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I was shocked while watching the X Factor last year at some of the sexualized dancing that was on prime time television for children to see, but I feel there’s a deeper issue here. Recently a friend pointed out a BBC programme, and I’ve just watched it on iPlayer.

It’s about the girls who dream of being in music videos, but there’s a dark side to the industry. The trend in hip-hop music videos has now moved into the main stream, and some girls see appearing in a video shoot as a way of making a big break. Some will spend a fortune on enhancing their bodies, but may not get work or (if they do) not get paid. They may suffer in other ways or even be abused.

One of the most telling comments in the programme came from a man who said you could have a rubbish song, but get it noticed with a sexy and provocative video – shooting himself in the foot comes to mind! Some women believe it empowers them; but, for many, it seems to be an issue of low self-esteem (amongst other things) that drives them. It’s the men who are calling the shots!

When you look at the videos, the women are shown in fragmented ways; like fast-food, a commodity to be used and discarded. Men are represented differently, in positions of power over the women. There are also explicit echoes of pornography. The danger seems to be the cumulative effect, so that the attitudes in the videos become the norm! In today’s world, young people are bombarded with this stuff! It raises issues of equality and attitudes to sexuality. Maybe we should give more attention to the atmosphere in which young people are growing up? What do you think?

Following my previous post, here’s a beautiful duet by Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush which I loved the first time I heard it. I post it here to help anyone who’s going through a difficult time at the moment.

Music plays a very important part of my life, and I have a very eclectic taste in what I listen to. I like music for a variety of reasons: it may be the melody and/or lyrics, because it’s challenging and intellectually demanding, maybe it’s a soundscape that creates/reinforces a particular mood, or simply because it’s a perfect song (that nothing could improve) that gives you goosebumps everytime you hear it. The reasons could go on!

The screenshot above shows my top artists on Last.fm at the the time this post was published. If you click on it you will be taken to my Last.fm top artists page and be able to see up-to-date data. Why not join me on Last.fm? To see all my music posts click here! There’s also more about Last.fm on my Favourite Websites page.

It was good on the first Sunday of 2011 to be able to sing one of my favourite hymns: Lord, for the years… by Timothy Dudley-Smith. All of the words are inspiring and challenging, but I especially like the words of the last verse as it brings together past, present and future.

Lord, for the years your love has kept and guided,
urged and inspired us, cheered us on our way,
sought us and saved us, pardoned and provided:
Lord for the years, we bring our thanks today.

Lord, for that word, the word of life which fires us,
speaks to our hearts and sets our souls ablaze,
teaches and trains, rebukes us and inspires us:
Lord of the word, receive your people’s praise.

Lord, for our land in this our generation,
spirits oppressed by pleasure, wealth and care:
for young and old, for commonwealth and nation,
Lord of our land, be pleased to hear our prayer.

Lord, for our world where we disown and doubt you,
loveless in strength, and comfortless in pain,
hungry and helpless, lost indeed without you:
Lord of the world, we pray that Christ may reign.

Lord for ourselves; in living power remake us-
self on the cross, and Christ upon the throne,
past put behind us, for the future take us:
Lord of our lives, to live for Christ alone.

It seems that Doctor Who has always been with me! Hardly surprising since I watched the first ever episode when I was nine! The Christmas specials are always a tasty treat, and this one didn’t disappoint! It was a wonderful retelling of the classic Charles Dickens story A Christmas Carol. Guest stars were Michael Gambon and Katherine Jenkins. The episode was perfectly realised, with an alien world looking Victorian, yet sufficiently different. The whole special remained true to the spirit of Christmas and Dickens, with some wonderful stylistic touches. It was crafted with love, well done!

On the day Matt Cardle‘s (winner of the X Factor) cover of a Biffy Clyro song reaches number one in the UK charts, I thought it would be good to share the original with you.

Although I’ve enjoyed watching the X Factor and considered all the opinions for and against the format of the programme and its approach to music, I’m not going to repeat them here. I merely present you with an original setting of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 20 by Rufus Wainwright, which I consider to be one of the most beautiful pieces of music I’ve heard in 2010.

If you’re interested, I’ve also written about the X Factor here!

I’ve been reminded this morning that Advent is a time in the Christian calendar in its own right. Yes, it’s traditionally a time of preparation for Christmas, but it mainly celebrates a Christ who came into this world, and who comes into the hearts and lives of those who will receive him. Christmas has become a monster in our society, with all its pressures and unrealistic expectations! In reality, Advent is a time when we should focus on repentance, humility and prayerful consideration of our inner life. Before the ministry of Jesus, John the Baptist reminded his hearers that they needed to prepare a way for the Lord, to make a level pathway, removing the boulders and filling in the potholes!  My Celtic Daily Prayer book points out that the boulders represent the things we’ve done that we shouldn’t have, and the potholes represent the things we should have done but didn’t! Let’s make sure we enter into the true meaning of Advent, so that Christmas Day will be all the more meaningful as a result!

The YouTube video I’ve embedded into this post is not specifically an Advent one. But, with a little imagination, you’ll see a connection with what I’ve been saying.

I’ve always loved ambient music since I first discovered it (in the 1980s) through the pioneering work of Brian Eno, a musician who I greatly admire. Recently I’ve been introduced to the work of Cousin Silas, partly through my good friend Thomas Mathie (aka @headphonaught). Cousin Silas is not so well known as Brian Eno, but he produces some wonderfully evocative soundscapes. His album Adrift off the Islets of Langerhans is a great introduction to his work and can be downloaded free here! Apart from the music itself, I love the way the cover picture of the Islets of Langerhans in the pancreas of the human body suggests patterns in the sand. No doubt I’ll write something about Brian Eno in the future: but, for now, why don’t you check out Cousin Silas?

Note: Unfortunately (as you’ll see from the comments) the cover picture IS in fact patterns in the sand! D’oh!