**MIXTAPE ALERT** Best of 2011

So it's the end of another year in music and, in my opinion, it's been a goodun'.

A year that featured Peej's astounding second Mercury prize win, Beyonce winning over a cynical Glastonbury crowd with sparkly pants and a whole lotta weave during her headline set and Warpaint's dreamy debut album is a year that should be celebrated and celebrated it will be.

And, yes I know there are slightly bigger music websites like Pitchfork and The Quietus that may be putting together an end of the year review but I believe nothing will top my review because I, dear readers, have Azealia Banks, Sneakpeek and Katy B. Nothing beats that hand.

NB. This mixtape is best enjoyed whilst getting ready for a New Year's Eve party complete with cheap wine and badly applied eye liner.

Tracklisting:
1. 212- Azealia Banks
2. Walk All Over Me- Sneakpeek
3. Bizness- Tune Yards
4. Undertow- Warpaint
5. The Words That Maketh Murder- PJ Harvey
6. My Mistakes- Eleanor Friedberger
7. Gulags For Slags- Suburban Mousewives
8. On a Mission- Katy B
9. Heaven- Emeli Sande
10. White Hot Fantasy- SPF 5000
11. Till The End Of Time- Beyonce
12. I Heard You Say- Vivian Girls
13. Mother Knows Best- Throwing Up
14. I'm Not Stupid- Cat's Eyes

Beyonce Bloody Well Runs This Mother

Well I'm a bit late on this one but I could not resist commenting on my girl B's new girl power single 'Run The World'. The song, which is a little heavy on the Major Lazer sample, is a feministy number that claims it is fact the ladies that run the world and dem menz need to keep up with us girls before we leave them behind.

This is not the first time Beyonce has sprinkled her tunes with a little girl power magic in fact 'Run The World' is just one song in Beyonce's ever increasing 'Girls Rule' set list- think back to 'Bills Bills Bills', 'Independent Woman', and 'Single Ladies'.

For young girls this idea that they can run the world would be incredible. I know because I was the little girl inspired by 'Bills Bills Bills', a song I still love to this day and was probably an inspiration for this here blog.

But it is this Girls Rule attitude that has got a lot of feminists confused as it would be great if we girls did rule the world but we do not and have not at any particular time in history. The battle of the sexes game of girls are better than boys etc is pretty tiring and doesn't really help anyone in the long, long road towards equality.

There have also been complaints that Beyonce simultaneously bigs up her own independence whilst calling back to the boys to see if they still fancy her. For example B croons "Boy you know you love it/ How we're smart enough to make these millions/ Strong enough to bare the children/Then get back to business....Hope you still like me". Can you really say that you believe in female empowerment when you're are also concerned with your own sex appeal.

Well the simple answer is that there is no simple answer. As an artist Beyonce can interpret her idea of empowerment as she wishes and it is up to the listener to judge whether the balance of sex appeal and girl power actually work. What I do know for definite is that Beyonce is back on form and its amazing to see her again.

**MIXTAPE ALERT** You're So Vain, I Bet You Think This Mixtape Is About You

Copyright Mcargobe's Blog Room

This month's mixtape is inspired by the feelings we have thinking of those that we despise the most. Yes we're done with the lovey, dovey crap over here, blind hatred is what fuels us creatively.

We've all met them, whether they were rude, crude, aggressive, calculating, deceptive or just you're straight forward liars the memory of them sticks around with you for a while after they're gone.

And what to say to such a person, how do you confront them, get your own back and show them up in front of everyone. Well if you're anything like me you usually just mutter something under your breathe and then think of the perfect come back about 5 minutes later which is useless because you've now lost your chance to speak your mind.

Some people always know the right thing to say at the right time and they also have the advantage of being able to put their thoughts into song so the whole world can see what a vain-dickhead-bug a boo-skinny little- freeloading-bitch they really are. Hope this mixtape is as cathartic for you as it is for me.

