Music & Concerts

Years & Years, Steve Grand return with stellar sophomore efforts

In vastly disparate ways, out singers use sexual candor to maximum effect

Published

6 years ago

July 12, 2018

out queer artists, gay news, Washington Blade

Olly Alexander, the British Years & Years frontman, uses religious imagery to great effect on his band’s new album. (Photo by Ed Cooke)

Out queer artists remain the exception in 2018. But the number who have come out or who are open about their sexuality continues to grow: Singers like Frank Ocean, Troye Sivan, Hayley Kiyoko, Janelle Monáe, Sam Smith and Brendon Urie are good examples of how queerness plays out on mainstream pop charts. But artists on the periphery of mainstream American pop rarely get the attention given to their Top 40 counterparts.

Two new albums make the less mainstream queer artists hard to ignore: British band Years & Years and American singer Steve Grand are out with sophomore albums that grapple with sexuality in prominent, public ways — and both comfortably use male pronouns to refer to a love interests, something of a rarity even for queer artists.

Years & Years, whose debut album “Communion” (2015) made it to No. 1 Billboard spot in the U.K., released a short film to accompany its new dance pop record “Palo Santo.” And it has much in common with Janelle Monáe’s recent “Dirty Computer,” which imagines a dystopian future where sexual nonconformity is controlled and repressed. “Palo Santo” envisions a futuristic city where humans serve as cabaret-style entertainment for unfeeling androids.

In the short film, Years & Years frontman Olly Alexander performs in the android-controlled cabaret. Complete with strip teases and elaborate choreography, the short film portrays humans forced into the seemingly impossible task of making the nonhuman androids feel emotion. The not-so-veiled critique of our over-connected culture comes through clearly and one can’t help but wonder if Alexander wrote parts of the album during a “Black Mirror” binge.

Lyrically, Years & Years navigates this sci-fi universe by way of religious language. “Sanctify,” the album’s lead single, is an up-tempo, sensual track with relatively sparse instrumentation — the verses rely heavily on percussion. The layered harmonies and vocal trills are reminiscent of early 2000s boybands like ‘NSYNC. But there’s something else at play, a subversive sensuality filtered through religious vocabulary. As Alexander croons sweetly in the chorus, “Sanctify my body with pain/sanctify the love that you crave.”

This interesting — to say the least — marriage of religious expressions and queer sexuality occurs over and over throughout the album. In “Hallelujah,” an upbeat dance track, he ties the word to the body of a lover: “Until our bodies are singing hallelujah.” The repurposing of religious verbiage is something of a band trademark: “Communion” was not a haphazard choice of title for their debut album. And many of the tracks on “Palo Santo” reflect this tendency, with titles such as “Sanctify,” “Hallelujah” and “Preacher.” Alexander is clearly invested in pushing lyrical boundaries.

The catchiest track on the album is “If You’re Over Me,” a cheery dance track with a bouncy synth hook. Consequently, it’s the song Alexander performs at the cabaret in the short film. The lyrics address familiar breakup themes: “Well you should set me free/baby if you’re over me.” But the song is irresistibly danceable and has already been performing well on the charts, arriving at No. 6 on the Billboard Official U.K. Singles Chart.

But the album isn’t all dance. As with the “Communion,” “Palo Santo” shows a great deal of variety. The title track plays with various rhythms and is piano driven. In “Here,” the most subdued track on the album, Alexander relies on his upper register and layered harmonies to create a haunting, ethereal sound. The simplicity of the lyrics add to the effect: the chorus is just a simple repetition of the phrase “I’m not here.”

“Palo Santo” stands out not only for its high production values — the costumes and choreography — but also for its seamless flow. Each track is meticulously placed. The album’s overall sound and Alexander’s vocals are at times reminiscent of Justin Timberlake’s on “FutureSex/LoveSounds” (2006). And it stands as a reminder that queer artists need not sacrifice musical quality for a strong concept.

If Years & Years trends continental, edgy and futuristic, Steve Grand is a fully homegrown product. Following the success of his 2015 album “All American Boy,” the singer from suburban Illinois has been a fixture of the gay community, regularly performing at summer concerts in Provincetown and at Pride festivals, and relishing the opportunity to sing in his underwear — almost as much as his enthusiastic fans.

Much like his previous album, “Not the End of Me” bounces between piano-driven pop/rock and country. But the album cover shows an unsmiling, bearded Grand, who seems ready to show a deeper part of himself. Writing as a gay man, the songs deal with relationships, hook-up culture and cheating.

There are many things to like about Grand’s new album. His lyrics are wonderfully conversational and he’s an excellent storyteller. His songs have a refreshing down-to-earth quality. Though the reverb is often overdone and he’s sometimes more than a little cheesy, there is something almost irresistible and believable about Grand’s music.

