This Week's Playlist #101 - The Unplugged edition volume 2
The 2023 edition of my unplugged rotation
Hello everyone!
The 100+1th playlist :-)
Yet again, the second volume of another episode from last year: the unplugged edition.
I'm a massive fan of unplugged covers, especially when musicians reinvent their tracks in a completely stripped-down format.
Here are five rather classic unplugged songs I frequently return to this year.
I hope you enjoy them. See you next week!
TL;DR: I'm running a musical newsletter with a new guest sharing 5 songs each week.
There is a YouTube link for each of the songs on the cover, and here are the playlists for each streaming platform:
1. Cat Powers Sings Dylan - Ballad of a Thin Man
The beautiful voice of Cat Power playing Bob Dylan for an ambitious re-rendering of 1966’s infamous Bob Dylan concert.
2. Katatonia - Lethean (Unplugged)
2012's Dead End Kings album might be one of the masterpieces of Katatonia, mixing their heavier metal sound with more chiselled emotions. It includes anthemic hooks, including Lethean. However, the song got even sadder when it was turned into an acoustic meditation on 2015's Sanctitude album.
3. Jay Z - Big Pippin’ (unplugged)
A very underrated MTV Unplugged album for me (I rediscovered it earlier this year). Jay Z and the Roots are combining forces for a high level energy acoustic performance.
4. Bjork - Violently Happy
Another unplugged performance I only discovered this week.
Bjork's "Debut Live" performance, where she transcended her already seminal debut album. The whole album is an absolute gem, but I loved this version of "Violently Happy", which finds a new life as a jazzy, groovy tempest.
5. Opeth - Benighted
One of Opeth's best acoustic tracks - a completely ethereal atmosphere.
Until the next time, Godspeed!
Thomas
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