One of our faves, Jay Brannan, posted a new video for his song “Can’t Have It All.” The hilarious self-promotion at the beginning leads into a some great cinematography and direction by Etypical.
Check it out below.

We at Cul de sac a) love to sing and b) love to laugh. So, when those things are combined into one we c) scream with joy. We hope you scare someone in your neighborhood as well with one of the picks today.

1) I Love the Gays

We love you, too, Mandy Steckelberg. We love you, too.

2) Jay Brannan & Margaret Cho give expert advice

Two of our faves talking about something we love? How can this not make the list?

3) I’m Totally Gay for America

The Whitest Kids U Know have never been known for their political correctness, but this song kinda gets it right.

Reviewed by James Taipale

Jay Brannan

If you don’t know Jay Brannan yet, I guess the world will forgive you this time. As far as the rebirth of folk and anti-folk artists goes, Brannan is worthy of our applause. His fairly unplugged sound is welcomed in an age where ninety percent of radio is deafening, and a more au naturel sound is a beautiful change of pace.

With Goddamned, Brannan begins with “Can’t Have It All.” If this is your first experience with Brannan, be aware this is not a Christian rock album. He starts with that “I devote myself to your praise” sound; however, don’t be afraid. The album starts to warm up with some piano by the third track, “American Idol” (a song that I will forever love just because I too have yet to see the interest in that crap). By the time the CD cues up to “Goddamned,” it is apparent that Jay has an interest in songs with a message. This is a song about here and now. It’s not controversial to be edgy. Instead, this track shows a commitment to peace and the insanity of using religion as an excuse to kill. The song is downright exciting. Dynamics become an implement of the message. The song starts slow and quiet and crescendos to a fast-paced, furious message, captivating and complete. Jay makes his statement, winds down, and transitions perfectly into the next song. “Bowlegged & Starving” is one of the best songs I have heard in a long time. Jay admits that this is the first piano song he has ever written. While the piano is simple, it’s perfect for the song. The song’s lyrical theme can begin to be derived from the title. Jay talks about feeling good without love. However, he is not talking solely about sex; he can be happy with himself without loving another. I have a special place in my heart for artists who can play the piano well, and this song speaks for itself.

Brannan’s lyric composition is refreshingly straightforward. He doesn’t leave much up to metaphor or poetic interpretation in comparison to other artists of this genre, allowing him to stand out. The listener knows just where Brannan stands as each song progresses. This isn’t to say he doesn’t use a colorful vocabulary. On the contrary, Brannan uses fairly specific word choice to convey exactly what he feels. He also enjoys topics beyond the typical artist fare. He looks to his life and experience and talks about gay culture with a bare-faced truth not always detailed clearly.

On to the issue at hand: as far as gay artists (or straight ones who are making a gay statement for that matter) who tackle blatant and contextually contemporary issues in the gay community, Brannan is at the front of the line. Some of his songs—like “Housewife”—question gender roles, and others just address those common one-week stands that get titled a relationship, i.e. “At First Sight.” Jay takes the initiative to move his work beyond the Will and Grace (don’t get me wrong, I love the show) TV version of life that is commonly used to classify the contemporary gay. Jay is neither Will nor Jack. Jay is Jay and his songs show that Will and Jack are two of millions of gay personalities. His work delves into the darker side of the gay community and not only holds the light so everyone can see it, but embraces it proudly. He is not afraid to show that gay life has its messier points (in all honesty, straight scandals are as rampant, just more accepted).

Goddamned starts slow and a little downhearted but picks up strength and speed. The first half of the album seems to reflect more depression and less meaning; however, the second half of the album is pretty amazing and seems like Jay coming into his own talent and self-confidence. Listening tells of a long road and an album that reflects a journey with all kinds of treasures to be discovered. I’m passing along this album to all my friends, and hopefully, to all of you.