The most quintessential song on David Byrne’s new album “Who Is the Sky?” is its third. Entitled “My Apartment Is My Friend,” the track finds Byrne wistfully recalling the ups and downs of life in his apartment as he prepares to move out. It’s a silly song, but Byrne’s total sincerity and commitment to the concept make it work. If that sounds insane to you, this will not be a record you’ll particularly enjoy.
Byrne began his career as the frontman and principal lyricist of the hugely influential band Talking Heads in the 1970s before embarking on a less commercially successful, but no less worthwhile, solo career. His non-Heads projects have included landmarks like the paradigm-shifting Brian Eno collaboration, “My Life in the Bush of Ghosts,” as well as less revelatory but still enjoyable work like 2004’s “Grown Backwards.”
At the beginning of his career, Byrne was noted for the sense of alienation and irony that suffused his lyrics, lending a sardonic edge to songs like “Psycho Killer” and “Artists Only.” As time has gone on, however, he has become far more comfortable with emotions. While Talking Heads’ famous “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)” is still the best example of Byrne’s capacity for naked emotion in song form, “Who Is the Sky?” is full of worthy attempts.
The album opens with its lead single, “Everybody Laughs.” It’s a pleasant, upbeat pop tune laden with nice instrumentation from Ghost Train Orchestra, who feature on each of the album’s songs. Indie rock star St. Vincent, with whom Byrne released a collaborative album in 2012, provides backing vocals.
The only other featured artist on the album is Hayley Williams, who appears on the standout song “What Is The Reason For It?” It deserves to enter the pantheon of Byrne’s go-to solo tracks alongside “Strange Overtones” and “Everybody’s Coming to My House,” exemplifying his penchant for global musical influences and his talent for writing offbeat but sonically satisfying lyrics. Williams’ verse adds a nice bit of texture to the song.
While the latter two tracks are upbeat, crowd-pleasing pop songs, Byrne also includes a few slower and more unusual compositions. “She Explains Things To Me” is reminiscent of his early-2000s work, while “I Met The Buddha at a Downtown Party” slinks along in a jerky funk mode reminiscent of the songs on Talking Heads’ first masterpiece, “More Songs About Buildings and Food.”
“Who Is the Sky?” isn’t revolutionary. It’s pretty in line with what listeners have come to expect from Byrne’s solo work, putting a fun spin on different forms of world and rock music while espousing quirky views on relationships and society. It’s not a major work in his discography in the sense that it challenges or redefines his artistry, but it’s a great example of why he’s so highly regarded nonetheless.
