David Byrne reviews
Look into the Eyeball
Here are reviews of David Byrne's album "Look
into the Eyeball". If you have an opinion about the album,
feel free to send me your review ! A selection
will be posted on this web site.
I bought the album yesterday and
I've already listened to it 4 times... At first whirl there were
many songs that hit me as awesome, but also a some that i did not
think were that good. For instance, I think "Revolution" and "Everybody's
in Love with you" are very simple songs...in fact too simple to
be considered great songs. I think they are the type of songs that
many of today's crappy rock bands would release as a single that
really isn't very good, but for the band its their best song ever.
HOwever, songs like UB Jesus and Walk on Water are phenomenal. They
are complex and appear to have taken time to perfect. I think the
songs were too short, if there was more, maybe they would be better...except
Neighborhood...thats perfect. Walk on Water is my personal favorite
followed by Like Humans Do I don't think its a bad album, but I
think DB could have done better with some of the songs. OH well,
at least he;s back in the news, making buzz and I enjoy that
- Erik.
1. At first I was ecstatic that
the album was not terrible.
2. As listening and digesting and memorizing have
progressed... i have become disillusioned... there isn't anything
bad on the album by any means and some of the songs are quite good..
but a lot of the music seems left over from earlier DB albums. Lyrically,
the songs seems to be "much of a muchness"... there is a pre-set
lyrical structure, into which DB drops in some paramaters and themes
and out pops a song. Many of them have a feeling of sameness.. of..
i have heard this before...
3. on the whole it is listenable, and it does meet
the minimum quality standards.. but it ust seems like DB phoned
this one in... Perhaps i was expecting LiTE to do to me what Feelings
did... oh well...
"good enough" will have to do for now.
- Neo Maoist
Look into the David Byrne's
Groove Revolution
Oh how far we've come, David Byrne. Byrne left
an indelible mark on pop music with his first outfit (oversized),
Talking Heads. In the late 1970s and 1980s, Byrne's music was intelligent,
witty, funny, and challenging pop. The method evolved from the lo-fi
approach of the early Talking Heads albums like Talking Heads 77
and Fear of Music, to the more expansive and complex world rhythms
of later albums like Little Creatures and Naked (this characterization,
of course, leaves out their 1980 masterpiece, Remain in Light, produced
by Brian Eno).
Unfortunately, the mediocrity found in later Talking Heads albums
continued into Byrne's solo career. His penchant for Latin beats
and instruments on albums like Uh Oh seemed forced and uninspired,
coming off like a bad PC move, as if he were saying, "Hey, there
is more music out there than just western rock!" Alas, his western
rock was far better than any of his samba dance pieces would ever
be.
In the 1990s, however, we witnessed a David Byrne renaissance. Beginning
with 1994's Davidbyrne and continuing through 1997's Feelings, Byrne
emerged from the world music mire with a new version of the witty
pop that was more akin to the music of his early days. What makes
the new Byrne music so interesting is the way he synthesizes so
many different styles. Look into the Eyeball boasts delicate ballads
and funky dance songs peppered with electronic beats and grooves,
crisp beautiful strings, snippets of soul, funk and dance, and the
signature clean electric guitar characteristic of early Talking
Heads.
The difference between his latest outing and his solo albums of
the 1990s is the emotional directness and honesty achieved. The
cover of Feelings showed Byrne as a plasticized model (ala Ken and
Barbie). The album, like much of the early Talking Heads material,
was ironic and distant. Look into the Eyeball's cover, on the other
hand, shows Byrne's face in much the same angle as Feelings, except
that he is decisively human-his hair is graying, his skin is wrinkled,
and his face has the solemn calm of wisdom. On his website, Byrne
explains his reasons for naming the album Look into the Eyeball:
"[It] reflects to me both the record's preoccupation with human
relations, and it's slightly off-kilter view of the same."
