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Versione 1
Rating:
“Bouncing Off The Satellites,” released in September 1986, will remain in the band's history as their most troubled and hard-fought album, labeled as one of their lesser works.
But even if the platter shows a band running out of steam (after five years of a fast-paced charge marked by generally high-quality work), not everything is to be discarded….
The studio sessions began as early as 1985, but guitarist Ricky Wilson passed away during the recording of the album due to AIDS, which in my opinion affected the final outcome of the work. The album was released in September 1986, presenting several fillers along with a few truly worthy tracks. The drum machines and the plastic atmospheres of the 80s make an imposing appearance, even more so than in the previous Whammy, where electronic technology applied to music played a significant role. Their peculiar mix of surf-rock, pop, and new wave here becomes diluted, emptied, and further plasticized. The adolescent and synchronized voices of Pierson and Wilson remain the same, but now they serve melodies and arrangements decidedly more subdued compared to the recent past.
The Athens group, at this point in their career, lost the power and compactness of the sound of their beginnings, but also of Whammy, a work which, while not astounding, was definitely more successful.
Analyzing in detail: The album starts poorly but redeems itself in the second half, ultimately reaching, in my opinion, a dignified though meager passing grade. The opener “Summer Of Love” is permeated by a decidedly "rigid" melody and ultimately insignificant, and the subsequent “The Girl From Ipanema Goes To Greenland” and “Housework” barely stay above the minimum standard of decency, certainly not improving the situation. The next three tracks, which I call the triad of triviality: “Detour Thru Your Mind”, “Wig”, and “Theme For a Nude Beach”, are decidedly bland. This mini-sequence of bland songs (only Wig has some small self-ironic prompts in the lyrics and sound) could be a heavy blow to the album; however, at this point, something changes.
From here on, the level suddenly (and fortunately) steps up. “Juicy Jungle” is at least a fairly successful rendition of their futuristic rock songs, and with the omnipresent and pounding background of its electronic trumpets, it recreates that alienated atmosphere typical of their early tracks, giving some verve to an album that was dragging towards a flat end. In my opinion, “Communicate” is even better, which, besides being another track in full B-52s style, offers us a chorus that became quite famous, sung (or rather spoken) almost in a “hip hop” style.
But the true gem of the album is still “Ain't It a Shame”, which, with its languid and dark pace, draws a truly convincing melody in my opinion, recreating a melancholic atmosphere typical of the best eighties. The closure is entrusted to the calmest and “cheesiest” track of the entire work, the ethereal “She Brakes for Rainbows,” perhaps less incisive but at least with the merit of closing this not-so-memorable album in a sufficiently decent manner.
In today's consolidated musical criticism opinion, “Bouncing Off The Satellites” competes for the title of the worst album by The B-52s along with “Mesopotamia” and “Good Stuff.” I go against the tide and absolutely do not include the often-denigrated “Good Stuff,” which in my view is produced, conceived, and played as God intended. Certainly not a blockbuster, but an often underrated album that at least flows smoothly to listen to all the way through without major falls. All things considered, for me, the worst is Mesopotamia, but obviously, this is not the place to delve into that.
In the end, without being too harsh or meticulous, let's say that these songs are even pleasant to a superficial listen, but if we dissect them well, we realize they certainly do not stand up in comparison to their best works. However, the highs are there and all found on the B-side.
This is the classic album that to be “saved” needs to be listened to immersing oneself in the era in which it was released. Let's say it is a typical slice of the '80s and a good example of synth-dance of that period….let's take it that way. In my personal way of experiencing music, I save it because I have a soft spot for the Georgia group and have an extreme resonance with these sounds, so even the less successful material I find somewhat enjoyable…but I realize that stripping away one's preferences and observing the situation from a neutral point of view, we are here on two and a half stars.
What ultimately saves the album in extremis from the abyss is that the sound is not at all subdued or lackluster, on the contrary, the production is as lively as in the good old times…unfortunately, it's the quality of the melodies and arrangements that is subdued in at least half of the tracks.
For me, it remains a mediocre but overall listenable album; B-52s songs tend to capture even when they are ordinary, and the good second part of the LP holds weight, so I generously round it up to three stars.
Tracklist and Lyrics
03 Housework (04:06)
I am doing my housework
Got no time to fool 'round
I am doing my housework
CLeanin' up and I'm gettin' down
It'll be so clean
You can eat off the floor
You can eat off the wall
Or anywhere at all
'Cause I'll make this place
A party pad for two
And I'm not stoppin' 'til I do
I'm so tired of this vacuum
Need a man to help soon
Don't need a man to make a move on me
I need a man to move in with me
Don't need a man to treat me mean
I need a man to help me clean
Someone who's heaven sent
Someone to help pay rent
Someone to share dreams and wishes
Someone to help me do the dishes
Housework
Housework
Housework
Housework
04 Detour Thru Your Mind (05:09)
Your brain is an ever changing kaleidoscope of moods and colours
We walk in the park but it's melting in the dark
All of a sudden your mood changes and your face looks like a cake left out in the rain
Is your name MacArthur Parker? Or is it Reba?
