Best Albums of 2018
10. Jussie Smollett, "Sum of My Music" No way "Empire" star Jussie Smollett was about to let a label – in his case, not just any label but Sony – stifle his musical ambitions. So he [...]
Angel Vivaldi Wants to Re-Introduce you to Instrumental Guitar
Whether escorting fans on a seasonal tour of the universe, providing a musical accompaniment to some of the brain's most key neurotransmitters or removing song titles from an EP altogether, Angel Vivaldi's artistic vision has [...]
Brennan Villines ‘Make(s) It Work’ with Brand-New EP
After overcoming a battle with drug addiction and an HIV-positive diagnoses, musician Brennan Villines jumped into the national spotlight with a showstopping performance on Fox's "The Four." Villines imprinted upon viewers not only his musical [...]
Siena Liggins Will Steal Your Girlfriend and Give Her Body Confidence, Too
Only a few months after the success of her pop song "Flowerbomb," Siena Liggins is back with the release of her second single, "Naked," out today — with a tailor-made campaign to promote body confidence, [...]
Temperatures Rise on Jazz Singer Ben Sharkey’s New Album
Whether it was the result of fate or serendipity won't ever be clear, but it was a fortunate thing for Ben Sharkey that he knocked over a pile of his roommate's CDs as he cleaned [...]
Taylor Swift in Detroit: A Pop Queen Earns Her Crown
If Old Taylor Swift was dead, the massive animatronic cobra that slithered onto Detroit's Ford Field on Tuesday night was the 28-year-old music luminary's incarnate, as New Taylor deliciously acted the insidious part written for her [...]
Sarah Shook Talks Positive Change in Country Music and Community
Sarah Shook had the makings of an artist from an early age. By 9 years old it wasn't uncommon to see her writing songs, poems and short stories that would become the precursors to the [...]
Detroit Artist Siena Liggins Debuts Single ‘Flowerbomb’
Dress off. Hair down. "Flowerbomb." Like many sexual experiences, there's a slow but powerful build, and it takes Siena Liggins' brand-new song a full minute to drop. But at that point, it's still far from over. As [...]
Trans Singer Shea Diamond Moved Prisoners With Her Music While In Jail. Now, the World.
Even in prison, Shea Diamond was a star. The concrete floor her stage, the men her audience. And the acoustics? “The best,” Diamond says. The 40-year-old soul songstress stretched her body over the hard ground, [...]
Liz and the Luckouts Offer up ‘Raw Rock ‘n’ Roll’
The pessimism of their name aside, Liz and the Luckouts are a safe bet if you’re looking for “Detroit rock 'n' roll, just raw rock 'n' roll,” said Gretchen Domino, who plays bass and joins in on vocals. “Our sound is hard to describe.”
Jump to your feet and support ‘Concert for a Cure’
Will the opportunity to spend an intimate evening of song and music with cast members from the national touring production of “On Your Feet” motivate enough people to jump to their feet on the evening [...]
Indigo Girls’ Emily Saliers Talks Empathy, Creativity and New Projects
Few artist are willing to take on topics as complex as the prison industrial complex, painkiller addiction and faith — let alone on one album — but the Indigo Girls certainly don't shy away from [...]
LGBTQ Artist Rachael Cantu Debuts ‘Love Rush’ EP
Falling in love, as thrilling as it is, requires a huge level of vulnerability. That immensely happy and slightly uncomfortable feeling is encapsulated in Rachael Cantu’s most recent music video “You’re the Most.” Its dreamy [...]
Hear Me Out: 7 Albums (Britney! Robyn!) That Will Make This Year Suck Less
That Britney album better come quick – preferably before the world combusts from nuclear warfare. On the horizon for the rest of what’s shaping up to be a very gay 2018 outside of Brandi Carlile’s recently released must-hear masterwork? New Robyn, new Kylie, new Troye. If only our current political era was as promising as this year’s albums-release slate.
The Colorful World of Simon Black
Take a look at his picture, and there’s no getting around it: Detroit native and dance music sensation Simon Black is a little unusual. “I’ve always danced to the beat of my own drum,” Black said. “I used to think that was something bad. But now I don’t.” Black traces his love of music to his formative years in the 1980s. “I was an ‘80s baby and MTV was new,” he said. “The artists that were hot at the time are the ones who inspired me to be who you see today: Madonna, Prince and Michael Jackson.” Madonna, especially, spoke to young Mr. Black.
Robyn Is Coming. Plus, 6 Other Albums That Will Make This Year Suck Less.
That Britney album better come quick – preferably before the world combusts from nuclear warfare. On the horizon for the rest of what’s shaping up to be a very gay 2018 outside of Brandi Carlile’s [...]
