Remain In Light (studio album)
by Talking Heads

From SomethingSpecial 07/01/2025 12:09

On their fourth outing as a band, Talking Heads created an album so unusual but at the same time irresistibly hypnotic, drawing influence from Nigerian Afrobeat music, and blending African polyrhythms and funk with electronic sounds. Discarding traditional song structures for a series of looping grooves, Byrne and Co were able to create a sound never heard before in the world of popular music.

Well produced and got some nice talking inside head tape.

Good album, but the tracks all blended together. None stuck out, besides Once In A Lifetime and Born Under Punches

In some ways, this album is in the same genre as Blur's "Parklife" and Supertramp's "Breakfast in America." After hearing the album twice, I must conclude it is a scathing takedown of American Popular Culture disguised as an album of eclectic musical styles and compelling synth sounds.

Those that understand the album on a deeper level will grade it higher than those who simply hear it once, find there to be only one hit song ("Once in a Lifetime") and miss the deeper messages embedded in the lyrics.

By no means a masterpiece--there isn't enough melodic development to reach that apex--but certainly an excellent album, as well as a landmark album when it comes to original soundscapes; unusual and atypical, with cultural critiques spattered throughout. 9.5/10!

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.