VARIOUS - Naive Melodies - 2LP - Black Vinyl [FEB 6]

2LP - Black Vinyl

Naive Melodies is a bold and visionary tribute to the music of Talking Heads, reinterpreted through the lens of Black musical innovation. Curated by Drew McFadden — the creative mind behind BBE’s acclaimed Modern Love (David Bowie tribute album) — this new collection dives deep into the Afro-diasporic rhythms and experimental soul roots that helped shape Talking Heads’ unmistakable New Wave sound. Inspired by artists like Fela Kuti, Parliament, and Al Green - whose influences loomed large in the band’s rhythmic DNA — Naive Melodies shines a light on the Black music traditions that underpinned their artistry. Far from a conventional tribute, Naive Melodies reframes the band’s catalog through the voices and visions of a new generation of genre-defying artists.

These interpretations illuminate the foundational grooves and sonic textures that fueled Talking Heads’ rhythm-forward aesthetic, bringing them full circle with authenticity. “With Naive Melodies, I wanted to spotlight the deep and often overlooked influence of Black music on the sound of Talking Heads, drawing from the rhythmic foundations of Afro-diasporic traditions, soul, gospel, Latin, and spiritual jazz. This project is a chance to reimagine Talking Heads’ legacy through the lens of the very innovations that helped shape it, bringing those influences to the forefront through the voices of today’s most forward-thinking artists.” - Drew McFadden The album features a globally minded lineup, including Liv.e, Bilal, Rogê, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Aja Monet, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Theo Croker, Kenny Dope, Rosie Lowe, Pachyman, W.I.T.C.H., and more — spanning Afrobeat, jazz, soul, funk, gospel, dub, electronica, orchestral, and Latin styles. It reflects not only the boundary-pushing ethos of Talking Heads, but also the influence of Black music as a cultural force that helped shape it. This is not just a tribute album — it’s a recontextualization. A cultural conversation. A rhythmic reawakening

Tracklist: 

DISC 1
SIDE A
1. Heaven - Miguel Atwood-Ferguson
2. Sugar On My Tounge (Dub) - Pachyman
3. Once In A Lifetime - W.I.T.C.H.
4. Girlfriend Is Better - Georgia Anne Muldrow
5. Mind - Wu-Lu

SIDE B
1. Psycho Killer - Astrønne
2. Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On) - Kenny Dope feat. Róisín Murphy
3. I Zimbra - Liv.e
4. The Book I Read - Aja Monet
5. Burning Down The House - Rosie Lowe

DISC 2
SIDE C
1. Uh-Oh Love Comes To Town - EBBA
2. Road To Nowhere - Rogê
3. And She Was - Vicky Farewell
4. Crosseyed and Painless - Florence Adooni

SIDE D
1. Seen And Not Seen - Bilal
2. Born Under (More) Punches (The Heat Goes On) - Theo Croker feat. Theophilus London
3. Take Me To The River - Dominique Johnson
4. This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody) - Leon Jean-Marie