ANYONE SAYING MILEY'S NEW ALBUM IS UNLISTENABLE HASN'T LISTENED

I am reading all of the vitriol being thrown at Miley for her supposed bad hosting (I didn't watch) of the VMAs and (now debunked) befuddlement during Nicki Minaj's "take down" at said awards show, and I truly believe those are the same people judging Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Pets without listening to a single note of it. This album, released outside of her RCA contract on her own Smiley Miley label for $50,000, is an experimental psychedelic romp, sure, but it is also a solid pop album. The hype around it seems to imply it is weird -- or at least weirder than the average pop album, but if it is, it's not by much. The record has some silly segues between songs, but the songs themselves are solid. There are some really moving moments and some really spacey, wish-you-were-tripping moments on the album as well. Songs like 1 Sun, I Forgive Yiew, Space Boots and Bang Me Box are as fun and accessible as anything on the radio right now (though the last one is pretty naughty for radio play). Meanwhile Karen Don't Be Sad, The Floyd Song (Sunrise) and Something About Space Dude are tender, understated ballads that show an artist growing, writing and expressing herself with a mentor (Wayne Coyne of Flaming Lips) helping her find her way. This is a thoughtful, eccentric and powerful statement by a young woman in the music industry. I refuse to believe that the nasty comments have anything to do with the music but everything to do with the artist. Not to say that everyone can't have their own opinion (your wrong), but this is by NO MEANS unlistenable and in many ways more satisfying than her last effort, the grand-pop of Bangerz. Listen to the full album below and judge for yourself. Dooo It! is even more than it's opening lines. Give it a shot. (steps off soapbox)

REVIEW: HILARY DUFF - BREATHE IN. BREATHE OUT. BEAUTIFUL, BREEZY POP REALNESS.

It's been eight long years since Hilary Duff released an album of original music. 2007's Dignity was cutting edge dance pop that made me think that Hilary was locked and loaded to become America's Kylie. All the signs were there: Adorable hotness, girlish vocals and attitude for days. The album garnered praise and attention. Then.........nothing. Hilary disappeared from the music scene. She was still popping up on TV and made occasional appearances, but mainly she married, had a kid and settled down. Well things have changed. Hilary still has her kid of course (she's not an animal) but she is divorced and famously on Tinder and back in the music biz with her catchy A.F. new album Breathe In. Breathe Out. This album is absolute pop perfection, y'all!!! From the infectious lead track, first single Sparks, co-written by Tove Lo, we are off and running. Tove Lo actually co-wrote several tracks on BIBO and Hilary perfectly brings out the edgy, female power pop attitude that Tove brings to her own music. My Kind, One In A Million and Confetti give a powerful 1, 2, 3 punch of dance floor adrenaline and electro-ballads like the title track, the Rihanna-influenced Lies and Arms Around a Memory show the vulnerability that comes from the now-adult Hilary Duff can bring to her vocals. Unceremoniously cut from the final album are the tracks previewed back in summer of last year, Chasing the Sun and All About You, which both had more of a Sheryl Crow/Colbie Callait kind of feel to them. I say good riddance. I was not excited about that trajectory AT ALL. This album is a tour de force of beautiful, breezy summer pop that will have you shaking it by the pool for months. Hilary is back and may be back on the Kylie track. Watch the video for Sparks below and audio from a couple of the tracks below then go BUY THIS ALBUM.

REVIEW: SIX EXTRA TRACKS FROM REBEL HEART

Madonna is really going all out with the releases of her Rebel Heart album. You can buy the regular 14-track edition, the Deluxe 19 track edition or the SUPER Deluxe 25 track edition. There are also some available tracks you can track down for yourself that aren't on any of these editions. I have my sources. Of course, I have all 25 NEW tracks (I'm not counting remixes of Living For Love), so smell me. I have reviewed all the other songs (HERE) and now I bring you the six extra tracks from the super deluxe edition. They are definitely worth a listen and, in certain cases, some of the most fun and different music on the album. Beautiful Scars is a song of self-acceptance. It glides along an easy Pharrell-like beat and delivers a great message. The majestically dramatic Queen sees our lady in an unusually vulnerable place of defeat. It's dark and lovely with a chorus of "the Queen's been slain. She'll never rule again" showing a side of Madonna we don't see very often. It's a really gorgeous song. Borrowed Time is an acoustic driven tune, mid-tempo and melodic. Madonna's voice is smooth and luscious. Delving into a soulful space, Graffiti Heart makes the point that "love is pain, pain is art. Show me your graffiti heart" over an increasing dance beat. This seems pretty autobiographic lyrically, like much of Rebel Heart. Great track. Showing a little sense of humor, a baby's cry is developed into a melody to open the hard dance cut Autotune Baby. This song is  really fun and in line with classic Madonna b-sides like Supernatural. Addicted, not to be confused with my favorite track from MDNA I'm Addicted, is a driving, guitar-laced dance track with a killer synth hook. All of these songs could have easily made it onto the regular edition of Rebel Heart, so look them up and take a listen.

