Devo - what happened?

[Jim Clark]

The whimsy is gone. Not till track 6 of the new album is there anything worth listening to. Mothersbaugh seems more interested in trying to recreate sounds from some long forgotten Mario Bros. game than trying to recapture the creative spark of Devo at their peak. All wells run dry after a while, I guess I was just hoping for some last grasp at greatness and I'll I got was the last gasp of air.

With some editing it can be a semi-worthwhile EP which is how I choose to remember my old friends from Devo.

jc

[bobsticks]

...at least for some of the other guys maybe...for Mothersbaugh it may be the issue of being dumbed-down by too many children's shows...

[Jim Clark]

...at least for some of the other guys maybe...for Mothersbaugh it may be the issue of being dumbed-down by too many children's shows...

actually "Rocket Power" may be the last great song Mark was associated with. "course I'm kinda partial to surf rock in the first place : )

[bobsticks]

Slightly OT but I found this little gem in used bins for a couple of bucks earlier this summer...Swedish Surf Rock...you might likey...

http://ickmusic.com/pics/covers/mondoprimo.jpg

Clearly I'd never heard the band before and purchased it only for the cover...

[Stone]

Slightly OT but I found this little gem in used bins for a couple of bucks earlier this summer...Swedish Surf Rock...you might likey...

http://ickmusic.com/pics/covers/mondoprimo.jpg

Clearly I'd never heard the band before and purchased it only for the cover...

Not a big fan of that one. Just didn't do much for me.


And regarding the new Devo, yeah, it was a big letdown. After reading how this was going to be a return to their early days form, it has been a big disappointment. I guess I'll still stick mainly to the first three albums and the Hardcore Devo stuff.

But hey, I enjoy Mothersbaugh's stuff on the kids shows.

[3LB]

This reminds me of a few years ago when I read that ZZ Top's Mescalero was a "return to their roots" album. I bought it - it was Afterburner part 5.

Seems the new Devo is getting the same kinda hype. I listened to this one the other day. Its a return to form as long as your point of entry was the Shout album. Did they really use the "don't taze me bro" line?

To be honest, this band's well started running dry after the Freedom of Choice album. New Traditionalists and Oh No, Its Devo!, while containing some good stuff, saw them turning away from rock and into a quasi-dance/pop band. Yeah, I was hoping they'd redeem themselves, but no. Looks like the last really great Devo song will remain Wierd Al's Dare To Be Stupid. Heroes really do die hard.

[dean_martin]

Slightly OT but I found this little gem in used bins for a couple of bucks earlier this summer...Swedish Surf Rock...you might likey...

http://ickmusic.com/pics/covers/mondoprimo.jpg

Clearly I'd never heard the band before and purchased it only for the cover...

I'm a sucker for anything with "mondo" in the title.

[Troy]

You guys might be interested in this interview with Gerard Casale over at the onionAVclub:

http://www.avclub.com/articles/devos-gerald-casale,42649/

It's pretty funny how he basically shrugs and says "So?" when the interviewer suggests that Devo has sold out. The whole Disney thing is laid out in gruesome detail.

Some great quotes in there, like calling Devo "Kraftwerk with pelvises." It's a good read for any Devo fan.

But yeah, the new albums sounds like it would suck, the way it's described in there.

[bobsticks]

I've always at least assumed from an anatomical standpoint that Kraftwerk would be in possession of various pelvises... not to get too argumentative...but I always preferred Kraftwerk anyway...

But yeah, I'd rather listen to the crappy "Tour de Force" album than "oh No, it's Devo"...:devil:

[3LB]

You guys might be interested in this interview with Gerard Casale over at the onionAVclub: that was a good read, thanx



But yeah, the new albums sounds like it would suck, the way it's described in there


I guess that depends on how much you liked Devo's '80s output. My jumping off point was Total Devo from '88 and I was totally disappointed with Shout. Total Devo had several of its songs in extended dance remix form.

[Swish]

We had a discussion about how most bands lose their creative juices over time. Most, not all. Dylan is still cranking out quality music with solid lyrical content, as is Neil Young, although I'm not a big fan of his more recent stuff. Waiting all this time and getting back together to see if they can make it happen again? I don't know. I guess I'd try if I were in that position.