Needful Things/The Pale King/The Book Thief

Needful Things - Stephen King (1991)
I'm not sure why I ended up reading Stephen King's Needful Things, as I expected it to be terrible. Turns out I didn't hate it, and even enjoyed it! Focusing on the human instincts of greed and jealousy, Needful Things actually is a clever and unique horror story that I was pleasantly surprised by. It has plenty of blatant Stephen King-isms, love 'em or hate 'em, and the obvious characters you're supposed to be rooting for (which I find annoying here), but the plot's complexities and originality of the story made for a fresh read. Additionally, the intense violence and gore helped. While I strongly prefer The Shining and It, one can add Needful Things, believe it or not, to the list of King novels worth reading, even if its ending is one of the most ridiculous I've ever read.


The Pale King - David Foster Wallace (2011)
I was sooooooooo looking forward to David Foster Wallace's posthumous novel, The Pale King. Now, after finally getting through it, I'll be straight up: it was disappointing. Severely. His first two novels, The Broom of the System (1987) and Infinite Jest (1996), were lights out. It is unfair how much better of a writer Wallace was than pretty much everyone else in his brand of art/school of thought and beyond. His amazing prose is definitely present throughout The Pale King, but, while I know that the novel is technically unfinished, there was little else that I found appealing here. I will say that one of the most frustrating things about the book also was one of the coolest: one of the prime themes is boredom and dealing with it, and how else would DFW go about this than to make the chapters within so incredibly boring and tedious. I feel like I've been Punk'd, and for some reason I'm into that. Like I said, Wallace's masterful language is there in spades, it's just that the details are so complex yet mundane (the characters work for the IRS, so in ways, especially those of DFW, this is fitting). Sure, some of these characters are completely fascinating, and tidbits of this fractured plot (it feels more like a collection of short stories and essays than a novel) were really fun in Wallace's darkly clever way. It's all just much too much. Most people I talk literature with I have recommended David Foster Wallace to, and I will continue to do so, but certainly The Pale King is not the place to start.


The Book Thief - Markus Zusak (2006)
The Book Thief, the popular, critically acclaimed young adult novel, was touching and featured wonderfully rich characters, and also was sad and dark in all the right ways. However, in spite of its subject matter (coming of age in Nazi Germany in the late 1930s/early 1940s, helping a Jew in said Germany during the early stages of World War II), it didn't carry as much weight as perhaps it should have. Granted, it probably would have been very effective had I read it in early high school or something like that. Additionally, Markus Zusak's decision to narrate the story under the flowery and poetic guise of Death, while unique and clever, ruined any chance of me taking this story as serious as I'm sure he would hope.

Breakup Song/Broad Shoulders/I Bet on Sky/Everyone Everywhere/Long Slow Dance

Breakup Song - Deerhoof (Polyvinyl, 2012)
Due to the quick turnaround from 2011's Deerhoof Vs. Evil, I'm not surprised that this great band's latest, Breakup Song, is under 30 minutes. I'm into it, especially when an album is as scatterbrained as this. I can't take it for too long. Anyway, something is off with Deerhoof here. I don't know. I'd say Breakup Song is probably a fresh update on their sound: more polished, more keyboards. However, it is not nearly as immediate as their last two albums, and while maybe there are more pop hooks, they are not as memorable. But, this is a double-edged sword, as the complexity and zaniness on Breakup Song keeps you on your toes a little bit more than those last few albums, which is interesting, because you often don't know what to expect from this wonderful band. There are great songs here (especially the doozy of a closer, "Fete d'Adieu"), but the lack of those interwoven, classic rock guitars leaves a gaping hole. And Greg Saunier's drumming isn't as wanky or impressive as I usually prefer. That's another complaint. Don't get me wrong. Breakup Song is a serviceable if not downright good Deerhoof record, I'm just not as into this more futuristic path they're headed down.


Broad Shoulders - Dikembe (Tiny Engines, 2012)
2012 has been a fantastic year for the emo revival. Instead of the east coast, Dikembe are from Gainesville, FL, and are on the wussier side of the punk scene there that is headed by No Idea records. Basically, they are noodly emo that is a little bit more groove-oriented and not so difficult structurally as, say, Algernon Cadwallader or especially Glocca Morra. The vocals and vocal melodies are nothing to write home about (they get a bit monotonous), but otherwise, Dikembe are top notch players. Excellent musicianship, and the production quality on this debut LP, Broad Shoulders, is pretty much pro. To mine ears, these dudes are a little bit more like Braid and The Promise Ring than Cap'n Jazz. I'm pretty much all-in on the emo revival, and Dikembe are another excellent discovery. Broad Shoulders is not the best emo record of 2012, but it is a damn good one.


I Bet on Sky - Dinosaur Jr. (Jagjaguwar, 2012)
I Bet on Sky is the third Dinosaur Jr. album after reuniting, and it is the least memorable, obviously meaning, that it is disappointing, also meaning that it is the worst. Not, like, THE WORST. Not in that way. It's just a solid Dinosaur Jr. album that just is, riding along with no lows but no real highs either. Sorta jangly, mid-tempo opener "Don't Pretend You Didn't Know" is a nice surprise, as it is relatively subtle with no real guitar wailing. "Almost Fare," "Pierce the Morning Rain," and "What Was That" are jams, but nothing here comes close to touching an "Almost Ready" or a "Back to Your Heart" or any of their great classics. Still, this is Dinosaur Jr. we're talking about, and I Bet on Sky is better than a lot of albums that came out in 2012. I'll take this over Grimes any day.


Everyone Everywhere - Everyone Everywhere (self-released, 2012)
Everyone Everywhere are another cog in the emo revival machine from Philadelphia, and Everyone Everywhere is not only their sophomore LP, but it is their SECOND SELF-TITLED LP. Believe it. I got into this around the same time as Broad Shoulders, so I think I will associate the two together for forever, even though they are a bit different. The former is a bit spacier and showcases a more "beautiful" sound, I guess, where the latter is more jagged and more punk, I guess? I'm not sure if Everyone Everywhere's pretty vocals and heart-wrenchingly simple and honest lyrics are annoying or just a non-factor, and the melodies are sort of whatever, but, the music is big and gorgeous, and their are some nice touches like aux percussion and horns that keep things fresh. "Queen Mary II" is a true jam. Good to great stuff.


Long Slow Dance - The Fresh & Onlys (Mexican Summer, 2012)
Once a straight-up lo-fi psych pop band, The Fresh & Onlys continue to broaden their palette and improve upon their fidelity with each release. I have spent time with all of them, and I haven't liked anything by them as much as I do Long Slow Dance since their 2008 self-titled debut. Well, aside from Play It Strange's (2010) opener, "Summer of Love," which is without question their best song to date. While Long Slow Dance still hints at the 60s psych thing, I feel that it has more of an 80s thing going for it, mostly in the production, and also in the way that Tim Cohen's vocals here bring to mind Ian McCulloch of Echo & the Bunnymen. The sounds are pretty varied on Long Slow Dance, combining crisp 60s psych pop with some 80s post-punk drama (like E&tB, albeit subtly), but it feels pretty focused. Prettay good album all in all, and "Presence of Mind" = JAM.

Title Fight/Pianos Become the Teeth @ The Magic Stick, 10/27/12

I have been neglecting this blog pretty hard the past two months, and I have a lot of things to post about before I'm ready to even figure out let alone share my year-end music list. So, here I go to try and power through all of this shiz as quickly as possibly. If the writing is shottier than normal, I do apologize.

The weekend before Halloween, on a whim, my girlfriend and I decided to hit up the Magic Stick Lounge for a Title Fight/Pianos Become the Teeth show. We missed the two openers, Single Mothers and Face Reality.

Pianos Become the Teeth (terrible band name), who call the popular and impressive Topshelf Records home, were just about what I expected: true screamo/melodic hardcore with post-rock flourishes. Totally good at what they do (tight, put on a good show), and though I have recently discovered other bands in this genre that I actually do like (brings me back to high school, blah blah blah), PBtT just were not my thing.

Now, Title Fight just ruled. Bravender tipped me off to them a couple of years ago, and I was pretty into last year's album, Shed. But, this year they released Floral Green, which is a complete masterpiece (more on that in a couple of posts). This tour obviously was to promote that album, and thusly, they played mostly Floral Green songs. They did treat the crowd to two choice Shed cuts, the title track and "27," which fuse pop punk and modern hardcore wonderfully. As I'll get to further down the road, Floral Green is a whole other monster, bringing in elements of emo (or, more of it), "space rock" (ala Hum), and pure rock 'n' roll. The highlights of their set were surely "Leaf," "Secret Society," and "Sympathy," all of which are more on that pop punk/hardcore side of things. "Head in the Ceiling Fan," which perhaps is their song that sounds most like Hum, was a nice treat too. These dudes look super young, but talent-wise are one of the more mature punk bands around, and that really came through in their performance: unhinged energy, yet tight as all hell. If you like punk rock and you get the chance, see them.

