Ranking Lesbian Jesus: Hayley Kiyoko Extended Plays from Least Favorite to Favorite

Hello my loves it is I queerpophoe back at it with my second ranking blog. Who have I decided to do you ask? The Lesbian Goddess, and patron saint known as Hayley Kiyoko. If you do not know of her I am assuming you are straight. Lol jk.....but not really. Hayley Kiyoko is  Japanese-English-Welsh-German singer/actress from LA. She is hands down one of my fave singer/songwriters.  My first intro to Kiyoko was through the first Cartoon Network live action Scooby Doo film. Playing the queer icon that is Velma Dinkley. Through further research I found out she made music. Being the inquisitive queer I am I decided to give it a listen. It was the best decision I ever made. As a songwriter she sings about the queer experience in a way that touches the soul. Add her ability to co-produce her videos and her presence on screen I was hooked. "Girls like Girls" (2013) forever lives in my heart as a Queer anthem. So when thinking about who I wanted to rank next, she was an obvious choice. Let's Begin.

#4 I'm Too Sensitive for this Shit (2020)

Track List:

1. Demons
2. L.O.V.E Me 
3. Runaway
4. I Wish
5. She

Kiyoko's most recent release ITSFTS is a sold EP. Unfortunately this body of work was released after her well received debut LP "Expectations". Which is one of my fave bodies of work from 2018. Which is quite a tough thing since the album holds so much weight for me. The sound of this extended play has a similar sound to what you have heard from her in the past. That being said some of these songs just do not move me. They are not catchy nor do they get stuck in your head. With the exceptions of "Demons" and "I Wish" which are the standouts of the work. The other three tracks seem like throwaway tracks. Nevertheless if you are a fan of her work, give it a listen. 

Standouts:Demons, I Wish

#3 A Belle to Remember (2013)

Track List:

1. A Belle to Remember
2. Rich Youth
3. Maple
4. Hit and Run
5. Wild and Wicked World
6. Better than Love

This is Hayley's first EP which I would describe as a pop/soft rock indie outfit. The songs are all cute and catchy, but they are also quite safe. She was not yet the creative powerhouse that she is today. That is apparent on this EP, tis no shade. The EP just lacks the confidence and self-assured attitude we see later. Despite that it is a good pop record. Its a personal body of work and for that it gains so many points. 

Standouts: A Belle to Remember, Rich Youth, Better than Love

#2 Citrine (2016)

Track List:

1. Gravel to Tempo
2. Ease my Mind
3. Pretty Girl
4. One Bad Night
5. Palace

It was hard to figure out who would take the #1 spot. Both #1 and 2 are solid bodies of work. Ultimately "Citrine" had to be number 2. All but one track on this album are my absolute faves. Citrine is a great pop/r&b/hip hop EP. That confidence I mentioned above is on full display on this work Lyrically I can confidently say this is her strongest body of work. Some stand out lyrics are "I thought I was depressed but I think I just needed to cry " (Gravel to Tempo), "suck on your amber lips, just give me one bad night" (One bad Night) and all of Ease my Mind. Many times I find myself screaming me too girl!!! The only song that I do not care for is "Palace".

Standouts: Tracks 1-4

#1 This Side of Paradise (2015)

Track List:

1. Given it All
2. Cliff's Edge
3. This Side of Paradise
4. Girls like Girls
5. Feeding the Fire

THIS EP is perfection. I wish I could end it there but that ain't a proper review.From the lyrics, to production, to subject matter, to the music videos everything spoke to me. Here Hayley is honest,and authentic. She peels back all the layers and (basically) comes out with "Girls like Girls". "This Side of Paradise" discusses longing in a way that hit my queer soul. That Queer longing really be hitting you in the gut. All of the tracks are well written, and this was when I knew she was a force. Her ability to write about her queer experience is unmatched. This EP in my humble opinion put her on the map.

Standouts: The Entire EP

I Present Thee Lesbian Jesus

Some of her music videos to check out: 

What I need Ft. Kehlani

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YynKelHGhNc

Gravel to Tempo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOm2rGwmhWg

 

Sleepover

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6jxPFtIAnw

I hope you enjoyed today's ranking and stay gay my little queerlings.

Sources: spotify, Wikipedia, my opinion, the interwebs.

Is Lady Gaga's Chromatica a Return to her former Pop Glory...an Analysis/Review

Hello it is me ya boi queerpophoe and it has been a minute. I have been hella busy and took a break from my blogging, but I am back and ready to discuss some music. Today I will be providing an analysis/review of Mother Monster's new LP "Chromatica". The review will go as follows: I will give a mini review of each track, whether I liked it, loved, or hated it. Then I will rate the album as a whole and give it a couple scores. A-F, 1-10, and if it is queer pop hoe approved. Lastly I will answer a question I posed in the Title. If I believe that this album is a return to her former Pop glory. Many say that she fell off, so let's see if she is back on!

