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(04/06/15 1:39am)
My freshmen year of college, I discovered the joy of streaming Netflix on my laptop. My first semester, I spent my time watching witty 30-minute comedies such as 30 Rock, Undeclared, Arrested Development, and Parks and Recreation. By the time second semester hit, I knew I wanted a show that I could invest myself in. My family and friends had raved about Matthew Weiner's Mad Men. So, with my love of the 1960’s, advertising, and history I dove into what would soon become my favorite TV show and the one that would teach me more than any classroom would about my future career as a woman wanting to work in sports.
The series starts in the offices of Sterling Cooper in 1960. Historically speaking, birth control was invented one year earlier, Cold War tensions were running high, and workplace sexism was still the norm. In this episode, we get introduced to the show’s protagonist and hero/anti-hero (however he’s feeling at the time, really) Donald Draper, and the show’s secret protagonist, his bright-eyed secretary, Peggy Olson. Throughout the first season we see Peggy struggle as an intelligent, moral young woman trying to fit in at the Sodom like offices of Sterling Cooper. By the time the first season ends, we see Peggy enter into the man’s world of advertising as a junior copywriter, working under Don; except instead of getting his coffee, she is creating the tags to help sell Bell Jolie Lipstick.
As the series progresses, Peggy’s responsibility at whatever agency she is at increase until she is the copy editor at the newest incarnation of the show’s central agency, Sterling Cooper and Partners at the end of 1969 (aka the first half of Season 7). More than her career moving up in the ad world, we see Peggy start to assert her dominance as an equal in this man’s world that is the advertising agency. Her beautiful Burger Chef pitch at the end of this season exemplifies all she has worked for and shows that Peggy Olson has officially arrived.
Though Peggy’s story at the end of the first half of Season 7 ends semi-happily (Sorry, you’re lonely), it doesn’t mean that she didn’t struggle to get to this point. Throughout every season of the show, Peggy constantly battled being asexualized and then sexualized by her colleagues (looking at you, Stan), sexism that led to doubt about her abilities to perform (Pete every time they were paired on an account together, i.e. Clearasil), and her own beliefs about what she should have accomplished by 30 years old (you don’t need to be married to be considered successful, Peggy!). For Peggy to have achieved what she had in her career, she also needed to prove herself as a woman who could hold her own amongst a group of sexist men, or as some people would call this, “being one of the guys.” Whether it was smoking weed, getting tough on a client in a meeting, or bossing around her employees, Peggy has never been afraid to take on the stereotypically “male” persona to get ahead in her career.
As Mad Men and my college career both come to a close this spring, I’m left reflecting on a show that has pushed me to tears so many times. What I’ve come to realize after all the countless re-watching’s and episode discussions with friends is that I’m Peggy Olson (though my colleagues liken me to Ken Cosgrove because of my charm). When I first entered the WIUX station house 4 years ago, I was the “new girl,” I was a shy, innocent, and naïve freshmen from New York. I then had to prove myself as a woman that could hold her own on the Board of Directors and then as General Manager. But more than having to prove myself at the station, I’ve had to prove myself academically in the classroom.
My dream, ever since I was 10, has been to work in sports in some capacity. The 2010’s sports industry is much like 1960’s advertising industry; male dominated and slightly sexist. I have been given advice by professor’s who tell me I’ll be fine because I “act like a man” and am “opinionated and not afraid to share it.” The latter is something I have always prided myself on, but I know the people giving me these compliments also group it together with former. I’m not acting like a man when I express myself; I’m acting like a woman. Women have opinions too. Like Peggy, I’ve been asexualized based upon my ability to out perform my male colleagues in class and have been marginalized because of it. Like Peggy, I’ve been called bossy because I set high standards for me and for people that work with me. Like Peggy, I’ve learned that even if you work your butt off, sometimes you will be shafted because of your gender.
Though I’m aware of the future that is ahead, I’m less fearful of it because of seeing Peggy break gender barriers in a less accepting time in American history. If Peggy has taught me anything it’s that being assertive, hard working, passionate, and being able to create an amazing story behind an ad or a campaign (thanks to you too for that one, Don) are the tools that will take me far in whatever career I go into. As for right now, I’m excited to watch (on Sunday at 10pm on AMC) how Peggy’s journey ends in a man’s world that she has shattered.
(03/03/15 11:54pm)
Bloomington's music scene in known across the country not for just attracting bands to play, but also because of number of quality local bands. The Underhills are just one of those bands, and now they are asking for the community's help.