Tracklisting:
1. How Come You're Such A Hit With The Boys, Jane?- Dolly Mixture
2. The Life And Death Of Mr Badmouth- PJ Harvey
3. Freeloader- Throwing Muses
4. Bug a Boo- Destiny's Child
5. No Scrubs- TLC
6. You're So Vain- Carly Simon
7. Irreplaceable- Beyonce
8. White Boy- Bikini Kill
9. Skinny Little Bitch- Hole
10. There's a Mother In Our Bed- Cocknbullkid
11. Jealous Girls- Gossip
12. Worst Bastard- Micachu
13. Getting Scared- Imogen Heap
14. Dickhead- Kate Nash

*MIXTAPE TAPE ALERT* Feminist Anthems Pt. 1

I've been looking forward to this summer for a while for various reasons, it's my birthday in August, but mainly because it looks like there is going to be a big ol' feminist summer of sorts.

Ladyfest Ten is well on its way with the organinsing and will be holding fundraising event throughout summer up to the festival in November. The arts collective Storm in a Tea Cup are organising various club nights, fanzine and even a record label in order to promote women in the arts. Also the UK Feminista Summer Camp weekend takes place in a couple of weeks and it looks like it's going to be good.

Here is the first part of my mixtape dedicated to our summer of feminism featuring a pleathora of great songs that have spoken to women over the years. From Lesley Gore to The Distillers women throughout history have been writing about women's issues.

We have a long way to walk till we get anyway near equality but we'll need some tunes for the journey.

Tracklisting:
1. Seneca Falls- The Distillers
2. I Am Woman- Helen Reddy
3. You Don't Own Me- Lesley Gore
4. Boys Who Rape (Should All Be Destroyed)- Ravonettes
5. Man-Size- PJ Harvey
6. Sold Out-Sleater-Kinney
7. Why Don't You Love Me- Beyonce
8. Terrorist- Heavens To Betsy
9. Ladies First- Queen Latifah
10. Respect- Aretha Franklin

**UNDER COVER** What's Love 'Scot To Do 'Scot To With It....

....When you're rolling on a river.

B.B Homemaker Takes Over From Sasha Fierce

"Why Don't You Love Me" - Beyoncé from Beyoncé on Vimeo.

Our favourite B has a new video out and I think she may have taken some inspiration from a certain decade.

Yes Beyonce, or B.B Homemaker as she is now known, plays the unloved 50s housewife, lost in a bottle of gin and cursing her husband for mistreating her.

There is an interesting analysis of the video on Feministing that puts across the theory that by playing a role that is usually filled by middle class white woman Beyonce is twisting that stereotype. They explain it much better than I ever could.

The thing I love most about the video is the how made up she is. At times it looks almost drag queenish. She goes from beautiful to ugly in the blink of an eye. It reminds of PJ Harvey during the To Bring You My Love era where she took pride in showcasing the unseen parts of female sexuality and beauty.

By focusing on the extreme, the beautiful and also the grotesque an artist can subvert the whole concept of beauty and what it means.

**MIXTAPE ALERT** D I V A

Pop. That word, genre, capitalist marketing team, whatever you want to call it, is what the whole alternative scene came together to fight against.

Indie was meaningful, real, challenging and pop was, errr, well evil. Just evil no explanations.

Now that we've seen indie music jump stream into the mainstream, see what I did there, can we really hold it up to such high esteem and call it 'independent' any more.  It is just as popular as traditional pop and r'n'b and it is fair to say indie has been equally bad at times.

With that in mind I believe we shouldn't turn our noses up at more popular music anymore.

It has made collosal mistakes, as does every other genre, but no one can deny that it has come up with as many gems over the years as any other genre.

So here's my mixtape with what I think are some particularly huge pop diamonds, enjoy.

