Reviews (page 5 of 7)
I get it. Kinda. Would not go out of my way for this one.
Enjoyable, if not "Whip It" enjoyable.
Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!, is a wild ride of quirky, robotic energy that’s both fascinating and occasionally frustrating. It’s an album that takes risks and doesn’t shy away from its weirdness, which I respect, but it’s also one that left me feeling conflicted at times. The creativity on this album is top-tier. Devo’s willingness to push boundaries and defy conventional rock norms is impressive. Tracks like “Uncontrollable Urge” and “Mongoloid” are brimming with manic energy, blending robotic precision with punk chaos in a way that feels totally fresh. The angular guitar riffs and tight, punchy rhythms really drive the album, giving it an almost mechanical groove that’s hard not to appreciate. Brian Eno's bold, experimental production shapes the album’s futuristic soundscape. Layered synths, jagged guitars, and off-kilter arrangements create a detailed and dynamic experience. Odd sound effects and unexpected textures emerge throughout, enhancing the album's eccentric charm and pushing sonic boundaries. While the instrumentation excels, the vocals are a weak point. Mark Mothersbaugh’s distinctive voice fits the style but is often buried in the mix, making it hard to connect with the songs. Tracks like “Too Much Paranoias” and “Praying Hands” suffer most, with the vocals lost amidst the chaotic instrumentation, affecting overall clarity. Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! is a bold, creative album brimming with originality, though uneven vocal mixing and patchy tracks hold it back. Devo’s quirky energy and boundary-pushing sound shine, delivering moments of brilliance. While not perfect, its uniqueness makes it worth exploring. A solid 3.4/5—interesting, but not entirely revisitable.
some fun quirked out white boys
3.5
So, Devo are, like, punks who know how to play their instruments, right?
Quirky and weird new wave/punk rock album from the late 1970s - it's an important milestone in the history of American new wave scene. I appreciate how different this album is, and I usually like quirky songs. This time it got quite tiring by the end, and I was also somewhat irritated, annoyed by it. This was my first listen, so perhaps I will enjoyed it more the second time around.
Very Devo.
Never saw what all the fuss was about, guys in jump suits and funny hats doing a robotic cover of a Stones classic. It was interesting the first time and then it got old.
Devo pensarlo
Vekkulia new wavea, nopeatempoista. Parhaat: Space Junk, Come Back Jonee
Great trip down memory lane. I was a great new age fan but I found this album a bit boring after a while . Maybe I have moved on.
Generic
Another one I sort of grew up with. There’s a fine line between quirky and just grating. I give this a bit of a benefit of a doubt and give it an extra star for the inventiveness…but not an album I’m going to put on and kick back to listen to.
3.5/5
Норм, но не Вау. Есть зажигательность в треках
2.7 - Not sure if I was in the mood for this and maybe you needed to live in the era, which I don't always like saying
It's kinda fun and some of the production is very clean, but also I don't really want to listen to any of it again. Fave Tracks: Mongoloid, Shrivel-Up 3/5
Saved Prior: (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction Off Rip: Jocko Homo, Come Back Jonee, Sloppy (I Saw My Baby Gettin'), Shrivel-Up Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: These white boys were too quirked up for me. Low 3.
Weird in a fun way, like if Talking Heads wrote surf punk. The tracks themselves were very hit or miss
The Pop Rocks of post-punk. Nice to revisit.
pure devocity
It was okay.... but I would rather listen to Talking Heads.
Some weird pop songs and unique takes on some covers.
Weird album: many failed starts. I’d love to release a version with reordered tracks.
Interesting, was pretty good
I can appreciate this for the influence it had, but for me the music itself struggled to get above average.
Eh. I would have loved this as a 13 year old.
Frantic harmonies Defying industry norms Still so successful
Sick. Cool nerd punk. Fun high energy riff to start. Hell yeah. This is the right amount of yeahs. Insane vocals, great riffs. Weird satisfaction interpolation? Works here. Jesus this is cool. It almost feels like an interlude, but between the lyrics and the super cool instrumental, this feels like a pointed parody. Thumbs up. More fun. It’s teeming with energy. Can’t believe this came out in 1978. Rolling along. This one has more melody and almost a sombre tone for the start. Which is odd. Then it’s a god damn iron maiden riff with spaceship noises. Nice. Oh boy. The lyrics are suspect from an “allowed today” perspective, but this one is great. He wore a hat, he had a job. I mean can you get any better than that? This one is a mantra. Highly repetitive. Still cool. The riff switch up is great but yeah. Almost a little annoying near the end. Primus called, they said thanks for the career. Yeah this one is fantastic. So punk. Completely unhinged, yet hanging on to musicality by a straitjacket thread. Just the right amount of paranoia. I have to say. This one feels like nothing. The instrumental is boring. The vocals screeching back makes for an improvement but this one didn’t need to be here overall. Not terrible but not as exciting. Don’t do this to me Devo. You were so cool. This one isn’t for me at all. Not good. The riff that just repeats ad nauseum wasn’t good the first time. This sounds like napoleon dynamite background music that isn’t interrupted by jokes. Fading fast. The first half of this thing was all-go. Not much to say on this. It’s like psychotic kids music. Which I don’t mind, to be honest. Ahhhhh this is one of the hardest ones to rate so far. Parts of this verged towards 5. Parts of it were a 2. I think on repeat listens the impact would lessen but the highlights are very strong. Off the wall insane and a whole bunch of fun. 3.5 HIGHLIGHTS: Uncontrollable Urge, (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction, Mongoloid, Too Much Paranoias
Well, it's Devo.
