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)

Joyce Manor/Algernon Cadwallader @ The Magic Stick Lounge, 8/6/12

On August 6th, I had the pleasure of going to a punk show at the Magic Stick Lounge! California's economic pop punkers Joyce Manor and Philly's noodly mid-90s midwest emo revivalists Algernon Cadwallader (one of my favorite bands, recently) came to Detroit and kicked some major ass.

I missed the first band and caught the last few songs from Detroit's Louder Than Bombs, were on the punk side of emo with yell-y vocals and great guitar parts.

Algernon played third and completely owned. Everybody says they're like a modern day Cap'n Jazz, and I will not argue with that. I embrace it, as they do the style so damn well. Plus, they're much more succinct and more focused on the poppier elements of the genre.

Anyway, the band played extremely tight and were an outright blast to watch thanks to their high energy. Unfortunately they didn't play as many songs as I'd hoped from their latest LP, Parrot Flies (which was #4 on my favorite albums of 2011 list), but, I was pumped that my favorite jam from that, "Preservatives," was played. They sure brought out the jams from their first record, Some Kind of Cadwallader, though. Opening with "Yo Soy Milk" and closing with "Serial Killer Status" were excellent decisions. However, the main highlights (aside from "Preservatives") were "Spit Fountain" from the Fun 7" and the title track from Some Kind of Cadwallader.

My knowledge of Joyce Manor is weak, as I just got into them with this year's Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired. The vast majority of their set seemed to consist songs from their first LP and earlier releases, because I did not recognize more than one or two. Regardless, their energy was also high, and thus were fun to experience in a live setting. I guess I didn't really expect them to be so tight live, though one could tell the drummer was getting tired as the set went on (I will vouch for him as the band completely blazed through their set).

When all was said and done, Algernon Cadwallader and Joyce Manor both played sets probably no longer than 25 minutes and I was home that night by midnight. That certainly added to the overall greatness of the show.

Those Guys Have All the Fun/Netherland

Those Guys Have All the Fun - James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales (2011)
Those Guys Have All the Fun is a telling oral history of ESPN told by the cable network's higher ups, programmers and on-air talent. There are plentiful looks on how and why the company succeeded as a business and has dominated the worlds of sports and entertainment for years, and those parts were somewhat interesting, but, what really attracted me to this enormous book (both literally and figuratively) are all the scandals that are detailed within. I would have looked more of that, and even more insight from the personalities that I especially enjoyed growing up watching Sportscenter (namely Keith Olbermann and Dan Patrick). Sure, a lot of ESPN's stars and higher ups come out sounding like complete douchebags, but man, that stuff is fun to read about it! If you have the patience and a technical mind to go along with that, there is a lot to be interested in in Those Guys Have All the Fun. Combine that with all the controversial drama (of which I expected much more of, but wasn't disappointed in what I had the pleasure to read here), and you've got some fun times ahead of you with this book.


Netherland - Joseph O'Neill (2008)
I think I allowed my expectations for Joseph O'Neill's critically acclaimed 2008 novel, Netherland, to reach unrealistic heights. While O'Neill's prose and dedication detail are outright fantastic and this story of a Dutch immigrant and his desire to fit in while living in post-9/11 New York City and trying to make it his home is weirdly relatable (we all want to fit in and make our homes exactly where we're at, right?), somehow I was still let down. There are points in the novel that slow down a little too much and get a bit dry, but, for the most part, they are easy to look past thanks to the rich characters and quirky subplot (making the sport of cricket popular in America). While I can't relate to main character Frans' immigrant status, the trials and tribulations he faces (fitting in, being comfortable in an overwhelming, giant, foreign place, keeping his family together) are all-encompassing. There are darker and mysterious touches that pop up here and there throughout the plot that really grabbed me as well. Aside from the boring passages and perhaps overwhelming amount of description (which, again, really is a compliment to O'Neill's skill), Netherland was still enjoyable and immensely touching. If Goodreads allowed half-star ratings, it would get a 3.5.

