Fun with Pandora Boxx!

I have been a fan of Pandora Boxx since watching the second season of 'RuPaul's Drag Race', when I was on Team Pandora the entire time. Pandora was funny, smart, and pretty, all the attributes I thought needed to be named the 'Next Drag Superstar'. And I must admit, once Pandora left the show, the season began to lose interest, for none of the remaining dragtestants really grabbed my attention. And after the season, Boxx was the only one I have made to to keep my eye on.

And, thankfully, once the season was over, there was still plenty to watch when it came to Pandora Boxx. I was especially glad when Pandora teamed up with one of my favorite musicians in Los Angeles, TimPermanent. Both are smart, funny, and kinda sexy, so it seemed to me like a perfect pairing. And that is most certainly true with the wonderful song, "I Wanna Have Some Fun Tonight". Smart and sassy, the song makes me smile and want to dance. The video, well, it is something special. This is Pandora Boxx with Timpermanent singing "I Wanna Have Some Fun Tonight".

You can purchase "I Wanna Have Some Fun", the single by Pandora Boxx featuring TimPermanent from iTunes and Amazon.

This next song is not by Pandora, but by Jessi Malay, a Pop & R&B singer. But the music video features Pandora Boxx, Todrick Hall, Michael Silas, Colby Melvin, Rhea Litre and others, all who are willing to get fabulous to the new song by Malay, "Bougie." For those who might have just gone "Huh?", bougie means to aspire to a higher class than you now belong in. So, in many ways, this video elebrates a bunch of people being "Bougie Fabulous", and it just made me laugh. To please enjoy Pandora and a list of amazing people in the music video for "Bougie".

You can purchase "Bougie", the single by Jessi Malay from iTunes and Amazon.

Do blondes have more fun? If the music video featuring Sherry Vine and Pandora Boxx is any sign, I'd have to say it is true. Although if might start out with a bit of 'West Side Story', with Leonard Bernstein's music for "Jets Song", with the boys for both Pandora and Sherry representing their loyalties for their gang. But this isn't a take off on that classic show at all, it is a parody of a Madonna song. "Give Me All Your Muff" breathes new life in "Give Me All You Luvin'", as both drag queens give 'Bad Girl' realness. Oh, how I love this video!

At this point, "Give Me All Your Muff" is not available for purchase. To learn more about Pandora Boxx, visit her official website. You can also 'like' her on Facebook, and 'follow' her on Twitter.

Timpermanent • Joy To The World

Since I was featuring some great seasonal music as of late, I thought I would also remind everyone Timpermanent released his very special version of "Joy To The World" last year, and you can still download it for FREE! I love what Timpermanent has done with the Christmas classic, adding his distinctive Electronic sound in all the right places to make some Christmas magic. Give a listen to "Joy To The World" by Timpermanent.

Learn how to make a free Electronic Press Kit

You can get your FREE DOWNLOAD of the song from Tim's page on ReverbNation! Visit there, and click for the free download. For more about TimPermanent, you can find him on the official website. You can also 'like' him on Facebook, and 'follow' him on Twitter. If you enjoy his music, you can purchase his latest EP, 'Resident', from iTunes and Amazon.

TimPermanent • Busy Video

I can't help it, I am such a big fan of Singer/songwriter TimPermanent and his delightful music. Tim has released a new video for the song Busy off the Resident album. As I said in a previous post here, I love Resident, and am excited we are starting to see the videos.



The new video was produced and edited by TJ Daly, and features images of Tim shot by photographer David B. Arenas. It has the charming feel of a stop-action video, almost a clay-mation. Photographer Arenas captured the spirit and joy of the man and the song. I am crazy about this video!



For more about TimPermanent, you can find him on the official website here. You can find TimPermanent on iTunes and Amazon, where you can purchase he single Busy or the Resident album. I hear that Tim is already working on a video for Dance Floor Lost, one of my favorites off the album! Can't wait!

A Final Look at the Music of 2011

Clockwise: Timpermanent, Patrick Wolf, Namoli Brennet, and Mister Chase.

As we are in the dawn of 2012, I thought I would take my last look at 2011, a few of the talented people I have not yet mentioned show made great music, and appeared in the posts of this blog. The remaining four are all members of the LGBT Community, and all make it a better world with their contributions.

I just discovered the music of TimPermanent a year ago, with the release of his first EP, Marker. It was a wonderful collection, and some fantastic videos followed. Next there was a heartfelt and beautiful cover of Robyn's Dancing On My Own. Then, by the end of the year, there was another EP, Resident. Again, the music was fantastic, and I even had the opportunity to interview Tim for the blog. But out of it all, I have to give a nod to his soulful cover of Dancing On My Own, seen in the following video.



You can purchase Resident on iTunes and Amazon. You can purchase Dancing On My Own on iTunes and Amazon.

