Recordings

By Tom Reardon, December 2019 Issue.

For the Giving issue, we give you three records that are new and

either made by an icon or an icon-in-training. Each has some great moments, and

there is some room for at least one to grow, but there is still a little

something here for everyone. Enjoy the holiday season friends … we have a lot

of music to talk about in the new year. Send suggestions to tom@phoenix.outvoices.us.

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Ghosteen

Nick Cave’s

metamorphosis into becoming John Cale is almost complete. Before you go all,

“Hey, wait, blasphemy!” just remember that without John Cale, there would

probably be a vastly different Nick Cave and I love John Cale as much as any

Welshman (or in my case, a Welshman) can love another Welshman so it’s a

compliment. Since we’re at the 20th anniversary of the concert Cave

did with Cale and the Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde where they covered a bunch of

Velvet Underground songs (YouTube it, brothers and sisters), it’s fitting to

make the comparison. Of course, Cave’s body of work is enough to make a grown

man weep and a young man swoon, but Ghosteen is a thing of beauty.

“Everyone has a heart and it’s calling for something” is one of my favorite

lines of any song from 2019. This line from “Bright Horses” sort of sums up the

entirety of Ghosteen. If you’re heart is longing for something, and many

of ours are, this is a record you can curl up with and feel okay about the

longing. In fact, it’s kind of the perfect record for what passes as winter

around here in Phoenix. It’s a little grey, at times, but often warm and full

of the type of musical storytelling Cave fans love to sink into on a cloudy

day. I honestly can’t pick a favorite song here, so listen to them all and

thank me later.

King Princess – Cheap Queen

What a lovely record. As the kids say, Cheap

Queen is “super chill” and I must imagine that somewhere Prince is proud.

It’s not overt, but this record oozes the influence of the Purple One. It also

would make the perfect soundtrack to a Ryan Murphy show that wasn’t necessarily

scary but was maybe about a young lady who was ready to take over the world

slowly punishing those who wronged her all the while taking care of the people

she loved like a champ. That’s a lot to take in, sure, but Cheap Queen

is a lot to take in even when it goes down so easy. King Princess herself has

such a beautifully sultry yet sweet, innocent yet sex kitten-y voice that you

can easily forget she is also an amazing songwriter. There is not a weak moment

on this record although the room for growth for King Princess is a trifle

overwhelming. I think this young lady is only scratching the surface. Taylor

Swift, Katy Perry, and the like — bow down, bitches, there is a new sheriff in

town. She’s hot, she’s queer, and there is nothing to fear except that we’ll

have to wait awhile for her next record. The bow she ties with the last song

(“If You Think It’s Love”) on Cheap Queen is fucking sublime. Did I say

this record is lovely? Fuck me. This record is amazing.

Jeff Goldbum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra – I

Shouldn’t Be Telling You This

There is an urge here to talk about what it would be like to spend an evening sitting on the piano bench next to Jeff Goldblum as he plays piano jazz with his band, which is appropriately named The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra.  I’m not sure I could adequately describe what a heady experience that would be, but I can only say that Goldblum is a kind of God and to be in his presence would be riveting, to say the least, and probably a thorough education in what it means to be odd and delightful, all at the same time. I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This is a fun record and Goldblum’s band is made up of some quality players. I particularly dig the bass riffs by Alex Frank and Joe Bagg’s organ work (get your mind out of the gutter) is super groovy and upbeat. Most of the guest vocals, there are several, are nice, as well, although Miley Cyrus almost singlehandedly destroys the record with her take on “The Thrill Is Gone” right smack dab in the middle. Yuck. What were you thinking, Jeff? Bury that dreck next time. Luckily, Fiona Apple’s vocals on “Don’t Worry About Me” just wash away the bad taste of Cyrus a couple songs later. The instrumentals are pretty darn swingin’ and nice, though, and a perfect backdrop for your next cocktail party or day of light dusting and furniture polishing. Goldblum does sing the last song, “Little Man, You’ve Had A Busy Day” and as you would guess, it’s Goldbum-azing!


WhistlePig + Alfa Romeo F1

SHOREHAM, VT (September 13, 2023) — WhistlePig Whiskey, the leaders in independent craft whiskey, and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake are waving the checkered flag on a legend-worthy release that’s taking whiskey to G-Force levels. The Limited Edition PiggyBack Legends Series: Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is a high Rye Whiskey selected by the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake drivers, with barrels trialed in their wind tunnel to ensure a thrilling taste in every sip.

The third iteration in WhistlePig’s Single Barrel PiggyBack Legends Series, the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is bottled at 96.77 proof, a nod to Valtteri Bottas’ racing number, 77, and the precision of racing. Inspired by Zhou Guanyu, the first Chinese F1 driver, this Rye Whiskey is finished with lychee and oolong tea. Herbal and floral notes of the oolong tea complement the herbaceous notes of WhistlePig’s signature PiggyBack 100% Rye, rounded out with a juicy tropical fruit finish and a touch of spice.

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Open less than two years, Descanso Resort offers gay men a relaxing and luxurious boutique hotel experience just minutes away from Palm Springs' buzziest restaurants, nightclubs, and shopping. Descanso has quickly established itself as a top destination for sophisticated gay travelers, earning hundreds of 5-star guest reviews and consistently ranking in Trapadvisor's top positions alongside brother properties Santiago Resort and Twin Palms Resort.

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