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It’s been 16 long years since the release of Good Stuff, but after listening to The B-52’s fun-loving new album, Funplex, you’ll be convinced that the Athens, Georgia, shimmy-and-shakers have found some sort of cosmic Fountain of Youth—because they haven’t aged one bit.
From the first beats of “Pump,” the album’s first track, Funplex has every bit of the high-spirited cosmic new-wave dance music that fans have come to expect from The B-52’s. With its infectious beats and catchy hooks, Funplex is best played with the volume turned up—and there’s no way you’ll be able to make it through the whole album without singing and dancing along. Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson’s groovy harmonies are right on—and the sound of Fred Schneider’s unmistakable voice shouting out those wacky lyrics is sure to put a smile on your face, even on the rainiest of days.
Admittedly, though, it took a little while for Funplex to grow on me—and I couldn’t figure out why until my colleague, David Medsker, pointed it out: Funplex isn’t quite as playful as previous B-52’s albums have been. That’s not to say that it’s not fun; it’s definitely a whole lot of fun. And the songs are just as danceable as they’ve ever been. But the lyrics are a bit more obvious—and overtly sexual (as opposed to subtle and innuendo-filled). While you could have enjoyed songs like “Love Shack” with your kids, confident that they’d be blissfully unaware of the real meaning of most of the lyrics, there’s just no getting around a lot of the boisterously unsubtle lyrics on Funplex. So you might want to turn down the volume a bit when the kids get in the car. It’s probably best that way, though, since Funplex is an album that will most likely cause you to do embarrassing things while listening to it in the car. But as long as you don’t mind the funny looks that your fellow drivers will give you, feel free to crank it up.
Though there isn’t really a “Love Shack” kind of classic party song on the new album, there’s plenty here to get you moving. One of my favorite tracks is the first single and title track, “Funplex,” an ode to that favorite teen hangout, the mall. But the disc’s last two tracks—the electronic “Dancing Now” and surfer-pop “Keep This Party Going”—are right up there, too.
Fans of The B-52’s and their wild-and-crazy party music will be happy to see that some things never really change. You may have grown up since The B-52’s released their last album—but, thankfully, The B-52’s defiantly refuse to do the same.
