by Paul V.

Singled Out

The B-52’s - “Funplex” (Astralwerks)

Talk about a comeback, kids! Our favorite queer, new-wave outfit treats us to what they do best: rockin’ beats, an instantly infectious sing-along chorus, and Fred, Kate and Cindy trading off kooky quips in the verses. Pleasure seekers, unite—the B’s are back!

Steve Aoki - feat. Justice, Klaxons, Peaches - Pillowface and His Airplane Chronicles (Thrive)

DJ Steve Aoki is someone who people love to hate, and hate to love. He’s been written off in the press as nothing but a trust-fund “celebrity DJ,” who somehow befriended all the right people and travels the world spinning every hipster party for huge amounts of cash. But there is absolutely no denying that with both his record label (Dim Mak) and his weekly residency at L.A.’s Cinespace, he’s been a tireless soldier and supporter of both new indie rock bands and the thriving underground sounds of hard, buzzing electro. And with his new mix CD—with a name inspired by all that globetrotting—Aoki assembles all the heavy-hitters that pack said dance floors, but with the twist of guest vocalists and rappers adding new verses and rhymes to the tracks. And it’s a genius idea, because otherwise this would just be another assortment of joints we’ve heard ad nauseum over the past few years. All those moments shine, but the highlights include Kid Sister’s drop on Green Velvet’s bitchin’ “Shake and Pop,” Santogold on the delicious “Licky” from Larry Tee & Princess Superstar, Steve Bays (Hot Hot Heat) on Datarock’s Talking Heads-inspired “Fa-Fa-Fa,” and the Faint’s Todd Fink on Goose’s explosive “Bring it On.” Throw in sizzling remixes from Justice, Klaxons, Peaches, Bloc Party and Franz Ferdinand (among others), and this is one hell of a synthetic, hard-charging collection of blood, fuzz, sweat and bangin’ beats.

Colton Ford - Tug Of War (Outsider Music)

Admittedly, I was very skeptical about this CD. I thought, “What? A gay porn star made a CD? Next!” But the truth about Colton Ford is that his foray in porn only lasted a mere 10 months, while his singing career has been healthy for two decades now. And I was pleasantly surprised to discover that along with his amazingly sexy body and chiseled handsome face, the man has a damn nice singing voice, too. Taking cues from past R&B masters like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and Babyface, Tug of War (his proper debut CD) lives in the blue-eyed soul pop vein of George Michael or even Justin Timberlake. Producer Quentin Harris gives the record a nice, comfortable sheen of light house grooves and subtle but provocative beats on tracks like “That’s Me” (which features Cazwell doing a smokin’ guest rap in the video, and Ford showing off that aforementioned hot body) and the breezy and melodic “The Way You Love Me.” Ford is also a big fan of Chaka Khan (he even got to duet with the powerhouse belter on a cruise ship!), and he does his best to unleash his inner funk on “Bluntly Speaking,” which features the sugar-sass vocals of Monique Bingham. On the down side, some of the slower ballads toward the end of the disc make his steam lose a bit of its energetic allure. Otherwise, let’s all give Colton some credit—beyond his erection.

Supreme Beings of Leisure - 11i (Ryko)

L.A.’s Supreme Beings of Leisure really grabbed my ear (and hips) when they dropped their debut CD in 2000. Then, after an equally enticing second disc in 2002, they seemingly disappeared. Five years out of the picture in this ADD-addled world can seem like an eternity for music fans, but this new disc was well worth the wait. There are many layered charms in their craftsmanship, with Geri Soriano-Lightwood’s velvety vocals blending effortlessly with multi-instrumentalist/programmer Ramin Sakurai’s lush, sleek arrangements. On 11i, they deliver their signature sound imbued with glamour, witty drama, seductive atmosphere and cinematic lushness (not to mention a Journey-like guitar solo in “Oneness”). Quite simply, they excel at chill-out music, yet they still crack some sparks in the grooves. While this form of trip-hop can border on sounding generic, there’s just something extra special and most unique about what they bring to the genre, especially on the Bacharach-meets-Portishead vibe of “This World” or the swirling, Middle-Eastern, drum ‘n bass nuances in “Swallow.” Bursts of energy and electric guitar bust out on “Mirror” and the dance-floor ready “Good” (and gotta love those voice box effects). Speaking of which, Geri’s vocals are damn near perfection on these 11 heady and intoxicating tracks. In a thematic move, the album follows the chronological path of the day, opening with the “The Light” and closing with “Lay Me Down.” So take a break, put up your feet, and let this beautiful collection engulf your senses.