Spotify Me Part 17: A Playlist Carol

Spotify Me Part 17: A Playlist Carol

Mark’s Discover Weekly Playlist for the week of 12/21/2015

It’s a short Entry this week, due to me being in a place with not a lot of internet, and also because its Christmas! I deserve a break! I did quite a bit this week! Lost at Dutch Blitz, taught my Grandparents to use a camera, and dealt with one very rowdy dog. But there is one thing that really takes the cake for my Christmas vacation, and that was escaping from Communist Russia.

But really, I did go to a place called Escape OKC and if you are ever in the Oklahoma City area give this place a try. They have multiple rotating themed rooms that contain puzzles and hidden secrets. You have an hour to solve the puzzles and get a code that lets you out of the room. We did every thing from decoding messages to finding hidden safes. If you like puzzles or role-playing, you have to try one of these places. Escape rooms are popping up all over the place so look into some that might be near you. Then, after that, 3 days late, I found some Internet, and posted this entry.

Dead Mans Party
MCA Records

No One Lives Forever – Oingo Boingo

The only reason I ever started listening to Oingo Boingo is because Bill Nye did the Cha Cha to Weird Science on Dancing With the Stars. He was eliminated the very next episode, much to my dismay. It truly hard to watch your childhood heroes fall. However, it did introduce me to a band that I knew existed in the back of my mind, but never looked into seriously. First thing is first; they’re weird, but good. Their songs run on the longer side of the norm, and can often be a bit repetitive. No One Lives Forever certainly runs a little long, and does tend to focus on a specific set of lyrics. However, enough complex sounds and twists are thrown in through out the song in order to keep things interesting. Also, as its appearance in the aforementioned show would suggest, a lot of their music is great dance party music. For some, this song and band may be a bit out there, but if you are willing to accept your invitation to the weird party, then this is a band you need to look into.

The Lost One
Sky Bucket Records

Those Days are Gone and My Heart is Breaking – Barton Carol

This song reminds me quite a bit of Hey There Delilah and in a way Cats in the Cradle. It’s kind of a love child of the two songs. Similar to Hey There Delilah, the song is a letter, written to a friend who is far away. Compared to Cats in the Cradle, the song laments the many regrets of its author, such as not being around for his son, making promises he never kept, and running away from his responsibilities. And in the vein of both mentioned songs, this song is heart wrenchingly sad. Every aspect of the song adds to its sad nature, the wavering voice of the singer, the steady quite guitar, and the melody that never seems to end on a satisfying note. Listening to the song, it’s easy to become upset with its narrator, but at the same time, you want to empathize with him. He seems weary after his travels and mistakes, wizened by the harsh lessons life has taught him. In truth it seems like this song would be flat out miserable to listen to, but I think every one would agree that there is a proper time and place for sad songs like this.

Smile
Ki/oon Music

Ready Steady Go – L’Arc~n~Ciel

I usually try to stay away from video game music. I have reviewed it in the past, but I am of the opinion that songs from soundtracks work very well in the context of the movie or game they are featured in, but often fail as a stand-alone song. And because its unfair to judge them outside the context that they were created for, I try to avoid talking about them on this blog. However, it should be noted that this song was not only originally an independent song, but is featured in a game that is all about music, a “Japanese cheer squad game” called Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan! These games are all about rhythm and timing, and use good stand alone songs similar to how Guitar Hero or Just Dance would. And because of that, this song is fantastic at doing just that, being a good song. Its fast, and loud, but has that cheerful optimistic melody that so many Japanese rock songs have. If you are interested in the song give it a listen! If you are interested in the game, take a look at Elite Beat Agents or similar titles that are eaiser to get a hold of in America. Unless you live in Japan, which would be cool! Imagine having readers in Japan! Imagine having readers…