It seems like, over the past couple of years, the U.K. has been not-so-gently reminding the U.S. that we used to create great music but that we have lapsed. As the U.S. fell into the increasingly repetitive and unimaginative abyss of the looped drum machines and hoarse screaming of Southern crunk rap, the U.K. has imported gems like Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen, The Streets, Lady Sovereign, M.I.A., and Mika. Enter Duffy, the newest import from the U.K., who, even before she released her album yesterday in the U.S., has already been nominated for a LOGO NewNowNext Award.
Duffy has been touted as the second coming of Winehouse, except without the crack addiction. Last year, Amy Winehouse sang the memorable words "No, No, No!" in her breakout single "Rehab." But this year, Duffy's first words in her inaugural release "Mercy," which has been in constant rotation on VH1, were "Yeah, yeah, yeah!" Perhaps she is the anti-Winehouse.
Duffy released her album "Rockferry" in the U.S. on Tuesday, and it has already reached #3 on iTunes. She also sold out her show at NYC's Apollo Theater. Most of the tracks on the album are a bit more soulful and loungey than the danceable "Mercy," so this is definitely an album to unwind to after a long day. The vocals are powerful, and the production is retro-fabulous. I predict a Grammy nomination.
The Apocalypse is here: New Kids on the Block reunion
Is this a bad dream? An April Fool's joke? (Clearly not, because it's April 2nd, and that picture is still available.) Which music executive thought this was a good idea? Where is he? Can we also bring back jelly bracelets so I can use them to strangle him?
Back in seventh grade, if you did not listen to New Kids on the Block and have a favorite New Kid, you were seen as a leper. I had no desire to listen to them or choose a New Kid crush, but in junior high, if you did not go along with what everyone else in your group of friends were doing, they would go all Mean Girls on you. I decided that I had a crush on Jordan Knight, probably because he was the most feminine-looking one, and my latent gayness was starting to assert itself.
Then my friend decided that we had to go to a NKOTB concert. She brought a huge banner to the concert, which she unfurled. It said, "Donnie, I want your body!" She asked me to help hold it, so Donnie could see it. I most certainly DID NOT want Donnie's body, and we were in nosebleed seats, but I did it anyway, because she was adamant and I was a good friend. Looking back, I am sure that any adults in the vicinity were contemplating calling child services. If I saw a group of 13 year old girls holding up signs of a sexual nature, I'd be concerned as well. Fortunately, no one showed up at our parents' door that night.
After that, I never wanted to see or hear NKOTB ever again. Okay, I'll admit that one time I played "Step By Step" on the jukebox at Cubbyhole to torture all the patrons. It was really crowded, and I wanted some people to leave, so I could breathe.
So is anyone out there actually looking forward to this reunion?
Liking Madonna isn't just something limited to gay guys. Madonna also falls squarely into the category of "Stuff Lesbians Like."
So let's talk about her new single "4 Minutes" featuring Justin Timberlake and Timbaland. Yesterday, the track was released digitally in the U.S. Some uptight people have complained that her new single is just another unimaginative commercial pop track. (The detractors are also the same types of people who think they are too good to be seen at a chain restaurant and are too self-conscious to be caught having fun - or God forbid - dancing at a party, but I digress.) There is no question that everything Timbaland touches is gold. Timbaland helped make an international superstar out of Nelly Furtado. Timbaland's protege`s managed to drag a barely-conscious Britney Spears into the studio and manipulate her half-hearted squeaking into something that passed for listenable. A Timbaland/Madonna track is basically guaranteed to be the summer hit of 2008 (if only it had been released closer to summer).
I'm sure many of you have already heard the track. It was leaked to French radio in the beginning of March, and within 24 hours, people all over the world were swapping the track through file-sharing programs. Is it novel, groundbreaking or a creative masterpiece? No. But the bass line has "radio anthem" written all over it, and the chorus has an insanely catchy melody. Once you hear it, there is a good chance you will spontaneously sing the line "We only got four minutes to save the world!" in the shower and continue doing so until your roommate tells you to stop.
As you will see below, even Ellen can't get enough of this song.
To the haters, I suggest you give up your impotent protests and bow to the throne of Madge!
Her new album, Hard Candy drops April 29th.
BREAKING: The L Word renewed for sixth and final season
Showtime has announced that it has renewed "The L Word" for a sixth and final season. Eight episodes have been ordered and are expected to premiere in early 2009.
