Smooth Noodle Maps

Smooth Noodle Maps is the eighth studio album by the American new wave band Devo. It was originally released in June 1990 and would be their last album released through Enigma. The album was recorded over a period of three months between October 1989 and January 1990, at Master Control Studios, in Burbank, California. Smooth Noodle Maps was Devo's last full-length studio album until the release of Something for Everybody in 2010, as well as the last Devo studio album to feature David Kendrick on drums. The album includes a cover version of Bonnie Dobson's song "Morning Dew," transformed into a dance song.

Smooth Noodle Maps
Studio album by
Devo
ReleasedJune 1990
RecordedOctober 1989 – January 1990
StudioMaster Control Studios, Burbank, California
Genre
Length34:28
LabelEnigma
ProducerDevo
Devo chronology
Now It Can Be Told: DEVO at the Palace
(1989)		 Smooth Noodle Maps
(1990)		 Hardcore Devo: Volume One
(1990)
Singles from Smooth Noodle Maps
  1. "Stuck in a Loop"
    Released: June 1990
  2. "Post Post-Modern Man"
    Released: October 1990

Despite initial negative reception of the album, "Post Post-Modern Man" hit #7 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart for the week of August 11, 1990[1] and #26 on Billboard's Hot Dance/Club Play chart for the week of September 29, 1990.[2]

In 2019, Futurismo Inc. issued a two-disc deluxe edition of Smooth Noodle Maps, on both CD and vinyl formats. The double CD set comes housed in a digipak[3] while the double LP comes in three vinyl color variations.[4][5][6] Both formats include gatefold sleeves with die-cut windows and changeable covers, a fold-out poster and liner notes from band member Gerald Casale.

Album title

The album title refers to a kind of discrete mathematical system—a noodle map—which may exhibit chaotic behavior, similar to the standard map. The adjective smooth refers to the lack of kinks or discontinuities. This is referenced in the song "Devo Has Feelings Too," which includes the lyric, "snake through the chaos with a smooth noodle map."

Artwork and packaging

The front cover of the record (and the fold-out of the CD version) featured the members of the band emerging from a strange circle. The liner notes from the "Post Post-Modern Man" single revealed that the circle is actually a computer simulation of the planet Jupiter. This image of Jupiter was provided by Philip Marcus and Nicholas Socci.

Smooth Noodle Maps was also issued on limited edition red vinyl by the Dutch East label.[7]

Promotional music video

Two videos were made for the album's second single, "Post Post-Modern Man." The first, which was directed by Devo co-founder and bassist Gerald Casale and was never officially released, saw the band driving a Lincoln Town Car along the desolate Interstate 10 in Southern California. According to Casale, when the finished video was delivered to Enigma, they demanded the video include March 1990's Playboy Playmate of the Month, Deborah Driggs, in order to make it more marketable. After acquiescing to Enigma's demands, MTV then rejected the video because it used the "Macro Post Modern Mix" of the song instead of the "college alternative track" they wanted to market, as featured on the original album. This resulted in a second video directed by Rocky Schenck, which featured Devo in a spoof of the Home Shopping Network, selling various Devo-related merchandise.[8]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[9]
Robert Christgau[10]

Similar to Devo's two previous albums, critical reviews of Smooth Noodle Maps were largely negative, with Village Voice critic Robert Christgau even awarding the album a "Dud" rating[11][12], which meant he did not write a review to accompany it. In retrospective reviews, AllMusic's Steve Huey noted that while the album was "inconsistent, especially in terms of subject matter, the band does try some new ideas in its arrangements."[13] Similarly, Mark Prindle noted that the album "features newer synths and an attempt to incorporate dance elements into Devo's late-period faceless boring dance-pop, but it's just as hookless, generic and dated as its two predecessors."[14]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale, except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Stuck in a Loop" 3:52
2."Post Post-Modern Man" 2:55
3."When We Do It" 2:57
4."Spin the Wheel" 3:46
5."Morning Dew"Bonnie Dobson3:01
6."A Change Is Gonna Cum" 3:10
7."The Big Picture" 2:45
8."Pink Jazz Trancers" 3:13
9."Jimmy" 2:51
10."Devo Has Feelings Too" 2:40
11."Dawghaus" 3:23
Total length:34:28


1994 Restless Records CD reissue bonus tracks

No.TitleLength
12."Post Post-Modern Man (Macro Post Modern Mix)"3:21
13."Post Post-Modern Man (Neo Post Modern Mix)"6:43
14."Post Post-Modern Man (Ultra Post Modern Mix)"6:14


2019 Futurismo Inc. "Deluxe Edition" bonus disc[3][15]

Tracks 8–14 previously unreleased.