REVIEW: MADONNA - REBEL HEART (DELUXE EDITION)

IT'S HERE!!! The best day of the year and it's only March!! Madonna's full release (excuse me?) of Rebel Heart (oh) is out TODAY!!! I have already reviewed the first nine songs since those horrible hackers forced the Queen into releasing them early because of their insipid leaks. Read those first and then dive into the realness below. (REVIEW #1 and REVIEW #2). These songs will show that, for inspiration, Madonna need not look any further than her own work. Kicking off the newly released songs is the track that sounds like what would have happened if Madonna had those rumored songwriting sessions with Adele, HeartBreakCity. A lovely ballad with a gorgeous melody, it fits very nicely into the cannon of Madonna's slow songs. Body Shop is an ode to a lover that is trusted to turn our Lady out. With plenty of metaphors (tighten up the suspension, you don't have to ask it), this mid-tempo burner is easy-going, pretty and sassy. Holy Water, co-written by (among others) Natalia Kills, is a dance floor workout. Thinly veiled lyrics about cunnilingus (Don't it taste like holy water?) Madonna takes you back to those naughty Erotica days, professing that "Yeezus love my p***y best". Oh, my!!! There is also a surprise call out to Vogue that makes my toes curl. YAAAS!! Definitely a standout track and I'm sure will be all over the clubs this summer. Inside Out is a dark, beautiful song about an intense relationship. How is this not in 50 Shades of Grey? Maybe it is. I haven't seen it. Anyway, the song is a pulsating, sexy joyride. Madonna's vocals on the lovely Wash All Over Me are some of the clearest on the album. The ballad is about surrender and letting life take you sometimes. Gorgeous and epic. Another sexy romp starts with Best Night, a come-hither number with shades of Indian influence. This is some baby-making (or baby-wasting,depending on your orientation) music here that even references Madonna's sexiest hit ever, Justify My Love. Veni Vidi Vici (ft. Nas) starts with a rap by Madge talking about her past, (and when I struck a pose, all the gay boys lost their minds) referencing many of her hits over the years. She talks about her rise and how she forged her way to success, "I came. I saw. I conquered" she repeats over the chorus. S.E.X. is one of the songs that I'm sure will bring an avalanche of ageist comments from the mindless masses, but to me it's nice to see a woman OF ANY AGE expressing her sexuality. As long as I'm not related to her. Ha! Madonna has never shied away from the subject and Rebel Heart is no exception (I'm an open door. Let you come inside of me). You boys will love this. Messiah is all grandeur and regal. It's another epic ballad with lovelorn lyrics and a gorgeous melody. Closing the (deluxe version) of the album is its title track. Rebel Heart is an ode to all not just Madonna's endurance, but to any visionary who has always felt different and refused to not change. Those who fought through "tough love" and were finally able to say what they wanted to say. You can say it's exactly what Madonna, the undisputed female pop icon of the modern music era, has done from the very beginning of her storied career. Rebel Heart is an eclectic, yet cohesive, album of some of the most focused and finest music Madonna has released since Confessions On A Dance Floor. An epic journey of an artist in her third decade of super-stardom who refuses to idle. An exciting trip down memory lane, into the present and looking firmly forward.
MUST HAVE TRACKS: Ghosstown, Unapologetic Bitch, Illuminati, Hold Tight, Holy Water, Wash All Over Me.

REVIEW: KATE PIERSON - GUITARS AND MICROPHONES

At 66 years young (I hate when people say that, so why did I?) The B-52's songstress Kate Pierson is finally releasing her first solo album. I have loved The B-52's, and specifically Kate, for as long as I can remember. My first experience was their amazing 1986 single Summer of Love, from Bouncing Off of Satellites, and I have been hooked ever since. Kate has been thinking about a solo record for years and now we get the pay off. Guitars and Microphones is energetic and lovely, full of Kate's one-of-a-kind harmonies and very personal. Three of the songs on the album are co-written by super-hitmaker Sia and she also co-executive produced by her as well. The result is luscious, fun and wonderfully wacky and addictive. Bring Your Arms, co-written by Sia, is a contemplative, emotional song about looking for support as we travel through life. Second single Mister Sister got a lot of (undeserved) controversy when Kate said she wanted it to be a "trans anthem", but Huffington Post added [gender] after trans, completely changing what Kate meant. She then was, of course, attacked by people who made assumptions about what she meant without researching Kate's history with the LGBT community . She responded in an open letter:
"I was just trying to use "trans" as this kind of umbrella term meaning anyone in the gender spectrum. It was definitely not about specifically a transwoman. It's really about a little boy who wants to play with his inner girl. He could be a future drag queen or a future transwoman, or it could be about a girl who feels betrayed by the mirror....The B-52s have spent our whole career fighting for rights of people who feel different or LGBT, the whole gay community, you know."
Anyway, that's not what this post is about. This post is about the incredible work that Kate has finally, in the sixth decade of her career, putting out for those of us who have been waiting all these years. The sensational ballads Crush Me With Your Love (the title of which Kate's partner Monica came up with) and Pulls You Under show a side of Kate we have never been able to see with The B-52's, and she doesn't disappoint with the adorably jaunty title track or the "we're all special" anthem Throw Down The Roses. I would say, without a doubt, Guitars and Microphones is well worth the wait. Check out Bring Your Arms and Mr. Sister below.

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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.

