David Byrne

Bonus musical highlights include four rhythmically-charged, unfinished Remain in Light outtakes (including one that eventually evolved into the band's signature "Once in a Lifetime") that allow insightful glimpses into Eno's innovative production techniques on the album, alternate versions of "Cities," "Life During Wartime" and "Mind" from Fear of Music, a countrified version of "Thank You For Sending Me an Angel" from More Songs About.. and a strangely muted early version of another Heads staple, Speaking in Tongue's "Burning Down the House." An early demo of "And She Was" from Little Creatures demostrates that the whole of a glorius pop song can be the assembly of its simple parts. While the additional visual materials (especially the raw early performance clips) are a welcome addition to the Heads' canon, they're also something of a tradeoff: a few of the band's videos are conspicuously absent, including Remain in Light's "Once in a Lifetime." But overlooking a couple of the band's better known promotional moments in favor of revealing new musical treasures and vastly improved, state-of-the-art audio scarcely blunts the appeal of this rewarding career overview. -- Jerry McCulley

Album Description

Formed in the mid-70's by art school chums David Byrne, Chris Franz, and Tina Weymouth-and ex-Modern lover Jerry Harrison-Talking Heads rose out of the CBGB punk crucible and proved themselves one of the most artistically adventurous and influential bands ever. Their visionary, polyrhyhmic sound fused elements including rock, funk, and punk with diverse world beats, avant-garde minimalism, and pure pop genius. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002, the band and their groundbreaking repertoire are celebrated in Rhino's deluxe DualDisc upgrade of their catalog. Now their critically praised recordings can be reexperienced as never before, with new DVD-A Surround mixes personally supervised by Jerry Harrison.

Customer Reviews:

Content excellent but hard to rip.......2007-07-09

The music is awesome, the bonus tracks are great, and the dvd features are pretty cool- HOWEVER, Duel Discs are excruciatingly difficult to rip to your computer. Some take hours per disc and you'll get skips in the tracks occasionally but some computers can't even rip them at all. BE WARNED!

excellent (and much needed) reissue set.......2007-06-19

I am beyond satisfied with the Talking Heads' Brick. While some complain of compatibility problems with their standard cd players and dual discs, I haven't experienced anything of the sort (but clearly it pays to check these things before making this purchase).

I'll also say that I do not have a 5.1 DVD system, so I'm only able to comment on the CD audio of this set.

That said, I was immediately taken aback by how good these discs sound. The clarity and depth of the recordings on the remastered cds far surpasses their predecessors, even more so than I anticipated. And I'm not much of an audiophile, but the difference is immediately noticeable, and certainly welcome.

The bonus video content is interesting and enjoyable. Admittedly it would have been more convenient to have a separate DVD disc with all of the video content, but it's not a big deal. The omission of the music video for "Once in a Lifetime" is indeed curious. All of the other promo videos are present (that I know of anyway), and the "Once in a Lifetime" video was a landmark for the group. There is a great live performance of the song included, but I can't imagine why the video was left off.

That's really my only complaint about this set. There are few bands whose catalog I will repurchase without hesitation, and the Talking Heads are among that elite class. And it's well worth it.

Soooo close to being perfect, but no!.......2006-12-09

Since most people visiting this site are already probably familiar with Talking Heads' music, I'll skip the hyperbole. You know how good their music is. And before I say anything else, I have to mention that it's definitely worth owning every single one of the albums included in this box. But you should also know how alternately revelatory and frustrating this boxed set turns out to be.

Now, then...the Brick.

What a great idea. Remaster all the albums, both in 2.0 and 5.1 mixes, one mix on either side of each disc in the DualDisc format, and box them all together. The thing to remember is, this isn't in a regular 5.1 DVD format where you can stick the disc in your DVD player and let it go. You have to have a DVD-Audio compatible DVD player to play these, so be sure about this before you take the plunge. (I've read that other people may have had some luck hearing a 5.1 mix without using DVD-A, but I haven't.) DVD-Audio requires a cable going from each channel on the DVD player to the corresponding ones on your receiver, so it's an extremely pure sound, but I really wish for convenience's sake that they'd formatted it in regular ol' DTS or Dolby Digital 5.1 sound for those without. I'm sure they had the best intentions, but on my Harman/Kardon 31 DVD player this means that you have to hit "play" on your DVD player, then "pause", then hit the "6-Channel" button on your remote before hitting "play" again to listen to the disc. Whatever.

