Favorite Albums of 2014: Honorable Mentions

I'm going to go so far as to say that 2014 was a really great year for music. Much better than 2013. There was enough for me to like that I was once again able to come up with a list of 40 favorite albums (last year I sort of forced it) and 15 favorite EPs/7"s. And, here, I'm even doing an honorable mentions post! Let's get on with it.


Best of Boiler Room Classics - Mike Adams at His Honest Weight (Flannelgraph/Joyful Noise)
My buddy Mike Adams from the now defunct Bloomington, IN band Husband & Wife released his second album under his At His Honest Weight moniker, and it is very good. Huge pop songs that waver into dreamy territory at times. There are moments that remind me of Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots.
Top jam: "The Bright Line"




Enter the Slasher House - Avey Tare's Slasher Flicks (Domino)
It's nice to hear someone from Animal Collective using real instruments again. Enter the Slasher House is one of the more underrated albums of 2014. All the usual suspects are here: high quality, complex melodies and synth and sample-driven instrumentation. This time Angel Deradoorian (ex-Dirty Projectors, playing the role of Noah Lennox) and the drummer from Ponytail are in tow, making the rhythms a little more interesting.
Top jam: "A Sender"




Lose - Cymbals Eat Guitars (Barsuk)
Cymbals Eat Guitars' third album, Lose, got a lot of comparisons to The Wrens. I will shamefully admit that I've still never listened to a Wrens, record, but, these songs really make me want to. Smart, epic rock 'n' roll that recalls both 80s and 90s alternative rock music, but, with a modern spin on it.
Top jam: "Chambers"




Sisyphus Says - The Lees of Memory (Side One Dummy)
Sisyphus Says is essentially a shoegaze record from John Davis, of Superdrag fame. There are some straight ahead power pop moments (some better than others), but, those fuzzy, bendy guitars are all over the place, and it's pretty cool. The Lees of Memory could have made this a seven-song EP and it would have ranked considerably higher than just as an honorable mention.
Top jam: "Lower Atmosphere"




Wig Out at Jagbags - Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks (Matador)
While I haven't listened to all of Stephen Malkmus' solo and Jicks records, of the four that I am familiar with and fond of (self-titled, Real Emotional Trash, Mirror Traffic and Wig Out at Jagbags), this one is my least favorite by far. That's not to say it's bad, because it is very good. It's just softer and a little more boring. Malkmus' typically great melodies and clever lyrics abound, though, and there are a lot of sneaky good moments. "Lariat" ranks with his greatest post-Pavement songs.
Top jam: "Lariat"




Sunbathing Animal - Parquet Courts (What's Your Rupture?/Mom + Pop)
I got super into Parquet Courts' Light Up Gold last year (even if it was originally released in 2012) in all of its Modern Lovers/Television/Pavement glory. So, needless to say, I was really stoked for Sunbathing Animal to come out this year. Unfortunately, I was let down. It's a fine record, it's just more direct, places a higher level of stress on the garage rock aspect of their sound, and is simply not as good. "Black and White" and "Ducking & Dodging" are awesome, though.
Top jam: "Black and White"




Atlas - Real Estate (Domino)
It irks me to say it, but Real Estate's third LP, Atlas, was another 2014 disappointment. In the grand scheme of things, it is a totally solid record, but, when weighed against their self-titled debut and Days, it bums me out. It is a further extension of their jangly and chimey guitar ways, but, it's just slower, quieter, and I find myself getting bored not long after "Crime," it's biggest standout. Musically, this band has grown older than their actual age should allow.
Top jam: "Crime"




St. Vincent - St. Vincent (Loma Vista)
Including this one, I think Annie Clark's last two records have been somewhat overrated, despite the fact that she is creating some of the most creative and unique music out there. She is an obvious talent, and her music is important. Plus, she is 4/4 in putting out quality records. I just miss the Actor days, when her songs were dominated by ballsy, crazy sounding guitars. They're still there, they've just been pushed to the background by synthesizers. I do like how the David Byrne influence has carried over from her 2012 collaboration with him.
Top jam: "Rattlesnake"




Old Fears - School of Language (Memphis Industries)
Sunderland, England's Field Music is one of my absolute favorite bands of the 21st century (2007's Tones of Town is one of my favorite albums of all time). The brothers Brewis can do no wrong. In 2008, they each put out one-off solo records, and School of Language is David's baby. He decided to revive the project in 2014, and instead of the guitar-driven, complex, angular rock of Sea From Shore, Old Fears is kraut-infused, white-boy Prince music. I am definitely not complaining.
Top jam: "Dress Up"




Temple of Plenty - Somos (Tiny Engines)
I don't remember why exactly I checked out the band Somos this year. Maybe it was on Tony Pacheco's recommendation? Anyway, in a world where emo is popular again, especially this polite version with very high production value, a lot of bands just blend together and thus are forgettable. I can't really explain it, but somehow, Temple of Plenty sticks out to me. It might be because singer dude here has a really good voice, and his melodies are top notch. The guitars sound really great too, and these songs don't have the most straightforward of structures either, which is usually a plus for me.
Top jam: "Dead Wrong"

Favorite Books Read in 2014

Let the year-end posts begin!


(10) Reel Terror - David Konow (2012)
Last year, I really enjoyed reading Jason Zinoman's Shock Value, which looked at the important, classic horror films of the 1970s. David Konow's Reel Terror covers those same films, and then some. It is 500+ pages and touches on more minor entries in the genre, the classic Universal Monsters films, and also moves on through 80s, 90s and 00s horror. The depth that Shock Value goes into is great, but, the variety that Reel Terror presents is also appreciated.


(9) Fantasyland - Sam Walker (2006)
Here is a look at what it would be like to be in a premium auction fantasy baseball league with the most brilliant creators and analysts of the game. As an admitted addict when baseball season rolls around, this was a very fun read for me.


(8) Look at Me - Jennifer Egan (2001)
Two years ago I read Jennifer Egan's Pulitzer Prize winning A Visit From the Goon Squad. Look at Me is her second novel, and it might be just as good. It starts with a female model who gets into a terrible automobile accident that damages her looks and thus hinders her job prospects. It gets really crazy and sprawls into post-modern territory relatively quickly. The characters are fun and usually make poor decisions (which is always my jam).


(7) The Barrytown Trilogy: The Commitments/The Snapper/The Van - Roddy Doyle (1992)
My girlfriend Sara tipped me off to Roddy Doyle, and strongly urged me to purchase The Barrytown Trilogy collection at a bookstore in Minneapolis. Three novels (one about a youthful Dublin motown band, one about young single motherhood and one about friends running a food truck), all of which are hilarious, two of which are also sad and touching. This is some good hipster lit.


(6) House of Leaves - Mark Z. Danielewski (2000)
Almost Infinite Jest-esque in how difficult and inconvenient the visual structure of this book is, but, House of Leaves was about as good as I had hoped. Mark Z. Danielewski has weaved a tale that is engrossing, mysterious, eerie, sometimes terrifying, sly and ridiculously clever. It still has me scratching my head. Very fun.


(5) A Dance With Dragons - George R.R. Martin (2011)
A Dance With Dragons is my fourth favorite out of the five entries in the A Song of Ice and Fire series thus far. Even though it is the most recent one I've read, watching the tv show along with reading the books has made it extremely difficult to recall what exactly happened when within the story's timeline. Anyway, I remember lots of good stuff happened in this book, but, there were a lot of plodding, tiring moments that I could have done without. George R.R. Martin better get moving.


(4) The Great American Novel - Philip Roth (1973)
The Great American Novel is the third Philip Roth book that I've read, and while it doesn't come close to Portnoy's Complaint, it is wonderful, entertaining and hilarious. It is a novel about a fictional secondary professional baseball league that may or may not be a front for the spreading of communism in America. Twisted, satirical and delightful.


