Lorde – Audiofemme

NEWS ROUNDUP: #GrammySoMale, The Superbowl, Sh*tholes & More

#GrammySoMale
Despite a bombastic performance from Kendrick Lamar, a rallying #MeToo speech from Janelle Monae, and an incredibly emotional Kesha moment, last Sunday’s Grammys disappointed in a giant way. Hip-hop got shut out from the major categories again (this time by Bruno Mars) and women were all but ignored, claiming only eleven of the 84 trophies. Best new artist winner Alessia Cara was the only solo female to win a Grammy. She beat out SZA, who despite being the most nominated lady of the night, went home empty-handed. In a night filled with multiple appearances from U2, Sting, and Shaggy, many wondered why Lorde (the only female nominee for Album of the Year) did not perform. Following the show it was revealed that the Melodrama artist was never offered a solo slot, only an appearance in a Tom Petty tribute, which she understandably turned down. Asked for comment on the matter, Grammy executive producer Ken Ehrlich told Variety, “We have a box and it gets full. She had a great album. There’s no way we can really deal with everybody.” His idiocy was quickly eclipsed by Recording Academy president, Neil Portnow. When asked about the lack of female representation in the awards, Portnow made the following tone deaf statement:

“It has to begin with… women who have the creativity in their hearts and souls, who want to be musicians, who want to be engineers, producers, and want to be part of the industry on the executive level… [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][They need] to step up because I think they would be welcome…”

Many were not happy with his comments, especially his suggestion for women to “step up.” Pink and Charli XCX were among those that took to Twitter to lambast Portnow; others followed suit by using #GrammySoMale to voice their disapproval. On Thursday, in response, Portnow announced the establishment of a new task force that will investigate gender bias at The Grammys and the Recording Academy. On the same day, music-business lawyer Rosemary Carroll spearheaded a group of female music executives’ call for Portnow step down. In an open letter, the executives state, “Today we are stepping up and stepping in to demand your resignation.”
Janet Jackson’s Super Bowl RevengeOn Sunday night, Justin Timberlake returns to the Super Bowl for the halftime performance. The move has prompted many to ask “What about Janet?” It was fourteen years ago that JT and the “Rhythm Nation” singer shocked television audiences when Timberlake revealed Jackson’s breast at the end of their 2004 halftime performance of “Rock Your Body.” While Timberlake’s career has continued to flourish, Jackson was virtually blacklisted from the industry after the event.Though Jackson won’t be present at the Super Bowl, she is finally making her deserved comeback. Coachella organizers Goldenvoice have announced Jackson as one of the the top billers of the 2018 Panorama music festival. From July 27 – 29, she’ll headline along with The Killers, The Weekend, SZA, Father John Misty, St. Vincent, The War on Drugs, Due Lipa, Gucci Mane, Cardi B, The XX, Fleet Foxes, Migos, Odessa, and David Byrne.

Speaking of David Byrne…
Byrne made news for several events this week. The Talking Heads founder is releasing a new album, American Utopia, in March, and yesterday he released a playlist in response to a certain political figure. “The Beautiful Shitholes” is a collection of tracks from the likes of Amadou & Mariam, Orchestra Baobab, and Calle 13. Byrne released the following partial statement along with the playlist:“I assume I don’t have to explain where the shithole reference came from.Here’s a playlist that gives just the smallest sample of the depth and range of creativity that continues to pour out of the countries in Africa and the Caribbean. It is undeniable. Can music help us empathize with its makers?”Read Byrne’s full statement and listen to “The Beautiful Shitholes” here.