NFL 2012 Mid-Season Report

We're half-way, or just over the half-way point (depending on when a team's bye week occurred), through the 2012 NFL season. Time to check in and revise some predictions!

DIVISION PREDICTIONS

AFC East
1. New England Patriots
2. Miami Dolphins
3. Buffalo Bills
4. New York Jets

The Patriots had a rough start, but seem to be back on track. Their running game has really come out of nowhere to be awesome, and that is going to help them easily win the AFC East and compete for their second AFC title in a row. The New York Jets are so laughably bad and it is awesome.  I was really looking forward to an atrocious season from them, and they are not disappointing. The middle of the division is a toss-up. Miami is playing a lot better than expected, especially with a rookie QB, and Buffalo should be a lot better, considering how ridiculous their offense can be and how good their defense should be.

AFC North
1. Pittsburgh Steelers
2. Baltimore Ravens
3. Cincinnati Bengals
4. Cleveland Browns

Both Pittsburgh and Baltimore are flawed (aging defense, inconsistent offense), but still are well-rounded teams who will both make the playoffs per the norm. Pittsburgh wins the division thanks to having the better quarterback. Cincinnati is inconsistent, but I like the future of this squad. They're just under .500 at this point, but I could see them snaking the final Wild Card spot at 9-7 or 8-8. Cleveland is better than their record, but that's not saying much. Trent Richardson is a bright spot, as is their defense.

AFC South
1. Houston Texans
2. Indianapolis Colts
3. Tennessee Titans
4. Jacksonville Jaguars

Are the Houston Texans the best team in the AFC? Possibly, but I feel they are too young and inexperienced to surpass, say, the New England Patriots when it matters. Their offense has been but should be better, and their defense is definitely contributing to their dominance. I knew Indianapolis would be better than everyone expected, but not quite this good. Sitting at 5-3, Andrew Luck is making a good case as to why he was the first pick in the 2012 draft. However, there's no way this can last. Not this year, at least. Jacksonville is the worst team in the NFL, duh. I'm surprised Tennessee is SO bad, but it's nice to see Chris Johnson resurrecting his career.

AFC West
1. Denver Broncos
2. San Diego Chargers
3. Oakland Raiders
4. Kansas City Chiefs

We all knew it was going to take Peyton Manning a minute to get back to what he usually does, but you cannot be shocked that he is going to take the Denver Broncos to an AFC West title with little struggle. He also most definitely deserves to be in the MVP conversation. This should be Norv Turner's final season in San Diego, as the Chargers are worse than their record. It's hard to imagine that a team can be worse than the Chiefs, but there you go. Some things are going well for the Raiders (passing game) and some are not (Darren McFadden injured AGAIN), and they don't stand a chance.

NFC East
1. New York Giants
2. Philadelphia Eagles
3. Dallas Cowboys
4. Washington Redskins

This really should be the toughest division in the NFL, but instead, it is the stupidest. The New York Giants are a better team than they were a year ago, which is scary, but probably means they'll lose their first playoff game because they only when championships when you least expect. They are an excellent all-around team though, and have this division on lockdown. Andy Reid should be done in Philly at year's end, and it's hilarious that the Eagles have imploded in the same way that the New York Jets have. Dallas is worse than mediocre, they are inexplicably terrible, and I love it. Robert Griffin, III is crushing it and it is so fun, and I am loving on this Redskins team, but this is not their year.

NFC North
1. Chicago Bears
2. Green Bay Packers
3. Detroit Lions
4. Minnesota Vikings

If you tell me you picked the Chicago Bears to win this division at the beginning of the season, I will not believe you. But, look, they're 7-1 with an inconsistent yet capable offense and a historically ridiculous defense. Things could easily turn around and Green Bay could win it in the latest couple weeks, or just as easily, GB could settle for a Wild Card spot with a 12-4 record. It's weird to say it, but they are sort of having a down season. Detroit's running game seems to be much better off than last year, but they could stand to focus on it less. They're just not letting Stafford and Johnson fly the way they should. This will lead to them missing the playoffs, but I could still see them with a .500 record, which, considering the way the season started, shouldn't be too much of a disappointment. Apparently Adrian Peterson is healthy and still the best running back in the NFL. Otherwise, the Minnesota Vikings are not for real, in spite of their 5-4 record.

NFC South
1. Atlanta Falcons
2. New Orleans Saints
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
4. Carolina Panthers

I am proud that I championed the Atlanta Falcons this preseason, but they are looking better than even I thought they would. Matt Ryan has to be MVP favorite at this point. They're offense is intense, and they're defense has really come around. New Orleans has had a terrible start, but I can see them rounding the corner after this week's victory over the Eagles and barely nabbing the final Wild Card spot more than any other team. Tampa Bay is a nice story, and I am rooting for them, but this division is too tough. Carolina has been disappointment, and who knows who the real Cam Newton is anymore.

NFC West
1. San Francisco 49ers
2. Seattle Seahawks
3. Arizona Cardinals
4. St. Louis Rams

I hate to say it, but the San Francisco 49ers ARE the real deal, and maybe even the best team in the NFC. Alex Smith may not have the flashy numbers, but it's so rare when he makes a mistake. They're downfall is their lack of points, but that defense is smothering. The possibility of Russell Wilson leading the Seahawks to the playoffs is SO stupid, but a young up-and-coming defense and Marshawn Lynch turning out to be the second or third best running back in the NFC sort of makes them legit. It's weird. Arizona looked weirdly good for the first couple games, but then reality came-a-crashing. The really need a quarterback, or to send Larry Fitzgerald somewhere with a QB who can get him the ball. St. Louis is not completely terrible, believe it or not, but they still are the worst team in the NFC.

POSTSEASON AWARDS

Coach of the Year: Gary Kubiak (Houston)
Atlanta's Mike Smith and Denver's John Fox will contend closely.

Comeback Player of the Year: Peyton Manning (QB, Denver)
With Adrian Peterson (RB, Minnesota) as a close second.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Bobby Wagner (LB, Seattle)

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Andrew Luck (QB, Indianapolis)
This is sort of an insane year for offensive rookies. After this past Sunday's performance, Doug Martin (RB, Tampa Bay) might deserve this reward most of all. Hell, even sixth round pick Alfred Morris (RB, Washington) deserves to be in the conversation, as does RG3, OBVIOUSLY. At this point, Luck gets it due to the win-loss record (and also, he's really really good). This could change at the drop of the hat. Really, whoever has the biggest turnaround from last last year to this year between Indy, Washington and TB, that's who will win the award.

Defensive Player of the Year: J.J. Watt (DE, Houston)

Offensive Player of the Year: Arian Foster (RB, Houston)

Most Valuable Player: Matt Ryan (QB, Atlanta)
With Peyton Manning as the runner-up.

PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

AFC
1. Houston Texans
2. New England Patriots
3. Denver Broncos
4. Pittsburgh Steelers
5. Baltimore Ravens
6. Cincinnati Bengals

NFC
1. Atlanta Falcons
2. Chicago Bears
3. San Francisco 49ers
4. New York Giants
5. Green Bay Packers
6. New Orleans Saints

AFC Wild Card Round
Denver Broncos over Cincinnati Bengals
Pittsburgh Steelers over Baltimore Ravens

NFC Wild Card Round
San Francisco 49ers over New Orleans Saints
Green Bay Packers over New York Giants

AFC Divisional Round
New England Patriots over Pittsburgh Steelers
Denver Broncos over Houston Texans

NFC Divisional Round
Atlanta Falcons over Green Bay Packers
San Francisco 49ers over Chicago Bears

AFC Championship
New England Patriots over Denver Broncos

NFC Championship
Atlanta Falcons over San Francisco 49ers

Super Bowl XLVII
New England Patriots over Atlanta Falcons

Super Bowl XLVII MVP
Tom Brady (QB, New England)

Seconds Matter EP/Overgrown Path

Seconds Matter EP - Brightside (It's a Trap!, 2012)
Here's another one of those surprising, good, new emo bands I've come across. Like a lot of those bands, Brightside include a strong element of pop punk in their sound, making these songs fun and upbeat. Loose vocals, bright guitars, hooks, etc. All the stuff that has somehow made this genre relevant again are here.