The six-piece acoustic folk group is hoping to record their first full-length album over Spring Break at Sonic Ranch Studios in Tornillo, Texas, and have started an Indiegogo campaign to help fund the project. The group wants to record to Sonic Ranch because some of their favorite artists have recorded at the Grammy award-winning studio (think Animal Collective, Beach House, Explosions in the Sky). Within eight days of starting the campaign, the band has already raised a total of $3,965 towards the project, but they are still in need of donations to reach their $6,000 goal.
The Underhills are an extremely unique group of young men whose musical talent is unmatched. Each member has a different background and instead of this causing the group to splinter or stick with one genre, it allows them to collaborate and create a song that sounds different to anything else that you are going to hear locally in Bloomington, and if not anywhere else. Have you heard an acoustic band featuring instruments such as violin, mandolin, and banjo do a killer cover of “Come As You Are” by Nirvana before? I haven’t, until I heard The Underhills. Have you ever heard a band do a rousing folk number and then switch to a song with a melody that could come straight from a Smokey Robinson song? Not ‘till I heard The Underhills. Have you ever seen a group of twenty something’s mosh to a group that has a violin in it? You get it.
More than their undeniable musical talent, The Underhills radiate positivity and camaraderie whenever they play. The group has been together for four years and throughout their college careers have grown together as a band. When you watch The Underhills on stage, you aren’t watching six random guys just jam, but six best friends having the best time of their lives at every show. Personally, I’ve been fortunate enough to get to know these guys over the past two years and they are some of the most kind hearted, down to earth, and fun people you will ever meet. I know their music has brought such joy to my life and to lives of many other people in Bloomington. If you haven’t listened to The Underhills before, take a listen and I’m positive you will enjoy it. So, if you do one good deed a year, I implore you to make this it. The Underhills have given so much to the Bloomington community over the past couple of years, let’s give to them so that they can continue to bring us thoughtful and creative music.
To donate: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-underhills
(10/03/14 2:32pm)
Coming to college there was really only one thing I wanted to do, and that was be on the radio. I’m originally from Larchmont, NY, a small suburb 30 minutes outside of New York City, the largest media market in the United States. I grew up immersed in the amazing radio stations I had access to and the DJ’s that filled the stations airwaves. From the sounds of New York’s Classic Rock on Q104.3 to World Class Rock on 107.1 the Peak to WFAN the Fan 660 AM, I was constantly amazed by how articulately the jocks could talk about music or sports, and how comforted I felt being able to lose myself to someone else’s playlist for however long I was in my car for. That’s why when I got to Indiana University, I knew the first thing I wanted to do was to find the college radio station, get involved, and hopefully, start creating that same feeling I had felt while listening to the radio at home to our listeners.
The night of the WIUX call-out meeting was the same night my dog was being put down. Unfortunately, this was an occasion that I could not fly home for, so I sulked in my classes and shed a few tears before my night class, Introduction to Sports Marketing. I remembered that the WIUX call-out was that night and luckily, it was in the same room as my night class. So, as my fellow classmates started to file out of Woodburn 100, I read the newspaper and patiently awaited an event that would change my life forever.
The WIUX board of 2011-2012 stood up in front of a two-thirds crowded room at Woodburn, all of them in a huddled row under the projector, as they individually spoke about their committees and laughed at each other’s jokes. Being a freshman, I thought they were the coolest group of people I had ever seen. They were all so tight with each other, witty, and most of all, passionate about what they did. I thought if I could ever be half as cool as they were, then I’d be happy. Then the kicker to the presentation happened. Andrew Olanoff, the Station Manager at the time, pulled up a picture of corgis and said, “Stop by the station, we have corgis.” The Board snickered up at the front at the picture of the adorable dogs, I, on the other hand literally thought there were corgis at the station. It wasn’t until the next year that I had figured out that every board has their own spirit animal (don’t ask me what ours is yet, I still don’t even know), and the corgi just happened to be this Board’s. After the meeting, I called my parents in excitement and told them everything, including the part about the dogs. I couldn’t remember the last time I left a meeting so excited and ready to get involved.
