David Byrne has debuted a second advance track from his forthcoming solo album, Who Is the Sky?, which is due out on September 5. “She Explains Things to Me” is a melodic pop-rock song that, according to a press release, was partly inspired by Rebecca Solnit’s 2014 book of feminist essays, Men Explain Things to Me.
Videos by American Songwriter
In the tune, the founding Talking Heads frontman sings from the perspective of a man muses about a female friend or partner who helps explains to him the meaning of a TV show, poetry, and even love. Through the lyrics, David playfully critiques “mansplaining”; that is, how men can be dismissive of women’s ideas and points of view.
“Many times I have marveled at how a friend (usually a female friend) seems to clock what is going on in a film between characters way before I do,” Byrne noted in a statement. “Sometimes I understand poetry, but sometimes I need help. Though inspired by the Solnit book ‘men explain things to me’ there is a huge difference—mansplaining is usually unasked for, in this case I am the one asking.”
“She Explains Things to Me” is available now via digital formats, and a lyric video has premiered on Byrne’s YouTube channel.
More About Who Is the Sky?
“She Explains Things to Me” is one of 12 tracks that will be featured on Who Is the Sky? The album is a follow-up to Byrne’s 2017 studio effort, American Utopia, which spawned a world tour, a hugely successful Broadway show, and an HBO film.
All the tracks on Who Is the Sky? were arranged by New York City-based chamber-music ensemble Ghost Train Orchestra. The album was produced by Kid Harpoon, who previously has worked with Harry Styles, Miley Cyrus, and many others.
Who Is the Sky? features contributions from several guest artists, including St. Vincent, Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams, and Tom Skinner, drummer of the Radiohead side project The Smile. Longtime Byrne percussionist Mauro Refosco also appears on the album.
The first advance track released from Who Is the Sky? is an infectious tune titled “Everybody Laughs.” The song features St. Vincent on guest vocals. A companion music video directed by multimedia artist Gabriel Barcia-Colombo debuted at the same time that the track was released.
Who Is the Sky? can be pre-ordered now. The album will be released on CD, as a vinyl LP, and digitally. The LP is available on standard black vinyl, lemon-yellow vinyl, and limited-edition cantaloupe-orange/strawberry-pink split vinyl.
More About Byrne’s Upcoming Tour
As previously reported, Byrne will launch an expansive world tour in support of Who Is the Sky? The trek will kick off with a 40-plus-date North American leg that begins September 14 in Providence, Rhode Island.
The tour will feature the 73-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer accompanied by a collective of 13 musicians, singers, and dancers. The group will include some members of David’s American Utopia band.
The North American leg of the trek is plotted out through a December 5-6 engagement in Miami Beach, Florida. Byrne will be playing multiple shows at most stops on the tour.
He has just added additional performances in Philadelphia, Chicago, and San Francisco, respectively, on October 18, November 1, and November 18.
In January 2026, the tour will head Down Under for a six-show visit to New Zealand and Australia. That will be followed by a 20-date European leg running from a February 12 concert in Berlin through a March 18-19 stand in Paris. David just added a February 26 concert in Luxembourg to the European trek.
Tickets are available at DavidByrne.com.
(Courtesy of Matador Records)
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