REVIEW: TAYLOR SWIFT - 1989

Taylor Swift has officially gone pop. I mean, come on. Wasn't she always pop? Sure, a country twang snuck in, but the thing that strikes me is that the songwriting on 1989 is the same as her other albums, they are just to a different beat. And that's a good thing!!! 1989 is the year this bitch was born, y'all!! And just barely: December 23, 1989. We are all old! There is definitely some 80s influence on this album, especially with album opener, the excellent and anthemic Welcome to New York, but this is not a retro album. What this album IS is confessional. Taylor always writes about her life and, frankly, that is what makes her music so popular and entertaining. There are juicy songs about relationship troubles like the synth-soaked Out of the Woods; the biting Bad Blood, a song supposedly about her feud with Katy Perry; and even songs about hopeless romanticism like Blank Space. Taylor writes with some pretty heavy weight pop names here: Max Martin (Britney, Pink, Katy Perry), Shellback (Pink, Britney, Usher) , Ryan Tedder (U2, Adele, Beyonce), singer/songwriter Imogen Heap, and Fun's Jack Antonoff. This makes for an album of many influences, but surprising cohesiveness. The possibility for singles is staggering; the pulsing Style is a definite highlight and the gorgeous All You Had To Do Was Stay is a genius title and continuation of Taylor's personal stories of love and heartbreak. This is not just an experiment of some country girl playing in the pop world, this is a genuinely inspired pop record. Of course, first single Shake It Off already hit #1 and she hasn't even had to officially release a second single yet. Interestingly there are a couple of obvious modern influences, like the Lana Del Rey whisper of Wildest Dreams, which finds Swift crooning and scooping her notes so perfectly that I had to check if Lana wrote the song. She didn't. This, again, is not a complaint. The results are quite lovely. There is also influence from another young singer that is a friend of Taylor's, Lorde. I Know Places is VERY Lorde and could easily fit on Heroine, her debut. Of course it would be easy to label Swift a copy cat, but to dream that artists are not inspired or influenced by their contemporaries is ludicrous. Another highlight would have to be the absolutely breathtaking This Love, written solely by Swift. Soft, floating and airy, This Love has GOT to be a single, y'all. The album closes with the Imogen Heap assisted Clean, a song heavily influenced by the singer and it features Heap on backup vocals. It's a dramatic end the first album in a new era for Taylor Swift. 1989 delivers exactly what was promised, a more pop Swift.

REVIEW: ANNIE LENNOX - NOSTALGIA. PLUS LIVE PERFORMANCE OF GEORGIA ON MY MIND.

It makes sense that Annie Lennox would nail a song like I Put A Spell On You. After all, isn't the song Lennox is arguably best known for,  the Eurythmics' classic Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This), an update of sorts of the Spell? As a matter of fact, there isn't one song on Annie's new album, Nostalgia, which is made up of songs from her youth and most the Great American Songbook, that her voice doesn't float over with ease. This is not exactly a party record, but at 59 and with a storied career trailing in her wake, Lennox has MORE than earned the right to croon her way through 45 minutes of her favorite tunes. You've got them all here: Classics by Hoagy Carmichael, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington and many more. Opening the album with an old Victrola sounding recording of Carmichael (I think) singing Memphis In June, Lennox covers the song is lush strings and cooing vocals to set the tone for Nostalgia. Georgia On My Mind is given a treatment -- and don't let this dissuade you from listening -- of a classic Air Supply or Styx soft rocker. I know that sounds weird, but shut up and listen to it. Her soft, controlled Summertime is perhaps the best version of this ubiquitous song I have ever heard from a modern recording artist, and Strange Fruit, co-written and made famous by none other than Billie Holiday, retains every bit of its eerie presence as Lennox mournfully sings about the lynchings of African Americans in the South in the early part of the 20th century. You Belong To Me, The Nearness of You and, well, all of the tracks are beautifully arranged and performed and, even though outside of Annie's usual boathouse, sit perfectly on her golden voice. Nostalgia is a glorious addition to her varied, eclectic catalog and is sure to please any (adult) listener out there. A wonderful new classic from the first lady of Blue Eyed Soul. Enjoy a live performance Georgia On My Mind below.

