Devo - Duty Now for the Future / New Traditionalists
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Free Music Notes for Duty Now for the Future / New Traditionalists
Free Music Review: Devo: Pre- and Post- Energy Dome
Hit: 5 Stars
This twofer set offers the casual devo-tee a chance to really understand the evolution of the de-evolution band. By sandwiching the immediate predecessor and immediate progeny of "Freedom of Choice," the listener can truly understand how FOC is the missing link between organic Devo (Duty Now for the Future) and synthetic Devo (New Traditionalists).
"Duty Now" was Devo's apocalyptic warning against a wiggly world taken over by corporate culture; by the time "New Traditionalists" came out, the members of Devo had been fully re-programmed to trumpet the coming of a Brave New World.
Or had they?
Songs like "Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA," "Devo Corporate Anthem," "Clockout" and "Blockhead" were harbingers of a "one-size-fits all" universe that came to fruition with "Freedom of Choice," though the spudboys by that time all chose to march in energy-dome topped-off lockstep.
"Triumph of the Will" was their eerie anthem, in lockstep with the aesthetics of filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl's vision of Nazi utopia. But, for Devo, there is no beautiful world on the horizon yet, only Duty and Fatherland. Duty Now, for the Beautiful World of the Future.
But, there is a premonition of revolt in such songs from "New Traditionalists" as "Beautiful World" (for YOU; IT'S NOT FOR ME), "Through Being Cool" and "Going Under." "Working in a Coal Mine" was Devo's attempt at nostalgia as only they could understand it; disembodied computer-synth hu-boon vocals over steel guitar. It really takes a great swipe at all the MOR so-called "blues" artists like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Eric Clapton.
Devo never sold out, they just constantly repackaged themselves.
Free Music Review: two great albums on one CD!
Hit: 5 Stars
Yay! I can't believe this -- there are others here who think "Duty Now for the Future" is better than "Are We Not Men" also! I'm not the only one! Finally.You see, Ken Scott didn't make the production "murkier," as some reviewers claim. He just made it more INTERESTING. Of course, I love "Are We Not Men" -- a complete classic from start to finish. But this album is just more interesting, more fun, more well made -- heck, even the instrumentals "Devo Corporate Anthem" and "Timing X" are spectacular. Everytime "Anthem" starts up, I always get a feeling that something special is going to happen. And I'm always correct.
"Clockout" is one of the best Devo songs, EVER. It doesn't have the traditional verse/chrous/verse template as other songs... it's an odd listen at first, but it will grow on you like ... fungus. Or something. It's got some kicka** guitar and the lyrics are Devo at it's best.
"Wiggly World" is a great combonation of post-punk and new wave... it hits incredibly hard, and it moves at a blazing pace.
Other top songs on this album include "S.I.B. (Swelling Itching Brain)" (this song even gets scary!), "The Day My Baby Gave Me A Surprise," "Pink Pussy Cat" (great voices), and, the best Devo song ever, "Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA."
And contrary to popular opinion, "New Traditionalists" is only a notch below Devo's other works. I'm particularly fond of the last five songs. "Love Without Anger" and "Beautiful World" especially. Great songs, GREAT lyrics.
All in all, one of the best purchases around for a Devo fan. Buy it before it goes out of print!
Free Music Review: Is it on? Is it off? Reply!
Hit: 5 Stars
This CD represents an unusual yet remarkable pairing of two absolutely essential recordings by the Spud Boys from Akron.
After the tour-de-force that was Devo's first full-length album, "Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!", the band switched gears and switched producers from Brian Eno to Ken Scott (known for his work with Supertramp, among others), to produce a chilling, icy work, still with intelligence, energy, and quirky creativity, but with a sound that smacked of anything but commercialism (listen to "Timing X" and "S.I.B"), and was nonetheless very appealling in an emotionally backdoor way; disturbingly catchy, a metaphor for the desire our darker consciousness emits.
I always felt "Freedom Of Choice" was the band's attempt at gaining a more commercial acceptance; not a bad record, but light-hearted when compared to the first two major releases. That's one of the reasons I was glad to see "New Traditionalists" coupled with "Duty Now...". It returned the band to a harder sound, more reminiscent of "Are We Not Men...", while somewhat refuting their more commercial leanings of "Freedom" with songs such as "Through Being Cool" and "Pity You". The attitude was still there, the vision, the disturbing catchiness. They hadn't lost it after all; if anything, they were juxtaposing their original fan base with those who came along upon hearing "Whip It". And it worked very well.
Get this CD. It will inform, entertain, and satirize as only Mothersbaugh and company could. Even 20-plus years down the line.
Free Music Review: Beautiful World
Hit: 5 Stars
These albums were icing on top of the icing for Devo. I'd have estimated that their creativity would have been exhausted after "Q: Are We Not Men?" Yet to my surprise, not only was every single track listenable - but addictive! Even after more than a decade since my CD collection was stolen, I'm effortlessly drawn into the squirmy-bizarre mantra of "Swelling Itching Brain". The only OTHER version of "Secret Agent Man" that I found remotely interesting was the one from the movie "Repo Man" done in Spanish. "Through Being Cool" is yet another great track that was featured in the animated classic "Heavy Metal" along with their cover of "Workin In A Coal Mine". I wonder if, in the future, kids will think of Devo as CLASSIC? Or will they only remember Devo as the weird "one-hit-wonder" group that authored "Whip It". I'd personally hate for it to end that way. I'm gonna have my daughter listen to this music when she's old enough. That way she'll have a sense of humor when she contemplates this "Beautiful World".Free Music Review: What a great pair!
Hit: 5 Stars
I suppose it was just some bozo in marketing that prevented these dual sets from being released in proper chronological order... it would have been so much more satisfying to have Q: and Duty Now on one disc, and Freedom of Choice / New Traditionalists on the other, but whatever, such is life.At any rate, these are still two of my all-time favorite albums hanging out in one place, which is very, very good for the world. New Traditionalists boasts some classic songs, e.g. the oft-mentioned Beautiful World and Through Being Cool, and my personal favorites, Jerkin Back & Forth and Going Under; and I just adore the hilarity that is Duty Now for the Future - from the somber strands of Devo Corporate Anthem to the rollickin' good time of Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA, this album is chock full of great songs, bizarre sounds, and more of that early, rawer (read: guitar/bass/drums rather than synth) sound.
All in all, excellent music, excellent entertainment, and a great antidote to having accidentally listened to some of those terrible later releases like Shout or Smooth Noodle Maps.