City of Thieves/Transmission/Bone: One Volume Edition

City of Thieves - David Benioff (2008)

I had relatively high expectations for David Benioff's second novel, City of Thieves, and after trudging through the slow beginning, those expectations were quite easily exceeded. Not just a World War II novel, City of Thieves is also an epic adventure tale as well as a coming of age story. Equally humorous and gruesome, it was an intense, enjoyable read that was hard to put down after the half-way point. The characters are rich and extremely likeable. The dark tones and tragic events that occur blend well with the subtle humor that pops up throughout the novel, especially amongst such events as cannibalism, sex slavery, and obviously war. All of this builds up to awesomely tension filled conclusions. Simply put, City of Thieves ruled even more than I had hoped.

Transmission - Hari Kunzru (2005)

Satirically covering subjects such as culture clash, pop culture and technology, Hari Kunzru's Transmission is a smart, unique novel with strong characters and an interesting, sprawling storyline. Whether it be book's anti-hero main character, or all the minor ones that play surprisingly large roles, these characters are well fleshed out and easy to sympathize with, whether you actually like them or not. This, along with the intricate and unrelenting sense of satire, is Transmission's greatest strength. The story is unquestionably unbelievable in an obnoxious way, and perhaps a wee bit dated, but it's not too difficult to overlook this when the characters are so fascinating. Not a great read by any means, but I enjoyed Transmission enough not to regret spending the time on it.

Bone: One Volume Edition - Jeff Smith (1991-2004)

Reading through the entirety of Jeff Smith's award winning and crucial comic book series Bone for the second time was like hanging out with a long lost bud. This epic fantasy series is quite possibly my favorite comic of all time. The writing can seem a bit cheesy, or at least childish at times, but that's the point right? Bone is an amazing merging of Sunday comic strip visuals and humor like Calvin and Hobbes with an eerie and mature fantasy tale not unlike The Lord of the Rings. Some might find that comparison a major turn-off, but trust me, everything about Bone is charming and masterful, and probably even perfect. If you like comics/graphic novels and haven't read this, you are out of your mind.

Gauntlet Hair/Humor Risk/The Whole Love/Wild Flag

Gauntlet Hair - Gauntlet Hair (Dead Oceans, 2011)

Their drummer may wear a hipster mullet, but, that doesn't distract too much from how good Gauntlet Hair's debut LP is. If all the songs didn't run together so much, I'd wager the record may have even reached great status. Every song pretty much sounds exactly the same. In spite of this, I can't deny that the songs on Gauntlet Hair present quite a unique sound structurally, sonically and stylistically. Guitars and vocals drenched in chorus and reverb mesh with almost club sounding drums playing simple but interesting beats. I give it to these guys for creating something relatively fresh, but hopefully next time they'll play with a little more variety. Regardless, "Keep Time," "Mop It Up" and "Overkill" are jams.

Humor Risk - Cass McCombs (Domino, 2011)

I think I've finally caught the Cass McCombs bug. It's fascinating that he is such a critically acclaimed singer/songwriter, but I wouldn't consider him popular by any means. He's label mates with Animal Collective, Dirty Projectors and now Real Estate, and I don't hear my friends talking about McCombs like they do the others. Anyway, while I thought that 2009's Catacombs and Wit's End, from earlier in 2011, had brilliant and utterly gorgeous moments, those albums also were too slow and boring for me overall (I've heard 2007's Dropping the Writ once, and I feel like that will be my McCombs record once I spend more time with it). Humor Risk is nowhere near as cohesive, but I guess I prefer it that way. Here, McCombs varies in volume and mood, and a few of the tracks, like opener "Love Thine Enemy" and "Mystery Mail," generally rock a little bit more, which I appreciate. This is funny, because my favorite track is a softer albeit upbeat folky jam, "Robin Egg Blue." McCombs songs are typically repetitive, but he seems to take that to another level on Humor Risk, and I don't think I mind it one bit. This gives the listener the space to focus on his stories, though I am still stuck on the seemingly never ending cycle of hooks. It's a plus that McCombs' voice sort of sounds like John Lennon to me. In summary, on Humor Risk, McCombs has added a little fire to his brand of folk/country/rock storytelling, and I look forward to moving both forward and backward with his music.

The Whole Love - Wilco (dBpm, 2011)

I'd say that Wilco's latest, The Whole Love, is sort of a return to form for the band. Now, aside from the fact that I'm not sure that I've ever listened to A Ghost is Born all the way through, but from my standpoint, The Whole Love has to be the best thing Wilco has done since Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. I'm not saying this record is incredible or anything, let alone consistently good, even (there are one or two really bad songs), but considering their output of late (and I liked Wilco (The Album)), The Whole Love is a huge step up. Almost half of the record is actually fantastic, namely the organ-driven pop of "I Might" and the excellent melodies and warm arrangements that make up the title track. The Whole Love is wonderfully versatile, showcasing beautiful country/folk ballads, upbeat and shameless pop/rock of the highest quality, and, unfortunately, some corny moments that I could do without. Regardless, this record is a welcome, pleasant surprise.

Wild Flag - Wild Flag (Merge, 2011)

Featuring Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss of Sleater-Kinney fame and Mary Timony, formerly of 90s indie rock band Helium, you had to know that Wild Flag's debut album was going to be bad ass. Wild Flag sounds exactly like you'd expect: mostly upbeat rock songs with a punk edge and some sprawling, jammy sections. Between the two primary song-writers, Brownstein and Timony, you can easily tell who's songs are who's simply based on the style or tempo. I find that I prefer Timony's due to the thicker guitars (and, her voice less obnoxious than Brownstein's). "Something Came Over Me," "Electric Band" and "Future Crimes" are true jams.

Birthday/Sounds of Sebrings

The two best songs I've heard recently:

"Birthday" by The Sugarcubes, from Life's Too Good (1988)

"Sounds of Sebrings" by Swirlies, from They Spent Their Wild Youthful Days in the Glittering World of the Salons (1996)

The Shadow of the Wind/I Love You, Beth Cooper

The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Luis Zafon (2001)
Carlos Luis Zafon's debut novel, The Shadow of the Wind, has it all: mystery and intrigue, thrills, fantasy, friendship, romance, terror, coming-of-age, and an awesomely violent climax. While I didn't fall head over heels for the story, I was really impressed by the likeable characters, the slightly predictible but still fun plot twists and all the other subtle flourishes the book had to offer. I don't really have anything negative to say about it aside from that it maybe could have been 100+ pages shorter. In conclusion, I'm surprised that The Shadow of the Wind is not even more popular than it is. It seems like it should have been a hit.


I Love You, Beth Cooper - Larry Doyle (2007)
I Love You, Beth Cooper by Larry Doyle (a former writer for The Simpsons) is an obvious nod to all the classic 80s high school comedy films. That's about all there is to say about it. The characters are fun and charming and the story is overtly ridiculous, but not in a negative way. Nothing groundbreaking or innovative at all, just good, tense, immature fun.

