Monthly Archives: January 2018

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Song of the Day #3,498: ‘Feeling Good’ – Nina Simone

[Guest blogger Madison continues her look at the best use of music in 2017 television shows]

My favorite new show of 2017 is Marvel’s Legion, which allowed creator Noah Hawley to blast into creative overdrive to create something artistic and unique within the Marvel Universe.

For this superhero loving lady, Legion was just one of quite a few boundary pushing shows and films featuring characters from the Marvel Universe (Logan, Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Thor Ragnarok, The Gifted, and Runaways stand out as highlights).

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Song of the Day #3,497: ‘Don’t You Forget About Me (Live)’ – Simple Minds

[Guest blogger Madison continues her look at the best use of music in 2017 television shows]

What does a show about female wrestlers and a show about intense female oppression have in common? Stellar jams!

Hulu’s original show, The Handmaid’s Tale was adapted from Margaret Atwood’s novel of the same name. Elisabeth Moss stars as Offred in an astounding performance which has been duly showered with accolades and awards. Her sardonic voice-overs bring an odd levity to a truly grim dystopian future where women have been stripped of their humanity after fertility becomes the most sought after commodity in America.

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Song of the Day #3,496: ‘Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)’ – Journey

[Note: This week I’m turning the blog over to my niece, Madison, for a continued look back at 2017]

Hi everyone! Millenial in the house! My uncle trusted me, his television obsessed niece, to guest blog for the week in order to feature five of the best musical moments on the small screen in 2017. Get psyched, people. I’ve made these selections with much careful thought and debate. Every show I’ve chosen frequently and meaningfully uses music. The songs featured add layers to each scene and some weave into the fabric of their show’s narrative in such a way that it becomes difficult to hear the song without picturing the characters and imagery alongside it (and vice-versa).

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Song of the Day #3,495: ‘Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, Movement 3’ – Ben Folds

Ah, the very rare instrumental track on a Random Weekend. This one comes from Ben Folds’ last album, So There, which featured eight songs backed by an orchestra as well as Ben’s ‘Concerto for Piano and Orchestra’ in three movements.

I listened to the full concerto once, after first buying the album, and never again until today. I just don’t find myself reaching for classical or orchestral music, even if I really enjoy it. I find this sort of thing better in the background, whether it’s the background of a movie or everyday life.

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Song of the Day #3,494: ‘Testing 1, 2, 3’ – Barenaked Ladies

It’s hard to go wrong with a Barenaked Ladies song on Random Weekends.

You know the song will be catchy and clever. Nothing loud or discordant. It will feature strong pop vocals by either Ed Robertson or (especially) Steven Page. The musicianship will be solid if not exceptional. It will probably be good for a laugh, or in other instances, could even choke you up a bit.

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