TransVocalizers — Pam Reviews the New Boy George CD

This Is What I Do by Boy George
CD review

We’ve already made a very brief mention of the new Boy George album, This Is What I Do. A deluxe edition of the project will be released on March 25th, and this includes all physical retail outlets as well as digital and streaming services. A brief North American tour that sees Boy George accompanied by a nine piece band will begin in April.

It’s probably a no-brainer to say that there probably isn’t anyone who doesn’t’ know who Boy George is. However, just in case, here’s a brief rundown of his amazing career. Boy George (a.k.a. George O’Dowd) came to prominence with the English band Culture Club in the 1980s. Their first album, Kissing To Be Clever, was released in 1982. This was followed by Color By Numbers (1983), Waking Up With The House On Fire (1984), From Luxury To Heartache (1986), and 1999’s Don’t Mind If I Do.

From 1987 with the release of Sold, his first solo album, George also furthered his career and musical presence. A string of other solo releases as well as several compilations and EP’s have been released well up into this decade. To date, as both a member of Culture Club and as a solo artists, Boy George has racked up world-wide sales of over 150 million albums.

His 1995 autobiography, Take It Like A Man, was reviewed in our companion Perpetual Change column in February, 2001. Another book, Straight, also autobiographical in nature, and co-written with Paul Gorman, was published in 2005.

He has also been a highly successful house DJ for the last 20 years, working in clubs around the world, and has had brief stints on Broadway as well.

What struck me as a reviewer about the new project, This Is What I Do, is the overall diversity of material presented. Plus, I personally was more familiar with the Culture Club era Boy George than I was with his solo work. His vocals on the new project are in a lower register, and he has more control as a singer than he did way back when.

The aforementioned diversity starts with the first tune, King Of Everything. Co-written with former Culture Club member Mikey Graig, the tune is kind of an arena rock anthem — not something I would expect from Boy George. It’s also one the outstanding, better production moments on the project.

Bigger Than War introduces an R&B groove with a gospel choir feel, which is actually accomplished by only a few vocalists This is the real “message song” on the album, “bigger than you, bigger than me, love is bigger than war.” 

This Is What I Do makes use of raggae/ska a lot throughout the entirety of the project. Live Your Life, Love And Danger, and Nice And Slow are all examples.

Going in a completely opposite direction musically, Boy George also delves somewhat into a country groove with It’s Easy (light country rock, but highly orchestrated), and Turn On A Little Light For Me.

Other outstanding tracks are Play Me (a laid back techno keyboard groove, with good use of the choir effect, and a mix of rap and call and response vocals), Feel The Vibration (a mix of styles but bordering on New Age ambiance, with good sax work and orchestration, the choir, and excellent production), and My Star (rap, but the closest thing to a dance groove on the project.)

Clip from Play Me

Boy George co-wrote everything except three tunes on this project. His choice of cover material is quite unique and interesting. Yoko Ono’s Death Of Samantha is presented with a bluesy type groove, and is one of the better vocal moments on the project.

Boy George covers Bob Dylan’s Make You Feel My Love, and does so with a very sparse version — piano, bass, and voice only. This too is another of the best vocal performances, very heartfelt.

The third cover is Video Games by Elizabeth Grant and Justin Parker. Done as a ballad, it’s another excellent vocal moment.

For true believer fans of Boy George, This Is What I Do was definitely worth the wait. But with his ability to write diverse, interesting material, pick obscure but solid cover material, and with a vocal ability that has not diminished over time, Boy George is poised to start a new chapter in an already long career. This Is What I Do will no doubt bring a lot of new fans his way in the process.

For upcoming tour dates as well as other information, please check out his website; also on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Music is available through iTunes, Amazon and recordstore.co.uk.

ALSO THIS MONTH

Rev. Yolanda

Rev. Yolanda’s Old Time Gospel Hour show has been nominated for a MAC (Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs) Award. This year’s award show will be held at B.B. King’s on Thursday, March 27th.

Storm Miguel Florez

The documentary film Major, produced by Storm Miguel Florez and Annalise Ophelian, has been nominated for Indiewire Project of the Year. According to statement from Florez in a press release “…If we win this, we will be attending this year’s Tribeca Film Institute Filmaker and Industry Meetings…a great opportunity for us to bring awareness and visibililty to this pass and community project.” Major is a film about the life of Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, a well known transgender activist and an original Stonewall rebel. At present time, the Kickstarter fund raising campaign to help finance the film has been considered an overwhelming success. (To vote for the film, please go to the Indiewire website. Check out Storm Miguel’s website for more info on him and his music.

Jennifer Leitham

 

Leitham

In the last posting of our companion Perpetual Change column, we mentioned that Jennifer Leitham is working through a site called Indiegogo to help fund a new series of three projects she wishes to release. She has provided this update regarding the current status for the funding and the projects:
“We’ve reached the halfway point of the Triple Play Project and we’re almost 50% funded thanks to your generous donations! The studio is booked for early May and we’re making the first CD! If you haven’t donated, we are hoping that you will please jump in and be a part of it! I am humbly asking for your help in order to record the next 2 albums.

“We’re hoping that you will follow us as we make these projects come to life. Video updates are posted in the Gallery section of the Triple Play site, many of you have already received the first batch of posters, and some of you have received information about the first SKYPE group video chats. There will be another personal Email sent this week (to those who have given $100 or more), to announce the first video chat date and time

“Please visit the Triple Play Project site on Indiegogo for all of the information and contribute what you can. Take advantage of the perks at each level. Please give what you can, from $10 to $5000 or more if you like, (and be sure to include the shipping and handling charge listed with each perk description). In the sublime possibility that we exceed our funding goal, any extra monies will be put towards production and marketing. I promise that you are going to love the music!

“About the music — the 2nd project is going to be my first holiday themed album. Many of you have heard my holiday arrangements performed live, and I’ve been writing some new ones as well as new original music. Bob Dorough sent me the original music to his classic Blue Christmas, (that he recorded with Miles Davis), and I wrote a new arrangement. I am very excited to (hopefully) record that one!

“The 3rd project is going to be my first solo bass album. I’ve had so many downloads of the solo pieces I’ve played on my last 4 releases that I’ve decided to put out an entire album of new solo bass music. This is something I’ve wanted to do since the early days of my career. I’ve collected a lot of material over the decades, and I hope you will help to make it happen!”

To donate to the project, or for more information, please go to to the Triple Play Project page.

Calpernia Addams

Calpernia has a new YouTube video out, with her doing an incredible version of Annie Lennox’s Why. 

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Georgie Jessup

Jessup

Georgie Jessup and Edith May’s Paradise have announced new shows for the next two months:

April 5-open mic with Jacob Panic
April 19-Tony Denikos w/opening act Acoustic Groove (Pattie Bransom and Hank Alinger)
May 3-open mic, guest musician TBA
May 10-Patsy’s Honky Tonk torch & Twang, w/opening act Georgie Jessup
Check out Edith May’s Paradise on Facebook.

Tags: Boy George, Calpernia Addams, featured, Georgie Jessup, music, Musician

Category: Music