The Art of Fielding/The Diving Bell and the Butterfly/Blankets

The Art of Fielding - Chad Harbach (2011)
Chad Harbach's critically acclaimed debut novel, The Art of Fielding, was one of those rare reading experiences where I was so invested in the characters that I had a hard time putting it down. So, I ended up reading the 500+ page book in five days. Yes, baseball plays a huge role in the plot, and as a fan of that sport, it certainly contributed to the amount of which I enjoyed it. But, you don't have to be a baseball fan to appreciate these diverse, quirky, vibrant characters and this tale of love, ambition and overcoming the hardships of public potential gone awry (the main character is a highly lauded baseball prospect). There's one crucial plot point that is so incredibly messed up, which I am usually into, but was a bit difficult to get around. Harbach's prose was a little too laid back for me, considering the intricacy of the details, but that is basically my only complaint. The guy sure knows how to write a compelling, complex and challenging yet enjoyable story.


The Diving Bell and the Butterfly - Jean-Dominique Bauby (1997)
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is an english translation of a French memoir written by journalist Jean-Dominique Bauby. I'm not that into memoirs, but I wanted to read something easy and short while dog-sitting for some friends in Ypsilanti. While completely depressing to me, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly fit the bill. At the end of 1995, Bauby suffered a stroke and entered a coma, only to wake up with a condition called locked-in syndrome. With a lot of help, Bauby composed this memoir to detail the life and thoughts of someone burdened with this condition. I know this is insensitive, as this is a truly tragic story, but the memoir's artistic imagery and poetic style did virtually nothing for me, and I was bored through most of it. That being said, the struggle and effort that was put into writing this is extremely commendable as is the hope and spirit represented within. As far as my preferred style of reading material, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly just isn't really my thing.


Blankets - Craig Thompson (2003)
The graphic novel Blankets is Craig Thompson's gorgeously drawn and splendidly written claim to fame. The only possible way it could not touch you in deeply emotional ways is if you literally lacked a heart. Blankets is a coming-of-age story about being raised in a conservative Christian home and finding one's first love. I will admit that at times, Thompson gets a little heavy handed here, but it was incredibly easy to find elements in the story and characters to relate to. This book hit me hard and brought out the inner sensitive, emotional wuss in me. Completely soul crushing in the best way.

Emotional Listening #24

Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) - The Beach Boys (Capitol, 1965)
It's crazy to think that Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!), released in 1965, was The Beach Boys' ninth studio album. Home to such hits as "Help Me, Rhonda" and "California Girls," it is certainly a crucial entry in their output. Despite these classic singles, believe it or not, there are eight songs that are even better. "The Girl From New York City" and "Amusement Parks U.S.A." are an awesome opening one-two punch. "Summer Means New Love" is an excellent instrumental. However, the high points are "Girl Don't Tell Me," an excellent pop song with great hooks and chord changes, and "Let Him Run Wild," which hints at the more somber, psychedelic, orchestral sound of Pet Sounds. "I'm Bugged at My Ol' Man" is a blatant misstep; one of the worst, most obnoxious songs I've ever heard in my entire life. For reals. Otherwise, Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) isn't that far off from being perfect.
Top jams: "The Girl From New York City," "Amusement Parks U.S.A.," "Then I Kissed Her," "Salt Lake City," "Girl Don't Tell Me," "Let Him Run Wild," "You're So Good to Me," "Summer Means New Love"


Duty Now for the Future - Devo (Warner Bros., 1979)
While Devo's sophomore LP, Duty Now for the Future, is a continuation of their nearly flawless debut, Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!, there are subtle differences and advancements that come out after repeated listens. The overall sound can still be considered post-punk, but the slightly louder new wave elements of the band are a bit more present. It's poppier, and the songs aren't quite as jittery. The guitars are quieter and the synths are up in the mix. Also, there aren't any standouts that reach the same level of awesomeness as "Space Junk," "Gut Feeling/(Slap Your Mammy)" or "Come Back Jonee." "Blockhead" and especially closer, "Red Eye," come close. I look forward to eventually continuing along Devo's discography.
Top jams: "Clockout," "Timing X," "Wiggly World," "Blockhead," "Strange Pursuit," "The Day My Baby Gave Me a Surprize," "Pink Pussycat," "Red Eye"


