World Music Marking

I have just peer reviewed the week 1 essays from six of my fellow students on the Coursera / Penn University course Listening To World Music.  They were rather a mixed bag.

One essay stood above the others, the student has phrased his/her essay in academic language, the question had been thought about and looked at from two differing angles and it read through as one coherent whole. Another essay was pretty good, asked to comment on positionality and emotion within music the student chose the original song, and then three cover versions of the same to illustrate his point, clever thinking.  The other four were hard going though, at least two seemed to understand only basic English, not one used any basic academic conventions and at least one seemed to be answering a different question.  Or perhaps even a question from a different course.

This is where I feared the Coursera project might begin to fall down.  I am going to be quite happy if the first two students read and score my essay, they have a good grip of what the course entails and understood the questions clearly.  Judging by the standard of the other four essays, I wouldn't want any of them marking my work as they appear to have little or no idea of what is going on. Asking them to give scores based on academic conventions and whether or not the arguments are convincing and nuanced just won't be possible as they do not seem to understand these terms.

Fingers crossed then. I think I have written a decent first essay, not as well argued as my Open University work, but then it is a free course without a recognised qualification so I am not spending the research time on this that I would with the OU. I am the only person I have seen so far who has presented references and a bibliography, the OU have drummed that into me over the last year.

Week one scores will be out tomorrow, I have a very busy weekend next week so I'm unsure if I can manage to whole essay and peer reviewing business.  It may depend on whether next week's questions really pique my interest.

Over in OU world, our collaborative wiki is coming on well, and I have made a start on next month's essay question - "To what extent has tourism transformed the meaning of religious objects?"

Farewell Jon Lord

Deep Purple founder member Jon Lord died today.  Thanks for all the great songs mate, we'll miss you.

Gandalf Does Dubstep

Thank You Hater! - by Clever Pie and Isabel Fay

You'll Never Beat The Irish

I am not entirely sure what is going on here, I don't reckon this is actually an Irish junior school.  I got Ireland in the Euro 2012 draw at work though, I'm just grateful I didn't get England.

[Quick bit of interwebnet research] This is a video made by the Good Child Foundation in Thailand, a charity who work towards inclusive education for Down's Syndrome children.

Goodchild Foundation

'I FINK U FREEKY' by DIE ANTWOORD (Official)

Mental, and it's not as if they're any more normal in any of their other videos.

Hot Rock Chicks - Yo-Landi Vi$$er

Yo-Landi Vi$$er is a rapper with South African outfit Die Antwoord.

Die Antwoord appear to be completely mental.

Y0-Landi in a coat made from rats, just another normal day in the weird world of Die Antwoord.

Ok, I'm a bit scared now.

This seems like more normal YS Hot Rock Chick fare, but in a moment she'll start vomiting squid.

Mini Rock God

Mr. Moosehead's young 'un Matt plays a stonking cover of Muse on a guiter almost as big as he is!

Using History

"If history is the judge to which we appeal, then it can also find against us. It can highlight our mistakes by reminding us of those who, at other times, faced similar problems but who made different, perhaps better decisions" - Margaret MacMillan, (2009) The Uses And Abuses Of History, London, Profile Books.

"A cockroach in the concrete, courthouse tan and beady eyes
A slouch with fallen arches, purging truths into great lies
A little man with a big eraser, changing history
Procedures that he's programmed to, all he hears and sees
Altering the facts and figures, events and every issue
Make a person disappear, and no one will ever miss you

Rewrites every story, every poem that ever was
Eliminates incompetence, and those who break the laws
Follow the instructions of the New Way's Evil Book of Rules
Replacing rights with wrongs, the files and records in the schools" - Lyrcis to Hook In Mouth by Megadeth, written by Dave Mustaine.

Album Review : Birdcloud - Birdcloud 8*

Birdcloud are two sweet looking girls, Jasmin and Mackenzie, who play guitar and mandolin and sing in a country/bluegrass style.  They are also an absolute disgrace, and hilarious.

You might not pick up from the song titles that Birdcloud's self titled debut is a fairly scathing, and bitingly funny, satire on redneck life.  As soon as the girls start singing though I defy you not to laugh, if you can manage it between the gasps of shock.

There are seven songs on the album, and most are fairly short making it more of an EP length in playing time.  The girls sing and play well, in just the sort of strings and voices style that I love in folk music.  In terms of their lyrics though, it's like listening to The Pierces suddenly being possessed by the spirit of The Macc Lads, it is both raunchy and squalid but delivered with a sort of innocent unknowing quality of their stupidity.

Saving Myself For Jesus has been banned by YouTube. Why ? It may be be the lyric 'my hymen belongs to Jesus', or it could be the references to titty fucking, dry humping or being poked in the back door.  The girls have encouraged fans to do cover versions and post them so have a look around.

Other subjects covered in their song range from boasting about their mock native American heritage on Indianer, bewailing the loss of a beloved pet in Bandit, and to be honest Warshin My Big Old Pussy requires no further description.

The music is good, the girls sing well, they shock and entertain in equal measure, it's a short album but you'll get your money's worth of belly laughs from it.

RED FANG - "Wires"

Anti Nowhere League - So What

Battle of Evermore

The Petty Officer of Fucking About

""TODAY THE God Of Fuck is merely the Petty Officer Of Fucking About; the Local Ombudsman Of Mildly Irritating Behaviour. He's locked in his suitably grand room at a Park Lane hotel with plenty of absinthe and 'a young lady friend'. A wide-eyed reporter from a London free title eventually comes down the stairs declaring him to be "leathered"; saying that the lanky industro-goth was striding round his room with the girl tossed over his shoulder chatting bare nonsense."

- Journalist John Doran reaches the end of his tether while waiting for Marilyn Manson to turn up for a scheduled interview, 2009.

Alive Inside

Hot Rock Folk Chicks - Katriona Gilmore

For your delectation this morning, the lovely and incredibly talented musician and singer Katriona Gilmore.  One half of Gilmore-Roberts, part of The Albion Band, seems to be able to play about 20 different instruments, hands out chocolate cake at gigs.

Hot Rock Chicks - Grog

The strangely monikered Grog from London metal outfit Die So Fluid.  Ooh, more than a hint of Siouxsie Sioux. It's safe to say that I'll be down the front at Hard Rock Hell VI when DSF are on stage.

Hot Rock Chicks - Lzzy Hale

Lzzy Hale of Halestorm.

Smack My Bitch Up

The Prodigy - Smack My Bitch Up

Cracking video, a solid 9.9 on the NSFW and anywhere else really.

Ilkley Gig - Lady Maisery

If anyone fancies a bit of folk music, the all girl trio Lady Maisery are playing at the Manor House in Ilkley on Friday 13th Jan.  Lady Maisery released their debut album Weave and Spin last year and have been nominated for best debut at the Spiral Awards.

Get there early for a place in the mosh pit, also, I presume there is no bar at the Manor House ? Hip flasks of single malt at the ready then.