Fans are hoping legendary musician David Byrne sounds “as good as he did in the ’70s” and will be pleasantly surprised by the results.
Talking Heads‘ frontman will be touring the world later this year and early next with his Who is the Sky? album. Fans were wondering whether Byrne, 73, was still a capable musician and worth the price of admission. A listener took to the r/TalkingHeads subreddit and asked whether Byrne is still a strong enough performer in his solo years as he was with the band which defined the alternative rock and new wave scene. The short answer from members of the public, is yes, Byrne can still perform like he used to. A fan asked: “Is David’s voice still strong? I’ve been a Talking Heads fan for so long, and, finally, I will get to see David Byrne in Dublin next year.
“I’m buzzing. I’m just a bit nervous that I missed the boat a bit. His American Utopia tour looked amazing, and his voice was amazing. It sounded the same as it had forty years ago. I’m just worried that it’s starting to go. His recent performances with Robyn and Olivia Rodrigo were fun, but he sounds a touch shaky.
“I know he’s seventy-two, so I don’t want to be too harsh, I’m just wondering if anyone else thinks his voice might be going a bit? I hope not.” Fans were quick to jump to Byrne’s defence, and pointed to his most recently released songs as examples of his ongoing strengths as a performer.
One fan wrote: “You’re going to be in the audience, you’re going to be singing with him and everyone else. Yeah, he won’t sound exactly like he did in 1977, but so what? Neither do you.” Another added: “He just released a single, you know?”
Others believed the vocal flaws and occasional shortcomings are all part of the charm to be fopund in the punk and new wave origins of Byrne’s work. One fan suggested: “With music that has a punk/new wave mindset, the vocal quirks and flaws are part of the package.
“David’s music and performances feel like the inner voice of an introverted nerd brought to vivid life, and I love it for that. I will never tire of his bellowing and stimmy yelps; it brings me joy.”
Another disagreed, adding: “Gonna disagree here. Obviously his voice isn’t ‘perfect’ in a classically trained sense. But that self-taught, quirky, yelpy charm is part of what makes Talking Heads feel so special. It feels truly ‘punk’ to me. And it’s expressive; he always owns the lyrics and puts his soul into them.
“I’d put David in a similar category as Andy Partridge and the Johns from They Must Be Giaants. The eccentricity of those artists’ voices is part of the character of their music. They are great singers in a new wave or punk sense.
“Also, though, Byrne does have a pretty dang impressive vocal range. I’m really quite impressed by how high and low he can go. If you compare, say, Swamp to Don’t Worry About the Government, it sounds like it’s by two completely different singers. Also those mouthful wails in the chorus of Listening Wind? That sticks with me.”
Byrne will perform across North America, Europe, and the United Kingdom this year and next.
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