Cattitude Adjustment - Riot Grrrl Berlin strikes again!

Yeah, we've not been too busy on the site recently. If you need a reason for this hiatus, I ask you just to have a look at the state of our country and the dicks in our government. Someone has to organise against this mob and that has meant that the Streetlamp blog has taken a back seat to the political activism around these parts. So, there have been a lot of important events distracting us all this last wee while, e.g. the bedroom tax, but we're glad to announce a very important musical release this week that we simply couldn't ignore.

So, what is this earth-shattering musical release, I hear you ask? It's only the latest free compilation release from those beautiful, wonderful people at Riot Grrrl Berlin! You will recall that we're huge fans of the Riot Grrrl Berlin ouptput (see 'here' and 'here') and we're pleased to say that this latest release is an absolute humdinger. Called 'Cats Against Catcalling!', the compilation features no less than 95 bands (yep, you read that right - 95!) and contains 5 hours of music ranging from folk to thrash and featuring most things in-between.
If you don't find at leat a dozen songs on it that you love then just lie down and pull a sheet over yourself because you are already dead! I'm going to embed a few of my favourite tracks below but, trust me, there are dozens I could have picked from this compilation and I just wish I could include more.

First up is Anna Bo with 'Plastic':



Here's Jesus and his Judgemental Father with 'Kings and Queens':



Next is Secondhand Underpants with 'Pizza Faced Brat':


Finally, here's The Anna Thompsons with 'Fuck You':


Great music, and there's tons more where that came from. But 'Cats Against Catcalling' isn't just about the music. The inspiration for the compilation came through the Hollaback tumblr page.

Hollaback is a movement to end street harassment powered by a network of local activists around the world. Hollaback activists work together to better understand street harassment, to ignite public conversations, and to develop innovative strategies to ensure equal access to public spaces. Street harassment is one of the most pervasive forms of gender-based violence and one of the least legislated against. Comments from “You’d look good on me” to groping, flashing and assault are a daily, global reality for women and LGBTQ individuals. But it is rarely reported, and it’s culturally accepted as ‘the price you pay’ for being a woman or for being gay. Hollaback and Riot Grrrl Berlin reject this and together they say that "It's time to break the silence about street harassment".

To help do this, Riot Grrrl Berlin asked Hollaback Berlin if they would cooperate with the 'Cats Against Catcalling' compilation and give some info and materials to include in the download. Hollaback Berlin have responded magnificently with a downloadable folder packed full of images, posters and documents to print and share. They've also included many cool memes you can use to spread the word against street harassment on the internet.

To the Streetlamp's delight the Hollaback memes and artwork feature images of our favourite animals - cats (see here for our own 'anarchist cat' images). Here are some of our favourites:










'Cats Against Catcalling' also has its own meme site 'here' where you can add your own images. Why not get creative and share your own designs? It would be really awesome if everyone who downloads this compilation prints some posters, posts some memes and spreads the word. This is what the d.i.y. ethos and direct action is all about. Don't wait for someone else to do something, become the agent of change yourself!

'Cats Against Catcalling' is a brilliant free download full of great music and anti-street harrassment material. Please, if you download it, share about it on your blog, post it on facebook, print some posters and paste your town.



Griff
xx

Grrrls say; Shut up, Griff, we'll take it from here.

OK, so this is a Griff says piece with a difference in that I'm about to attempt to not come off as a patronisingly erudite and all-knowing wank ( Gordon - "Yeah, that'll be the day!"). And the reason for my sudden reticence is that those lovely people at Riot Grrrl Berlin have just released the latest of their wonderful All Free Music Collections (seen previously 'here' on the Streetlamp), with the title of 'Mansplaining on the Dancefloor'.

With that kind of title I'm going to limit myself to saying that this new release contains 35 free riot grrrl/feminist music gems well up to the standard we've come to expect from these Riot Grrrl Berlin compilations. There should be something on this album to please virtually all music tastes and you'd be mad not to download it right now from 'here'.

If you're interested, I've posted below my three current favourite songs from this release.

First up is 'Crayons', a nice piece of angular punk-pop, from South London based all-girl trio Cat Bear Tree.



Cat Bear Tree are guitarist/vocalist Zoe Konez, bassist/vocalist Claudia Mansaray, and drummer/vocalist Sarah Smith. Deriving their name from a kick ass cat and a cowardly bear, Cat Bear Tree formed in March 2011 and and are currently gigging all over London and beyond.

Check them out on their band website 'here' or on their facebook page.