The View From This Tower - Faraquet (Dischord, 2000)
Faraquet was a melodic, math-y indie rock band from predominantly the late 90s on Dischord Records. I first came across their lone full-length, The View From This Tower, late in 2003 thanks to my long lost pal Andy. Both being drummers into complex music at the time, he knew I would find immense appreciation in this. However, I didn't give the album my full attention until now. These days, I'm not so stuck on ridiculous guitar patterns and math-y time signatures, but of course the dudes in this band still floor me with their outright talent. Devin Ocampo and Chad Molter are, like, Washington D.C.'s two greatest hidden secrets in music: multi-instrumentalists who are masters at everything they do. The math rock on The View From This Tower is not to the Don Caballero level of wankery. These are still pop songs, generally, just with shifting time signatures and intricate guitars riffs. What most surprises me this time around is the quality of Ocampo's vocal melodies and how bright and gorgeous the music here can be.
Top jams: "Cut Self Not," "Carefully Planned," "Conceptual Separation of Self," "Study in Complacency," "Sea Song," "The Missing Piece"


Graceland - Paul Simon (Warner Bros., 1986)
Through the first seven songs, Paul Simon's seminal Graceland is perfect. I start losing interest after that (in spite of how much I like "Crazy Love, Vol. II"). But, man! Those first seven tracks KILL IT. I won't argue with you if you think "You Can Call Me Al" is corny and obnoxious. It totally is. But, not only was it one of my absolute favorite songs as a kid, it is simply a fantastic 80s pop tune, in spite of its ridiculousness. The title track and "The Boy in the Bubble" are probably the two best tracks here, but lately, "Gumboots," with its bouncy rhythms and gorgeous horn sections, and the general beauty of "Under African Skies," have been the most impressive. Graceland's back story, its expansive instrumentation, and African rhythms certainly make it a fascinating record. But, really, I just love it for what it is: a unique pop album of the highest quality. If only the end of the record lived up to the perfection of those first seven jams.
Top jams: "The Boy in the Bubble," "Graceland," "I Know What I Know," "Gumboots," "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes," "You Can Call Me Al," "Under African Skies," "Crazy Love, Vol. II"


They Spent Their Wild Youthful Days in the Glittering World of the Salons - Swirlies (Taang!, 1996)
I came across this, Swirlies' second LP, thanks to my friend and bandmate Eric putting a song of theirs on a Spotify mix for me back in late autumn. On They Spent Their Wild Youthful Days in the Glittering World of the Salons, shoegaze is the word, but not the slow, vague style of My Bloody Valentine. Underneath all the layers and noise, these are pop songs, albeit complex ones. Sure, there are softer, more ambient tracks like "Pony" and "The Vehicle is Invisible." And those songs are great. But what Swirlies excel at the most are the louder, more upbeat jams. "In Her Many New Found Freedom" and "San Cristobal de las Casas" are awesome rockers with more intricate song structures. "Sounds of Sebring" takes the cake, though. Everything about the song is perfect from the melodies to the way the song moves from part to part to the way the guitars and drums sound. I am very much pumped about this record.
Top jams: "In Her Many New Found Freedom," "Sounds of Sebring," "San Cristobal de las Casas," "You Can't be Told It, You Must Behold It," "Pony," "Two Girls Kissing," "Sterling Moss," "Sunn," "The Vehicle is Invisible"

Tree of Smoke/The Complete Persepolis

Tree of Smoke - Denis Johnson (2007)
Denis Johnson's 2007 novel and Pulitzer finalist Tree of Smoke is HUGE. In both length and emotional depth. Taking place in Vietnam from 1963 through 1970, it is a complex, desperate, brutal and even sometimes touching tale about war and its effects on all peoples involved. There are a lot of characters, major or minor, who play absolutely crucial roles in the plot, and I'll admit that it was difficult to keep track of it all, especially with this being a 702 page monster. But all of the violence, deception, betrayal,  corruption, etc. made for a fascinating and intricate story that overwhelms in so many positive ways. Johnson's prose is poetic (which is no surprise, as he is also a poet), and even in those moments of reading details that I wasn't fully processing, I could appreciate his mastery of the art. I look forward to reading this again at some point in the distant future.


