Fear of Music

by Talking Heads

Overview

By titling their third album Fear of Music and opening it with the African rhythmic experiment "I Zimbra," complete with nonsense lyrics by poet Hugo Ball, Talking Heads make the record seem more of a departure than it is. Though Fear of Music is musically distinct from its predecessors, it's mostly because of the use of minor keys that give the music a more ominous sound. Previously, David Byrne's offbeat observations had been set off by an overtly humorous tone; on Fear of Music, he is still odd, but no longer so funny. At the same time, however, the music has become even more compelling. Worked up from jams (though Byrne received sole songwriter's credit), the music is becoming denser and more driving, notably on the album's standout track, "Life During Wartime," with lyrics that match the music's power. "This ain't no party," declares Byrne, "this ain't no disco, this ain't no fooling around." The other key song, "Heaven," extends the dismissal Byrne had expressed for the U.S. in "The Big Country" to paradise itself: "Heaven is a place where nothing ever happens." It's also the album's most melodic song. Those are the highlights. What keeps Fear of Music from being as impressive an album as Talking Heads' first two is that much of it seems to repeat those earlier efforts, while the few newer elements seem so risky and exciting. It's an uneven, transitional album, though its better songs are as good as any Talking Heads ever did. ~ William Ruhlmann

Product Details

Release Date:	10/25/1990
Label:	Sire
UPC:	0075992742825

Tracks

1. I Zimbra
2. Mind
3. Paper
4. Cities
5. Life During Wartime
6. Memories Can't Wait
7. Air
8. Heaven
9. Animals
10. Electric Guitar
11. Drugs

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Talking Heads   Primary Artist
Brian Eno   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Keyboards,Synthesizer,Vocals (Background)
The Sweethearts   Guest Artist
Julie Last   Guest Artist,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Ari   Guest Artist
Gene Wilder   Guest Artist,Congas,Percussion
Robert Fripp   Guest Artist,Guitar
Abdou M'Boup   African Percussion,Djembe
Hossam Ramzy   Surdo
David Byrne   Guitar,Vocals,Lead Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Jerry Harrison   Guitar,Vocals,Keyboards,Vocals (Background)
Ari Up   Congas,Percussion
Tina Weymouth   Bass,Guitar (Bass),Vocals (Background)
Assane Thiam   Percussion
Chris Frantz   Drums
Ari Wilder   Congas
Lani Weymouth   Vocals (Background)
Laura Weymouth   Vocals (Background)
Sweetbreathes   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Ariane Forster   Congas
The Sweetbreaths   Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Rod O'Brian   Engineer
Brian Eno   Composer,Producer
Joe Barbaria   Engineer,Recording
Talking Heads   Producer
Greg Calbi   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
David Byrne   Composer,Producer
Rod O'Brien   Engineer
Julie Last   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Jerry Harrison   Composer,Producer
Phil Gitomer   Assistant Engineer
Tina Weymouth   Composer,Producer
Chris Frantz   Composer,Producer
Hugo Ball   Composer
Chris Martinez   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Neal Teeman   Engineer
Tom Heid   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Fred Ridder   Assistant Engineer
Dave Hewitt   Assistant Engineer
Kooster McAllister   Assistant Engineer