Reviews (page 8 of 11)
As wacky and zany as I'd expected. Everyone knows Rock Lobster and there are some catchy tunes on this album, but at times I just wish they'd leave the singing to Cindy and Kate as I find Fred's vocal irritating
I’ve listened to the B-52’s several times and outside of a couple of tracks just haven’t got on with them. This still hasn’t changed.
Alveg frá því að B-52's komu fram í Flintstones myndinni fyrir löngu síðan hef ég haft smá veikan blett fyrir þeim. Ekki að ég haldi eitthvað mikið upp á Flintstones eða þau en ég hef gaman að stílnum þeirra. Það voru því ömurleg vonbrigði að fá aðeins aðgang að tveimur lögum á plötunni þökk sé höfundaréttarbulli (þótt eitt af þeim sé Rock Lobster sem ég set oft í gang þegar ég kemst í Family Guy stuð). Ég held því áfram að refsa á íslensku á algjörlega ótengdri síðu en í þetta sinn með sorg í hjarta.
4.5. I had no idea this was released in 79. Timeless.
Catchy guitar riffs and lyrics, but ultimately doesn't stand up against repeated listens. Not bad.
Wonderful band, wonderful album
I thought this would be better.
Completely changed my view on the B52s as a band as I had previously only heard the song Love Shack. The first 4 songs are incredible yet nothing after Rock Lobster caught my attention. Favourite tracks were 52 girls and Dance this mess around which was very reminiscent of some of my favourite Patti smith tracks.
So fun and whimsical. Very girl punk at points - surprising. 4.5 rounded down.
- ROCK LOBSTER - This album slaps - 3.5
- a little too quirky for me - I know Rock Lobster is popular but it’s still a little too weird for me
Cock Lobster is the best song.
Enjoyable 3.5
Well I can definitely say this was an interesting listen. I really struggled to decide if I liked it or disliked it. There were moments/songs that made me feel both. Overall I think I decided it's mostly not for me but I am glad I listened anyway.
Nice, driving beat the entire album long. But beyond that, not my cup of tea.
I basically only really liked one song - 52 girls
Bara hört Rock Lobster tidigare men det här var inte kattskit. De använder sig kanske inte av så många ackord och mycket låter ganska lika. Men det är roligt och glatt.
Really annoying voice s
unique instrumentals, grating vocals
Rock molto energico e contento. Perfetto per iniziare la giornata con un po' di energia in più. Mi piace l'alternanza dei cantanti e i modi in cui danno movimento ai loro testi nel cantare, testi altrettanto divertenti. Sonorità quasi di un surf rock magari, alle volte un po' più spooky e alien, che li rende più particolari ma di certo non pregiudicano l'orecchiabilità dell'album, anzi li rendono più ricchi di identità. Sempre molto contenti e energici.
What a waste of my time.
The WORST album I’ve heard to date
ok, i get it, the b-52s should absolutely be here. they created something unique combining new wave and the surf sound. this album comes across as bouncy and entertaining. they don't take themselves too seriously, and this album is evidence they just wanted to create some new and different music while having fun. but oh my gosh i have discovered i do not like the b-52s! i enjoy mindless pop a lot, and i'd say their music is mindless new wave. but oh my gosh the grating vocals from both lead singers have ruined the b-52s for me. i could not wait for this album to end. deuces ✌
Honestly, I give The B-52s so many kudos for this album. On their debut album, they managed to do something so conceptually unique. They took new wave music (which was itself still in its infancy) and turned it on its head by injecting it it with surf rock and other general kitschy "atomic age" motifs. And with some clever guitar-driven moments, but mostly through the art of really just not giving a fuck, they project an element of offbeat punk into their style and music as well (another big genre of the time). This album is honestly not just weird as hell, it's fun as hell! They defy all expectations and create something that is really just so unique to them. Probably a 3.5, but rounding up.
nice album, made me think of Mr Popiel from Weird Al
Oh hell yeah now we’re talking, a great time the whole time. Only cowards skip the coda section of “Rock Lobster”
Proof that you can say anything if its got a catchy beat - a fun album
Funky album though nothing especially stand out. Middling 2. Why did it sound like Yoko Ono collaborated for rock lobster.
Onhan tämä aika vekkuli. Biiseistä tosin mieleen jää vain tuo ikiklassikko Rock Lobster! Riittää kolmoseen. 3/5
Siisti levy, vaikka vähän hiipuu loppua kohti. 3,5/5
ihan hauska pop-rock-levy, mukavaa irrottelua mukana. 3/5
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!
Good fun this! Unique isn't it. High energy. A good vibe
Great fun. Good beats, excellent voices. B-52s are often just through of as the rock lobster and love shack people but I think there's a lot more too them that those two.
Cool album
This album is quirky and weird but in a good way that really works with their sound. It's funny and fun listening but delivered with such earnest commitment that you can take the band seriously but not too seriously at the same time. Great energy and an enjoyable listen!
