Talk of the Town

Press, 21 January 1982, Page 10

Talk of the Town

DAVID BYRNE “The Songs from the Broadway Production of ‘The Catherine Wheel’.” (Sire SRK 3645). TOM TOM CLUB “Tom Tom Club.” (WEA 600108). JERRY HARRISON “The Red and the Black.” (Sire SRK 3631). Twyla Tharp, the American modern dance exponent, was the talk of New York last year when it was an-, nounced that she had commissioned David Byrne to produce a musical score for her production, “The Catherine Wheel." People wondered just how the music of the leading Talking Head would marry with the dance, sets, and lights of this modern “ballet.”

Unfortunately for Twyla Tharp her “Catherine Wheel” of the nuclear family faced with neurosis and nuclear explosion did not meet with critical approval. Once regarded as an avant-garde composer mixing jazz and ballet into abstract pieces, her move into social and political comment did not meet success.

Fortunately though, David Byrne's effort has. and the 11 songs on this album, from the 23 pieces commissioned, show this.

Byrne's songs from “The Catherine Wheel" are sparser than on “Remain in Light,” but they are just as intricately filled with Afro-funk rhythms. Not only the music, but David Byrne’s vocal technique comes across more powerfully than before, especially the howls on “The Red House,” and “My Big Hands (Fall Through the Cracks).” The strength of Byrne’s own compositions shine, because unlike the previous three Head albums (plus "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts”) Brian Eno has only one track credit, and appears on two other songs. From the opening track. “His Wife Refused,” Byrne’s songs demand attention. Some of his

best work is on this album, particularly “Big Business,” written with John Chernoff (who plays a “galloping” guitar as opposed to Byrne’s fierce and high guitar) which has the sound just right for the wheeling and dealing that goes on. . “Big Blue Plymouth (Eyes Wide Open)” is even more powerful, recalling the best of “Remain in Light" in its relentless rhythms.

“The Catherine Wheel” is also notable because Byrne has moved into a new set of musicians. Fellow Talking Head, Jerry Harrison, appears on one track, and the guitarist, Adrian Belew on one song, so the new direction is healthy for Byrne and the listener. Those who found “Remain in Light” and “My Life in the Bush of Ghosts” exhilarating music could not go wrong with “The Catherine Wheel.” Try “Big Blue Plymouth" for a start. The “Tom Tom Club” album is the complete antithesis of the serious musical approach of David Byrne. Rumours flew that Talking Heads were about to split because Byrne was working with Brian Eno on “My Life in the Bush of Ghosts,” and the group's bass guitarist, Tina Weymouth, was replaced by Busta Jones during the “Remain in Light” tour late in 1980, In a sense “Tom Tom Club” can be seen as offsetting the trendy approach of Byrne. Its light relief was probably what the Heads’ rhythm section of Weymouth, and her husband, Chris Frantz, needed to get rid of tensions within the band, and at the same time cock a snook at the chic level Heads had reached.

Right from the opening track, “Wordy Rappinghood,” the humour of the Tom Tom Club band is evident. “Words to tell you what to do. Words are working hard for you,” sings Tina Weymouth with

an impish voice, and the relaxed quality of the album comes through. It is not surprising because it was recorded at Compass Point studios in the Bahamas, in the atmosphere of busman's holiday. “Wordy Rappinghood” and “Genius of Love” are extended plays on the album, a shorter single version of the former becoming a hit in Britain, and the latter single a hit on black American radio stations. Other members of the Tom Tom Club include Tina Weymouth's 3 sisters, Laura, Lorie, and Lani, who contributed backing vocals on “Air,” a track on the Head’s album, “Fear of Music,” and the übiquitous guitarist, Adrian Belew. The latter makes his mark on side two, especially on “As Above, So Below.”

“On, On, On, On . . ." recalls the rock music of Talking Head’s “77,” and another humorous track is “Buzzing and Zooming.” about an FlO4 pilot who refuses to land, and perhaps unintentionally is a reminder of the gimmicky British single, “Car 67.”

“Tom Tom Club” takes a bit of getting used to. Its funky side is blurred, and the music can so easily be missed that the album could be dismissed as a waste of vinyl. However, it has just enough twists to make the uninitiated listener take an interest.

Jerry Harrison’s “The Red and the Black” is a more serious album continuing the trend of “Remain in Light.” This solo project was offered as another reason why Talking Heads were breaking up,

but since the band have put these three albums behind them, they have all been working on a Talking Heads live album, without the help of Brian Eno. It is a mistake to assume that David Byrne has been the architect of Talking Heads’ success. The expanded band needed for the “Remain in Light” tour came from the influences of Jerry Harrison, and on this album he has retained Belew, Nona Hendryx, and Bernie Worrell, among others, to flesh out his songs. Harrison is credited with helping write only two tracks on “Remain in Light,” the remainder being collaborations between Byrne and Eno. On his own album he writes all tracks bar one.

In some areas, “The Red and the Black” is an imitation of “Remain in Light.” The opening of “Slink,” for example, recalls the Head’s album. Harrison uses the same spoken vocal style of Byrne, and there are the same multi-layered, percussive, funky effects, but the songs are not as oblique as the Byrne-Eno combinations. “Have you ever been in a traffic jam. Have you ever needed a gram. Well I have, but I got over it,” sings Harrison on “Slink,” in an unintentional piece of humour. I don’t think Byrne would be so obvious.

“Things Fall Apart” is an excellent opening track, especially from Hendryx’s backing vocals, and “No More Reruns” sounds like what Harrison’s old band, the Modern Lovers, would have done, especially the use of the jangling guitar. Although the quality of the musicianship is high on “The Red and the Black,” the materials is not quite strong enough to carry the album. —NEVIN TOPP.