Customer Reviews

Duty Now for the Future

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Some people prefer Devo's first, Eno produced record, or the later "sellout' records like Freedom Of Choice and New Traditionalists. But nowhere did Devo strike a more perfect balance between guitars and synthesisers than on Duty Now.

The first record was really a guitar/punk album, and the later records rely heavily on synths, which in retrospect make all the records which followed Duty Now kind of dated in that cheesy 80's way (i.e. Whip It). But on Duty Now For The Future, the guitars and keyboards mix to form a perfectly synergised, melting plastic kind of sound, which they never bettered. There are amazing songs on this record - Pink Pussycat, Blockhead, Wiggly World, and the epic Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA. This is a truly unique record which still sounds fresh today.

Devo's tableau of de-evolution, punk perviness, and corporate toxemia really click on this record. At no point does this heady subject matter seem forced - the schtick is delivered confidently, artfully and with much humor. This is a truly visionary record that deserves to be rediscovered - one of the few records from that period that can be held up as genius 25 years later.

There is no question in the power of Devo's music, philosophy or art (especially in "Duty For The Future"), however this edition of the recording is quite lackluster considering a previous version of "Duty" far out weighs it. The Infinite Zero label (reissue label ran by Henry Rollins) produced a quality re-mastered version sporting two great bonus tracks (Soo Bawls, Penetration In The Centerfold) with lyrics to boot. The release here features no extra tracks, no lyrics, and adding to the insult a weak re-mastering (if any at all). The CD sleeve itself consists of a single 4.75" X 4.75" paper square. The original vinyl gave you more than that.

If you wonder why the album hasn't been repackaged by reissue titans at Rhino, consider the fact that the company who put this one together is actually a subsidiary of Rhino Records; Collectable recordings. Quite a shame, actually.

My advice is that if you are new to this recording, pick it up because the price isn't that high for it. But if you'd like to have quality experience of a great work, seek out the Infinite Zero copy if you can find it (because it's out of print, of course). Or try purchasing the import version by Virgin records which has this album backed with another Devo classic "New Traditionalists".

What more can be said about Devo this far into the future? They were and still are pioneers of their style of music. Its like Devo couldn't decide if they wanted to be a new wave band or a rock band...so they combined the two! I love their first album and totally recommend it, but this album is when they really starting experimenting and it contains the gem Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA.It opens with the silly Devo Corporate Anthem(I can just see the band standing against the wind saluting), then kicks into Clockout and from then on its a wild ride. Its hard to say much more other than the fact that Devo's music is essential to any REAL music collection.Get their first album and stop after you get Oh No! Its Devo! From Shout on it got pretty lame(and it wasnt their fault it was contractual). If you like rock N roll with synthesizers and a whole bunch of social commentary then get this right now! Let me be the first to congradulate you on subscribing to De-Evolution! Go Spuds Go!

I think "Duty Now for the Future" is Devo's most creative album period. Although my favorite Devo song, "Shrivel Up," was released on the band's debut album in 1978, "Duty Now for the Future" (as a whole) is Devo's very best album. Devo's raw energy and precision are both equally present in this album. When ever I feel like enjoying a full-length album by Devo I always seem to reach for "Duty Now." Devo's first album was a great one but "Duty Now for the Future" flows perfectly from "Corporate Anthem" to "Red Eye Express." If you don't own a copy of this Devo gem and you like art music and/or original punk, you just might want to add this album to your collection.

DEVO is seriously de-valued. While many prefer the Eno-produced debut, I actually over the years view their second album as far from their "sophomore slump" but rather their intellectual, musical, and creative peak ever. Although DEVO would achieve greater commercial success with their NEXT album, the more-synth-oriented electro-pop of FREEDOM OF CHOICE, DUTY NOW is a nearly perfect statement of purpose. The music, the imagery, the manifesto, and the marketing were all delivered seamlessly and peerlessly. SMART PATROL/MR. DNA, BLOCKHEAD, DAY MY BABY GAVE ME A BIG SURPISE, WIGGLY WORLD, SWELLING ITCHING BRAIN, RED EYE EXPRESS, et al. Not a clinker in the bunch. From the seminal cover art to the stunning punk/new-wave tracks inside, DUTY NOW should be in every serious music collection.

In talking about his all time favorite album covers, Beck said a few years ago that when he was about 12 and saw Devo's album, he had no idea what those guys were up to, but whatever it was, he wanted to be in on it. Almost 30 years later, Beck is still tapping into Devo, and they resonate in Beck's music and stage costumes. These guys were so far ahead of their time that even today, they continue to be tremendously influential. One wonders whether they themselves realized it at the time, in picking "Duty now for the Future" as the album title. Efforts to label them have utterly failed. They took equal parts Roxy Music, Kraftwerk, anthemic chants, and Johnny Rivers and deconstructed, then concocted them into a heady stew that simultaneously defied and embraced everything that was going on around them. In the process, they became a cornerstone of the so called "new wave" movement. They didn't come out of the New York CBGB scene with Talking Heads, Blondie, and Television, but instead out of Ohio, of all places, yet fit nicely in with what those other bands were doing. Their legendary live shows incorporated multi media before the term even existed. They'd go on to have some hits on later albums, but "Duty now.." is unquestionably their masterpiece.

