Reviews (page 5 of 8)
I got half way through this. It's not really for me, I don't think. I get the IDEA of DEVO and I think it's an interesting art piece or experience or whatever, but I don't really want to have to listen to it. It's a bit on the cusp. I can imagine I might revisit this in a different state of mind and like it better, but at the moment, it gets two stars, not a malicious two stars, but two stars.
Need to revisit further…. did you know that in his later life band member Mark Mothersbaugh has written lots of soundtracks, including the recent ‘Cocaine Bea film…..
I love weird and innovative things like this. They weren’t afraid to do something out of the norm.
True 3, equal amounts of hits and duds to me
This was awesome, started and ended very strong. A great, fun way to spend 30 minutes
Starts strong but ultimately devolves into fairly repetitious noise. I enjoyed the driving brat and 80s keyboard funky rock way more than any vocals or lyrics.
Abwechslungsreiches In Köln produziertes New Wave Album mit deutlichen Punk Elementen. Es war nett zu hören und über das Chaos der Produktion zu lesen. Aber ein Wiederhören drängt sich nicht auf.
Q: Are Devo Not Men?
unnecessary ontological confusion
Achei um punk interessante para época (77). Lembra Talking Heads. Devolution is the law!
Okay, it was funny for a little bit, but this list definitely has too much of Brian Eno. Very original sound, you always expect unexpected, it's modern music made back in 70s, but it's just too annoying and boring. One album per list, please.
March 23, 2025 HL: “Satisfaction”, “Jocko Homo”, “Gut Feeling” Maybe not their BEST work, but a satisfying intro to Devo & their balance of poppy consonance and wacky dissonance
Interesting and light-hearted fun, but not something I’ll be coming back to.
Are we Not Men? We Are DEVO
Interesting, very similar to Talking Heads in style. Quite a fresh breeze with somethinge light-hearted and witty. Everything doesn't have to be so dead serious all the time! The record had quite a strong start with some good songs, and I think it trucked along a good trajectory of staying interesting and varying all the way through. Perhaps not exactly packed with bangers, but still fun to listen to. Probably something I could grow to like over time if I gave it the chance!
Didn’t know what to expect with that album cover but was pleasantly surprised when “Uncontrollable Urge” started playing. Really sets the mood of punky, silly, high energy music. The album is just fun and I enjoyed it. Pretty short which is always a good sign in my book. 4 star.
Необычное название альбома = необычное звучание. Данный альбом мне зашел своим уникальным звучанием, смесью электроники и рока. И, если честно, для 1978 года это звучит очень круто, моментами в треках проскакивают звучание, которое было очень популярно в 90х. Определенно классное творение, заслуживающее внимание. Если как обычно сравнивать с кем то группу, то Devo больше всего напоминает лично мне Weezer. В 90х Weezer играл музыку на свежо звучащих инструментах, при этом используя достаточно старые мотивы. В музыке Devo можно проследить схожие черты. Кавер на Rolling Stones мне заходит намного больше оригинала, в Sloppy просто замечательный припев, а кавер на Хендрикса вышел хорошим примером нового звучания известной песни. Я считаю, что данный альбом хорошо дополняет нью вейв волну в роке тех лет и его непременно следует послушать каждому. Каверные (и не только) 4/5
dumb ass looking mf
I don’t hate this now, but it was much better when I was 9. 3
Too annoying. Mongoloid is great though.
Odd and intriguing and annoying like a good punch in the face that you needed.
The de-evolution of man kind. It rocks regardless. It's just not an all the time listen for me.
Some cool bits but it was all a bit try hard for my taste. I did like it being experimental in a pop way though with short, punchy songs rather than the 70s prog rock way of thinking they can emulate Beethoven
I did not use a private session for Spotify. I like this album, it's got some new wave classics on in. There is one song on it that is hard to listen to, so it ain't all zingers. But its fun.
Very quirky. Not sure how I feel but I appreciate the different direction and how succinct the album is. Doesn't overstay it's welcome, fun, and unique
Not for me
I like Devo conceptually. I am happy Devo exists. I don't really enjoy it though.
It's Devo alright. Too cool for me. Fun! Some filler.