REVIEW: 2 NEW PRINCE ALBUMS!!! ART OFFICIAL AGE & PLECTRUMELECTRUM

MY CUP RUNNETH OVER!! Prince, his Purple Badness, has blessed his subjects with not 1, but 2 new albums today!!! Unbelievable! Technically ART OFFICIAL AGE is a new Prince album and PLECTRUMELECTRUM is Prince & 3RDEYEGIRL, his new backing band, but c'mon...it's Prince. 2 very diverse albums full of pretty much every kind of Prince U would want. Let's start with ART OFFICIAL AGE. It is a concept album about a man in suspended animation for 45 years (get it...artificial age...art official age) who is awoken by a British computer 2 explore this very different world. Prince often uses these segues in albums between songs 2 set up a theme, but don't let it throw U off, ART OFFICIAL AGE is pure Prince pop joy. The album literally starts with a bang when the title track jumps off, all big beats and making it clear that Prince is about 2 serve up his most commercial music in years. If U remember Prince's chart topping heydays, that is a great thing. There is a slick guitar-driven pop sensibility that runs throughout the entire album from the neo-soul groove and claps on the amazing CLOUDS 2 Controversy-era throwback funk joint THE GOLD STANDARD. 2 standouts have to be the beautiful ballad BREAKDOWN, which recalls Prince's psychedelic Around The World In a Day scorcher Condition of the Heart, and U KNOW, the sexiest song Prince has done since Cream. The whole album is a masterclass in hooks. It's the perfect blend of classic Prince with his feet planted firmly in the future. U'll hear some different sounds from Prince on WAY BACK HOME and WHAT IT FEELS LIKE, but plenty of Sign 'O' The Times-era on tracks like FUNKROLL and 90s smooth ballad Prince (a la Diamonds and Pearls and Peach) on TIME and THIS COULD BE US. Overall, this is the Prince pop-driven album U have been waiting 4 since the early 90s, in my opinion. Now turning 2 PLECTRUMELECTRUM with 3RDEYEGIRL, Hannah Ford Welton on drum, bass player Ida Nielsen and guitarist Donna Grantis. The album starts off with some hard guitar riffs that turn N2 a bluesy, Beatles-esque burner WOW and makes it obvious this is going to be a very different Prince than ART OFFICIAL AGE. It's quite a start 2. The album keeps shocking UR body with the excellent rock track PRETZELBODYLOGIC, a song that I set as my alarm every morning because it gets my ass out of bed. Prince lets the ladies in 3RDEYEGIRL take the mic on a couple of tracks, and although I prefer only Prince on my Prince albums, the songs stand up quite well. I certainly don't know these ladies as well as Prince's most famous female band members, the amazing Wendy and Lisa from The Revolution, but maybe I will in time. (THIS JUST IN: I WON'T! I'm obsessed with Wendy and Lisa) Still their leading turns on AINTTURNINROUND, the rock/rap hybrid BOYTROUBLE and the truly mesmerizing slow jam WHITECAPS, which may just be the standout track on the album, are worthy of place in the Prince pantheon of excellent album cuts. While not as glittery and shiny as ART OFFICIAL AGE, if U like UR Prince rock hard, PLECTRUMELECTRUM's rousing instrumental title track and the guitar jam FIXURLIFEUP will more than satisfy your thirst. There R some easy grooves thrown N 2 give U a break, like STOPTHISTRAIN, a duet between Prince and the ladies, ANOTHERLOVE, which draws easy comparison 2 Prince & The Revolution's Anotherloverholenyohead from their amazing 1986 Parade album, one of Prince's funkiest, sexiest mid-80s efforts, and the dreamy TICTACTOE. PLECTRUMELECTRUM delivers Prince's finest rock performance in ages.  I'm telling U, these 2 records R a return to form for one of the most prolific, genius and celebrated artists of the rock era. There are songs on these records that will take you right back to rocking out in your room to Let's Go Crazy or Kiss, and swooning to The Beautiful Ones or I Hate U. Everything you want in 2 easy packages. ART OFFICIAL AGE and PLECTRUMELECTRUM R both available on iTunes 2day!! GET THEM! I'm N heaven!!! Listen to the gorgeous WHITECAPS below.

Prince & 3RDEYEGIRL - Whitecaps (2014)

REVIEW: LANA DEL REY - ULTRAVIOLENCE

Lana Del Rey's songs are like the musical equivalent of a pout, and that's a good thing. I love her moody, atmospheric sound. Her debut album and it's extension, Born To Die: Paradise Edition, is among one of the finest collections of songs in the past few years IMO. There is always a lot of pressure to follow up a well-received, successful album. Lana's had a couple of very impressive soundtrack hits with the Grammy nominated Young & Beautiful from The Great Gatsby and the reimagining of Once Upon A Dream from Maleficent. Both are prefect for those projects and kept Del Rey in the headlines while she worked on her follow up. Well, Ultraviolence is here and I'd say it was worth the wait. There is still that pouty little bitch present on these songs, especially in rock-tinged first single West Coast and the hipster ode Brooklyn Baby, but she is smothered in 70s psychedelic California sun. There is a maturity in the music on Ultraviolence that was only hinted at with Born To Die. There is a sexy, adult voice coming through on songs like Sad Girl, Shades of Cool and the title track. Opening track, Cruel World, could fit quite well on Beck's amazing Morning Phase album. It is haunting and beautiful and opens the set with the perfect tone. Most songs sound as if they are daring Quentin Tarantino to put them in a film. Pretty When You Cry could lay over any scene in Kill Bill with its Hotel California-esque feel. Fucked My Way Up To the Top is a tongue-in-cheek song about getting there by any means possible with its repeating chorus of "this is my show" and is supposedly inspired by a female singer who criticized Lana for being fake, then stole her sound and became successful with it. WHO? There is still a lot of sex, violence, religion and fashion thrown in to keep the kids interested, but this is definitely an evolution in Lana Del Rey's signature sound, proving she is more than a one-note entertainer. So head over to iTunes and check it out for yourself. It's not exactly a summer dance album, but you can chill by the pool to this one.

REVIEW: LILY ALLEN - SHEEZUS

Lily Allen has two full length albums under her belt; 2006's Alright Still and 2009's It's No Me, It's You. Though the sound changes, one thing remains: Lily's biting wit and clever lyrics. Allen's newest effort, Sheezus, does not disappoint on that front. Instead of the retro-kitsch of her debut or the electronic-influenced follow up, this time Lily delivers a (mostly) hip-hop inspired album (thus the name riffing on Kanye's Yeezus) full of shimmering gems just in time for summer. Of course, we have had plenty of build up with the release of the hard-hitting satire on Hard Out Here last November and the airy charm of Air Balloon in January, both of which hit the top 10 in her native UK. As bright and fun as those two singles are, they are just the tip of the iceberg on Sheezus. Insincerely Yours in particular is a standout track with it's sort-of-sampling of Michael McDonald's I Keep Forgetting (it doesn't, but does it?) the biting lyrics are all sass and stank. "Let's be clear, I'm here to make money, money, money" Lily croons over the smooth beat. L8 CMMR, which was featured on the Girls soundtrack this season, is probably the most romantic, happy song to ever contain the words "motherfucker" and is my favorite track on the album. Sheezus is not ALL hip hop though, much like the country-tinged It's Not Fair on It's Not Me, It's You, As Long as I Got You swerves off the theme of the music and delivers a zydeco number with aplomb. Lily's softer side comes out as well on tracks like the pensive Take My Place, the sexy Close Your Eyes and Life For Me. But of course, it being Lily, the album still has the brutal Hard Out Here and the fuck you of Wind Your Neck In to remind us of the amazingly sarcastic social commentary that Lils does so well. Sheezus delivers on everything you expect from a Lily Allen album and then some. The maturity of a mother is new on this album and Lily has grown lyrically and musically from her 2009 self. Enjoy the vids below! Sheezus is available on iTunes today.