Detour thru your mind. Supersaver to your mind
We seem to float by yesterday's child. The new you.
The land time forgot and a horse with no mane
As we go further into the gloom, we chance upon a large orange room
A key pops out of your nose. We open the door
And all of a sudden we realise that we are no more
From ear to ear. From here to now
I hear another galaxy spinning around
Who am I? Where am I going? How much will it cost?
A flash of blinding light and we're in an elegantly appointed doctor's office
It seems that Doctor Aron Butterfly wants to dip us in plaster and use us for bookends
We say to the doctore, "No. Please. No!"
And then we get the doctor's bill. What a shock!
$16,000! And all he wanted to do was dip us in plaster!
Detour thru your mind. Supersaver to your mind
Who am I?
Where have I been?
Where am I going?
DO I need any luggage?
(Drug-free altered mindscapetalk)
I need to leave my past behind
I need to leave my behind in the past
Backwards message: I buried my parakeet in the backyard. Oh no, you're playing the record backwards. Watch out, you might ruin your needle.
05 Wig (04:21)
What's that on your head?
A wig
Wig. Wig. Wig
Sally's gotta wig
Ricky's gotta wig
Baby's gotta wig
Kate's gotta wig
Fred's gotta cheap toupee
Keith's gotta big bouffant on
We all got wigs, so... Let's go!
On the neon, neon side of town
On the neon, neon side of town
Julia's gotta wig
Phyllis has a wig
Cindy's gotta wig
J.T's gotta wig
Carol's fall fell
Bubba's gotta big bouffant on
We all got wigs, so... Let's go!
On the neon, neon side of town
On the neon, neon side of town
(Wigtalk)
On the neon, neon side of town
On the neon, neon side of town
What's that on you head?
A wig
Wig. Wig. Wig
Wigs on fire! Wigs on fire! Wigs on... Fire!
It's 2525 and we've got the most wigs alive!
Wigs on fire! Wigs on fire! Take it... Higher!
It's 2525 and we've got the hottest dos alive!
(Wigtalk)
06 Theme for a Nude Beach (04:53)
Bop bop bop boodha bah da da
Bop bop bah da bah da
Bop bop bop boodha bah da da
Bop bop bah da bah da
CHORUS
There is a sand bar in your mind
Sand bar in the bay
Sand bar in your mind
Sand bar in the bay
There's a beach
Oh I hope it's not out of reach
It's very beautiful
Come my little peach
Together we'll go down to nude beach
Together we'll stroll on the sand
We'll stroll on the sand together
Where the air and the land meet forever
The sea, the land
A land of tan
We know a place where we are free
We throw our suits into the sea
CHORUS
Bop bop bop boodha bah da da
Bop bop bah da bah da
Bop bop bop boodha bah da da
Bop bop bah da bah da
Please take my hand. You are a woman
I am a man
This place is so remote, everything is revealed
It's so mysterious
Here I must stay forever
Together we'll go down to nude beach
Together we'll stroll on the sand
We'll stroll on the sand together
Where the air and the land meet forever
The sea, the sand
A land of tan
CHORUS
07 Ain't It a Shame (05:32)
Flying saucers could land
And it wouldn't make much difference to my man
I could walk aboad and thank the lord
And leave this damn town in seconds flat
Check my bags and never come back
Oh, our love is
Like a fuse that's burned out
Oh, our love is
Like a fuse that's burned out
Oh, I've been unkind
Not like you
Ain't I ashamed
Being misused
Oh, our love is
Like a fuse that's burned out
Oh, our love is
Like a fuse that's burned out
I liked your Chevy Duster
I liked your brand new trailer
I liked your colour TV
But you looked at that colour TV
More than me
More than me
Oh, our love is
Like a fuse that's burned out
Oh, our love is
Like a fuse that's burned out
09 Communicate (04:08)
Let loose
Before it causes problems
Let loose
Before it tears you apart
Let loose
Let loose
You gotta reach out - Reach out and touch someone
You gotta reach out - Reach out and touch someone
Boy (Oh girl) you better communicate
Before it's too late
You better start talking
You better talk
Let loose
Before it causes problems
Let loose
Before it tears you apart
Don't bottle it up
Don't bottle it up
Like a bottle of pop
A bottle of 7-Up
You better let it
Talk from your heart and not just your brain
Talk from your heart and not just your brain
C-O-M-M-U-N-I-C-A-T-E
(Your brain that is)
C-O-M-M-U-N-I-C-A-T-E
Talk from your heart and not just your brain
Talk from your heart and not just your brain
C-O-M-M-U-N-I-C-A-T-E
(Your brain that is)
C-O-M-M-U-N-I-C-A-T-E
Channel 17 - Ho
Communicate - Ho
Communicate - Ho
Baby baby bounce it off your satellite - Yeah
10 She Brakes for Rainbows (04:38)
Here comes Brenda
Brenda
Holiday
Though she hasn't that much to say
She knows where the rain goes
She breaks
She breaks
for rainbows
Fly Brenda
Fly Brenda
Window in the weather
Flowers in her hair
Footprints
on the ceiling
How did they get there
She knows
where the rain goes
She breaks
She breaks for
rainbows
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