Strange Mercy/Freaking Out EP/In Heaven/Fucked Up Presents: David's Town/Slave Ambient

Strange Mercy - St. Vincent (4AD, 2011)
It seems like the consensus on Annie Clark's latest album as St. Vincent has been that it is not nearly as immediate as her previous two. I would definitely have to agree with this. On first listen, Strange Mercy is sort of a snoozefest, but, once all of those subtle intricacies hit ya, it's quite the impressive record. Vocally, Clark is at the top of her game here, and the music is beautifully grandiose without being overtly dramatic or overwhelming. In spite of the overall soft and somewhat brooding feel, Clark's gnarly guitar chops add an interesting element that weirdly brightens things up a bit. Strange Mercy hasn't hit me as hard as Actor did, but it's certainly no disappointment. "Cruel," "Surgeon," and "Neutered Fruit" are some choice jams.


Freaking Out EP - Toro y Moi (Carpark, 2011)
Chazwick Bundick's output as Toro y Moi has been extremely impressive thus far. His 2010 debut LP, Causers of This was probably the best and most consistent of the first couple "chillwave" releases (including Washed Out's Life of Leisure EP and Neon Indian's Psychic Chasms). Now in 2011, he has far outshined the "chillwave" name and competition with Beneath the Pine, his upbeat R&B masterpiece, released early in the year. NOW, Bundick has already followed that up with the Freaking Out EP, which sounds like something he would have recorded before Beneath the Pine, though I don't think he did. While still smooth, Freaking Out features a louder, slightly more brash sound. In essence, there are five bangin' house tracks here that sound a little bit like early Daft Punk minus the futurism. This is totally fine with me, as the EP rules pretty hard. So stoked for what this dude does next. Maybe a house album with completely live instrumentation? That would rule.


In Heaven - Twin Sister (Domino, 2011)
At first, I was pretty disappointed in Twin Sister's debut LP, In Heaven, especially considering how spectacular 2010's Color Your Life EP was. Apperently it's a grower, because I get it now. Made up of mellow, dreamy mood music ("Stop" is especially good), sparse, disco-inspired gems ("Bad Street"), and gorgeous guitar and synth laden indie pop ("Saturday Sunday" and "Eastern Green"), In Heaven is a varied but consistent and unique statement. There are some duds in the middle, and Andrea Estella's vocals can be a bit difficult at times, but the album is concise enough and the high points are worth doing the work to experience.


Fucked Up Presents: David's Town - various artists (Matador, 2011)
I'm going to start off by saying that this has been quite the year for Fucked Up. Before releasing easily one of the best records to be released in 2011, the band released this little teaser back on Record Store Day: a compilation made up of fake British punk bands that existed in the setting and timeframe (late 70s) of the concept that makes up David Comes to Life. That the band took the time to create these personas, bands and songs is cool enough, but then they go and make sure that the majority of the songs are actually awesome. The ones that aren't are at least really funny (and some of them are even both, like "It's Hard to be a Dad" by Wonderer and "Do You Feed? (The Curry Song)" by Animal Man). I have no idea who all did what on this comp, but I know they worked with some guest musicians, one of them being A.C. Newman on In Good Company's "Harmony's Double." All of these listed are highlights, but Grain's "Light Rain" and The Wavy Originals' "Fake Moments (Of True Love)" are exceptional. What a cool project by probably the absolute most fun band around.


Slave Ambient - The War on Drugs (Secretly Canadian, 2011)
When I found out that Kurt Vile used to be in The War on Drugs, that's when became interested in this Philadelphia band. Their latest, Slave Ambient, was a very nice surprise to me in the sense that I had no expectations, and the album completely rules. It's definitely an interesting take on the folkier side of rock music, with some experimental and shoegazey undertones. Overall, Slave Ambient really just sounds like a louder, Springsteenier version of Vile's music, and "Baby Missiles" in particular sounds like classic Arcade Fire. But, I sure ain't complaining.

Emotional Drumming Mix #1

Hey friends! Here's another mix for y'all. I've compiled the best of the best from my inconsistent Emotional Listening posts from 2009 and 2010 into this 21 track mix. This has been my intention all along, but am just now getting around to it. Download it right HERE.

Here's the track list:

1. "Corduroy" - Pearl Jam (1994)

2. "New Music Machine" - Cornelius (1998)

3. "Soon" - My Bloody Valentine (1991)

4. "Women's Realm" - Belle & Sebastian (2000)

5. "Anywhere With You" - Saves the Day (2003)

6. "No Action" - Elvis Costello & The Attractions (1978)

7. "I Don't Mind" - Buzzcocks (1979)

8. "Milk Man" - Deerhoof (2004)

9. "Burn in Hell" - The Jazz June (1998)

10. "Catapult" - R.E.M. (1983)

11. "The Laws Have Changed" - The New Pornographers (2003)

12. "Baby You're a Rich Man" - The Beatles (1967)

13. "St. James St." - Hey Mercedes (2000)

14. "Cheat" - The Clash (1977)

15. "Crutch" - Pinback (1999)

16. "Little Dipper" - Hum (1995)

17. "Pilot Can at the Queer of God" - The Flaming Lips (1993)

18. "A Name" - Joan of Arc (1998)

19. "Black Out" - Pavement (1995)

20. "Make Out Kids" - Motion City Soundtrack (2005)

21. "Gene Autry" - Beulah (2001)

Mirror Traffic/Araby 7"/Days

Mirror Traffic - Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks (Matador, 2011)
It's interesting to me that, in spite of its middling reviews, 2008's Real Emotional Trash (which actually was completely awesome) was Stephen Malkmus' coming out party as a true guitar god. People are dumb. He's always ruled at the guitar, that's just when he decided to let go and totally shred. Now, on Mirror Traffic, things have chilled out a little bit, and what we have here is an excellent guitar pop record. Just like the Malkmus + Jicks records before Real Emotional Trash. Great chord progressions, leads, melodies and the clever lyrics we've come to expect from the guy, along with exceptional performances from his bandmates, Mirror Traffic pretty much has it all. "Stick Figures in Love" and "Forever 28" only scratch the surface of this album's list of highlights. Way to go, Stephen. You are still one of the true greats.


Araby 7" - Minks (Captured Tracks, 2011)
Here are two more songs from Minks, Captured Tracks' second best band, and they are just about on par with the best songs from their stellar full length released earlier in 2011, By the Hedge. Title track "Araby" doesn't surprise, sounding a slightly more polished a la Wild Nothing, and a little like The Cure or jangly New Order. But, B-side "Little Fawn" features guitar, melodies and bgv's that sound much more in line with The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds (if not being completely derivative, which is okay by me). Minks continue to show impressive songwriting chops, and it seems like they're only getting better.


Days - Real Estate (Domino, 2011)
After seeing Real Estate live in July, I was expecting Days to come out of the gates and instantly be my favorite record of 2011. Well, it hasn't happened yet, and while I'm not even ready to admit that I prefer Days to 2009's self-titled debut (even if it is the more mature, fully realized album), that's not to say that it is anywhere near a disappointment. To be completely honest, the only thing about Days that doesn't overshadow Real Estate is that the standout tracks don't stand out quite SO much. This record continues to grow on me (incredibly easily, too), and I'm not sure that they'll be able to top this take on moody, jangly indie pop that lands somewhere between The Feelies and, yes, 2000-2001 Death Cab for Cutie (just listen to those chimey guitars). "Green Aisles," "It's Real," "Out of Tune" (in spite of being the A-side to a 7" last year) and "All the Same" are without question some of the greatest songs of the year.

