Best of the Week: April 6-10

http://8tracks.com/BubbleWolf/thedailyplaylist-week-in-review-april-610-httpthedailyplaylistblogspotcom-

Have a Great Weekend,
Erik

Day 55: Bright Eyes (Conor Oberst)

This week's artist spotlight is a newer gent. A songwriter by the name of Conor Oberst, more popular as the creative force behind Bright Eyes. I've said it before, he isn't for everybody. But, neither was Dylan.

His songwriting is complex and deep, covering topics ranging from the human condition, mortality, drugs and almost everything else in between. I've compiled my list of some of my favorite songs by Mr. Oberst. Most of the songs are Bright Eyes, because I think that showcases his best work. I hope you enjoy.

YouTube:
All songs by Bright Eyes unless otherwise noted
01. When the President Talks to God
02. First Day of My Life
03. Bowl of Oranges
04. If Winter Ends
05. The Calender Hung Itself...
06. Clairaudients (Kill or Be Killed)
07. Conor Oberst - Milk Thistle
08. At the Bottom of Everything
09. Four Winds
10. Conor Oberst - Souled Out!!!
11. Conor Oberst & Gillian Welch - Lua
12. A Song to Pass the Time
13. Hot Knives
14. Arienette
15. Conor Oberst - Cape Canaveral
16. Road to Joy
17. Method Acting
18. Gold Mine Gutted (N/A on imeem, instead "Haligh, Haligh, a Lie, Haligh")
19. Land Locked Blues
20. I Believe In Symmetry (N/A on imeem, instead "You Will. You? Will. You? Will.")

imeem: External:

Day 55: Conor Oberst/Bright Eyes

From the Bottom of Everything,
Erik

Bonus Vid:


(Image by John Packer, Licensed Under Creative Commons)

Day 54: Passed Over (1-Hit Wonders)

Shalom! Today is the first full day of Passover, which is apparently some sort of Jewish festival. Not the one with lights; the other one I think. I'm not a Jewish person.

I wanted to come up with a cool way to take on this holiday, and this is what I came up with: One-Hit Wonders; those groups who were passed over by history, not (always) for lack of talent or ambition or anything like that; but rather because their first single was so good they could never replicate that success.

This is my list of my favorite One-Hit Wonders, with a lot of credit due to this site. These may not be the most famous O-HW; but they are some my favoritess. Also, I have used a few of my favorite wonders on previous lists (Spiral Staircase, Simple Minds, and The Sanford-Townsend Band, et al), so they do not appear here. Either way, enjoy.

YouTube:
01. Apollo 100 - Joy (N/A on imeem)
02. Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry, Be Happy
03. Biz Markie - Just A Friend
04. Skee-Lo - I Wish
05. Fort Minor feat. Holly Brook - Where'd You Go
06. QB's Finest feat. Bravehearts - Oochie Wally
07. Five Stairsteps - Ooh Child (N/A on imeem)
08. Musical Youth - Pass the Dutchie
09. Harold Faltermeyer - Axel F
10. The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony
11. Monster Magnet - Space Lord
12. The Ides of March - Vehicle
13. Modern English - I Melt With You (Poor quality live version on imeem)
14. Harvey Danger - Flagpole Sitta (N/A on imeem)
15. Alien Ant Farm - Smooth Criminal
16. The Buggles - Video Killed the Radio Star
17. Daniel Powter - Bad Day
18. Mocedades - Eres Tu (Touch the Wind)
19. The Penguins - Earth Angel
20. Sinead O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2U

imeem (with 2 substitutions): External:

Day 54: Passed Over (One-Hit Wonders)

It Only Takes One,
Erik

Bonus Vids!


And:


(Image by Todd Lappin, Licensed Under Creative Commons)

Day 53: Wildcard (11)

We have quite a diverse little Wildcard this week. Unfortunately, to get them all onto imeem I had to delete a couple old songs I uploaded. But it's all good. Enjoy.

