Scissor Sisters
(Universal Music Enterprises)
The New York City group's eponymous debut album is a fun dose of danceable, hedonistic pop music. The songs often revolve around dreams, fantasies and themes relating to the LGBTQ experience. After the initial release in 2004, it became a commercial and critical juggernaut in the UK. Now, Scissor Sisters has been reissued with fabulous deluxe 2LP and 3CD editions.
Both include previously unreleased songs, single B-sides (a great acoustic Franz Ferdinand cover for BBC Radio 1), extended remixes (Fatboy Slim, Hot Chip, Junkie XL), plus new liner notes and photos. Among the many standouts are the NYC band’s UK hits: the cover of Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” (boasting lead singer Jake Shears’ helium falsetto), a rollicking, 1970s Elton John-styled “Take Your Mama,” and the poignant piano ballad “Mary.”
Information: udiscovermusic.com
Information: udiscovermusic.com
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| Photo: Ford Fairchild |
Southern Spectacle
(Independent)
Southern Spectacle, the third studio album by queer country artist Adam Mac is quite a ride. The Kentucky native has emerged as a leading light out of Nashville in recent years. Infusing traditional country sounds (steel guitar, banjo, fiddle) with pop, dance and R&B elements, Mac writes authentically about personal experiences. Yet there’s plenty of kicking back and having fun too.
Highlights include the romantic vulnerability of “Last Rodeo” - penned for Mac’s husband before they married last summer in Sedona (the nuptials served as a theme to the accompanying music video); some sensual songs with shrewd lyrics (“Rhinestoned, “Turpentine”); the attitude aplenty on “Don’t Want This Smoke”; “The Outside,” a resonant duet ballad with fellow queer country singer Chris Housman; and “Golden Boy,” a stirring ballad about being the black sheep of the family. Available digitally on Oct. 24.
Information: adammacmusic.com
Brokeback Mountain: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
(Verve Forecast)
Out on vinyl for the first time to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Oscar/Golden Globe-winning LGBTQ-themed film starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger, the soundtrack is housed in a gatefold jacket, with 16-page booklet comprising photos of the movie production and scenes, plus detailed liner notes. The track list features a sampling of Gustavo Santaolalla’s gorgeous original score and enticing Americana and country music. Willie Nelson does a comforting take on traditional folk song “He Was a Friend of Mine”; Emmylou Harris stuns on the beautiful “A Love That Will Never Grow Old”; Steve Earle rowdily revisits his ‘80s alt-country tune "Devil's Right Hand"; Rufus Wainwright and Teddy Thompson contribute affecting solo songs and then duet on a terrific cover of Roger Miller’s “King of the Road.”
Out on vinyl for the first time to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Oscar/Golden Globe-winning LGBTQ-themed film starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger, the soundtrack is housed in a gatefold jacket, with 16-page booklet comprising photos of the movie production and scenes, plus detailed liner notes. The track list features a sampling of Gustavo Santaolalla’s gorgeous original score and enticing Americana and country music. Willie Nelson does a comforting take on traditional folk song “He Was a Friend of Mine”; Emmylou Harris stuns on the beautiful “A Love That Will Never Grow Old”; Steve Earle rowdily revisits his ‘80s alt-country tune "Devil's Right Hand"; Rufus Wainwright and Teddy Thompson contribute affecting solo songs and then duet on a terrific cover of Roger Miller’s “King of the Road.”
Information: ververecords.com
My reviews originally ran in Desert Star Weekly.
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