The Double Doghouse

hello folks! this week for the weekly review, we’ll be taking a look at the debut record from the B-52s, The B-52’s!

Planet Claire is a really neat opener – they start with this building spy motif into some of the sharper keyboard sounds i associate with like, 50s sci fi scores and the few B-52 songs ive heard before. every once in a while i get a real clear picture on the origins for a band – in this case, its like parting the mists on The Aquabats’ Girl From Planet V. i think 52 Girls is a good time. dont have a ton of thoughts about it but its a neat lil song, and its a nice way to show off Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson’s vocal styles in harmony. Dance This Mess Around really picks up steam around the halfway point when Fred Schneider joins in, haha. another fun song. Rock Lobster is excellent – im not unfamiliar with the track but i realy dig it here on the record in context. its got the bass and guitar parts that make it feel kinda menacing (esp with the lil keyboard stabs in thr verses), but then the hook is so infectious. really danceable song. huge fan. Lava is smooth as hell, and i really really enjoy it – there’s a line “my heart’s crackin’ like a Krakatoa” that delivery near the beginning of the song is just delightful. There’s a Moon in the Sky (Called the Moon) has an extremely funny premise and lyricals. Hero Worship’s p solid, but one of my less liked songs on the record. 6060-842 is really fun and charming – kinda preceding 867-5309 here and laying some really good groundwork for “calling bathroom telephone number” songs. i dig it. they close out with a cover of Downtown, and like, i get it but this one isnt for me. my gut reading is that the empty mixing

faves – Planet Claire, Rock Lobster, Lava, 6060-842
dislikes –

from someone who’s basically obly heard Rock Lobster a few times and quite a bit of Love Shack, this is both exactly what i expected and a delightful surprise. extremely eclectic, surf-rock sound with some extremely enjoyable, groovy and catchy tunes. lotta humor here, both lyrically and musically, and i keep coming back to it sounding fun. man. now i gotta go listen to more B-52s huh.

The B-52’s – 8/10

for the next Weekly Album Review, i’m using my discretion as the guy who runs this show to check out the new TWRP record, Digital Nightmare. i’ll be back on Friday, March 29th, with that review and to pick another weekly record, and in the meantime, let me know what album you’d like me to review! (i pool all suggestions in one place, and draw a person, then one pick from that person, so feel free to drop as many as you’d like! if you leave an email or username i’ll contact you when i’ve gotten through all your suggestions.)