That weekend I probably spent a total of four collective hours on my DJ application (most likely because I had to fill it out twice because my computer erased it, but whatever). If you looked at my playlist from that first application, you would probably laugh, I know I would. I threw in some Destiny’s Child just to make sure I was being as hip as humanely possible. Really, who doesn’t love some old school jamz? Later that week, I received the unfortunate news that I had not gotten a show. I was crushed. But, as they say, “when one door closes, another one opens.” A few days later, I received an email from Tyler Stanage, the Programming Director at the time, that said people had dropped out of their shows and asked if I wanted any of the available times. I looked at the list, and thought, “Wow, 4 a.m. on a Friday. I only have one class that day, I’ll take it.” I emailed Tyler back and I was officially on the WIUX roster. I was one step closer to taking over the airwaves.
That Friday, I went to my first radio show at 4 a.m. I left Read at 3:10 a.m and biked over to 815 E. 8th Street, a building that would come to be a home for me throughout my collegiate years. I made it to the station by 3:30 and Tyler was there waiting for me, ready to train me on how to work all of the equipment. Obviously, I was nervous, but I was excited that I was finally going to get to debut a show that I thought had really great potential. My show has been “What’s The Word” since that first Friday morning broadcast. It’s inspired by Q104.3’s the 3 at 3 with Jim Kerr. Each week I pick a different word and play songs with that word in it. Tyler seemed amused enough by the idea, and I started my show. That first show was probably not the best anyone has ever heard. I took an air break after every song (a rookie mistake). Each week, I got better and felt more comfortable on-air. I was on my way to becoming like the jocks I admired from back home.
Throughout my first year as a DJ and a committee member on News and Sales and in my later years as the Social Media Director and Sales Manager, I gained skills that I never thought I would have. I learned how to conduct an interview properly, edit audio through Audition, how to make a sale, what goes into pricing a sponsorship, how to lead a group of sales representatives and have all of them make a sale, and more about the FCC than I would ever care to know. More importantly, than any of those tangible skills, I really learned what being a part of WIUX is all about.
WIUX is about the community that you create in a station of your peers (over 300 of them for this semester) that help you find your voice to speak on controversial issues impacting your fellow students. WIUX is about the creative freedom to speak on and play whatever you want (just no Top 40). WIUX is about working with your peers to solve problems because there are no adults present. WIUX is about finding what you are passionate about and pursuing it. But, most importantly, WIUX is about creating friendships with your fellow DJ’s and committee members. I’ve been fortunate enough to make some of my best friends because of WIUX. These people have served as a support system for me throughout my collegiate career and I am forever thankful for them.
Personally, a lot has changed for me at the station since that first 4 a.m. Friday morning show in September 2011. The two things that haven’t changed though, are the excitement I get every time I’m about to go on-air and the sense of community that can be found between the walls of one college radio station. So, thank you WIUX. I know I wouldn’t be who I am today without you.
(09/16/14 4:04pm)
Two months ago, Spirit of ‘68 Promotions announced that Laura Stevenson would be returning to The Bishop for a second year in a row. Within three days of the announcement, I had at least five people either message me or come up to me and ask if I heard the good news. Yes, I had, I may have squealed in joy, and I’ve already purchased my ticket. In honor of one of my favorite artists return to Bloomington this fall, I want to examine Stevenson’s song “Master of Art” from her album Sit Resist in a political context. “Master of Art” is political because it talks about Stevenson leaving her partner to pursue a Masters in Art and the music video for the song also gives homosexual love a stage.
The most obvious political theme in “Master of Art” is that the protagonist in the song (whom we can assume is Stevenson) is leaving her love to pursue her Masters in Art, reinforcing the existing trend of an increase in women going to college versus men. The lines in the song that allude to this are, “All I could pray for is that you’d please wait for/me until I am a Master of Art/until I have learned everything.” According to a Pew Research Center Study, in 1994 63% of female high school graduates were entering college directly versus 61% of males. In 2012, females immediately enrolling in college had increased to 71% versus their male counterparts who have remained unchanged at 61%. The growth is significant because people that have college degrees tend to earn more in their lifetimes versus their non-degree holding counterparts. Thus, women going off to college in higher numbers than men gives them more opportunities financially as well as career-wise.
The other political message in “Master of Art” is that all love is equal. The music video is unique in the sense that it showcases homosexual love, thus gives it an equal stance with heterosexual love and puts Stevenson on the right side of history with this artistic choice. During the last segment of the video, it showcases the paintings coming to life in the gallery and making out with patrons. At 3:42, two of the male paintings kiss, solidifying Stevenson’s stance on gay marriage. At the date when the video was released, only five states and Washington D.C. had legalized gay marriage. A couple of months later, Stevenson’s home state of New York passed legislation legalizing same-sex marriage. A year and a few months later, President Barack Obama’s voiced his opinion on gay marriage, affirming that same-sex couples should legally have the option to get married. Stevenson took a risk in revealing her personal beliefs and standing up for all types of love by having the two characters kiss in the video. Even if it was just for a second, it showed that all types of love are beautiful and should be recognized.
