Oh No It's Devo/Freedom of Choice

Devo | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 23, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Msi Music Corp
• ASIN: B0000DEPJ4
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)

Track Listings

1. Time Out for Fun

2. Peekaboo!

3. Out of Sync

4. Explosions

5. That's Good

6. Patterns

7. Big Mess

8. Speed Racer

9. What I Must Do

10. I Desire

11. Deep Sleep

12. Girl U Want

13. It's Not Right

14. Whip It

15. Snowball

16. Ton O' Luv

17. Freedom of Choice

18. Gates of Steel

19. Cold War

20. Don't You Know

See all 25 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Devo's Third and Fifth Studio Albums (Possibly their Best) on One CD; Their 1980 Breakthrough LP 'Freedom of Choice' and 1982 Title 'oh No! It's Devo'. Featuring the Group's Largest Hits to Date, 'Whip It', 'Freedom of Choice' and 'Girl U Want', plus a Remix: 'Peek-A-Boo (Dance Velocity)'. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Freedom: 4 1/2 stars, Oh No: 3 stars, May 11, 2003

By 

Tim Brough "author and music buff" (Springfield, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Oh No It's Devo/Freedom Of Choice (Audio CD)

By virtue of getting "Freedom Of Choice" along with the not so stellar "Oh No It's Devo" on one disc, this CD is worth the money. It is an interesting comparison, since "F.O.C." was Devo's last dirty sounding record and "Oh No" sported Roy Thomas Baker's typical sterile uber-clean polish job.

"Freedom Of Choice" was where DEVO's world-view was overtaken by a case of pop-smarts. The synths had moved almost entirely to the fore, and there was an obvious attempt at disciplined song writing. It shows most obviously on "Girl You Want" and "Gates Of Steel." The very un-devoish longing in "Girl You Want" is universal enough to have found its way into the set lists of artists ranging from Soundgarden to Robert Palmer.

This is, along with "Q: Are We Not Men," the Devo album that integrates the theory on De-evolution most completely to the music. The title track mocks the how submissive we are when it comes to culture/consumer manipulation, while "Whip It" strings together a catalog of catch phrases and self-help mantras into a crackling three minute anthem. On the side of human conditions, "Mr. B's Ballroom" cocks its eye at the kind of hole-in-the-wall establishment where best friends drink and start fights before crashing through the plate glass door. (Likely while "Whip It" is playing on the jukebox.)

Just as important, this was the album that most people probably measure their knowledge of DEVO by. "Whip It" became the kind of song that college new-wave parties did the pogo to, and corporate rallies would chant along with as a morale enhancer. By making synthesizer rock safe for frat boys, "Freedom Of Choice" is easily the second of DEVO's crowning albums.

Oh no, suffered from a lack of ideas. Unfortunately, DEVO, who had already proven they [used] the latest gizmo many times over, used on their 5th album that detracted from their strengths. Just about every song here is dependent on pitch control voice manipulation, which made all the vocals sound like they were being sung by Mark Mothersbaugh's ... helium ... twin. It also didn't help that producer Roy Thomas Baker forces the edges off the band's sound. The synths here sound slavishly of the moment, as opposed to leading the movement.

Those are the bad patches. The good stuff is still here. "Peek-a-boo!" is willfully creepy in much the same way "Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA" from "Duty Now For The Future" was, and "That's Good" should have been a dance floor smash (and if you are old enough to remember the TV show "Square Pegs," they played it at the high school dance!). "Speed Racer" does benefit from its quirky time signature, and finally, "Patterns" gives us another insightful glimpse at the theories of De-evolution.

Also of note are "Big Mess" and "I Desire." Both were written after the assassination attempt on President Reagan and the eventual discovery that the assassin was doing it to impress Jodie Foster. It inspired the immortal line (from "I Desire") "A smile I might bring you is more important than world peace." Now THAT'S truly Devo!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A -MUST-for any Devo fan, July 20, 2000

By 

P. L. Minyard (Southeast USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Oh No It's Devo/Freedom Of Choice (Audio CD)

This is nice because it combines two of their better albums on one CD. I have both of these albums on vinyl, and was happy to find this. Every song from this CD is great! If you're not familiar with DEVO, and aren't sure what to get, this is a sure bet! A must have for any Devoted fan, or fan to be. You know you want to be. You also must get their first two albums to experience truth about Devolution.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars DEVO's best...hands down!, October 17, 2000

By 

"gdatlanta" (Atlanta, Georgia USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Oh No It's Devo/Freedom Of Choice (Audio CD)

These two records on the same CD mean that you're getting the best this band ever had to offer in one CD. Oh No, the later of the two, exhibits more songs with a "digital" synth flavor, displays more mastery in the final mix. Freedom Of Choice obviously rings of a different time. More guitars, less of a "clean" sounding mix - but from this record sprung forth "Whip It", which is pretty much their siren song. I only owned two of DEVO's vinyl records and these were it - kind of shocking to find them together. Of the two, Oh No! seems to contain better songs and songwriting - with a little more control in their spastic tendencies. Freedom Of Choice lags a little in terms of mix (which sounds like it was done in an Akron basement). Either way, you're not going to get much better from any more of this band's music. Top notch. Buy it now, be a spud.