Ari Gold

How many openly gay pop artists are there on the scene who actually come out early in their careers -- and not wait for the obligatory Behind the Music episode or sit-down with Oprah Winfrey several years down the road? Not many, and that's certainly what makes Ari Gold stand out from the pack. Gold specializes in R&B-electro-dance sounds that are a pleasant surprise given the fact that the music is laid-back and not of the hyper variety, as evidenced throughout his 2007 release, Transport Systems. And unlike quite a few similarly styled artists who simply revisit the same old subject matter in their lyrics, Gold's lyrics run the gamut from gay relationships ("Good Relationship") to human rights ("Human") and even drug addiction ("Feeding the Fire"). That said, none of the music is particularly revolutionary here; it's just pleasant dance-pop that comes off like a more mature Backstreet Boys at times -- "Where the Music Takes You," "Mr. Mistress," etc. But Gold certainly deserves credit for tackling lyrical subjects usually not linked with dance-pop, which he boldly does throughout Transport Systems. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide