#MWE May 2023
It feels like the first time
May’s Theme Week+ was devoted to debut albums, including a twofer of Wham!-related solo debuts - neither great, one downright deadly (just guess). Another debut from that place & time but much better is that of Sinitta, which I cheekily paired with her Mom’s second, a landmark of hi-NRG. Also this month, there’s a bluegrass record of Gordon Lightfoot (RIP) covers, BST’s first, killer beats from Grove, and Norma Tanega’s sneaky debut, which I was inspired to listen to thanks to a tweet from trans country-punk icon Mya Byrne. Oh, and I marked my first vacation in 4 years, a trip to Palm Springs, by spinning a 1962 album from notable PS resident Liberace.
Pick Hits came from queers Yves Tumor (2023), Alberta Hunter (1980), and Jessye DeSilva (2022), along with Emma-Jean Thackray’s crackling 2021 full-length, and Ride’s Andy Bell in collaboration with harp & theremin duo (really!) Masal. Musts to Avoid? Sadly, queer country singer Lily Rose (painfully generic), and somewhat surprisingly, Laurie Anderson’s first, along with the above-mentioned former member of Wham! who’s not GM.
I need a little bit of a break from the day-to-day grind of #MWE, so I may not be tweeting these every day of June, but everything I do will be by queer artists, rest assured. Pride Month should be every month, but I’m certainly not going to not spotlight my queer compatriots in our month of months, especially not at this fraught moment. And that includes the Christian (every second Sunday), Christmas (every 25th), live, and covers records, too. Stay tuned.
Lily Rose, Stronger Than I Am EP (2021): This ballcap-&-tee lesbian is the first woman I’ve come across working in Sam Hunt / Walker Hayes-style commercial country - but that’s not a compliment. I like her, but this doesn’t cut it for me, sadly, no matter who’s singing.
Jessye DeSilva, Landscapes (2022): One of the most beautiful albums I’ve heard in some time. These songs are delicate, crafted so carefully, yet also sturdy, strong, powerful, & largely about queer relationships. Lovely piano & vox too. Can’t wait for what they do next.
Stanley Clarke/George Duke, The Clarke/Duke Project II (1983): Not at all jazz; this is super-slick, lightly-jazz-touched R&B (classic “Atlanta” is exception) w/ v heavy-handed prod. Most trax feat vox; “Every Reason” even has Jeffrey Osborne & Howard Hewett! Subpar.
Debbie Jacobs, Undercover Lover (1979): Her voice is good but mediocre material & so-so prod on her disco debut leave her hanging (cf. title track & “Burnin’ Desire,” which does not inspire said emotion). But minor hit “Don’t You Want My Love” throbs (almost) sexily.
Tony Rice Sings Gordon Lightfoot (1996): A lovely collection of bluegrass takes, where Rice (whose voice isn’t dissimilar) largely eschews the hits for lesser-known songs & shows off the impressiveness of Lightfoot’s songbook, whose folk songs were made for these arr.
SuCh, Wide Nose Full Lips (2019): A solid, if occ too earnest, grown-folks R&B record. Her stripped-down cover of John Legend’s “Ordinary People” is v effective; it segues nicely into “Mood,” which builds hotly. The sexy “Before Dark” should be a Quiet Storm standard.
Yves Tumor, Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) (2023): Exciting Black queerdo artist who’s clearly spent time w/ dark ‘80s/’90s alt yet still understands pop song construction (cf. Pixies, Pumpkins). Knows his own voice.
Laurie Anderson, Big Science (1982): More performance artist than musician, Anderson is a profoundly acquired taste which I’ve never acquired, in spite of several attempts. The musical elements here leave me largely cold, & the non-musical might be better seen?
Kiddy Smile, Paris’ Burning, Vol. 1 (2022): Surprisingly unexciting EP from the Parisian ballroom scene stalwart. It’s housey, sure, but there’s no joy; Smile seems to be working through some shit. “I’m Lonely” at least gives some dark Jamie Principle acid vibes.
Liberace, As Time Goes By (1962): On record, w/o the broad campiness of his TV appearances, Liberace was actually a lovely pianist, dedicated mostly to popular classics (tho classically trained). Here he tends toward well-worn MOR melodies w/ some florid arr.
Alberta Hunter, Amtrak Blues (1980): Rec’d at 83, John Hammond-prod comeback LP by the jazz/blues legend swings impressively - & she’s still saucy! If you love hearing a singer in control of their instrument, listen to this. RIYL small combo late-period Tony Bennett.
Noah G. Fowler, Gone Again EP (2021): His voice is young (he was 21 when he recorded his self-prod debut), his orig songs worn-in & old-timey, his version of Americana (via bluegrass & folk) promising. Solid, & I suspect he’ll sound better w/ a little more polish.
ther, a horrid whisper echoes in a palace of endless joy today (2023): Can hear why some call them slowcore - def a pronounced Low influence - but sounds much more folk via high western to me. Plaintive guitars & vox, arid arr, firmly grounded yet quite otherworldly.
Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin, Kingdom Book One (2022): Double live collab between the Black worship collective and gospel’s king, loaded w/great songwriting, is one of the most impressive gospel records I’ve heard in ages (albeit a smidge too long). Soaring.