The Complete Persepolis - Marjane Sadrapi (2007)
I know that The Complete Persepolis is an insanely popular, critically acclaimed graphic novel, thus why I am surprised it took me so long to getting around to read it. It details the life of author Marjane Satrapi's childhood and early adult years in Iran, around the time of the Islamic revolution and the war between Iran and Iraq. Her writing is incredibly easy to follow, detailed and informative, and the simple black and white art is a charming touch. it was a bittersweet experience reading about a young muslim female growing up in the middle east during a time of war. Typically, I'm much more interested in reading dark, surreal comics or superhero ones, but it was easy to appreciate Satrapi's story.

Emotional Drumming Mix #4

Here's a 20 song mix compiling the best from each entry of my five most recent Emotional Listening installments. Download it, obviously for free, and only if you'd like to, right HERE.

Tracklist:
1. "Oblivious" - Galaxie 500 (1988)
2. "Every Picture I Paint" - Teenage Fanclub (1990)
3. "Divine Hammer" - The Breeders (1993)
4. "No Reply at All" - Genesis (1981)
5. "Young Hearts Spark Fire" - Japandroids (2009)
6. "Catamaran" - Bear vs. Shark (2005)
7. "The Garden" - Abe Vigoda (2008)
8. "Glass" - Gang of Four (1979)
9. "Take the Skinheads Bowling" - Camper Van Beethoven (1985)
10. "Letter From an Occupant" - The New Pornographers (2000)
11. "The Light Pours Out of Me" - Magazine (1978)
12. "Hazel St." - Deerhunter (2007)
13. "I Have Seen a Light" - Destroyer (2002)
14. "Bury the Hammer" - Beat Happening (1992)
15. "Margaret vs. Pauline" - Neko Case (2006)
16. "Guys Don't Lie" - Papas Fritas (1995)
17. "Block of Wood" - The Bats (1987)
18. "Crazy Rhythms" - The Feelies (1980)
19. "Nothing to be Done" - The Pastels (1989)
20. "Eat at Home" - Paul and Linda McCartney (1971)

2012 MLB Mid-Season Report

I made predictions going into the 2012 MLB season. A lot of those were wrong. Here, I try to right my wrongs. It's MLB mid-season prediction revision time.

AL East
1. New York Yankees
2. Tampa Bay Rays
3. Boston Red Sox
4. Baltimore Orioles
5. Toronto Blue Jays

The Yankees' offense is good as usual and their pitching has been surprising. Probably not enough to get into the World Series though. Tampa Bay's got problems that I think they will work through, as do the Red Sox, and they get Carl Crawford back. Baltimore has been a pleasant surprise in every way, and Toronto is at about where everyone figured they would be. It's relatively probable that every team in the AL East will have a winning record.

AL Central
1. Detroit Tigers
2. Chicago White Sox
3. Cleveland Indians
4. Kansas City Royals
5. Minnesota Twins

Everyone in Detroit freaked out about the Detroit Tigers. They are 44-42. At this point last year, they were 45-41 and Cleveland had first place. It's not that different this year, and they will win this division, probably handedly. DO NOT WORRY. In fact, the Tigers can even be considered as dangerous if Quentin Berry is for real, Andy Dirks comes back, Doug Fister gets his magic touch back and Max Scherzer maintains some consistency if not continues to completely dominate. The White Sox are really fun now, though, post-Guillen. Chris Sale has been EXCITING. Cleveland is over-performing, and really, they're not much better than Kansas City or Minnesota.

AL West
1. Texas Rangers
2. Los Angeles Angels
3. Oakland Athletics
4. Seattle Mariners

The Texas Rangers are the best team in baseball without question. Their pitching rotation is not the strongest, but it's decent, and their ridiculous offense more than makes up for it. The Angels are getting scary thanks to 20 year-old rookie Mike Trout saving them single handedly. Jered Weaver ain't so bad, either. Oakland's young and talented pitching staff has somehow made them relevant again. Seattle is just sad. Poor King Felix. Get outta there, fella!

