Sunday, 23 March 2014

The Songs and Sex Conundrum

In Lorde's song 'Team' she sings the line "I'm kinda over getting told to throw my hands up in the air, so there..." which I believe is an ingenious comment on many (but not all) 'hit' songs today.

'Hit' songs are those ones that are always on mainstream radio, television, in the iTunes or Billboard charts. And I have to preface this post by saying THEY ARE NOT ALL BAD. I'm not one of those people that says "mainstream music is just so bad it's all autotune and no one has any real talent, indie music is where it's at blah blah hipster blah" because that's not true. 
But if there is one thing I absolutely despise about many 'hit' songs is the same old boring, sexist messages they project that, quite frankly, I am sick and tired of hearing.

The basic topics these songs cover are:
1. Trying to get laid
2. Women/men knowing that a person wants sex 
3. Women/men being good at sex
4. Sex in general
5. Being/wanting to be naked
6. Drinking alcohol
7. Hot women/men
8. Hot women/men in clubs
9. Dancing in clubs
10. Drinking in clubs
11. Being in clubs in general
12. 'Good times' (whatever they are)


Some recent examples of said topics:

"You need it, you want it
All over your body
This loving I'm giving
It's worth more than money"
Wild Wild Love- Pitbull featuring G.R.L - #10 on Australian iTunes chart
(Look if I listed every sexist Pitbull lyrics we would be here for a while)

"Face down, booty up...
...That's the way we like to–what?...
I'm slicker than an oil spill...
She say she won't, but I bet she will"
Timber- Pitbull featuring Ke$ha- #1 Billboard Hot 100 for 3 Consecutive Weeks

"You're playin' it cool right now
But I'm in the mood so I'll be hanging around
You know I can read, your mind
'Cause your eyes, they keep on askin' for somethin'
Tonight it's going down
No-one else around
I'll be on top of the world, when I'm on top of you girl
Ain't no doubt about it
I know you want it now"
On Top- Johnny Ruffo- Peaked at #14 on ARIA Singles Chart
 (Looks like Blurred Lines took a thing or two from these lyrics about sex *ahem* rape)

"Yeah I make love don't fight,
This feeling you're my type and if you want it come get it so we can go all night.
Singing wooooah, Till the AM,
Wooooah, Getting wasted...
...All the fellas came here to party,
All the ladies came to get naughty,
With the good times bout to get started,
Everybody shake shake ya body."
Everybody- Justice Crew- Peaked at #6 on ARIA Singles Chart

"So let's get undressed
Cause you look a little lonely...

...Cause I wanna see you naked"
 Undressed- Kim Cesarion- Currently #12 on Australian iTunes chart

"I hate these blurred lines
I know you want it...
...But you're a good girl
The way you grab me
Must wanna get nasty"
Blurred Lines- Robin Thicke featuring T.I and Pharrell- #1 in the Billboard Hot 100 for 12 Consective Weeks
(I am guilty of dancing many a time to the catchy beat of this song but since properly reading the lyrics I will dance no longer)

What is almost as bad as the topics themselves is the fact that I believe it is just lazy songwriting. It's all been said a million times before so just like Lorde said she is tired of being told to throw her hands up in the air, I'm tired of hearing songs about the same old sex-oriented topics.
 
But something I've noticed in the iTunes charts and on music television, is the growing number of 'hit' songs that don't project any such message. It has been refreshing to see artists write and perform music about something other than sex.

Here are a few examples of these non-sex-oriented songs, something I would like to hear a whole lot more of:

Rude- Magic!- 
Peaked at #2 on the ARIA Singles Chart





Happy- Pharrell Williams-
Reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100



Brave- Sara Bareilles
Currently #4 on Australian iTunes Chart



Free- Rudimental featuring Emeli Sande
Peaked at #5 on the ARIA Singles Chart



Royals- Lorde
Reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for a total of 9 Weeks



Best Day of My Life- American Authors
Peaked at #10 on the ARIA Singles Chart
 


Wake Me Up- Avicii & Aloe Blacc
 Reached #1 on the ARIA Singles Chart




What do you think of the songs and sex conundrum?


