The B-52's - Funplex
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Free Music Notes for Funplex
Free Music Review: Funky is Ageless
Hit: 5 Stars
For me, Jane Austen and the B-52s are equally important. Austen wrote only six novels; luckily they are rich enough to sustain me for a lifetime. The B-52s oeuvre is, for me, equally rich, but it's been difficult to reconcile myself to the ostensible fact that the B-52s, like Austen, were forever done.
Funplex proves that they aren't finished yet. The previous albums explore the impacts that we humans have on the natural world, hope that we will learn to co-exist with fellow earth creatures (as well as beings from other dimensions), our incredible egotism despite our tiny place in the cosmos, and express exuberent joyfulness in being an embodied human.
Funplex explores the evolution of human sexuality as we age in body if not in spirit, but also hints at the dangers of becoming "fully eroticized beings" who conspicuously consume at the Funplex as our non-erotic ties grow weaker and weaker. Funplex pokes fun at the cult of the individual and points darkly to the culmination of individualism. I love it!
Thanks B-52s for proving that we can still be funky, gorgeous, and get our groove on even as we grow older and wiser.
Free Music Review: Hello, 1987
Hit: 4 Stars
Well, it's 20 or so years on, but the B-52s are still ready to party all night. That's a good thing. Sort of. Personally, I would have liked a little more diversity in these songs and, especially, a sound somewhat more distinct from all that has gone before in their history. But they are what they are and on whatever terms, it's good to have them back. Juliet of the Spirits is sublime and the party peaks at the end with three great tracks, Too Much to Think About, Dancing Now and Keep the Party Going. Let's keep those beehives in place for another couple decades! Free Music Review: Better than expected
Hit: 3 Stars
After 16 years between albums, I really didn't expect this to be very good. I was pleasantly surprised. This is a solid, fun album that sounds like it could have come out one year after Good Stuff. In terms of B-52's albums, I'd put this on par with Whammy. Better than Good Stuff or Bouncing Off The Satellites. Not quite up to par with their debut or Cosmic Thing. If you are a fan, you'll enjoy this.Free Music Review: Shake & shimmy at the Funplex..
Hit: 5 Stars
B-52s are a fun bunch whose sound reminds one of a raucous party. I first came across them when I heard and fell in love with their 1989 hit "Love shack" which prompted me to get the album it came from, "Cosmic thing". That was a brilliant album which featured some production by Nile Rogers (of Chic fame). After that, I heard a pair of songs they did for movies; "The chosen one" from "Pok?mon 2000" and "Meet the Flintstones".
"Funplex" is their first album in some 16 years and is much more of what we've come to expect from the band, and despite the heavy use of synthesizers and heavy beats, the album still manages to transport one back to a time when bouffant hairdos and miniskirts ruled. Musicianship is top notch, and the inspiration for the more electronic sound was apparently New Order.
The sound is dancey, with loads of jangly surf guitars, shout-and-reply refrains, and copious use of silly words like "shimmy". Opening cut "Pump" is a prime example. Others along this line are "Hot corner", the jangly "Ultraviolet", title track "Funplex" (jagged guitars against a bubby synth bassline - my favourite), "Too much to think about", the extremely catchy "Dancing now" (with a fuzzy bassline) and the sunny "Keep this party going".
Slowing the tempo down but not by too much are the buzzing "Juliet of the spirits" (lovely harmonies making them sound like a sixties girl group), the plodding eighties sounding "Eyes wide open", the groovy "Love in the year 3000" (another favourite of mine), and "Deviant ingredient" (which finds Fred Schneider yelling silly words like "Bootybots" and "Erotobots" at intervals). There are no real ballads to dampen the fun party mood.
"Funplex" is a real fun album which more than lives up to its name.
Free Music Review: Music to Fans' Ears
Hit: 5 Stars
A must for any B-52's fan. It grows on you after the first initial listen. Quite a few stand out tracks...Juliet of the Spirits, Pump...glad to have new music from the B's.