Adam Barta Returns To His Animal Themed Music With "The Puppy Anthem"

Oh Adam. Sometimes I forget that even though you are a musician, you definitely know how to have fun. A while back Adam Barta, notable singer and LGBT personality from New York City, exploded onto the internet (for the hundredth time) with an anthem dedicated to cats. Well not it's the canines' turn at glory, and trust me, he didn't disappoint.

If you loved the dancy, don't care attitude of "Kitty Anthem" from last year, then you are going to love this one (and if you haven't checked it out yet, where have you been! Watch it here.) "The Puppy Anthem" follows in it's footsteps with a lot of cheesiness, some Ke$ha style speak-singing, and of course ridiculously adorable puppies. Actually it's practically exploding with dog-lebrity cameos, including none other than a couple owned by reality TV sensation Big Ang. To put it simply, this is like a canine red carpet event.

All dog-themed jokes aside, this one actually has a really fun beat that is totally danceable. It just so happens to feature a couple of singing dogs, Oliver The Love Pug and Dolce. Also if you wanted to be shady you could call Adam a dog, but a different kind of dog. But this bigger is too nice for that nonsense! Well probably. There is a lot of humor, of course, being that it is Adam Barta. He always has a way to make the listener laugh, and it's kid friendly too, with no swearing (unless you count "heck") or sexual innuendos that I caught.

Simply this video is a musician having fun with the animals he loves. It was super adorable and light hearted, which is a nice break form most of the music that is floating around these days. Adam always has such fun ideas to flesh out, and this was definitely one worth mentioning.

Plus it's been so long since I posted about him, he probably thinks I forgot about him. But alas here we are again!

Kerli Is Coming Back!

I've waited a long time to be able use that headline right there. We all knew it was coming, but when has been a mystery for years now. Lucky for me I am around in the blogosphere at the perfect time to capture this moment. Kerli, one of the greatest international pop icons, is coming back to the music world -- and she's doing it on her own!

New Single Announcement and PledgeMusic pre-order
Posted by Kerli on Sunday, December 13, 2015

Kerli has been a marvelous pop icon for a while now. Her debut album was basically the soundtrack of my high school days, and she has a legion of fans at her beck and call. So what happened? Apparently there was a big discrepancy with her record label. I'm not sure what happened or where things went wrong, but after she released an EP a couple years back, she faded into the darkness to work on her new project. Thankfully she wasn't gone for good, because recently she announced that her new single is on the way, and coming way sooner than you'd think.

She posted the following statement about her new project

"Dear Moon Children,

As many of you know, I have spent the last 8 months making art in the magical woods of my native Estonia. It has been world changing for me – I have faced my greatest fears as a human being and as an artist, releasing everything that doesn’t ring true on the deepest levels of intuition and self expression.

I set up my studio in a tiny cottage with no running water and barely-there electricity and have been working away day and night to give birth to something I can feel proud to leave behind after my human form has transformed into stardust.

I wanna thank you for your love, support and patience as I am finally ready to share the first glimpse of this new world of mine with you. It is a special one not just because of how I feel about it but also because this is my first release as an independent artist.

I’ve teamed up with PledgeMusic to offer you exclusive items and access to behind the scenes content, only available here. Also, ahead of the full album release in 2016, I’ll be releasing 3 singles through this pre-order. Along the way there will be some new additions to the Store as well.

It’s time. To be. Truly brave.

I hope these vibrations teleport you into a land of uninhibited fairytales and connect you with your wildest self.

Integrity/Love/Unity

Moon child K"

In case that was a little hard to digest, let me give you the basics. We are getting three singles (the first of which is out January 29, 2016) as well as a full album all spread out over the course of the coming year. You can preorder the new single on Pledgemusic with packaged that include the digital single alone, a sticker pack, and an autographed lyric sheet depending on how much you want to spend. The single has yet to be named publicly, but I'm sure that in the coming weeks we will get more info and hopefully a snippet!

This is what I live for. Independent artists are my favorite, and to see someone who we already know as being incredibly talented go out on her own to fulfill her true potential and access her deepest creativity is going to be a marvelous thing indeed. Good luck, Kerli. I'm on your side.

JPop Watch: Utada Hikaru's Spring 2016 Return Officially Denied

It had been brought to my attention (as well as a long list of other bloggers and news sites) that Utada Hikaru, arguably Japan's biggest musician to date, had confirmed a soft release date for her upcoming album. This would be Utada's first solid release in over six year. Unfortunately once Utada's staff caught wind of the news article, they popped up long enough to shut it down.

