Release Date: 11/27/2026

Devo Marries Gritty Guitars with Expansive Keyboard Canvasses on Duty Now for the Future: Transitional Album Furthers the Band's Satirical Stance, Includes Cover of "Secret Agent Man" Hear the 1979 Record in Audiophile-Grade Sound: Mobile Fidelity's Numbered-Edition Hybrid SACD Plays with Vibrant Clarity and Detail "Pop music needs a big enema." Devo created Duty Now for the Future with that mission statement, relayed to the press by cofounding bassist/vocalist Gerald Casale, in mind. Though unfairly pegged by some as an example of the common sophomore slump, the record spurred the group's interest in electronic instrumentation, extended it's penchant for biting social satire, and contained another transformative cover song in the form of "Secret Agent Man." Above all, the 1979 work proved the Ohio pranksters were anything but a joke even if they would have to wait one more year until for their mainstream breakthrough. Sourced from the original master tapes, mastered by engineer Rob LoVerde, and housed in mini-LP-style gatefold packaging, Mobile Fidelity's numbered-edition hybrid SACD presents Duty Now for the Future in audiophile-grade sound. Though certain band members later expressed regret with some of his decisions, the merits of Ken Scott's production emerge like never before. Guitars possess punch and grit and, along with the crisp arrangements, are sharpened with an ear toward accuracy and vibrancy. It all helps give the 1979 effort a direct immediacy that answers the complaints of listeners who felt the affair too processed or sterilized. Dig in. Numbered Hybrid Stereo SACD NUMBERED SPECIAL EDITION