Talking Heads - Slippery People (EMI)

David Byrne's got bigger and better suits than Yohji Yamamoto, but never mind the width - what about the quality? Well, the Heam,' musical accomplishments continue ,) surpass even their sartorial achievements, and this two-headed blast of pure dance-floor intelligentzia is living proof of that. Since their first LP in 1977, they've been a constant source of mature moods and homely madness, never ever missing a single beat. Lifted from their forthcoming celluloid venture Stop Making Sense (filmed on their last tour), the sound quality is beyond excellence, whilst the puns are pure fun: get ahead - get a Talking Head. (Dylan Jones, Record Mirror, October 20, 1984)

More live meandering from David Byrne and a cast of thousands. Typically Headsy without expunging the memory of their late '70s peak, 'Slippery People' jerks along on Fenders, funk and Steve Scale's subtle percussion. The Squawking Teds pioneered this style so long ago it now fails to sound new. Very average. (Max Bell, No 1, October 20, 1984)

Talking Heads - Life During Wartime (Live) (Sire)

A quicker, thicker, less slick version of the outstanding track from Fear Of Music, recorded during the 1980-81 world tour which the Heads did as a nine-piece, dance-enhanced out-and-out funk band. I narrowly prefer the original but that's on the B-side, so no complaints. (Tim De Lisle, Smash Hits, March 18, 1982)

Talking Heads - Road To Nowhere (EMI)

David Byrne and the Little Drummer Boy undergo a head-on collision, with no apparent damage caused to either party. A gospel-style intro flows into a spate of manically rhythmic drumming, strangely reminiscent of that bizarre record by Kissing The Pink, "The Last Film". Sounds wonderful. (Lesley O'Toole, Record Mirror, October 5, 1985)

Talking Heads - The Lady Don't Mind (EMI)

This track is nowhere near as good as "Slippery People". In fact it's only. .. very good! Talking Heads can turn out genius every time. This will be another of their tracks which brings the weird dancers onto the floor of trendy nightclubs up and down the country, MacMillans in Liverpool being the first! (Simon O'Brien, Smash Hits, May 22, 1985)

Concerning the Heads' renovated image; they have taken several leaves out of the ABC catalogue of cartoon capers, mixed and thrashed it with a multitude of multitones plus bits and pieces from Crolla cast-offs ... But not to worry, because musically they have come full circle and now sound as brash, as exciting and as vibrant as they did way back in '77 when they came to England supporting the likes of the Ramones. This is a marvellous record that has its cachet and nouse in all the right places ... knee deep in a niche. (Dylan Jones, Record Mirror, May 25, 1985)

Talking Heads - This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody) (Sire)

A track from the excellent 1983 album Speaking In Tongues, which finds the band in classic style. The characteristic Byrne vocals harnessed to some truly funky guitar keeps the heads nodding in time. Rather senseless to release such an old track, which obviously breaks no new ground, although it contains all the usual dance qualities, zany appeal, profound professionalism and personality that you would expect from the Heads. (Diane Cross, Record Mirror, June 14, 1986)

Talking Heads now have a different British record company, so the old one is predictably trying to make some cash from the old stuff. This could mean endless tired old re-releases, but in the case of a chestnut like this one, who cares? It's absolutely ruddy marvellous! A dreamy little holiday of a song that transports you away on funny bendy notes, interesting choppy beats and charming lyrics and is just...yummy. (Duncan Wright, Smash Hits, June 18, 1986)