YouTube:
01. Gangstarr - Work
02. Björk - Army of Me
03. Hey Marseilles - Goodbye Versailles (N/A, Web site)
04. Van Dyke Parks - Vine Street (N/A)
05. Jethro Tull - Skating Away
06. Stars - Your Ex-Lover is Dead
07. Naked Eyes - Always Something There To Remind Me
08. M83 - Kim & Jessie
09. The Streets - Don't Mug Yourself
10. American Cream Team - It's Not A Game (N/A on imeem, instead, Beatnuts - Watch Out Now)
11. The Creators - The Music (N/A)
12. Funkadelic - Hit It and Quit It
13. The Spinners - It's A Shame
14. Lynn Anderson - Rose Garden
15. T Rex - Cosmic Dancer
16. X - Los Angeles
17. No Age - Teen Creeps
18. Margot and the Nuclear So and So's - Vampires In Blue Dresses
19. Laura Marling - Ghosts
20. Kiss - Beth

imeem: External:

Day 53: Wildcard (11)

Best,
Erik

Bonus Video!


(Image by Roadsidepictures, Licensed Under Creative Commons)

Day 52: For Your Health

Holy criminy is this a stretch. Today is WORLD HEALTH DAY, which is sponsored by the World Health Organization. In it's honor I have put together a list about being healthy. Granted, not all of these songs are strictly about living a healthy lifestyle or anything, but, if you really wanted to, you could interpret them in such a way.

Haha, they can't all be winners.

YouTube:
01. James Brown - I Got You (I Feel Good)
02. Chicago - Feeling Stronger Every Day
03. Joe Cocker - Feelin' Alright
04. Spacemen 3 - Feel So Good (N/A)
05. Operation Ivy - Healthy Body
06. The White Stripes - Girl You Have No Faith In Medicine
07. Motion City Soundtrack - Everything is Alright
08. Daft Punk - Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
09. Mase - Feel So Good (lol I f***ing love this)
10. Jason Mraz - Remedy

imeem: External:

Day 52: For Your Health

I Apologize,
Erik

Bonus Videos!


And


Finally


(Image by Val, Licensed Under Creative Commons)

Day 51: Brolk

This week's genre tour is a term I am coining here: Brolk. Brolk is, obviously, a construction of Bro and Folk. Though many associate the term "Bro" with the obvious frathouse-blaring rap and butt rock, nu-metal and what have you, there is another, smaller enclave among the Bro populous that like to get their sensitive side out. Maybe they make a point to watch Grey's every week. Maybe they watch Garden State at least once a month. Or maybe they just throw on some Jack and pow-wow with the other bro-bros.

(Think of the Brolk fan as a combination of the "Sensy" [sensitive guy] explained on Scrubs and the frat guys who actually watch Scrubs.)

The thing is, Brolk is an anomaly. By all accounts these songs should be despised by this crowd. The themes they explore are soft and weak; but, at the same time, the way these subjects are addressed are done so usually in such a shallow way that they're ungodly identifiable. I mean, you look at a complex Folk song like "All Along the Watchtower" and there's a lot to wrap the head around, in comparison to something like, say, James Blunt's "You're Beautiful." I realize that's not a very fair argument, but it just illustrates how neutered, anesthetized and bland this genre is.

I guess that's about all. Oh, and don't give me shit about putting Bon Iver on this list. When heard back to back with the rest of these songs it isn't much different; I don't give a care how much praise that album got. And also, I don't dislike all of these songs. Some, but not all.

YouTube:
01. Dave Matthews Band - Crash Into Me
02. Five For Fighting - Superman (It's Not Easy)
03. Snow Patrol - Chasing Cars
04. John Mayer - Your Body Is A Wonderland
05. Joshua Radin - Closer
06. Bon Iver - Skinny Love
07. Ray LaMontagne - Trouble
08. Coldplay - Sparks
09. The Fray - How To Save A Life
10. Howie Day - Collide
11. James Blunt - You're Beautiful
12. Colin Hay - Beautiful World
13. Damien Rice - 9 Crimes
14. Matt Nathanson - Come On Get Higher
15. Jack Johnson - Fortunate Fool

imeem: External:

Day 51: Brolk

Thanks to Zach Braff,
Erik

Bonus Vid!


(Image by Michelle, Licensed Under Creative Commons)