Reviews (page 2 of 9)
the Joni Mitchell’s Blue of doing all sixteen dances
Perfect
There's a moon in the sky It's called The Moon 5 stars
My favorite thing about this album is that Rock Lobster sounds like it is about to end around the 2 and a half minute mark, but then continues for another 5 minutes. I don't think many people realize Rock Lobster is a nearly 7 minute song. This album is a masterpiece of silliness. The songs don't take themselves too seriously and are all bangers. I usually pick a favorite and least favorite Track, but genuinely don't think I can come up with a least favorite as this album is so constantly strong. I love The B-52s and I need to explore their catalog further. Favorite Track - Rock Lobster Other Favorite Track (Since I can't pick a least favorite) - Lava ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Happy Pride Month everyone. The first time I checked out the B-52's, I considered myself straight, and I didn't get it, but now, I am gay and I love it. Is this a coincidence; possibly, but you never know. This is basically gay secret agent punk made by people dressed like Rockabilly stars. It may be my favorite New Wave album as well. It's kind of funny in a camp way, but the energy here and just the whole presentation is pretty much completely unique. And the songs in here are fun, weird and playfully spooky. It's a wholly unique expression of New Wave, other bands sounded like a combination of things; this sounded like a singular, bewildering thing, one still very much indebted to punk. It's also incredible that all the members of this band managed to stumble into the way that they sing, Fred Schneider's vocals alone are worth the price of admission. Which isn't to say that Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson aren't pulling their weight here, for example, the vocalizations on Rock Lobster are absolutely irreplaceable, and push a mutant surf rock song into immortality(an unbelievably good bassline helps too). There's just such a consistent type of goofiness here that B-52's arrived at, and stayed at for the whole album, and it's incredible. And, very importantly, it never overshadows the songs. The sound here is just incredibly iconic, and the execution is a blast. This is pretty much perfect at being what it is. The slight punk edge here grounds the weird humor of this album and the result is a real classic.
Strangely enough, despite me being the King of Boingoloids and a bit of a spud, I've never listened to the B-52s. Actually they're quite good
There’s nothing quite like gay beach punk. I know that sounds like a joke, but that is legitimately how you would describe their sound. It blows me away that this album wasn’t doing well until they put on a crazy performance on SNL (true story), because this is such a solid album. It has wild psychedelic parts that are probably my favorite thing about the album but then there’s unique and interesting vocals, silly lyrics, crazy good instrumentals. There’s really nothing to not like about this album, and I don’t like it, I LOVE IT. This album may be under the shadow of rock lobster, which is fair that’s an all time great song. But this album deserves so much more love and praise. I would say this is easily in the top 3 of greatest debut albums of all time along with Boston and Led Zeppelin.
This is peak
How can you not love them, they get it
Rating: 4.8/5 Short Review: Weird, playful, danceable, and completely original. This album sounds like a beach party hosted by aliens who found a thrift store, a surfboard, and a pile of art-school records. Favorite Track: “Rock Lobster.” One of the most gloriously bizarre songs ever to become a hit. It shouldn’t work. It absolutely does.
Listening to this album on a hot summer day at the pool. The vibes lined up perfectly. Rock Lobsta!
LOVE (of course)
This was one of the first albums my older brother got when we were kids. Great memories of enjoying these catchy, entertaining tunes. And so much more than just a goofy humor band, these are genuinely good tracks.
Taking the kitsch sounds of the 1950s and early 60s and updating them for what felt like a brave new decade, The B52s absolutely nailed what fun, inventive dance music with a nod to the past should sound like. Along with The Cramps and The Rezillos, they "got it". If Joe Meek had lived, he would have adored The B52s. I loved this album then, I still love it today. Tastes don't change as you get older. I'm not suddenly going to start listening to po-faced "real rock" now. If you don't love Rock Lobster, and think that Genesis or the Floyd are the pinnacle of music, we can never be friends.
Si la diversión fuera música, sería esta banda
Perhaps tone of he first true prototypes of indie rock as we have come to know it. The B-52's debut album came at a time in 1979 when many things were stressful in life (inflation, U.S. hostage crisis). And yet, rather than bemoan, they released something that was wonderfully wacky and offered a true escape from the issues of the day, rather than endlessly navel gazing them. I dug most of the album with the exception of the cover of "Downtown".
Crazy, quirky, and fresh, even 45 years later. Love it.
Iconic fun music.
Banger album. The vocals of Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson are top notch for me. I'm familiar with all the hits but I've never listened to a full album. Groovy stuff.
los coros de este disco son dark glam... un estilo inconfundible que recuerda al surf rock
Disco peculiar de um grupo infinitamente charmoso. Pioneiros do movimento New Wave, todas as feições esperadas do gênero estão presentes em peso aqui. A desordem surpreendentemente agradável, abordagem não ortodoxa para vocais e instrumentais igualmente, mas um gingado inegavelmente infectante. Vontade de dançar! Muito descolado. Fiquei surpreso com o quão reconhecível grande parte das faixas aqui foram. É notável a presença monolítica que eles tiveram na cultura alternativa da década de 80. E por boa razão, quando comparado com outros lançamentos do mesmo período, os B-52 realmente se destacam. Há algo a se dizer sobre uma banda com linhas de baixo apetitosas, guitarras noiosas afinadas em tons bizarros, e vocalistas que gritam e bamburdiam histericamente. Têm tudo pra ser irritante, e provavelmente é pra muita gente, mas pra mim têm muito charme. Enfim, é um disco repleto de diversão. De fato, me parece que esse foi o principal foco da banda na criação do álbum, diversão. Nesse caso, eles foram bem sucedidos. Disco legal. 5/5
B-52s één van m'n favoriete bands ever!!!! Pretentieloze muziek, want het gaat nergens over, en toch ook zooooo'n herkenbare sound. Heeft drie jaar op rij in m'n top 5 artiesten gestaan, heb de eerste twee platen op vinyl!! I love hun!!! Ik wil meer rare muziek zoals dit wat toch populair is, A.I. could never!
Love
This was just plain great - the weird, crazy energy of Rock Lobster over an entire album.
Brilliant Camp Classic Reminds me of school
A true masterpiece
So good, I loved this.
wow muy bueno. medio homo
Ushering us into the 80's was this most amazing album. An album so good that it was on your playlist almost without regard to the type of music you listened to. The sportos, the motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, wasteoids, dweebies, dickheads, we all thought it was righteous, dude. My first listen was in a group of kids who loved and traded heavy metal. It literally transcended genres. If you need to get up and get moving, break glass.
Another discovery: just knew a couple of songs, including the obvious single. Listening to the whole album is amazing. Fun, upbeat, clever, elaborate structures yet raw sound.
Yessssssss. Brilliantly weird, fun, and catchy. Pop music stripped back to an elemental form with delightful results. Love it.
When I was three years old I loved Planet Claire. Listening to this music now, I never realized they had a very 1960's surfer vibe and some punk as well. Really strange unique voices and I like the girls' harmonies. Giving this five stars for my three-year-old self and to balance out the one star my co-worker gave it.
OMG Veggietales parodied rock lobster in pirates who don't do anything, 10/10 banger
Peak camp americana post punk. RIP Ricky Wilson, maybe one of the more underrated guitarists out there
ROCK LOBSTER!!!!
Amazing!
+1 Meets notability guidelines.
Against all odds... they created a timeless record.
A shining example of new wave music. Fun, danceable music with nerdy, sometimes dark lyrics. Best party album from my college years.
