Artists you should be listening to, if you already aren't.

I will be one of the first people to admit that I'm not usually one to always discover the latest greatest bands. The other day I was talking with two friends and the subject of popular music came up and of course, whose name gets dropped? Miley Cyrus. Admittedly, most of her music is mind-numbingly terribly and a few of her tracks aren't that awful, but on the whole, not that great. Now, not only was she the first person to be mentioned, but she was used as the measuring stick for all popular music. As a fan of what is often referred to as popular music, and pop music (there is a difference now, pop used to just mean popular but the term became synonymous with bubble gum rock) I feel it my job to show that there are indeed good pop and popular artist out there. I have now drafted a rather lengthy list of mostly American and British popular and pop artists that are not on the top 40 charts but are quite good and they are delineated by genre. 

Hip Hop/Rap

Cazwell: Openly gay Rapper and MC, Cazwell has worked with Peaches and Amanda Lepore. His rap style mixes dance music and 90s style rap. The video that follows is "Ice Cream Truck" probably his most known song and video. It is a little NSFW (man bums and twerking). 

Example: He is an English artist and has recorded with Tiny Tempeh and Calvin Harris. He mixes dance and hip hop music together creating an interesting energetic mix, while often maintaining a somewhat dreary tone. This video is for "Changed the Way You Kiss Me" the first track I ever heard of his.

Lady Sovereign: I've not been keeping up with her career but she is a phenomenal rapper. She is kind of like the really short, British, female Eminem with a touch of Lily Allen. Her tracks are usually rather explicit so be careful if you are listening in public. 

Hoodie Allen: Very American rapper Hoodie Allen, is a fantastic rapper, he is also rather explicit, also he can sing fairly well too, rather 

unusual for a rapper.

Can't Stop Won't Stop: What can I say, if you want a nostalgia fest, this is definitely the artist to look into. Such fun songs with a contagious beat and this song will be stuck in your head for a few days. If I remember this song has one or two explicit words. 

2NE1 (pronounced 21): This is a Korean hip hop/pop group of all girls. All badass. Amazing dancers. This is definitely Korean style rapping and hip hop, so it's very different than anyone else on the list. They received a bit of fan base here in America thanks to their work with Will.I.Am.

Alternative:

This is such a broad genre and most all the rest of the tracks in the "pop" section could easily fit under this banner. 

Bastille: English alt Indie "rock" maybe more "pop" band, with a killer sound and their lead singer has an awesome voice. This song, "Pompeii" is a little bit nerdy with the history metaphors and social commentary.

Neko Case: She has been around for years and she finally released a new album. She has a somewhat folky vibe, with definite rock overtones, with a singer-songwriter element, with just a hint of electronica thrown in. Yeah, she really is that cool. This song is "Man of her latest album The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Try, The Harder I Try, The More I Love You... Long title awesome album. Also, she did a track for The Hunger Games soundtrack. 

Regina Spektor: I know most people know about her, but most people don't talk about her anymore. She most recently did a song for Orange is the New Black but is probably more known for her song "Fidelity" and it's accompanying extremely adorable video. She recently released a new album and my favorite track off of it is "All the Rowboats." Definitely tacks queues from Fiona Apple. Also, if you aren't listening to Fiona Apple, where the hell have you been for the last 15 years? 

Beth Ditto: She is the lead singer of Gossip, and is amazing. She has a powerhouse voice and is a fashion icon. This video is "I Wrote the Book."

The Dum Dum Girls: Totally awesome group, I know nothing about them except their music is awesome, and that is good enough for me. Well, they're super retro and totally fierce (all-girl band, total Josie and the Pussy Cats sans the tails and ears for hats) also they use the word ungulate in a song, what more could you want. This song is "Bedroom Eyes."

Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Karen O is probably one of the most amazing women of all time: lead singer of a Punk band, style icon, and ad designer. Also, the band is freaking awesome. I've listened to them since I was a teenager and they're still awesome. They just released their fourth wide release album. This is "Heads Will Roll," which you might recognize from the Ugly Betty season four soundtrack, or, god help us all, the horrible cover the Glee Cast did in season two, I believe, where they paired it with "Thriller." 

