The B-52's: The B-52's - 1979

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The B52’s were on odd entity - a quirky, retro but futuristic, spacey, sci-fi fantasy of a group that appealed to those who enjoyed Talking Heads at their jerkiest, Devo, Lene Lovich and X-Ray Spex, among others. Were they punk? Were they new wave? Probably more the latter. They merged a sixties pop sensibility with an instinct for contemporaneous oddball eccentricities, both musical and stylistic and came up with a sort of early Roxy Music-type Image which was as retro as it was futuristic.

This short album (thirty-nine minutes) is an enjoyable romp, full of space/sci-fi references and sounds alongside some bizarre songs such as the deliciously bonkers Lava, about volcanoes, unsurprisingly, with namechecks for Pompeii and the lesser-known Herculaneum. 

The track I remember most from the time of release was the equally quirky and madly appealing Rock Lobster, which positively overflows with killer hooks, madcap David Byrne-esque vocals, crazy beeping Farfisa organ and rubbery bass lines. 

Other highlights are the slow burning, Bond movie siundtrack-esque Planet Claire, the poppy, punky fun of 52 Girls and the vaguely Patti Smith-ish Dance This Mess Around, the very Talking Heads-ish (again) 6060-842 and a kitsch cover of Petula Clark’s Downtown. 

Overall, though, it is a pretty impossible album to categorise and, although strangely enjoyable, is certainly not essential. 

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