Disco de Talking Heads: “Naked”

Through my years as a growing Talking Heads fan, I have come to realiize that it is impossible to coin one of their albums as the best. Any true TH fan will agree. Sure there are some TH albums that are not as good as others, like True Stories for instance, but even with "True Stories," the more you listen to it, the more hidden tresures you discover- thus making it grow on you untill it's just as good as all the others.

Having said that, each one is unique and special in it's own way, it all depends on what mood you're in at the time. But what is so great about all of them is that they not only give great listening pleasure, but also demand something more from the listener, thought, hence the term, used so befittingly with this band, "smart music." Naked is at the top of this list. Possibly the smartest TH album ever, its sophisticated, rich and flavored sounds only enhance the sheer wit and intensity that the music posseses, which I must confess, makes it one of my most listenable albums.

Its title is exactly what the music represents, purity. It is stripped down to just the purest forms of how music is made. No fancy electronic sound effects or unorganic sounds. This message of returning back to nature is clear in all the songs lyrics. Just amazing to see how they do it, but they do. "Bill, living in the forrest," "there was a factory, now there are mountains and rivers," when we ride the ferris wheel we're little childen again," "some day we'll live on Venus, and men will walk on mars, but we will still be monkeys down deep inside." This strange and bizzaro poetry is the best you're gonna get.

And anyone who doesn't like it because it doesn't have the same angular more jagged stylings of eariler albums are insane. Just listen to the goddam thing. The music is unbelievable. How can someone say it doesn't sound good?

And Byrne obviously did know where he was heading with this sound and that's fine. Always reinventing yourself is healthy for an artist. No one should hold him back by saying, no, don't do that, only do what you did back in the late 70's early 80's. It would be one thing if his new stuff was bad and really went nowhere, but it's not! It is great music. After Naked his progression from "Rei Momo" to "Look Into The Eyeball" is nothing short of amazing. There aren't many artists like him still out there today. And I mean real artist that honestly let their creative muse really take them in the dirrection that is natural and not commercial or forced. That is real creativity.

Any one who thinks that it is too soft or lacks the older TH sound, must understand that, much like other band like The Beatles, this is a band that evloves with a consistent changing sound. And that is only because the people making this music are whats called, "true artists."

If you read the other reviews, you'll see a good bit of "wow, I love TH, but I hated this" mixed in with bits like "brilliant, their best work." Well, I'm here to say that this is neither their best nor their worst piece of work. If you expect the kind of overall sound and tone of the early TH albums, then this won't be what you're expecting, and I can see how people might dislike it. But, in fact, there are are some decent tracks on here, particularly on the first "side." It is most certainly NOT their worst effort, which *has* to go to _True Stories_ (I might even make a case here for _Little Creatures_, too, but that's another issue). But this album is most certainly not superlative, definitely not in the league of _Remain in Light_ or _Stop Making Sense_ or _Fear of Music_. It has some inventive moments, but it's overproduced and inconsistent and lacks the raw brilliance of TH's best work. And the downbeat, monotonous, second side is completely puntable. But it has more decent moments than the train wreck which preceded it.

I am always surprised at the many negative reviews of this last album. Granted, it may not be a masterpiece but there are some damn fine tunes here. Blind, Mr. Jones, (Nothing but) Flowers, Totally Nude. Ignore at your own risk.

"I dream of cherry pies, candy bars and chocolate chip cookies."

The last Talking Heads album took them to a great blend of the accessible pop of previous mid-80s albums and the experimental layering of their earlier years. Side one is pure candy, with french pianos and horns mingling with samba beats and intelligent, ironic lyrics. Side two gets a bit more depressing, but adds variety. One of the best albums of the eighties.

I picked up the Talking Heads on their last three albums. I am not weighed down by how "great" their initial albums were, only by how good the singles were prior to the final trilogy. If you "purists" had never heard a Talking Heads album and just picked up Naked and listened to on its own terms you would realize what a masterpiece it, True Stories, and Little Creatures are. So, get over yourself, close your eyes, listen to Britney, then listen to this. Your cup of appreciation will runeth over.