In conclusion, “Master of Art” explores the political themes of female advancement in college as well as accepting gay marriage. In the song, Stevenson chooses to pursue her Masters and gives herself the opportunity to have a higher standard of living, exemplifying the upward trend of women attending college. Stevenson also highlights homosexual love by showing a kiss between two men during her video, which was a risk that was definitely worth taking. By showing her opinion on gay marriage, it allowed her fans to see the beauty in all types of love .Even though both of these issues are being addressed in the US and are getting fixed at a snail’s pace, “I could lie and say to you that” *the work we need to do on both of these issues* “will soon be over.” Stevenson’s song, though, is taking a good first step.
(07/15/14 1:21pm)
In May, I released a statement saying that WIUX would be moving out of 815 E. 8th Street this summer, but we didn’t know where to. In June, I was able to unveil our new temporary home, which is 715-717 E. 8th. Now, I get to announce that this saga is over. We will be moving out of 815 E. 8th Street on July 22-23.
To commemorate our time in 815, we will be doing one full day of live broadcasting on Monday, July 21. During this day, people will be able to enter the house, take pictures, tell stories of their memories in the house, and most importantly, say good bye. This is going to be an emotional day for all of us involved, so we ask everyone who will be coming through 815 to be respectful of the staff members who are broadcasting as well as those who will be hanging out in the house.
Once we are out of 815, the building will be turned over to IU Real Estate and we will not be allowed back inside. We ask everyone to respect this as well. We have a new house to call home and we want to start this transition off positively. From someone who has personally moved many times, I know it is difficult to leave a place that you have an emotional attachment to. But, like I have stated in previous pieces, we are WIUX wherever we are. Our walls do not define who we are; rather it is the content and quality of our broadcasts. WIUX is a place where our student volunteers have the opportunity to create a community. I’m positive that this will take place in 715-717 E. 8th.
If you are interested in having a DJ shift, contact me at csuna@wiux.org, by Friday. If you have any questions, feel free to email me or Sarah Thompson (sthompson@wiux.org).
Carolyn Suna, General Manager
(06/12/14 9:00pm)
A few weeks ago, I released a statement addressing the issue of WIUX’s impending move. We are pleased to announce that this issue has been resolved for the time being. We will be moving into 715-717 E. 8th St. this coming July. The house is a duplex and is owned by IU Real Estate. IU Real Estate will be renovating the house to our specifications so that we can operate out of it. We will also be getting some new furniture that will be purchased by IU Space Planning. Don’t worry; our Coke machine will be coming with us, as well as some of our other beloved furniture from 815 E. 8th St.
We are extremely excited about our new house. It is a chance for us to make a new space our own. Personally, I’m very excited to have this opportunity to create a space that is conducive to our needs and will be a haven for all of us during the school year. We will also be adding an office for Sports and Business to share, which is something that has not happened since our days in 617 E 8th St. The house will also have one working kitchen where we will be able to make coffee, and have other amenities that will continue to make our station a home. Our first official broadcast out of the new space will be during alumni weekend, which is July 25-27. I couldn’t think of a better way to christen our new home then by having the people who helped create our station’s culture broadcast out of it for the first time. It will truly be a weekend to remember and to listen to.
If any of you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to email Sarah (sthompson@wiux.org) or me (csuna@wiux.org).
Carolyn Suna, General Manager
(06/12/14 5:06pm)
A few weeks ago, I released a statement addressing the issue of WIUX’s impending move. We are pleased to announce that this issue has been resolved for the time being. We will be moving into 715-717 E. 8th St. this coming July. The house is a duplex and is owned by IU Real Estate. IU Real Estate will be renovating the house to our specifications so that we can operate out of it. We will also be getting some new furniture that will be purchased by IU Space Planning. Don’t worry; our Coke machine will be coming with us, as well as some of our other beloved furniture from 815 E. 8th St.
