SIXTH ANNUAL AMAZY MUSIC AWARDS: TOP 10 ALBUMS

What a year, right. I know that every song or album we listen to affects us in different ways, so here are the albums this year  that made me laugh, cry, find my joy, express my pain or simply sit and contemplate. The purpose of music, in my opinion, is to move one emotionally, whether to elevate a current mood or to facilitate healing. These artists and their music have put a smile on my face, brought a tear to my eye and a couple of them even turned out to be pretty good sex music. See, music can do anything. So can you. Enjoy all of these albums, have a happy holiday season and a wonderful new year. Bring it, 2015.

10. AM Static - fDeluxe. The old group is back again. The follow up to their stellar 2011 comeback album Gaslight, fDeluxe dips into the past for this excellent cover album of funk and rock from the 70s. The former Family keep consistent with their sound while updating all these classics from Eric Carmen's All By Myself to Come Together, the Beatles classic. This is a cohesive, excellent album by a group steeped in Minneapolis funk.

9. It's The Girls - Bette Midler. The Divine Ms. M doesn't miss a step with her covers the girl group goodies that made an impact on not only her, but American music as a whole. Taking on The Supremes, the Andrews Sisters and, yes, TLC, Bette hits all the right notes with her signature take on classic songs. The real standout here is her melancholy cover of TLC's Waterfalls. Bring a tissue, cuz you are gonna jizz cry for sure.

8. I'm Not Bossy, I'm The Boss - Sinead O'Connor. After years of uneven releases, Sinead comes back with her most honest, hard hitting and pop-friendly record since her 90s heyday. I'm Not Bossy, I'm The Boss drips with confessional freedom from one of the most troubled, forthright artists of the modern pop generation. Take Me To Church is perhaps her poppiest song ever and 8 Good Reasons belongs in the pantheon of her greatest songs like Black Boys on Mopeds and Mandinka. A true return to form from the queen of brutal honesty.

7. Sheezus - Lily Allen. Never one to hold back, Lily Allen made the bold move to mock Kanye by calling her album Sheezus. Lily still kept her same sarcastic bite on songs like Hard Out Here and the excellent Insincerely Yours, but also expressed her softer side singing about love on As Long As I Got You and loss on Take My Place. Luckily deciding to record again after a self-imposed break, Lily's sound continues to evolve and I'm glad we have her back.

6. Nostalgia - Annie Lennox. The third and final cover album on my list, Ms. Lennox washes her luscious alto over every song she chose from the Great American Songbook to create a truly stunning work with Nostalgia. Her take on classics like I Put A Spell On You and Summertime will leave you with chills and her rendition of Strange Fruit is drenched in heartbreak for what is unfortunately a still-timely song. Every single track is made better by one of the truly great artists of our time.

5. ART OFFICIAL AGE/PLECTRUMELECTRUM - Prince/Prince and 3rd EYE GIRL. Prince never went away, as far as I'm concerned. Sure, he stopped writing radio hits, but he is still a genius of the highest degree. This year he had so much new music, including new jams with his band 3rd EYE GIRL, that he put out two albums at once. One, ART OFFICIAL AGE, a throwback to his 80s pop domination, and two PLECTRUMELECTRUM, a full-on rocker worthy of Purple Rain. I decided to count them as one because it's just not fair to everyone else to have to compete.

4. Morning Phase - Beck. To say that Beck's Morning Phase is a dreamy masterpiece would be a huge understatement. Every chord on this album drips with a melancholy California dewdrop. Waking Light is one of the most stunning works of the year and Morning will make you weep tears of joy. The songs evoke the psychedelic 70s with strings, guitars and Beck's subtle delivery lending itself to beautiful effect.

3. 1989 - Taylor Swift. Girl, you got me again. Songs so catchy and so poppy, how could you not love them? 1989 opens with Welcome to New York, Swift's ode to her new hometown, and from there on it delivers beat after infectious beat. Not so much a replica of the year Taylor was born as a reference point, songs like Style, Blank Space, All You Had To Do Was Stay and This Love prove you are not listening to your mom's older sister's Taylor Swift. Her sound is more full, sophisticated and her experience is broader. I'm loving the new Taylor and 1989 is a perfect aural demonstration of person growing up in front of us.

