The Heads, as both their name and debut album title suggest, are Talking Heads without their singer, David Byrne. With Byrne comfortably ensonced in a solo career, the killer rhythm section behind the band's twitchy, neurotic pop has gathered a disparate all-star cast of vocalist-lyricists to replace him on this most strange of all reunion albums. The rotating group of frontmen here includes '70s CBGB compatriots Debbie Harry and Richard Hell, contemporary popsters Ed Kowalczyk (of Live) and Michael Hutchence (INXS), and cult heroes Andy Partridge (XTC) and Gordon Gano (Violent Femmes). Rather than rehash any of Talking Heads' various musical phases, remaining Heads Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz and Jerry Harrison go for a more modernized, electronic atmosphere on these offhandedly arty collaborations. No one is likely to mistake this for a Talking Heads album, and that's probably just the way The Heads want it.

Rovi