B-52's – witness the bitter surf-biker sound of "Sugar in My Hog." But instead of another dissatisfying solo collection of B-52's extra lite, Schneider has found an edgier musical context for his mannered, vaguely irritated vocals. With the in-studio help of Six Finger Satellite, Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet and other indie rockers, Schneider has found new fire and focus. "Love Shack" this ain't.

Albini manages to make all these guitars sound authentic and contemporary, but Just Fred is as much a nod to the late-'70s underground scene that spawned the B-52's, when the punk rock of the Ramones seemed just fine alongside the quirky pop of bands like Blondie and Talking Heads. Likewise, the new album sends up a variety of rock styles, from the dueling guitars and punked-up silliness of Harry Nilsson's "Coconut" to "Bulldozer," which glides along a post-glam fuzz guitar lead that could easily have been played by Brian May of Queen. The low-fi Sex Pistols-like roar of "Secret Sharer" even distorts Schneider's vocals, obscuring his distinctive sassiness into something more anonymous. By the time the album ends in a sudden musical crash, Schneider has surprised us, pulling off something the B-52's haven't managed since those first two albums. (RS 733)

STEVE APPLEFORD