Am I just unlucky or does the 1001 albums list primarily consists of rock records from the 1970s. From now on I’ll start skipping records, if they don’t catch my interest in any special way. This one was boring and annoying at first but the second listen was already more enjoyable. I’d describe the record as challenging Pop/Soft Punk.
Funny
The best B- 52’s album there is
Classic groovy B-52s
I've always enjoyed the B-52s. They're fun, and very danceable. It always feels like the song comes part for them, and they just make up random lines for the songs. Sometimes it works ("Rock Lobster" ("6060-842") but sometimes the lyrics are real nonsensical and kinda take me out of it ("Dance This Mess Around," "Planet Claire"). The worst culprit for me is "There's a Moon In The Sky (Called The Moon)". The lyrics just seem so dada. I hate when people say about a movie to "just shut off your brain when you watch it" but I think it really applies the B-52s. The song's music is really supposed to take over and you have to go with it. And for the most part, it's not a problem. Still... "Do the Hypocrite?" What kind of dance _IS_ that?
This album and this group. They are so eccentric. But so fun! Honestly, what they do here is up there with what the Talking Heads were doing at the time. It's off-kilter and it's one-of-a-kind, and yet it's ushering in a funky new wave era that sounds similar in some ways. I've got to give them credit. Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson's vocals on Rock Lobster are awesome - the warbly ooh's throughout and all the animal sounds near the end? So strange but so good. And the beats to that song are so catchy. This is where Ricky Wilson (guitar) and Keith Strickland (percussion) - who together composed most of the album - plus Pierson (organ & keyboards) are better than you think. For example, the opening 2.5 minute instrumental to Planet Claire is so good (including Pierson's vocals made to sound like synth). It's a completely 60's campy / beach party / superspy motif (as is Rock Lobster), but it works so well. And they do good work on other songs too - particularly, Ricky Wilson, his low-tuned guitar is awesome on 52 Girls, Lava (so good), and Hero Worship (again, so good). And then back to the vocals - throughout the album, the girls' separate vocals and vocals in harmony, along with Fred Schneider's distinct and quality speak singing just works. Honestly, if you like Karen O from the Yeah, Yeah, Yeah's then you have to appreciate the loud even screamy vocals of Pierson and C Wilson on this album. These guys have to be some of the strangest cats ever to come out of the 70's (their lyrics are just out there) but there is something about this album. I really enjoyed it.
2.3 - Wasn't into this honestly, maybe need to relisten
I enjoyed this a lot. Fave Tracks: Planet Claire, 52 Girls, Rock Lobster 4/5
Funny story, I am not a huge Panic at the Disco fan but there is one particular song I like a lot from them: Nicotine. The reason I like Nicotine is because it has an absolutely killer guitar riff. Well, after listening to this album it turns out I don't just like Nicotine, I actually like Rock Lobster, because Nicotine interpolates the guitar riff from Rock Lobster.
Nice new wave
Iconic and original
Better than a 3 l, but not quite a 4. One of the most underrated live bands! They put on a great show, and harm no lobsters while doing so! 🪨🦞
Bright shiny album start to finish.
Can’t tell if this is meant to be a novelty album. Sounds like something that would play at a kids Halloween party. The female vocals are alright, but the guy is unbearable.
Why is American New Wave so bad 😭😭
6/10 Is this earth-shattering? No. Is it super quality music? No. But is it fun, interesting, and waaaay less serious than some of the other US rock and punk from this time? 100% Probably punkier in spirit than some of the punk I’ve had on this list Unmistakable vocals and style But the flip side of fun and kitsch is wafer thin with no depth Pretty monotone in sound Another basic choice for this list, a running theme, hard to see this as a genuinely great album Best: Rock Lobster
Rock Lobster is a very interesting song and I am here for it. Overall a very enjoyable album and definitely a prime example of The B-52's music style. 4 stars for sure.
Good.
I’d be curious to know why this album was chosen for this list.
Would listen again. Makes me think of The Cramps a little bit .
Ok
Surf music alternative with a highly percussive guitar and bass. Yelled lyrics add minimally to the melody.
Wow. Once interesting and popular is now unlistenable. There is no reason for anyone to listen to this on purpose. Very disappointing.
Roligt och unikt. Bra rytm och inte för skrikigt även om det var mycket skrikande.
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
4.4
Quirky and fun. Doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Something about B-52’s I don’t like. To me they are like a modern 1950’s skiffle group. Good for dancing I suppose and Rock Lobster does get all those dancing dads moving at wedding do’s.
Ganske chill
I think I understand what this album is, absurd innuendo laden lyrics over funky pop beats, the entire thing sounds like a soundtrack accompaniment to rocky horror picture show, and at times I love the camp weirdness of the whole thing, however I couldn’t find myself revisiting it as a album to sit and listen to. The stand out track for me was “hero worship” which seemed to do the best job of combining listen ability with tongue in cheek in your face laugh out loud lyrics. I like this album and I don’t think there’s quite anything like it I’ve listened to so far. I just probably wouldn’t listen to it again.
