Perpetual Change — Year End Buyer’s Guide/Music Review
At the beginning of this month, our companion TransVocalizers column ran a shopping guide/review of all the music featured there during the past year. Now it’s time to offer the same community minded gift suggestion service with this installment of Perpetual Change.
In all the years I’ve been writing both of these columns, I’ve never seen as many new projects released by transgender artists as I have in 2013. So, as not to take up any more valuable time where you could be out there fighting your way through the crowds, here are brief reviews of music that would make gifts.
Dead End Street by Michelle Rocking Horse Garcia
We started last year with a review in January of Michelle Rocking Horse Garcia’s newest release, Dead End Street. Garcia is something of a musical force of nature. Along with doing the vocals, the production, as well as the songwrting, she is also a multi-instrumentalist. She can not only play different genres, she’s highly competent with everything she undertakes.
Dead End Street includes Latin jazz, country, and more than one style of rock. The album features the layered vocals Garcia favors, and contains some of her best writing and production to date.
One of Garcia’s earlier projects, Laughing In The Kitchen, was reviewed in our July 29th column. This project is Garcia’s way of combining her music with her love of cooking. All the tunes have food or cooking related titles, such as Warming Up The Oven, and Name That Vegetable. She has also been shooting cooking videos to correspond to each of the 10 songs on the project. A cookbook is also available. For more information, please check out her website.
Rev. Yolanda’s Southern Gospel Country Kirtan: God Is, Vol. 1 by Rev. Roger Anthony Yolanda Mapes
Rev. Yolanda has been featured in this column a lot over the years. Her newest project, Rev. Yolanda’s Southern Gospel Country Kirtan: God Is, Vol. 1 is an example of the music from her critically acclaimed off-Broadway show Rev. Yoland’s Gospel Music Hour. The word “kirtan” in the title refers to a form of call and response that can use elements of music, speaking, dancing, theatrics, etc. under the direction of a leader. A review of the project was posted in March.
The project contains a few of Rev . Yolanda’s well known older tunes, such as Home and We Are Angels. Yolanda expertly weaves bluegrass, gospel, country, and an East Indian influence into a project that only has one fault…it’s too short. It’s that entertaining and well done.
Philosopher Dogs by Georgie Jessup
In April, a review of Georgie Jessup’s latest, Philosopher Dogs, was posted. Jessup is another artists whose work has been a part of Perpetual Change and TG Forum over the years. The title refers to her two best four legged friends, Max and Blaze. It’s also the best work she’s released since 1994’s American Holocaust. The album alternates between piano driven material and guitar based rock and country. Jessup includes of one of her best known older tunes, Red Cloud’s Room, as well as an edgier, almost rock version of the Johnny Cash hit Ring Of Fire.
Philosopher Dogs showcases Georgie Jessup’s writing, singing, and playing in her best production to date. Even the casual listener can tell that a lot of time effort has gone into this project. Philosopher Dogs is a must have for Georgie Jessup fans, or anybody for that matter who enjoys great musicianship and well-crafted songs.
Looking Forward, Looking Back by Vicki Estrada
Long time readers of this column will probably remember that I have mentioned before that I’m a real fan of instrumental material, and prog rock in particular. It was therefore a real pleasure for me to review a project last June by Vicki Estrada entitled Looking Forward, Looking Back. This album belongs in the genre inhabited by Yes, Genesis, Kansas, King Crimson, etc.
Estrada’s original purpose for the project, however, was simply to provide a musical souvenir to former classmates during a college class reunion. The album deserves to be out there in much broader distribution, it’s that good. Plus, it’s a rare thing to find a highly trained, proficient transgender musician whose mindset goes beyond rock, and far beyond the drek-du-jour that passes for music most of the time.
Looking Forward, Looking Back definitely has an overall classical feel, but also contains a good boogie blues called The Third All Nighter In a Row. Estrada’s the type of keyboard player who can pull off classical, New Age, boogie, as well as rock, and do it effortlessly.
This will be a hard album to find, but worth the effort. Vicki Estrada herself will probably be willing to help along those lines if you ask nicely.
Namoli Brennet Live by Namoli Brennet
In August, a review of Namoli Brenett Live was posted. Brennet was introduced to TG Forum readers with an interview a month earlier, but she is by no means a new artists. Namoli Brennet Live is her 10th album, her first being 2002’s Boy In A Dress.
The Live album contains 15 songs taken from throughout her catalog. They were recorded at several different venues over the last year, and for all but three of them, Brennet is totally solo — just her guitar, her lyrics, and her voice. It’s her voice that holds your attention almost immediately; forceful, yet personal and very feminine, with excellent control. Throughout the project, there is a polished balance between her voice and her guitar playing. Both are solid, but neither ever dominates the other.
Namoli Brennet has carved out a career the hard way-a lot of touring, and learning how to hold an audience. She is an excellent singer/songwriter and musician, and any of her albums would be a welcome inclusion for your music collection.
We Are The Gods by BeThisBell
In September, an interview with Beth Isbell was posted. Ms. Isbell is someone who has been featured here in the past, and we’ve always made mention of the various YouTube videos that she posts as a solo artist. Along with her band, Ms. Isbell has released a new album entitled We Are The Gods. A review of this project was posted in November.
