CHVRCHES Announces New Album For September

CHVRCHES is certainly one of those sleeper hit bands. They have been everywhere and nowhere at the same time, making them a product of our internet age. I have been a huge fan of theirs since they released "The Mother We Share", and I'm glad to see they are keeping it up. They're back with a new song, and an album that is about to blow your mind.

If you haven't heard any music from CHVRCHES, now is the time. This single is the perfect example of what they have to bring to the table. It really feels like something you would hear from 80s New Wave bands, but at the same time it feels so much more modern than one can explain. This group has perfected the sound they want, and it's so unlike anything out there today that regardless of the song, you can always tell it's them. "Leave A Trace" is only the first offering the group has to bring us, and it's left me hungry for more.

The full album, Every Open Eye, is set to come out September 25. I know that is a long time to wait, but hopefully we will get more of a complete idea what the album is going to be like in the coming months. If "Leave A Trace" is anything like the rest of what's on this album, we have a great thing to look forward to. I personally hope they continue to explore the more experimental path they took with the track "Science/Visions" from their previous album.

While we aren't left with much info other than a tracklisting, there is still hope. For those who live in the NYC area, they are doing a live show at Music Hall Of Williamsberg on July 23 where they will probably play some new tracks to get everyone amped.

For the rest of us, you can preorder the album on iTunesCh. When you do, you'll get "Leave A Trace" for free!

Skin Wars Season 2 Episode 5 [Review]

Sorry for the lack of posts this past week. I'll work on that. And to kick it all off, I have my latest review of GSN's smash hit reality TV show Skin Wars! This was an episode I'd been waiting to see for a very long time, and if you are a fan of horror movies, especially the Saw movie franchise. If you aren't getting it just yet then check things out below.

Ari Gold's New Album "Soundtrack To Freedom" Is Up For Preorder!

It looks like Ari Gold is back in the mix of it. We've already told you that he has been working under a new name, Gold Nation, and that his debut single "Sex Like A Porn Star" came out not long ago. Now he's ready to drop an awesome album on us, but you'll have to wait just a bit longer.

First off let it be known that during his hiatus, he obviously didn't stop working on the body. It's as hot as it's ever been! But we're here to talk about music, right? So let's get onto that.

The Artist Formerly Known As Sir Ari Gold is about to drop a fantastic album on us, and I, for one, cannot wait for this one. If "Sex Like A Pornstar" was anything like the rest of the album, then we have some very exciting tracks ahead of us. With names like "Take Your Shirt Off" and "Personal Apocalypse" it looks like he had a pretty good time piecing this together.

Soundtrack To Freedom is a bit different from what you've heard from Ari in the past. It is from a more musical aspect, giving less focus on lyrics and singing and more attention to the production values. This work has a more club feel to it, and is worked as a conceptual album, meaning that all the songs will work cohesively, feeling like a complete work when listened through.

We have just a little less than a month to wait, with Soundtrack To Freedom coming out August 7. Preorder it now on iTunes, brought to you by the wonderful and diverse JRED Music.

Skin Wars Season 2 Episode 4 [Review]

After GSN devilishly decided to take a week off, we finally have our favorite reality competition show back on the airwaves. And if you think that's a dig at RuPaul's Drag Race you better set your butt down and watch before you judge. It looks like Ru has brought in some help this week in the form of the ultra-fabulous. What happens when two of the best reality competition shows cross paths? Let's find out!

Chelsea Korka Returns As C.G.K. With Debut Single "First Kiss"

It has been oh-so-long since I've heard anything from my most favorite Not Pussycatdoll. She's been working hard in the studio on her debut album, and has finally allowed for us to hear the first fruit of her labors. Check out "First Kiss" by the lovely and recently re-branded C.G.K.

Chelsea Korka is a beautiful and talented woman. She has been working on her debut album Being Human for as long as I can remember. She even gave us a fun clip of one of the tracks from the album titled "Romeo", but this track "First Kiss" is incredibly different from what we've heard in the past. Gone is her more mainstream sound, and now we have this -- of which I'm not even sure what we have.

