A Devo, Inc. Initiative
April 8, 2010 2:40 PM Subscribe
"Look! At all the data! That you and I are a part of!" Devo would like you to participate in a quick market study. Previously.
So many of the songs just come across as mediocre. I found myself wishing I could only vote for 8 or so.
posted by LSK at 2:56 PM on April 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by LSK at 2:56 PM on April 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
For some reason, I expected that host to shout Heylay! Es gedulde vieela Feelyat? My helpful comment for the study was "needs more Goo Goo Itch".
posted by Bernt Pancreas at 3:04 PM on April 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Bernt Pancreas at 3:04 PM on April 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
Yeah. I was really struggling to like most of them. There was a real sense of DEVO trying too hard to be DEVO. I tend to prefer their first two albums which actually put their guitar work more to the front. Not that I don't like their later stuff (well...truth be told, Oh No! It's... was the last album I mostly liked) but I thought they rocked better when they played guitars.
Still, it's nice to see them still giving it a go.
posted by Thorzdad at 3:07 PM on April 8, 2010
Still, it's nice to see them still giving it a go.
posted by Thorzdad at 3:07 PM on April 8, 2010
Some of them kinda sound like that last B-52s record, and I can't tell if it's because of similar overall sensibilities or because that's what VST & RTAS approximations of the weird old synths they used to use sound like.
Still - welcome back, spuds. I will buy your record because I love you.
How about a "Cameo" b/w "Signal Ready" 7" single?
posted by mintcake! at 3:14 PM on April 8, 2010
Still - welcome back, spuds. I will buy your record because I love you.
How about a "Cameo" b/w "Signal Ready" 7" single?
posted by mintcake! at 3:14 PM on April 8, 2010
Are we not men? No, we are data!
posted by loquacious at 3:17 PM on April 8, 2010
posted by loquacious at 3:17 PM on April 8, 2010
How about a "Cameo" b/w "Signal Ready" 7" single?
Released by who, Devo or the B-52s? :P
posted by LSK at 3:17 PM on April 8, 2010
Released by who, Devo or the B-52s? :P
posted by LSK at 3:17 PM on April 8, 2010
"Cameo" sounded more like Barnes and Barnes than Devo.
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 3:18 PM on April 8, 2010
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 3:18 PM on April 8, 2010
I found myself wishing that dude's eyes followed my cursor around the screen.
posted by l33tpolicywonk at 3:24 PM on April 8, 2010
posted by l33tpolicywonk at 3:24 PM on April 8, 2010
Pretty cool. Thanks.
posted by The Devil Tesla at 3:28 PM on April 8, 2010
posted by The Devil Tesla at 3:28 PM on April 8, 2010
Seconded the Goo Goo Itch, but I'm pleased so far.
posted by Smart Dalek at 3:29 PM on April 8, 2010
posted by Smart Dalek at 3:29 PM on April 8, 2010
These sound like the strongest cuts on Shout or the weaker songs on Oh No It's Devo. I didn't have a hard time finding 8 songs that could stand up to repeated, enthusiastic listens. My last 4 picks were pretty interchangeable, but still worth the listen. For God's sake, new Devo is something to celebrate!
I've been playing "Fresh" quite a bit since downloading a few weeks ago, and I really liked the snippets of "Step Up", "Knock Boots", and "Don't Shoot". "Signal Ready" showed a little hint of Freedom of Choice era Devo, and I thought for a second some early Devo guitar was going to kick in.
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 3:29 PM on April 8, 2010 [3 favorites]
I've been playing "Fresh" quite a bit since downloading a few weeks ago, and I really liked the snippets of "Step Up", "Knock Boots", and "Don't Shoot". "Signal Ready" showed a little hint of Freedom of Choice era Devo, and I thought for a second some early Devo guitar was going to kick in.
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 3:29 PM on April 8, 2010 [3 favorites]
Knock Boots was definitely my favorite of the bunch. Which put me in a very tiny minority of respondents, judging by that graph.
Thinking a little more about it, I'd have to say that I am left with the impression that I just listened to a DEVO tribute band branching out into original stuff.
posted by Thorzdad at 3:34 PM on April 8, 2010
Thinking a little more about it, I'd have to say that I am left with the impression that I just listened to a DEVO tribute band branching out into original stuff.
posted by Thorzdad at 3:34 PM on April 8, 2010
Their SXSW panel was one of the most amazing things I'd ever been to. Very pomo/ironic, with only Casale being both inside and outside the pose, and able to say this is a joke but it's also real. I loved their point that when they started out talking about de-evolution in the 70s, it was a far out idea. But now it's not. Now it's how we are living. The straight-faced bad bad terrible powerpoint presentations by Mother LA and by Warner Music were absolutely hysterical. And Jacob was there in person, taking a quick survey of people in the room.
posted by stevil at 3:35 PM on April 8, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by stevil at 3:35 PM on April 8, 2010 [3 favorites]
Alas, this music can't get me no satisfaction.
posted by twoleftfeet at 3:53 PM on April 8, 2010
posted by twoleftfeet at 3:53 PM on April 8, 2010
...to collect data regarding which of our current roster of recorded material is most appealing to you, the general public.
