jteas

"Total Devo" is perhaps the single most misunderstood Devo album. The lineup wasn't exactly same, the tone could seem a little more reserved than usual, and the cover itself could be argued to convey some sort of wishy-washy nature of the band at the time. Truly, it wasn't the strongest time for Devo, but like the rest of their releases, the album is full of the eccentric beats and messages the band had become known for. The burning flame against the forces of devolution was now just ... read more

It's hard to sum up Daikaiju with any language, but that might make sense for a band that only does instrumental tracks. At the same time, their psychedelic and intricate explosion of the classical surf style is able to tell a story without one spoken word being uttered. I remember thinking when I heard this album for the first time, years ago, that I'd never heard anything like it. Years later, I still haven't. The jams they put together can make you imagine vivid scenes while laying back, or ... read more

Raw Beck. The album that essentially made his career, and a sound he never really returned to. Eccentric and goofy, but humble and honest to a fault. Inspirational for anyone with a guitar and sound recorder.

Devo's original "goodbye" album can still strike a chord in the heart of any Devo fan, especially one who followed their narrative from the beginning. All of their releases up to this point have differing flavors of divisiveness, and even the most popular albums can cause polarizing opinions track-by-track. "Smooth Noodle Maps" shares this commonality, but there's something different. When one listens, they might catch on to a new sense of urgency - a frenetic bend on Devo's ... read more