Audio Cassette review:
Oingo Boingo - Only a Lad

Oingo Boingo - Only a Lad

Band: Oingo Boingo Title: Only a Lad Rating: Release Date: 17 October, 1990 Media: Audio Cassette Tracks: 1: Little Girls 2: Perfect System 3: On the Outside 4: Capitalism 5: You Really Got Me 6: Only a Lad 7: What You See 8: Controller 9: Imposter 10: Nasty Habits

Customer Reviews Holy crap, this is good! That stuff was adventurous, aggressive, intelligent, subversive, and absolutely brimming with vitality. I grew up listening to the first three A+M releases from Oingo Boingo and largely (and immodestly) credit those early musical experiences with what would make me a more discerning music listener later in life. It was a mind opening influence at a time in my life when I couldn't haven't benefited more from such input. Upon revisiting it, I find that the A+M stuff has held up remarkably over the years (decades!). Only a Lad probably shows its age a bit more than the other two releases but only a little bit and, besides, that aspect of it actually brings charm to the music rather than distraction. The songs are dense, quirky, and catchy. You can't help but feel the contagion of energy and enthusiasm from the tracks. The boys seemed to really be enjoying themselves in those days. Nasty Habits is a particular treat as it is, especially by modern pop song standards, absolutely nuts. Interestingly, the later stuff Oingo did with MCA now sounds more dated to me than their earlier stuff. Listening to it is an experience kind of like listening to A-Ha or Nik Kershaw or something - it's sort of funny, and not in a good way. The production zeitgeist of the time is insinuated just a little too deeply into the recordings for comfort. However when I go back and listen to these early A+M Oingo Boingo albums with these old, modern ears it sounds as vital now as it did in the early 80's. It's as exciting as it was twenty years ago - possibly more so as music with this aesthetic and done this well has become so very very rare. Highly recommended. Where Do I Start? It's classic! The layering of instruments is really awesome. How do I even start? This is one of Oingo Boingo's best. What You See has so many turns it takes a while to get sick of it. The lyrics are really clever. . . I'm assuming Danny Elfman wrote them. They're dripping with sarcasm, dry comments on people in our society. . . awesome! It takes a real genius to turn a subject like pedophiles into a song that makes you smile and tap your foot. Speaking of pedophiles, "Little Girls" deserves its own paragraphs. It opens up the album. The first time I heard this song I was like, "this is so awful!". The lyrics were just so. . . yikes. But at the same time I was having way too much fun listening to it. After awhile you begin to think, "how can you NOT love this song?". Finally, Danny Elfman is unbelievably fun to listen to. He just might be my favorite singer. The vocals in "What You See" are fantastic. His voice can go from sounding tender to demonic in a few seconds, and he's so expressive. I think I've listened to nothing but Oingo Boingo for about two weeks now. This CD is a complete earworm! It wriggles into your skull and camps out. Don't worry, you won't mind at all! It's nasty, it's controversial, it's funny, it's a good time!. BRILLIANCE! " I think this album, however, is one you have to be in the mood for to really appreciate. My very first impressions of Oingo Boingo came from songs like "Little Girls," "Only a Lad," and especially "Nasty Habits. Usually Danny Elfman's music can put me in the mood, but this one is very much a single style, which is very 50s rock sounding, albeit new wave 80s at the same time. I think "Perfect System" (Track 2) is one of the most overlooked of Boingo's stuff that ought to have more attention. In the same vein is "Controller," both based on sort of crazy political ideas - reeks of "Manchurian Candidate" which I wouldn't put past Elfman, as he really likes the literary stuff ("Wake Up (It's 1984)," "No Spill Blood"). No one will forget the opening song, "Little Girls," the absolutely outrageous gleefulness in Elfman's vocals is just a wonderful portrayal (as well as quite sarcastic) of a pedophile. Something that's not a really common topic in music even nowadays. "Nasty Habits," forgetting to put the covers over his head, Elfman quite sarcastically says that "nasty habits I must condone. " That song alone is very reminiscent of his vocals for Jack Skellington in "The Nightmare Before Christmas," so if you like that, listen to "Nasty Habits. " It will get you in the mood for the pouring out of a world of Elfman. Many reviews say that the rest of Boingo's material is not nearly as good as "Only a Lad," lacking in the edgy sarcastic lyricism or missing the new wave mark that so many fell in love with. But I think they only got better and better, or at least they changed a lot and just remained good the whole time, I don't know which. If you like "Only a Lad," I definitely suggest "Nothing to Fear" and "Good For Your Soul" - and check out the rest of Danny's music! He's a genius with flaming red hair and a strange obsession with skeleton artwork. . You can see a complete list of all Oingo Boingo discography, or go back to the Oingo Boingo tabs