Sound: B Performance: B-

Oingo Boingo Like Rodney Dangerfield, Oingo Boingo has often had trouble when it comes to respect. Under the direction of frontman/singer/songwriter Danny Elfman, the band's tight, energetic presentation has usually been written off as uncontrolled mania.

Their wry social commentary has been called adolescent pathology, and the fact that their music is rooted in an inventive blend of rock, R & B, jazz, reggae, and Balinese and West African music is consistently overlooked. The big question of whether this band can ever rocket off its plateau probably depends on the reception of Boi-ngo, their fifth album in seven years.

With a cast of sidemen seemingly chosen for their eccentric looks as much as for their musical ability, Elfman rips through the nine songs of Boi-ngo with fierce determination and creative breadth that is reminiscent of early Steely Dan. Throughout, careful production adds an extra dimension to songs such as the a cappella-rich "Where Do All My Friends Go"; the stop-and-go, punching "New Generation," and one of the best pop songs I've ever heard, the sober but sweet "We Close Our Eyes."