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Here Lies Love – David Byrne & Fatboy Slim

If there was one word which defined Imelda Marcos, it was excess. Imelda who? And if you are wondering if Marcos refers to her genealogy with a patriarchal mob, it’s best to stay content in just knowing she is one woman who forms the subject for the collaboration of two of the most prolific musicians we have known. But when David Byrne and Fatboy Slim created “Here Lies Love”, excess was something they never really thought of including. Rather it is the absolute converse. The only thing where they probably thought of numbers was making this into a double disc effort. Which hardly is an oversight considering who are the folks behind the record. Composed predominantly of females voices from different timelines in music history (barring the inveterate troubadour Steve Earle on the chugging “A Perfect Hand”). The album is a disparate mix of sounds – ranging from latin rhythms, disco, soul – stitched together perfectly. Top it up with a mix of eclectic female voices, and you have a record which would please the depths of your sensory perceptions. Cyndi Lauper on “Eleven Days” as also with Tori Amos on midtempo pop of “Why Don’t You Love Me?” comes through as pleasant surprise after all these years. Tori also extols you to move flamenco style on “You’ll Be Taken Care Of”. Don’t forget to jive to Sharon Jones’ soulful voice on “Dancing Together”.