Duty Now for the Future

Like the debut, the album drew on songs written between 1974 and 1977. Clockout, Timing X and Blockhead were already in the live set by December 1976. Soo Bawls and Gates of Steel were dropped from the planned running order in favor of three new songs by Mark Mothersbaugh: The Day My Baby Gave Me a Surprize, S.I.B. (Swelling Itching Brain) and Triumph of the Will. Bob Mothersbaugh said they had been touring heavily and maybe rushed to get another album out.

Ken Scott, who had worked with Bowie, produced and engineered. Recording began in September 1978, after the first album was out. Synthesizers moved further forward and the guitars were often treated until they no longer sounded like guitars. The cover of Johnny Rivers's Secret Agent Man has a rare lead vocal from Bob Mothersbaugh. Several members were unhappy with the sound afterwards. Casale said Scott wanted something processed while the band wanted something aggressive, and that the band were left out of the final mix.

The cover, designed by Janet Perr from a Devo concept, carries a satirical fake bar code. The album spent ten weeks on the Billboard chart and peaked at number 73. Dave Marsh in Rolling Stone condemned it, while Christgau thought The Day My Baby Gave Me a Surprize and Secret Agent Man as bright as anything on the debut.