We are extremely excited about our new house. It is a chance for us to make a new space our own. Personally, I’m very excited to have this opportunity to create a space that is conducive to our needs and will be a haven for all of us during the school year. We will also be adding an office for Sports and Business to share, which is something that has not happened since our days in 617 E 8th St. The house will also have one working kitchen where we will be able to make coffee, and have other amenities that will continue to make our station a home. Our first official broadcast out of the new space will be during alumni weekend, which is July 25-27. I couldn’t think of a better way to christen our new home then by having the people who helped create our station’s culture broadcast out of it for the first time. It will truly be a weekend to remember and to listen to.
If any of you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to email Sarah (sthompson@wiux.org) or me (csuna@wiux.org).
Carolyn Suna, General Manager
(12/16/13 10:37pm)
With the end of the year coming upon us, it has come the time where music critics from all across the land publish their “Best Albums of 2013” lists. This ritual has best been described by Dan Ozzi from Vice as, “the numerical masturbation ritual.” Though, I will not be participating in this circle jerk of list making, I do want to talk about one album that may have been overlooked by most of you this year: Wheel by Laura Stevenson.
Wheel is Stevenson’s third album and is about the cyclical nature of life, more specifically dying and its downfalls. From songs like “Sink, Swim,” which chronicles apocalyptic like conditions in the state of California, and the single, “Runner,” which talks about the inevitable doom of continuously having to relive a bad memory every year, Stevenson puts her own twist on these themes. She also has mastered juxtaposing her dark lyrics with up beat orchestration. This cleverly masks the meaning of her songs for the average listener, and they could easily think that “Runner” is an ode to summer, even though the chorus pleads, “The summer hurts.”
Wheel also shows musical maturity for Stevenson, and I don’t mean this just in the lyrical sense. In her past albums, A Record and Sit Resist, Stevenson’s lyrics have been dark and apprehensive as well. By musical maturity, I mean the instrumentation of the album is amazing and consistent compared to her first two records. First, the lengths of songs have become more consistent. No song is shorter than 2:30 and run no longer than 6:30. Stevenson has a hit a time range that makes the song have enough room to breath and really give the listener a chance to absorb its meaning.
Stevenson also incorporates the use of non-traditional indie/punk instruments in this album. Strings are heavily used in the song “Every Tense” and brass is used in final song and title track of the album “Wheel.” Both brass and strings are used to punctuate the meaning of songs on many other tracks as well. Though Stevenson has used non-traditional instruments before, this is the first time where they really become critical to the instrumentation of the album compared to some of her earlier material. It’s kind of like a Clarence Clemens’ saxophone in a Bruce Springsteen song; it adds depth and feeling to the song that you can’t get with any other instrument. Though, you could argue that the instrumentation on A Record is just as non-traditional, if not more than Wheel, the songs length on Wheel really gives the instruments time to extenuate their impact. Also, she does divert from using these types of instruments in her sophomore album, Sit Resist, so if you were not the avid Laura Stevenson fan (shame if you aren’t), then you would forget that strings and horns once existed in her music.
Though we see Stevenson take increase risks on Wheel, the album still reminds us why we love the Long Island native. Her voice still resonates with this pure genuine honesty that very few singers can match. Her acoustic songs on the album “Hole” and “The Move,” make the hairs on your arm stand up and give you that sinking feeling in your gut. When “The Move” comes on my iTunes, I stop what I’m doing and just listen to this song that according to Stevenson is about, “ruining someone’s life.” Her lyrics are extremely relatable. I mean, who hasn’t gone through a rough break-up or has been apathetic to the New York football Giants winning the Super Bowl (coming from a Jets fan, that may be a bit biased) or has been drawn back to the chaos of a once lover? Stevenson chronicles these experiences for us in a way that is real and that is extremely visual for the listener to imagine. A true songwriter is one that can paint a picture, not just of human emotion, but one that can take us back to the moment where we felt that exact way. Every song in Wheel does that and does it beautifully.
I know 2013 was an amazing year for music with new albums from Vampire Weekend, The National, Kanye West, and others, but pick up a copy of Wheel. I promise, it’s an album unlike any other that you have listened to this year.
(12/03/13 9:13pm)
If you’ve been on any music news site recently, you’ve probably read that Arcade Fire is requiring that audience members wear formal attire to their arena shows. Since the announcement, there has been outrage from music media outlets and fans all across the world. If you’ve ever taken a History class at IU, in particular one taught by Michael McGerr, you know that all of our actions are political and with politics comes power. You could say instating a dress code at their shows is a political move on Arcade Fire’s part to prove that they have earned respect from their audience to dress formally at their shows. Or, maybe it’s a highbrow class divisional type play. Either way, Arcade Fire feels like they have earned the right to decide what their audience members wear to their shows. Though, I don’t agree with Arcade Fire’s political stance on formal dress (if you’ve seen how I dress myself, you’ll understand why), their political message in their song “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains),” is one, I think, we can all agree on.
