Something for Everybody (Devo album)
Encyclopedia
Something for Everybody is the ninth studio album
by American
New Wave
band Devo
. The album was released on June 15, 2010, after previously being slated for release in May 2010, having been pushed back from its original release date of late 2009 due to "radical remixing." Something for Everybody marks 20 years since the release of Devo's last studio album, Smooth Noodle Maps
, in 1990. The album was released by their original label, Warner Bros.
, and is the first Devo album to be issued via the label since Shout
in 1984. The cover depicts a woman referred to as the "Sexy Candy Dome Girl" (Russian
model/musician Natasha Romanova of the band Discrete Encounter) holding a miniature blue energy dome
to her mouth.
to get one off the ground were repeatedly unsuccessful. Devo produced some new material in the late 1990s and early 2000s, mostly for soundtracks and commercials, and toured regularly, but a new album had not been forthcoming. In interviews, Casale described the situation as "a cocoon of silence" and his solo project Jihad Jerry & The Evildoers
was an attempt to spawn new Devo material. However, following the 2007 release of the non-album single "Watch Us Work It
," Casale indicated that the band might be ready to work on a new album. That same year, LA Weekly
, in an article on Mark Mothersbaugh's production studio Mutato Muzika
, reported that, "After touring sporadically over the past decade but not releasing any new material, Devo are spending December at Mutato trying to create an album’s worth of new material and contemplating a method of dispersal in the post-record-company world."
In a later interview, Mark Mothersbaugh revealed a song title from the in-progress album ("Don't Shoot (I'm a Man)"), but hopes were briefly deflated when Jerry stated that Mark had "killed the project" and that there would be no new Devo album. Casale eventually stated that Devo would "finish what we started" and later interviews confirmed that Devo would complete their new album. The "Studio Notes" section of the November 27th issue of Rolling Stone
stated that "Devo are working on their first album of new material since 1990's Smooth Noodle Maps
. 'We have about 17 songs we're testing out,' says frontman Mark Mothersbaugh. 'We've already been contacted by 20 producers—including Snoop Dogg
, Santigold, and Fatboy Slim
.'" Fall 2009 was confirmed as a possible release date at the time.
Devo announced in early 2009 that they would be performing at the South by Southwest International Conference in Austin, Texas on March 20 with a warmup show in Dallas on March 18. At these shows, Devo performed a new stage show utilizing synchronized video, similar to what they had done for their 1982 tour. They also debuted new costumes and three new songs: "Don't Shoot (I'm a Man)," "What We Do" and "Fresh." All of these songs included a video backdrop, with the band performing in front.
On Friday, April 10, 2009, Devo debuted the music video for "Don't Shoot (I'm a Man)" on their website, through Vimeo
. In an interview for the website "Subba-Cultcha", Casale stated that "regardless of the final [album] title, it will be 'Fresh'!" This statement led to speculation among fans that Fresh would be the new album's title. According to the "In the Studio" section of the June 2009 Rolling Stone
, the album was pushed back to 2010 to allow for "radical remixing".
In late 2009, Devo announced that it had signed a new contract with their original label, Warner Brothers, to release their new album. In an interview with Gerald Casale in late October 2009, he announced that Devo's new album would be picking up from where they left off: "We think it’s the best record that we’d ever done although we’re not certain that Fresh will be the title. There are more good songs on this album than any other record that we’ve made. We’re aiming for a spring release." In January 2010, Billboard wrote a preview of the upcoming album, stating that it would be released in April 2010. In the interview, it was stated that Casale hoped to call the album "Something for Everybody, despite the publicized working title of Fresh." The final track listing was still being decided but was likely to feature the high-energy (and "focus group-approved," according to Casale) "Please Baby Please" as well as tracks produced by Greg Kurstin
and John Hill
.
On January 17, 2010, it was announced that Devo would be performing on the second day of the 2010 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio
, California
. On February 22, 2010, Devo performed at one of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics victory concerts at Whistler Medals Plaza. They returned to the SXSW conference in Austin, TX on March 11 to conduct a panel entitled "Devo, The Internet & You."
On April 17, 2010, the same day as both their performance at the Coachella festival and Record Store Day
, Devo released a 12" vinyl single of "Fresh" backed with "What We Do." A sticker on the sleeve confirmed that the title of the new Devo album would be Something for Everybody. On April 20, Devo released the Song Study EP
on iTunes
which contained the same tracks as the "Fresh" single, along with the addition of the "Song Study Video." That night, Devo performed "Fresh" and "Whip It" on Jimmy Kimmel Live
, where it was announced that the album would be released on June 15. Devo also performed "Fresh" on Late Night with David Letterman
on June 16, 2010.
