Best Week Ever Returns

Backinthaday...

I used to write a column for Washington & Lee's school newspaper (read: "The Good Old Days") titled "Best Week Ever," after the show bearing the same name (RIP). Well actually, don't quote me on that. I'm not really positive it's off the air. I AM positive that no one's really watching it anymore. It's relegated to those aisles of back-episodes along with all the LMN movies, like "Fifteen and Pregnant."

Anyway, I'd chronicle what was happenin' at my fine university for all the world (read: microcosm) to see. And, given that we were the independent newspaper, not the lapdog of the provost, we could write whatever we wanted. And write we did.

I made one of my coolest connections by accidentally forgetting to credit by name the author of a quote I favored (ironically, a quote about "The O.C."). Hey Neel!

So, in honor of that, I'm penning - cyber-penning - this week's Best Week Ever.

1. Saints Win the NFC Championships and Prepare for World Domination
This really doesn't need any explanation except for the fact that the Saints, led by Drew Brees, held up by Thomas, Colston, and Bushrod, and sometimes assisted by Reggie Bush - although not in the last game - are the best. Saints are THE BEST. Apparently, according to my uncle-in-law, I'm not a "true" Saints fan as I don't A) have season tickets or B) have the roster memorized. Well excuse me. Fairweather or not, I'm here.

2. Free Concerts This Weekend
Everyone go to Pete's Candy for some free music courtesy of Built By Animals and The Creoles. Cold War Kids are also playing and I'm selling a ticket mad cheap. Drop it like it's hot! Dr. Dog is playing in May, Passion Pit and Tokyo Police Club are selling out Prospect Park, Jazz Fest is around ye olde corner. Harvest ye rosebuds while ye may.

3. Obama Said...Things?
Obama made the State of the Union on Wednesday. He made us remember things like, the state of medical care in the US. What is it, again?

4. Unseasonably Warm Weather in January
Oh, hello, Winter. We meet again. Except apparently you took a break in the middle of January, just in time for me to feel a little bit like Spring was coming, but I'm pretty sure as of right now - 1/29/10 - you're sucking it back like a vacuum. Thanks. Thanks a lot.

5. G Has Invited Me To Her House
My lovely roommate, G, has invited me to her very own abode, her childhood home, for the nights before and after I venture out of the country. Of course, this invitation was dramatically rescinded the moment I stuck my foot in the heat emanating from oven (and regrettably close to what she was cooking in there). I earned back my spot by making a salad for dinner.

There you have it. On this week's playlist...the Best Week Ever of the First Week of February.

1. "Perfect Games" - The Broken West

This video is the shit because it's in Swedish.
This song is great because of that one serious guitar strut. Totally not an appropriate word, strut, except that it's the only word I can think of to describe the steady guitar "thing" that's happening here.
I don't know what it is about monotone guitar backing up dudes' voices, but it gets me going.

2. "Trying to Put Your Heart Back Together" - Slow Runner


This song is lovely. The rhymes are sweet, simple, and to-the-point. I don't know what's happening with the piano/keyboard intro, however, I like it. It sounds like something a 15-year-old boy with a lot of heart would write for his girl. If it didn't sound so creepy, I could be that girl.

3. "The Party Song" - Blink-182 (the wildcard)


Sometimes it's funny when idiots make videos for really great songs. Here is an example. Blink-182 continues to be a band that immediately rejuvenates memories of 10th grade and pools. If you can't see me right now, I'm holding up my hands and admitting defeat. Also, any chorus with "na na" in it and, yep, you guessed it, a resonatingly strong chord going on has got my vote. Totally a made-up word there, resonatingly.

4. "Audience" - Cold War Kids


For once, a song I love on account of its drum beat and piano instead of the guitar. A little bit kitschy, this one, and not really Cold-War-Kids-ish (it's not whiny, and it's not irritating to listen to multiple times, as many of their songs become). I went to their concert last Friday, and it was an experience. Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah has the most depressing lead singer I've ever seen. Sorry, cat's out of the bag. He looked like he'd ruptured his appendix the entire time he sang. The girl enjoying the show next to me was also a beast with little to no social decorum whatsoever, so that was special. And yet, I still really like this song. Goes to show. And let's give it up for this clutch vid...love me some subtitles.