Some cool stuff on here although ultimately it is deeply unsexy nerd music
There are some great and different and weird (in a good way) moments on this album. The (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction cover is one of the best cover songs in history. Liked Songs Added: (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction Jocko Homo Too Much Patanoias Gut Feeling/(Slap Your Mammy)
Hauska punkahtava rallilevy. 3.5/5
CRingey lyrics, way too kiddy sounding. Instruments are nice though
This was honestly ok, but it was disappointing when towards the end I was like ooh this one with the female singer is cool, nice change of pace - and then I checked my phone and the album had ended and Blondie was playing.
I like the idea of Devo more than the reality but Uncontrollable Urge is pretty great.
I'll admit that my main (and perhaps only) familiarity with Devo is with "Whip It", which I listened to, and played tennis-racket-style air guitar to, repeatedly when I was probably 10 years old or so. (I'm not sure that song really has much in the way of guitars or guitar licks, but I sure could make that racket sing....) So this album is all new to me, and not quite as interesting as I'd hoped for. It seems impressively early for new-wave style music, and I enjoyed the song and video for their cover of "(I can't get no) Satisfaction", but most of the songs seem kind of...gimmicky...more than anything else. "Jocko Homo" gets a bit closer to the "Whip It" aesthetic I was imagining, but not quite, while "Gut feeling" is probably the most interesting song on the album (more punk than the rest). I like it that Brian Eno (everywhere) helped produce the album, although I do wonder if he was part of the sort of flat sound to the album? It certainly sounds as if Devo didn't enjoy working with him as much as they might have wanted to, and I'm glad they were able to get David Bowie to remix the album.
Camp as tits. Jingly and jangly. Some good sounds. Some dodgy lyrics.
Good but not quite like in high school
So nice I listed to it twice.
First listen. Some good songs. Overall ok.
This album always makes me smile
Didn’t hate it, didn’t love it
Super interested in listening to this album. I know of Devo and some of their music. Very interesting music. Very Devo. Nothing catching my ears.
Killer
Puede que Devo sea el grupo más vanguardista de la new wave. Este, su primer disco editado en 1978, contiene todas las características de un synth pop robótico que bajo una apariencia amenazante criticaba la deshumanización y el conformismo. Fue una de las primeras producciones de Brian Eno, con los sintetizadores como elemento fundamental, pero todavía con una fuerte presencia de guitarras. Las melodías disonantes, los compases impares y las voces chillonas crean una textura de tensión permanente. Si hay que destacar algún tema, para mi gusto está la deconstrucción terrible de "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction", prácticamente irreconocible no podemos hablar de una versión al uso.
I don’t like New Wave, but looking at my history, the New Wave albums I’ve rated low are British, so maybe I just don’t like British New Wave because I enjoyed this. It’s not great, but was nice listening.
Just ok
i wish i liked this album more
So weird, but often delicious
3.5/5. Not bad, better than I thought it would be. I'd say this is a pretty fun album with some strong early-80s sounds.
I enjoyed bits of it, but parts of it gave me anxiety and I don't even suffer with anxiety.
Pop/ punky vibe
Devo is fun and experimental sounding. More punk sounding than I usually associate with them.
I get so excited when I know the first two songs and then so bummed when I don’t know the rest. Boosting it up because of the story in 1,001 albums
So hip, up beat. Whip it, whip it good.
2.8
I wasn't that into this album. It's not bad, just very weird. Didn't do much for me.
Got some Talking Heads vibes from this one. Maybe Devo was cooler than I thought?
Yup, that's Devo. Mostly just kind of weird.
Decent. Standout track was uncontrollable urge. Interesting take on satisfaction but didnt quite hit the notes for me. Enjoyed mongoloid and gut feeling. Jonee, sloppy and shrivel werent too bad. 3/5
Ah yes, how do Americans show their lack of conformity? By putting on uniforms. At least Devo beat Slipknot to it. What a lot of Talking Heads sounds like to me, but I prefer this as they are being ridiculous on purpose. Not an amazing album but Devo deserve their place on this list for just being Devo. Importnt footnote but you can only listen to so much intentionally plastic and robotic music in one go.
3.5
I hear you. I can feel the experimental tone. But it lacks substance. Some did it better.
