Album of the Day

Athens, Georgia's New Wave heroes The B-52's followed up their classic debut with the equally irresistible WILD PLANET. Recorded in the Bahamas like its predecessor, the 1980 Warner Bros. collection blends retro-kitsch, bouncy beats and quirky hooks on nine originals including “Quiche Lorraine,” “Dirty Back Road” and the immortal “Private Idaho.” A perfect disc for partying out of bounds, the album is so much fun that you might not notice the craft that went into it; Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson are first-class vocalists, and Ricky Wilson's guitar work is superb throughout (check out the riff-driven “Runnin' Around” for an example). The Gold-certified WILD PLANET is sure to send any alternative music fan into orbit.