Diamond Rings: Super cool, modern version of David Bowie with more electronica and maybe a little progressive house thrown in. The song is "I'm Just Me."

The Mynabirds: Super cool band, I can't classify them by genre so enjoy. The song is "Generals."

Sky Ferreira: So ever wonder what Madonna could have been if she had had a little more talent and was less concerned with freaking everyone out and masturbating? Well, she could have been Sky Ferreira. With a look, in this video ("Everything is Embarrassing"), that is unabashedly a nod to 1980s Madonna and a sound influenced by the 80s, Sky delivers intelligent lyrics with a surprisingly mature edge and grace. 

Passion Pit: A playful attitude is carried through most of their music, both in lyric and sound. Following the trend of 80s inspired sound, Gossamer is choked full of nostalgia for the 80s but with a thoroughly modern style. This song is "Carried Away." 

Gossip: As mentioned earlier, Beth Ditto fronts this electro-pop band. They're just so cool and English and awesome. They've been releasing music (at least in the states) since about 2007 and have kept abreast of the music trends and even created a few of their own. This song is "Get a Job."

Boy: I love this band and this song, "Little Numbers" was one of my summer favorites. I think they're a new band to watch, they have smart lyrics, laid over a smart catchy sound. 

Amanda Palmer: Former lead singer and pianist of The Dresden Dolls, Amanda Palmer has since branched away from the duo and formed her own band (Amanda Palmer and the Grand Theft Orchestra) and done some side work such as this song, "Map of Tasmania," with Peaches (also, someone, you should be listening to), and The Young Punx. This is NSFW for language and some suggestive content. 

Anya Marina: Quirky, Scandinavian, unusual voice, awesome lyrics, yeah she is so cool. This song is "Whatever You Like."The video is set in an adult store so yeah, it's just the tiniest bit NSFW. 

Classical: 

If you've been looking to expand your classical listening habits, well here are some tips. 

Zoe Keating: Experimental cello and bass with definite nature influences. Not sure what else to say other than have a listen to, "Escape Artist."

Academy of St. Martin in the Fields: So this orchestra releases very few albums of just the orchestra, but they release some of the most amazing albums accompanying soloist like Albrecht Mayer, Joshua Bell, Julia Fischer, Sabine Mayer, and Julian Bliss, just to name a very select few. This is a Mendelssohn piece performed by the Chamber Ensemble. 

Ludovico Einaudi: He has composed scores for movies, commercials, and god knows what else (if you want a complete list you can go to his site). He has released a few albums and they are all brilliant. These are must own. This clip is of him performing his piece "Divenire" live. 

Dance and Dj, Electronica, Progressive House, Trance etc

Vlad Rusu: Super awesome European DJ. He uploads remixes to his SoundCloud and his online radio show. He also has some tracks for sale on iTunes. 

Too Many Left Hands: Denmark based DJ duo Too Many Left Hands are turning out some awesome tracks to rival David Guetta and Calvin Harris.

 

Jason Walker and C-Rod: Amazing Gospel voice mixed with amazing dance tracks, Jason Walker is a little known star waiting to rise. He has released three studio albums and one live session album. he has most recently recorded two tracks with C-Rod.

Kelis: Having shucked off the light poppy R&B sound of "Milkshake," Kelis most recently released a dance/electronic album. This video is of the song she recorded with Calvin Harris, "Bounce."

Grimes: Quirky Electronic music with a serious similarity to Björk. The song is "Genesis."

Sir Ari Gold: Originally recording in the early 2000s as Ari Gold,  he rebranded as Sir Ari Gold for his 2011 album Between the Spirit and the Flesh. He has stuck to making dance informed pop on the indie scene. This song is "Play My F**kn Record" the song is explicit.

Niki and The Dove: This electronic group is outstanding, with intelligent lyrics and smart music they are sure to go far. This song is "Tomorrow"

M83: Edgy and unusual is the only way to describe M83. This song is "Midnight City."

