Talking Heads - More Songs About Buildings And Food (1978)

EU import

This album was included in the 2005 book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, with the line "David Byrne and Brian Eno were a match made in art-school heaven." And that's an understatement if I've ever heard one. Eno took the quartet from a nervy art-school curiosity and got them sounding like a fully operational band that nervously locks in and really grooves (mainly thanks to Tina and Chris). David Byrne sings like he's having a panic attack, delivering lyrics that somewhat cover the topics of buildings and food, but they're really about the various systems we have to deal with in our lives.

Definitely no sophomore slump here, but the best was yet to come.

Press of the time:

• Billboard: "superbly produced collection of 11 songs."
  
• CashBox: "The charm and humor of this minor classic are in giddy abundance."
• Record World: "should appeal to those outside of new wave circles as well as those from within."
• Rolling Stone: "so much humor and energy"
• Trouser Press: "very good"
• Roadrunner: "An extremely stimulating record"
• Robert Christgau (A): "Every one of these eleven songs is a positive pleasure"
• Record Mirror (+++++): "listen, and listen at length and with maximum attention. Here are the borders of pop music."
• Stereo Review: Recording of Special Merit

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: #29
• CashBox: #70
• Rolling Stone: #33

The album was voted the year's fifth best album in The Village Voice's Pazz & Jop critics' poll for 1978. The album has consistently been listed in Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time, #382 in 2003, #383 in 2012, and #364 in 2020 & 2023.

Tracks: I'm a big fan of the group's cover of Al Green's Take Me To The River (#26 pop), but of the originals here I've always been partial to Found A Job. Other favorites include Thank You For Sending Me An Angel, The Girls Want To Be With The Girls, and Artists Only.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: When I visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in October 2007, one of my favorite installations was the original Polaroid mosaic of the cover of this album. After seeing it for years as a 12" square, it was a pleasant surprise to see it as about a 6 foot square where I could get close and see each individual Polaroid. According to the exhibit, the mosaic sat above David Byrne's couch then the Polaroids were put in a shoe box for about 20 years before they made their way to Cleveland where the mosaic was reconstructed.

Previously revisited for the blog:

The Best Of (2004)	The Name Of This Band Is Talking Heads (1982)
Little Creatures (1985)	Remain In Light (1980)
Stop Making Sense (1984)	Fear Of Music (1979)
Speaking In Tongues (1983)	Talking Heads: 77 (1977)