Talking Heads Refurbish Catalog For DualDisc

By Jonathan Cohen, N.Y. ( billboard.com )

The Talking Heads have expanded their eight studio albums with previously unreleased content for their release as DualDiscs. Due Oct. 4 via Rhino, the sets will be packaged together in a white molded plastic box that holds eight jewel cases. Each album has also been remastered by Talking Heads keyboardist Jerry Harrison.

The group's 1977 debut, the appropriately named "Talking Heads: 77," will include a 5.1 mix of a previously unreleased acoustic version of "Psycho Killer" and an alternate 5.1 mix of "Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town." The DVD side sports a live clip of "Pulled Up" taped in 1978 in Berkeley, Calif., and "I Feel It in My Heart" shot in 1976 at New York's now-defunct the Kitchen.

The follow-up, "More Songs About Buildings and Food," is bolstered by alternate versions of "The Big Country," "I'm Not in Love" and "Thank You for Sending Me an Angel," as well as a "1977 version" of "Stay Hungry." The DVD pulls "Warning Sign" from the aforementioned Berkeley show plus "Found a Job" from a 1978 gig at New York's Entermedia Theatre.

Best known for "Cities" and "Life During Wartime," 1979's "Fear of Music" is expanded here with alternate versions of those tracks as well as "Mind," and an unfinished outtake of "Dancing for Money." The DVD side includes performances of "Cities" and "I Zimba" from the German TV show "Rockpop" in 1980.

"Remain in Light" is beefed up with four unfinished outtakes: "Fela's Riff," "Unison," "Double Groove" and "Right Start." "Rockpop" performances of "Once in a Lifetime" and "Crosseyed and Painless" are utilized for the DVD side. The 1983 album "Speaking in Tongues" features an alternate 5.1 mix of "Burning Down the House" as well as videos for that tune and "This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody)."

"Little Creatures" is filled out with previously unreleased early versions of its most notable tracks, "Road to Nowhere" and "And She Was," plus videos for both songs. The 1986 companion to "True Stories," directed by Heads vocalist David Byrne, includes a bonus Pop Staples Vocal Version 5.1 mix of "Papa Legba" and videos for "Wild Wild Life" and "Love for Sale."

The Heads' final studio album, "Naked," tacks on a 5.1 mix of "Sax and Violins" as well as its video and a clip for "Blind."

As previously reported, the Talking Heads and the spin-off group the Tom Tom Club are represented on the Sire Records box set "Just Say Sire," due Sept. 13 via Rhino.

Dualdiscs? God, I'm starting to miss the days of useless enhanced CDs.

edit: hopefully non-boxset/DD versions will come out later

I thought it was odd that there was no mention of these issues being available seperately - only as that white box thingy.

The only problem I have with Dualdiscs is that they're clear on both sides, so you can't leave them laying around without fucking one side of them up. I've got a surround sound system so they're actually somewhat useful to me, but they should at least release them in regular versions so people can have the choice.

And, as much as I would like to have a remastered version of Remain in Light, I can't see this box costing much less than $100, meaning I probably won't ever buy it.

dualdiscs suck. long live the cd (& mp3)

The only problem I have with DualDisc is THEY DON'T WORK in most of my CD-listening locations (car, computer, etc.) Please, please tell me that these are going to be released as non-DDs at some point, and definitely not in a box, because I certainly don't need all of the albums. More Songs about Buildings and Food, Fear of Music and Remain in Light definitely. The rest . . . not so necessary to me - I have what I need on the boxset.

I concur, although I would add Speaking in Tongues.

DualDisc is just fucking lazy. It's insignificantly less expensive than releasing them on separate DVD's and CD's, and you never use both in the same place anyway. L, for all I know, it's more expensive (since you have to glue the two together).

Plus the lack of compatability problem. That's just stupid, and they should be rejected out of hand for that reason alone.

The bonus tracks are seriously underwhelming me (except maybe the Remain in Light stuff). Two 5.1 mixes, a live clip and a music video I already have? Yawn.

I've been wanting Pops Staples' version of "Papa Legba" ever since the movie came out--I love his voice, and it's so much better than the Heads' own version. Of course, I don't have surround sound, so I'm still fucked...

seroiusly. quite a letdown, although i'll be excited to hear the ril stuff i haven't yet. weak. i think i'll listen to more songs and think about the good old days...