The Flowers She Sent and the Flowers She Said She Sent

"The Flowers She Sent and the Flowers She Said She Sent" by The Magnetic Fields, from Holiday (1994)

Pretty much the perfect song for today.

The Answer is Always Yes/Freedom

The Answer is Always Yes - Monica Ferrell (2008)
Monica Ferrell's debut novel, The Answer is Always Yes, is a coming of age story revolving around New York City, drugs and an 18 year-old dude's desire to be cool. Unsurprisingly, this all adds up to a tragic ending that in some ways shocks but mostly is underwhelming. The main character was a complete loser in high school. He was interested in philosophy and classical music amongst other nerdy mediums, his single mother is completely overbearing and uncultured, and he was basically socially inept. Through obsessively studying New York City weeklies before moving onto the campus of NYU, he desperately tries to turn things around and become the coolest kid on campus. Eventually he acquires an intelligent, dramatic girlfriend, a fake ID, and later, a gig as a promoter at one of the hottest night clubs in the city. He gets wrapped up in the Ecstasy scene in the mid-90s, and I'm sure you can guess where it goes from there. Ferrell does a good job with the details of an annoyingly unbelievable plot. The inclusion of footnotes from a fictional outside source (which, I never really understood the real purpose of) was an interesting touch, but also completely unnecessary. Ferrell's writing style seems purposely high-brow and quirky, thus quite pretentious and utterly irritating. The characters were strong, and like I mentioned, there were some interesting ideas, but the frustrating aspects of The Answer is Always Yes certainly outweighed the good.


Freedom - Jonathan Franzen (2010)
I'm not surprised one bit by how much I loved Jonathan Franzen's latest novel, that which will probably be considered his crowning moment, Freedom. While it will always be his mastery of both the simplicity and complexity of the english language that will keep me reading and rereading Franzen throughout my adult life, I can't deny how much I loved Freedom for how insanely fucked up it is. I won't give away the juicey details, but these characters (or at least 90% of each of them), are deranged and terrible people, who were so much fun, albeit difficult, to read about and invest in, even if I was rooting against each of them for the majority of the book. However, these characters end up displaying redeeming qualities that express a wonderful, realistic hope that was lacking in Franzen's other incredible novel that I read earlier in 2001, The Corrections. This was surprisingly refreshing after all of the awesomely disturbing events (if you thought The Corrections was depressing, you're in for a real treat here) that lead up to this gorgeous conclusion. And, I don't even usually like happy endings! With Freedom, Franzen delivers another knock-out punch, and it definitely deserves all the hype it has received.

Cosmos Factory EP/Again and Again/Lenses Alien

Cosmos Factory EP - Brain Idea (Mexican Summer, 2011)

Chicago's hilariously named, hip new band, Brain Idea, came across my radar, unsurprisingly, thanks to my boy Travis. Their 2011 EP, Cosmos Factory, sounds like a snottier, spacey version of The Bats' 80s and early 90s material, which is welcome to my ears. While the EP doesn't quite throw that knockout punch, it certainly shows a ton of promise. The clean and chimey guitars, distorted drums, bratty, almost late-70s punk rock vocals and slightly ambient backdrop of the songs clash in very enjoyable ways, and make Cosmos Factory quite unique, even if it is easy to cite the band's obvious influences. In spite of its nine minutes in length, EP closer "See YRself" is easily this band's jam of jams.

Again and Again - Brilliant Colors (Slumberland, 2011)

On first listen, it was seeming like I was going to like Brilliant Colors' latest, Again and Again, substantially more than Vivian Girls' 2011 LP, Share the Joy. The two records don't sound all THAT different, seeing as they were recorded, released and caked in reverb by two different jangly pop punk bands made up of three girls each. While Again and Again features a higher level of consistency in quality, and I just like the overall feel of that record a little more, Share the Joy still features the better songs (even if there are some I don't like all that much). The Vivs aren't the focus here anyway, but still, all I can really say about this record is that if, like me, you really like Vivian Girls, then you'll probably enjoy Brilliant Colors too, like I do.

Lenses Alien - Cymbals Eat Guitars (Barsuk, 2011)

It's pretty popular to be playing 90s throw-back rock these days, but it's refreshing to hear Cymbals Eat Guitars' take on the style on Lenses Alien, the follow-up to their hyped 2009 debut. Like Why There Are Mountains, there's a little Smashing Pumpkins, a little Dinosaur Jr., and maybe even a smidge of My Bloody Valentine on Lenses Alien. That being said, the record also has a blatantly modern if not futuristic element to it. In spite of the obvious 90s references throughout, it still sounds like a product of 2011, and I'm not sure if that's due to the pristine production or the structural complexity of the songs (which, of course, is right up my alley). This clashing of musical decades, along with the subtle keyboards, gnarly guitars, poppy melodies and intricate songwriting make Lenses Alien quite a special album.

Iceblink Luck/Summer of Love

"Iceblink Luck" by Cocteau Twins, from Heaven or Las Vegas (1990)

One could say the vocals during the verses are obnoxious, but, man, this chorus is one of the best I've heard in a while. Plus, can't go wrong with those awesomely 80s synths and guitar and bass tones.

"Summer of Love" by The Fresh & Onlys, from Play It Strange (2010)

Quietly one of my absolute favorite songs from last year.

The Sandman

The Sandman (DC/Vertigo, 1989-1996, 2003)

by Neil Gaiman

Back in March I began reading Neil Gaiman's critically acclaimed and extremely popular comic series, The Sandman, took my sweet ass time with it, and finally finished it today. While it did not come close to touching the likes of 100 Bullets, Bone, or even Y: The Last Man for me, The Sandman was still a fascinating, unique, thought provoking and enjoyable reading experience.

Gaiman's eerie and bizarre fantasy series details the trials and tribulations of main character Morpheus, or Dream (there is exception with the short story collections where he often plays more of a supporting role), of the ever-present family known as The Endless (which also includes Desire, Death, Despair, Delirium, Destruction and Destiny).

Each book and short story has its own unique charm and feeling (working with so many different artists had a lot to do with that), which helps the series to never get boring or feel like a chore to read. Of course, some books I liked better than others, like the grim fairy tale stylings of A Game of You, the twisted Dream/Delirium tag team journey of Brief Lives, and Seasons of Mists' eerie predominant setting of hell as opposed to The Kindly Ones, which was way more grandiose and frustratingly confusing and nonsensical than it needed to be.

While I wasn't won over any by Gaiman's prose, the plots and characters amongst many other elements in this series were much more enjoyable than those in his novels that I've read. The comic format seems to be much more Gaiman's forte, and it'd be nice to see him return with another long term series instead of wasting his time on these overtly imperfect novels.

Fall 2011 Mix

Better late than never! Here's a Mediafire link to a zipped file of my 2011 fall mix. Hope you enjoy, and if you have any questions or insights in regards to any of the tracks, please do share.