(3) The Leftovers - Tom Perrotta (2011)
I am so glad I read the novel before watching the HBO series. My first experience with Tom Perrotta was Little Children (first the film, then the preceding novel), both of which I thoroughly enjoyed. When I first found out about The Leftovers, I was stoked, particularly due to my upbringing in the Christian church and that general religion's belief in the event known as the rapture. This novel touches on a similar event, except that a diverse, random group of people disappear instead of exclusively Christians, and how a particular set of characters left behind cope with the loss of their loved ones. Yes, it is pretty depressing, but Perrotta's writing style is relatively upbeat and enthusiastic, considering the material, as well as satirical, making reading this a much less hopeless (note: not necessarily hopeful) experience than viewing the dire HBO series.


(2) The Fortress of Solitude - Jonathan Lethem (2003)
I had been wanting to read Jonathan Lethem's 2003 claim to fame, The Fortress of Solitude, for a long time, and I was not disappointed. The story is extremely complex, forcing me to put more work into it than I expected to. But, it was totally worth it. This is a love letter to New York City, music, and superheroes, and its characters are wonderfully zany and beyond rich. A sad, funny, endearing and exceptional read.


(1) Our Band Could be Your Life - Michael Azerrad (2001)
Here's another book I'd wanted to read for years. It's about time. Our Band Could be Your Life was easily the most enjoyable read of the year for me. Each chapter covers the independent years (meaning, early years spent on independent record labels) of some of the most incredible bands. I loved the chapters on The Replacements, Husker Du, Dinosaur Jr., Fugazi, Sonic Youth, Beat Happening, Butthole Surfers (though my interest in listening to that band remains nil) and especially Minutemen. I need to read more Michael Azerrad.

Emotional Listening #53

Silverbeet - The Bats (Flying Nun, 1993)
I have previously covered albums by The Bats in a number of Emotional Listening posts: their 1987 debut LP, Daddy's Highway, the 1990 follow-up, The Law of Things, 1991's Fear of God and 1995's Couchmaster. Now, I shall complete my coverage of their 80s and 90s full-length material with 1993's Silverbeet, which, ended up better than I at first thought. It's really just more of the same: upbeat, jangly guitar pop with excellent vocal melodies and nice, chimey leads. Of the five albums mentioned here, it's probably my fourth favorite, but, it's still really great. "Courage" and "Sighting the Sound" are particularly awesome, but, "Straight on Home" takes the cake. If I were to list my favorite all-time bands, I'm not sure exactly where The Bats would rank, but, they'd be up there!
Top jams: "Courage," "Sighting the Sound," "Slow Alight," "Valley Floor," "Love Floats Two," "No Time for Your Kind," "Straight on Home," "Half Way to Nowhere"




Camper Van Beethoven - Camper Van Beethoven (Pitch-A-Tent, 1986)
This is the third Camper Van Beethoven record I've invested time in. It's definitely not as good as 1989's Key Lime Pie, but, while not as zany (thankfully), I probably like it about as much as their 1985 debut LP, Telephone Free Landslide Victory. Their aren't quite as many standout tracks on Camper Van Beethoven, but, it's pretty consistent overall. "Good Guys and Bad Guys" and "Joe Stalin's Cadillac" present a great one-two punch, and "Shut Us Down" is an awesome, surprisingly huge albeit short closer. "We Saw Jerry's Daughter" is straight-up jangle pop, and has become one of my favorite songs in recent memory. CVB are very hard to categorize as they're all over the place stylistically, so I always have a difficult time writing about them. Sorry about that.
Top jams: "Good Guys and Bad Guys," "Joe Stalin's Cadillac," "Five Sticks," "We Saw Jerry's Daughter," "Surprise Truck," "The History of Utah," "Still Wishing to Course," "Peace & Love," "Shut Us Down"




16 Lovers Lane - The Go-Betweens (Beggars Banquet, 1988)
I can't remember how I became interested in Australia's The Go-Betweens, but, I'm glad it happened. 16 Lovers Lane, their sixth album, is near perfect. Having been released in 1988, the production is obviously very 80s, however, replacing all the synths with strings and acoustic guitars. It's basically moody jangle pop with arrangements that truly flourish. The vocal melodies and chord progressions are as good as anything else going on at the time as far as I'm concerned, and the less futuristic instrumentation really lends itself to the quality and originality of the songs. "Love Goes On!," "Quiet Heart" and "Love is a Sign" is an outstanding way to start the record off. Sure, there are some songs that are better than others, but, there's something to love in every single one. "Streets of Your Town" is probably the most immediate jam here, outside of "Love Goes On!," but I have a hard time deciding if it's better than the wonderfully autumnal "Quiet Heart."
Top jams: "Love Goes On!," "Quiet Heart," "Love is a Sign," "The Devil's Eye," "Streets of Your Town," "Clouds," "I'm All Right"




Aja - Steely Dan (ABC/MCA, 1977)
I've given Steely Dan's crowning moment, Aja, sporadic listens throughout the past couple of years, and it's about time I blog about it. I don't understand why so many people feel embarrassed about liking this album, because it's pretty incredible. It's very technical, but smooth and sexy. Do you call this progressive R&B? I have no idea. There are so many obvious jams here, but, my favorite moments are the extended drum and piano breakdown in the title track (as well as the parts immediately leading up to it), and all of "Peg" (duh), which is ALMOST as good as "What a Fool Believes." Aja doesn't need anything else said about it, so I'm gonna stop there.
Top jams: "Black Cow," "Aja," "Deacon Blues," "Peg," "Home at Last"




Bandwagonesque - Teenage Fanclub (Creation/Geffen, 1991)
Okay, here we go, finally. Travis and my girlfriend Sara have been telling me to dive into this record for quite some time now, and it's about time I did that. I'm sure I'm in the minority when I say that, at this point, I prefer Teenage Fanclub's 1990 debut LP, A Catholic Education to this, but, Bandwagonesque is still an incredible record, and one that I think over more time will become an all-time favorite of mine. Bandwagonesque is more Big Star-inspired power pop than it is 90s slacker indie rock (I feel that A Catholic Education is the reverse of that), but, that's totally okay. Norman Blake's vocal melodies are absolutely killer ("The Concept," "What You Do to Me," "Alcoholiday"), but, so are Gerard Love's ("December," "Star Sign") and Raymond McGinley's ("I Don't Know"). Once again, I have a difficult time picking a favorite between "What You Do to Me," "I Don't Know" and "Alcoholiday" (right now, it's "Alcoholiday"). I even love the silly instrumental closer, "Is This Music?" Are they mocking 80s new wave and post-punk, or paying homage? I don't know!
Top jams: "The Concept," "December," "What You Do to Me," "I Don't Know," "Star Sign," "Alcoholiday," "Is This Music?"

Emotional Listening #52

Hello Bastards - Lifetime (Jade Tree, 1995)
I knew of Lifetime in high school because of Jade Tree Records, and I should have listened to them then. They played a poppy, yet, very intense style of punk rock that has influenced many, most notably early Saves the Day and recent kings of the style, Title Fight. Hello Bastards is the band's second LP, and is commonly said to be their best. The vocals took some getting used to. Ari Katz's melodies are good, but, the snarly yell/sing has lost its charm a bit since so many punk and emo bands are doing that now. The drumming is fantastic: fast and tight, but, still technical. The main draw, though, is the guitar playing. It's nothing particularly flashy, but, I'm a sucker for two-guitar punk bands, and the mix of awesome riffs and chords (also, emo chords galore) is right up my alley. "Anchor," "Bobby Truck Tricks" and "Knives, Bats, New Tats" are true standouts, but, my favorite moments might be in "Rodeo Clown" (catchy guitar riff played over one chord progression throughout the song, then over a completely different progression at the end). Looking forward to diving into Jersey's Best Dancers in the near future.
Top jams: "Rodeo Clown," "Anchor," "Bobby Truck Tricks," "(The Gym Is) Neutral Territory," "I Like You OK," "Irony is for Suckers," "What She Said," "Knives, Bats, New Tats," "Ostrichsized"




