Vinyl Reports

In August 1978, Akron, Ohio’s groundbreaking conceptual art rock band Devo released their Warner Bros. debut, which boldly posed the compelling Island of Lost Souls-inspired title: Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! Soon followed by their jaw-dropping appearance on Saturday Night Live in October 1978 — a still stunning, Picasso-esque, angular performance that included a robotic deconstruction of The Rolling Stones’ June 1965 smash hit, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” — Devo arrived fully formed as a politically keen, socially aware, and resonantly rocking apex challenge to the bloated music scene of the times.

A near-impossible-to-categorize spikey musical projectile landing well beyond the walls of punk and new wave, Devo’s debut LP became a bullet that ricocheted through popular culture in a way that is still resonating its influence to this day. Over the years, there have been a multitude of vinyl reissues of Are We Not Men?, but none have really done musical justice to this Brian Eno-produced recording until Rhino High Fidelity’s new remastered 180g 1LP version that came out on December 12, 2025 — the subject of today’s review.

The first time I heard of Devo was indeed when they made that abovementioned 1978 SNL appearance — a live performance that remains completely spellbinding, even to this day. Like many fans of the emergent new-wave movement, I immediately went out and got a copy of Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! on vinyl, and it quickly became essential listening. Very much a part of the soundtrack of my late high school and college years, Devo went on to become dance-floor favorites in the 1980s, with quirky-fun mainstream hits like “Whip It.” (Footnote 1) But it’s still that first album that remains an iconic fan favorite.

Unfortunately, over the years, Are We Not Men? has not been treated with the sort of love and care that I personally think it always deserved, given that it was produced by none other than Brian Eno. I have owned many editions of this album, and none have been entirely satisfying — and, in fact, some have been downright disappointing. This new remaster from Rhino’s Hi-Fi Series goes a long way to correcting those years of oversight.

Checking out the DNA-related stats from official press materials for this new edition of Are We Not Men?, we know that the album’s lacquers were created (i.e., cut) from the original analog master tapes by Kevin Gray of Cohearant Audio. The album has been pressed on 180g black vinyl at Optimal in Germany. The Rhino Hi-Fi Series edition of Are We Not Men? comes in a limited numbered edition of 5,000 copies, has an SRP of $39.98, and can be purchased exclusively at the official Rhino.com site store here.

What I find so amazing about Are We Not Men? is how it effortlessly it rides the rails between progressive art rock, power pop, punk, and just good old rock & roll without careening off its tracks. Some of this music is downright mind-bending in ways that I suspect Captain Beefheart might have appreciated, and yet it remains endlessly inspiring and timeless in its approach and sound. I’ll put it this way: If you played this album for somebody who has never heard it before, I suspect they’d be surprised to learn it was made some 50-plus years ago!

To that, in the album’s official press release, Devo co-founder Gerald Casale discusses not only the impact Brian Eno had on their music, but he also effectively echoes my sentiment about this music’s timelessness: “Brian had ‘evolved’ to nuanced electronic beauty. He was attempting to broaden our aesthetic, and we were trying to double down on our Brutalist leanings.” Despite the head-butting, Casale notes they “captured the Devo meta-concept in a way that has withstood the test of time. Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! doesn’t sound like 1978. It doesn’t sound like punk. It doesn’t sound like it’s ‘of its time’ in any way.”

I also appreciate the new deluxe edition cover for Are We Not Men that now repurposes the original album’s inner sleeve as gatefold artwork. The album’s heavyweight cardboard tip-on style cover is super deluxe with glossy, laminated cover art — think Blue Note Tone Poet or Verve Acoustic Sounds reissue style — and it looks fantastic. The disc itself comes housed in Rhino’s now-standard black, plastic-lined, audiophile-grade inner sleeve.

The new edition of Are We Not Men also includes a booklet with a wonderful essay from Casale, explaining how the album came together — including their interactions with David Bowie — as well as some fun photos from the period.

An included photo of the original master tape box (as shown above) raises an exciting question. Just under where it says, “Orig. Master,” there is a scribbled, encircled phrase, “do not use,” which is followed by a line that reads, “See EQ Master + EQDC For All Work.” We have inquired the Devo PR team as to whether this means that this new edition might have been cut from (potentially) an earlier master tape that, in theory, might be a generation less than a EQ’d work copy, but we have yet to hear back on that. If that is indeed the case, it is quite possibly a very good thing indeed, especially from an audiophile perspective — and if we do find out any further details about it, we’ll certainly let you know. [Update, 01.13.2026: We just heard back from Devo’s PR, who passed along the following statement that they received directly from Devo’s team — and they said, quote: “The note implies that this tap is a flat master, which is preferable to the EQ for cutting.”]