Overgrown Path - Chris Cohen (Captured Tracks, 2012)
Surprise of the year? Quite possibly. Chris Cohen played guitar in Deerhoof on Apple O' (2003) through The Runners Four (2005) and, unbeknownst to me until recently, lent his talents to Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti at some point. I did not care for his other projects (The Curtains and Cryptacize, aside from their phenomenal 2009 track "One Block Wonders"), but man, Overgrown Path hits the spot! Jangly, sunshine-y 60s psych pop mixed with some 70s soft rock ala Fleetwood Mac at their most subtle, and that about sums this record up. All the new emo I've been digesting in 2012 has made me forget how much I like smooth, soft music with tons of space, muted bass, close mic-ed drums and catchy guitar licks like on "Caller No. 99." Great record.

Riala/Among the Leaves/True/Mourning Glow 7"

Riala - Suis La Lune (Topshelf, 2012)
Sweden's Suis La Lune play melodic, emotional hardcore, or screamo (shudder), if you will. Not your local mall's screamo, though. These vocals sound almost tortured, certainly not whiny. On their latest LP, Riala, the band does dynamics excellently, transitioning back and forth between sections with chimey, clean channel guitars and those with heavier distortion, gnarly lead guitar parts and bombastic rhythms. While I appreciate the intensity, the band's knack for melody is key. And Riala is yet another album that brings on that high school and early college nostalgia for me. It's been really fun getting back into heavy music this year.


Among the Leaves - Sun Kil Moon (Caldo Verde, 2012)
Mark Kozelek can continue to make records like this into forever, and I'd continue to be content with that. Among the Leaves is his fifth LP under his Sun Kil Moon moniker, and it's more of the same stuff: Elaborately picked acoustic guitar, strings, and Kozelek's rich baritone. I'm not complaining, because these songs are gorgeous, and some how more enjoyable than those on 2010's Admiral Fell Promises, though they are equally as sparse. Regardless, Kozelek is the master of fall tunes, and I'm glad he's still putting out records.


True - Violens (Slumberland, 2012)
Big surprise, another post-punk/new wave/indie pop band on Slumberland Records! On Violens' sophomore LP, True, comparisons can certainly be made to Slumberland labelmates Big Troubles and all those Captured Tracks bands. There are a couple of stand out elements to the record, though. While the band's sound is certainly of the 80s, the production sounds much more modern and polished than the more lo-fi recordings of a lot of the bands playing this similar style. The synths are definitely there, but there's more emphasis on guitars and drums, which is cool by me. This especially comes in handy on the bizarro couplet "Unfolding Black Wings" and "All Night Low," where there are gnarly distorted guitars and straight up punk drum beats. Still, the highlight is closer "So Hard to See," which is a dance-pop gem. True is a surprising, good addition to the list of quality 2012 albums.


Mourning Glow 7" - Wild Moth (Asian Man, 2012)
Wild Moth are a new Asian Man Records band that seem to be a bit heavier and messier than the label is typically known far. Sure, there are still pop punk and even emo elements to these four songs, but essentially, Wild Moth play dark and noisy post-punk with plenty of melodic elements that somehow help the band to fit in with the label's roster. The production on this 7" is appropriate: bright but messy. The vocals, guitars, bass and drums all sound pretty gnarly, but like I mentioned earlier, these songs are still melodic. Nothing mindblowing here, but on Mourning Glow, Wild Moth show a considerable amount of potential.

Ghost World/The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove/Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

Ghost World - Daniel Clowes (1997)
As long as I've been into graphic novels, it's curious that I just now got around to reading Daniel Clowes' famous and critically acclaimed Ghost World. I would certainly have been more effected had I read it in late high school or early college. At 28, these girls just sound like annoying, pretentious, entitled, whiny brats. Sure, their dialogue is often times funny, especially when they're making fun of the pop culture of the time, or of people for what they like. It just gets really grating, because I hate people like this. Regardless, Ghost World is a funny critique of hipsterdom, and an interesting look at youthful friendship and growing apart.


The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove - Christopher Moore (1999)
1999's The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove is the third Christopher Moore novel I've read, and I think I get the point, now: Obviously quirky characters, sex jokes, clumsy giant monsters, nonsensical adventures, etc. I absolutely loved Lamb (2002), and until I'm proved otherwise, I will continue to be interested in reading Moore's works after that. So far, his earlier works just seem a little too immature to me, and frankly, the jokes aren't quite funny enough. Granted, this is based off of only two of those earlier works, and there were elements to each of the characters in The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove that I enjoyed. I would wager to say that this is far from Moore's best.


Perfume: The Story of a Murderer - Patrick Suskind (1985)
As I suspected, Patrick Suskind's 1985 novel Perfume: The Story of a Murderer had its creepy moments. Unfortunately, not as many or not to the degree as I had hoped. Admittedly, I had already seen the 2006 film adaptation, so I knew what I was getting into: mood and atmosphere more than action and violence. Suskind did a fantastic job creating a detestable monster, albeit subtly so, and the drawn out set up of the story was masterfully told. The beginning chapters to the novel were especially eerie and enjoyable to digest. I guess, and maybe this makes me a real creep, but, I feel that Suskind glazed over the gruesome parts way too quickly, and didn't spend enough time on the actual murders. This story had the potential to go along the lines of Alan Moore's From Hell, and while that graphic novel is overly gruesome, I don't know, I think it makes for interesting art, especially when it takes place in such a classic setting. In spite of these criticisms, Suskind's writing style and the overall mood of Perfume were most definitely a success.

Emotional Listening #26

Field Rexx - Blitzen Trapper (Lidkercow Ltd., 2004)
While Blitzen Trapper's discography has been hit-or-miss since 2007's Wild Mountain Nation, it's been fun to discover that the prior album, Field Rexx, mostly hits. They were still doing the whole woodsy folk rock mixed with psychedelic pop thing back in 2004 (with even more lo-fi production than WMN),  and Field Rexx is more consistent in sound and quality than pretty much all of the following releases. While there's no "Futures & Folly" (still one of my favorite songs from 2007) here, "Lux & Royal Shopper" comes close in all of its countrified psych-pop glory. "Summer Twin" and "Country Rain" are total acoustic fall jams and almost everything else in between is pretty much on par. There are some dull and borderline obnoxious moments, but they're easy to ignore on a fast flowing 15 track album.
Top jams: "Lux & Royal Shopper," "Love I Exclaim!," "Summer Twin," "40 Stripes," "Asleep for Days," "Leopard's Will to Die," "Country Rain," "Moving Minors Over County Lines"


I Fought the Law - The Bobby Fuller Four (Mustang, 1966)
Should I be embarrassed to admit that I never knew that The Bobby Fuller Four was the name of the group responsible for the version of The Crickets' "I Fought the Law" that I knew and loved as a child? My recent interest in this group is thanks to Wes Anderson's inclusion of "Let Her Dance" during the closing credits of his adaptation of The Fantastic Mr. Fox. I was not surprised that the band's 1966 album, titled, believe it or not, I Fought the Law, is a sunshine pop gem, loaded with bouncy rhythms, reverb, and surfy, jangly, chimey guitars. I don't know what else to say. Every song is good, some more so than others, but, yeah, this is a mighty fine record. "Julie," "You Kiss Me," "I Fought the Law," and closer "Never to be Forgotten" are especially great, but "Let Her Dance" has become one of my favorite songs from that era. Do you like The Byrds? You'd probably dig this.
Top jams: "Let Her Dance," "Julie," "Only When I Dream," "You Kiss Me," "I Fought the Law," "Another Sad and Lonely Night," "Take My Word," "Never to be Forgotten"


Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches - Happy Mondays (Factory, 1990)
I'm so glad this album found me. Bravender put "Kinky Afro" on a mix for me a few months ago, and if you couldn't tell from a recent post, it slaughtered me. I was not expecting to like the remainder of Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches as much as I do. On first listen, I had some difficulty shaking the cheesy, dated production (shocker: this was produced by Paul Oakenfold!) and tuneless vocals of Happy Mondays' Shaun Ryder. But don't worry, I get it now. Landing somewhere in between brit-pop in the vein of The Stone Roses and piano-heavy house music, Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches is a danceable guitar pop album with many memorable moments. "Kinky Afro," with its catchy lead guitar and gorgeous chords and strings, is without the question this album's best track. But, in spite of its U2-esque riff, "Dennis and Lois" might feature the best chorus, and "Harmony" is the best possible closer here. Anybody out there have any recommendations as to where I should go next with Happy Mondays?
Top jams: "Kinky Afro," "God's Cop," "Loose Fit," "Dennis and Lois," "Bob's Yer Uncle," "Step On," "Harmony"


