Me forcing you to listen to a song about a poodle named Quiche lol
hoo boy, Cosmic Thing! I have this ranked pretty high in terms of my top 25 most important albums because of the attachment I have to it. I’ve had the disc for Cosmic Thing for ages, it wasn’t too early in my CD collecting but it was a highlight of the collection for a while. It’s a perfectly paced album from start to end, really and truly. It starts bombastic with the title track, before going somewhat more low-key with dry county and deadbeat club before barreling into love shack and junebug. I didn’t even have to look at the tracklist to write that, thats how well I know this album! Its one that I always try to listen to all the way through, not something I can say for an album like Wild Planet or Good Stuff (as much as I love those)
For a lot of people, Cosmic Thing is the B-52s, outside of the occasional rock lobster this is all they know the band for. For someone who knows the band for their hits and their treasures alike, Cosmic Thing is very good. Obviously it must be important to me based on how high it is on the list, but when it comes to the B-52s specifically I think I like when they go weird. Give me a song about a poodle with bright dyed fur or give me death!
Still, Cosmic Thing is a ton of fun, great party music, and for how overplayed its hits like love shack and roam are they’re still pretty good. Here’s a trick, if you think a song is overplayed than go out of your way not to hear it for months on end. If it comes up in a playlist, skip it. If it comes up on the radio change the station. After those few months have passed go back to it with fresh eyes, see what you think!
Ok, a few fun tidbits before I let you go. First, the B-52 recorded a song for the live action Flinstones movie under the name ‘the BC-52s, because prehistoric. Also, the B-52s, R.E.M, and the Indigo Girls all have their origins in Athens, Georgia. 3 of my favorite bands all come from the same place, and have collaborated at times! Michael Stipe appears on Kid Fears on the Indigo Girls self titled album, and one of the vocalists from the B-52s Kate Pierson appears on the R.E.M hit Shiny Happy People on Out of Time. Also, when I was a kid I constantly heard the Sesame Street version of that last song, and I saw the Indigo Girls perform Kid Fears live, minus Stipe of course. So it all sort of connects. Alright, I’m done, now scram.
Click here to go back to the music column hubHey, you’re still here? But the review is over.
Ohh, you saw how little the scroll bar was and figured there was more, I getcha. Say, how about an extra album review while we’re here?
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That’s right, a hidden review of another B-52’s album!! Just for you, since you decided to scroll. To be honest I don’t have as much to say about Good Stuff as I did Cosmic Thing, not as much history. I knew the track Good Stuff but never listened to the full album until I found it in an antique mall in a small town in the Appalachian Mountains in North America on Earth (just in case you got lost.) Good stuff is an incredible song, the key change between the verse and chorus (is it a key change? Idk this is a casual review) it phenomenal. But it’s not the only good song in the album, revolution earth’s chorus got stuck in my head for a bit, hot pants is fun and Mo-Dean is the kind of ridiculous writing that I you didn’t really see as much of on Cosmic Thing.
Honestly I think the reason Cosmic Thing was a such a home run hit is because it slightly toned down the kitschy weirdness that stuff like Wild Planet had. Good Stuff brings that back a bit, I think for the better. Then again, I am definitely not normal people, but this is my blog. You’re just reading it! I don't know how to describe it, but Good Stuff feels like an album you're not supposed to hear. Like, you're up at midnight watching over the air TV and come across a cheesy movie you end up loving. It feels like that, like it's land you weren't meant to tread, like you walked into the wrong room but are being welcomed in. I think it's something about revolution earth being followed by dreamland that makes me feel that, I don't know.
Good Stuff is available wherever you find your music, because of course it is. The reason I always say where you can find an album, by the way, is because the first review I did was for an album that wasn’t on streaming. I kept it up because I think it’s a good way to end a writeup, and it gives each review a sense of cohesion with the others. Also, it’s fun!
Ok I’m actually done now, go away. I mean it, there’s nothing left here! Gosh, so demanding
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By the way, that movie example really happened to me. It was the film adaptation of Tank Girl, and as bad as that movie is I love it to death. It introduced me to the series!
Me forcing you to listen to a song about a poodle named Quiche lol