David Byrne - Who Is The Sky?

When it comes to eclectic careers, it’s hard to beat David Byrne. Since his last studio album American Utopia was released in 2018, Byrne has turned the subsequent tour into a broadway show, resurrected his Fatboy Slim-collaborating musical ‘Here Lies Love’, released a book of drawings he calls ‘Dingbats’ and created the ‘Theater of the Mind’, an immersive production based on his life.

You can breathe easy and put the theatre tickets away for this next one, as latest project ‘Who is The Sky?’ is not only a normal studio album, it’s also the best thing he’s done in years. Far from the spiky anxieties, fragile optimism, and philosophical abstractions of American Utopia, this is an album with real heart which turns inwards as much as it looks outwards. Lead single ‘Everybody Laughs’ is downright jaunty, while second single ‘She Explains Things To Me’ is a touching look at Byrne’s domestic life, where his fiancé often has to explain the subtext of films and TV to a confused David. In true David Byrne style though, the closest thing to a traditional love song is ‘My Apartment Is My Friend’ a Covid-inspired reflection on just how much of his life his home has borne witness to over the years.

Away from the more grounded explorations of human feeling, there’s plenty of trademark absurdity on display, too. Who else but David Byrne could write ‘Moisturizing Thing’, an entire song about using a moisturiser which is so effective it makes him look like he’s three years old? Likewise, ‘I Met The Buddha at a Downtown Party’ is a narrative track about exactly that, with an ageing Buddha giving up on enlightenment in favour of the sweet taste of blueberry tarts.

Byrne’s solo work is usually lyrically interesting, so none of this is a surprise. What elevates ‘Who Is The Sky?’ above much of his solo output is the lush instrumentation of a lot of the songs, courtesy of Ghost Train Orchestra. Experimental without being offputting, and layered without being crowded, it’s a masterclass in how popular music doesn’t just have to be centred around guitars. One other collaboration which is just as fun as it sounds is a guest spot from Paramore’s Hayley Williams, whose added vocals on ‘What is The Reason For It?’ create an earworm which is among the best on the whole album.

Most famous musicians in their seventies are happy to rest on their laurels, play the hits and watch the royalty payments roll in. Not only does David Byrne refuse to do that, but every song on ‘Who Is The Sky?’ proves that he’s still as creative and enthusiastic as he ever was. David’s Buddha may have given up on enlightenment, but we can all breathe a sigh of relief that the man himself hasn’t given up on making music.