NL East
1. Washington Nationals
2. New York Mets
3. Atlanta Braves
4. Miami Marlins
5. Philadelphia Phillies

Cliff Lee has only won one game due to poor offense and Roy Halladay has been injured. It has not been the Phillies' year. It seems that Halladay will not get his World Series ring with Philly. That Cole Hamels is potentially getting traded is shocking to me, too. All of this to say that, the Washington Nationals really are the team to beat in the NL East and maybe even the entire NL. I knew they were going to be ridiculous before too long, but I did not see it happening so quickly. This Strasburg/Gonzalez pairing is a dream come true. The Mets and Braves will be in a tight race all year. I don't see how R.A. Dickey's luck will last all year, but David Wright is also having an MVP caliber year, and the Braves are having a rough time thanks to injuries. The Miami Marlins are hilarious.

NL Central
1. St. Louis Cardinals
2. Cincinnati Reds
3. Pittsburgh Pirates
4. Milwaukee Brewers
5. Chicago Cubs
6. Houston Astros

The St. Louis Cardinals are really good, they're just losing an insane amount of 1-run games. I don't see that lasting. I'd rather them suck or at least not win the division, but they probably are the best team in the central. I'm rooting hard for the Reds and potential MVP Joey Votto, though. The Brewers, who are pretty much my favorite team in the NL, are sad this season, and I have no idea why. I mean, they don't have Prince Fielder, yes, but with Ryan Braun and that starting rotation and supposedly fantastic bullpen, I don't understand how you're 40-45 at the All-Star break. I cannot believe in the Pittsburgh Pirates as the real deal this year, but Andrew McCutchen and their pitching all around have been incredibly special. The Cubs and Astros are TERRIBLE. Someone trade for Matt Garza and Ryan Dempster already. AHEM Detroit.

NL West
1. San Francisco Giants
2. Los Angeles Dodgers
3. Arizona Diamondbacks
4. Colorado Rockies
5. San Diego Padres

This Giants starting rotation is SICK, despite Tim Lincecum's completely blowing it. Their bullpen is still awesome without Brian Wilson too, and they're actually hitting the ball a bit. If Lincecum can figure out some way to get around how majestically he is sucking, the Giants could go to the World Series. The Dodgers were a nice story for the first part of the year, and with how well they've been pitching and getting Matt Kemp back, they could be playoff bound. The Diamondbacks are back to their usual suck every-other-year, rule every-other-year tricks, and Justin Upton's outright bombing has been pretty funny. The Rockies will edge out the Padres only because they have Carlos Gonzalez and are getting Troy Tulowitzki back.

AL Wild Card Game
Los Angeles Angels over Tampa Bay Rays

NL Wild Card Game
Cincinnati Reds over Los Angeles Dodgers

ALDS
Texas Rangers over Los Angeles Angels, 3-2
New York Yankees over Detroit Tigers, 3-2

NLDS
Washington Nationals over Cincinnati Reds, 3-1
San Francisco Giants over St. Louis Cardinals, 3-2

ALCS
Texas Rangers over New York Yankees, 4-2

NLCS
San Francisco Giants over Washington Nationals, 4-1

World Series
Texas Rangers over San Francisco Giants, 4-1

AL Rookie of the Year - Mike Trout, Los Angeles
AL Comeback Player of the Year - Adam Dunn, Chicago
AL Cy Young - Justin Verlander, Detroit
AL MVP - Josh Hamilton, Texas

NL Rookie of the Year - Bryce Harper, Washington
NL Comeback Player of the Year - Johan Santana, New York
NL Cy Young - Matt Cain, San Francisco
NL MVP - Joey Votto, Cincinnati

