The 1983 Listening Post - Talking Heads - Speaking in Tongues

Talking Heads - Speaking in Tongues

#103

June 1983
Talking Heads
Speaking in Tongues
4.75 out of 5

Highlights:
Burning Down the House
Making Flippy Floppy
Girlfriend is Better
Slippery People
Swamp
This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)

While Talking Heads are better live, more immediate, more funky, they really come into their own here. I don’t know if anyone thought they had this in them, the way Bowie appealing to the masses was a surprise earlier in the year. Also, I’m quite taken with the notion that percussive rhythms are really prevalent in 83. Manfred Mann. Malcolm McLaren. Heads. Others. World Music seems to have overtaken just about everything in this year.
There’s more Tom Tom Club on this album than was apparent before and we are all the better for it.
“Put away that gun, this participle.” Well, that’s what I thought Byrne was saying. :)

As immediately danceable and listenable in 18 as it was 35 years ago.

Plays from Apple Music

Speaking In Tongues

Talking Heads

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