The B-52's - Party Mix!/Mesopotamia
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Free Music Notes for Party Mix!/Mesopotamia
Free Music Review: A New-Wave Must !
Hit: 4 Stars
I've been a B-52 lover for years buying most album's unheard 1st, but when Party Mix came out it had many of my favorites made with extended version of the songs I already love. + the album Mesopotamia is now with it so, You gotta have it...Free Music Review: TWO LPS for the price of ONE CD, both classics
Hit: 5 Stars
This release is horribly underrated, and thats a real shame. Sure, they had just released two of the stand out albums that seemed to define the NEW WAVE sound, and were on top of their game. Then, they released their "REMIX" EP. Wha?? At the time, REMIXES werent done as they are now, and a whole album of remixes? I am willing to bet, that the B-52s were the first band to release an album of remixes of their own music. These remixes allowed the music to open up and breath, plus added some severely psychedelic sound effects on top of the drum machine and keyboard patterns. I loved it, and played it more often then either of the first two albums, which sounded a little "thin" to me at the time. HOT LAVA in remix form, has got to be one of their best achievements ever. Maybe if remix albums were not such a new idea, people would have liked it more. Then, there's MESOPOTAMIA. David Byrne from the TALKING HEADS bought his thick, ENO inspired textures off REMAIN IN LIGHT to the B-52s sound. Again, I just thought WOW. It had seemed that the space age hyper new wave esthetic, was being turned in on itself, and reborn as Psychedelic New Wave. (I would add Nina Hagen, Lena Lovich, and maybe X's WILD GIFT to this sound, along with Legendary Pink Dots, and XTC.) I have to admit, that the songs that were on MESOPOTAMIA might not all be strong, but none of their albums were totally consistant. The standout songs from that EP, were the title track, CAKE, NIP IT IN THE BUD, and LOVELAND. To this day, I find myself singing those songs as much as anything from the first two albums. So, far from seeing this as "FILLER" between the second and third albums, I see this as ESSENCIAL to their transistion from that early punkish/CBGB New Wave sound, and into the denser, more electronic dance music of the Mid 83s, which engulfed their next two albums. If you want to hear the birth of the Manchester psychedelic LUV FEST dance sound, look no further. Rather than some of these BEST OF albums, i recommend this album to newbies. If you like the sound of the REMIX, go buy the first two albums. If you like MESOPOTAMIA, you will like the rest of what the band did in the 80s.Free Music Review: Oh David what were you doing?
Hit: 4 Stars
I will start by stating that this review will concern the Mesopotamia section of this release. I remain unacquainted with Party Mix.
For starters Mesopotamia receives a lot of criticism which I feel is largely undue. The title track is arguebly the B52s' greatest achievement. The danceable beat is still evident but it is joined by what I regard as a desire to produce more complex sounding material. The vocal arrangement on this track is particularly memorable. And it has the kind of funk-like vibe that only David Byrne circa 1981 could produce. In other words very much like the sound of Talking Heads and in my opinion a curious hybrid of My life in the Bush of Ghosts, the Catherine Wheel and Wild Planet.
Not all the material on this record is quite so strong. I have the feeling that Mr Byrne was not entirely happy in the capacity of producer of this set. Some of the mixes aren't quite there and the indecision shown by the simultaneous release of different mixes of some tracks on both sides of the Atlantic suggests that someone within the record company at least shared my concerns (with reference to Loveland and Cake). Did Charles Blackwell want an Lp instead of an Ep? Was he concerned about keeping the name of the B52's in the music headlines?
The appearance of an early version of Queen of Las Vegas on Nude on the Moon really aides in attempting to understand what all parties were trying to achieve with this set. Byrne wanted to work with the B52s and again I suggest that the B52s wanted to broaden the scope of their sound. This mix which is so wildly different to the version on Whammy demonstrated the B52s as the missing link between the Talking Heads and Sly and Robbie era Grace Jones. It really is that good and it appears perverse that the track was not included on this release.
As for the remainder of the tracks on Mesopotamia it needs to be reiterated that much of the material is strong but the 'final' mixes are weak. In both versions I find Loveland to out stay its welcome. The 'outside of the USA' mix of Cake however is in my opinion vastly superior to the version which can be found on the original American release. Deep Sleep is a curious 'mood' piece reminiscent of My Life in the Bush of Ghosts and is unlike anything else in the B52s' catalogue. Throw that Beat in the Garbage Can does not work and Nip it in the Bud is essentially 'straight-ahead' Eighties rock. I enjoy the track on its own terms but its vibe jars with the rest of the release.
To sum-up this is a curious release which I believe probably suffered from too much pressure from Warners and Island respectively. Everything needed more time BUT there is a lot to enjoy and lyrically I believe the band was never more surreal than on the tracks one can find here. Give it a whirl and I defy any true B52s fan not to fall in love with the title track at the very least.
Free Music Review: To try and clarify
Hit: 4 Stars
Leaving aside Party Mix which was fairly inspired at the time but a bit superflous now, Mesopotamia has a bit of a back history. This is my understanding of it, feel free to correct me if i got it wrong, I would like to know for sure myself
The original album was released in America on Warner records and in Europe on Island records. Apparently there was a mix-up in sending the master tapes trans-atlantic and Island ended up with three songs (loveland, cake and throw that beat) in extended form. Maybe unfinished mixes or maybe different takes, no-one seems to be sure.
When it was re-released the Island records version uses the original Warner release (albeit with a misprinted cover saying the album contains an extra song, lava, which it doesn't).
This, the Warner records re-release, contains the same Warner Version, but remixed. the changes aren't huge but are noticeable. The songs were not cut or shortened, they just do not use the extended Island records versions that some people who bought it originally are used to.
Hope this clears up some of the confusion in the reviews.
Free Music Review: Time to PARTY!!!!
Hit: 4 Stars
The first half of this CD is a terrific remix of B-52s classics like 52 Girls, Lava, Party Gone out of Bounds, etc. Basically the best of the first two B-52s CDs. The second half is a reissue of thier third CD. It was a disappointing effort and would continue with thier next CD "Whammy".
Buy it for the remixes and play it at parties or to jam out on a long trip, you could do worse!