Good, not not really clicking with me though. 3/5
I mean this as an entirely sincere compliment, but this might just be the funniest album I've ever listened to. This is what an album like Duck Stab should've been. Weird, but not painful to listen to at times. It feels less like Devo is trying to be as weird and off-putting as possible and more like they're trying to make good music but they happen to just be fun, weird guys so the music ends up being weird too. And I mean that as the good kind of weird, not the bad kind. The writing is silly but also genuine and good. The sound is off kilter, but there's still elements that can appeal to less experienced music listeners. The vocals are pretty Talking Heads-esque which is not a bad thing. I do happen to like Talking Heads more, but this served as a pretty good introduction to Devo for me. I'd never really dived into their stuff before. I just vaguely knew them as that band that the guy who made the Rugrats music was in. Needless to say, my opinion of Devo is now positive instead of fairly neutral. Overall, while this album is certainly not for everyone, I had quite a bit of fun with it, especially in comparison to other albums that could be considered weird and off-putting. High 3/5.
Interesting and fun album Standout songs: Uncontrollable urge Space Junk Gut Feeling.
Good to go back to this era. I’ve never listened to any Devo but see them listed as influences to lots of my favourite artists
This album seems younger than it is. I’d have said it was an 80’s album, not 70’s. Reminds me a lot of the punk era. I enjoyed this album. Upbeat and a bit random. I particularly liked Mongoloid. Haven’t heard that word in many a year!
3.75
3/5
A whole album about masturbation.
I wish this is what punk rock was. I wonder if, when Devo emerged, were people were wondering if they were the sound of the future? They have this weird conglomerate of sound that on paper shouldn't work. But it does. It's crazy how I can hear artists that they've influenced. Anywhere from Pearl Jam to XTC. Normally I would hate these types of vocals... But for some odd reason they work. It's like new wave meets British punk rock. Who would have thought? There's a very odd and interesting cover of the Rolling Stone's 'Satisfaction'. They definitely made this song their own. All that positivity... I have to admit, I probably will not return to this record. It was good. More fun than good nothing really stood out as groundbreaking or iconic.
Started strong but got weird. Seeing produced by Brian Wilson pretty quickly confirmed that I was not wrong in this assumption. Not bad, not amazing, just good enough to escape a 2 from me.
Cooky. It is what it is. It is great if you like that kind of music. Just not really my favorite.
3,5/5
We can always use more silliness in this world - I couldn't help but smile during some of the goofier moments on this album. However, with my usual love for all things 80s, I was really expecting to like this more. Maybe it's because Whip It was one of my favorite songs as a kid, and nothing here really scratched that itch, even after a second listen. Still, lots of fun moments here, and though I did enjoy it more the second time, I don't know if I'll feel like revisiting.
i wish i didn't give dire straits and public enemy a three
Was expecting more. Not sure why. 2-3 stars.
Buenos singles. Música divertida pero no son un grupo de LPs.
Very fun. No Whip It? But still some cool songs for a debut album. Will add a few to a playlist for later
first listen kinda all over tbh
Some nice concepts in there. Some nice songs. But overall average.
Was okay but don’t feel the need to listen to another devo album any time soon
I did not really connect with this album, and it's listed on apple as their top one. I don't know if I would agree. It was fine, but nothing really capture me like their album with whip it.
I remember well when these guys landed on MTV and took the music world by the balls. Mostly just a fad, and not terribly good. But their timing was everything, making their hits and unique brand a legend that stands the test. I rejected them initially, like most things MTV. But you couldn’t escape their infectious and energetic bop, those stupid outfits, and their unrivaled weird. As for this album, I love Uncontrollable Urge. The rest, yawn. 4 stars for creativity. Minus a star for making MTV a household name.
Clearly an early form of Devo lacking the totally wild side. Overall pretty good. Singer reminded me of XTC at times
✅✅ great songs, kinda weird flow as an album. but uncomfortable urge is an ABSOLUTE bop
Musically I like a ton of this. Lyrics wise I don't.
Quirky
3.5 If Talking Heads and The Beach Boys had a baby. Really enjoyed it. Just not something I’d listen to on a regular basis.
Sorry Nicky
I liked it better than I thought I would, considering all I knew about Devi was the song whip it and that my father in law is obsessed. It did get pretty repetitive and a little annoying by the end though. I wish I could give it like a 2.7…
Enjoyable 3.5
- Ich fands irgendwie witzig, bisschen weird und crazy vom Gesang und insgesamt doch unterhaltsam Rating: 3/5
- War ganz cool, wenn auch zwischendurch etwas eintönig - Ist jetzt nicht so, dass mich das musikalisch auf ganzer Länge abholt, aber irgendwie hats mich im Laufe des Hörens doch bekommen - Der Hit Uncontrollabel Urge schon auch der beste Song. Sloppy aber auch sehr cool. Dann aber auch Songs, die für mich schwer zu differenzieren waren. 3/5
Good fun background music. I would not seek this to listen to but would not turn it off.