Last week, Japanese newspaper Sports Hochi announced boldly that Utada would be returning in the Spring of 2016 with a full album. Not only that, but she would also be providing theme songs for two different shows, a "major live action" show and a news program, both of which would be released in April. This, as you probably guessed, made fans go crazy. Utada has been on hiatus for years, only popping up sporadically to provide songs for the occasional movie or anime (such as the recent string of Neon Genesis Evangelion film series).

Yesterday, however, the powers that be made sure our hopes and dreams were crushed. Someone from Utada's official team posted on her website denying the rumors. While they did confirm that she was working on a new album (!!), it was apparently at an intermittent pace, one to which they weren't even sure enough to give it a 2016 release date or not. They also made the bold statement that any true news regarding her upcoming releases would be announced on the website instead of elsewhere.

There were some comments made about her being overseas, giving me hope that she is working on at least some songs in English. I have been a huge fan of her English releases in the past, and they have been a huge success in Japan, still holding the record of best selling English Language album. Sadly, there are no real details about the project at this time, as Utada is very good at keeping these things under wraps.

Over the past two years, she has gone through a lot. She's lost her mother, she's gotten married, and she's had a child. There is a lot for her to write about and express in a beautifully lyrical way that only she knows how to do. I have a feeling that this upcoming album could be her best work yet. But I guess that's too early to say, no?

Mrs. Kasha Davis' New Video "Seasoned Queen" Tells It Like It Is

Mrs. Kasha Davis is fabulous. She was featured on the most recent season of RuPaul's Drag Race and made her mark on the world by making sure that she let everybody see what a classic drag queen looked like. Now she has her second single, along with a new video, titled "Seasoned Queen" and it's all about just that -- being classic, classy, and maybe even a little c*nty.

The song, featuring my good friend Adam Barta, is a very fun and catchy tune. What is really fun about it, is that Kasha knows she isn't the best singer out there, but she definitely has put in the hours to practice and at least learn the fundamentals of it all, making a nice improvement over her previous single "Cocktail". Unlike many other drag songs, it isn't an on-purpose train wreck, making it vastly more enjoyable than a lot of whats out there. The lyrics really help it out too, with her subtly calling out her fellow Drag Race sisters from winner Violet Chachki all the way down the line to even Gia Gunn.

"Seasoned Queen" as a video really reminds me of some of the recent RuPaul videos. There's lots of colorful outfits, big hair, and green screen shenanigans going on. There's also a lot of double/triple vision effects too, which is a fun way to fill up an otherwise half empty screen. The editing was on point, and it even featured a few cameos from other RPDR ladies such as Pandora Boxx, Alaska, and Kennedy Davenport, as well as some non-tv personalities like fellow New York queen Aggy Dune and Kasha's husband dubbed Mr. Kasha Davis. How cute!

So is this the best song ever? Probably not. Is it a super fun romp? Hell yes! This is the song that literally defines RuPaul's Drag Race season seven. Anybody who watched, loved, and enjoyed the previous season of Logo's top rated reality show will get a kick out of this song. Kasha (playfully) pokes fun at literally every cast member, even down to having parts of her waist green-screened out so she could look ultra synched like Violet. It is a fun ride; one definitely worth taking.

Support this classy show girl by buying her single on iTunes. It will probably help out Adam Barta, too, but then again he may use the money for a third Tan Mom song, so be careful.

Angelo Garcia Releases New Spanish Language Single

Hell yes I'm gonna post about Angelo Garcia. Why wouldn't I? He's hot, fun, and talented. That's pretty much every check mark that it takes to get on this site. But something in Spanish? Well I don't speak (much) Spanish, so I might not have much to say, but still, check out that hot cover, and enjoy the fun beat -- unless you speak Spanish, then you can enjoy it for what it is.

This is Angelo's first Spanish language single in practically forever. "La Segunda Fuga Del Chapo Guzman" is such a fun track. Angelo has been campaigning to reconnect with his Spanish-speaking fans for a long time now, posting most of his updates both in English and Spanish for some time now, and even posting several videos of him speaking Spanish so those fans can understand him better. He had been focusing on his newly found LGBT superstar status, and felt the need to reconnect with where it all began.

"Chapo" is a part of his new project El Wero, which looks like could be his new Spanish full album. All I know about this is that the song is super fun. It has a lot of traditional and regional sounds, accompanied by Angelo's strong vocals, making it entertaining even for those who cannot understand what the lyrics are about. I personally haven't spoken Spanish since I was in high school and saying when that was would make me look and feel far too old.

