Devo - “The Men Who Make The Music (Plus Butch Devo & The Sundance Gig)” DVD

Seminal Devo weirdness

Re-releasing a seminal collection of early (1978-79) Devo video clips is a no-brainer. The “spud-boys” from Ohio were instrumental in the synthesis of punk, new wave, and avante-electronic sounds in this era, and the aftereffects are still being felt within the industrial and electro-rock genres, among many others. Those who label Devo a forgotten “eighties” band (solely because of their mega-hit “Whip It”) are sorely mistaken, and this video proves it.

The first half of this release, “The Men Who Make The Music”, stitches together early Devo promo videos (“Jocko Homo”, “Satisfaction”, and “Secret Agent Man”, most notably) with live clips and some interstitial nonsense that somehow ties it all together. It’s classic, lo-fi, and rough-shot overall, and the direct-from-VHS transfer doesn’t help. But that’s part of the charm here. Essential Devo, really.

The “filler” here is a complete show from the 1996 Sundance Film Festival, where Devo revisited some of their earliest songs, all the while dressed in 20s-style prison garb. There are some great songs here, particularly my favorite, “Beautiful World”, but with the semi-bootleg quality, this is one for the completists, namely.

Final words? Great stuff, and overall a must-see for fans of one of America’s smartest “pop” groups.

MVD Visual

Club Devo (official site)

The Loved One - "...... Further Observations" CD

Recorded way back from 1979 to 1982, this selection of early electronic weird-alien pop is tweaky enough to appeal to fans of stuff like early Cabaret Voltaire or Fad Gadget. Ashamedly, I'd never heard this act, though they made appearances on the relatively influential compilation "Some Bizarre Album" and Third Mind Records' "Life At The Top" LP. Consisting of Dryden Hawkins and Zeb Yek, two fellows seemingly from London, The Loved One's music is balanced between accessable electronic pop and avante soundscapes. Some tracks, with vocals, would fit well alongside early work from the Legendary Pink Dots or Chrome, while the artier, strange-noise pieces assert an almost proto-industrial soundtrack direction. Combined, "Further Observations" has aged really well, despite the technological advances in recording and electronic gear. It sounds as relevant as any electronic music today, and these thick analogue rumblings are strangely compelling and quite listenable. "The Depressionists" is a morose and affected critique of po-faced artist types, showing that Hawkins and Yek had a fine sense of humor, too. A highly enjoyable recording, and one that definitely deserves more attention, even if it is 27 years later! (Metaphon)

Loved Onespace