Ik vind het leuk maar een beetje nerveus makend
Different. Weird. Quirky. 1001 albums before I die worthy? Absolutely not. 1001 album worthy: No - 51/94
Great album. A unique sound is hard to capture and Devo does it with ease. (20 known/33 new)
I don't think I really "get" Devo...
Fucking incredible. I think jocko homo could be the number one song I wish I wrote. It gets me fucking amped
YAH FUCK YEAH WOW YEAH UH HUH
Hard to justify a rating for this one, it was kind of crap. Couldn’t get past the weird tones and voice-like singing, it feels like it’s trying too hard to be something and the musical element is then lost, 3/10.
Fun album, first half had me toe tapping but last few songs dragged on.
RAD!!
Bit of fun, bit of a grower. Rugrats.
Very good!
Dont get time but sound is cool
Vocalist gave me Talking Heads vibes so looked them up and surprised that they're not the same person. This wasn't really for me, a bit too ironic and goofy. I loved Praying Hands though.
It solidified which song I liked because the entire album was rancid to my ears and my overall sense of world judgement. To be fair, it's just a white guy shakily crying out lyrics over a weird 70s vibe rock beat. We love that right? I liked that it had spirit, something fun and forgettable kind of like a messy one night stand but it did drag on. It also left a bitter sad taste in my mouth which one night stands often do. Im glad i can leave this in 1993. The lyrics are unhinged, unserious but overall unfunny. It's giving 'look at me I'm edgy and you won't get it haha I'm so satirical right" - No. Fave Songs: - Praying Hands
It felt like a parody of punk. I liked the music but the lyrics/singing wasn't great, though maybe that's the point? Wouldn't listen again.
All in all, a very solid record. One of the more unique new wave bands, both technically and production-wise, who have managed to record an innovative album, where every track is a story for itself. Melody-wise, some post-punk-ish influence can obviously be heard, which makes this album even more special, along with Brian Eno's masterful assistance.
This gets a 1/5 for the Satisfaction cover alone. The rest of the album was pretty bad too, but that was a particular low point of the album.
A truly unserious band
I've heard of them before. Not a bad band. Overall, a fair album.
It was okay
Good fun.
The bones of a good album are here, the ingredients are all ready to go, and then they just completely ruin it with the pretentious schtick of whatever they hell they thought would sound like shit. Infuriating listen Best Song: Uncontrollable Urge Rating: 3.0/10 2 Stars
4.5/5
Not bad. Very much sounds like early 80s!
Loveeeee
I love it when bands get weird
Uncontrollable Urge - 5/5 (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction - 5/5 Praying Hands - 4/5 Space Junk - 4/5 Mongoloid - 5/5 Jocko Homo - 5/5 Too Much Paranoias - 3/5 Gut Feeling / (Slap Your Mammy) - 5/5 Come Back Jonee - 3/5 Sloppy (I Saw My Baby Gettin') - 4/5 Shrivel-Up - 5/5 Average score: 4.4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ one of my fav albums from one of my fav artists. when i say i enjoy post-punk, *this* is what the fuck i'm talking about it's wacky and weird and goofy in the best of ways. even my least fav tracks are fun in their own ways, and the better tracks make up for them tenfold. because of this, i felt it was deserving of a little boost in score the only complaint i've got is there aren't MORE albums by DEVO featured on this list!! this album is hands down my fav of their entire discography and deserves the highlight, but you're telling me that Freedom of Choice didn't make the cut as well?? c'mon now.
Nix für mich.
SO GOOD. Every song is great. Was just listening to this the other day.
my mood swings on this album a lot
This was like the Clash met the Go-Go's - I never would have described Devo that way before listening to this. I only knew their hits. The other stuff is hot or miss, with more hits than misses.
I was bored by this, it just seemed like more late Seventies sub punk blokes bashing away at it.
A fully realized and astonishingly fresh debut. Quirky fun and accomplished.
One of the best there ever was. yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah YEAH!
you couldn't do devo today, because of woke
Aaaa baš sam nedavno navukla na njihovu stvar Girl U Want :) ovaj album mi je okej, ali imaju i boljih ako mene pitaš. Bit će malo niže zbog toga, 2/5, 4.5/10.
