#287 The Best Album of 1989, Round 1 Match #45: The B-52’s vs. The Ocean Blue
Hey folks!
Today’s Best Album of 1989 match is:
#10 The B-52's, COSMIC THING
vs.
#119 The Ocean Blue, THE OCEAN BLUE
To vote, follow this link to the Google Form. You will need a Google login to vote. If you can’t or won’t have one, let me know ASAP (either through this newsletter, my email [kentmbeeson@hey.com] or on the Best Album Brackets Bluesky account) and I’ll see what I can do.
Today we have a special Designated Cheerleader, as it cheerleads for both albums in a very personal way. It’s from @renamj.bsky.social and please give it a read. Take it away, Rena!
"Fortunately I am not the first person to tell you that you will never die. You simply lose your body. You will be the same except you won't have to worry about rent or mortgages or fashionable clothes. You will be released from sexual obsessions. You will not have drug addictions. You will not need alcohol. You will not have to worry about cellulite or cigarettes or cancer or AIDS or venereal disease. You will be free." - Cookie Mueller (1949 - 1989)
There are very few 1989 albums that evoke nostalgia for me (I turned 5 in '89). Cosmic Thing is one of them. My parents, both of whom passed away recently a few months apart, loved the B-52's and had this album when it came out. When I listened to it in preparation for the 1989 tournament, a few of the deep cuts were instantly familiar to me. Everyone knows the two big hits, but my parents must have played "Junebug" a lot! And one vivid early childhood memory is seeing the music video for "Love Shack" on TV. I don't hate the song though it is overplayed. It's actually kind of charming in its raucousness. I think some people have heard it far too many times at white people weddings but you can't blame the B-52's for that! That said, "Roam" is clearly the superior single. I dislike the term "life-affirming" but the song evokes that kind of reaction from me.
This is not their best album but it is their big comeback after the tragic death of founding guitarist Ricky Wilson, who died of AIDS at age 32. The recording of Cosmic Thing was a grieving process for the band, particularly for vocalist and Ricky's sister Cindy Wilson. The defiantly queer band addressed political concerns on "Channel Z." And "Deadbeat Club" is a jubilant tribute to their bohemian days in Athens, GA. All in all it's a fun party record, even if you're sick to death of "Love Shack."
One of the very best albums of 1989 is The Ocean Blue's self-titled debut. Listen to the album completely blind and you might guess that the band is English or Scottish. They actually hail from the chocolate capital of Hershey, PA but clearly adore British guitar pop. (I have fond memories of going to Hersheypark as a kid in the '90s.) The music is just as sweet and satisfying as a chocolate bar. The album begins on a high note with "Between Something and Nothing" and never lets up for 45 minutes, one great song after another. It is catchy and accessible and full of hooks. It has an unfortunate low seeding, maybe because the band is relatively unknown though they are highly regarded in some indie/dream pop circles. If you like jangly indie pop, you will love this. Please give it a listen.
This is an interesting match because it shows two very different sides of 1989. The B-52's are new wave legends who saw major commercial success with two monster singles that were everywhere. The Ocean Blue, on the other hand, are pure 120 Minutes fare, an underground band with a cult following. The B-52's will win short of a major upset, though I certainly support giving the underdog a sympathy vote here.
Last month my family had a celebration of life (don't call it a funeral) for my deceased parents in New Orleans. On the plane ride home, I listened to both of these albums back to back as I came up with the idea for a double DC and it was fitting. My parents had probably never heard of The Ocean Blue but I was listening to them while flying over the Atlantic Ocean (the ocean blue!). Rest easy, Mom and Dad.
One last thing: Julee Cruise, whose debut Floating Into the Night I wrote about a few weeks ago, toured with the B-52's in the '90s. She passed away in 2022 and according to her husband Edward Grinnan:
"She left this realm on her own terms. No regrets. She is at peace...I played her 'Roam' during her transition. Now she will roam forever. Rest in Peace, my love."
Thank you, Rena.
Click here to see the current results for the entire tournament, and click here to see the current results for the prediction bracket contest.
Yesterday, #39 Jungle Brothers, DONE BY THE FORCES OF NATURE defeated #90 Roy Orbison, MYSTERY GIRL, 80-34-2.
Thanks for subscribing and reading and voting!
Kent