TRACKLIST

1. "Crow Song" - The Bats (1995)

2. "Toxic Girl" - Kings of Convenience (2001)

3. "If I Needed Someone" - The Beatles (1965)

4. "The Employment Pages" - Death Cab for Cutie (2000)

5. "Quiet Houses" - Fleet Foxes (2008)

6. "Over My Head" - Fleetwood Mac (1975)

7. "Lyric" - The Sea and Cake (2011)

8. "Terra" - Julian Lynch (2011)

9. "Untitled 03" - Panda Bear (2004)

10. "Tugboat" - Galaxie 500 (1988)

11. "Vengeance is Sleeping" - Neko Case (2009)

12. "Into the City" - Teenage Fanclub (2010)

13. "To a Fault" - Dntel feat. Ed Droste (2007)

14. "Little Fawn" - Minks (2011)

15. "Feel Flows" - The Beach Boys (1971)

16. "Baby's Arms" - Kurt Vile (2011)

17. "Too Late, Too Slow" - Shout Out Louds (2010)

18. "Ram On" - Paul McCartney (1971)

19. "Astral Weeks" - Van Morrison (1968)

Parrot Flies/Romantic Comedy

Parrot Flies - Algernon Cadwallader (Hot Green, 2011)
Remember the mid and late 90s when emo wasn't a bad word and instead was a sub-genre of punk music with respectable let alone fantastic bands such as Cap'n Jazz, Braid, The Promise Ring, etc? Yeah, me too. Well, I believe I mentioned this before, but there's this 90s midwest emo revival that's taking place on the east coast, and it's breeding some pretty cool bands. This past summer, the cream of that crop, Algernon Cadwallader, dropped their second full length, Parrot Flies, and it is a doozy. The melodic, yelly vocals and bright, noodly, waterfall guitars make it hard not to compare the band to Cap'n Jazz, American Football, Owls, Ghosts and Vodka or really any of those Kinsella projects. And, while, on each of their releases, but especially Parrot Flies, the songs can kind of run together and start sounding the same, Algernon still has found a way to sound shamelessly classic emo while adding a fresh, modern twist thanks to their pure pop sensibility. I haven't faced any difficulty in getting over the blatant homage paying and lack of variety here, because the band does such an incredible job at recreating this sound and feeling that was so huge to me in high school and early college. I'm tempted to say that Algernon are at least on par with those classic bands mentioned above, and I feel weird about it, but it's basically true. Parrot Flies is simply excellent.


Romantic Comedy - Big Troubles (Slumberland, 2011)
Having just released a solid if not totally good fuzz pop full length debut last year in Worry, Big Troubles were quickly snatched up by indie pop mecca Slumberland Records and here they are with their classy follow-up. While all the fuzz and shitty production on Worry probably brought to mind The Jesus and Mary Chain, Romantic Comedy is a cleaner affair. It's still definitely an 80s album, but there are enough breezy vocals and 60s pop details on a few tracks to make this not a direct clone of The Cure (even though there are songs that sound quite a bit like said band). The band features two young songwriting talents, and their songs are pretty much lights out here (the best being "She Smiles for Pictures," "Make It Worse" and "Sad Girls"). Romantic Comedy isn't quite perfect (there are one or two songs that are just good as opposed to great or one of the best of the year), but it's not far off. The icing on the cake is that the record was produced by Mitch Easter (yes, THAT Mitch Easter). One could argue that as good as Worry was the way it sounded, the production on Romantic Comedy may be a little too nice. But, I'll put the kabosh on that, as it perfectly suits these crisp, finely crafted tunes. I am in love with this record.

Within and Without/Life Sux EP/Widowspeak/Palister Chant EP

Within and Without - Washed Out (Sub Pop, 2011)

For as boring as Washed Out's first full length release is, after spending some time with it, it definitely has its redeeming qualities. Being one of the original "chillwave" acts that Pitchfork championed in 2009, it's nice that there are enough differences between Within and Without and prior Washed Out releases to keep the sound somewhat fresh. Admittedly, there's plenty to roll one's eyes at here: vocal notes that are drawn out way too long, obnoxious melodrama and sexiness, songs that are mostly boring and run together. Knit picky things, for sure. But, there is a sense of beauty that can't be denied, especially in closer "A Dedication" (which also happens to contain the greatest level of melodrama on the album). The highest point here is most definitely "Soft," which I consider the centerpiece of the album. It actually sounds not unlike Dntel at his best, or even The Postal Service. Within and Without has other quality moments, which makes it a good, though, not great, follow-up to 2009's EPs, Life of Leisure and High Times.

Life Sux EP - Wavves (Ghost Ramp, 2011)

Wavves' childishly titled new EP, Life Sux, is simply an even more polished sounding extension of 2010's impressive and much liked King of the Beach LP. And, I didn't think the production could get much cleaner than that album's (in spite of the intentional distortion on the drums). Here, Nathan Williams' songs sound even more like a sped up Weezer, and some of them are even reminiscent of Nirvana's Nevermind singles, though much brighter sounding. Considering how young Williams is, I am taken aback by his songwriting chops (musically, certainly not lyrically), even if his songs are obviously derivative (which is entirely unavoidable at this stage of the game). Opening track "Bug" is absolutely righteous, with the best chorus on the EP, and Bethany Cosentino's BGVs on "Nodding Off" only make an awesome song even more awesome.

Widowspeak - Widowspeak (Captured Tracks, 2011)

Captured Tracks, that awesome Brooklyn record label that keeps churning out excellent 80s synth pop and goth-inspired releases, have found yet another good band, and they are called Widowspeak. I won't deny that a good portion of the tracks on their self-titled debut run together, and are relatively unrecognizable from the next. But, it's nice to see the label take a break from the dark, poppy, synth-dominated releases to drop this short LP of sad, jangly, mid-tempo jams. Most of the reviews I've read compare the band to Mazzy Star, who I don't have much experience with, so I won't do that. Widowspeak can definitely seem boring, but it's easy to get lost in the dreamy vocals and charming arrangements throughout.

Palister Chant EP - Zoos of Berlin (self-released, 2011)

With the surprise release (at least to me) of the Palister Chant EP, I will continue to claim that Zoos of Berlin is not only Detroit's musical secret weapon, they are the city's best band, if not the state of Michigan's. Palister Chant is further proof of this, even if it didn't hit me quite as immediately as 2009's debut LP, Taxis. The band still pulls from a wide variety of genres such as R & B, post-punk, psych, indie pop, kraut rock and whatever you'd call what David Bowie was creating during his years in Berlin, and their sound is still diverse, inspiring and entirely unique, while still maintaining pop sensibility. Each of the four songs here have their own charm and merits, "Haven't Eyes," a blatant experimental and bright sounding 80s pop/rock jam, being unquestionably the best. "Tamarind" rocks like Zoos have never done before, and it is a welcome addition to their repertoire. "Sheets of Solid Gold" is short and sweet, and "Kingston Gates" closes things all slow and pretty like. I assume we can expect a full length sometime next year, and I really cannot wait.

All the Same

"All the Same" by Real Estate, from Days (2011)

Most likely the best song on the new Real Estate album.

