Tom Tom Club

Tom Tom Club

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: October 1981
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sire / London/Rhino
• ASIN: B000002KN3
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #6,393 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Talking Heads drummer Chris Franz and bassist Tina Weymouth formed Tom Tom Club to continue exploring the polyrhythmic experiments conducted on the Heads' Remain in Light release. On this self-titled debut, the husband-and-wife team mixed urban and arty new wave elements, generating two mammoth dance-floor hits. "Wordy Rappinghood" is a study in art-school rap as it percolates along with the help of funk beats and synthesized bleeps. The brilliant "Genius of Love" gives props to James Brown. A slow, slinky funk masterpiece, it includes call-and-response vocals, a rap, and a lilting melody. "L'Elephant" is a pure delight, rollicking like a nursery rhyme from some ultrahip daycare center. The band also tackles the doo-wop standard "Under the Boardwalk," though it feels like a mere novelty item. Still, Tom Tom Club proves that David Byrne wasn't the only genius in Talking Heads. --Steve Gdula

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars WAY AHEAD OF ITS TIME...where is CLOSE TO THE BONE on CD??, November 27, 2004

By	G. Mitchell "greggmitch" (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I remember buying the 7" 45 of GENIUS OF LOVE in junior high school and playing it until it literally wore out! The rest of this seminal, funky, ground-breaking "side project" is actually more groovy than many TH albums...TOM TOM CLUB was WAS and still IS way ahead of its time - so much so that people STILL sample tracks of this to score "hits" today...BUT I must ask, since the debut is on CD and all of Talking Heads CDs, WHY WHY WHY won't WB re-issued the SECOND and sadly OOP CD from TTC -"CLOSE TO THE BONE" - with equally infectious cuts like THE MAN WITH THE FOUR-WAY HIPS, PLEASURE OF LOVE, and more - this album NEEDS to be on CD, PLEASE!! (Amazing endearing kooky cover art on both LPs!)

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars one of all time best, January 16, 2000

By A Customer

This album, relased in the early 1980's was an early "cross over" that influenced most white funk/rap that would follow. Funk-meets-reggae-meets King Crimson. If you like Mariah Carey with the sound on, you may only like Genius of Love (a great song, yes, but one of many on this album). However, if you are a fan of the Talking Heads, Adrian Belew, Eno, etc., you are bound to love this record. If you are a fan of Belew's, this is a must have. He was essential to the sound of this record. As a sad note, I have read that he never was paid for his performance on this album. It may be dated, but it still plays like new.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great listen, beginning to end. Thoroughly satisfying!, December 25, 1999

By	"ripzepplin" (NAPERVILLE, ILLINOIS United States) - See all my reviews

Even if you didn't know about this pair's first spin-off away from the "Heads", chances are you at least heard the fits-all-stations-song "Genius of Love"- a song that captures the feel of the early 80s in so many different ways. That song epitomizes the rest of this album as well. A whimzical cruise through a series of songs designed to create a mood - and in that this CD is successful. A side of Talking Heads writing you rarely see in the shadow of David Byrnes writing dominance, with all due respect. This album sets a swanky mood that several other bands would successfully incorporate into successful tunes of their own - the least of which is Mariah Careys chart topping single "Fantasy" that adopted the "Genuis" melody some 10-12 years later. Tom Tom Club was one of those off the beaten path toys a lot of people liked to lay claim to. The CD really holds up to time, in style and production quality. A great listen. Highly reccomended to playing while you're doing things around the house.