Devo - New Traditionalists (1981)

A story about the album's title, taken from the informative book in the 33⅓ series, Freedom of Choice by Evie Nagy (2015):

Devo is a fantastic "shuffle" group - by that I mean that I always enjoy it when one of their tunes pops up when I'm shuffling through files on my phone or computer. However, a full album of their almost identic, neurotic tunes is difficult for me to sit through. But I've bought their albums anyway and if you think that sounds like a bit of a contradiction, you're correct. Anyway, when I say this Devo album sounds like a Devo album, you catch my drift.

Press of the Time:

• New Musical Express: "flatulent sarcasm, exhausted and hollow" 
• Musician: "Devo is far more fun to watch than to listen to."
• Robert Christgau (B): "Filler plus three major songs"
• Rolling Stone (★★½): "static, DOR shuck and jive"
• Smash Hits (7 out of 10): "I don't see it making many new converts"
• Trouser Press: "Devo shows a curious lack of initiative this time"

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: #23
• CashBox: #24
• Rolling Stone: #13

Tracks: 10 tracks, 33 minutes. The top tracks are Through Being Cool and the cynical Beautiful World. On a lower tier, I've got Pity You, Love Without Anger, and Race Of Doom. Then there's the rest.

Most CD reissues of the album include 3 - 6 bonus tracks, but my copy (2005) does not. Fortunately, I've got their fantastic cover of Working In The Coal Mine on the Heavy Metal soundtrack. (Here's where you scratch your head and wonder, "He doesn't like sitting through complete albums, but now this fool wants bonus tracks?" Yeah, I can't figure me out, either.)

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Not so much the album in toto, but Through Being Cool reminds me of a summer church camp, previously mentioned here. During the 1984 edition of said camp, my small group leader, a 30-ish pastor from Dallas, tried desperately to relate to those in the group. He loved the video for Through Being Cool and would often quote lyrics from that song to me in an effort to find some commonality. Then again, he also liked the newly released She Bop and I'm guessing had no idea what Lauper was going on about.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Greatest Hits (1990)
Oh, No! It's Devo/Freedom Of Choice (1982/1980)

Devo - Oh, No! It's Devo/Freedom Of Choice (1982/1980)

1993 Virgin reissue, printed in Holland.

Full disclosure: 73 minutes of Devo is a bit much to absorb in one sitting, so this listening was done in three stages while following the CD's sequencing: 1982 album, 1980 album, 2 bonus tracks.

No liner notes other than track listing and publishing info. C'mon.

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OH, NO! IT'S DEVO (1982)
Tracks 1-11, bonus track 25

I'll be honest, as a teenager I thought of Devo as a novelty act - the costumes, the artwork, the quirkiness - so I never paid them much mind beyond Whip It. In The New York Times, they were once compared to Kiss:

two highly theatrical concept rock groups — Devo and Kiss. Devo has smarts and, so far, no overwhelming commercial success. Kiss has dumbs and lots of commercial success.

But once you get past all that, they occasionally would throw out a worthwhile tune that you'd catch yourself humming later in the day. Still not something I necessarily enjoy as a complete album, but if I happen to hear the right song at the right time in the right mood, it's perfect. I could complain that it's all the same speed and orchestration, but I can't imagine a string-drenched Devo ballad so I won't.

Press of the time:

• Billboard: "high-tech dance rock"
• Rolling Stone (★★★): "Nobody should be able to stretch a spud joke out for this long"
• Smash Hits (2 out of 10): "sounds like a collection of those "new wave" dry-roasted peanuts TV commercials"
• Stereo Review: "Rank hucksterism"
• Trouser Press: "The band seems to pay more attention to silly costume changes that its music"

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: #47
• CashBox: #47
• Rolling Stone: #28

Tracks: The singles were Peek-A-Boo (peaked #13 on the Dance charts) and That's Good (#6 Dance). Neither charted on the Hot 100 and I'm not much for the former, but That's Good is without a doubt the best cut on this album. I also dig Out Of Sync and Big Mess. I don't know if I just get tired of listening or the quality of songs declines, but for me, the album kind of falls apart at the end. However, all the tunes are highly danceable and if any of these tunes had been played at one of my high school dances in 1982, I would have been on the floor.

