"Don't Take My Kindness for Weakness" Released: 1996
No Talking, Just Head is the only studio album by the Heads, a band composed of Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth, and Chris Frantz of Talking Heads, joined by a variety of guest singers. Released in October 1996, the project was commercially and critically unsuccessful. The band members went on to pursue other musical interests.
Recording and release
The Talking Heads instrumentalists began recording this album in late 1994 after spending several years trying to get vocalist David Byrne to participate.[1] The title track was first released on the soundtrack to Virtuosity,[2] with recording continuing through 1995, as friends and musical acquaintances filled in as guest vocalists.[1] The album was intended to turn into a full-time project with further studio albums and a tour, culminating with a live CD/video release of the first tour, featuring performances of songs originally recorded by Talking Heads reinterpreted by the album's guest artists. However, Byrne sued the group, asserting that their name and presentation was too evocative of Talking Heads and that this release was a trademark violation.[3] The suit was settled out of court and only the studio album was released.[4][5] The band toured the US in late 1996, with Johnette Napolitano serving as the primary lead vocalist.[6]
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic wrote that the collaborators were "as barren of ideas as the Heads themselves", and that most of the music, bar the tracks with Andy Partridge and Shaun Ryder, was "simply bland".[7] Keith Phipps of The A.V. Club wrote that the songs were "alternately derivative of [the band's] former work and derivative of current musical trends", and that the "crushing mediocrity" of the music was only punctuated by the Partridge song.[8]Robert Christgau rated the album a B− and called it a "turkey", stating that it was not as bad as he expected, and that the music was strongest when sounding like Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club.[9] Chris Molanphy of CMJ New Music Monthly wrote that the musicians were "just fine" without Byrne and felt the strength of the music came from the rhythm section.[10] A brief review from E! called the album "frighteningly catchy" and just as "gimmicky" as Talking Heads' work.[11] Dom Stud of Melody Maker noted that most of the album's guests "contribute a strong identity", with some "even managing to inject new life into the tired trio", and concluded, "All in all, No Talking, Just Head works as a series of cameos. That so many hit the mark should be considered a triumph."[12]
A review of "Damage I've Done" in Billboard recommended the track to retailers as having sales potential for being a "murky, oddly appealing rocker" that was "derivative but undoubtedly hit-bound".[13]
No Talking, Just Head debuted on the CMJ New Music Monthly Top 75 Alternative Radio Airplay in January 1997 at 43[14] and peaked at 32 the next month.[15]
References
^ abcdeRosen, Craig (September 7, 1996). "Radioactive/MCA's Heads Together With Friends". Artists & Music. Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 36. pp. 14, 20. ISSN0006-2510.
^Flick, Larry (August 25, 1995). "Mariah And Janet Tear Up The Dancefloor". Dance. Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 34. p. 26. ISSN0006-2510.
^Rosen, Craig (September 7, 1996). "Byrne Goes Head To Head In Suit With Ex-Bandmates". Commentary. Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 36. p. 8. ISSN0006-2510.