Other Highlights

After a couple of years of heavy touring with a live band and the exit of Rhye co-founder Robin Hannibal, Mike Milosh is back with Blood, the follow up to Rhye’s 2013 debut, Woman. “Count To Five” is the first official video off of the sophomore release. Albert Hammond Jr.’s upcoming album, Francis Trouble, is out March 9th via Red Bull Records. On Thursday night he performed new track, “Muted Beatings,” on Conan. Chvrches released a clip this week for fresh single, “Get Out.” The Scottish trio will play Governor’s Ball in NYC on June 3rd. The tracklist for the soundtrack of upcoming Marvel movie Black Panther has been released; Grammy-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar co-produced the soundtrack which features SZA, Khalid, Jorja Smith, Jay Rock, and more. The first single off the album, “Pray For Me,” is out now and features Lamar and The Weekend. The soundtrack drops February 9th. King Krule is asking listeners to submit photos inspired by the cover of his latest album, The Ooz. The collection of pics are being published on a new Instagram account and prizes may be involved. Flatbush Zombies have three new projects in the works. The rappers’ sophomore album, Vacation in Hell is out April 6th, their touring life is chronicled in Building a Ladder, a new documentary out April 2nd, and group member Erick “The Architect” Elliot is releasing Arcstrumentals2 on February 16th. Nas performed his seminal album, Illmatic, with the National Symphony Orchestra. The concert airs on PBS tonite at 9pm. Noughties nostalgia is fulfilled on “Get It,” a new track from Missy Elliot, Kelly Rowland, and Busta Rhymes. The copyright floodgates have been opened! Kanye West and Solange are both being sued by Prince Phillip Mitchell for unsolicited use of his song “If We Can’t Be Lovers.” West sampled the track for 2007 song, “Everything I Am,” Knowles used it in her leaked 2008 release, “Fuck The Industry.”

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NEWS ROUNDUP: The Grammys, New Study on Gender Disparity in Music & More

The Grammy Awards

On Sunday night, the music industry’s most momentous ceremony returns to New York City after ten years in Los Angeles. The 60th Grammy Awards will be held at Madison Square Garden and this year the pressure is on for the Recording Academy to prove that they are still relevant within the cultural zeitgeist. In 2016, Taylor Swift’s 1989 was awarded album of the year over Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly. The win prompted many, including Frank Ocean, to accuse The Academy of shutting out minorities. In a move that Ocean called his “Colin Kaepernick moment” he declined to submit his seminal sophomore album, Blonde, for 2017 consideration. This action was echoed by Drake who did not enter his immensely popular Views into the competition. A year later, at the 2017 ceremony, a collective “WTF!?” was felt across the music industry yet again when Album of the Year was awarded to Adele’s 25 (herself in disbelief) over Beyoncé’s Lemonade.

This year, everyone is wondering if the Recording Academy will finally give artists of color the credit they are due. Will trophy wins match the Billboard charts, which have have proven that we are living in the age of hip-hop and R&B? If the nominations are any indication, all signs point to yes. Childish Gambino, Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, and Bruno Mars are all up for album of the year (no rapper has ever won the honor). The last time that four non-white artists were included in this category was in 2005. However, we still have to ask, “Where the women at?” Lorde is the single female nominee in the group. In contrast, the 2018 Best New Artist selection bodes well for racial diversity and gender equality. SZA, Khalid, Lil Uzi Vert, Alessia Cara, and Julia Michaels round out that category.

Gender Disparity In The Music Industry

A new study by USC Annenberg’s School for Communication and Journalism has confirmed something we already knew: women are vastly underrepresented in the music industry. To make its conclusion, the study analyzed the gender make-up of songwriters, performers, and producers of top-charting songs on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for a five-year period. From 2012-2017, female songwriters counted for only 12.3 percent of those hits; 22.4 percent of the performers were women. The study found that different veins of gender inequality within the music industry are all linked. It’s a chain reaction – female artists tend to work with female songwriters more than male artists do. Less ladies on stage mean less ladies behind the lyrics. However, the biggest industry disparity is present in the recording studio. Only two-percent of producers credited for the Billboard hits were women. In other words, male producers outnumbered the ladies, forty-nine to one.

The Annenberg school is hoping that by highlighting these numbers, the music industry will be called to action and put hiring practices in place that are more beneficial to women.
RIP Mark E. Smith (March 5, 1957 – January 24, 2018)

On Wednesday, post-punk legend Mark E. Smith passed away at the age of sixty. As lead singer and founder of The Fall, the Manchester musician was a complicated figure whose immense talent and vitriolic disposition simultaneously captivated and repelled his greatest collaborators & fans. Smith formed the Fall in 1976 after seeing the Sex Pistols in concert. Before his death, he churned out thirty-two records with a rotating cast of band members. Despite a lack of commercial success, the Fall proved to be a defining influence for future generations of punks and indie-rockers. The Fall’s last release New Facts Emerge came out last year.