Uncontrollable Urge is a hell of a mission statement to open a debut album with. It’s a very fun album on the whole but nothing too much sticks out after the opener, and I’ve never really got on with the cover of Satisfaction
Q: Is it annoying or catchy? A: It is DEVO. Er blijft toch een dunne lijn lopen door deze band, waarbij je als luisteraar constant balanceert tussen aan de ene kant hyperactieve, bloedirritante nummers en de andere kant sommige van de meest aanstekelijke new wave songs van de jaren 70 en 80. Ook dit album werkt weer polariserend, in mijn oren. In nummers als 'Jocko Homo', 'Sloppy' en 'Too Much Paranoias' willen de twee tweelingen iets te veel, en zijn ze haastig op zoek naar de futuristische sound die de band uiteindelijk z'n unieke persoonlijkheid gaf. Maar hier klinkt het mij wat te rommelig, toepasselijk omschreven in de titel 'Space Junk'. De Stones-cover blijft ook altijd een beetje ongemakkelijk. Maar aan de andere kant liet dit debuut ook zeker blijken waar de mannen toe in staat waren. Door hoekige punk riffs, onverwachte tempowisselingen en vreemde computergeluiden te mengen liet DEVO met deze early new wave-plaat zien dat we een ongekend creatieve muziekperiode betraden. De opener 'Uncontrollable Urge' is mijn favoriet, en is echt een rush aan adrenaline, zonder dat het je op de zenuwen gaat werken. De opbouw van 'Gut Feeling' met die epische synths is ook het benoemen waard. 'Come Back Jonee' kende ik nog niet, en is een plezierige ontdekking, gaaf gitaarspel en hij klinkt wat meer als de new wave blauwdruk waar Amerikaanse tijdsgenoten als Talking Heads en Blondie mee werkten. Redelijk diepe dalen en aardig hoge pieken is het eindvonnis. 7/10 Highlights: Uncontrollable Urge Gut Feeling Come Back Jonee
Produced by Brian Eno... ga er dan maar ff goed voor zitten. De productie van de plaat is ook wel erg in point. Ik vind eigenlijk dat er heel wat wordt gehaald uit een toch wat matige band. Zowel zanger als muzikanten spreken niet tot de verbeelding, en toch is dit een geinig plaatje. Probs naar Eno dan maar. Heb DEVO verder eigenlijk nooit echt gemogen. Ik vind het wat opgefokt, hoekig en soms zelf schreeuwerig. Wordt er nooit zo enthousiast van, maar dit was al met al nog best aardig. Voor de moeite 7/10 Highlights Jocko Homo Come Back Jonee
back half of the album was fun. "Gut Feeling" of course from "the life aquatic".
Not good, not bad.
It's sort of pink and hardcore and sick but in a way that wouldnt immediately make my mom turn it off.
Pretty good, my kind of thing. Am I a dick if I say they ripped off david byrne? is that even right?
It was fun
This was strange. But it's DEVO, I should've expected it. It's actually the first DEVO album I've listened to all the way through. They really teeter a line between new wave, punk, electronic, and pop. I just love how they don't take themselves too seriously. This was a fun listen and I can see how they influenced further music acts throughout the 80s.
Very Cars-like, but not the good Cars. A little too frantic.
With its offbeat artwork and title and avant-garde Talking Heads-esque energy I should probably love this, but I merely like it. Devo really hit their stride on the central run of Space Junk-Mongoloid-Jocko Homo, and I rate Shrivel-Up too. The rest I can take or leave - I think they’re lacking a bit of something. 3 / 3.5
Surprisingly better than I anticipated. Lots more to Devo than the Whip It single. Will come back to this again soon.
I forgot about Devo a little. I grew up with them in a sense, but they didn't seem particularly prolific so I would be like "oh, that's a pretty good song" and then a sometimes long pause. So Devo, while I like them, and this album is so fun, are one of those "Oh yeah, those guys are pretty good" bands. I also happen to like the genre and it it is naturally easy for me to enjoy. So while I really kind of like this, and would suggest it. It would have to, just like in the "old days" occur to me to think "Oh yeah, Devo..." and say "they are pretty good, yeah."
I appreciate their style just can’t listen to a whole album
Very Devo
Fun listen, but not really my thing. Debo pioneered the punk new age vibe, but it’s kind of like Presidents of the United States for me. Would listen occasionally, but not in love with it. 3/5.
Q: Did I not enjoy this album? A: In some parts! Love "Gut Feeling", that was the highlight. Strong cringes at the lyrics of most songs.
hmm yeah it's devo! idk devo is enjoyable enough to me, I understand they have a real formative role in music I like, but I didn't vibe spectacularly with this album
Short, fun at times, meh at times.
Quirky, interesting and worth another listen. Would probably give it a 3.5 if that was possible.
This is a pretty crazy album. It was fun to revisit.
Been a long time since I listened to this one.
First time listening to an entire Devo album, and it was much better than I'd expected. This is their debut album, so although it still feels very out-of-this-world wacky geeky, there's still quite a bit of rock (guitars etc.) going on. Pretty good stuff. Certainly a fun album that I'll return to. (I'll be skipping "Jocko Homo" though...very annoying.)
