Review: Robyn - "Body Talk" (Part 1 and 2)

Longtime readers of my blog may recall that I was obsessed with Robyn's triumphant return to the international pop scene in 2007 and 2008. While America didn't get on board with the "Show Me Love" singer's off-kilter millennium pop, the rest of the world was grooving to her collaboration with Kleerup and hijacking of Dave Chappelle lines.

Girlfriend is back, with a three album cycle called Body Talk. Part 1 released earlier this year and I dropped the ball with coverage. The 7 song disc (iTunes tacks on two bonus tracks) is fantastic. Some songs are a little schticky - "Dancehall Queen" is a reggae-via-No-Doubt jam, "Don't F******g Tell Me What To Do" is a monotone wonder and "None of Dem" hooks Robyn up with previous collaborator Royksopp for a M.I.A.-style world-meets-techno thing. The girl has a thing for robots, following up Robyn's "Robotboy" and Junior's "The Girl And The Robot" with Body Talk's "Fembot." It's an obsession I can get behind if the tunes stay this good. The real star is lead single, "Dancing On My Own" which finds Robyn returning to the heart-wrenching "sad gay disco songs" template of "Be Mine!" and "With Every Heartbeat." She has a wheelhouse she can embrace. The album closes with an acoustic version of "Hang With Me" - which shows up again on Part 2 in it's pop version.


Body Talk Part 2 is a little more focused. Euro-pop curls up with hip-hop and dance, with lots of 80s influences. The first four songs create a mini-album of dancefloor fillers with heart and soul like "Hang With Me." Meanwhile, "We Dance To The Beat" is the kind of crazy that fans of Bjork and M.I.A. can appreciate. And Snoop Dogg returns the favor after Robyn spiced up a remix of "Sexual Eruption" by trading "Curriculum Vitae"-style brags on "U Should Know Better." It's equal parts awesome and ridiculous - from Robyn claiming to tell the Vatican what's up on race, sexism and celibacy in one line, to mispronouncing French words on purpose. The closing track is an acoustic version of a gorgeous song called "Indestructible" that I have no doubt will be a show stopper on Part 3.

"Alejandro" Is Here! With Dancers In Bowlcuts!

Lady Gaga's videos never fail to be eyecatching, so it was surprise that the almost nine-minute epic clip for her latest single "Alejandro" would do the same. It's a much darker look than Gaga has given us before, her "Telephone" was all bright Technicolor hues and "Bad Romance" was a awash in brightly lit whites.

Taking cues from religious iconography of Madonna, Lady Gaga is alternately a steampunk inspired Borg queen, latex wearing nun and a bra and panty clad dominatrix. Also, Liza Minnelli:

The Fosse, Fosse!

The video has a military theme, with strange erotic training exercises. They also seem to have a monk-ish haircut and an abject love for their queen and fishnet stockings. As you do:



The combined military and religious images with the overtly homoerotic dancing are clearly a commentary on the ongoing prejudice against homosexuality. What that commentary is supposed to say is not totally clear, but it's a dark thrillride. Watch:

Trashy Thursday: R. Kelly & Celine Dion - "I'm Your Angel"

Trashy Thursdays will be happening every Thursday and will feature the trashy pop songs I kinda love. Don't get it twisted, I think pop music is an art form. But like all art, there are brilliant artistic works that are fresh and dynamic and new as well as less inspired pieces of art. Sometimes those less inspired bits are as much fun as the "good" stuff, that's why we're getting trashy!

I love Celine Dion. Her music is extremely cheesy, but a lot of it is really pretty. She's so dramatic when she sings, it's truly a spectacle to watch. She has an amazing voice.

R.Kelly is an R&B icon, both for his music and his personal troubles. His music switches between the ultra spiritual and the ultra dirty.

When the two got together for the smashingly cheesy duet (featured on Celine's incredibly entertaining Christmas album) I was in trashy heaven. Just listening to the two trade runs is a masterclass in overkill. But I love it!

Rihanna Plays Professor Slash, Teaches "Rock Star 101"

Rihanna keeps trying to turn out hits from her Rated R disc. After the bright colors and clubby sound of "Rude Boy" took off, the Barbados native returned to the darker looks of her "Russian Roulette" and "Hard" videos for "Rockstar 101."