Emotional Listening #23

Terrorhawk - Bear Vs. Shark (Equal Vision, 2005)
The one and only time I ever got to see Michigan's short lived post-hardcore band Bear Vs. Shark live was during my senior year of high school at a hall show. At the time, their sound reminded me of early At the Drive-In (down to the style and rhythm of the vocals) and their live performance was entertaining and energetic as all get out. Over one EP and two LPs, the band never really ditched their ATD-I homage, but on their second and final album, Terrorhawk, they were able to put a unique spin on their songs. Opening jam of jams "Catamaran" is almost a catchy pop punk song. The same could be said of "Seven Stop Hold Restart." "Out Loud Hey Hey" mixes punk with classic rock guitars. "Entrance of the Elected" features jagged, intermingling guitars. "Heard Iron Bug, 'They're Coming to Town'" probably showcases the band at their most creative, with bizarre spoken word sections and a chorus where the tempo continuously speeds up until completely imploding. In spite of Marc Paffi's intense and gruff vocals, there are plenty of catchy melodies throughout, whether it be by voice or guitar. I'll go ahead and state that I like Terrorhawk more now than I ever have before.
Top jams: "Catamaran," "5, 6 Kids," "Six Bar Phrase Hey Hey," "Entrance of the Elected," "Seven Stop Hold Restart," "Out Loud Hey Hey," "I Fucked Your Dad," "Hear Iron Bug, 'They're Coming to Town'"


You Turn Me On - Beat Happening (K/Sub Pop, 1992)
I know that Beat Happening is a classic lo-fi/twee/jangle/indie pop band that most fans of the genre worship. So sue me that I just started getting into them over the past year or two. You Turn Me On was their final full length, and it was where I ended up starting for whatever reason. Neither the production nor the vocals are good, but the lack of enthusiasm toward those aspects of these songs is totally charming. Heather Lewis' vocals are tolerable at least, and her melodies are sugar sweet. Calvin Johnson's vocals are a bit more difficult to get around. Beat Happening had many shortcomings, and they are fully on display on You Turn Me On, but, man, there are some ridiculously great songs here. "Noise" and the epic, entirely too repetitive "Godsend" are probably the best of the best, but "Hey Day" and "Bury the Hammer" show off the best guitar chords, if that means anything to you.
Top jams: "Tiger Trap," "Noise," "Teenage Caveman," "Sleepy Head," "Godsend," "Hey Day," "Bury the Hammer"


This Night - Destroyer (Merge, 2002)
I'll admit to being surprised by how much I was taken by This Night, Destroyer's fifth LP. I firmly believe that 2006's Destroyer's Rubies and 2011's Kaputt are modern classics, but I didn't really expect much from this. Pretty glad I was wrong. Daniel Bejar's typically drunken stumbling over his phrases and words are in full force, as are his strong melodies and simple yet perfect chord progressions. While Kaputt is tight as shit and Rubies displays a slight element of sloppiness but is generally tight, This Night indulges in sloppiness and it feels just right. Sure, some of these songs are too long, and maybe even some of Bejar's ideas here aren't fully realized. But, I think that's part of the charm of the album. That and the messy but glorious sounding guitars, and again, those catchy melodies. There are too many highlights to cover, but you couldn't ask for a more appropriate opener than the title track, and "I Have Seen a Light," despite it's dire tone and slow burn, is absolutely gorgeous.
Top jams: "This Night," "Holly Going Lightly," "Here Comes the Night," "The Chosen Few," "Making Angels," "Modern Painters," "Crystal Country," "Trembling Peacock," "I Have Seen a Light," "Students Carve Hearts Out of Coals"



Abacab - Genesis (Atlantic, 1981)
GENESIS. Yup. 1981's Abacab is truly an amazing record. No joke. Do you like prog rock with actual hummable melodies and choruses? Do you like overpowering synthesizers? Do you like drums that were recorded in the very early 80s but sound like they're from the late 90s, and are played tastefully and awesomely (BY PHIL COLLINS)? What about roto-toms? It sounds like I'm making fun of this record, but, while I could do without the roto-toms, Abacab really is a fantastic record. "No Reply at All" is quickly climbing the list of favorite songs ever. The verses sound like something Animal Collective would've used as a sample. "Keep It Dark" was my first top jam on Abacab, and probably still is, but "Man on the Corner" and "Who Dunnit?," as corny as it is, are sort of catching up. Don't get me wrong, the entire album is corny as hell, but that is up for with Abacab's overall sense of rhythm, melody, and complex song structures that aren't completely overwhelming. Seriously, I love me some Abacab.
Top jams: "No Reply at All," "Keep It Dark," "Dodo/Lurker," "Who Dunnit?," "Man on the Corner," "Another Record"