Saturday, 22 March 2014

Summertime Dinners



I've been cooking up a storm as often as I can at home and so I thought I might share some of the delicious concoctions I have made thus far: 


DISCLAIMER: 
1. All of these dishes were created from recipes from other sources (albeit with a few variations of my own) which I have referenced in case you want to make any of these yourself 
2. I am a vegetarian which explains the lack of meat in these meals, sorry carnivores, I just can't cook it! (I mean I literally cannot cook it, like I would have to wear gloves and I would probably make the poor souls who would have to eat it very ill) 

Polenta Chips


Recipe Source: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/2377/polenta+chips

Quinoa, Kale & Mushrom Mix 


Recipe Source: MY BRAIN! It is literally just a mixture of about 1/2 a cup of quinoa, 2 or 3 mushrooms cooked in olive oil or margarine and however much kale you fancy, super simple!


Rice, Kale and Roasted Pumpkin Pilaf



Recipe Source:http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/33905/kale+quinoa+and+roasted+pumpkin+pilaf 

Alterations:We didn't have enough quinoa in the pantry when I made this so I used rice instead and I added corn and diced capsicum as well.

Potato and Spinach Fritatta 


 Recipe Source: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/2439/potato+spinach+frittata


Rainbow Salad 


 Recipe Source:  http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/27983/rainbow+salad



Grilled Asparagus and Mushrooms with Shallot and Soy Dressing
 
 Recipe Source: It's All Good by Gwyneth Paltrow page 152


Vegetable Laksa 


Recipe Source:http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/15562/vegetable+laksa 

Alterations:I didn't include mint leaves or fish sauce and I just added tofu and whatever vegetables I wanted (mushrooms, carrot, broccoli, snowpeas, corn and bean sprouts).


Cashew and Lentil Patties 


 Recipe Source: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/19154/cashew+and+lentil+patties

Brown rice, Grape and Feta salad


 Recipe Source: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/35169/brown+rice+grape+feta+salad

Kale Chips 


Recipe Source: Notes from My Kitchen Table by Gwyneth Paltrow page 201

Alterations: I grated some parmesan over the top of the kale before putting it in the oven to give it a little extra flavour 

Happy cooking! 

Friday, 14 March 2014

Wanderlust


I have an insatiable desire to travel the world. Wanderlust. 
And so, this year, that's what I'm going to do. 

I don't care if I have to go by myself or get around on a shoestring budget, I just want to travel. I want to see the world, meet new people and have amazing, memorable experiences.

So in the excitement of planning this trip I have compiled a list of some of the places and landmarks I am going to see when I go away towards the end of this year; some are obvious tourist destinations, others are bit random and obscure; some of these places I have wanted to see for as long as I can remember, and others I have only just found out about. 

1. The Blue Lagoon- Reykjavik

2. Amoeba Records- Los Angeles

3. Fenway Park- Boston

4. Kurt Cobain Bench- Seattle

5. Sun Studios- Memphis

6. Cloud Gate (The Bean)- Chicago

7. Lovelock Bridge- Paris

8. Santa Monica Pier- Los Angeles


9. Graceland- Memphis

10. The Colosseum- Rome

11. Yosemite National Park- California

12. Staten Island Ferry- New York

13. Abbey Road- London

14. National Civil Rights Museum- Memphis

15. Grand Canyon- Arizona

16. Golden Gate Bridge- San Francisco

17. Palace of Versailles- Versailles

18. Chelsea Hotel- New York

19. New Orleans French Quarter 


20. Trevi Fountain- Rome

21. Chateau Marmont- Los Angeles 

22. Las Vegas Strip- Las Vegas

23. Alcatraz Island- San Francisco