I think this single is incredibly important for Angelo's career. He has a lot of very passionate fans, and may of them have been following him since he was a young boy in Menudo. As of this time, there isn't any (obvious) word if "Chapo" will get a video treatment. I sincerely hope it does, because that cover is stunning. It is also unclear on the status of Garcia's current English language project with it's upcoming single.

You can grab the single on iTunes now.

Sorry I Missed It: Cherri Bomb Is Now Hey Violet

Remember how much I loved the all girl punk group Cherri Bomb? They were amazing, and their debut album was one of the best first attempts from a new group I had ever heard. Well they kind of disappeared. Well, I thought they did. Turns out they've been around all along, but with a new name. It's about time I caught up with the new incarnation of Cherri Bomb called Hey Violet.

I know, I know. It's a bit of a change from what you heard on their debut album as Cherri Bomb, but the name seems to be symbolic of the change. A few years back, one of the founding members, Julia, made a departure from the band. She was replaced with a guy named Casey who had been good friends with most of the band since they were kids, making him a perfect fit. While I am a huge fan of all girl rock groups (see my obsession with The Runaways), Casey seems to be meshing great with the band, so I don't have too many complaints.

As for the sound change, I'm not as excited. They've gone from pure punk to a fusion of punk and pop. It works, but it's not what I'm used to hearing from them. I guess if I had heard this incarnation first, I would be completely in love. There is nothing wrong with it, but since I heard "Cherri Bomb" first, it kind of put me off a little. Objectively, they are still very talented young adults who know how to rock it out, and the (albeit slight) genre change won't deter me from enjoying them.

As of right now they have one EP out, and a full album on the way. They also have an array of fun videos on Youtube allowing their fans to get to know them either all over again or for the first time. It looks like these guys are destined to be stars, and even with the reset of a name change, they aren't backing down. Just check out their awesome cover of Taylor Swift's "Blank Space" and tell me that they aren't the raddest group you've listened to.

You can pick up their debut EP on iTunes now!

Even More RuPaul Themed X-Mas On The Way With Drag Race Album

Yas, hunties! It has been confirmed that we are getting even more holiday cheer in the form of men dressed up as woman. Who care about tradition? These ladybois are ready to rock you, and they don't give a damn about morals. Well maybe Ginger does, but the rest don't! So let's check out this sexy and sleek new RuPaul's Drag Race alumni Christmas album!

That's right! All of your faves are back! As long as your faves are Alaska, Ginger Minj, Miss Fame, Sharon Needles, Courtney Act, Katya, Jiggly Caliente, Detox, Darienne Lake, Ivy Winters, Pandora Boxx, Violet Chachki, Phi Phi O'Hara, Jinkx Monsoon, and Manila Luzon, because that's who alls on it. I see a lot of names that I have come to know and love, so I for one am excited about it. People Magazine online broke the story earlier this week, and people have been going crazy! Check out the track list!

1. “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” Christmas Queens
2. “Everyday Is Christmas,” Alaska
3. “Christma-Hannu-Kwanzaa-Ka,” Ginger Minj
4. “Toyland,” Miss Fame
5. “Jingle Bells,” Sharon Needles
6. “12 Days of Christmas,” Katya
7. “From Head to Mistletoe,” Courtney Act
8. “Ratchet Christmas,” Jiggly Caliente
9. “This Is How We Jew It,” Detox
10. “Christmas Sweater,” Alaska, Courtney Act, and Willam
11. “A Very Cozby Christmas,” Willam
12. “Christmas Is Coming,” Darienne Lake, Ivy Winters, and Pandora Boxx
13. “The Night Before Christmas,” Violet Chachki
14. “Naughty or Nice,” Phi Phi O’Hara
15. “Red & Green,” Jinkx Monsoon
16. “Slay Bells,” Manila Luzon

I'm very glad to see Manila back, yet again. She, along with Pandora Boxx (who also is a delight to see) are the only ones that aren't on the more recent seasons, being from the third and second seasons respectively. Nobody from the first season made the cut despite Ru's obsession to this day with Bebe. Weird, right? Willam, Alaska, and Courtney (the AAA Girls) really dominate the album, so it would seem they are the masterminds behind this.

The preorder is TBA, but the release is coming November 13, just in time to annoy the hell out of everyone for playing Xmas music before Thanksgiving!

RuPaul Busts Out Brand New Christmas Album "Slay Belles"

Oh, RuPaul. How you never cease to amaze me. It's like every time we think that he can't do something fresh and new, he proves us wrong -- usually in the funnest way possible. In the down time from the upcoming season of RuPaul's Drag Race it looks like he's put together a new album. This time, he's wanting you all to get in the Christmas spirit. Who cares if it's not even Halloween yet? Since when has Ru followed anybody's rules?