For one week beginning on June 10, the album was streamed online through Colbert Nation.
On April 19, 2011, a video based on "What We Do" was released on Mashable
.com. The video features an interactive 360° camera, which can be set on "auto pilot" or controlled by the viewer, allowing them to choose which part of the scenery to watch and to click on items to buy at the bands merchandise website. A non-interactive version was released to YouTube on April 20.
, now billed as the Chief Operating Officer of "DEVO, INC." Devo also began working with a newly opened Los Angeles branch of New York City-based marketing group Mother New York to produce a number of videos designed to satirize the use of focus groups in marketing research and radio programming. The first of these was released in February to determine the new color for the band's famous Energy Dome
headgear and asked participants what sound colors made and how they made them feel. Ultimately, blue was the color that was selected. Other videos used focus groups to arrive at conclusions like "'Fresh' alleviates aches and pains" and "3 out of 5 people would hold 'Fresh' with their feet for more than 3 minutes."
On February 22, "Fresh" was made available as a free download, following the band's performance at the 2010 Winter Olympics
.
Devo returned to the SXSW conference in Austin, TX on March 11, 2010 to conduct a panel entitled "Devo, The Internet & You." During this panel, a "focus group study" was conducted in which a total of four potential titles for the album were revealed: Fresh, Something for Everybody, Devolution and Excuse Our Mess. It was also announced at SXSW that Devo would be conducting a "Song Study," an interactive online survey created to determine the final 12 songs (out of 16 total) to be included on the new album. The survey ended on May 3, 2010 and the results were revealed on May 18, 2010 via uStream
at 12pm Pacific Time
. The track listing of the Song Study Version was announced.
The song "Human Rocket" was featured in the trailer for the film Paul
.
" might be included on the album. Three songs, all of which were performed at SXSW in March 2009, were confirmed for inclusion: "Fresh," "Don't Shoot" and "What We Do." At DEVOtional 2009, several new tracks were aired, including versions of the three songs performed at SXSW. A fifth song, "Step Up," was also played during a radio interview.
The following day of the press conference, the album was put up for pre-order through Club Devo with a different track listing than announced, noting that it was "88% focus group approved":
Standard
All songs written by Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald V. Casale except when noted
Song Study Version
Deluxe
Further confusing the issue is an article and interview published in the Los Angeles Times
on May 18, in which Jerry Casale reiterates that the final album will consist of the 12 songs voted on by fans. A posting on Devo's official website later explained the change in the track listing. It stated that "'March On' and 'No Place Like Home' were undervalued in the study" and that Devo felt they should be included. "Cameo" was also included due to the band's feelings that "it is the new Devo and will prevail in the end" (Interview with Gerald Casale, Record Collector, August 2010). It was later revealed that the album as determined by the Song Study would be released as an mp3 album available only through online retailers, while the physical CD release would have the "partnership-approved" track listing. The posting also announced the release of a deluxe edition with all 16 songs. It will include the four excluded tracks: "Signal Ready", "Let's Get to It", "Watch Us Work It", and "Knock Boots".
The Japanese edition contains 13 tracks with "Watch Us Work It" as a bonus track. Only the iTunes version of Something For Everybody (Deluxe) contains the track "Knock Boots".
—writing for The Independent
—gave the album four out of five stars comparing it favorably to Freedom of Choice
. BBC
gave the album a more mixed review.
Additional personnel
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
band Devo
Devo
Devo is an American band formed in 1973 consisting of members from Kent and Akron, Ohio. The classic line-up of the band includes two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs and the Casales . The band had a #14 Billboard chart hit in 1980 with the single "Whip It", and has maintained a cult...
. The album was released on June 15, 2010, after previously being slated for release in May 2010, having been pushed back from its original release date of late 2009 due to "radical remixing." Something for Everybody marks 20 years since the release of Devo's last studio album, Smooth Noodle Maps
Smooth Noodle Maps
Smooth Noodle Maps, released in 1990, is the eighth studio album by American New Wave band Devo.The album includes a cover of the early 1960s song " Morning Dew," typically "mutated" into a New Wave dance song....