2. Food - Kelis. Sexy, funky and full of spicy lyrics. Kelis has always combined these things in her work, from the R&B of Tasty  to the EDM/club bangers on her last album Flesh Tone, but arguably it has never come together in such a fully satisfying way as it does on the retro-groove of Food. Influenced by her Harlem upbringing and her love of food, Food is soulful and introspective on tracks like Rumble and Breakfast, soft and sexy on Dreamer and funky as hell on Jerk Ribs. You'll listen from beginning to end and go back for seconds for Food.

1. Ultraviolence - Lana Del Rey. Nothing really came close to Lana's Ultraviolence this year. Lana's debut album and its extension Born to Die: The Paradise Edition, was moody, pouty and offbeat and Ultraviolence keeps most of that and adds some truly amazing production and lyrics that draw you into her story and build on it with each song on the record. Lana's voice coos over first single, the 70s inspired West Coast and longingly hurts over the fantastic title track. As a whole, the album is a cornucopia of dreamy emotion. It's consistent, beautiful, naughty, dichotomous and beyond the scope of all other albums I enjoyed this year. My #1 album of 2014.

REVIEW: MADONNA - REBEL HEART (SO FAR)

This might come as a great shock, but I'm obsessed with the truncated version that Madonna released of her upcoming album Rebel Heart. The Queen decided that, instead of having people listening to unfinished demos that some asshole leaked, she would just go ahead and release six new songs as an "early Christmas present" much to the delight of us who have been waiting patiently. How do I not oversell this? They are EPIC!!! I seriously love them. Madonna's last two albums, although very good, did seem a little distant in parts. Some say that she allowed the producers to take the lead too much, but listening to these lyrics it sounds like she is pretty passionate about her new album. Oh, and don't even get me started on how flawless the cover art is. I MEAN!!! First song Living For Love (which you can listen to below) is like a mash-up of Like a Prayer's gospel soul sounds and Erotica's 90s club grooves. Very amazing. Produced by Diplo, it's officially the first single released from Rebel Heart. Alicia Keys co-wrote and sings on it, but I won't let that bother me right now. Ha. The six songs released so far show a wide range of content and style. Devil Pray has an acoustic guitar and a haunting, dark melody about where one can REALLY find themselves and get closer to their own spirituality. Hint: it's not through temporary highs. The song is one of two stirring electronic ballads released on this EP, the other being third track Ghosttown. Longingly beautiful, Madonna's voice sounds gorgeous floating over the anthemic strings and soft synth that build to a dramatic climax. The song is about standing by someone no matter what and trying to stay strong in this crazy world we are living in. One of her most beautiful ballads since Nothing Fails on American Life. That's where the softness ends on this version of Rebel Heart. Unapologetic Bitch is a reggae-tinged banger, with co-writing credits going to, among others, Nicki Minaj, that finds Madge telling it exactly how it is. "You know you never really knew how much your selfish bullshit cost me. Well fuck you" is a pretty straight forward lyric I would say. I think it's my fave track so far. Illuminati is produced by Kanye West and def has his stank on it. Madonna's tackles the Illuminati conspiracy that has been going around about people in the entertainment industry for years and basically says that there IS Illuminati, but it's everyone who is enlightened and positive, trying to make the world a better place. It is hard and funky and sparkly all at once. The last song released is Bitch, I'm Madonna (ft. Nicki Minaj). Nicki also has a writing credit on this one and actually appears giving a verse or two. Fun and hard, it's Madonna being Madonna and letting everyone know who is still Queen of Pop. Don't try her, boo. If these six songs are any indication, we have something of an amazing album on the way in March 2015. Bitch, she's Madonna after all. Listen to Living for Love below.

