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Oh, No! It's Devo

Devo - Oh, No! It's Devo Audio CD

A fair review of the Devo "Oh, No! It's Devo" 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.

Band: Devo
Title: Oh, No! It's Devo
Rating:

Release Date: 2005-06-28
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Time Out for Fun 2: Peek-a-boo! 3: Out of Sync 4: Explosions 5: That's Good 6: Patterns 7: Big Mess 8: Speed Racer 9: What I Must Do 10: I Desire 11: Deep Sleep

This is DEVO at their zaniest.
Songs like Time Out For Fun, Explosions, and Speed Racer are particular favorites. I can still remember the days when MTV would play DEVO videos, and this new release had a couple of video hits that were played quite a bit, That's Good, and Peek-A-Boo! Both are great videos and great songs, but the rest of the album is just as good. But really, there isn't a bad track on this album. If you like some of DEVO's other music, and are looking to add more to your collection then you can't go wrong here.
.

One of my favorite DEVO releases
In my review of NT I called a number of its tracks 'filler', but this album is all very strong, lyrically and musically. Even though this album continues the mostly guitarless electronic new wave that started with Freedom Of Choice and went full circuit with New Traditionalists, but unlike NT this album is extremely varied in sound and atmosphere.

The music is often pretty quirky (Speed Racer, Time Out For Fun, That's Good) while others are much more serious (Explosions, Patterns); overall the album is less a recap of everything they've done before but more an electronic progression of such things. This album also has some of the catchiness tunes they've ever made, at least in my opinion; with NT I feel a lot of tracks really fall short of melody and any strong musical structure, but every track in Oh No! is cleverly written, with intelligent usage of percussion and keyboards/synths and samples, and some of the most memorable vocals in the DEVO catalogue (Peek A Boo, Speed Racer, Time Out For Fun, which has an interesting intro to the song/album).

Lyrically, as I said, it goes from quirky to serious, in between those extremes and simultaneously. From the first track you can tell DEVO was more interested in doing something fun, but this lighter side of DEVO still retains the satirical DEVO mentality. The whole thing is sort of 'We still aren't happy with the world, but we can make fun of it and no one's the wiser'.

This is probably the one DEVO album that I have no problems listening all the way through in one sitting, without skipping a track.

True Devo!
I do!. What can I say! If you like other Devo songs, you'll
most likely like (love) this album.

Very underrated, but not their best material. 3.75/5 stars
Mostly because, by now, they turned 100% synth (they started as a hybrid of organic and synth instruments, and by the time this album came out, all synth. It is an underrated album, and much criticized at the time. )

20+ years later, it's fun to re-evaluate how the songs in this album held up. . . or if they held up.

"Time Out For Fun" is a reminder to be human. . . The music is a bit "meh" at times, but the lyrics hit home.

I still have no clue what "Peek-a-Boo" is about (spying, spending, wanking, what?), but the digital synth sound has an organic, very cool feel to it. Watching the video helps the "ha-ha-ha-ha-ha" verses make sense; it's as if this one was meant as a video, with the idea of it being a song was an afterthought. . .

"Out of Sync" grew on me too. Again, for "pre-techno" it does have that organic feel that grows. . . but it does sound more "trite new wave" (more being the machine than raging against it) I'll agree. . .

"Explosions" has all the makings of a good song, but for some reason it just fails to impress.

"That's Good" is an all time Devo classic. Not much else to say. Except to go and watch the video, which utilizes visuals such as credit cards and quaint sexual euphemisms -- it's spot on in its attitude as well.

"Patterns" is another throwaway; on par with "Explosions".

"Big Mess" does seem to be a bit angry as two synth twangs are meant to be censor bleeps for unspoken words, but it's it's at least on par with "Out of Sync" regarding the music. The lyrics clearly mean something, but I'm not sure. Something about a man with a mission, some guy named "Cowboy Kim", being a loser who's a boy with a big gun and being mixed up. Okey dokey.

"Speed Racer" can only be described as "funky". Odd given it's from early 80s synth, but it's another Devo revamp of a dug-up 60s tune. Definitely worth the listen-to given its awkward yet engaging sound.

"What I Must Do" - on par with "Time out for Fun" with its music; the lyrics are a bit creepy. . . "for he might regret it. " Regret what? Asking the girl out? Signing up for service? Becoming a hit man?!

"I Desire" - more proof that every groundbreaking group ultimately gets caught up with the rest of the world that has caught up and ends up doing the same song and dance. By 1982, too many groups went to synth and Devo's attempt here is another flat piece. In the right mood it's fun, but for me that mood is just before I hit rush hour traffic. . .

"Deep Sleep" is a fair song to go out. Another "I sound like everyone else did in 1982" track, it's almost better than the 3 songs that immediately preceded it. But it's still flat and is inclined TO put you to sleep. Definitely not recommended to listen to while driving. . .

All in all, the good tracks blow the mediocre ones out of the water. But this was the beginning of their end for DEVO. They originally broke ground, but when the wave came they couldn't keep up. :(.

Before the Dawn of the De-Evolution
I know that for most people. "Oh, No! It's Devo!" for me represented the apotheosis of the Spudboys from Akron, O-hi-o. this was the beginning of the end, but for me the proof is in the grooves: I played this one so much (LP vinyl) I had to buy a replacement. Within a year the grooves were turning white from dust and the cheapo "Soundesign" needle on my turntable. And, don't forget, the album cover had a cameo appearance on "Diff'rent Strokes," in the ownership of Willis Drummond, as played by the venerable Todd Bridges.

The reason this album works, is because it works as an album. Devo was best when they put their tunes in the hands of accomplished producers, as with their debut (Brian Eno) and "Freedom of Choice" (Robert Margouleff).

This one was put to the mix by Roy Thomas Baker, who produced so many great albums for The Cars, as well as AC/DC's "Back in Black. " While "Oh No" bears zero resemblance to the latter, it is produced much like The Cars' second album, "Candy-O": All the songs, in a constant 4/4 tempo, fit with the previous and the subsequent like a dovetail joint. Let your ears and your mind follow the beat as "Out of Sync," "Explosions," "That's Good," "Patterns," and "Big Mess" weave and flow seamlessly into one another.

It wouldn't mean a thang if these were lackluster tunes, but every single one is SOLID.

While contemplating the lyrics of "What I Must Do," I thought that the line -- as sung by Mark -- "To Bring You Happiness / Could Become a Lifetime Goal / A Smile I Might Bring You / Is More Important Than World Peace," is simple and beautifully expressed. Only years later did I find out that Devo lifted many lines (including that one) from love letters crazed (attempted) assassin John Hinckley sent to actress Jody Foster.

By themselves, the words aren't earth shatteringly profound. But when sung with conviction in Mothersbaugh's warbling tones and when backed up by Devo's instrumentals, they rise to the level of profundity.

Frightening, but the very essence of "Devolution" just the same.

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.