Editor’s Note: From Albumism’s inception back in 2016, we’ve remained unabashedly and unequivocally passionate about our mission of celebrating the world's love affairs with albums past, present and future.

But while our devotion to the album as an art form has remained steadfast, as evidenced by our deepening repository of individual album tributes and reviews, we’ve admittedly seldom taken the opportunity to explicitly articulate our reverence for the virtues of artists’ complete album repertoires as a whole.

Hence why we’ve decided to showcase what we believe to be the most dynamic discographies of all time in this recurring series. In doing so, we hope to better understand the broader creative context within which our most beloved individual albums exist, while acknowledging the full breadth of their creators’ artistry, career arcs, and overall contributions to the ever-evolving musical landscape.

We hope you enjoy this series and be sure to check here periodically for the latest installments.

TALKING HEADS

Add these classic albums to YOUR collection:

When I first saw Talking Heads, my first thought was that they did not look like a rock band at all. My second thought was that this rock band was singing an Al Green song (“Take Me to the River” from 1978’s More Songs About Buildings and Food) and doing it very well.

I began to take notice of them but didn't rush out to buy their album. That all changed when I first heard "Once in a Lifetime." I knew then that I had to have the entire album, so as I mentioned in my 40th anniversary tribute to Remain in Light (1980) from last October, I bought the album in a head shop that day. I became a fan and eventually picked up the three previous albums.

The dramatic shift in styles between More Songs About Buildings and Food and Fear of Music (1979) wasn't startling to me at all. They were still that weird, quirky band that got their start at CBGB's, but now, their weirdness had a funky beat behind it.

Over the years, as I bought every new album as soon as they were released, I started realizing that their catalog had no glaring weaknesses. They made the occasional tweak to their sound, but they consistently put out an excellent and sometimes perfect product.

Talking Heads disbanded before there was a drop-off in the quality of their music, and maybe that's a good thing. If I had to recommend a band's discography to listen to from start to finish, theirs would unquestionably be on this list.

Terry’s 3 Favorite Talking Heads Albums of All Time:

1. Remain in Light (1980)
2. Little Creatures (1985)
3. More Songs About Buildings and Food (1978)

Listen & Watch (Playlist):