Maps of Music

Grown Backwards (2004)

Where the lyrics of Grown Backwards take you, and where it was really made.

Byrne's own 2010 book counts about 140,000 units sold, even though the album peaked only at No. 178 in the US.

Key places

Main studio in New York (2004)

Recording site Kampo Studios — Most of the album was recorded and mixed at Kampo Studios in New York City, according to the credits. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Basic tracks at Avatar (2004)

Recording site Power Station Studio — The basic tracks for tracks 2 and 8 were recorded at Avatar in New York City. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

String sessions in Austin (2004)

Recording site Mirrorball Studios — String parts for several tracks were recorded at Tequila Mockingbird in Austin, Texas. The mark sits at the city centre, not the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Track 5 in Glasgow (2004)

Recording site The Earth's Core — Track 5 was recorded at CaVa Sound Workshops in Glasgow. The mark sits at the city centre, not the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Track 6 in London (2004)

Recording site Wild Bunch Studios (London) — Track 6 was recorded at Cheeba Central in London. The mark sits at the city centre, not the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Track 14 at Sound on Sound (2004)

Recording site MSR Studios — Track 14 was recorded and mixed at Sound on Sound in New York City. The exact building is not confirmed in the source. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Grown Backwards: seventh studio album by David Byrne
• Released March 16, 2004; 15 tracks including the bonus track "Lazy" (9:35)
• Most tracks written by Byrne; "The Man Who Loved Beer" is co-written with Donald Charles Book and Kurt Wagner of Lambchop
• "Au fond du temple saint" comes from Bizet's Les pêcheurs de perles and features Rufus Wainwright; "Un di Felice, Eterea" comes from Verdi's La Traviata
• Released by Nonesuch Records in the US and by WEA International elsewhere
• Packaged in a jewel box with a metallic cardboard slipcover

Background

• The Tosca Strings take part on most of the tracks
• "Glass, Concrete & Stone" was part of the soundtrack of the 2002 film Dirty Pretty Things
• Promoted with the My Backwards Life Tour, a world tour by Byrne with the Tosca Strings
• The album was first released on vinyl on March 15, 2019

Recording

• Most tracks were recorded and mixed at Kampo Studios in New York City
• Other sessions took place at Avatar (New York City), Tequila Mockingbird (Austin, Texas), RPM Studio (New York City), CaVa Sound Workshops (Glasgow), Cheeba Central (London), Skyline (New York City), Congress House Studio (Austin) and Sound on Sound (New York City)
• Track 15 arrangements are based on arrangements by Dan Foster, Steven Hussey and Anu Pillai for Freeform Five
• Mastering by Greg Calbi; mixing by Mark Saunders (tracks 1 and 6) and Patrick Dillett (other tracks)
• Recording credit for most tracks goes to Patrick Dillett

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Born May 14, 1952 in Dumbarton, Scotland; family moved to Canada and then Arbutus, Maryland, USA.
• Co-founded Talking Heads in New York City in 1975 as founding member, principal songwriter, lead vocalist and guitarist.

Members

• Byrne was the youngest member of Talking Heads; Jerry Harrison joined in 1977.

Career

• Talking Heads released eight studio albums, seven of them certified gold or platinum, and disbanded in 1991; inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.
• Solo career began in 1981 with My Life in the Bush of Ghosts (with Brian Eno), with solo work accelerating after Talking Heads' hiatus in 1988.
• Worked across film, theatre, opera, fiction and non-fiction; won an Academy Award, a Grammy, a Special Tony Award and a Golden Globe.
• Collaborators include Brian Eno, Fatboy Slim, Ryuichi Sakamoto, St. Vincent and X-Press 2.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Metacritic reports generally favorable reviews, with a weighted average of 78 out of 100 from 17 critic scores

Reappraisal

• The album was released on vinyl for the first time on March 15, 2019

Records

• US chart peak: No. 178
• UK chart peak: No. 88
• Byrne's 2010 book How Music Works lists 127,000 physical albums sold
• The same book lists 8,000 digital albums and 53,000 digital singles
• Total album units in the book: 140,000

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The Tosca Strings take part on most tracks, and Byrne toured the album with them as the My Backwards Life Tour.
• "Glass, Concrete & Stone" was part of the soundtrack of the 2002 film Dirty Pretty Things.
• Rufus Wainwright appears on "Au fond du temple saint" by courtesy of Dreamworks Records.
• "Lazy" is identified as a bonus track and runs 9:35, the longest track on the album.
• The album's vinyl was first released on March 15, 2019, more than fifteen years after its CD release.

Sources: es.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

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