NEW MUSIC: GOOD AS GONE - LEAVE THE LIGHT ON

If Melissa Etheridge and Dixie Chicks had a baby, you would get Good As Gone. I know I don't review a lot of country artists unless they have a huge gay fanbase, but I'm from Texas so country music is in my designer underwear, y'all! Based out of Austin, Texas, this up-and-coming girl power country band consists of LeighAnn Heil and Alexa Manza. The duo's debut album, Leave The Light On, is smart, tight and -- most importantly -- catchy as hell! From the driving (literally) opening track Go Fast, which tells the story of a woman who refused to let life pass her by, Leave The Light On delivers track after track of pure country-rock goodness. Hit the Deck reminds me of early 90s Etheridge with it's husky vocal and slow burn and there are sweet harmonies and melodies galore on Photographs and Sunday Drive. The album fits nicely into the Texas Country category, but also is a great country-pop album that should appeal to a wide range of fans. Think Dixie Chicks, 90s Lorrie Morgan, and a little Shania. YES! Take a listen to the album and buy it on the Good As Gone website, and check for live shows around the Austin area. These girls are rockin' it out, y'all! Take a listen to the ladies' playlist below.

FILM REVIEW: GOLDFRAPP - TALES OF US

Goldfrapp have always challenged themselves both musically and visually, so it makes sense that they would eventually dip their toes into the world of the cinema. With their latest album, Tales of Us (available on iTunes)  Alison and Will weave together the stories of 10 people, one a deadly stranger, with songs that are dramatic, lyrically impressive and lushly orchestrated. You can read my original review HERE. The film focuses in on five of those stories and, as the Mute website puts it, "Inspired by Goldfrapp’s latest album, Tales Of Us, the striking film is a 30-minute journey through five of the individual stories featured on the album. Stranger, Laurel, Jo, Drew and Annabel interconnect subtly, sharing themes of love, loss, madness and identity, taking the viewer on a unique musical journey." Well put. The film is visually stunning and, of course, the music will move your soul. The film is followed in each city by a special live performance video of songs, both classic and from Tales of Us, that will blow you away. You can actually watch the videos for both Drew and Annabel by clicking the links on their titles. There is a little nudity, so NSFW. They are GORGEOUS! Enjoy the trailer below. There are a few shows left in different cities. If interested go the website for the film HERE and see if Tales of Us is playing near you. In NYC you have one more chance tomorrow, March 27th, at the AMC25 on 42nd Street in Manhattan and Indie Screen in Brooklyn. Both shows are at 8 PM.

REVIEW: KYLIE MINOGUE - KISS ME ONCE

WOOHOO!!! I love the day a new Kylie album comes out! It's like Gay-Christmas! So....Christmas. Kylie Minogue is back with her 12th studio album, Kiss Me Once, and it's a doozy. Packed with wall-to-wall dance jams and sweet harmonies, Kiss Me Once is definitely a Kylie album, but with a bit of an twist. Working with some new producers, namely executive producer and hitmaker for the stars Sia Furler, Minogue's stretches her sexy-cutie-pie brand a bit and includes collaborations with Pharrell, Enrique Iglesias and Greg Kirsten. Kicking off with first single, the anthemic Into the Blue, Kiss Me Once delivers several radio-ready tunes. Million Miles is particularly catchy and the Pharrell written and produced I Was Gonna Cancel is easily one of Kylie's funkiest tracks 2003's Red Blooded Woman. More album highlights are Sexercise (I am glad I like that song, but THAT TITLE!!) the light and breezy Feels So Good, which actually a cover of Indiana by Tom Aspaul, and the stunning electro-ballad If Only. Les Sex is the perfect PG-rated raunchiness that Kylie always does so well. The title track sounds like a classic 80s/early 90s Kylie track. It's almost like being in a time machine, y'all! Beautiful is a duet with Enrique Iglesias that sounds a lot like Hide and Seek by Imogen Heap with the use of its vocoder. Quite lovely. Bonus track Mr. President is a hard hitting Trash produced sexy piece of EDM. Pretty sure this has club hit written all the fuck over it. This is worth the price of the Bonus Track edition of Kiss Me Once for sure, but coupled with fellow bonus track, the dreamy Sleeping with the Enemy, produced by Lily Allen collaborator Greg Kurstin, you are getting your moneys' worth fo'sho'. All in all, there is not a bad track on Kiss Me Once, as we've come to expect from Kylie. It's available on iTunes now. Get it! Meanwhile, enjoy the album sampler of Kiss Me Once below.

REVIEW: KELIS - FOOD. A TASTY, SPECTACULAR NEO-SOUL MASTERPIECE.

OOOOOOOOH, GIRL!! Kelis' new album is retro-futuristically nailing it! FOOD (pre-order on iTunes now) is a combination of 60s/70s soul, 80s neo-funk and....well.....Kelis. Written mostly by Kelis, Dave Sitek, of TV on the Radio, and Todd Simon, the album is like sitting in a music lounge in Harlem and having your mind blown by the sexy lady on stage. Lady sings the blues, y'all! Kelis has described the album as "an unspoken kind of lovefest" but I have no idea what that means. If it means that it's fucking awesome, then I agree. I mean, the cover photo alone is worth the price of the album, but there's SOOOOOOO much more going on here. Kelis' has moved from her last album of club anthems very comfortably into the role of soul sister and it seems a very appropriate fit.

