Boingo

Like the CD version of this album, it is incomplete. The cassette (yeah, I’m SERIOUSLY dating myself here) release had the WONDERFUL studio version of “Helpless,” an original song that dated back to the Mystic Knights days. I burned my cassette copy onto a CD years ago but decided to take a look at the digital release, thinking I may find a crisper copy of it, but alas, no… With “Helpless", I’d have given this a 5 star rating.

I've loved Boingo my whole life and recently I finnally got around to listening to their final album. Some credit this album to be genius. I found it a tad disappointing. I know Danny was getting bored of the typical synth dance sound the band was going for, but that's what I want to hear when listening to Boingo. It's not a bad album, actually it's pretty decent. Just not what you'd expect (or maybe hope for).

This was my first Oingo Boingo disc I bought. Actually, I got it on tape, wore it out, and then bought it on cd. Out of all their releases, this one sounds like it came from a completely different band than from the crazy, pop injected albums they are known for. That being said, it took me a bit longer to appreciate the early albums. There's not a bad cut on this last album. The only complaint is not getting "Helpless" on here (it was available on tape only). "Change", "Can't See", "Spider", "Insanity", "War Again"... I've used just about each song on here for a mix at one time or another. This album got some stupid reviews when it was released, when it should have won Grammys. The level of songwriting and musicianship here should be studdied by music schools in the future. This album was Boingo's culmination of years of writing and playing; in reality, their farewell to being a band in the music biz. Oingo Boingo was one of the greatest bands to come out of the 80's, do yourself a favor and buy all their albums.

Danny Elfman is one of musics greatest talents all around and in a class all his own, I caught this and several other of his performances, this one at the Alladin in Las Vegas and as always it was absolutely outstanding. I personally do not feel he can be compared with any other music, or performance, I truly miss his live performances and completely twisted smooth hard driving theatrical way of communicating the reality of the world through his performance and lyrics. Obviously a musical master with angles and layers others haven't a clue regarding access! I understand the hard reality of the affects that took a tole on him with hearing damage from excessively loud stage shows from his required position front and center, I only wish there was some way to avoid the harsh damage he endured thus allowing him with his all star cast to continue pounding out the groove with that chunk of himself he was never shy about giving to the public through his live performance. A true master of music, and the performance, loved and missed always! Anything he has done is beyond Platinum.

"Boingo" was a death knoll for Oingo Boingo in so many ways. It was the best kind of one, as it wasn't the work of musicians who were artistically spent and turned out a half hearted effort. Rather it was the work of Danny Elfman's other career as a film composer completely taking over his work as a pop music performer. To be sure, Oingo Boingo's work was always a little weird. Yet however weird it was, it was a fun escapist affair where everyone could have a good laugh at the end of the day. So "Boingo" might come as a surprise. "Insanity" is Danny Elfman's orchestral world taking grasp. The music is reminiscent of his work on the Batman score while the lyrics combine paranoia and political caution. "Hey" is an alt rocker that is no less Elfman as it does it's hard to soft shifts. Then there's the Beatles influence. Those who were listening to Elfman's soundtrack work at the time would find a little guitar weaved into heavy orchestral pieces, as in "Mary" and "Useless." Despite Elfman's orchestral roots, these songs are more rooted in Sgt. Pepper era Beatles, upon Elfman's own admission. "Mary" plays out like a slower Eleanor Rigby in many ways. "Pedestrian Wolves" is fun, but at 9 minutes drags a little bit. "Lost Like This" sounds like early pre MCA Oingo Boingo. Do a little research and you'll find this is an old track from about 82 that really hasn't changed much from demo form. "Spider" might be the most accessible track on the album. It's a little more upbeat and fun, though not quite in the same vein as their earlier work. "War Again" is another political song, preaching about desynsetization of violence of war. Elfman has fun with this track and his performance is equally commanding as it is sarcastic. Then more Beatles influence with a fairly straight cover of "I am the Walrus," fading into the Mystic Knights relic "Tender Lumplings." Then there's, what is to me, the album's centerpiece - "Change." It's epic and not just because of it's 16 minute length. It's a fun expansive piece that really shows the musicians in the band for what they were - true talent. Elfman goes from pop lyrics to vocal effects while the boingo boys jam and never become uninteresting. The end track was probably a suggestion of what was next - a little change. The band would end, and with this album it's with a bang. This was Elfman's opus and swan song for his band, encompassing his work as orchestral composer and pop song composer. We will never hear anything like it again, sadly...

I wish Elfman and Bartek would put out another pop record. This thing came out 15 years ago...can you believe it's been that long? This album is a transitional masterpiece from Oingo Boingo to the film scoring world and it makes me long for more.

I thought I'd write a review because there's one key thing about this album none of the reviews address. Elfman had been doing Oingo Boingo for a few years before he began composing movie scores. His star has faded a bit in the last decade, but in the late 80's - through much of the 90's he was one of the very biggest, busiest composer's working. Up until this album, he had made a point of not letting his composing work cross over into his Oingo Boingo work (Elfman effectively was Oingo Boingo- he wrote pretty much everything for that band as well and his band mates were pretty much hired musicians). With this final Boingo studio album he finally decided to let his two musical worlds mix together and see what the result would be (he also fired half the band for this one). The results are simply stunning, and it's a shame he only did this the one time. Most people will agree that this album is totally different than the bands body of work. Some love it for this reason, some hate it. The thing people forget is that the general consensus was that Oingo Boing had been slowly sliding down hill for years, sounding safer, more commercial, and arguably more bland. The band (and the man) who would right such edgey frightening songs as (I like) Little Girls and Nasty Habbits had long ago been replaced by a band that was getting dangerously close to adult contemporary. Slowly Elfman's biting sarcasm and uncomfortable humor had been becoming more and more gentle and benign. The people that call this album dark are really forgetting where it all started. Musically it was a whole new animal (and a brave, jaw dropping one), but lyrically this was the closest he'd been in a very long time to where he started. (also of note- the Farewell live album includes 5 (or 4 if you're lucky enough to have the tape only track helpless) additional tracks written for this album that were ultimately not released. Helpless and Water are both show stoppers stronger than many of the cuts on here, their omission was criminal. Piggy, Clowns of Death, and Burn Me Up are fun but ultimitely don't amount to much.)

This is an amazing album, although it should be warned that it sounds unlike any previous Boingo. Marvelously dark, far more mature than the albums before it, and undeniably catchy, Boingo is one of Oingo Boingo's best records, up there with Nothing To Fear and Only a Lad. Not the best starter, but a nesecity for Oingo Boingo fans, Danny Elfman fans, and fans of dark music.

I'm surprised that none of the reviews mention the really neat sort of Beatles sound that seems to be going on with this album. They do a cover of I Am The Walrus, but most of the album, especially the last song, has a bit of a Beatles (later, Seargent Peppers era) kick to it. I love it the most!

A fitting end to one of the best bands of all time. Oingo Boingo will live on, but only in the true fans of this album. I only wish that iTunes would let us download 'Helpless'...