Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo
Devo
1978
Album Summary
Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! is the debut studio album by the American new wave band Devo. It was originally released in August 1978 on the Warner Bros. label (Virgin Records in Europe). Produced by Brian Eno, the album was recorded between October 1977 and February 1978, primarily in Cologne, West Germany. The album received somewhat mixed reviews from critics and peaked at No. 78 on the U.S. Billboard chart and No. 12 on the UK Albums Chart. Recent reviews of the album have been more uniformly positive and the album has been included on several retrospective "best of" lists from publications including Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, and Spin. On May 6, 2009, Devo performed the album live in its entirety for the first time as part of the Don't Look Back concert series curated by All Tomorrow's Parties. On September 16, 2009, Warner Bros. and Devo announced a re-release of Q: Are We Not Men? and Freedom of Choice, with a tour performing both albums.
WikipediaProduced by Brian Eno, Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! was a seminal touchstone in the development of American new wave. It was one of the first pop albums to use synthesizers as an important textural element, and although they mostly play a supporting role in this guitar-driven set, the innovation began to lay the groundwork for the synth-pop explosion that would follow very shortly. It also doesn't hurt that this is arguably Devo's strongest set of material, though several brilliant peaks can overshadow the remainder. Of those peaks, the most definitive are the de-evolution manifesto "Jocko Homo" (one of the extremely few rock anthems written in 7/8 time) and a wicked deconstruction of "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," which reworks the original's alienation into a spastic freak-out that's nearly unrecognizable. But Q: Are We Not Men? also had a conceptual unity that bolstered the consistent songwriting, making it an essential document of one of new wave's most influential bands.
What a waste of time and energy. Why this is on the list, I have no idea but it needs to be removed. It's just utter shit.
Probably got the fifth star because I listened while going for a run and it helped me along
But Q: Are We Not Men? also had a conceptual unity that bolstered the consistent songwriting, making it an essential document of one of new wave's most influential bands.
So nice I listed to it twice. It's only 35 minutes long. I had this, on vinyl. In 1980. Maybe even earlier.
This album kicks ass. 70s pop-punk with fat riffs and some ethereal 80s sounds that were clearly ahead of their time.
invested 34 minutes during my morning ablutions to discover i do not like Devo. that talk-singing with shitty surf rock riffs doesnt do it for me. i cant believe i listened to the whole thing
Starts with the fucking Devo guy singing "yeah, yuh-yuh-yeah yeah yeah!" over and over, moves on to the least essential Rolling Stones cover in history, and somehow goes downhill from there. All of the thumbs down. Best track: Space Junk
For me, listening to this album for the first time all the way through was a bit like discovering as a kid that your dad cheats on his taxes or keeps porno mags under the bed, in other words that he's a not a superhero, but just a regular flawed human being. The problem is, I've had Devo's greatest hits collection for a decade or so and I guess a part of me was expecting that kind of unabashed brilliance from their debut album. Completely unfair. Most of Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! is merely very good rather than brilliant. One nice surprise is that, even though the songwriting isn't for the most part at the level of masterpieces like Gut Feeling/Slap Your Mammy or Jocko Homo, the production completely slaps. For a pop album, QAWNMWAD easily boasts the most well thought out synth patches of 1978. Yes, getting an appropriate synth sound is easier when your stock in trade is satire, like Devo, or tongue in cheek pop deconstruction, like The Cars, but the range of decent synth sounds on QAWNMWAD is impressive nonetheless. I suspect a lot of that is producer Brian Eno's doing. He also does a beautiful job of balancing the various elements of Devo's sound. The guitars are crisp and the vocals have just the right amount of echo and reverb. I love the way the bass is processed on Mongoloid, with a clean, springy sound up front with almost imperceptible tweaks that create depth. Eno's production manages to be both immediate and deep. You can elect to groove along on the surface, but there's a lot going on in these tracks if you care to drill down. Another thing I gained an appreciation for is the basic musicianship of the band, which is apparent even in the lesser tracks. Drummer Alan Myers is the glue that holds the band together. His big robotic beats are a major part of Devo's sound, and he handles the tricky time signatures and section shifts with aplomb. Singer Mark Mothersbaugh is a maniac--I love his phrasing and energy, which never flags. It's not easy to do full on satire and rock out at the same time. But what about the songs themselves? Well, most of the compositions, like Come Back Jonee, are built on short snippets with layered, interlocking rhythms. Much of the interest comes in these tunes comes from the performances, the arrangements, the production touches, and the amusing and thoughtful lyrics, which is admittedly far from nothing. But these songs feel like an additional section or two or some twist would have pushed them into classic territory. The one discovery here is Too Much Paranoias, which is possibly just as nuts as Gut Feeling/Slap Your Mammy although a lot less commercial. Yes, it's built on one riff, but the melody is practically atonal, and there's that improvised bridge in the middle of the tune. Pure insanity, in a good way. I dunno. Yes, Devo's style is unique and a lot of fun. The playing, production, and arrangements are first rate. And there are a handful of outright classics on this album. But I can't give this a 5/5 because of there are just too many songs that feel like underachievers.
