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audiophile by david stout :: david@goqnotes.com Odds and ends of 2010 Overall, it was a down year for music, but I found enough bright spots to get me through with a minimum of complaints. Here's a rundown of 10 things that kept me listening throughout 2010. "The ArchAndroid" — Janell Monae. Without question this is the album of the year for me. I heard no other release in 2010 that was as musically bold, went in as many directions or was as consistently brilliant as this conceptual masterpiece. The songs were experimental, but remained accessible. The lyrics were spacey science fiction—futur istic androids struggling against totalitarian oppression is pretty far removed from moon- june-spoon territory—but they were memo rable rather than eye-roll inducing. Perhaps best of all, the melodies were immediate and sophisticated. Even before I'd finished my first listen I Was expecting "The ArchAndroid" to be a critical darling (it was), a commercial hit (it Wasn't) and the title to beat for Album of the Year at the upcoming Grammys (it isn't even nominated in the category). I've been dis heartened. by the lackluster reception — but what can you really expect in an era when Justin Bieber is a commercial juggernaut and Katy Perry's fluffy "Teenage Dream" album is competing for music's highest honor. In the end none of these slights will matter because "The ArchAndroid" will continually grow in reputation and be discovered again and again by music lovers. Monae will un doubtedly have the last laugh as she watches her amazing creation—to borrow a common sci-fi phrase — live long and prosper. "2010" — Prince. This album wasn't commercially available in America. In fact it Wasn't commercially available anywhere. It Was distributed as a covermounton a handful of daily newspapers and music magazines in Europe to promote Prince's summer concert Series there. You might think a free promo olbum wouldn't be up to snuff, but that isn't the case with "2010," a funky rock-n-soul collection that boasts my favorite song of the Phallus 'n Wonderland I'm standing in the middle of a dim hotel ballroom scanning the sights. Across the way, I notice a woman sitting cross-legged on the floor. From the pleather bag beside her she ''etrieves a disposable diaper, a pack of wet ''''ipes and a shaker bottle of powder. She's obviously preparing to change the baby lying On the carpeted floor in front of her. "C'mon," I say to my life partner, alregdy forning on my heel. "Let's go over there. I Wanna see this." We stop a respectful distance away —10, 15 feet—and watch intently. The woman, who my older female relatives would describe Os "heavysetwith a pretty face," undoes the snaps between the baby's legs and peels back year, "Sticky Like Glue." Since it doesn't ap pear that "2010" is going to see these shores in a legitimate release, do what you need to do to get hold of it "Night Work" — Scissor Sisters. The gay est band going released their gayest album yet This awesome collection of floor-shakin' club-quakin' proto-disco tracks was the dance party platter of the year. "Aphrodite" — Kylie Minogue. Australian pop princess Minogue came back strong after the relative disappointment of her previous album. "Aphrodite" absolutely revels in its peppy pop perfection, just as it should. "Soldier Of Love" — Sade. One of my favorite acts, ?ade had been away from the scene since 2000.1 was on the verge of giving up all hope when they finall^eturned this year with this low-key gem. "Plastic Beach" — Gorillaz. One of the year's quirkiest and nriost addictive releases was this hip (hop) trip. "Plastic" boasts a slew of great guests including fab collabo's with rap superstar Snoop and R&B legend Bobby Womack. "New Amerykah Part II (Return Of The Ankh)" — Erykah Badu. You can practically smell incense burning while playing Badu's latest new age R&B epic. But thankfully, the funk never falters. "Hands All Over" — Maroon 5. Superproducer Robert John "Mutt" Lange polishes the band to the brink of gloss, but the level of absolute craftsmanship outweighs any complaints about the lack of grit "I Love My Lady" — Johnny Mathis. This isn't a studio release, but a shelved project from 1981 that leaked onto the internet this past fall. Mathis fans had been begging to hear this material for nearly 30 years because it Was produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard' Edwards of Chic. The label thought the pair's post-disco sound would alienate blue hairs so they refused to release it Lady Gaga Concert This stage spectacle was easily one of the most fun musical experi ences I’ve had in a long time. Between the queer quotient of the audience and Gaga's non-stop stumping for gay rights during her stage banter, it felt like a supercool singalong gay Pride.:: info: audiophile@goqnotes.com FOR MATURE AUDIEIMCES ONLY a sky blue bodysuit to reveal an overstuffed diaper. "Did you pee-pee?," the woman asks sweetly. The baby grins and nods affirmative ly. "Alright did you boom-boom?" He shakes his head no. "Do you need to boom-boom now?" “Oh, shit!," I think, without a trace of irony. The baby shakes his head again and relief washes over me. After loosening a pair of tape tabs the woman strips off the soggy diaper. The baby is sporting a-fully-engorged, cat-couldn’t- scratch-it erection. The scene has me completely transfixed, but the spell lasts mere moments because my attention is almost see MA on 23 AMERICA'S TOP CRITICS ARE IN LPVIEI 111 Iff OUTRAGEOUSLY FUNNYI ^ -Peter Travers, ROLLING STONE "A NERVY COMEOYI MR. CARREY HAS RARELY REEN MORE CHARISMATIC ON THE SCREENI -Stephen Holden, THE NEW YORK TIMES "JIM CARREY GIVES A SPKTACUUIR, ROUNOARY RUSTING PERFURMANCE! GRAOE: A' .Usi Schwaraban, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY JIM EWAN CARREY McGregor ff 1 w / Do some time with the one you love. MORRIS A STORY SO INCREDIBLE, IT COULD ONLY BE TRUE. LQ R RBtrmoTtD A qMPttrmuwiAcnnwww NMMT OR AfUJ aMBIM m 0 gOtORiopeogp « Ya 0 2010 BoMrid* AMcIm UXL M nghM nMWMd PHILUPMORRISMOVIE.NET Luivor/ EXCLUSIVE EIUGAGEMENT STARTS CHRISTMAS DAY Regal Cinemas BALIANTYNE VILLAGE STADIUM 5 14815 John J Delany Dr 800/FANDANGO 1312# CHECK THEATM OWECTMY OR CAUL FOK SOUND INfORMAIMN AND SNOWIIMES SRECIAl ENCAOEHENT NO RAISES OR DilCOUNT COUPONS ACCEPTED MOBILE USERS: For Shovytimes - Text PHILLIP With Your ZIP CODE To 43KIX (43549) Dec. 25.2010 - Jan. 7.2011 qnotes 15
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