Remote Control is the sixth album from The Tubes, and sees them moving away from the shock rock era of White Punks On Dope, to a more sophisticated new wave/pop outfit. This could have a lot to do with the production of Todd Rundgren. Remote Control is a concept album loosely based on the book, Being There. All the efforts went into the songs and the melodies, as Side 1 is full of them, with the opening salvo of Turn Me On, TV is King, and Prime Time all are Top 40 material.
I’ve always liked this album, and if you were around at the time it all made perfect sense. Fee Waybill was an incredible front man and focal point for the band, so I guess it was only natural it all became about him. Side 2 starts with the instrumental Getoverture, and then it all trundles along nicely until album closer Telecide, which is about as edgy as this album gets. Side 2 is not living up to Side 1 (there’s a surprise eh folks?).
Not a bad look back into Tubes circa 1979 so it gets a 6.5/10 from The Grooveman.