Detroit Artist Launches New Album
It’s been nearly five years since Detroit-based recording artist Logan Mario sat down for an interview with BTL. Since that time, Mario has been busy. When last we spoke Mario had just released “Love is [...]
Lansing Rapper Talks Social Justice
Never one to take it slow, 21-year-old Lansing rapper Mikeyy Austin has released a full-length album, a mixtape and multiple singles in two years. Now, the emerging artist is cooking up another project, a mixtape [...]
The Ark Hosts 41st Ann Arbor Folk Festival
Ever since The Ark got its start in Ann Arbor in 1965, it was envisioned as a place for University of Michigan students to be able to gather together in a creative space. Four local [...]
Best Albums of 2017
Donald Trump is still tweeting (oh yeah, and somehow still president). Free internet porn could be a bygone luxury thanks to #RIPNetNeutrality. But hey, music in 2017 didn't suck! Read on for the music that [...]
Songs for Sanity in this Political Climate
The resistance is in full swing, with late-night talk show hosts railing against Donald Trump's total incompetence as president and oppressed communities uniting to rally for equality. But they're not the only ones giving freedom, [...]
The World Needs Kesha’s New Album
Kesha, 'Rainbow' Don't be surprised if Kesha needed "Rainbow," her first album since 2012's "Warrior," as much as the queer kids questioning their place in this mad, queer-resistant world do. Her comeback album's soaring first [...]
Kesha’s Empowering ‘Rainbow’ Is the Queer Album the World Needs Right Now
Kesha, 'Rainbow' Don't be surprised if Kesha needed "Rainbow," her first album since 2012's "Warrior," as much as the queer kids questioning their place in this mad, queer-resistant world do. Her comeback album's soaring first [...]
Hear Me Out: Mary J. Blige, Betty Who
Mary J. Blige, 'Strength of a Woman' Fear not, weary gays, the rock that is Mary J. Blige is here to save the day with new muses - see: drama - for her latest serving [...]
Hear Me Out: Ryan Adams, LeAnn Rimes
Ryan Adams, 'Prisoner' Ryan Adams, known in part for making Taylor Swift cooler to pop-resistant granola girls (he recorded, in full, a beautiful version of her Grammy-winning "1989" behemoth), is back to his old tricks [...]
Hear Me Out: Bette Midler, David Bowie
Bette Midler, 'The Divine Miss M: Deluxe Edition' Long before Bette Midler became social media's beloved socio-political rabble-rouser, before "Wind Beneath My Wings" and your annual viewing of "Hocus Pocus," she was singing the soundtrack [...]
Hear Me Out: Frank Ocean, Lady Gaga
Frank Ocean, 'Blond' The genius of Frank Ocean's intimate second release is its scant emphasis on sexuality. Despite the attention given to Ocean's queerness after his groundbreaking coming out in 2012, when the gifted Grammy [...]
Hear Me Out: ‘Trio,’ Britney Spears
'The Complete Trio Collection,' Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt Nowhere in the backstory notes to the "The Complete Trio Collection" does it say that when Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt finally [...]
Hear Me Out: Lori McKenna, Tegan and Sara
Lori McKenna, 'The Bird & the Rifle' Music Row's renowned wordsmith Lori McKenna doesn't exactly bury this casual burn, but still, you might miss it. You might because Lori McKenna's exceptional 10th studio album teems [...]
The Healing Power of Beyonce’s ‘Lemonade’
Everyone has their own theory about Beyonce's "Lemonade." Is it about her marriage to Jay Z? Her father's infidelity? America's pervasive racism and its wrenching consequence: the slaughtering of innocent blacks? Is it about Orlando [...]
Hear Me Out: Cyndi Lauper, Rihanna
Cyndi Lauper, 'Detour' Girls just want to have... a country album? If you're Cyndi Lauper and your repertoire is as delightfully ADHD as hers - the American Songbook, pop ear-candy, the blues, a damn musical [...]
Hear Me Out: Gwen Stefani, Bonnie Raitt
Gwen Stefani, 'This Is What the Truth Feels Like' Poor Gwen Stefani, all heartbroken on "Used to Love You," the launch single from her long-delayed album that set the stage for what seemed like a [...]
Hear Me Out: Sia, Panic! at the Disco
Sia, 'This Is Acting' Before she rebranded herself as a behind-the-scenes scribe for mainstream pop giants, Sia reveled in authenticity. Every feeling was pure - and even if it didn't reflect her life, you believed [...]
Hear Me Out: Best of 2015
10. Madonna, 'Rebel Heart' In 2015, it was strange hearing Madonna sound so... human. A cluster of cuts from the queen's 13th studio album imparted a rare authenticity and striking vulnerability typically not ascribed to [...]
