Customer Reviews

New Traditionalists

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

New Traditionalists" found DEVO in a precarious state. Their arty irony and brainy pop smarts had made them a flavor of the moment via the "F.O.C." hit single and video, and suddenly the whole world was chanting "are we not men?" It both emboldened them and deepened their cynicism. "Through Being Cool" rallied the alienated to rise against the ninnies and the twits at the same time "Beautiful World" wearily declared that it might have been a beautiful world for you, but "it's not for me." After all, how could you rail against the lemming/jock mentality when they were the ones donning energy domes at the football games and singing "Whip It" at corporate synergy rallies?

But having been touched by the gold finger of hit making, DEVO did their best to fill an album with enthusiastic pogo anthems about their favorite topics, love sex and the willful decline of the human condition. "Jerking Back and Forth" and "Love Without Anger" are typical visions of human relationships ala DEVO. (The stop motion doll video for "L.W.A." is among the band's best.) "Going Under" had them tinkering with their sound a little, and "Working In A Coal Mine" was given the DEVO oldie treatment. Sonically, this is probably the band's best next to what Eno gave their debut. All in all, a solid album.

In 1989 I bought this record on LP format, mostly because I loved the song "Going Under", wich was included in the soundtrack of the TV series "Miami Vice". However,when I listened the whole album I was totally amazed for it's extraordinary quality. Songs like "Super Thing", "Love...without Anger" and "Through Being Cool" were not really what you could call DEVO classics, but they were the living proof of the quality of a too-often not taken seriously band. Though I love DEVO's songs like "Whip It" or "Time Out for Fun", "New Traditionalists" was one step forward in the band's search for respect. If you are into 80s electronic pop, this CD is a must have.

I must confess that I am not a fan of New Wave. I can certainly "stomach"...and in some cases really enjoy certain bands from the genre such as The Cars, Talking Heads and The Fixx, but I absolutely adore "New Traditionalists". I actually "unshelved" this CD recently after many years of not listening to it...and it brought it all back for me and prompted me to write the one and only review I'll likely write for a New Wave release. It also got me wondering exactly how (and why) I ended up with this recording---- usually I can remember who, how and where I was "turned-on" to a new artist or band...but for the life of me, I can't remember how "NT" found its way into my collection? I don't own any other Devo albums, and probably never will---- I grew up with Hard Rock, Heavy Metal and a small portion of Pop Rock and Singer/Songwriter music....so I KNOW I didn't purchase this (besides, the mention of a band like Devo would have gotten me laughed right out of the Rock/Metal band I was playing in at the time I "aquired" this album). Anyway...enough of my ramblings. Without going into individual songs, I can say that I really enjoy every track on the original release....though I can do without the extra tracks here on the remastered CD. If pressed to name favorites, I would pick "Pity You", "Going Under", "Through Being Cool", "LWA" and "Beautiful World". Other reviews here mention how the band was trying to "say" something within the individual songs on "NT"---- I guess I can see (hear) that, however, if I want a listening experience with a "message" and social commentary, I'm not going to grab for this to get that "fix". On the other hand, if I'm in the mood for some cool, quirky and fun music that doesn't take too much "brain power" to enjoy, this exceptional release is always on 'stand-by' for me. If your looking for an 'initiation' into this band, I would (and can only) recommend looking no further than "New Traditionalists....4.5 stars

Really, this is where the Spud's edginess ends. A very solid CD by the boys from Ohio. Some great videos came off this CD as well (Beautiful World, Love Without Anger).
The CD sounds great. If you're a fan of DEVO this is an album you have to have. After this the decline begain (though, there were still bright spots).
Check it out, you won't be disappointed.

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.

"New Traditionalists" was Devo's reclaiming of pop culture, fending off punks, puritans, hippies, and hausfraus with rolling pins. With their action vests, they fended off dangerous human elements who threatened the Status Quo with devolved thinking. The world is a much simpler and easy to understand place, when your head is shielded with a vacu-plastic pompadour to ward off the daddy zeroes.

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.

I wore out the vinyl and my parents' eardrums when this LP came out in 1981. Who could have predicted that, years later, my sons (the oldest of whom is the age I was when "Whip It" came out!) & I would be singing along together as the CD blared from my BMW's speakers? (They even think their old mom has great taste in music.) "Mecha Mania Boy" makes the special edition worth the extra dough, but that doesn't mean you can get away with not buying "Duty."

I had always thought of Devo as a one note novelty act that couldn't POSSIBLY have any artistic merit or worthwhile material beyond Whip It. Boy was I wrong. After discovering their new album Something For Everybody, I quickly backtracked to their original material and first in line was New Traditionalists. I was pleasantly surprised at how great this album is and also at how my view of this "joke" band had changed. Just got around to actually purchasing this today and it was worth every penny. "Through Being Cool", "Jerkin' Back N' Forth" and "Beautiful World" are all classics that can be found on their Hits collection, but I implore you to pick up this album as a whole. It flows very nicely and includes some of their best album tracks as well ("Going Under", "Love Without Anger", "Pity You"). So next time someone tries to write Devo off as a non serious group, prove them wrong by popping this one in.

DEVO is simply one of the greatest bands ever. Get this cd, you will LOVE it

Some people love this album, some people don't. This was my first Devo album, and I love it. ENough said. I bought this edition - "Collectables" label - as I incorrectly believed that by 2005 they'd be able to remaster an album such as this that would yield better sound quality than any of the older CD editions you'd find here, some of them as double albums.... Well I was wrong. The CD sounds as if was mastered from an 8-track tape as it sounds awful! I sure hope Rhino or some other label would give this album the respect it deserves and remaster it from the original tapes. Skip this edition as it sucks. Until there is a better version, spend some extra money and buy a Japanese pressing instead.

This is another amazing album by DEVO! It's my 2nd favorite album by them, right after Duty Now For The Future. After the success of DEVO's prior album to this one, Freedom Of Choice, featuring the well-known hit Whip It, DEVO went into their secret lab and concocted this synth-driven musical masterpiece! I'm telling you, it doesn't get much better than this!

Standout tracks are, Through Being Cool, Pity You, Going Under, Race of Doom, Love Without Anger, and Beautiful World.