eveningsout
Four CDs, from the middle to the edge and back
by Anthony Glassman
It's a good time to be alternaqueer. Two major releases, a lesser-known artist and a live concert for marriage equality eloquently illustrate that alternative music is not the domain of hetero punkers and faux-mo emo boys.
The most prominent of the new albums is probably Ringleader of the Tormentors from the godfather of the art-school shoe-gazer, Morrissey.
When Stephen Patrick Morrissey was born in 1959, his parents probably had no idea that he would form one of the most influential new wave bands, the Smiths. After the Smiths broke up 20 years ago, however, Morrissey's fans could not have known that he would
spend the next two decades releasing what is essentially the same album over and over again.
Ringleader is classic Morrissey, but then every record he puts out is classic Morrisseyhe's about as experimental as gallon of beige latex paint. Sure, it might look good on the wall, it might "complete" the room, but it's not necessarily the most exciting color, is it?
The Smiths' demise in 1986 was due, in great part, to guitarist Johnny Marr's desire to explore new musical directions, while Morrissey wanted to stay the course with his '60s-inflected crooning. Since then, Morrissey has probably made millions, but one cannot say he has really grown as an artist. Nor is he as flamingly queer as he was when the Smiths were in full swing, having settled into a butch Quentin Crisp persona.
None of this criticism should be taken to mean that Ringleader of the Tormentors is a bad album; it's a very decent album, just terribly, horribly, mind-numbingly the same. "I Will See You in Far Off Places" presents a bit of an Eastern feel, while "The Father Who Must Be Killed" has a bit of a sharp edge to it, but overall, Morrissey keeps to the well-worn path with which he is so familiar.
On the other hand, while Placebo has only been around for a decade, their music displays a far wider range of sounds. Perhaps the one true unifying theme throughout their oeuvre is bisexual lead singer Brian Molko's nasal whine.
Having gone from the hippie stylings of "Pure Morning" through the pop supremacy of "Every Me, Every You" and on to the transcendentally glam cover of T-Rex's "Twentieth Century Boy," Placebo's new album Meds also treads familiar ground, but mainly because the band's sound varies so widely on each album.
Some tracks approach metal, while others are pure lithium-induced ́haze. Perhaps the most interesting songs on the album are the title track, with Alison Mosshart from the Kills doing guest vocals, presented a rich, warm counterpoint to Molko's petulant sound, and "Broken Promise" with REM's Michael Stipe, a meeting of college-rock darlings from two different eras.
It would be interesting to see what the band has to say about Song to Say Goodbye," a moody ballad about a downward spiral of drugs. Since the trio cover the spectrum of male sexuality, it's a safe bet that they know people who have succumbed to crystal meth addiction, one of the many illicit substances
to which the song could refer.
Morrissey
Next up is the punk-rock stylings of gay Latino New York restaurateur Ariel Aparicio, perhaps the hardest to qualify.
A bit of rockabilly, a bit of country, a bit of everything, in fact, go into his album Frolic and F***. However, with just seven tracks, it's just not that much CD to be playing with. What there is of it, however, is technically good. He's got a hard edge to match the pecsand-tattoos image, and his band, the Hired Guns, do an able job backing up his manic energy.
Finally, Centaur Music, best known for gay-house compilations celebrating every circuit party since the dawn of humanity,
WED
LE MBRE LOU REED ALAN COMMINE MARGARET CHE JOHN CAMERON MITCHELL SANDRA BERNHARS SLEATER KINNEY, BOB MOULD MEN JELEN MOBY
finally releases a CD for the indie-rocker, benefiting Freedom to Marry.
Wed-Rock was recorded live in 2004 at Crobar in New York City. The show was coproduced by Hedwig and the Angry Inch creator John Cameron Mitchell, who also sings on three tracks, including a duet with Margaret Cho and guest vocals on Le Tigre's "Deceptacon," which could be the standout song from the album.
Sandra Bernhard also contributes three tracks, but the album belongs to the indie scenesters: Mody, Sleater-Kinney, Lou Reed, Le Tigre and Bob Mould.
Going back to Morrissey's theme of safe territory, the CD includes Mould's "See a Little Light," perhaps his most overplayed track, but when you're trying to get a CD sold, go for what works. The same can be said of Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side." File this one under “Good CD for a good cause."
Chorus
Continued from page
Heat." This pair could easily stop any show! Thirteen men of the chorus dressed in black tees and trousers were more than adept dancers in this piece. Perhaps a bit more equal than the others was Bryan K. Fetty who is not only a terrific singer, but also an exceptional dancer.
Mark P. Malloy, as always, did a terrific job with the costumes, and Lora Workman worked her magic as choreographer. Michael Rich is both tech director and lighting designer.
The next pair of concerts by the North Coast Men's Chorus will be June 10 and 11, at Waetjen Auditorium. Tickets for Colors of Our Lives are available now through the web site www.ncmchorus.org
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