Top Ten: GaoSalad's Favorite Albums Ever (Part One)

The time has come for a list so amazing and massive that it not only must surpass the standard countdown of five, but must also be split into two parts! This post is the first piece of a two part special to kick off the return of the ever popular "Top Five" articles that have been among the most fun and most popular recurring articles on the site! I did my best to think of what I find to be the best albums of all time, and it really did take a lot of thinking. Some of these may catch you off guard, and others you may see coming from a mile away.

Actually, in all honesty I kind of hate doing "Top Five Favorite" posts, because I always feel like I'm forgetting something glaringly obvious. I took about a week to brainstorm and compile this list, so I'm hoping that it reflects me accurately. Some of the picks may be seen through nostalgia goggles, but others are far too fresh for that. The dates range from earlier this year to two decades before I was born. There's no limits and no ass kissing this time -- it's just simply GaoSalad's Top Ten Favorite Albums Ever (Part One)!

10. Scissor Sisters - Magic Hour

How could a LGBT themed music site make a list of top albums and not include the one that spawned the biggest gay anthem of the decade? "Let's Have A Kiki" has become a massive hit for the band in the gay community, and it has placed the group back at the top where they belong. I didn't  choose the album for this song -- at least not entirely. The entire album is amazing from start to finish. I admit it did take a while to grow on me, but once I realized the full brilliance of the piece, it became a permanent part of my musical library. Every single track on the album is relatable for myself, from heatbreak, to longing, to wanting to break free from restrictions. Why so low on the list? Well you'll just have to keep scrolling to see the awesomeness that is the rest of my favorites.

(The 9-6 under the cut!)

Updates: New Aqua + Koda Kumi

Today is a double dish of updates, because when news comes, it comes in waves -- giant waves. Let's get right down to business and present the super exciting news first. Yes, it has to do with Aqua. No, I don't care if you care.

Ohh Aqua, how I love thee. I posted a few days ago that Aqua announced to some fans backstage that they were going to be releasing a new single this Fall, but conveniently left out whether it was new or lifted from their recent studio album, Megalomania. For those who payed attention, a Facebook and Twitter update came into view, straight from the source. The post has since been deleted (or I'm bad at Facebook, don't judge me), but thankfully Aqua Fan Page saw the same post I did and screen capped it!

Two new Aqua songs! Looks like we might get another dual single like the release of "Playmate To Jesus/Like A Robot". Hopefully both of the songs are amazing (of course they will be!) and both get videos made. I am still clinging to the hopes that there was a video for "Like A Robot" that will surface one day.

Moving on to Koda Kumi. Yes. More Koda Kumi.

I can't help myself. I just have to talk about her, and given how amazing her last studio album and remix album were, I just cannot wait for this remix compilation to come out. "Beach Mix" may be a bunch previously released stuff set to new (fabulous) back beats, but I must remind you that there is a new song attached to it -- "Whachu Waitin' On." It may be over a month from the release, but that isn't stopping Koda Avex from promoting the hell out of it. As a matter of fact, they released a snippet of the video. Check it out.




It is like if Lady Gaga did bubblegum pop. Yes. Those are spikes attached to her face. No, I don't know why.

The video is shot mostly from the chest up, probably because Koda is currently extremely pregnant. This girl doesn't waste any time, at least. Not only is she shooting a video while very knocked up, she is also planning a tour for as early as December for Japan, meaning that she's gotta lose that baby weight hella fast.

And Lastly, I need to clear up an error I made earlier. "Whatchu Waitin' On" is not the new Koda Kumi single. Koda Kumi's fifty-third single (Jesus!) is currently untitled and slated for Fall of this year. I guess she needs a couple of days to recover and be a mommy before she hits the recording booth to churn out more ear candy for the fans.

New Aqua Single In Fall

Trusted site, Aqua Fan Page, a site dedicated to news exclusively centered around Danish pop group Aqua and the members' side projects, has translated a recent interview where Aqua tells fans that a new single is on the way this fall. Of course I couldn't resist this story. The Aqua fan in me wouldn't allow for that.

The translator makes a distinct note that they did not say whether this would be a brand new single, or another track pulled from their last album, Megalomania. My gut says that it will be a song from the album, but I will keep up high hopes for a new song, as I can never have enough new Aqua. Not much has come from the band recently, as they have been busy with their Australian tour. We still have yet to see a music video for "Like A Robot" which was promised prior to it's release.

Another exciting bit of information released at the end was an informal announcement of a US and Canada tour. I am excited, and I hope that they plan to tour more than just Hollywood and New York City like most other foreign acts. Here's for hoping they hit up the Midwest!

