Talking Heads – Remain In Light CD on Sale

Way back in 1980, the original wave of Talking Heads fans were pleasantly stunned to hear Remain in Light, produced and co-written by Brian Eno, on which Byrne and company are joined by guitar god Adrian Belew, and funk legends Bernie Worrell (keyboards) and Steven Scales (percussion), among others, for a fuller, funkier sound nobody imagined they had in them. The first three songs are long, layered, full-body dance parties, with incessantly repeated phrases (musical and lyrical), and increasingly catchy melodic hooks that won t let go for days. Once in a Lifetime was the big hit, but the rockingest track is the third, The Great Curve, after which the songs get more linear and subdued. It s still great stuff, right through to the especially Eno-like droner, The Overload, but the second half is maybe better to sleep to than dance to. Which is fine: after the exuberance of the first three songs, you ll need a little nap.