the year of the sassy slut // 2013 in music

It certainly is hard out here for a bitch, Lily Allen I applaud you for erecting that middle finger of yours towards the representation of women featured in music videos of 2013.

We as a society have come a long way in the ideals of equality for sexes, but that’s hard to see in the world of music; women are still treated as objects of sex. When you mindlessly oogle at a music video think, are you watching a creative portrayal and storyline to match each lyric or is it simply soft porn?

2013 is the year that female artists embracing their sexuality have gone a tad too far. Stars such as Miley Cyrus and Rhianna who are not afraid to take their music videos to the next level with nudity and voyeuristic features, aren’t really being the perfect role models for the next generation of teenage girls. Their music videos depict them shaking their arses in front of the camera and acting like objects of sex.

If Miley wasn’t enough of a dickhead already she definitely would be after her actions in the wrecking ball video - you are what you eat and clearly you’ve been licking too many lollipops, crazed crack whore Cyrus. Miley stop addressing everyone as your homegirls and young innocent girls of today please don’t be shaking it like [you’re] at a strip club.

Rhianna’s new video as well for Pour it up is bloody provocative, with RiRi at one point being sprawled all over a chair legs flailing in the air. If I had to sit there and watch it with parents I would cringe like there’s no tomorrow, and feel obliged to apologise for the train-wreck of innuendo displayed before them.

Teenagers are impressionable and these images feed them the story that they are enslaved by sex. Lily Allen sets them all straight in her new song Hard out here, released in mid November this year. It no-doubtedly sums up the year 2013 for the music industry.

I completely support Allen in what she is trying to stand up for and others –mainly women- should agree. Women are fed an image of perfection by the media everyday. Girls are criticized for almost anything they do. If you’re not like the celebrities in the videos then you’re not perfect are you? Shame. You're not a size six, and you're not good looking, you should probably lose some weight 'cause we can't see your bones, you should probably fix your face or you'll end up on your own.

I hope to god you can all see the hint of sarcasm there from Allen. Decadence seems to be the overarching theme of music in 2013 lets hope it changes in the months to come so that pop stars can act like lady’s in the public eye instead of bitches.

Bye // most appropriate word ever invented

Bye, the last word that was said. Why it is the most useful word ever invented. Say you want to have a little catch up phone call with your friends (because its been a while the last time you spoke, almost a whole DAY) do not, and I mean unless you cant avoid it, use your mobile.

Bye was the best choice of words out of the whole dictionary, apart from so long or adios or au revoir, well you get the point. It was the best-chosen word because I, along with the whole of the female population, have just spent 30 minutes of my day, 30 minutes of my year, 30 minutes of my life, speaking about absolute rubbish, things irrelevant to anyone else, beyond imagination, a conversation utterly pointless even the females of the 21st century do not even remember what half their conversation was.

In our day and age, its 10p per minute you spend chattering away down the trap that is a mobile phone, so we spent a good £3. Charging a typical gossip fanatic female £1095 a year to talk about nails, shoes, and boys. 

Technology was supposed to create a world of virtual advantage; phones especially created to roam anywhere, anytime, instead they drain us of money. Not only this but you know that thing we used to do? what was it? oh socialise. Socialising has completely been forgotten in today's society all due to the rise in technology, how can sights such as Facebook and Twitter have the audacity to call it a 'social' networking sight? I never knew that having the basic skills to click a few button and type a few words meant that you was an amazing people person. Similar to mobile phones, although i use them myself, why did we have to ring those that we miss, why not pop-in to say hi; instead we constantly chatter away forever forgetting that sacred word of, Bye.

Wasting time and money, all because the phone was there. Bye, the last word that was said. 

Lyrical Genius // Daniel and the Scandals

A five man group from the UK, Daniel and the Scandals, are not afraid to speak their mind and more respectfully their emotions in a typically lighthearted 'indie' song. One that is upbeat, bright and foregrounds exactly what they are about; teenage love.
 

 

They are in-fact what I would like to call, lyrical genius's. Their newest and first single 'I Love You (there you go I said it)' sums up the whole narrative of the song in one sentence the subheading explains exactly what goes through the mind of a love struck teenager, boy or girl. The relief, and weight lifted off the shoulders once you express what is really on your mind: "you have been running round my brain, over and over and over again." every lyric is candid.

Not only does this upbeat song relate to any teenager it makes anyone and everyone want to get up and moving. The mixture of acoustic and bass along with electric guitar all thrown together with a consistent drum beat reminds me of established artists such as Two Door Cinema Club. A qwerky style that will definitely thrive in the 21st century, especially as live music is becoming much more appreciated. As well as sounding similar to Two Door, their look is also comparable. Primary colours have been taken over by the both of them and exploded their wardrobe and music video set.

