Elevate Difference

Reviews by Alyx Vesey

Alyx Vesey

Alyx Vesey will always be chasing the moment she first heard Björk's "Human Behaviour." She began fusing her interests in music culture and feminism in college, where she was a deejay at UT Austin's 91.7 KVRX and a member of Alliance for a Feminist Option. She graduated from UT in 2005 with a bachelor's in journalism and history and in 2008 with a master's in media studies and a concentration in women's and gender studies. She launched Feminist Music Geek in April 2009, and her writing has appeared in Bitch, Flow Journal, I Fry Mine in Butter, Tom Tom Magazine, and [Scratched Vinyl[(http://www.scratchedvinyl.com/). In addition, she volunteers for Girls Rock Camp Austin, co-facilitating music history workshops. When not balancing freelance work, volunteer duties, and her 9-to-5 work responsibilities, she likes to snuggle her cat Kozy, dance, hang out with friends, and play her guitar.

Marnie Stern

The buzzword on Marnie Stern's self-titled third album seems to be "introspective." Frankly, this descriptor hardly seems indicative of a sea change if we've been paying attention to her lyrics. Sure, In Advance of the Broken Arm and her breakthrough sophomore effort, _[This Is It And I Am It and You Are It and So Is That and

Girls to the Front: The True Story of the Riot Grrrl Revolution

First, an admission: like several feminist friends in my age group, riot grrrl didn’t make a profound impact of me until college. I was ten in 1993, the year Sara Marcus claims as pivotal for the movement in her book Girls to the Front. I was moving away from Mariah Carey and getting into the Pet Shop Boys. Riot grrrl was first on my radar through mainstream distortion in the pages of Spin and in the Spice Girls’ defanged “girl power” message.

Radical Act

Tex Clark made the documentary Radical Act in 1995. It was originally intended as a snapshot of the rise of cisgender female involvement in indie rock following riot grrrl's and queercore's impact, particularly amongst lesbians and feminist women. After over a decade, Million Movies a Minute is officially releasing it this month.

As It Turns Out

Melanie Flannery fronts a New York-based jazz ensemble called the Mel Flannery Trucking Co. Backed by bassist Matt Aronoff, drummer Danny Sher, and keyboardist and songwriting collaborator Lee Pardini, Flannery cultivated a sound that bridges pop, cabaret, jazz, and soul. Their latest offering, As It Turns Out, remains consistent with previous releases. It also has little to recommend itself. While not unpleasant, the album did not capture my imagination.

Oompa!

A few weeks back, Sabrina Chap (born Chapadjiev) contacted me to see if I wanted to review her new album, Oompa! Never one to turn down a free meal from female musicians, I obliged and she mailed me a copy (with a handwritten letter, no less — thanks, Sabrina!).
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