We know that pop music royalty, Lady Gaga has been actively continuing her acting path with a role in "Joker: Folie à Deux", the upcoming sequel to the 2019 Oscar-winning comic-book based film, "Joker", playing Harleen Quinzel, the love interest to the notorious Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) where they are both patients at Arkham State Hospital. Their feelings are expressed through musical numbers performed throughout while the followers of the deranged Fleck attempt to break him out.
But what was unexpected was a companion album from Gaga, "Harlequin" that was just released and features songs performed in the movie. There are Gaga versions of Hollywood musical showtunes ("Good Morning", "That's Entertainment", "If My Friends Could See Me Now") and classic pop songs ("Get Happy", "That's Life", "Close To You"). The record also features two original tracks; "Happy Mistake" and "Folie à Deux" written by the singer and inspired by her character. But Gaga has also made clear that her next studio album is still on the horizon.
"Joker: Folie à Deux" is due in US theaters on October 4, 2024
After some acting gigs ("Honey Boy", "The Crow") and a mixtape, "Caprisongs" two years ago following her signing with a new label, Atlantic Records, FKA Twigs is back with some fresh music. "Eusexua" is the first single and the title track of the genre-bending, alterative British artist's upcoming third album due out in January. Twigs (born Tahliah Barnett) states that Eusexua is "a state of being and the pinnacle of human experience". This unusually structured song begins with propulsive techno throbs before downshifting in the middle then picking the beat back up slightly to slow down again to the conclusion. The dance-driven music video for "Eusexua" features vivid imagery set in a corporate world where the workers strip away from conformity and liberating themselves of their clothing.
NELLY FURTADO
The Canadian-Portuguese artist, Nelly Furtado has just released "7" which is her seventh studio album and her first in seven years. Over the last four years, Furtado, who had recently been diagnosed with ADHD, wrote over four hundred songs yet managed to whittle them down to the fourteen tracks on the album. "7" continues the now forty-five year old singer's foray into soulful dance music and features contributions from a collection of international artists that includes Swedish performer, Tove Lo; Colombian electro-band, Bomba Estéreo; South African rapper, Blxckie and fellow Canadian musician, Charlotte Day Wilson.
KATY PERRY
Katy Perry announced in February that she was leaving the judging panel of "American Idol" after seven seasons to be able to focus back on her own music career. Now her seventh album, "143" is out and the reception has been lukewarm at best. Much of the critical reactions has been that the record feels outdated and Perry is not moving forward creatively. And while I tend to agree with this assessment of much of the collection, there are still songs that I really like from the album. I actually enjoy the last two singles that were released to date: the dance track, "Lifetimes" and the hip-hop flavored, "I'm His, He's Mine" that features Doechii.
Frankie Beverly, the smooth lead vocalist and songwriter who found fame with his r&b band, Maze, passed away on September 10th. The charismatic Philly native, with no cause of death revealed to date, was seventy-seven years old. Earlier this year, Beverly had stated he was planning to retire from music and had just concluded his last tour with Maze in July which they performed a final concert in his hometown of Philadelphia.
Born Howard Beverly, his passion for music was first sparked in the church as a young boy singing in the choir. As a teenager, he joined several groups where they performed doo-wop and soul music. He changed his professional name to "Frankie Beverly" in honor of early doo-wop vocalist, Frankie Lymon. The Butlers, a group Beverly was a member, recorded "If That's What You Wanted" in 1967 which caught the attention of local Philly producer Kenny Gamble. He recorded new material with the group and they toured extensively before deciding to relocate to San Francisco. The Butlers became "Raw Soul" and signed to a local label. Although they didn't achieve much commercial success, Raw Soul did get noticed by Marvin Gaye who hired them to be his opening act on tour in 1976. And it was Gaye who suggested they change their band's name to "Maze"
After signing with Capitol Records, they released their debut album, "Maze featuring Frankie Beverly" in 1977. This record would help the band begin to have a very loyal fan base and earn them their first gold record. Maze and Beverly would record six more successful albums on the label with the songs, "Workin' Together", "Southern Girl", "Feel That You're Feelin'", "Running Away" and "Love Is the Key" reaching the top ten on the US r&b singles chart. "Back in Stride", from their 1985 album, "Can't Stop the Love". would become Maze featuring Frankie Beverly's first number one song on the r&b chart. They went on to sign with Warner Bros. Records in 1989 where Maze released their final two albums together which included their other chart-topping single, "Can't Get Over You".
