018: Devo - Duty Now for the Future (1979)

Put down that chainsaw, and listen to us — it’s time for Discord & Rhyme’s guide to Devo! You probably best know Devo for their 1980 hit “Whip It,” but that song is only the tip of the Devo iceberg, which is red and shaped like an energy dome. This episode, Dan skews from the standard Devo path, choosing neither their critically adored debut Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo nor their commercial breakthrough Freedom of Choice. Instead, he guides Mike, Rich, and Will through the album between those two, Duty Now for the Future, a pioneering album in the genre of synthpop, and an example of the gristly “connective tissue” that enriches a really great band’s discography. You might not have heard of anything on the album, but every single song is brimming over with that distinctive Devo identity.

CONTENT WARNING: Several songs on Duty Now for the Future are very blunt about the subject of male sexuality, part of Devo’s distinctive brand of satire, so be warned.

Cohosts: Dan Watkins, Mike DeFabio, Rich Bunnell, Chris Willie Williams

Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/018-devo-duty-now-for-the-future-1979

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