Who doesn’t secretly love a good B-52’s track? No matter your stance on them, with so many classic hits, they’re a 70s band which still hold their roots firmly within mainstream pop culture. Crafted with care and diligence, Cindy Wilson, a vocalist from the 70s phenomena has now come forth with her own solo album Change. A ten-piece record which strives on excessive creativity, bouncy rhythms and demonstrates the talents of an artist who has spent over 40 years in the spotlight.

Cindy’s sound is delicate but captivating, her airy vocals are a blessing to the ears and, whilst they do not demonstrate any particular power behind them, hold a sense of unique intrigue which keeps the sound feeling fresh. The record itself could not be farther from the likes of The B-52’s but through the accompaniment of various synths, strings and miscellaneous sounds, Cindy has created an album which will definitely put her music into her own category.

Tracks such as ‘Stand Back Time’ really capture Cindy’s veteran status within the pop world, the piece feels incredibly crisp and holds an inherent feeling of warmth and comfort behind her tones. The backing instrumentals are all crafted in a sublime manner to suit Cindy’s delicate voice whilst supplying a delightful groove, the snap of the drums and the earthy feeling behind the bass tones all energise the sound and the result is certainly something that would not go amiss in today’s musical climate.

According to Cindy, Change has been a piece in the making for well over a decade and, in various forms, this certainly shows. Tracks such as ‘Sunrise’ demonstrate an almost nostalgic sense of feeling, capturing the artist’s journey to superstardom, whilst others such as ‘No One Can Tell You’ have clearly been formulated in a newer era, bordering on an almost futuristic pop sound. Aspects of funk, traditional disco and new wave electronica can all be seen and each is easily capable of adding a definitive edge to the music.

Perhaps there are certain times where the prolonged writing of this album shows cracks, I wouldn’t say there is any definitive track on this album which will hold up as a solid single. ‘Brother’ and ’On The Inside’ certainly come close, but fit far more cohesively as a part of a cover to cover listen. This may be a critique to some extent, but in fact it feels as though the thought behind this album was to generate more of an intimate listening experience than about the sales.

Overall, Cindy Wilson has done what so many have failed to do. She has truly separated herself from the sound which made her famous. Her solo project could not feel more different than The B-52’s sound but still brings forth aspects which her most dedicated of fans will be able to relish in. Is Change a groundbreaking record? Not exactly, but it has introduced a far more personal side to this artist’s music that I think many will have never seen before. Change is an enjoyable ambient listen throughout and one which Cindy and her team should be incredibly happy with creating.

Ben Walker

Website: cindywilsonb52s.com
Facebook: facebook.com/CindyWilsonMusic
Twitter: twitter.com/CindyWilsonATH