Cerulean - The Ocean Blue (Sire, 1991)
The Ocean Blue are another band that my girlfriend Sara has turned me on to. They sound like a British band, but, actually hailed from Hershey, Pennsylvania. They also sounded like an 80s band, but, existed predominantly in the 90s. My interest was peaked when Sara put a song from their 1993 album, Beneath the Rhythm & Sound, on a mix for me a couple years ago. Some time later, she introduced me to what has become an all-time favorite song, "Ballerina Out of Control," which always sounded vaguely familiar to me (recently discovered, there was a crappy live recording of Death Cab for Cutie covering it back in 2004 or 2005, which makes a lot of sense). So, I decided to take the plunge into 1991's Cerulean, and it has been wonderful. Like I said, the band's style is very much 80s, but, this is some real 90s production. Comparable bands that come to mind are The Smiths, Echo & the Bunnymen, New Order (minus the dependency on synthesizers), R.E.M., and even The Feelies. The Ocean Blue are a little quieter and perhaps slower, but, you get the idea. The drumming is tight, subtle and very appropriate, the bass drives, the guitars do the jangle and chime thing that I love so much, and David Schelzel sings some mighty fine melodies. There are too many jams to really get into. The title track and the closer, "I've Sung One Too Many Songs for a Crowd That Didn't Want to Hear" are excellent places to start, but, "Ballerina Out of Control" really is one of the best songs of all time.
Top jams: "Breezing Up," "Cerulean," "Marigold," "A Separate Reality," "Mercury," "A Question of Travel," "When Life Was Easy," "Ballerina Out of Control," "I've Sung One Too Many Songs for a Crowd That Didn't Want to Hear"




Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen (Columbia, 1975)
For reasons I don't care to go into, I have avoided Bruce Springsteen as much as possible for a long time. I eventually came around to songs on Born to Run, and picked it up on vinyl for super cheap (or maybe even free, I can't quite remember) when I had the chance. So, I'm finally doing it, and, I don't really need to say much. You know what Springsteen sounds like. This is some blue collar, working class rock 'n' roll. Actually, pop might be the more appropriate term in this day and age, but, that's neither here nor there. The songs toward the end get a little dramatic and ridiculous for my taste, but, the first five rule big time. "Thunder Road" is a great opener, but, "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" is the best, right?
Top jams: "Thunder Road," "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out," "Night," "Backstreets," "Born to Run"

Emotional Listening #51

Get Better - Lemuria (Asian Man, 2008)
This is a bad ass record and it is a shame that I'm just now bonding with it. I started on Buffalo, NY's Lemuria in 2011 with Pebble, which is a good album that grew less interesting over time (in spite of Sheena Ozzella's smart melodies and guitar rippin'). I like The Distance is So Big a little more, and somehow it landed in the top 20 portion of my 2013 year-end music list, albeit in a down year (don't get me wrong, it's still a good record). I had been hearing for a couple years now that the band's 2008 debut, Get Better, is without question their best, and, now I can confirm that. Pebble and The Distance is So Big may feature more technical songwriting prowess as well as showcase more of Ozzella's true skill is a guitarist, but, the songs on Get Better are just, well, better. Structurally, the songwriting is still smart and knotty, just not as much so as the band's later material. The vocal melodies are subtle, but, extremely catchy, and the mixture of tones between Ozzella and drummer/vocalist Alex Kerns make them pretty nontraditional sounding. Ozzella's guitar chord choices are spot on, giving things a slight emo nudge from time to time, but, really shaping things into a unique brand of punk-leaning guitar pop. "Pants," "Dog" and "Mechanical" are incredible songs.
Top jams: "Pants," "Lipstick," "Buzz," "Dog," "Dogs," "Get Some Sleep," "Fingers," "Mechanical"




Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols - Sex Pistols (Virgin, 1977)
I have overlooked many classic records in punk rock in my day, and it's about time I got around to Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols. I found a used copy at Extreme Noise on one of my visits to see my girlfriend in Minneapolis several months ago. Everyone knows that this album informed every facet of punk rock that has existed since. I'm a dummy for ignoring it until now, though, I will admit, I don't love it quite as much as I initially hoped. I mean, it's totally good, but, I still prefer The Clash, Buzzcocks and The Ramones' stuff that I'm familiar with (they're another band I've stupidly slept on for far too long). If John Lydon's vocals were more melodic and a bit loss snarly, Never Mind the Bollocks... would be lights out. Instrumentally, though, Sex Pistols show some surprising chops. I'm particularly impressed by Paul Cook's drumming (as well as the way the drums sound; the production here is excellent and sort of modern to this day). The guitars are also fun and memorable between the chunky power chords and wailing solos. All the through, the album is solid, with "Holidays in the Sun," "God Save the Queen" and "EMI" being the main highlights for me.
Top jams: "Holidays in the Sun," "Bodies," "No Feelings," "God Save the Queen," "Seventeen," "Anarchy in the UK," "EMI"




The Heart's Tremolo - Tsunami (Simple Machines, 1994)
I believe I first heard of Tsunami sometime early on in college. I was always interested because it's a great band name, and that developed even further as I came to understand their role in the riot girl and indie rock realms. I stumbled across an awesome clear/picture disc hybrid version of the band's sophomore LP, The Heart's Tremolo, at Vertigo in Grand Rapids a year or two ago, and, per usual, am just now spending time with it. The music here caught me a little off guard at first. I expected more of a DC art-punk sound, or maybe something in between Sleater-Kinney and Helium. Instead, these songs are relatively chill, but, brooding pieces of guitar rock with a slight emo feel. Between the jazzy guitar chords, darker chord progressions and subtly technical drumming, the closest comparison I can think of is the quieter moments on Roadside Monument's Eight Hours Away From Being a Man (an album that is criminally ignored due perhaps to its Christian ties to Tooth and Nail Records). Sometimes I really like Jenny Toomey's voice, but, sometimes her melodies are questionable and her vibrato gets to me. However, this by no means ruins the record for me, I just don't enjoy quite to the degree that I was expecting to. I definitely intend to check out other Tsunami records. Any recommendations?
Top jams: "Loud is as Loud Does," "Quietnova," "Be Like That," "Kidding on the Square," "Slaw," "The Heart's Tremolo"

Emotional Listening #50

For Your Own Special Sweetheart - Jawbox (Atlantic, 1994)
In my senior year of high school, my journalism and yearbook teacher, who happened to be into indie rock (if I remember correctly, Sleater-Kinney was his favorite band), let me borrow Jawbox's For Your Own Special Sweetheart and their 1996 self-titled swan song. He knew that I was into emo, and though he wasn't, he liked Jawbox and thought I would too. I have no idea why, but, I totally didn't get it then. Perhaps it was a little too heavy for me at the time, or, I didn't like the parts with the yelling. I'm not really sure. Listening to For Your Own Special Sweetheart now, I recognize it for the bad ass album that it is. This is what has come to be known to me as Quillen Rock: beefy, angular guitars, big, technical drumming, and strong melodic vocals. The back-and-forth between chaos and loud (guitar-wise) pop on opener "FF=66" is the general thesis for this record. "Savory" continues that trend, and on and on it goes. For Your Own Special Sweetheart is more Chavez/Swervedriver than emo, though, you could certainly draw some parallels to the heavier side of that genre. This record kicks my ass.
Top jams: "FF=66," "Savory," "Ls/Mft," "Cooling Card," "Green Glass," "Chicago Piano," "Reel," "U-Trau," "Whitney Walks"




