10 Most Frontloaded Albums In Rock History
6. Talking Heads - Remain In Light
Firstly it should be noted that Talking Heads’ fourth album is one of the all-time greats, seeing the New York outfit continuing to expand their sound beyond edgy, angular new wave and into something polyrhythmic, multicultural, and utterly absorbing.
So it’s not that the second side of the record is at all bad - it’s just seriously oddly structured. The first half starts like a building on fire - without pausing for breath, the band tears through “Born Under Punches”, “Crosseyed And Painless”, and “The Great Curve”. Each of these features an undeniable beat and incredible pace and energy that made the band one of the best live acts of the era. David Byrne yelps and conducts traffic as the expanded lineup brings in brass and backing vocals along with their well established punky sound.
The second half sees the pace on a continuous downward slide, with each track slower and ultimately more ominous than the last. “Once In A Lifetime” is the hit, but by the time we get to “Listening Wind” and “The Overload” it’s like the dance party’s atmosphere has been punctured.
It’s clearly a purposeful decision and a bold one, but the juxtaposition hits strangely.