About a Boy/Red Ant House

About a Boy - Nick Hornby (1998)
Thankfully this was such a quick read, as About a Boy has been my least favorite Nick Hornby novel I've read yet. I'm not sure if it was my being annoyed by how hopeful the moral of the plot is here, or if Hornby's surprisingly juvenile writing was what killed this most for me. About a Boy is about a strange 12-year-old with a messed up family background who, thanks to completely unrealistic events, chums up with a 36-year-old man who has his own problems. Through both drama and comedy the two main characters grow and mature together, and it is a happy ending. This is a Hornby novel, so there's plenty of charm, and the characters are enjoyable for the most part. I am just shocked by how poorly written this is. It's apparent that Hornby has attempted to portray the voices of two different male figures of vastly different ages, and I would commend him for that if it all weren't so childish and awkward. In spite of only being able to come up with complaints after reading About a Boy, somehow, I still had a decent time reading it.


Red Ant House - Ann Cummins (2003)
I breezed through this collection of short stories by Ann Cummins for two reasons: they were easy to read, and I refuse to not finish a book I've started and I was unimpressed enough by all but one of the stories, and wanted to finish this bullshit as quickly as possible. Cummins' style and diction reminded me somewhat of a cross between Tom Robbins and Barbara Kingsolver writing about the clashing of cultures in the western United States, which might sound good to some, but was a major turnoff to me. The mix of cutesy language with edgy material just wasn't any fun to read. There was one exception though, and that was the haunting "Headhunter," which was about a character in a desperate, incredibly messed up situation and showcased beautiful, suspenseful description more in line with Cormac McCarthy. One great short story out of twelve is not good enough, though.

Dead to Me/It's All True/An Argument With Myself EP/Era Extrana

Dead to Me - Girls Names (Slumberland, 2011)

This being released by Slumberland Records, it's no surprise that the music Girls Names plays on Dead to Me is jangly, reverb-y and totally moody. It's got that lazy, surf thing going too, but when I listen to it, I think more about the nice guitars and also sadness. And drama! There are some ridiculous song titles here, like "I Could Die," "I Lose," "Cut Up," "Bury Me," and my favorite, "Seance on a Wet Afternoon." Somehow, this lends some charm to the record. I'm sorry, I don't have much to back Dead to Me up, I just like it fine the way it is.

It's All True - Junior Boys (Domino, 2011)

That Junior Boys' latest, It's All True, is even more sparse than previous albums isn't a bad thing. Unfortunately, it is still my least favorite of theirs, though I am still yet to try out their 2004 debut, Last Exit. The boys are still doing the smooth, sexy and mostly slow 80s synth pop thing, and still rule at it, really, it's just that It's All True is missing some intangible that I can't quite place. Maybe it's that the breathy vocals of Jeremy Greenspan aren't as prevailent, or that there aren't quite as many video game blips. There are even two really great upbeat jams on here in "Itchy Fingers" (it's opening is possibly the single greatest moment on the entire LP) and the epic "Banana Ripple." I just don't know. All of this uncertainty, and yet, It's All True is still a damn fine record.

An Argument With Myself EP - Jens Lekman (Secretly Canadian, 2011)

After a drought of almost four years, all we get from Jens Lekman is a five song EP? For real? Thankfully, it's a doozy. In a text message from a few weeks ago, Bravender mentioned that An Argument With Myself sounds like karaoke music, and as much as I hate to say it, I don't think I can argue against that. It doesn't matter though, because, as we all should know, Lekman is a master songwriter, and he can make whatever accompanies his voice and lyrics at any time sound good. Here, I would say that there are three songs that rival his greatest songs prior. The latin rhythms and ridiculous production on the title track may be cheesy, but the lyrics are clever as hell, and the choruses, which are different every time, simply rule. "A Promise" is smooth and gorgeous (the strings!), and features some incredibly cool chord changes. My favorite, though, is "New Directions," which has an obnoxious intro, but a great beat, nice, prominent bass, an adorable chorus with slightly Sufjan-y (ugh) horns, and takes that funky twist that every Lekman jam should. This will suffice for now, Jens, but come out with that next full length, already!

Era Extrana - Neon Indian (Static Tongues, 2011)

Alan Palomo's follow-up to his critically acclaimed and much loved debut as Neon Indian, Psychic Chasms, should not be a surprise to anyone. Of the three "major" "chillwave" acts now in the national spotlight who have released new records in 2011 (Washed Out and Toro y Moi being the others), the changes on Era Extrana are the most slight and least shocking. Sure, I think everyone saw Washed Out polishing up and getting even wussier, and Toro y Moi's Underneath the Pine sort of came out left field and is without question the best thing any of these dudes have ever done (at least that I've heard). But, Era Extrana isn't all that different from its predecessor, aside from the fact that there aren't as many good songs on it. Zing! Okay, okay, sure, the production value is a bit less purposefully low-fi, and overall it's probably even better as a straight up pop album. I actually do enjoy Era Extrana and all of its video game synths (which I do love) despite my negative claims, and thus express that there are totally some jams on it, like "Hex Girlfriend" and "Fallout." "Future Sick" takes the cake, though.

Fucked Up/Wavves @ The Magic Stick, 9/30/11

Last Friday, one of my top buds, Brian LaBenne, and I made the short, stressful journey out to Detroit for the Fucked Up/Wavves/Mexican Knives show that was to take place at the Magic Stick. We arrived just as Wavves' set had started, so I have no idea what Mexican Knives sound like, though, I would guess they play punk rock of some sort.

I had three complaints with Wavves on this particular night. Singer/songwriter Nathan Williams' ego is a little off-putting. The band played at least 15 minutes too long. And, after hearing three of my four favorite jams, all the songs just ran together, thus making the set seem even longer. All of that aside, Wavves were pretty great. HA. But, for real, they were pretty good. I did not expect the band to be as tight as they were, in spite of how fast they were playing. This was a pleasant surprise. I will admit that King of the Beach centerpiece "Post Acid" was a little too fast, while the title track was perfectly blistering and "Super Soaker," my favorite track from the album, was just as I had hoped. I hadn't listened to the stupidly titled new EP, Life Sux, at this point, so I wasn't really excited about, interested in, or impressed by any of the new songs (I since have listened to it, and it's not too shabby, actually).

Now, believe it or not, but this band, Wavves, played an encore, when they weren't even the closing act. This blew my mind and made me guffaw (figuratively and introspectively) at the same time. I couldn't believe it! At least it was the one good song from Wavves' second LP, Wavvves (such a clever title!), "No Hope Kids."

Overall, and to be completely honest, I don't really see my interest being held by Williams' music for much longer. He's a little too stoner/beach bum/young kid for me really, anyway. However, for now, I'm glad he's ditched the shitty, fuzzy lo-fi punk he was doing earlier on for this more polished, upbeat, Weezer-meets-really bright sounding Nirvana sound.

There were so many cool things about Fucked Up's set. There was, like, only ten minutes from the point that Wavves ended and Fucked Up began. That is uncharacteristic of any show, let alone at the Magic Stick. It always seems like there's at least a half hour wait between the main supporting act and the headliner at a Magic Stick show. Maybe I'm crazy. Regardless, Fucked Up were not shitting around.

