Talking Heads were an American new wave band who, between 1975 and 1991, recorded 96 songs, 12 of which were not officially released until after their break-up. The group has been described as "one of the most acclaimed bands of the post-punk era" by AllMusic and among the most "adventurous" bands in rock history by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. [1] [2]
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After leaving art school, Talking Heads released their debut single, "Love → Building on Fire", in early 1977, [3] followed by their debut album, Talking Heads: 77 , later that year. [1] The album contained "stripped down rock & roll" songs and was notable for its "odd guitar-tunings and rhythmic, single note patterns" and its "non-rhyming, non-linear lyrics". [4] While initially not a big hit, the album was aided by the single "Psycho Killer". [4] The band's follow-up, More Songs About Buildings and Food (1978), began the band's string of collaborations with producer Brian Eno. [1] Its songs are characterized as more polished than its predecessor, emphasizing experimentation and the rhythm section, as well as the genres of art pop and funk. [1] [5] The experimentation continued on Fear of Music (1979), in which the band began utilizing African-styled polyrhythms, most notably on the album's opening track "I Zimbra". [1] [6] The style and sound of Fear of Music was expanded upon on their final Eno collaboration, Remain in Light (1980). [6] [7] Often classified as their magnum opus [8] [9] and one of the best albums of the 1980s, [10] [11] the album integrated several new musicians, including a horn section, which helped the band further experiment on their African-style rhythms and their use of funk, pop, and electronics. [1] [7] After Remain in Light, the band went on a three-year hiatus and worked on solo projects. [1] During their hiatus, the live album The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads (1982), was released; it features live recordings of songs from their four albums to date, as well as the previously unreleased song "A Clean Break". [12]
In 1983, the band parted ways with Eno and released their fifth album, Speaking in Tongues (1983). [1] The album continued the rhythmic innovation of Remain in Light, but in a more stripped-down, rigid pop song structure. [1] The album also contained the band's first and only top ten hit, "Burning Down the House". [13] The band's sixth album, Little Creatures (1985), marked a major musical departure from their previous albums – its songs being straightforward pop songs mostly written by Byrne alone. [1] [14] After Little Creatures, the band released True Stories (1986), an album containing songs from Byrne's film of the same name. [1] [15] Notable songs from the album include one of the group's biggest hits, "Wild Wild Life", and "Radio Head", a song from which the English rock band of the same name took their name. [15] [16] Two years later, Talking Heads released their final album, Naked . [1] The album marked a return to the experimentation and styles of their Eno albums, most notably Remain in Light. [1] [17] After Naked, the band went on a hiatus; formally announcing their breakup three years later in 1991. [1] Their final release was the song "Sax and Violins", released on the Until the End of the World soundtrack that same year. [18]
Since their breakup, 12 previously unreleased songs have been officially released. The compilation album Sand in the Vaseline: Popular Favorites (1992) included five and the box set Once in a Lifetime (2003) included one, "In Asking Land", an outtake from the Naked sessions. [19] [20] The 2005 reissue of Talking Heads: 77 included the previously unreleased "I Feel It in My Heart", [21] and the 2006 reissues of Fear of Music and Remain in Light included unfinished outtakes from those albums' sessions. [22] [23]
