un-#MWE June 2023: Queer Classics
Even more queer, all classic, all month
I did more un-#MWE tweets than #MWE in June, all what I’m calling Queer Classics: important, historical albums that should all be considered part of the queer canon. I’m going to keep doing them moving forward, as part of my un-#MWE series, because this shit is important, y’all. A lot of Pick Hits, including Meshell Ndegéocello’s second (which is likely in my all-time top 10), Wendy & Lisa’s first (which definitely is), Kitchens of Distinction’s second (there’s not a bad album in their catalog, FWIW), and Adeem the Artist’s newly reissued Cast-Iron Pansexual, a modern-day classic on the subjects of sexuality and gender. But there’s not a one below that I don’t love, period.
Also, another reminder: Pride is year-round. It’s not limited to one day, or week, or month. Now more than fucking ever.
QC1: Indigo Girls (1989): Major debut of 2 queer women updating classic folk tropes hit many folx hard w/ songs of love & human rights; occ full-band arr help augment their songs, provide added punch. Scott Litt’s prod is perfect. “History of Us” breaks my [heart emoji] every time.
QC2: Pet Shop Boys, Behaviour (1990): Maybe their finest hour. Tennant & Lowe’s songwriting sharpened to a point - not just “Boring,” but on “Place” & “October,” breathtaking. Faltermeyer’s co-prod, all those analogue synths, gorgeous. Wistful, reflective, yet cheeky too.
QC3: Sylvester, Living Proof (1979): Magnificent double live from disco’s real queen (& NB icon!) at peak. He owns these covers (Patti LaBelle, Leon Russell, even Beatles), origs are classics, full band & brass sound incredible, impeccable lead + backing vox. Legend.
QC4: Meshell Ndegéocello, Peace Beyond Passion (1996): Soph LP masterpiece, mostly funk-jazzy songs anchored by her thick bass, absurdly great lyrics. Heavily explores org religion, but makes room for Withers, Gaye covers too. Prod David Gamson understood assignment.
QC5: Rough Trade, Avoid Freud (1980): One of the best new wavish rock bands ever, Canada’s RT were a good band w/ a truly legendary frontwoman, Carole Pope. She had presence, wrote great lyrics, and was hot *and* cool, oozing sex & brains. “Confidential” is a masterpiece.
QC6: Scissor Sisters (2004): Queer as the B-52’s, rock-y like ‘70s Elton, along w/ Jake Shears’s wow! falsetto & a persistent synth throb, of course they were huge in the UK. Floyd cover is kinda magical, & much of rest comes close. & they weren’t just camp - cf. “Mary.”
QC7: Village People EP (1977): Morali & Belolo’s creation hit like a big gay bomb, 4-song EP (mostly rec’d w/sessioners) spotlighting major gay US neighbs/cities (SF, H’wood, Fire Island, G’wich Village) w/ v specific lyrical refs. It’s great, thumping, vibey [pride flag emoji] disco.
QC8: Cabaret (Original Sound Track Recording) (1972): Isherwood source material + composers Kander & Ebb + star Joel Grey (+ Liza, I mean) = a v queer LP. The OST to Fosse’s Weimar Republic film holds up, b/c the songs, orchestrations, perfs are all B’way perfection.
QC9: June Millington, Heartsong (1981): 1st solo LP by former Fanny linchpin is women’s music w/o sounding like its folky ‘70s version; this is early ‘80s soft rock (“Trouble”), occ even yachty (“When Wrong Is Right”). Songs (esp lyrics) are lovely, & her vox is strong.
QC10: B-52’s, Bouncing Off the Satellites (1986): Most folx least fave is my preferred B’s, a sneakily poignant farewell to guitarist Ricky Wilson (who’s all over it). “Greenland” is buoyant & sad, “Communicate” classic B’s, “Rainbows” the perfect period on the LP.
QC11: Jackie Shane, Any Other Way (2017): Comp of most everything rec’d by pioneering ‘60s Black transwoman (45s + live) is so important & so good: her pocket was greasy Southern soul, her voice was raw, her knack for material great. Grateful she was involved w/ release.
QC12: Michael Cohen, What Did You Expect…? (1973): Beautiful early ‘70s folk LP - clearly influenced by Dylan, Leonard Cohen - made stunning by candid self-penned lyrics about gay relationships. Amazing that this boundary-smashing came out on Smithsonian Folkways.
QC13: Tracy Chapman (1988): A folk LP through & through; these bones (political + love songs, acoustic guitar) could easily be a ‘60s Baez record. Her songs are stellar (& still sadly relevant - #BLM), her vox clear, prod David Kershenbaum knew just how to best present.
QC14: Soft Cell, Non Stop Erotic Cabaret (1981): A strikingly, shockingly queer & sexual album for the early ‘80s, let alone one that was such a global smash. Marc Almond may have been camp, but he meant it, too. The duo’s synthpop, augmented by woodwinds, is *smart*.
QC15: RuPaul, Supermodel of the World (1993): His music wasn’t always soulless cash-grabs - on his debut, there’s real joy & celebration. The music is ebullient early ‘90s pop-house (gimme those pianos!), & Ru can actually sing. Dancefloor-oriented, uncynical fun.
QC16: Adeem the Artist, Cast-Iron Pansexual (2021): Coming out as non-binary & pan is a huge deal, let alone in country music; likes of “I Never Came Out” & “Honeysuckle” hit harder here. Simple arr spotlight incr lyrics, their vox simultaneously vulnerable & strong.
QC17: Wendy and Lisa (1987): Of course you can hear the Prince in their debut - but it also makes clear how much of *them* is in the music of his glory yrs. 11 perfectly crafted pop songs ingrained in, & engraved on, my soul; this is easily in my all-time top 10.
QC18: Kitchens of Distinction, Strange Free World (1990): On their 2nd, this queer-led shoegaze-adjacent UK trio crystallized their vision w/ waves of guitar & Patrick Fitzgerald’s strong vox & lyrics. Prod/eng Hugh Jones knew just how to harness them @ their best.
QC19: Cris Williamson, The Changer and the Changed (1975): Not the 1st all-[female symbol emoji] LP, but the genre's atom bomb. Some of the most beautiful, lyrical folk music ever made, driven by Williamson, true orig & brilliant writer. Uplifting & heartbreaking together. & "Sweet Woman"!
QC20: Culture Club, Kissing to Be Clever (1982, US version): “Time” is their best-ever, so tender & soulful. Rest is mixed: I’m not big on the cod-reggae & Caribbeanisms, but there’s Bow Wow Wow influence (!), & “Hurt Me” of course. George’s vox sound fresh *&* polished.
[The version of Kissing that’s streaming is the UK version, which had a different order and didn’t include the then-one-off single “Time,” so I made a playlist reconstructing the US pressing.]QC21: Hercules and Love Affair (2008): Between ANOHNI’s & Nomi’s contrib, this is a v trans LP (& in fact this unlocked ANOHNI for me, her mournful vox combining w/ Andy Butler’s DFA disco rhythms to create something quite special). “Blind” stuns in every way imaginable.
[& of course, the Frankie Knuckles remix of “Blind”may beis the greatest single piece of music of the 2000s.]