#albums
This year sucked in a lot of ways. But the music helped me get through a lot of it. Here are my top albums of the year, anecdotes and all- in no specific order.
*Kadhja Bonet - Childqueen
This is an album that you need a deep velvet fainting chair, long silk robe and burgundy glass of wine while you listen to it on vinyl. Her Thoreau-ian lyrics about the physical world and how they materialize into our emotional landscapes emote a sadness that soothes as it plays. Listen from start to finish, repeat.
*Shygirl - Cruel Practice
This album is like being chased through an underground club by a serial killer but when they catch you, you both just pop your pussy on the dance floor till 6AM. In a world where dance music feels all too the same, Shygirl’s album stands out.
*U.S. Girls - In A Poem Unlimited
By far my most played record of the year. In a year for me that often felt as though my emotions and my actions were futile this album fit the bill. IAPU is like if Kyley Minogue sang on Sgt. Peppers’ Lonely Heart Clubs Band in the 1980’s.
Favorite song L-Over. “Can you imagine trying to get some satisfaction out of stone? One would have to wait their whole life and I don’t have time for that.” I fucking wish she told me this sooner TBFH.
*Smerz - Have Fun
This album sounds like whispering into a vocoder through gritted teeth to an old crush from grade school on the playground you first met. It starts to rain on your jorts so you go home to download music on limewire over your dial up internet connection to burn them a CD. You write “To:______ From:______” but hate your hand writing to so you have to burn a new CD. You regret the time and effort spent so you microwave the CD and watch it burn. The next day your parents ask why the microwave is broken and you just whisper “love.”
*Boyboy - Boy
Hi, it’s me your local fag here to talk about representation and diversity in the music industry. Growing up I had limited sight of LGBTQ in media. Having always longed for things that were not “popular,” same sex pronouns in music, queer love stories. This gives me a taste of what I needed. This album is like falling in love at a concert, you dance a little bit, make lots of eye contact and make a move and allow those butterflies to take over.
*Kelela - Take Me_A Part, The Remixes
If you don’t know already it’s pronounced kuh-leh-lah. Get that shit right it’s nearly 2019. TMAP got me through the roughest part of a break up and these remixes are here to remind you that men still ain’t shit. Asmara was the executive producer on the album and killed it, each remix is a new interpretation or a beef up of the original. Features junglepussy, Cupcakke Joey LAbeija and Serpent with feet.
*Blood Orange - Negro Swan
This album wasn’t made for me, but I appreciate its beauty regardless. Hynes is an idiosyncratic genius. PERIOD.
“exploration into my own and many types of black depression, an honest look at the corners of black existence, and the ongoing anxieties of queer/people of color. A reach back into childhood and modern traumas, and the things we do to get through it all”
Negro Swan was a perfect example of art imitating life. Although this album very much is an affectation of our current climate, Hynes was able to create something with which the meaning will not be lost in time. Every person regardless of race, sexuality, religion can find themes they can relate with on this gem.
*Tirzah - Devotion
Tirzah has the ability to say a lot without actually saying too much. Her lyrics can be blunt but her instrumental cuts and loops help to soften the blow. Her loops and hooks drive home points that none of us are always able to say aloud, but with practice and repetition we speak it to truth.
*Sophie - Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-insides
If you think PC music is just beep boop beep (it can be), Sophie adds soul. Each song on the album is different; from thumping club bangers like Ponyboy and Faceshopping to blissed out ballads like It’s Okay to Cry. Although this album covers a lot of territory, it’s common thread is how beautiful it is to be human.
*Beach House - 7
Like, duh. Having been a fan of Beach House forever this album is a no brainer. Upon closer inspection though, this album really stands out from the rest of the Beach House discography. Subtly darker, the instrumentation deeper at times and lyrics feel fed up with the ennui of their day to day- Or maybe I’m projecting.
*Ah-Mer-Ah-Su - Star
If you don’t already know Star, she’s a musician from the bay who already has some amazing EP’s under her belt.
The album covers lots of ground, from pop anthems like Heartbreaker, spirit lifting ballads like Powerful as well as being punctuated by vignette’s about moving through the world as trans, practicing self compassion etc.
*Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour
Howdy. Never in my life did I think I would chose to listen to a “country” album. This album has the power to defy preconceived notions of what country is, while still remaining true to its roots. This album is lyric gold, Kacey loves to speak in metaphor and is able to paint vivid pictures in under 3 minutes. (NGL I started listening to this album under the guise that Kacey was a lesbian- although now I know otherwise the album still ~slaps~ and she’s a gay icon tbh)
*Suspiria - Soundtrack
The marriage of music and film is a difficult one, to create an entire album that holds up as well as the movie is even more troubling. Yorke always delivers.
Amy Winehouse reinterpreted album covers
10 years without Amy Winehouse (September 14th, 1983 - July 23rd, 2011)
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Your Fave Is Catholic: Michael Crawford (real name: Michael Patrick Smith)
Known for: Tony Award winning English actor of theater & film, singer, & comedian, he is best known for his portrayal of The Phantom of the Opera in the original Broadway run of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical of the same name. He started his career in film, & after finding success as an actor he transitioned to the stage, & since then he’s found success in both mediums (though he mainly sticks to musical theater these days). His filmography includes films such as The War Lover, Two Left Feet, The Knack…. & How To Get It, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, The Jokers, How I Won The War, Hello Dolly!, The Games, Hello-Goodbye, Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland, Condorman, Barnum, Once Upon A Forest, & Wall-E (in archive footage from Hello, Dolly!). Besides The Phantom of the Opera, his theater credits also include Black Comedy/White Lies, No Sex Please, We’re British, Billy, Flowers For Algernon, Barnum, EFX, Dance of the Vampires, The Woman in White, The Wizard of Oz, & The Go-Between. Because of his success in musical film & theater, he also has recorded several albums where he sings many beloved classic songs, & he also supports many charities that support the well being of children, & he is the president of The Sick Children’s Trust.