Other Highlights

According to Prince’s estate adviser, Troy Carter, the world will one day hear new music from the late musician. However, there’s no telling when the unreleased material will be available to the public as it is tied up in legal battles between record labels, Prince’s legal heirs, and his estate. Sir Elton John has announced that he will retire from touring but you still have several years to catch him on the road. The seventy-year-old Rocket Man will bid his farewell by playing three-hundred shows over the next three years. Two pop heavy-hitters gave us videos this week: Lady Gaga released the clip for a piano-centric version of “Joanne” while Justin Timberlake prompted Bon Iver comparisons (and insults) with “Say Something.” JT’s vid is produced and directed by La Blogothèque, the French collective best known for their YouTube performance series, the Take Away shows. The #MeToo movement is quickly making waves in music industry. This week, hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons and rapper Nelly were accused of sexual assault. Simmons has vehemently denied the accusations; Nelly has yet to make a statement.

The Misfits may be returning to NYC with their original lineup. On January 26, Live Nation tweeted “#ALLHELLSGONNABREAKLOOSE” accompanied by the iconic skull logo in the shape of New Jersey, the band’s home state. Amanda Palmer and Jherek Bischoff paid tribute to the late Dolores O’Riordan by releasing covers of The Cranberries’ hits “No Need To Argue” and “Zombie.” Due to overwhelming demand, indie darlings Haim have added a second Radio City date to their Sister Sister Sister tour. They also released a new video directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. This month has been great for new albums – Hollie Cook, No Age, and Ty Segall all released new material today. No Age will be playing in Brooklyn on May 2.

AF 2017 IN REVIEW: Our Favorite Albums and Singles of the Year

While there’s been many a jaded thinkpiece about the import of music critics (usually begging the question What are they good for?) and the ubiquity of year-end lists can feel shallow at times, we can’t stress enough the importance of what it means to share music among friends. It’s a huge part of developing our tastes early in life – everyone has that one super cool bestie who introduced you to your favorite band in middle school – and as we get older, if music remains a source of passion in our lives, it becomes something we bond over as new relationships form.

Here at Audiofemme, we think of our readers as friends, so we made a list too. It’s not definitive, it’s not authoritative, and it’s (hopefully) not pretentious – just a round-up of the albums and singles that soundtracked the year for our regular writers (and, of course, your editors). We hope it will result in discovery as one year becomes the next; perhaps that album you missed back in February will get you through this winter, here and now. Music exists on a continuum, and even though the releases were highlighting now all came out within a particular calendar year, we don’t have to put them aside as we turn the page. Stay tuned for more features over the next week recapping 2017, and in the meantime, take a listen to some of our most beloved tunes.

EDITOR LISTS

Annie White (Executive Director)

Top 10 Albums:
1) Zola Jesus – Okovi
2) the xx – I See You
3) Jlin – Black Oragami
4) King Krule – The OOZ
5) Perfume Genius – No Shape
6) Kelela – Take Me Apart
7) Julien Baker – Turn Out The Lights
8) Slowdive – Slowdive
9) SZA – Ctrl
10) Priests – Nothing Feels Natural
Top 5 Singles:
1) Aimee Mann – “Goose Snow Cone”
2) Rostam – “Don’t Let It Get To You”
3) Lorde – “The Louvre”
4) Cardi B – “Bodak Yellow”
5) Charlotte Gainsbourg – “Deadly Valentine”
Lindsey Rhoades (Editor-in-Chief)

Top 10 Albums:
1) Mount Eerie – A Crow Looked at Me
2) The War on Drugs – A Deeper Understanding
3) Slowdive – Slowdive
4) Sophia Kennedy – Sophia Kennedy
5) SZA – Ctrl
6) Circuit des Yeux – Reaching for Indigo
7) Kelly Lee Owens – Kelly Lee Owens
8) Big Thief – Capacity
9) Havah – Contravveleno
10) sir Was – Digging a Tunnel
Top 10 Singles:
1) Land of Talk – “Inner Lover”
2) Xiu Xiu – “Wondering”
3) The National – “Nobody Else Will Be There”
4) Jlin – “Holy Child”
5) Marika Hackman – “Boyfriend”
6) Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith – “An Intention”
7) Wolf Parade – “Valley Boy”
8) Syd – “Body”
9) Perfume Genius – “Wreath”
10) Pixx – “Toes”