I listened to this but didn’t hear it, which it least means it didn’t annoy me.
I liked it and there were some songs that were very good. This grated on me, though.
almost a 4 star but too much weird filler so 3 stars instead
Innovative. Only downside for me is some songs spin out and become too repetitive.
Opzich wel leuk en energiek enzo, maar niet veel meer dan dat. Wel voldoende, dus 3 sterren.
Best Song: Mongoloid. As whack as the lyrics are, there's no denying that melody. Worst Song: (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction. Really wonder what compelled them to release a cover that was worse than the original in literally every facet. Overall: A scientific experiment in trying to find the line between "catchy" and "annoying". And goddamn if they don't find the line on nearly every track.
The coolest part was in the hardest to find song: Gut Feeling / (Slap Your Mammy). Some parts weren't for me (Jocko Homo for example), but most of it was alright
Nincompoopery;. Though I mostly mean that in a sense of affectionate fun here.
Gear: Moondrop Variations Mix (1993 Remaster): Detailverliebt und interessant aber insgesamt mit zu wenig Impact Musik: 🤕🤗🥳🐸🦣🧠 Wertung: 3-4
Zunächst ganz lustig, auf Dauer ermüdend
1. Awful name for an album 2. Tough being forever associated with Rob Dyrdek’s Ridiculousness Otherwise pretty good record. It’s fun, weird, and has great energy. The Stones cover is dope too. Reminded me of Dead Milkmen or the B-52’s (3.5/5)
Quirky and engaging. A pleasant surprise
Rating: 7/10 Very good album overall, fun to listen to. Really enjoyed the new wave elements throughout the album. Not many of the tracks really stood out, the first few were great though. Favorite songs: Uncontrollable Urge, Satisfaction, Space Junk. Worst song: Mongoloid.
3 stars, a couple good songs but not bangers.... 2-3 stars
Ground breaking at the time but gets a little boring. Some classic tunes though.
Some great songs but only enough to get a 3 star.
Surprisingly listenable. I've been liking newwave more and more, but these guys can be a little weird right? Yes, delightfully. Great mix of sounds and unpredictable melodies
1978, рок (вики пишет нью ваве, а это что такое вообще) Странная обложка, странный тайтл -- что это значит "вопрос: Мы что, не мужики?". Первый трек огонь, не удивительно, что его в куче фильмов юзали. Погодите, ай кант гет ноу сатисфекшон? Это отсюда? Нет, судя по комментам это кавер на роллинг стоунс. Как же я слаб в постиронии! Забавно, но тайтл трек альбома они на концертах иногда чисто чтоб приколоться играли по 20 минут, выводя из себя толпу. Их приходилось выгонять со сцены. В целом движово, прикольно, но немного не моё. Оценка три включает в себя абсолютно угарную обложку.
I once owned this album back in the 70's when it first came out but I must not have listened to it very much. Listening to it now, I barely remember any of it. At times I thought I could have been listening to David Byrne/Talking Heads. I walked away from this one thinking that it's probably something I would rarely reach for but it was a fun and interesting listen.
I am learning that I don't like New Wave very much, with a few exceptions. Still, it was fortunate to get XTC and Devo in quick succession so I can compare them. I would describe XTC as more earnest and serious, while Devo is absurdist, sarcastic, playful. I think the latter tone suits the genre so much more naturally. Devo is such an important influence on one of my favorite lyricists that his kid is named Devo. This is more enjoyable than XTC, but wow?
I love the idea of DEVO. The execution, not as much. Still enjoy but can be grating.
it's classic Devo, which is to say it's a couple absolute bangers sandwiched between some of the most unpleasant and discordant songs you've ever heard
No mereix el seu status de "must". El disc és fill d'una època i unes circumstàncies i el funciona gairebé com reflexe d'uns anys en què sembla que si et trobaves en el lloc i envoltat de les persones adequades, res podia sortir malament. És un altre artefacte artístic que s'enfronta amb la societat capitalista i el consumisme despreocupat (la famosa versió de 'Satisfaction' no és casual), però hi ha molts altres intents d'expressar el mateix que van aconseguir fer-ho de formes molt més interessants
has its moments but didn't like it enough for more than a 3.
I found this all completely detached from any real feeling or soul but for a bit of a novelty it was fun enough
Il me semble avoir raté le moment où l'album justifiait le fait d'être dans une liste avec un nom pareil.
Pas mauvais, pas bien non plus
Pretty good. Space junk is especially good, as is the title track
About what I expected from Devo. Was fun but not sure if I'd go back to it.
