Oingo Boingo
Dead Man's Party
MCA Records
252 709-1
(1985)
Rock/Pop
LP, 9
Tracks, 41:45
Length
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01 |
Just Another Day |
Danny Elfman |
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05:10 |
02 |
Dead Man's Party |
Danny Elfman |
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06:17 |
03 |
Heard Somebody Cry |
Danny Elfman |
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04:40 |
04 |
No One Lives Forever |
Danny Elfman |
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04:13 |
05 |
Stay |
Danny Elfman |
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03:35 |
06 |
Fool's Paradise |
Danny Elfman |
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04:33 |
07 |
Help Me |
Danny Elfman |
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03:44 |
08 |
Same Man I Was Before |
Danny Elfman |
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03:23 |
09 |
Weird Science |
Danny Elfman |
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06:10 |
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Packaging |
Standard LP sleeve |
Sound |
Stereo |
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Vocals |
Danny Elfman |
Guitar |
Steve Bartek |
Bass |
John Avila |
Keyboards |
Mike Bacich |
Drums |
Johnny "Vatos" Hernandez |
Saxophone |
Sam "Sluggo" Phipps |
Saxophone |
Leon Schneiderman |
Trumpet |
Dale Turner |
Musician |
Oingo Boingo |
Producer |
Danny Elfman; Steve Bartek |
Engineer |
Bill Jackson |
Mixed By |
Michael Frondelli |
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Index |
#
2368 |
Owner |
Dave |
Tags |
New Wave, Synth Pop |
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Returning after a two-year recording hiatus (during which bandleader Danny Elfman recorded a solo album), Oingo Boingo forsook the excesses of smart-aleck humor and quirky production that had led critics almost universally to dismiss the band's first four albums. The sound is still maybe just a bit too uptight and over-determined, but the horn charts are more focused and sophisticated, and Elfman has matured considerably as a lyricist. Alongside such typically oddball fare as the title track and a surprise hit song called "Weird Science" are the faintly paranoid "Just Another Day" and the frankly romantic "Stay," as well as a glorious Motown tribute called "Help Me." But "Weird Science" is what really brings things to a close with a bang -- though it reverts somewhat to the band's earlier indulgence in wacka-wacka sound effects and willfully crazy production technique, it's also one of Boingo's most satisfying pop songs ever. Overall, this is perhaps the first Oingo Boingo album to hang together really well as a whole. Recommended. -- Rick Anderson (allmusic.com)