2010 NFL Midseason Redemption

Ok, here's where I reassess my atrocious pre-season predictions and hopefully redeem myself. Let's do this.

AFC East
Not surprisingly, the AFC East is a neck-and-neck race between the New England Patriots and New York Jets. It seems that, in spite of their 6-2 record, the Jets aren't playing as well as everyone expected (though old man LaDainian Tomlinson has been a pleasant surprise), and the Patriots are at least keeping up if not better (though they lost to the Cleveland Browns, and thus are far from dominant). The Miami Dolphins are proving their mediocrity, and could fight for a Wild Card spot, though highly unlikely. The Buffalo Bills are better than their 0-8 record, and have shocked with quite a passing attack, but obviously they are completely out of the picture.
Champ: New England Patriots

AFC North
The Pittsburgh Steelers played incredibly well to themselves up for a fantastic season when Ben Roethlisberger returned. They're defense is back to being the best in the NFL, and although their offense is a bit sloppy right now, this team is looking like the class of the AFC. The Baltimore Ravens are right there with them in spite of barely winning some games that should have been complete blow outs. The Cleveland Browns are defeating some of the NFL's best (New Orleans, New England), but there is no way they are for real, even if Peyton Hillis can run over everybody. Terrell Owens is looking like his old stuff, and maybe even the best receiver in the league, and Carson Palmer is finally playing close to his 2005 level, but they are all but finished.
Champ: Pittsburgh Steelers

AFC South
This is turning out to be quite a race between all four teams, but especially the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans. The Titans defense is playing great, Chris Johnson is having a great year (was there any question?), and I'm sure exactly what's going on at QB and receiver, but I want Vince Young to succeed. The Colts are losing games they shouldn't be, but they are struggling with a lot of injuries on offense. Peyton Manning will figure it all out with the help of only himself, and they should win this division with little trouble. The Houston Texans were looking awesome at first, and Arian Foster is trying (and succeeding) to be the next Chris Johnson. Matt Schaub is throwing sloppy, but Andre Johnson doesn't seem to be affected by that. Their defense still isn't any good, even though they have some tremendous young talent. David Garrard and the Jacksonville Jaguars are playing pretty well while MJD is disappointing (at least in my fantasy football leagues). I can't imagine they keep this up.
Champ: Indianapolis Colts

AFC West
The West is INSANE. The Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders battling for the top spot? Who would have thought? They're running games are incredible, and picking up the total slack that their passing games are showing, and they're defenses are tough and stubborn. This is looking like classic 1970s Chiefs/Raiders stuff. San Diego's defense is surprisingly ranked #1 in the NFL last I checked, but the run game is shit and they have no valuable healthy receivers. Philip Rivers is still finding a way to accumulate a lot of yards for himself though in his quest to break Dan Marino's record. I am shocked at how bad this team is playing. I never would have guessed Kyle Orton and Brandon Lloyd would be the top QB/WR duo in the league, but they are. Unfortunately, this isn't helping the Denver Broncos win games.
Champ: Hmmm... I'm gonna go out on a limb and choose the Oakland Raiders, as much as I want the Kansas City Chiefs to win the division.

NFC East
This division is a mess. The New York Giants could have a commanding lead if they continue to perform like the best team in the NFL. The defense is dominant, Eli's receivers are completely overperforming and Ahmad Bradshaw is becoming their new Tiki Barber. The Philadelphia Eagles are inconsistent, and they're performance depends entirely on who is playing quarterback. When Vick is in, THEY look like the best team in the league, at least offensively. When it's Kolb, they're pretty sad. With Donovan McNabb, the Washington Redskins are mediocre, and there's not much more to say about them, aside from they're defense is totally good. The Dallas Cowboys let their egos get in the way of their obscene amount of talent, and they are god awful, and it is HILARIOUS.
Champ: New York Giants

NFC North
The Green Bay Packers are facing a ton of crippling injuries, and somehow still look dominant at times. If Aaron Rodgers can just get used to using less, they will breeze through the second half. The Chicago Bears are playing about as well as I expected, and their record is better than they really are. In his repeat attempt of 2009, Brett Favre is actually making the Minnesota Vikings a worse team. Despite finally putting up big numbers this past Sunday, they should start thinking about starting Tarvarus Jackson and just handing off to Adrian Peterson all the time. Their incredible defense is playing meekly at best. It's crazy to think that if the Detroit Lions just knew how to finish games, they could be 7-1. Of their losses, aside from the one to the Vikings, the rest have been by a touchdown or less. Their offense is playing well, and the defense is on the right track (if only they could learn how to tackle). The Lions are looking way better than I was expecting, even if they still are only 2-6.
Champ: Green Bay Packers

NFC South
Things are very interesting in the NFC South. The New Orleans don't quite seem to have the chemistry they did last year. The Atlanta Falcons are playing as I hoped and expected on offense, if not even a little better. The Falcons have the edge there thanks to Michael Turner and they're running game. However, the Saints DO have a guy named Drew Brees. I have no idea how the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 5-3 behind a second year quarterback with virtually no talent to work with. This can't stand. The Carolina Panthers have one more win than the winless Buffalo Bills, but I think they are much worse. They should have the best rushing attack in the NFL.
Champ: Atlanta Falcons

