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Rating:
Here's the business card of this band from Akron, Ohio, arriving with "oh, no! it's DEVO", released in 1982, at the fifth album.
Question: would you introduce yourselves like this? Before answering, let's start the music. Here a synthesizer introduces us to the dreamlike landscape of this album: "tension rises on a contorted face, dark clouds in the crystal sphere," but it's still time to take a break for fun ("Time Out for Fun"). Second track, "Peek-A-Boo!", is the exclamation kids in Akron make when they hide and suddenly pop out: heavy synth rhythm and electric guitar chords, heard only here throughout the album.
The tension doesn't ease, on the contrary, with the portrait of a girl out of sync "missing a beat," who "entered through the exit," the rhythm becomes frantic ("Out of Sync"). And so it goes: veiled sexual undertones in "Explosions" ("there is nothing after stop-and-go, there's nothing but ebb and flow, nothing like a bit of in and out"), Devo keep us glued to our seats with an album lasting just 32 minutes and memorable for its best moments, "Out of Sync" indeed and "Big Mess," the latter with a driving rhythm in an effective counterpoint of voice and synthesizers.
Far from being a masterpiece, less caustic than the first two albums, this work still confirms the qualities of the five from Akron, a group with something to say but not taking itself too seriously. Theorists of devolution, the infantilization they believe characterizes American society, Devo present themselves here not with new ideas but with plenty of skill. They make us shake in our chairs (or in the middle of the living room if there's a party) and remind us of the ironic invitation from the album title: to shout all together, uncertain if with worry or relief, "oh no! the Devo!"
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
01 Time Out for Fun (02:49)
HELLO
THIS IS DEVO
WE WOULD LIKE TO SAY
THINGS GO BOTH WAYS
NEW IDEAS STUPID MOVES
NIGHTMARES OR DREAMS COME TRUE
MUCHO WORK MINUS PLAY
TENSION MOUNTS IN A TWISTED FACE
DARK CLOUDS IN THE CRYSTAL BALL
TENSION MOUNTS IN A FOREIGN PLACE
THE SCREW TURNS SOMEONE CALLS
TIME OUT FOR FUN!
SO YOU'RE LIVING UNDER THE GUN
CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE YOU ON THE RUN
A DOCTOR FROWNS YOU FEEL BAD
TAKE THIS YOU'VE JUST BEEN HAD!
DON'T YOU LOSE IT NOW LISTEN TO US
EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT
TAKE A BREAK TAKE SOME TIME
EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT
DON'T YOU LOSE IT REMEMBER TO TAKE
TIME OUT FOR FUN!
SO YOUR LIFE HAS JUST BEGUN
SOMEBODY ELSE IS SAYING THAT IT'S DONE
NURSES WHISPER OTHERS GRIN
SOMETHING'S FUNNY AT YOUR EXPENSE AGAIN
02 Peek-A-Boo! (04:40)
PEEK-A-BOO!
I CAN SEE YOU
AND I KNOW WHAT YOU DO
SO PUT YOUR HANDS ON YOUR FACE
AND COVER UP YOUR EYES
DON'T LOOK UNTIL I SIGNAL
PEEK-A-BOO! PEEK-A-BOO! PEEK-A-BOO!
THE WAY THAT WE WEREN'T IS WHAT WE'LL BECOME
SO PLEASE PAY ATTENTION WHILE I SHOW YOU SOME
OF WHAT'S ABOUT TO HAPPEN
PEEK-A-BOO!
