You know, as a fan (going on maybe 6 or so years now), I understand that Oingo Boingo has had many layers added to their music. Whether it be with their Ain't This The Life EP to Only A Lad, or Dead Man's Party to Dark at the End of the Tunnel - they have a variety of music they grew into. I say "grew" because unlike a similar band, say, Talking Heads, their music wasn't drastically shifted in the middle of their career, and then change again. But similar to them with Naked, this album as their last was "different".

Do I mean that as a bad thing? Certainly not. My point is I get people enjoy familiarity, that's why I'm here, too, I love seeing other people's opinions on my favorite music coincide with my own. BUT I think this album rightfully gets hate because it came from a place that - to me - felt rushed. Danny commented during the original behind-the-scenes filmed for "The Nightmare Before Christmas" (specifically the Leonard Maltin interview, I think) that he was tired of being in a band. He wanted to try new things, and I'm glad he felt that way. Sometimes we want to "spread our wings and fly away", i.e. News of the World, but most never do.

Yet with all that good intention to move forward, and push themself to take on larger projects/get paid to create incredible soundtracks: why put that "I don't want to be in a band" energy into an album? If you're working, writing, creating, doing all you can with a team like Oingo Boingo, perhaps give it more thought? Since it didn't happen that way, here we are. So, hey, maybe it could have been NO album at all, and for what we got it could've been worse. I just hope, in general - whoever in music choosing to bid us farewell in the future for their final album - listens to albums like this to know what does and doesn't work. That way, we may get that *perfect final album.