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13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
approaching a different yet, workable direction, December 30, 2003
By 1990, Oingo Boingo had made a gradual transition from the semi-humorous Boi-ngo in 1987, to the extremely dark and often uneasy mind of genius composer/lead vocal Danny Elfman. This culminated into "Dark at the End of the Tunnel". However, Elfman didn't know how to separate his musical worlds. And this was a very interesting thing."Dark at the End of the Tunnel" is a slow self-aware transitional album full of atmosphere and good lyrics. Oingo's lyrics are not as important now as they used to be. But "Dead Man's Party," alreaady covered that ground. Here, we first will find a seemingly cold and angry album, yet with multiple listens, "Dark at the End of the Tunnel" could be considered a great album which contains a large handful of classic songs. That's not to say every song is perfect, but it doesn't really have to be. A prime example is what one could consider one of the finest and most haunting songs ever written / composed is "Skin". It was a song originally meant for the "NIGHTBREED" soundtrack (1990) ((but appeared only in country version) which is no coincidence that Elfman composed all the music for). Skin is a song literally about undead demons ripping their faces off. Nightbreed was directed by Clive Barker (Hellraiser) who no doubtedly admired Elfman's work on Beetlejuice and Batman only a few years prior. "Flesh N' Blood" sounds similar to "We Close Our Eyes" and was featured on the "Ghostbusters 2" soundtrack (1989). Even thought the second ghostbusters soundtrack didn't match the first film's soundtrack (or the first film, for that matter). Seems to have that reluctancy-based soul defiance to it. Upon loosely recalling the Grim Reaper-phobic theme in DMP's "no one lives forever", Elfman sings "I'm not gonna give up the ghost no!" "When the Lights Go Out" has a hint of Depeche Mode / Devo / Nine Inch Nails style industrial synth buried by several droned, yet loud-sounding guitars which sort of stretch-rock back and forth inbetween the stuttering words projected by Elfman. "Right to Know" is an incredible example of Danny's composition / juxtaposition styles all tied together on a course of obvious melodies. Also contains a catchy, yet jumpy xylophone. "Out of Control" sounds more like a lullaby and anti-suicide anthem than anything I've heard from OB. An honest outlook on life balanced out by some positives. "Try to Believe" sounds like something Depeche Mode would attempt to replicate (and that works too) with their song "Condemnation" in 1993.
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is Oingo Boingo's 
