The B-52s

The B-52s
Funplex 2008 Astralwerks

It has been 16 years since The B-52s released a proper studio album, a fact that should be worrisome, for time is not always forgiving to musicians and their last effort, Good Stuff was mediocre at best. But this band are party animals of the purest pedigree and their bombastic attitudes have not aged on bit. This album is sexy. It's dripping with it, in fact and every thing you'd expect from a classic B-52s album is there: Fred Schneider's unapologetic pop shout, Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson's enthralling and sassy harmonies, Keith Strickland's catchy riffs and the lyrics that beckon you to forsake your self-conscious ego and dance for god's sake. It's like the early 80's again only with better production (though sometimes it seems a tad overproduced). Standout tracks include "Juliet of the Spirits," a insanely catchy and spacey dance ballad and "Too Much To Think About," an innuendo-laden swaggering anthem using celestial imagery to describe what I'm pretty sure is sex, culminating in the line "Tonight! When Bodies Collide!" The party has not stopped for this Athens, Georgia party band and it most likely never will, as evidenced by the defiant shouts of the final track "Keep This Party Going." Will Do.