She goes for the scary/sexy looks from "Disturbia" but keeps it all in black and white, as well as dressing up a guest guitarist Slash, complete with hat, wig, glasses and ax. Watch:

One Year Ago, Today...

...I met up with a guy I had talked to for a little bit online. I didn't know a lot about him, except his first name, that he loved Janet Jackson, black boxer-briefs and going to clubs, and that he looked really cute in his pictures.

Did I know then that I would go on a date with him the next Saturday, and not make it home until Monday morning?

Did I know then he made amazing Fettuccine Alfredo?

Did I know then we would get into a major fight about two months later?

Did I know then he was the greatest kisser I've ever known?

Did I know then he move in and make my life richer and fuller for it?

Did I know then he would end up getting a better job, thanks in part to a friend of mine?

Did I know then there would but rough spots when we couldn't see eye-to-eye?

Did I know then he was the only man I could love?

No. I didn't know anything yet. I dove in, head first and for once in my life I didn't regret it. Now we are engaged and ready to commit to a lifetime of love, craziness and companionship.

Thank you, sexykins. You made my world a better place. I love you.

Robyn Keeps "Dancing On My Own" To Sad, Gay Disco Anthems

Swedish pop goddess Robyn is releasing her three-part Body Talk album series this year, and the first video debuted this week. "Dancing On My Own" is a seriously hot track, inspired by "sad, gay disco anthems" (per the press release.) And this very much fits the bill!

Some 80s throwback instrumentation, but mostly very fresh and similar to Robyn's earlier emotronic singles "With Every Heartbeat" and "Be Mine!" down to the slightly stalkery lyrics. Example: "I'm in the corner/watching you kiss her" If it wasn't so sad, it'd be a little frightening.
Watch:

Why Jennifer Knapp Matters

We all live in the spiritual realm - porn stars, purse-snatchers and pastors alike. I firmly believe this. It doesn't matter whether we choose to notice, or even believe in, the things of the spirit that surround us. They still exist. I don't know any longer if the "God" I was introduced as a small child is an accurate portrait of God but I do believe that those who love mercy and do justice are walking humbly with their God, whoever that spiritual person is to them.

When I hear the word of God's Holy Spirit used to beat down the children of God, it bothers me. Deeply. God is love; St. Johns' first letter tells us this. Why do we feel the need to hate those who don't do things the same way, do not worship in the same way?

Because we are not yet made holy. People are born with evil in their hearts; this I also believe. We must choose to seek the good that God has also placed in our hearts and follow that.

After laying that bit of spiritual groundwork, I want to get to the pop culture portion of today's post. A few weeks ago, one time Christian rock singer Jennifer Knapp came out of the closet with an editorial on CNN's website and an interview with Larry King. It's fascinating, as Knapp is only second well-known Christian singer to come out as a homosexual after a career in the CCM genre.

Her hits include "Undo Me", "Romans" and "A Little More" Knapp's major label debut Kansas was certified Gold and it's follow up The Way I Am was nominated for a Grammy.

Jennifer doesn't put on any airs in her piece on Larry King Live. She comes across as a young woman with a deep spirituality who did just as I did - questioned, questioned, questioned. When you want to live a life full of spiritual pureness, you cannot just accept that something condemed by churches for so long is right just because it "feels right." Her "Take" appears on CNN's Belief Blog (read it here) She talks about her spiritual quest in a very adult way, including her fears: "I questioned whether my faith had betrayed me, or I if had a betrayed my faith." It's deep and beautiful.

I personally find a deeper connection to her music, which I loved as teenager, knowing what her struggle was. "Whole Again" takes on a new meaning:

If I give my life, if I lay it down Can you turn this life around, around Can I be made clean By this offering of my soul? Can I be made whole again?

Can we be made whole? Even in our brokenness, even in these hate-filled days and this selfish world? Is wholeness a real thing? And am I deceiving myself that God, who declared that Jesus made all things clean in a vision to St Peter, can give me a wholeness and a holiness I truly don't deserve?

Only in heaven will we know.