It’s week 5. I mean … come on … week 5 of social distancing! I really wouldn’t have realised without having a playlist counter.
It’s amazing how time can simultaneously stand absolutely still and also tally up to an extended period. I guess it’s along those lines that my mind started ‘reminiscing’ about the 90s.
For me, we’ve now reached a distance from that decade which means I can look back on it with a bit of perspective. Not a lot, but some. They were some of my formative years and, at the time, seemed like the pinnacle of good taste and culture. Oh my!
Like any period, there’s some good, some bad and some slightly embarrassing.
Welcome to week 5 of the Stay At Home Playlists!
(Also available: last week)
First up we have the 90s. A selection of songs that I tend not to hear much these days but which were quite prominent during that decade for me. They bring back a bunch of jumbled memories and feelings. Awkward, slightly nervous school dances. Painting Warhammer 40000 miniatures. The bravado and teenage sense of humour that hangs around school lockers like the smell of warming lunch boxes. Embedded cultural metaphors that, upon reflection, were completely lost on me at the time.
Following that, I’ve included a short dip into the music in Bojack Horseman. Set in contemporary times, it follows the journey of a washed-up actor (Bojack) who used to star in the hottest sitcom of the 90s. Within a world that seamlessly & unapologetically integrates humans and anthropomorphic animals as the norm, it’s a bit crazy, definitely off-beat and at times almost unbearably cynical. However, it does redeem itself with a raw and real depiction of the struggles & disappointments that can be encountered in our current western social context.
Without offering any real answers, it’s not going to change your life, but it does masterfully cause you to think. Part of that mastery is its use of music. I can’t do proper justice to that here so the list offers a short selection of different tracks. If you have watched the show, or want to get a feel for the musical integration, the final video on the list is a “Top 10 ‘Song Scenes’ in the first four seasons”.
Taking a tangent from the 90s, the Strings playlist showcases some fun covers that centre around (non-guitar) stringed instruments. Harps, violins, ukelele’s … you get the idea. While classical music is great, stringed instruments in this category don’t have to be constrained to only classical music. This list demonstrates that fact.
Finally, for those who just want to put on some easy listening and travel the globe, check out the Music Travel Love playlist. These guys seem to have the opportunity to travel the world, recording covers of songs and producing scenic videos. The music can get a little same same, but the scenery is spectacular if you want the chance to see an alternative to your current place of residence.
Dribbles Of Inspiration 
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