I KNOW WHAT YOU DO
CAUSE I DO IT TOO
LAUGH IF YOU WANT TO OR SAY YOU DON'T CARE
IF YOU CANNOT SEE IT YOU THINK IT'S NOT THERE
IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY
03 Out of Sync (03:35)
SHE'S OUT OF SYNC
AND EVERYONE AROUND HER
KNOWS THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG
SHE'S OUT OF SYNC
SHE'S GOT ALL THE SYMPTOMS
OF A GIRL WHO SKIPPED A BEAT
SHE'S OUT OF SYNC
A PIECE OF ANCIENT HISTORY
SHE'S A WALKING MIRAGE
SHE'S OUT OF SYNC
SHE ENTERED THROUGH THE EXIT
AND NEVER STOPPED TO THINK
SHE'S OUT OF SYNC SHE'S A HALF STEP BEHIND
SHE'S OUT OF LUCK HER BODY SPLIT FROM HER MIND
SHE'S OUT OF ORBIT SHE'LL NEVER CONNECT
SHE'LL RUN OUT OF TIME BEFORE SHE ACCEPTS SHE'S OUT OF SYNC
SHE'S OUT OF SYNC ---- (SYNC)
SHE'S OUT OF SYNC ---- (SYNC)
SHE'S OUT OF SYNC
AND EVERYBODY SENSES
THERE'S A DISTANCE TO KEEP
SHE'S OUT OF SYNC
AND TOTALLY COMMITTED
TO LIVING IN A DARK AGE
SHE'S OUT OF SYNC
SHE'S CONSTANTLY UNDOING
WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE
SHE'S OUT OF SYNC
TRAPPED IN A SILENT MOVIE
AND SHE'S ON THE BRINK
SHE'S OUT OF FOCUS
SHE'S A WARP IN TIME
SHE'S DISCONTINUED
A BREAK IN THE LINE
04 Explosions (03:05)
WE LIKE EXPLOSIONS THAT LEAVE YOU FEELING GOOD
WE LIKE IDEAS THAT CHANGE THE WORLD FOR GOOD
THERE'S NOTHING PAST THE STOP 'N' GO
THERE'S NOTHING BUT THE EBB AND FLOW
THERE'S NOTHING LIKE SOME IN AND OUT
THERE'S NOTHING MORE THAN WHAT YOU KNOW
WE LIKE NEW PLACES THAT JETS CAN'T TAKE YOU TO
WE DO LIKE MUSIC WHEN IT DOES WHAT IT SHOULD DO
YES OH YEAH
YES OH YEAH
YES (WE LIKE) OH YEAH (EXPLOSIONS)
YES (WE LIKE) OH YEAH (EXPLOSIONS)
WE LIKE EXPLOSIONS IT'S ONLY RIGHT WE SHOULD
WE LIKE IDEAS WE THOUGHT YOU UNDERSTOOD
WE LIKE NEW PLACES UNTIL THEY'RE OVERRUN
WE DO LIKE MUSIC -- LOUD SHOTS FROM THE BIG SPUDGUN
05 That's Good (03:26)
EVERYBODY IT'S A GOOD THING
EVERYBODY WANTS A GOOD THING
EVERYBODY AIN'T IT TRUE THAT
EVERYBODY'S LOOKING FOR THE SAME THING
AIN'T IT TRUE THERE'S JUST NO DOUBT
THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT YOU CAN'T DO WITHOUT
AND THAT'S GOOD
AIN'T IT TRUE AS THE SUN THAT SHINES
YOU GOT YOURS AND YOU GOT MINE
AND THAT'S GOOD
EVERYBODY'S JUST LIKE YOU IT'S TRUE
EVERYBODY WANTS A GOOD THING TOO
NOW LET'S HAVE A GREAT BIG HAND
FOR EVERYBODY WHO CAN UNDERSTAND
LIFE'S A BEE WITHOUT A BUZZ
IT'S GOING GREAT TILL YOU GET STUNG
AND LET US NOT FORGET TO TOAST
EVERYONE WHO MIGHT HAVE MISSED THE BOAT
AND TO EVERYBODY ELSE WHO WAITS
UNTIL THE NEXT ONE SAILS IN AGAIN
EVERYBODY IT'S A GOOD THING
AIN'T IT TRUE IT'S A MONUMENTAL GOOD THING
06 Patterns (03:00)
PATTERNS ALL AROUND YOU
PATTERNS EVERYWHERE
PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR
SOMETIMES SEEM UNFAIR
CAN YOU RECOGNIZE THE PATTERNS THAT YOU FIND?
PATTERNS UNFAMILIAR
PATTERNS LEAD YOU THROUGH (TO)
PATTERNS OF DISCOVERY
TRACING OUT THE CLUES
CAN YOU RECOGNIZE THE PATTERNS THAT YOU FIND?
STUCK IN YOUR MIND
IN THIS LAND WHERE STABILITY IS HARD TO FIND
YOU CAN REARRANGE THE PATTERNS SO UNKIND
DON'T BOTHER ASKING WHY A PATTERN NEVER CRIES
OLD PATTERNS NEVER DIE THEY JUST GO ON AND ON
PATTERNS MULTIPLYING
RE-DIRECT OUR VIEW
ENDLESS VARIATIONS
MAKE IT ALL SEEM NEW
07 Big Mess (02:12)
I AM COWBOY KIM
COWBOY KIM I AM
I AM A LUCKY COWBOY
LET ME TELL YOU WHY
I'M A MAN WITH A MISSION
A BOY WITH A GUN
I GOT A PICTURE IN MY POCKET OF THE LUCKY ONE
I'LL ANNOUNCE THE WINNER
ON THE RADIO
WITH MY MICROPHONE
I DO A SUPER SHOW
I WEAR A COWBOY HAT
IT IS MY BUSINESS HAT
I'M ON TILL 1:00 A.M.