The 5.1 mixes are a revelation...I've been listening to this music for over 20 years and I'm hearing so many things for the first time that have previously been buried in the mix...really incredible. Almost all of the discs benefit from this depth and clarity - especially More Songs, Remain in Light, and Naked. However, these were remixed by Jerry Harrison...so the keyboards are jacked up really high in the mix. Which is cool in some cases as they were initially (unfairly) minimized on certain albums. But it also means that Speaking In Tongues is an entirely different listen. The keyboard parts have dated a little bit, so it becomes a true artifact of the 80's. Huge sound, swirling effects, and distracting stereo trickery. It's almost as if it were reproduced by Esquivel.

Now for the bonuses -- the extra tracks on each disc are fascinating. Not fascinating enough to warrant repeated listenings in most cases, but intriguing if you're a Talking Headsophile. The artifacts from the Fear of Music and Remain in Light sessions, especially, provide indications as to Eno's influence in their writing process at the time. They sound much like Eno songs backed by the Heads. The demos, alternate takes, and remixes of several songs are also very cool. There are also a handful of additional outtakes, such as "I Feel It In My Heart" from the 77 sessions (which was deservedly left off the album) and "Sax and Violins" from the Naked sessions (which would have provided a much-needed ray of hope to close out the oppressively bleak second half of that album). However, some of them are given the 5.1 treatment while others inexplicably are not.

Worse, they've neglected to include some of the outtakes they've released on other collections in the past. Where's "I Want to Live", "Popsicle", "In Asking Land", "Gangster of Love", and "Lifetime Piling Up"? Those last two or three songs are lame, but as long as they're being comprehensive here, what gives? Also missing are the alternate versions of "Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town" and "New Feeling" previously released elsewhere. You can get some of this stuff on iTunes, by the way -- just not here. But that's not as unforgivable as the video omissions.

Although their last feeble collection, "Once in a Lifetime", was kind of a joke, it came boxed with the spectacular, expanded DVD version of their video collection "A Storytelling Giant". All of their videos were included with the original between-song vignettes intact. The Brick doesn't include this disc. Instead, they give us some early live stuff (admittedly, the shaky footage of "Warning Sign" gives me the shivers, it's so good) some Fear of Music-era live stuff (fine) and a smattering of their videos later on.

Excellent, but where's my favorite video of theirs, for "(Nothing But) Flowers"? How about "The Lady Don't Mind" or "Stay Up Late?" For god's sake, where are the original, revolutionary videos for "Crosseyed and Painless" and "Once in a Lifetime"!? They're shucked for live versions of both songs. This is shocking.

The packaging looks neat from the outside. Like everything else the band does, it's designed to fascinate. But it couldn't have killed them to have the names of the discs embossed on the spines. Likewise, it'd be great to be able to see exactly where the bonus songs are on the disc without digging through the CD insert to find the song titles. But now I'm nitpicking.

All that aside, I've spent hours poring over this treasure trove. It's my favorite band, after all. But you shouldn't spend this much on a boxed set and not get everything they could feasibly have crammed into it. Was it a contract issue or some kind of rights agreement that kept these significant items off the set? Good thing it was a gift, or I'd feel a liiiiiiitle cheated. But I'm going to give the Brick four stars because the band's just about the best thing in the world and this is where you can find (almost) all of it.

