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Another deluxe box set version of a Talking Heads album is coming November 13, expanding 1979’s Fear of Music to a 3CD/Blu-ray set.

Similar to packages created for Talking Heads 77 and More Songs About Buildings and Food (as well as the demo/live collection Tentative Decisions), Fear of Music will include the newly remastered album, a selection of previously released studio rarities, two full concerts (one of which generously contributed to the band’s live double album The Name of This Band is Talking Heads), and new Atmos, surround and hi-res mixes alongside a small amount of live footage. Will Hermes writes new liner notes in the 60-page booklet. A 6LP version will retain all the audio in the CD/Blu-ray box, while a 2LP edition features the album and studio rarities.

Continuing their alliance with avant-garde producer Brian Eno (formerly of Roxy Music and co-producer of Buildings and Food), Fear of Music blended rhythmic dance-rock with unique electronic treatment, creating a sonic melange that galvanized critics. Primarily recorded at a Long Island City loft maintained by the rhythm section of bassist Tina Weymouth and drummer Chris Frantz, the album featured some of their most dazzling songs, including the groove-based opener “I Zimbra,” moving tracks “Heaven” and “Memories Can’t Wait” (the latter memorably covered by Living Colour) – and, of course, “Life During Wartime,” arguably Fear of Music‘s pulsating heart with a memorably frenetic vocal from David Byrne and killer keyboard flourishes from Jerry Harrison. The original Grammy-nominated package featured an embossed black sleeve resembling metallic tread plate flooring; it’s modified here in perfect-bound book packaging.

Bonus content includes five alternate outtakes from the previous Talking Heads reissue campaign in 2006 and Eno’s original 12″ mix of “I Zimbra” on the first disc. The other CDs are devoted to live sets recorded throughout 1979: one at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston that August (featuring 13 unreleased tracks) and another from that November at the old Capitol Theater in Passaic, New Jersey (with eight unreleased tracks, the rest heard on versions of 1982’s The Name of This Band is Talking Heads.) Alongside the hi-res and surround mixes, the Blu-ray offers a brief two-song performance in England, broadcast on The Old Grey Whistle Test.

All three deluxe formats of Fear of Music will be available November 13 and can be pre-ordered at the links below. (As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.)

Fear of Music (Super Deluxe Edition) (Sire/Rhino, 2026)

3CD/Blu-ray: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
6LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

CD 1/LP 1-2: Remastered original album and rarities (Tracks 17 on LP 2/Side C – Side D features etching)

1. I Zimbra
2. Mind
3. Paper
4. Cities
5. Life During Wartime
6. Memories Can’t Wait
7. Air
8. Heaven
9. Animals
10. Electric Guitar
11. Drugs
12. Mind (Alternate Version)
13. Life During Wartime (Alternate Version)
14. Dancing for Money
15. Cities (Alternate Version)
16. Drugs (Alternate Version)
17. I Zimbra (12″ Version)

Tracks 1-11 released as Sire SRK 6076, 1979
Tracks 12-15 released on expanded reissue of album – Sire/Warner Bros./Rhino R2 76451, 2006
Track 16 released on Bonus Rarities & Outtakes digital album – Sire/Rhino (no cat. #), 2006
Track 17 released on Sire 12″ promo PRO-A-846, 1980

CD 2/LP 3-4: Live at Berklee Performance Center, Boston, MA – 8/24/1979 (previously unreleased except where noted)

1. Artists Only
2. Stay Hungry
3. Cities
4. Paper
5. Mind
6. Heaven
7. The Book I Read
8. Electric Guitar
9. Air
10. Warning Sign
11. Love -> Building on Fire
12. Memories Can’t Wait
13. Psycho Killer
14. Life During Wartime
15. Take Me to the River

Track 3 released on “Cities” U.K. single – Sire SIR 4040, 1980
Track 5 released on expanded edition of The Name of This Band is Talking Heads – Sire/Warner Bros./Rhino R2 76489, 2004

CD 3/LP 5-6: Live at the Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ – 11/17/1979 (previously unreleased except where noted)

1. Artists Only
2. Stay Hungry
3. Cities
4. Paper
5. Mind
6. Heaven
7. Electric Guitar
8. Air
9. Animals
10. Love -> Building on Fire
11. Found a Job
12. Memories Can’t Wait
13. Psycho Killer
14. Life During Wartime

Tracks 1-2, 8, 10 and 12 released on The Name of This Band is Talking Heads – Sire 2SR 3590, 1982
Track 6 released on expanded edition of The Name of This Band is Talking Heads – Sire/Warner Bros./Rhino R2 76489, 2004

Blu-ray

• Original album in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 surround and hi-res stereo
• Life During Wartime/Air (Live at Dacorum Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, England – 12/3/1979; broadcast on The Old Grey Whistle Test, BBC2 – January 1980)