Monday, January 14, 2019

The 1983 Listening Post - The Tubes - Outside Inside

The Tubes - Outside Inside


March 4 1983
The Tubes
Outside Inside
4.7 out of 5
Highlights:
She’s a Beauty
No Not Again
Out of the Business
The Monkey Time
Tip of My Tongue
Okay. So I have a very soft spot for these guys. I loved Completion Backwards Principle so much that I couldn’t even bring myself to buy this when it came out for fear of disappointment. And then I was sort of annoyed that they broke big because proprietary fandom and that kind of shit.
Their 1970s output left me wanting and it’s saddening that, as they were mastering the pop music landscape they fell under the weight of their own worst impulses with Love Bomb and implied. But this is a high point. However, Allmusic is right when they say that, if Remote Control/Young & Rich/White Punks on Dope theatrical experience Tubes is what you are looking for, this will probably be a let down. On the other had, if what you want is a solid set of songs for your party, this won’t disappoint. And for the former there’s still “Wild Women of Wongo” stuff & the Prairie Prince spotlight “Drums” (and those will also work for your shindig)
This album is the inverse of that Zappa album. Some of it is determinedly adolescent (Never been too cunning, I’m no linguist) but where Frank has no one in charge to control his basest instincts, Foster is the adult in the room (along with some Toto guys) so it never fully devolves beyond a smirk.
A lot must be said for David Foster’s production which is clear, radio friendly, shiny and bright. He lets each member shine on the tracks and somehow proves Fee to be some kind of actual vocalist. Extra points for Martha Davis appearance on “The Monkey Time”.

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