, in 1990. The album was released by their original label, Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
, and is the first Devo album to be issued via the label since Shout
Shout (Devo album)
Shout is a 1984 album by the New Wave rock band Devo. It was their sixth album for Warner Bros. Records and retained the synth-pop sound of their previous records with a heavy focus on the new Fairlight CMI computer synthesizer. Despite the popularity of synth-pop in 1984, the album was a critical...
in 1984. The cover depicts a woman referred to as the "Sexy Candy Dome Girl" (Russian
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
model/musician Natasha Romanova of the band Discrete Encounter) holding a miniature blue energy dome
Energy dome
Energy dome refers to the red terraced headgear first worn by Devo during their Freedom of Choice years. Other incorrect names include "power dome" and "flowerpot" . Energy Domes have been a regular part of Devo's stage costumes since 1980, worn in their 1982, 1988, and 1990 tours, as well as most...
to her mouth.
History
Though a new Devo album had been considered as far back as the band's 1996 reunion, efforts by Gerald CasaleGerald Casale
Gerald Vincent Casale , often known as Jerry Casale, is a vocalist, bass guitar/synthesizer player, and a founding member of the new wave band Devo...
to get one off the ground were repeatedly unsuccessful. Devo produced some new material in the late 1990s and early 2000s, mostly for soundtracks and commercials, and toured regularly, but a new album had not been forthcoming. In interviews, Casale described the situation as "a cocoon of silence" and his solo project Jihad Jerry & The Evildoers
Jihad Jerry & the Evildoers
Jihad Jerry & the Evildoers is the solo project of Devo bassist and "chief strategist" Gerald Casale. It also includes contributions from Mark Mothersbaugh, Bob "1" Mothersbaugh, and his brother Bob "2" Casale...
was an attempt to spawn new Devo material. However, following the 2007 release of the non-album single "Watch Us Work It
Watch Us Work it
"Watch Us Work It" is a single by the US New Wave band Devo, produced by Teddybears. It was originally released in 2007, and was featured in a commercial for Dell. It was subsequently re-released, on vinyl, in 2008. The song was included on the deluxe version of the band's ninth studio album...
," Casale indicated that the band might be ready to work on a new album. That same year, LA Weekly
LA Weekly
LA Weekly is a free weekly tabloid-sized "alternative weekly" in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1978 by Editor/Publisher Jay Levin and a board of directors that included actor-producer Michael Douglas...
, in an article on Mark Mothersbaugh's production studio Mutato Muzika
Mutato Muzika
Mutato Muzika is a music production company established in 1989 by Devo co-founder Mark Mothersbaugh. While Devo members Mark Mothersbaugh, Gerald V...
, reported that, "After touring sporadically over the past decade but not releasing any new material, Devo are spending December at Mutato trying to create an album’s worth of new material and contemplating a method of dispersal in the post-record-company world."
In a later interview, Mark Mothersbaugh revealed a song title from the in-progress album ("Don't Shoot (I'm a Man)"), but hopes were briefly deflated when Jerry stated that Mark had "killed the project" and that there would be no new Devo album. Casale eventually stated that Devo would "finish what we started" and later interviews confirmed that Devo would complete their new album. The "Studio Notes" section of the November 27th issue of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
stated that "Devo are working on their first album of new material since 1990's Smooth Noodle Maps
Smooth Noodle Maps
Smooth Noodle Maps, released in 1990, is the eighth studio album by American New Wave band Devo.The album includes a cover of the early 1960s song " Morning Dew," typically "mutated" into a New Wave dance song....
. 'We have about 17 songs we're testing out,' says frontman Mark Mothersbaugh. 'We've already been contacted by 20 producers—including Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
, Santigold, and Fatboy Slim
Fatboy Slim
Norman Quentin Cook better known by his former stage name Fatboy Slim, is a British DJ, electronic dance music musician, and record producer. He is a pioneer of the big beat genre that achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s...
.'" Fall 2009 was confirmed as a possible release date at the time.
Devo announced in early 2009 that they would be performing at the South by Southwest International Conference in Austin, Texas on March 20 with a warmup show in Dallas on March 18. At these shows, Devo performed a new stage show utilizing synchronized video, similar to what they had done for their 1982 tour. They also debuted new costumes and three new songs: "Don't Shoot (I'm a Man)," "What We Do" and "Fresh." All of these songs included a video backdrop, with the band performing in front.
On Friday, April 10, 2009, Devo debuted the music video for "Don't Shoot (I'm a Man)" on their website, through Vimeo
Vimeo
Vimeo is a video-sharing website on which users can upload, share, and view videos. It was founded by Zach Klein and Jake Lodwick in November 2004...