Let me begin by saying I have been a Lady Gaga fan since debuted."The Fame" (2008) and "Born this way" (2011) changed my life. In my humble opinion they are Pop Perfection, albums that left an impression. As a person I do not always vibe with her whole thing! BUT as a singer/songwriter and performer she always has impressed me. Even when whole albums were lackluster *ahem *2013's "ArtPOP". I have always thought she was and is incredibly talented. Through the years she has changed her looks and her sound. Sometimes it worked in her favor, sometimes it did not. Seeing how she has grown as an artist has been interesting. Does "Chromatica" work? Will it bring her back to the top of the pops? Let's discuss. 

Chromatica (2020)

The CD Cover: I gotta say that when it comes to creativity this is not my fave but it definitely catches the eye! It reminds me of Alien and Mad Max. So it most definitely gets points for the aesthetic. 

The Tracks!

 Track 2: Alice

I am skipping the interludes as I have no feelings other than annoyance when I hear them. Let's begin with "Alice". It is a dance-pop,electro house, euro pop inspired dance floor anthem. She uses Alice in Wonderland as an allegory for finding her Wonderland. Or her peace or happiness. Themes of the song would be mental health. Despite the song being dance-able it is a song folx with mental illness or physical illnesses can relate too. 

My Rating: 10/10

Track 3: Stu*pid Love

Full disclosure I did not like this song when it first was released. In my opinion it just did not move me. Sure ,it is a great dance-able track but she is a dance-pop artist. After listening to it again I do enjoy it. All in all it is an okay song, not her best though. 

My Rating: 5/10

Track 4: Rain on Me ft Ariana Grande

I love this song!!!! So damn catchy and she really lets loose on this track. I am a huge 90s Euro-Pop fan and this song just screams euro-pop. The bumping beat and the electro-pop and synths are music to my ears. I also love the blend of Ariana and Gaga's voices. sidenote: the video is so good! (video linked below)

https://youtu.be/AoAm4om0wTs

My Rating: 10/10

Track 5: Free Woman

My favorite part of this song are the lyrics. She sounds so fucking powerful on this song. My fave lyric is " I'm still something, even if I gotta man". So many times non-men deal with the ideo that we belong to men. That once we are in relationships that is it, that is all we are. Lady G is making a stand! Great song. 

My Rating:7/10

Track 6: Fun Tonight

It is a bit slower than the past couple of songs. Despite that it gets faster towards the chorus. Compared to the past two songs it is not as catchy. This is one of the most personal songs on the album though. Subject matter seems to consist of her talking to an ex of some kind. Who is more into the fame and celebrity than she is. Although I am not certain whether she is talking to another person, or talking to her past self. Nevertheless it's a solid track. 

My Rating:6/10

Track 8: 911

I do not have much to say about this one. The beat is nice and reminds me of Kylie Minogue "Can't get you out of my head" (2001). In my head I have "la la la la la la la ...." its seriously pretty similar in beat. Other than that it is just an okay song. I just don't give a damn about it. 

My Rating:4/10

Track 9: Plastic Doll

Now this song on the other hand is amazing. From the intro where she says " I(echo) E I E I..p plastic doooolll" she got me. I love her vocals, the lyrical content and the beat is perfect. The theme of self love and independence is prevalent on this track as well. Production wise it is also the most interesting song to hear. I already know it is gonna be a fave. side note: sounds like it could have been on "Born This Way".

My Rating:10/10

Track 10: Sour Candy ft BLACKPINK

Here is my issue with this song. All of the songs that feature BLACKPINK seem to have the same vibe. Like it's a good pop song but it is so repetitive to me. It is not as adventurous as some of the other songs on the album. It has a simple house beat and seems to be filler. It gets better once Gaga joins after the first minute. I do believe that the song could grow on me, but it is kind of boring. 

My Rating:5/10

Track 11: Enigma

Once again the song feels like filler to me. Not a bad song, but not a song that I must listen too. Trying really hard to love it but after like 4 listens, I just do not care for it. Like the song before it's boring, but what the song above has that this one does not....is that Sour Candy is catchy. 

My Rating:2/10 (i just don't like it)

Track 12: Replay

I love the disco and electronica beat, it also has house elements and makes me want to dance the night away. This song really excites me, what I love the most is her voice. It really sounds like she is enjoying what she is singing. As a Disco fan this song just gives me that throwback feeling. I freaking love it and it is the best on the album for me. 

 My Rating: 10/10

Track 14: Sine from Above ft Elton John

Before anybody drags me, I do like EJ. That being said, why was he featured on the track? My issue is that EJ sounds out of place on the track. He is incredibly talented but he just does not fit on this song. I really enjoy it until he comes in and then I just feel confused.  I will saynthat I love the play on words. Sine from above is very clever.

My Rating: 6/10

Track 15: 1000 Doves

I do not feel anything when this song comes on. Her vocals are good, the beat is good. The lyrics are good, the production is good. It is just good.....good. 

My Rating:5/10

Track 16: Babylon

This song is a great way to end the album. It is dance-able and I love her talking parts on the track. Babylon is also the gayest song on the album. I am imagining black LGBT+ people vogueing and dancing their asses off. There is also what I think to be a choir towards the end. Someone was killing them vocal runs at the end. Great ending, lovely song. 