In Arcade Fire’s concept album The Suburbs, the band concentrates on life in the suburbs and how it relates to the themes listed earlier. The song that will be the focal point of this essay is “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains).” The song is a critique and a rejection of suburban expectations by youth. The performance is political in the sense that it’s the only song on the album sung by Chassagne, who is one of three women in the band, and is about fear of conformity.
“Sprawl II” builds on the music and themes of Jefferson Airplane because the song is a poke at the generational divide amongst adults and teens. “Sprawl II” and the Jefferson Airplane song, “We Can Be Together” both exemplify the conflict. For example, in “We Can Be Together,” members of Airplane sing, “We are forces of chaos and anarchy/Everything they say we are, we are.” This same pigeonholing that youth is trouble by adults was done in “Sprawl II” when Chassagne sings, “They heard me singing and they told me to stop/ quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock.” This shows the parallel between both the hippie movement and suburban teens. Both movements show that communities were being defined from these two musical numbers: the hippie movement in “We Can Be Together” and the artist outcast in “Sprawl II.” The song also critiques aspects of life in the suburbs.
“Sprawl II” is a song about suburban life being too conformist and consumerist. In the music video for the song, Chassagne’s face is the only one we can see. The rest of the people in the video have their faces covered with multi-colored masks. The only time we see these figures faces is when they are wearing oversized heads that have adult-like features. This gang of faceless creatures also moves in synchronized movements. This synchronization alludes to the fear that everyone from the suburbs is conforming or will become a conformist adult and will all turn out to be the same. This idea, again, alludes to the generational divide between parents and teens in the suburbs. Teens fear that they will grow up to be like their parents and “just punch the clock.” This shows that the lives of people in the suburbs are cyclical and predictable, hence conformist as well.
The song also critiques consumerism when Chassagne sings in the chorus, “Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains/ and there’s no end in sight.” By saying the shopping malls are “dead”, she suggests that they’re lifeless consumerist bodies, but they’re continuing to “rise” like zombies. Zombies are lifeless creatures that have been known to consume the brains of the living and she’s explaining that these malls are going to suck the life right out of people growing up in the suburbs. There’s also “no end in sight,” revealing that as long as we allow consumerism to be a part of us, then it will continue to be a factor in our lives. This fear of society being too conformist and consumerist also has to deal with the song’s political validity.
“Sprawl II” is political in the sense that it is the sole song on the album, The Suburbs, that Chassagne (a woman) is the lead vocalist. The song is about isolation and suburban sprawl, which could be viewed as more of a women’s topic. Throughout the song Chassagne is looking for a place where she can escape to that will accept her for her differences, which is similar to most women in popular music. Women have traditionally stayed at home, hence a song about escaping a suburban home being sung by a woman shows how women want to break free from a predetermined life. Though lifestyles have changed since suburbs started to emerge in the 1950’s, this conflict still persists.
The song is also political in the sense that it shows a fear of conformity amongst suburbanites. In the first few seconds of the music video, no music plays, but there are frames of a couple of houses. All of them are brick and look similar to each other, leading viewers to think about the message in Pete Seeger’s song “Little Boxes”, which critiques the identical Levitt Towns of the 1950’s. Though The Suburbs, is an album about the suburbs of Woodlands, Texas, and the Levitt Towns were constructed in Long Island, New York, this shows that this theme is pervasive throughout history and geographic location.
In conclusion, Chassagne forms an identity in “Sprawl II” of what she is not. She’s not a conformist, she’s not in favor of consumerism, and she is not going to fit into the suburbs. “Sprawl II” builds off of the genre of 80’s pop by using synthesizers and a lead female vocalist. The song deals with the issues of consumerism, conformity, and the generational divide between parents and teens by looking at the suburbs. The performance is political because it’s the only song on the album that is sung solely by Chassagne and deals with the fear of conformity. Overall, the message in “Sprawl II” is timeless. Every generation has songs that touch on the issues in this song. Though, songs like this aren’t as prevalent today, they still exist, and we should embrace them.