Wild Planet
Studio album by
the B-52's
ReleasedAugust 27, 1980[1]
RecordedApril 1980
StudioCompass Point (Nassau)
Genre
Length34:44
LabelWarner Bros.
ProducerRhett Davies, the B-52's
The B-52's chronology
The B-52's
(1979)		 Wild Planet
(1980)		 Party Mix!
(1981)
Singles from Wild Planet
  1. "Private Idaho"
    Released: October 1980
  2. "Give Me Back My Man"
    Released: 1980
  3. "Party Out of Bounds"
    Released: 1980

Wild Planet is the second studio album by American new wave band the B-52's, released in 1980 by Warner Bros. Records.

As with their first album, the B-52's traveled to Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas to record Wild Planet.[2] Several of the songs from the album had been concert staples since 1978. The band did not record them for their first album, knowing that performing the tracks live would make fans look forward to it.

Film director Gus Van Sant later referred to the song "Private Idaho" in the title of his 1991 film My Own Private Idaho and thanked the band in the film's credits, although he did not seek approval from the band to use it.[3]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
Christgau's Record GuideB+[5]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[6]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide[7]
(The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide[8]
Select3/5[9]
Spin Alternative Record Guide7/10[10]

Commercial

Wild Planet charted for 27 weeks on the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 18.[11] Wild Planet was certified Gold by the RIAA.[2]

Critical

Billboard gave Wild Planet a positive review, calling it an improvement over the band's debut album and "a cinch for hot rotation in rock-oriented discos".[12] Robert Christgau of The Village Voice observed, "'Party Out of Bounds' and 'Quiche Lorraine' are expert entertainments at best and the wacko parochialism of 'Private Idaho' is a positive annoyance. Only on 'Devil in My Car' and 'Give Me Back My Man' do they exploit the potential for meaning—cosmic and emotional, respectively—that accrues to the world's greatest new-wave kiddie-novelty disco-punk band."[13] Frank Rose of Rolling Stone felt that it "plainly lacks the relentless exuberance of the group's debut disc", which he considered "partly a result of the production: flatter and duller sounding than its predecessor".[14] While Trouser Press thought the album had its "inspired moments", they concluded that "too much of the album, with its short length and recycled ideas, comes across as a pale imitation of its predecessor."[15]

In a retrospective review for AllMusic, David Cleary thought the songs were "faster, tighter, and punchier than previously, though production values are not as wonderfully quirky and detailed", and highlighted the "cunning mix of girl group, garage band, surf, and television theme song influences, all propelled along by an itchy dance beat."[4]

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Party Out of Bounds"
3:21
2."Dirty Back Road"
  • R. Wilson
  • Robert Waldrop
3:21
3."Runnin' Around"
  • Schneider
  • Strickland
  • R. Wilson
  • C. Wilson
  • Pierson
3:09
4."Give Me Back My Man"
  • Schneider
  • Strickland
  • R. Wilson
  • C. Wilson
4:00
5."Private Idaho"
  • Schneider
  • Strickland
  • R. Wilson
  • C. Wilson
  • Pierson
3:35
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Devil in My Car"
  • Schneider
  • R. Wilson
  • C. Wilson
  • Pierson
4:28
2."Quiche Lorraine"
  • Schneider
  • Strickland
  • R. Wilson
3:58
3."Strobe Light"
  • Schneider
  • Strickland
  • R. Wilson
3:59
4."53 Miles West of Venus"
  • Schneider
  • R. Wilson
  • C. Wilson
  • Pierson
4:53
Total length:34:44

Personnel

The B-52's

Technical

  • Rhett Davies – producer, engineer
  • The B-52's – producers
  • Chris Blackwell – executive producer
  • Benjamin Armbrister – assistant engineer
  • Robert Waldrop – art direction
  • Lynn Goldsmith – cover photography
  • La Verne & Phyllis – hairdos
  • Paul Bricker – makeup

Chart performance

Certifications and sales

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[22] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ↑ The B-52's (2002). Nude on the Moon: The B-52's Anthology (CD liner notes). Rhino Entertainment. R2 78357.
  2. 1 2 "Wild Planet - The B-52's". Rhino Entertainment. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  3. ↑ Harris, Will (November 1, 2011). "Kate Pierson of The B-52s". The A.V. Club. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  4. 1 2 Cleary, David. "The B-52's - Wild Planet Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved October 16, 2004.
  5. ↑ Christgau, Robert (1990). "B". Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s. Pantheon Books. ISBN 0-679-73015-X. Retrieved August 17, 2020 – via robertchristgau.com.
  6. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press.
  7. ↑ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1996. p. 60.
  8. ↑ Considine, J. D. (2004). "The B-52's". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). (The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 67–68. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8. Retrieved November 2, 2011.
  9. ↑ Cavanagh, David (July 1990). "Flip Your Wig". Select. p. 121.
  10. ↑ Huston, Johnny (1995). "B-52's". In Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (eds.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. pp. 38–39. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
  11. ↑ "The B-52s". Billboard.
  12. ↑ "Billboard's Top Album Picks" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 85, no. 37. September 13, 1980. p. 68. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 24, 2020 – via World Radio History.
  13. ↑ Christgau, Robert (March 2, 1981). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved November 29, 2011.
  14. ↑ Rose, Frank (October 30, 1980). "The B-52's: Wild Planet". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 12, 2008. Retrieved May 12, 2006.
  15. ↑ Isler, Scott; Robbins, Ira; Neugebauer, Delvin. "B-52's". Trouser Press.
  16. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 260. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  17. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4703a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
  18. ↑ "Charts.nz – The B-52's – Wild Planet". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
  19. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
  20. ↑ "The B-52's Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
  21. ↑ "Top Selling Albums of 1980 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
  22. ↑ "American album certifications – B-52'S – Wild Planet". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
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