STAFF LISTS

Madison Bloom (Only Noise)

Top 5 Albums:
1) Happyness – Write In
2) Timber Timbre – Sincerely, Future Pollution
3) Aldous Harding – Party
4) Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.
5) Perfume Genius – No Shape
Top 3 Singles:
1) Aldous Harding – “Imagining My Man”
2) Blanck Mass – “Please”
3) Benjamin Clementine – “Phantom of Aleppoville”
Ashley Prillaman

Top 5 Albums:
1) Valerie June – The Order of Time
2) Portugal The Man – Woodstock
3) Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.
4) Big Thief – Capacity
5) SZA – Ctrl
Top 3 Singles:
1) Valerie June – “Astral Plane”
2) Amber Mark – “Lose My Cool”
3) Big Thief – “Shark Smile”
Kaiya Gordon (Playing Columbus)

Top 5 Albums:
1) Princess Nokia – 1992 Deluxe
2) SZA – Cntrl
3) Paramore – After Laughter
4) Aye Nako – Silver Haze
5) Big Thief – Capacity
Top 3 Singles:
1) Cardi B – “Bodak Yellow”
2) St. Vincent – “New York”
3) Japanese Breakfast – “Machinist”
Sara Barron (Playing Detroit)

Top 5 Albums:
1) Daniel Caesar – Freudian
2) Jamila Woods – HEAVN
3) Moses Sumney – Aromanticism
4) Kurt Vile and Courtney Barnett – Lotta Sea Lice
5) Kevin Morby – City Music
Top 3 Singles:
1) St. Vincent – “New York”
2) Snoh Aalegra – “Fool For You”
3) Cigarettes After Sex – “Sweet”
Elizabeth Wakefield

Top 5 Albums:
1) Bambara – Swarm
2) Angel Olsen – Phases
3) Bjork – Utopia
4) Surfbort – Bort 2 Death
5) Liars – TFCF
Top 3 Singles:
1) Alexander F – “Swimmers”
2) Weeping Icon – “Jail Bilz”
3) Uni – “What’s the Problem?”
Tarra Thiessen (Check the Spreadsheet)

Top 5 Albums:
1) Francie Moon – So This is Life
2) The Big Drops – Time, Color
3) Angel Olsen – Phases
4) Lola Pistola – Curfew
5) Thelma & The Sleaze – Somebody’s Doin Somethin
Top 3 Singles:
1) Bizarre Sharks – “Tremendous”
2) Ty Segall – “Black Magick”
3) Fruit & Flowers – “Out of Touch”
Jamila Aboushaca

Top 5 Albums:
1) ODESZA — A Moment Apart
2) Royal Blood — How Did We Get So Dark?
3) Cut Copy — Haiku From Zero
4) Khalid — American Teen
5) Lana Del Rey — Lust For Life
Top 3 Singles:
1) Rostam Batmanglij — “Gwan”
2) Cut Copy — “Standing In The Middle Of The Field”
3) alt-J — “In Cold Blood”
Natalie Kirch (Pet Politics)

Top 5 Albums:
1) Def Grrrls – GRLS
2) PILL – Convenience
3) Fruit & Flowers – Drug Tax
4) THICK – It’s Always Something
5) Fraidycat – Other Better Places
Top 3 5 6 Singles:
1) Holy Tunics – “Victoria”
2) Alexander F – “Call Me Pretty”
3) Grim Streaker – “Miami Girl”
4) Lost Boy ? – “Mr. Dribble Drab”
5) Haybaby – “Yours”
HONORABLE MENTION: Bad GP – “The GP Stripes Theme Song”
Suzannah Weiss (High Notes)

Top 5 Albums:
1) Laura Marling – Semper Femina
2) Galantis – The Aviary
3) Robin Schulz – Uncovered
4) Sleigh Bells – Kid Kruschev
5) Björk – Utopia
Top 3 Singles:
1) Marshmello ft. Khalid – “Silence”
2) Martin Garrix ft. Troye Sivan – “There for You”
3) Dua Lipa – “New Rules”
Mandy Brownholtz

