LITTLE CREATURES

1985 and the follow up to the excellent and energetic Speaking In Tongues. At the time it was hard visualizing what the next TH project would sound like so initially the more stripped out, leaner sound was a bit of a surprise. While the preceding release was a mixed, complex percussive rambler with frenzied hooks, the minimalist Little Creatures actually turns out to be a more than solid offering and proved that some bands, even upon reaching creative peaks can still readily produce the goods.

The album kicks off with the likeable and rocking " And She Was" which also climaxes with a really great guitar riff. Get up and boogie people it is a very happy dance number. The theme of the album is loosley structured around humans and their behavioural patterns, little kids etc as zany and quirky as TH can get. " Give Me Back My Name" is quite a downer of a song but " Creatures Of Love" is clever, has a great chorus and you can sense the band is really enjoying themselves. " The Lady Don't Mind" one of the singles off the album is one of their finest ever released and again the stripped out sound and solid drumming from Chris Frantz gives the groove a special feel," Perfect World" which plays out side one of the vinyl became another strong hit as did the closing almost Country and Western " Road To Nowhere". There is an element of Southern Gospel to the backing vocals too which works a treat. One can sense the " True Stories" idea beginning to take hold. The second side holds up equally well if not even better with the thumping " Television Man" and " Walk It Down" as Byrne delivers his missives with such passion you cannot ignore the irony behind the lyrics. Excellently delivered and their last great album. They had truly run out of creative ideas after this.