Left and Leaving - The Weakerthans (Sub City, 2000)
My old high school friend Mike Goss, who played an enormous role in the development of my music taste in the early 2000s, tipped me off to The Weakerthans when I was in 11th grade, I think? He let me borrow their second album, Left and Leaving, and I just did not get it. I think it was too mellow for me at the time? 10+ years later, I totally do get it now. This is a sleepy, lush guitar pop record with the most literary of lyrics and really nice dynamics. The upbeat rockers ("Aside," "Watermark," "Exiles Among You") are sort of reminiscent of The Promise Ring, maybe? The ballads, and this is mostly a ballads album, have some nice twang, subtle as hell drumming, and top notch melodies. Well, excellent melodies run through the whole record. "Pamphleteer" is THE best! I'm curious as to if I should check out Fallow (1997) and Reconstruction Site (2003)? I was pretty into 2007's Reunion Tour. Anyway... Thoughts?
Top jams: "Everything Must Go!," "Aside," "Watermark," "Pamphleteer," "This is a Fire Door Never Leave Open," "Elegy for Elsabet," "Exiles Among You"


Painful - Yo La Tengo (Matador, 1993)
Yo La Tengo's gotta be one of the greatest bands in the entire world, right? I'm well versed in certain YLT records more than others, and Painful is the next one that I decided to schedule some intimate time with. Well worth it. The first five songs are stellar, and per your usual YLT record, this one is drastically different from track to track. They do that so well. They didn't seem to be messing with 60s music too much yet at this point, and it's cool to hear some nods to shoegaze here. The songs on Painful do a wonderful job mixing noise and atmosphere with pop sensibility and melody. "From a Motel 6," and "Double Dare" are excellent noise pop jams, while "Big Day Coming," "Superstar-Watcher," "Nowhere Near" and "A Worrying Thing" are gorgeous exercises in repetition and are all easily my favorite moments on the record. Things trail off a bit after "A Worrying Thing," until "I Heard You Looking," which is classic YLT album closer stuff. Also, Painful sounds exactly like fall, so now's the time to do it.
Top jams: "Big Day Coming," "From a Motel 6," "Double Dare," "Superstar-Watcher," "Nowhere Near," "A Worrying Thing," "I Heard You Looking"

Fall 2012 Mix

It's that time, people. Below, you can download my annual fall mix, 2012 edition. Free of charge, obviously. I went with a surprising amount of nostalgic, obvious tracks as opposed to new or obscure ones. Oh well, deal with it.

http://www.mediafire.com/?1o89cegy8mgzhed

TRACKLIST
1. "Dusty Rhodes" - Lotus Plaza (2012)
2. "Split Needles" - The Shins (2007)
3. "Silver" - Echo & the Bunnymen (1984)
4. "Swing Lo Magellan" - Dirty Projectors (2012)
5. "Market Fresh" - Broken Social Scene (2004)
6. "Summer Twin" - Blitzen Trapper (2004)
7. "Sara" - Fleetwood Mac (1979)
8. "Round & Round (It Won't be Long)" - Neil Young w/Crazy Horse (1969)
9. "Julia" - The Beatles (1968)
10. "Just Another Thing to Dust" - Papercuts (2007)
11. "That's the Way" - Led Zeppelin (1970)
12. "Practice Twice" - Sam Prekop (1999)
13. "Maybelle" - Ida (2000)
14. "A Promise" - Jens Lekman (2011)
15. "Don't Go Close" - Chemic (2007)
16. "Havalina" - Pixies (1990)
17. "Nowhere Near" - Yo La Tengo (1993)
18. "Every Shining Time You Arrive" - Sunny Day Real Estate (1998)
19. "See Me Cry" - Seapony (2012)

2012 MLB Playoffs Preview and Post-Season Awards

Here we go!

2012 PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

AL Wild Card Game
Texas Rangers over Baltimore Orioles

Baltimore was a very nice surprise this season, and I expected Texas to end up with 100 wins and the best regular season record in the MLB. Oh well. Rangers still destroy the Orioles here.

NL Wild Card Game
Atlanta Braves over St. Louis Cardinals

This is an awesome matchup. It really could go either way, and I'd be happy regardless. However, I think the Braves have the slight edge in this single game, especially if Kris Medlen is pitching. If it were a series, I think St. Louis would be the victors.

ALDS
Texas Rangers over New York Yankees, 3-2
Oakland Athletics over Detroit Tigers, 3-2

While the Rangers' pitching did not mature quite to the degree that I expected, it still can be quite dangerous. And, there surely doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the team's bats, and the Yankee pitching rotation should be easily dismantled here.

The Oakland A's are downright scary these days, and NO ONE saw that coming. Sure, this may just be a Cinderella story of a group of young, mediocre players uniting as an ultimate team for one season and then going back to their old ways, but it doesn't matter. The way they swept the Rangers to end the season is proof that our Detroit Tigers are in trouble, and their disappointing, underperforming season will come to a close in Oakland. I won't deny that if Scherzer is healthy and continues his 2012 second-half dominance, and Verlander and Fister do what they do, the Tigers could win this series. But, as inconsistent as they've been at bat and as horrific as their defense is, I don't see it happening this year.

NLDS
Washington Nationals over Atlanta Braves, 3-2
San Francisco Giants over Cincinnati Reds, 3-1

2012 is certainly the year of amazing stories, and the Washington Nationals are probably the best one. I do think they will face a lot of difficulty in winning their first playoff series ever, but they are close to really being the best team in the entire MLB. Even without Stephen Strasburg (who, if he was pitching in the post-season this year, the Nats would win the World Series with), their rotation is nasty, and their offense surprisingly really came together. The Braves, and even the Cardinals if they were to in the Wild Card game, would pose a serious threat, but I think the Nats will do it.

While I love that the Cincinnati Reds were so good, I think they'll be in a little over their heads no matter who they would face. Unfortunately, they've got the San Francisco Giants, who maybe have the most dangerous starting rotation and bullpen combination in the game at this point. That their offense was more productive than usual is a huge help as well. The Reds look to be an excellent team for the next few seasons, but 2012 will not be their year.

ALCS
Texas Rangers over Oakland Athletics, 4-3

This will be a gnarly series, and despite coming out on top, the Rangers will be completely drained by the end. The Oakland Cinderella story will end at the hands of Texas' seasoned vets.

NLCS
San Francisco Giants over Washington Nationals, 4-2

This will be a closer series than it looks, but the Giants will have experience to thank for reaching their second World Series in three years.

World Series
San Francisco Giants over Texas Rangers, 4-2

In a repeat of the 2010 World Series, the Rangers will be too tired to keep up with the SF pitching machine, and Buster Posey will single handedly destroy that Texas rotation. I think the scores in these games will be close, but obviously, close doesn't cut it. The Texas Rangers will lose their third World Series in a row.

POST-SEASON AWARDS
AL Rookie of the Year: Mike Trout, Los Angeles (OF)
NL Rookie of the Year: Wade Miley, Arizona (SP)
AL Cy Young: Justin Verlander, Detroit (SP)
NL Cy Young: R.A. Dickey, New York (SP)
AL MVP: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit (3B)
NL MVP: Buster Posey, San Francisco (C)

The Master

The Master (2012)
Written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
I had been looking forward to The Master, Paul Thomas Anderson's sixth feature film, since I first heard it rumored. While I haven't seen his debut, Hard Eight (1996), I have absolutely loved each of his films since, with There Will be Blood (2007) easily being one of my five favorite films of all time.

There Will be Blood introduced a stark, even more tense feel to Anderson's canon, and The Master continues that. Gone are the blatantly quirky if not plain bizarre plots and characters of Magnolia and Punch Drunk Love; it seems Anderson's character studies of tortured, detestable men are here to stay.

Joaquin Phoenix's portrayal of an erratic, dangerous alcoholic World War II veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and struggling to fit into a post-war society is masterful. And, unsurprisingly, Philip Seymour Hoffman kills it as Lancaster Dodd, leader of the philosophical movement The Cause (obviously loosely inspired by L. Ron Hubbard and the Church of Scientology). The plot ends up being more about the relationship of these two men than the actual doctrine of The Cause, though, Anderson did a wonderful job creating an eerie aura around the cult without forcing the viewer to focus on its ridiculous claims and practices. The characters are much more important.

I expected The Master to completely blow me away and further prove that perhaps Anderson is the best filmmaker in the industry these days. It has succeeded at both of those, though it did not hit me quite as hard as There Will be Blood. It still is an outright masterpiece, and I do not look forward to having to wait another three to five years for another Paul Thomas Anderson production.