The band opened up pretty much exactly as I expected, with "Queen of Hearts" and "Under My Nose," the first two real songs from their 2011 masterpiece, David Comes to Life. It was intense, incredible and seamless. At some point too early on they played my top jam from that album, "The Recursive Girl," and it ruled. Other highlights from David Comes to Life they were played awesomely were "The Other Shoe," "Turn the Season" and "A Little Death." The band played a set that was considerably shorter than I expected (seemed like Wavves played longer), so earlier albums were left out a little, though if my memory serves me correctly, "Black Albino Bones" from 2008's The Chemistry of Common Life and, curiously enough, "David Comes to Life" from 2006's Hidden World were played. And, also, "I Hate Summer," which I believe is from a single, and makes me want to dig into their more exclusively released material. The only way this set could have been any better is if "Crooked Head" and/or "Lights Go Up" had been included.

I am just as surprised as anyone who knows my general taste in music by how much I love Fucked Up, but when you think about it, it totally makes sense. Sure there's all this anger and screaming, but underneath that, it's not hard to notice the inspiring musicianship and blatant pop guitar hooks. I mean, really, Fucked Up are basically an intelligent, heavy pop punk band with a screaming, professional wrestler-type character for a lead singer. Seeing them perform in a more intimate setting than the 2009 Pitchfork Music Festival was fantastic not just because of how much I love the band's music. The charming personalities of each of the members came out, albeit subtly, and they totally seem like people I would love to hang out with. Not to get all sentimental and geeky. But, you know, look at the name of this blog.

Keep It Dark/Over My Head

"Keep it Dark" by Genesis, from Abacab (1981)

"Over My Head" by Fleetwood Mac, from Fleetwood Mac (1975)

My former roommate Julian turned me on to "Keep it Dark" early on in our days living in Ypsi together, and for some reason I just recently decided to go public with my love for it. Awesome sounding drums, cheesy but charming synths, nice melodies and such a great groove.

"Over My Head" is my top jam of fall 2011, so far. 1975-1987 Mac can virtually do no wrong.

2011 MLB Playoffs Preview

What an exciting way to end the 2011 MLB regular season yesterday, huh? Boston out (no qualms), Tampa in (totally stoked), Atlanta out (bummed) and St. Louis in (also, bummed). On to the playoffs!

ALDS

Detroit Tigers over New York Yankees, 3-2

Texas Rangers over Tampa Bay Rays, 3-2

The Tigers have plenty to worry about considering how stellar the Yankees' hitting always is, but, ideally Verlander will pitch twice, which all but guarantees two wins. Plus, believe it or not, Doug Fister has been even better than Verlander over the past month or two. Aside from Sabathia, New York's pitching is in trouble with how hot the Tigers have been to end the season. I am stoked for this series, and way more worried about Texas than New York.

Speaking of Texas, they're also going to have a tricky time with Tampa Bay and their hot streak to close the season. Texas' bullpen is the best in the business, and that is going to give everyone problems, but Tampa's starting pitching is better. Unfortunately, the Rangers have the better hitting, and I think that is going to overpower TB's starters by the end of the series.

NLDS

Philadelphia Phillies over St. Louis Cardinals, 3-0

Milwaukee Brewers over Arizona Diamondbacks, 3-1

The St. Louis Cardinals won yesterday only to be all but humiliated in their opening series against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Hunter Pence acquisition doesn't even matter at this point; Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels will shut the Cards down in three games.

The Brewers will have a slightly more difficult time with the D-Backs, but not by much. Justin Upton's and Ian Kennedy's magical seasons will come to an end quickly when facing Milwaukee's middle of the order, Weeks, Braun and Fielder, and it seems like the Brewers' pitching is totally underrated. I am so into this squad.

ALCS

Detroit Tigers over Texas Rangers, 4-3

Yes, I can realistically see this Tigers team reaching the World Series. I won't be surprised if they don't, because like I said, I fear playing this Texas team. However, I still give 'em a 50/50 chance to reach the "Who's-Gonna-Lose-To-The-Phillies? Bowl."

NLCS

Philadelphia Phillies over Milwaukee Brewers, 4-2

I love both of these teams, and I'd cheer slightly more for the Brewers than the Phillies, but I can't deny how much fun this series will be to watch. Milwaukee definitely has the better hitting, but, as good as their pitching is, Philly's is just that much more dominant. Just like everyone knew it would, that rotation will take Philadelphia all the way to the World Series (in spite of Roy Oswalt's sever underperforming).

World Series

Philadelphia Phillies over Detroit Tigers, 4-1

I hate to say it, but seeing as Detroit never faced Philly's aces during the regular season, our Tigers would be made to look like fools in this series. Once again, Philadelphia's starting rotation just dominates.

American Gods/To Kill a Mockingbird/Goodbye, Columbus

American Gods - Neil Gaiman (2001)
As much as I want to love Neil Gaiman's work, I'm having a difficult time with it. I've been reading the Sandman graphic novel series over the past few months, and while there are elements of it that are hit or miss, it has mostly been great thus far. His novels are another story. Neverwhere was haphazard and featured some of the least interesting characters I've ever come across. It wasn't a bad book; it had some redeeming qualities. American Gods bests Neverwhere in that the characters are slightly cooler and the story is better and more complex. The book's premise and overarching plot are actually quite awesome. An ex-convict is released from jail to find that his wife died of shady circumstances in a car wreck. Odin, the Norse god of war, hires him as a sort of bodyguard leading up to a battle that is to take place between the "old" gods and the "new," American gods (such as media). Actually, that sounds pretty nonsensical and ridiculous, but there are plenty of twists and turns in the plot that I guess ties everything together. I still think the characters are week, and don't get me wrong, I love fantasy, but it runs a little too rampant within the modern setting of this book. There's plenty to like about Gaiman's imagery and style, but his weaknesses (storytelling, character development, prose) really shine through in his novels. Ah well, American Gods was still enjoyable.


To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee (1960)
Believe it or not, this is the first time I've read Harper Lee's famous and important novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. I was not surprised by how much it tugged at my heartstrings while awesome being simply a light, fun read. The feel of Lee's writing and certain parts of the story are reminiscent of Mark Twain, especially the short adventures that occur at the novel's beginning. Lee's portrayal of an Alabama family living through the Great Depression is beautiful, and the way she touches on darker subjects such as racism and rape while still injecting some humor in there is brilliant. As spare and subtle as the story is, Lee's characters are easy to love and invest in. I'm glad I finally got around to reading this classic.


Goodbye, Columbus - Philip Roth (1959)
That Goodbye, Columbus is Philip Roth's debut is pretty mindblowing. The book collects the novella, Goodbye, Columbus and five short stories that showcase Roth's excellent form and knack for subtle and clever storytelling, even as early as his mid-20s. While the actual novella is a very good, slow paced, comical, summer love story that I'm sure was an inspiration to Woody Allen, it is not the best story here. All the short stories were even more impressive, especially "The Conversion of the Jews", "Defender of the Faith" and "Epstein." Throughout the collection, Roth does a great job of underlining the coming-of-age story (or snippets of, in the short stories) with the struggles faced by those Americans of the Jewish faith in the early mid-20th century. This all leads to great drama, and some really funny situations. In Goodbye, Columbus Roth's stories are almost reminiscent of a less depressing, brighter J.D. Salinger, and I would recommend this to pretty much any one of my friends. I can't wait to read more.