Tracklisting:
1. Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)- Beyonce
2. Are You That Somebody?- Aaliyah
3. L.E.S Artistes- Santigold
4. Love Long Distance- Gossip
5. Bootylicious- Destiny's Child
6. Bulletproof- La Roux
7. Hot 'n' Cold- Katy Perry
8. Bad Romance- Lady Gaga
9. Bills Bills Bills- Destiny's Child
10. Rude Boy (Diplo Rudeboyz Remix)- Rihanna
11. Lights Out- Santigold
12. Sweet Dreams- Beyonce
13. Make It Take It- Amanda Blank
14. Stillness Is The Move (Dirty Projectors Cover)- Solange
15. Jai Ho- A. R. Rahman Ft. Pussycat Dolls
16. Telephone- Lady Gaga Ft. Beyonce

New Beyonce Songs on the Horizon

A couple of Beyonce's new tracks have leaked onto the internet and they sound pretty good.

The first, 'Black Culture', is my favourite and should definitely be released as a single or at least album opener. The second is called 'Waiting'. It's okish, more of a oh-you're-so-amazing-I-can't-think-of-anyone-else-but-you kind of song. I prefer her Sasha Fierce stuff.

Let me know what you think of them.

**Girls of the Decade**

I've neglected doing this post for nearly a month now mainly because I felt my list was pretty predictable to anyone that's seen a post or two on this blog, but who cares I'll put it up anyway and if you think it's predictable you can tell me. I won't cry.

The rules of this list, yes there are rules, are that those featured have to have come to prominence in the last decade and they must have had a lasting effect on the world, or at least enough of an effect that it can be explained in written form.

Now that everything been explained let's get started...

Beyonce

I've loved Beyonce since I was shy little tween, this was before tween was a real word. I'm counting B in this list because she became a super influential star when she went solo.  For all her faults, the separation of Beyonce and Sasha Fierce to name a few, she is probably the greatest pop star of her generation and one that can wiggle her crotch at you without looking too dirty.  To quote the great Kanye West "Beyonce had one of the greatest videos of all time."

M.I.A

I previously discussed my annoyance with how criminally underrated M.I.A is and I'll say it again M.I.A is criminally underrated. 'Kala' was the stand out album of the last few years and saw Maya take over the world with her genre-bending, top tapping, worldtown beats.  She has sung about her feminist beliefs previously and has discussed her feelings to the haters who put her down.  M.I.A is the most aggressively political rapper out there who has not resided to rest on her talented laurels as many others have. She can do no wrong in my eyes.

Karen O

Karen O was my first love. I ignored all the spot ridden boys and focused all my shrinking violet energy onto Karen.  Her semi-violent, colourful outbursts turned my grey mundane life into array of colours.  Not only is she one of the best performers around today but she's also in an ever evolving, charismatic, super band. 

Lady Gaga

I've tried my hardest to figure out this girl.  She is a mass of contradictions. In a way she is an amazing pop star what with the stage costumes, grandiose performances and catchy tunes but she also lets us down sometimes.  Her shaky ideas of feminism and her reliance on sexuality make me slightly wary of her but she has still made an amazing impact on music in 2009 and for that reason deserves to be on this list.

Peaches

Peaches is a true artist of the noughties. She came into our lives in 2000 like a filthy storm and blew us away with the cult hit 'Fuck the Pain Away'. More than just a one hit wonder she has stayed around the whole decade to entertain us with her sex-crazed, fun filled spectacular shows.

Beth Ditto

Beth is probably the woman who sums up this decade. To compensate for our society's sick obsession with thin women we developed a sick obsession with supposed 'real women'. This led to a sick obsession with one larger woman named Beth Ditto. The constant tabloid obsession would have destroyed a lesser woman but not Beth.  She has enough charm, personality and talent to brave the tabloid storm for now and probably another decade as well.

Uplift on Beyonce & Lady GG's Gun Happy New Video

Arrrgh two posts about L to the G in one day, I'm going to need a lie down soon.

Just a quick one to link to Uplift Magazine's post on Beyonce and Lady Gaga's weird new video. It's basically just them in bikini's with guns.

I bet the NRA loved it.

To read more about Uplift's take on the video click here.