This is very much music of its era, the late 70s where electronic music and synthesisers were becoming quite common. Music was changing,to me this wss the foundation of the 80s pop sound. There are similarities with Talking Heads. This is fun, humerous music and less confrontational than the contemporary punk sound coming from the Clash, the Pistols and Iggy Pop. it is fun to listento, but sounds very 70s
New wave that sounds like something new, and not Duran Duran or whatever. There’s an energy here that is really infectious to listen to, exciting. Their cover of “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” sounds like it should have been their song, not the Stones’. Favourite track: “Jocko Homo.”
The moment the first song started I knew I would like this album. The take on "Can't get no satisfaction" is interesting, but for me one of the weakest tracks on the album.
Seminal …. Fruits all through the 80s and beyond … with Devo and Dave Byrne/talking heads … Something was brewing
Such manic oddball fun. Overseen by Bowie and Eno in Conny Plank's studio near Cologne so it comes with some serious avant-pop pedigree. I really like their "dehumanized" approach and the bizarre concept they have going. Probably the best album of their career, hitting a home run right off the bat. Certainly among the greatest things that ever came out of Ohio.
What a great album . I remember watching them play Satisfaction on SNL and not knowing what to think. Now I just think they're brilliant and ahead of their time. 5 🌟
A great album. It's absolutely criminal that many people see Devo as nothing more than a "one hit wonder". I'd probably give it a 4 for my enjoyment and an additional star for its influence and my assumption that others have probably given this too low of a score.
Love this album. The synths sound strange in all the perfect ways, it's catchy and weird, but it's not so out there that it's not enjoyable. It's just excellent.
The first 4 Devo records are all great. This is my favorite. There is a nice blend of instruments and synths before they really settled on their sound.
Genius record with all the weirdness and musical brilliance that made Devo the greatest thing I had ever heard at the time. This is something nobody had ever heard before. Catchy, fun, odd, anti-normal, punk, new wave synth, and one of the greatest covers of all time (Satisfaction) - this record packs so much into 11 tracks. It’s even more surprising today to think that Bowie and Eno were part of this. Six stars if I could.
Such a great album!! I love the raw punk edges the band had with the new wave sound. It's so damn good.
Yeah yeah yeah yeah ye ye ye ye ye ye ye ye YEAH The satisfaction cover is actually so good The lyrics and substance of Mongoloid are problematic but the music goes hard Lots of Talking Heads vibes which makes sense since this was produced by Brian Eno Why tf did they spell Johnny “Jonee” Wow loved this album so much more than I thought I would
Devo sure is weird. Glad I listened the Frankenstein-like cut of the album + six live tracks + three B-sides as listed on Spotify. That meant I got Whip It again. Wild that "Mongoloid" doesn't cause more Discourse.
Wonderfully odd, and a precursor to an onslaught of ska and new wave sounds. I don't have a good reason to like it, since the vocals are absolutely the type I despise, but it works for me in this combo. Still, this isn't an album I would reach for as readily as the other 5-stars, so 4 stars it is!
This is a solid album! The music is great, the concepts are wild -- it's all around a good/interesting listen.
Devo is a one-of-a-kind band. Though they weren't quite coneheads yet, you could sense their weird nerd-iness and quirky delivery through many of their songs. The album starts with a banger and follows up with a cover that rivals the original. Devo rules at playing their songs in their little oddball world. Not ever song is a winner but this album is an undeniable new wave cornerstone. We Are DEVO!
Quirky, nerdy, urgent and paranoid post punk/new wave/surf rock with tons of humor and satire. Weird, but in that good way.
Too much paranoias is a track that fits in perfectly with what alternative rock would become in the 90’s. Gut feeling is a bop
Album cover and name are an easy 5*, Songs are good weird Devo tracks so only makes it to a 4 overall
4.4 + The album that proves that Devo isn't just an oddball sideshow act. It's raucous, manic and catchy from jump, full of jagged edges and jangly surprises. The sound is a blend of Talking Heads and Kraftwerk, with the sneering irony of punk rock. \"Mongoloid\" is an absolute banger. A good album to play when you're over-caffeinated and needing to crank out some annoying tasks.