At least they're playing it with a straight face. And the little interactive bit with picture posting was nice.
I also went for "Knock Boots."
posted by Max Power at 3:56 PM on April 8, 2010
At least they're playing it with a straight face. And the little interactive bit with picture posting was nice.
I also went for "Knock Boots."
posted by Max Power at 3:56 PM on April 8, 2010
I thought they rocked better when they played guitars
I've read more than once that Devo cut down the guitar parts so heavily specifically to punish Bob Casale for getting married. It sounds insane, but I've heard it from multiple places.
I have the man/beaker/atom pictograph from the back cover of "Duty Now For The Future" covering most of my left bicep, so pretty much anything they put out that's above "Total Devo" level, I'm going to like. I dig everything I've heard so far from the new record, and I love the concept (although you'd be surprised at the number of "fans" who post things on Devo's Facebook group about how they're "selling out" by using focus groups etc., like they can't even tell it's a put-on)
posted by DecemberBoy at 7:00 PM on April 8, 2010
I've read more than once that Devo cut down the guitar parts so heavily specifically to punish Bob Casale for getting married. It sounds insane, but I've heard it from multiple places.
I have the man/beaker/atom pictograph from the back cover of "Duty Now For The Future" covering most of my left bicep, so pretty much anything they put out that's above "Total Devo" level, I'm going to like. I dig everything I've heard so far from the new record, and I love the concept (although you'd be surprised at the number of "fans" who post things on Devo's Facebook group about how they're "selling out" by using focus groups etc., like they can't even tell it's a put-on)
posted by DecemberBoy at 7:00 PM on April 8, 2010
that's what VST & RTAS approximations of the weird old synths they used to use sound like.
They are very much still using the "weird old synths" - Mark Mothersbaugh has a huge collection of basically every major analog synth ever made, with multiple MiniMoogs, Prophet 5s, etc.
posted by DecemberBoy at 7:02 PM on April 8, 2010
They are very much still using the "weird old synths" - Mark Mothersbaugh has a huge collection of basically every major analog synth ever made, with multiple MiniMoogs, Prophet 5s, etc.
posted by DecemberBoy at 7:02 PM on April 8, 2010
If you watched the video with Vince Clarke's studio a couple weeks back, it's about like that but not QUITE as impressive.
posted by DecemberBoy at 7:03 PM on April 8, 2010
posted by DecemberBoy at 7:03 PM on April 8, 2010
I've read more than once that Devo cut down the guitar parts so heavily specifically to punish Bob Casale for getting married. It sounds insane, but I've heard it from multiple places.
Cite? That's a new one on me.
I'm loving everything except "Let's Get To It" - just sounds really bad and awkward to me. I could see "No Place Like Home" being sung by Booji Boy as a concert closer, in lieu of Beautiful World. I've always liked DEVO more when they were laying down aggressive, balls-to-the-walls, angry music. One reason I love "Oh, No! It's DEVO" as an album is that even the slower songs are just seething with rage and frustration. What is "Patterns" but a song of frustration?
I'm looking forward to this new album. I can't wait. This is my fucking "Meet the Beatles" or whatever album release defined a generation.
posted by SansPoint at 7:17 PM on April 8, 2010
Cite? That's a new one on me.
I'm loving everything except "Let's Get To It" - just sounds really bad and awkward to me. I could see "No Place Like Home" being sung by Booji Boy as a concert closer, in lieu of Beautiful World. I've always liked DEVO more when they were laying down aggressive, balls-to-the-walls, angry music. One reason I love "Oh, No! It's DEVO" as an album is that even the slower songs are just seething with rage and frustration. What is "Patterns" but a song of frustration?
I'm looking forward to this new album. I can't wait. This is my fucking "Meet the Beatles" or whatever album release defined a generation.
posted by SansPoint at 7:17 PM on April 8, 2010
I unrepentantly love "Oh No It's Devo". I listen to "Big Mess" at least five times a week. Can't get enough loud shots from the BIG SPUD GUUUUUUUN.
posted by DWRoelands at 9:29 PM on April 8, 2010
posted by DWRoelands at 9:29 PM on April 8, 2010
Freedom of choice is what I got.
posted by flabdablet at 2:10 AM on April 9, 2010
posted by flabdablet at 2:10 AM on April 9, 2010
Obligatory YT link to Mother LA's PowerPoint presentation.
posted by Smart Dalek at 5:42 AM on April 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Smart Dalek at 5:42 AM on April 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
Guess this shows that if you've got to put 12 songs on an album, people will think about six and a half of them are any good.
My fav was "Sumthin".
posted by Robin Kestrel at 7:27 PM on April 9, 2010
My fav was "Sumthin".
posted by Robin Kestrel at 7:27 PM on April 9, 2010
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I'm old. So stuff that sounds like stuff that I grew up with in the '70s is cool with me. But are they taking it too far?
I feel like I'm missing a joke here. But I often feel that way.
posted by Splunge at 2:54 PM on April 8, 2010