Top 5 Albums:
1) Alvvays – Antisocialites
2) Waxahatchee – Out In The Storm
3) Future Islands – The Far Field
4) Priests – Nothing Feels Natural
5) King Woman – Created In The Image Of Suffering
Top 3 Singles:
1) Alvvays – “NotMy Baby”
2) Yumi Zouma – “December”
3) Charly Bliss – “Glitter”

NEWS ROUNDUP: Northside Festival, Metal + Politics & More

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In Case You Haven’t Noticed, Northside Is Happening

You may have already seen 20 amazing shows! Or you may be like me: someone who bought tickets to one event and won them for another, but went to neither because they managed to get deathly sick in June (thanks, universe). Before you head out this weekend, make sure you check out AudioFemme’s guide to the festival! We’re also hosting our very own showcase Saturday at noon at the Knitting Factory with our friends from Glamglare; hope to see you there!

Meet The Transgender Metal Musician Changing Politics

Via Noisey: Danica Roem is many things: Transgender, a journalist, a musician in the metal band Cab Ride Home, and a groundbreaking candidate in Virginia politics. After gaining some notoriety by fighting anti-LGBTQ policies in schools, Roem is running as a Democrat for Virginia’s House of Delegates, against an opponent that has a bathroom bill similar to North Carolina’s. Read the whole article here.

The Fall Announce 5-Night Run at Baby’s All Right this September

Mark E Smith’s volatile personality and penchant for wild experimentation made Manchester punk act The Fall both legendary and influential. With their 32nd album, New Facts Emerge, slated for release and in July and a scheduled date at Cropped Out Festival in Louisville, Kentucky, The Fall have blessed Brooklyn with a five-night run of shows at Baby’s All Right. These, along with the festival set, will be the band’s first stateside concerts in over a decade. Most shows are sold out, but you can still get tickets for Wednesday, 9/13.

Other Highlights

PJ Harvey takes on the Syrian refugee crisis, stay tuned for a musical about Cher’s life, both Thee Oh Sees and Death From Above 1979 are dropping part of their names, Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile are forming a super group, check out a new video from Torres and a new song from Azealia Banks, get ready for a Spongebob musical, Taylor Swift is back to streaming, and Lorde credits the hellish F train for her upcoming album.

https://soundcloud.com/castle-face-1/oh-sees-the-static-god

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ONLY NOISE: Teenage

“Teenage, teenage/I want a car, I want a girl.”

It’s 10am, and the 1979 hit “Teenage” by L.A. punks The Weirdos rotates maliciously in my head. I meant to wake up hours ago, but the weighty fuzz of last night’s beer kept me tucked in.

“Teenage, teenage/Don’t wanna work, don’t wanna go to school.”

I don’t believe it. I’m being mocked by my subconscious – and I haven’t even had coffee yet.

My dream state has produced an apt song to score the morning. It must have known that I’ve been feeling “Teenage, teenage…”

I’ve been thinking a lot about the teen image in pop music lately – and wondering if it is to blame for my arrested development. It’s not the most reliable theory, but hey, it’s possible.

The teenager is a relatively new concept to Western history, and yet the moment it was introduced like a sparkly new car model near the close of World War II, the identity found a home in popular culture. Born in 1944, Seventeen magazine was the first periodical to specifically target this new demographic. Naturally, the film, fashion, and music industries weren’t far behind in glossing their products for teen appeal. Teen-themed songs shined especially bright.

Early instances of the teen hit included “Seventeen” by Boyd Bennett and His Rocket (1955), Chuck Berry’s “Sweet Little Sixteen” (1958), and “A Teenager In Love” by Dion and the Belmonts (1959). Of course the trope has persisted into contemporary music, although teenagers themselves often sing the songs, which is far more comforting. When The Undertones released “Teenage Kicks” in 1978, the band members had hardly touched their twenties. When Chuck Berry sang “Sweet Little Sixteen,” however, he was 32 – not so sweet, Chuck!

More recently, Cherry Glazerr’s “Teenage Girl” was written by 19-year-old Clementine Creevy, and Lorde’s “White Teeth Teens” from 2013’s Pure Heroine was recorded when Lorde was still a teen herself. These tracks are just a couple of current reminders that the motif isn’t going away any time soon. And why would it? It seems now more than ever the teen and tween sectors hold an influential hand over the pop culture marketplace. Goliath hit makers such as Katy Perry (“Teenage Dream”), Drake (“Teenage Fever”), and Khalid (“American Teen”) know this too, though their own ages render the subject matter a bit tired and sad, if not creepy. I guess “Early 30s Dream” and “Millennial Fever” don’t roll off the tongue too well.