I remember seeing the video for Satisfaction back in the day, with the sawn-off guitars and weird vocals, I was hooked. Not recommended for fans of .38 Special, just sayin'
I'd forgotten how punky this album was! Jittery, flinchy and angular with a very perverse sense of humour. You couldn't get away with calling a track Mongoloid today, but kudos for using the quantum term 'superposition' in a lyric.
Hard to imagine the shock this would have had on release. Still utterly bonkers in places, the best ever Satisfaction cover, and in Mongoloid a song that could never have been written today (I remember the lyrics being printed in Smash Hits). Only not a 5 as one too many song follows the same template.
So easy to only think of Whip It when you hear Devo. Enjoyed this album and it's fast raw sound. Reminded me of early Talking Heads at some points which would have been contemporary to this album's release.
Early new wave sound still very much influenced by punk. I heard a lot of the Kinks in this album. I enjoyed the strange lyrical content and the playfulness with rhythms. Overall not a bad album. I can definitely see how this links to later new wave and post punk sounds
Serves well to remember this is an amazing album - avant garde and still relevant. I forgot - I had devolved - now I remember.
A fun romp with the zany introduction to devo. Favorites: "Uncontrollable Urge", "(I Can't Get No) Satisfsction", "Gut Feeling / (Slap Your Mammy)"
Great album. Are We Not Men? Stradles that punk / post-punk / new wave perfectly. As a bonus, the only non-Devo song written by the band, The Rolling Stones (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction is a great example of taking an original and putting your spin on it. 4/10
From the art design, to the sound, and the cover of the Stones Satisfaction and the reminder of gut Feeling being used in Wes Anderson's (shocking!) The Life Aquatic, just a lot to enjoy here.
Right off the bat, great, known song (Uncontrollable Urge) and in a few movies. Satisfaction is obviously a cover but a great take on it - reminds me of the movie Casino. All else is good too but it does taper off. 8/10.
I listened to Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo for the first time in the last year and a half. I wanted to see what else was on the album with "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" and "Jocko Homo". In general I like the mix of electronic, new wave, and punk that is Devo. There are several tracks from the band that I will always be willing to listen to, and some that I will play again just because the song scratches a particular itch. "Space Junk", "Gut Feeling" and "Mongloid" were new tracks to me that I added to my personal playlist. Rating this album is a little strange because based on my individual track ratings this album gets 3 stars, but I would have to admit that I might just listen to the album again to have a full Devo experience.
Again the author just showing his love for goofy late 70s rock, but at least Devo is catchy. There are a few jokey nonsense tracks on here but also enough good shit that it wasn't TOTALLY annoying. 3/5.
It was ok. I really didnt care for the satisfaction cover but the rest was not terrible. Not my thing.
This morning I'm listening to Devo and their album "Q. Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!" recorded in 1978. I want to like this band a lot more than I actually do. I enjoyed the first track - Uncontrollable Urge, and the 2nd track I know from my own listening or maybe heard it in a movie - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction. Which takes a song by the Stones I've heard a million times and makes it interesting again. There are plenty of interesting moments on this album, but it's not something I would put into rotation or come back to. Uncontrollable Urge might make it to my 'best of 1001' playlist. I love everything about this group, their name, and the all around general existence of this remarkable band. But I'm not sure this album is cohesive enough to really amount to something great.
Weird and electronic and wacky. I like a the juice mostly. Didn't realize the Life Aquatic song was Gut Feeling. Two good songs (Uncontrollable Urge and Gut Feeling). A few fun songs (Space Junk, Satisfaction). A handful of songs that were not for me...3.5
It’s fun at times but would serve itself better in a live setting versus a listening experience.
Pretty weird new-wave album with elements of art rock. Tracks are consistent but lack a strong connection or theme, 6/10.
Fun album from New Wavers Devo. Known mainly for their mega hit “Whip It” the band is so much more than that. They are one of the bands I think of when I hear the term “Art Rock”. They were clever in their theme and message they created as a group. I enjoyed “Uncontrollable Urge” and the cheeky song “Praying Hands” about masturbation juxtaposed to religion. Some real fun songs overall and out of 10 I would give it a 7.3
This is kinda like David Byrne if he got his hole once in a while but not too often because he's still David Byrne
"You got both hands You got praying hands They pray for no man O.k, relax" (Praying hands) "Think I got a big mac attack Hold the pickles hold the lettuce" (Too much paranoias) Meh.
weird and interesting especially for the time. Respect what it led to creatively, but aside from a few songs, not for me.
A previously dismissed band by myself due to tge crap tgey produced in the 90’s, pleasantly surprised by this.
I want to like Devo more than I do, I appreciate the schtick but the execution doesn't do much for me.