Not much else is known for now, but I'll keep you updated. For now, I will focus on making a point to show them that they do have US fans who do want to listen to and buy their material.

Top Five: Un-Christmas Songs

Welcome to Christmas! I'm not really as happy about it as the exclamation point would lead you to believe, but it's hard not to buy into the fake cheer of the holidays. It's time to hash out more celebrity X-mas related songs. Luckily, not all of them are your traditional tunes, some being downright anti-Christmas. As part of a month-long Top Five column of random crap I deem entertaining and relevant, I will be  Let me get at you with some Un-Christmas Christmas songs.


5. Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence - FYI by Utada



Confession time: I LOVE Hikaru Utada's English albums. Back when I was a Weeaboo (Don't ask), I was all about some Utada, and she released her debut English album Exodus at the height of my Japan obsession. She released two English albums, this song from the second one. I placed it so high on the countdown mainly because it trolls you into thinking it's a Christmas song when it really isn't. She doesn't even mention the holidays at all. The only really seasonal part of the song is her saying "Jing-a-ling" a couple of times. Way to fool us, Utada. You win.
Edit: An Anon informed me she had to keep the title of the song she sampled for legal reasons. That still doesn't mean she isn't trolling you. I mean if she had to keep the title, logic dictates you should roll with the Christmas theme. She did not. Thus, troll.
(Warning: Lots of Hos under the cut.)

The Rise And Fall Of Shakin' Stevens (And His Superstardom)

It was 1998 when I fell in love for the first time. I was in grade school, and it started off a little rocky. Aqua wasn't exactly the picture of bad-assery when the splashed into the US scene. A seven-year-old boy liking a girl-centric singing group was bad enough, but their only hit being "Barbie Girl" (and what people instantly associate them with) just put it over the edge. This was definitely something I didn't boast about back in the day. I followed them avidly for years, letting my love for them grow and prosper. "This," I thought "is the standard by which all music should follow." Ok, guys, seriously I was in like second grade. Don't judge me.

Face it, America, this song was a hit!

Then, out of the blue, they broke up. I thought that my life would end right there... Ok, so I wasn't that dramatic, but still, I was pretty upset. In the wake of this tragedy, one shining object shown through. A short while after their break, a few live recordings surfaced from one of their last shows containing material said to be put on their third album that was canned mid-production. Of these five or so songs, one stood out. This track was an ode to an amazing, and often overlooked crazy-talented musician: Shakin' Stevens.

Album Review - Megalomania

It is finally here. Less than an hour ago, I received my autographed copy of Aqua'd latest, and what is shaping up to be best, album. Before we begin, I must warn you all that this review will be very biased. These four talented and beautiful people have come together to form my favorite group since I was eight years old, and they still keep strong in my heart today. If you don't wanna read a biased review about how the members of Aqua are demi-gods, you should probably leave. Joking, read my other posts. Do it. Don't question me.

Video Review - Playmate To Jesus

It is finally here. After a week of teasing and taunting, the official video for the new Aqua single "Playmate To Jesus" is released to the internet. I, like many fans, was very concerned when the group released screen shots. The song seemed to be a lighter song, and the video looked very dark. Somehow, though, it worked. The video just works. Don't believe me? Lets have a look.

The video's plot is a bit vague, leaving a lot to the interpretation of the viewer. Let me add this disclaimer to say that this is my interpretation of the video based on my initial viewing.

It's Video! It's Madness! It's Video Madness Now!

I am not sure where to begin this one. There are four, count 'em, four artists all working their butts off on new outstanding music videos. How do I know they are outstanding? Well, honestly I don't right now, but I have faith in them! Be warned though, I'm gonna zip through a lot of topics real quick like! Try and keep up.

First up, coming as a bit of a surprise so soon, is the beautiful Pandora Boxx. By now, you probably know about her debut single coming out, right? Oh, I haven't blogged about it enough yet? Well, please allow me to plug her once more. Pandora's debut single "Cooter" is coming out September 27. (That's less than two weeks away!) What I didn't realize at the time of my last cooterpost was that she was planning to put out a music video for it as well. No word yet on what all will happen in the video. I am hoping to see a lot of familiar faces as cameos and hilarity abound. The video will drop the week after the single hits iTunes, according to Ms. Boxx herself. Hopefully by then I can squeeze more juicy bits out of her. Pun intended.

I can't get over those shoes!