Indeed, the emotional feel of this album is one of innocence and
wonder. Byrne's voice conveys that of the wide-eyed child, viewing
the world free from preconceptions or prejudices. "Like Humans Do"
finds Byrne ironically identifying the basics of human existence:
"I'm breathing in, I'm breathing out . . . like humans do". This
deceptively simple view of humanity is evidenced most clearly in
"Neighborhood", a cool, relaxed, funky track reminiscent of 1970s
Philly soul. The scene is idyllic as the smooth strings cascade
over the grooving drumbeat and Byrne sings, "Funky beats, Barrow
Street, walking with your dog, I see you, you see me, then we stop
and talk".
These characteristics of the album come together in "Walk on Water",
a remarkable musical and lyrical achievement for Byrne. The song
is sweet, funny, cute, and it decisively reveals Byrne's new state
of mind. "Walk on Water" tells the tale of a bloated rock star who,
unlike Byrne, has failed to avoid the solipsistic traps of the music
industry. "He can walk on the water", sings Byrne over a simple
Rhodes piano riff, "but he can't stop falling in." The song is a
celebration of Byrne's individuality and idiosyncrasy, which he
has tirelessly guarded and nurtured over the past 20 years. "He's
got amplifiers, microphones, record players, god only knows," sings
Byrne, only to add, "all the girls say, 'shut up and gimme the groove'".
The rock star is a pathetic Jesus figure, expected and ordered to
perform miracles on a regular basis, regardless of his or her desires
or sanity. In this song as well as in his career, Byrne shirks such
artistic paralysis, urging his dying rock star as the song explodes
in a funky incantation, "Get up, get up, get up, you men and women,
walk on, walk on, walk on, like fishes swimmin', let go, let go,
let go, you know that you can."
Byrne's ability to avoid such egotism is a direct result of his
child-like perspective; instead of seeing the bullshit of stardom,
he can see it for what it really is. The song reaches perfection
for me as Byrne implores his character to awaken singing, "Wake
up, wake up, wake up, you sleeping babies, hello, hello, hello,
you naked ladies"-while urging this deadened rock star to prioritize
his life, in a deadpan voice of innocence Byrne chimes, "Hello,
hello, hello to the naked ladies coddling the star". They don't
faze him, they aren't erotic, they aren't signs of decadence-they
are simply naked people and he says hello.
As Byrne writes on his website, "I somehow imagine that a real revolution
is won by seduction, by winning over not just the mind, but the
body and the senses as well. And that the sadness of some of these
melodies are countered by the vigor and persistence of the groove."
The grooves, the alternating dissonance and harmony of the powerfully
rich strings, the graceful melodies, seem like incantations for
us to rise up and celebrate the power of music along with Byrne.
Look into the Eyeball has certainly inspired me to appreciate Byrne's
beautiful, innocent and even admirable vision of a humane world,
free from posturing and posing. This album helps me to appreciate,
as he hoped, the "persistence of the groove".
-Nicholas Taylor
David Byrne makes contradictions
sing on new CD
If you told me you've never heard of David Byrne,
it wouldn't surprise me in the least. For the last decade, he's
largely been overlooked by music's popular culture, despite releasing
a string of brilliant albums, each tackling musical territory more
diverse than the last. His previous album, 1997's "Feelings," was
particularly eclectic, even for his already high standards. Now,
"Look Into The Eyeball" -- Byrne's first release of the 21st century
-- extends the musical concepts in "Feelings" but is more focused
and emotional. Each of the 12 tracks reflects the somber and bittersweet,
the uplifting and positive.
Reflections aside, the album will keep you dancing. The music combines
strings, horns and guitars. Keep an ear out, though, and you'll
hear a mellotron, tympani drum and baby bass. Of course, credit
goes to the small army of musicians involved; some tracks feature
orchestral arrangements of up to 27 people.
One of Byrne's most endearing qualities is his distinctive vocals.
On "Eyeball," his voice mingles in near-perfect harmony with the
music and has never sounded better. The first track, "UB Jesus,"
is a rocking commentary on religious contradictions. Hopping between
characters, Byrne delivers the cutting truth: "Maybe I'm gonna fry
in hell/But I feel good when I burn myself."
