Song and circumstance : the work of David Byrne from Talking Heads to the present / Sytze Steenstra.

Author/creator Steenstra, Sytze
Format Book
Publication InfoNew York : Continuum, 2010.
Descriptionx, 301 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm
Subjects
Byrne, David, 1952---Criticism and interpretation.
New wave music--History and criticism.

Portion of title Work of David Byrne from Talking Heads to the present
Contents Introduction. The world is a song -- Singer and conceptual artist -- Mythology and methodology -- Conceptual romanticism -- The method of this book -- Stripping down rock songs. The tentative rejection of mimesis -- Cybernetics as inspiration -- The first years of Talking Heads -- Ethological and neurological aspects of music -- Experiments with rhythm, texture, and persona -- A wilder musical community. Music and dance as social exchange -- Isolated voices embedded in rhythm -- At the crossroads: Remain in Light -- Comparative studies of myth, archetypes, and ritual -- Archetypal conflicts: "goin' boom boom boom" -- Speaking in Tongues: persona as ritual texture -- Ritual in daily life. Introducing performance theater -- A concert in the cinema: Stop Making Sense -- Music in context: Talking Heads vs. The Television -- The Knee Plays: music for Robert Wilson -- Little Creatures: television's naivete -- True Stories: a generic Gesamtkunstwerk -- A soundtrack for Mabou Mines' Dead End Kids -- The Forest: a Byrne-Wilson piece -- The Forest as film script -- Rock star and ethnographer. The artist as ethnomusicologist -- Naked: Talking Heads' most "African" record -- Ile Aiye: a musical ethnographic documentary -- Rei Momo: incorporating Latin sensibility -- Soundtracks for ethnographic art documentaries -- Luaka bop -- In the mirror: Sex 'n' drugs 'n' electronic music -- Critical responses -- In the visual arena. The arena of visual communication -- Photographic repertoires -- Strange Ritual: documents of sacralization -- The voodoo of the business world -- The New Sins: a new mythology of chaos -- Dressed objects and other furniture -- Tropicalismo in New York. The singer as imaginary landscape -- Between the Teeth -- New York tropicalismo -- TV presenter -- Live at Union Chapel -- Choreographed songs of David Byrne and Brian Eno -- History in the disco mirror ball -- An emotional epistemology. Cloud diagrams -- Envisioning Emotional Epistemological Information -- Arboretum: the garden of correspondences -- The representation of politics -- Who owns our eyes and ears? -- Philosophy in installments -- Bicycle Diaries: a comparative mythology of cities.
Abstract This original and compelling study of David Byrne's career carefully introduces the conceptual approaches in his work, and details their influence on his music and art. Ingredient by ingredient, the recipe for the fertile conceptual brew that characterizes Byrne's way of thinking is analyzed. This book offers a full account of this hugely successful and influential artist's sprawling portfolio, from his best-known music and films to rare and unknown works from his personal archives.
Bibliography noteIncludes bibliographical references, discography, filmography, and index.
LCCN 2009042865
ISBN9780826445599 (hardcover : alk. paper)
ISBN0826445594 (hardcover : alk. paper)
ISBN9780826441683 (pbk. : alk. paper)
ISBN0826441688 (pbk. : alk. paper)

Availability

Library Location Call Number Status Item Actions
Music Closed Stacks - Ask at Circulation Desk ML410.B997 S74 2010 ✔ Available Place Hold