I get it. I dig it. I don’t love it.
Honestly if it was just Rock Lobster, it’d probably be higher
iraq lobster
Rock Lobster earns this one a whole extra star. “You’re a rock bob bobster”
The guitar sound of the early B52s was simply out of this world. The guitar player, Ricky Wilson used some unheard of tunings and would often play with a couple different strings missing. Supposedly he said the guitar was too hard to play with 6 strings, but take that with a grain of salt. In any case this record is really good and you can see it's influence in new wave and post-punk for the next decade and beyond.
Oh ya.
I think it's cool this exists but its not something I'd go for beyond the list, except rock lobster is great.
Strange group. But I’m with it 8/10
This was fun. 7/10
Their energy is cosmic and addictive. T 8/10 K 7/10
What an odd group. I like a lot of what I’m hearing, but then there’s the extra strange stuff like the space sound effects, animal noises, talk singing, and so on. I have to be a little tipsy to enjoy this.
There are some really cool tracks on this, and to be honest everything is really catchy even if I liked it or not. The song downtown really reminds me of M.I.A's stuff just the 70's version lol. 2.5/5
The B-52s rock! Love this album.
Very fun tunes
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.
Drulluskemmtilegt stöff.
It’s fun, but it’s not….good. It’s fine. Notable songs include rock lobster and downtown.
Good, queer just not craveable personally.
More enjoyable than I was expecting 3/5
Definitely a unique sound to come out the gate with. As an album experience, there are enough interesting rockabilly guitars, weird underwater synth effects and just a general nonsensical vibe to carry this as a unique new wave record. Rock lobster is great. Planet Claire grows on you. 6060-842 and Lava are also worth a listen. 52 girls is maybe the most straightforward song but is just a good catchy rock single. I can see this rubbing you the wrong way depending on your mood but a good record.
This album was released in 1979. It does not sound like an 1970s album to me. In some ways it's timeless, but the production just seems really clean and it's really hard to pigeon hole into a specific decade. I'm going to give this 4 stars as it's a feel-good album that was deeper than I thought it was going to be and I think I will revisit. I even liked the weird cover of Downtown!
I would expect to have a grating headache and hate it. Yet there's something catchy about that Rock Lobster song. Although not for when you need thought-provoking inspirational music, it's more for those times when you're hosting a spazzed out beach party with like a crazy lobster or something.
This album is like a fever dream fueled by pixie sticks and hairspray. It's undeniably catchy, but after a while, the sugar rush wears off and you're left with a bit of a headache. If you're looking for something to wake you up in the morning, this is it. But if you're seeking musical depth, you might want to look elsewhere.
This is a thoroughly entertaining listen. Creative and unique for certain. Strong 4.
Drop the dude and this band would be better.
Surprisingly normal and good new wave. The girls particularly liked it making dinner.
This bands music makes me physically cringe.
cindy wilson screams into my heart
Deliciously stupid and incredibly fun. Rock Lobster is a 5 and Planet Claire is close behind.
This is a really solid debut album. I only recently started to get the B-52's. Growing up I thought they were a joke band because of some of their big hits, then I realized they're a real band that just doesn't take themselves too seriously, which is great. It was cool to listen to a full album of their early music to get an understanding of where they came from. Personal favorite track was "Hero Worship" but I liked the majority of the songs on the album, no skippers that I heard. Standout Tracks: 52 Girls, Rock Lobster, Lava, Hero Worship, 6060-842
okayyyyyy
I liked this more than I thought I would! I’ve always been aware of the B52s… Love Shack, Rock Lobster, etc… but this is the first time I’ve listened to a whole album. I thought it would be too quirky for me …but I liked it!
Great fun album that still sounds pretty fresh.
I respect them because they're from Athens but not a huge fan
New wave, post-punk. Está bien. Un 4.
I'm rating this based only on the 4 songs that are available on YouTube (this is my very last album and I want to get it over with). But based on these tracks, this album seems to be on the uncomfortable end of the New Wave and Post Punk spectrums (meaning: more punk-like, kind of annoying, sort of tinny, kind of chaotic but also sort of repetitive). There's definitely better New Wave, there's definitely better Post Punk. I guess this one just got the right promotion at the right time to be historically significant in some way. And that's it - the last of my 1089 ratings! Would've been nice to end with a good one, but oh well.
This felt very quintessential to its time. It sounded just like the beginnings of the 80's quirky melding of pop and rock.
didnt finish but rock lobsters are great
this feels like a classic debut album. starts so strong with four great songs in a row, then the back half drags. "Rock Lobster" on its own earns this album at least a 3. Their weirdness, the vocals, and the guitars push it up for me; the unevenness of the songs, and the samey-sameness of the back half drag it back down.