No.TitleLength
1."Stuck in a Loop" (7 Inch Version)3:07
2."Stuck in a Loop" (Club Mix)7:05
3."Stuck in a Loop" (Electro Mix)6:05
4."Stuck in a Loop" (Loop Mix)6:54
5."Post-Post Modern Man" (Neo Post Post-Modern Mix)6:43
6."Post-Post Modern Man" (Pre Post Post-Modern Instrumental)2:46
7."Post-Post Modern Man" (Ultra Post Post-Modern Mix)6:13
8."Post-Post Modern Man" (Demo)2:51
9."Pink Jazz Trancers" (Demo)3:09
10."Listen Little Man" (Instrumental Demo)3:35
11."Morning Dew" (Demo)2:59
12."Devo Has Feelings Too" (Instrumental Demo)2:49
13."When We Do It" (Demo)3:01
14."On the Road With Hercules" (Instrumental Demo)2:21


Tour

Like the Total Devo tour before it, the Smooth Noodle Maps tour saw Devo scaling things back and presenting a very basic set with no complex visuals. The band wore plain white Tyvek shirts and shorts with the Jupiter image from Smooth Noodle Maps on the left breast of the shirt. As in earlier tours, Devo removed their shirts later in the set to reveal solid black T-shirts emblazoned with the band name on the front.[16] The three songs performed from the album were "When We Do It," "Post Post-Modern Man" and "A Change Is Gonna Cum". Prior to the Smooth Noodle Maps tour, Devo had performed "Post Post-Modern Man" and "A Change Is Gonna Cum" as early as October 1989 during the Total Devo tour.

Due to poor ticket sales and the bankruptcy and dissolution of Enigma, who was responsible for organizing and financing the tour, the Smooth Noodle Maps tour had to be cancelled part way through. The final concert of the tour took place at Perkins Palace in Pasadena, California on March 23, 1991. The concert featured a different setlist than other shows on the tour, omitting "Going Under," "Happy Guy," "Post Post-Modern Man," "A Change Is Gonna Cum" and "Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA" and adding "Here to Go" from 1984's Shout (the only time the song was ever played live), as well as older songs "Midget," "Blockhead" and "Be Stiff." This gig also marked the last time Devo played "Midget" until the "Hardcore Devo" tour in 2014, "Be Stiff" until the 2009 Freedom of Choice re-release tour as well as the final performances of "When We Do It" and "Somewhere with Devo". The concert saw Devo don a new look, eschewing the aforementioned white Tyvek shirts and shorts and replacing them with multi-colored leisure suits (as seen in the artwork for the album) as well as red pompadours for the encore.[17]

In an interview for their 1996 computer game Adventures of the Smart Patrol, Mark Mothersbaugh stated, "Around '88, '89, '90 maybe, we did our last tour in Europe, and it was kind of at that point, we were watching This Is Spinal Tap on the bus and said, 'Oh my God, that's our life.' And we just said, 'Things have to change.' So we kind of agreed from there that we wouldn't do live shows anymore." Devo would not perform again until a reunion gig at the Sundance Film Festival of 1996.