Summer Singles 7"/Gloss Drop

Summer Singles 7" - 1994!/Snowing/Boys and Sex/Algernon Cadwallader (Slow Growth, 2011)
I am loving this 90s midwest emo revival that is taking place these days on the east coast. Slow Growth's Summer Singles 7" showcases perhaps four of the best bands doing it. 1994! and Boys and Sex (terrible band name, I know) are a bit more on the screamier side. 1994!'s jam is especially impressive thanks to all its math and how full it sounds, considering the band is made up of only two dudes. The real gems here are the excellent tracks by Snowing and Algernon Cadwallader. Snowing's jam is mid-tempo emo pop at its finest, with the classic bad singing and all. Good thing the melodies and guitar work are tops. Algernon Cadwallader is seriously the cream of the crop involved in this resurgence, though. "(Na Na Na Na) Simulation" isn't even close to one of the band's best tracks, but it takes the cake here. These guys continue to add some pop to their noodly sound, and if people who give them a chance can get past the Cap'n Jazz comparisons, they should reach the top of the world at some point.


Gloss Drop - Battles (Warp, 2011)
I am pleasantly surprised by how much I like Battles' latest, Gloss Drop, when I didn't really get much out of 2007's Mirrored. Don't get me wrong, I was enamored with the creativity and technical ability presented on that record, but I just don't get much enjoyment out of listening to it. Gloss Drop, on the other hand, with all of its cartoon synths and insanely tight (and just insane) drumming, is fun to listen to. Every song is at least decent, most of them are totally good, but "Ice Cream" and "Sweetie & Shag" are just ridiculous. I wouldn't disagree with any argument stating that Mirrored features more variety, but I like how Gloss Drop has more uniformity, yet still sounds like it was composed by aliens. Battles are like no band pretty much ever, and that's one cool thing about them, but I am happy to be able to consider myself a fan, now.

The Larry Sanders Show

The Larry Sanders Show (1992-1998)

Several months ago, during a trip out to Fenton, my boy Kevin McGorey recommended that I check out the classic 90s HBO comedy, The Larry Sanders Show. My deep relationship with it finally began just over a month ago, when I first moved to Plymouth. My housemate/landlord Ian was somewhere towards the end of the second season or beginning of the third, and I just picked up there. Little did I know how much I would come to love the show's style, feel, and, most of all, its characters.

The Larry Sanders Show starred Garry Shandling as late night talk show host Larry Sanders himself, Jeffrey Tambor as Hank the sidekick, and Rip Torn as the show's producer. One couldn't have asked for better chemistry between actors within the context of these storylines. The minor characters, namely the show's booker, played by Janeane Garofalo, Scott Thompson as Hank's assistant, and Bob Odenkirk as Larry's agent, only added to that chemistry. In addition to all of these performances, the show featured incredible cameos. Most memorable were David Duchovny, John Stewart and Ellen DeGeneres.

While I would say that my favorite aspect of The Larry Sanders Show is easily the extensive list of intelligently crafted, hilarious characters, this comedy had so much more to offer. It's criticism of the "show business" is still fresh for today, considering the early to mid-nineties timeframe of the show's run. I'd also argue that it was ahead of its time; sort of a precursor to the critically acclaimed quirky comedies of the 2000s, like Curb Your Enthusiasm, Arrested Development and The Office. And, last, but certainly not least, the show's writing was just brilliant, the situations that the characters found themselves in were unique for that particular decade (some of them are dark and even heart-wrenching, which gives the show more of a human element), and again, I cannot stress how much chemistry there was between everyone on the cast. That totally made the show.

If you have never seen an episode of The Larry Sanders Show, and you consider yourself my friend, then chances are you will absolutely love it. Stop watching whatever stupid television show it is you're trying to catch up on, and let your mind and heart become subject to the power of Larry Sanders.

2011 NFL Preview

The most wonderful time of any year is finally upon us, people: Fall, aka football season. The 2011 offseason was short and completely insane thanks to the lockout, and thus should make this coming season sloppier and less predictable than previous ones. Still, I will try guide you as best I can through what should happen during this NFL season. Here we go.

DIVISION PREDICTIONS

AFC East
1. New England Patriots (13-3)
2. New York Jets (10-6)
3. Miami Dolphins (5-11)
4. Buffalo Bills (3-13)

After the dominant regular season the New Englad Patriots had in 2010, plus with all of the risky but likely beneficial acquisitions they made this offseason (Chad Ochocinco and Albert Haynesworth in particular), this could be the year Tom Brady finally wins another Super Bowl. It's going to happen at some point before he retires, and the way that Bill Belichick can coach disgruntled ex-greats, the time is pretty much now. I am still not convinced by Rex Ryan and his bold, obnoxious claims. The New York Jets are a fine time, with a potentially championship winning defense, but Mark Sanchez cannot really be the answer, can he? The Miami Dolphins will probably come back down from Planet Mediocrity, and actually be pretty bad this year. The Buffalo Bills showed some promise last year on offense, but they made no improvements and I see them playing at pretty much the exact same level. Perhaps Andrew Luck will save the day for them next year.

AFC North
1. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)
2. Baltimore Ravens (12-4)
3. Cleveland Browns (4-12)
4. Cincinnati Bengals (3-13)

I think it's safe to say that we once again can expect an excrutiatingly tight race between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens. I am way into Pittsburgh's well-balanced offense and think they have something really special in the trio of Ben Roethlisberger, Rashard Mendenhall and Mike Wallace. The defense showed a few minor holes in 2010 that might be a cause for some worry in the coming years, but they still have one of the best defenses in the NFL. Their time might be running short though. If Baltimore can start acquiring some younger defensive studs for the great turnover that should be occurring over the next couple of years, they could totally overtake Pittsburgh (and New England, New York, Indianapolis and San Diego as well). I am completely sold by Joe Flacco and Ray Rice, and see them only getting better. Cleveland and Cincinnati both have some decent running games, but that's about it.

AFC South
1. Indianapolis Colts (10-6)
2. Houston Texans (9-7)
3. Tennessee Titans (6-10)
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11)

With this Peyton Manning injury, 2011 might see the beginning of the downfall of the Indianapolis Colts. Without Manning, the Colts are a three or four win team. With Manning, they could potentially win every game they play. However, he's getting up there in age, and the climate of the team is not what it used to be. It hurts me to say that Peyton may never get that second Super Bowl ring. The Houston Texans have been on the up and up for the past two or three years, yet their win-loss record has never really improved. It could finally happen this year, with that killer offense, and the slight improvements they made to an underperforming defense that actually has a lot of talent. In spite of having the best, albeit whiniest, running back in the NFL (Chris Johnson), the Tennessee Titans are pretty much screwed in 2011, and I guess the same could be said of Maurice Jones-Drew and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

AFC West
1. San Diego Chargers (11-5)
2. Kansas City Chiefs (9-7)
3. Oakland Raiders (6-10)
4. Denver Broncos (4-12)

I only have San Diego slotted as the winners of the AFC West out of obligation. Sure, they had both the #1 ranked offense AND defense last year, but, how many games did they? Nine. And, they missed the playoffs. Vincent Jackson returns to form in '11, and that should be a huge help to Philip Rivers and co. I really think the Chargers are quite overrated, and will be rooting hard for the Kansas City Chiefs to repeat as division champs. Matt Cassel gets one more season to prove he's not a fluke, and if he succeeds again in 2011, he's the real deal. The KC running game is the best in the league, and they're defense ain't too shabby. The Oakland Raiders took a huge blow thanks to Nnamdi Asomugha moving on to greener pastures in Philadelphia, but at least Darren McFadden and Michael Bush are proving to be a formidable one-two punch at running back. The Denver Broncos are a complete mess, and it's going to take John Fox several years to get things back in order. There are plenty of players not named Tebow with potential on that team, and it seems like no one in the city of Denver cares about them. Maybe in 2012 Kyle Orton will be tearing it up for a playoff contender.