I was surprised by how regularly bothered I was listening to this. I really love Kate Pierson's voice, but she spends so much time using it to make annoying noises in addition to her singing. Hero Worship is a great song! Rock Lobster is a gimmick that simply does not need to be almost 7 minutes long!
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
Yeah sure! A couple of songs get draggy or the vocals get to be too much. It's The B-52s idk what to tell ya
I was really vibing with the instrumental part of Planet Claire and was kind of sad when the guy started singing The rest of it was meh I read the title Rock Lobster in the same tune as Ghostbusters and now I want a mashup of those two songs. I was trying to figure out why it sounded so familiar and turns out it was sampled in a Panic! song This gets 3 stars only because of how much I liked that intro
listened 3x, but just ok. 2.7/5
More punky than I would’ve thought. Actually a bit more enjoyable than my previous perceptions.
Удивился, что знаю мелодию из трека "Rock lobster", она мне понравилась. Но в остальном альбом сильно постарел, его скучновато слушать. Хотя и не вызывает раздражения.
Really enjoyed this one.
rock lobster!
ROCK LOBSTER NA NA NA NA NANANANA 2.4/5 what the fuck is with these freaks
Nonsense, but enjoyable nonsense. Pretty samey, with one massive hit that stands out probably only because it is so well known. Good, but not great, but shows signs of something worth doing, and a chance of a good career (which they managed). I think I'd probably prefer their greatest hits, which isn't usually the case for most bands.
The music of y teenagers years, full of 80/90 hits, love it
Dance This Mess around is an incredible track
Ok in small doses. Just can’t listen to her voice for a long time
Blödsinnsmusik. Vielleicht für gute Laune. Mich macht es aggressiv.
mér finnast lag og lag með þeim skemmtilegt. þetta gerði ekkert fyrir mig.
One of my favorites. I keep coming back to them time after time since the '80's and these guys still seem fresh.
Creo que me gustan más los álbumes más comerciales de b52
I've always enjoyed The B-52's. High energy and fun.
Classic B -52's. I like Planet Claire and Rock Lobster.
Doesn't even have Love Shack! Would be lying if I said I didn't vibe though.
Zo ontzettend koortsig omg laat me met rust
ROCK LOBSTER
It's alright.
Own
rock lobster is 7 minutes long???? idk sounded like a B-52s album
Love this and then. Artistically, are they on same level as Coltrane? Nah. But based on their impact on music and culture, I understand why they are included. Personally, too many fond memories of dancing and partying to their music not to love!!! ❤️
I don’t love it, but I love it! Just need to be with a bunch of friends partying.
rock lobster!
rock lobster is gud tho
4/10 1 song I liked and 2 that weren't available in Canada
I've always loved this album.
I didn’t like much about this album - however Love Shack is one of my favorite songs.
Very much not my thing.
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.
Some great tracks but a bit repetitive at times. Worth a listen for Rock Lobster alone, but a couple of the album tracks are almost as good
B52s I had a bit of a B52s period last year or the year before so am pretty familiar with this album. It’s a banger, great songs, great sound. They get mischaracterised as a novelty band, which is unfair, they are a brilliant band, right in that post punk new wave sweet spot bringing in lots of influences into an angular, spiky, punky, funky, surfy sound. The organ/electric piano element I love. I can understand how Fred Schneider’s singing can be a bit of an acquired taste but like the way fits their whole look, sound and vibe. Their whole aesthetic I love too. Mmmm, the bass in Dance this Mess Around. That song is a bang to rights, stone cold, gold certified banger Planet Claire, Dance this Mess Around, Rock Lobster, Lava, Hero Worship are my stand outs. This is my favourite of their albums. Wild Planet, the next album, is also superb, but thereafter, it’s diminishing returns really, despite some good tracks here and there. So overall it’s probably just about a 5 for me Clive. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4/5
3. A lot of Rock scenes from Athens GA., at the time. Thet were poppy and new wavers, with a distinctfully sound, but nothing like the real ones: R.E.M.
I love the B-52s. Especially this album is fantastic. Planet Claire and Rock Lobster are ma absolute favourites. Every time I hear Rock Lobster I‘m wearing a wide smile. This is really fun.
Quirky and fun, with a punk dance beat that has survived as totally enjoyable for generations.
this was a hard listen tbh, really wasn't feeling it, quite annoying at times I'm ngl. Not for me.
iraq lobster
It's giving Scooby do vibes Electronic playful spooky vibes in a few songs. Playfully made it feel. The singing is feel like a group of friends having fun and vibing to their own work. Cute
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
i enjoyed the unique singing from the whole album. sounds like the very start of new wave and the genre only gets better after this but cool twist with the surf rock vibes.
Almost 4
Not the best B-52s album out there. Also, why is Rock Lobster 7 minutes long?
