RANDOM SIGHTS + SOUNDS

I am feeling some comfort in the synthpop sounds from the 1980's right now and here are a few of my favorites that take me back to the seemingly simplier, calmer days of my youth:

With marital woes, financial problems, personal health issues and a popular reality show involving her family drama, Toni Braxton has had many distractions over the years that has prevented her from creating the smooth r&b that first brought her fame and acclaim. In 2018, the singer finally returned to music with "Sex & Cigarettes" (her first in eight years) and the album received a rapturous response which was in part due to the hit single, "Long As I Live". The song reached number one on the US Adult R&B Songs chart and earned Braxton three Grammy Award nominations including Best R&B Album. Now the fifty-two year old vocalist is back with an upcoming album and a second single is now out, simply called "Dance". The track (set to a disco beat) is another classic Braxton staple about catching a cheating partner but instead of being upset, will simply dance her troubles away. The music video has Braxton impressively keeping up with her back-up dancers and there is even a remix of "Dance" from Dave Audé that pushes the throbbing beat even further. Braxton's tenth studio album, "Spell My Name"  is due out at the end of the month.

And here are a couple of recent songs from two artists I enjoy who also happen to bring an openly queer perspective to their music; Orville Peck, the mysterious country artist does a twangy cover of Bronski Beat's 1984 gay anthem, "Smalltown Boy" that retains the original's moving power. The British nu-disco performer who goes by the inventive moniker, Bright Light, Bright Light (real name, Rod Thomas) has the song, "I Used To Be Cool" with the video offering a decidedly different take on summer romance.

NEW SOUNDS

TONI BRAXTON

After spending much of her time involved with her family on reality television and coping with her own complicated health issues, Toni Braxton returned to music with a well received concept album with Babyface called “Love, Marriage and Divorce” back in 2014. That won the duo a Grammy for Best R&B Album and now she is back out on her own with “Sex & Cigarettes”, the fifty year old singer’s first solo record in eight years. For her eighth studio album, Braxton had a hand on the writing and production on this project and uses that smoky voice to deliver her brand of sensual soul ballads. While the record doesn’t break any new ground, Braxton makes a welcome return by adding some much need old-school spice to contemporary r&b. Have a listen to the second single from the album, “Long As I Live”, a classic tune about heartbreak that the singer does so well:



JACK WHITE

Known for keeping the spirit of pure rock & roll alive and well, Jack White offers a few unexpected surprises with his latest album, "Boarding House Reach".  The Detroit rocker has shaken up his routine and in the mood to be more experimental with his sound. Inspired by how Michael Jackson created his records by working them out in his head instead of writing ideas down, White attempted to recreate that method. And what he ended up with produced some interesting results with electronic beats, heavy metal, jazz piano and rap all scattered together throughout the record. The latest single, "Over and Over And Over" is one that White had been trying to complete since his days with The White Stripes and at one point was supposed to be recorded by Jay-Z. But White finally had a breakthrough and finished the song to his satisfaction which you can check out here:



DAVID BYRNE

David Byrne has always been a unique visionary in pop music since the early days with his art-rock band, Talking Heads. After leaving the group, the Scotland-born, American-raised sixty-five year old performer went on to further merge art and music as a solo artist. With "American Utopia", Byrne's first album on his own in fourteen years, this recording serves two purposes; one as a quirky musical statement with the esteemed Brian Eno on board to help co-write and produce. And the other is as a soundtrack for his multimedia project called "Reason to be Cheerful" which expresses some reasons to be happy and optimistic in spite of the political strife and environmental problems facing the world. Listen to the first single, "Everybody's Coming To My House" in a great video presentation:

NEW SOUNDS

NENEH CHERRY

It's been twenty-five years since the hip-hop smash, "Buffalo Stance" hit the airwaves and eighteen years since the last solo recording but Neneh Cherry has finally released her fourth album, "Blank Project".

The writing of the record began as a way to cope with the loss of her mother in 2009 with her husband, Cameron McVey and Paul Simm contributing to the music. Spare, dark and deeply personal, this album is seen as a departure for the Swedish-born songstress but it's simply a more mature extension of her sound.

Listen to "Out Of The Black" that features a guest appearance by fellow dance-pop Swede, Robyn:

"Out Of The Black" - Neneh Cherry featuring Robyn (2014)

BOY GEORGE

It's also been eighteen years since the last time Boy George has released a solo album although he's hardly been idle. During this time the dashing Boy has been a notable DJ, had a Broadway musical about his life, "Taboo" which he also performed in, hosted a weekly London radio program, had his own clothing line, reunited with his band, Culture Club for a few concerts, and spent a little time in prison for various substance abuse charges.

George is now back, healthy and fit, with a new project, "This Is What I Do". The album was released last year in Europe but it's coming out Stateside in a deluxe edition. Here is the music video for the single, "King of Everything" that displays a butcher George and more of a rock sound:




TONI BRAXTON AND BABYFACE

Toni Braxton began her music career recording a demo for the producing team of L.A. Reid and Babyface with a song for the 1992 Eddie Murphy film, "Boomerang". Originally set for Anita Baker, "Love Should Have Brought You Home" would become Braxton's song and her first big single. The soundtrack featured the first duet by Braxton and Babyface, "Give U My Heart" which also made it's way up the charts.This successful partnership lead to her first album, written and produced by the team, and the rest is history.

Now over twenty years later, these two powerhouse artists have come together again for a new album, "Love, Marriage & Divorce". Braxton and Babyface musically explore the full cycle of a relationship through the good times, the bad. and all of the emotions in between. Enjoy the first single, the smooth ballad, "Hurt You" that has become a number one hit on the Adult r&b chart:

"Hurt You" - Toni Braxton & Babyface (2014)

As a bonus, here is the very first musical pairing of Toni Braxton and Babyface with "Give U My Heart". This video is certainly dated and cheesy but still fun to see:

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Wishing everyone out there a safe and happy holiday. Now a little music for your listening pleasure:

"Christmas In Killarney" - Bing Crosby (1951)

"Der Trommelmann" - Marlene Dietrich (1964)

"Someday At Christmas" - Stevie Wonder (1966)

"Thank God It's Christmas" - Queen (1984)

"It's The Most Wonderful Time of The Year" - Johnny Mathis (1986) 

"The Christmas Song" - Toni Braxton (2001)