Punk Feminist Reader, Finals Madness Edition

So even though I've been preoccupied with school-related matters, I have managed to keep up with my reading. Since it's Friday, and who actually does work on a Friday afternoon, I thought I'd share some links so you can dig what I've been thinking about/planning on possibly writing about. A lot of it is kind of old news, but still, enjoy, my punk feminist Friday slackers!

First: I rarely get to write about it here, but as the proud descendant of Puerto Rican migrants, I try to keep up with the island's news. Unfortunately, lately the news seems all bad: it's all about the aftermath of the hatecrime murder of Jorge Steven López Mercado, and the resurrection of the dastardly Proyecto 2499.

In better, gayer news, my personal heroine Trish Bendix has been bringing the gay music news over at AfterEllen (along with our morning brew). This week, she reports on how Lady Sovereign is FINALLY out, and last week Trish got us the news on Melissa York's latest projects. (Which includes Team Dresch reunion shows this summer, OMGYAY!)

In feminist blogger gal pal news: the lovely Maggie of Rocker Repro recently asked why Taylor Momsen is so into old school dude rockers. Another heroine, Alyx Vesey, has been killing it over at Bitch, and I especially loved her response to the new M.I.A. video. And then ANOTHER friend, RMJ, who has also been blogging over at Bitch (dang, I have some good feminist blogger taste!), recently posted at her blog Deeply Problematic about why Kristen Stewart doesn't have to smile for us. In other Bitch news, Jessica Yee asks us to consider when an issue becomes a feminist issue.

Meanwhile, my faves The Two Funerals and their tourmates/bffs in P.S. Eliot have been fighting and calling out scene sexism and misogyny in the trenches and on the intarwebs. Read all about what incited their righteous rage for yourself, read TTF's response, read Katie of PSE's response, and then get active and do something good for your own scene.

And if you still haven't got anything to do after that, go read some Tiger Beatdown, and maybe listen to some good, old fashioned, feminist straight edge vegetarian grindcore.

Promise to come back with a real post soon, my dear readers. Hasta luego!

Hump Day Treat, Pioneer Band Double Header

Um. Did you know that Sonic Youth put out a new record yesterday?



Yeah, neither did I. (It's called The Eternal, by the way.) But then, Sonic Youth's ability to be a cultural institution and still be totally underground, low key and genuinely cool is a major part of their appeal.

Whether you're familiar with the band's long and accomplished discography or not, it's almost impossible to not know about Kim Gordon, their one-time bass player, current guitarist, and sometimes vocalist. Gordon's art school cool attitude, pro-woman ideas, and New York City street punk style have been influencing punk artists and musicians since the '80s, just as Sonic Youth has been defining and re-defining the genre known as 'art punk' for almost 30 years now.

Over at AfterEllen, Trish Bendix writes that new track "Sacred Trickster" is "infectious" and arguably one of the band's "best tracks ever". Below is a performance of the new song from last month, along with a performance of "Antenna". So give it a spin (...or a stream?) and celebrate a long and distinguished career, instead of thinking about being stuck at work for at least 4 more hours.