Devo

Devo – Something for Everybody – 2010 The image clean, the icon reminiscent, the name familiar, it’s 20 years later and Devo has a new album. Should we care?I’m not sure, I want to like it, the way I dug Freedom of Choice and Q/A.For one thing, they’ve seemed to Continue Reading

Devo – Smooth Noodle Maps – 1990 Remember all that anonymous pseudo-dance synth music on the last Devo record? It’s ba-a-a-ck! Only more monotonous than before. At least this time we are only treated to a 30 minute blast. Half the time, the same amount of schnooze!I have to believe Continue Reading

Devo – Total Devo – 1988 Here’s the thing about this record. Besides the fact that who the fuck knew it even existed? It’s really boring. There’s no doubt that Devo know how to put notes together and create music or “songs”. And the first track, “Baby Doll” does contain Continue Reading

Devo- Shout – 1984 I’m not sure what to make of this. Everything I’ve read says it’s awful. And it’s the last Devo recording for a while. Also follows a tradition of self-production after someone else at the helm. But I kinda like the opening track, the title track. It Continue Reading

Devo – Oh, No! It’s Devo – 1982 The opening track of Oh, No!, “Time Out for Fun” is at once the full immersion into synth rock (there’s not a real instrument on this record, save Mothersbaugh’s vocals and even that sounds fake) and also more fun than anything else Continue Reading

Devo – New Traditionalists – 1981 Ah, success. Following the success of their massive top 40 hit, “Whip It” and with a healthy disdain for their new-to-the-cause fans, Devo came out the next year with their most synthetic sounding album to date. I’ve already discussed in the last post the Continue Reading

“Freedom of Choice is what you got. Freedom from choice is what you want.” Devo – Freedom of Choice – 1980 There is a terrific interview with Bob Lewis, the unsung co-creator of Devo here. It’s a must read if you are even remotely interested in the history of pop Continue Reading

Devo – Duty Now For the Future – 1979 Duty Now For the Future opens with Devo’s Corporate Anthem which could just as easily been the theme to Space:1999 or The Lathe of Heaven, it’s sci-fi to the core, dystopian but with a sense of the absurd. Things weren’t that Continue Reading

Devo – Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! – 1978 Devo’s debut explodes with the herkiest of jerkiest pop songs, “Uncontrollable Urge”. Mark Mothersbaugh’s nerd voice is married perfectly to the style AND the substance. He’s an outlier. Devo is all outliers. “Praying Hands” is their version Continue Reading