The B-52s have such an interesting style. I don't particularly like their sound, but at the same time, having a camp approach to music is very interesting. This is especially true relative to all their peers, since I can't think of another band working in that punk/alternative area of rock that was doing what they were doing. It's not a band I'm generally all that interested in listening to, but I have to admit that they put together a good and wholly original album here 4/5
We tend to forget that a lot of so called new wave was really doing the punk manifesto of returning to a Pre 1965 ethic. A short list might include in no real order Nick Lowe. Dire straits. Springsteen, the stray cats the ramones. The cramps. And the b52s. All drew on inspiration from before revolver really. Sometimes it was the Spector wall of sound. Sometimes it was surf music. Sometimes it was pop or rock and roll. The b52s dressed like they came out of the late 1950s-1960s and their better early stuff gave the impression of cheap exploitation films. Rock lobster is at least to me a 1950s horror, that might have made it into the golden turkeys if it was a film. Gloria in Excelsis The b52s are tremendously fun. In fact too much fun to write too much about. Analysing this is like explaining a joke everyone gets. Doesn’t add to the enjoyment. Makes you look like a wanker. But I’d have loved to have seen them in a small club, say, the love shack in Atlanta. But they are an arena band now, if indeed they tour at all. My blessings to them. I missed out. Ah well. A great band with terrific musicianship. Turn this album up loud and pogo till you drop.
Right Band, wrong album. Yes we get "dance this mess around" and "rock lobster" for a taste of zany crazy fun. But maybe "Cosmic Thing" is the name of the album all the young kids need to hear. This album (B-52s by the B-52s) is a musicologists choice as it's their debut and they introduced a new and very distinct and original style. But I can't trash the album. Extra points for being so wacky and out there. Nice cover art.
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.
Sometimes, working through this particular list of 1001 albums, I tire of the bias towards white-boy, rock critic approved material. As a result, the list skews towards straight, white males and their concerns. At extremes, this leans towards homophobia and misogyny. And often it is very self-serious, and not a lot of fun. And so, thank goodness for the B-52s. They bring a whole boatload of campy fun to their party rock. My first introduction to the B-52s was a child, seeing the video clip on Simon Townsend's Wonder World. They would often play the clip (or maybe not that often; I just remember it so vividly). I would have been about 10 years old, and it hooked right into my brain. Emma Madden, in her Pitchfork essay 'The Secret Gay History of Indie Rock' (https://pitchfork.com/features/article/the-secret-gay-history-of-indie-rock/) insightfully states: 'If there were ever a band that took suburbia—and, in turn, indie rock—and queered it, it was the B-52’s. With the influence of the Velvet Underground and Yoko Ono filtered through a kitschy sound, the group became the substratum of indie rock in the ’80s; their queerness deep-seated rather than explicated. “It was unspoken but it was out there,” says Cindy Wilson, the B-52’s’ sole heterosexual member. “We were saying it without saying it.”' And the queer culture is a key part of what makes this great: the dancing, the clothes, the weird jokes, the embrace of wild fun, the love of kitschy pop culture. Indie rock has a tendency towards being po-faced and overly serious, and the B-52s are here to blow all that pretention away. And in a very inclusive way; everyone is welcome at their party. Their own songs have their own logic. It is that wonderful blend of stupid and smart. Ricky Wilson himself thought that the riff to Rock Lobster was the stupidest thing he'd ever heard. But it is so much fun, and underpins one of the best songs ever for getting party really wild. Their songs are seemingly random, simplistic and nonsensical, but as you listen through the album, they have a raw and consistent framework. They are a good example of what Simon Reynolds in 'Rip It and Start Again'; they are informed by music of the past, but they have created their own rule book. I think that's why the cover of Downtown sounds so out of place. It just doesn't fit the unique world of the B-52s. So, I love this record. It is tons of fun, and you can dance to it all the way through. It still sounds fresh all these years later.
The B-52s self titled just popped up as my album today, which is quite the coincidence, because I just listened to it for the first time yesterday! Strange. I'm slowly learning that New Wave is a genre that either hits hard for me, or falls flat. Love Talking Heads and some of King Crimson's 80s work, but have been left a little cold by other recent listens. This lands more in the latter category for me. The women's vocal work on this album is actually quite lovely. But Fred Schneider's inflections get on my nerves. I've always found Rock Lobster to be particularly annoying. Luckily that's the peak of the annoyance; the rest of the record is fine enough, but nothing I feel compelled by. *Heard before.
Favorittlåter: 52 Girls, Dance This Mess Around, Hero Worship. Likte godt stilen, quirky punk med gøy vokal.
Bapa bup
Delightfully bonkers
Best party album
Didn't know Rock Lobster was 7 min... I feel like allot of the songs are way too long. They are really catchy the first 2-3 min. But i hear how the female vocals has inspired other bands, both the good and the bad (not a fan of screaming and shouting female vocals)
An upbeat and truly unusual album - punk-pop but accessible and not taking themselves too seriously. I expected Love Shack etc and wasn't dissappointed with the energy adn humour in this album. Good fun, not mind blowing, but good fun.
