"Naked" Album Description:
The year 1988 marked the culmination of an era for the Talking Heads, one of the pioneering bands of the new wave and post-punk movements. With the release of their eighth studio album, "Naked," the band delved into a musical landscape heavily influenced by African rhythms and polyrhythmic styles reminiscent of their earlier masterpiece, "Remain in Light." This album, however, would become a swan song, as it represented both a musical zenith and a prelude to the band's hiatus.
"Naked" showcased the Talking Heads' unique ability to assimilate diverse musical influences into their sound. The album's sonic palette drew heavily from African music, infusing it with a rich tapestry of rhythms and textures. This departure from their earlier works, while surprising to some, exemplified the band's commitment to musical exploration and experimentation.
The production of "Naked" was marked by a shift in the dynamics within the band. David Byrne, the frontman and creative force behind much of the Talking Heads' music, began to exert increasing control over the direction of the group. The result was an album that bore the unmistakable stamp of Byrne's artistic vision.
As the band navigated the creative process of "Naked," it became apparent that this would be their last studio album. The strains within the group had reached a breaking point, leading to the Talking Heads officially going on hiatus after the album's release. The dissolution of the band would be announced in 1991, marking the end of an era for the influential musical ensemble.
The year 1988, encapsulated within the notes and rhythms of "Naked," represented a crossroads for the Talking Heads. It was a time of musical exploration, innovation, and ultimately, the end of a remarkable chapter in the band's history. The influence of African music, so palpably present in the album, served as a fitting homage to the diverse sources that had fueled the Talking Heads' creative journey.
Personnel/Band Members and Musicians on: TALKING HEADS - Naked |
Band-members, Musicians and Performers
- David Byrne – vocals, guitar, keyboards, toy piano, slide guitar
- David Byrne – Vocals, Guitar, Songwriter
Scottish-born, New York-rewired; he made nervous art-pop sound like cardio. Read more... David Byrne is the restless frontman who turned New York anxiety into dance-floor gospel. I first clocked him in the mid-70s: a RISD dropout with the short-lived Artistics (1973-1974), then Talking Heads (1975-1991), where he went from CBGB razor-pop to funked-up, polyrhythmic fever. While the band was still rolling he peeled off for outside projects and early solo moves (1979-1981), then came back with a proper solo album run (1989-present). His sharpest detour is with Brian Eno (1979-1981; 2008), two brains rewiring what a "song" can be. Later he sparred and harmonized with St. Vincent (2012). For me, "Stop Making Sense" (1984) is the receipt: weird, sweaty, human, precise.
- Chris Frantz – drums, keyboard percussion
- Jerry Harrison – French piano, keyboards, tambourine, guitar, slide guitar, backing vocals
- Tina Weymouth – bass, keyboards, electric organ, backing vocals
|
