Cynics will no doubt view Boy George's quiet slide into the suddenly chic profession of DJing as opportunism, but those who have followed his career know the move has been more than two decades in the making. The pop icon's fascination with the turntable can be traced to the late '70s, when as a marginal mix-and-match DJ in England's burgeoning post-punk New Romantic scene, the flamboyant club kid found a mode of expression to rival his outrageous fashion sense. NEW ON CD
Boy George’s formula is tiresome
"A Night Out With Boy George" DJ Mix by Boy George (Moonshine)
By Shawn "Speedy" Lopes
slopes@starbulletin.comMost know George as the soulful voice behind the early '80s musical spectacle "Culture Club," but those that stuck around long enough saw the celebrated androgyne take on a new direction in the latter portion of that decade by releasing a string of dance-driven albums and singles under monikers like "Jesus Loves You," "Ezee Possee" and "Boy George."
Regardless of anyone's opinion on his new material, George deserves some credit for recognizing the world's boredom with conventional pop and for maintaining a measure of relevancy in a fickle business. His latest offering, "A Night Out With Boy George," finds the superstar singer behind the mixer once again with a collection of thump-heavy tracks spearheaded by Jon Carter's imposing "Everlasting Life." The aggressive house number soon makes way for George's buttery tenor as he joins Dark Globe in the sparse "Auto-Erotic," followed by a succession of vocal house tracks by T-Total, Yum Yum vs. Deva and The Gay & Lesbian Disco Association.
Perhaps because he will always be a singer first, George appears to favor numbers with fiery crooners. As with most DJ mixes however, the selections feature all-too-brief vocal interludes heaped upon monotonous rhythms; a formula which quickly grows wearisome. There are a few exceptions, namely Menace's "Sound of the Floor" (a spacey track highlighted by a wicked sampled stab culled from TC 1992's massive dance-floor hit of a decade ago, "Funky Guitar") and the aurally engaging "Freedom Is" by Stefano Greppi.
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