The soft bigotry of low expectations

The press kit for the B-52s' first album in 16 years depressingly mentions LCD Soundsystem, the Rapture, and the Killers as sonic touchstones. It's kind of gauche that Astralwerks feels the need to compare a long-awaited record by veteran hitmakers to a bunch of young turks who, shiny and exciting though they are, have not yet proven that they're capable of anything as pop-redefining as the Dadaist wedding staple "Rock Lobster." Sure, "Mr. Brightside" is a great song, but it probably won't be rocking bar mitzvahs 30 years from now.

You can find additional thoughts about the B-52s' boring yet peppy Funplex on the same bat channel.