2008 Holiday Gift Guide: Colin’s ThanksGIFTing Music Needs

 

Those heartwarming, gift-getting, bird-packing days are skidding ever closer, NNN readers, so now it's my turn to give out some holiday music suggestions to add to your lists. For all your gay gift-giving needs - I know, that part totally sucks - there's nothing quite like the gift of song ... although, isn't it kind of quaint to get an actual CD these days?

...Quaint?! Biker B says click on through the jump for five fierce CD picks or she'll run you down, then crush you with her metal hand! Yes, this is all very serious - especially since these albums just came out (or are about to come out), which will make you seem cool and hip to your friends and fam ... and that is pretty crucial.

 

Come the apocalypse, weaves and 808s ... after the jump!

 

Kanye West - 808s & Heartbreak: Nov. 24

 

First up is my American boy Kanye, with his fourth musical installment; and this time the Chi-town rapper takes a technological turn. You know what I mean if you've heard "Love Lockdown" - which Kanye even debuted on Ellen - as the record's first single is loaded with dark beats and vocals on the AutoTune-er.

It turns out the whole 808s album will have a singing Kanye and this new favorite AutoTune feature in the forefront, but who doesn't want to see the "Workout Plan" master try something new?

 

 

In addition, the album has some somber subject matter, with tracks such as "See You in My Nightmares," "Paranoid" and "Coldest Winter," about the death of Kanye's mother.

Check out the tribal beats and space-y, blip-y vocals of "Love Lockdown" - along with its American Psycho reference - below:

 

Gay music and video from NewNowNext.com

 

Britney Spears - Circus - Dec. 2

 

Y'all saw this one coming, perhaps? Dubbed as the vehicle for her actual comeback, Brit Brit's sixth studio album already has the makings for a back-on-track Ms. Spears. While I was a major fan of Blackout as a music project, Britney herself was pretty much out of her mind at that point, and the whole experience is kind of a traumatizing blur for me now.

But already our girl is looking good and back to her dancing seductive ways for "Womanizer," the album's first single ... maybe you've heard it?

 

Gay music and video from NewNowNext.com

 

So why not celebrate the return our Pop Princess with your nearest and dearest Britney fan - I know you have at least one in your life - by giving out, or asking for, a copy of Circus yourself? I I can already say "Kill The Lights" is worth the price of admission.

 

 

Beyonce - I Am...Sasha Fierce - Released Nov. 18

 

The double-hitter of "If I Were a Boy" and "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" has kind of been everywhere; if you haven't witnessed B's feisty gyrating for the women or he teary belting for the men, I'm not sure where you've been.

And as far as gift potential goes, B's new album is also a twofer, so you'll get your money's worth. With the I Am... portion of the project, Beyonce takes to her sweeping, crying, Thank you, Lord! ballads, and for the club numbers she channels her inner drag queen (I don't think she had to look very far).

 

Gay music and video from NewNowNext.com

 

And who couldn't use a little Sasha Fierce in their lives? Give the gift...

 

 

All-American Rejects - When The World Comes Down - Dec. 16

 

After 2005's double-platinum Move Along, the men of Rejects have a lot to live up to. But if new single "Gives You Hell" is any indication, When The World Comes Down will make a great gift for a party-rock-pop lover ... or maybe even a [gasp!] straight person. The song just has that head-banging, pop-friendly-rock, anthem quality to it. How can you not dig?

 

Gay music and video from NewNowNext.com

 

And it looks like Tyson Ritter wouldn't mind if you picked up a copy. Mmm?

 

 

Fall Out Boy - Folie a Deux - Dec. 16

 

And last but not least on my music roll-out comes the new CD from a very gay-friendly straight band. (Yes, this is in part due to gay-above-the-waist Pete Wentz's presence.) The new FOB CD is also just brimming with collabos: Elvis Costello, Pharrell, Kanye West and Debbie Harry, to name a few.

The video for the first single, "I Don't Care," is also pretty priceless:

 

Gay music and video from NewNowNext.com

 

The band originally planned a Nov. 4 release day - and they completed the CD in time - but the guys had reservations about an election day (this particular election day) tie-in and pushed back the date. Lead singer Patrick Stump said at the TRL finale:

"I think it was the right decision to change the date; I think the election was obviously more important. So now we get to basically apologize to our fans by playing a bunch of really small shows. You promise people a record and then push it back over a month? You kind of owe them something."

 

FOB performing during TRL / Times Square madness... See? They're worth the wait!