Remain In Light (studio album) by Talking Heads

This record is probably #1 1980 on this site because humans that has a need to be identified by other humans as intellectual regard this LP as clever. I am also a bit like that though I try my best not to. So I currently have it in a #12 position. My favourite track as a kid was Listening Wind and therefore it still kinda is but of course I totally get that it 'should be' Once in a Lifetime and today it also almost is too, and tomorrow it might be - my favourite. Houses in Motion is my #3 rated track here so that means side 2 contains two of my favourites which makes it (side 2) a more bearable listen to me than for many others who don't share my feelings for the mystique in Listening Wind. I find the production on my copy a bit foggy and in lack of punch in bass and in treble also. The musical arrangements on this album is Talking Heads at their absolute peak imo so in that matter it deserves it's (on this site) standing as their top achievement, I guess. Side 1 is amazing but side 2 has two very skipable sketches of elevator music or at least NOT MEMORABLE AT ALL 'songs' that ought to drag this product way lower on the overall Besteveralbums ranking list than it's slightly embarrassing current #27 standing.

Erratic album for me. The first 5 tracks are great - Once In A Lifetime and The Great Curve, in particular, are top tier. But then the last 3 bring the average down. This is generally regarded as their best album, but I would put Speaking In Tongues above it, just for consistency.

One of the best albums of the 1980s. A revolutionary work that influenced much of what would become trends in the following years.

Is this the best album of 1980? really? better than AC/DC Back in Black? Even is this the best album of Talking Heads??? TH:77, Little creatures, speaking in tongues?? Im sure not

This is a creative and unique listen but it just fails to captivate me every time I hear it. The group do a great job at combining several genres together and making a soundscape that I have never heard before. This definitely benefits from the production stylings of Eno and the voice of Byrne which gives the music this darker and edgier tone which is best evidenced on Listening Wind. Then you have the brilliant track that is Once In A Lifetime which is the groups best ever song in my opinion. Where the album struggles for me is that second side especially with the 6 minute final track which I would argue is skippable. There just isn't enough to hook me and keep me constantly engaged throughout the whole release. You get glimpses on several songs but then there are moments that feel insignificant and like a waste of time. Overall, the outstanding segments on here are let down by a few slower and weaker songs which hold it back in my opinion.

TAKE A LOOK AT THESE HANDS.

Real talk though this is the one album you can't even possibly comprehend which year and area it's from. Pretty much timeless.

Interesting soundwriting and really influential. Definitely front half heavy though.

If to be honest, it is one of the worst albums of 1980. 🤷🏻‍♂️

I will make another assessment when I listen to this more, but his is what I’ve got after about 4 full listens in:

I was completely shocked at how enjoyable this album is. I always thought Talking Heads were way too weird for my taste. I knew “Once in a Lifetime” from when I was younger and thought David Byrne was very strange because of its music video, even though it always stuck with me. I knew “Psycho Killer” because of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (which also made me aware of Tina Weymouth’s Tom Tom Club), and I always thought “Burning Down The House” was annoying. So that’s what I knew of this band before making a blind purchase of this album on CD.

However, I was immediately gripped by “Born Under Punches” and found this album to be both accessible and expansive, both expressive and intrinsic, both danceable and thought-provoking. I don’t know how the band was able to blend such different genres (in 1980, mind you) and come away with all the superlatives previously mentioned.

Byrne finds a great lane for himself by embodying a sort of preacher character on a lot of these songs, giving each cut a little extra personality. The loops recorded aren’t detracting from the bouncy instrumentation and add layers to each track. The audial tennis match between guitars and bass give the album a great, zooming pace (especially in the first half) and add layers to the quieter, more introspective back half.

Side A definitely dominates Side B, but I need to give the entirety of the album a deeper listen. It’s going to be a “more time put in = more taken out” situation, but I’m here for it!

Favorite tracks: Born Under Punches, The Great Curve, Once in a Lifetime

From flamingyesdept 02/21/2023 20:53

Definitely the most 'fun' album ever made

I think I've decided I don't really "get" this band. I thought Speaking in Tongues was decent, but other than Once In A Lifetime, which is a great song, this album just doesn't do anything for me. Can't see how it's the 29th best album of all time, but each to their own.