But for now, we can certainly attest that this new Hi-Fi edition sounds quite excellent — fantastic, even! I’ve been very pleased with my new copy of Are We Not Men?, which is perfectly well-centered, completely quiet, and all-around a high-quality stereophonic listening experience. The stereo separation is more refined than any version I remember hearing over the years — and it’s certainly better than the 2009 yellow vinyl standard-weight edition, which itself was an improvement over my late-1970s-era U.S. pressing of the album that, as I remember it, was a bit off-center. (Footnote 2) The music here sounds fat and crisp, but is not overly bright.

Mark Mothersbaugh’s vocals on “Praying Hands” (Side 1, Track 3) are super-resonant in a deep bath of reverb that I never fully appreciated before. The guitar separation on both “Jocko Homo” (Side 1, Track 6) and “Too Much Paranoias” (Side 2, Track 1) is spectacular. Fans of the vintage “Stereo Action” records that RCA put out back the 1950s will certainly enjoy the synthesizer flourishes swirling across the soundstage. Also be sure to dig those overdriven, wrenching, distorted guitars toward the end of “Gut Feeling (Slap Your Mammy)” (Side 2, Track 2)! I even felt a little chill scoot down my spine upon hearing (I assume) Mothersbaugh’s screams toward the end of this song. The backing vocals are super-clear too.

Another great detail worth noting about Are We Not Men? is that most of it was recorded in the studio of Kraftwerk founder — and Krautrock production legend — Conny Plank in Neunkirchen (according to the new liner notes), which is somewhere near Köln, Germany (according to original album’s back cover copy). Effectively recorded in a barn that had been converted into a studio — the instrument isolation “booths” were reportedly former pigsties! — there is a certain rich angularity to this music that feels utterly appropriate, and it all comes across clearer than ever in this new Rhino Hi-Fi edition.

All in all, I am utterly pleased with this new Rhino High Fidelity Series reissue of Devo’s Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! The music, of course, ranks an easy 10, and I’m happy to give the sound a 10 as well. This is the best version of Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! I have heard to date. Could there be a better incarnation someday? Sure, especially if the powers that be develop a 45rpm 2LP option or even a One-Step version at some point in the future. In the meantime, I suspect most audiophile-leaning Devo fans will develop an uncontrollable urge to purchase this new 10/10 ranked edition — just as they should.

Author bio: Mark Smotroff is an avid vinyl collector who has also worked in marketing communications for decades. He has reviewed music for eCoustics, among others, and you can see more of his impressive C.V. at LinkedIn.

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Footnote 1: AP editor Mike Mettler adds: “Whip It,” of course, is the No. 14-charting hit single from Devo’s third, and quite stellar May 1980 LP on Warner Bros., Freedom of Choice, which itself saw a most excellent Rhino Hi-Fi series release in May 2024 that I would rate 10.5 for the Music, and 10.5 for the Sound.

Footnote 2: My copy of the yellow-vinyl Warner Bros.-via-Rhino 2009 edition of Are We Not Men? sounds better than my overplayed 1978 original — especially all the whooshing effects and ping-ponging synths on “Shrivel-Up” (Side 2, Track 5) — and although I do also have the picture disc Rhino/Warner RSD edition from 2018, I’ve yet to play it. Looks pretty, though.

DEVO
Q: ARE WE NOT MEN? A: WE ARE DEVO!
180g 1LP (Warner Records/Primary Wave/Rhino)
MUSIC: 10
SOUND: 10

Original album produced by Brian Eno
Original album recorded primarily at Conny’s Studio, Köln, Germany (with two songs recorded at Different Fur Studios, San Francisco)
Original album mixed at Conny’s Studio
Original album engineered by Conny Planck and David Hutchins
Lacquers cut from original analog master tapes by Kevin Gray, Cohearant Audio
Pressed at Optimal, in Germany

Side 1
1. Uncontrollable Urge
2. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
3. Praying Hands
4. Space Junk
5. Mongoloid
6. Jocko Homo

Side 2
1. Too Much Paranoias
2. Gut Feeling / (Slap Your Mammy)
3. Come Back Jonee
4. Sloppy (I Saw My Baby Gettin’)
5. Shrivel-Up