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Talking Heads' Fear of Music

By Jonathan Lethem
Series: 33 1/3
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Set in the summer of 1979, Talking Heads' Fear of Music follows a 15-year-old boy in Brooklyn captivated by the announcement of the Talking Heads' new album, Fear of Music. Jonathan Lethem examines this third album—produced by Brian Eno—as a landmark work filled with edgy, paranoid, funky rhythms. He explores its songs, lyrics, and legacy, transporting readers to New York City's energetic downtown scene and reflecting on how we connect and reconnect with art over time.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book suits readers interested in music history, especially fans of the Talking Heads and those intrigued by the cultural landscape of 1970s New York. It appeals to those who appreciate detailed musical and lyrical analysis alongside memoir-style reflection.

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A virtuoso performance by a writer at the peak of his powers, tackling one of his great obsessions: Talking Heads.

A virtuoso performance by a writer at the peak of his powers, tackling one of his great obsessions: Talking Heads.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

It's the summer of 1979. A 15-year-old boy listens to WNEW on the radio in his bedroom in Brooklyn. A monotone voice (it's the singer's) announces into dead air in between songs, "The Talking Heads have a new album, it's called Fear of Music"—and everything spins outward from that one moment.

Jonathan Lethem treats Fear of Music (the third album by the Talking Heads, and the first produced by Brian Eno) as a masterpiece—edgy, paranoid, funky, addictive, rhythmic, repetitive, spooky and fun. He scratches obsessively at the album's songs, guitars, rhythms, lyrics, packaging, downtown origins, and legacy, showing how Fear of Music hints at the directions (positive and negative) the band would take in the future.

Lethem transports us again to the New York City of another time—tackling one of his great adolescent obsessions and illuminating the ways in which we fall in and out of love with works of art.

Series: 33 1/3

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Critics praise Lethem's blend of passionate fandom and incisive analysis. The Atlantic highlights his ability to balance personal passion with scholarly insight, calling the book a powerful examination of a band warranting serious study. The Guardian commends the book as a singular investigation illuminating the album beyond prior understanding. Salon.com finds a natural synergy between Lethem and the Talking Heads, noting their shared ties to New York and interplay between high art and popular culture.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781441121004

Publisher: Continuum Publishing Corporation

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 26 April 2012

Country: United States

Imprint: Continuum Publishing Corporation

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 121.0mm

Height: 165.0mm

Weight: 142g

Pages: 160

Collections

Arts & Culture Jonathan Lethem Non-Fiction Series: 33 1/3

About the Author

Jonathan Lethem is one of the most acclaimed American novelists of his generation. His books include Motherless Brooklyn, The Fortress of Solitude, and Chronic City. His essays about James Brown and Bob Dylan have appeared in Rolling Stone. He is Roy Edward Disney Professor in Creative Writing at Pomona College, US.

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