Joan Osborne – Little Wild One (2008)

Joan Osborne
Little Wild One (2008)
http://www.joanosborne.com/
ON SALE NOW: Joan Osborne’s Little Wild One

Joan Osborne’s seventh studio album and latest release, Little Wild One, came out in September. This album is sure to receive a lot of attention as it’s the first time Osborne has re-united with Rick Chertoff, Rob Hyman and Eric Bazilian since her album, Relish, which launched her into the spotlight with her controversial what-would-Jesus-do song “One of Us”. The songs on this album have a poppy Americana and alt-country feel.

On Little Wild One, Osborne continues her religious theme by opening with “Hallelujah in the City” which contains a chorus of “hallelujah’s”, and again with references to angels in the piano-driven “Cathedrals.” Despite her religious lyrics, Osborne is a strong advocate for reproductive, LGBT and women’s rights, among other issues. She’s also had quite a few intimate encounters with women which she openly speaks about in an interview with Velvet Park.

In the first single off the album, “Sweeter Than the Rest” Osborne sings: “I am crossing Brooklyn ferry with the clouds to my west and I know what I’m missing, some are sweet but you are sweeter….than the rest”. Osborne pays homage to her New York City home multiple times on this album. She turns the tempo down a bit with one song written soley by herself, “Meet You in the Middle” and then turns that tempo back up with the exotic world sounds of “Can’t Say No.”

Little Wild One’s atmosphere is a great sound to accommodate those family gatherings during the Holidays.

published on outimpact.com at http://www.outimpact.com/album-reviews/joan-osborne-little-wild-one

Californians Against Hate- Who Were The Top 12 Contributors For Prop 8?

Californians Against Hate has researched and named the top 12 financial contributors to the “Yes on Proposition 8” campaign that heavily influenced people in key states to discriminate against and take away the rights of LGBTQ people in America. For those of you who haven’t been paying attention, Proposition 8 is an amendment to the Constitution that restricts same-sex couples from marrying. Despite all the efforts and progress which allowed and recognized same-sex couples the right to marry, and despite the many same-sex couples who did get married, Proposition 8 overrides all of those marriages. It is amazing to me that our Country still has such a conservative mindset even after electing President Obama, who views all people as equal no matter their sexual orientation.

The Dishonor Roll names these 12 contributors along with hundreds of other individuals, businesses, organizations and churches that funded hatred and discrimination to stay alive in our Country. The Knights of Columbus made it to the top of the list with donations amounting to $1,425,000. Among the top contributors include the National Organization for Marriage ($1,041,134.80), Focus on the Family($539,643.66), American Family Association ($500,000) and Concerned Women for America ($409,000).

William Bolthouse of the Bolthouse Foundation gave $100,000 towards pro-Proposition 8 campaigns. Their website makes it a point to state that The Bolthouse Foundation is separate from Bolthouse Farms and that all financial contributions made by each are based on the decisions of each entity and do not reflect on the other. So not only do the new owners of Bolthouse Farms disagree with the The Bolthouse Foundation on Proposition 8, but they also give medical benefits to employees with same sex partners and have donated a generous amount of money to LGBTQ organizations. With that said, I can drink my Bolthouse Green Goodness drinks guilt-free!

One thing that seemed to be common among the people who made it onto the Dishonor Roll is that a lot of them are alumna of Brigham Young University. If the sanctity of marriage is so important, why are there not stricter rules for getting a divorce? Or a stricter process to get married? Getting married should be just as hard as getting U.S. Citizenship.

The Dishonor Roll has been a great resources for queer activists who are boycotting and have staged demonstrations against companies such as Hoehn Motors ($25,000), Cinemark Cinemas ($9,999), and A-1 Storage ($693,000) to name a few of the larger contributors. Queer activists are also boycotting many Mormon owned businesses as well. We can still vote with our wallets to show these bigots that we are not backing down on our rights. Hopefully in the next 4 years all of the bigotry will reverse itself. With the leadership of a President who really cares about equality for every human being I believe it can happen.

William Control – Hate Culture (2008)

William Control
Hate Culture
Official Website: http://www.williamcontrol.com

William Control is the side project of Wil Francis of the Seattle based post-hardcore band, Aiden. The album, Hate Culture, is a collection of Francis’ techno-industrial, new wave, Depeche Mode-influenced songs. The album serves as Francis’ form of self medication as it’s packed with dark songs full of suicide references. Desperation and depression are just a few of the reoccurring themes to be found on Hate Culture.

The songs on this album are a reflection of Francis’ past. In his teenage years he felt very lonely and was not opposed to seeking violence as an outlet. In 1999, he went to jail for planning a mass shooting in Seattle. Upon being released, he decided to turn his life around and get back into playing music. In a Suicide Girls’ interview he claimed that “once again, music saved life, like it’s done over and over again.”

The first track opens with Francis stating “I am William Control… and I do NOT want you to like me” and then launches into the danceable “Beautiful Loser.” The album’s title track, “Hate Culture”, opens with futuristic, new wave synths and a slowly evolving drum track. The album is a nonstop gothic saga that tragically ends with an acoustic guitar accompanied by a sad violin waging the war between hate and love in William Control’s world.

published on outimpact.com at http://www.outimpact.com/album-reviews/william-control-hate-culture