Le Petit Élan: Indie, German-based music and digital video team Le Petit Élan, is an exciting new group sure to make a huge splash in the electronic music world. This song is "Delight." 

Ellie Goulding: She was all anyone could talk about a few years ago, but the talk has quieted down now, but she is still as amazing as ever. With own brand of Pop fused dance, her music is fun and easy to listen to. This song is "Burn."

The Green Children: With mystical almost new age undertones, electronic duo The Green Children breath some fantasy and nature into the almost clinical genre of electronic music.  This song is "Kisses From the Sky."

Pop:

Neon Hitch: Though she has been around for a few years, she has yet to reach the notoriety of some of her peers. It may be because she is English, but at any rate, she is a great Pop talent. This song is "Midnight Sun."

Ingrid Michaelson: With a happy blend of singer-songwriter and pop sensibilities, Ingrid Michaelson delivers thoughtful music with intelligent lyrics. This song is "Blood Brothers."

Elizavetta: Is a cooky, amazingly talented almost unclassifiable artist. With operatic overtones with a subtle blend of electronic instruments and classical instruments. This song is "Dreamer."

Paloma Faith: If you like Adele, Duffy, and Amy Winehouse, then you need to meet to original cooky weird British songstress Paloma Faith. Her music is smart and never dull or like some of her peers' music is. This song is "Picking up the Pieces."

Little Boots: Mixing dance and pop, with a sound similar to Blondie on this track, "Headphones," Little Boots is fairly unrecognized in the states.

Mike Munich: Having modeled for Andrew Christian, danced with Lady GaGa (he was one of the people carrying the infamous egg at the Grammys) Mike Munich has distinguished himself as a beautiful and amazing dancer, he has released a few pop singles, that are fairly mediocre, but he marks a rise again of dancing male pop stars. This song is "Love at War."

 

Mikhael Paskalev: With an indie sound and smart lyrics, Mikhael Paskalev could revolutionize what it means to be a male pop singer. This song is "I Spy."

Chester French: With his own blend of electronic pop, Chester French brings smart lyrics and good melodies that are super addictive. This song is "She Loves Everybody."

JdDubs: Distinguishing himself as a modern ballet dancer, he has now dabbled in indie pop. He is best known for his video "I Hate My Job." (probably because he danced in red pumps with no pants on.) The song is explicit. 

Emmelie De Forest: Winner of Eurovision 2013, Emmelie De Forest is from Denmark and released a beautiful song with deep emotions. This is a live performance of her song "Only Teardrops," which won the Eurovision song contest. 

Natalia Kills: She has been laying just at the surface of pop culture acknowledgment and has yet to really break through and rise to the level of say, Rihanna. This song is "Problem" it is explicit and shows her blend of electronic pop with an urban edge. 

Sharon Needles: Winner of RuPaul's Drag Race season 4, Sharon Needles shook up the "fishy" glam queens Drag Race usually puts out and showed them what a ghoul can really do. Sharon Needles launched an album of awesome, grungey dance fused pop songs, including "KaiKai" featuring her partner Alaska Thunderfuck, and Scissor Sisters member Ana Matronic. This song is her latest single, "Call Me on the Ouija Board" featuring all kinds of horror movie references. 

Nadia Gattas: Hailing from Denmark, Nadia Gattas brings a euro dance-infused pop sound. This song is "Rejser Gennem Tider," which is available from the US iTunes store.

Kimbra: Most known, or unknown, for her duet with Gotye on the single "Someone That I Used To Know," Kimbra brings smart lyrics to catchy pop melodies. This song is "Settle Down."

Killian Wells: Dance informed pop is the name of the game for Killian Wells. His track "STRFKR" (very explicit) shows the style of produced dance pop that can be produced by indie artists. 

Scissors Sister: I realize that they may be one of the better-known pop groups in the world, but still, they have a very select audience, and I don't believe they have made into the top 10s ever. They're now internationally known single, "Let's have a KiKi," has inspired gay boys and gay artists, including Sharon Needles, around the world. 

