Weddings, Parties, Anything
The B-52's - Cosmic Thing [MOFI 1-023 USA 2012 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC]
Originally released on Reprise Records in 1989, re-released as part of the Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab Silver Label Vinyl Series, cut all-analogue from the original master tape by Paul Stubblebine.
If it wasn't for one particular single, Cosmic Thing would likely have faded from memory along with many of the mid-period B-52's albums. The rawness & energy of the first two albums was gone, to be replaced by pop-polish primed for hit parades around the globe. Produced by Don Was and Nile Rogers, and propelled by the success of one particular single, the album was to be treasured by a new generation of fans around the globe.
Many have mistaking believed that MOFI had killed the lower end with this release, in actual fact they hadn't. This is an extremely dynamic production (DR14-DR15), however the mastering choices mean that it was cut extremely quiet - hence some bass frequencies were subdued by the noise floor. The label's decision to use RTI's cheaper vinyl formula didn't help. I think I've managed to compensate for this with a few tweaks to my phono amp settings with a lot more gain than I would normally apply.
A1 Cosmic Thing
A2 Dry County
A3 Deadbeat Club
A4 Love Shack
A5 Junebug
B1 Roam
B2 Bushfire
B3 Channel Z
B4 Topaz
B5 Follow Your Bliss
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ReplyDeleteExcellent! Thanks a bunch!!
ReplyDeleteI can tell this one isn't your favorite. I love it, but I love the early stuff too. They were different people when they made this one. They'd lost one of their own and had to figure out how to keep going without them. At least they had good producers backing them here. Nile Rodgers brought his polished touch and Don Was brought a very subdued version of his nutzoid funk but with all the fine details. And it's a lot better than their follow-up a few years later, the very up it's own rear Good Stuff. That's not even an awful album, but by then they were down two members and had become more vocally political in the kind of boring, early 90s way so many others were. I guess it's hard to stay crazy after all those years. For that reason, I've always thought of this as the last "real" B-52's album, but they've remained the party band they always were, still playing lots of fun live shows and being as goofy as ever. I wonder if they ever let Fred sing Monster live.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, thanks and graciousness as always for your always amazing work! You're the man, man!
Many thanks!! fanstastic LP, love all their stuff
ReplyDeleteThank you for this, can't wait to listen to it again. I prefer Roam & Deadbeat club anyway
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to re-experiencing this wonderful album. Thanks. - Stinky
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this as well as the previous two albums which I bought when first released. All three brought back so many memories. Many thanks BM.
ReplyDeleteCheers mate
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