 The B-52s La Fée and I seem to discuss this a bit too frequently, but you gotta admit, there's not a whole lot of nostalgia for the late 80s and early 90s out there. Everyone loves to look back and laugh at the zipper jackets and Rubik's Cubes of the early 80s, but there is a tacit and deafening silence across the era of the mullet and the New Jack Swing. Well, I'll bite … hand me that copy of Cosmic Thing, the B-52's 1989 album that unquestionably saved their career. This CD was a big, big deal at the time, and I wouldn't be too surprised to discover that if folks hadn't bought a CD player by this time for "Money for Nothing" or "Born in the USA," then this was the first disc for any digital audio stragglers. Not necessarily a bad choice, mind you … his coming from someone who once purchased Duran Duran's Liberty over a copy of Revolver, though in retrospect, I managed to stumble across some inadvertent misguided bonus points for that one. Lots of late 80s slickness and chorus abound, but with the plethora of bubblegum on the airwaves these days, it's not too terribly alien. Cosmic Thing is one of those rare discs that's actually bottom heavy, getting gradually better and with most of the good material ending out the album. Some still have never latched onto lead off single "Channel Z", but (nauseating nostalgia mode on) I remember watching "Post Modern MTV" in the hopes it would get played. Does it hold up? Yeah, hmm, I think so. Skip to album highlight "Topaz" and get past the near-laughable new age lyrical goo to find a really strong song. End out with the instrumental "Follow Your Bliss" to finish high. I still dig "Roam" as well, but the world officially doesn't need to hear "Love Shack" again until roughly the year 2131, jagged, drunken karaoke versions included. Cosmic Thing, along with Licensed To Ill, will continue to be on thrift store and vintage boutique hi-fi's for years and years to come. I truly thought this CD was the bomb at the time, and looking back, there's nothing particularly to be embarassed about, neither. Did I mention how my friends and I would add lewd lyrics to "Deadbeat Club?" Whew, good. Granted, I was also watching a serious amount of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" then, too, AND was amazed to find out just how many people in my high school were pot smokers. Man, I was such a nerd. Now, hand me that box of candy to review for The Loud Bassoon. Who's laughing NOW, eh? Hmmmm, wait …
Review by Bradley A. Milton |