5. "Waiting for a War" - The Morning Benders


I dig the Morning Benders. What a great name. Like naming your bar Coyote Ugly, the Morning Benders have adopted a whole way of life as their band name. I'm noticing a trend this month with liking guy voices that sound almost pre-pubescent. That's not good.

6. "Trashcan" - Delta Spirit


I give you the live version, my friends. Don't these dudes look fun? I'll tell you what, I'd go party with any of them. The song is called fuckin' "Trashcan," man, and it ROCKS. How many things have you named after garbage that ROCK? Got that old bluesy feel, and as a Southern Girl, I can dig it.

7. "Hang On" - Dr. Dog (MVP)


Meet Dr. Dog, the MVP spot. I like to call them collectively my new boyfriend.
Things I like here:
1. The line "Why you think we need amazing grace, just to tell it like it is?"
2. The co-lead-singer Toby's face and voice and his sick bass skills
3. The old-time piano thing they have going on
4. The banjo
5. The tri-part harmony
6. The fact that they identify as "retro-psychedelic" rock. WTF? Awesome. I'll take it.
7. There's a labrador retriever in this video.
8. The Allman-Bros-esque start-up line

8. "Being On Our Own" - The Fruit Bats


No idea what's happening with the British-accent intro here, but whatever. Like this. Sounds a little bit like what might happen if Dr. Dog got less edgy and took some valium. The end.

9. "Hi-Fi Goon" - Throw Me the Statue


First off, the album's name is "Secretly Canadian," which alone would've earned this band a spot on the week's list. If I was in charge of The Grammys, I'd really call it The Indys and recognize bands like this. On the other hand, typically, I think that bands with names over three words are pretentious, and "Throw Me the Statue" is no exception. Other examples here are "Fall Out Boy," whose song names automatically place them in that category. I'm sure TMTS has some sort of inside-joke attached to it or some shit, but couldn't you just name your band "Statue"? "Throw Me It"?

10. "K.I.A." - Jet


Fucking weird video. I like Jet. Make of this what you will.

11. "U + Me" - Dan Black


I like the beat here. I have absolutely no idea what he's saying. The parts of this song are also interesting. Not something I typically like but it's 2k10 so DEAL.

12. "Ruby Sees All" - Cake


Cake's low-key stuff is the best. They always got a lot of airplay for songs like "Short Skirt, Long Jacket" or "The Distance," which, don't get me wrong, were good. But I think Cake earned a name for something other than what they really are. Well, I take that back - everyone can recognize a good guitar hook or bass line from Cake songs, and this is no exception. They write a lot of shit about a girl named Ruby. Ruby, whoever you are, you're a lucky girl.

13. "Love in my Pocket" - VHS or Beta


The first VHS or Beta song I ever heard was totally different from this one, which almost has this old-school classic rock/80s rock thing happening. I like both sides of VHS or Beta (ironic saying that I guess), and I'm not really sure what I like about this song, but I do know that I can't stop listening to it.

14. "Sweet Jane" - Velvet Underground


Lou Reed says you're welcome.

15. "This Too Shall Pass" - OK GO


OK GO always gets a vote from me. Ever since that song "You're So Damn Hot." I group them with Rooney and Phantom Planet, and I think that's ok. Although of the three, they're the only dudes with an Ipod commercial.

16. "Life as a Shorty" - Fashawn


Download his album, "Boy Meets World," amazing.

17. "Guns Are Drawn" - The Roots


"Phrenology" is still an album I keep close. Best part is when he says, "In the mid-dle of the night, we fight..."

18. "Where'd You Go?" - Mighty Mighty Bosstones


Just watched "Clueless" last night, and this song still rocks, and I've been hating on ska. Save Ferris fans everywhere, here you go.

Look forward to the next feature, which will most definitely be songs based around the theme of J. Geils Band "Love Stinks."