The B-52's: Wild Planet CD 2008

Wild Planet is the ultimate in new-wave party albums, starting with the opening "Party Out of Bounds." The song sums up everything that's great about the B-52s, the kitschy, minimalist dance band that somehow managed to overcome its primitive musicianship and crank out a big pile of hit records. The B-52s keep the dance beats coming while amusing any party people who take care to pay attention to the group's witty, oddball lyrics. "Runnin' Around," "Private Idaho," and "Strobe Light" are the other standout tracks here.

Track Listing

Product Reviews

Conventional wisdom has it that all the B-52's' subsequent releases are highly inferior to their debut. While Wild Planet is not the rarefied wonder their first platter is, it's still darn good. The songs here are generally faster, tighter, and punchier than previously, though production values are not as wonderfully quirky and detailed; fewer songs here are as over-the-top crazy as the first album's "Rock Lobster" or "52 Girls." These formless selections continue to exhibit a cunning mix of girl group, garage band, surf, and television theme song influences, all propelled along by an itchy dance beat. "Give Me Back My Man" allows Cindy Wilson a unique opportunity to croon a broad, expressive melodic line. Fred Schneider parades his inimitably nervous vocals on chucklesome ditties like "Quiche Lorraine" and "Strobe Light." The best songs here are "Private Idaho," a wonderfully jittery number that employs a variant on the famous melodic snippet from the Twilight Zone theme music, and "Devil in My Car," a delightfully loopy hoot that lays the craziness on very thickly. Performances and sound quality are fine. This album is well worth hearing and recommended. ~ David Cleary, Rovi

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