For me, Patrick Wolf is a walking set of contradictions, and they all settle down into a marvelous stew of brilliance. When I look at him, I never expect to hear that full and stout voice coming from that almost frail body. Although Wolf might look like a a punky alternative boy, he makes some of the most delicious Pop music one would want to nibble on. His new album, released last summer, is as happy and filled with love as you would ever expect from Patrick, and is just wonderful to hear over and over again. If you haven't heard it, you really should. Watch his latest video for the song Together off the album Lupercalia.



You can purchase Lupercalia on iTunes and Amazon.

I first became aware of our next performer as the handsome and sexy guy who was making sign language videos of some great Pop and Dance songs. He skillfully combined the arts of sign language with dance to make truly interesting videos. He took on Nicki Minaj, Britney Spears, and Ke$ha. But he wasn't ready to call it a day there, and soon was making his own music, as he did with the April release of Addicted. Watch Mister Chase making his own music in the video.



You can purchase the single for Addicted on iTunes and Amazon.

I had first heard of Namoli Brennet when speaking to Tom Goss. Again, when one artist heaps big praise on another, it makes me interested. It seems Namoli was working with Eric Himan on his new release, acting as producer and recording it at her home in Arizona. Namoli also toured with Eric, and I finally had the chance to see/hear her performing live, and Tom was not overstating it. Namoli is a brilliant artist, makeing some fantastic music. Watch the clip for Settle Down I taped when she performed in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. The song is from the album We Were Born To Rise.



You can purchase We Were Born To Rise from iTunes and Amazon.

TimPermanent • Resident Interview

TimPermanent is about to release his latest collection of music. I first heard his music at the beginning of the year when he released Marker, a wonderful EP. My appreciation only grew when he released an acoustic cover of Robyn's song, Dancing On My Own. He is about to release another EP, Resident. I was lucky enough to get my hands on an advance copy, and it is outstanding.

I first covered Tim through the release of Marker. You can find that here. Tim has been an out and proud performer since he was part of the socially-conscious anti-folk duo Testosterone Kills. As a solo performer, he weds electronica with infectious Pop and heartfelt lyrics.



Resident is a five-song collection. From the first bars of Dance Floor Lost, I was hooked. The electronic beat grabbed me, and TimPermanent's voice shook me down. Mindset was up next, and it is a beautifully textured ballad, with a stunning layered chorus. Give It To Me made me take immediate notice with the Middle Eastern flavor, and with the layered rhythms in the chorus becomes damn near inspirational. On Busy, Tim pokes and prods at the electronic age in which we live, and how we spend out time. That leaves In The Dark, which positively soars on the wings of the honesty in the lyrics. There is such a connection when he sings "I'll be fine maybe most of the time," you feel the heartache that only love can cause. You can purchase Resident on Amazon now here, and on iTunes starting Tuesday, November 8th, here.

Just before it is available on iTunes, I was lucky enough to be able to take up a bit of TimPermanent's time to offer his thoughts about the new release, his inspirations, and some big-voiced divas.

Do you feel the music on Resident is your most personal yet? Which song most reflects you or your experience? I definitely feel like Resident has songs that are rather personal, maybe more so than the songs of Marker. The song Mindset is probably the most personal to me where I feel like it is my plea to the Universe for all of my wants.

This is the second release in a year - are you feeling more inspired than ever before? I am continually inspired... I feel perhaps more motivated to release new songs than ever before.



Do you write all your own music? Do you write on the piano or guitar? I do write and produce all my own music. I did have the pleasure of working with Chuck Wild on the song Give it to Me. Chuck is an amazing and very successful musician. We collaborated – it was awesome! To write, I use the computer/midi-keyboard mostly and sometimes the guitar.

Resident seems to have much more experimentation with rhythm than earlier music. What inspired that? Hmm. I don’t know. A song usually takes on a life all on its own. I cannot say where it comes from, I wish I knew. Perhaps from the ether, and then added a smiley-face.



Vocally, I can't think of anyone like you stylistically. So who inspires you vocally? I love big singer-singers like Beyoncé, Christina, Faith Hill, Aretha... I have a big voice so I use it like one of them. There aren’t a lot of male singers who sing big. Sometimes I hear songs that are sung more breathy and low-key and I think “I wish I could sound like that” but that’s just not who I am.

If you could pick a national artist to sing a cover of one of your songs, who would it be, and which song? I would love it if Faith Hill sang In the Dark. I wrote it with her in mind.

Any song you'd like to cover, beside the brilliant version you did of Robyn's Dancing On My Own? Ooo covers are hard for me. I have been thinking to do Someone Like You by Adele but it seems so obvious….



What song was playing the last time you were on a Dance floor lost? When Doves Cry by Prince.

Is it easier to write about love or heartache? I think suffering definitely lends itself to song writing- I have felt very inspired by pain in the past but I try to spin the pain and make a more hopeful song – something to reach toward rather than something to wallow in .

Any shows coming up for your fans outside of Los Angeles? We are working on a schedule…. Sign up for my ReverbNation mailing list here and stay tuned!!



For more about TimPermanent, visit his official website here. You can find Marker on iTunes here, and on Amazon here. You can find his cover of Robyn's Dancing On My Own on iTunes here, and on Amazon here. Pick one, or pick them all, I'd say you can't go wrong.