Couldn't have said it better..."Stephen Malkmus, frontman of Pavement, recalled in 2018: "There's a time in your life, when you're 13/14, when you buy records just 'cos you're supposed to buy them. I had Get Happy!! by Elvis Costello & the Attractions, Give 'Em Enough Rope by The Clash and this one from the B-52's. Well. I listened to the B-52's a thousand times, Elvis Costello like 20 times, and Give 'Em Enough Rope maybe five times."" Yep...5 "dancing to Rock Lobster on the dance-club dance-floor, literally on the floor" stars (Memories of Mannheim).
I vaguely remember finding The B-52's annoying when I was kid. It was so kitschy and over the top. I still remember the feeling of wanting to change radio stations as fast as possible when "Love Shack" came on. But something in my switched later in life and now I love this ridiculous surf rock avante punk record. This is amazing new wave and very, very fun. I think my biggest take away is simply that life is too short to take things too seriously. Too bad I didn't realize that when I was younger.
Amazing album, isn't it? So much fun in so little time.
so many of these songs not available in my country... but groovy nonetheless. i will try and find a way to listen to them i love their early gen punk pop sound
Fun not my hairstyle though lol
Few albums on this list have felt as singular and fun as this Nickelodeon cartoon-punk masterpiece. I’ll circle back if another record dares to cackle dolphin noises or exclaim “Krakatoa!” This album is like a family group pic where someone suggests “now let’s do a silly one”, but everyone goes so damn hard that the resulting photo ends up in the MoMA. Every instrument has precision wonky-ness. Each vocal and sound effect is performed cross eyed, tongue sticking out. I consider myself a Talking Heads fan, but I liked this B52s debut much more than anything of theirs not named Remain In Light. This has the similarly angular guitars and off-kilter vocals, but is more infectious and instantly enjoyable to me. I ran into Brandon while vinyl shopping a while back, and he pointed out this very record on the display ledge and told me I should get it. I didn’t, like an idiot, and it’s the last time I pass on his sage wisdom. I’ll be looking for it at Cut Corner posthaste!
ahead of its fucking time this album is retro futuristic space vibes, rock lobster is one of my all time favorite songs, their SNL performance was c*nt
"Why don't you dance with me? I'm not no Limburger!" This must be the most fun album on the list. Fred Schneider is legendary. Liked Songs Added: Planet Claire Dance This Mess Around Rock Lobster
This is New Wave at its fun-loving best! Try not to move around when its playing- just you try! Girl, you're gonna move- you too, boy! ANYTHING alive is going to dance around! Move it on over!
Overall: 9/10 It's goofy. It's weird. It's corny. It's all over the place. It's so much fun to listen to that I had a stupid grin on my face and laughed out loud several times. Anyone with a childish whimsy and sense of humour is going to enjoy this. Fav Song: There's a Moon in the Sky (Called the Moon)
C’est habituellement pas mon genre de musique, mais étrangement il y a de quoi de vraiment attrayant dans ce genre de pop-punk là, et l’esthétique globale est impeccable, je sais pas comment le dire autrement. En plus, je l’ai trouvé en CD dernièrement!
Wackiness at its finest. What a brilliant, silly, groovy album. I'm so glad I listened. 9/10
Sounds British, sounds good ✨
Don’t need an excuse to relisten to this classic. Still got my original vinyl from ‘79.
This is such a fun and strong debut album by The B-52’s! I’ve always loved this band and how campy, eccentric, and fun their music is. There is truly no one like this band because they have such a distinct vibe and sound. This was such a fun new wave album that I will definitely be jamming to again soon! 10/10 no notes.
new fav
Zorpno edino, da sem mogla poslušat prek youtube, ker na Tidal tega albuma preprosto ni. Na srečo, tokrat brez oglasov (zadnjič enkrat sem mogla en album z oglasi, jupi). Prvi komad "Planet Claire" je hud! Ah, pa kar naenkrat ga je konc! Ampak nika veze, smo že v drugem komadu ("52 Girls") and it's a banger! Naslednji, "Dance This Mess Around", mi je postopoma prirasel k srcu. Všeč mi je menjavanje dveh vokalistov. Edini, k to trenutno konsistentno počnejo & da se jih ta trenutek uspem spomnit, so Shannon and the Clams. "Rock Lobster" je fakin amazing. "Hero Worship" mi je všeč. In zadnji, "Downtown" je kjut. V glavnem, a very good time tale album.
Great record!! Plant Claire is one of my favorite tracks. If you went to a party in Iowa City in the mid 80's and they didn't spin this one at some point you might as well leave cause it's a lame party
Pure retro, retro gold.
I wish it was summer. 5/5
This doesn't get enough credit as being one of the best post-punk albums.
One of my favourite albums ever. Loved the quirkiness, the girls vocals, the weirdness. Still relevant today.
I love this album, so good to hear it again, Planet Claire is an all time favourite song, I could play along on bass guitar 🎸 I recently purchased the album again on vinyl
Really fun album that doesn't waste time. 4.5/5.0: Excellent
Heard Before? Yes yes yes. Notes: - over the years I've shifted my allegiance from "make lots of weird noise at once" to "make weird noise with lots of space". this fits the bill perfectly. - the bass is a little lost, but everything else sounds raw, crisp and direct. - they wrote better songs later, but never quite matched this feeling of odd metronomic discomfort. - this album is a gift for people that usually hate rock lyrics. - the world needs a new wave revival. Verdict: Both celebratory and menacing. Will you join my B52s tribute act? I play keyboards. I can lend you an outfit if need be. Listen Again? Yes yes yes.
ROCK LOBSTER
The Sugar Cubes' older American cousin, ABBA's evil kid sister. Another reason the best of the 80's all started in the 70's.
My dad’s seen the B52’s live so I should know them but aside from the riff to rock lobster I don’t. Rock lobster is great though, I’m kinda surprised this was the song that got John Lennon back writing/ releasing double fantasy just before his tragic assassination. Another thing I noticed was that one of the guys in the band is called ‘Ricky Wilson’… same as the Kaiser Chiefs singer. (The B52’s) Ricky Wilson died tragically too HIV-AIDS… Depressing stuff aside this is a really fun album Rock Lobster, Lava,
love their groove
A fun and groovy surf rock album
Legendary and one-of-a-kind band. It's a must listen.
Absolute upbeat classic. I dare you to be in a bad mood by the end of this album. You can't!
It’s so fresh. I like that ver very
BRILLIANT!!
quirky, different, radiohead like
One of the most fun and interesting listening experiences I’ve had since the start of this project. This is just on the cusp between a 4 and a 5 for me. I loved how wonderfully weird this is. Truly an innovative and novel album, will definitely be in my regular rotation going forward.
It wasn't a rock it was a rock lobster
I didn't know this was on here and I'm very happy it is as this album brings a big smile to my face.
9/10 Favourite: Rock Lobster Least Favourite: Downtown
Rock Lobster!
I love its kitschy and irreverent sound! Such an amazing album.
Big fan of the B-52s. Theyre so wacky...it becomes delightful. Rock Lobster is an absolute bop.
4.5/5
Perfect
5 Wow why have I never listened to a b-52s album before non stop bops from bottom to top
Wonderfully odd throughout. Obviously I knew Rock Lobster, but I really enjoyed all of this. Splendid
Revolutionary camp. What a wonderful surprise.
Quirky, new-wave sensations hit the air waves with this gem! Rock Lobster was playing everywhere back in the day.
Great. It sounds old and new at the same time. The singing is flat most of the time, but it makes perfect sense. Makes it more high energy. Favorite song: all of them.
The greatest goof punk band ever. Rock Lobster!
