The B-52's

The B-52's update their signature sound with synths but keep the songwriting tight on classy cuts like "Legal Tender" (counterfeiting is fun!), "Whammy Kiss," the quite lovely "Queen of Las Vegas" and "Song For a Future Generation." Their cover of Yoko Ono's "Don't Worry" was pulled from the CD for reasons known only to the former Beatles-wrecker.

The fifth record from the B-52's serves notice that those endearing ditzes from Athens,
Georgia, are back on the party line. One of the few American New Wave groups to notch
two gold records, the B-52's return from the setback they suffered when Mesopotamia,
their underrated foray into deeper funk, stiffed. Their new producer, Tom Tom Club
boardman Steven Stanley, has added a dab of Devoderived keyboards to comple... More >

Though they still pick up some great ideas at interplanetary garage sales, their celebration of the pop mess-around is getting earthier. "Whammy Kiss" and "Butterbean" do actually concern sex and food, respectively, while "Legal Tender" and "Queen of Las Vegas" show off a healthy respect for money--that is, a disrespectful attraction to its alluring usefulness. "Song for a Future Generation" is a completely affectionate, completely undeluded look at the doomed, hopeful, cheerfully insincere dreams and schemes of the kids who dance to B-52's songs. And the Yoko Ono tribute is for real. (Grade - A-)