Next up, Aqua has already shot their video for "Playmate To Jesus." They posted a few pictures and a short goofy clip of the band being interrupted while filming on their official Facebook page. The look of this video is definitely in the same dark vein as "My Mamma Said." I'm not sure how well that will translate, seeing as the song has a very positive and uplifting message. Only time will tell. No word yet on a video for "Like A Robot", but according to the group, the single will get a true "club release" soon, so maybe that is when we will see a video surface.

A recent discovery of mine, John Boy Cool, is now working on a video for my favorite track off his debut EP. The song is called "Go To Sleep" and the song is anything but sleepy. The very upbeat song is all about going to sleep while still way too drunk for your own good. You can expect the video for this one to be amazing. Be sure and check out the song to get your own feel for it on SoundCloud.

Last, but certainly not least, my galpal Sahara Davenport is working on the video for her followup single "Go Off!" I know this video will be amazing. I mean have you seen Pump With Me? I know with this glamorous lady we can expect some amazing dancing, hot boys, and her boo, fellow Drag Race dive Manila Luzon. Being such a fabulously nice diva, she tweeted me about the project stating "Me and my team are very busy prepping at this point. I go into rehearsals next week and can't wait to shoot." If you want more info, you'll just have to check out my exclusive interview with her!

Just as a quick update on a related note, pop group Young London (Who I also have had an awesome interview with) still haven't posted their new video yet. After some investigation on Twitter, it seems that the group themselves are a bit confused as to why it's not up yet.

Aqua's 15th Anniversary

Fifteen years ago today, history was made. Well, for me anyway. Way back in 1996 (That would make me five) a few then unknown musically gifted people had nearly given up on making music. They had been in a band together before. Under the name Joyspeed they had released a song "Itzy Bitzy Spider", a catchy techno take on the classic children's song. It did decently on the charts, but the disappointed foursome were not impressed. Giving it one more go, they reformed sometime later and changed the name to Aqua. On September 16th (That would make it the 15th here, but that is a bit irrelevant for now) they released the smash hit "Roses Are Red".

Wow. Talk about a blast from the past. They all look so different now, it's unreal! That was fifteen years ago. The track blew the charts away across Europe, hitting the number one spot in Denmark, and hitting the top ten in countless others. The song had an undeniable sound that wasn't going to shy away so easily. This was the hit they had been looking for. This was it.

I can't say that I was a part of the initial Aqua movement. I, much like most other North Americans, didn't find out about Aqua until a year later when "Barbie Girl" exploded onto the scene, but give me a break. How do you expect a six year old with no internet access to keep up with all the latest Scandinavian trends? Needless to say, after Aquarium hit shelves, I begged my mother to buy me a copy, and since I was spoiled rotten, she did so. The album blew me away and "Roses Are Red" was a definite favorite of mine. Aqua has been the longest lasting obsession I have had in my life. That said, it must be obvious that they are my favorite band, and I may be a little partial to them in future reviews.

Getting back on topic, today just has a very awesome feel to it. These guys have been with me (in musical spirit) for over half of my life. Sure they were broken up for seven years or so, but they did a lot in the time they were together, and have done so much more since they have reunited. I've gone through extreme lengths to find demos and crappy live recordings, and I have stayed up all night waiting for the new videos to be posted. It all comes back to this song: To the beginning of Aqua.

As a reminder to all their fans, Aqua posted an amusing message on their facebook account.

"A little humble celebration today : on September 16th – 1996 precisely

15th years ago today – ”Roses Are Red” hit the record stores in Denmark 

(yeah that was the major sales channel at that time) - our very first single under

the name Aqua with a funky green cover … on a funny note – the reversed very 

catchy part of "Dum di da di da” in the song, was actually put in due to the

fact that we didn’t have time to record all the parts with Lene, since she had to go

to Norway – so we had to be creative with the vocal parts she had already

put down … So today is actually the 15th anniversary of Aqua as a 

recording artist … Cheers!"

I guess that finally puts to rest the arguing over what the reversed part of the song says. The group has made a huge impact on my life. Lene's iconic voice has always stuck with me. Rene was my first mancrush (Don't tell anyone, ok?). Soren and Claus have been my standard of amazing production and quality. I think they realized that they had something amazing that they couldn't all do separately -- that reuniting again as Aqua was inevitable. With the video shoot for "Playmate to Jesus" already shot and the new studio album "Megalomania" dropping October 3rd, I don't think Aqua is going away any time soon.

Now,  where do I go to complain that "High-Fi", "Couch Potato" and "Here Comes The Birds" are not on the new album?