These are an inspiration to the growing independent music scene, don't be afraid to express your emotions in a non-moany-drony presence. Be bright and loud!! Its a gift to these guys and they will one day be in the lime light.  

Can we take parody artists seriously // The Midnight Beast

One of my all time favourite artists are The Midnight Beast, a 'boyband' with the intention to mock the boyband image - we all know the one; pretty boys, usually extremely camp, dressed in the same clothes, in sync oh and the main trait, auto-tuned songs!

Well the Midnight Beast, highlight this in their sons by wrecking the image of artists today. All of their songs have a comical slant. This is ironic as they show how the music industry has become too emotionally in-tune with the artists personal life and feelings. They formed in 2009, living in London shortly after Dru Wakely and Stefan Adbingdon left Perfect People, their former band. These internet sensations, known for their parody of Ke$ha's "Tik Tok", have a youthful view on life today, but in their fist songs they rip apart the auto-tuned songs of the 21st century. In each song Dru mentions his dad as "it when downhill when I was 3, when my dad neglected me" however the sngs always move swiftly away from the emotion and Stefan clearly gets back to their ethos to sell themselves: "Dru, we're The Midnight Beast".

This comedy continues as they mock the attention all the boybands get from the sexual predatorial teens of today. One of their most iconic songs "Lez be friends" basically slags off ll the stuck up, untalented bands and their massive ego. The chorus bluntly highlights that "if a girl wont come round he must be a lesbian" HA! The reason we wish not to spend our lives focusing on the boybands is because we have sense, morals, eyes and ears. The idealistic boybands from 2000 to now have no style class or voice. The Midnight Beast want the world to be viewed through their truthful eyes. Come on, I have my own life to live I don't really care whats happening in yours, One Direction; whether I know I'm beautiful or not, you won a popularity competition. Parody acts have more talent than those in the charts as they have a creative mind stream, write their own songs and are able to dress themselves in the morning, they face life as an everyday teen to emphasise the crap that happens in the day to day situations are comical and no-one cares.

The Midnight Beast are new, fun, young and individual the show this through their music. I leave you with this. Yes parody artists can be taken seriously; they are taking over the internet and music scene whether you like it or not. Point blank.

Being Yourself // It takes all sorts to make a world

in·di·vid·u·al - A human being who is not bound by the sad rules of society.

In such a diverse society, it's hard to stand out. When you're that 'normal' teenager just trying to be original there’s nowhere, no-one, nothing to tell you what to do differently. We all learn from our mistakes and we all want to be noticed. After to speaking to Andrew Dagnell, Feature writer for the Sunday Mirror, the old advice from generations truly is the best.

"Explain individuality, how is it achieved and how would you advise a typical teen to be themselves?"

" It sounds like a cliché, but you do just have to be yourself. There's often this misconception that people have to be extremely loud and over confident. If you try to force yourself to be like that, the likelihood is you'll just annoy people and rub them up the wrong way. But if you just stick to your guns and work hard you'll go a long way. " 

Andrew enrolled at Oxford University studying English, yet found his voice in journalism, he like many others has become known for not being afraid to be himself and speak his mind.

Girl band, StooShe give very similar advice when it comes to originality. Living by the quote "Live YOUR life and have FUN doing it!” One of the members, Courtney very openly expressed her opinion of independence: "as long as you’re being yourself, what else matters?!" They all agree that it’s about "being comfortable with yourself" rather than being the bold character.

Karis even went on to say "some people are scared of change, we EMBRACE it" going to show that although times are changing and there is no longer a 'norm' we must follow in our own footsteps and stay "RAW".

Typography // It's importance in the media world.

Typography is the style of printed material from a movable type. In the 21st century it is used by all of us and incorporated into everyday life and it is a key process used in design. In this essay I am going to discuss the importance of typography in design, looking mainly at magazines and its significance in conveying a certain style; all stemming from the base of typography in history.

1455 saw the production of the first Bible (Gutenburg’s Bible) that was made by typography or simply put ‘moveable text.' The Bible was typed up in print that was easier to produce and copy, to make sure that the text was consistent throughout the whole book.  After the initial development of typography and its use for production, it became a key part of everyday life. Typefaces started to emerge and over the past fifty years they have been arising and changing to suit needs of design (Ambrose et al. 2006. p136). Helvetica font was the first mordernists’ typeface produced in 1957, and it has revolutionised the way in which typography has been interpreted. In 1960 the main use of the font was for advertising, with a Coca-Cola advert (figure one) placing Helvetica simply aligned in the middle bottom of a poster. The typography is all that is needed to impact on the public. Placing an ice cold bottle of Coca-Cola and glass surrounded in sensual food to adhere to the properties of the font; modern and plain but most of all refreshing. “It’s the real thing. Coke.” Helvetica stands out in any advertisement as the font never blends into the design it brings out the words and the style of the advert and makes a design innovative. David Carson believes that in graphically descriptive design you should not “confuse legibility with communication,” (Carson, 2007) here this is what Helvetica does: communicates. Typography in design is not used to inform the public (only for its simplest form in signage) it is used to communicate and inspire, Helvetica promotes this foundation of graphical typography that Carson speaks of. Typography’s collectivity has integrated itself into our everyday lives through the use of Helvetica and without this simple form of font the meaning of the advert would be lost through the extravagence of the text. Therefore typography in design aids the meaning of what the corporation is trying to convey through the typeface.