SIXTH ANNUAL AMAZU MUSIC AWARDS: ALL MY TOP 20 SONGS IN ONE EASY POST

Can you believe it's been SIX years I've been doing my annual countdown? That's just crazy talk. Anyway, here is an all-at-once post with links to the four blogs giving my top 20 songs of 2014. Suck on all of them.
16-20
11-15
6-10
1-5

LANA DEL REY'S TWO STUNNING SONGS FOR THE FILM 'BIG EYES'

Tim Burton's film Big Eyes, staring Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz,  is officially out Christmas day. If you want information of what it's about you can google it, bitch, because I have what's really important: The two beautiful Lana Del Rey songs from the soundtrack. They aren't yet available for download, but here they are in their entirety. Will Lana finally get that Oscar nod she was robbed of for Young and Beautiful from The Great Gatsby? I think so. The title track is already nominated for a Golden Globe, so maybe it will be the film industry that finally gives Lana the love she deserves. Take a listen to both tracks below, I Can Fly and Big Eyes.

AMAZY MUSIC AWARDS: TOP 20 SONGS OF 2014, 1 - 5

5. Thea - Goldfrapp

4. Waking Light - Beck

3. L8 CMMR - Lily Allen

2. Sissy That Walk - RuPaul

1. Ultraviolence - Lana Del Rey

AMAZY MUSIC AWARDS: TOP 20 SONGS OF 2014: 6 - 10

10. West Coast - Lana Del Rey


9. G.U.Y. - Lady Gaga


8. Jo - Goldfrapp


7. 8 Good Reasons - Sinead O'Connor


6. DTF - Adore Delano

AMAZY MUSIC AWARDS: TOP 20 SONGS OF 2014: 11 - 15

15. On My Way - Lea Michele

14. Wrong Club - The Ting Tings

13. Seashells - Florrie

12. Shades of Cool - Lana Del Ray


11. Chandelier - Sia

THE #1 SONG 25 YEARS AGO TODAY WAS......

...We Didn't Start The Fire by Billy Joel. Undeniably catchy and frantically paced, Billy Joel posted his third and very last #1 song (so far) on the Hot 100 on December 9, 1989 and held the spot for two weeks with We Didn't Start The Fire. The single, form his 11th studio album Storm Front, references over 100 events that happened in the world between 1949, the year Joel was born, and 1989. Seriously everyone and their mom's tits are in this song. If you listen closely, and backwards, your name might come up too. FUN FACT: It won't. The video is clever, but Billy looks like a husky, blind, beatnik Fonzie. Anyhoo, the song is the bane of some people's existence, but I rather like it. I'm sure millions of karaoke singers have gone into cardiac arrest trying to perform it, but Billy could do it at his drunkest. Here is the #1 song from this day 25 years ago, We Didn't Start The Fire. Enjoy, bitches.

AMAZY MUSIC AWARDS: TOP 20 SONGS: 16 - 20

20. Gust of Wind - Pharrell Williams


19. Let It Go - Idina Menzel



18. Summertime - Annie Lennox

17. Jerk Ribs - Kelis

16. Do It Again - Robyn & Royksopp

JUST BECAUSE: MY TOP 10 FAVORITE GOLDFRAPP SINGLES

I am in a Goldfrapp-y kind of mood today, so I have decided to share with you my ten favorite Goldfrapp singles of all time. Of the 27 singles they have released, these are the cream o' the crop. Of course, this list consists of songs JUST released as singles and not album tracks. That list would be much harder to compile. Anyhoozers, enjoy the list, which goes from 10 down to #1, below and watch the videos. Good day, I said!!

MADONNA FRIDAY: DIE ANOTHER DAY

Madonna is a badazz!! There, I said it. She could kick your butt, you mamma's butt and your daddy's butt all at the same time. Wanna try your luck? I didn't think so. In 2002 the James Bond franchise finally got wise (on the year of Madonna's career 20th anniversary) and got Madge to do a theme song for the film Die Another Day. The song reached #8 on the Hot 100 and #3 in the UK charts, making it the most successful Bond theme since Duran Duran's A View to a Kill in 1985. The song spent 11 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Singles Sales Charts (the real proof of what people are listening to!). The song also reached #1 in 12 different countries, including 8 weeks at #1 on the World Music Charts. The video was a tribute to many past Bond characters and showed Madonna being tortured by sinister villains. Fun fact: The symbol left singed on the electric chair when Madonna escapes is the Hebrew expression meaning "great escape" or "freedom". With lots of special effects, fight sequences, costumes and ending in the famous gun barrel sequence from the Bond movies, the video cost $6 million, becoming the second most expensive video ever made behind Michael and Janet's Scream. Madonna had earlier done the theme from Austin Powers Goldmember, Beautiful Stranger, so she can claim a spy and a spy-spoof theme among her greatest hits. Enjoy Die Another Day.