Devo have more than one album? Who knew. No "Whip It" on this. Album is ok.
Very unpleasant to listen to and they ruined a great rock song by doing some weird new wave shit
Sure
Wtf did I just listen and why did I like it?
This is one of the albums I’ve been most excited about, and for good cause.
I get it. Kinda. Would not go out of my way for this one.
This is the worst Talking Heads rip off I've ever heard.
Like the audio version of a fever dream
Might be because I was in a bad mood this morning but this album made me irrationally angry
I really enjoyed this!
Na
Pretty unique sound. I think it’s a bit too conceptual though, not as enjoyable.
Never heard from this band. nothing missing.
Enjoyable, if not "Whip It" enjoyable.
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very tongue and check forward thinking new wave alothough not all of the lyricism has ages gracefully it it undeniably fun 7/10
Fire
This album is Ohio rizz /pos (I'm so sorry) A super fun album from start to finish. I need to listen to more Devo. My favorite song on this is Shrivel-Up
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It is fun, but I'm not feeling fun
what if there was a whole band made out of neil cicierega? now you know.
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.
I hurt my middle finger on Friday after drinking so I'll keep it brief: I was overhyped going in, but I loved it while listening the first time and it got better yet the second (which I don't always have time for so I'll try to not be biased). I think I finally understand the answer to the prompt and why they are DEVO. Good shit. 8.5/10
some fun quirked out white boys
8/10 Pleasantly surprised by how fun and funny this record still is, considering the band’s reputation I would’ve assumed this album was way tamer and nerdier, but it’s actually quite unhinged at points in a way that I really like. They manage to be both witty and abrasive in really creative ways, offering some really interesting song concepts and Pop and Punk fusions that work really well, it really is unafraid to be what it is even if may seem a bit cringe or dorky at points. While it isn’t a perfect Punk album, it certainly deserves a mention amongst the best of the genre. The quirky teen from 1978 that listened to this probably got shoved in the smallest lockers.
Love Devo, this album is great, like most of their output, I think having a massive hit really hurts them in most people's eyes but they never disappoint on each record, you'll find some bangers throughout
Great
4.5
I really wanted to like this album mainly because this is the kind of post punk/new wave I really get into. My main hangup is the quirky vocal delivery which worked for me on some track... Not so much on others. My stand out tracks were "Mongoloid", "Gut Feeling", and "Come Back Jonee" (probably the least quirky of the bunch) but also found but parts of "Uncontrollable Urge", "Space Junk", and "Too Much Paranoias" tasty as well. This may be an album I have to warm up to, but I gave it two listens today mainly because it seems I should like this more than it's hitting me. (7.75) ★★★½ (four in the app)
One of the coolest punk/new wave albums I have heard. "Gut Feeling" is a fantastic song. 4 stars
At times it gets a little too quirky for me, but there's a lot of great tunes here including "Uncontrollable Urge", "Mongoloid", "Gut Feeling", and their iconic cover of "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction". 4 stars
3.5
Crazy cool album with crash of elements such careening punk rock riffs, bellowing stutter of nerd baboon vocals and a laboratory of synths gone haywire plus a lyrical thread of humans evolving backwards because evil technology. It’s all a restless barrel of fun that threatens to get too tetchy and tuneless with noise assaults like Jocko Homo but mostly stays with the realms of classic. Uncontrollable Urge is a knockout brilliant and punchy intro, the cover of Stones’s Satisfaction is made to be as perfectly awkward and discombobulated as possible and is somehow more satisfying than the original and Gut Feeling near the end has a gliding krautrock feel and is a phenomenal standout.
Started good, went downhill fast. Pretty rubbish.
"Play Whip it!" "No. Play the other one." DEVO are a weird band, and I love strange music. He almost has a David Byrne quality to his voice which I like. A lot of these songs have very funky (in both meanings of the word) beats. A short and strange album. Low 4.
I get why people like this but it wasn't for me. It was basically a 3 but it pissed me off a bit that this seems to get so much praise for being a solid 3 in every way haha so demoted to 2 stars. It was fun in parts but the weirdo 80's singing with all that weird articulation and whooping and stuff just isn't for me. Also it's like they were kind of making fun of surf guitar rock a bit? not cool.