Ram - Paul and Linda McCartney (Apple, 1971)
Ram is Paul McCartney's second post-Beatles album, and is also the only one where Linda is credited along with him. It is a bizarre pop record that features plenty of silly McCartney-isms present on, say, The White Album (I'll admit to totally loving Ram's ridiculous "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" through and through). "Too Many People" is an excellent opener with probably the best melody on the record, and "The Back Seat of My Car" is the perfect closer, even if it is a little too dramatic. "Ram On" is a beautiful and eerie ukelele ballad that was my first favorite song on the album. "Eat at Home" is the true jam though, in all of its straight forward power pop glory. As maligned as Ram was when it was released, it's easy to see that it has been referenced plenty in modern music. It certainly is a worthwhile listen, even if it doesn't quite live up to the standards of The Beatles' best albums.
Top jams: "Too Many People," "Ram On," "Dear Boy," "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey," "Smile Away," "Eat at Home," "Long Haired Lady," "The Back Seat of My Car"

A Different Ship/Electric Cables/Spooky Action at a Distance/Open Your Heart

A Different Ship - Here We Go Magic (Secretly Canadian, 2012)
On this, their third LP, Here We Go Magic sort of rein things in. The self-titled 2009 debut was a sort expansive yet subtle folk experiment with plenty of electric elements, placing them in the Grizzly Bear camp, sonically. 2010's Pigeons and 2011's The January EP were a bit more in your face: funkier and a kraut-y. On A Different Ship, which was produced by Nigel Godrich (Radiohead, Beck, Pavement, etc.), the band run with the funkiness, but smoothing it out a bit. It's basically an adult contemporary/soft rock album, with nods to Fleetwood Mac, especially in the production, and even some Paul Simon. There's something else to it, though, that I just can't place. And it's the combination of that unplaceable element and the Mac-isms that wins me over. Even if I prefer the earlier releases.


Electric Cables - Lightships (Geographic, 2012)
Lightships is a new alias for Teenage Fanclub's Gerard Love, and Electric Cables continues his penchant for gorgeous pop songs with Byrds-esque chiming guitars and broad instrumentation. While these are pop songs of the ballad persuasion, and their production is excellent, Electric Cables has a lucid feel throughout, which makes it a great album to fall asleep to (in a good way). I'm new at being a Teenage Fanclub fan, and I never saw this record coming, so it was a welcome, pleasant surprise. Especially with songs like "Two Lines," "Sweetness in Her Spark," and "Stretching Out." If you happened to listen to Teenage Fanclub's 2010 LP, Shadows, and were into the song "Into the City," basically all of Electric Cables sounds like that.


Spooky Action at a Distance - Lotus Plaza (Kranky, 2012)
Lotus Plaza is the solo project of Deerhunter guitarist Lockett Pundt. His 2009 debut, The Floodlight Collective, was a collection of moody, ambient, lo-fi shoegaze tracks. It was pretty nice, but it surely didn't hit me nearly as hard as his follow up, Spooky Action at a Distance, has. The differences between the two are VAST. Not only is Spooky Action at a Distance well produced (by none other than Detroit's own Chris Koltay, which is news to me), it consists of actual pop songs. There are still some subtle shoegaze elements, for sure, but chiming Byrdsian guitars, moderate tempos and solid melodies are the main focus here. It's difficult to deny that the songs here just sound like jams Pundt could have submitted for Deerhunter records. But, they're damn fine songs nonetheless. Into it.


Open Your Heart - The Men (Sacred Bones, 2012)
The Men seem to be one of underground punk rock's big new things, so, on a whim (and admittedly based on Pitchfork's recommendation), I decided it seemed worthwhile to put in some time with the band's latest, Open Your Heart. It is raw, powerful punk rock with chaotic tendencies, but melodic sensibility a good portion of the time. Hints of The Replacements and Sonic Youth poke in and out, which is a pretty fun combination. Opener "Turn it Around," "Oscillation," and closer "Ex-Dreams" are all completely bad ass. The guitars sound awesome. CHECK IT.

