Danny Elfman? What? The dude that I’ve seen in the credits of movies and TV shows since the beginning of time? The guy who created the freaking theme song for The Simpsons? According to my bro, Wikipedia, it’s not an insane coincidence. Film-overture-composer extraordinaire Danny Elfman had a band. And they were kind of weird.
But also kind of good. All I could think of while today’s Dad Rock Tuesday assignment was playing was Devo. Keep in mind, most of what I know about Devo stems from the footage of their set at Lollapalooza a couple of years ago, but from what I’ve listened to, the two bands are very similar.
I guess what I mean by that has a lot to do with the ’80s, and the sounds associated with that decade. Think fast-paced, random, and strange. Elfman abides by no common standards when it comes to singing, and there’s no way to classify exactly what it is that he’s doing on Only a Lad. There are plenty of squeals, broken-up words and phrases, as well as out-of-nowhere harmonizations with a dozen different layers of himself.
Apparently, this band started as a theater troupe. I can’t say that’s all too surprising. This music just feels like it was created by actors, as if Oingo Boingo itself is screaming “LOOK AT ME!” through every track. However, the album’s tendency towards spotlight hogging doesn’t come off as obnoxious. What can I say? The Elf Man knows his music. I just wish we got to hear his lyrics more often today.
Swole Ear 
Wanted to drop in a little video that is contemporary to the Oingo Boingo album by a band that shared a fondness for jerky rhythms and skeletons. This may stir memories for certain Swole Ear readers:
Love the Suburbs. Thanks. As for Oingo Boingo, I’m glad Swoleboy’s dad reminded me of this one. It still works. The Kinks cover is a hoot and the song, “Capitalism” sounds like a soundbite from a Mitt/Newt debate. What do Danny Elfman and Prince have in common? They both composed Batman soundtracks. Elfman’s was better.
Damn. Before I saw that you had given the answer to the Elfman/Prince question, I was going to answer that both are in reality fair-skinned white men who should stay out of the sun. Is that wrong?