My Rating: 10/10

Full Album Ranking??????

That is right despite not loving some of the songs I still give the album an A. Despite some of it's shortcomings Gaga gave us multiple club bangers. I love music I can dance too and she does not disappoint. Back to the question I asked at the beginning. Is Chromatica a step back to her former Pop Glory???? 

The answer for me would be no. I say that because I do not think she fell off. What I do think is that this album was not meant to be the thing to make her the reigning Pop Queen. This album is meant to show you that Gaga can make almost anything and find a way to make some solid music. "Joanne" showed that she can do country/pop music with art pop flair . "Art Pop" showed the intersection between visual art and pop music, "Born This Way" was a dance pop masterpiece with some of her best tracks. "The Fame" was an intro to what she could become. "The Fame Monster" was an intro to what we saw on "ArtPOP and "Born This Way". "Chromatica"isn't her comeback album as in my opinion she never fell off. Time and time again Gaga has shown me that her talent has no limit. 

Till next time friends. 

QueerPopHoe

Sources: spotify, the interwebs, Wikipedia, my brain and opinion lol

My Ranking of Carly Rae Jepsen's Albums and B Sides

So for my next blog entry I decided to rank Carly Rae Jepsen's discography. Let the record show that I will not be doing her first album Tug of War. I will only be doing the albums and B sides she has released when I discovered her. With that being said I want to preface by saying I am pissed...royally pissed. Till this day Carly is only known for her 2012 hit track "Call me Maybe". Why does this piss me off? Because she has released some of my favorite pop albums in the past 5 +years. As a songwriter, she has this knack for writing catchy pop songs. yet no other song has really hit since "CMM". This is a travesty but this is not a profile piece this is a ranking. So let's begin shall we? 

Let me explain how my rankings will go I will rank the very best to best (I love her fucking music so its all good). I will also pin point songs that I really enjoy and give you recommendations(in purple). Okay with all that taken care of we can get into the countdown.

KIng Princess: The New Nonbinary Lesbian Pop Queen?

King Princess. For some that name is familiar for others you are probably saying...who the fuck is that? Well they are a queer pop star that made a splash in 2018 with their hit song "1950". A queer pop alt rock song about PDA and same sex couples. It became quite a hit on the US Alt chart peaking at 17 and being certified platinum. King Princess released her debut EP entitled Make My Bed on June 15th 2018. From the moment I started researching them I became enthralled with her songs and songwriting. She is hands down one of my favorite artists and her songs are consistently resonating with my young-ish queer soul. You would not think a twinky white lesbian would be such an inspiration to me, yet their music speaks to my soul. Unfulfilled desires, queer longing and heartbreak? Sign me Up. As a song writer she depicts the queer experience with such honesty. If you want to know more about them, I will gladly post some links. This post is not about her history but about the music. How they have made such an impression in the pop world. What they represent for me and the LGBTQIQA2P+ community.

    Despite the fact that KP has the privilege of being thin, yt and some would say conventionally attractive...I fucking love them. Yes I have a lil crush on them, I am a bit ashamed as they are such a representation of my old type. The skinny yt that I lusted after because I hated myself. Sometimes my attraction to them makes me feel like I have not truly evolved. I digress as that is for a whole nother blog entry. What really attracts me to King is their sultry voice, stunning visuals and songwriting. On October of last year they released their debut album Cheap Queen. I had waited for months for the album to come out. Eagerly waiting for KP to come and slay my life....put me in my feels and sexually confuse me. (I am demisexual and ace flux so the feels I get throw me off).

    From the moment I hit play KP had me hooked. The album is hands down one of the best albums I have ever heard. The way that they attack their fears, their heartbreak and loss of love; the vulnerability of the album is awesome. The quality of yearning and pain in their voice unsettles me every time. Not in a bad way but in way where I say DAMN been there sis. The album is also very diverse from songs about heartbreak (If you think it's love, Watching my phone, do you wanna see me crying, and you destroyed my heart). Fear (tough on myself), bottoming (Hit The Back), and great bops like (Prophet, Cheap Queen, Ain't Together,and Homegirl). The entire album is an emotional roller coaster. Cheap Queen is essential listening for young queers. So that begs the question is KP our reigning nonbinary lesbian pop Queen? Well I will let you be the judge, listen to the album. Linked below will be a video I did on KP of my top songs and where to find their work. 

Till next time. QueerpopHoe out. 

Where to find KP stuff. 

Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6beUvFUlKliUYJdLOXNj9C

Make my Bed

Tracks:

1. Make My Bed

2. Talia 

3. Upper West Side

4. Holy

5. 1950

Tracks:

1. Tough on Myself

2. Useless Phrases

3. Cheap Queen

4. Ain't Together

5. Do you wanna see me crying?

6. HomeGirl

7.Prophet

8. Isabel's Moment

9.Trust Nobody

10. Watching my phone 

11. You destroyed my heart

12. Hit the Back

13. If you think it's love

My Top Ten KP Songs(and my fave looks).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIxK-poSimc