Jerk Rib is an ultra funky ode to her musical roots. Horns and bass take us to Harlem and lay down a soulful path where Kelis remembers her dad writing and playing music and telling her to "look for melody in everything". Good advice, great song.  Breakfast rolls with drums and love move this tune along. Singing about finding the right man and getting it on lock, Kelis' voice is soft and smooth as she welcomes us to "the real world" with the tease "maybe we'll make it to breakfast". Sexy.  Forever Be reminds me of the musical Hair, which a great thing. It has a 60s flower child feel. It's sexy, sure, but also hopeful and happy. There's a pulsing undertone that gets your ass shaking. Floyd finds Kelis sounding like Prince in the late 70s, early 80s, serving pure neo-soul on this ditty. Floyd is a sexy come-on that glides along on horns and beats like a girl flirting with you on the street. The refrain "I want to be blown away" repeats over and over as the dreamy, breathy voices accompanying it drift through the background. Beautiful. Runner is running away from fame and troubles. Kelis sings about her the person who is there to save her on this moody, psychedelic track that lets K's voice stand out and emote her loneliness over a dramatic accompaniment.  Aquarius is a natural comparison to Hooch. Blasts of trumpets cut through the sighs and moans as the sassy track builds. I swear you feel like you are in the 70s listening to Hooch. Barry White, eat your heart out. Kelis has full command of soul here. A Latin inspired groove drives Cobbler onto the dance floor. An aggressive, sensual flirt that is reminiscent of Milkshake, one of Kelis' signature tunes. Bless the Telephone switches gears a bit to deliver a simple, guitar track that would make James Taylor swoon. Written by British poet, singer/songwriter Labi Siffre and from his 1971 album The Singer and The Song (which explains the folky sound), Bless the Telephone is all about how good it is sometimes just to hear the voice of someone you miss. Friday Fish Fry is back to the soul, this time with some southern grit to it. Kelis is in a full sweat as she lets her inhibitions go and takes control of every man in sight. A real barn-burner and an album highlight for sure, Friday Fish Fry needs a video STAT with lots of guitars and tambourines! Change sounds like a 60s rally song, with deep male background voices and a quite build that eventually busts out like pure freedom. It's actually about a jerk who keeps screwing our girl over. It's dark and powerful and Kelis' gives a great vocal on it. Rumble is the second single released from FOOD before it's official release and it's a spectacular soul song. Laying down the law and telling her man not to go, Kelis' croons with confidence on this, possibly the best song on FOOD. Rumble is electric and an instant classic. Biscuits 'n' Gravy starts with a simple piano riff and some deep shit going on in the lyrics. A very personal song that bursts into a crescendo at the end that is quite a powerful payoff. Dreamer closes out the album with soft vocals, piano and strings drifting off into the clouds. Quite beautiful and a very different sound for Kelis and certainly the most ballad-like of all the songs on FOOD. Dreamer is the softer-side of Kelis. I would say FOOD is the album to beat in 2014, and it's going to be an uphill battle for everyone else. Enjoy the video for first single Jerk Ribs below.

REVIEW: LEA MICHELE - LOUDER

Now that she has the next couple of years of her life planned, let's focus on Lea's new album she released yesterday, Louder. One of the only REAL vocal albums to be released recently, Louder presents Ms. Lea is fine form, belting out tune after tune and delivering a compelling set of pop songs that are radio ready. Mostly full of power ballads with a couple of piano ballads and some beats thrown in, Louder delivers on Lea's promising pop-chops she shows covering other artists on Glee. First single Cannonball, co-written by hit-maker Sia Furler, is a powerful statement of coming through tragedy that was recorded after the death of Lea's boyfriend Cory Montieth. There are many heart-pounding songs on the album, like the churning On My Way and the title track. Celine-worthy ballads abound in the form of the gorgeous You're Mine and album highlights, the gutsy Burn With You and the exquisite What Is Love?. These songs take off with vocals that will put to shame all other so-called pop divas recording today. Lea also co-wrote the amazing If You Say So with Sia Furler and it's dedicated to Corey. It will rip your heart out. Overall, I would say that Lea Michele has some vocal performance Grammys in her future, if there is justice in this pop world. Quite a stellar debut for a performer with the potential to become a huge star. You can pick up Louder on iTunes now. Below are two videos with Lea Michele listening to snippets of and talking about each song on the album and the story behind them. Enjoy and get Louder today!!!

REVIEW: G I R L - PHARRELL WILLIAMS

He has produced and appeared on so many songs by others that you might not realize that Pharrell Williams has only released one solo album prior to his most recent album G I R L, 2006's In My Mind. The critics and record buying public did not exactly go crazy for that album and Pharrell himself has expressed his displeasure with it. This time around, Williams took his time, worked with artists he liked and the results are a fun, funky and uplifting album. Starting off the album with a flourish of strings, Marilyn Monroe is P's ode to lovers and all the women out there. It's a great start to the record and immediately puts both of Justin's last albums in their place. Speaking of which, Justin guests on the album on Brand New, although he does not outshine our tiny beat master. Since Pharrell has produced almost every hit you've heard in the past ten years, it's no surprise this album is chock-full of hits. Gush is pure Michael Jackson Rock With You, sexy and confident. Of course, we all know Happy and are in love with it and it hits #1 on the Hot 100 right as the album is released. Come and Get It Bae features Miley Cyrus and take on some of her country twang to great effect, much like the Pharrell produced 4X4 on Cyrus' album Bangerz. Gust of Wind is a smooth, breezy track with Daft Punk. Another retro-tastic throw back to early MJ and it's an album highlight for sure. Lost Queen is an almost eight-minute opus that fills every moment with beats and lyrics worth the time. Take note, Justin. Don't just do an album of 10 minutes songs for no reason, girl. Know Who You Are is almost ruined by Alicia Keys. But then again, everything is almost ruined by Alicia Keys. That's all I'm going to say about that. It Girl closes out the album with a shot of funk and disco that sends you off into a booty shaking dreamland. I can't wait to see what the next single will be. Pharrell is finally getting his center stage spotlight and he is going to take advantage. I am guessing this will be a big summer album. Enjoy.