. In an interview for the website "Subba-Cultcha", Casale stated that "regardless of the final [album] title, it will be 'Fresh'!" This statement led to speculation among fans that Fresh would be the new album's title. According to the "In the Studio" section of the June 2009 Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, the album was pushed back to 2010 to allow for "radical remixing".
In late 2009, Devo announced that it had signed a new contract with their original label, Warner Brothers, to release their new album. In an interview with Gerald Casale in late October 2009, he announced that Devo's new album would be picking up from where they left off: "We think it’s the best record that we’d ever done although we’re not certain that Fresh will be the title. There are more good songs on this album than any other record that we’ve made. We’re aiming for a spring release." In January 2010, Billboard wrote a preview of the upcoming album, stating that it would be released in April 2010. In the interview, it was stated that Casale hoped to call the album "Something for Everybody, despite the publicized working title of Fresh." The final track listing was still being decided but was likely to feature the high-energy (and "focus group-approved," according to Casale) "Please Baby Please" as well as tracks produced by Greg Kurstin
Greg Kurstin
Gregory Allen "Greg" Kurstin is an award-winning American songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. In 2009 Kurstin received a Grammy Award nomination for Producer of the Year. That same year he won three Ivor Novello awards for his work with Lily Allen, including Songwriters of the Year for "The Fear"...
and John Hill
John Hill
-Politics:*John Hill , MP for Dorchester *John Hill , United States Representative from Virginia...
.
On January 17, 2010, it was announced that Devo would be performing on the second day of the 2010 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio
Indio
Indio may refer to:* Indio, California* Indio, person of indigenous peoples of the Americas* The Spanish Colonial racial term for the native Austronesian peoples of the Philippines between the 16th and 19th centuriesSpecific people:...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. On February 22, 2010, Devo performed at one of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics victory concerts at Whistler Medals Plaza. They returned to the SXSW conference in Austin, TX on March 11 to conduct a panel entitled "Devo, The Internet & You."
On April 17, 2010, the same day as both their performance at the Coachella festival and Record Store Day
Record Store Day
Record Store Day is an internationally celebrated day observed the third Saturday of April each year. Its purpose, as conceived by independent record store employee Chris Brown, is to celebrate the art of music...
, Devo released a 12" vinyl single of "Fresh" backed with "What We Do." A sticker on the sleeve confirmed that the title of the new Devo album would be Something for Everybody. On April 20, Devo released the Song Study EP
Song Study EP
Song Study EP is an extended play album released by American new wave band Devo on April 20, 2010. It features the same track listing and cover art as the 12" single of "Fresh," with the addition of the Song Study Video....
on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
which contained the same tracks as the "Fresh" single, along with the addition of the "Song Study Video." That night, Devo performed "Fresh" and "Whip It" on Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC.The nightly hour-long show made its debut on January 26, 2003, following Super Bowl XXXVII. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is produced by Jackhole Productions in association with ABC Studios...
, where it was announced that the album would be released on June 15. Devo also performed "Fresh" on Late Night with David Letterman
Late Night with David Letterman
Late Night with David Letterman is a nightly hour-long comedy talk show on NBC that was created and hosted by David Letterman. It premiered in 1982 as the first incarnation of the Late Night franchise and went off the air in 1993, after Letterman left NBC and moved to Late Show on CBS. Late Night...
on June 16, 2010.
For one week beginning on June 10, the album was streamed online through Colbert Nation.
On April 19, 2011, a video based on "What We Do" was released on Mashable
Mashable
Mashable is an American news website and Internet news blog founded by Pete Cashmore. The website's primary focus is social media news, but also covers news and developments in mobile, entertainment, online video, business, web development, technology, memes and gadgets...
.com. The video features an interactive 360° camera, which can be set on "auto pilot" or controlled by the viewer, allowing them to choose which part of the scenery to watch and to click on items to buy at the bands merchandise website. A non-interactive version was released to YouTube on April 20.
Promotion
Starting in early 2010, Devo began marketing the new album through a series of satirical videos and communiques from Greg Scholl, a former executive with NBC UniversalNBC Universal
NBCUniversal Media, LLC is a media and entertainment company engaged in the production and marketing of entertainment, news, and information products and services to a global customer base...
