Devo Albums (12)
'Adventures of the Smart Patrol'
Release Date 8/27/1996
Tracks 11
Label Discovery
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What The Critics Say
Adventures of the Smart Patrol is a CD-ROM game that Devo's Gerard Casale created, and he reunited the band to contribute music for the game's soundtrack. Comprised equally of Devo favorites and new material, Adventures of the Smart Patrol is neither a good retrospective or a confident comeback, but it's nevertheless pleasant, making for fine back-ground music -- which is what soundtracks are supposed to do, anyway. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Even if Devo is no longer capable of compelling, ironic observations on American culture, they are still able to make their music somewhat interesting, as this dance-intensive, electronic-oriented album proves. While still inconsistent, especially in terms of subject matter, the band does try some new ideas in its arrangements. "Post Post-Modern Man" is a decent single, too. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
'Now It Can Be Told (Devo at the Palace 12/9/88)'
Release Date 1/1/1988
Tracks 15
Label Enigma
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What The Critics Say
The first Rykodisc collection of unreleased and/or forgotten Devo material consists of the band's re-recordings of 19 favorite songs in an intentionally schmaltzy instrumental style reminiscent of Muzak. E-Z Listening Disc is a not-quite-hilarious novelty for die-hard fans only. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
'Shout (Collectables)'
Release Date 1/1/1984
Tracks 10
Label Warner Bros.
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'Oh, No! It's Devo (Collectables)'
Release Date 1/1/1982
Tracks 11
Label Warner Bros.
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What The Critics Say
By this point, too much of the band's endearing quirkiness had evaporated. Their sound was not all that distinguishable from other new wave groups, and apart from a few songs, they simply weren't as interesting as before, musically or lyrically. It was as if they had lost their focus after New Traditionalists and couldn't remember how to be naturally weird. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
'New Traditionalists'
Release Date 1/1/1981
Tracks 23
Label Warner Bros.
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What The Critics Say
Devo followed up their platinum-selling pop breakthrough in typically perverse fashion: New Traditionalists presents a band seemingly aghast at being pegged as a novelty act by some of their own satirical targets. Apparently deciding -- admittedly, not without reason -- that America's comprehension of irony was sorely lacking, Devo largely abandons its sense of absurdity on New Traditionalists, explicitly stating their cultural views and at times calling attention (as with the otherwise terrific single "Beautiful World") to their already obvious sarcasm, in case anyone missed the point. The problem was, Devo's cult wasn't missing the point, and with all their quirky trappings, the band was hardly likely to reach most of their newfound pop audience by making their message more straightforward. Still, despite some heavy-handedness, New Traditionalists is hardly a total failure. The opener "Through Being Cool" actually benefits from the new outlook, making for a clear and effective statement of purpose. It sets the stage for some of Devo's angriest, most embittered songs, which often function as connections between new wave and the punk attitudes that were so crucial in its creation. Devo might have pulled it off if their songwriting hadn't also begun to slip -- too many tracks end up flat-out unmemorable. They try a couple new things arrangement-wise (adding more electronic percussion), but nothing that drastically overhauls their minimalist synth-pop, and that lack of variety is more glaring when paired with the melodic deficiencies. New Traditionalists' repetition of musical and lyrical ideas foreshadows the band's decline, but really, at least half of the album is worthwhile. It just doesn't quite recapture the inventiveness or pointed humor of its predecessors. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
'Freedom of Choice'
Release Date 1/1/1980
Tracks 12
Label Warner Bros.
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
With Freedom of Choice, Devo completed their transition into a full-fledged synth-pop group, producing arguably their most musically cohesive effort in the process. Synthesizers are now fully integrated into the band's sound, frequently dominating the arrangements and at least sharing equal time with the guitars. Everything is played with a cool, polished precision that mirrors the stylized uniformity of the band's visuals; the dissonance is more subdued than in the past, and the uptight rhythms are no longer jarring, instead locking the band into a rigidly even keel. Oddly, even though the music is the least human-sounding Devo had yet produced, their social observations were growing less insular and more sympathetic. Several tunes -- like the oft-covered "Girl U Want" -- have a geeky (but pragmatic) romantic angst that was new to Devo albums, although the band's view of relationships is occasionally colored by their cultural themes of competition and domination. Those preoccupations also inform their breakthrough hit single, "Whip It," but elsewhere, they're finding enough connection with the rest of the world to moderate their cynicism, at least a little bit. Songs like "Gates of Steel," "Planet Earth," and the title track reveal a frustrated idealism under their irony, one that can't quite understand why Americans don't use more of their freedom to search for happiness. Altogether, there's a little less of the debut's energy, and a little less variety as well. But the songwriting is a match for consistent quality, and moreover, the music on Freedom of Choice is the sound that defines Devo in the minds of many. In the end, that makes it the band's only other truly necessary album. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
