Ricky Martin has been riding high on the recent publicity surrounding his personal life. His major milestones include coming out, becoming a father to twins and issuing the autobiography Me. The handsome Puerto Rican star released the album Musica + Alma + Sexo, which is sung mostly in Spanish. Here, Martin favors a more electronic vibe, which suits him best on the slow burning "Te Vas" and its English counterpart, "Shine."
Clues about Martin's sexuality could be found in his music. The former Menudo member sings "Be Careful (Cuidado Con Mi CorazĂ"n)" with Madonna and "Nobody Wants to Be Lonely" with Christina Aguilera, two the pop's biggest gay icons. Granted, the company he keeps has little merit, as Bryan Adams has teamed with Tina Turner, Mel C. (Sporty Spice) and Barbra Streisand.
Get ready to "Shake Your Bon Bon" as Martin's M.A.S.: Musica Alma Sexo World Tour comes to the Chicago area on Tuesday, April 19, at Allstate Arena, 6920 N. Mannheim, Rosemont. When this tour kicked off in San Juan, Wanda RolĂ"n of First Christian Church of La Senada Antigua posted concerns on Facebook that the pop star is confusing youth into thinking being gay is OK, per ChristianPost.com .
Acclaimed recording artist Lucinda Williams continues to deliver remarkable music with her latest, Blessed. The material here is timeless, classic Americana.
As a keen observer, Williams captures the spirits of everyday folk, similar to the works by Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp. She demands to know how things are going to get better on "Convince Me." Our heroine is at her finest when she comes across as nearly defeated, yet always honest as heard on "I Don't Know How You're Livin'." "Born to Be Loved" has an organ that perfectly compliments her aching voice. The tale of war's effects is enhanced with the subtitle pedal guitar on "Soldier's Song." Blessed is not all dire; on the title track and "Seeing Black," the guitars run freely. Williams even shows her affectionate side, albeit quietly and intimately, on "Kiss Like Your Kiss." The outstanding Blessed is out now.
At this moment in time, there are very few singers out there in the same league as vocal powerhouse Jennifer Hudson. Throughout her sophomore outing, I Remember Me, the Grammy winner shows off her strength on heartfelt and inspirational songs.
On "I Got This," she salutes her hometown Chicago with the refrain, "I'm from the South Side." "Everybody Needs Love" and "Don't Look Down" are upbeat with head-bobbing grooves. As Michael Jackson did "You're Not Alone," Hudson makes the best with the generic R. Kelly-penned "Where You At." Hudson's voice stands in the "Spotlight" on the single-worthy "Still Here." Hudson shuns all other remakes of Nina Simone's "Feeling Good." Her fantastic modernization of "Feeling Good" can be heard in the Weight Watchers commercials.
Hudson's tour to support I Remember Me will be in the Chicago area "for one night only" Sunday, July 17, at Ravinia in Highland Park. She was in town earlier this year, as the video to the lead single "Where You At" was filmed in the Windy City.
Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor received a Golden Globe and Oscar for scoring The Social Network. Daft Punk not only had soundtrack duties to Tron Legacy, but the French pair appears in the flick. Other electronic luminaries like Goldfrapp and Massive Attack are delving to contributing music to film. Also venturing into scoring is The Chemical Brothers by providing the soundtrack to Hanna.
Forget the British outfit's party-themed hits like "Block Rockin' Beats" and "Hey Boy Hey Girl." For Hanna, The Chemical Brothers create a score that will accentuate the thriller that stars Cate Blanchett and The Lovely Bones lead actress Saoirse Ronan. There are livelier moments on the soundtrack, like "Quayside Synthesis." "The Devil Is in the Details" and "The Devil Is in the Beats" possess childlike qualities similar to those of the trained assassin in the titular role.
I am saddened to hear of the passing of Chicago-born vocalist Loleatta Holloway. Her 1980 disco staple "Love Sensation" has lived many lives. Her career resurrected in the late '80s due to sampling of "Love Sensation" by acts like Samantha Fox, Black Box, the Pet Shop Boys, Moby and Cappella.
Unlike many image sensitive bands, Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch properly credits and features the full-figured siren in the video to the mega-smash "Good Vibrations." This hit has been remade by the cast of Glee.
In 1979, the top spot on the disco charts was claimed for six weeks by "Relight My Fire," which Holloway sang with Dan Hartman. In 1994, Hartman succumbed to complications relating to AIDS, shortly after Take That and Lulu turned "Relight My Fire" into number-one hit in the U.K.
Not limited to the club scene, Holloway has sung gospel and delivered some Etta James-worthy heart-wrenching R&B on "There'll Come a Time," "Only You" and "I'm in Love."
Her steady stream of dance-floor hits include "Dreamin" and the overlooked goodie "Mama Won't, Papa Don't." If there is any doubt that Holloway is a diva vocalist, queue up the hard-to-find "Queen's Anthem," where she challenges her audience, "You want me to come down stairs with rollers in my hair?" In 2004 Holloway performed at Pride Fest and her '70s focused double-disc Anthology is out now via Salsoul.