Anything less than 5 stars is absurd.......2006-12-02

Good God this is the greatest set EVER!!!
I am a music lover with over 500 CDs and 600+ vinyl. I've got all the Heads on vinyl and always came back to 'em year after year.
So when I found out that Jerry Harrison himself was doing the surround mixes, I couldn't resist. Especially after hearing such good things about the results!
So I bought The Brick. 1st - the packaging is unique. A sturdy molded white plastic box with emboss/extruded song titles all over it. Okay the CD cases are just plain white, and you have to open up the booklet just to see the song titles...but really this is not bad at all, as you tend not to skip around so much and just listen to it even more!
The bonuses consist of DVD videos and live clips, 2 or 3 per disc reflecting each era. Of course they are not up to the quality of the studio stuff, but that's to be expected and really there's little way to 'spruce up' an old videotape from a live show. The bonuses are still really good, though. The only wish that went unfulfilled here is that they don't include either live albums - I would especially have loved to get TNOTBITH with this, but it's understandable since that double album is a compilation in it's own right.
Now for the MUSIC: Holy God, this is the best ever. No band ever grooved like The Heads! The mix goes waaaay beyond typical surround and you feel like you're in the middle of the band itself, with FULL VOLUME instruments all around! That's Dave upfront, Tina thumping underneath, Chris wide open l-r, Jerry popping up in the front, back and sides...Bernie over there somewhere...Eno freaking the rhythm section through the rear...Belew soaring over my shoulders...synths, congas and rhythm guitars pecking away through the sides and rear...it goes on and on. Albums that I always enjoyed but never dug far into before ('77 & Food) are given glorious new mixes and have a whole new freshness and power to them.
There are other essential 5.1 rock discs out there...Roxy Music AVALON and Floyd's DSOTM being two...but this is THE BEST OF ALL.
EVERY SINGLE ALBUM in TOTAL SURROUND!!!

Packaging? meh. Music? yeah!.......2006-10-04

So Talking Heads fans will be wondering whether this is worth it if they already have most or all of the above-mentioned releases, and the answer is YES. This is true for all of the albums, but especially for Remain in Light and Naked, which really sound like new albums. Listening to either one of these records on the DVD-side surround mixes on solid speakers is a life-altering experience. (And furthermore, thanks to some tweaks and editing, in many ways the DVD sides really are different from the CD sides.) Even without surround, the remastered CD sides are an instantly noticeable improvement. The unreleased material and B-sides are generally excellent, and often provide insight into how the album, or its songs, were made or put together. The video extras, while few in number, are surprisingly good and aren't dated, grainy, or cheesy. Given how wretched music videos from the 70s and 80s tend to be, this is a testament to the artistic skill of the Heads.

As mentioned above in the title of this review, the packaging on this, while it looks cool, was really poorly designed. The backs of the individual cases are white, so we don't get to see the rear cover art, and they're also white on the side, so you can't tell which CD you've got until you pull it out. The exterior case is creatively designed but the CDs fit in it rather tightly, which means their cases are prone to breaking when you take them out, and they're rather difficult to get out. Also, many have had problems with the Dualdisc format (on my computer, the DVD-side is finicky on several of the discs and sometimes doesn't want to play).

But the heck with that. You buy CDs for the music, not to look at the tracklist on the back. If you are a Heads fan then get this. Believe the hype.

Average customer rating:

Thoughts...
Intelligent Bohemian Pop
An Opinion
A disappointment
Dudes, does the fun ever START?

Grown Backwards
David Byrne
Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Look into the Eyeball
Rei Momo
Uh-Oh
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Feelings

ASIN: B0001D3KNK
Release Date: 2004-03-16

Tracks:

Glass, Concrete and Stone
The Man Who Loved Beer
Au Fond du Temple Saint
Empire
Tiny Apocalypse
She Only Sleeps
Dialog Box
The Other Side of This Life
Why
Pirates
Civilization

Amazon.com

With 2003's Once In A Lifetime box set stirring old feelings for the Talking Heads' intelligent and angular pop music, this album could not arrive at a more appropriate time. After years of experimenting with salsa and strings, David Byrne returns with a cohesive record that catches him at his incohesive best: the stream-of-consciousness lyrics, the sly rhythms, the unexpected bursts of melody. Like recent works by Elvis Costello and David Bowie, Grown Backwards represents a return to form, particularly on leftfield songs like "Tiny Apocalypse" and "Dialog Box," which could have easily fit alongside the classics on his former band's retrospective. Meawhile, a duet with Rufus Wainwright on a cover of Bizet's "Au Fond du Temple Saint" points the way forward. --Aidin Vaziri

Customer Reviews:

Thoughts..........2007-03-22

I'm not sure about the album, but I mist say "Glass, Concrete, and Stone" is an AMAZING song with unique instrumentals and lyrics. It truly is extraordinary.