Surprising album… will listen to it again tonight’s
This band is not Love Shack and not even Rock Lobster (though those songs are essential). They are so much more. And I feel like you can’t really get a song like Love Shack until you hear the rest of their catalogue. This album ushers in all the joy, all the weirdness, all the subversiveness of a truly important band. A great listen.
rock and roll. but something special i feel from this. The recordings are nicely done. Guitar sounds Sonic and sharp, slightly overdriven. The composition is also nice. There is a lot of Post-punk sound that someone can make out off this album. The minimalistic style funk made it punk and the unique vocal style almost punk style. I highly rate this album, not everyday you stumble upon an album that you like after just first time listening.
5 I dance, dance, dance, trying to forget yoko ono, and laugh as the absinthe hits my gullet. I take a drag on the bong and dance around the room. This album is perfect.
This album has been well known to me for over 40 years. It is a brilliant piece of punk pop the likes of which we will never see again.
Day 63 Probably my biggest surprise of the list so far, don’t know whether I was just in a good mood but I loved this album and listened to it through with no skips several times. 9/10 Highlights 52 Girls Dance this Mess Around Hero Worship
Now this was a Bomb! What a great time to be alive! No wars, New Wave, cocaine, and MTV. To be honest, this is the era I’d go back to. Bands like The Clash, Dead Kennedy’s, Sex Pistols, 999’s, Rezillos, X, English Best… all breaking out and away from the mainstream drumbeat. If you were young and hip in 1980, this was your jam. Hell of a time to be young! The first 2 albums from this group are true timeless classics of the period. I pretty much know every word on this album, even though I haven’t spun it in years. It’s a mood-lifting blast from the past, and for that, God Bless the B52’S! Boom!
the debut album of (most) everyone's favorite kitschy rock group, the b-52's. one can only imagine what people thought of these guys when they debuted in music stores across the nation. i can tell this album is their first, mixing can sound a little mysterious and murky and singers, especially the gals in the group sound a little young when compared to their more famous hits. it's the kind of music that floods you with youthful rebellious energy, the kind of music where you party with your friends after school and maybe get into some trouble along the way. it's an album for those of you who believe you crash landed on earth after a swinging party on mars. hopefully nobody will notice your martian heritage...
I grew up with this album and I love it!
This was one of my first CDs so I'm a little biased here, but boy this album is fun
Superb recording from beginning to end - creative and atmospheric.
Don't let your lava love turn to stone. I'm sorry, but the B-52's are my happy place. It's rough around the edges but too much fun to care.
An incredibly fun album that mixes the party vibes of surf rock, 50s kitsch and b-movie aesthetics and a lot of camp to create the soundtrack to the most inclusive party out there. Mix in a healthy dose of queerness, tongue in cheek double entendres and plenty of innuendo and you’ve got the B-52’s.
The orignals!! A blueprint for an entire decade of music!
I love how this starts off like a 1960s sci-fi adventure, with weird pop beaming in from another planet. The B-52's debut is a perfect blend of kitschy 1960s pop culture melded with the coolest new wave influences. The record sounds like it needs to be only enjoyed on vinyl, preferably in a suburban bedroom.
My review will be a list of Blair’s critiques. For context she really likes this band does not think that Rock Lobster is too long. I disagree. -Feels like a spy movie -This is funky -You just have to shake your butt to it -This is kind of spooky -They are at the forefront of innovation -They’re camp! You just don’t get it -They’re a breath of fresh air from fucking Tate McRae -Regarding the screams at the end of Hero Worship “So what? Women need to have a voice” -10/10, no notes
An incredible debut. Nothing sounds like the B52s.
The B-52s were a band that my friend's somewhat eccentric and absolutely hilarious dad always listened to. As a kid, I honestly didn't really get it. I didn't dislike it, but I definitely thought it was weird and I was always too cool and/or embarrassed to join in to Rock Lobster dance parties in their living room. Giving this a proper listen some 25 years later and I absolutely get it now. That said, I'm also gearing up to be the same kind of somewhat eccentric and hopefully hilarious dad, so I guess it makes sense. It's coming full circle. I hope my son is ready for Rock Lobster.
Like the Femmes' debut, this is in the argument for best debut album of all time. The B-52s transformed music with their lyrics, dance party aesthetic, and style. "Rock Lobster" is the poster child song for the entire history of this band. That IS who they are. Unpredictable. Different. Fun. Zany. And this album reflects that in every track. "Lava" and "Hero Worship" are not available on Spotify, but were easily found on the B-52s YT channel.
What a fun listen - loved the spooky sounds, the great energy and how it just makes you want to dance. This is what I'm playing at parties from now on.
## Cosmic Kitsch and Queer Liberation: The Enduring Legacy of The B-52's Debut Album **Revolutionary Party Music: Context and Creation** Emerging from the unlikely artistic oasis of Athens, Georgia, in 1977, The B-52's formed after a fateful night of flaming "Volcano" cocktails at a Chinese restaurant . Comprising queer artists and college dropouts—Fred Schneider (vocals), Kate Pierson (keys/vocals), Cindy Wilson (percussion/vocals), Ricky Wilson (guitar), and Keith Strickland (drums)—they pioneered a sound blending surf rock, punk minimalism, sci-fi camp, and Yoko Ono-inspired avant-garde shrieks . Their DIY ethos extended to fashion: Cindy and Kate's iconic beehive wigs were crafted from white fun-fur purses bought for a dollar . Recorded in the Bahamas with Island Records founder Chris Blackwell, the album aimed to capture their chaotic live energy, though the band initially found the result "sterile" . ### **Lyrics: Absurdism as Armor and Art** - **Deadpan Surrealism**: Schneider’s spoken-word delivery transformed bizarre imagery—"Planet Claire’s" headless inhabitants, pink air, and Plymouth Satellites—into matter-of-fact declarations . This juxtaposition created a uniquely disorienting humor. - **Lists as Liberation**: Tracks like "52 Girls" (a roll call of names like "Tina, Reba, Juanita") and "Dance This Mess Around" (inventing dances: "Shy Tuna," "Hippocrit!") used repetition and absurdity to parody pop conventions while celebrating communal joy . - **Covert Vulnerability**: Beneath the camp, "Give Me Back My Man" revealed raw desperation, with Cindy Wilson’s wail, "I’ll give you fish, I’ll give you candy," embodying genuine anguish . ### **Music: Deconstructionist Dance Party** - **Guitar Alchemy**: Ricky Wilson removed his guitar’s middle strings, creating a twangy, percussive sound that fused Duane Eddy surf with punk dissonance. This approach influenced generations of guitarists dissecting his unorthodox tunings . - **Rhythmic Innovation**: Strickland’s motorik beats ("Dirty Back Road") and Cindy’s frenetic bongos provided minimalist yet hypnotic foundations, while Pierson’s keyboard bass and Farfisa organ layered sci-fi textures . - **Vocal Architecture**: Schneider’s campy sprechgesang contrasted with Kate and Cindy’s harmonic squeals, yodels, and girl-group belting. "Rock Lobster" climaxed with aquatic animal noises—a deliberate homage to Yoko Ono that famously inspired John Lennon’s creative rebirth . ### **Production: Raw Energy in Technicolor** Blackwell’s production prioritized live-wire spontaneity over polish. Tracks like "6060-842" featured sparse arrangements with audible room ambiance, amplifying the band’s "thrift store chic" aesthetic . The decision to re-record early singles ("Rock Lobster," "52 Girls") with fuller dynamics showcased their evolution from basement parties to studio precision while retaining chaotic charm . ### **Themes: Queer Visibility and Southern