Better Can't Make Your Life Better - Lilys (Che/Primary, 1996)
I remember my buddy Will telling me about Lilys' 1999 Sire full-length, The 3 Way, a few years ago, and not long after that coming across three earlier records by the band on the internet. 1994's Eccsame the Photon Band was one of those, which I posted about earlier this year. 1996's Better Can't Make Your Life Better was actually the first one I got really into, and for some reason I'm just writing about it now. Lilys genre-hopped for the first few albums, from shoegaze to indie slackerdom to a more sparse, dreamy sound, and on this record landed on a straight-up 60s guitar pop style. I think the most prominent influences here are The Kinks, The Zombies and The Byrds. In fact, it's pretty derivative, but, the songwriting, melodies and surprising complexity of the songs makes it very easy to forgive that. Kurt Heasley's vocals are perfect, and his melodies are untouchable, particularly in "A Nanny in Manhattan" and "Can't Make Your Life Better." The guitars shimmer, chime and jangle in all the ways that I love, the bass is bouncy and McCartney-esque, and the drums ain't foolin' around either. It all comes to a head on closer "Returns Every Morning," with the most gnarly and memorable of guitar riffs. Better Can't Make Your Life Better has most definitely become an all-time favorite.
Top jams: "Cambridge California," "A Nanny in Manhattan," "Shovel Into Spade Kit," "Can't Make Your Life Better," "Who is Moving," "The Tennis System (And Its Stars)," "Bring Up the Stamp," "Returns Every Morning"




I Could Do Whatever I Wanted if I Wanted - Snowing (Count Your Lucky Stars/Square of Opposition, 2010)
As far as I understand, Philadelphia's Snowing were one of the more popular, important bands when emo first hinted at getting popular again between 2008 and 2010. They rose from the ashes of Street Smart Cyclist (who's small discography is being reissued by Topshelf Records), and have since disbanded and split into what seems like a plethora of bands (the details of which I am entirely confused by). Currently, I think one of the Snowing guys went on to be in Glocca Morra as well as a new band with former members of Algernon Cadwallader (probably the second best band to come from the Philly punk scene in the last several years) called Dogs on Acid. Anyway, I Could Do Whatever I Wanted if I Wanted is Snowing's one and only full length record, and while there are difficulties (lead vocals not always being in key, so-so production), it is one of the best entries in this fourth wave of emo. The musicianship is top notch, with noodly, twinkly guitars, fast, complex drumming, and all sorts of structural and time signature trickery. Similar to Algernon Cadwallader, these songs are upbeat and showcase some nice punk energy; the twinkly-ness isn't the slow, boring kind. Also, amidst all stops-and-starts and other intricacies, there are some really catchy melodies. It's a shame that this band was so short-lived, as they had a ton of potential.
Top jams: "I Think We're in Minsk," "Mark Z. Danielewski," "So I Shotgunned a Beer and Went Back to Bed," "It's Just a Party," "Memo Yeah That's Fine Man," "KJ Jammin'," "Damp Feathers"




Close to the Bone - Tom Tom Club (Sire/Warner Bros., 1983)
I bought Tom Tom Club's second album, Close to the Bone, a couple years ago, confusing the song title "Pleasure of Love" for "Genius of Love" (one of the greatest songs of the 80s), as well as the similarly cartoonish artwork to the self-titled album that song is from. When I discovered I was mistaken, I was a little disappointed. Now that I've finally listened to and spent time with this record, though, it's pretty sweet. As I'm sure you know, Tom Tom Club was Tiny Weymouth and Chris Frantz, aka the rhythm section of Talking Heads. Wikipedia refers to them as a new wave group, but I'd consider their sound 80s party pop. Close to the Bone features big, simple electronic beats, fun, mostly female vocals, funky soul-style guitar, and Weymouth's signature classy bass playing that drives the songs. While nothing here is quite as good as "Genius of Love," "This is a Foxy World" and "Measure Up" come close. The record definitely has a party vibe overall, but, these songs are totally smart and still arty in their own way. Also, I swear the lead vocals on "Atsababy!" sound like Jad Fair from Half Japanese, but, he's not credited on the album or anywhere on the internet. Totally weird.
Top jams: "This is a Foxy World," "Bamboo Town," "Measure Up," "Never Took a Penny," "Atsababy!"




English Settlement - XTC (Virgin, 1982)
As much as I love Skylarking, it's hard to imagine that XTC has cheesier songs than the cheesiest songs on it. Well, they're here on English Settlement, the band's 1982 album (their fifth). Thankfully, most of these songs are really good, though. "Runaways" is a nice, subtle opener with a similar beat to (though not quite as beautiful as) "Summer's Cauldren," which is the lead-off track to Skylarking. "Ball and Chain," "Jason and the Argonauts" and "No Thugs in Our House" are great, relatively standard guitar pop songs, but, then things get a little corny. Even "It's Nearly Africa," in all its Graceland-esque glory, is a little much. Things end on a really high note though, with "English Roundabout" (an excellent ska song) and closer "Snowman" (my favorite song on the record). Generally, I guess they could be considered a new wave band, or maybe some sort of cross between post-punk and power pop, but, XTC have a tendency to put a lot of variety on their records, and that is definitely one of their draws for me. The UK version of English Settlement (which is what I have in my iTunes) is entirely too long at 15 songs and 72+ minutes. If you cut out most of the cheesy songs in the middle, it might be on par with 1979's Drums and Wires.
Top jams: "Runaways," "Ball and Chain," "Jason and the Argonauts," "No Thugs in Our House," "It's Nearly Africa," "Knuckle Down," "Fly on the Wall," "English Roundabout," "Snowman"

2014 MLB Playoff + Post Season Award Predictions

I'm going to quickly run through my my MLB playoff and post-season award predictions.

ALDS
Los Angeles Angels over Kansas City Royals, 3 games to 2
Detroit Tigers over Baltimore Orioles, 3 games to 1

Even though they have the best record in baseball and are pretty stacked on offense, I do not believe the Angels are the best team in baseball. Considering Kansas City's success with the small ball strategy, the quality of their starting rotation in relation to Los Angeles', and how nasty their bullpen is, I almost want to pick an upset. That Angels bullpen is pretty nasty too, and though their rotation is their greatest weakness, with home field advantage they should be able  to do enough damage to squeak this one out. I think the Royals will make it a challenge, though.

The Orioles also have a quality bullpen (unlike the Detroit Tigers, who's bullpen desperately needs to see the bare minimum of innings this post-season to do as little damage to their own team as possible) and are stacked on offense, but injuries and suspensions will screw 'em. Their starting rotation is the worst or second worst in the 2014 playoffs, and that won't help things at all. If the Tigers can get eight innings a game out of each of their starters and their bats simply don't go into their usual post-season slumber, this series should be cake. Even if they choose to make it difficult for themselves, like they've been doing all regular season, the Tigs should still take this series.

NLDS
Washington Nationals over San Francisco Giants, 3 games to 2
Los Angeles Dodgers over St. Louis Cardinals, 3 games to 2

The Giants continue their trend of making the playoffs every other year, but, this time they will fall short of winning the World Series. They'll certainly make it hard on the Nationals, but, Washington has the best or second best overall team in the post-season, and I think they'll end San Francisco's magic. This SF team is not as good as their previous two WS winners.

Per usual, every team should be scared of the St. Louis Cardinals. They always find ways to win in the playoffs, and their lineup really is quite stacked. It's just been an off year for them, which shouldn't mean  that they can't make it to the World Series necessarily, I just don't think they have the stuff. I also kinda think the Dodgers are the team of destiny this year, and also, they're simply better than the Cardinals in pretty much every way.

ALCS
Detroit Tigers over Los Angeles Angels, 4 games to 2
MVP: J.D. Martinez, OF

Once again, I just don't really believe in this Angels team. They will score runs on this Tigers pitching staff for sure, but hopefully Scherzer and co. will keep the damage minimal. This offense should surely be able to beat up on the Los Angeles rotation, but, again, you know what usually happens to those Tiger bats in the post-season.

NLCS
Los Angeles Dodgers over Washington Nationals, 4 games to 3
MVP: Adrian Gonzalez, 1B

This will be a beauty of a series. The Nationals have the best five-man rotation in all of baseball, and I firmly believe they could have success using all five guys throughout the playoffs. The Dodgers, however, by this point will be down to a three-man rotation, and they certainly have the greatest one-through-three starter combination. Between that and a more dangerous offense, I think the Dodgers have the slight edge. This would be an NLCS to remember, for sure.

