I love joyful music— specifically songs that just seem to fill you up with warmth. Perhaps it’s from a calming saxophone or a subtle melody on the keyboard that tickles the back of the brain. Smooth lyrics mixed with groove spark the desire to move, to dance along with the song and become one with it. “Who is the Sky?,” a new album from David Byrne, does just that for me.
Byrne, lead singer, guitarist and founder of psychedelic rock band “Talking Heads,” released his new project in collaboration with Ghost Train Orchestra. The large ensemble features a variety of different instruments across the album — trumpets, saxes, tubas, violins and percussion instruments, ranging from a standard drum set to a djembe, creating a holistic sound. On “The Truth,” the outro track of the album, the percussion section builds the perfect background for Byrne’s vocals. Mixing in different keyboard instruments and tom drums, I found myself keying in more on the various working parts than the lyrics. As a former percussionist and a music nut, the brief marimba solo on “Everybody Laughs” caused me to point it out like the Leonardo DiCaprio meme — yes, that one. Rather than all of these different sounds coming from recordings on a soundboard, the inclusion of the live orchestra gives this album an authentic feel.
Byrne and Ghost Train utilize numerous musical styles throughout this project. “What Is The Reason For It?” rings similar to a mariachi performance with sharp, high-pitched trumpets drifting in the background. On “Moisturizing Things,” the string instruments — from the lead acoustic guitar to the violins in the background — switch between plucking and strumming, continuing the staccato from the intro of the song. One element I would have liked to see explored in this album is background vocals. Understandably, Byrne is the only vocalist on the album and everything else you hear is background accompaniment. I think another layer of backing vocals would have done wonders, especially with Byrne’s laidback style of singing.
When I first listen to an album, it is rare that I can pick out a favorite song without going back to replay it. However, “I’m an Outsider,” tickled the back of my brain. The track starts out sounding like a more traditional rock ’n’ roll song. As the song progresses, Byrne slides into the psychedelic, pop-rock fusion that represents Byrne’s style. Towards the end of the song, Byrne and the orchestra crescendo into the outro, which felt like my soul was ascending. The last 20 or so seconds of the song feature heavier autotune over Byrne’s voice, getting thicker up until the song ends, when he sounds more like a hippie Travis Scott. Another track that stuck out is “A Door Called No,” which I didn’t fully understand until I replayed the album. This song is relatively laidback compared to other tracks on the album. Byrne sings about rejection and facing doors that say “no.” As the song progresses, Byrne meets a girl then discovers “a world where the door says yes.” The song preaches patience, with Byrne understanding at the end of the song that change does come eventually, with faith.
The cover art for this album perfectly encapsulates the overall vibe of Byrne’s sound. Brightly colored spirals with vibrant yellows, reds and oranges circle into Byrne’s figure in the center. Byrne’s image seems to be melting into the spirals themselves. Black, white and grey tones subtly complement the bright colors, in certain spots resembling steps or even the keys of a piano. The vortex on the cover seems to symbolize the cyclical nature of life, which Byrne explores in his songs throughout the various interactions he has with people, such as the story behind “I Met The Buddha at a Downtown Party.” “You’re damned if you don’t and damned if you do”— Byrne, in conversation with the Buddha, who stepped away from enlightenment, comes to the realization that nobody has all the answers. The entire album, from the cover to the lyrics, exudes optimism about the infinite possibilities of life. On the song, “Don’t Be Like That,” Byrne ends each refrain with “This is my life” — declaring to the judgmental to just let people live their lives.
If you’re looking for something different to grace your headphones and switch up your vibe as you’re walking to class, take a listen to “Who is the Sky?” If you like what you hear in your headphones, remember that music always sounds better in person. Go see live music!
