David Byrne reflects on the risks and potential rewards of pushing creative boundaries on his latest single, “The Avant Garde”. The track is set to appear on his forthcoming album, Who Is The Sky?, due out September 5th via Matador Records, alongside 11 other songs produced by Kid Harpoon (Harry Styles, Miley Cyrus) and arranged by the members of New York-based chamber ensemble Ghost Train Orchestra.
“Some people will hear this and say, ‘David is calling bullshit on his friends’ but it’s more nuanced than that,” the enigmatic Talking Heads frontman said in a press release. He continued:
Anyone who knows me knows that I go to plenty of shows that might be classified as avant-garde or experimental. Edgy and untraditional work is hugely inspiring to me, as it often changes the way I think and influences what I do (without me simply appropriating the ideas, I hope). That said, trying something unproven and radically new is risky. Sometimes, as with anything risky, it doesn’t quite hit the bullseye. There’s no guarantee that it will achieve what it aims to do, but when it does, the emotional and intellectual rewards are worth it. That is the risk one takes while making something new and unconventional. So yes, there are times when it doesn’t mean shit, but often there are times when something wholly original comes into being and it’s all worth it. I love that the Ghost Train folks and Kid Harpoon took what could have been a fairly conventional song I’d written (musically at least), and steered it into something that to me sounds like Led Zeppelin meets Dirty Projectors.
Listen to “The Avant Garde” below or on your preferred streaming platform.
This latest track follows previous singles “Everybody Laughs” and “She Explains Things to Me” as the third preview of Who Is The Sky?, Byrne’s first album since his acclaimed 2018 release, American Utopia. In addition to Kid Harpoon and Ghost Train Orchestra, the new album features contributions from Paramore’s Hayley Williams, St. Vincent, and The Smile drummer Tom Skinner.
Following the album’s release on September 5th, Byrne will embark on a massive world tour kicking off September 14th in Providence, R.I. and extending into 2026. The run will hit markets throughout North America, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and the U.K., including multiple nights at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, The Auditorium in Chicago, and more. Click below for a full list of dates and head here for ticketing details.
The David Byrne – “The Avant Garde”