World Series
Los Angeles Dodgers over Detroit Tigers, 4 games to 1
MVP: Clayton Kershaw, SP

Much like in 2012, the Tigers surprising magic run will end by them getting completely annihilated in the World Series. This time, it will be at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Considering the season Clayton Kershaw has had, the way teams dwindle down their starting rotations for the post-season, and how many weapons they have on offense, I'm just having a hard time seeing anyone else winning it all. Against this Tigers team, they will do so dominantly.

POST-SEASON AWARDS

Disregarding popular opinion, here's how I think things SHOULD, not WILL, pan out.

AL Manager of the Year
(1) Ned Yost, Kansas City
(2) Buck Showalter, Baltimore
(3) Mike Scioscia Los Angeles

NL Manager of the Year
(1) Matt Williams, Washington
(2) Clint Hurdle, Pittsburgh
(3) Bruce Bochy, San Francisco

AL Rookie of the Year
(1) Jose Abreu, Chicago (1B)
(2) Dellin Betances, New York (RP)
(3) Collin McHugh, Houston (SP)

NL Rookie of the Year
(1) Jacob deGrom, New York (SP)
(2) Billy Hamilton, Cincinnati (OF)
(3) Ken Giles, Philadelphia (RP)

 AL Cy Young
(1) Felix Hernandez, Seattle (SP)
(2) Corey Kluber, Cleveland (SP)
(3) Chris Sale, Chicago (SP)

NL Cy Young
(1) Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles (SP)
(2) Johnny Cueto, Cincinnati (SP)
(3) Adam Wainwright, St. Louis (SP)

AL MVP
(1) Michael Brantley, Cleveland (OF)
(2) Mike Trout, Los Angeles (OF)
(3) Jose Abreu, Chicago (1B)

NL MVP
(1) Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles (SP)
(2) Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh (OF)
(3) Buster Posey, San Francisco (C)

Emotional Listening #49

Ride the Fader - Chavez (Matador, 1996)
I got into Chavez's first record last summer, and now am finally doing the same with their second and final one, Ride the Fader. While I'm bummed that they only released two records in their existence, I'm not sure that I could have asked for anything else from them. Ride the Fader is more melodic, technical, angular guitar rock. It might be even more accessible than 1995's Gone Glimmering, but, I think I prefer the overall feel of that previous record. The drums here are huge and intense, as are the guitars, and Matt Sweeney's voice and melodies fit perfectly. I love the contrast of these heavier tunes with the melodic, well-sung vocals. This album opens up with a one-two-three punch that rivals The Dismemberment Plan's Change in "Top Pocket Man," "The Guard Attacks" and "Unreal is Here." The first two are heavy hitters, but, then "Unreal is Here" brings things down a notch, and is perhaps the band's most tender moment (and is also my favorite song). There are other great moments throughout, but nothing reaches the heights of the first three tracks until closer "You Must be Stopped," which features some gnarly guitar harmonics and, once again, some insane drumming. I'd consider Swervedriver, Hum, Polvo, Burning Airlines and Shiner all to be kindred spirits here.
Top jams: "Top Pocket Man," "The Guard Attacks," "Unreal is Here," "New Room," "Lions," "Our Boys Will Shine Tonight," "Flight 96," "You Must be Stopped"




24 Hour Revenge Therapy - Jawbreaker (Tupelo/Communion, 1994)
It's funny, I just realized that when I previously had written about Chavez on here, in the same post I also wrote about Jawbreaker's final LP, Dear You. I'm not sure how things lined up that way again this time around. Anyway, admittedly, I'm relatively new to the Jawbreaker game. I was dragging my feet for years until I stumbled upon a used vinyl reissue of Dear You at Underground Sounds in Ann Arbor a couple years ago and decided it was finally time to dig in. Dear You ended up hitting me pretty hard, and now I am totally in love with that record. Jawbreaker's previous record, the Albini-produced(!), 24 Hour Revenge Therapy, hasn't had nearly the same effect yet. There are certainly some jams, mainly "The Boat Dreams From the Hill," "Boxcar" and "Do You Still Hate Me?" The Albini production is an interesting thing, as the drums sound typical of him (big and roomy), but the guitars sound like garbage. Blake Schwarzenbach's melodies are fantastic, and overall, this is some really good, angry pop punk. The songs just aren't as good as those on Dear You. Can tell that I didn't grow up listening to the band?
Top jams: "The Boat Dreams From the Hill," "Indictment," "Boxcar," "Outpatient," "Ache," "Do You Still Hate Me?," "Jinx Removing"




The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses (Silvertone, 1989)
I've known that The Stone Roses' self-titled debut (and their only worthwhile record, from what I gather) was deserving of my full attention for a good while now. I've dabbled with it here and there over the past couple of years, but, am finally giving its due devotion. Sure, there are songs I like considerably more than others, but, this is a near-perfect album. I mean, the first half, "I Wanna be Adored" through "Bye Bye Bad Man," IS perfect. A couple of the tracks toward the end lose me. That's entirely forgivable, though. Some of the deep cuts are incredible, especially jangle-popper "(Song for My) Sugar Spun Sister" and the kinda sexy chill jam "Shoot You Down." "I Am the Resurrection" is definitely the perfect choice for closer, and I love the way it starts and eventually ends. However, I could do without the extended funk jam in the middle. Am I alone in this? Anyway, the first half of the record is truly untouchable and it overshadows any of the flaws later on. The guitars are absolutely gorgeous, and Ian Brown's vocals and melodies are as close to flawless as you can get. This will stick with me forever, I'm sure. Is it the best Brit Pop album? I don't know nor care enough about the genre to say yes with confidence, but, it has to be, right? Is it the best thing to come out of the UK? No, I still believe that OK Computer retains that title. Is it better than any Beatles record? Ummmmmm... maybe?
Top jams: "I Wanna be Adored," "She Bangs the Drums," "Elephant Stone," "Waterfall," "Don't Stop," "Bye Bye Bad Man," "(Song for My) Sugar Spun Sister," "Shoot You Down," "I Am the Resurrection"




Laughing Stock - Talk Talk (Verve, 1991)
It takes a special album for me to like it when it's made up of only six songs and clocks in at almost 45 minutes. Talk Talk have achieved the unthinkable. If I recall correctly, Talk Talk spent most of the 80s as a popular new wave/synth pop group, then, for 1988's Spirit of Eden (their fourth LP), turned completely into left field with a more sparse, jazzy, experimental sound. I tried getting into that record a couple months ago, and it wasn't working for me. Back in 2007 or maybe 2008, I remember my friend Julian raving about their final LP, Laughing Stock. I had checked it out once or twice back then, thinking it sounded very cool and interesting, but, also sort of boring. While since then I have become more of a fan of short and sweet records (and songs), I have developed a tolerance, and even appreciation in a number of circumstances, for repetition. That is certainly one word I would use to describe Laughing Stock. Another would be arty, and yet another would be beautiful. I've never heard music like this before: simple, but, thick bass grooves and light, jazzy, ridiculously repetitive drumming make up the core. "Ascension Day" showcases some loud, rhythm-heavy guitar and Mark Hollis' spectacular vocals at their most intense. The two best songs, "After the Flood" and "New Grass," which are just under 10 minutes long each, are more of a collection of soft guitar fiddling, huge organ chords and spacious atmosphere. I didn't think my brain had the capacity for music like this anymore, but, after coming back to Laughing Stock and spending more time with it, that has been disproved.
Top jams: "Myrrhman," "Ascension Day," "After the Flood," "New Grass"