Beware and be Grateful/Children of Desire

Beware and be Grateful - Maps & Atlases (Barsuk, 2012)
Admittedly, I miss the old noodly math pop days of Chicago's Maps & Atlases. However, the band's latest and second full length for Barsuk is a vast improvement on 2010's decent Perch Patchwork. Instead of the complex folk stylings that found their way on that album, Beware and be Grateful showcases an interesting yet more straightforward level of pop sensibility than the band is known for. There have always been poppy elements to Maps & Atlases' songs, but never so blatant than here. The band seems to have ditched the finger-tapping, intricate finger-picking, off-kilter rhythms and completely insane drumming, for the most part. These details have been substituted for almost Vampire Weekend-esque tropical beats and rhythms and huge 80s-style production. At times it goes a little too far, and surely Dave Davison's vocals can get a little annoying, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I still enjoy their songs, even if they've strayed so far from what I originally liked about them. There are enough neat little tracks and outright brilliant moments to keep this band relavent in my heart. "Silver Self" and "Old Ash" are the best examples of why.


Children of Desire - Merchandise (Katorga, 2012)
For only being a six-song LP, Tampa's Merchandise nail it on Children of Desire, which features noisy, hazy goth pop tunes, two of which are 10 minutes long, and completely digestible. This is the most Captured Tracks-sounding album that hasn't been released by Captured Tracks yet. Reverb and chorus guitars that are sometimes distorted, driving, high-end bass, drum machine, and a vocalist that sounds like a cross between Morrissey and Stephin Merritt. These songs are dramatic, but in an awesome, subtle, 80s goth way. There's an element of despair in these soundscapes, but these are bouncy pop songs too. Children of Desire is excellent, and if you've been digging on so many of the Captured Tracks bands like I've been, then this is right up your alley. "Time" is the jam that hooked me.

Lovers in a Dangerous Time/Sour Girl

THE jams of the moment.

"Lovers in a Dangerous Time" by Bruce Cockburn, from Stealing Fire (1984)
The chimey guitars through the whole thing are the best.


"Sour Girl" by Stone Temple Pilots, from No. 4 (1999)
The vocal melody during the verses is the best.

Just Married/Celebration Rock/Dream Journal EP

Just Married - Glocca Morra (Kind of Like, 2012)
I'm so glad that this east coast emo revival thing is still going strong, if not getting even better. Philly's Algernon Cadwallader (sigh... R.I.P.) were the kings, but it seems they've passed the flag to Glocca Morra, who play a similar style of bright, upbeat emo with ringing, noodly (but not too noodly) guitars, bouncy rhythms, catchy melodies and all sorts of time changes and stops and starts. Overall, Just Married definitely is an emo record with nods to pop punk at times, but man, it is all over the place. The structures and compositions of these songs are massively complex, but still, the music here is extremely accessible and easily lovable (if you're not an idiot). I absolutely love this record, and the reasons are many (impressive complexity, melodies, intense vocals, nostalgia, youthful but not immature angst, all the music nerd stuff I listed above), but mainly, it is just such a blast to listen to. I'll go ahead and say it: at this point, probably my favorite record of the year? And, with it being September and all, it's hard to imagine it being overtaken by anything else. If you know me well and listen to this, you should understand.


Celebration Rock - Japandroids (Polyvinyl, 2012)
I didn't fully get Post-Nothing until it was way too late (like, just a few months ago), but it was fun to immerse myself in it before the release of Japandroids' much anticipated follow-up, Celebration Rock. And what a follow-up it is. Celebration Rock doesn't really quit until it ends, which is perhaps a stupid and obvious statement to make, but do you know what I mean? It is nonstop rock and roll. No real breaks, no ballads, no nothing like that. These two dudes seem like they have an endless fount of energy and passion, and it is so much fun to listen to them (and I would imagine watch them) bring it. While Celebration Rock lacks the hints of emo and shoegaze that I appreciate so much in Post-Nothing, I am way into this album's more unhinged energy, emotion and sound. I hear a little bit of The Replacements, and that rules. I'm not gonna go so far as to say that this is the best rock album of the year (see above), but it certainly is not far off.


Dream Journal EP - Living Room (self-released, 2012)
More emo revival! I don't know anything about Living Room, but I randomly came across their Dream Journal EP and was content with the results. The production isn't great but isn't bad, and the vocals are little too adolescent for my liking, but it all combines into something charmingly raw. Great guitars not unlike Braid and the like, and the song structures are complicated just the way I like it. Dream Journal is a pleasant surprise, and yet another testament to how good this reemergence of emo is for our planet. The jam "Red Saints" is tops.

White Noise/The Lonely Polygamist/Tinkers

White Noise - Don DeLillo (1985)
White Noise is my first Don DeLillo read, and of course I know I'm way late to that game. I know that a lot of his work is insanely critically acclaimed, but I feel like, at least with this novel, I've received fairly mixed reviews of his work amongst my friends. Anyway, it's about time I got around to reading this, and I was stoked to discover exactly how fun White Noise is. I was expecting way dark doom-and-gloom musings, but this is hilarious, quirky post-modernism to a T. I'm pleasantly surprised that DeLillo seems to come from the same school of writing and is similarly influenced by Thomas Pynchon as David Foster Wallace, Zadie Smith and the like. White Noise is all over the place, covering all sorts of themes (media and technological saturation, family, academia, man-made disaster, fear of death), yet somehow is not completely sprawling. The story flows very well, even if the structure is relatively loopy. These characters remind me of those in The Broom of the System, Vineland and White Teeth, which was very attractive to me while reading. I very much look forward to more DeLillo in the future.


The Lonely Polygamist - Brady Udall (2010)
Brady Udall's 2010 novel, The Lonely Polygamist, is excellent on many levels. The characters are enthralling and thoroughly enjoyable, a majority of the plot events are quirky and thought provoking when they aren't outright hilarious, and fundamentalist Mormonism is presented in a clever, critical and human light. At it's core it is a dysfunctional family story in line with (but not quite as messed up as) Franzen's The Corrections and Eugenides' Middlesex. Our hero is a husband of four and father of many, and in his late forties it all is finally catching up to him and he has a mid-life crisis and (to a degree) nervous breakdown. Considering the polygamy aspect, hilarity and tension ensue equally. The story climaxed a bit too early and got a little too heavy handed toward the end. Regardless, The Lonely Polygamist is easily one of the best books I've read in 2012.

 
Tinkers - Paul Harding (2009)
Somehow, Paul Harding's debut and Pulitzer Prize winning novel, Tinkers, is both stark and overwhelming. It tells the story of a father and son and how they and their families deal with their various disabilities and deterioration late in their lives. While the haunting imagery and poetic prose were impressive, they were not enough to keep me interested and I found myself getting bored and losing focus often. The several stream of consciousness passages were especially trying, and Tinkers runs rampant with metaphors and thus gets too flowery and preachy. Needless to say, I was not a huge fan.

Kinky Afro

"Kinky Afro" by Happy Mondays, from Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches (1990)
Jam of jams.

Honeycomb 7"/Oshin/Swing Lo Magellan/A Thing Called Divine Fits/South Ossetia EP

Honeycomb 7" - Animal Collective (Domino, 2012)
Released early this summer, the songs "Honeycomb" and "Gotham" showcases the first official new music from Animal Collective since the Fall be Kind EP released late in 2009. While I consider these two tracks a little bit of a let down, they offered a good tease to hold fans over until this month's release of Centipede Hz, the band's latest full length. "Honeycomb" is a bright tribal number, not too unlike "Water Curses" from the 2008 EP of the same name. "Gotham" is a darker, slow burner that brings to mind the second half of the previously mentioned Fall be Kind. Synths and samples still seem to be reigning supreme in the Animal Collective camp, but what they do with them is still somewhat inspiring. And, the melodies are complex and top notch, per usual. I'll get back to you in a month or two with my thoughts on the LP.


Oshin - DIIV (Captured Tracks, 2012)
DIIV is a newer Captured Tracks band, and it should be no surprise that they fall into the same melodic goth/post-punk/dream pop sound that is characteristic of many other bands on the label, such as Wild Nothing, Beach Fossils, Craft Spells, etc. In fact, DIIV's core member is a live guitarist for Beach Fossils! How about that? While the songs on debut full length, Oshin, are usually mid or uptempo and the guitars bright and chimey, there's some murk to wade through here. The production is hazy without being even close to lo-fi, and you have to go digging for the catchy melodies as the vocals are completely buried. Despite the lack of synth layers and stadium sized drums, I can't help but shake the Disintegration vibes I get when listening to this. All of this makes for an awesome conundrum. The music here is dark and mysterious, yet these are thoroughly enjoyable pop songs. You have to put in a little bit of work to discover the best of the goods, but it is worth it. I must admit, I am not yet getting sick of all this 80s love that Captured Tracks and their bands have.


