Ladies and Gentlemen, meet the Talking Heads big band. Although not orchestral in lineup, this 1980 release dwarfed its predecessors in scope. It built on the African influences of
Fear of Music's first track, "I Zimbra" and foreshadowed future hits like "Burning Down the House." The first four tracks -- "Born Under Punches," "Crosseyed and Painless," "The Great Curve," and "Once in a Lifetime" -- are densely layered and danceable, and the lyrics are equally intense and infectious. "Once in a Lifetime" includes the now popular refrain, "Same as it ever was," and begins with Byrne announcing "This is not my beautiful house." "Crosseyed and Painless" notes that "facts are useless in an emergency." The slower tracks are fine examples of early electronica. With
Remain in Light, Talking Heads went from being one of the most important bands of the new wave/punk movement to being one of the most important American bands ever.