Listening to this late. Could see this as a good sound track under a chase scene from cops in an 80s movie. Overall good for background music and time piece but not something I’d listen to for the music it’s self
Impressions: Liked the punk rock/new wave fusion. Favorite Tracks: Uncontrollable Urge, Space Junk, Mongoloid, Gut Feeling, Shrivel-up Rating: 3/5
ok
Devo is one those bands that remind me of the earliest days of MTV. They always seem to have some trip out videos to go with their tripped out music. Probably because of the video, one of my favorite Devo songs is Satisfaction, so I was happy to see on this album. Now when I think of Devo, I immediately think of the Rugrats. What strange journey to go from 70's MTV to the Rugrats. I was huge fan of Ridiculousness, so Uncontrollable Urge brought a smile to my face and I had no idea it was Devo's song. I do want to point out, I always taped Ridiculousness so I could skip hearing those idiots talk. Between the rob dude thinking he's the shit and the ever annoying chick's voice, I couldn't stand to hear them talk. Rest of the album was OK. Can't say anything inspired me to seek out other material, but Devo always seem to trigger some great MTV memories. Got a little tiring at the end, but overall, nothing too bad. For the 3 items I mentioned, I will go with a 3. Probably would have never got this high without references outside of the album, but screw it..... 3
3 Apparently David Bowie was set to produce this album, but scheduling conflicts forced the group to go with Brian Eno instead - imagine the world we’d be living in now if that happened. Climate change probably would have been beaten, all war would have ceased, and the McDonald’s Dollar Menu would probably still be a dollar. Sigh. One can dream. Anyway, this is the album we ended up with, and it’s fine. I’ve personally never been the biggest fan of DEVO, but there were still a few enjoyable moments to be had here. I am a big fan of the opener, Uncontrollable Urge, though it’s been ruined for me just a bit by Ridiculousness - it’s hard for me not to think of Rob Dydrek’s douchey voice welcoming us back to the show while listening. I also really enjoyed the track Gut Feeling - the soundscape at the beginning is really cool, like something out of a video game. In particular, it made me think of Crash Team Racing for some reason. The rest of the album I found to be just okay, but I will say it was at least mostly interesting, like the spin they put on Satisfaction, or the chorus to Sloppy which was stuck in my head after I finished listening. Still, 34 minutes with Mark Mothersbaugh’s voice is too long, so I’m not sure if this a full album re-listen for me again, though credit where credit is due, I will admit this feels ahead of its time being released in 1978 - you can tell a lot of acts from the 80s were influenced by these guys. I definitely see myself coming back to a couple tracks here, and I’ll always be appreciative of Mothersbaugh for his true magnum opus - the Rugrats score.
Boh
Uncontrollable urge kende ik al, en vind ik Nice, verder niet echt een devo fan helaas maar vond dit nog wel prima
I do not remember this album at all: the most forgettable experience of my life, I seem to remember it being just mid rock with nothing much to say about it. The album cover hasn't age well at all and for me, neither has the music. I could see many people chilling there in the 1980s enjoying this when it comes up on the wireless but other than that, not for me.
It was fine.
Not as bad as I thought it'd be, not as good to care to listen to again.
So very 80s! These guys led the way into the rabbit hole
yeayeayeayeayeayeayeayeyayeayeayayyayaYEA
Honestly like a 3.5 but we’re going with 3 cause the album feels longer than it is because the singing style becomes grating after a bit. But I love the instrumentals and I get the vision on a lot of these songs so good for you Devo
Listened Before? N I'm a sucker for some New Wave, and this is no exception. A solid album beginning to end but no songs really stood out. A great effort for 1978, though. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Uncontrollable Urge
Stylish but kinda hollow for me
Frivolous, throw-away new wave style means nothing; and that’s ok but it doesn’t quite have the thrill of a Talking Heads. Occasionally sparks, occasionally drags.
Yeah. Labdmark US new wave. It ticks ticks lots of boxes. Distictive. It's got that motorik tempo and part surf. I just don't find it very lovable. Maybe its the "humour"
Frenetic, off-piste pop
Kind of delightfully weird.
Inicios del punk. Raruno.
It's definitely a fun album with much more sophisticated instrumentals than I initially gave it credit for. But I'm not sure how else to say this...I feel like I can't take this album seriously? Both the lyrics and singing style feel mostly childish. Still, it's an enjoyable listen. Favorite track: Mongoloid
Brian Eno and David Bowie produced and mixed this album. They must have seen something in this band. I say they are a decent listen but for me it felt like an uneven mixture of Talking Heads (the singing style - but not as innovative) and Television (the instrumentation - without the streamlined, focused approach). There is some humour in their absurd texts and antics but compared to those other bands I rather listen to those. For someone else, who'll find a different way into music, it might be something.
Niets speciaals imo
80s pop.
What? They've got Tom Brady on their album cover? How does even happen? They even mention a goat in "gut feeling." It's not a coincidence. They're from the future. I'm giving this album a 5 just in case.
Inventive and interesting. Satisfaction is a pretty damned creative interpretation of the song that is entirely catchy, bizarre and engaging. Mongoloid is also good, but most of the rest is strange quirky unusual, more than it is enjoyable. Challenging and fun.
Enjoyed it, sounds of yesteryear imo but nice to hear something different.