Now before you go jumping to any conclusions, Slay Belles is a fully fleshed out album. It isn't just some work slapped together with hot glue and duct tape. Listening through this piece, it's obvious that Ru took his time in crafting this work. Producer Lucian Piane is back, and notably so, as the music is very throwback to the first two albums that came out of Ru's revived RPDR career. It makes for a very fun romp through the holiday season.

What I love the most about the album is that it doesn't really feel like a Christmas album. Sure the lyrics are all about Xmas, bells, and snow, but it doesn't have that traditional holiday cheer backing to it, making it more of a pop album inspired by the holidays than anything else. I really feel like when pop singers do a holiday album, too often do they just make the same song over, but much like Aqua with their non-traiditon "Spin Me A Christmas", Slay Belles really separates itself from the norm. With tracks like "Jingle Dem Bells", it's obvious that it's not meant to be taken seriously as a lover of Christmas, but instead just enjoyed for what it is.

Slay Belles also comes packed with an impressive list of guest appearances. Ru invited previous besties Michelle Visage and Big Freedia, as well as other fun guests such as Markaholic, Ellis Miah, Siedah Garrett, and even Todrick Hall himself. Now if an album doesn't skyrocket in notoriety from having the king of Youtube music on it, I don't know what will. Also, let's not forget that Ru himself is a vocal powerhouse, too. I guess what I'm trying to say is, this may be the best Xmas album of all time.

No, really.

Then again I'm not much of a Christmas person.

You can get the album on iTunes now! Do it!

Robert Bartko Releases Fun And Funky New Single "The Breakdown"

If you're an avid reader of my blog, the name Bartko is probably familiar. That's because Sammie Bartko, who I covered both on the reality competition show Skin Wars and in her own music career, is married to Robert Bartko. Go figure. But Sammie isn't the only vocalist in that family, as Robert has had a long career in both writing and performing music, and "The Breakdown" is only a taste of what he has to offer.

Robert, in case you are still skeptical, has been writing and producing music for a long time. Most famously he has produced for the rock band Korn ("All In The Family", "A.D.I.D.A.S.", "Wicked"), but he has also put in a lot of writing work with other groups over the years. He occasionally and sporadically releases new music on his own, and quite frankly I cannot believe I am just now picking up on his positive vibes.

Positivity isn't the only vibes that are coming out from "The Breakdown", and by that I mean it's totally funky. Robert has a really smooth voice, and the bass-slapping beat that is accompanying him only make the song all that much more awesome. He has a very strong control over his falsetto, creating some memorable hooks. It really sounds like a classic 70s funk track, but with a fresh update to it. It's basically like a time warp for music.

Over the years he has released a lot of music, from pop to religious, and he really has shown us that he is multifaceted. I really wish I had picked this up earlier (again to repeat what I've already said), as he would have made an amazing addition to the site in it's formative years. Now that I've see what he can do, I will be on the lookout for more Bartko music (from either source, to be honest), and I doubt I'll be disappointed.

For now, grab the track on iTunes and spread the love!

Kim Smith Wows With Video For "Shooting Star"

It feels good having Kim Smith back at music. Don't get me wrong, he's been doing a ton of stuff locally in NYC, but for those of us who live in the middle of the country, that might as well mean he hasn't done anything in a while. Then, like a gift from the homo-gods, he dropped this gem of a music video out of nowhere, and I'm in love all over again. Check out the very sexual yet endearing video for "Shooting Star".

The video over all is pretty simplistic. It mainly features two different parts, one of Kim singing into the camera close up, and another of him and a mystery man getting physical. In both takes he is shirtless (praise be yet again to the homo-gods), and looking stunning as usual. I love how bold the video is, showing two men embracing each other not as a gimmick or in a cliche way, but in a scene that feels very real. Of course the choreography can shatter that perfect image a bit, but for the most part of the video, it feels like two real men really feeling up on one another and exploring the other's body.

"Shooting Star" as a song is one of my all time favorites from Kim Smith. He his album Nova back in 2013, so seeing this in it's original form (as opposed to the remixed version on June 2015's Supernova) was a bit of a surprise. I had given up hope on this track seeing a video treatment, but luckily for me, he wasn't done with the album quite yet. Due to production costs, it's not unusual for an indie artist to draw an album out over several years, but I have to say this is the most pleasant surprise I've gotten from the LGBT music scene in a long while.

