Music Obsessions

before i start with this post, i'd like to preface it with a disclaimer that i am NOT a hipster, not by any means. i'm actually quite indiscriminate when it comes to music; i used to jokingly call myself a "music whore" (this was before i realized how problematic this self-proclamation was).

anyway, getting back to the post. i've found myself listening to certain artists on repeat when i'm listening to my ipod. i'm also very bored at work, since i'm waiting for people to give me feedback on my forms. so, put two and two together and voila, you have a blog post. in no particular order:

1) marina and the diamonds
this lovely gal hails from wales, but is london-based. as far as i know, she only has a couple songs that have been (relatively) widely distributed, but hopefully she'll release her full-length debut album soon. i've fallen in love with all of her songs that i've heard so far, in part because of her interesting vocal stylizations and in part because of her lyrics. my favorites are "obsessions," "i am not a robot," and "seventeen."

2) alphabeat
i really should try to at least wikipedia all these artists i'm writing about, but i'm too lazy. all i know about this band is that they're danish, and i love the male/female harmonies in their songs. they have a pop-ish feel (not like bubblegum, but more like an 80's pop), and my favorite songs by them are probably "10,000 nights" and "fascination.

3) the bird and the bee
i'm not really sure how to classify this duo, but if i had to i would probably describe them as indie/synth pop flirting with twee. makes sense why i like them, given my long-lasting love affair with twee (5 years and counting; that's long for me...). i like the general electro-synth feel of their songs, juxtaposed with the girl's (i REALLY should wikipedia) soft, understated, breathy vocals. i do, however, have some qualms about listening to their song "love letter to japan" just because of the exoticization, generalization and appropriation that goes on in the song, but other than this minor glitch, i really like this duo.

4) shugo tokumaru
i fell hard for this guy back in late 2008, and my love for him still hasn't abated. i REALLY don't know how to classify his sound, but i think he and his music are adorable, and i love him. his album "exit" is the only album i've EVER downloaded off iTunes, and that's saying a lot since i'm usually cheap and obtain my music through more shady and surreptitious methods. i keep saying i want to get my hands on more of his music, but i've yet to do so...oh well, maybe i will once my year of being AmeriPoor is over.