REVIEW: BECK - MORNING PHASE

I'll admit, I have always been an admirer of Beck, but never a real fan. I have enjoyed his sense of fun in most of his music and the way he experiments with sound and genre. I usually take a listen to his albums when they come out, but have never really connected deeply to any of his music....until now. Beck's new album Morning Phase is absolutely gorgeous. It is teeming with strings, acoustic guitar and haunting melodies reminiscent of 60s and 70s psychelia. It's absolutely amazing. From the opening orchestration of Cycle it's obvious this is going to be a spectacular trip. Its slow, dreamy journey continues on through Morning, and Say Goodbye until the more upbeat, first single Blue Moon and it's pulsing drum and folksy guitar. Second single, Waking Light, is one of the most moving pieces of pop music I have heard in years. Chock full of sensuous harmonies and lyrically moving, Morning Phase is the best piece of modern day folk, psychedelic music since one of my all time favorite albums, Goldfrapp's 2008 album Seventh Tree, which by the way was released at almost the exact same time of year as Morning Phase. Coincidence? Yes. I don't think that means anything, but I thought I'd throw it in there anyway. Anyhoo, you MUST get Morning Phase. Pre-order it now on iTunes in anticipation of its February 25th release date and Blue Moon and Waking Light download immediately. It's a truly exciting and satisfying album. Listen to Waking Light below.

REVIEW: BRITNEY SPEARS - BRITNEY JEAN

Okay. This new Britney Spears album, aptly titled Britney Jean, has been hyped as her most personal to date. I am not hearing any evidence of that on initially hearing the record. It seems about as personal as a conversation with an MTA employee. Or a handjob from a Kardashian. That being said, this is a pretty good album. Ray of Light? No. Maybe they meant it's personal for the people who were awake during it's making. Ha. I kid. I love Britney. Britney Jean is, of course, Britney's first and middle name and it bring to mind another artist who hyped a personal album using their middle name that did not do well; Janet Jackson's criminally underrated 2004 effort Damita Jo. That album DID, however, make good on its hype of intimacy. Anyhoo, Britney does have a co-writing credit on every track, but anyone in the music industry knows that just comes from a certain number of successful years in the business and people wanting to work with you. So here is a track-by-track breakdown of Britney Jean.
1. Alien - Britney Jean starts off with a promising track that could be somewhat personal. Alien, produced by William Orbit, among others, and co-written by Britney is all things Orbit; swirling synths, mystical sounding backup vocals and a spot on production. It's got a great melody and, like Gaga's ARTPOP, is delving into space themes. Brit's vocals are nice on this track as well. I would like to see this released as a single.
2. Work Bitch - This cut has been out for a while and it is a pretty banging club track that every gay worth their salt knows by now. Make sure you get the explicit version of the album or instead of "work bitch" it says "work work". LAME!
3. Perfume - serves as the second single from Britney Jean and it's a lovely ballad about a girl losing her man to one of his exes. Personal? Who actually knows if it's that or just more music to move some of her perfume lines. Either way, it's quite lovely and again finds Britney actually singing a melody. Sia co-wrote it and I'll take it. 
4. It Should Be Easy - is a groovy track that, unfortunately, features Will.I.Am. I am so sick of him I can't stand it. The auto-tune on this track makes Cher's Believe sound like an acoustic hootenanny. Still, it's much better than that Scream & Shout monstrosity from last year that they threw at everyone's face and we were supposed to like.
5. Tik Tik Boom (ft. T.I.) - goes hard and sexy with lyrics like "talk dirty to me, babe, every time I want it" Britney is no just flirting on this track. It is full of bass and cooing vocals. One of the stand-out tracks for sure.
6. Body Ache - is not, I learned after hearing it, about a bad flu. It's about dancing until one's body aches. Now I think the last time Britney danced that hard was probably around the time most people buying this album were born, so I find it hard to believe this is personal at all. Ha. This is another hot track.
7. Til It's Gone - Okay, I might believe this is personal on some level. Mourning for lost love could easily fit into Britney's life in many ways. Who knows which lost love this song is about, but it's a nice electro-dance-ballad, if that's a thing. Another stand out track.
8. Passenger - This song is one of the strongest in terms of melody and content that Britney has done in years. Katy Perry co-wrote this song and it seems it could be about God. It's more universally about not trying to control every aspect of your life and letting the universe guide you. Britney turns in a good vocal on this one too, sounding like old-school Brit. This should be a single for sure.
9. Chillin' With You (ft. Jamie Lynn) - Well, this makes a case that auto-tune may be just what the Spears family vocals naturally sound like. They all have little electronic voice boxes. Ha. This is just a simple, bright duet with her little sister, Jamie Lynn, who also has new country single out on iTunes by the way. Nothing groundbreaking here, but I guess it's kind of sweet to hear these two together. They probably understand one another pretty well.
10. Don't Cry - A dark, electronic track closes the album in fine fashion. Mid-tempo beats, sirens and guitar keep this song about staying strong moving along and ending the (non-deluxe) album on a high note. It has a very early Eurythmics feel to it. I like.