Emotional Listening #48

Hunky Dory - David Bowie (RCA, 1971)
I did a weird thing with David Bowie. Instead of starting with the albums that featured his most popular hits (Hunky Dory, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, even Station to Station), when I finally decided to be super interested in his music, I went right for the weird ones (Low, Heroes). I don't regret that, because his late-70s experimental albums are fantastic, but, honestly, it certainly didn't help develop any further appreciation for Bowie's more straightforward glam and psychedelic pop. Don't get me wrong - I still like his more classic sound (he was obviously still an incredible songwriter and musician in the earlier stages of the game), and, regarding this specific album of focus, "Queen Bitch" has always been one of my favorite Bowie songs. I just strongly prefer Bowie's more insane side. Anyway, Hunky Dory is still a great early-70s pop record that heavily nods toward psych and folk rock. I used to think "Changes" was obnoxious because you'd hear it way too much at the bar or karaoke, but, man, it is a really good song and the perfect opener. I was an idiot. "Oh! You Pretty Things" and "Fill Your Heart" sound like cheezy Paul McCartney tunes to me, but, Bowie-fied. I still like 'em. "Life on Mars" used to sort of annoy me, but, I know it's another totally good pop song. Maybe it's just a little too dramatic? Lastly, "Queen Bitch" is still my favorite song on the record. It's fun as hell.
Top jams: "Changes," "Oh! You Pretty Things," "Life on Mars," "Kooks," "Fill Your Heart," "Song for Bob Dylan," "Queen Bitch"




Whirlpool - Chapterhouse (Dedicated/RCA, 1991)
I don't know a ton about Chapterhouse. As I'm working on this blurb, I've learned that they were from Reading and only released two albums: 1991's Whirlpool and 1993's Blood Music. My girlfriend Sara tipped me off to them by sharing with me "Breather," the opener from Whirlpool. "Breather" is without question THE jam of the record with its pretty, dreamy, drawn out female vocals, catchy and chimey guitar, and completely insane drum part (still trying to figure out if its real or sampled). Nothing else on the record even comes to close to this song, but, the overall quality is still high. Whirlpool showcases some truly solid tuneage in the realm of shoegaze and dream pop, and it has me interested in checking out that 1993 follow-up.
Top jams: "Breather," "Pearl," "Treasure," "Falling Down," "Guilt," "If You Want Me"




Zenyatta Mondatta - The Police (A&M, 1980)
It's no Synchronicity, but, The Police's third LP, Zenyatta Mondatta, is pretty good. I know, I know, there are definitely some elements of it that are terribly corny, such as the title and chorus of "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" (though, I can't deny that it's a catchy tune). However, the good outweighs the bad. Mega-hit "Don't Stand So Close to Me" is still great, considering the fact that I've heard it way too many times in my life. "When the World is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around" and "Voices Inside My Head" groove in a way that I don't know The Police were capable of. "Canary in a Coalmine," for better or worse, is the most reggae moment on the record, and is unquestionably the surprise top jam here. Cheezy or not, The Police were one of the more unique bands at the time, and were incredible musicians. I will always appreciate them for that.
Top jams: "Don't Stand So Close to Me," "When the World is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around," "Canary in a Coalmine," "Voices Inside My Head," "Bombs Away," "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da," "Man in a Suitcase"




Let It Be - The Replacements (Twin/Tone, 1984)
Okay, so, I've spent time with Let It Be (not the Beatles album, but the third album by The Replacements, often considered their seminal work). It's always seemed to be on in the background, usually while hanging out with friends or something. So, I hadn't really put in the amount of focus that I typically like to with an album until these past few weeks. Wonderfully, it's even better than I had at first realized, even borderline perfect. Sure, "Gary's Got a Boner" isn't a great song, but, at least it's funny! I'm not really a fan of "Black Diamond" either, but, I love every other song. The awesomely jangly "I Will Dare" is the perfect opener, and has always been my favorite Replacements song (though over the past year, "Asking Me Lies," from Don't Tell a Soul, has given it some competition). "Favorite Thing," "We're Comin' Out," and "Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out" are bad ass, boozy rock songs, with the latter two riding the line of straight up punk rock. "Androgynous" is a piano tune that is a weird fit, but, really works as a sort of intermission. "Unsatisfied" and "Sixteen Blue" are great almost-ballads, both featuring excellent melodies and guitar chords. "Seen Your Video" is another balls-out rocker, and "Answering Machine," the hidden gem, closes things out. That song has always been weird to me, because the first time I ever heard it, I thought it really could have used drums and bass instead of being the bare bones entity that it is. But, that's also part of the charm of the song. It gives off so much energy and raw emotion with just a guitar, vocals, off-time tambourine shaking and, of course, and answering machine message. Anyway, I ridiculously just gave a quick rundown of the whole album, which was not my originally intention. But, whatever. If you haven't already listened to this record, I'm guessing you probably won't. But, you should.
Top jams: "I Will Dare," "Favorite Thing," "We're Comin' Out," "Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out," "Androgynous," "Unsatisfied," "Seen Your Video," "Sixteen Blue," "Answering Machine"




Mezcal Head - Swervedriver (Creation/A&M, 1993)
Mezcal Head, Swervedriver's sophomore LP, has quickly become an all-time favorite record. My interest in started when both Travis and Sara (again, my girlfriend) described the band as something I would love quite a long time ago. I had listened to the album a handful of times with Sara, and maybe once or twice with Trav, and I could tell that once I put in the proper amount of time with it, I would have a life-long relationship with it. Well, it's happened. Mezcal Head is an incredible album, wrongfully being lumped in with the shoegaze genre. Swervedriver hail from Oxford, but, they sound  much more like an American band, perhaps from Chicago. The songs here are big and surprisingly melodic considering how technical they can get. Adam Franklin's vocal melodies are top notch (and he has a fantastic voice, to boot). The dueling guitars are the stuff dreams are made of. The bass guitar tone is thick and the parts are just right. I will say that the production on the drums does sound a bit more Brit Pop than anything else on the record, but, they sound fantastic, and Jez Hindmarsh's playing is awesomely tight and complex. Overall, I'd say that Mezcal Head is comparable to Chavez, Shiner and Hum, perhaps with even bigger production and a bit more pop sensibility. While "Duel" is definitely an all-time favorite song, in the context of the album, I had a hard time picking a favorite, so I decided to additionally share "Harry & Maggie" and "You Find It Everywhere." Now, question: Where do I go next with Swervedriver? Do I go back to their debut, Raise? Or, do I move ahead to Ejector Seat Reservation?
Top jams: "For Seeking Heat," "Duel," "Blowin' Cool," "MM Abduction," "Last Train to Satansville," "Harry & Maggie," "Girl on a Motorbike," "You Find It Everywhere"

2014 NFL Preview

Here comes my annual preview of the impending NFL season (already one game under way), which will eventually be embarrassingly incorrect.

DIVISION PREDICTIONS

AFC East
1. New England Patriots (12-4)
2. Buffalo Bills (6-10)
3. Miami Dolphins (6-10)
4. New York Jets (5-11)

Per usual, Tom Brady and angry mad genius Bill Belichick will lead the New England Patriots to an AFC East title, probably a trip to the AFC Championship, and maybe even a chance to lose to the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl. With an improved defense and more time spent gelling as a team overall, the AFC Championship appearance is that much more of a lock. For some reason the Miami Dolphins seem to be getting some hype. Maybe it's just because I haven't been reading too much about them, but, I don't understand why this is. I think between defense and young, talented weapons on offense (regardless of NFL experience), the Buffalo Bills are the better team. Not that they're going to be good. I expect the New York Jets to be atrocious this year due to drama and lack of true talent, and that should be really fun.

