Cheap Good Stuff (Music) (The B-52's) Price

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Customer Reviews of Good Stuff

And then.....nothing happened
I don't exactly bear any animosity towards this album, seeing as I bought it for $4.99, but compared to the previous album, it's phenomenally weak. The key here is the temporary departure of Cindy Wilson. To some, that may seem trivial, as "both of those singers sound the same!" but, to tell you the blatant truth, they DON'T. Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson made up what was probably the best girl duo in music, with Cindy's raspier vocals mixing perfectly with Kate's pure, sugary-sweet vocals, and with Kate on her own, the sound of the album is kind of flat. In addition, the problem that the album has is that too many of the songs sound like Kate and Fred singing random stuff over rather contrived backing music ("Hot Pants Explosion," and the title track in spite of a wonderful chorus) just to fill up space. Finally, the entire album and liner notes and cover art seem to show some sort of spiritual rebirth, with disgustingly trendy let's-save-the-earth pictures of manatees and dolphins and astrological symbols, and songs like "Dreamland" and "Vision Of A Kiss." That said, I really enjoy the piano boogie number "Tell It Like It T-I-Is," the gorgeous "Revolution Earth," and the spacey "Is That You Mo-Dean"? "Bad Influence" is a catchy rocker, but it really could've used Cindy, and the political lyrics are too contrived and direct for it to rank up there with, say, "Channel Z." I guess I could still recommend it for those four songs, seeing that it's in cutout bins around the nation anyway.

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The best of the best
I saw a couple of less than favorable reviews on this CD and couldn't help but express my opinion. IMO, this is definately their best CD. When this one goes in my CD player in my car it doesn't come out for a week. It also seems to be mostly undiscovered. From the first time I heard it I was hooked. The first 3 songs come out like a house of fire and then it gets better. "Revolution Earth", "Vission of a Kiss", "Is That You Mo-Dean", "Bad Influence" on and on. "Dreamland" is another one that surprises the hell out of you (very uncharacteristic). Just saw them in concert a couple of weeks ago and was very disappointed they didn't play more from this album (Good Stuff and Mo-Dean only). A must own for any B-52s fan.

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Not a cosmic hit!
Following the release of COSMIC THING in 1989,B-52's member Kate Pierson joined R.E.M. in the recording of ME IN HONEY and SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE from R.E.M.'s 1991 megahit album OUT OF TIME(I forgot to mention the latter song in the review for COSMIC THING). In 1992 came this album which sold far less than COSMIC THING. The B-52's were reduced from a quartet to a trio. Cindy Wilson quit the band after COSMIC THING. Fred Schneider's words,as usual,are spoken instead of sung. On the first track there's a bit of weirdness("tell it like it T-I is"). HOT PANTS EXPLOSION("at the factory") is awesome("they're getting so hot,we might have to take them off!")! The title track is also awesome. Pierson sings,"How about giving me some of that good stuff!". Schneider replies,"Here it is,here it is!". IS THAT YOU MO-DEAN is cool. To this day,I have no idea what that's supposed to mean. THE WORLD'S GREEN LAUGHTER is instrumental. Other cool tracks are BAD INFLUENCE,VISION OF A KISS and BREEZIN'. Not one song on this album gained as much attention as COSMIC THING'S LOVE SHACK. After this album,the band recorded MEET THE FLINTSTONES for the 1994 Universal film,THE FLINTSTONES which I like better than the version heard in the animated sitcom's opening and closing montages.