For B-52s’ Wilson, solo album marks big ‘Change’
Cindy Wilson may hold the record as the famous group member who waited the longest to make a solo album.
After nearly 40 years with the B-52s, she’s now touring behind “Change,” her first full solo album (following two EPs last year). And the upstairs room of the Middle East, where she performs tomorrow night, will be one of the smallest rooms she’s played in decades.
“That’s one of the cool things about it. Nobody’s giving us anything, and we have to earn every step of the way,” she said this week from her tour bus outside Philadelphia. “This feels like the right thing at the right time — the planets just had to be in alignment.”
With its lush electronic pop sound, “Change” sounds nothing like a B-52s album, but it does showcase the vocal chops she displayed in the group’s poppier moments. Its highlight is a lovely version of “Things I’d Like to Say,” which ’60s collectors will remember as a hit for the New Colony Six.
“The melody on that really touched me. It borders on the corny, but to me, it’s really gorgeous,” she said, likening the current live show to a theatrical performance, with the songs running into each other.
“Subtlety can be more powerful than hitting somebody over the head — which I also love doing. Screaming at the top of your voice is great when it’s appropriate. But it’s fun to be more minimalistic, and have these gorgeous melodies and harmonies at the same time. You can hear traces of that in certain B-52s songs, but this is a different thing. To me, it’s almost like ear candy, the kind of thing I like to play when I’m on the highway rolling along.”
The album stemmed indirectly from her son’s birthday party, where she hired a Beatles tribute band to play. Its leader, Ryan Monahan, became her main collaborator.
“It was my son’s 10th birthday, and he’s in college now, so that’s how long it’s
been. My husband and I kept having them over to do parties, then I played with them for an R.E.M. anniversary tribute in Athens. We did some old garage band songs from back in the day that they’d never heard before, but they could learn anything I would throw at them. So we approached the album in the best possible way, which is not expecting anything and just letting it come.”
This weekend’s show will certainly be a change from her last local appearance in June, when the B52s played with the Pops at Symphony Hall. More orchestrated shows are coming this year as the group’s 40th anniversary revs up.
“Wasn’t that (Pops show) a hoot and a half? That was such a combination of unexpected elements. I loved it so much. We’re going to be busy over the next year, but it’s going to be worth it.”
Cindy Wilson at the Middle East, 472-480 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, tomorrow. Tickets: $20-$35; mideastoffers.com.