The Hot Sheet

Hercules and Love Affair

Get your headphones on...

- Sidetrackedby Hercules & Love Affair (Renaissance): Surpassing the shocking depth of Rufus Wainright's voice and approaching the sassy voodoo of Nina Simone's, the ethereal, haunting sounds produced by queer artist Antony Hegarty's mouth have enchanted the world ever since his sophomore album I Am a Bird Now won the coveted Mercury Prize and propelled the underground musician into the popular consciousness. After collaborating with everyone from Björk to Marc Almond, Hegarty took a sharp left turn from the gorgeous slow-paced ballads he's known for by teaming up in 2008 with DJ Andy Butler to establish Hercules & Love Affair, a decidedly disco outfit that produced some of the best dance songs of last year. While we wait with bated breath for the group's sophomore album, they've thrown us a bone in the form of Sidetracked , a mixed DJ set showing off the group's diverse tastes and providing the perfect mix for the summer's best dance parties. The band even throws a sparkling new song of their own into the mix, teasingly titled "I Can't Wait." Neither can we!

-Horehoundby The Dead Weather (Third Man): When it comes to balls-out rock, there's no doubt that this has been the decade of Jack White. At a time when most rockers danced the night away with indulgent synthesizers or dipped into the freak folk Jacuzzi, White has remained steadfast in his dedication to gritty, straightforward rock and roll. From the White Stripes' stripped-down garage blues rhythm to the Raconteurs' rollicking classic rock flair to producing a Loretta Lynn album and working with legends across the spectrum (Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, Beck, to name a few), the Jack White brand has remained clearly identifiable without stagnating in predictable repetition. On his latest project, the Dead Weather, White collaborates with members of the Kills and Queens of the Stone Age to create the lo-fi love child of his powerful Appalachian blues-rock roots and bandmate Allison Lohman's penchant for noisy shoe-gaze. Discarding his famous guitar for a spot behind the drum set, White proves once again his versatility and ingenuity with a surprising new record that doesn't fail to impress.

- Tune In, Turn Up, Sing Outby San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus : It seems like every major city has an official chorus of gay men these days, but the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus is the institution that started it all. Established 30 years ago, the group held its first public performance at the memorial for assassinated legend Harvey Milk. They were the sonic personification of hope and optimism on that occasion and throughout the rocky road that lay ahead through the AIDS epidemic and Reagan-era political mores, inspiring countless gay men across the globe to take up the choral tradition and strengthen their community through song. Their latest release, Tune In, Turn Up, Sing Out, is a whimsical journey through 1960s nostalgia, ranging from the pop sounds of the Beach Boys' "I Get Around" to the psychedelic strains of the 5th Dimension's "Aquarius." Featuring contributions from queer '60s cover band the Whoa Nellies and Joan Baez herself (sounding amazing, naturally), the album fuses camp with class, remembering the carefree days of free love along with the earth-shifting political changes of the day, even fitting in an ode to the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots. Far out!