Album Review: Boyfriend - In The Garden

Boyfriend

In The Garden

*** out of *****

The multi-talented Boyfriend (Suzannah Elizabeth Powell) has released her newest album, In The Garden, dealing with one of the oldest stories out there, the creation of Adam and Eve from the bible. Never one to backdown from controversy, Boyfriend chooses to be more restrained on this concept record rather than dip into her more outrageous tendencies, keeping the album palpable to all. 

Boyfriend has always been a flamboyant performance artist at heart and in concert, but In The Garden was not made for the concert stage, rather the theater. The shift of Eve from villain to inquisitive, knowledge seeking hero is poignant, as the ancient tale could use a new telling. RtBE is far from a musical theater critic or a biblical scholar, there are a lot of layers to dig into here. RtBE does review music though and In the Garden is not a true album, more a dramatic soundtrack to a literal play. There is a overseeing narrator, played by Billy Porter, inspired by Our Town, who sets each scene before the songs begin.

Perhaps the best part of In The Garden is the impeccable casting, Porter is excellent, Big Freedia as God is utterly inspired, Powell as Eve works well, Jake Shears (Scissor Sisters) as the content party boy Adam is fantastic while Peaches as the Serpent almost steals the show.  

Freedia's entrance during "CREATION" is backed by dance music and trumpets while "EVE" finds Powell using surprisingly understated pop to arrive in questioning fashion. The party picks up steam for "ADAM" as Shears gets the dance floor working as the electro clapping "PARTY" continues on this path, yet the songs are more subdued than expected from Boyfriend.

"RULES" has a funky groove before Peaches takes on the role of "SERPENT". The electroclash artist rhymes her way around the garden, dragging out the S's with sleek appeal. Peaches plan is not seductive, leading Eve astray, rather, especially on "DEBATE", her role is inspiring and provoking. Boyfriend gets a sexual awakening as Eve with neon pulsing pop of "CURIOUS" while the electro synthpop keeps humming for "WANT". 

Powell has stated in an interview, that In The Garden, “Is certainly not designed to outrage anyone. Outrage won’t allow any room for engagement”, and that seems to be holding the overall project back from illuminating heights. Those who would be offended will probably never listen to the offering anyhow and that restraint, in hopes to engage, keeps the songs from going over the top (musically and lyrically) to powerfully shift the myth on its and reclaim ownership. 

However, the idea of Eve being the hero is admirable and the album ends with the strongest offerings. The critical moment, "BITE", moves the very literal album into a more creative realm as the song remains mostly instrumental as the track pumps with swelling strings to a unique climax. A vengeful Freedia reigns over "CURSE" while Shears returns for the accusatory "FIGHT" before the final Porter narration adds to the feminist viewing of the tale. Powell wraps it up with breathy vocals around warbling beats of "PARADISE LOST" as she becomes a willing, unrepentant martyr.      

Powell grew up grew up in a conservative Christian environment within the Church of Christ in Nashville, where the Bible was the literal word of God and while her shift to a feminist/LGBT positive telling of this tale is admirable, her more restrained music and her safer approach keeps In The Garden from all-time status. However, an off-Broadway version of In The Garden in play form would certainly be worth a large scale staging and perhaps flushing it all out would bring visual life and glam to another level.

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