On any given Friday, I can go out and hear some Chris Brown, Kanye, Ke$ha or Gaga. When I do, I’m guaranteed to freak out, say each song is my favorite and proceed to scream along as loud as I can, ruining the music for all within earshot. So, what’s the problem? The problem is that the next night I will hear the exact same songs. And unlike a fine wine, Top 40 hits don’t tend to get better with age. Except The Beatles. And maybe the Spice Girls. Or perhaps some Livin’ on a Prayer. That metaphor didn’t work at all — apparently, most music ages better than wine. But that doesn’t erase the fact that I am sick ofgettin’ my party on to the same worn-out jams. The following songs make pretty darn good alternatives.
When I studied abroad in London last semester, I couldn’t leave the house without hearing “Frisky” byTinie Tempah. Tinie Tempah is Britain’s answer to Kanye West: a rapper with smart lyrics and an exceedingly large ego. The main difference between Tinie and American rappers is that the U.K. obsession with dubstep music is apparent in the beats to Tinie’s songs — but don’t worry, it doesn’t sound so much like house music that you’ll need a strobe light to make your party complete. Plus, your fellow partiers will be really impressed with how foreign and cultured your music taste is … and you can spend the evening trying to decipher British-isms in his lyrics. It’s a win-win situation!
If you’re looking to make your party a little more alternative (you’re pretty cool, aren’t you?), rock out to “Vultures” by The Pass. This band, which hails from Kentucky, sounds like a more “electro” version of Phoenix. Suffice it to say, it’s happy music that has a good beat for groovin’ without the worry that it will become a mainstream dance track. You can put it on and use the chance to show off your super hipster dance moves — you know you want to!
If you enjoy those two songs as much as I clearly do, you’re going to be having entirely too much fun by the time they’re through. When that exhaustion hits at the end of the night and it’s time to slow things down, press play on “Black and Yellow” by Chris Cab. OK … I know we’re all pretty tired of the Wiz Khalifa original. And we’re all probably pretty tired of mash-ups of “Black and Yellow” as well. But you’re just going to have to take my word for it — Chris Cab’s cover of the song turns it into an entirely different beast. It gets slowed down, chilled out and overall a little bit reggae. But even if you’re not ready to start making rasta pasta and hanging a poster of Bob Marley in your room, you’ll still love this song. It’s just one of those odd combinations that blends to create something beautiful — like chocolate and peanut butter or Chrismukkah.
So there you have it: everything you need to have a rollicking good time, no Katy Perry necessary. If you play these songs this weekend and find yourself longing for your old Top 40 standards, I promise to buy each and every one of you the puppy of your choice. (Not really, because that could get pretty expensive, but that should show you how confident I am. I might buy you a goldfish if you ask me nicely.) So what are you waiting for? Invite all your friends over right now. Case closed.
Kinne Chapin is a senior in the College. She can be reached at [email protected]. Face the Musicappears every other Friday in the guide.
