Devo - Something for Everybody (Warner Brothers) ****1/2

What a great return. Not long ago Devo was touring to promote the re-releases of their back catalog. No one would’ve expected they had such a monster record in them. Something for Everybody is exactly what the title suggests. Still as apart as the rest of the mainstream, but still rock’n’roll.

The album sounds incredibly fresh (just like its opener) and energetic. You get just about everything Devo is known for here. Yes, it brings out the geek in you, but it rocks you hard. The general mood is very upbeat, and the intensity just grows with each track. There are plenty of potential hits, but these days a good song does not always guarantee a success, but that’s how the industry operated nowadays. What We Do is definitely a winner here; it’s a catchy tune with an incredible groove to move it forward. Other tracks come across with equal conviction.

Something for Everyone is an awesome record. In many ways it is a statement from a band that was not always taken too seriously. Well, they appear to have the last laugh. And yes, it’s another big step in the de-evolution process, and it’s real too.

 

Mark Kadzielawa