This was the first rock album I ever bought, on cassette when I was eight years old. Twenty-three years later, I got the longing and picked up this CD. It is as brilliant and relevant today as it was then. Oingo Boingo had some of the most intelligent and entertaining lyrics of any band I've ever heard. Elfman's style of addressing serious subjects with wicked humor shaped my attitudes growing up, opening my mind to other acts such as George Carlin and eventually Southpark and the Simsons. The music influenced whole movements and subgenres. The Ska revival of the 90's probably would have never happened if not for Oingo Boingo. This album along with 'Good for Your Soul' are my undisputed favorites of the post-punk period. Highlights on this recording are "Grey Matter", a song which everybody should hear and think about, as well as the title track "Nothing to Fear", and "Islands". Rock music lost a giant when Danny Elfman got worried about hearing loss and decided to go exclusively with orchestra music.
June 24, 2008 |  | Nothing To Fear And Nothing To Lose |  |
This is Oingo Boingo's second release. And there is a difference here.Danny Elfman's clever songwriting is still as intact as ever except the sound is a lot less guitar oriented then it was on Only a Lad-replaced with more emphasis on the horn section and the then new bass sounds from the DX7 synthezier. So all it really ammounts to is the adaptation of the more techno-informed variety of new wave. There's also a stronger overall sense of the groove on this recorded with the playful "Insects" and the catchy "Running On A Treadmill" containing a lot of funk and a lot of guitar distortion. The best way to hear where all these sound elements came with the title song,an Oingo Boingo favorite with a funky 80's dance piece that,except for the distortion towards the middle is coming close to the sound the band would achieve on their popular hit "Weird Science" from their Dead Man's Party album. What dominates this album is more of Danny's musical luncacy-meaning:each songs stretch and split from one vein into another quicker then you can snap your fingers. "Islands" take the whole affair to a much more traditional "rock haunted house" feel Oingo Boingo are famous for going for. The album closes with the almost Devo-esque "Reptiles And Samurai",which makes sense because Oingo Boing and Devo both come from the same era and share certain things in common-like a fondness for quirkiness. Whatever way you cut it 'Nothing To Fear' is a great album from the 80's and since it's available at a discount price this is more then worth picking up!
December 13, 2007 | | Still good after twenty-five years. | |
OK. Not all the tunes are stellar hits, but the DO all sound good. Oingo Boingo and Danny Elfman/Richard Elfman virtually invented Ska. Unlike so many other inventors; however, they never stopped exploring and creating.
The engineering on this album is amazing. Very clear, very sharp, beautifully edited and mastered. It's a true joy to listen to.
The only reason I didn't give a five is there are better, if only slightly, Oingo Boingo albums.
Danny. We here in L.A. miss your annual Halloween parties.
June 8, 2007This is my favorite album from one of my favorite bands. Grey Matter is an outstanding song and I love Private Life. This is a must buy for any music lover.
February 16, 2007| | | Oingo Boingo's best, and a best of the '80s | |
For a short time in the early '80s, Oingo Boingo was right up there with the premier bands of the time. Their infectious grooves, incredible soundscapes and Danny Elfman's wacky vocal stylings dripped with their unique blend of genres infused with a bit of something nobody will ever be able to put their finger on much less duplicate. There just aren't that many bands that can inject so many different sounds into their music without it becoming bloated. With Oingo Boingo, though, every sound has its place and none detract from the overall feel of the music.
If you think you've heard Oingo Boingo but you've never heard this album (or Good For Your Soul), you really haven't heard Oingo Boingo. If you know nothing about Oingo Boingo, start here. This is by and far the best album to start with to get the Oingo Boingo firehose pointed in your face. Good For Your Soul (their next release) is also extremely good, though.
Nothing To Fear is quite possibly one of the best releases of any bands in the 1980s. There just isn't a weak song here. Give it a critical listen. Give it several listens, because it'll be a long time before you get to the point where you listen to it and *don't* hear something you never heard before. It's the gift that keeps on giving; an all-time classic!
January 11, 2006More reviews at Amazon.com ...
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