That’s so Devo
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.
I know the album is a big deal for music history. I can see and hear why. Truly appreciate it. Overall, though, I only liked a couple of songs.
Quite a quirky album with some cool songs and a dry delivery. Enjoyable
Very Devo.
The new wave of new wave, an impressive start for all that was to come
Such an enjoyable, original sound, full of surprise and a light sound. It loses a star for the covers, but they made the covers their own and did them well.
As daft as it is, I enjoyed this a lot!
Devo’s kind of annoying.
*Tom Brady showing his plastic surgeon this album cover* yeah I wanna look like him doc
Although I knew their name, I had never heard a song by Devo. Now I know that I didn't miss anything.
Why is Tom Brady on the cover? 1.82
This gets credited as being proto-new wave or something, but to me this is one of the best punk records of all time. This shit kicks so much ass. It hits the ground running and goes for half an hour and never lets up. I especially love the sudden end of the janky, schizoid Too Much Paranoias into the gentle, surfy intro to Gut Feeling which then builds back into an anxious screed. Absolutely brilliant. I’m a little surprised this isn’t more highly rated. This is the 6th 5 star album in a row for me. I am worried about the next few albums.
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.
My favorite take on Satisfaction. Devo is the end result of the awkward nerdy kid in class discovering himself when he heard punk rock for the first time.
Devo pensarlo
Vekkulia new wavea, nopeatempoista. Parhaat: Space Junk, Come Back Jonee
I really enjoyed this one! Uncontrollable urge is a jam. This was fun.
weird, but good with it for the first half of the album, gets a bit much by the end
Expected better I must say
Are you Devo, I don't know. But I'm devo (devastated) this album made the list.
This is always my answer for “what one-hit wonder is actually great?” This band is incredible.
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.
看封面就知道是听不来的post punk（
I wanted to like this so I could feel fun, but this was annoying.
3.5/5
Was never a Devo devotee. A lot of this is just annoying noise to me. 2.5/5
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.
Paukut käytettiin A-puolella, mutta se olikin hauska. 50-luvun (ish) laulu ja kivat pikku melodiat. B-puoli meni toistamiseksi. Tai ainakin mielenkiintoni lopahti. Melkein kolme, ihan inasta vaille.
Livenä hyvä 3+, levyllä liian antimusiikkia minulle. Muodollisesti tämä on koukkuja täynnä, mutta käytännössä lopputulos välittyy raskaana kepeytenä. 2,5
pure devocity
annoying
It was okay.... but I would rather listen to Talking Heads.
Why was this so boring
Loved this, just leaks innovation. Devo weren't a band to settle for bog standard rock. Great use of rhythm - 5 bar phrasing 7/8 time sigs. Quirky and great.
Interestingly weird
I love these guys.
Some weird pop songs and unique takes on some covers.
I love this stupid album. Their version of Satisfaction sticks in my head more than the Stones version. Heresy to some but I love it. And of course, thanks to Ridiculousness, Uncontrollable Urge is all over the place and I’m not mad about that. More people need to hear Devo beyond Whip It.
Pretty much pure crud all the way from start to finish...
Very Devo
Weird album: many failed starts. I’d love to release a version with reordered tracks.
I hated Devo as a kid cause I only heard whip it and altough fun I simply thought it was kind of shitty. Little did I know that 40 years later I can say they got done dirty by mtv. Its one of the most underrated groups in history. I feel they are so versatile and amazing musicians. This album has so much variety and diffent sounds and music. This is an experimental confept album that even with a cover of the stones its simply breathtaking something really different and fresh still today. Really insane that it sound better today than I remember back in the 80s.
Uncontrollable Urge is good, but this sounds like the B52's and early The Clash had a baby for better or worse. Not my ideal music, but not terrible. 2.5
Love this album, although not one I play often. . Some great tunes, whilst also being completely bonkers. You can hear the seeds of so many contemporaries and successors in here. Mongoloid is both of its time and timeless. It also has the only decent cover of Satisfaction ever made - the quirky-jerkiness adding to the original sentiment admirably.
This sounds like electronic baroque to me. The cover of Satisfaction is bonkers.