Intelligent Bohemian Pop.......2006-08-30

Masterfully composed and recorded by Ex Talking Head's frontman, Grown Backwards is an assured, slightly pretentious, eclectic pop triumph. From the opening notation, it is evident Bryrne has come in peace and is opting for joy throughout in a more welcoming, broader musical pallette. From sunny Mediterranean beaches to starlit Italian nights, this album has something for the slightly adventurous adult contemporary musical seeker in all of us, complementing the quirky, worldly instrumentation with his jaded humor to beautiful, transporting effect.

An Opinion.......2006-01-15

In response to the listener who may be dissatisfied or perhaps depressed - Mr. Byrne has not ventured so far as some may spite to believe. There is no replacement or even possible description for what the Talking Heads were. After the timely breakup of The Heads, (didn't they try to sell that sans Byrne?) Mr Byrne seemed to revisit his earlier trecks into pure composition. My point being: file this one with the subdivision including "The Forest" and "My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts". If you want to hear "Rei Momo", put in "Rei Momo".Enjoy your space...

A disappointment.......2005-10-10

Byrne has been inching in this direction ever since his 1994 self-titled album, and indeed ever since his divorce from Talking Heads. It's as though he ever wants to be legitimized, assuming that his work with Talking Heads was simply kindergarten scrawl and he now wants to paint on canvas and be taken seriously in higher circles. Accordingly, 'Grown Backwards' is the most polished and mature work Byrne has yet put forth, and it's also the blandest. I have not listened to it more than a couple of times. Sure, it has a pleasing sound, but it's the kind of pleasing sound that invites airplay over the speakers at your local AMC multiplex or bookstore. This is safe and very commercial. Byrne jettisons any pretense to funk that at least made 'Look Into the Eyeball' a lively record, and tries to "grow up" and produce a more "intimate" and "candid" work. His interpretations of Bizet and Verdi are novelties before they're anything else, although they're serviceable enough. Byrne gives a competent interpretation of these compositions, but they never rise above competent. They strive for sincerity, as does Byrne's austere pose on the album cover, and one gets the sense that Byrne just isn't at home in this brand of sincerity. Byrne's solo career, an interesting and valid one, has been one long attempt by Byrne to find himself. Although he seems to be trying to mask it, Byrne is still the adrift, schizoid space alien, tentative and ill-at-ease in the presence of and in relation to others, that he was when he started his career, although this anxiety simply isn't producing music quite as exciting. In a way, he's more pretentious and self-conscious now than when he was wearing the big suit. Creative maturity doesn't have to sound like this.

Dudes, does the fun ever START? .......2005-08-01

Hey, what's up dudes and dudettes?? Well, all I can say about this David Byrne CD is:

WHERE'S VAN HALEN WHEN YOU NEED 'EM!!!

David "the geek" Byrne has got to be one of the weakest singer/songwriters to ever set foot in the dangerous and gritty world of rock + roll. Heck, even this guy's appearance on the Simpsons came off as dull. How can you manage to be lame around Homer and the gang?!

This disk is full of jittery vocals and clever lyrics that make meatheads like me long for the days of Styx, BTO, Motley Crue and Journey. I can't keep up with this guy's scattered way of thinking!! "Grown Backwards" is the summation of thin music. Listen to "Pyromania," Mr. Byrne, then call me in the morning. Byrne could use a fire under his kiester to jump-start his music and aura. Agreed?

Speaking of aura, does anyone know when Roth is reuniting with his bros in Halen? That will be a magical day indeed!!

Until then, skip this CD and pick up the latest heavy rock music available. It's up to us to shut down David "the worm" Byrne before his geeky lyrics infiltrate the world, thus causing an utter meltdown in music.

DO WHAT'S RIGHT!!!!!!!

LATER DUDES!!!!!!!!!

Average customer rating:

Brilliant
BRIT-LATIN FUSION SOUND !!!
A Masterpiece
Latin-influenced Byrne
No Heads, just Byrne...