New wave. Pop
Pretty cool I guess. 3.4.
Sometimes when you only know a band's hits, there's a reason. This was no exception. It's hard to take a full album of this even if it was a short one. Kate's voice is pretty great though. 2.5 stars
top ten albums ever
59/100
Weird fun album, lyrics are fun, singing is ok. 3/5
Fun & weird
Meh
Just a super creative and fun band. They aren’t all hits but when they hit it’s like a truck.
Sounds like the soundtrack to a B-grade sci-fi movie from the 60s. The B-52s built their own genre for music and haven't looked back. Somewhere in the proto-punk-new wave-alternative-post punk lanes you find the B-52s and this near perfect album. 4.5/5
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.
I thought the B 52s were 60s diner type music. Subversive and punky in a fun way, almost a 4.
Really good but also strange
Really fun album. A few of mene songs made me chuckle.
I enjoy B-52’s later stuff a little more; their sound in the first album doesn’t feel as cohesive. That being said, I love how unique they are and always enjoy what they bring to the table. Plus Rock Lobster is a bop.
This is in the category of "Oh I meant to listen to this but I forgot". I've heard various B-52s songs at parties over the years, but only remembered the hits. This is the first album where I've not known the album, but immediately wanted to play it again after it finished. It's not a masterpiece that will end up in heavy rotation, but it's good.
ROCK LOBSTER
new wave strikes again
Its like almost too weird… almost, but savef by how much it rocks
This is too much B-52s
I love the song rock lobster
I'd always suspected that I liked the B-52s. Love Shack is a banger, and I won't take any arguments suggesting otherwise. Whenever any of their other tunes have popped up they tend to have ticked the right ear buds. What I wasn't expecting was for how this album sounded. It's obviously B-52s. That kitsch 50s/60s surfer rock thing with the unmistakable vocals ... but it's so stripped back and efficient in how it does it. And danceble. Some tracks are like ESG stripped back. Bass and driving rythym being the focus rather than wailing guitars. I thought I would like it. I loved it.
They're definitely recognisable. I don't think that's a compliment. Thank God no Love Shack though, that would have made it a definite 2. As it is I think it scrapes a 3
Cocaine
This album is very repetitive and not very likable The only tolerable song is Rock Lobster
The 3 stars are for Rock Lobster alone.
Well my little streak of 5 star albums had to end eventually. Planet Claire made me reconsider my stance on this band, but then 52 Girls played.... ugh. Kate's vocals occasionally just doesn't work for me. I do appreciate the fun atmosphere and creativity of the album. I can clearly see ties to this in much music that I enjoy (Flaming Lips, Stereolab, La Femme) but overall this just isn't for me.
80's vibes through and through. Straight forward head bopping fun.
Love it, all spiky and edgy
Album sounded like bath salts. Really very little to no uniformity with it, I only liked "Rock Lobster" cause of Family Guy so it can get a few stars for that. "Dance This Mess Around" was also kind of a good song so it can get another pity star.
"somebody went under a dock, and there they found a rock. it wasn't a rock, it was a rock lobster" Weeeeeeeeird album. but it doesn't take itself too seriously, either. it's like the wacky conspiracy theory aunt of albums, maybe it's like the bar that has some crude humor as wall art. i found myself hating it just as often as i found myself somewhat enjoying it, but it did give me a headache, and i don't think i would listen again. that being said, if i found this record on vinyl at a vintage store, i'd probably end up picking it up. Parts of 52 Girls was good, but the lead singer's voice is super nasally and headache-inducing. Rock lobster is a classic, but overstays it's welcome (playlist). There's a moon in the sky (called the moon), is such a funny title for a track, and is listenable. beyond the annoying nasal voice, the guy that just like talks into the tracks gets super annoying as well, I can only stand 1 B-52 song at a time. 2.5/5
family guy
My first thought was "where's Love Shack?" since my only knowledge of B-52s (the apostrophe is irritating to my OCD) related to the aforementioned song and their appearance on (as it turns out fellow Athens, Georgia natives) R.E.M.'s Shiny Happy People. Nevertheless, what my ears experienced was a pretty cool album, some of the vocals were a little too screamy but on the whole it was good fun and quite groovy.
So trashy but so good.
From "wtf is this" to "this is pretty fun" to "OK it's a bit too much now". Overall I can definitely see why this is included but don't think I'll listen to it often.
really weird
I always forget how truly unhinged B-52s were (in the funnest of ways). What an absurd treat.
Fun instrumentation but nobody in the band can sing.
These people have a lot more fun that I do.
The schtick gets deeply annoying after a minute or two, despite the joyful uplifting energy and campy arrangement. I feel trapped in a room with kind hearted attention seekers who are really someone else's friends.
I like the style. I'll need to listen to again, kinda got distracted while listening. Will I listen to again: I guess 100% and we'll see from there.