Interesting, was pretty good
I get why these guys are considered a joke band. On one hand, yeah, it's a real rock CD, if one that is pretty sparse lo-fi garage rock. On the other hand, they don't sound like they're taking themselves seriously at all. "Mongoloid" and the title track are clearly intentional parodies of trends in prevailing self-important hard rock (to me, they most clearly sound like someone making fun of Blue Oyster Cult). Combined with the absurdist cover of "Satisfaction", you just get their impression that the entire raison d'etre of the CD is to point out what idiots other rock bands are. And it's not like they're wrong, I'd just rather listen to like an actual very strong rock performance. And this isn't it - it's more like slow Ramones with not as compelling a singer (although about equally talented). Also for what it's worth Zappa had been doing this for a while when this came out, and I think Zappa does it better.
I like weird and Devo is pretty weird.
Poor.
This is why post-punk will always be my favourite genre/era of music. Everything about it, those funky basslines, angular guitar riffs, tight drumming. It just hits some part of my brain and I love it so much.
I can appreciate this for the influence it had, but for me the music itself struggled to get above average.
1 star feels a tad too harsh, but this was a really tough listen. All the negatives of punk, specifically the vocals, but without any of the positives. Without any of the feeling. Just a janky, synthy layering of noise.
This album was a favorite of Krist Novoselic of Nirvana. Truly unique at the time of its release.
Eh. I would have loved this as a 13 year old.
2.5
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Lots of energy. I like it when these experimental records are also fun to listen to and not just an excuse to scream into a microphone.
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.
I think it's really great that my generation progressed musically. Sonic Youth was created as a direct response to music to Devo (Devolve / De-Evololution). When I was coming up, Devo was barely more than a punchline, they were weirdos, wore weird hats, dressed in identical full-body uniforms. But, that may have been the point when they first started as an thematic art project. The concept being that the future of the world was all going to be run by machines & computers and something as personal and humanistic like music would all be made by robots. (uhhh, hello AI). But if you take the time to listen to this a few times, you begin to realize how amazing this band was. It wasn't until much after I had grown tired of noise rock / Sonic Youth-y stuff that I found this album and was surprised to find is so fun, weird, interesting and good. Gut Feeling has got to be one of my favorite tracks ever. Simple guitar looping that builds and builds until it explodes. Weird cover of Satisfaction and of course Uncontrollable Urge make this album memorable.
Listening to this right after The Residents and Os Mutantes probably worked in Devo’s favor. “Are We Not Men” is weird, but it’s a fun kind of weird that stands in contrast to the aforementioned experiences of aural frustration. I was feeling pretty good about Devo until “Jocko Homo,” when it wore out its welcome.
A rip roaring good time.
There is a lot of creativity on this album, it’s apparent that Devo was not trying to be another punk group. They helped form the New Wave genre, so I’ll give them points for that, but at the end of the day it’s hard to take this band seriously. And I don’t think they took themselves seriously, nor did they want to be taken seriously. It’s just meant to be fun, and it is. Just not fun enough to revisit for me.
What an album! Their Humor is far out and their music is also odd. I love it!
- favs: praying hands, uncontrollable urge It reminds me a little of David Bowie in some ways and the B52’s!!! absolutely love Devo, such iconic band and this album is absolutely amazing. It belongs into my record collection :)
Some cool stuff on here although ultimately it is deeply unsexy nerd music
Punk/ electronic fusion at its finest
Quirky at the time.
I am not Devo
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)
Ei ollut kyllä omaan makuun tämä sitten ollenkaan, vaikka ihan passelia musisointia toki oli.
Did not enjoy this.
Kova ja piristävä! Kieli poskessa tehtyä outoilupunkkia 4/5
Hauska punkahtava rallilevy. 3.5/5
Their version of Satisfaction is worth the album.
I never tried to listen to Devo because I always hated Whip It.. listening to this album changed nothing
CRingey lyrics, way too kiddy sounding. Instruments are nice though
Lyrics were weird. Not a fan.
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.
Devo is a national treasure and should be treated as such. Mothersbaugh has done so much for the art of music that it will take decades to fully understand his influence and contributions to the medium.
I'm not sure I've ever liked this? But I liked what it did to the music scene. It allowed people to be weird again.