Next up is the muscular, alternative rock tune 'SuperSHE' from G.U.T.S.





G.U.T.S. ( an acroynm of Give Us The Strength) are a Washington DC based, all female, 3-piece indie rock band formed in 2009. The band line-up is Tiik on guitar/vocals, Tina on drums, and August on bass.

Check them out on their band website 'here' or on their facebook page.


Last, but not least, is 'Fast and Frightening', a tasty slice of  post-punk surf-noir from Luise Pop




Luise Pop are a four piece who combine elements of electropop, post-punk and surf music to atmospheric effect. Hailing from  Vienna, Austria, the band comprises of Lisa Berger (keyboard, vocals), Vera Kropf (guitar, vocals), Erin Stewart (bass, backing vocals) and Martin Lehr (drums). 'Fast and Frightening' is, of course, a gloriously unexpected cover version of a song originally written by legendary female rock band L7 (Shit! I've started mansplaining again!)

Anyway, you can check out Luise Pop on their band website 'here' or on their facebook page.


Griff
xx

Griff says; Grrrls, don't ever let them silence you.

I'm feeling pretty hyped writing this tonight as I have something really special for you. And what's more, it couldn't have come at a better time. Most of you will be aware that, as well as contributing to this blog, which generally means listening to hours of new music submissions, I also work full time and am involved in various union activities and political campaigns. This can mean that I sometimes  feel as though I'm taking so much punishment that I'm out on my feet. The good news though is that all it takes to get me back into the ring for the next round is finding something exceptional to put on the blog. The other reason tonight's blog is significant is that I'm pretty sure it will cheer up our own Gordon no end. You see, last Saturday, Gordon and I popped into our favourite Glasgow watering hole, the 13th Note, only to realise that we'd completely missed a gig, just the night before, featuring Scragfight, Gastric Band, V is for Vagina and Ana Boom Boom Trash. Those of you who are aware of Gordon's inclination, nay his ardour, for riot grrrl music will realise how crestfallen he was at this discovery. So, tonight, this glittering treasure trove of music I'm about to lay at your feet is also a wee something to put the spring back in Gordon's step, and God knows he needs it after spending most of last weekend listening to me banging on about anarchist theory.

So, what is it that has me so excited? Simply that the Riot Grrrl Berlin collective have just released (4th July) their latest free music compilation. Called 'More Music-Less Macho', this 44 song compilation has been my constant companion for the last 48 hours and can only be described as overwhelmingly brilliant, and what's more it features the aforementioned V is for Vagina and Ana Boom Boom Trash. If you only download one of my music recommendations this year, this is the one to go for. The music is wonderfully diverse, so don't imagine that it's all punk thrashing - although that music is represented here - and very fine it is too. But, this compilation goes way, way beyond that with an eclectic selection that ranges from a sensitive piano ballad to experimental electronica via gritty urban hip-hop. There are so many good tracks on this compilation that it has genuinely been really difficult for me to pick out a few to showcase on the site. I eventually picked three which together should illustrate the range of genres available but, quite frankly, there are so many gems on this that I might do a second piece later in the week to highlight some more of the bands. Yep, this compilation really is that good. So, have I got you interested yet? I certainly hope so. But if not, have a listen to the tracks below and then go and download the compilation, plus the previous three Riot Grrrl Berlin compilations if you're a latecomer, and tell all your friends about it.

Ok, first up is Edith Crash with 'Trop Vite Oublier'. I was able to find an excellent mean and moody video in existence for this fine piece of French noir-pop.

This is worth listening to simply for the percussion alone, I think. Edith Crash has a website 'here' as well as a bandcamp page featuring two albums available on a 'name your price' basis.


Next is 'Comics' by Executive Legs from Leeds who do a nice take on the sort of Casio punk that I've championed before on these pages. Have a listen:



The Executive legs EP, Leg It! can be purchased from their bandcamp site for a paltry £3 for the digital download or £4 for the CD.

My final offering from the compilation is a quirky piece of hip-hop called 'Places We Go' by Punk Rap Princess, from Orange County, USA.




As you know, I love a bit of hip-hop and this has the gritty, lo-fi quality that I really like. It also demonstrates how hip-hop and feminism aren't such strange bedfellows as some people would have us believe. Punk Rap Princess has loads more tracks available as free downloads on her soundcloud page.

I hope you liked those as much as I do. Now get yourself along to the Riot Grrrl Berlin site where you'll find an embarrassment of similar riches. Excpect much more from this source on The Streetlamp in the future.

Griff
xx