But who am I to judge? I’m 27 and still wearing band shirts. In fact, I pretty much wear the same outfits I wore in high school, just pared down to feature fewer spiky things. Maybe I do this because I hate shopping, or because I’m clinging to the fact that the clothes still fit (thank you Lycra!), or maybe – and this is a far more embarrassing possibility – I still feel like a fifteen year old. In many ways I am perpetuating a similar state of arrested development as pop culture en masse…and I’m not even getting paid for it.

At 27 – an age already loaded with music mythology and tragedy – you can do one of three things. 1) Die horribly of a drug overdose or in a plane crash. 2) Cling to the idea of your bountiful 20s and become a (Wo)Man child. Or 3) Become an “Adult” with a capital “A.” Follow in the footsteps of my old co-worker, who despite being two years my junior, makes monthly Excel spreadsheets with his girlfriend to track and budget their combined spending. This is the same person who, when I got excited about the free poster stowed within a record I was opening, earnestly asked,

“Who puts posters on their walls anymore?”

ME. That’s who.

Looking around my bedroom, I wouldn’t say it screams “27-year-old-educated-woman!” but rather, “15-year-old-pop-culture-junkie!” “Hey!” my room shouts. “Do you wanna listen to a record?! Look at my cool stuff!”

Some people my age want to buy houses, or couches, or couches for their houses. The well-adjusted long for crockpots and a nice dining room table. Looking around my bedroom I realize I haven’t paid for a single item of furniture in it. Desk: found on the street. Dresser: left by a former roommate. Bookshelf: free pile in the hall. The things I do spend money on – records, books, movies, writing and drawing supplies, food, booze – haven’t changed a hair since high school. My monetary ambition seems stunted, and my income is in a gradual decline. When people speak about being “an adult” I spin around. “Adult? Where? Do you see one?” I ask, only half-kidding.

Because a teenager’s finest skill is not taking responsibility for his or her actions, I blame this all on pop music. How am I supposed to adult when listening to Tom Waits sing “I Don’t Wanna Grow up,” or “Teen Lovers” by The Virgins? It’s not that I want to hang out with teenagers – that would be weird – I just don’t want to be shamed for my teenage taste, and my teenage disinterest in “feeling like an adult.” Because just like the teenager, the adult is a construct, too.

NEWS ROUNDUP: SXSW’s Deportation Clause, Rihanna & More

SXSW’s Troubling Deportation Policy

Yesterday, artist Told Slant announced he was canceling his SXSW performances after discovering the something alarming in the artist contract – there’s a clause stating that “foreign artists” performing on certain visas may not participate in unofficial showcases and that doing so “may result in immediate deportation, revoked passport and denied entry by US Customs Border Patrol at US ports of entry.” The managing director of SXSW has been busy doing damage control, first stating that Told Slant put two portions of the contract together to make it seem worse than it is (which Stereogum quickly debunked) before backtracking to say the clause is meant to deal with more serious infractions than playing unofficial shows. The Future of Music Coalition published a breakdown of the controversy as a mounting list of artists get serious about possibly boycotting the festival. Victoria Ruiz of Downtown Boys has started a petition to remove the clause from the contract.
Rihanna Honored By Harvard

Havard named the singer Humanitarian of the Year and received the Peter J. Gomes Humanitarian Award for starting a nonprofit that helps Caribbean children who are attending school in the United States, starting an oncology and nuclear medicine center in Barbados, and her Believe Foundation, which helps disadvantaged children around the world. Go to 1:13 in the ceremony’s livestream to watch her speech.

Other Highlights

Lady Gaga will replace Beyonce at Coachella; Lorde, Cold War Kids, and Thurston Moore all released new videos and music; check out the awesome winners of NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest; members of Wilco/Deerhoof/Minutemen formed a super group; and a Roger Waters album is coming in May.

TRACK OF THE WEEK: Son Lux and Lorde

Last year, producer/composer Ryan Lott, aka Son Lux, released his amazing full-length album Lanterns to immediate praise. How’s now returning with Alternate Worlds, an EP of four of Lanterns’ songs reimagined and reinvented. The tracks are all worth a listen, but Son Lux’s collaboration with Lorde on a remake of his song “Easy” is our favorite.