Eccentricity** - **Subversive Safety**: In the conservative 1970s South, the band’s flamboyance—wigs, glitter, and ambiguous sexuality—created a coded sanctuary. As Michael Stipe noted, they "made it OK to dance" in a punk scene dominated by "macho pogoing" . - **Kitsch as Resistance**: By embracing B-movies, go-go boots, and beach kitsch, they reclaimed marginalized aesthetics, validating queer sensibilities long before mainstream acceptance . - **Inclusive Alienation**: Songs like "There’s a Moon in the Sky (Called the Moon)" reassured outsiders: "Don’t feel out of place / ’Cause there are thousands of others like you!" . ### **Influence: The Ripple Effect of a Cosmic Splash** - **Cultural Catalysts**: Their 1980 *SNL* performance introduced alternative rock to Middle America, inspiring future icons like Kurt Cobain and Dave Grohl . - **Athens Scene Genesis**: They put Athens on the map, paving the way for R.E.M., Pylon, and Deerhunter. As Stipe acknowledged, "The only reason [Athens] meant anything was because of The B-52s" . - **Queer Blueprint**: Their unapologetic weirdness empowered LGBTQ+ artists, from Larry Tee’s "Now Explosion" to contemporary indie acts embracing camp as serious art . --- ### **Pros and Cons: The Verdict** | **Aspect** | **Pros** | **Cons** | |------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | **Lyrics** | Inventive absurdism; subversive humor; hidden emotional depth ("Give Me Back My Man") . | Occasional repetitiveness; novelty risks alienating some listeners . | | **Music** | Revolutionary guitar/bass-less arrangements; infectious dance rhythms; vocal innovation . | Minimalist approach can feel sparse; Yoko-inspired screams may challenge uninitiated ears . | | **Production** | Captures live energy; crisp separation of quirky elements; timeless "party-in-a-room" atmosphere . | Initial "sterility" noted by band; lo-fi rawness lacks modern polish . | | **Cultural Impact** | Redefined queer expression in rock; launched Athens scene; influenced genres from new wave to riot grrrl . | Later synth-heavy albums ("Whammy!") divided fans by abandoning this rawness . | **Legacy: A Planet Claire of Their Own** Forty-five years later, *The B-52’s* remains a landmark for its fearless fusion of high art and lowbrow kitsch. It proved that humor, intelligence, and danceability could coexist without irony—a manifesto for outsiders that still sounds joyously alien. As Cindy Wilson sang in "Hero Worship," the album is less a collection of songs and more a "tidal wave" of liberation, forever echoing from the Georgia swamps to the cosmos beyond .
Sublime.
Rock Lobsta 🦞
Fun!
Influential album for many artists and for me personally. I didn't need to listen to the album to know I was giving it 5 stars but of course I listened to it again for the umpteen time. Every time I listen to this I get transported to the summer of 1979!
Iconic. Rock Lobster belongs in the Smithsonian.
Dada Punk to its best. A band that has only one goal : FUN; and they excel at it.
This debut album is the epitome of the B52 style: that rockabilly rhythm guitar giving each song a plucky excitement that has me boppin' in my seat the whole time, naked lead riffs that pulled straight from the late 70's punk era, and of course Fred Schneider and Kate Pierson hootin' and hollering throughout each song. I feel like I walked into the cool kids party whenever I listen to this band. They have a "Sarcastic 50's" swagger with their songs, vocalists half-singing half-hollering improv lyrics that just work because they get stuck in my noggin, and just when you think it's gonna be a trite tune they lean heavy into a punky bridge and Fred gets all scream-o. 10/10 would buy again.
Now this is fun! The B-52s are their own thing - surf/punk/new wave with 3 of the most unique voices is music. And it all combines into fun party music somehow! Love it love it love it. I was going to go 4 just because I do think their next album is even better, but this gets bumped back up to a 5 solely because of ROCK LOBSTER, one of the best singles from the late 70's, and here in a glorious 7-minute version. I don't know how they did it, but I'm glad they did it. B-52s forever!
"Why don't you dance with me/I'm not no Limburger" was how I felt about every boy in 1990
I can't say for certain, but I feel that there is a strong chance that this is the only album ever put out that was beloved by John Lennon, David Byrne, Madonna, *and* Kurt Cobain. Yes, they're all generational weirdos, but they're all weird in pretty drastically different ways, and none of them are weird in the same way that the B-52's are. I think that speaks to how broad their appeal is. That an album so deeply unusual, and mostly devoid of hooks, went platinum is a testament to how big the circus tent is. In the world of the B-52'sobody's too cool, or too uncool, to dig this.
Wonderful album
When Cindy Wilson sings "Why won't you dance with me? / I'm not no Limburger" on "Dance This Mess Around", it's both hilarious and cuts right to the bone at the same time. It's emblematic of this record as whole in that underneath the fun there are darker, more tense undercurrents, both musically and lyrically. A quintessential New Wave record, this visionary debut record is tight, crisp and sharply-played, topped off with terrific, personality-filled vocal performances by all three singers.
I really enjoyed this album a lot. With just Fred Schneider it would probably be like a 3.5 or a 4 for me, but when Kate and/or Cindy is in the mix it damn near elevates to a 5. The album is very fun and never too cooky in a way that's obnoxious. I really love the women's voices; lot of character and tones. 4.5/5
I loved this album, it's so energetic, weird and fun. They nailed the whole kitsch trick perfectly, and they deliver such a consistent and fun record. The instrumentation works perfect for what they do, fast and hard-hitting. I loved the mix of punk and surf rock. The bass-lines are excellent, the guitar riffs carry the energy and the vocals are perfect. I loved the chemistry between both singers, and the call-and-response they often do. My favourite part is how weird they get at times, like at the end of "Rock Lobster" or during "Lava". My favourite songs were "Rock Lobster" which is an absolute banger, "Dance This Mess Around" and "Lava" were great too. For what it is, it's incredibly consistent, and easy listen and doesn't feel repetitive at all. I can't think of anything that'd make the record better.
Absolutely wonderful album. So many great songs, and maintains a break neck speed throughout. Many people do not care for last track Downtown. As much as the song seems unpolished and unrefined, it gives the song more of a sing-a-long feel. Like going on a road trip with your friends when your favourite song comes on the radio and everyone sings along. A gift to the world that belongs in everyone's music library.
A fun bouncy New-Wave Dancr-Rock album, although it doesn't include their mega-hit "Love Shack", it does contain the almost as good "Rock Lobster"; it also has an interesting cover of the Petula Clark hit "Downtown".
grieving how it's unavailable on any streaming
Imagine hearing this for the first time in 1979. There would have been nothing like it. Utterly kitsch and slightly debauched, it feels like it set the tone for the 80s.
Silly album, and proof that lyrics don't have to be so serious for you to have a good time. 5/5
One time, at band camp......it was our last night and they were throwing a dance for everyone. I was outside talking with some newly made friends from Canada, when Rock Lobster started to play. We all jumped and screamed and ran inside to dance our asses off. It was the summer of 1980, and this was one of a handful of albums that I listened to nonstop that year. I know all the lyrics, riffs and vocal nuances to every song. This deserves a 5 for Rock Lobster alone. The album is fun and goofy, a little naughty and it makes you wanna get up and dance this mess around.
catchy and trippy
What an absolute banger of a debut album
Now, doesn't that make you feel a lot better!?
B-52s doing B-52 stuff.
I only knew Rock Lobster, but this whole album is so fun to listen to. Great harmonies.
9/10
Incredible and unique sound that is unmatched to this day. Planet Claire is an absolute treat.