The single “Walking” is a synthesizer-heavy dance track. It’s a fun, catchy song that is likely to find its way into nightclubs. It comes closest to the youthful, carefree feeling of songs like “Better Off” and “All-American Boy” from the previous album.

“Ain’t It Something” has the feel of Jason Mraz song, a summer romance with a beach vibe. As Grand charmingly puts it, “You walked in with that grin, as if proud of the job you did/Hiding that southern accent, but I know a ‘good-ole’ boy’ when I see him.”

But Grand is at his best when he’s behind the piano. And the more reflective material on “Not the End of Me” gives him the chance to do just that, particularly on tracks “Don’t Let the Light In,” “Anti Hero,” “All I Want” and “Can’t Go Back.”

Years & Years and Steve Grand exemplify queer artists outside of the mainstream who are unafraid to make sexuality a central theme of their music. And in all likelihood, they are just the tip of the iceberg.

Steve Grand (Photo courtesy of Grand)

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Music & Concerts

Musical icons and newer stars to rock D.C. this spring

Brandi Carlile, Bad Bunny, Nicki Minaj, and more headed our way

Published

1 month ago

March 14, 2024

Kaela Roeder

Brandi Carlile plays the Anthem this month.

Bands and solo artists of all different genres are visiting D.C. this spring. Patti LaBelle and Gladys Knight will team up to perform at the Wolf Trap in June, and girl in red will play at the Anthem in April. Some artists and bands aren’t paying a visit until the summer, like Janet Jackson and Usher, but there are still plenty of acts to see as the weather warms up.

MARCH

Brandi Carlile plays at the Anthem on March 21; Arlo Parks will perform at 9:30 Club on March 23; Girlschool will take the stage at Blackcat on March 28.

APRIL

Nicki Minaj stops in D.C. at Capital One Arena as part of her North American tour on April 1; Bad Bunny plays at Capital One Arena on April 9 as part of his Most Wanted tour; girl in red performs at the Anthem on April 20 and 21; Brandy Clark plays at the Birchmere on April 25; Laufey comes to town to play at the Anthem on April 25 and 26.

MAY

Belle and Sebastian play at the Anthem on May 2; Chastity Belt performs at Blackcat on May 4; Madeleine Peyroux stops at the Birchmere on May 5; The Decemberists play at the Anthem on May 10; the rock band Mannequin Pussy performs at the Atlantis on May 17 and 18; Hozier plays at Merriweather Post Pavilion on May 17 as part of the Unreal Unearth tour.

JUNE

Patti LaBelle and Gladys Knight will sing soulful melodies at Wolf Trap on June 8; Joe Jackson performs at the Lincoln Theatre on June 10; the Pixies and Modest Mouse are teaming up to play at Merriweather Post Pavilion on June 14; Maggie Rogers plays at Merriweather Post Pavilion on June 16 as part of The Don’t Forget Me tour; Brittany Howard headlines the Out & About Festival at Wolf Trap on June 22; Sarah McLachlan plays at Merriweather Post Pavilion on June 27; Alanis Morissette performs at Merriweather Post Pavilion on June 29 and 30

Music & Concerts

Grammys: Queer women and their sisters took down the house

Taylor Swift won Album of the Year

Published

2 months ago

February 5, 2024

Rob Watson

When the late, great Ruth Bader Ginsburg was asked when there will be enough women on the Supreme Court, her answer was simple: Nine. She stated: “I say when there are nine, people are shocked. But there’d been nine men, and nobody’s ever raised a question about that.” RBG did not attend the Grammy’s last night, but her spirit sure did. Women, at long last, dominated, ruled and killed the night.

Cher, in song a decade ago, declared that “this is a woman’s world,” but there was little evidence that was true, Grammy, and entertainment awards, speaking. In 2018, the Grammys were heavily criticized for lack of female representation across all categories and organizers’ response was for women to “step up.”

Be careful what you wish for boys.

The biggest star of the 2024 Grammys was the collective power of women. They made history, they claimed legacy and they danced and lip sang to each other’s work. Standing victorious was Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish, SZA (the most nominated person of the year), Lainey Wilson, Karol G, boygenius, Kylie Minogue and Victoria Monét. Oh, yes, and powerhouse Taylor Swift, the superstar from whom Fox News cowers in fear, made history to become the first performer of any gender to win four Best Album of the Year trophies.

In the throng of these powerful women stand a number of both LGBTQ advocates and queer identifying artists. Cyrus has identified as pansexual, SZA has said lesbian rumors “ain’t wrong,” Phoebe Bridgers (winner of four trophies during the night, most of any artist) is lesbian, Monét is bi and Eilish likes women but doesn’t want to talk about it. Plus, ask any queer person about Swift or Minogue and you are likely to get a love-gush.