Swing Lo Magellan - Dirty Projectors (Domino, 2012)
In some ways, Dirty Projectors' follow-up to 2009's stunning Bitte Orca is underwhelming. Swing Lo Magellan is more stark and not so in-your-face in just about every way. Less wailing guitars, difficult to follow time signatures and R&B vocal acrobatics. More space, acoustic guitar and shorter song lengths. Trust me, this is a very good thing. While I was absolutely out of my mind about Bitte Orca, and love it deeply to this day, but, man, this softer, less aggressive side to Dirty Projectors is a welcome turn of events. Opener "Offspring Are Blank" is the closest that band comes to Bitte Orca here. "Gun Has No Trigger" is a poor boy's "Stillness is the Move," and though its my least favorite moment on the album, it's still solid and has some ridiculous harmonies. "Dance for You" and "Until Caesar" are big, fun pop songs, but the folkier elements of the title track and "Impregnable Question" are preferable. "About to Die" and "Just From Chevron" are outstanding, the former with its ridiculous chorus and the latter featuring the one occurrence of David Longstreth's guitar noodling (and also, it's the album's best song). It seems like all the hubbub about Swing Lo Magellan is that it is more accessible and much more personal than previous Dirty Projectors albums. Those characteristics are appealing to me as well, but what really gets me is simply that this band is still unbelievably good, and still have it in them to release album of the year material.


A Thing Called Divine Fits - Divine Fits (Merge, 2012)
Everybody knows by now that Divine Fits is a supergroup featuring Spoon's Britt Daniel, Wolf Parade's Dan Boeckner and New Bomb Turks' Sam Brown. In spite of the facts that I recognize that Spoon is almost a perfect band and used to be obsessed with Wolf Parade's Apologies to the Queen Mary, I did not care about the release of their debut LP, A Thing Called Divine Fits. That was until I heard Daniel's monster jam from it, "Would That Not be Nice." That got me interested. Now, after several listens, I have formulated an opinion, and that is that A Thing Called Divine Fits is actually a pretty damn good record. I good do without the majority of Boeckner's songs (though, "What Gets You Alone" is pretty bad ass), but for the most part, Daniel hits it out of the park. Along with the aforementioned track, "Flaggin a Ride" and "Like Ice Cream" are among the year's best. How much do all of these songs sound like the members' other projects. Well, Boeckner's stuff is pretty all over the place with the exception of opener "My Love is Real," which sounds like Handsome Furs. Daniel's songs are reminiscent of Spoon to a degree, but different enough to legitimize the new project. However, I won't deny that the most apparent effect A Thing Called Divine Fits has on me is that it makes me SO pumped for the next Spoon record.


South Ossetia EP - Driveway (Dog Years, 2012)
I'm glad this emo revival is lasting longer than I expected it to. I'm finding a lot of new bands that are doing the damn thing almost as well as the originals. Driveway isn't from the east coast (that's where most of the greats seem to be coming from these days), they're from Dublin! All three of the songs that make up the South Ossetia EP are totally good, landing somewhere between Braid and Texas is the Reason maybe, with a little more pop punk thrown in? I'm a sucker for interweaving guitars, stops and starts and emotion, and this EP has all of that in spades.

Emotional Listening #25

Homogenic - Bjork (One Little Indian, 1997)
Vespertine was the first Bjork album I got into. It is dramatic, intense and absolutely gorgeous. This was the summer of 2007, and not long after, I gave Homogenic, her previous album, a listen and was completely bored by it. What a dummy I was. Coming back to it in 2012, Homogenic has elements that are even more appealing than Vespertine, which I used to swear was the only thing Bjork had her hands on that I would ever care about. Sure, the arrangements and melodies on Vespertine are a bit more impressive, as the contrast between organic and inorganic (or, strings and synths/computers/beats) is more obvious and even fascinating, and all of those songs are just dripping with eerie, sexual tension. Homogenic is much more simple. It's still strings vs. synths and beats, but in a much more subtle way. These arrangements are stark in nature, and sometimes build up into more, or just fade into nothing. The songs are relatively formless, yet they still have some pop sensitivity, especially in the symphonic "Joga" and the computer pop of "5 Years" (which I think is the album's best, or at least most interesting, track). Homogenic is flawed and far from the masterpiece that Vespertine is, but it is a noble attempt at something grandiose and entirely unique for its time.
Top jams: "Hunter," "Joga," "Unravel," "5 Years," "Immature," "Alarm Call"


Woke On a Whaleheart - Bill Callahan (Drag City, 2007)
I got into Bill Callahan's first post-Smog record back when it was originally released in 2007. It took continuing on my interest and listening to his more recent albums to completely understand the level of quality that Woke On a Whaleheart is. In case you didn't know, Callahan composes gorgeous, autumnal folk tunes that tell dark, quirky stories and showcases a larger palate of colors than one would expect from such a husky, smokey voice. While 2009's Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle and 2005's Smog swansong, A River Ain't Too Much to Love are both better albums, Woke On a Whaleheart is excellent in its own right. What draws me to it most recently is how much fun it seems that Callahan is having on this record as opposed to his other ones, where he songs much more focused on the sadness he portrays and overall beauty of the recordings. Comparatively, Woke On a Whaleheart seems a tiny bit rushed, which isn't a bad thing here, and there is a lot more variety and everything is bouncier. Songs like "Diamond Dancer," "The Wheel," "Day," and "A Man Needs a Woman or a Man to be a Man" are great representations of this. There is something to enjoy on every song here, and thus, I have absolutely nothing to complain about.
Top jams: "From the Rivers to the Oceans," "Footprints," "Sycamore," "The Wheel," "Honeymoon Child," "Day"


Write Your Own History - Field Music (Memphis Industries, 2006)
There are very few bands or artists who come close to the consistency and quality of music as Sunderland's Field Music. I have not heard a song by these brothers (literally, David and Peter Brewis are brothers) that I have disliked. My love for them started in 2007 with their sophomore LP, Tones of Town, a study in complex song structure and arrangement with blatant pop hooks and other Beatles-isms. It ended up as my third favorite album of that decade. Their 2005 self-titled debut has a little more XTC in its sound, 2010's Measure is a bit more prog and even classic rock in places (and was ninth on that year-end list). This year's Plumb falls somewhere in between it all. Anyway, the focus here is this little collection of singles, b-sides and early recordings. For what it is, Write Your Own History is surprisingly cohesive, and you won't find a bland or sour moment here. These songs still showcase the Brewis' tangent for expansive arrangement, but here they are at their most subtle. "You're Not Supposed To" is relatively loud, very upbeat 60s up, and really is one of Field Music's absolute greatest tracks. Everything after on this collection mellows out quite a bit, but not in a bad way. "In the Kitchen," "Trying to Sit Out," "Test Your Reaction" and "Alternating Current" are other big time highlights.
Top jams: "You're Not Supposed To," "In the Kitchen," "Trying to Sit Out," "Feeding the Birds," "Test Your Reaction," "Alternating Current," "Can You See Anything?"


Sam Prekop - Sam Prekop (Thrill Jockey, 1999)
Can you imagine that Sam Prekop, voice and guitarist for Chicago's best band, The Sea and Cake, has released music that is even MORE chill than that of his band? Believe it. Prekop's first foray into solo territory doesn't sound too distant from The Sea and Cake's early albums, but these recordings are slower, quieter, and even more vague. While it is apparent that collaborating with his bandmates leads to a more fruitful product that is pretty much some of the best music ever, Prekop's skills are formidable on their own. His traditional jazz chords and smooth, smokey voice are present, and any time that is the case, all things are good. The music here can meander a little too much, but on "Practice Twice" and "Faces and People," it lends to some beautiful results. "Showrooms" and "So Shy" are by far the best songs, and that they are the album's bookends helps the flow of the album. It would be interesting to hear what Archer Prewitt, John McEntire and Eric Claridge would have contributed to these songs.
Top jams: "Showrooms," "The Company," "Practice Twice," "A Cloud to the Back," "Faces and People," "The Shadow," "So Shy"


Look Now Look Again - Rainer Maria (Polyvinyl, 1999)
During my senior year in high school, or maybe it was the summer after, a good friend of mine put a few Rainer Maria songs from their sophomore LP, Look Now Look Again, on an emo mix CD for me, and they have stuck ever since. I feel like this band is often forgotten when discussing the midwest emo greats, and that is unfortunate, as they put out at least three gems in this baby, A Better Version of Me (2001) and Long Knives Drawn (2003). Overall, Look Now Look Again might be the weakest of the three, but "Planetary," "Broken Radio," and especially "Breakfast of Champions" are among the band's career highlights. The boy/girl vocals are a nice touch, especially when Caithlin De Marrais' are so strong. Kyle Fischer's guitars shift between between open chords and nice, twinkly licks, and the upbeat, quirky drumming bring it all home. This is some great power trio emo shit. When's their reunion tour?
Top jams: "Planetary," "Broken Radio," "Feeling Neglected," "Breakfast of Champions," "The Reason the Night is Long," "Centrifuge," "I'm Melting!"