This CD offers the casual devo-tee a chance to really understand the evolution of the de-evolution band. By sandwiching the immediate predecessor and immediate progeny of "Freedom of Choice," the listener can truly understand how Freedom Of Choice is the missing link between organic Devo (Duty Now for the Future) and synthetic Devo (New Traditionalists).

"Duty Now For The Future" was Devo's apocalyptic warning against a wiggly world taken over by corporate culture; by the time "New Traditionalists" came out, the members of Devo had been fully re-programmed to trumpet the coming of a Brave New World.

Or had they?

Songs like "Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA," "Devo Corporate Anthem," "Clockout" and "Blockhead" were harbingers of a "one-size-fits all" universe that came to fruition with "Freedom of Choice," though the spudboys by that time all chose to march in energy-dome topped-off lockstep.

Their lockstep neck-salute anthem, "Triumph of the Will," is a dark synthetic foreshadowing of Things To Come. Or, is it? Is it prophecy, or retreading Leni Riefenstahl's utopian vision of Nazi Germany?

But, there is a premonition of revolt in such songs from "New Traditionalists" as "Beautiful World" (for YOU; IT'S NOT FOR ME), "Through Being Cool" and "Going Under." "Working in a Coal Mine" was Devo's attempt at nostalgia as only they could understand it; disembodied computer-synth hu-boon vocals over steel guitar. It really takes a great swipe at all the MOR so-called "blues" artists like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Eric Clapton.

Devo never sold out, they just constantly repackaged themselves.

One of my top 10 favorite albums of the 70's. There is no other album anything like this one. Well, maybe perhaps Devo's 1st, but I still prefer this album. Almost a Theme album with each song having Devo's signature craziness stamped all over it. How much more insane does a song have to get than 'Pink Pussycat'. How nasty and irresistibly creepy is 'The Day my Baby Gave me a surprise', telling the tale of a hospital bound boy with horrific injuries being given the joy of a baby boy by his girlfriend who can't bear to look at him. 'Wahooo-ooooooo-oooooooh!' indeed. 'Secret Agent Man' is a great catchy remake whilst 'Smart-Patrol/Mr. DNA' is the best thing on this record. This track is Devo's very own unique creation and the sheer verve and excitement of it really draws you into their unique world. 'Red-Eye Express' shows you how to build a very simple record with just one fantastic hook, that hook being a helicopter like rotating beat that leads into a true New Wave Classic. Fantastic use of earlyish Synth technology it's a perfect mix of guitar's and electronic music. They were a highly innovative and influential band. This album was possibly 'Devo's' last hurrah as they never really made anything as good as this again, save a few singles and the obvious 'Whip It' single. This whole album tells a story completely unique to itself. Make no doubt about it 'Devo' were more revolutionary than most self-professed punk bands and between this and their 1st album they could do no wrong. Perhaps someone could explain to me how 'Devo' songs always seemed to end up on 'Heavy Metal' album compilations. This album I think would surprise a lot of people and shows what Devo were really all about. They lived and breathed their own world through their music and anyone who might have had a passing interest in Devo but never got past 'Whip It', well then you should really pick up this & their 1st album. I think you'd be amazed.

One of the Penultimate creations of the Devo crew a must for everyone's cd collection. This album was way before its time (79! wow ) this sound could is still not dated today! The energy and creative genius is just oozing out of this album. A perfect mix of rocking giutar work , crazy pioneering electronic music and profoundly fun lyrics and vocals. Do yourself a favour and buy this album now !!!

DEVO caught a case of the sophomore slump after thier brilliant debut. "Duty Now For The Future" is a really good album that came after a perfect one, and it does shrivel in comparison. The DEVO eyes had turned from the sound of things falling apart to the machinery that made it go. Having used up most of their "conceptual" songs for the debut, we were served up musings on love work and death.

In part, the blame does rest on producer Ken Scott, who obviously didn't understand the band with anywhere near the depth that Brian Eno did. Where Eno might have encouraged brighter production in (for instance) "Swelling Itching Brain," Scott instead chose to make it murkier. That most of the songs here are great overcomes the cloudy sound, and "The Day My Baby Gave Me A Surprise" is a DEVO hall of famer.

This is also the home of one of DEVO's best statement-of-purpose songs, the concert fave "Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA." Declaring themselves to be "suburban robots to monitor reality," DEVO make the claim that they are here to protect both man and mutant, only to discover that Mr. DNA deems them fit to "sacrifice themselves so many others may live!" It also rocks harder than anything else DEVO ever recorded for the first part of their career. After this, the slick success of "Whip It" kind of tamed them...if you ever considered DEVO tamable.