★ ★ ★ 1/2 out of 5
From the depths of the underworld to the glitzy RuPaul’s Drag Race runway stage, drag entertainer Sharon Needles made an immediate lasting impression on millions of outcasts. Following her deserved season four crowning, one of America’s Drag Superstars quickly capitalized on her “15 minutes of fame” by churning out full length albums. However, unlike fellow drag sisters, there has been a consistent sense of love, commitment and authenticity wrapped around Needles’ dark and unapologetic foray into the recording studio.
While her debut pop album PG-13 was written by a “pampered, privileged brat” that was $100,000 richer, her impressive follow up Taxidermy came from the heart of a “broken down love-sick fool” and peeled back layers of her drag persona. Now, for her third studio album Battle Axe, the artist admits to being bitter as hell as she works tirelessly in six-inch stilettos to keep up with the changing times and fading fame. The project is a dance/rock hybrid, inspired by female powerhouses, Andy Warhol and discontent with the state of the music industry.
Preceded by the infectious title track, the new project is definitely not for the faint of heart, but Needles swears it is the record her devoted fans have been begging her to create. While the artist is clearly still dealing with a shattered heart, she appears to be ignoring the pain to focus attention on the power tops, the naysayers, and living the reckless life she truly wants. The record is a chaotic ride in terms of production, the club scene on intense doses of acid, however, the downward spiral of a journey listeners have bravely strapped in for is heightened by actual inspiration.
Lead singles are meant to stir up buzz and excitement. Luckily, title track “Battle Axe” easily accomplishes the sometimes daunting goal. Mainstream appeal effortlessly blends with underground aesthetic to create an empowering anthem encouraging others to strive for top billing and respect. While cautioning the young and naïve, Needles proudly boasts about her leader status, claiming her knowledge and experience have prepped her for the long haul.
“Andy Warhol Is Dead” is a short and sweet self-reflective narrative where Needles finds herself in the same situation as the famous “artpop” creator. Struggling with the idea of fame and a strange desire to maintain it, Needles unfortunately finds herself on a pre-determined course toward demise. “We like everything the same, 15 minutes of fame, we don't see faces, we see mirrors, fame is free, it even happened to me,” she sings before recordings of Warhol tell a majority of her story.
Needles has never shied away from pop genre. In fact, she embraces it. Likely influenced by previous work of Britney Spears, the artist ventures to the neon-lit bathhouse dungeon on “666”. Referencing Count von Count, Kylie Jenner, Far East Movement and RuPaul herself throughout, the track is an infectious, vapid yet enjoyable escape from the pits of darkness. With Needles at her most radio-friendly, the song is an appropriate mix of passion and understanding the industry game.
Soft, alluring vocals on the intro provide a misleading concept for “Black Licorice”, an angst-filled diss to the world. Detailing the high cost of celebrity, Needles seems to have cleansed her club scene persona in order to fit in with the crowd initially. Thankfully, the desire to conform does not last long. A self-described “dirty magazine”, the artist prides herself on an outlandish and rebellious image and attitude, admitting to not being the appropriate creative outlet for the majority.
Likely repellent for future suitors, Needles goes for the throat of a previous flame on “Jack-O-Lantern”, an abrasive rock moment. Needles is a difficult soul to love, she warns them all from the very beginning. Unfortunately, the warning still doesn’t keep the creeps and lies away. “Baby you told me I was your everything, told you not to mess with me, I knew this wouldn't last, just like a pumpkin patch, what we've got is gone to see,” the artist sings of her temporary romance.
“Brain Dead” could be an easy-to-digest attack on President Trump and his destructive administration. However, in Needles’ world, the song can likely be applied to a much larger group. The artist gives some necessary advice to those who are better off with their mouth shut. Those who contribute little to nothing to society’s progress. Over a pounding beat, and through a gore movie reference, the artist is straightforward and brash with her criticisms.
Supported by stadium-ready, rock production, Needles steers far from the norm on “Dirty Diaper”, a bedroom jam filled with fetish fantasies that could easily ruin an appetite. Playing the role of a dominant force, the artist prepares the poor fools who are led to her carnal trap. Strapped in, split in half, suitors are in for quite the ride with Needles in charge. Call her “daddy”, “monster” or “leader”, the aggressive track is carried by a desire for control in every aspect.
70s glam icon Gary Glitter may be a sexual predator, but it does not keep Needles from updated one of his classics. “Rock n Roll, Pt. 3” is an energetic, effortless addition to the album. Not much thought is necessary to repeat “hey!” a few times in front of a thumping beat. Needles gives it a sinister, electronic tweak though.
Needles sadly appears to have no love for herself as described on the somber, mid-tempo “Electric Chair”. Comparing herself to the Columbine shooting and a mix of Kool-Aid and cyanide – kinda harsh Gretch - the artist reveals an unflattering inner struggle and the accompanying self-induced wounds. “I am the pop pop pop, I am a dead cop, box office flop, hair on the lollipop,” she sings on the album’s shortest track.
The explicit and reckless “Cocaine & F**k” leaves little to the imagination. Basically an anthem to soundtrack the stimulant-induced one night stands around the world, Needles uses some clever one-liners to take the edge off the difficult topics of hardcore drug usage and raunchy anonymous sex. Like many of her releases, the track is an unfiltered, raw peek into a particular culture the artist is no shy about. While it may not be personal, it’s definitely revealing.
The album closes out with “Piano Wire”, a heinous and slightly disturbing spoken word that perfectly embodies the true essence and black heart of Sharon Needles. Inspired by a fascination with true crime stories, the Black Dahlia, and the ominous sounds of piano wires, the artist details, in gruesome fashion, the murder of her partner. Whether it’s her desire to where another’s skin, her dissatisfaction with Hollywood-style blood scenes, or that first cut, the closer will cause many nights worth of nightmares.
Battle Axe boldly represents a natural progression for an entertainer who feels the sand in her fame hourglass is quickly running out. Sharon Needles is a shocking, terrifying, remorseless persona who pours her real-life experiences into her music, with an enjoyable camp/rock-n-roll flare that no other Drag Race queen, not many other mainstream artists, can accomplish at the moment. While Needles may have relied too much on the song titles for a cheap chorus on her third studio album, the quick-witted and unpolished songwriting is thankfully told with an immense dose of creativity, uniqueness, nerve and talent. What cannot be denied is the clear direction, inspiration and hard work put into the 11-track project. It certainly is not her most commercial record, but it might be the most genuine and promising.
Tracks to Hear: "Battle Axe", "666", "Black Licorice", "Brain Dead" and "Piano Wire"
0 Yorumlar