We barely get to hear Chelsea sing in this one, and with a run time of only 2:20, it comes up feeling a bit short. It honestly sounds more like an intro to an album instead of a full fledged single. It contains an interesting mix of R&B sounds and electronic/dubstep. It's a strange mashup that somehow works for her. It also has a very odd sounding modified trumpet, honestly being the weirdest track I've heard to come out from this year.

The only indication of this being related to the previously announced album Being Human are a couple of hashtags, leaving one to wonder what the rest of this project will shape up to be. For now, you can grab the single on iTunes.

Phi Phi O'Hara Takes Music Where No Drag Queen Has Before -- As Jaremi Carey

Like it or not, Phi Phi O'Hara has always been someone to look out for. Forget her slightly slanted stunt on RuPaul's Drag Race. I'm talking about the fashion icon she's become, the cosplay queen she's evolved into, and the musician inside she's letting loose. Phi Phi is a queen to look out for, but in case you aren't already overloaded with impressed-ness, get ready to meet Jaremi Carey. That's Phi Phi's "boy side", and he's just as damned talented.

Jaremi is just as awesome a singer as Phi Phi. Who would have ever thought? Anyway, it's been a while since we've seen anything out of Jaremi. He has told us before that he planned on releasing two separate works, one as his boy identity and one as Phi Phi, but the road to recording seems to have been a long road for him. His first single (As Phi Phi) was produced by Zach Adam, but this is done with Mirrortone Studios, leaving one to speculate that whatever happened on this plane might be the setback we're looking for.

Song wise, "Take Control" does feel a bit dated. It feels more like a track you would have heard back in 2009 when dance music was king. Now with all the indie bands and more mellow pop tracks flooding the radio and net, this song stands out a bit, and not in the best way. I can say, however, that Jaremi has an extremely talented vocalist, and that keeps this track afloat in the best way possible.

The point is that Jaremi has developed into an incredibly lovable person over the past few years. His cosplay alone should get you into him (You seen him be Rita Repulsa!?). The song, although it doesn't feel recent, is still a fun jam and could turn into a great club banger with the right remix. Pick it up for yourself on iTunes and get rockin'!

Violet Chachki Is A Brawler In Her New Video "Vanguard"

Violet Chachki, the winner of this year's RuPaul's Drag Race, may be controversial in her win on the show, but I can honestly say she's the undeniable winner of drag music for 2015. She slayed with her first music video "Bette", and now she's ready to knock you out with her drop down, drag out fight "Vanguard".

First of all I wasn't too big a fan of the track. It's a bit middle of the road and not as stunning as her first single. As usual, however, Violet is not out to disappoint her fans, as she's made one of the best music videos to spawn from Drag Race in recent memory. It may be a bit controversial, but when hasn't Violet been the center of controversy?

What I mean by that is that you can either take this video as something very positive, or very troubling. The plot goes as such: Violet, in full drag, goes into a fast food restaurant to use the bathroom. Being biologically male, she enters the men's bathroom, does her business, and exits. After she exits she is spotted by a group of thugs. After taking a bit of a beating she fights back, and to the surprise of many, the other patrons stepped in and helped her kick the crap out of the jerks.

Now you can either take it as a good thing, being that a whole restaurant full of people stood up for a drag queen who have been at odds with even the LGBT community many times, or you can take it as a bad thing that she is suggesting we resort to violence to solve bullying. I personally am not sure which side of the issue I stand on, but I really like the conversation this video is starting. It also stays true to her gender fluidity, showing her both naked as a woman (with a breast plate) and naked as a man (without the breast plate). In a sense, what I am saying is that regardless of what Violet intended the video to be, it has opened up a great discussion within our community.

"Vanguard" doesn't exactly make for a great song, but it is a fantastic video. It has the pristine shine you would expect from a top drag performer, and all the attitude that Violet gave us all season long. If anything, this solidifies her as the winner of season seven, and sets a new standard of music for future winners of Drag Race to live up to.