Aqua Update: The Big Twist Announcement

Remember how every website ever was saying that "Like A Robot" would be the next single by Aqua? I remember that. I got myself so hyped up over the song, wracking up at least fifteen plays of the song a day (and when you work eight hours a day, that's a lot). Well, Aqua had been teasing us with information on the single. We all assumed it was the release date, but early this morning, they threw everyone a curve ball. "Like A Robot" isn't the next single at all. The preview was for "Playmate To Jesus".

I can't even describe how excited I am for this song. I am a sucker for Aqua's more serious songs. This song, while not really a ballad, seems to be a song with much more content than many of their other songs. If I had to classify it, I would place it between "Around the World" and "Aquarius" -- not too poppy, but not too preachy either. Needless to say I'm gonna need to buy about a hundred copies of this track. No, I'm not kidding.

The space-themed track is accompanied by satellite beeping and a beautiful symphony of violins. The song is presumably a Lene only song, much like the other less bubblegum songs such as "Good Guys" and "Aquarius", both of which are near the top of my list of favorite pop songs ever. It may have been eleven years (or presumably ten around the time the song was written) but she can still sing beautifully -- and she is one of the few people I sincerely believe sings live and does so well.

A recurring theme that pops up towards the end of the teaser is the phrase "I pray for universal love". While not present in "Like A Robot" the theme of the new no bars Love Generation is mentioned in "How R U Doin'" and looks to be a major theme with the album as a whole. This is definitely my most anticipated album of the year, as well as one of the most promising singles of the season. Plus, don't they look spectacular on the single artwork?

Enough of me babbling on about how amazing it is. Why don't you take a listen for yourselves.





The single is due out September 12. That is less than a week away. So close, and yet, so far.


Lastly, in a more unnoticed post, the artwork for "How R U Doin" on their facebook page music player has changed to this photo.

It has yet to be announced if this is the official cover of the album, but given the source, I'd say it's a safe bet to say it is so. I'm in love with the picture, but I still like my blogger buddy Popsessed's version of the cover.

UPDATE:
Although I couldn't find the press release (or anything on their Facebook page), the Aqua Fanpage has said that September 12 will release not one, but two singles. It seems that they plan to release "Like A Robot" after all. The double A-Side single will be released all at once and "battle for the number one spot." I really hope this news is true -- and I hope the song is the uncut version they did on tour! At least the cover looks pretty legit.

Megalomania Tracklist Confirmed!

You knew it was coming. I made it known that I would post about the track list for the upcoming Aqua album "Megalomania" once it was confirmed, and what do you know? Today, Aqua announced on their official Facebook page that the rumored song list is actually true. Not only that, but they also released a picture from their recent photoshoot.

The new, darker side of Aqua.

"Some of you beat us to it," they said. That is an understatement if I've ever seen one. From seemingly out of nowhere, the song list leaked to the internet, and to everyone's surprise, it is one hundred percent correct. And people say nothing on Wikipedia is legit!
The track list for the new album is as follows:
1. Playmate To Jesus
2. Dirty Little Pop Song
3. Kill Myself
4. Like A Robot
5. Viva Las Vegas
6. Party Patrol
7. Come N' Get It
8. Sucker For A Superstar
9. Be My Saviour Tonight
10. How R U Doin?
11. If The World Didn't Suck (We Would All Fall Off)

I feel really good about the this list. While I'm not sure how relevant Las Vegas is in Europe, I have a feeling that we are getting exactly what we have been waiting for all these years. The tracks have that witty charm we have come to know and love from Aqua. There is, however, a much more obvious sexual tone over this album. Whether or not it will prove to be a good thing or not, only time will tell.

The main concern I have with the list, other than the misspelling (at least in terms of United States English) of "Savior", is definitely "Sucker For A Superstar". In the comments on Facebook, the group have confirmed that the song is indeed "Shankin' Stevens", but has been re-written. I'm not sure why, but it was. Perhaps Shakey didn't want his name used in the song, or maybe Morten Harket got pissed off that he was the only one who didn't get mentioned specifically by name (they simply call him "That guy from A-Ha"). Either way, I have to say I am disappointed. Maybe it will be released one day, but it doesn't look likely. Now, as long as the version of "Like a Robot" on the album isnt the edited one where they say "Love me like a robot", we will be fine.

The album comes out October 3rd. No official statement yet if this is a worldwide release date, or a Denmark only date, but I'll be sure and dig up as much info as I can!