Nothing is Pure/Choreography/Nocturne/Nowhere 7"

Nothing is Pure - Placeholder (Better Days/Kat Kat, 2012)
Here is yet another record that brings me back to high school. Placeholder sound like a darker and heavier version of those New Jersey emo-y pop punk bands from the early 2000s like Saves the Day and The Stryder. The production on Nothing is Pure is pro. The guitars are beefy and the drums are big. The vocals may be a little too ridiculously intense, but that can be overlooked when the overall sound is so nostalgic and the songs so good. "Give Up" and "Stay Correct" are real jams.


Choreography - Weird Dreams (Tough Love, 2012)
Weird Dreams is a UK band that I came across pretty randomly. I'm not exactly sure why I didn't ignore their review on Pitchfork, but, I'm glad I didn't, as their debut LP, Choreography, was a pleasant surprise. These songs are a nice mix of 80s jangle pop (with those chimy, jangly, chorus-y R.E.M./Smiths guitars we all love) and early 90s brit pop. For the most part, Choreography is upbeat and high energy, with a few moody pieces here and there. Nothing new or original here, but that doesn't matter when an old style is performed so well. "Suburban Coated Creatures" is an obvious standout.

 
Nocturne//Nowhere 7" - Wild Nothing (Captured Tracks, 2012)
2012 has been a great year for Jack Tatum, the wunderboy behind Wild Nothing. The Nowhere 7" was released early in the year, and it showcased where Tatum's songs could go with big, professional production. The title track is a huge, gorgeous midtempo pop song that surely ranks among his best. B-side "Wait" is solid, though a little boring. Tatum's true triumph in 2012, though, is obviously his sophomore full length, Nocturne, just released at the end of August. Both releases are huge steps forward in production, and probably even songwriting, and "Nowhere," retrospectively, may be the icing on the cake, but there is no shortage of excellence on this year's LP. Admittedly, there are no standouts to the degree that "Summer Holiday," "Chinatown" or "Our Composition Book" were on Tatum's 2010 debut, Gemini, however, the consistency on Nocturne is staggering. We've still got the dreamy Cure and New Order (sorta) thing going on here, but less goth and injected with some Fleetwood Mac drum sounds (yes, those are real drums) and especially Tango in the Night synths. Though Tatum will probably never bring about the same effect in me that he did with Gemini, every song on Nocturne is at least good. Most are excellent. I was so pumped for this record, and I most definitely was not let down. I know I said there weren't really any standouts per se, but I still must list which songs come the closest: "Shadow," "This Chain Won't Break" and most notably "Only Heather" with its chimy Johnny Marr guitars and the best drum fill in a pop song since Maritime's "Parade of Punk Rock T-Shirts."

Troll 2/Degrassi - The Next Generation: Season Nine

Troll 2 (1990)
Written and directed by Drake Floyd
In title alone, Troll 2 is the sequel to the dark 1986 cult fantasy film Troll (which I've never seen). As far as I can tell, the comparisons end there. Troll 2 is an awesomely terrible campy horror film showcasing the worst plot, script and cast possible. Also, there are no trolls here. This is a film about goblins! From my understanding, some dude bought the rights to the name Troll 2 with the hope that billing it as the sequel to its moderately successful predecessor would then lead to impressive viewership. Dude took the film in a completely different direction on a shoestring budget, and Troll 2 was born. I was expecting supreme, hilarious gore and little else, but what I received instead was a completely incoherent storyline, nonsensical dialogue and incredibly shitty acting. Thus, I thoroughly enjoyed watching this.


Degrassi - The Next Generation: Season Nine (2009-2010)
I haven't been too vocal about it on the internet, but MAN, I love the Canadian high school drama Degrassi: The Next Generation. I was first turned on to it by my friend Brandon who sold it to me as so bad, its good, and that was the way my relationship was with the show for about a year or so. Now, while the acting and script writing really are quite poor (and the writers seem pretty clueless about the taste of a modern young person), I have come to realize that Degrassi: The Next Generation is legitimately good on several levels. First off, considering how young its viewership is, the show is very cutting edge, touching on issues that no American teen-oriented show comes close to touching (homosexuality, gender confusion, rape, teen pregnancy, physical and mental disability, murder, abortion, cocaine and meth addiction, being a Canadian high school student who is in a rock band that gets big in LA on summer break, LARP-ing, to name several). The serious issues are tackled in a dramatic, touching way, creating wonderfully tense moments, and the ridiculous issues make for really fun episodes. Secondly, as over the top as the acting can be, it was really easy to grow immensely attached to pretty much every character I came across. These characters are extremely compelling in every way, even the mean-spirited and tremendously stupid ones. Sure, there are plenty of flaws in most aspects of Degrassi: The Next Generation, but they are charming and easy to shrug off because they will make you laugh. I purchased the ninth season, which my appreciation for the show really jumped to a whole new level, on DVD for $5, and I do not regret it one bit. It even comes with a healthy number of shorts and even a two hour-long Degrassi: The Next Generation movie! If this post makes you lose respect for me, then screw you!

2012 NFL Preview

It is time. The 2012 NFL season is upon us, and I shall share with you my predictions, which I expect will be way off by the middle of the season. I feel like every year I pick the New England Patriots to win it all. SPOILER ALERT: Expect more of that in 2012. One of these years I'll get it right.

DIVISION PREDICTIONS

AFC East
1. New England Patriots (13-3)
2. Buffalo Bills (8-8)
3. New York Jets (7-9)
4. Miami Dolphins (4-12)

The 2011 Chad Ochocinco/Albert Haynesworth experiment went all wrong, yet still, the Patriots found themselves in the Super Bowl again. It seems like their defense should be improved, and who gives a shit about your ground game when you have two ridiculously athletic tight ends and Tom Brady can make a viable weapon out of anyone. I firmly believe New England is the real deal this year. Adding Mario Williams to the defensive line has certainly improved Buffalo's defense, and their offense can actually be sort of formidable at times, but they will still fall short of playoff contention. The New York Jets are going to be the laughing stock of the NFL thanks to the Rex Ryan/Mark Sanchez/Tim Tebow Show, and it's gonna be a blast to watch. The Dolphins lost a lot of very close games last year, but in a lot of ways, I feel like they've gotten worse.

AFC North
1. Baltimore Ravens (11-5)
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5)
3. Cincinnati Bengals (8-8)
4. Cleveland Browns (3-13)

I don't think this division is quite as scary as it once was. The race between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers should always be a close and entertaining one, but they have glaring weaknesses that need to be addressed soon. Both of their defenses can still be top notch, but they are getting way too old. Everyone knows Joe Flacco is mediocre, or at best simply decent, and he is still overrated. Thanks to the immense talents of Ray Rice, Baltimore gets the edge, but Pittsburgh's passing attack is far superior at this point, and Ben Roethlisberger can win games in the most ridiculous of circumstances. The Cincinnati Bengals are definitely an up-and-coming team, with a young, quality defense along with the Andy Daulton/A.J. Green combo that could be lights out in a couple of years. Adding Benjarvus Green-Ellis is huge, in my opinion, as he will be the workhorse that Cedric Benson was, but is capable of scoring a lot more often. However, the inexperience will be the team's downfall, and I see them missing the playoffs. Trent Richardson could be the future perennial running back for the Cleveland Browns, but they are completely doomed otherwise.

