National Album Day 2019: the B52’s by The B52s

by | Oct 11, 2019

I like a challenge in life. I like to push my comfort zone a little further everyday and I never stand defeated. But when we were asked to get involved with National Album Day 2019 and write about one album we don’t skip and enjoy from start to finish, I started getting cold sweats. Panic, horror… I sit here, with an empty page, and this is scarier than anything Stephen King could have imagined. Which album was I going to pick?

I could have taken the easy way out. Blood Sugar Sex Magik plays a very important part in my life. I was always obsessed by the early Red Hot Chili Peppers. Or I could have picked Mother’s Milk. But I also love The Clash, and London Calling is the second most important soundtrack of my life. Or anything by The Hives, The Rolling Stones, The Cramps, New Bomb Turks,… Then, it came, as an epiphany! I could pick an album I thoroughly enjoy and that I think is painfully underrated by the masses. So, on this National Album Day, let’s take a trip to Athens. Not the one in Greece. We’re going to Georgia. Turn on the lava lights, it’s about to get groovy.

One album I’ve always loved from start to finish is the first album of The B52s, titled “B52’s”. When I discovered the band as a teenager in 2005 or 2006, I thought they were the quintessential of cool. Whether it was the beehives, their unique sound or the beautiful harmonies of Kate and Cindy, I was struck. It’s up there in my top 5 favourite albums of all time.

B52’s came out in 1978. The bizarre Planet Claire, with its outer-dimensional vibe and the “Peter Gunn” styling, is the opening track and definitely builds up the tension. Punk influences show in 52 Girls and Dance This Mess Around. Rock Lobster is a world of its own, written by guitarist Ricky Wilson who turned up at band practice saying “I’ve just written the stupidest guitar line you’ve ever heard”. Little did he know, this was going to become one of the best songs of the century.

The rest of the album is interesting. While the band keeps their post-punk influences obvious, Lava has a psychedelic vibe, while Hero Worship is considered to be one of the first Riot Grrrl songs ever written. 6060-842 is an energetic track, perfect for parties and easy to sing along to.

Downtown closes the album. It is a cover the 1964 anthem by Petula Clark that they managed to turn around and make their own. This album came out 41 years ago, and since then, nothing as weird and peculiar has come out. This is a perfect party album, but it’s also worth to stop and give it a proper listen just to catch every little element that built the special sound of a very special band.

Don’t (ever) Skip B52’s

the B52’s by The B52s, 1978, is chosen by rock music photographer Pauline Di Silvestro

 

 

Jeff Lynne Cancels Final ELO Show At BST Hyde Park 2025 Following Illness

In a heartbreaking development for fans, Jeff Lynne’s Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) have cancelled what was set to be their final ever UK performance at BST Hyde Park on Sunday 13 July 2025. The decision follows Lynne’s continued ill health and comes just days after the group’s second show at Manchester’s Co-op Live on 10th July was pulled moments before showtime, after the venue had already filled with fans. Lynne, 77, has been battling a systemic infection and is now under close medical supervision.

Olivia Dean @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

Olivia Dean Warms A Damp Hyde Park With Soulful Resilience At BST Hyde Park 2025

Though clouds still loomed and the ground remained squelchy underfoot, Olivia Dean brought a welcome calm and undeniable warmth to BST Hyde Park’s Great Oak Stage on Sunday afternoon. Following a weather-disrupted opening set by Amber Mark — whose performance was cut short by a torrential downpour — Dean arrived as the skies cleared, bringing poise, polish, and powerful vocals to a crowd that refused to let a bit of British summer rain dampen their spirits.

Clairo @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

Clairo Brings Soft Focus And Dreamy Intimacy To The Great Oak Stage At BST Hyde Park 2025

In the golden lull between a dramatic afternoon downpour and Sabrina Carpenter’s headline pop spectacle, Clairo turned London’s Great Oak Stage into a sanctuary of softness and reflection. Her early evening performance at BST Hyde Park on Sunday 6th July offered a tender contrast to the festival’s typically high-energy crescendo, inviting the crowd into a quieter, more introspective space.

Jessie Murph (Press)

Jessie Murph Announces Bold New Album ‘Sex Hysteria’, Shares Vulnerable New Single ‘Bad As The Rest’

Boundary-breaking rising star Jessie Murph has unveiled her latest single Bad As The Rest, offering a raw and emotionally charged glimpse into her upcoming sophomore album Sex Hysteria, due out on 18th July via Columbia Records.

The Jacques (Nick Sayers)

The Jacques Announce Riotous New Single ‘All The Other Sinners’ Ahead of Second Album ‘Make Repetition!’

London/Bristol alt-rock trio The Jacques are ramping up momentum ahead of their second album Make Repetition! with the release of their blistering new single All The Other Sinners — a searing, melody-drenched slice of chaos and catharsis out now.

Cam @ The Tabernacle (Henry Finnegan / @finneganfoto)

Cam Captivates London With A Night Of Raw Vocals And Real Stories At The Tabernacle

In a sweltering Tabernacle, a somehow both vast and intimate venue, a sweat-soaked audience filled every seat for...
J.Fla (Press)

J.Fla Redefines Herself With Empowering New Single ‘Stellar Paradox’

South Korean singer-songwriter and YouTube sensation J.Fla has taken a giant leap into the cosmos with her newest release, Stellar Paradox, marking the start of a bold new chapter in her musical journey. Known to millions for her viral YouTube covers, J.Fla now turns the spotlight firmly onto her own voice with a genre-blending, emotionally charged original that paves the way for her highly anticipated upcoming EP, due in late summer 2025.

Chloe Qisha @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

Chloe Qisha Closes The Rainbow Stage In Style At BST Hyde Park 2025

After a tempestuous afternoon that saw Hyde Park lashed by torrential rain and set times thrown into flux, it was Chloe Qisha who restored the calm — and then brought the fire — as she closed the Rainbow Stage on Sunday evening with a confident, emotionally astute set that proved worth the wait.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share Thing