Evidence of Faith:According to his biography on the Michael Crawford International Fan Association website, it states that when Michael was growing up on the Isle of Sheppey, he grew up in a very close-knit Catholic family. Other sources also go on to state that at one point when Michael was growing up, he attended St. Michael’s, which is a Catholic school in Bexleyheath.
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When you finally organize your Lightroom cloud folders …
@adobe @lightroom #albums
https://www.instagram.com/p/BvGLQ_Jg0cF/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1wa6s63c934l4
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My post from yesterday got the imagination rolling, and the desire to pen to paper. In the same vein of THE SEASONS OF KISS post, I might soon start sprinkling in…
THE ITSALLFORYOUDEMON BAR GUIDE
(Nightcaps for the Kings of the Night Time World)
Avoiding obvious choices like, “Cold Gin”, and being more of a beer boy myself, this should be interesting, challenging, and fun. Most of all fun…
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Uploaded a new video to my YouTube Channel…Conjuring the good vibes of Spring by celebrating all that is fun with one of the greatest ‘Spring’ releases of the non-makeup years, ASYLUM.
Happy a good week everyone. Spring will be here before we know it…
For another round of NEVER BEING ABLE TO LOOK AT AN ALBUM THE SAME WAY AGAIN…
A few weeks ago, my friend Gery commented that upon seeing the LOVE GUN album for the first time at K-Mart in 1977, the album motif struck him as having a strong Southwestern influence. Peter’s bandolier, Ace’s semi-bandoliered-space suit, the lounging exotic women, the steps, the pillars, the color scheme…it all adds up. Now, I cannot stop NOT-seeing it that way. The LOVE GUN album is my favorite album cover of all time. Adding one more way to view it, only makes it that much better.
Combining it’s beauty with some Southwestern cuisine and a cold Trooper, only adds to the fun…
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My freshman year of high school, there was a video store in town that sold SUPER SAVER CD’s for $9.99. They came in super cheap packaging, clear plastic long boxes, with the compact disc at the bottom, and the CD artwork / booklet on top. My friends and I thought we hit the jackpot, when we noticed that someone at the store had mis-marked the KISS ALIVE’s for $9.99, when most double CD’s were $19.99. Both sets of ALIVE! were purchased before the store became any wiser. I remember falling in love with ALIVE! almost immediately, particularity “She” and “Watching You”. Around the same time I had a $99 JcPenny Harmony electric guitar, that I couldn’t play a lick of, but spent many nights wearing it around my neck, make believing I was in a rock and roll band to the strains of KISS ALIVE! Pretty cool to imagine, what I was doing in 1990, had been done by kids 15 years prior upon it’s release. Dreaming big dreams to the sounds of the greatest ‘live’ rock record ever.
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Over the weekend, my friend Mike mentioned that he loved the DRESSED TO KILL album cover for the cover’s “Gangster” tie-in. I have NEVER in all my life looked at this album cover through that lens. I have always seen the album from the Clark Kent / Superman photo shoot the band did for Cream Magazine. But, his view makes sense, especially tied in with the album title. And now, I will never look at it the same again…and that is awesome. Trading insights with fans and learning something new everyday. It’s fun to be a KISS Fan.
(Although per yesterday’s trademark, the end is nigh?)
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Uploaded a new episode of DEVEREAUX’S LABORATORY. Changing things a bit from the first episode, dropping the Podcast and going for a straight up Vlog. In this episode, Dan, Todd, Mike and myself wax the first three records and try to decide what constitutes CLASSIC KISS.
Enjoy…
Why is it, K-TEL Records are a little more fun when KISS appears on them?
Very K-MART, 1979.
GLORY.
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A comment was made on my Valentines Vlog, “The Season of KISS 3 - The Best Love Songs of KISS”, that “A Million To One” was one of the strongest KISS Ballads in the bands catalog. Having never looked at it this way, I decided to give it a spin last night, and listening via new ears, must completely agree. Although, I still cast my vote for “Reason To Live”…“A Million To One” wins the ballad war hands down over “I Still Love You”.
Now, the ultimate post Valentine Day question…which do you love more…CREATURES OF THE NIGHT or LICK IT UP?
PS - Anyone reading this who may be coming off of a day of depressed, anxious, or lonely thoughts about yesterday’s holiday….STOP. It’s a stupid day. You are perfect the way you are. And you don’t need anyone in your life to prove that. Go be you. Go enjoy your records. (Preferably LICK IT UP….per my answer above).
Have a good day everyone.
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I have been really digging the HOW THE BEATLES CHANGED THE WORLD documentary on Netflix. Around the time I was 13, I dove headfirst into the Beatles. They were the first band I ever considered “collecting”. That stint of soaking in every ounce of music and every bit of information I could get my hands on, while eyeballing every antique store corner, certainly paved the way to my becoming a KISS fan.
Here are some similar looking album covers, each with the first piece of merchandise I ever added to my collection for both of the greatest bands in music history. (IMHO)
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