Wednesday, June 4, 2014

'Till Death Do Us Party' by Adore Delano Album Review

Adore Delano is snatching wigs, despite losing the title of America's Next Drag Superstar to Bianca Del Rio. Adore was the little engine that could on this season of Drag Race, the "black horse" (wonk wonk), if you will. As Danny Noriega she competed on Season 7 of American Idol but didn't make it to the Top 12. However, as Adore she's ready to launch her music career.

During her time on LOGO TV's hit reality show, Adore intimated that she was determined to become the world's first drag-pop star. RuPaul is the closest the universe has ever come to seeing that happen with his hit single 'Supermodel (You Better Work)', but I really believe that Adore can do it because she has the personality, but more importantly she delivers the goods.

Her debut album Till Death Do Us Party was released yesterday, and I've had it on repeat since. Her first two singles proved she could do the raunchy, edgy pop thing but also move into emotional territory and put her pipes on display in an electro-ballad. The rest of the album, however, shows off a versatility that we have yet to hear from Sharon Needles, Willam Belli or even Jinkx Monsoon. The album is quite literally a #party from beginning to end, and we could be witnessing the beginning of a mega-career.

1. Speak My Sex - 9/10

The opening track on the album is the perfect introduction to Adore. It's a club banger all about sex. What's not to love? Adore's gorgeous tone is on display here, but then she pulls of the faux-rap chorus with spunk, luring us in and getting it stuck in our minds. I'd actually liken the beat to Miley's 'SMS (Bangerz)' because it's frantic yet totally hypnotic. I totally want a video for this because it would be fucking hot.

2. D T F - 10/10

What else needs to be said about this track? Adore's debut single served up everything you could want from the world's soon-to-be drag-pop star. It's highly infectious, it shows off both Adore's strong voice and her awesome rapping, and it's got a nasty beat. He may have a paper bag face, but as long as he's got a bomb dick everything's peachy.

3. Party - 9/10

You knew she had to capitalize on her catch phrase. With 'Party' Adore goes full Katy Perry. This offering is a pop anthem in the making. Starting off with guitars and then building into a hot electro-pop beat, the song throws in a sprinkle of a sing-along chorus with a cutesy vocal and you've got a bonafide hit. If I had to choose one song from the album that I could hear on the radio it would be this one. It sort of has that Bonnie McKee feel to it which obviously means it would impact radio hard.
4. I Adore U - 10/10

The 'Wrecking Ball' of the album, I don't think any drag queen has ever gotten this personal on a record before. It's an intimate electro-ballad that allows Adore to belt but also show off her fun side by rapping. Mixing different styles with an emotional side that is rarely seen in drag, Adore proves all the naysayers wrong with this one.

5. Calling All Goddesses - 8/10

Propelling us back to a high on the #party train, 'Calling All Goddesses' is much more geared towards the drag community, but it's not any less perfect. Calling all her mermaids and letting everyone know that her and her queens make you all look tragic, this is an anthem for all those fabulous sisters out there. But then...the beat drops. This song has some sick dubstep and trap going on making for some wicked cool moments. And then Adore channels some Britney on the bridge as her "all eyes on us" directly mimics 'Scream & Shout'. I love it!

6. Jump the Gun - 8/10

Or, rather, 'Jump the Gunn', borrows from Gia Gunn's iconic quote "I don't jump the gun, I am the boom boom gun." With a very sinister, dark piano melody the song traverses into Brooke Candy territory with devilishly clever raps on a beat that goes into some hip-hop. It's not one of the stronger tracks, but it's obviously more fun for those who are familiar with Drag Race and its lexicon.

7. Give Me Tonight - 10/10

And so we have arrived at the pinnacle of the album. 'Give Me Tonight' is easily my favorite track. Carrying the dark sound of 'Jump the Gun', it starts off with a driving electro beat that consistently fluctuates, ramping up the adrenaline. As the song builds, Adore's voice gets bigger until it gets to the chorus where she's powering through over a gorgeous tinkling that gives the song a lightness providing a powerful nuance. Another piece of pop brilliance.
8. I Look Fuckin Cool (feat. Alaska Thunderfuck) - 8/10

Alaska has been one of the biggest supporters of Adore throughout the competition. It's not a big surprise as Adore was the Alaska of Season 6, the underdog who was severely underestimated in the beginning but stepped up their game and almost snatched the crown. With Alaska's Adore-themed 'Adore You' Miley parody, it was only a matter of time before these two collaborated on a song. 'I Look Fuckin Cool' easily takes the cake for the draggiest song on the album, but that's not a bad thing. Alaska and Adore celebrate their rolled-out-of-bed trash queen image and proclaim that they're ready for Season Two of All Stars as Team #AdoreDelaska which fyi needs to be a thing.

9. Hello, I Love You - 7/10

Now this one is camp to the max. It's sort of a satire on pop music, taking a cutesy Taylor Swift-like "I love you" song and turning it into Adore as a creepy stalker. She keeps a locket of his hair, buys a new phone because he blocked her number and more. It's catchy as hell, but also a little weird.

10. The Creeps - 7/10

'The Creeps' goes into even weirder territory, turning around the scenario and telling the guy that "you're giving me the creeps." Adore once again plays with pop music and does her own version of 'What Does the Fox Say?' but she plays with vampires, zombies, and mummies. I'm not really sure what to make of it, and I think it'd be better suited to a Halloween playlist, but it's totally Adore.

11. My Address Is Hollywood - 9/10

The final song on the album is Adore's second favorite, and one of my favorites. The song is about her big dreams of stardom as a kid and her eventual move to Hollywood. It's a larger metaphor for chasing your dreams and making them come true. It's a beautiful electro-pop track that sees Adore use the softer side of her voice, but then belt it out on the chorus. It's the perfect ending to an already great album, and I think it really sums up who Adore is as a person: a boy in a wig chasing a dream.

Tracks to Check Out: 'Speak My Sex', 'I Adore You', 'Give Me Tonight', 'My Address Is Hollywood'

Overall Rating: 8.5/10

1 comment:

  1. Great review and i couldn't agree more! go team #iadoreu #givemetonight

    ReplyDelete