, now billed as the Chief Operating Officer of "DEVO, INC." Devo also began working with a newly opened Los Angeles branch of New York City-based marketing group Mother New York to produce a number of videos designed to satirize the use of focus groups in marketing research and radio programming. The first of these was released in February to determine the new color for the band's famous Energy Dome
Energy dome
Energy dome refers to the red terraced headgear first worn by Devo during their Freedom of Choice years. Other incorrect names include "power dome" and "flowerpot" . Energy Domes have been a regular part of Devo's stage costumes since 1980, worn in their 1982, 1988, and 1990 tours, as well as most...
headgear and asked participants what sound colors made and how they made them feel. Ultimately, blue was the color that was selected. Other videos used focus groups to arrive at conclusions like "'Fresh' alleviates aches and pains" and "3 out of 5 people would hold 'Fresh' with their feet for more than 3 minutes."
On February 22, "Fresh" was made available as a free download, following the band's performance at the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
.
Devo returned to the SXSW conference in Austin, TX on March 11, 2010 to conduct a panel entitled "Devo, The Internet & You." During this panel, a "focus group study" was conducted in which a total of four potential titles for the album were revealed: Fresh, Something for Everybody, Devolution and Excuse Our Mess. It was also announced at SXSW that Devo would be conducting a "Song Study," an interactive online survey created to determine the final 12 songs (out of 16 total) to be included on the new album. The survey ended on May 3, 2010 and the results were revealed on May 18, 2010 via uStream
Ustream
Ustream is a website which consists of a network of diverse channels providing a platform for lifecasting and live video streaming of events online. Established in March 2007, the site has over 2,000,000 registered users who generate 1,500,000+ hours of live streamed content per month with over ten...
at 12pm Pacific Time
Pacific Time Zone
The Pacific Time Zone observes standard time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time . The clock time in this zone is based on the mean solar time of the 120th meridian west of the Greenwich Observatory. During daylight saving time, its time offset is UTC-7.In the United States...
. The track listing of the Song Study Version was announced.
The song "Human Rocket" was featured in the trailer for the film Paul
Paul (film)
Paul is a 2011 science fiction comedy film directed by Greg Mottola, written by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. It stars Pegg, Frost, and the voice of Seth Rogen as the title character...
.
Track listing
At DEVOtional 2008, Mark Mothersbaugh indicated via a video conference that the already released "Watch Us Work ItWatch Us Work it
"Watch Us Work It" is a single by the US New Wave band Devo, produced by Teddybears. It was originally released in 2007, and was featured in a commercial for Dell. It was subsequently re-released, on vinyl, in 2008. The song was included on the deluxe version of the band's ninth studio album...
" might be included on the album. Three songs, all of which were performed at SXSW in March 2009, were confirmed for inclusion: "Fresh," "Don't Shoot" and "What We Do." At DEVOtional 2009, several new tracks were aired, including versions of the three songs performed at SXSW. A fifth song, "Step Up," was also played during a radio interview.
The following day of the press conference, the album was put up for pre-order through Club Devo with a different track listing than announced, noting that it was "88% focus group approved":
Standard
All songs written by Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald V. Casale except when noted
- "Fresh" – 3:02
- "What We Do" – 3:19 (M. Mothersbaugh/G.V. Casale/Max Liederman)
- "Please Baby Please" – 2:43 (G.V. Casale/Bob Casale)
- "Don't Shoot (I'm a Man)" – 3:28
- "Mind Games" – 2:32
- "Human Rocket" – 3:25 (M. Mothersbaugh)
- "Sumthin'" – 2:48
- "Step Up" – 3:03
- "Cameo" – 2:52
- "Later Is Now" – 3:55 (G.V. Casale)
- "No Place Like Home" – 3:21
- "March On" – 3:53
Song Study Version
- "Watch Us Work It"
- "Fresh"
- "Sumthin"
- "Don't Shoot (I'm A Man)"
- "Step Up"
- "Signal Ready"
- "What We Do"
- "Please Baby Please"
- "Let's Get To It"
- "Mind Games"
- "Later is Now"
- "Human Rocket"
Deluxe
- "Fresh"
- "What We Do"
- "Please Baby Please"
- "Don't Shoot (I'm a Man)"
- "Mind Games"
- "Human Rocket"
- "Sumthin'"
- "Step Up"
- "Cameo"
- "Later Is Now"
- "No Place Like Home"
- "March On"
- "Watch Us Work It"
- "Signal Ready"
- "Let's Get To It"
- "Knock Boots"
Further confusing the issue is an article and interview published in the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
on May 18, in which Jerry Casale reiterates that the final album will consist of the 12 songs voted on by fans. A posting on Devo's official website later explained the change in the track listing. It stated that "'March On' and 'No Place Like Home' were undervalued in the study" and that Devo felt they should be included. "Cameo" was also included due to the band's feelings that "it is the new Devo and will prevail in the end" (Interview with Gerald Casale, Record Collector, August 2010). It was later revealed that the album as determined by the Song Study would be released as an mp3 album available only through online retailers, while the physical CD release would have the "partnership-approved" track listing. The posting also announced the release of a deluxe edition with all 16 songs. It will include the four excluded tracks: "Signal Ready", "Let's Get to It", "Watch Us Work It", and "Knock Boots".
