Guilty Pleasures…

I’ve recently transplanted myself  from Berlin, Germany back to the United States in the lovely city of Boston.  With this whole transition and confusion, I have resorted to listening to light hearted simple music that has been able to keep me afloat for these past two weeks.  Pop music and songs with strong positive lyrics always seem to alleviate  stress and other worries in my personal life.  Though some would be quick to judge those who like such music, I have always caught them listening to such tunes, and just smile at them.  Music has a strong influence on most people, especially men, where it’s been said that they listen to songs the reflect their current state or mood.  During my stay in Berlin, dark, more sorrowful music echoed through my flat, but mostly in relation to my changes in my life, lonesomeness, and understanding of being different in a totally new environment.

Don’t get me wrong, I played more popular or up beat music during my times there, weather it would be dancing in my underwear with my roommate, or doing interpretive dancing with him as well, Katy Perry Kate Bush, and even Janet have made appearances in our lovely household.

Ke$ha, whom I have found to be annoying in some ways, actually put out some decent songs, that make me want to get up and jump around, and yes, drink whiskey, and maybe just feel a little dirty, especially with her notion that men can be hot and have facial hair and be a little chubby.  So maybe a slight idol? With everything slightly auto-tuned, you’d think she’d have no voice, but looking at some live/acoustic songs, you can see that she can sing, it’s just a whole POP ploy on us all and trends.  AKA sell out, but I love it.

Ok, if you hate this song, I might have to shoot you in the foot.  Rihanna’s Only Girl in the World, opened a door for all gay Divas to just let loose.  I think I almost perfected the stomp walk shoulder shrug to this song.  The most perfect moment that I experienced listening to this song was sitting in Back Factory in Berlin, and it came on their TV and everyone in the place started jammin’ to it.  The ensable of Turkish, German, and tourists/part time visitors opening up and singing it while eating their Brot and other delish snacks made it almost a Glee moment!

I think Ellie has gotten the short end of the stick in the U.S.A.  The Brits seem to love her, and yes sometimes she sounds like a little weird goat or her voice sounds like it’s about to give out, but I think that comes with her newness to this whole industry.  She needs some training.  What I seem to admire the most about her is her energy and quirkiness.  She knows all the people she needs to know in London, and she also vocalizes her views via Twitter/Facebook which is nice.  Yes they might be “filtered”, but it’s cute to see that she’s out on the town and wants to get a drink or frozen yogurt, makes her human.  I think that’s what I seem to enjoy about her, is she’s down to earth, loves to dance and have a good time.  Who’d refuse that?  I’d have to say it’s become infectious in it’s own way, especially with her remixes, which you should get, that make you want to get up and run and be active, or in Christo’s way, power clean the house.

Ok, so Alexis Jordan might be my new power anthem bitch.  She’s held my head up high, and also maybe a little flailing here and there, but she’s taught me to fucking just do it, you can make it through it, and well be fierce at the same time.  What I don’t seem to understand is why they block her damn videos in the U.S. or anywhere else but the U.K.  Blah!  Well Happiness has been on loop and playlists since it’s come out.  If you are a fag, you know it, if you are a diva, you know it, and well, you should know it.  With the remake beat by Deadmau5, the banshee vocals on top just make it a great song to dance too.  It was my theme song back in 2010, after hearing it at some shanty shack in Provincetown late one night.  Me and my friends danced to it, and it became the song we worked to, yes WORK.

Ok, so Florrie has totally charmed me since my friend sent me a few Demos by her almost a year ago.  Not well heard of, but amazingly talented, she has graced my existence with her voice and talents in playing multiple instruments and music production.  With a plethora of remixes done from her first EP and free downloads, she really wants you to listen to her music.  This song, and this video, makes me want to sip tea in classy 5 star hotels, and look out windows and remember the good times.  Florrie has become a fashion icon, like many other pop stars, but her loose tight pony tail somehow just does it for me.  I hope to see more of her, and even a live performance down the line, hopefully crossing my fingers!

Ok, ok, last one.  Robyn has come back full force, taking over the dance music scene, and well my life.  She just does it right, and makes us realize, you can be in your 30s and still fucking go crazy and enjoy life.  There is a documentary about there on youtube that you can watch about her life, and you realize why she is the way she is.  I love her “I don’t give a fuck” mentality, perfectionism, and her flair.  She is beyond creative, and has sprung back my interest in pop, dance, and the international music scene.  Easy and great to listen to, her songs have produce great for break ups, power anthems and dance-a-holics.  I think she came back for a reason, now only if she got better promotion, because nothing would be better than to hear one of her songs come on the radio and you can just blast it for all of us to hear.

Well, hopefully my little list will inspire you to put on something that you love and be productive.  I know the summer is slowly coming to an end, but that doesn’t mean the fall or winter will be any worse.  Maybe less sitting down or veging out, or well, maybe drinking too much, the colder months allow us to enjoy those more private moments, like bedroom dance offs, or Karaoke with friends, or well my favorite, dinner parties (with a great soundtrack of course).  We have to remember that we are presented with tough times, but they allow us to break through and enjoy the positive influences it will have on us as well.  Till then, I’m going to take a shower and sing my heart out.