Album cover. Marc Almond. _________
Marc Almond's latest, Stardom Road, paves a historic avenue of his musical influences. No stranger to reworking classics, the Soft Cell front man looks back on his youth and rise to icon status with bittersweet renditions of David Bowie's London Boys, Bobby Darin's Dream Lover and Gene Pitney's Backstage ( I'm Lonely ) . This set is a welcomed return, as it marks Almond's first proper album after his near-fatal motorcycle accident in 2004. On the melancholic Stardom Road, Almond picks up Antony Hegarty of Antony and the Johnsons and Sarah Cracknell of St. Etienne along for duets on this journey. Not to be passed over, Stardom Road is out now on Sanctuary Records.
Chicago queer band Boys' Entrance certainly knows how to salute the greats, having paid homage to Harry Hay, Jon-Henri Damski and Freddie Mercury. This year marks the 10-year anniversary of Princess Diana's death, Boys' Entrance is re-releasing its single, Flash, in her honor. Revamped for 2007, the retro-flavored Flash recounts Diana's final moments as well as recognizes the many sides seen of the late princess, more than just her celebrity and her concern for the less fortunate. Flash is available via cdbaby and rhapsody. In 2005, Boys' Entrance's front man, Tim Cain, received an OutMusic Award for his contributions as an openly gay musician over the last 30 years. Boys' Entrance is preparing its fourth album, Tunnelvision, due out this fall.
You don't need a telescope to find Amy Cook's music on television. The singer-songwriter's work has appeared on TV series such as The L Word, Dawson's Creek, Laguna Beach and Veronica Mars. Cook's latest, Sky Observer's Guide, beautifully maps the sounds of Mazzy Star, Sheryl Crow and The Cowboy Junkies. Cook's star shines brightly on the lush slower numbers like Coming Home ( The Eclipse ) , The Reveler's Goodbye and Feathers To A Crown. After moving from Los Angeles to Marfa, Texas, Cook befriended The L Word's Leisha Hailey, who signed the artist to her new label, fittingly named Marfa Records.
The stars must be aligned, because Mekole Wells is returning to Star Gaze for Cabaret Thursdays starting on July 19 at 8:30 p.m. Scheduled to perform only on the third Thursday of every month, Wells will be accompanied by singer and keyboardist Rhe' Washington. Wells, who was in Menopause: The Musical, is also slated to perform at pride events this summer, including the one in Jacksonville, Fla. Also an accomplished songwriter, Wells is no stranger to reclaiming beloved hits by Phyllis Hyman, The Eagles or James Taylor as her own during her live set. It is no surprise that her forthcoming third album is aptly titled Covers. Whether it is her own composition or somebody else's, Wells voices a truly empowering message during her show.
The hottest compilation this summer is Revolutions: Music With A Twist. Revolutions has an array of queer artists, including The Gossip, Kirsten Price and Chicago's very own Dylan Rice. The Dylan Rice Band will be performing at the official release party for the Revolutions compilation at Schubas on July 22. Joining the band for the show is The Sheathens, led by openly gay singer and guitarist Kristin Ronne.
Assembly of Dust has been stirring up plenty of buzz with its live shows and its studio debut, Recollection. The quintet will be giving Chicagoans a sampling of its classic-rock sound with a stop at The Taste of Lincoln Avenue on July 28 at 8:30 p.m. Lead vocalist Reid Genauer has donated guitar strings to the Wear Your Music fundraiser spawned from Relix Magazine. This unique jewelry is handcrafted with guitar strings from acclaimed musicians, such as John Mayer, Jack Black, Ziggy Marley and Carlos Santana. Profits will benefit selected charities, including HeadCount, Rock and Wrap It Up and Seva. The latest must have accessory is available at relix.com .
Garbage's retrospective, Absolute Garbage, has the prerequisite new songs such as Tell Me Where It Hurts and It's All Over But The Crying, which may offer some insight to the band's troubled history. The outfit fronted by Shirley Manson briefly called it quits prior to releasing its 2005 album Bleed Like Me; now, the group is indefinitely on hiatus. This hits collection is anything but yesterday's trash, having favorites from the group's four albums, in addition to the James Bond theme The World Is Not Enough and the ode to stalking #1 Crush, as remixed especially for the soundtrack to 1996's William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Lyrically, Garbage's music touched outsiders as heard on cuts like Queer, Only Happy When It Rains, Special and Bleed Like Me.
Diehards, be assured a limited edition double disc of Absolute Garbage will feature remixes by the likes of UNKLE, Todd Terry, Roger Sanchez and Felix da Housecat. Sadly, the white-hot reworking of Bleed Like Me and Victor Calderone's club mixes of the singles from Version 2.0 are not included. Expect a companion DVD containing Garbage's video clips, live performances and interviews to be out later this month. While Garbage's days may be over for good, Manson is already working on her solo debut ( at her own pace ) . The rumored list of contributors includes Paul Buchanan from The Blue Nile, Jack White from The White Stripes and Billy Corgan from The Smashing Pumpkins.