Attack of the Release Date

Within days of each other, two recording artists released confirmed release dates for their projects -- And it's about damn time, too. I may be a little late to the party (but hey, that's just who I am), but I won't let these two slide by without putting my own two sense in on it.

First up is one of my top drag queens of all time, Pandora Boxx. She has been spreading the word about her cooter for months! (I hear it's moist). Not as in the female reproduction organ, but her new single. The preview for "Cooter" has been floating around on YouTube for a while now, causing quite a stir. It is my firm belief that Pandora is single handedly keeping the art of campy drag alive in the media world. As many of the camp queens have become glamorous, Pandora has kept her humor, and this song definitely shows it.

The single comes out September 27th, and I bet you guys will be very glad when it does -- mostly because it will mean it will be over with so I can stop hyping it up. Seriously, this is like the sixth blog post I've made about this song. Does that make me a super Fandora?

This next group has been teasing me for a long time. Years ago, when I was a wee lad, I was a fan of a very bubbly and dancey group called Aqua. I bought everything I could get my hands on from them, and they are my all time favorite band. I'm not kidding in the least. They have been teasing this album for over ten years. Finally, they have announced not only a release date for this third album, but also a title.

Oh dear lord I cannot express how excited I am for this album. Titled "Megalomania", the album is set to release October 3. The band announced all of this via their official Facebook page stating:

"We are happy to announce that the brand new album

is out on October 3 - and is entitled: Megalomania.

11 great Aqua songs made it to the finale... and in the

next few weeks we'll be giving you more insights into

the new album"

I can't believe it! After so long, they are finally going to be releasing a third studio album. I have been waiting for this since I was nine years old. NINE YEARS OLD! I could go on and say more embarrassing fanboyisms such as talk about how one of them was my first mancrush, but alas, I don't have the time. What I will say is that they better have "Shaking Stevens is a Superstar" on the album. They have been taunting me with a studio version of that song for years!

I have taken a look at a couple of their new tour songs (none of which have been confirmed for the album, FYI), and they look pretty good. I don't want to get too invested before it comes out, just in case I accidentally fall in love with a song they choose not to include. The current news going around is that "Fxxk Me Like A Robot" (dubbed "Love Me Like A Robot" for radio play) will be the lead-in single. They had better get to work on releasing it. They have a month and a week to get this stuff worked out! Aqua, I just don't know if eleven songs will be enough!

Coming Soon - July Edition

Ever feel like what you are waiting for seems to perpetually be "only weeks away"? Welcome to my life. Every time I get into something, it seems like they either continuously postpone a release, or they hype it up so much that I can't stand to wait the few weeks until the release.

First up, we have a favorite Drag Racer of mine having her new single come out later this month. No, not Pandora Boxx. I'm talking about Ms. Sahara Davenport "Go Off".

Not a lot has been revealed about the single, but if it is anything like "Pump With Me" I will be all over it. Sahara is one of the few queens that actually has a lot of vocal talent, so I am always happy to see her exploring the world of music. A few videos of her performing the song at clubs are floating around on YouTube, but I just can't bring myself to watch them. I want it to be a surprise when I hear it for the first time. I want to experience it... Like a virgin touched for the very first time -- Ehhh Sorry for the Madonna reference! Anyway, the girl has charm and knows how to treat her fans (she's replied to several of my tweets). I really believe she'll go far. Cant wait to GO OFF! The new track hits iTunes July 26.

Next up is an update on a friend of mine. Since my blog's creation (more or less) I have been a big supporter of Mason Black, an up and coming artist/singer/songwriter. I think he has loads of talent and is a genuinely good person. His latest song, "Jack The Ripper" was put up for free on soundcloud a few weeks back in order to gauge reception. He says that based on how well it does (IE How many listens/favorites/comments it gets) he may or may  not release it as a single. Let me tell you, in case you missed my last post about it, Jack The Ripper is one seriously sick'ning track. Give it a listen here and let him know what you think.

My all time favorite band, Aqua, (don't laugh) has recently risen from the grave for a third time with the new single "How R U Doin", an iTunes exclusive. After the video was released a few months back they went silent again. I was worried that they would give up again, but as it turns out I couldn't be more wrong. They announced today via Facebook that their to-be-named album has just been completed and that a second album single will be released in the very near future. More info will be released in the coming weeks, but this glint of hope has me excited to the max.

There you have it. Wondering why I didn't mention "Cooter" again? BECAUSE I BLOG ABOUT IT IN EVERY POST! And yes, I almost posted the video yet again.

EDIT:
Not sure what this has to do with the song, but it's pretty amusing.