Devo 2.0
Devo 2.0, as all the Nickolodeon-watching world knows, is a kiddie spinoff of the original upside-down flower-pot wearing New Wave band. And, as it goes forward and moves ahead with "Whip It" and the 11 other Devo-penned tracks on this audio/video double-disc package, it's ruffling a lot of feathers. New Wave nerds are rightfully leery of the kings of their long-lost scene being kiddified, of course. But maybe more significantly, parents who heaped hosannas on Disney for conceivingHere Come the ABCs,the 2005 They Might be Giants masterpiece, can't help feeling like this left turn ought to be greeted with a failure-to-signal citation. "That's Good," no matter how compellingly it's sung by cute tween frontgirl Nicole, is no "E Eats Everything," after all. And though there's no shortage of message songs here--check the revamped "Through Being Cool" and "The Winner," one of two new Devo-penned tracks--any learning going on as a result  of this disc is strictly a geek-chic side effect. But that's not to say Devo 2.0 isn't a whole heap of fun, or that Disney, with this first outing on its Disney Sound imprint, isn't onto something.2.0,more than anything, is the anti-Kidz Bop: here are five kids, ages 10 to 13, deeply in touch with their dorky sides in the same way their weirdly dressed mentors were, and here are five kids who can sing with distinction. Add to that the danceability of these tracks, and all the naysaying seems baselessly grouchy. Spin it  and see if you don't find yourself singing a different tune--one with "bring on the Go-Gos" in it. They're Disney Sound's next signing, and they'll undergo the same kids-take-the-mike treatment.--Tammy La Gorce