Raise your hand if you think the world is a better place with the B-52's (and Kate Pierson) in it... If hating on Bruce Springsteen makes you a Commie, then hating on Kate Pierson makes you inhuman. Enough said. P.S. / Side note... one of my favorite B-52's songs, Dirty Back Road is covered by Marvelle Oaks and it kicks ass ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyznFhVXRhA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toCDRDB_nZg
This was wonderful. I love the B-52s sound and this was a delightfully pure petri dish of it. The vocals were crisp and bright and just so good and quirky and the instrumentation sounded fresh and great while not sounding too polished -- which I think is a strength of the B-52s sound. I listened to it twice -- five stars.
Not sure how but I had never heard "Rock Lobster" before today. It seems like I just missed it. In fact, I have never paid attention to the B-52's because "Love Shack" was so ubiquitous that I didn't care to hear any other songs by the band. Imagine my surprise listening to this album and there is a lot of new wave and rock sounds that I did not expect. Fred Schneider's talk-singing didn't annoy me too much and the lack of depth to the music wasn't as bad as I was afraid that it may be. Party songs about almost nothing are not my favorite genre and I generally do not want to listen to an entire album of novelty/kitschy songs. Planet Claire is a great way to start off the album and the long introduction causes it to stand out among the other tracks. I thought I would hate Dance This Mess Around, yet I seemed to enjoy it. The guitars on this album really surprised me as well. I didn't know The B-52's came out of the gate swinging like this. My favorite tracks were: Planet Claire 52 Girls Dance This Mess Around Rock Lobster There's a Moon in the Sky (Called the Moon) 6060-842 (which is kind of a punk song) Fun surprise that I enjoyed this one.
The B-52's are high in the running for most fun band ever!! What is the aqua velva? And Fred Schneider absolutely has to do a covers album of metal songs, starting with Slayer's Angel of Death! Shout out to the musical hot bed, Athens Georgia while we're at it! 5
i love this record so much. what a lovely reprieve from the absolute slog of Exile on Main Street. it's light and fun while not totally giving into the lamest pop sensibilities it easily could have. it's like party music for nerds, which is 100% my zone. the guitars are thin and bouncy, keys enter and exit at just the right moments, lots of dissonance that works itself out without overstaying its welcome, and the varying vocal textures keep things moving at a steady clip. also, it's fucking funny.
Didn't expect B-52's would slap this hard. Didn't really like the yelling in some songs, but the basslines are magnificent, especially in Rock Lobster.
Just bops from top to bottom.
I don't trust people who don't like the B-52's. This entire album is so campy and fun, but the music is so fucking GOOD. The perfect balance of ridiculousness and sincere talent.
Loved it, so much fun
Was a little cold at first but this really grew on me. I realllllllllllly like this album. Liked it even more on the second listen.
Such a great album. Not a clunk on either side.
Loved it! Very entertaining and I was surprised by the rock lobster
Could be the most fun album on the 1001. Crackin debut. Opens with the Peter Gunn inspired Planet Claire, layering groovy organ over a guitar line hugging the low notes. Interplay between male and female voices is delightful. Rock Lobster has lit up dancefloors and house parties everywhere. Only poor song is the cover of Downtown, but I'll forgive that.
Hell yeah! This is what rock’n’roll is about: dumb fun, punk aesthetics and a good beat. They’ve gone completely under my radar but their influence on music I like is obvious. Especially the whole riot grrl movement seem inspired by this. And my favourite Swedish indie rock band of the nineties, bob hund, stole from them. Just listen to Planet Claire and then put on ”Bob hunds 115:e dröm” or any other of their instrumental tracks.
Perfect album. I like all tracks but Planet Clair, Girls and Red Lobster are very nice.
Yeah this is one of the greats. Fucking hell that outro to "Rock Lobster" is fucking HARD!!!! "Planet Claire" is nuts too and the rest of the album keeps up the fun
The soundtrack of my life. My father had Rock Lobster at his funeral. A good way to leave this earth.
Would have been cool to hear this when it first came out! What a unique sound! Lots of fun to listen to with more punk influence than I expected. "52 Girls" was great.
Fuck yes! The ultimate party band. Perfect album.
Ahh yes, their debut album. Lots of feelings about this one. Obviously, everyone who's heard of The B-52's knows at least 2 or 3 of their songs, Rock Lobster and Love Shack, and maybe Roam. But, this album is the one that started it all. It's one of the essential New Wave albums, and I consider it one of the pillars to show that genre off to people. Absolutely perfect. 5/5
Made me smile listening to the whole album again.
I went to UGA and still live near Athens so obviously very familiar with this one. From a national perspective, they formed their own little sub-genre of “thrift shop punk.” Their first two albums are great at exemplifying this and their late 80s album has some huge commercial hits but that’s it from a larger perspective. From a local perspective, they burst down the door and helped inspire countless bands after them. The early 80s Athens scene is the only one I’d consider myself an expert in. Some other great band recommendations of this time period besides REM are Pylon (GOAT), Method Actors, Limbo District (like an Athens version of Avant-garde Velvet Underground with a member from Warhol's factory who also helped write one of the songs on this album and for an REM song), Oh-Ok (featuring Michael Stipes sister), and current rage. Those are just my personal favorites but there are many more. Rating: 4.9
There’s a moon in the sky called the moon is the greatest song title of all time
It's weird. It's wild. It's wacky. But dang it's fun. One of the zaniest, most awesome albums in all of history.
This album changed my life
Fuck yes! The ultimate party band. Perfect album.
Uwielbiam takie pokręcone rzeczy. Momentami brzmią jak dwójka pijanych ludzi na karaoke, ale przez większość czasu to po prostu ścieżka dźwiękowa do najdziwniejszego filmu świata. Cały album wypełniony jest radością i dobrą zabawą. No czego tu nie kochać? 9/10
This rocks lobsters so clearly it deserves a 5 star revue.
I saw the B52s open for the Talking Heads as a teenager in 1978 (and got to dance with Kate for some 30 seconds). They only had the single Rock Lobster out but were incredible. When they released this, their eponymous debut, I had to ride my bike all over Long Island to find a store that carried, but it was worth it. I still have this album and it is still one my favorites. It's the purest for of B52s zanyness. Besides the funny, irreverant, and I-dare-you-not-to dance Rock Lobster, there is also weird sci-fo epic Planet Claire (complete with keyed walkie talkie sound effects), the gloriously retro 6060-842, the straight-forward-yet-somehow-still-weird Dance This Mess Around, and my frenetic favorite, 52 Girls. The B52s were always an egalitarian outfit, with all the muscians highlighted in one way or another. This ethos is evident with the prominent bass lines, featured guitar work, and switch off vocals. No one is in the background. This is the moment in time whent he B52s redefined party rock in the New Wave mold - quirky, at times sardonic, but with loads of fun all around. The B52s - the band and the album - captures the musical zertgeist of the late 70s New Wave movement, infuses it with some Southern quirkiness, and makes everyone want to dance.
It this point, they're meta-retro. 5/5
Easily in my top 3 since I joined this thing. Brilliant fun
Do I personally like this album? I don't know. Is it important? for us gays OF COURSE. You get a 5 just for existing.
A classic for a reason.
