"Even in it’s original, truncated form... ['Stop Making Sense'] was the perfect intro primer into the Talking Heads. When you’re young and you start collecting music and you want to buy… everything… but can’t afford it you were reduced to grabbing those old school 1-album greatest hits records or the band’s live album as a way to catch up. For me on the Talking Heads, it was the live album that was my gateway drug.
The concert the film is based on shows the band starting completely stripped down, the stage is bare. It’s just Byrne, a boom box with a beat playing and his acoustic guitar/vocals. One by one, additional band members come out and join him. First Tina Weymouth on bass and then they roll Christ Frantz and his drum kit out on stage. Jerry Harrison comes out on keys. They augment their 4 piece configuration with a number of great musicians including: Bernie Worrell (keyboards), Alex Weir (guitar) with a percussionist and a couple of back up singers. Visually it’s quite striking. Byrne, at one point comes out in a giant grey suit. It’s fucking iconic now.
I’ll admit, in it’s original incarnation, the live album/soundtrack didn’t perhaps capture that additive musical effect as well as it could have. But again, these are passionate performances and capture an energy not present in those studio recordings. Don’t get me wrong, I love the studio LPs, but this live album just grabs me...
“Psycho Killer,” as mentioned is definitive for me but I also love the version of “Heaven” with just Byrne and Weymouth on stage. These are killer versions of the tracks... The set list is 'Speaking In Tongues' heavy but you’d have to expect that as that was what they were touring behind. And lets face it, it’s one of their most popular albums so that’s a plus in my book. “Live During Wartime” and “Once In A Lifetime” are damn near definitive here too. Byrne’s solo track “What A Day That Was” is also a big favorite. I’m a bit put off by the Tom Tom Club track “Genius Of Love,” but what can you do… you’re in a band, it’s about compromise.
The final tracks are a powerhouse. “Girlfriend Is Better,” “Take Me To The River” with total gospel treatment of the back up singers, and “Crosseyed And Painless” is a tour de force. This is just a great concert document and is worth everyone’s time. I highly recommend this album as a part of everyone’s record collection." - Bourbon And Vinyl
Compact Disc Pressing
Tracklisting:
1. Talking Heads– Psycho Killer
2. Talking Heads– Heaven
3. Talking Heads– Thank You For Sending Me An Angel
4. Talking Heads– Found A Job
5. Talking Heads– Slippery People
6. Talking Heads– Burning Down The House
7. Talking Heads– Life During Wartime
8. Talking Heads– Making Flippy Floppy
9. Talking Heads– Swamp
10. Talking Heads– What A Day That Was
11. Talking Heads– This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)
12. Talking Heads– Once In A Lifetime
13. Tom Tom Club– Genius Of Love
14. Talking Heads– Girlfriend Is Better
15. Talking Heads– Take Me To The River
16. Talking Heads– Crosseyed And Painless