Rei Momo
David Byrne
Manufacturer: Sire / London/Rhino
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Rhino Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
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Uh-Oh
Look into the Eyeball
David Byrne
Feelings
Grown Backwards

ASIN: B000002LIV
Release Date: 1989-09-25

Tracks:

Independence Day
Make Believe Mambo
The Call Of The Wild
Dirty Old Town
The Rose Tattoo
Loco De Amor
The Dream Police
Don't Want To Be Part Of Your World
Marching Through The Wilderness
Good And Evil
Lie To Me
Office Cowboy
Women Vs. Men
Carnival Eyes
I Know Sometimes A Man Is Wrong

Amazon.com essential recording

Three years after Paul Simon's Graceland, the most identifiable member (by far) of the Talking Heads ventured way beyond his band's terrain with his solo debut. With Rei Momo, David Byrne inaugurated his plunge into Latin American music, doing so with a variety of styles, from son to salsa to merengue to samba, each lit with horn charts and piles of rhythm. The album, like Graceland, inspired some critiques (many of them vehement) of Byrne's cherry picking of styles, which smacked a bit of postmodern exotica. The album certainly genre hops, mixing national styles with lyrics that gnash about Latin American political and human rights concerns. Released a decade prior to the late-1990s fascination with native Cuban popular music, Rei Momo sheds light on the background for the explosion of interest in Buena Vista Social Club as well as the meteoric rise of Latin pop, which shares Byrne's border-agnostic mesh of all available styles. More than anything, though, Rei Momo stands as one of Byrne's most inspired outings, perhaps even as an early pinnacle of his now-lengthy solo career. --Andrew Bartlett

Amazon.com

The former Talking Head's first real solo album (not counting collaborations with Twyla Tharp, Robert Wilson, and Brian Eno) is one of the more charming examples of cultural cannibalism to date. Byrne's now nearly old-fashioned concern with the rootless, consumer-driven insubstantiality of everyday life assumes a goofy irony when sung quirkily over deep Afro-Latino grooves and throbbing choruses cowritten and performed with salsa greats like Willie Colon, Johnny Pacheco, and bassist Andy Gonzalez. Byrne's best songs, "Make Believe Mambo" and "The Call of the Wild," are highly pleasurable if rather anxious demonstrations of the limits of taking the entire world as artistic fodder. His 1989 album sometimes sounds as though he were merely checking items off a list, like a dissatisfied customer trying on countless pairs of shoes in hopes of finding a perfect fit. --Richard Gehr

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant.......2006-03-08

I remember when this came out. I was about 14 - ok I'm dating myself. I remember kinda liking the talking heads and byrne but thinking they were really strange. Now a 30ish guy I have rediscovered the band and the man. I just got this record and I have to say its taken a couple listens - but it is brilliant.

BRIT-LATIN FUSION SOUND !!!.......2005-05-09

If such thing exists at all !! Well David Byrne managed to merge latin american music with a definite brit-pop-new wave style only slightly reminiscent (but for the inmistakable voice) of his talking head-era sound.Being a latin myself (argentinian),and surprisingly loathing latin rythms,I could'nt help but love this bunch of songs,which have since changed my whole perspective about my musical roots.Thank you David,for this fantastic ecclectic blend of sonic magic only a genius like you could have put together.The icing on the cake ? fantastic production !!!!!

A Masterpiece.......2005-02-12

Any Byrne solo or Talking Heads fan who has not heard this album needs to---now. For me, this is the pinnacle of his solo work. Talk about genre bending, he has written songs ranging from the Columbian cumbia to Brazilian samba, and seemingly everything Latin in between. Lyrically scary and musically enchanting. What can you say about this? It just shows the pure genius of David Byrne.

Latin-influenced Byrne.......2004-11-28

Former Talking Heads front man David Byrne presents a Latin-flavored disk that explodes with energy-manic percussion, blaring horns, the works. Purists may turn up their noses at this music, but I think it's very exciting to hear the influence and interplay of differing musical traditions. Not to mention the fact that Byrne has written some plain old-fashioned great songs, as usual. Standout tracks include "Independence Day," "Lie to Me," and "I Know Sometimes A Man Is Wrong."

No Heads, just Byrne..........2004-07-30

This album contains one of pop music's most double-take inducing opening lines (find out for yourself). Soon, though, the lyrics blend amazingly with the rich latin-hued music that dominates the entire album. The fun never lets up until the meditative and insect-accompanied 'I Know Sometimes A Man is Wrong' closes the party.

This wasn't really David Byrne's first 'solo' album. But since he released it after the Talking Heads' rather anti-climactic breakup (no farewell tour or big press releases accompanied this sad event, but perhaps it surprised no one) the album easily gets subsumed this way (1985's all-solo - i.e., no Brain Eno - 'Music for the Knee Plays' technically fulfills this function; this unjustifiably still remains unreleased on CD).

