David Byrne – American Utopia review: Joyful disregard for convention | Music | Entertainment

Just when you think the Talking Heads maestro has gone too far, with the mock-naive gibberish of his lyrics (as on Every Day Is A Miracle), or the sheer relentlessness of a not particularly arresting tune (the curious Bullet), he’ll pull the music back on track with a beautiful instrumental line or a few telling words.

Such is American Utopia, an album about the value of simply being happy performed with a joyful disregard for musical or lyrical convention, from the opening Dance Like This, an off-kilter ballad that suddenly turns into a hard, rhythmic monotone, to the beautiful, closing Here, a slow-burning plea to live in the moment.

“Raise your eyes to the one who loves you,” he declares on the latter.

“It is safe right where you are.”