album #35

remain in light (talking heads)

I really liked this album a whole lot. It's a worldly, eccentric work- nice currents of funk and new wave, a joy to listen to. The album organizes itself very nicely on this arc, first it gets faster and faster, and then ends going slower and slower.

"Born Under Punches," the opener, is wonderful. Funky, mysterious, worldly. Cool lyrics. It feels like a twilight visit to a secret society in the jungle. It really feels like one of the defining Talking Heads songs, a compelling mix of primitivism and futurism. I love the low, rolling phrase “All I want is to be…" mixed in with the chants and the controlled sparks of the guitar. The next two songs get faster- "Crosseyed and Painless" is cool, funky and fast, "The Great Curve" gets frantic and searching- if "Crosseyed" was a jam, "Curve" is a mission. "Once in a Lifetime" is obviously a classic, and the moment where the chorus begins to fade into "Same as it ever was" feels like the turning point of the entire album, setting off the second half, which grows slower and more contemplative with every track.

"Houses in Motion" and "Seen and Not Seen" are both subtle and mysterious- the latter almost feels like a chant, opening a series of closing songs that evokes that 'jungle secret society' vibe once more, this time focusing on an individual setting out on his own, like a tribal ritual. "Listening Wind" is the lonely pilgrimage, the tribal youth speaking to himself as he wanders a mysterious landscape. And "The Overload" is a dark, ominous crawl.

Exciting, interesting combinations of instruments and witty, charming lyrics. The two types of songs I liked most were the fast, funky, poppy songs, and the songs that really capture the spirit of eccentric, worldy experimentation- the opener and "Houses" in particular. The closing tracks are a little too slow and drippy for my tastes, but in general a terrific, fascinating work.