Overdue Reviews, Part 2

The Red and the Black
by Jerry Harrison
allmusic entry (please refer to your favorite legal digital music provider for clips and the sort)

While David Byrne faffed about with Brian Eno and Tom Tom Club (Talking Heads' rhythm section: Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth) made themselves a gold album, Jerry Harrison released his first solo album to little fanfare. Well with the influx (the albums were out within months of each other), one of those albums was bound to get lost in the hooplah. A shame though, because it is definitely not only worth checking out, but arguably one of the best albums to come from the decade of excess (and Teddy Ruxpin).



Upon listening to the album in its entirety for the first time, as the allmusic entry (and review) notes, that the music is the major standout. People whose ears bleed at synthesizers will likely not enjoy this album, even though the long-used-and-abused instrument is put to excellent use here. It works with the rest of the music, only being a little painful during "Worlds In Collision".

First off, what is amazing about all the songs is that, even when you have no earthly clue what Harrison is going on about (though it isn't Byrne-esque whaaat), you can get behind it. He's more straightforward than Byrne, but that's like saying The Sound and the Fury was easier to understand than The House of Breath (thank you to the negative seven that got the joke). 

"Things Fall Apart" was the album's only single and it's not hard to hear why. Of all nine songs, this has to be the most accessible. The synths pretty much are the sonic personification of frayed nerves. This is jarring alongside the vocals, which sound calmer than the reality of it all, but the cool demeanor is betrayed halfway through the song.

"The New Adventure" is tied along with "Things Fall Apart" of being the favorite off the album. The synthesizer in here is haunting, especially since it sounds like a high-pitched tuning fork for a few moments and then a distant trumpet horn. (Of all the songs, this is the only one I have trouble interpreting what it's about. I lean on two interpretations: cynical patriotism or love being "the new adventure"). This is also where, honestly, his singing is the strongest. Probably because the lyrics flow better.

"Magic Hymie" (yes, the title is... well, read the definition) could've easily been another single, despite the fact that it would've freaked out half of its listeners. It is aggressive, eager to get its point across because damn it, the song has something to say y'all! Synths are used well here, same with the vocalists. They almost sound like each person is battling against something bigger than themselves. The weird thing is, the song offers no outcome. Guess whatever is going on, still continues.

Thankfully the album is available as a legal digital download, so it's not banished into the Valley of the Forgotten Albums. A CD version was released, but unless you're willing to shell out over a hundred bucks, you're better off getting it from iTunes. Or you can be like me and buy the LP just so you can read the lyrics (but good luck, it hurts to look at).

Nervy yet somewhat chill in the delivery, The Red and the Black remains the biggest and most pleasant surprise to come from a Talking Heads member. It's hard to rank it a bit lower than My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, but the album is truly in a class by itself. Too bad Harrison stopped after his third album, Walk on Water is not a good end-point.

ETA: The second chorus from "The New Adventure" is the epigraph for the prologue to Invisible . That's how much I love the song.