Photo by Kevin Cummins
Classic post-punk outfit A Certain Ratio has dusted off and reworked a cover of Talking Heads’ “Houses in Motion” that it recorded with famed Factory Records house producer Martin Hannett in 1980 with the intention that Grace Jones would sing the lead vocal.
Jones was at the sessions — as the photo released by the band’s publicists shows — but did not finish her vocals during the session at Strawberry Studios in Stockport, England. Instead, the completed version of the track features the guide vocal recorded by Jez Kerr before he became ACR’s singer.
Kerr now says: “It was great to find this lost track and, even though the original idea was for Grace Jones to sing on it, I think this version captures the essence of ACR at their best – when we are being ACR and sounding like no one else.”
The song is featured on the box set acr:box that’s being released this month as a seven-LP vinyl set, a four-disc CD set and a digital collection. It’s available to order now via online retailers.
See the band’s new video for “Houses in Motion” below.
Meh. Love the original (“Remain In Light” is still the best Heads album) but not wild about this cover.
I’m giving this a THUMBS UP. Recognizable but interesting. I’ll pass on the video though.
The very crisp music is really suited to Grace Jones.