RUFUS WAINWRIGHT
I think I first heard about Rufus during my trial issue run of the Advocate (I'm a trail magazine whore)-- It explained how some famous musician dropped his out-gay son's demo tape into the lap of some record exec and got him a contract. I didn't think much of it. In fact, I ignored the album when it came out, but once I heard the lucious pop melodies of "April Fools," I was hopelessly hooked. As recent years have brought up the offspring of music greats-- a la Jakob Dylan, Eagle-Eye Cherry, and all the Marley kids to name a few-- Rufus stands at the head of the pack. After all, none of those other guys scored a Gap ad in the ranks of way cool contemporaries Kenny Wayne Shephard and Missy Elliot. (Then again, hiring a gay celebrity to promote the Gap is far more marketing than coincidence, me thinks.) All the same, Rufus is remarkable for his ability to create charismatic pop, something sadly absent in today's music scene of hackneyed bleachboys-- After all, Rufus is good looking, writes his own songs, and can play an instrument; Can we say anomaly, boys and girls?
TOM WAITS
With his, at times snarling, five-pack a day voice, Tom Waits has found a certain mastery in his music-- A strange, appealing darkness with its subtle jazz touches and certain danceability. Waits isn't an instant-like, and you either get it or you don't. He's sort of like the "voice" of your id after you've been up for way too long. Demented folk singing was never so much fun.
WALLFLOWERS
Jakob's kind of hunky n' all, and I really love his dad's music, but I swear if the Wallflowers are overplayed as much this year as last, I'm going to have to shoot somebody-- assuming I stay conscious long enough to do so, what with my FREAKIN' EARS BLEEDING!!!! I'd like to see the Wallflowers and No Doubt in a fight to the death, and the losers will be banished from airplay forever; except in Hell, where they will have to listen to their own music for all eternity. [I never thought I'd protest an Interscope artist!!]
WHITE NOISE
A wicked little collection of hardcore, pulse pounding, let's-go-high-speeds-on-freeway sort of techno that's also perfect accompaniment for hyper-caffeination. Featuring the almighty Crystal Method, Uberzone, and a Propellerhead's dub-flavored remix, this gem has remained in heavy rotation of my hard techno fare. If you need something to rattle the paint off your walls, or at least the dead bugs off your windowsill, this'll do the trick!
WHITE ZOMBIE
Total WaxTrax! wannabes-- They were popularized on "Beavis and Butthead," what more can I say; other than Ministry and KMFDM should beat the living shit out of their sorry asses.
