Album Review: David Byrne – Who Is The Sky?
3 min read
David Byrne is an undisputed musical icon, although he may be dismissive of such a title. As the creative force and front man behind Talking Heads the group defined the alternative music scene in the 80s, creating a multitude of classic albums and the legendary live set immortalised in Stop Making Sense. David however, forever the humble artist, forged a solo path beyond that has continued to wow audiences. His last album American Utopia became a broadway show, and introduced participants to a moving band, no performer confined behind their kit or to a portion of the stage. Now, with that project finally being laid to rest, David has returned with Who Is The Sky?
Much like throughout a lot of David’s discography, this album is full of infectious grooves and interesting instrumentation. Opener Everybody Laughs is a shot of positive energy, its catchy melody and hopeful lyrics capturing a togetherness that permeate the rest of the record. My Apartment Is My Friend turns full musical mode, David singing about all the ways that his flat looks after him, inspired by his extended time in it during Covid. A Door Called No creates a representation of rejection and runs with the motif, emphasising the fact that everyone experiences ‘the door’ at some time in their lives, while the samba-inspired What Is The Reason For It? featuring Hayley Williams has listeners jiving while the pair list off what love means in different contexts. Its certainly a highlight on the first half of the album, and is a great pairing.
Don’t Be Like That acts almost as a side-by-side to another song later on the record She Explains Things To Me, both coming across as David describing his love life in a realistic but tongue-in-cheek way. The former is the contradictions that come up in everyday conversation, whilst the latter is framed around the couple watching films and his partner having to explain the plot to him. The Avant Garde is another highlight, an off-kilter brass-laden number that looks at the label sometimes given to David and his music before shrugging it off as ‘not meaning sh*t’. There are a few examples of randomness on the album, like Moisturising Thing, where David sings literally about his partner’s moisturiser making him look like a baby, and I Met The Buddha at a Downtown Party, which is fairly self-explanatory. Closer The Truth however brings the sense back, as well as the beat, and sends listeners off with a raggaeton swing.
Who Is The Sky? is another fantastic album in David Byrne’s solo career, and shows that his longevity in music has a fairly obvious explanation. At times charming, at times weird, even dare I say avant garde, this album is a wonderful journey into David’s world, and an incredibly engaging listen from start to finish.
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Writer and Musician, Ryan Bulbeck has been published with a number of online publications, and has worked with a myriad of great artists, both as a performer, and as a producer. His most recent band The 295 are still active, playing shows around the UK.
