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
Music Reviews
Listening Post: Devo – New Traditionalists
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
Listening Post: Devo – Freedom of Choice
“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
Listening Post: Devo – Duty Now For The Future
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
Listening Post: Devo – Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!
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
Kissening Post: Ace Frehley – Second Sighting
Ace Frehley – Second Sighting – 1988 So, what did we learn from last year’s outing, Ace? Not much, apparently. But why should he? First off, he’s ACE FREHLEY, universally accepted “most talented musician” in the original Kiss quartet. Secondly, this is 1988, not 1998 or even 2008. Hair metal Continue Reading
Kissening Post: Vinnie Vincent Invasion – Vinnie Vincent Invasion
Vinnie Vincent Invasion – Vinnie Vincent Invasion – 1986 This album is really all about how fast Vinnie can shred. There are shades of Ratt, VH, you name it, it’s all in there.Ya got your songs about how hard they rock, “Boyz Are Gonna Rock”, about how sexfull they are, Continue Reading
Kissening Post: Ace Frehley – Frehley’s Comet
Ace Frehley – Frehley’s Comet – 1987 It’s been a long time since I visited the Kiss Katalog. I had always intended on getting through the entire thing including solo discs but life gets in the way sometimes. I had heard forever that Ace’s solo output outside of the Kiss Continue Reading
Reflecting Pool: Adam Ant – B-Side Babies
Some B Side issues are awful. Most of them, actually. I can remember torturously trying to get through Pisces Iscariot by Smashing Pumpkins. And the only redeeming feature of that was a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide”.Adam Ant’s B Side collection is a very different animal. In the late 70s Continue Reading
Reflecting Pool: Adam Ant – Redux
Adam Ant – Remastered Redux 1.“Prick Up Your Ears” (Demo) – This would eventually become “The Magnificent Five”. It’s fun to see how the song developed.2.“Jolly Roger” (Demo) – the missing lyrics are equal or superior to the final version. I wish they had included them on what is one Continue Reading