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Tina went to the Lady’s room
Saw written on the wall
“If you’d like a very nice time
Just give this number a call”
It was 6060-842
606, and I’m waiting for you
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The B-52’s always kind of made me feel silly. They were campy, outlandish, and a lot of people didn’t really take them seriously, and I was the kind of kid who needed to have some sort of merit in what he listened to (Spicemania not included), so I never really appreciated their brand of awkward pop music. But years later, in this Internet Generation with Last.FM, iPods, and the digital revolution, I got an earful of Funplex, a good-time party record that I got really into, thus pushing me into a world of bee-hives and outlandish retro clothing. They were new wave; they were punk; they were pop; they were a mess of things, but mostly, they weren’t afraid to do whatever they hell they wanted. Though the band is now a quartet, they started out as a five piece rock band with a unique outlook on music. In the 70s, role models were slim. You could look up to the numerous disco wannabes who tried oh so hard to be Donna Summer and Chic, or you could look to the punk scene, which was severly waning. Taking a severe page from a rough-cut era of Blondie and then serving it up with a hefty dose of 60s inspiration, The B-52’s released their eponymous debut record in 1979 to lukewarm sales and an underground success. The sound of the record was interesting, and I don’t think people knew what to do with it.

Musically, there was a summery vibe to it that made it all the more effective. On this record, they were able to tape into an interesting place that made them sound raw as well as polished. With a surfer-rock edge to the tappered music, The B-52’s is an album that certainly makes quite the splash. Instantly, they threw it all out in front of everybody’s faces, experimenting with a B-Movie quality and solidiying themselves as a good-time party band that made music to dance to, though it was still rock music. Classified as new wave, it has a more rock sound in my eyes, but there are definitely allusions to what the band would go on to do. The album runs at nine songs, and it’s very compact and concise with its whole mood. Distorted organs, crunchy guitar chords, and upbeat drumming make this record truly the work of the Georgia-based band, who built an empire on being weird and innovative. The band has three vocalists, two of which being the beautifully powerful sirens Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson, who complement each other skillfully and with ease. The band’s image and overall off-the-wall sound contributed to their talent being overshadowed, but these two ladies can really belt it out as powerfully as Debbie Harry or Cyndi Lauper, two lovely artists the band has toured with. The third vocalist is Fred Schneider, who has a very distinct style of exaggerated speak-singing, surving as a flamboyant narrator who give the B-52’s their own edge. Flat out, the band wouldn’t be the same without him.

As for this particular album, it took me more than a few listens to soak up, meaning that very little here is instantly catchy or, well, good. But after a few quick spins of the project, it’s easy to appreciate for what it is. Their way of creative pop hooks was different, and you kind of had to find them for yourself or just listen to it on the surface, which is what I tend to do. Planet Claire begins the album off on a very sinister and awkward note that proves that the band had a vision. With its eerie sound, it sets the tone for the rest of the album, which is very much the score to a bad drive-in horror film—trust me, this band did come some Planet Claire. The classic Rock Lobster became a signature track with its menacing guitar playing and goofy vocal performance. But there are some more gems here, like the catchy and smooth 52 Girls, which is a straight-forward take on the rock scene at the time. On this record, unlike many new-wave albums at the time, there is no use of the synthesizer, which gives the music a jam-band twinge to it that sets it about from many other acts at the time. They took a very “fuck all” approach to this album, it sounds like they just did whatever the Hell they wanted to, which works in its own way, particularly on the punchy 6060-842, which sounds more like a demo than a studio track.

If you’re look for a classic party album that you could listen to conciously or as background music, The B-52’s eponymous release from 1979 is a perfect choice with its own original vibe. Just make sure you give it a fair shake, because it’s very easy to hate this album.

VERDICT
01.  Planet Claire [5 Stars]
02.  52 Girls [5 Stars]
03.  Dance This Mess Around [4.5 Stars]
04.  Rock Lobster [5 Stars]
05.  Lava [3.5 Stars]
06.  There’s a Moon in the Sky (Called the Moon) [3.5 Stars]
07.  Hero Worship [3.5 Stars]
08.  6060-842 [5 Stars]
09.  Downtown [4 Stars]

BEST: Planet Claire, 6060-842

WORST: Hero Worship
SCORE: 4 STARS (4.3)

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THE B-52s
1979 – The B-52’s
2007 - Funplex

Recommended: Yes