Boingo

Oingo Boingo

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 17, 1994)
• Original Release Date: May 17, 1994
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Warner Bros / Wea
• ASIN: B000002L22
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (57 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #42,506 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Danny Elfman has written soundtracks (Batman et al.) for the last decade, so it's no surprise he's ditched the hyperkinetic pop of the Oingo Boingo era for more mature, long-form epics in reviving his old band. Most people will run screaming from Elfman's intensity and dense wordplay, but the emotional depths plumbed by tracks like "Can't See" (Useless) and the 16-minute fever dream "Changes" ensure cult acclaim. --Jeff Bateman

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an excellent listening experience, February 8, 2000

By A Customer

This is the best album I've bought in a long time. I bought this album because I had heard "Insanity", and it blew me away. I am still amazed every time I hear that song. The first time I listened to this disc, I was struck by the fact that most of the music sounds very much like a late Beatles album, complete with "I am the Walrus". Of course, I mean that as a very high complement. This version of "Walrus" is so well done, mostly faithful to the original recording, but still unique. To me, "Lost Like This" sounds like some of Lennon's solo work, and the multi-faceted "Change" even has the bass line and some rhythm guitar parts from "Taxman" in one section. As anyone who has listened to Danny Elfman's other work (with or without Oingo Boingo) would expect, most of the subject matter is much darker than anything the Beatles (or many other artists, for that matter) wrote about. With that in mind, I agree with the other reviewer who recommended buying the cassette version of this album just to get the song "Helpless", a swirling, twisted, and macabre waltz. I am also partial to the two touching and intensely personal songs, "Mary" and "Can't See (Useless)". My only negative word about this album is that "Pedestrian Wolves" runs a bit long for my taste. In conclusion, "Insanity" still stands out, but the rest of the album is phenomenal.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Go out on top, January 11, 2004

By	John D. Olsen (Orange, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This album is a great dark treasure. Elfman brings the experience he gained doing movie soundtracks to create a dark, disturbing masterpiece. As great today as when it was released and just as politically topical.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars DANNY ELFMAN: MADMAN / GENIUS, October 11, 2000

By	trenton husted (TACOMA, WA USA) - See all my reviews

When I bought this CD in '94 it completly blew my mind. As Elfman's last studio rock album it bridges the gap between his soundtrack and pop carreers. INSANITY begins the album with an eerie orchestral score reminicint of his Batman music combined with his always sinister lyrics. And the album's mood never changes after. Even when covering the Beatles I AM THE WALRUS they're on a macbre rollercoaster of rock that rivals even the Beatles' performence. The closer is one of the band's most dynamic pieces CHANGE. It lasts a whole 15 minutes long and goes through at least 4 diferent changes in tempo troughout until coming back to the original beat at last. Of course for those with short attention spans, on the live record its half as long (while still 8 minutes long). Noone else in rock has ever used orchestrations in such a way as only Elfman knows how on this album. If you like Elfman's film scores, this is a good introduction to Oingo Boingo. Or if youre a Boingo desciple this is a great intoduction to Danny's fabulous film work. This is a gorgeous monstrosity of music and every track is some of Boingo's best.