AFC South
1. Houston Texans (11-5)
2. Tennessee Titans (7-9)
3. Indianapolis Colts (5-11)
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-13)

It's hard to say which is weaker between the AFC South and West divisions. I would argue for the South, but not very confidently. I am sort of a believer in the Houston Texans. There defense was surprisingly good last year, considering Mario Williams was out for a healthy portion of the season. That the team lost him and DeMeco Ryans makes it hard for me to believe that they're going to be as good in 2012. However, if Andre Johnson, who really is in a three-way tie with Calvin Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald as the best wide receiver in the NFL, and Matt Schaub, who is somewhat underrated, can remain healthy for the entire year, this Houston offense should be among the best in the NFL in every way. The Tennessee Titans will win less games than they did in 2011, but somehow will seem better thanks to a probable resurgence in running back Chris Johnson, who should be the best in the league, and sophomore QB Jake Locker's increase in confidence. I will not deny being one of the believers in Andrew Luck being the second coming of Peyton Manning, and with Donald Brown and Reggie Wayne being the number one guys at their positions (and potentially outright studs), the Colts should be better than everyone thinks they will be. The MJD holdout just ended in Jacksonville, but he is literally the only bright spot on that team at this point in time. The Jaguars are probably the worst team in the NFL, or at least the AFC.

AFC West
1. Denver Broncos (11-5)
2. San Diego Chargers (9-7)
3. Oakland Raiders (7-9)
4. Kansas City Chiefs (5-11)

I believe that it will take a couple of weeks for Peyton Manning to readjust to playing in the big game and getting back to the level of play that we're used to seeing from him, but it will definitely happen, and the Denver Broncos will win the AFC West because of it. In fact, with such a young, impressionable passing game to work with, and the reemergence of Willis McGahee, the Broncos could be the hottest team in the AFC when heading into the playoffs. The San Diego Chargers are barely good, and it's only because Philip Rivers is such a good quarterback, even if he is a douchebag and an asshole. This is said every year, but if San Diego can't make it past the first round of the playoffs this year, Norv Turner is finally done as head coach. The Raiders could compete if Darren McFadden can remain healthy and Carson Palmer can properly ease into such a young and potentially dangerous offense in a full season. But, none of that will probably happen. The Kansas City Chiefs are going to run with the ball like hell, and Dwayne Bowe will have good numbers, but that does not make this a quality team. I am rooting for QB Matt Cassel, though.

NFC East
1. New York Giants (11-5)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (11-5)
3. Dallas Cowboys (8-8)
4. Washington Redskins (6-10)

The NFC East is always competitive in a very entertaining way, but I don't see any of these teams getting to the Super Bowl. Even the reigning SB champion New York Giants, who didn't change much. Yes, they will fare much better than they did in the 2011 regular season, but their second Cinderella story in the past five years is over, despite the fact that Eli Manning should finally be considered a good quarterback. The Philadelphia Eagles are actually the most terrifying team here. If they get a full season out of Michael Vick, watch out. If his accuracy isn't the greatest, they still have an intimidating number of offensive weapons including LeSean McCoy, who is about to become the absolute greatest all-purpose back since Marshall Faulk. The Dallas Cowboys COULD be great. They have the stars both on offense and defense. There are too many big egos here, though, and like they have the past seasons, they will implode and fall well short of the post-season. I will be cheering on Robert Griffin, III big time due to having him in one of my keeper fantasy football leagues, but my interest in this Washington Redskins team ends there. RGIII does not have the weapons that Cam Newton had last year to replicate that kind of performance.

NFC North
1. Green Bay Packers (13-3)
2. Chicago Bears (10-6)
3. Detroit Lions (9-7)
4. Minnesota Vikings (6-10)

I don't need to say much about the Green Bay Packers. They will again be the best team in the NFC and maybe the entire NFL because of Aaron Rodgers and his plethora of receivers. All Cedric Benson has to do to make them better on offense is run at 75% of the way he did in Cincinnati. I'm going to assume that the way the defense performed last year is an anomaly, because usually the Green Bay defense is of the highest quality, and they do have some studs. If that is indeed the case, then Green Bay wins it all in 2012. Chicago's acquisitions of wide receiver Brandon Marshall and running back Michael Bush do not instantly make them Super Bowl contenders, but unfortunately they DO make them better than our Detroit Lions. They will both miss the playoffs though, as the NFC in general is quite stacked, at least compared to the AFC. I look forward to another incredible season of Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson hooking up, and Detroit should still finish with a winning record (like, 9-7), but I'm much more excited about this team and their slightly more distant future. Even if Adrian Peterson is back and healthy, the Minnesota Vikings are screwed, because this really is going to be one tough division.

NFC South
1. Atlanta Falcons (12-4)
2. New Orleans Saints (10-6)
3. Carolina Panthers (8-8)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12)

The NFC South is another division that should be very competitive in 2012. After the Packers, the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints are really the teams to beat. I don't understand why everyone doesn't love Matt Ryan. True, he did not throw for 5,000 yards and 35 touchdowns last year. However, he did throw for almost 4,200 yards and tossed 29 TDs, and that's more than enough when you have a running back like Michael Turner (as long as he can avoid injury or overworking himself). Thing is, Ryan's stats should blossom to those of Brady, Brees, Rodgers and Stafford as Julio Jones is probably the next great receiver of our time. Thanks to the repercussions of Bountygate, the New Orleans Saints aren't going to breeze through the regular season like they did last year. Even so, their defense isn't very good anyway, and Sean Payton or not, Drew Brees is really the guy who runs this offense. That being the case, they will still make the playoffs, and Brees will take home the NFL MVP award for it. If Cam Newton really is the real deal, and it feels like he is, then the Panthers are going to the playoffs in 2013. Until then, they still have some growing to do, particularly on defense and in the receiving game beyond Steve Smith. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers did a lot of things to get better (like draft running back Doug Martin and sign former Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson), but they are destined to be terrible again this year. Trust me. They're another team with too many egos (namely Jackson, who will not put up with the spotty QB play of Josh Freeman).

NFC West
1. San Francisco 49ers (10-6)
2. Arizona Cardinals (6-10)
3. Seattle Seahawks (6-10)
4. St. Louis Rams (3-13)

It was kind of nice to see the San Francisco 49ers be good again. It's just not the same as those classic late-80s/early-90s teams though. Alex Smith is not the answer, nor is anybody else on this team. I believe their defense will lead them to a second straight NFL West title, but this team will be nowhere near as good as its 2011 version. If the Arizona Cardinals could one day land an actual quarterback in these post-Kurt Warner days, then that automatically puts them at the top of the division, because this defense ain't half bad. And, it sure is terrifying to think of what Larry Fitzgerald could do with an elite QB now-a-days if he can catch 80 balls for 1,400+ yards and eight TDs with Kevin Kolb and John Skelton tossing him the rock. It's hilarious to me that the Seattle Seahawks payed so much money for former Aaron Rodgers backup Matt Flynn (I was actually into this considering how successful Seattle was with former Brett Favre backup Matt Hasselbeck in the early 2000s) and it turns out their starting third round draft pick Russell Wilson out of the gates. If what Wilson has shown us in the preseason is legit (probably not), that combined with running back Marshawn Lynch and a half-way decent defense could mean competition for the 49ers. I'm not banking on it though. If the Jacksonville Jaguars aren't the worst team in the NFL, the St. Louis Rams are.

POSTSEASON AWARDS

Coach of the Year: Gary Kubiak (Houston)
Comeback Player of the Year: Peyton Manning (QB, Denver)
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Morris Claiborne (CB, Dallas)
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Andrew Luck (QB, Indianapolis)
Defensive Player of the Year: Patrick Willis (LB, San Francisco)
Offensive Player of the Year: LeSean McCoy (RB, Philadelphia)
Most Valuable Player: Drew Brees (QB, New Orleans)

PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

AFC
1. New England Patriots
2. Houston Texans
3. Denver Broncos
4. Baltimore Ravens
5. Pittsburgh Steelers
6. San Diego Chargers

NFC
1. Green Bay Packers
2. Atlanta Falcons
3. New York Giants
4. San Francisco 49ers
5. Philadelphia Eagles
6. New Orleans Saints

AFC Wild Card Round
Denver Broncos over San Diego Chargers
Pittsburgh Steelers over Baltimore Ravens

NFC Wild Card Round
New Orleans Saints over New York Giants
Philadelphia Eagles over San Francisco 49ers

AFC Divisional Round
New England Patriots over Pittsburgh Steelers
Denver Broncos over Houston Texans

NFC Divisional Round
Green Bay Packers over New Orleans Saints
Atlanta Falcons over Philadelphia Eagles

AFC Championship
New England Patriots over Denver Broncos

NFC Championship
Atlanta Falcons over Green Bay Packers

Super Bowl XLVII
New England Patriots over Atlanta Falcons

Super Bowl XLVII MVP
Tom Brady (QB, New England)