New Traditionalists:DEVO

Artist: DEVO

Date Released: 1981

Label: Warner Brothers / Virgin

Produced By: DEVO

Tracklisting: (Tracks 11-13 only available on Infinite Zero reissue; track 11 also available as a bonus 45 with original issue of the LP.)
 * 1) Through Being Cool
 * 2) Jerkin' Back 'N' Forth
 * 3) Pity You
 * 4) Soft Things
 * 5) Going Under
 * 6) Race Of Doom
 * 7) Love Without Anger
 * 8) The Super Thing
 * 9) Beautiful World
 * 10) Enough Said
 * 11) Working In A Coalmine
 * 12) Mecha-Mania Boy
 * 13) Nu-Tra Speaks (New Traditionalist Man)

Review: Some fans don't care for this album as much, and it is slightly weak -- though its peaks far outnumber the valleys, and they're really, really, um, high... peaks. I mean, Beautiful World, come on. Anyway, though, there's a few stories about this album -- one is that the reason it sounds a little flat and over-rehearsed is that they recorded it once, and then the masters got ruined, so they had to start over from scratch. Another is about the disappointed Japanese fans who objected to the original title of the album (though it was changed to "Psychology Of Desire" over there) -- Mark Mothersbaugh saw a tie-tack with that phrase on it on tour in Japan, and liked the sound of the phrase, but it turned out to be the catchphrase for the yuppie, conservative movement over there; hence Japanese fans being disheartened that DEVO was seemingly aligning themselves with that group. Anyway, though, I dig this album, but it's not the best DEVO record. Not one that should be missed, though. Again, check out the Infinite Zero version if you can -- "Mecha-Mania Boy" is a great song that's only available on that CD. - Rev. Syung Myung Me