The B-52´s son una banda fundamental en la música. Si no existieran habría que inventarlos, si se pudiera claro está porque sería difícil. Estilo único, estética absolutamente desbordante. Simplemente geniales, sobre todo en directo. Son el reverso bailable de The Talking Heads. Han publicado discos durante más de 30 años, además de una impagable y exitosa versión de Los Picapiedra: (Meet) The Flintstones. Apoyados en la voz de Kate Pierson y también de Cindy Wilson (que ha editado un disco maravilloso Realms este 2024) además de la inimitable voz y estilo vocal de Schneider. Sufrieron un bajón con la muerte de Ricky, que casi acaba con el grupo pero resurgieron con más fuerza que nunca con Cosmic Thing llegando incluso hasta finales de la decada 00 con el estimable Fun Plex. Este debut es una marcianada que contiene no solo Rock Lobster (ingualable canción) sino gemas como Planet Claire, Dance this mess around, Lava o una estupenda versión de Downtown. No contiene la mejor canción del grupo Private Idaho, de su segundo álbum Wild Planet, pero es un disco imprescindible. Otros discos de 1979, el año del "Disco sucks" : Unknown Pleasures de Joy Division, The Police-Reggatta De Blanc, THE CLASH - London calling, VAN MORRISON - Into the music, NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE - Rust never sleeps y Live Rust, AC/DC - Highway to hell, PAUL COLLINS BEAT - The Beat, THE CURE - Three imaginary boys, The Undertones- The Undertones, GRAHAM PARKER - Squeezing out sparks, THE KNACK - Get the knack, The wall de Pink Floyd, Armed Forces de Elvis Costello & The Attractions, We Are Family de Sister Sledge, Look Sharp! de Joe Jackson, Spirits Having Flown de Bee Gees, Breakfast in America de Supertramp, Y de The Pop Group, Voulez-Vous de ABBA , Bad Girls de Donna Summer, Lodger de David Bowie, Discovery Electric Light Orchestra, Exposed y Platinum de Mike Oldfield, Fear of Music Talking Heads, Off the Wall de Michael Jackson, Quadrophenia deThe Who, Reggatta de Blanc de The Police, Prince de Prince, Damn the Torpedoes de Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers , One Step Beyond... de Madness, The Specials de The Specials, Journey Through "The Secret Life of Plants" de Stevie Wonder, Metal Box de Public Image Ltd., Risque de Chic, Real to Real Cacophony y Life in a day de Simple Minds
I went nuts for this album in high school and it's still great! Unique guitar sound and fun punky vocals from Cindy.
Absolutely love this album. It’s kitschy and punky and tons of fun.
Love it, brings back memories
45 years, still the freshest feelgood party music
STAMP
Wave Klassiker mit avantgardistischer bis skurriler Attitüde. „Planet Claire“ und „Dance This Mess Arround“ sind tolle Songs und habe die Blütezeit des Genres mit geprägt. Ein einfach tolles Album.
Punk... gentrified punk. I mean they were Athens punk, got produced by Nile Rogers, then headlined the state fair circuit for the next few decades. Please allow some tantrum space in your lash out hearts for this mess around-around-around, down-down. Hell's magnet pulls me.. dowwwwwnnnn!
I didn’t realize these guys were around that early
Wow, childhood throwback. Trying to imagine how weird this album would have seemed in the 70s. ROCK LOBSTER! It irritates me I keep hearing the shortened version on the radio.
ROCK LOVESTER
I know I love this album. Dance this mess around is a low key GOAT of mine.
Peak 80s kitsch.
4.5/5 Planet Claire opens this album with a funky, mysterious feel. Then 52 Girls is a fun, slightly goofy groove, before Dance This Mess Around is just a brilliantly crafted track. The vocals from Cindy are exceptional, and the playful back and forth is so cool. The bassline for Rock Lobster is fantastic, and Fred's vocals and lyrics fit perfectly. I love the weirdness of the whole experience so far. Lava is a more straightforward banger with not much else to say. There's A Moon In The Sky is a bit funkier and more interesting, with a great outro. Then Hero Worship is again a rocker which hits the spot. 6060-842 is a fun little song and finally Downtown feels like a bit of filler to be honest. Not unpleasant at all but just goes on too long. Planet Claire 5/5 52 Girls 4.5/5 Dance This Mess Around 5/5 (FAV) Rock Lobster 4.5/5 Lava 3.5/5 There's A Moon In The Sky (Called The Moon) 5/5 Hero Worship 4.5/5 6060-842 (6060 842) 4.5/5 Downtown 3/5 (LEAST FAV)
That FUNKY bass! Perfect.
A solid groove, and a special style that has never been and can never be repeated. Always sounds fresh and silly and underground, even many years later.
5/5
I wish I could have heard this with new ears to understand how truly weird and wonderful it is. Now I'm used to it, so I just think it's wonderful.
Flexi Tour from Planet Claire
THEE debut pop album of all time argue with the wall
Perfect record with a perfect blend of Rock & Roll, new wave and madness. Except for rocklobster. I’ve heard that too often.
yes I love this album. this is precisely the type of weirdness and fun and joy that's missing from current pop culture. once I played Planet Claire for some of my friends and they hated it so much <3
Yes... I love this album. Have for a long time. There's a moon in the sky. It's called the moon
Such a fun record, and really unusual, one of a kind, unique.
Dance This Mess Around is killer. Great title for a song, awesome guitar, outrageously good vocal. They do all sixteen dances. 5 stars.
5!
My wife always sings Love Shack and it drives me insane so I was pleasantly surprised to have enjoyed this album so much. The B-52's are nothing short of quirky but the music on this album is actually really good. It sometimes reminded me more of a punk sound like the Dead Kennedys but if they were wearing beehive hairdos. I really was surprised at how much I enjoyed this because Love Shack became so popular and kind of ruined any chance of me listening to their other stuff until now. I'm glad I did.
There is little music as fun as the B-52s. No other band could pull off the line "There's a moon in the sky and it's called the moon." And actually have it land. And my son was humming the Rock Lobster riff for hours after. Perfect gonzo pop.
Classic 80’s Athens, GA alternative rock
It's the B-52's.....how can it not be 5* ! Brilliant, weird stuff
Side 2 is only 3/5, but thankfully side 1 is 7/5. Dropping bombs.
B-52's
The B-52s made what they wanted to.
A classic!
Loved
Wonderful band, wonderful album
Oh hell yeah now we’re talking, a great time the whole time. Only cowards skip the coda section of “Rock Lobster”
It gives me hope for the future of humanity that this album appears on this list. After all, if we all can’t learn to do the Aqua Velva, then what’s the point? They are my beloved beehives. Dance, you fools!
Would listen again. Makes me think of The Cramps a little bit .
Day69 - what a great band that just got better over time. should be in the rock hall
This is damn near close to a perfect album. It’s such a unique combo of Dance, Pop, Rock, Surf, Punk, so many genres that collide into an effective mix. I think what really sets this album apart is the mind-blowing guitar work from Ricky Wilson. His death from AIDS in 1985 kept the band’s later work from featuring his talent, but his angular guitar sound defines this album and elevates it to being essential listening for anybody who thinks they know how a guitar is “supposed” to be played. Top tracks: All of them. Fucking thing rips.
Great, but b sides are kind of lacking. Shockingly punk, surfer, and garage
The B-52s rock! Love this album.
I am feeling the same kind of surprise that I felt when I thoroughly enjoyed the first Devo album. I didn’t know the B-52’s outside of their ubiquitous radio hits. Now I know that they are pioneers of post-punk and I’m into it.
cindy wilson screams into my heart
This album is just fun!!! I don’t think it is possible for me to listen to this and not feel happy. I love how they embrace the weirdness of some of their songs and somehow make them cool.
i can't believe I forgot to review this. it was great
Really enjoyed this one.