Chris Frost believes “Magazines and Newspapers are carefully designed in order to present the journalism they contain in the clearest and most attractive way to the reader.” (Frost. 2003. p5) Without typography in design, it would be hard for brand recognition to thrive. Magazines are a prime example of the significance of graphical typography. Not only does the text communicate with its reader the text reflects the brand and style of the magazine. Typography is a way of creating a visual picture of brand through text. Harper’s Bazaar Magazine has established its audience for years along with promoting its ethos through its text. The front cover (figure two) centralises the design around the headline ‘Bazaar’ this is because “typeface usage can tell a reader as much about the originator of the communication as well as the message itself.” (Ambrose et al. 2006. p11) The typeface, Didot, is sharp and striking, it is sophisticated and slim. This choice of type connotes the content and audience - upperclass females who have class and disregard for common gossip. The type is characterized by, flat and unbracketed serifs, consistent horizontal stress and a high contrast of thick and thin strokes which, along with the subheading, reinforces that their reader is entering “the era of elegance” through the magazine. Typography here in design establishes a brand and promotes it all by using the foundations of historical typography discussed earlier: formation and typeface. This structure of typography shapes the design of which it is featured in and therefore is a main importance in design.

The changes in colour of typography can determine the style of the publication, the different direction of typography is important to sell a particular message to the audience. G3 magazine (figure three) uses colour of typography to establish a style, and subverts the general rules of typography to appeal to the audience. G3 exemplifies clever usage of typography as the text stands out, due to it being the reverse of the standard black on white. Not only is this risky of the publication as white on dark “cuts readership by 40%” (White. 2003. p97) but the typographic design ironically suits the audience - the not so straight woman - by using white text on a black background it gives an edgy feel to the publication and is far from the norm, similar to their content and niche audience. It may be slightly harsh on the eye noted by White, but it is an interesting use of typographic design, this is because “colour works with typography in many ways to perform a number of roles that both help impart information and contribute to the overall visual effect of a design.” (Ambrose et al. 2006. p136) Although subverting a basic foundation of typography in design, this design mirrors the difference in publication and readership shown through the brave change in colour.

The structure of the deisgn and layout of typography can make a piece more or less legible. Martin Solomon wrote “it is the design of the line that determines the style of type... proper spaces between letters, words and lines makes the styles readable.” (Solomon. 1994. p16) VPRO magazine uses typography as the main graphic element to their covers. Looking at figure four, the magazine cover only depicts a headline, with the rest of the area being white space the attention is drawn to the bold text, which also stands out due to the graphic shadowing of a bright pink underlay. The title automatically grabs the readers attention which may not have happened if the page was filled with text or if it was smaller font. This structure of layout and text on the page makes it easier to read. Alterations of typeface by size, bold or italic effect can lead to the text being more or less important, the bolder the text the more it is highlighted as an important read, G3 (analysed earlier) exemplifies this technique by reverting the typical idea that the headline is the largest typeface of the page, and making all of the text large and bold to reinforce its significance, similar to what VPRO does here by singling out the key message. Frost said that "White space is vitally important in the design of newspapers and magazines and is vital to the way the type looks and behaves." (Frost. 2003. p90) Therefore the use of white space and text effects makes the text flow; as readers, our eyes follow the structure of the lines, with enough space around the text and the use of text effects the design becomes more structured as well as appealing to the eye.

In conclusion looking at these case studies of design, it is clear that typography in its simplest form shapes a design, style and brand. Sebastian Carter said that “we should welcome typographic variety as the natural consequence of human creativity.” (Carter. 2002. p9) Carter’s words exemplify the importance of typography in the 21st Century that is constantly developing new ways to design, with over 1000 fonts to this day (Garfield. 2010). Therefore the creative freedom of typography is a means to communicate with a reader through visually placing text, and this is continually evolving to make design more inspiring.

Figure One, 1960 Coca-Cola Avert

Figure two, Bazaar Magazine

 

Figure three, G3 Magazine October 2012

Figure four, VPRO Magazine 2012