With Brian Eno no longer in the producer's chair, Speaking In Tongues begins the transition of the Talking Heads from groundbreaking art rock for more straightforward 80's pop-rock. As such, I'd love to hate this album, but its hard to deny that Speaking In Tongues sports another killer set of quirky tunes. The album isn't as consistently brilliant as either Remain In Light or Fear of Music (the three track stretch of "Swamp"-"Moon Rocks"-"Pull Up the Roots" is largely disposable), but it also contains a number of the band's best tunes on its first half. The closing "This Must Be the Place" is also magnificent, and demonstrates that the band is still able to craft a smart pop tune in the style of their earlier albums.
Speaking In Tongues might not be in the same class as Fear of Music or Remain In Light, but its still a necessary addition for any Talking Heads fan. The album's relatively "standard 80's" sound also make it an excellent starting point for listeners new to the band. Highly recommended.
Favorite tracks: "Making Flippy Floppy", "Girlfriend Is Better", "This Must Be Place (Naive Melody)"
By: Walter12