If you dig the track, you can get the original album Nova on iTunes here, or if remixes are more you're thing, you can check out his fully remixed followup Supernova here.

La Toya Jackson Returns With Previously Unreleased Single

Watch out world. Janet isn't the only Jackson making a comeback in 2015. Much like her sister, La Toya is bringing back the Jackson name into present day, but she's going about it in a totally different way. Instead of releasing a brand new track, she's digging into her recording library and bringing forth a track that may be old, but is still something you've yet to hear. Check out "Trouble".

It can definitely be said that this track sounds like it is from the 80s. This song is a track that didn't quite make it onto La Toya's '88 smash hit La Toya (or You're Gonna Get Rocked! depending on which version or when you picked it up). It's not unusual for artists to record tons of songs for an album and narrow it down, but what is unusual is to release a track more than twenty years later. But it's not an ordinary release. This is a remix package -- an awesome one.

This release features a lot of talented artist, brought together by JRED Music. The remix masters include Jared Jones, Matt Pop, Ranny, Sweet Team, Dr. Brooks, and Argonaut. Each artist brings their own unique sounds to the project, turning this one single into ten distinctly separate works. Some even manage to make the song hardly recognizable (in a good way), making the entire album worth your money.

I know I'm a little bit late on this one, but given that the original version of the track was released back in 2013, I'd say that I'm a bit closer to the single's release than the album's. And hey, La Toya is from an incredibly talented family and one of the least talked about Jacksons, so why not give her a quick shoutout.

"Trouble" is available from JRED Music now on iTunes. Grab it now!

Dragonette Returns With Brand New Single + Video

Dragonette, in case you didn't know, is one of the best things that has come out of Canada since pretty much ever. They had been steadily pumping out music until early 2013 when things went a big quiet -- but no more! Dragonette is back, and you can have even more synth-rock in your life, because in the end, isn't that what we could all use more of?

As per usual, this song is super catchy. Much to my relief, "Let The Night Fall" goes back to the sound the band's sophomore album Fixin' To Thrill, which was my favorite. The song's heavy synths fuzed with traditional guitars makes it something you don't hear very often and solidifies them as one of the defining New Wave bands of this generation. The chorus has that ear worm quality to it, staying stuck in your head long after you're done listening to it.

The video is also a bit of a throwback for me. While it does have some Marina And The Diamonds qualities to it by being a bit quirky (see the top photo for evidence there), it really stands well on it's own. The plot has some very distinct lesbian overtones from what I gathered, which should remind many long-time fans of the video for "Pick Up The Phone" (also from the Fixin' To Thrill era). The video follows a fun day out with two close girlfriends, as they go about the randomness of daily life.

I am so excited to see this come out. The band has already confirmed this is the first single off of a new album, which will hopefully be a marriage of the two amazing sounds they've developed over the course of their last two albums. While we don't have a name or even an estimated date, given the band's history, I'm sure we won't have to wait too long to find out. These guys love their fans, and they won't keep us in the dark for long.

For now, support them by grabbing "Let The Night Fall" on iTunes.

Honey Boo Boo's Debut Single Is Fun Whether You Like It Or Not

Hold on one second before you all come up in arms about this. I know that there is a large section of the population that detests Honey Boo Boo, but think about it for a minute. It does feature Adam Barta so it can't be that bad right? I mean Adam has had some strange collaborations in the past but they are always the best kind of tacky, and "Movin' Up" is no exception!

Photo Via GR Media Official YouTube Channel.

Ok. Watch that and tell me that it's not already stuck in your head. I don't mean the verses, which are kind of a mess of mumbled words (she's a kid, so she gets a free pass at not enunciating), but I mean the chorus. "Do the Honey Boo Boo Bop" will be stuck in your head for days, and judging by the fact it already has over a million views on YouTube, it's safe to say that you are not alone there. Adam Barta, who is famous teaming up with other reality TV stars like Angelina from Jersey Shore and Tan Mom, really took the back seat with this track, allowing Alana to shine.

The video seems to be more of at treat for those who were fans of the show. I honestly never watched a single episode of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo (mainly because I didn't have cable for years), so I didn't recognize a lot of the people. Apparently co-starring in the video is Mamma June with one line of the song, her sister "Pumpkin", and Mike Thompson known as "Sugar Bear". Yeah. No clue there. But you could tell that she was having a good time, and at the end of the day, she's still a kid and deserves to have fun with her life. Thankfully the cancelation of her TV show recently has not got her down, and she's managed to find a new career path.