Women power was not just owned by the lady award winners. There were the ladies and then there were the Legends. The first Legend to appear was a surprise. Country singer Luke Combs has a cross-generational hit this year with a cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car.” When originally released, the song was embraced as a lesbian anthem. When performing “Fast Car,” surprise, there was Chapman herself, singing the duet with Combs. The rendition was stunning, sentimental and historic.

Chapman, like many of the night’s female dignitaries, has not been public with her sexuality. Author Alice Walker has spoken of the two of them being lovers, however.

The legend among legends of the night, however, was the one and only Joni Mitchell. Not gay herself, she embodies the concept of an LGBTQ icon, and was accompanied by the very out Brandi Carlile on stage. On her website, Mitchell’s statement to the LGBTQ community reads, “The trick is if you listen to that music and you see me, you’re not getting anything out of it. If you listen to that music and you see yourself, it will probably make you cry and you’ll learn something about yourself and now you’re getting something out of it.”

Mitchell performed her longtime classic “Both Sides Now.” The emotion, insight and delivery from the now 80-year old artist, survivor of an aneurism, was nothing short of profound. (To fully appreciate the nuance time can bring, check out the YouTube video of a Swift lookalike Mitchell singing the same song to Mama Cass and Mary Travers in 1969.) In this latest rendition, Mitchell clearly had an impact on Meryl Streep who was sitting in the audience. Talk about the arc of female talent and power.

That arc extended from a today’s lady, Cyrus, to legend Celine Dion as well. Cyrus declared Dion as one of her icons and inspirations early in the evening. Dion appeared, graceful and looking healthy, to present the final, and historic, award of the night at the end of the show.

Legends did not even need to be living to have had an effect on the night. Tributes to Tina Turner and Sinead O’Conner by Oprah, Fantasia Barrino-Taylor and Annie Lennox respectively, proved that not even death could stop these women. As Lennox has musically and famously put it, “Sisters are doing it for themselves.”

Even the content of performances by today’s legends-in-the-making spoke to feminine power. Eilish was honored for, and performed “What Was I Made For?,” a haunting and searching song that speaks to the soul of womanhood and redefinition in today’s fight for gender rights and expression, while Dua Lipa laid down the gauntlet for mind blowing performance with her rendition of “Houdini” at the top of the show, Cyrus asserted the power of her anthem “Flowers” and pretty much stole the show.

Cyrus had not performed the song on television before, and only three times publicly. She declared in her intro that she was thrilled over the business numbers the song garnered, but she refused to let them define her. As she sang the hit, she scolded the audience, “you guys act like you don’t know the words to this song.” Soon the woman power of the room was singing along with her, from Swift to Oprah.

They can buy themselves flowers from now on. They don’t need anyone else. Cyrus made that point with the mic drop to cap all mic drops, “And I just won my first Grammy!” she declared as she danced off stage.

Even the squirmiest moment of the night still did not diminish the light of women power, and in fact, underscored it. During his acceptance of the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, Jay-Z had a bone to pick with the Grammy voters. He called out the irony that his wife Beyoncé had won more Grammys than any other human, but had never won the Best Album of the Year. Yeah, what’s with that?

But then, it brought additional context ultimately to the fact that the winner of the most Grammys individually … is a woman. And to the fact that the winner of the most Best Album of the Year awards … is a woman.

Hopefully this was the night that the Grammys “got it.” Women are the epicenter of The Creative Force.

Will the other entertainment awards get it soon as well? We can hope.

Most importantly, in a political world where women’s healthcare is under siege. Will the American voters get it?

A little known band named Little Mix put it this way in their 2019 song “A Woman’s World.”

“If you can’t see that it’s gotta change
Only want the body but not the brains
If you really think that’s the way it works
You ain’t lived in a woman’s world

Just look at how far that we’ve got
And don’t think that we’ll ever stop…”

From Grammy’s mouth to the world’s ear.

Music & Concerts

Janet Jackson returning to D.C, Baltimore

‘Together Again Tour’ comes to Capital One Arena, CFG Bank Arena

Published

3 months ago

January 19, 2024

Tinashe Chingarande

Janet Jackson is coming back to D.C. this summer.

Pop icon Janet Jackson announced this week an extension of her 2023 “Together Again Tour.” A new leg of the tour will bring Jackson back to the area for two shows, one at D.C.’s Capital One Arena on Friday, July 12 and another at Baltimore’s CFG Bank Arena on Saturday, July 13.

Tickets are on sale now via TicketMaster. LiveNation announced the 2023 leg of the tour consisted of 36 shows, each of which was sold out. The 2024 leg has 35 stops planned so far; R&B star Nelly will open for Jackson on the new leg.

Jackson made the tour announcement Tuesday on social media: “Hey u guys! By popular demand, we’re bringing the Together Again Tour back to North America this summer with special guest Nelly! It’ll be so much fun!”