Talking Heads
"Speaking in Tongues"

**** out of *****

Speaking in Tongues, first released in 1983, is more poppy than Talking Heads’ four previous albums. But it’s pop with a punkish rhythmic drive to it, like the band’s previous albums. However, some of the instruments sound a bit tinny, dating some of the songs more firmly in the ‘80s.

David Byrne’s unique voice is the centrepiece of the songs. At first it sounds nervy, but it has a strange possessed confidence. It isn’t a conventional singing voice, and that’s the big appeal for me. A lot of conventional singing voices lack personality. Byrne’s personality comes through loud and clear,

I hope I don’t come off too nit picky or negative in some of my comments on the songs. The middle of the album may sag a bit, but this is still a damn good album. I don’t think it quite reaches the status of a classic, but not everything has to. Most of the “classic” CDs on my shelf go unplayed for months at a time, and I’ll certainly be spinning this more often than that.

This reissue is on dual disc. The CD side has the original album plus two unreleased bonus tracks. The DVD side has the original album (excluding bonus tracks) in 5.1 Surround Sound, a photo gallery, and two videos.

CD Side

1. Burning Down the House
Probably the most famous Talking Heads song, and one that a lot of people relate to Revenge of the Nerds (though it’s strangely not on the “Revenge of the Nerds” soundtrack I have, but I digress). This song deserves to be remembered outside that fine piece of cinema. My only complaint is that this version doesn’t quite match the manic energy of the live version on Stop Making Sense.

Thanks to this track we have a fine example of how songs can be destroyed by draining the personality out of them There’s an awful cover of this by Tom Jones and The Cardigans. They treat it like a funk track, the Cardigans singer just sings in tune, and in the video they dance round in a bunch of futuristic cubes. Lame.

2. Making Flippy Floppy
I hoped that with the 5.1 Surround Sound mix I might finally work out what “Flippy Floppy” was, but I failed. And I really made an effort. Byrne’s sings like his voice is so strained he’s just about to lose it, which sounds better than it reads. The song is overall a little bit one-tone, though. It has a good chorus, but the verses drone a bit. The song just doesn’t come alive.

3. Girlfriend is Better
The song’s baseline really pumps, the chorus is pretty good, but only when we get to the long jam that rounds out the track does it really takes off. The song is built for jamming, and the vocals at the start almost seem like a warm up. This is a track best suited to live playing, it lacks a little edge in the studio recording.

4. Slippery People
This is a slower track which builds to a gospel-like chorus. The chorus is great, and I wished more was made of it. But the keyboard interludes sound dated and out of place. If any song on the album deserves a remix, this is it.

5. I Get Wild/Wild Gravity
Not a bad song, but it verges on not being melodic enough. It’s a bit slow and unexceptional, the sort of track you start flipping past when you’ve had the album for a while. Parts of it did remind me of pirate music, but not in the good way you’d expect.

6. Swamp
I listened to this track, and it’s not a bad song. I just don’t like listening to it. It’s a bit too turgid, maybe. I can’t put my finger on it, but it’s not good listening. It’s not out of tune, or dull. I don’t know what it is.
Together tracks 4, 5 and 6 constitute a mid-album trough. A shallow trough, but a trough none-the-less

7. Moon Rocks
The funk kicks back in, this time with a staccato guitar riff mixed with bongos. Byrne’s lyrics are sci fi-related: “Man in the moon, Moon in the man” sort of stuff, and it builds into a really excellent chorus. A really good Talking Heads song, which would be better known if they didn’t have so many great ones. Perfect for pumping up in the car. I don’t know what it’s all about, but if I remind myself of the album’s title I stop worrying about that.

8. Pull Up the Roots
This is another really strong, full-blooded track. It’s strong from start to finish, without some of the mid-song lulls in the rest of the album. Byrne’s verse, which sounds like it’s close to veering right into another song, adds to the song’s manic excitement. Maybe best summarised by the lyric “I have a good time when I go out of my mind”.

9. This Must Be The Place (Naïve Melody)
The song opens with keyboards that are so charmingly dorky that they conjure the naivety of the song’s title. This is a relaxed, beautiful song which I suppose is a reminiscence about home from the road (but you never can never be sure with this band). The sort of thing you put on to chill out if you don’t want to be condescended to by albums called “Chill Out Lounge” or something.

Previously Unreleased Bonus Tracks

10. Two Note Swivel (Unfinished Outtake)
There are more than two notes. And the track, for tacked on bonus material, flows in well from “Naïve Melody”. It’s a nice little number, it may even benefit from being “unfinished” as its gains an intimacy from the lack of electronic effects in other parts of the disc. It may not have much to it that can sustain its running time, but it’s a nice bonus for an unreleased track. And one of those rare unreleased track that I would put the CD in just to listen to.

11. Burning Down the House (Alternate Version)
This alternate version of the album’s first track has a bubbling bass track that sounds just overlayed over the song. Also, some over-the-top keyboard effects pop in every now and then (in one instance when the title is sung there’s a loud sound you’d expect when you get “GAME OVER” at the arcade). It’s pretty similar to the album version otherwise, but it’s a great track, so it’s nice to round the album out with it.

DVD Side

Original album in 5.1 Surround Sound (excludes tracks 10 and 11)
The mix of the album is excellent, and the songs themselves have enough layers to make it worthwhile. Having some of the driving funk in Surround makes it sound that much more driving, too bad I can’t play it in the car. (oh, for god’s sake – ed.)

Photo Gallery
The photo gallery consists of original handwritten lyric pages and a few shots of tour memorabilia. Interesting, I suppose.

Videos: Burning Down the House & This Must Be The Place (Naïve Melody)
These are music videos, as opposed to TV concert footage on the Remain in Light DVD. Both videos were directed by David Byrne, I know this because in true old school music video style they have credits at the end.
Both videos, for obvious reasons, look very eighties, but don’t resort to the kitchen sink-style of ‘80s videos. The Burning Down the House video is a visual art piece, mixed with some slapstick over a catchy pop song. This Must Be the Place has the band watching home videos and then going to the basement to play some music. It’s a laid back, fun video that suits the song perfectly.

The videos perfectly capture the unique dynamics and personality of the band, and make me pine for the days when bands were willing to show that in videos (or had it to show).

Overall
Speaking in Tongues has some excellent songs, but some dated production and a mid-album lull keep it out of the classics league. But this new edition is still well worth the money.

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