DANCING ABOUT ARCHITECTURE: THE NEW PRIDE

As this columnist prepares not only to write the annual Pride issue music segment, he’s also looking forward to seeing out and proud Adam Lambert at the United Center with the legendary Queen. Important in so many ways, but most of all to see Queen with a gay man proudly fronting the band subbing for dearly departed Freddie Mercury, who never came out to his fans and only came out as HIV-positive one day before his passing. After Freddie, many have stepped in for him including the at-the-time closeted George Michael, the straight Robbie Williams and Bad Company’s Paul Rodgers. While Adam proudly takes the throne, if only for a tour, I’m inspired by so many who’ve come out so seemingly effortlessly over these past few years to little fanfare, and much acclaim.

Sam Smith, who has had huge hits as the voice of instrumentalists Disclosure (“Latch”) and Naughty Boy (“La La La”) in the past year, finally stepped out (and out of the closet) with his solo album The Lonely Hour. While Lonely isn’t the club powerhouse most of his fans thought he should do, it’s a lovely, heartfelt British Soul collection that will appeal to fans of Emeli Sandé, Simply Red and Boy George especially (who’s fantastic, and also very mellow new solo album also just dropped). For a real bonus, get the one-off single “Stay With Me,” sung with Mary J. Blige, not on the official album.

Kele Okereke, the lead singer of alt-rock band Bloc Party, has been as coy as Morrissey at times about his sexuality, but is indeed out. Like Freddie Mercury on Queen’s Hot Space CD, Kele sounds like he’s wearing his gay club influences on his sleeve lately with his latest EP, Candy Flip. Here’s hoping Kele continues on this route as Candy Flip boasts 40-some-odd mintues of pure house bliss.

And finally, if you’ve not picked up Adore Delano’s full-length debut, Till Death Do Us Party, do; don’t think that RuPaul’s the only drag singer who can go beyond novelty tracks. TDDUP is as diverse and seriously great as most pop diva’s major label efforts. Like Miley’s Bangerz, Adore strikes the perfect diversity of styles, from trap to ballads to dance, while all sounding completely cohesive and downright Adore-able.