I always feel that the B-52s belong with the early American alternative bands from the 70s and 80s. Bands like Talking Heads and Blondie. Patti Smith as well. I know that all of these bands are from New York and that the B52s are the second most famous band from Athens Georgia (second to REM of course). But they kind of go together.
So, it kind of feels strange that one of these bands has a number 1 album in the 90s in Australia. And of all of these bands, the least likely seems to be the B-52s. Really, the only song by the B-52s that would have troubled the public consciousness prior to this album was Rock Lobster. Rock Lobster still is a great song. But it’s quirky and unusual and not really like anything else. It’s not really a “mass appeal song”.
What is a mass appeal song though is Love Shack. It is infectious. It is undeniable. I’m afraid just by mentioning the title that it’ll be stuck in your head all day. Now, there are plenty of bands that have one great mass appeal song that don’t get a number 1 album. I guess what Cosmic Thing has going for it is that it has the 1-2 punch of Love Shack, followed by Roam.
Roam isn’t a carbon copy of Love Shack. Where Love Shack is getting the party started, Roam is the gentle come down. It’s blissfully remembering the night before. It’s the perfect companion to the party. And I guess that’s enough for most people.
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