Joey Arias, the legendary provocateur and trailblazer of New York performance art and drag, is back in the spotlight with his highly anticipated first feature-length album ‘Past Present Future’. This marks a significant moment in Joey’s five-decade-spanning career, where he has been a source of inspiration for luminaries like Andy Warhol, Thierry Mugler, David Bowie, and house DJ-cum-Beyonce co-producer Honey Dijon.
As an independent singer with an incredibly outsized impact on culture, Joey Arias is a master of redefining artistic boundaries. From Cirque du Soleil’s Zumanity, to his X-rated puppet show, Arias With A Twist, to paving the way for RuPaul and the cultural acceptance of drag, Joey revels in his underground status and ability to, in his words, “go sideways.” However, after suffering huge personal loss, and overcoming addiction, Joey Arias decided to sign with Beige Records NYC to step back into the spotlight and create a record that reflects on his life, while looking toward the future.
‘Past Present Future’ reimagines several songs from Joey’s past, including ‘Up Last Night,’ originally an upbeat tune from Joey’s days of being pitched as a 15-year-old heartthrob in the Capitol Record signed band Purlie. The current version forsakes teeny pop for unexpected, ominous fare; as he darkly growls in the chorus, “You better eat your spinach, baby,” one gets the sense there is more than double entendre in this advice.
While fans will be familiar with songs like, ‘Ooh, What A Feeling,’ a staple of Joey’s live sets, most of the tracks were conceived during the pandemic in a three-week writing and improvisatory session at the legendary yet off-the-grid Pachyderm Studios in Cannon Falls, Minnesota (Nirvana, Soul Asylum, PJ Harvey, Beach House).
The lead single on release day is the spellbinding and truly moving ‘Your Science (Better Half)’, a track that showcases why Arias is such a renowned figure to musicians the world over.
From the very first note, the song exudes an epic quality – a futuristic AI-love ballad – with Joey commanding attention with his raspy, authoritative vocals. ‘Your Science (Better Half)’ ventures into the realm of cinematic pop, with distinct jazz undertones that encapsulate Joey Arias’s individuality and artistry.
Spellbinding and luscious synth lines fill the air with the rupturing 80s snare drum, creating a majestic grandeur that is a new statement from Joey Arias. The recurring lyric, “Better Half,” echoes like a siren in the listener’s mind, supported by captivating production and Joey’s pop-infused melodies, instilling a sense of inspiration and belonging (even within AI-dominated future!).
‘Your Science (Better Half)’ is emblematic of Joey’s upcoming album, defying the norms of pop music. Drawing sonic parallels to artists like Sade, Phil Collins, Lana Del Ray, and, of course, Billie Holiday, this track showcases the boundless brilliance of genre-blending that Joey Arias effortlessly delivers. Produced by Beige Records NYC, the album is interlaced with fellow Beige artists J. Hoard and Paul Babe. You can find their signature styles and voices woven throughout.
Joey Arias continues to embrace the avant-garde, performing with his jazz ensemble in the US and Europe. His album, ‘Past Present Future,’ launched on October 31st, 2023, under the banner of Beige Records NYC. www.beigenyc.com
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