“Easy (Switch Screens)” ups the ante by replacing “Easy”’s originally slithering, quietly hypnotizing sound with a heavier, more intense one. The song is still rather minimalistic but the percussion takes an industrial turn here, and when paired with Lorde’s now unmistakeable voice, it’s downright sinister—but in an oh so sexy way. She sounds like a movie villain spurned as she sings Son Lux’s lyrics, “Pull out your heart to make the being alone easy.” An abrasive electrical guitar solo punctuates the track with a distorted sound that almost nears scratches on a chalkboard.

The overall effect is ever so slightly disquieting, but 100% mesmerizing. Alternate Worlds is due out May 27th on vinyl via Joyful Noise Records, but it’s available digitally right now. Take a listen to “Easy (Switch Screens)” below!

AudioFemme’s Best of 2013

From elaborate roll-outs to surprise releases, 2013 was a banner year for comebacks, break-outs, break-ups, and overnight sensations. The fact that the most oblique content could cause rampant controversy to reverberate through the blogosphere turned every song into a story and made every story seem epic. At the heart of it all are the sounds that defined this particular calendar year, from electronic pop to punk rock to hip-hop to hardcore and everything in between.

After much debate, we’re proud of our little list and believe it represents releases that are among the best and most important of the year. Here are our top 50 LPs in two parts: 50-26 // 25-1

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And check out our Top Albums of 2013 Playlist on Spotify.
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In a given year, thousands of records are released, many of them having upwards of ten tracks apiece. So it’s actually physically impossible to hear them all, and can be downright daunting to wrangle them into some kind of intelligible countdown. But we certainly have done our best, here cataloging the tunes we just couldn’t stop playing, and stuck fast in our heads when we finally managed to turn them off.

Here’s our Top Tracks of 2013 Playlist on Spotify.

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Staff Lists:

[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_testimonial company=”Lindsey Rhoades” author=”RiotGrrl’s Influence in 2013″ image=”http://www.audiofemme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/kimkathleen.jpg”]
Not only are we as a culture stepping up to finally examine sexism and exploitation and appropriation within the industry, there are more acts than ever completely unafraid to do their own thing – be it overtly political (see: Priests) or revolutionary in its emotional candidness (looking at you, Waxahatchee).
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[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_testimonial company=”Rebecca Kunin” author=”2013’s Best Soundtracks” image=”http://www.audiofemme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Soundtrack.jpg”]
Music has the ability to make or break a cinematic moment. Would Jaws be as scary if it weren’t for the theme song? Or would we cry as hard when Leo Dicaprio sunk to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean if Celine Dion didn’t belt “My Heart Will Go On” every five minutes? Probably not.
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[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_testimonial company=”Lindsey Rhoades” author=”2013: The Year in Music Controversies” image=”http://www.audiofemme.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/musicthoughts.jpg”]In the age of the ubiquitous think-piece, here’s another, and this time, it’s about think-pieces. In 2013 what think-pieces mean is that no one is about to get away with anything.[/fusion_testimonial]

[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_testimonial company=”Kelly Tunney” author=”Top 10 Unexplainable Kanye Moments” image=”http://www.audiofemme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Kanye.jpg”]
Mr. West has built up quite a reputation for himself. His musical talent has remained impressive throughout his 6-album career (Yeezus easily made several of this year’s “best of” lists, including our own) but Kanye’s persona has been the subject of parody and scandal for a long time now. This year, though, held several moments of Kanye-crazy that stood out among the plethora of examples from his memorable past.
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[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_testimonial company=”Carena Liptak” author=”Notes From The Road” image=”http://www.audiofemme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/BTHEHc8IgAAESY0.jpg-large.jpeg”]
At the beginning of 2013, adventure felt overdue — something about going to new places, with no routine or expectations, opens you up to hear music you’d never think to listen to otherwise.
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[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_testimonial company=”Raquel Dalarossa” author=”Top 7 to Anticipate in 2014″ image=”http://www.audiofemme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/outkast-reunion-big-boi-andre-3000.jpg”]
Between the exciting festival rumors and anticipated album releases, 2014 is already shaping up to be a pretty amazing year (at least musically speaking).
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A Year in Controversies: How the Think-piece Shapes Music Criticism

In the age of the ubiquitous think-piece, here’s another, and this time, it’s about think-pieces. In 2013 what think-pieces mean is that no one is about to get away with anything. You’re a white girl who twerked in a music video? You’re a white girl trying to criticize consumerism by skewering the particular facets of hip-hop culture that bug you most? You’re a white girl making a comeback built on spoofing both these things? Well guess what – you’re racist. Are you a male journalist discussing any of this? You aren’t even allowed to.

