Devo - Freedom of Choice

While it was never determined whether those plastic things on their heads were flowerpots or collapsible drinking cups, the high-concept-minded Akron, Ohio, crew known as Devo had attracted mostly just the artsy new-wave crowd until this 1980 album brought them mass appeal. Way ahead of the video curve (they'd been making promo films since 1975), this band led by singer Mark Mothersbaugh and bassist Jerry Casale scored a huge hit with the jagged-rhythmed "Whip It," thanks in large part to a typically tongue-in-cheek video that MTV and dance clubs jumped on. The album also featured such cracked winners as "Girl U Want," "That's Pep," and the ever-caustic title track. --Billy Altman Amazon.com

Still fun after all these years!

This album still is great to listen to after all these years. Devo was an integral part of my high school years. The various performances on SNL and of Fridays (the ABC 80's knock off of SNL). The best part is that they are still touring!

A lot of the subliminal sarcasm was lost on my people, especially after "Whip It" made the Top 40.

People should consider their first album "Are We Not Men?"

Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! September 22, 2008

Devo Fix

Blast from the past - as good as I remembered. To me this cd is much better then the "greatest hits" compilation. Whip It Good! October 5, 2007

Don't be BORING

Music has become dreadfully boring. It all sounds the same. Why? MAINSTREAM. It's where the money is. Is that all you are? Average? Mainstream? Living under the fat part of the bell-curve?

Devo is out of the ordinary. Oh NO!!! You might have to expand your taste a bit. But without a doubt, the music is pure genius. If you've never been exposed to DEVO, take it a few songs at a time and let it soak in. Read the lyrics. Think for a while. Then listen again.

What most don't realize is that DEVO is heavily copied, watered down, and filtered into mainstream music. But back in the late 70's it was way ahead of it's time.

Bottom line: shake it up and listen to real pioneers. August 9, 2007

My own personal epipiphany/revelation/awakening continues....

....and it as clear as clarity can possibly be that my spuddies were, are and forever will be part of my journey here on Planet Earth. I have just received my very own, brand spankin' new copy of Freedom of Choice...and it's been, ooohhh...say 26 or so years since the spud that is currently engaging your overdeveloped and underutilized senses has had the pleasure of hearing the sweet, starchy musings of the brightest bunch of hominids ever to realize the benefits (and trappings) of the opposable thumb and advanced prefrontal cortex! Things have truly come full circle for myself, just the spud boy that I be...and the feeling is the closest sensation to 'euphoria' that I have ever experienced; real or imagined, artificial or genuine. Gratitude is not a big enough term...
For if Devo were a drink, I would drink it.
For if Devo were a food, I would eat it.
For Devo is an idea...and I will do all a spud can do to absorb it. So may the pores of the inquisitive be saturated and those of the ignorant be purged. For Devo supplies the tunes that the ganglia may dance.
Is this the end of the beginning or the beginning of the end?
Is it Devolution or is it Derevolution?
What does it take...to do The Super Thing?
First one must open their eyes....

Let go the ego, and see the World for the first time...for all hope can never truly be lost, only misplaced.

'....Where pleasure follows pain
People go insane
Fly around in planes
Pray that it won't rain
Drive around in cars
Get drunk in local bars
Dream of being stars
For this I lived all my life on Planet Earth????????!!!!!!'

July 3, 2007

Just overrated

I own Devo's first four albums, and have heard some of 'Oh No it's Devo. Haven't really decided on that album, but of the first four, I believe 'freedom of choice' to be the worst. With poor sound quality on this CD aside, I find the production on the part of Robert Margoullef to be quite unpleasant, and at times annoying. The guitars are very quiet, while the synthesisers have an almost cyber-medieval sound. On the part of the vocals, Mark Mothersbaugh has a very limited range on this album, which is quite frustrating. I think that about half the album is enjoyable, such as 'Whip It', 'Planet Earth', 'Cold War', 'Don't you know' and 'Gates of steel'. On the other hand, the rest of the album ranges from mediocre to plain awful, the worst being 'Ton of luv', 'It's not right' and 'Girl u want'. This is a very popular album, and I just can't see why. August 27, 2006

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