Hear Me Out: Collector’s Editions
David Bowie, 'Five Years 1969-1973' The iconic cover of the U.K. edition of David Bowie's 1971 release "The Man Who Sold the World" features the queer icon sprawled out in a silky gown, pensively gazing [...]
Out Countertenor Terry Barber (Formerly Of Chanticleer!) Releases ‘Christmas Presence’ – See Video!
Internationally acclaimed countertenor Terry Barber has teamed up with 17-time Grammy-winning "Classical Producer of the Year" Steven Epstein (of yo-yo ma, Wynton Marsalis, Bobby McFerrin, Placido Domingo, etc) to create "Christmas Presence," a collection of [...]
Hear Me Out: Janet Jackson, Patty Griffin
Janet Jackson, 'Unbreakable' With her nipple safely tucked away, Janet Jackson resurrects a bygone bondage-less sound that's more "Good Times" than straight up sexy time. No "Would You Mind"-type on-tape masturbation. No "Damita Jo"-era "Sexhibition." [...]
Hear Me Out: Carly Rae Jepsen, Robyn
Carly Rae Jepsen, 'E*MO*TION' Carly Rae Jepsen came out of nowhere, seized radio, dug a hole in your head and planted a little song there named "Call Me Maybe." It grew and grew. It grew [...]
Hear Me Out: Miguel, Kacey Musgraves
Miguel, 'Wildheart' Carnal sex is the gateway to bittersweet romanticism on Miguel's modern-lust-and-love odyssey, "Wildheart." And the pompadoured R&B seducer's third studio album is not beating around the bush. Or is it? In the most [...]
Hear Me Out: Best of 2015 (…So Far)
Shamir, 'Ratchet' The latest wave of gender-defying youth just got wavier with Shamir, a 20-year-old cutie-patootie from Vegas who's tearing down rigid archetypes by way of gender ambiguity and a brazen "no fucks to give" [...]
Garrett Miller Releases ‘Gay Wedding,’ Adaption Of Billy Idol’s ‘White Wedding’
Los Angeles - Wedding bells will be ringing this summer for many in the LGBT community and in singer Garrett Miller's first single off of his new album, "Blond Jesus." Celebrations will get started off [...]
Hear Me Out: 11 Songs To Pimp Your Pride Playlist
You don't have to part with your Madonna. You can keep your Diana Ross, your other divas and all the queer classics that stoke your Pride playlist. But is your rainbow losing its luster? Is [...]
How I Learned To Love Tori Amos
"Tori Amos who?" My dear friend, then boyfriend, must have been dumbfounded when I - a gay man - uttered these words that, in retrospect, are among the most naive of my life. I rolled [...]
Sufjan Stevens Reviewed: ‘From Life To Death To Life Again’
Sufjan Stevens, 'Carrie & Lowell' Grief guides Sufjan Stevens' muse on "Carrie & Lowell." It's a remarkably wrenching release from the indie darling. "The evil it spread like a fever ahead / It was night [...]
Why Kacey Musgraves Is Changing Country Music One Pissed Off Pun At A Time
Country music hasn't been fair to its underappreciated female populace, especially lately, as dudes increasingly dominate airplay with their beer-guzzling, truck-revving, bro-y ways. And even if Kacey Musgraves doesn't change that - and let's hope [...]
Hear Me Out: Kelly Clarkson, Brandi Carlile
Kelly Clarkson, 'Piece by Piece' Kelly Clarkson's seventh studio album finds the "American Idol" champ at a crossroads. Does she fix what's not broken? And if not, how does a 32-year-old pop star demonstrate she's [...]
All Hail Fifth Harmony! Plus: Michelle Chamuel, B-52s’ Kate Pierson
Fifth Harmony, 'Reflection' Raise your glass to girl-group power. It's returning thanks to music-maven Simon Cowell, who understands the need to resurrect this abandoned, gay-celebrated American tradition, where female voices unite for the purposes of [...]
Hear Me Out: Meghan Trainor, Belle and Sebastian
Meghan Trainor, 'Title' It's true: We weren't ready for this jelly. But Meghan Trainor plopped her booty down anyway and made a seat for herself with "All About That Bass," 2014's doo-wop polemic that had [...]
Hear Me Out: Best Of 2014
10. Against Me!, 'Transgender Dysphoria Blues' Breaking from the aggressive rock roar of Against Me!'s sixth LP is "Two Coffins," a whisper among the glorious chaos of "Transgender Dysphoria Blues." Its simplicity might standout sonically, [...]
Hear Me Out: Mary J. Blige, Carrie Underwood
Mary J. Blige, 'The London Sessions' Nobody was sensing Mary J. Blige needed a change more than Mary J. Blige. To reinvent her sound, which she says was going "stagnant," the "No More Drama" singer [...]