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Devo - E-Z Listening Disc Audio CD

A fair review of the Devo "E-Z Listening Disc" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Devo reviews here, or go back to the Devo tabs.

Devo Band: Devo
Title: E-Z Listening Disc
Rating:
Release Date: 1990-10-25
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Gates of Steel 2: Girl U Want 3: Come Back Jonee 4: Whip It 5: That's Good 6: Jerkin' Back and Forth 7: 4th Dimension 8: Shout 9: Mongoloid 10: Pity You 11: Going Under 12: S.I.B. (Swelling Itching Brain) 13: Jurisdiction of Luv 14: Peekaboo! 15: Satisfaction 16: Space Junk 17: Time Out for Fun 18: It's a Beautiful World 19: Jocko Homo

Conceptual Humor From DEVO - Hard To Believe
Good thing Rykodisc did us all a favor and released them on a single CD! This is where Mark Mothersbaugh's soundtrack career began in earnest. I used to glom onto the great sales-pitch inner sleeves for all DEVO records where they would hawk their merchandise and the original 2 EZ-Listening cassettes always made me want to order them but I didn't like the lousy cassette format, so it never happened. Listening to this it's not hard to make the leap to the Rugrats soundtrack as he renderers some of DEVO's least digestible melodies into twee little tunes suitable for all ages. More conceptual brilliance from DEVO!.


Never meant for everyone
But even so I can't imagine every die-hard DEVO fan being all too crazy about this either, as it basically tears down the very music for which we love DEVO. From what I've learned this CD was a fan club release, thus, only for DEVO fanatics. But also take in the fact that the band is (almost) always doing new, usually very interesting, ideas. I can't say this is their most fascinating, let alone best quality effort, but if you take it for what it is--an intentionally cheesy self-mockery--you just might really get into it.

For me, however, I can't say I actually like most of the music, as many of the tracks seem hardly recognizable from their parents, but if you're looking from something fun, unique, and overall something DEVO-esque, this is it.


Elevator Music, Devo Style - And It Works
Being a ravinous fan I had volume one. E-Z Listening was originally issued by Devo on two volumes of mail order cassettes. I had no idea volume two was out until this disc was released.

I think these versions were meant to be heard as fillers during concerts. With that said I don't recomend playing the disc all the way through in one sitting. It's best heard in small doses.

Devo drove the point of de-evolution home by purposely doing these elevator muzak versions of their own songs. The idea works - really it does. Get it? Parody yourself and the cycle is complete. Society doesn't break down unless every one is included.


2 cassettes have cd baby that looks just like them...
1 and 2 respectively). Originally released as mail-order cassettes only (Vols. Better if you know the songs being parodied. . . this all-instrumental spud is tasty indeed! My fave is space junk. Perfect for when you're wearing your leisure suit and having a tropical drink (w/ umbrella) after a day at the waste reconfiguration factory!.


Mostly Enjoyable
When these albums were released I bought them and played the heck out of them. As a Devo fan geek nerd in the 80s, I knew all the songs on every LP. I remember my art teacher wanted us to spend a class painting along to instrumental music. I brought in the 1st Muzak album, on white vinyl I recall. She loved it, the rest of the class thought I was ready for a strait jacket. It is Devo ala elevator music.
Years pass, and I picked this up, both LPs on one CD. The songs range from dancetastic (Whip It) to extremely annoying (Jerkin').
I wish I could call myself a Devotee again, but I can't figure them out. In the 70s they shunned any commercialism, now there are actually Devo dolls and a silly kiddie CD of Devo songs. Are they fascists or pinkos? Did they really have something on us or was it a gag? Who knows. If you're a big Devotee you'll probably like this. Be familiar with the songs as some are the same song as the original but slowed down or messed with, so to the unfamiliar this version of, say, Shout, might not remind you of the original Shout at first. I actually like this Muzak version of Peekaboo better than the original!
I will give Devo 100 stars if they would tell us what happened to my fave, Alan!!!! Left? Kicked out? What?!.


You can see a complete list of all Devo discography, or go back to the Devo tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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