It's unclear if this will be a career for the young starlet, but one thing's for sure -- she knows how to work the camera. This girl is dancing and having a great time, not giving one care as to what the haters have to say. If that's not inspiration, I don't know what is. And also it's nice to see one of Adam's videos blow up again. Some of his recent collaborations, while just as fun as everything else he's released over the past three years, didn't get much media attention. Thankfully he recruited the Boo Boo Clan to help him out. I'm not sure how much collaborating went on, but I know already that the track is only going to get more popular from here.

Wendy Ho Wants Everybody To Get Fxxked In Her New Music Video

A while back I posted about how my favorite nasty lady (sorry Janet) was attempting to raise money so that she could turn her classic song "Fxxk Me" into a music video. Well lucky for you and anybody not easily offended, the fund raiser succeeded, and now we have a spectacular music video for everyone to enjoy. Ok, maybe not every. Probably like a small portion of people you know. It's kind of raunch so there's that. Anyway, if you haven't stopped reading this, then chances are you'll love it!

I can't believe I have to do this, but I'm going to go ahead and call this NSFW. You know, so you can't stupidly watch this at work and get fired because your boss sees you watching two older out of shape people having sex by a pool.

That description is only a glimpse at what else this video has. It opens up with Wendy singing at a very classic looking club looking classy as hell, but the patrons, not so much. In the audience we have a very eclectic group of onlookers, who all seem to take the message that Wendy is giving them to heart. And that message is that sometimes a guy just needs to drop the romance and just get it on with his lady. Or man. Or furry.

What's really great about this video is that is goes far beyond any other LGBT (in this case LGBT Friendly) video has done before. Usually you'll have the singer accompanied by the hottest, buffet men they could find. That's not what this lady set out to do. She showed all different aspects of, well, getting it on. We have the older couple, two different sets of furries (with a chicken in both of them, strangely enough), a guy who likes to get it on with his man in drag, and even a couple that you don't find out are actually transgendered (one male, one female) until late into the video. All comedy and gag-reveals aside, I feel like this video was super important for showing all the different shapes, sizes, and sexualities the world can come in, and that not everybody has gotta have a six pack and a bubble butt to be in a music video.

As for the song, it's been a Wendy Ho classic forever. It's a very simple tune, consisting mainly of just Wendy singing along to a piano. In the song we discover that yeah, a romantic lay is nice, but every now and then a lady (or ladyboy) needs to be rammed. Hard. A lot of the lines are funny, talking about tossing salads and even how she wants her belly button penetrated, but in the end, we have a great mix of comedy with a song that is actually a functioning work as opposed to someone telling jokes over a back track. "Fxxk Me" is definitely one of Wendy's best tracks.

The Glamz Re-Release Debut Single For New Tour Fans

I know I've already raved about this single once before, but it's time I gave this a little press again. Why? Because they are releasing it over again for all their new fans they've gotten over the past year. Still though, you're wondering why I'm posting about this still? Well the answer to that one is because they are friggen awesome.

"Movie Star" was the debut single from the NYC all girl group The Glamz. They are known for being full figured and proud of it, giving a big boost to girls who feel self conscious they aren't a size zero. Since my last post about them, they have become LGBT pride icons, touring various parades and festivals around the country gathering new fans from across the country. As a followup to their recent success, they've decided to re-release their debut track for everyone to enjoy.

Megan Allen, Emma Craig, Tina Jensen, Kenya Morris make up this fantastic group, and they are not afraid to get out there and prove that sexy comes in all forms. "Movie Star" is a great example of mixing together beautiful voices and fierce fashion, and it serves as a great way to get introduced to the girls. The track is fun and poppy and is their first (but hopefully not last) venture into original music. Beforehand they did covers and mashups, but now that they've got an original track, they are starting to blow up!

The song is produced by Lemon Shark Productions and written by Michelangelo Sosnowitz. You can grab the track on iTunes in order to support these fine ladies and get us more music by them in the near future.

There's Even More New Bentley Jones With Single + Video "The Rebellion"

If I've said it once, I've said it a hundred times. Bentley Jones never. Stops. Making. Music. Not so long ago he released an EP entitled The Prequel with one new song, one re-recorded song, and two old ones. It was a bit of a toss up, with fans not knowing if the UK album was going to be a re-release of older material. Well to calm this quell, Bentley has released yet another new track. And this one is amazing.

The video is streaming exclusively on Gay Times

This is probably the coolest Bentley video to date. I mean he's had some really neat music videos, especially in the past few  years, but "The Rebellion" takes the cake. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, Bentley seems to be wandering around just to survive. The imagery is very well done aesthetically, and it was very well put together. While there isn't much as far as overarching plot, it is a very fun watch. As usual, Bentley has found amazing dancers (this time a sexy shirtless street dancer and a ballet inspired dancer) to help him on his journey.

