Over the course of four solo albums the former lead singer of Talking Heads has re-invented himself since the break up of the band in 1988. Ever chameleon-like on this latest work he strives even harder for a new musical skin.
After the split, Scottish born Byrne dove deeply into non western musics, recording albums with artists such as Celia Cruz and Brazilian singer Margareth Menezes as well as UK chillsters Morcheeba. He also launched his own label Luaka Bop to promote music by leftfield non-western artists such as the Brazilian Tom Ze and Zap Mama.
Written and recorded in Spain and America this fifth solo album finds Byrne in no less a need to recreate himself, bringing his ever expanding range of influences together with a greater organic, acoustic feel. There's Brazilian Axe, Mexican folk, Washington Go Go, old school disco and the avant garde classicism of the Balanescu Quartet. Easy listening it ain't. Quality it is.
'Look Into the Eyeball' even contains the first song Byrne has written in Spanish, 'Desconocido Soy' (I Am Unknown). It's one of the album's best cuts, the singer/songwriter finding a new personality within a new language. The lead track meanwhile finds Byrne reflecting on his Catholic upbringing, returning to the mantra of guilt that preoccupies that particular branch of religion.
And for fans of Byrne's eccentricity, he's still got that quirky, angular, Eraserhead quality about him on tracks like 'Like Humans Do' and 'Broken Things'. No wonder Bart Simpson called Talking Heads "Nerds made good".
Often thought of as ahead of his time perhaps Byrne is now in the perfect position to articulate the angst of socially unskilled western white men who find themselves taking over the world via new technology. The album's glut of different rhythms speaks of a man trying to find his groove.
There's also an undertone of smut and witty cynicism within the album ("Everyone's In Love With You/I Want To Kill And Kiss You Too") but overall there's a lack of humour. Byrne's still self-preoccupied with his own fragility and mortality, best exemplified on the melancholic, Radiohead-like 'The Accident'.
It seems the more fluid Byrne tries to become the stiffer he gets. But that's old age for you and, to his credit, he's trying hard to beat it off.