I was skeptical at first, but it turned out to be a very funny and fun album.
Rock Lobster is really good and there's enough other strong material here. Fun riffs. Deranged sci-fi soundtrack feel on Planet Claire.
Holy New Wave Batman. I know a few of the B-52's songs, but this was my first time listening to an album of theirs. I thought this was a good album, but I wouldn't say that I particularly liked it. The guitar playing was really good, but the vocals were pretty hit or miss for me. I liked the songs where Kate Pierson was doing most of the singing, but Fred Schneider's sprechgesang just wasn't doing it for me on this album. "Rock Lobster" is the biggest single on this album, but I honestly find it to be pretty grating; the main hook is kind of annoying, and it's pretty long. Despite not liking this album all that much, I recognize that it had a major impact on other new wave albums that came after it, and they helped turn Athens, Georgia into a haven for great music.
what a goofy weird album. outside of love shack and rock lobster I knew nothing of B-52's. gives me surfing vibes, but not much else.
These are the stupidest songs I’ve ever heard. But I love it!
A silly band.
5* for The animal sound effects on rock lobster alone, but a fun jam. Classic. Hilarious. Short!
Actually had a lot of fun listening to this album, kind of punky I thought and I enjoyed the style they went will. Not something I would normally listen to I don’t think, may have caught me in the right mood.
Стилек
Fins i tot en un any com 1979, l'estrena discogràfica de B-52's era original i diferent. No el vaig viure en directe, però imagino que al seu moment devia ser cool of the coolest. Amb tants anys passats, continua sent un disc fresc, engrescador i un testimoni de luxe més dels millors anys de la música pop
Totally weird. And totally awesome. I'm not sure how this works exactly but it does. Love it. ROCK LOBSTA!
so good!!! my dad used to play this around the house a lot when i was little but i’ve never actively revisited it as an adult. he rly loved quoting dance this mess around and commanding ppl to do all of the various moves. rock lobster was a childhood fave and still holds up to this day. BOYS IN BIKINIS! THERE GOES A NARWHAL! i put it on my very first mix cd. 52 girls is FIREEEEE. was also very surprised it came out in ‘79 it feels sooooo 80’s to me! ok that’s all i think
🦞ROCK LOBSTER🦞 ... awesome no notes.
very fun. 3.5 stars. so many songs sample this album and I had no idea. sometimes the vocals came off as annoying though, I’m sorry
would give 3.75 but can't... like a high B. i had fun!
this was actually very good but one of the public reviews was so annoying it made me want to take off stars. my biggest takeaway is that rock lobster is both way better and way longer than i thought it was. like always, the first half of the album is all i really remember so those songs are probably my favorites. special shout-out to dance this mess around which made me strangely melancholy
Very fun album, definitely on the high high end of 3 stars for me! Stand out tracks: Rock Lobster (obviously), Planet Claire, 52 Girls (lyrics, not instrumentals etc). Was debating 4 stars because of its general importance and the group’s importance but I’m rounding down sorry :(
Never.
It was.. OK. A bit too much camp and 50s nosrslgia for me (and I love camp).
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!
jester core 🤡 - can be very shrill
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
Great album with a few stand outs - my favourite being Dance This Mess Around. What an awesome song that is. Cindy Wilson’s voice gives the B-52’s such a distinct flavour, it’s chronically underrated in general. Great album.
American new wave. Reminds me of Devo. Really like the music, but not a fan of the vocals. Neither the female or the male vocal.
A fun album. Worth a listen.
B-52's have never been my vibe, and they still aren't.
Niks
The B-52s are musically actually a very solid band…right up until any time Fred Schneider opens his mouth, at which point it becomes unlistenable.
Ne m'a pas énormément parlé, un peu bruyant
Is it good? Not really, but it's wacky and different which gives it a little something.
Not for me, thanks
Quirky like you'd expect
A fun and groundbreaking album.
This is obviously 5 Stars.
Hár þristur, hresst og fjölbreytt, en utan Rock Lobster ekki mjög eftirminnilegt.
I know how good Rock Lobster is. The question is, can the rest of the album match it?? Hmmm, not quite, unfortunately. The best moments are when the lyrics are at their most batshit and surreal, the different vocalists are trading lines, and the music is kinda frenzied too. But I was surprised by how pedestrian and ‘straight’ it becomes at times. Maybe I’m being harsh? It’s still pretty fun on the whole. 3.5
Fun and groovy. Love the quirkiness.
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!
Very early B-52s. Singing was mostly Fred Schneider, who can get a bit grating sometimes.
Weird, quirky and interesting album, but that's about it. It's okay for one listen, don't think I'd be coming back for another one. There are just not that many songs I would want to replay, other then maybe Red Lobster.