Bryan Ferry, the front man of the glam rock outfit, Roxy Music, is still creating music more than fifty years after forming the group, which disbanded in 1983. The now seventy-eight year old musician has announced a career-spanning music collection appropriately entitled, "Retrospective: Selected Recordings" that will feature eighty-one tracks from his solo career and due out in October. Ferry has also released a new song, his first in ten years, and teamed up with Trent Rezner and Atticus Ross of Nine Inch Nails to help create the track. "Star" features vocals by artist, Amelia Barratt and offers a different sonic approach than what we usually hear from the mod rocker with edgy, techno beats. Ferry has promised this is just the beginning with more original music on the way.
Here are a few songs that I am enjoying at the moment: "Taste", the latest from the new pop sensation, Sabrina Carpenter who has just released her sixth studio album, "Short N' Sweet" with the music video for the song inspired by the 1992 dark comedy, "Death Becomes Her" and features actress, Jenna Ortega; Megan Thee Stallion's "Mamushi" is a bilingual hip-hop track that features Japanese rapper, Yuki Chiba; rising dance-soul artist, Jae Stephens has a new song, "Body Favors"; Another remix from Charli XCX from her "Brat" album with "Guess" that has Billie Eilish on board; and the American DJ, the Blessed Madonna has teamed-up with the Australian dance queen, Kylie Minogue for a throbbing new party song, "Edge of Saturday Night".
And I will close by paying tribute to two artists who have recently passed away: Greg Kihn, the rocker who found fame in the 80's with the hit songs, "The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em)" and "Jeopardy", died on August 13th at the age of seventy-five. Born in Baltimore, Kihn had a dream of becoming a professional musician after seeing the Beatles on "The Ed Sullivan Show" as a teenager. After spending time learning to write songs and playing guitar with several bands in local bars, Kihn made the move to California to try his luck, landing in Berkeley. In 1976, Kihn was signed to a local record label, Beserkley and recorded three albums that didn't generate much attention.
Four years later, he formed a group called, the Greg Kihn Band but they still struggled to breakthrough. But it was with the 1981 album, "Rockihnroll" and the single, "The Breakup Song" that brought Kihn his first taste of pop music success with the song reaching number fifteen on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Two years later, Kihn had an even bigger hit with "Jeopardy" which made it to number two on the US pop chart. That would pretty much be the end of Kihn's charting success but he would continue to make music over the following years. He also became a Bay Area morning radio DJ for a classic rock radio station in 1996, holding the job for fifteen years, and went on to write four novels.
Maurice Williams, with his band, The Zodiacs, was the the writer and lead vocalist behind the r&b classic, "Stay". He died on August 5th at the age of eighty-six. Music had been an important part of his life since he was a child through his church where his family members performed. As a teen, he formed a gospel group called Junior Harmonizers. But doo-wop soon captured his attention and the group became the Royal Charms. The band went through several other name changes before settling on "the Zodiacs", taking the name from a short-lived British car.
In 1959, Williams and the Zodiacs recorded several demos in search of a breakthrough and the final song they did was "Stay", written years before by Williams. The song became a smash hit and is the shortest to reach the top spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 at one minute and thirty-six seconds. There were several covers of "Stay" including Jackson Browne's popular live version in 1978. This song would achieve even greater success as being a part of the soundtrack to the 1987 movie, "Dirty Dancing". Williams would continue to record and tour up until his death.
