#1

Not sure where to start with this lot really. I’ve got the Stop Making Sense album like everyone else but don’t know which studio release to start with.

In terms of my taste in post-punk I’m into slightly weird, gloomy jerky stuff like very early New Order so if Talkin Heads have anything like that, then uh recommendations please.

Yours,

Waveyswirley

#2

Would say Fear of Music is the best place to start. Found it easier to get into the Remain in the Light which has longer songs and is more textual.

Both are good though and the only must have talking heads albums (outside of the live ones)

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#3

Songs About Buildings and Food is the pick of the bunch for me. Love every song on it.

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#4

Songs about and Fear of Music

#5

Fear of Music definitely. Their best record for me. Not a duff track on it. Closely followed by Remain in Light.

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#6

Start with Fear of Music based on what you said. And if you like that all of the first four albums plus The Name of this Band is Talking Heads are well worth checking out.

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#7

Another vote for ‘Fear Of Music’ followed by ‘Remain In Light’ here.

Going to personally vouch for ‘Talking Heads: 77’ here as my favourite though. I heard it at the right time in college and as a result some of those songs are burned into my brain today. ‘Don’t Worry About The Government’ is one of my favourite songs of all time.

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#8

Fear of Music and Remain in Light are both proper 10/10 albums so you won’t go far wrong with either of them.

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#9

I’m not a huge Talking Heads fan (I like them but haven’t listened to them enough) but my personal favourite of theirs Speaking in Tongues. It’s a fucking fun album and every track on it is a cracker. It’s new wave music but it’s also really synthy and funky.

#10

Not strictly Talking Heads but if you want gloomy jerky try My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts by David Byrne and Eno. Got the rhythmic aspect of TH but lots of thick textures and samples of late night radio broadcasts. Another fun thing about the album is that it’s supposed to be world music from an imaginary country or something like that

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#11

Yeah fantastic album.

#12

This sounds boss

#13

As mentioned above you really cant go wrong with fear of music or remain in light. Both of which are groundbreaking albums which I think still sound fresh today. I dont think Talking Heads really put a foot wrong for the first five albums. All are belters. Then from Little Creatures it’s a bit touch and go but still great in places.

Like the smiths I hope they never have a reunion. I saw David Bryne sing ‘This must be the place’ with St Vincent and it was great but it wasn’t even the highlight of a fantastic show. Id hate to see him milk a tour.

Anyway, favourite talking heads album - fear of music. Favourite song off that album - either Heaven or Animals.

Also check out the Tom Tom Club and Bryne’s solo stuff. I really loved that album he did with St Vincent amongst other stuff. He also appeared on one of the best tracks off the new De La Soul album…

#14

Wonderful band. Their first five records are tip top.

#15

Fear Of Music is easily one of my favourite albums of all time. First album that goes on the moment summer starts

#16

‘The Name of This Band is Talking Heads’ is amazing, my favourite live album by a mile.

#17

The Name of this Thread is Talking Heads

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#18

The Catherine Wheel OST by David Byrne is cracking too. It came out in 1981, and has a lot of the Remain in Light feel. Lots of familiar musicians guest on it, like Adrian Belew and Bernie Worrell.

It’s got a lot of short, nice instrumental pieces with a half dozen vocal songs (including What a Day That Was from Stop Making Sense), which are all great. There’s even one with sampled vocals like My Life in the Bush of Ghosts!

One of my top three TH-related records (RiL and FoM being the others).