THROWBACK THURSDAY: JERMAINE JACKSON

Jermaine, the third most musically successful member of the Jackson family (third by a long way) was a huge star for a brief, fleeting time. Of course, Jermaine sang lead on many a Jackson 5 song, but he also had a very successful, if short-lived, solo career in the late 70s and early 80s. The fourth child born into the Jackson family cracked the top 10 with his 1979 hit Let's Get Serious and the top 20 with Dynamite (one of my all-time fave 80s videos), the lovely ballad  Do What You Do in 1984 and I Think It's Love in 1986. Then, not so much after. He made some good-ass videos though. Clearly his label was pushing him as hard as possible to capitalize on Michael's fame as well, but once Michael took off and Janet became a superstar, there was no room left for another Jackson in the spotlight. Wah-wah. Today Jermaine mainly does press about Michael, but hey, whaddayagonnado? Sure his face looks like it might be melting now, but he's still out there working it for all it's worth. Here are the highlights, in my opinion, of Jermaine's career, including his song When the Rain Begins to Fall with 80s vixen Pia Zadora that was a huge hit....in Switzerland, Germany, France, Holland and Austria. Still good though. Nice Jackson-ing, Jermaine.

ALASKA THUNDERF**K FINALLY BRINGS US THE VIDEO FOR 'NAILS'

YAAAAAAAAAAAAS!! I have been waiting a good year for an official release of Alaska Thunderfuck's amazing single Nails!!! The runner-up queen from Season 5 of RuPaul's Drag Race is back and serving a fierce, alien-themed video for Nails and is tearing the house DOWN, y'all!!! I love this bitch. Alaska was also recently voted the 2nd favorite queen of all time from RuPaul's Drag Race. Eat that, hunties. Watch the amazing video below and gag, dahling, and remember, "If you're not wearing nails, you're not doing drag."

RAIN SONGS FOR A RAINY DAY

There have been many, many awesome songs about getting wet....and then some even better ones about rain. I know. Gross. Anyway, it's raining like a little bitch in NYC today so I thought, "hey. why don't I share some good rain-themed songs with my peeps." I literally thought it. Anyhoozers, here are some of my fave rainy day tunes to liven up your day. Enjoy, bitches.

FANS PICK THEIR 15 FAVORITE QUEENS OF ALL TIME ON RuPAUL'S DRAG RACE? WATCH....

Watch and gag......

RuPaul's Drag Race Full Episodes - RuPaul - Logo TV

NEW GWEN STEFANI: SPARK THE FIRE (ft. PHARRELL)

It was just back in October Gwen Stefani released Baby Don't Lie, the first track from her upcoming third solo studio album, and now we get the follow up, along with its colorful video, Spark the Fire. A little more like her Hollaback Girl days, Spark the Fire also features Pharrell Williams, who is also producing some her her new album. I like it. I'm anxious to see what the album will be like. Enjoy. Gwen's still-untitled album is scheduled to come out this month.

THE FIRST TWO SINGLES FROM THE NEW TING TINGS ALBUM ARE THE BOMB!!!

UK group The Ting Tings rather quietly released their third album Super Critical in October and it is really, really good, y'all!! Unlike their rather uneven second album, 2008's Sounds From Nowheresville, Super Critical is cohesive, funky and fun all the way through. Just as catchy as their bratty and brilliant debut We Started Nothing. The first single Wrong Club is a disco jam that calls back the 70s Chic funk and second single Do It Again has a hot, retro guitar groove that Pharrell would kill for!! Both videos are awesomely creative as well. Super Critical is available now on iTunes. Get it!