AFC North
1. Cincinnati Bengals (10-6)
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8)
3. Baltimore Ravens (8-8)
4. Cleveland Browns (5-11)

The Cincinnati Bengals have a very good defense and capable offense that could really blow up if Andy Dalton can decrease the number of mistakes. This makes them the best team in a mediocre AFC North, albeit not a great team. A.J. Green is probably the best wide receiver in the conference, right? With a .500 record, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens both could legitimately compete for one of the Wild Card playoff spots along with the Kansas City Chiefs. It's always a fun race between these two AFC North teams, but, over the past few years it has gotten less and less interesting as their overall quality has diminished. It makes me sad. Also, fuck Ray Rice. That Josh Gordon is suspended for the whole year is a crime compared to what Ray Rice did, and it makes me sick. That being said, Gordon's absence makes the Cleveland Browns a lock for being terrible once again in 2014. The Johnny Manziel thing will be fascinating, however, I'm not sure if I should hate him for being an obnoxious douche-hole, or root for him because he is an entertaining obnoxious douche-hole.

AFC South
1. Indianapolis Colts (10-6)
2. Houston Texans (7-9)
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-12)
4. Tennessee Titans (4-12)

Andrew Luck is a much different quarterback than Peyton Manning is (and was when he was the Indianapolis Colts' golden boy), but, I believe that he will eventually have the same effect on the team as Manning did, and may even win more championships once he and Brady retire. The Indianapolis defense seems to be improving, and once they can acquire a competent running back, they will be very good. The Houston Texans certainly have a giant uphill battle after their 2-14 2013. I don't follow college football or the NFL Draft very closely, so I don't know a ton about Jadeveon Clowney, but, apparently he is a once-in-a-generation stud on defense. Perhaps he alone will help them to be the second best team in the AFC South again, like they were in the conference's latter Manning days. I have no idea what to say about the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans, aside from the fact that they will be god-awful.

AFC West
1. Denver Broncos (13-3)
2. San Diego Chargers (9-7)
3. Kansas City Chiefs (8-8)
4. Oakland Raiders (3-13)

Obviously Peyton Manning's Denver Broncos are the team to beat. Last year's record breaking offense will simmer down a smidge thanks to the Wes Welker suspension, the loss of Eric Decker (though his replacement, Emmanuel Sanders, is probably a more dangerous weapon), and simply NFL defenses catching on a little bit. That being said, like New England, the Broncs defense is improved, and that should go a long way. Only the Pats and the Broncs have the talent enough to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. It's almost a toss up, except that it's not, because the Broncos are still better. I'd say that Demaryius Thomas might actually be tied with A.J. Green as the best wideout in the NFL, but, Thomas has one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time throwing to him, so, that helps. Anyway, the San Diego Chargers will probably have pretty close to the same season they had in 2013: great passing offense thanks to a brilliant offensive-minded coach and a habitually pissed off, underrated QB, a surprisingly serviceable running attack, and one of the absolute worst running defenses in the entire league. They are on a fast track to a Wild Card playoff round exit. The Kansas City Chiefs will not be as good as they were last year when they inexplicably were undefeated for forever (incredible defense at the time, I know, but, they really fell off). They'll still be an entertaining, competitive squad, but, it pretty much ends there. As long as he's healthy, Jamaal Charles will be the second or third most exciting player to watch. I will be surprised if the Oakland Raiders aren't the most embarrassingly terrible team in the AFC, if not the entire NFL.

NFC East
1. Philadelphia Eagles (10-6)
2. Washington R------s (8-8)
3. New York Giants (7-9)
4. Dallas Cowboys (7-9)

Can there be a more mediocre division than the AFC North? Yes, and that is the NFC East. Defenses will finally be catching on to Chip Kelly's ridiculously uptempo offense, but, the Philadelphia Eagles will still be a blast to watch. LeSean McCoy is a true stud, and I believe Nick Foles to be a darkhorse MVP candidate despite his small sample size. Not sure how effective his receivers will actually be, though, after the loss of DeSean Jackson. Should be interesting. Also, that defense isn't going to be very good, is it? They're still the best team in the division. I firmly believe that the Washington R------s will be the second best team in the NFC East as that offense has potential to be pretty amazing if the coaching staff learns how to use RGIII. I really want to root for the guy. I like him a lot. But, the racist team name makes it hard to not wish for the worst for them at this point. I look forward to another laughable season from Eli Manning, and really the whole New York Giants team. They really are a consistently bad to mediocre team who somehow limps into a Super Bowl victory every four years. And, oh, the Dallas Cowboys. I want to sort of like them now that they picked up Michael Sam after the St. Louis Rams cut him (fuck you Rams, you totally deserve the Sam Bradford season-ending injury). I also don't hate Tony Romo, and think he is a very good regular season/fantasy QB when he's healthy. His instances of choking are charming and hilarious to me. I also really like DeMarco Murray, but, maybe that's only because I ended up drafting him for one of my fantasy squads this year. However, Jerry Jones is the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, and he is an evil goblin who deserves the worst. I cannot wait for the day that he says some racist Donald Sterling shit and loses his ownership.

NFC North
1. Green Bay Packers (12-4)
2. Chicago Bears (10-6)
3. Detroit Lions (7-9)
4. Minnesota Vikings (5-11)

I know that the Green Bay Packers just got their asses destroyed by the Seattle Seahawks last night, but, they are still far and away the best team in the NFC North, without question. Aaron Rodgers is like Brady, Manning and Drew Brees in that it doesn't matter what he has to work with, his stats will be amazing and he will win 10 to 13 games single handedly. He's got some quality receivers, though, and a potentially the next great young running back in Eddie Lacy if he stays healthy. They certainly need help at tight end. Defense is definitely the only real question mark here, and it could go either way. I think the Chicago Bears will finally land that Wild Card playoff spot again, simply because of the incredible offense. It's funny to think of Jay Cutler leading an "incredible" offense because, let's face it, he's really not that great, and he is a huge douche. BUT, man, between Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery and Matt Forte, dude has the best set of weapons. I feel like every year I predict my Detroit Lions to go 7-9. 2014 is no exception. Once again, the Lions are extremely talented in certain areas on both sides of the ball (and seriously, their offense is surprisingly kinda stacked now), but, somehow, they will find a way to screw everything up and be the definition of mediocre. Don't hate me because I'm being realistic. Of course I'm rooting for them to win it all, but, let's be real here. They still have some work to do. I will say that I am very excited about Joique Bell, and am pulling for him to be the guy eventually. The Minnesota Vikings will certainly struggle all year, but Adrian Peterson makes them relevant. Cordarrelle Patterson makes them more relevant. And, Teddy Bridgewater makes them even more relevant! He will be fun to follow over the next year or two.

NFC South
1. New Orleans Saints (12-4)
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-6)
3. Atlanta Falcons (7-9)
4. Carolina Panthers (7-9)

The New Orleans Saints improved on defense, and Drew Brees is to Aaron Rodgers what Tom Brady is to Peyton Manning (incredible quarterback with mad scientist head coach and limited resources vs. incredible quarterback with meathead head coach and pseudo-studs). They are hands down the best team in the NFC South, and will compete for the NFC Championship, but, will fall short because of the Seattle Seahawks. My bold prediction for this season is that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be 2014's Arizona Cardinals and go 10-6, just missing the playoffs. I believe in them. Not necessarily either of their quarterbacks (Josh McCown or Mike Glennon, though, they are both potentially fun stories), but, the weapons they have to work with are pretty impressive. Also, this defense has become pretty stacked, and it seems like defense wins NFC Championships. Not that I'll be going that far with this team, though. The Atlanta Falcons will be much better this season with Matt Ryan's every-other-year magic and a healthy Julio Jones and Roddy White. Their TE and RB situations are UGLY, though, and this defense is still really bad. The Carolina Panthers will be this year's NFC South first-to-worst story, but, if Cam Newton can stay relatively healthy, he and the extremely talented defense will lead them to roughly seven victories. Who the hell is Cam gonna throw to, though? My friend Brian says Kelvin Benjamin. I'm not sure I even know who that is.