Tour setlist
First Leg (1990) Second Leg (1991)
1. "Going Under" 1.Here To Go
2. "Happy Guy"
3. "That's Good" 2. "That's Good"
4. "Jerkin' Back 'N' Forth" 3. "Jerkin' Back 'N' Forth"
5. "When We Do It" 4. "When We Do It"
6. "Girl U Want" 5. "Girl U Want"
7. "Whip It" 6. "Whip It"
8. "Post-Post Modern Man" 7. "Blockhead"
9. "A Change Is Gonna Cum"
10. "Satisfaction" 8. "Be Stiff"
11. "Uncontrollable Urge" 9. "Uncontrollable Urge"
12. "Mongoloid" 10. "Mongoloid"
13. "Gates Of Steel" 11. "Gates Of Steel"
14. "Jocko Homo"
15. "Smart Patrol"
16. "Mr. DNA"
17. "Gut Feeling" 17. "Gut Feeling"
18. "Slap Your Mammy"
Encore
18. "Shout" 19. "Shout"
19. "Something" 20. "Somewhere"
20. "Disco Dancer" 21. "Disco Dancer"
After Show Party End BGM(March 23, 1991)
21. "I Need A Chick" 昴 谷村新司
[18]
Date Venue Notes
September 15, 1990 Paradiso, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
September 16, 1990 Ancienne Belgique, Brussels, Belgium
September 18, 1990 Élysée Montmartre, Paris, France
September 20, 1990 The Voice, Oslo, Norway
September 21, 1990 XL Diskotek, Gothenburg, Sweden
September 22, 1990 Daily's Melody, Stockholm, Sweden Significantly shorter setlist "Post-Post Modern Man" and "A Change Is Gonna Cum" not performed, as well as last 6 songs of the regular set.
September 23, 1990 Västmanlands-Dala Nation, Uppsala Universitet, Uppsala, Sweden Regular setlist performed.
Barowiak, Uppsala, Sweden Short performance, playing "I Need A Chick" from Hardcore Devo, Devo joined by Swedish tribute band the Smart Patrol[19]
September 25, 1990 Saga, Copenhagen, Denmark
September 27, 1990 Docks, Hamburg, Germany
September 28, 1990 Tor 3, Düsseldorf, Germany
September 30, 1990 Metropol, Berlin, Germany
October 1, 1990 Volksbildungsheim, Frankfurt, Germany
October 2, 1990 Theaterfabrik, Munich, Germany
October 3, 1990 Volkshaus, Zurich, Switzerland
October 6, 1990 Arena Auditorium Valencia, Valencia, Spain
October 7, 1990 Universal Sur, Centro Comercial Parquesur, Madrid, Spain
October 10, 1990 Albert Hall, Modena, Italy
October 11, 1990 Rolling Stone Theatre, Milan, Italy
October 14, 1990 L'Aeronef, Lille, France
October 15, 1990 Town and Country Club, London, United Kingdom
October 16, 1990
October 17, 1990 Manchester Academy, Manchester, United Kingdom
December 31, 1990 Pleasure Island, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL The Village People opened.
Second Leg (1991)
February 15, 1991 L.A.C.E. Benefit, Hollywood, CA Ethyl Meatplow opened. The second leg of the tour features an almost entirely new setlist.
March 15, 1991 The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano, CA
March 16, 1991
March 19, 1991 The Strand, Redondo Beach, CA
March 20, 1991
March 21, 1991 Ventura Theatre, Ventura, CA
March 23, 1991 Raymond Theatre, Pasadena, CA Devo's last concert for the next 5 years.

Personnel
Devo
Production team
gollark: Well, apioforms approach you.
gollark: Yes.
gollark: There are not that many active users.
gollark: I don't think you can reasonably blame all the problems on scale.
gollark: Why not just do drums in software?

References
  1. "Alternative Songs: Top Alternative Songs Chart". Billboard.
  2. "Devo Post Post-Modern Man (If I Had A Hammer) Chart History". Billboard.
  3. "DEVO 'Smooth Noodle Maps' 2xCD Digipak". FUTURISMO.
  4. "DEVO 'Smooth Noodle Maps' 2xLP Donut Glaze". FUTURISMO.
  5. "DEVO 'Smooth Noodle Maps' 2xLP Postmodern Chaos". FUTURISMO.
  6. "DEVO 'Smooth Noodle Maps' 2xLP Brain Drain". FUTURISMO.
  7. "Devo - Smooth Noodle Maps". Discogs.
  8. Devo (2003). The Complete Truth About De-evolution (DVD). Rhino Home Video.
  9. Huey, Steve. Review: Smooth Noodle Maps Allmusic. Retrieved May 10, 2019
  10. Christgau, Robert. "Devo". Robert Christgau.
  11. "Robert Christgau: CG: devo". www.robertchristgau.com.
  12. "Robert Christgau: CG 90s: Key to Icons". www.robertchristgau.com.
  13. "Smooth Noodle Maps - Devo | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic.
  14. "Devo". www.markprindle.com.
  15. "Devo - Smooth Noodle Maps". Discogs.
  16. "DEVO 1990 snm tour uk PART1" – via www.youtube.com.
  17. "DEVO - Perkins Palace, Pasadena, California - March 23rd, 1991" – via www.youtube.com.
  18. "DEVO Live Guide - 1989 to 1991". huboon.com. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  19. "Booji Boy's Basement - The Devolved Archives". boojiboysbasement.com. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
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