NFC West
This division is in shambles. The St. Louis Rams are miraculously at .500 with a rookie quarterback who seems to know how to make plays, and they're defense isn't looking too shabby either. The Seattle Seahawks are at .500 when Matt Hasselbeck can't through the ball worth a damn anymore, and there is no talent on offense whatsoever. The Arizona Cardinals have won two more games than they should have with idiots somehow throwing at least well enough to get the ball into Larry Fitzgerald's hands. The San Francisco 49ers should easily have had this division basically won by this point. They have a talented wide receiver, one of the most talented tight ends, Frank Gore is having a great season at running back. Their quarterback situation is not promising at all. But that shouldn't matter when Gore can run up and down the field and catch short passes, and you also have such a great defense that is underperforming.
Champ: I cannot imagine the Rams or the Seahawks taking this, so I'm saying that the San Francisco 49ers will get their heads out of their asses and win this with an 8-8 record.

AWARDS
Most Valuable Player: Peyton Manning (QB, Indianapolis)
Offensive Player of the Year: Arian Foster (RB, Houston)
Defensive Player of the Year: Clay Matthews III (OLB, Green Bay)
Comeback Player of the Year: EDIT: Wait, the obvious choice is Michael Vick (QB, Philadelphia)
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Dez Bryant (WR, Dallas)
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Ndamukong Suh (DT, Detroit)
Coach of the Year: Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh)

PLAYOFFS
AFC
1. Pittsburgh Steelers
2. Indianapolis Colts
3. New England Patriots
4. Oakland Raiders
5. Baltimore Ravens
6. New York Jets

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

AFC Wild Card Round
New York Jets over New England Patriots
Baltimore Ravens over Oakland Raiders

NFC Wild Card Round
Green Bay Packers over Philadelphia Eagles
New Orleans Saints over San Francisco 49ers

AFC Divisional Round
Pittsburgh Steelers over New York Jets
Baltimore Ravens over Indianapolis Colts

NFC Divisional Round
New York Giants over New Orleans Saints
Green Bay Packers over Atlanta Falcons

AFC Championship
Pittsburgh Steelers over Baltimore Ravens

NFC Championship
New York Giants over Green Bay Packers

Super Bowl
Pittsburgh Steelers over New York Giants

2010 Twitter Review Session #11

(162) Minotaur EP - The Clientele (Merge)
One spoken word track I could do without and seven songs that sound exactly like The Clientele. (6.5/10)

(163) Black City - Matthew Dear (Ghostly International)
Very cool and bizarre electronic pop from Ann Arbor's fav son. Two fantastic jams in "Shortwave" and "Monkey." (6.5/10)

(164) Halcyon Digest - Deerhunter (4AD)
Thought the new LP was too boring at first. Turns out it's just another great record from Bradford Cox and co. (8/10)

(165) Pop Negro - El Guincho (Young Turks)
Easy to just put the ol' AnCo/Panda Bear tag on this, but this LP is SO FUN. Electro-tropicalia, or something. (7/10)

(166) Interpol - Interol (Matador)
Interpol make their triumphant return to Matador with their worst album yet. Actually, it's quite terrible. (3/10)

(167) Everything in Between - No Age (Sub Pop)
This follow-up to 2008's Nouns is more atmospheric and simply better. So punk without sounding exclusively punk. (8/10)

(168) False Priest - Of Montreal (Polyvinyl)
Overall, probs better than their last two, but unfortunately lacking any outright JAMS, when that's all I want. (6.5/10)

(169) Old Punch Card - Sam Prekop (Thrill Jockey)
Third LP unfortch doesn't sound anything like The Sea and Cake and instead features sparse bleeps and bloops. (6.5/10)

(170) Susannah, You See Beyond EP - Robin Goodfellow (Romantic Air)
Synth-y, kraut-y debut from Computer Perfection keyboardist's new project. Some very cool sounds here. (7/10)

(171) The Trip - Laetitia Sadier (Drag City)
Stereolab lady's debut solo LP sounds not too unlike her band. Perhaps less futuristic, and almost as good. (6.5/10)

(172) All Delighted People - Sufjan Stevens (Asthmatic Kitty)
Suf's first release of actual songs in quite a while. Indulgent, but worth the time. There are some beauts. (7/10)

(173) Majesty Shredding - Superchunk (Merge)
First full length since 2001 from these predominantly 90s pop punk-ish indie rock studs. Haven't missed a step. (7.5/10)

(174) Personal Life - The Thermals (Kill Rock Stars)
More fun pop punk with good melodies but annoying vocals. Dude tries too hard. (6/10)

(175) The Inevitable Past is the Long Forgotten Future - Three Mile Pilot (Temporary Residence)
Classic obscure band that spawned many reunite with a very mediocre and uninteresting record. (5/10)

(176) Face It 7" - Beach Fossils (Captured Tracks)
Seems this lo-fi indie pop band is blatantly copying minor trends. But, these two jams are their best yet. (7.5/10)

(177) Write About Love - Belle & Sebastian (Matador)
First LP since 2006 loses value w/each listen. BUT, there are gems. First two songs are their best in years. (7/10)