I MUST TELL YOU THAT
I'M A MAN WITH A MISSION
A BOY WITH A GUN
I GOT A PICTURE IN MY POCKET OF THE LUCKY ONE
WHO DOESN'T KNOW I'M A BIG MESS
I MEAN A REALLY BIG MESS
A BIG BIG MESS HE WAS ALL MIXED UP AND A
BIG MESS HE WAS A
BIG MESS HE WAS A
HE WAS REALLY MIXED UP
COWBOY KIM I AM
MR. REALITY
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING
I PUT AWAY MY TOYS
WITH MY MICROPHONE
I DO A SUPER SHOW
I'LL ANNOUNCE THE WINNER
ON THE RADIO
08 Speed Racer (02:41)
I'M SPEED RACER AND I DRIVE REAL FAST
HE'S SPEED RACER AND HE DRIVES REAL FAST
I DRIVE REAL FAST I'M GONNA LAST
I'M A BIG PIRATE AND I LIKE TO STEAL
HE'S A BIG PIRATE AND HE LIKES TO STEAL
I LIKE TO STEAL AND I LIKE TO KILL
GO GO GO SPEED RACER
I'M A BARBIE DOLL BUT I GOT BRAINS
SHE'S A BARBIE DOLL BUT SHE'S GOT BRAINS
I'VE GOT BRAINS AND I LIKE SEX
LOTS OF BRAINS AND SHE LIKES SEX
I'M YOUR DOCTOR AND HERE'S THE BILL
HE'S YOUR DOCTOR AND HERE'S THE BILL
DOCTOR STEEL AND HERE'S THE BILL
HE LIKES TO STEAL SO HERE'S YOUR BILL
I'M SPEED RACER AND I DRIVE REAL FAST
I'M A BIG PIRATE AND I LIKE TO STEAL
I'M A BARBIE DOLL BUT I GOT BRAINS
I'M YOUR DOCTOR AND HERE'S THE BILL
I DRIVE REAL FAST I'M GONNA LAST
I LIKE TO DRINK AND I LIKE TO KILL
LOTS OF BRAINS AND I LIKE SEX
LIKE TO STEAL HERE'S YOUR BILL
10 I Desire (03:16)
I DESIRE I DESIRE
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE THOUGHT
THAT YOUR LOVE IS ALL THAT MATTERS
AND YOUR GESTURES HAVE THE POWER
TO BRING THE WHOLE WORLD TO ITS KNEES
DON'T LET ME TORMENT YOU
DON'T LET ME BRING YOU DOWN
DON'T EVER LET ME HURT YOU
DON'T LET ME FAIL BECAUSE
I DESIRE YOUR ATTENTION
I DESIRE YOUR PERFECT LOVE
I DESIRE NOTHING MORE (THAN THIS)
(OR LESS)
TO GIVE YOU HAPPINESS
COULD BECOME A LIFETIME GOAL
A SMILE I MIGHT BRING YOU
IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN WORLD PEACE
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FACT
THAT YOU'RE WISE TO WALK AWAY
FOR NOTHING IS MORE DANGEROUS
THAN DESIRE WHEN IT'S WRONG
11 Deep Sleep (03:24)
I'VE BEEN WALKING IN A DEEP SLEEP
SLEEPWALKING BUT I JUST WOKE UP
FROM A DEEP SLEEP
A VERY DEEP SLEEP
I'VE BEEN RUNNING ON REMOTE CONTROL
IN A DEEP SLEEP
I AWOKE THE MOMENT I WAS TOLD
THAT A SMILE IS JUST A FROWN TURNED AROUND
ON THE FACE OF A CLOWN WITH A MEAN STREAK
IT WAS A DEEP SLEEP
A VERY DEEP SLEEP
I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT I USED TO KNOW
SOMEBODY HELP ME NOW AND LET ME GO
INTO A DEEP SLEEP
PUSH ME BACK NOW LET ME GO
INTO A DREAM AGAIN
TO A SLEEP UNLIKE BEFORE
SO DEEP IT NEVER ENDS
I'VE BEEN CAUGHT INSIDE A DEEP SLEEP
SINKING DEEPER AFTER I FORGOT
SLEEPWALKING AS I WATCH MYSELF
IN A DEEP SLEEP
I KEEP PRETENDING THAT IT'S SOMEONE ELSE
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