The Japanese edition contains 13 tracks with "Watch Us Work It" as a bonus track. Only the iTunes version of Something For Everybody (Deluxe) contains the track "Knock Boots".
Reception
Andy GillAndy Gill
Andy Gill is a founding member and guitarist for the English rock group Gang of Four, considered among the most influential post-punk bands...
—writing for The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
—gave the album four out of five stars comparing it favorably to Freedom of Choice
Freedom of Choice
Freedom of Choice is the third album by New Wave musicians Devo, released on May 16, 1980. It saw the band moving in more of an overt synthpop direction, even though guitars still played a prominent role....
. BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
gave the album a more mixed review.
Personnel
Devo- Bob Casale – rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, programmingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
, backingBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
on "Sumthin'", engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
, productionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
on "Sumthin'" - Gerald V. Casale – vocals, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, bass synth, production on "Sumthin'" - Josh FreeseJosh FreeseJosh Freese is an American session drummer and songwriter. He is a permanent member of A Perfect Circle, The Vandals, and Devo, having formerly played drums for Nine Inch Nails from late 2005 until late 2008, and for Guns N' Roses from mid-1998 to 2001. Freese has appeared on close to 300 records....
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, additional percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, production on "Sumthin'" - Bob MothersbaughBob MothersbaughRobert Leroy "Bob" Mothersbaugh, Jr.,, or "Bob 1", is the lead guitar player and occasional vocalist for Devo and younger brother of lead vocalist Mark Mothersbaugh...
– leadLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
and rhythmRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, backing vocals, production on "Sumthin'" - Mark MothersbaughMark MothersbaughMark Allen Mothersbaugh is an American musician, composer, singer and painter. He is the co-founder of the new wave band Devo and has been its lead singer since 1972. His other musical projects include work for television series, films, and video games....
– vocals, synthesizers, programming, production on "Sumthin'"
Additional personnel
- Jeff FriedlJeff FriedlJeff Friedl is a studio and touring drummer currently based in Los Angeles, California. Jeff has recorded, performed, and/or toured with ASHES dIVIDE, A Perfect Circle, Puscifer, Devo, CSS, Danny Lohner, Carina Round, Ross Robinson, Shane Alexander, Mark Mothersbaugh, Jay Ruston, Linda Strawberry,...
– additional drums - Doug Boehm – additional engineering on "Fresh" and "Don't Shoot (I'm a Man)"
- Andrew Clark – additional production on "Step Up" and "Cameo"
- Van Coppock – engineer, additional guitar on "Cameo", "No Place Like Home", and "March On"
- Paul Hager – additional recording, programming and engineering on "Fresh", "Don't Shoot (I'm a Man)", "Step Up", and "Later Is Now"
- Josh Hager – additional programming and editing on "Fresh", "Don't Shoot (I'm a Man)", "Step Up", and "Later Is Now"
- John Hill – production on "Fresh" and "Don't Shoot (I'm a Man)"
- John KingJohn King (producer)John King, also known as "King Gizmo", is a music producer and one-half of the Los Angeles-based duo the Dust Brothers. As the Dust Brothers, King and Michael "E.Z...
– production and mixing "Step Up" and "Cameo" - Greg KurstinGreg KurstinGregory Allen "Greg" Kurstin is an award-winning American songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. In 2009 Kurstin received a Grammy Award nomination for Producer of the Year. That same year he won three Ivor Novello awards for his work with Lily Allen, including Songwriters of the Year for "The Fear"...
– production and mixing on "Fresh", "What We Do", "Please Baby Please", "Don't Shoot (I'm a Man)", "Mind Games", "Human Rocket", "Later Is Now", "No Place Like Home", and "March On" - Mark NishitaMoney MarkMark Ramos-Nishita aka Money Mark is a producer and musician who has collaborated with the Beastie Boys many times. He also appears on the first Banyan album in 1997 as the "Freeway Keyboardist".-Career:...
– production on "Step Up" - Santi White – production "Fresh" and "Don't Shoot (I'm a Man)"