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.
One of the few albums in this project that I bailed on--but I did make it 3/4 of the way through. I didn't like them then and I don't like them now. So irritating. It's like they exist so you can have the pleasure of turning them off.
Fun and upbeat, the surfy-rockabilly combo style didn't really click for me. Some questionable backing vocals decisions also. Who sings 'nyang' instead of 'la'
Camp as tits. Jingly and jangly. Some good sounds. Some dodgy lyrics.
Mongoloid, sloppy, the rest of it was really just not for me. Even those 2 weren’t very enjoyable.
Ok
Good but not quite like in high school
J'imagine que je comprends l'attrait, mais je réalise que j'ai bien de la misère avec le mouvement post-punk artsy américain. Je peux voir comment ça a eu un impact significatif, mais honnêtement c'est tellement énervant à écouter. La reprise de Rolling Stones est tellement horrible. 4/10
Devo is Dead Kennedys for nerds. I’m a nerd.
So nice I listed to it twice.
First listen. Some good songs. Overall ok.
I have never listened to a Devo album, somehow. It's cool. It's entertaining. The cover of a terrible Stones song and the Jonee B. Good riffing are irreverent in a neat way. I want more heart though. The B-52s can do all this and keep something full of life at the centre. music: appreciated. (⌐■_■)
Whoa this rules. It’s so deranged, it’s so fun. The drummer is so good! Easy sell: I’m a Devo Guy now.
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
an overtly fun and deceptively subtle shattering of rock and roll's base components and reassembled by people for whom many of its subtextual gut feelings (especially of libido) are but an abstract curiosity, but they think its cool anyway and worth studying and replicating and performing to its fullest extent. in that way it somehow becomes a comical peak of these subtextual gut feelings? i need to stop trying to comprehend this thread i think its getting away from me. album is crazy fun, the ratio of runtime to Ass Kicked Per Second absolutely slams many hard rock bands... there's so little in the way of rock as pure Motion and Energy when u have no times for things like self-aggrandizement ! no disrespect on self-aggrandizement ofc...but this scratches an almost wholly unique itch. made me think about early rock n rollers just as much as talking heads
Fuuuuuuck yeeeaaaahhh!! Satisfaction is one of the best covers of all time. This whole album is brilliant and daring and stupid and great. 5/5
Wacky
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.
Fantastic. What did people in 1978 think?
Just ok
Majority of songs not my style. High 2
This is odd. I don't really like the shout-singing with de-emphasized enunciation. For me, this is kind of cringy throughout. There are some really great instrumentals and backing music, but the singing brings it down a lot for me. Especially since that's what's emphasized in the balance and mixing. This is just a miss for me. There isn't really a whole lot that I like or enjoyed from this album, and I could have lived without hearing it. Favorite Song(s): Uncontrollable Urge
"Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!" Is the debut album by American new wave band Devo. New wave, post-punk, art rock, punk rock. Sure. The album was produced by Brian Eno. There were difficulties between the Eno and the band during the recording and David Bowie actually ended up re-mixing the album. Devo is Mark Mothersbaugh (vocals, keys, guitar), Gerald Casale (vocals, bass, keys), Bob Mothersbaugh (lead guitar, vocals), Bob Casale (rhythm guitar, keys, vocals)and Alan Myers (drums). The album had mostly positive reviews and is noted as being a seminal American new wave release. Commercially, it hit #68 in the US and #12 in the UK. Of note: the original cover was intended to have a picture of golfer "Chi-Chi" Rodriguez. They couldn't get his approval in time so they replaced it with a morphed face of presidents JFK, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. "Uncontrollable Urge" kicks things off. Herky-jerky and anxious music and singing. Melodic and a nice chorus. A new wave guitar. Minimalist lyrics...Social Anxiety? Paranoia? Maturation? Maybe all of them. They perform one of the best covers of all-time with their version of the Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction." Mechanical sounding. A cool, wavy bass. A nervous guitar. They give an anxious, original interpretation. And, they're performance of this song on Saturday Night Live is utterly spectacular. A creeping guitar intro opens "Mongoloid," a song they would probably rethink today. A mechanical beat. Very 80's sounding keys. Layered sounds. A background wah-wah guitar. It's about a man who has down syndrome and leads a normal life in de-evolved society. They continue the de-evolved theme in "Jacko Homo." A repetitive beat. More anxious guitar and keys. "Are we not men? We are Devo!" A fast and galloping guitar and bass begin "Come Back Jonee." They deconstruct Chuck Berry's "Johnny B Good" as Johnny is failing in a relationship. A great Johnny B Good-esque guitar solo. The album closes with "Shrivel-Up." Eerie guitar. Multiple sounds in the background. Kind of pyschedelic and reminded me of Ween. This is a great and original album. No bad songs here. They had been playing them for three years and it sounds like it. The music is melodic, mechanical, angular and unique. They create an anxious and paranoid atmosphere. Their next three albums are also good but this is their best. An album everyone needs to have. I'm off to find my red energy done hat and yellow jumpsuit.