When 'Rei Momo' came out in 1989 some critics complained that Byrne had left his Talking Heads heritage behind. They wanted more 'Cities', 'Once in a Lifetime', and 'Psycho Killer' (who can blame them?). But this release should not have come as too much of a surprise given the Talking Heads' latin pop-tinged final album, 'Naked'. 'Rei Momo' completes the structure that 'Naked' began building. Many said it then: Byrne has gone 'latin loco'.

David Byrne fans will recognize his style in every song, regardless of the musical tone. Though the off-kilter 'Independence Day' may initially throw some listeners for a loop. Give it time, give it time.

The energy never lets up. From 'Independence Day's' beautiful and surprising violin solo the beats roll and tumble at you, inspiring wiggly behavior humans often associate with dancing and joy. This is a very musically happy album. Dance.

Inspired by the South American pop Byrne featured on his Luaka-Bop albums (The 'Brazil Classics' series, Tom Zé, etc.), 'Rei Momo' explodes with horns, shakers, graters, congas, plucky guitars, sprightly piano, violins, the occassional Portugese phrase, open-throated wailing, and even Celia Cruz. Despite the influence David Byrne permeates this album.

Some have complained that Byrne horribly misunderstood and misrepresented the rhythyms and music that inspired this album. The song list also includes 'styles' in parentheses (e.g., 'Cumbia', 'Merengue', 'Samba', 'Pagode', etc). Maybe he did. This might bother latin music aficionados, but David Byrne fans probably won't bat an eye. Not to mention that it's very possible that 'Rei Momo' opened a new musical world for many listeners in the United States. Those who didn't go out and pick up some home-grown Brazilian or South American pop after hearing this probably weren't paying attention. Though 'Rei Momo' didn't cause a latin-pop music explosion in the USA (radio stations mostly ignored it), at least Byrne tried. It remains and will always be an amazing effort and a great album from start to finish.

Average customer rating:

Great album for a wonderful cause!

Red Hot and Latin Redux

Manufacturer: Nacional Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Reina

ASIN: B000FUF88E
Release Date: 2006-07-25

Tracks:

Pepe & Irene - Los Lobos
Yolanda Niguas - David Byrne
Gente Que No - Todos Tus Muertos
What's New Pussycat? - Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
El Son Del Dolor - Youth Brigade
Wanna Be Loved - Buju Banton
Quien Es Ese Negro - Mellow Man Ace
Padre Nuestro - Reign
Whoever You Are - King Chango
Aguas De Marco - Cibo Matto
Una Hoja Una Raiz - Laurie Anderson
Cosas Que Me Ayudan A Olvidar - Andres Calamaro
Que Bonita Bailas - Nortec Collective
Peligroso Pop - Plastilina Mosh
Sol Tapado - Thievery Corporation
Sister Twisted - Kinky
Crosseyed And Painless - Brazilian Girls

Album Description

This 10-year anniversary re-issue of the groundbreaking benefit album includes new bonus tracks from Brazilian Girls/Kevin Johansen, Thievery Corporation, Nortec Collective, Kinky, and Plastilina Mosh. It also features re-mastered tracks such as the original groundbreaking bilingual collaborations between David Byrne/Café Tacuba, Fishbone/Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Los Lobos/Money Mark, and Laurie Anderson/Aterciopelados. Profits will go to the Red Hot Organization to continue fighting AIDS in the Latino community and in Latin America.

Customer Reviews:

Great album for a wonderful cause!.......2006-07-25

I loved the original edition of "Red Hot & Latin" when it came out 10 years ago, but the new re-issue track is even better! Highlights include the new bonus tracks from Brazilian Girls/Kevin Johansen, Kinky, Nortec Collective, and Thievery Corporation....but the older material also holds up quite well.
I still think that Fishbone and Los Fabulosos Cadillacs' collaboration on "What's New Pussycat" is such a blast - those guys should tour together again some time!

This album was truly groundbreaking when it first came out - there were bilingual collaborations from many acts, WAY before this was commonplace. Any fan of Latin, world, or alternative music needs to own this album.....plus, all the proceeds go to fight HIV/AIDS in Latin America and the U.S. Latino community, so it's for a worthy cause.