The music of y teenagers years, full of 80/90 hits, love it
This album kicks is just so, so good. Everyone knows rock lobster, but so much on here was great. Loved the opener, Planet Claire, and Dance This Mess Around.
iraq lobster
absolutely love Planet Claire. the rest of the songs are also nice but I felt a bit disappointed after how good the first song was. the album almost feels like I'm listening to a show? not sure how else to describe it. was torm between 4 and 5 stars but the rest of the songs grew on me after repeated listening
This album was bigger in Australia than just about anywhere else - almost certainly thanks to DoubleJay. The retro approach of the band - in attitude, looks & music - was infectious. Side 1 is outstanding - those 4 tracks make up almost 20 minutes of perfect pop. When the morse-code noises at the beginning of Planet Claire meld into a slightly sped-up riff based on Henry Mancini’s Peter Gunn theme, you know straight away you’re in for a treat. 52 Girls & Dance The Mess Around are both terrific dance trax & Rock Lobster understandably became the band’s signature tune. I’m pretty sure it was in his Playboy interview, on the stands at the time he was shot, that John Lennon went on about how the B-52’s female vocals validated the screeching that Yoko Ono had been subjecting the world to for the previous decade. Personally I thought he was drawing a long-bow, even if the band did later claim she had influenced them. Really?? Anyway, this is a killer album - Side 2 is also a ripper - There’s A Moon In The Sky (Called The Moon) always gets me. Could have done without the cover of Downtown (written by Jackie Trent & Tony Hatch - 8 years before they would compose the theme song to Neighbours), but, really, this is an outstanding debut album.
Favorittlåter: 52 Girls, Dance This Mess Around, Hero Worship. Likte godt stilen, quirky punk med gøy vokal.
Delightfully bonkers
Best party album
top ten albums ever
Fun & weird
Because this list isn't the 1,001 deepest, most thought provoking albums, I'm comfortable giving this one a 5/5. It's pure silly pop/rock with a little punk vibe as well. It's got catchy riffs, and the ladies' voices compliment each other well. The male singer has a very distinct voice too. It also has one of the great songs of all time, Rock Lobster, without which this would be 4/5. Cool album cover too. Fire this up when you're down in the dumps.
Love it, all spiky and edgy
These people have a lot more fun that I do.
5* for The animal sound effects on rock lobster alone, but a fun jam. Classic. Hilarious. Short!
Totally weird. And totally awesome. I'm not sure how this works exactly but it does. Love it. ROCK LOBSTA!
🦞ROCK LOBSTER🦞 ... awesome no notes.
My first impression is that this is enormous fun, however it does get a little samey after a while. I'm very glad other people agree that their cover of Downtown is a stinky patch of ick on the otherwise silken sheets that adorn the bed of this magnificent album.
An all-time classic, led by "Rock Lobster." On this listen, found myself repeating "Downtown" a bunch of times. Those voices!
I’m have a real soft spot for the B52s. I much prefer Wild Planet to this though. I think rock lobster (and later love shack) put me off listening to them for a long time but they have some amazing freaky post punk sounding songs. I feel like they carved out a unique sound and i was very sad to see their underrated guitarist died so young. 52 girls is a power pop classic.
Funny
This is obviously 5 Stars.
This was one of my favorite albums when it came out, completely flooring teenage me. Or should I say that side one floored me. I own this record, and honestly can’t remember the last time I listened to side 2. I think after the wild gems of Claire, 52 girls, Lobster, I was usually ready to listen to something else, and literally if ever got up to flip the album. Just as well, honestly: those tracks on the flipside are nowhere near as strong. Still, an absolute classic, and one which defined indie rock and early new wave. An easy five stars even on the strength of half an album!
Kinda always thought this band was a joke, and I guess they are really quirky, but man if this didn't hit hard start to finish. Unique and fun. Had no idea Rock Lobster went on that long, that was wild lol.
Doesn't get much better than that!
This album is the bomb. The reworking of 60s surf guitar, the playful beats, the nonsense (but do I hear some cold war references in there? why, yes, yes, I do), the delivery, everything. It's so good, so skillful, so playful, so joyful (tho not always happy or light), so edgy, SO. DAMN. COOL. This is one where I honestly wish I could experience hearing this for the first time when it first came out. What would I think? It's innovative, it's weird, it's a bit humorous, what on earth would I think? I expect a lot of people hated it, but you can't help but appreciate how awesomely strange it is! And now to think this is music you might hear at the airport. Life is weird. 5/5
This album is weird and I love it for that. In the realm of new wave, the weirdness fits in perfectly, and the 60’s elements give this a unique sound. ‘Rock Lobster’ is just nearly 7 minutes of surf-rock craziness with an undeniably iconic and cool guitar riff - what more could you ask for? Cindy Wilson’s manic vocals on ‘Dance This Mess Around’ are just so good. This album’s vibrant energy is unmatched, not just on the two best songs on the album (as I just talked about) but through the whole thing. It’s just peak oddball music from front to back.
JUSTE WOW ! BELLE DÉCOUVERTE !
Loved this, classic album, weird yet catchy.
It still amazes me that this came out in ‘79. Such a great album.
Rock Lobster is one of my favourite songs. Great energy and creativity.
There're vibes of a low-budget horror movie, it's wonderfully kitchy, super catchy and every song is just pure fun. I'm in love.
This album showed me as a teen how weird and wonderful music can be.
LP
Wall-to-wall bangers!
Excellent album. I saw a post here that said it was the Rocky Horror Picture Show of albums and so I went in with that expectation and boy did it not disappoint. Easily one of my favourites so far from this project
Iconic, and I actually really enjoyed it. Very different from everything else. I had only heard Rock Lobster prior to this, but the rest of the songs are cool as well. Such a fun album. Fave track(s): Rock Lobster, Lava, There's a Moon in the Sky (Called the Moon)
The intro song is killer. I'm getting retro-alien wartime vibes. The band may or may not be aliens posing as humans. So far really enjoying it. The B-52s exhibit a crisp rhythm section with staccato beats and ever-present synths, unique and dynamic vocals, and exciting flow in each of their songs. In their third song "Dance This Mess Around" the female vocals are making me feel something... All jokes aside, they've got serious skills. They know when to keep things simple, and when to dial it up and get noisy (in a good way). Rock Lobster. My god.... the vocals in this song. What is happening?! So far they have impersonated: stingray, manta ray, jellyfish, dogfish, catfish, searobin, pirana, narwhal, and let's not for rock lobster. This one was a wild ride that I was buckled in for and enjoyed the entire time. The B-52s were a refreshing blast from the past that I was unaware I was missing out on.
Enjoyable, endlessly danceable, and funny
Very surf very rock very fresh very aqua certainly lobster love it
Athens, Georgia was a rather unlikely place to be the next destination for rock and roll happenings but, in the late 70s to early 80s, that's exactly what happened, giving us bands that would not only influence many others but would end up finding a way to conjure up sounds that would change the world at large. The B-52's were the first of such groups to throw down the gauntlet. In under forty minutes, the mustard colored and lipstick scrawled universe that the three male and two female members inhabit show no signs of ceasing control and offering up a neverending vision of anarchic quirky fun that found hallmarks from often reviled sources of inspiration into becoming an inspiration of their own. This is the kind of record that garners repeat listening and full on immersion from start to finish.
