Politics is so exhausting sometimes. Seriously, I think I may need to take a break for a bit. Pssh, who am I kidding? That's really impossible since everything is politics. Expect upcoming articles about James O'Keefe, Obama's budget, and a submission to the new Tufts Chronicle of Education. However, tonight we're going to return to a topic that I have affectionately touched upon in the past: Women That Rock! Read on for awesome music brought to you by two X chromosomes, and my personal music library, of course!

The Go-Go's

I must admit, I'm not really too hip with all this modern music. There are some artists and tunes that really catch my ear and imagination. However, my search for music tends to bring me to days past. Ah, the 1980s... Reagan, crack, AIDs... oh yes, there were some good things, too! The music, for one, is absolutely amazing. As the punk rock movement of the late 1970s faded out of the mainstream, echoes of Mohawks and Gabba Gabba Heys could still be heard in the emerging new wave scene. One of the early surfers of this new wave were the Go-Go's. Founded in 1978, the all-female Go-Go's combined the simplicity and rawness of punk with a new energetic pop sound that would define much of the music of the 80s. Their hits are probably floating somewhere around your musical memory: Vacation, We've Got the Beat, Our Lips Are Sealed. The rock stars they were, the Go-Go's ultimately dissolved in the chaos of drug abuse, personality clashes and creative differences. Though the girls later reunited, they would never recapture the youthful, rebellious fun evident on their debut album, Beauty and the Beat (1981).

Janet Jackson

I do not hide my love for Michael Jackson. After fully delving into his discography following his untimely death, I felt as I had when I first discovered the Beatles. Whoa. Unfortunately, there's only so many times one can listen to Bad (1987) and eventually, I had to find something new. Keeping it in the family, I decided to dive into Janet Jackson's early albums. Many folks our age only really know Ms. Jackson for her wardrobe malfunction, a few recent singles, and as MJ's baby sister. That truly is a shame as her landmark 80s albums Control and Rhythm Nation 1814 are, in their own way, as hopping and revolutionary as her brother's work. While lacking the masterful magic of Michael's song and dance, Janet (Ms. Jackson, if you're nasty) proves that extraordinary vision and badass attitude run in the Jackson family. The soundscape crafted by Jackson, in collaboration with legendary producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, pops with smooth confidence and take-no-shit rhythms. Oh, man, you must listen to these two: Control (1986) and Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989).

PJ Harvey

You know, it's funny. When I first heard the name PJ Harvey, all I could think of was a black man. I think it's because my brain was combining comedian Paul Harvey with that claymation Eddie Murphy show, the PJ's. Anyways... PJ Harvey is not a black man. She's a white woman who, whether you know it or not, has been instrumental in shaping alternative rock since the early 1990s. Like the previously lauded Chan Marshall (a.k.a. Cat Power), PJ Harvey is a chick with a guitar who knows how to rock your face off. Where early Marshall is sad and reminds me of the rain, early Harvey is ragin' like fire. While Marshall can be withdrawn, Harvey is screaming in your face. Awesome! Like Cat Power, PJ Harvey's career transcends her early sound and ventures far and wide across the musical spectrum. However, if you want a taste of that early, unpolished aggression, please check out Rid of Me (1993). You'll thank me for it later.

Mary Jane Hooper

There's not much I can say about this lady. I discovered her on a New Orleans funk compilation I stumbled upon a couple years ago. After hearing the song "I've Got Reasons", I knew I needed to seek out more from this mystery woman from the Big Easy. It took a while but I eventually found her only album around, Psychedelphia: Rare & Unreleased New Orleans Funk 1968-1969. It's funky, fresh, soulful, old school but, most of all, it's fantastic. Spread the love since I'm sure, in Hooper's obscurity, her tunes don't get much of it as of late.

The Slits

Let's end this with some sweet British punk. Well, it's not exactly punk. It's sort of some weird ska/punk/reggae/new wave mix. I know, you've probably heard ska-punk before. This is something totally different. The Slits are an all-female band that formed around the same time as the Clash and the Sex Pistols. Channeling the punk rock spirit, these chicks took the sound in quite a different direction. Though their debut album, Cut (1979), was very modestly received upon release, it has since earned recognition as 58th best British album, according to the Observer (UK). Check it if you're in the mood for some weird, funky, female punk.

Man, wasn't that a nice change from my normal political blabbing? Again, the xx's to tt's. Enjoy responsibly, kids!

According to the RIAA, you must delete these albums after 24 hours. You are only supposed to have them for previewing purposes. There, I said it. Get off my back, Big Brother.