The story of DEVO is one of art and protest. For many, it doesn’t feel this way; the band’s one enduring hit seems to be, on its surface, one of their silliest. An uptempo hit with nonsense lyrics encouraging people to solve their issues by “whipping it,” it also satirizes late-’70s and early-’80s American optimism and commercialism. In this way, DEVO have always been a band of truth-tellers and soothsayers, of confrontational art and societal warnings. As such, DEVO’s initial mainstream success is pretty amazing — and, less surprisingly, their success has endured.
DEVO, documentarian Chris Smith’s new work chronicling the band’s five-decade history, seeks not only to tell their story, but to capture their entire vibe and present it to audiences old and new alike.
Link: https://exclaim.ca/film/article/devo-netflix-documentary-film-review
DEVO Are Fearlessly Unique, but Their Netflix Documentary Isn’t | Exclaim!