Average customer rating:

Admittedly Not DB's Masterpiece...
my first david solo cd....
5 Stars ...for price, service, and product.
Oh my god...
GET THIS NOW!

Look into the Eyeball
David Byrne
Manufacturer: Virgin Records Us
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Grown Backwards
Feelings
Uh-Oh
Rei Momo
David Byrne

ASIN: B000059XNQ
Release Date: 2001-05-14

Tracks:

U.B. Jesus
The Revolution
The Great Intoxication
Like Humans Do
Broken Things
The Accident
Desconocido Soy (with NRU from Cafe Tacuba)
Neighborhood
Smile
The Moment Of Conception
Walk On Water
Everyone's In Love With You

Amazon.com

Since disbanding the Talking Heads many years back, David Byrne has charted a singular course in the pop world. He has delved deeply into the worlds of both Brazilian and African music, while never losing touch with his art-school rock roots. With the release of Look into the Eyeball Byrne once again delivers a seamless blend of the musical forms that inspire him, with his trademark wry humor and keen sense of detail. While Byrne may never write the great heartbreaking standard, there is something quite moving about his droll observations on modern life. In songs like "Smile" and "The Revolution" (both of which feature beautiful string arrangements) one senses a genuine sadness, whereas perhaps in the old Talking Heads days one would feel only that they were lucky to be in on some prankster's intellectual joke. So what we have here is a mature artist at the height of his powers adding yet another classic to his already prodigious canon. --Ike Bolton

Customer Reviews:

Admittedly Not DB's Masterpiece..........2007-07-05

...but Byrne's nadir surpasses most artists' peaks. (Not that this is his worst by a long shot.)
The beauty of Heads/Byrne is his turgid lyrics mean different things at different stages of life. Same has held true with this album after a few years of listening. Some songs that seemed brilliant the first time I heard them now seem a little silly, and some that flashed past back then have blossomed.
I wouldn't recommend this CD for someone who only had enough money to buy 5 of the greatest Heads/Byrne CDs; BUT probably would for someone who was buying the best overall 30 CDs.
If he's cashing in, at least this CD sucks much less than what Dylan, Petty, Jagger and the rest of these 60-somethings are putting out lately.

my first david solo cd...........2007-05-02

and i love it!!!!:)

from beginning to end, this cd is great. it includes some of the happiest songs i think i have ever heard, which is coming from a big fan of happy songs.:)

cool. just cool is the only way besides super great to describe this cd. is it a good place to start your david byrne collection?? i dont know, but its definetley persuaded me to check out everything else.

and i should say the talking heads are in my top 5, but now david byrne is there too!:)

5 Stars ...for price, service, and product........2007-03-14

This was a very inexpensive used album. I got more than I paid for, in excellent condition, and on time.

Oh my god..........2006-04-10

WTF.

This guy should be shot or at least locked away forever for attempting to make money off of this travesty. And someone should beat some sense into letterman, too.

Then I read that he was the frontman of Talking Heads; that explains alot.

There isn't one redeeming quality to this drivel. Lyrics, music, voice are all pretty sorry.

If you listen to this you'd be better off converting to (c)rap.

GET THIS NOW!.......2005-11-14

if you, at all, like david byrne get this now!!! It is definitely his best solo album...though, i DO like feelings and his self-titled one very much.

And i don't care what some crazy people say...David has an AMAZING voice! Just TRY not to sing along!

Average customer rating:

Masterly
The Last Word on "The Last Emperor"
Overrated movie, but nice soundtrack.
A Little Contrived...
The Last Emperor: tragic story told through music

The Last Emperor
David Byrne , and Ryuichi Sakamoto
Manufacturer: Virgin Records Us
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Sheltering Sky: Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
The Last Emperor - Director's Cut
The Catherine Wheel
Empire Of The Sun: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
The Last Samurai

ASIN: B00000DR52
Release Date: 1991-09-09

Tracks:

First Coronation
Open The Door
Where Is Armo?
Picking Up Brides
The Last Emperor (Theme Variation 1)
Rain (I Want A Divorce)
The Baby (Was Born Dead)
The Last Emperor (Theme Variation II)
The Last Emperoror (Theme)
Main Title Theme (The Last Emperor) - David Byrne
Picking A Bride - David Byrne
Bed - David Byrne
Wind, Rain And Water - David Byrne
Paper Emperor - David Byrne
Lunch - Cong Su
Red Guard - The Red Guard Accordion Band
The Emperor's Waltz - The Ball Orchestra Of Vienna
The Red Guard Dance - The Girls Red Guard Dancers