I thought it was a fun listen, likes a few of the songs, no complaints
I listened to this around Great escape festival and wonder if my brain was just too full of music to take more in. It hasn't left an impression but Luke rates it. I didn't hate it though. This is a weak review I know
Alright but nothing to write home about
Some weirdo shit but I like it. An unhinged mashup of punk, new wave, rock, synth. If nothing else Devo is unique and I respect that
I didn't get to listen to this with earbuds because one of my ears is plugged, so that might have affected my enjoyment of the album, unfortunately. I wish it did a little more, I guess. I think it kind of improved in this area by the end though. Pretty high three, but I can't give it a four. My favourite song was Come Back Jonee.
I liked this a lot more than I thought I was going to. Great album name as well. 3.5/5, but I'll do 3/5 here.
Fun album
okej je, pondosljivo u nekim trenutcima, u vecini slucajeva jako napadno
Me ha gustado (PSP)
When I was a kid, I was gonna one of two ways - I was gonna go for Devo or I was gonna go for They Might Be Giants. Of the two, I understood They Might Be Giants so that's the way I went. The first two songs here are a great start and if that could be kept up, this would be a hard album to deny. But deny it I do! After those first two songs, it's a slow slide down. I love the spirit of it, I love the energy of it, but I just don't love the songs.
This album probably would have been a breath of fresh air in 1978. It has aged quite well but I listen to such a bredth of music it doesn't really stand out as unusual. I do love the cover of (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction, very catchy.
Never really a Devo fan, though I can see the value in it. To me the music isn't really that far off mainstream rock and the lyrical sensibility and vocal delivery don't do a ton for me. Solid for what it is but not my thing.
Cat: um, I kinda love this?!?! A little bit weird for the sake of being weird, but also brilliant. Talking Heads meets Styx meets the Cars. Funny, Spotify played Talking Heads right after this album! AJ: Energy is through the roof. Rhythm section is a fucking truck. Lead singer annoys the fuck out of me. If I had to see them live and they played anything besides Uncontrollable Urge and Gut Feeling, I would leave angry. Uncontrollable Urge is a rippah, though.
A bit nuts, but lots of fun. It does feel quite dated, but I am always excited to see what tv series or film Mark Mothersbaugh is writing for now. The talent and production qualities are up there. Blissfully short but I miss Whip It.
3-4
барабаны очень сочные все что могу выделить)))
Liked it at first but then got tired of it towards the end.
3.5/5 I kind of liked this album. 😬 I like electronic music so this was an interesting foundation to that kind of music. It got grating on the nerves eventually, but I liked the beginning.
Weird but peppy and brief. A little too experimental and repetitive for my tastes but not quite to a "tear my hair out" degree. Not a fan of the singer or style of singing.
Fun and I liked it more than I thought I would. I don't think of it as artistry but it does have energy.
Surprisingly enjoyable. 7.
It was a little eccentric and doesn't have any of Devo's mega hits. It was relatively short. I will round up.
This was less Devo than I was imagining. Except the vocals. They were very Devo.
A bit frenetic for me. But I understand Devo better now.
it's meh
It has everything I like in music, except I can't stand the singing. It's weird, but catchy. Favorite song: Space Junk.
Saw Devo live at Knebworth in 1978 - definitely a Marmite band. Who can forget the quirky (I Can't Get Me No) Satisfaction, the controversial Mongoloid ,and the definitive Devo track Jocko Homo?
It's weird for me to think that most of Devo's popular stuff came out in the late 70s as opposed to the 80s since that's the decade I mostly associate them with. This sounded more 70s than whip it but still. As for the actual album, I thought it was largely unnotable. There wasn't much besides maybe the first track that really interested me.
wacky but not good enough
Neither hated it nor really enjoyed it. It was just ok.
A lot like early talking heads, perhaps with some B-52s energy in there too. This album was a bit polarizing for me; there were a few songs a liked a lot, and a few tracks I didn't like much at all. "A" for creativity I think I liked Space Junk, Mongoloid, Gut Feeling, and I also kinda liked Shrivel Up
aight
This album has some interesting tracks, but with some notable exceptions, New Wave just doesn't do it for me. "Sloppy" was quite the bop though.
Kind of gimmicky but not bad.
A few interesting moments. Appreciate their influence but for the most part difficult to listen to
My dad always loved the Q&A format of this album title. The first song, Uncontrollable Urge, is a new wave song from 1978 but it could be ska from 2001 or indie rock a la Vampire Weekend circa 2014. Very influential. Their cover of (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction is interesting. Praying Hands is very traditional Devo to me. Good album.
I've listened to a lot of these songs but never listened to the album front-to-back. The first few songs are classics. This album definitely has a consistent sound. Some of these songs are just straight up annoying though. Jocko Homo and Too Much Paranoias sound like they would be way more fun live but on an album I'm just wondering why I would subject myself to this. The album picks back up with Come Back Jonee and Gut Feeling. All in all, it's okay. I get that it was different at the time, but it isn't super enjoyable to listen to now.
