It’s been ten years since David Byrne put out what I would consider a real David Byrne album. That was 2004’s Grown Backwards, which went off on a few tangents but was mostly the sort of tight, quirky, literate world pop album he’d released four other times since 1989.
Those five albums — the kind of David Byrne records I adore — are (chronologically) Rei Momo, Uh-Oh, David Byrne, Feeling and the aforementioned Grown Backwards.
Byrne has released 12 other albums between 1989 and 2014, mostly collaborations, soundtracks and live performances. Most I don’t own and the ones I’ve heard have left me cold.
I’m not sure why Byrne has to be in a certain mode for me to be on board, but it’s really feast or famine.
Today’s track come from his 1994 self-titled release, and it’s a blast. I’d love for him to get back in this mode.
There’s nothing very strange ’bout that
Nuns said “We can’t kill that baby.
We’ll have to let your mother die”
We are all just lilies of the valley
We neither reap nor sow
We need to get our hands a little dirty
To make our gardens grow
Way too many people on this island
Getting way too crowded on this boat
Need someone to bail some water
If we’re gonna keep this thing afloat
I like a little sugar in my coffee
I don’t mean Sweet ‘n Low
You don’t know what you want until you
find it
I believe you’ll tell me so
I need a little water in my garden
I need a little sunlight on my head
I need someone to cover me with kisses
When I’m all alone & scared
We are all just lilies of the valley
We neither reap nor sow
We need to get our hands a little dirty
To make our gardens grow
I like a little sugar in my coffee
I don’t mean Sweet ‘n Low
Ahh…like to cover me with kisses
To make my garden grow
Meet Me In Montauk 
Until you mentioned it, I didn’t realize that it had been so many years since Byrne had put out something that was on my radar. I suppose that, after giving us so much great music for so long, he is entitled to do whatever he wants. But I too would love to have him put out a pure David Byrne album. Today’s song reminds me how much I’ve missed hearing new stuff from him.