Talking Heads' third studio album Fear of Music was released in 1979. Many of the songs feature complex rhythms, which the band began experimenting with after Brian Eno introduced them to world music by artists such as Fela Kuti, an African multi-instrumentalist. The album was a critical success, with many praising the band's growth, and remains one of the band's best reviewed albums. Commercially, it was fairly successful, peaking at 21 on the US charts.
Though I was initially turned off by the complex, intricate music and songs with simple one word titles like "Cities," "Paper," and "Animals"--both strong indicators that a band is taking themselves too seriously--I've found myself warming up to even the most icy melodies and grooving to even the most syncopated rhythms. I'm also pleased to find Bryne's lyrics becoming more thematic--many are dystopian satires like "Life During Wartime," which, despite how it appears, is apparently about living in New York City. As for his weird subjects, well, I've read enough Talking Heads lyrics by now to start chuckling at entire songs that warn about the dangers of air--careful, it can break your heart!--or that obsess over the rays of light that pass through paper. At the moment I'd rank it as their least effort so far, but if Fear of Music turns out like their first two, this one will only continue to grow on me. A-