The misadventures of a scout leader and a group of cubs that is strictly off the record. Nothing happened here. They simply went camping.
I want to like DEVO; new wave sounds, angular guitars and synths, arty and strange aesthetic, willfully esoteric, but I think I can only deal with half of these songs. As usual, I'm put off by the bleated vocals, a style I can never get behind. As usual, the hits work for me, the rest, less so.
Yep, Devo is Devo. Never listened to a whole album but didn't disappoint. Quirky, minimal, affected. It's a vibe, but not one I see myself embracing very frequently.
I feel like I was meant to love this but I found it just okay. I can't explain it, but it felt somewhat smug to me?
Pretty revolutionary at the time. Saw them at Knebworth supporting Genesis of all bands. They certainly stood out with their white boiler suits and orange hats.
Rien d’extraordinaire et pas le genre d’album que j’aurais pense produit lar eno. Cest de la,punk adoucit. 3
Devo at the beginning were much different than the Devo the world came to know. This is a fun and bare album with plenty of good times.
I've always been more of an Oingo Boingo fan than a Devo fan, but having now heard this Devo debut, I am really struck by how similar their first albums are. I can see how people dismissed Boingo as a Devo knockoff at first. This whole album is a lot of fun, and makes me want to dive into more Devo beyond just their biggest hit.
That Rolling Stones cover was a waste of time on an otherwise (fairly) enjoyable listen. This album did not change my life, and there were times I wondered "do I actually enjoy this or am I just listening?" Maybe I'm overthinking and this album had its moments but I ultimately just thought it was fine overall.
Ik vond dit best ok eigenlijk! Met Anke eens dat het ergens wel aan Talking Heads doet denken.
New Wave that recognises that human beings are devolving. Stick a flower pot on your head and join in. Best Tracks: Uncontrollable Urge; (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction; Gut Feeling / (Slap Your Mammy)
There's an ever growing group of people who have decided that getting Devo in the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame is the hill they're willing to die on. This group seemingly gets louder every year, and their argument always seems to be something like, "It's insane Devo isn't already in the hall." No, it's really not. For one, the Hall seemingly has a pretty easy process to determine election: An artist is eligible for induction 25 years after their debut album. That's a reasonable amount of time to build a body of work, and long enough to the point where voters would surely know whether or not an artist is Hall Of Fame worthy. And what's Devo known for, other than "Whip It" and it's quirky music video? Maybe an interesting Stones cover? This is a decent enough album, it sounds about ten years before its time. But let's stop pretending that Devo was something more than A Flock Of Seagulls with better press. Apparently Bowie and Iggy Pop were really into Devo and clamored to produce this album. Let's not forget Bowie and Iggy were also really into coke around that time, too. So I guess what I'm trying to say is I would have enjoyed this more if I knew the right coke dealer.
Mark Mothersbaugh's lead singer - kind of grating voice Way poppier than expected Uncontrollable Urge is good, everything else is basically just a less good Uncontrollable Urge
I like most of the album but I can't stand the first 2 tracks, meaning I found it hard to get into the album. But overall I enjoyed it.
Cute... soll vermutlich witzig sein. Ist leider nicht meine Motivation Musik zu hören. Instrumental gar nicht so schlecht, aber der „Gesang“ schwankt zwischen nervig und anstrengend.
I hated this at the start it gave me a headache. How many of these are covers? Lots of it sounds like bad Talking Heads. I convinced myself that this was good by the middle but then I was so happy when it ended. Soo bawlz indeed
Not sure about this one. I'm aware of devo, how avantr Garde they were, amazing look and distinctive sound especially for the time. But not for me. Gave it 15 minutes, the songs were so samey.
Not a fan of this one. It's quite weird and I have to admit that this is probably a kind of album that would grow on me with multiple listens... which I'm currently not willing to give it.
It's funny because one day before this album I listened to something from "New Order" expecting something like this Devo album and found that I didn't know New Order very well. I didn't know Devo so well too, but my expectations were all achieved and these expectations were an album with a lot of synth-rock without much meaning....well that's not men, It's Devo. The Wikipedia link was interesting.