Couple of slapping songs, didn't get enough listens in to truly enjoy
Halvempia viinejä kypsyttelijä.. heh... tyhmä on. Tässä on sitten.. heh... Noh.. heh päivän kypsyttely.. Ollut.. tehty.. heh.. kuin päivän pönttölataus konsanaan.. sen kypsyttely.. mahan hämmentely.. oikialla kädellä... heh.... Pyyttonia pönttöön.. heh....ei aluksi paljon tähtösiä anneta... yhtä.. heh.. siinä sitten ylikypsyy melkein.. että viittä... ehei ehei... kolmea...
Not really a Devo fan, but Uncontrollable Urge and their cover of (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction were the standouts.
Something about the way you taste Makes me wanna clear my throat There's a message to your movements That really gets my goat I looked for silver linings But you're rotten to the core I've had just about all I can take You know I can't take it no more 3/5
It's. Just. Weird. Has a vibe of 80's Brit punk, although they are American and from the 70s.
they have other songs that are not "whip it"?
This sounded pretty energetic and original, but, although I do like the occasional weird song, there was just too much silliness on this album to really enjoy it.
Foundational album of a low-key influential band, but not one of my preferred releases from them
When I first head this album I wanted to give it a 1 star. However I listened to it a second time and found it wasn't as bad as I thought. I ended up adding 3 songs to my liked on Spotify which after my first listen, I never thought would happen. Still only giving it a 3 because it was very odd. But I do respect it.
A really wacky album but there are not a lot of tracks that I want to relisten in the future apart from the opening track and "Satisfaction". I do like Alan Myer's drum work in this album.
ookkkkkkuuuuurrrrrr.... thank you boomers.
73/100: Very energetic album. This is one of those albums in which you can feel the fun that was had in the recording studio through the music. It nearly sounds like Devo just took all of the fun riffs and lines that jokingly come up in jam sessions and made an album with them. I don't necessarily think this is that great of an album, but it is certainly very fun to listen to, which I greatly appreciate. That doesn't make it a great album though unfortunately.
I’ve only heard the main Devo hits, so this LP full of wiry, energetic punk-pop was a welcome surprise. Things do get a little repetitive, and some vocal fills are a little annoying, but these pass by so quickly it hardly detracts from the fun of this 30-minute romp.
litt masete
Swag
13th October 2022 Listened during the day while sort of working from home. Watched a couple of eps of bad sisters, met Ross to chat Educating Rita and went to the lit festival with mum in the evening to see London laundromat. This was fun, quirky and funny punk.
3/5
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.
How can you be post punk as early as 1977 lol. I like it.
meh
Yes you are men and pretty weird men at that but who doesn't love a bit of devolution
A short groovy album, nothing amazing nothing terrible
Eh, kinda just fine
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
Not my first choice for a devo album. It's alright
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.
Devo is so weird & so punk
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)
Really good
Ik vond dit best ok eigenlijk! Met Anke eens dat het ergens wel aan Talking Heads doet denken.
a little more generic talking heads, post punk new wave style
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.
a ta
Odd punk-like stuff with a rolling stones cover. Not my thing, but I've heard worse.
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.
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.
Not my bag
I could've sworn I've had this one already
Rien d’extraordinaire et pas le genre d’album que j’aurais pense produit lar eno. Cest de la,punk adoucit. 3
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.
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?
this is just discount talking heads lol
Like Talking Heads, these guys just miss the mark with me.
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 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.
Please send help.
The misadventures of a scout leader and a group of cubs that is strictly off the record. Nothing happened here. They simply went camping.
Mostly fun!
I want to like Devo more than I do, I just have trouble getting into them.
I want to like Devo more than I do, I appreciate the schtick but the execution doesn't do much for me.
A previously dismissed band by myself due to tge crap tgey produced in the 90’s, pleasantly surprised by this.
5/10 obnoxious but not altogether bad
Annoying but in a more endearing way. 5/10
Divertido!
I liked it.
It’s okay.
First song is alright Bad I can't get no satisfaction cover
Likeable, interesting cover of Satisfaction
Niet al te speciaal, maar wel opgewekte muziek
Good album. A bit cheesy.
Rating: 5/10
weird and interesting especially for the time. Respect what it led to creatively, but aside from a few songs, not for me.
Bit whacky
3
It's alright
this is weird man. funny hats tho
D. E. V. O
Good album. Enjoyed the different style.
Messy, im not sure if i liket or i hate it
Uistinu jedan od kultnijih albuma koji meni nije toliko sjeo, mada je sasvim dobar.
Heard this kind of recently for the first time, pretty fun overall (3.5).
"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.
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
false
Inicios del punk. Raruno.
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
Pretty weird new-wave album with elements of art rock. Tracks are consistent but lack a strong connection or theme, 6/10.
1978, new Wave, Art Rock, Post punk, stabil
It’s fun at times but would serve itself better in a live setting versus a listening experience.
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
Insane 80s
Pretty, pretty cool.
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.
It was ok. I really didnt care for the satisfaction cover but the rest was not terrible. Not my thing.
Oh the punk before the punk
6/10