BOINGO

I have been looking forward to writing this review for a long time, as this is one of my all time favorite albums.

After releasing their worst album, "Dark At The End Of The Tunnel", in 1990, Danny Elfman changed Oingo Boingo's direction (and keyboardist), added another guitarist (Warren Fitzgerald), matured the sound, and came up with a masterpiece.

From the opening chords of Insanity, which incorporates the moodiness and musical imagery that Elfman often uses in his film soundtracks, this disk offers an exciting, but often dark and frightening ride through the amusement park that was Oingo Boingo.

Elfman's lyric's have never been better than this, whether he is portraying a predator heading down the path of murderous madness in the above mentioned Insanity, a woman leaving her sheltered life in a small town, only to find that discovering the world makes her an alien back at home, in Mary, or just pointing out the inanity of military jargon in War Again. My favorite has to be the epic ending track, Change, a trippy psychedelic piece that a drummer I once played with would call "blow away material".

Despite using the famed Oingo Boingo horn section very sparingly, the music is quite powerful. Steve Bartek, who blends with newcomer Fitzgerald perfectly, unleashes some of his fiercest licks ever. And bassist John Avila, always a treat to see in live performances, is just plain astounding in this album.

The album does let up a bit occasionally, as if to let us catch our breath. Can't See (Useless) , which is actually a quite beautiful song, gives way to the ferocious Pedestrian Wolves, another high point on this album of high points. Spider, a relatively low key (for this album) song, leads into War Again and a hot version of I Am The Walrus, and end with Change.

I wonder if Elfman knew he achieved perfection with this album, as he dissolved the band shortly after this was released.

4.5 stars. OINGO BOINGO released a slew of albums in the 80's with that New Wave style at first and plenty of humour of course. Led by orange haired Danny Elfman who plays lead guitar, sings, writes the lyrics and composes much of this. Everyone reading this has heard Danny Elfman's music even if you've never heard OINGO BOINGO before. Yes even you. One fan of this 80's band was Matt Groening who asked Danny about doing the theme song for his show The Simpsons to which Elfman agreed, that was followed by doing some Tim Burton films like Edward Scissorhands and The Nightmare Before Christmas which Danny was working on at the same time as he was working on this record "Boingo".

And that could have influeced "Boingo" as we get a darker vibe and a much heavier sound. Less happy and more sarcastic. It just sounds like a different band and man there are some strong lyrics on this one. This is a long one approaching 80 minutes but it really is Elfman's masterpiece in my opinion. And the final OINGO BOINGO record which just seems fitting being released in 1994. Very political and lots of Biblical/Christian references. He really extends a lot of these passages as well.

Best cover of "I Am The Walrus" that I've heard, very powerful, it's hard not to get into it. The less than a minute followup "Tender Lumplings" is the first shot at straight up humour as opposed to sarcasm etc. It makes me laugh as does those laughing sections on that 16 minute closer where it's like we're at a party with many being laughing without restraint and I have to join in. An interesting track and not a favourite but when you have yodeling and that much laughter I'm in.

This is serious music though for the most part and the rhythm section is great giving us that heavy sound. Plenty of horns at times I mean this is a large band and we do get some guests adding backing vocals and some strings. "War Again" is a biting commentary on those smart bombs back in the day. This rocks hard and sarcasm abounds. The wordless vocals remind me of U2. "Can't See(Useless)" is one of the lighter tunes but it works. Catchy stuff but it's useless. The first three tracks really lay the groundwork for what is to follow, the story telling of "Mary" and the attitude on "Insanity" along with the catchy "Hey" and those backing vocals that sound so good. Even some brief RED HOT CHILE PEPPERS- like vocals that come and go.

This is the OINGO BOINGO record that caught my fancy, it's a keeper. Much respect Mr. Elfman.