i wish i liked this album more
Very deserving album to be on this list. It's hugely influential and also just plain fun to listen to.
Great slice of post punk
since i can still rate the albums before joining the group, today is 7/10/2024, but this might be a top 5 new wave album oat, everything sounds fresh and good, it's a 10.
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.
Rubbish!
I enjoyed bits of it, but parts of it gave me anxiety and I don't even suffer with anxiety.
Very fun and at times even funny. These guys fire in all sorts of directions and hit a lot more than they miss. Still hadn't come up with their iconic hats yet. Key tracks: Uncontrollable Urge Mongoloid Jocko Homo Shrivel Up
We are Devo D-E-V-O Classic fun Devo
Pop/ punky vibe
Twitchy aggro nerd destruction crew
Devo is fun and experimental sounding. More punk sounding than I usually associate with them.
Reminds me of my childhood playing with toys in the basement while DEVO is on the radio.
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
Not for me
So hip, up beat. Whip it, whip it good.
Pure quality & brings back some great memories
2.8
I wasn't that into this album. It's not bad, just very weird. Didn't do much for me.
My ears are bleeding from the torture
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
No
What a great debut from a great band. Bunch of fuckin nerds that figured out a cool way to talk shit about the knuckle draggers amongst us. Just a unique take on new wave and post punk with 70s electronic influences (can, cluster, prob kraftwerk etc) that is so much fun. The stones cover is honestly my least favorite part. It was kind of interesting, but that could have just been left for live shows. Fav track: mongoloid
Great album!
My first time giving Devo a real listen and it is very funny and surprisingly really good. I'm not 100% sure this actually a 5 but I am sure that these guys are 100% committed to their bit and I respect the hell out of that so I am going to reward by rounding up.
I hear you. I can feel the experimental tone. But it lacks substance. Some did it better.
This album is packed with great songs that also have that unique Devo sound. Robotic, energetic yet still sounding hand crafted. I don't know that they made a better album than this. Remains a standout.
Six. Or maybe seven. That's how old I was when I asked my mum for a Devo album for Xmas. God bless her she had to ask at the record store because she had no idea what a Devo was. Neither did I really, but my friends older brother listened to them and I thought they were cool. So I thought they were cool. And guess what kids, Devo were both cool and NOT cool at the same time. I still own this album, and it still gets play today. Standouts are the kooky (and somewhat divisive) version of 'Satisfaction' and the classic 'Mongoloid' - a ode to diversity and equality, and the fantastic slow build of 'Gut Feeling'. Five devolving stars.
Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo is an album that clearly showcases Devo's unique, quirky style, blending punk, new wave, and art rock into something distinctly their own. The band's offbeat energy and unconventional approach are undeniably cool, and it's easy to see why they have such a dedicated following. However, despite its innovative sound, the album can be a bit of a mixed experience. Some tracks are catchy and intriguing, but others feel repetitive or just miss the mark. The robotic vocals and jerky rhythms, while distinctive, may not resonate with everyone, making it a challenging listen at times. While it's far from horrible, it's also not the mind-blowing experience some might expect from such an iconic album. There are moments of brilliance, but they are balanced with parts that feel less engaging. Overall, it's an album that may grow on you with time, but for some, it might not fully click. Devo's influence and originality are clear, even if the album itself doesn't entirely captivate. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 1 STAND OUT TRACK - Uncontrollable Urge
Good, not not really clicking with me though. 3/5
I still have a little piece of a radiation suit that was torn off and thrown into crowd at a Devon gig. This band was something else live. Great album to kick off the day with.