REVIEW: LADY GAGA - ARTPOP

Lady Gaga has her full new album streaming on iTunes radio, right on your iPhone!! Get over there and listen right away and read along to my expert (duh!) opinion on the full track list. Or just read what I think and blindly follow, which is a pretty safe bet, right? Anyhooo, here ya go. There are some major problems when you hit the middle of this record, in my opinion, but I think there is a lot here that you will like, certainly if you're a Gaga fan, which I am. I would say it's more of a return to the sounds of The Fame and The Fame Monster, but there are some very questionable forays into R&B and Hip Hop that I think my earholes could have lived two lifetimes without every hearing. (No thank you, Twista) Word of warning, the iTunes radio version edits out all the dirty words. You know, because we're all 10 years old. C'mon.

1. Aura - Already previewed in a promo for Machete Kills, Lady Gaga is in full EDM mode on this album opener. Very similar feel to Judas off Born This Way, Aura has a sexy little bridge to it and keeps a pumping, fast pace going and serves as an exciting opening for the album.

2. Venus - Venus is a bouncy, weird, addictive song with strange, Gaga-esque lyrics and another sweet bridge. Does anyone do a sweet bridge like Gaga? I think not. Gaga has promised a proper single release for Venus, so we'll be getting more of it, including a video, in the future.

3. G.U.Y. - Acting as some sort of flight attendant to the gods in the opening spoken word intro, Gaga plays with gender roles repeating, "I wanna be that guy (G.U.Y.)" to her lover. The song is a little more mid-tempo than the previous two tracks, but keeps in the same EDM sound that the album releases thus far have promised we were getting. Ends with a little screaming. Okay.

4. Sexxx Dreams - As overtly sexual as Gaga has gotten thus far, this song is about exactly what you think it's about. "I can't help my mind from going there." I'd say this song is pretty freakin' sexy. Strong vocals underscored by spoken coos underneath and a grinding beat moves it along. What a whore! YAY!!

5. Jewels n' Drugs - Okay. This is Gaga with T.I., Too $hort and Twista. I don't know who two of those things are and don't care who any of them are and I don't like for this song. Sorry, not gonna lie, I don't like it AT ALL. The song is just boring and I can't stand all the dumb verses that the various rappers are spitting. Not good. It's not very often that I have such a visceral reaction to a song, but this is one of them. Waste of space on this record.

6. MANiCURE - Yes, it's written that way. I wouldn't make that up. MANiCURE jumps all of the sudden into rock territory. Crunching guitars and growling vocals change up the feel of the album we had up to this point. Not sure about this one. It's just so different and unexpected compared to what we've been listening to so far. Maybe it will grow on me, but we'll have to wait and see.

7. Do What U Want (ft. R. Kelly) - Now THIS is the shit. Love this song. Do What U Want was officially bumped up to the second single after its preview on iTunes, and with good reason. It's sexy, catchy and almost makes me like R. Kelly! That's something. Definitely a highlight on the album and hopefully we'll get video for this song soon.

8. ARTPOP - I have been waiting to get my hands on this song since her iTunes Festival performance. It is just THE BEST!!! ARTPOP is reminiscent of everything I loved about Depeche Mode and Eurythmics in the 80s. I can't say enough how much I love this song. Very dark, sexy and EVERYTHING!

9. Swine - Weird and wild. "You're just a pig inside a human body." NO idea what this all means, but it's wrapped up inside an electro package that is pretty compelling. I will admit that the lyrics are a little hard to swallow, but the song is pretty good.

10. Donatella - I can't decide if this is an ode to the fashion maven of the House of Versace, or if it's mocking her. Maybe it's both. Either way, it's campy and kinda fun. It's not a standout by any means, but it's not a throwaway either. I hope she does a video with Gina Gershon as Donatella! Ha. I'm pretty sure this song will grow on me.

11. Fashion - It starts out with a piano riff, and then segues into a 90s groove that reminds me of George Michael's Fastlove or Spin the Wheel. It joins songs on Gaga's other albums that deal with her ongoing love of fashion, for better or worse sometimes, and is a different sound than we've heard from her before. Katy Perry borrowed from the 90s on her new disc, so it looks like there's a trend starting.

12. Mary Jane Holland - The second song about drugs (so far) on the album, I'm wondering if Gaga is really as sober as she wants us to believe. Mary Jane Holland is some electro fodder with a rock edge. A touch of Rocky Horror in the backup vocals, MJH talks of Russian hookers and other sins and solves the problem with a little weed. Good enough. Pretty catchy and a sassy little number.

13. Dope - The only ballad on the record, Dope is much like Brown Eyes from The Fame, Speechless from The Fame Monster and  of course You and I from Born This Way. Not to say it's a carbon copy of any of those songs; it has a feel of its own. There is a nice build and an electro undercurrent that keeps it from being just another piano power ballad and Gaga is singing right from the kitty by the end. Oh, third song referencing drugs, in case you're keeping count.

14. Gypsy - Starting off nice and soft, Gypsy builds into a Edge of Glory type barn burner. It may BE the Edge of Glory from ARTPOP, if I had to guess. All 80s metal glory and bravado. It's got something about it that tells me we are going to be hearing more of it very soon. I was kinda hoping it was a Fleetwood Mac cover, but it's not. Ha.

15. Applause - I don't really need to review this, do I? Just watch the video below.