Our second minicast! We'll be back next week for Season 2. In the meantime, please enjoy Alex's banger Transatlantic accent.

We decided to do this episode about what we term "Bizarre Pop." Songs that we've wanted to fit into typical episodes but are just a little too...bizarre.

Playlist if you wanna get weird with us: https://www.tunemymusic.com/share/LCgMnaQFr4

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Firstly, we have another Minicast shot for you!

Professor Pepper

• 1 part cherry liqueur
• 1 part coffee liqueur
• 1 part bergamot or orange liqueur
• 1 part bourbon.

Chill ingredients beforehand for a layered cocktail. Tastes like a bizarro world version of Coke. Bizarre pop. Salud.

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A little Bizarre Pop history (thanks Alex!):

Bizarre pop has been around for decades – with roots dating back to vaudeville, and modernized in novelty songs and one-hit wonders. In the digital era, though, it seems like a wider audience has begun to embrace or even celebrate things like aesthetic gimmicks and strange production choices. It doesn’t surprise me that the fanbases of a lot of the artists we’re about to talk about are queer or otherwise minority-identifying; as music has democratized, I think fans feel a lot more represented by the strangeness of it all.

More than alt pop, bizarre pop music features aesthetics that may shock or be part of counterculture – in essence maybe they’re anti-pop songs using the sonic palette of pop. Whereas alt pop is typified by the usage of non-pop sounds borrowed from rock and elsewhere, I think bizarre pop is typified by the unexpected – culturally and sonically. Unlike novelty songs, I also think that bizarre pop songs are generally meant with some amount of earnestness. Before we get into it: there’s a huge number of artists and songs that could fit this prompt, from Madonna to We Might Be Giants to M.I.A. to Gorillaz. This is a minicast. If you want a full history lesson, you’re going to have to comment.

Songs discussed in the history section:

• O Superman - Laurie Anderson
• Aqua - Barbie Girl
• Hollaback Girl - Gwen Stefani
• MOOO! - Doja Cat (the video is a MUST watch)

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Alex's Choices:

Caroline Polachek - Dang (2023)

SOPHIE - Immaterial (2018)

Magdalena Bay - Image (2024)

Jana's Choices:

Britney Spears - Oops I Did It Again (2000)

Meg Stalter - Prettiest Girl in America (2026)

horsegiirL - Fun Guy Fungi (2026)

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We hope your enjoyed our Minicasts, and thank you again for listening all season long! Subscribe, give us 5 stars, tell your friends. See you next week for Season 2. 🩷

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Alex's links:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flowerboying

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@flowerboying

Alex's Substack: https://alexanderdaoust.substack.com

Jana's links:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janapochop

Website: http://www.janapochop.com

Jana's Substack: https://janapochop.substack.com