Talking Animals

T-Bone Burnett is a musical genius and everything he does is worth exploring. The sharply moralistic social and spiritual observations of his earlier work return in songs like “The Wild Truth” and “Euromad”. Songs ranging from the rockabilly bop of “Dance Dance Dance” to the grandly orchestrated tango of “The Image” (complete with verses sung in French by ex-Pogue bass player Cait O’Riordan, in Spanish by Ruben Blades and in Russian by someone named Ludmilla). “Purple Heart” (features the unmistakable background wails from U2’s Bono Hewson). The ‘Talking Animals’ is a strong, inspired record. Bono, Peter Case, and Tonio K. each co-write with Burnett, as well as lending support on vocals.