Grown Backwards

Grown Backwards
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 16, 2004 (2004-03-16)
RecordedKampo Studios, New York City; strings recorded at Tequila Mockingbird, Austin, Texas and several other locations
Genres
Length57:46
LanguagesEnglish, French ("Au fond du Temple Saint"), Italian ("Un Dì, Felice, Eterea")
Labels
Producers
David Byrne chronology
Lead Us Not into Temptation
(2003)
Grown Backwards
(2004)
David Byrne Live at Union Chapel
(2004)

Grown Backwards is the seventh studio album by the American musician David Byrne, released on March 16, 2004.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic78/100
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStar
Cokemachineglow80%
E!B+
Entertainment WeeklyB+
The GuardianStarStarStarStar
MojoStarStarStarStar
Pitchfork7.6/10
QStarStarStarHalf star
Rolling StoneStarStarStar
Uncut7/10

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Grown Backwards received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 78 out of 100 from 17 critic scores.

In 2010, Byrne wrote in his book How Music Works it has sold 127,000 physical albums, 8,000 digital albums and 53,000 digital singles (overall 140,000 units sold of albums). The album peaked at #178 and #88 in the US and UK respectively. The album was released on vinyl for the first time on March 15, 2019.

Track listing

All tracks written by David Byrne, except where noted.

  1. "Glass, Concrete & Stone" – 4:13
  2. "The Man Who Loved Beer" (Donald Charles Book and Kurt Wagner of Lambchop) – 2:41
  3. "Au fond du temple saint" (From Les pêcheurs de perles) – 4:49
  4. "Empire" – 4:12
  5. "Tiny Apocalypse" – 4:03
  6. "She Only Sleeps" – 2:57
  7. "Dialog Box" – 3:30
  8. "The Other Side of this Life" – 4:00
  9. "Why" – 2:54
  10. "Pirates" – 3:52
  11. "Civilization" – 3:17
  12. "Astronaut" – 2:55
  13. "Glad" – 1:58
  14. "Un Dì, Felice, Eterea" (Giuseppe Verdi, from La Traviata) – 2:51
  15. "Lazy" (bonus track) (Byrne/X-Press 2) – 9:35

Personnel

Musicians in the Hollywood Bowl
Byrne on the My Backwards Life tour with Tosca Strings

"Glass, Concrete & Stone"

Recorded at Loveshack Studio, New York City

"The Man Who Loved Beer"

Recorded at Avatar, New York City

"Au Fond du Temple Saint"

"Empire"

Recorded RPM Studio, New York City

"Tiny Apocalypse"

Recorded at CaVa Sound Workshops, Glasgow

"She Only Sleeps"

Recorded at Cheeba Central, London Produced by Morcheeba Productions

"Dialog Box"

Recorded at Avatar, New York City, horns recorded at Congress House Studio, Austin, Texas

"The Other Side of This Life"

Recorded at Avatar, New York City

"Why"

Drums recorded at Skyline, New York City

"Pirates"

Drums recorded at Skyline, New York City, horns recorded at Congress House Studio

"Civilization"

Drums recorded at Skyline, New York City

"Astronaut"

"Glad"

Horns recorded at Congress House Studio

"Un di Felice, Eterea"

Recorded at Sound on Sound, New York City

"Lazy"

References

  1. 1 2 "Grown Backwards by David Byrne". Metacritic. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  2. ↑ Simon, Jason (16 March 2004). "David Byrne: Grown Backwards Tracks & Reviews". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 July 2026.
  3. ↑ Sinacola, Dom (24 July 2004). "David Byrne - Grown Backwards". Cokemachineglow. Archived from the original on 15 September 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  4. ↑ "David Byrne - Grown Backwards". E! Online. 16 March 2004. Archived from the original on 17 March 2004. Retrieved 10 November 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  5. ↑ Weingarten, Marc (26 March 2004). "Grown Backwards". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2026.
  6. ↑ Lynskey, Dorian (12 March 2004). "David Byrne, Grown Backwards". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  7. 1 2 "David Byrne's Nonesuch Debut Album, "Grown Backwards," to Get First Vinyl Release with Six Bonus Tracks, March 15". Nonesuch Records. 13 February 2019. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  8. ↑ DiCrescenzo, Brent. "David Byrne: Grown Backwards". Pitchfork. Retrieved 4 July 2026.
  9. ↑ "Ten Years on Nirvana: The Genius of Kurt Cobain". Q. No. 213. April 2004. p. 107.
  10. ↑ Blashill, Pat (29 April 2004). "David Byrne - Grown Backwards". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 31 October 2009. Retrieved 10 November 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  11. ↑ "Access All Arias". Uncut. 1 April 2004. p. 96. Archived from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2026.
  12. ↑ Byrne, David (2 May 2017). How Music Works (2nd ed.). Crown/Archetype. p. 251. ISBN 978-0804188944.
  13. ↑ "David Byrne". Billboard. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  14. ↑ "DAVID BYRNE | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 5 September 2021.