Peter Brown, A Fantasy Love Affair (1978): Both singles (“Funky” and “Dance”) absolutely kill, but some poppier tracks on his debut are a bit too MOR (his voice is occ Manilow-esque). But title track and “Should” thump, and “Singer’s/Dancer” is pleasantly weird.
Pepsi & Shirlie, All Right Now (1987): Generic, chained-to-its-era dance-pop that should've had scene kings Stock Aitken Waterman with a hand in it - they knew how to write songs. Instead we got this watery retread w/ a horrifying Free cover as title track.
16b. Andrew Ridgely, Son of Albert (1990): Most of his only solo LP sounds not like Wham!, but hair metal (check the yr): Everlys cover & “Kiss Me” ape Bon Jovi, “Mexico” is bad DLR, & much of rest is like Poison w/o chops. You get why he left music after this abject mess.
Fancy Hagood, Southern Curiosity (2021): A little bit country, a little bit pop, 100% a stellar songwriter, clearly influenced by Elton/Bernie lyrically & piano-wise. Perfectly carrying on EJ’s ‘70s traditions, only gay, proud, & loud, Fancy's just who we need now.
Valerie Simpson, Exposed (1971): Songwriting legend’s LP debut is equal parts Supremes and Minnie Riperton, particularly in the ways she leans towards full-band-based sounds. V much early ‘70s progressive soul (not funk), & Simpson positively wails. A revelation.
Brian Falduto, Gay Country EP (2023): Pains me to say, but these lyrics are so painfully simplistic, like running a GWM influencer’s IG feed into an AI country lyrics program: “It’s the same old country love song, but it’s gay”? Ugh, c’mon. Decent voice, basic prod.
Einstürzende Neubauten, Kollaps (1981): The truest version of industrial music, because much of it’s being made industrially, on non-instruments, w/ little care given to melodies. Do I want to hear this often? Likely not. But it’s def a mood, one I’m occ in. & “Jet’m”!
Barbara Lewis, Hello Stranger (1963): Boilerplate songs (“I’m in love,” “I’m lovelorn,” etc.) soaked in strings and chintzy arr; some call the use of organ here exciting, but I hear it as v roller-rink. Singing is fine, Dells backgrounds great, but it’s all too facile.
Emma-Jean Thackray, Yellow (2021): Kicks off deep like early electric Miles, then largely moves to spiritual acid/jazz/fusion, heartily RIYL Lonnie Liston Smith. Easy to see why she’s on the ‘22 STR4TA LP, as they def share an aesthetic. Wall-to-wall terrific; I want more.
Andy Bell & Masal, Tidal Love Numbers (2023): Harp/theremin duo Masal team w/ Ride’s Bell for a gorgeous collab of ambient instr via astral jazz. His meticulous guitar work is reminiscent of Fripp and Guthrie, while Masal create a beautiful bed for all to lie in.
Blood, Sweat & Tears, Child Is Father to the Man (1968): On their mostly fun debut, Al Kooper’s band (pre awful David Clayton-Thomas yrs) is a amalgam of late ‘60s sounds: rock w/ horns, of course, but folk, jazz, baroque pop. Pretty “Morning Glory” could be Dylan.
Chely Wright, Santa Will Find You! EP (2018): These Wright originals go for a retro, largely ‘60s vibe in both songs & prod, while her rich voice curls around you like a fur wrap on a snowy day. I doubt I’ll remember any of these, but it’s some nice seasonal cheer.
Miquel Brown, Manpower (1983): OMG this LP is so gay in the absolute best of ways. Brown has a v over-enunciating voice, & this reads like B’way going hi-NRG. Ian Levine’s prod twinkles; “So Many Men” & title track will always be horny classics. Thumpa thumpa.
26b. Sinitta! (1987): The debut by Miquel Brown’s daughter is actually good-ish! Plumbs through a heap of archetypal Stock Aitken Waterman ‘80s turbo-pop, freestyle (!), and even dips a toe into hi-NRG (!!). Thin voice, simple songs, but who cares? The uptempo prod is all.
The Cadillacs, The Fabulous Cadillacs (1957): Their 1st LP is 12 tight (all <3:00) doo-wop numbers; while the genre isn’t generally my fave, this stands out, thx largely to Earl Carroll’s incredible voice. Awesomely honking sax on “No Chance” and “I Wonder Why?” too.
Larry & Joe, Nuevo South Train (2023): The duo of gay banjo picker Joe & Llanera harpist/cuatro player Larry is beautiful and joy-filled. Their bilingual marriage of Appalachian & Venezuelan musics makes immense, fast sense when you hear it, drawing direct lines.
Fairground Attraction, The First of a Million Kisses (1989): Eddi Reader & her band of merry men made a big UK splash with their debut (& only) LP, which is rootsy and a bit folky, but also insufferably twee. “Perfect” still charms, but that’s about all I can recommend.
Grove, Queer + Black EP (2021): Hard-jackin’ beats (starting but not ending in drum’n’bass) along with strident lyrics about Blackness, queerness, and capitalism are the order of the day on this 1st EP from a NB POC Brit who’s clearly one to watch. Really sayin’ somethin’.
Norma Tanega, Walkin’ My Cat Named Dog (1966): The ‘60s debut by this queer folksinging WOC is a bit overprod; strings feel largely unnecessary. But the songs, v much of the downtown NYC folk trad, are solid-to-great, & I’m fascinated by her voice, akin to a Yank Nico.