DEVO - SHOUT

Devo is an interesting band. I've always liked them, but I never collected them as heavily as other new wave acts. I'm quite fond of synth pop and Devo are truly masters of the genre. This particular record is the first tape I ever bought of the band. I didn't recognize any of the songs on it, but I knew their singles from MTV. 'Whip It', 'Satisfaction' and others... The first time I listened to the tape I wasn't impressed. I thought the beats were cool and I liked the music, but I didn't hear anything that stood out. Usually you hear a couple songs that strike your fancy and although I enjoyed listening to the disc, there wasn't a single track that really jumped out.

Devo approach songwriting in a manner similar to old 50's pop groups... They keep their songs short and to the point. They're very simple ideas that stay on target. It's an industry accepted and well respected format for pop music. But I often find it leaves me unsatisfied. I know, I'm a freak and I'm often drawn to groups who don't function in a traditional setting.

Over the years, I gained a new appreciation of the tape. I listened to it now and again and always enjoyed singing along and tapping my feet. In fact, I found a song I thought was absolutely brilliant on the record. The band do a cover of the Jimi Hendrix classic, 'Are You Experienced?'. I thought it was amazing. I loved the slight lyrical changes and the brilliant sound arrangement. I realized that Devo are similar to Hendrix in many ways. Hendrix played his instrument in a very free flowing manner and his performances were usually just as free. He gained notoriety for his non-conformist style. By the same token, Devo are as progressive but on the totally opposite end of the scale. Their music is programmed. It often sounds like an equation playing out rather than a song. There's structure, form and a rigid adherence to meter and rhythm. It's this very quality that make Devo appear to be a band perfectly linked to the binary code world of computers, science and electronic music. It's also the very quality that makes what they do with the Hendrix cover so interesting. The song moves from one sort of flow to another.

There's a lot to be said for the organic texture of the lyrics and the vocal performance. Even with the highly structured soundscapes their subject matter isn't quite where you'd expect when you look at them. I see a group I'd expect to hear songs about aliens, technology and mathematics. Instead, Devo tackle some traditional pop themes like love, relationships and various anxieties. There is a sometime foray into science, but mostly, the lyrics could be the natural progression of 50's pop stars in a modern era. I could easily hear old Motown acts sings these tunes.

The CD includes a couple of bonus features. I assume 'Growing Pains' is a single b-side and then there's the remix of 'Shout'. It's probably the worst part of the CD and could easily have been left off. It sounds like it was programmed and performed on a Casio Keyboard your parents would buy a five year old for Christmas. Terrible.

In the end I think it's a fairly decent record. I really enjoy listening to the album in a continuous mode. The songs are certainly different enough not to run together in one long blur, but they don't really stand up and say "Here I am!" If you're a die-hard fan you need this essential record. If you're a casual listener, your dollars would be better spent on a more well-known record with popular singles to boast or a band single compilation. My final words: NICE BUT NOT ESSENTIAL.

DEVO - SHOUT
01. Shout
02. The Satisfied Mind
03. Don't Rescue Me
04. The 4th Dimension
05. C'mon
06. Here To Go
07. Jurisdiction Of Love
08. Puppet Boy
09. Please Please
10. Are You Experienced?
11. Growing Pains
12. Shout (EZ Listening Muzak Version 1)