DARK AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL

I've heard people describe this album as one of the darker albums in the Oingo Boingo catalog. That this album demonstrates what Danny Elfman had learned from his movie soundtrack career. These people must not have listened to this album. The first two tracks show a bit of promise. When The Lights Go Out is a pleasant, but unrewarding track, like a lesser version of Elevator Man or Gratitude. Skin is a bit dark, with lyrics about peeling away one's skin. But musically, like most of Elfman's songs in those years, it is just not up to the standards he had set early on. Out Of Control is where the album veers completely off track. From the title, one would expect a rollicking explosion of energy, and wild lyrics. At best, this sounds like one of those dismal 80's teen pop wastes of time that might fill up space in one of those horrid Molly Ringwald films. The remainder of the album has Elfman running on cruise control, wasting our time and his band's talents with various styles of vapid pop. The only redeeming facet is a weird saxophone solo in Run Away. This really seemed to be the end of the road for this once amazing band. Who would expect that their next album, their final studio work, would outdo anything they had previously recorded?