Premier: TimPermanent Does Robyn

Video. Exclusive. Here. Now.



Every so often you see a video that makes you shakes your clenched fists at the heavens, screaming "Dammit, why wasn't I at that show? Why, God, why?" OK, I might be a bit more prone to melodrama than you, but you know what I mean. It is one of those moments when artist and material come together is a perfect way, taking a simple acoustic cover to a transcendent place.



I was recently allowed to see a private link to a live performance by TimPermanent, an artist whose music was featured here, and first video was featured here. I was quite excited to see the video, and even more so after it was compete! TimPermanent took the electronic veneer of Robyn's Dancing On My Own away, leaving an acoustic raw nerve being strummed on stage while the camera rolls. I was ready to offer unmentionable acts and the like so I could have the opportunity to post the video, and was offered the opportunity to not only give it a public debut, but given the exclusive on running it the weekend, before it goes into a release next week!



Thankfully, I didn't have to embarrass myself, except in the retelling. But, I am used to that, so I am good. Hell, I am ecstatic, and you just saw why. Rumor has it there might be a single in the offing, and I admit I will at the head of the line to get my copy of it! For more about TimPermanent, check out his official website here. For the other special social networks, you can find him on FaceBook and on Twitter. And you can find him on iTunes & my iPod, and hopefully in yours as well.

New Video - TimPermanent - Asymmetrical

Just a couple of weeks ago, I talked about a great new artist I found, TimPermanent, and his new release, Marker. I really like it still, so you can only imagine how excited I was to find a new video released today, Asymmetrical. The video, with the beginning all clean and animated, very much in keeping with the electronic feel of the song, sounding very 80s, very Yazoo, very Vince Clarke, very early Depeche Mode. Soon we see the artist himself, TimPermanent, giving some screen time, at the mercy of the clock and it's hands, as they sweep the picture throughout the video, giving us varying textures, colors, and layers, at times there are multiple Tim's...



After the review I ran, I did receive a rather nice message from TimPermanent, which I really appreciated. He seemed surprised I would have known so much about his music, well, I'd like to think that not only do I know about it, many of the readers here do as well. And we have a hankering to learn more, so be sure to watch the video.




For more about TimPermanent, check out his official website here. You can find him on FaceBook here. If you are looking to check out his music on iTunes, find it here, and at CD Baby here, and on Amazon.Com, try here. And as long as I am hearing about it, you can always check back on this blog.

TimPermanent Available Online

On Sunday evening, I ran a review of the debut from TimPermanent, Marker. Well, it has now been officially released, and you can find the music on iTunes here, or find it on Amazon.Com here. I hear there is a video in the works, and hope to be able to bring that to you as soon as it is released.

New Music TimPermanent

Recently, I was introduced to a new artist I found to be intriguing on description, and great fun in reality. The artist is TimPermanent - yep, that is "one word", that is the way he likes it. He is about to release a debut EP, Marker. I was lucky enough to get an advance copy, and can't tell you how fortunate that is. The five-song collection is excellent.



But before I get to Marker, I should perhaps introduce you to TimPermanent. He was half of the queer-centric duo Testosterone Kills, making music while based out of New York City. He and Pablo were part of an Anti-Folk scene in the city, merging punk, a bit of techno, a touch of rebellion, and the sensibilities of the folk scene to create their own special sound. Their music was included in compilation discs alongside favorites Pansy Division, Phranc, and Ani Defranco. That was then, this is now, and TimPermanent has gone solo. He is still bucking the labels of the music business, making avant-pop that marries pop, electronica, with a lyrical style very much his own.

On first listen, TimPermanent had me totally in the palm of his hand. On the second, he had me twisted around his little finger. By the third, I was offering to have his baby. Yes, you could say I liked it, but that would be an understatement. There is joy, fun, love and laughter to be found on this disc, and it is here for all to have. IT has the feeling of being the future, while maintaining a reverential nod to the history of some pretty great LGBT music-makers of the past. Take the first cut on the EP as an example. Extraordinary is a joyful explosion, demanding the listener pay attention, and smile.




The second cut, More Than Want, remains in the pop vein, with a bit more layer and texture, Tim using his voice to express the complicated life in this day and age, a voyage of self-discovery. Black And White is up next, and yet again there is a shift, a bit more techno-based, yet maintaining a pop vocal owing more to Erasure or Pet Shop Boys than to the Auto-Tune songs we hear way too much today. The fourth song, Alkaline, takes the approach of an electro-ballad, touching, soulful, and real. I really love this song. The final cut on the EP is Asymmetrical. It is an interesting exercise, perhaps the most inspired in the collection. As I sit here typing, I am finding myself at a loss, other than to say it is incredible to me, and you need to listen.




Marker is scheduled to hit iTunes on January 11, 2011, (yes, on one one-one, one-one) and I will be racing to get my official copy. For more about TimPermanent, check out his official website here. You can find him on FaceBook here. And you can find him in my iTunes & iPod, and hopefully in yours as well.