Sia: Another well known-unknown artist. Having written songs for countless pop stars, including Christina Aguilera, Sia presents, somewhat unintelligible, smart lyrics and her own brand of electro pop. She has recently re-emerged into public focus with the help of David Guetta on tracks like "Titanium" and "She Wolf," which is the following video.

Rock: 

Within Temptation: Inspiring groups like Evanescence, Within Temptation delivers a unique blend of goth metal and symphonic sensibilities.  Their latest album, The Unforgiving, breaks their style because the lead singer lowered her usual operatic soprano to almost an alto. The song "Faster" follows.

The View: Awesome Nothern English band, The View serves up smart songs with an easy to listen to melody. This song is "The Clock" 

Emelie Autumn: Elves with fiddles and electronic metal, pretty much sums up Emelie Autumns sound. She is not really easy to classify, but she has a definite rock side worth showcasing. This song his her feminist manifesto, "Fight Like a Girl."

Willy Porter: His style of blues informed rock puts the crappy John Mayer to shame. This is a live recording of him performing "Available Light." You can purchase his music through his website and Amazon.

 

Singer/songwriter:

Anna Nalick: You may remember her short-lived hit "Breath (2am)" (which is the video selected) but she has gone on to create more beautiful music independently. 

Aoife O'Donovan: Her cool folky vibe is very relaxing. "Beekeeper" follows.

Emma Louise: She blends folky vocals and ethereal electronic rhythms. The song is "Boy."

William Fitzsimmons: Let's just say that all the cool kids have been listening to him and it's about time everyone else did too. The song is "I Don't Fee it Anymore." 

I hope you go out and buy some of the music off the list because when you do, good musicians prosper. 

First Year of Grad School

So this post is kind of whiny, and probably a little self-indulgent. Then again, what blog isn't a little self-indulgent? Anyway, I needed to purge a bit of these thoughts from my head, and hopefully, it reaches someone else out there that is going through something similar, then you'll know you're not alone in these thoughts and feelings. 

This fall I started my first year of grad school. I'm pursuing my Master's degree in English. Out of the three classes I'm taking, there is only one in which I feel like I'm actually at level in.

 The three classes I'm taking is Composition Theory, Utopianism, and Digital Literacies. Utopianism is my favorite class because I fit into it very well, and I can operate at a level in the theory and material. Digital Literacies is my second favorite, mostly because most of the work is not too exceedingly difficult, but makes me examine how I handle digital media and how I consume it and how I participate in digital media. However, I don't really understand the work I'm doing, and it's just not making a whole lot of sense. I also don't feel like I have anything to add to the discourse of the class and subject. Admittedly, I'm only three weeks into the semester, but still, I feel very dumb in this class. My least favorite class is the Composition Theory and Rhetoric class. I really don't understand what is going on with the material. I have no real foundation in the material and no real connection to it. I also feel really dumb in this class. Like beyond dumb. Like actually stupid, and because I that feeling, I'm not totally enjoying it and feel this weird mixture of having to excel, but at the same time that no matter how hard I try, I won't be able to succeed. 

What I'm hoping, is that this is all par for the course and that I'm not some weird apparition of a first-year grad student, that is way too stupid to be in graduate school. In fact, that very thought ran through my head in class today: maybe I shouldn't be in grad school? Maybe I should just go and learn a trade or try and work in an office or flip burgers or something? But, when I sit down in Utopianism, and we start discussing stuff, I know that I really want to do this. I really want to work in Literature. I really want to work in Literary theory. I just have to work through the classes outside my forte and try my hardest.  

Gender

A couple of weeks ago I completed an intro level psychology course on lifespan development (in fact that was the title of the class). On the last day of class, we played Jeopardy to see how much information we remembered from the class. One of the questions was, "What is gender?" As I'm sure many of you are aware there are many many definitions for gender: there is the incredibly simple and evasive "gender is whatever we decide it is," to the incredibly complicated rundown on how society shapes our view of gender. Both of these answers are correct but the more complicated answer is inevitably the best and most accurate.