Now, while we’re at it, I’d like to clear up a bit of confusion. When working as a soloist, Beth Isbell goes by BeTH isBell. The band is known as BeThisBell. Easy to get turned around. That being said, though, it’s BeThisBell, the band, whose name We Are The Gods has been released under. Along with producer Trent Bell, Beth Isbell and BeThisBell have unleashed a major punk assault on the normally predictable sameness of the current music landscape.
We Are The Gods is definitely in-your-face punk but it’s not the usual unlistenable crassness associated with that genre. The guitar playing is excellent, the vocals are understandable, up-front explicit at times, and it’s all incredibly well produced. Plus, the album does touch on other genres as well, such as with the more blues oriented In This Moment.
I also have to correct one mistake I made in the original review. The title cut of the project, We Are The Gods, riffs off of David Bowie’s tune Space Oddity. This song is sometimes referred to as Major Tom, which is incorrect. Not being overly familiar with all things David Bowie, I made that mistake as well. That being said, though, BeThisBell’s inclusion of just one riff took We Are The Gods in an entirely different direction. This is a great example of the overall creativity of BeTH isBell and BeThisBell, the band, along with producer Trent Bell.
Jupiter, It Won’t Be Long by Ryan Cassata
In October, an interview with 19 year old Ryan Cassata was posted. In November, as part of the dual review with the new BeThisBell project, Cassata’s latest project, Jupiter, It Won’t Be Long was reviewed.
Cassata is a rather unique individual, even for the transgender music scene. For starters, he’s only 19, and Jupiter is his sixth album release. He’s extremely well known as a speaker on high school and college campuses as a transgender activist, and also has several television appearances to his credit. He has also written the music score for the independent film Loop Planes. Jupiter, It Won’t Be Long is the third installment in a series of acoustic project that feature just Cassata, his guitar, and his great lyric content. His delivery is very reminiscent of old school Bob Dylan. While his voice is kind of an acquired taste, his lyrics are pure poetry. Over all, Ryan Cassata is an excellent singer/songwriter who is highly creative and bears watching in years to come.
OTHER NEW MUSIC PICKS FROM 2013
In each column throughout the year, I always try to include new projects by mainstream artists, most of which is music that you’ll be hearing in the dance clubs. While space doesn’t permit even short reviews of each project, here is my list of the last year’s new projects that made the most impression on me, and that I recommend.
- Private View by Swing Out Sister
- Girl Who Got Away by Dido
- True Romance by Charli XCX
- Kinky Boots Original Broadway Cast Recording (music by Cyndi Lauper); also there is a remix disc of one song, Land Of Lola, from the show.
- To Win Your Love by Dominique Pruitt
- Introducing The Dame by Ivy Levan
- Rudimental by Rudimental
- Love To Love You Donna — a reworking of Donna Summer’s Greatest Hits.
Each artist and project featured this month includes their website information. Most of these artists also have a presence on the following music merchandising sites: iTunes, Spotify, Soundcould, Rhapsody, CDbaby, MySpace, Amazon, ReverbNation, and BandCamp. Most also have a presence on social media like YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. The mainstream artists mentioned in New Music also have websites mentioned, and can also be found on most of the aforementioned music and social media sites.
ALSO THIS MONTH
House Blend
The fundraising CD House Blend, produced by J.D. Doyle, is a benefit project to “acquire property to house the Houston Transgender Center and Archives….” It features 21 tracks, showcasing mostly the work of transgender artists (many of whom have been featured in our TGForum columns over the years), as well as contributions by other LGBT artists. After the first of the year, TGForum hopes to present an interview with producer J. D. Doyle as well as a full review of the project itself. For more information, and to purchase the CD, please go to the House Blend website.
Rev. Yolanda
We’ve mentioned previously that Rev. Yolanda has had one of her monthly gigs at New York City’s The Duplex taped for release as an upcoming movie. At the moment, no official release date has been announced, but we’ll definitely keep everyone posted about this. Also, distribution plans for the project (i.e. theater sceenings and/or DVD release) are also still in the planning stage. Looking forward to this release, though, so until then please check out www.yolanda.net for any updates.
NEW MUSIC
There are two new releases that have come to my attention this month that warrant inclusion.
Britney Jean by Britney Spears (deluxe edition)
This latest release by Britney Spears is what you would expect from Ms. Spears. That being said, though, it does feature what are probably some of her best vocal performances to date. While the project is loaded with dance-centric material, it’s on the more laid-back tunes that she really shines. The best examples are Perfume (both the main version and the bonus track version), Don’t Cry, Passenger, and Hold On Tite. The best dance tracks are Work B**ch, Body Ache, and Till It’s Gone. As usual with a lot on new dance music release, there is also the ubiquitous rap insertions on It Should Be Easy, Tik Tik, and Chillin’ With You. All in all, though, Britney Spears fans will not be disappointed. Executive producer will.i.am. Check CD insert for other production and musician credits.
Run For My Life by Guinevere (remix disc)
21 year old Guinevere has had an incredible past year. Her newest single, Run For My Life, which has been released on disc along with four remix versions, also has an accompanying interactive music video which features — wait for it — zombies. To participate in the video interaction, or for more information, please check out her website.
IN CLOSING
As I said with the earlier TransVocalizers column, I’d like to say thank you to all the readers who have made both my columns successful throughout the years, especially this past year. I wish a Merry Christmas to everyone! Please remember the reason for the season. And, as always, have a safe and prosperous new year. Thank you everyone.
Category: Music