Bonus track (track 25): The Dance Velocity 12" remix of Peek-A-Boo.

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FREEDOM OF CHOICE (1980)
Tracks 12-23, bonus track 24

It's ridiculous to think about, but we thought Freedom of Choice was our funk album. That's as funky as Devo gets, I guess.

-Mark Mothersbaugh

From top-to-bottom, a much better album than Oh, No! It's Devo and not just because of the inclusion of Whip It. More guitar and real drums plus the tempos vary to a greater degree. The band denies it, but to these ears this album is heavily influenced by both Get The Knack and The Pleasure Principle and would go on to greatly influence Whammy! (not that there's anything wrong with any of that). I'm on record as not paying much attention to lyrics, but these caught my ear and I gotta admit there's some funny stuff here.

Press of the time:

• Billboard: "The band's odd world vision is still present though it is not as irksome this time around."
• CashBox: "Record buyers, by now, either want to get silly or they don't."
• Rolling Stone: "suspicious emptiness"
• Record World: "an LP full of life"
• Smash Hits (6 out of 10): "there's little here that's truly impressive"
• Trouser Press: "conceals as much as it reveals"

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: #22
• CashBox: #23
• Rolling Stone: #24

Tracks: Twelve 2½ minute gems. My top cuts are Girl U Want, Whip It, Snowball, Gates Of Steel, That's Pep, and Planet Earth.

Bonus track (track 25): Turn Around, the b-side of the Whip It single. Not bad - it certainly works as a 13th track to this album.

I recently read the 33⅓ book about this album and will say it is one of the better editions in the series. Each track gets a chapter in which particulars of the song are discussed for a few pages before being used as a point of departure to provide band history and background info. Well done.

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Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Devo performing That's Good at Muffy's Bat Mitzvah on the classic TV series Square Pegs.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Greatest Hits (1990)

Devo - Greatest Hits (1990)

Sometimes described as synth-pop, New Wave, art rock, or post-punk, Devo only had one Top 40 hit (Whip It), so it may be a stretch to put together a 16 track greatest hits CD, but, in true Devo fashion, they not only put out this CD, but simultaneously released another 16 track CD titled Greatest Misses. They had quite a following and recorded many songs in their own spastic, quirky, very electronic, industrial style. Devo is an acquired taste and, for me, can only be taken in small doses. If you only need one Devo CD, this wouldn't be a bad choice.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks:

Song	Album	Year	Hot 100
Here To Go (Go Mix Version)	Shout	1984	-
Through Being Cool	New Traditionalists	1981	107
Big Mess	Oh No! It's Devo!	1982	-
That's Good	Oh No! It's Devo!	1982	104
Jerkin' Back 'N' Forth	New Traditionalists	1981	-
Peek-A-Boo!	Oh No! It's Devo!	1982	106
Beautiful World	New Traditionalists	1981	102
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction	Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!	1978	-
Whip It	Freedom Of Choice	1980	14
Girl U Want	Freedom Of Choice	1980	-
Freedom Of Choice	Freedom Of Choice	1980	103
Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA	Duty Now For The Future	1979	-
Gut Feeling	Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!	1978	-
Gates Of Steel	Freedom Of Choice	1980	-
Working In The Coalmine	New Traditionalists	1981	43
Jocko Homo	Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!	1978	-

None are unlistenable, but my favorite tracks are Here To Go (Go Mix Version), Through Being Cool, Beautiful World, Working In The Coalmine and Jocko Homo. Not as good are Jerkin' Back and Forth, Peek-A-Boo!, and Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA. The song That's Good is so derivative of Gimme Some Lovin' that Devo should pay Steve Winwood some royalties. The highlight of the disc is the cover of The Rolling Stones' (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction. The neurotic arrangement perfectly suits the lyrics.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: My friend Richard bought the Greatest Misses shortly before I bought this Greatest Hits CD. Also, the song Through Being Cool reminds me of church camp in the summer of 1984.