I will concede that gender is what we decide it is: we each define ourselves by what we perceive gender to be. However, our perception of gender is shaped by our society. For example, judge the difference between Western European men and American men. By comparison to the rest of the world, Western European men are very effeminate and American men are hyper-masculine. American men often refer to Western European men as "girly" equating their sense of fashion, mannerism, and behavior to being innately feminine. This claim is not incorrect, however, we as a society have reached an understanding that all feminine qualities are distinctly female. This claim is indeed incorrect: women can have masculine traits and be female and men can be feminine while maintaining their maleness.

Running with the idea of masculinity/femininity not being intrinsically male/female, the question then becomes how do we define our gender if not along the lines of femininity and masculinity? This is where it becomes tricky because our decisions about our gender are tied to our genitals: penises = masculine and manhood (thus the euphemism) and vaginas = feminine and womanhood. Gender, however, is the psychological perception of one's societal roles and the behaviors that accompany that role. These roles are everything from sexuality to employment. These roles manifest in women being, traditionally, caretakers of children and the elderly as well as the home, and men working outside the home in the community (in developed civilizations). If one looks back at tribal groups they see that occupational roles are slightly different with women often controlling the economics of the village with men doing the hard labor to support the village.

On the subject of employment, many people do not realize that certain occupations are seen as belonging to certain sexes/genders. Though it is becoming increasingly more common, women are still in the minority in most jobs especially those requiring hard physical labor: there are very few female construction workers, carpenters, electricians, police officers, firefighters, and EMTs. Women are more likely to be found working retail, especially front end (cashiering), waiting tables, doing office work, janitorial work, and in education below the collegiate level. These occupational choices are tied into our societies perception of femininity and masculinity. For example, I'm an English major (focus in Literature) and was a History major before that. The populations in my classes are incredibly different: History classes are occupied predominately by men and English classes are predominately occupied by women. These classes are of course in the upper division since there is usually equivalent students in the lower division classes.

Beyond occupation, there are of course fashions and personal care that belong strictly to one gender. For example, women usually do not shave their faces because most of them do not need to, but if there is unwanted facial hair they tend to wax or pluck. Admittedly shaving is a short term fix and most women are desiring the lasting effects of waxing or plucking. Conversely, on the whole, men do not wear makeup. the idea that makeup is for women is fairly recent (occurring in the last 200 years) and occurred parallel to the rise of the middle class and democratic governments in the West as well as industrialization. Makeup belonged to the upper classes with middle and lower class people not really being able to afford fineries in the way of cosmetics; however, towards the end of the Nineteenth-century cosmetics began to become part of middle-class life. Furthermore in the last fifty or so years, upper middle class and upper-class men have stopped getting manicures. Though very common during the early and middle part of the Twentieth century, manicures fell out of favor and popularity once the sexual revolution of the 1960s began.

Though this has been a long laundry list of things we do not usually take into account when discussing gender, these are all part of our societies gender makeup. We live in a society of 3-5 genders (male, female, trans which can be broken down into trans male and trans female, and gender fluid/queer). Though this classification is somewhat unpopular in today's hyper-sensitive culture, it is an easily debatable topic: since gender, from my stance, is developed by society, someone who is trans has different gender expectations than someone who is not. Furthermore, someone who is trans will not have had the same gender expectations before their transition; therefore, they will not have the experience of having been the gender they are transitioning to.

The topic of gender is a long and confusing discussion that is often oversimplified for ease of use. We as a society have been abusing the term gender and refuse to take an honest look at how we perceive gender. Furthermore, we use gender as a means of attack: we rebuke women for being too masculine and men for being too girly when they do not encompass their traditional roles or societies perceived notion of gender. This unwillingness to be flexible with gender perception could be part of increasing numbers of trans individuals (both transgender and transsexual). If we could expand our notions of gender we could possibly decrease gender confusion in our society and even eliminate some sources of bullying. This is, of course, an idealized concept that would take years of implementation into our personal lives to realize as a society.