Same As It Ever Was

The Talking Heads Brian Eno trilogy: the three albums Eno produced for the band between 1978 and 1980. The set takes its name from the refrain of "Once in a Lifetime".

In release order you can hear a tight art-punk band turn into something much bigger. More Songs About Buildings and Food keeps the nervy four-piece of their debut and adds Eno's sense of space; their cover of Al Green's "Take Me to the River" was their first hit. Fear of Music gets darker and more rhythmic, recorded partly in Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth's loft, with "Life During Wartime" and "I Zimbra", whose words come from a Dada sound poem by Hugo Ball. Remain in Light throws out the old way of writing songs. The band and Eno built the tracks from long jams and loops, with Fela Kuti's records in mind, added Adrian Belew's guitar, Jon Hassell's trumpet and Nona Hendryx's voice, and David Byrne wrote words to fit the grooves afterward.

It was also the end. Arguments over credit and control meant the band never made another album with Eno.

If you only have time for one, play Remain in Light. It is what the whole trilogy was heading toward, and its first side does not let up.