"The Rebellion" as a song is a great way to get the British population acquainted, or re-acquainted, with Jones. The song is a perfect marriage of the good old classic "So Much More" era Ben and the new "Defying Gravity" era. It has that hard hitting energy he started with while also having the great orchestral elements that have been come signature for him in his later years.

If this song is anything like what we will be hearing from the Yet-To-Be-Named debut UK album from this amazing artist, then sign me right up. I've totally ate up everything he's released to date, so I have very little doubt that I'll like this album. Now it's a matter of time, waiting until Ben finds it necessary to give us more info. For now, just repeat this video over and over again, and take it the amazingness that is "The Rebellion".

XELLE Prove They Still Rule With New Video + EP

If I had to pick one girl group that I could follow from now until the end of time, it would have to be XELLE. I have been covering them since they began, through all the ups and downs. That's why I'm super excited to say that their new EP is finally upon us. But being the over the top duo they are, that's not all they decided to give us. We also got a video. Let's check out "Mr. Right Now" from their new EP release Darkroom.

This song is probably the best track out of XELLE in a good while. I don't mean they've not had awesome tracks recently, but this is such a fun song that captures the spirit of how playful and fun JC and Rony are. Having talked with them a number of times, I know how hilarious these two are, and the song's playful beat and racy-yet-campy lyrics really do it for me. It's a total girl power track, pointing out that it's not only the boys that can have a one night stand now and again. They're totally aware that these guys aren't their soulmates, but they are available.

In "Mr. Right Now"s video, we get to see so many different sides of these ladies. We get to see them be besties in the close-up shots (show above), we get to see them let loose (when they've got the shot glass wigs on, which I would totally rock), and even the sexy sides of them (when they're straddling their slabs of man meat). It has a very fun story line that follows the two from the bar, back to their place, and even playing strip poker with guys they found out on the town. In a fun twist, the guys turn out to be more bears than jocks, leaving them a bit confused -- JC looked confused. Rony looked damned pleased with herself.

It was really interesting to see this twist ending. They didn't shame the men at all for being chubby, which is something that really does happen (no it's not just ladies that can be fat shamed), and while it was kind of a gag for the end of the video, the girls did have a good time with them. This comes hot off the heels of that one YouTube video by some nobody "YouTube Celebrity" (if that's even a thing any more) who was ranting about hating on fat people. XELLE dropped their house on that wicked witch with their own video (seen here) telling her off and making sure their fans know this isn't something they stand idly by and watch. Basically they are internet super heroes.

And if that isn't enough for you, they also dropped their first EP in like fifty years! Ok, so I'm exaggerating, but it's been so long and it is so wonderful to have a collection of tunes all in one place for the grabbing. If you are an avid follower of the band, you may not be as excited. The EP is mostly made up of previously released songs ("Juicy", "Sweat" and "Red Flag"), but also contains "Mr. Right Now" and an album only song that shares the title of the EP "Darkroom". If you already own the past singles, the two new songs alone are worth buying to round out your collection. If you haven't been keeping up with these two as much recently, then you can grab all their best new songs in one place on iTunes here.

Moses Universe Unleashes Video For Vortex

It's about time we get some new Moses Universe material. He has been a source of great music ever since his debut single (featuring my girls XELLE no less). Over the years he has been steadily releasing new music for us to enjoy, and after a lot of teasing, he has unveiled the video for "Vortex". I don't know if you are ready for this one!

I'm going to be honest with you, I have next to no idea what is going on with this video. So much is happening that it is hard to keep up. The main gist seems to be that Moses is able to change holograms around him with his remote, which is almost instantly forgotten after the intro for an extended dancing sequence. It is brought back at the end, to make sure they got good use out of that strange glittery alien costume. The dancing portions were interesting, but I would have liked to see more of what Moses's oversized remote could do.

"Vortex" as a song is very fun. It fits right in line with most of what Moses Universe has released to this point. It sounds like a faster version of "I'm Your Man", which is my favorite song to this day that he has released. It's obvious that the song will be an instant favorite for anybody who has followed him up until this point. If it's your first time hearing of him, it may feel a bit dated, having a vibe that was more relevant in 2010 and 2011, but that doesn't mean it should be overlooked.

This project was a really fun way to bring Moses Universe to the foreground again. He often times takes a good while between singles to prep, so getting to see the fruits of all that labor was really fantastic. Let's hope that his fabled debut album that dates back at least four years will eventually come to be. For now, you can hop over to iTunes and snag "Vortex" and add it to your collection of awesome music.

