008.
  14. O'Donnell, Paul (February 11, 2009). "David Byrne's Spiritual, Not Riveting Albums". Beliefnet . Retrieved April 22, 2009.
  15. "The Current Presents: Brian Eno". The Current Presents. Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. October 2, 2009. 47 minutes in. KCMP.
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  19. Pareles, Jon (August 15, 2008). "Together Again in Different Time Zones". New York Times .
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"Strange Overtones"
David Byrne and Brian Eno - Strange Overtones.png
Single by David Byrne and Brian Eno
from the album Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
ReleasedAugust 4, 2008 (2008-08-04)
Recorded Demoed in Eno's London home studio (2006), finished by Byrne and Leo Abrahams in New York City (2008)
Genre
Length4:17
Label Todo Mundo
Songwriter(s) David Byrne and Brian Eno, with Leo Abrahams
Producer(s) David Byrne and Brian Eno, with additional production by Leo Abrahams
David Byrne and Brian Eno singles chronology
"The Jezebel Spirit"
(1981)
"Strange Overtones"
(2008)
"One Fine Day"
(2009)
David Byrnesingles chronology
"U.B. Jesus"
(2001)
"Strange Overtones"
(2008)
"Please Don't"
(2009)