Jan 09, 2009  | COMMENTS     

This year is already seeing some exciting new music releases. Gays will get “best of” collections, new material and remix albums to add to their collections this year.

On Tuesday, a new disc of Judy Garland’s “Love Songs” will find a place in fans’ collections. The tracks all come from the soundtracks of “The Judy Garland Show,” her musical variety television series that aired from 1963-’64. The compilation features old standards like “From This Moment On,” “Come Rain or Come Shine” and “The Nearness of You.”

Another compilation, “Playlist: The Very Best of the Indigo Girls,” will be released the same day. This selection of Indigo Girls’ hits is part of the Playlist series, which re-masters the songs and packages the discs in an environmentally friendly fashion. Get “Closer to Fine,” “Shame on You” and “Midnight Train to Georgia,” among others, all one on CD.

The sexually fluid Antony and the Johnsons releases “The Crying Light” this month (Jan. 20), which is sure to be another heartbreaking release of beautiful, poetic lyrics enhanced by lead singer Antony Hegarty’s signature quivering warble. Hegarty often explores queer topics in his songs, especially the transgender life. This is the third studio album for the group — it will feature elaborate orchestrated string arrangements by Antony and composer Nico Muhly.

Sony BMG will deliver a perfect gift for Mariah Carey fans this year (Jan. 20) with “The Ballads,” which handpicks Carey’s best cheesy love songs and puts them on one album. “Vision of Love,” “One Sweet Day” and “Anytime You Need a Friend” will fall alongside lesser-known slow jams from her “Glitter” and “Rainbow” albums.

Scottish and sexually ambiguous rockers Franz Ferdinand often embrace topics of same-sex flirtations. Their tight pants and onstage antics have won them fans from across the board. The band releases its third album, “Tonight: Franz Ferdinand,” on Jan. 27.

Gays love Aussie diva Kylie Minogue, and this year, instead of an album of new material, she’ll be giving us remixed versions of her already adored hits. A mash-up of “Can’t You Out of My Head” and ’80s synth group New Order’s “Blue Monday” kicks off the disc, which also contains mixes of “Spinning Around,” “Slow,” “Red-Blooded Woman” and last year’s single “2 Hearts.”

“Liza’s at the Palace,” a two-CD set that celebrates Liza Minnelli’s return to Broadway’s Palace Theatre from December, arrives in stores Feb. 3. The first disc showcases Liza’s signature hits, while the second disc acts as a tribute to Minnelli’s godmother, Kay Thompson.

British pop star Lily Allen will follow up her debut album, “Alright, Still,” with “It’s Not Me, It’s You” on Feb. 10. Allen sings in a “Mockney” style, speaking the sassy lyrics in her verses in a Cockney accent. The new album’s songs include: “Fuck You,” which is about George W. Bush, “The Fear,” about fear of corporate sponsorship, and “Everyone’s At It,” a commentary on drug culture.

The first greatest hits collection from Scottish icon Annie Lennox hits store the same day; the limited edition version of the album includes a bonus DVD. The disc spans 15 years will also have two new songs, “Pattern of My Life” and “Shining Light,” a cover of a song by Ash, a British alt-rock group.

Rounding out the first few months of 2009 is a new release from asexual-bit-maybe-gay rock god Morrissey. “Years of Refusal” is the ninth solo album by the former Smiths frontman and hits stores Feb. 16. In December, Morrissey revealed the album in full to a group of journalists for a special listening party, and initial impressions were positive.

Further into 2009, we’ll see releases from lesbian folk rocker Mirah, a new album in “Breakway” style from Kelly Clarkson and British electro-pop star Lady Sovereign.

And don’t hold your breath, but soul legend Aretha Franklin says her long-delayed next album “A Woman Falling Out of Love” will finally hit stores this spring (she’s been saying that for the last four years). Franklin previewed a cut from the album, the rollicking “I Adore You” for which she accompanied herself on piano, during an October D.C. concert.