Ari Gold As Gold Nation Rocks It With Album "Soundtrack To Freedom"

A while back, beloved New York LGBT scene staple Ari Gold decided it was time to shake things up. He found it was time to do something different, and with that he brought on a new name. For this project he goes by Gold Nation, and as Gold Nation, he is bringing you Soundtrack to Freedom. Get into it, and quick.

There are so many surprising things about this album. I had no idea what to expect going into this, and let me tell you I was pleasantly surprised. There are so many undiscovered gems on this release it's not even funny. It's style may be a bit hard to swallow for those who have come to love Ari over the years, but the new name is very symbolic of the break away from the past, and allows people to approach the album with fresh ears to hears something unexpected -- and that is certainly what he has brought.

The title track "Soundtrack to Freedom" really sets up the whole album. We get a nice taste of the electronic/dubstep vibe that flows throughout the album. It also introduces us to the chorus that accompanies Gold, giving the techno-focused album a very gospel inspired tone, almost as if this album is the Gospel of Ari Gold (which would be a cool album title, by the way). The gospel theme continues on into songs like "Personal Apocalypse" where he goes from saying Jesus is all of us, to damn near starting a church for Oprah. I don't know if it was intentionally hilarious or not, but it was.

Songs on this album are also very misleading with their track names. When I think of something like "Take Your Shirt Off" I think of a trashy club anthem to buffed up pretty boys. This isn't really what Gold was going for here. During the verses he goes into a spill about how it's more about LGBT visability, for everyone from hairy chub boys to transsexuals. Everyone needs visibility, and for this reason this is probably my favorite track from the entire work.

One thing I really appreciate is that the vast majority of the album is Ari on his own with only one (real) feature. "Back In High School" features Adam Joseph in a total throwback to 90's RnB. But other than that the only other features on the album (in "Turn Out The Night" and "Leave The World Changed") are featuring non other than Ari himself. While this baffles me a bit, I'd have to say it's probably because he falls back moreso into his older style of singing in these two songs, so he decided to credit his other persona. It's unclear why this decision was made. Either way the lack of features really gives us a moment to see Ari's vision. We don't have random distracting rap verses crammed into a track or a familiar face to up sales -- it's all Ari and what he wanted to make. That's what really makes this album beautiful.

There is so much you could say about this album, but instead of me blabbing on, why not check it out for yourself? Soundtrack To Freedom is out now on iTunes from JRED Music. Get it now, while it's still steaming hot!

Bentley Jones Has An Even Newer EP For You -- The Prequel

It's official. Bentley Jones never stops. Ever. He has been pumping out new (quality) music for the past two years straight. We've had the album Defying Gravity, Upgrade 1.0, and three different EPs that made up part three of his Trans//Lation series. Now, barely a month after his last release, we have a new EP out for us all to enjoy. If you haven't gotten all the lyrics down from the last album yet, don't worry. Most of these tracks should be familiar.

In case you didn't catch it from the video, most of these songs aren't exactly new. Actually, only one of the songs is something that hasn't been released before. But Bentley isn't your average artist. For example, "So Much More 2015" varies wildly from it's original form ins Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing. Instead of it's usual electro-pop vibe, it has been completely redone in a rock setting. The same can't be said for two other songs on the album "Follow Me Down" and "Axiomatis", which may have been re-recorded, but remain in the same style as they had been before hand.

To make this release better, we finally get the studio version of Ben's Eurovision Song Contest entry, "Disco Down". He released a live version of this on YouTube several months ago and I've been dying for it ever since. I am crazy about this track. It's crazy wind-down sounding beat is addicting, and the lyrics are fun and cheeky. I really wish this had been in ESC this year (maybe I would have payed attention), but alas most of the people who are really talented get cut -- and don't get me started on Cristal Snow.

The Prequel is actually just a taste of what's to come in Bentley's first ever UK album. He has released a lot of material for Japan and worldwide, but has never had a specific "UK Debut", and it looks like this is his next big project. The name for the album hasn't popped up on my radar yet, but hopefully it will soon. It's unclear if the UK album will be a sort of Aqua-styled "Best of" (meaning mostly old songs with a few new tracks sprinkled in), or if this was just to get the good people of the UK more acquainted with him before he drops the new album. Either way his fans are going crazy over this release, and why shouldn't they?

If you want to snatch up The Prequel, or even if you just want "So Much More... 2015" and "Disco Down", head over to iTunes and support your indie artists!