Amazon.com

The Last Emperor, director Bernardo Bertolucci's epic tale of Pu Yi, the exiled final potentate of China's 3,000-year old Qing dynasty, was the big winner at the 1988 Academy Awards, taking Oscars for (among others) Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Score. The composing trio of Sakamoto/Byrne/Su was an unusual one to be sure, but it's clearly Sakamoto who carries the day here. The avant-garde trained/former Yellow Magic Orchestra pop mastermind crafted a seamless fusion of grand Western themes, Asian shadings, and his own deliciously distinct timbrel sensibilities; an accessible if deceptively modern classicism. Not surprisingly given his Talking Heads roots, Byrne's efforts are more rhythmic and minimal, yet his consuming passion for world music thoroughly evidences itself as well. His lyric and lilting "Main Title Theme" (one of the film's unusual elements was its use of two main themes by separate composers) may offer a pleasant surprise to listeners overly familiar with his pop work. The composer Cong Su is represented by just one cut; but it's a gentle, ethereal spin on Chinese folk influences that fits well with his fellow composers' work. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Masterly.......2007-02-09

This is Ryuichi Sakamoto at his best. I must confess that I never play the David Byrne tracks. They're just not in the same league.

The Last Word on "The Last Emperor" .......2007-01-18

Rather than this being a "word of mouth" review and purchase, it is a "word of another CD". First, I love Chinese traditional music and the Western approximation instruments, pipa [lute], gu-zheng [zither], erhu [violin] and diza [flute]. The deep spiritual, mystical sound is hypnotic and moving. I recently discovered the Asian music company, Pacific Moon and its range of artists. One artist is Jiang Xiao-Qing and her CD, "Breathing Spaces." [Such a quiet joy] The last cut, # 11 is the Theme from the Last Emperor, and it is so haunting and beautiful, it led me to wonder about the actual soundtrack. In both CDs the magic of Ryuichi Sakamoto's writing and arranging will take your breath away with where it takes you. Both are to be played during a time you really want to simply think, drift and drop back into your own sense of self. Now that part of my Chinese music section is complete--If you like to close the door and simply relax, give yourself a real treat! It's worth the trip to the computer to buy this treasure from Amazon.com. Kathleen Rand Reed

Overrated movie, but nice soundtrack........2005-11-08

'The Last Emperor' is a very overrated movie, but this is a nice and soothing soundtrack that accompanies the film. I was surprised David Byrne composed a few of the tracks. Listen to it before going to bed. One will have an easier time falling asleep.

A Little Contrived..........2001-09-28

...but entertaining, none-the-less.

It is always fun to track down anything David Byrne has worked on, but this soundtrack is a wee disappointing. While listening to the soundtrack (as opposed to watching the movie which it underscores) you always have a sense that this is somehow a synthetic interpretation of what you expect when you look at the forbidden city...almost westernized.

It's great music, and a great and cohesive effort, but many of the repetitive melodies sound as if they might be more at home in Broadway hit than a period piece about the declining days of Chinese aristocracy.

If you saw the movie and enjoyed the music (as I did) there is no reason not to pick this disc up. If you are buying this because you think you are getting some authentic Chinese music...keep shopping.

The Last Emperor: tragic story told through music.......2001-07-24

After seeing the film for the first time, I was stunned by the amazing beauty and emotional content that could be created by simply telling a tragic real-life story. But it wasn't until buying the soundtrack that I realised, although the film would have been incredible and artistic on its own, it was the music that created the depth of mood that made the film so poignant. The tracks are hauntingly beautiful, and reflect all aspects of the film; the culture, the sorrow and the reminiscence of another era long gone. I recommend the soundtrack for anyone who has seen and loved the film. The combination of traditionally Chinese instruments with "a Western touch" is brilliantly skillful, and will appeal even to those who haven't had a preference for classical music before. Although the last couple of tracks may falter with Red Guard music and chants, the vast majority are instantly recognisable and deeply touching.