The B-52’s really feel like a band I should love, but it just didn’t connect. The weirdness I appreciated but man the songs grew old as I was listening to each one. 2.5/5
I thought this would be right up my alley, but it's just okay. I think it isn't funky enough for my taste, and I don't see this album doing anything that Talking Heads doesn't do better. It has got some pretty funny and non-serious lyrics, which I appreciate quite a bit.
Rock lobster är lul men orkade inte genom hela
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.
Already listened on Strava albums
Amazingly I haven't ever listened to this album. "WELL SHE ISN'T!" from Planet Clair - lol.
Ten years after this, Love Shack was ubiquitously annoying, but at this point, the B-52s were goofy, spiky, surfy, punky fun.
a four. this was enjoyable enough, not what I expected going into it. rock lobster is kind of an earworm.
3.6
Great new wave and bonkers sounds from a fairly unique band. Very enjoyable all round.
It’s a unique jam phase for a band but I feel like the songwriting came later
Cool tunes but I cant stand the dudes voice
I got this album right before I started college in the mid-80s and, wow, did I absolutely love it. It was so different from just about anything else I'd heard, and it still holds up superbly well. To my ear, the tracks are original, fun, a little spooky, quirky, kitsch-y (in a fun way, without tipping into mockery), and they compose and perform so skillfully. I had some of their later albums, too. On this album, I remember being captivated by both Ricky Wilson's guitar, which was interesting to my ear, and the vocals by all, especially Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson. They deliver so well! Listening to this album all the way through once again was a true delight. Love them. I remember my first time hearing and seeing them. They were the musical guest on SNL in 1980. We weren't allowed to stay up late enough to watch it live, but we were allowed to record it, so we did each week...yep, on Betamax. I was about 13 years old and my older sister had heard them and liked them, so we watched the band's performances together. It was so different, so cool, especially to me who at that age was mostly listening to bands like Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, and their ilk. Started opening me up to different styles. Soooooo good!
Ongelmani B-52'sin kanssa on se, etten tykkää bändin nimestä enkä Rock lobsterista (liikaa ääniä). Kaikissa biiseissä on lähes sama rytmi ja ovat liian pitkiä. Ainesta kyllä on, omaleimainen tyyli ja onnekseen vahvat, mieleenpainuvat laulajat.
Hyvä hyvä, ja varmaan vaikuttanut enemmän kuin voisi kuvitella - ainakin kymmenen vuotta sitten kaikki hipsterimmät punkbändit jenkeissä ja briteissä kuulostivat vieläkin melko lailla tältä. Ei niin, että kaikki olisivat olleet yhtä tarttuvia.
Wow, this album truly fucking sucked
I liked it
Such a weird band
ROCK LOBSTA
Hey b-52's, leave some staccato for the rest of us! 🦞🦞
Kanske bättre som singelband nen första är bästa.
Everyone knows B-52s. They are, invariably, bops.
Good in parts
not my thing, creepy sing talking. Rock lobster a bop by pure ridiculousness
'Planet Claire' & 'Rock Lobster' are classics
4/5. Quite weird but so silly and fun. Hard for me to say I would enjoy this all the time but I cannot find a fault on this one. And although Rock Lobster is joked about a lot, it really is such a good song. Plus the songs flow into each other so well. It does drop near the end of the album but almost perfect.
Fun but a little goofy
She came from Planet Claire I knew she came from there She drove a Plymouth Satellite A-faster than the speed of light Planet Claire has pink air All the trees are red No one ever dies there No one has a head Great album! 4/5
I had no idea Rock Lobster was a 7 minute song. I liked this record, but feel like it has deficiency of energy in the production, if that makes sense. The songs are all good but they could use a little more oomph, know what I mean? These songs should feel “snappier” than they do. Some of it just kind of plods a long, making its 40 minute run time feel longer than it should. I think maybe recording these songs live would’ve solved that issue. Still, it’s a solid, fun and totally weird record.
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
Interesting and funny music!
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.
йоу алкоальбом: ну B-52
На улыбочке и стиле прокатились с кайфом. Ё НАМБЕР ХЭС БИН ДИСКОННЕКТЕД!
I love whacky spooky music like this
A fun album, full of energy and pizazz. Could see myself getting tipsy and badly dancing to this.
meh
Unique. Ialways loved a song or 2 from the B-52's
Just very very fun. Planet Claire is a great opener, Rock Lobster is of course amazing, and the whole album is just really enjoyable
Lovely kitschy punk-rock fun.
Just weird fun. I appreciate that they are themselves and make what they want. I get Rock Lobster stuck in my head often along with their other hits. Great fun vibe
Slightly bigger fan of Wild Planet, but this is a fun album with some classics. It's quite unique as well and holds up for a listen nowadays.
Hat mir nicht so gut gefallen. Zu unmelodisch
Better than I'd hoped.
Not my kind of music but I’ve heard better music from the 80s pop bands
i think this genre wasn’t really for me but i did enjoy a few songs like 52 Girls and Dance this mess around
JUSTE WOW ! BELLE DÉCOUVERTE !
Got steadily worse