3/22/2021 0 Comments Talking Heads First Album
I remember hearing Talking Heads for the first time on XRT when I was a loyal listener myself sitting on the couch, cranking my stereo receiver.Then I heard this strange voice.Nervous. Edgy. Twitchy.Out of Sorts. It perfectly matched the lyrics: I cant seem to face up to the facts.
The singer wasnt just quirky, he was a Psycho Killer who spoke French and threw in Fa Fa Fas. I guessed this was the punk and new wave I knew nothing about. I liked it. A lot. Turned out Psycho Killer was the least quirky of the songs on the album. In no way was I prepared for the sudden tempo changes, the herky jerky rhythms that were nervously funky or the lyrics sung by David Byrne. He seemed like someone who had problems. This was Art Rock made by ambitious art students. It was too weird for most rock fans and it would take four albums and a groundbreaking concert film for Talking Heads to hit the mainstream, but the debut is still my favorite. ![]() I already had their import single, a cover of The Kinks, Stop Your Sobbing produced by Nick Lowe. I liked it ok, but it did not prepare me for Side 1 of The Pretenders self- titled album. No band at the time was able to mix punky new wave aggression and attitude with rock and roll hooks, chops and pop melodies. Incredible unconventional guitar leads from James Honeyman-Scott combined with Martin Chambers pounding rhythms and Pete Farndons bass gave the songs power, but it was the voice of Chrissie Hynde that made it special. Chrissies vibrato in track three, Up The Neck, made me listen to the song over and over again. The flip side featured the hits that still sound fresh today after a millions spins. Kid, Brass In Pocket and the killer closer Mystery Achievement. It was a woman who loved the Stones as much as The Sex Pistols and could bring those worlds together with a great band. Chrissie still records under The Pretenders name and the great songs of the 80s are certainly staples, but that debut is a near perfect album from beginning to end.
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