Byrne makes beauty and rebellion seem as one in "The Revolution."
Almost child-like, he sings: "Beauty rests on mattress strings/Wearing
just her underthings/& when she wakes the revolution's here."
"The Accident" has disturbing qualities that must be heard to be
believed, whereas "Like Humans Do" is a contradiction; a musically
cheery song with a dark, lyrical underbelly. In alien-like detachment,
Byrne comments on the hilarious minutiae of human beings as he sings:
"I never watch TV except when I'm stoned."
Simple bells set a surreal introduction to "Broken Things." A combination
of wailing horns and funky bass lays the groundwork for the song's
chorus, in which Byrne wails: "In this house of broken things/Everyone
could use some help/Will you help me fix myself?" He shows subtle
hip-hop sensibilities here.
"The Moment of Conception" is an oddity, almost nothing more than
a cathartic rant with dissonant strings. Yet Byrne's wavering voice
and catchy lyrics are oddly compelling as he sings: "I was born
without a conscience/Full of freedom, full of nonsense/From the
mountains to the beaches/Eat the apples, steal the peaches."
The album's hesitant finale, "Everyone's In Love With You," tells
us, "God gives, God takes/Don't misunderstand I'm a satisfied man."
Byrne exposes himself on this album as a man whose emphasis is placed
on keen observation, not final judgment.
With the proliferation of plasticity and production in today's music,
works such as "Look Into The Eyeball" are becoming increasingly
rare gems. They sound great and can also be interpreted scrupulously
for years to come. This one is not to be missed.
- Aaron Shakra
(printed in the Oregon Daily Emerald,
May 10th )
Look into the Eyeball.
This is a fine CD; the mix of styles assured and eclectic and despite
it's cleverness there is not a superfluous note as each of the twelve
Eyeball songs captures you, does it's thing, then moves along quickly.
David's voice conveys an intelligent sincerity and the lyrics still
make you smile. The melodies are strong with extra depth from the
strings and the grooves bubble under with suppressed optimism. This
is David's peculiar view of the world & he deals with themes of
freedom versus belonging, acts of creation and sacrifice, and ultimately
affirmation.
UB Jesus is the remarkable opener in which religion loses out to
a more personal salvation; with hypnotic percussion, it swings through
spoken lyrics and faux gospel to a soaring climax that builds and
builds. UBJ subsides for The Revolution, a haunting and lovely ballad
where beauty and truth prove irresistible.
Look into the Eyeball is an uplifting record. Like Humans Do is
catchy and loose limbed and whilst it views the downs and foibles
of human experience there is a wonderful release in the chorus "I'm
breathing in; I'm breathing out!" which takes us right back to "letting
the days go by". The strident rhythms and shifting identities of
Desconocido Soy are euphoric. The Great Intoxication sweeps you
up and carries you along. The Philly soul inspired Neighborhood
sees us strolling through New York in sunshine; hoping for the best
in life. Smile is endearing with a whimsical string arrangement;
one of the lullaby songs.
There are darker things too. The Moment of Conception is angst ridden
and barbed with furious percussion as we approach the denouncement
"I don't want to be free". The Accident reflects the desolation
in the aftermath of a domestic break up with the strings providing
tension to perfectly underpin the ideas of the lyrics. Broken Things
is a verge of breakdown song where the household objects conspire
against singer with a clanging of pots and pans and the sound of
a modem.
But in Broken Things the man he gets it straight in the end. And
despite the complaint of the bittersweet Everyone's in Love with
You the singer seems to be won over. Walk on Water is especially
moving as it progresses from the spare and understated to uplifting
and then to a full on gospel finale. It shows something of the essence
of all the Eyeball songs. Maybe David is not quite home and free
but he sounds like he is nearly there and that has something encouraging
for all of us if we can let go a little and surrender to the groove.
- Melissa Hogg
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