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Description
**Devo's *Freedom of Choice* (1980)** stands as the band's most realized and magnetically percolating album, a clean-shaved reclamation of their oddball vision paired with their most dedicatedly electronic output yet. Emerging from the Akron, Ohio avant-garde underground, Devo crafted a record that finally translated their live, un-prissy, primal stage sound to vinyl for the first time-a genuine triumph after two previous Warner Bros. releases that had been heavily steered by producers unable to grasp their de-evolutionary aesthetic. [^1]
Produced by Robert Margouleff, the TONTO's Expanding Head Band synth pioneer and Stevie Wonder's funk architect, the record successfully shifted Devo toward an R&B-funk framework without sacrificing their rhythmic oddity. The album paired Devo's oddball vision of America-inspired by Norman Vincent Peale's *The Power of Positive Thinking* and Thomas Pynchon's *Gravity's Rainbow*-with their most sophisticated electronic production to date [^1]. The title track itself showcases the band's signature off-putting, askew rhythms and discordant guitars, while "Whip It" was originally conceived as a campaign song for Jimmy Carter's second presidential run before exploding as a top-20 Billboard hit [^1].
Critically, *Freedom of Choice* represents the moment Devo stopped bending to major-label expectations and began recording the album they actually wanted. Margouleff, a highly respected synth pioneer, created a good atmosphere where the band could play live together again, unlike the metronome-dictated sessions of their previous album under Ken Scott. The record's melodic bass runs without eschewing rhythmic weirdness, making it Devo's biggest commercial success while still satisfying their artistic vision [^1].
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[^1]: Magnet Magazine, "MAGNET Classics: The Making Of Devo's 'Freedom Of Choice'", December 15, 2016 - detailed account of the album's production, production history, and Margouleff's contribution to the record's funk direction.
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