Prometheus/Moonrise Kingdom

Prometheus (2012)
Written by Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof, directed by Ridley Scott
It has been quite a while since I had been so excited to see a film in the theater. I know that reviews for Prometheus have been relatively mixed (though, good for the most part, right?). I, however, thought it was a complete knock out. Ridley Scott tried to downplay the degree to which Prometheus is a direct prequel to his 1979 sci-fi/horror classic Alien, and I believe he failed. I will say that, perhaps, Prometheus might not cover the particular subject one might suspect quite as much as desired. Anyway, I am of the opinion that this film should go down as one of the absolute greatest summer blockbusters of our time. Sure, it's not perfect. I have complaints about some of the plot points and a lot of the ridiculous decisions and unbelievable reactions of the characters (I'm being vague because I don't want to give ANYTHING away). It's pacing is a little bit quicker than I was hoping, too. But, visually, Prometheus is absolutely stunning, and the acting is quite impressive (mainly Michael Fassbender). My issues with the plot are minuscule, and even if everything unravels too quickly, I still love the way it all happens. There are plenty of moments to jump at, too, and the violence and gore is fun and certainly shocking. If you're a fan of or at least interested in the Alien series, I know you're going to see this. But, you should do yourself a favor and see it regardless. And, if you're disappointed by it, I don't know what to tell you. You're crazy.


Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
Written by Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola, directed by Wes Anderson
Usually I go into Wes Anderson films with huge expectations. Even though I had already gathered that Moonrise Kingdom was a sort of return to form for Anderson, I still was able to keep my expectations non-existent when I went to see it the other day. It's obvious now that nothing will ever touch The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) or Rushmore (1998). But, still, after Moonrise Kingdom finished, I couldn't help but walk away feeling that it was Anderson's best since The Life Aquatic (2004). A lot of Anderson's usual elements are present: dry, quirky dialogue spoken by ridiculous, fairy tale characters, dysfunctional family, Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman, vibrant colors, and symmetrical, ultra intentional cinematography. What sets Moonrise Kingdom apart a little is that the cast is made up predominantly of children. If you typically like Wes Anderson's work, then there's no reason for you to dislike this, but, also, I don't really see it winning over any new fans. That being said, Moonrise Kingdom is a wonderful addition to Anderson's filmography. It is whimsical in a charming way, and really, a lot funnier than I was expecting, thanks to the memorable characters and performances. DO IT.

The Karaoke Singer's Guide to Self-Defense/The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty

The Karaoke Singer's Guide to Self-Defense - Tim Kinsella (2011)
Tim Kinsella is known for singing in cult Chicago bands such as Cap'n Jazz, Joan of Arc, Owls and Make Believe. How cool it was to come across his debut novel, which I had no prior knowledge of, during a recent visit to that wondrous city. The characters and events of The Karaoke Singer's Guide to Self-Defense are those of dreams (or perhaps more appropriately, nightmares). It is a novel about being stuck in grime and finding respite from it even in small things. While Kinsella's characters are difficult and even unlikeable (and not necessarily in an appealing way), his prose is dense, fluid and poetic and his imagery is the star of this complex, disjointed storyline.


The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty - Buster Olney (2004)
The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty is former New York Times sports writer Buster Olney's bittersweet love letter to the New York Yankees. While his wide-eyed worship of the team's outright dominance at the end of the 20th century was a little annoying to read at times, he masterfully dissects and documents the pieces that were assembled to create one of the greatest baseball teams in history. The two greatest highlights of the book are Olney openly calling out George Steinbrenner for his dramatically poor attitude toward Yankee staff, and his not shying away from the various controversies surrounding this team full of perennial all-stars. Even though Olney's writing style can be a little too wistful and devoted, and I am not necessarily a fan of the New York Yankees (though I don't really hate them, either), The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty is a thoroughly enjoyable baseball book featuring great insight, touching stories, and plenty of opportunities to laugh at overtly rich asshole superstars.