NFC East
1. Philadelphia Eagles (12-4)
2. Dallas Cowboys (9-7)
3. New York Giants (9-7)
4. Washington Redskins (5-11)

With the exceptional offseason the Philadelphia Eagles had, they all but have the NFC East in the bag. There are so many young studs on offense that Michael Vick should make even better, and the teams pass defense got exponentially better with the acquisations of Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominick Rodgers-Cromartie. The Eagles are arguably the team to beat in the entire NFC. I hate the Dallas Cowboys, and it bums me out to say that their atrocious 2010 season is most likely a fluke. Tony Romo is a stud, and he has a lot of weapons to work with and DeMarcus Ware is one of the greatest defensive players the NFL has seen in years. I'm not exactly sure what to make of the New York Giants. Part of me thinks that that team is loaded and is way better than everyone thinks they are. Their excellent defensive is on its way back, and suddenly they have an extensive passing attack (in spite of Eli Manning's mistakes). As far as I'm concerned, the Washington Redskins have nothing good going for them.

NFC North
1. Green Bay Packers (12-4)
2. Chicago Bears (9-7)
3. Detroit Lions (8-8)
4. Minnesota Vikings (8-8)

Pretty quickly, the NFC North is returning to the glory days of the Black & Blue Division. It is becoming one of the strongest group of teams in the NFL. If it weren't for all the moves that the Eagles have made, the Packers would pretty much have a fast track back to the Super Bowl. No team in the NFC, and maybe even in the entire NFL, is better. There are definitely questions in the team's running game (which I think will be answered once Ryan Grant quickly returns to form), but their passing attack and defenses are easily amongst the best around. It is likely that Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears overperformed last year, but that doesn't mean they're bad. In fact, with Matt Forte, the addition of drama queen extraordinaire Roy Williams, and Mike Martz running the show, the offense should be even better. And we all know that Chicago defense is usually great. The Detroit Lions are improving by the day. That defense can now be considered top notch, and I don't think Jim Schwartz will stop there. If Calvin Johnson isn't the best wide receiver in the NFL, he's second or third. If Matt Stafford can stay healthy for the entire season he will put up some incredible numbers, I am sure of it. I am not convinced of Jahvid Best yet, but am definitely rooting for him to succeed in this offense. Detroit is already close to contending for a playoff spot, and I'll be shocked if they don't make it in 2012. Now with Donovan McNabb at QB, I think the Minnesota Vikings will be better than everyone is giving them credit for. Adrian Peterson should be the focal point of the offense again now that Brett Favre isn't there, and I think that can only lead to good things. The defense underperformed last year, and I can't imagine Jared Allen and his crew doing that again.

NFC South
1. Atlanta Falcons (12-4)
2. New Orleans Saints (12-4)
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7)
4. Carolina Panthers (3-13)

It's hard to tell who is going to come out on top of the NFC South between Atlanta and New Orleans. Both offenses are incredible, and both got better with excellent picks in the draft (Atlanta picking WR Julio Jones and New Orleans getting a steal with RB Mark Ingram). Both defenses are subpar, and it seems that only Atlanta tried to get better in that department, so that's who I'm going with. However, I see Ingram becoming a franchise running back in New Orleans, which takes a lot of pressure off Drew Brees, which could lead to another Super Bowl run. As good as Matt Ryan is and all those weapons he has between Michael Turner, Roddy White, Tony Gonzalez and now Jones, I just don't think they're ready quite yet. Tampa Bay surprised everyone last year, and I'm not sure why, but I'm sort of buying the hype. For as subtle as Josh Freeman's stats were, when you really take a look at them, they were insane. And, I'm excited about Mike Williams and LaGarrette Blount in that offense. Carolina has two of the most talented running backs in the NFC, and maybe they'll both return to their dominant performances of 2008 and 2009, but that's about the only bright spot on this team. I think Cam Newton will be a bust, and when Steve Smith doesn't have anyone of worth throwing to him, he just disappears. This team is still doomed.

NFC West
1. Arizona Cardinals (8-8)
2. St. Louis Rams (7-9)
3. San Francisco 49ers (6-10)
4. Seattle Seahawks (5-11)

Any of the four teams in the NFC West could win the division crown, but that's not because it's tough and competitive there. It is just that weak. Arizona and St. Louis have half-way decent quarterback situations thanks to Kevin Kolb and Sam Bradford respectively, and while I'm convinced that Bradford will have a successful career in the NFL, Kolb hasn't actually played enough to prove himself, if he's actually as good as everyone seems to think he is. Throwing to Larry Fitzgerald definitely will help, and that's the only reason why I think the Cardinals will be slightly better than the Rams, but still not great. The 49ers have some real talent on defense, and Frank Gore gives them maybe the best running game in the division, but that quarterback situation does not look pretty. The Seahawks made the most moves, and made a lot of improvements in the passing game by adding Sidney Rice and Zach Miller, but who the hell is going to throw to these guys?

POSTSEASON AWARDS

Coach of the Year: Bill Belichick (New England)
Comeback Player of the Year: Albert Haynesworth (DE, New England)
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Patrick Peterson (CB, Arizona)
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Mark Ingram (RB, New Orleans)
Defensive Player of the Year: Clay Matthews (LB, Green Bay)
Offensive Player of the Year: Adrian Peterson (RB, Minnesota)
Most Valuable Player: Aaron Rodgers (QB, Green Bay)

PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

AFC
1. New England Patriots
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
3. San Diego Chargers
4. Indianapolis Colts
5. Baltimore Ravens
6. New York Jets

NFC
1. Green Bay Packers
2. Philadelphia Eagles
3. Atlanta Falcons
4. Arizona Cardinals
5. New Orleans Saints
6. Dallas Cowboys

AFC Wild Card Round
New York Jets over San Diego Chargers
Baltimore Ravens over Indianapolis Colts

NFC Wild Card Round
Atlanta Falcons over Dallas Cowboys
New Orleans Saints over Arizona Cardinals

AFC Divisional Round
New England Patriots over New York Jets
Pittsburgh Steelers over Baltimore Ravens

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

AFC Championship
New England Patriots over Pittsburgh Steelers

NFC Championship
Green Bay Packers over Philadelphia Eagles

Super Bowl XLVI
New England Patriots over Green Bay Packers

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