Talking Heads' David Byrne recruits Hayley Williams, St. Vincent and more for new solo album
David Byrne has unveiled his new solo album Who Is The Sky? and announced a world tour.
Talking Heads frontman David Byrne has announced a new solo album featuring Hayley Williams, St. Vincent and more.
The 73-year-old new wave legend has unveiled Who Is The Sky?, which will feature arrangements by New York's Ghost Train Orchestra, and arrive on September 5.
The follow-up to 2018’s American Utopia is previewed by the lead single, Everybody Laughs.
Byrne said of the track: "Someone I know said, ‘David, you use the word ‘everybody’ a lot.’ I suppose I do that to give an anthropological view of life in New York as we know it. Everybody lives, dies, laughs, cries, sleeps and stares at the ceiling. Everybody’s wearing everybody else’s shoes, which not everybody does, but I have done.”
He added: “I tried to sing about these things that could be seen as negative in a way balanced by an uplifting feeling from the groove and the melody, especially at the end, when St. Vincent and I are doing a lot of hollering and singing together. Music can do that – hold opposites simultaneously. I realised that when singing with Robyn earlier this year. Her songs are often sad, but the music is joyous.”
Kid Harpoon - who is known for his work with Harry Styles - said of producing for Byrne: “It took me a second to realise, oh yeah, these songs are personal, but with David’s unique perspective on life in general.”
He continued: “Walking around New York listening to the demo of Everybody Laughs was so joyous, because it made me feel like we’re all the same – we all laugh, cry and sing. The thing about David that resonates with a lot of people is that he’s in on the joke. He gets the absurdity of it all, and all of these personal observations are his perspective on it.”
Hayley Williams
As well as reuniting with St. Vincent - with whom he released the joint LP Love This Giant in 2012 - Paramore's Hayley Williams and The Smile's Tom Skinner have contributed to Who Is The Sky?.
Byrne reflected: "At my age, at least for me, there’s a ‘don’t give a s*** about what people think’ attitude that kicks in. I can step outside my comfort zone with the knowledge that I kind of know who I am by now and sort of know what I’m doing.”
He added about collaborating: "That said, every new set of songs, every song even, is a new adventure. There’s always a bit of, ‘how do I work this?’ I’ve found that not every collaboration works, but often when they do, it’s because I’m able to clearly impart what it is I’m trying to do. They hopefully get that, and as a result, we’re now joined together heading to the same unknown place.”
As well as the new album, the Burning Down The House hitmaker will hit the road for a world tour and will be backed by a group of 13 musicians.
The trek kicks off in Providence at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium on September 14, before heading to North America, then onto Australia and New Zealand in 2026.
The tour will then head to the UK and Europe, including three shows at London’s Eventim Apollo in March.
General sale tickets will be available from 10am BST on June 13 via Ticketmaster.
O2 Priority customers can access a pre-sale at 3pm BST on June 10. Live Nation and Spotify pre-sales will take place from 12pm BST on June 12.
David Byrne – Who Is The Sky? tracklisting:
Everybody Laughs
When We Are Singing
My Apartment Is My Friend
A Door Called No
What Is the Reason for It?
I Met the Buddha at a Downtown Party
Don’t Be Like That
The Avant Garde
Moisturizing Thing
I’m an Outsider
She Explains Things to Me
The Truth
