HIPSTER RUNOFF

Image via Stereogum

Yall. I'm kinda worried. I saw this picture of a female lead singer of an alternative band. I am sort of scared that all female 'front men' are morphing in2 1 person. Just worried that the 'personal brand' of a female lead singer is becoming 'kinda predictable.' Not sure if this is Lovefoxxx/ Karen O / Bjork / Beth Ditto. Feel like the modern image of a 'female lead singer in an alternative band' is sort of an image that is 'used to peddle clothes and accessories.'

It's like every1 is either 'trying 2 be Madonna', 'trying 2 be Bjork', 'trying to be Stevie Nicks,' or 'trying to be Sheryl Crow.' Scared that women are starting to become marginalized in the alternative music sphere. Hope they can stay around for a while before a big 'backlash' comes. Do yall think that men do everything better?

Does n e 1 know if Lady Gaga is the End of Female Innovation?

Photo via Drunken Stepfather

Does n e 1 know if the Yeah Yeah Yeahs will ever write a song as 'good'/'popular' as "MAPS" again, or will they be a band that is 'very popular' for the next 5-15 years, but no1 is really 'that familiar' with their songs?

Do u feel like the YYYs are a band that got 'grandfathered' into having the relative security + marketing power of record contract and big label backing by being the 'equal opportunity' product acquisition [via female lead singer] of the NYC Garage Band Strokes White Stripes era?

"Wait...They don't <3 u like I <3 u."
-Karen O

This is a recap of popular recent bloggy/bloghouse/conceptual/indie rock music videos.

Music Video: Futurecop! - Karate Kids

Analysis: The song is repetitive and more tolerable than you would expect for a song 'that is rlly repetitive.' The video is an aggregation of meaningful 80s movies that make me wish I was born before 1990 so that I could remember these iconic movies. Kinda sad that movies these days are sooo ghey/predictable/not THAT great. Miss times when movies were 'larger than life' and not just a gimmick that ended up costing u $40 per person after snacks + drinks. The video ends with Jon Candy in 'Uncle Buck.' laters.

Music Video: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Zero

Analysis: I never really listened to this song, just kind of skipped around the video for a few seconds. I remember the YYYs came out with that song about some1 'not loving u like I love u' and it was kinda catchy and good enough to be mainstream. But this video kind of seems like they are 'pretending to be a really popular band' and also 'making music that is aggressive enough to feel like you have to take it seriously, yet unidentifiable for both alternative and mainstream consumers.' Never really got my attention and just felt like generalizing it and 'hoping that I am right.' Will they sell albums? Is Karen O authentic, or just a 'cookie cutter alternative diva'?

Music Video: Calvin Harris - I'm Not Alone

Analysis: I remember when Calvin Harris was just a guy with a bloghouse single about 'having all of the girls' or something. I think this song seems like some sort of Euro-techno-bro-house music. While I could be 'impressed' with his 'epic sounds' and 'musical progression as an artist', I will probably not listen to this song again and probably enjoy a remix of the song by an authentic blogcentric remixer more than the original. The video is pretty 'whatever.'

Music Video: Winter Gloves - Let Me Drive

Analysis: I don't really 'like' this song or video or have ever heard of this band/will ever hear of them again. But it sort of just reminds me of alternative life before the internet really 'took over' the indie music landscape. I think a younger, more alternatively naive version of me would have thought that this video was 'cool' and that the song had all of the elements of an 'authentic indie band' (keyboards, bearded bro with glasses, aggressively earnest lyrics). Miss those days. Maybe we were more drawn to bands like this because there was 'less crap' to sift through, so it was less pressure on us and more time to find bands to be 'tolerable.' These days, I only want greatness.

Music Video: Bloody Beetroots (Ft Steve Aoki with original vocals) - WARP

Analysis: I think this song is a 'banger.' I think the brand of the song is supposed to be HARD. There is an angry AZN man yelling at the camera sometimes. I wonder if this new brand of bangerelectro is like the modern, niche version of 'slipknot' for kids who aren't as poor as the kids who got really into hardXcore rock. I sort of wish I lived in the greater Los Angeles area, and had the opportunity to be a slow-motion alt 'partying to this song' in the video. Feel like I probably would have twittered about how much fun I was having while I was at the video shoot. Not sure if I would put this song 'on my iPod' but might play it if I were a bangerrific DJ. For a more critical, well-informed opinion on this music video, visit Big Stereo, where the blogger uses phrases/sentences including "Slo-mo cookie cutter hipsters" and "Bloody Beetroots come off as a pale reflection of better times spent with Vitalic." One time I wrote a blog post about Steve Aoki that was 'epic.' Maybe I should read it again and react to it with my current state of mind. h8 being 's0 fickle/flighty.' just trying 2 stay relevant. but n e ways... I think this video is a 'mockumentary' or something.

Music Video: Smashing Pumpkins - Today (Morgan Freeman + VISA remix)

Analysis: Can't believe the Smashing Pumpkins 'sold out' and let VISA use their song in their commercial. jk. happy 4 them. Billy Corgan seems like a chill bro who has been through a lot [via 1979 tonight, tonight]. Kinda sad how we're all getting older and music 'that was cool during our youth' is being used to encourage us to buy stuff with money that we don't have. h8 marketing. sad on the inside. Need to buy a flat screen tv to cheer myself up. Might also buy 'a wii' and 'some marijuana/lean.'

Have yall seen n e good music videos lately?
Just trying 2 stay relevant and identify

This has been a music video recap by Carles. Carles is a full time student at a high level digital arts graduate program. He is also a Teaching Assistant for Digital Media 101:Lessons in Photoshop, InDesign, and iMovie.

Steve Aoki

Alternative Celebrity, DJ

Steve Aoki is an AZN DJ.

Lists: indie minorities, bros who love 2 party, beards, indie hunks, Record Label Owners, AZNs

Read more>>>>