Pierwszy DEVOWY albumik, calego nie slyszalem wczesniej, a jedynie slyszalem kilka trakow, bardzooooo nev wavowy sound, za ktorego sukcesem komercyjnym byly w szczegolnosci nazwiska za plecami bandy, bo rekomendacje Bowiego i Brajanka Eno juz same w sobie stanowia o tym, ze ktos tego poslucha, pierwsze skojarzenie jakie przychodzi do glowy, to prototypowy remain in the light of gadajacych glow, podobny koncept punkowatosci owinietej w nowa fale licznymi synthami, na tym materiale az dajacymi po uszach, lirycznie prowokacyjnie o dalnach, religiach, smieciach, coonsumerowanie i kapitalizowanie i powrot do monke, przy czym tworza swoj weird wizerunek wystepujac w skafandach guglach i innych akcesoriach dziwnosci kosmiczno szambowej co nadaje im nerdowego imidzu, o ile lirycznie jest dosc roznorodnie, to melodie sa praktycznie na jedno koptyo zmasakrowane wszechobecnymi dzwiekami synthow, z tego wyczytalem to brajan wlasnie sforsowal taki pompowanie w syntha, bo z bowim mieli wizje bandy przyszlosci i chyba troche w tym racji, bo stuff bowiego z poznych 80/90 melodycznie dosc przypomina to co tutaj sie wyprawia, poza orginalnymi kompozycjami pojawia sie tu takze cover rolujacych kamieni, czyli i cant get me no satisfaction, na plejce mialem juz otwierajacy kawalek uncontrollable urge, dodam jeszcze too much paranoias, najbardziej talking headowy trak albumiku, najbardziej wnerwiajaca rzecza tutaj jest mix wokalow, ktory brzmi jakby byl spiewany z glebi wanny, ale to jest pan brajan eno dla ciebie, czy to u2 czy headsy zawsze musi zastosowac ten efekt
Q: What did Bowie and Eno get up to between \"Heroes\" and Lodger? A: Not much, apparently
3/10. Did not enjoy. Sounded about as bad as The Dictators, but without the tinges of humor.
Punk når der er værst... Ikke mange numre som er værd at genlytte. Slet ikke noget for mig
An incredibly unique album. Pretty hard to compare it to anything else. Felt like it was a precursor to the 80s style. However, None of the songs really stood out. 4.4/10
Lo: (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction, Jocko Homo Possibly my mood, but I couldn't get into this one. Guess I don't like Devo as much as I thought I did.
Not the Devo I was thinking of. What a shame. Anyone remember the guy who used to volley dead pigeons round the high street while singing about kicking someone’s girlfriends head in? He’s a bit like morrissey but way more poetic. This was shit though but I’m grateful it reminded of that little scamp so I’ll give it a 2
I have always liked Devo, even though I didn't really "get" them when I was a kid. I liked the flowerpot hats and of course you couldn't get away from Whip It. Later I came to understand the commentary they are making on society, which makes Satisfaction doubly fun. That said, it is also the case that DEVO is best in small doses. Listening to a whole album at once is a bit much.
Ich habe heute einen meiner seltenen zu kritikfreien Tage, daher noch 2 Sterne. Niemals mehr, der zu stark an David Byrne erinnernde Histrionengesang und die einfallslosen Songstrukturen geben nicht mehr her. Und schon ist es doch noch ein Verriss geworden. Welt ist in Ordnung.
You can tell that they were trying to do something different, but it just didn't impress me
This is the new wave band Devo's debut album. Reviews were mixed at release, but have been more positive over the years. The early reviews were probably less positive because new wave music was still "new" and rubbed some critics the wrong way. This album has now been called a cornerstone of new wave music in America. And the album has been certified gold in the US. This novel music is catchy, comical, but impersonal and leads nowhere. It's best listened to in the background, and one shouldn't try to pull meaning from it too much. I liked some of the songs, but will not seek out more Devo music.
I get where they are coming from and even where they are going. But this is not a patch on the great examples of the genre. Later stuff begins to sound like Depeche Mode and ABC. Cover art. What on earth is going on. Probably matches the music well.
Dat je vindt dat andere mensen juist dit album moeten luisteren voordat ze doodgaan, is beyond me.
Certainly they transcend the novelty act trap (and memories) but don’t get to actual substance or any real merit beyond the occasional chuckle or non-negligible cleverness. “Satisfaction’ works pretty well and “Gut Feeling” is the closest to straight-up effectiveness in the New Wave/indie rock vein – but there’s a saminess has the satire wearing thin before too long. One likes the commitment to doing something different and pretty damn original without loving the output. In time, the funny hats would make it hard to take the music seriously; one wonders if they were taking the piss out of their fans or who took whom too seriously (or not seriously enough). One doesn’t think enough of the product to be inspired to consider the depth or poignancy of the social satire (consumer culture is a pretty fat target) or how this fares as performance art. (That it was on the radio makes pop music the main genre. Were they merely a less serious Talking Heads? Were they outdone by their spiritual heirs (e.g., They Might Be Giants, Dead Milkmen and Magnetic Fields)? 2.5 > 2