really good loved it listening for the 2nd time really good work for their time nice tunes
Rockabilly millor del que esperava
This picked me up on this Friday. "The B-52's" is the debut album from the Athens, GA new wave band The B-52's. The best description I saw of their music is a fusion of pop, surf, avant-garde, amateurish funk and white funk. Yep. And a description of the band as bad hairdos, sci-fi nightmares, pastels and dance crazes. All perfectly fine for me. Almost every review I read referred to their lyrics as kitschy. I see the retro in the band's appearance but is bikini whale really kitschy? OK, it is. Anyway, lots of fun here. The album was produced by Chris Blackwell and recorded in the Bahamas. Morse-code keyboards and a Peter Gunn guitar begin "Planet Claire." Two minutes in and vocalist Fred Schneider joins. Right away we're into the weird sci-fi lyrics and story. She came from Planet Claire where no one has a head and the trees are red. Another keyboard start in their third single "Dance this Mess Around." Cindy Wilson on lead vocals, singing and screaming. Guitarist Ricky Wilson bringing the chorus. And we come to "Rock Lobster" where Ricky Wilson told the other band members "I just wrote the stupidest guitar line you've ever heard." Yeah, and one of the best. That surf guitar. That sci-fi keyboard. The cowbell. The best use of sea animal sounds ever. Little did we know what finding a rock lobster on a beach would lead to. I had to re-watch their Saturday Night Live performance. It's still just as great as when I saw it live. "Lava" starts the second side and is more straight-forward punk/rock. Minimal keys. Cindy Wilson stressing she just needs to have that hot lava. Yeah! Cindy Wilson also kills it on "Hero Worship. Melodic guitar lines at the start. This song has a Stonesy "Some Girls" groove to it. Sleater-Kinney was listening. The closest thing this album has to a guitar solo at the end. My favorite deeper cut on the album is "6060-842" and its vocal chorus from Kate Person, Schneider and Cindy Wilson. I still have it in my head. Rick Wilson's guitar sounding very Gang of Four-esque. "Your number's been disconnected." I think the first two B-52 albums are fabulous. This debut album still rocks. I first got it on cassette; I know I don't have that but I do have the 45 of "Rock Lobster" which I'll put on later.
One of the greatest debut albums of all time
Classic trailblazer album.
I can describe this abum in 6 syllables; One-Hun-Dred -Per-Cent-Fun, with appologies to Matthew Sweet. Side 1 is as infectious as music gets and side 2, though not the perfection of side 1 still keeps the dance party going. 5 stars
Well this is iconic. Not sure if you can dredge up anything bad to say? I'm sure they do though. From the opening track it sets it's mark: Inventive, stylised, fun and energetic. Great band and great album at one of the most pivotal years in music history. 1979
The surfer heartbeat of this band has so much groove. The contrasting vocal styles is like you took everything about 60's surf culture, polished it to a mirror, and shot it back at the world. This album kicks ass.
For those of us who know how to party. I know the question you're asking right now: "Big Dog, what's stopping you from branding this thing a 5?" And the answer is nothing, nothing at all. Somewhat related: no one calls me Big Dog. Or Big Dawg.
I had heard Rock Lobster before, as I'm sure everyone has, but I never thought too much of it. Upon relistening to it, I loved it. This album is a ton of fun. I found that I was bopping my head and tapping my foot for the whole thing. I totally get why a lot of people give this album a low score, because it has a pretty unique sound, especially in the vocals. I, personally, love the unique sound this album brings. I'm a sucker for people with distinctive singing voices like this. I didn't expect to be giving this album such a high score, but here we are. My favourite songs were Dance This Mess Around and Rock Lobster.
This is just class. I think I needed to hear this when I went through my brief Cramps phase when I was about 20. Weird, punky, elements of Talking Heads at times with the natural awkwardness of DEVO. Could even hear echoes of Stories from the City by PJ Harvey, and bits of LCD Soundsystem in the guitar sound (especially the last 1min of Rock Lobster). Often flirts with becoming novelty but pull it back at the last second. Class. Mint. Belter. Toppa. 5/5 from me.
I really don't have to listen to this one again, but I will cheerfully. 5 starts. I owned it on cassette and then CD. Was introduced to them when I worked at the YMCA with Daffy and Zipper back in 1985 and loved it. It's fun, it's different, weird, and it's under 40 minutes. Planet Claire, Dance this Mess Around, Rock Lobster, Lava are so repeatable for me, and just the title There's a Moon in the Sky (Called the Moon) makes me laugh. This is music that is hard to be depressed and listen to.
So singular—you know who it is from the first notes
cool
Classic B-52s album.
Banger
This is a 4.5 and I was tempted to just give this a 4, but I found myself choosing to play this again more than once before getting round to rating it - so it's a 5.
I'm totally going to sound all hipster-y when I say that THIS album was my introduction to the B-52's. Several years before Cosmic Thing I was annoying my friends with this album. I got this album from an aunt of mine who was cleaning out her closets and I asked if I could have that album as she was going to toss it, and I always liked the look of that cover. So I got it home and listened to it and seriously it was life changing in that I'd never heard anything like it before. And I loved it. It was so weird. So many great tracks on here that I tend to revisit often.
yes!
Top notch, A++
Wowza!
I enjoyed this album a lot. I expected I would as I already knew love shack and rock lobster
I do have a deep love and appreciation for this album. In the early 80s, as a young teenager, it was the first time I'd connected with music outside of the mainstream that appealed to me individually and authentically. It featured volcanoes, planets, sea creatures, bouffant hairdos, and "Downtown." It didn't take itself seriously. It sounded wonderful and fun. I particularly remember riding around in a car with a friend, listening to it, feeling exhilaration and connectedness to something that finally felt like it was meant for me. "Rock Lobster" was my favorite song at high school dances because it was the only time everyone went crazy to the music and did their own thing completely joyously and unselfconsciously. There would be a lot of wonderful music to come from the B-52s, but this one is particularly important to me.
This album runs through my rotation every now and again. It is fun!
I haven’t listened to this in a very long time. I smiled as soon as it came up. It sounds a great now as it ever did. Just perfect!
Love The B-52s!
I love the B-52's so much. Just out there in small town Georgia, all alone, inventing New Wave.
FIVE STARS An all-time classic and a personal favorite of mine. As is usually the case with those five-stars albums, I won't write a full-blown review about this particular record, because others have already written wonderful stuff about it and there's not much I can add that I feel could be relevant and interesting. It's just a gem. Go and listen to it a.s.a.p. Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 942 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 27 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 16 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important to me): 16
I got this album as a gift back in the early 80s. I knew Rock Lobster, the rest was new (to me) at the time. I immediately loved it. It really brings back memories. The LP I had skipped during Dance this Mess Around and it would loop on one track over and over again. I actually recorded the skipping version to a cassette… eventually, the album self-corrected and the skip went away. Every time I hear that song, it makes me think of the loop, and I heard it in my head…. The album is great, start to finish. I think Wild Planet (their next album) is just as good, if not better. Glad to see this one (at least) on the list. 5/5.
One of my favorite albums of all time. Nothing had ever been recorded that sounded like this musically, lyrically, vocally. Pure genius.
She came from Planet Claire I knew she came from there She drove a Plymouth Satellite A-faster than the speed of light
Classic kitsch party music from the early 80's, great memories
rock lobster so groovy - so groovy
Fantastic! One of those albums I’ve wanted to listen to for years but never got round to. Loved it! Fun, quirky and uniquely. A classic
10/10 this album is packed with so much personality and attitude, I love it I barely understood anything they were saying but it doesn’t matter all I need is some of this awesome boogie-woogie, talking-heads-meets-tarantino-score type music
Good fun. Not bad fun.
Some days everyone needs a bit of Rock Lobster in their lives. For me, yesterday was one of those days. Great upbeat tunes, I was bopping along all day!
Love this! Was a staple listen in the early 80s
I love them. They are so funky and cool and party like. Crazy, weird, loud and fun.
A classic in every respect
Roam around the world
I only heard this album for the first time a couple of years ago, but when I heard it I instantly loved it. I totally dig the energy and musicality of this group. Always a rewarding listen