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
Despite the curious context of its creation being blessed by the lovely likes of awesome artists such as Eno, Bowie, Fripp, Pop, Cluster, and Can, I can’t just stand Devo’s debut.
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
relatively decent, but it got a bit repetitive after listening to a few songs. i do recommend if you like this type of music since i do think there’s an audience out there
Entendo que a banda foi além do padrão, o som é bem diferente e malucão, frenético, nervoso. Porém, a mim soou bem irritante. Passo longe.
Some songs were really stupid but overall 2 stars.
Listening to this, I am pretty sure I heard this album playing while I was exploring between the walls of the City Museum in St. Louis circa 2010. It's a great soundtrack and some creative music overall. Favorite track: "Satisfaction" or "Space Junk."
3/5
Pretty awful
I had fun
a really fun, off kilter, energetic romp of an album. this is definitely not everyone's bag, but if you know 'whip it' you may have an idea of what you are in store for. it's an album that definitely goes against the grain, and that's kind of what i love it for. 'uncontrollable urge' is one of the best album openers of all time, and i also adore 'jocko homo' and 'gut feeling/(slap your mammy)' - not to mention their odd cover of the rolling stones' 'satisfaction.' the production is great and it sounds as bombastic today as it probably did in 1978.
Interesting style, but some tracks are quite annoying.
A whole album about masturbation.
Devolution is real
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.
I’m only okay with devo. They really wear on you.
Cooky. It is what it is. It is great if you like that kind of music. Just not really my favorite.
3,5/5
Not as bad as I expected, I kinda get it.
Thoughts before listening: Another album I own. Devo is super fun, and like my previous comments on Talking Heads, they are so much more important than their one novelty of a hit. This album was a very important one for punk and alternative music, and many musicians that I enjoy cite Devo as a major influence. The band's punk side really shines on this album. Review: Devo's sound is punk rock but played a bit slowed down for more of a "chunky" affect. Theres also a fair amount of humor and silliness mixed in here. Really fun album by a great band that inspired many others. 4-stars
They’re certainly original. Completely unique in their sound. Possibly trying so hard to stand out that they just come out sounding annoying. I’m not really a fan of this at all, but I believe they achieved what they wanted. Q: Did I enjoy this album A: I did not. 2/5
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.
Ahead of its time. We continue to devolve as a species. We are not men.
i wish i didn't give dire straits and public enemy a three
Even though I generally like new wave, and am a huge Brian Eno fan, I'd never really dug into Devo. I think I missed out, this was so cool, cooler than I expected.
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.
Too much like Talking Heads for me
Was okay but don’t feel the need to listen to another devo album any time soon
Not surprised to see that the hack Brian Eno was behind this. Total shite.
I’m a little biased with this one since Devo is my absolute favourite band of all time, but there really is something special about their debut. The introduction of their philosophy of de-evolution to the world (where humans as a species was regressing rather than evolving) may have shocked but was also surprisingly prescient of the state of things to come. David Bowie even introduced them once as “the band of the future” and I think he saw in them something more than the “novelty act” that people were throwing at them. From frenetic guitars, melodic bass lines and diy synthesizers and a pounding drum, they had something to say and wanted to make sure you heard it.
Absurd excellence
I think I need a much smaller dose accompanied by video of them in their funny wee hats to get enjoyment.
Nah
Just imagine finding this when it was released in the late 70’s. Even weirder then!
This sounds like a bad version of the talking heads.
No. 212/1001 Uncontrollable Urge 3/5 I Can't Get No Satisfaction 3/5 Praying Hands 3/5 Space Junk 2/5 Mongoloid 3/5 Jocko Homo 2/5 Toro Much Paranoias 2/5 Gut Feeling 2/5 Come Back Jonee 3/5 Sloppy 2/5 Shrivel-Up 2/5 Average: 2,45 Post-Punk is just not my thing. I know you want to do something different than the artistas before you. But how about making something that is enjoyable to listen to?
3.6