A story published today by Reuters reported the following....While past seasons generally have consisted of 12-13 episodes each, Showtime executives and series creator/executive producer Ilene Chaiken believed that eight additional episodes were creatively what was needed to wrap up the story lines.
So that's that. Another season of watching crazy Jenny, OCD Bette, STD-dodging Shane and the rest of the merry band of TV lesbians!
(Yes I know I'm the music editor, but I got too excited not to post this story.)
The True Colors Tour is back! "Exclusive" HRC pre-sale March 10th.
UPDATE: For the HRC pre-sale, starting Monday, March 10th, 10am local time, CLICK HERE and use the code HRC2008.
I received an e-mail from the Human Rights Campaign yesterday announcing that Cyndi Lauper's True Colors Tour will be back for a second round. Last year, the line-up included The Misshapes, The Gossip, The Dresden Dolls, Debbie Harry, Erasure, and, of course, Cyndi Lauper. This year, the line-up is as follows: Cyndi Lauper, The B-52's, Tegan and Sara, The Indigo Girls, Deborah Cox, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Carson Kressley, Wanda Sykes, Rosie O'Donnell, Joan Armatrading, The Cliks, Regina Spektor, and more to be added in the future.
Check your venue's particular line-up here.
True Colors Tour 2008 Dates
The HRC e-mail also touted an "Exclusive HRC Ticket Pre-Sale" starting Monday, March 10th at 10a.m. If you are on their mass-mailing list, you will receive instructions on how to purchase tickets at the pre-sale Monday morning. Since I know you hate spam, I'll update this post with instructions on how to purchase these "exclusive" tickets as soon as I receive the e-mail.
Last year's show at the Borgata in Atlantic City was a smashing good time, literally. Two of my friends got so smashed that they almost got bounced for rowdy behavior, and none of us were able to make Perez Hilton's after-party due to severe levels of intoxication. I encourage all of you to go this year (and to go easy on the cocktails)
Hello, my name is Grace, and I am not an addict. However, my girlfriend is.
Sometimes I feel that I can't get through to her. Sometimes, when I try to speak to her, she just sits on the couch and brushes me off, and she stares straight ahead like I'm not there. I feel like her addiction is pulling her away from me and that there is no way that I can compete. The situation is hopeless.
My girlfriend is addicted to American Idol.
Every Friday night when I come home from work, I find her on the couch watching the past week's episodes of American Idol on DVR. She doesn't even notice when I walk in the room. She only sees Randy, Paula, Simon and Ryan.
So I did the only thing I could do to salvage our relationship. I started the habit as well. Right now, I'm just a recreational watcher, but I am afraid that if I watch too many episodes, I may reach a point where I cannot turn back.
These past couple of weeks were tough. I found it harder and harder to look away. Paula Abdul is a living train wreck, and train wrecks have this perplexing yet powerful way of reeling you in. She consistently appears on the show either three sheets to the wind or in the middle of a manic episode. This week, after teen sensation David Archuleta sang a particularly moving rendition of John Lennon's "Imagine," Paula's eyes misted over, and she proclaimed her love for the young man, stating that she would like to...
...decapitate him and use his head as a rear-view mirror decoration.
Kid, you better acquaint yourself with the names "Smith" and "Wesson" and start sleeping with your new best friends every night, or else your body parts are going to end up as tchotchkes in Paula's car or as hood ornaments. Moving on...
One of the contestants, Danny Noriega, has SO been living somewhere over the rainbow as Dorothy's BFF the day he came into this world.
Really, I think that Simon Cowell is so wound up with tension that if he tried to "snap back," he would sprain his neck and have to be carried out on a stretcher. Which may not be such a bad thing. Anyway, anyone up for a Danny Noriega vs. Chris Crocker match-up? A Not-So-Lesbian-Yet-Still-Part-Of-The-Family Turkish Oil Wrestling throwdown? My bet would be on Noriega. Crocker may have a lot of bark, but I think Noriega, if pushed, would bite. Crocker would, however, win a sudden-death "'yo momma' joke" duel with Noriega, hands down, hands up, and hands snapping.
Bring it on!
Grace Chu is one of the music editors of Lesbiatopia and runs the site Gracethespot.com with her addict girlfriend. She would be grateful if anyone would be willing to run an intervention.
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