Editor’s Note: The Albumism staff has selected what we believe to be 50 Essential Albums by LGBTQ Artists, representing a varied cross-section of genres, styles and time periods. Considering that the qualifier “LGBTQ” can often be open to various interpretations, for the purposes of this particular list, we have defined an artist as LGBTQ if he, she or they have ever publicly identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or queer. Moreover, albums by groups have been included in the list if any of their members fit the aforementioned criteria, even if some members do not.
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SCISSOR SISTERS | Night Work
Polydor/Downtown (2010)
Selected by Quentin Harrison
Akin to The B-52s, the Scissor Sisters—Jake Shears (vocals), Babydaddy (guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, programming), Ana Matronic (vocals), Del Marquis (guitar)—readily lifted up all things rebellious and kitsch. If the 1980 photograph of dancer Peter Reed’s backside—courtesy of gay photographer and rabble rouser Robert Mapplethorpe— adorning Night Work’s cover was any indication, the Scissor Sisters’ third album promised decadence and hedonism.
The quartet takes disco, AOR and electro-pop as fuel for their funky grooves, beats and melodies on Night Work. All four Sisters make a joyful noise on the record, though Shears does steal the show with his voice that echoes the “rude boy” soul of Prince (“Skin Tight”) and the falsetto precision of Barry Gibb (“Any Which Way”).
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