David Byrne

David Byrne

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 24, 1994)
• Original Release Date: May 24, 1994
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sire / London/Rhino
• ASIN: B000002MPU
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #35,564 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
David Byrne may well be the smartest person in American pop music today, but a lot of good it does him. The man who created the Talking Heads and then demolished them is smart enough to realize that third-world rhythms are one doorway out of rock'n'roll's stuffy room, and he's smart enough to figure out how to squeeze an elephant like rock'n'roll through such a narrow door. He's smart enough to see through every crude manipulation pop music has to offer, and he's smart enough to undermine every such maneuver with his bemused detachment. So why is his this self-titled album much more admirable than pleasurable? Many of the songs on the album offer similar glimpses of an empire in decline set to slow-motion, heavily echoed arrangements and detached, above-the-fray vocals. --Geoffrey Himes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite David Byrne CD, October 8, 1998

By A Customer

This is by far my favorite CD by David Byrne, who's music I love. It's a bit more mature and mainstream in some ways than the previous title "Uh Oh" but it's also a little more quirky than "Feelings", although I do like both of those albums. With touchingly funny songs like "My Love is You" and bitingly funny tributes like "Buck Naked" (written for his daughter's friend who passed away as a result of AIDs) this CD is like reading a really interesting book of short stories. Each tune is completely different and they all seem to stick in your head. FOr any Heads fans or Byrne fans, you have to love this CD.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars But something's missing..., July 6, 2004

By	Michael Leugs (Grand Rapids, MI United States) - See all my reviews

Understand that I am a huge fan of Byrne's solo work. (Saw him live just last week!) While the Talking Heads were great, Byrne's solo career keeps moving farther and farther into new worlds of creativitiy and social commentary.

But there's something missing from this album. I may be doing Byrne an injustice, but this album seems a bit pretentious, or perhaps 'self-conscious' would be a better descriptor. The lyrics tend to be either more obscure or more blunt than his other albums; the rhythms and song structures tend to plod along instead of picking you up; and many of the songs lack a strong 'hook'. The elements of his stronger albums are there, but they are do not come together as powerfully as his other albums.

At the least, I'd say it will take you longer to learn to appreciate this album. If you're just getting into Byrne's solo stuff, I'd recommend the following first:
- "Rei Momo" is a great release from his earlier forays into latin rhythms.
- "Feelings" is good.
- "Look Into the Eyeball" - When I got this one, I thought it would be impossible to release a better album...
- "Grown Backwards" - But then "Grown Backwards" was released, and totally knocked me out.

I'd recommend you acquire any of the above before the album being reviewed.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of David Byrne's best works., April 6, 1999

By A Customer

I've always loved the Talking Heads and while I've been intrigued by much of David Byrne's solo work and loved individual songs off of Rei Momo and Uh-Oh, this album is his best. I love every song on it. "Angels" ranks among my Top 25 Songs of all time which is quite an accomplishment considering how much I love music and how varied my tastes are. If you like inventive and passionate singers like David Byrne, this album is a must-have.