NFC West
1. Seattle Seahawks (13-3)
2. San Francisco 49ers (11-5)
3. Arizona Cardinals (7-9)
4. St. Louis Rams (5-11)

Russell Wilson. Marshawn Lynch. Percy Harvin. Essentially everyone on that defense. I am simply listing all the reasons why the Seattle Seahawks should fairly easily make it back to the Super Bowl. Despite all the drama, stupid mistakes and "distractions" (one of my least favorite NFL buzzwords), the San Francisco 49ers will still win 10 to 12 games and look like the second best team in the NFC coming out of what was (and should have been if it weren't for certain injuries) the toughest division in the entire NFL. I know there's a weird rape-y store regarding Colin Kaepernick that recently surfaced that's gonna make it hard for me to root for him, and Jim Harbaugh is a giant baby-gremlin. Otherwise, I would root for them over the Seahawks. But, I won't. Regardless, this team will run the ball like hell (regardless of Frank Gore getting closer and closer to being an NFL grandpa), and the defense will still be very good despite some critical injuries and suspensions and whatnot. The Arizona Cardinals were another hype team for a while there, and I understand why a little more than the Miami Dolphins. But, Carson Palmer will come down from his mountain and be mediocre and Larry Fitzgerald will eventually retire a depressed Cardinal. Bums me out. The defense will still be decent in spite of some critical injuries (sounding like a broken record... stopping soon), and maybe Andre Ellington is something special? Moving on, Sam Bradford's season-ending injury was preemptive karma for the St. Louis Rams cutting Michael Sam, and they also deserve another 10 years of being terrible. Their defense is pretty awesome, though, and I am hoping Zac Stacy and Tavon Austin end up being studs.

POST-SEASON AWARDS
Coach of the Year: Marc Trestman (Chicago) - Trestman for getting the Bears back to the playoffs with an incredible offense despite Jay Cutler. Lovie Smith (Tampa Bay) and Jim Harbaugh (San Francisco) were also considered.
Comeback Player of the Year: Julio Jones (WR, Atlanta) - He is the stud that got injured in the middle of an incredible season in 2013, and will come back to be pretty great for a whole season.
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Jadeveon Clowney (OLB, Houston) - He's really the only name I know, and like I said, is apparently a once-in-a-generation player.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Sammy Watkins (WR, Buffalo) - I originally was thinking Johnny Manziel (QB, Cleveland), but, that was only if he was going to start the whole season. Watkins is supposedly the most talented offensiveman in this draft class, right?
Defensive Player of the Year: Earl Thomas (FS, Seattle) - I figured I had to pick someone from the Seahawks. Offenses are going to be too smart to throw Richard Sherman's direction, so he will essentially disappear and Thomas will get more attention.
Offensive Player of the Year: LeSean McCoy (RB, Philadelphia) - I like to pick an offensive player that is not a quarterback for this award, since a quarterback always wins MVP. McCoy is incredibly versatile, and though Matt Forte (RB, Chicago) and Jamaal Charles (RB, Kansas City) are similar players, I think he is slightly better.
Most Valuable Player: Aaron Rodgers (QB, Green Bay) - I think this is essentially a toss up between Rodgers, Peyton Manning (QB, Denver), Tom Brady (QB, New England) and Drew Brees (QB, New Orleans). Rodgers gets the nod in my book, because he was injured for a healthy portion of last season and the Packers went 8-7-1 and still won the NFC North and made the playoffs, and this year he will be there for the entire season and they will go 12-4 and be a Super Bowl contender, proving exactly how valuable he is to that team. That said, in an MVP race, all four of these guys are interchangeable, and whoever has the highest QB rating, most passing yards and touchdowns will win the award.

PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

AFC Wild Card Round
(3) Cincinnati Bengals over (6) Pittsburgh Steelers
(4) Indianapolis Colts over (5) San Diego Chargers

NFC Wild Card Round
(3) New Orleans Saints over (6) Chicago Bears
(5) San Francisco 49ers over (4) Philadelphia Eagles

AFC Divisional Round
(1) Denver Broncos over (4) Indianapolis Colts
(2) New England Patriots over (3) Cincinnati Bengals

NFC Divisional Round
(1) Seattle Seahawks over (5) San Francisco 49ers
(3) New Orleans Saints over (2) Green Bay Packers

AFC Championship
(1) Denver Broncos over (2) New England Patriots

NFC Championship
(1) Seattle Seahawks over (3) New Orleans Saints

Super Bowl XLIX
(1) Denver Broncos over (1) Seattle Seahawks

Super Bowl XLIX MVP
Demaryius Thomas (WR, Denver)

Emotional Listening #47

Vee Vee - Archers of Loaf (Alias, 1995)
I think I can say with confidence that Vee Vee has become my favorite Archers of Loaf record. 1993's Icky Mettle surely has some jams, mainly in "Web in Front," which is their second best song. And, I will forever love 1996's All the Nation's Airports, which is excellent for its own reasons ("Scenic Pastures" being the main one) for getting me into the band in the first place. Vee Vee has "Harnessed in Slums," though, which is not only the best Archers song, but, is one of the greatest songs of the past 20 years. Overall, this album maintains a similar sense of urgency and intensity as Icky Mettle, but, with a slicker sound, thanks to Bob Weston's production work (not TOO slick, of course). Here, the band is tighter and playing with a little more pop sensibility, which, in combination with with their innovative and gnarly guitar work (think Pavement, but, heavier and weirder), makes for an incredibly enjoyable, original sound. I totally get it if you can't get into Eric Bachmann's voice, however, Vee Vee is great enough that one should be able to get around that.
Top jams: "Step Into the Light," "Harnessed in Slums," "Nevermind the Enemy," "Greatest of All Time," "Underdogs of Nipomo," "Floating Friends," "Let the Loser Melt," "Death in the Park"




Hermit of Mink Hollow - Todd Rundgren (Bearsville, 1978)
Todd Rundgren, baby. My first experience with him was the amazing placement of "Can We Still be Friends?" in Cameron Crowe's Vanilla Sky. It has been an all-time favorite song of mine ever since. Next came his production work on XTC's Skylarking, which is wonderfully appropriate. 1978's Hermit of Mink Hollow is my first foray into a solo record of his. First, I'd like to draw attention to that album title. It is so bad, it's good. Now we can move on to the music, which is a unique combination of 70s power pop and forward-thinking space age prog. The song structures are definitely of the pop variety, but, the instrumentation and some of the intricate twists and turns bring to mind the poppy side of, say, Yes. "All the Children Sing" is a pretty bad ass opener. "Determination" and "Out of Control" are more straightforward power pop rockers, which, I sort of wish there were more of. I would consider "Onomatopoeia" the only real misstep due to its overt childishness. But, I even have a hard time admitting that because I kind of like it? Everything comes back to "Can We Still be Friends?," as it is not only the album's best song, but, it is one of those untouchable all-time greats. Where should I go next with this guy?
Top jams: "All the Children Sing," "Can We Still be Friends?," "Determination," "You Cried Wolf," "Out of Control," "Fade Away"




Heartbreak's Got Backbeat - Six Going on Seven (Some, 1999)
This little known, underrated record packs quite a wallop. Six Going on Seven were a Boston band that existed in the late 1990s and very early 2000s. They put out three records, and as I recall, there wasn't a ton of fanfare for these guys, which is unfortunate, because they totally rule. Heartbreak's Got Backbeat was the band's sophomore LP, and I had discovered the album's opener, "Portsmouth," on some Doghouse Records/Big Wheel Recreation compilation CD I had in high school. I liked this song then, but, now I really love it, and it is the best song on the record. "How to Sell the Brooklyn Bridge" and "Reverse Midas" are almost as good, but, not quite. I've never listened to the band's 1997 debut, Self-Made Mess, or their 2001 swan song, American't (Or Won't). On Heartbreak's Got Backbeat, there is a nice mix of melodic punk and classic 90s alternative rock, with some truly memorable bass playing and a lot of awesome emo chords thrown in for good measure. The songs are super good, the musicianship is top notch, and this is totally a record worth checking out.
Top jams: "Portsmouth," "Southbound," "03:12:05," "How to Sell the Brooklyn Bridge," "New/Improved!," "Reverse Midas," "Proof Positive"