Arcade Fire, Lorde, Miley Cyrus, Lily Allen, Beyonce, and also everyone who has negative thoughts about Beyonce: you are racist. Robin Thicke, Justin Timberlake, Action Bronson, James Brooks, Chris Ott, Beyonce, and also everyone who has negative thoughts about Beyonce: you’re sexist. And R. Kelly? You are criminally sick, and it’s sad it took us all this long to come to terms with that.

While the internet has been known to work itself into a tizzy and sometimes misses the point, all this goes beyond the “haters gon’ hate” anachronism. This year certainly wasn’t the first time anyone examined culture through a progressive lens, but it feels refreshing to read about privilege in relation to pop music. There will be those that will roll their eyes and some whose eyes will be opened. Whether you are more upset over Arcade Fire’s appropriation of Haitian culture in the making and promoting of Reflektor or that they asked fans to dress in formal wear for their shows doesn’t exactly matter because the conversations are still happening.

And sometimes, just the conversation is the positive thing, the thing that shows real sea change. Best case in point: the roundtable of eight female journalists that Spin assembled to discuss the work of James Brooks, an artist who’d been discussed up to that point mainly on message boards and on his girlfriend Grimes’ tumblr. As a song, “On Fraternity” was not especially memorable, but the discussion that followed its release – about whether it was appropriate for Brooks as a man to “explain” rape culture to women, or to name his project Dead Girlfriends, kind of was. Because it compiled the opinions of eight amazing writers who, because of their gender, are still a minority in their industry (even in 2013).

It’s the same industry that produced a guy like Chris Ott, who has some very valid points about the ethics of advertisers appropriating “cool” as interpreted by young writers. But because he singled out the Pelly twins (and dug himself a deeper hole in trying to explain why) his arguments got lost in the (equally valid) debate about whether his comments were sexist. In the end, he may have looked more curmudgeonly than anything else, but it raises an interesting question about the very blurry lines between free speech, hate speech, and sponsored content.

Which brings me to everyone’s favorite Marvin Gaye rip-off. Robin Thicke’s video, the MTV VMA performance, and the date-rapey overtones of “Blurred Lines” were among the most discussed stories of the year. In one of the more interesting examinations of the song’s politics, a feminist writer talked about how she was able to compartmentalize the its content because she just really, really loved the song. There are a lot of women who share her ability to do that. Agree or not, you have to admire that admission, because there were plenty of people who just shrugged and kept dancing without bothering to point out that women have to do this all the time, because so much of music portrays them as less than human.

There have always been controversial characters and questionable lyrics. That piece also named R. Kelly as one of them (the writer, again, was able to set aside Kelly’s “alleged” crimes to enjoy “Remix to Ignition”). But that was before Jess Hopper interviewed Jim DeRogatis, the reporter who broke Kelly’s sex scandal. For fifteen years, juries and fans alike ignored his crimes, made jokes. But because of that piece there are a lot of people who are now unable, or straight up refuse, to compartmentalize that reality to get through Black Panties without wanting to barf. Why did it take fifteen years to come to terms with the fact that R. Kelly is a predator? We knew it all along.

The difference, really, is the internet. Most of DeRogatis’ reporting on the subject was done in print; Hopper is in a distinct position as music editor of Rookie, contributor to Spin, Village Voice, etc. etc. etc. to reach an audience that DeRogatis could not. There are a lot of people writing think-pieces and open letters and retweeting important writing these days, and while they may not do it as eloquently as the professionals, they are no longer just screaming into a void. Will that give artists in 2014 pause while they consider more deeply how their works and actions will be perceived? Even if it takes us until 2050, let’s keep thinking.

Tag: Lorde