2010 Twitter Review Session #10

(149) Horse Power EP - Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. (Quite Scientific)
Terrible band name, but a solid first effort from these subtle Detroit electronic pop craftsmen. (6.5/10)

(150) As Stowaways in Cabinets of Surf, We Live-Out in Our Members a Kind of Rebirth - Half-Handed Cloud (Asthmatic Kitty)
Friend of Sufjan releases his first LP since 2006 and while fun and nice, it is way too silly for me. (6/10)

(151) Lisbon - The Walkmen (Fat Possum)
Yet another classic Walkmen record. These guys have to be one of the best bands so far this century, right? (8.5/10)

(152) Public Strain - Women (Jagjaguwar)
The follow-up to their incredible debut is a slow burner that reveals more with each listen. It is also incredible. (8.5/10)

(153) Crush - Abe Vigoda (Bella Union/PPM)
Really great, new-to-me art punks trade in their guitar noodling for some 80s sounds and more wailing vox. GOOD. (7/10)

(154) Of Gold - Bars of Gold (Friction)
Ex-Bear Vs. Shark + members of Detroit's Wildcatting = the third BvS LP that could've happened? Solid. (6.5/10)

(155) Penny Sparkle - Blonde Redhead (4AD)
Melodramatic and TOTALLY boring. Where the hell is the awesome drumming from all their previous albums? (5/10)

(156) Tall Hours in the Glowstream - Cotton Jones (Suicide Squeeze)
2009's LP from this lad 'n' lass from Page France was a pleasant surprise. This is more like what I expected. (5/10)

(157) Liz, Ryan & Sean EP - Friendly Foes (self-released)
Detroit students of Superchunk end their short run with two really great songs and two forgettables. (6/10)

(158) Ophelia 7" - Minks (Captured Tracks)
Another group of 80s gothic new wave revivalists on Captured Tracks. No Wild Nothing, but these songs are still good. (7/10)

(159) Divorce Music - Ian Saylor (self-released)
The Rants singer/songwriter and his newest solo effort. Still pop genius, but slightly too ballad heavy. (6.5/10)

(160) Marnie Stern - Marnie Stern (Kill Rock Stars)
Like guitar noodling and drum wanking? Stern's newest offers the best of both of those. Totes badass. (7.5/10)

(161) South Carolina 7" - Tennis (Fire Talk)
Neither of these indie pop songs are better than "Baltimore," but overall I like this is better than that 7". (7.5/10)

Women/DD/MM/YYY/Marco Polio and the New Vaccines @ The Magic Stick, 9/28/10

Bands don't really come and play Detroit anymore. However, this fall, things seem different, and there already have been and also will be some really great lineups hitting up the various venues. The one I was most looking for: Women, one of the absolute best newer bands around, playing the Magic Stick.

Detroit's own Marco Polio and the New Vaccines started the night off. To be completely honest, I was too busy not caring, and instead showed up a little late and talked to friends instead of paying attention. I'll tell you what, though, they were loud, obnoxious and very synthy. Meh. I'm not even going to extend any more effort to explain any further. I will say that I've read on some Detroit music blogs that they are one of the most "entertaining" local bands around these days. Thing is, I just want to watch bands that have released albums that I like play quality versions of songs from those albums. That's all.

Anyway, Women's support on this leg of their tour was DD/MM/YYYY, whom I had no expectations whatsoever for. Turns out, they were really sweet. They had that whole one-and-one-fourth drumkit split between two dudes thing going, and there was some impressive and confusing polyrhythm stuff going on. The songs were sort of there. They were interesting, and there were some cool melodies, guitar and synth work, but the main appeal was the unhinged energy in their sound. And also, the main drummer was INCREDIBLE, and an absolute blast to watch.

This was a special night for Women, as it was the very date of the American release of their new album, Public Strain. I was hoping they were going to begin their set with the ambient opener from that album, "Can't You See," but instead they came right out with the poppiest track, "Narrow With the Hall," which was more than acceptable. They did eventually play "Can't You See," and other highlights from the new album were "Heat Distraction," "Drag Open" and the immaculate closer, "Eyesore," which they played very fast. In fact, they played most of their songs fast. Something I like about their albums is how they are chaotic and have this semi-punk attitude about them, but most of their songs are slow or at fastest mid-tempo. It was fun to seem them play everything considerably faster.

Unsurprisingly, the best moments of the night were during the performances of songs from their 2008 self-titled debut. They played most of the greats ("Cameras" and "Group Transport Hall" being unfortunately omitted). "Lawncare" was especially disorienting and awesome, and the awesomely plodding pace of their "hit," "Black Rice," was replaced with a sense of urgency, almost as if the band wanted to hurry and get it over with. "Upstairs," which is just a nice little ditty, transitioned into "Sag Harbor Bridge," which has some insanely fast guitar playing as is. Thankfully "Shaking Hand," probably my favorite Women song, was played as well, and everyone in the band actually plays fast for that jam, so times that by 1.25 or something, I guess.

Seeing the band Women live is an interesting and wonderful experience. Their records are more than just lo-fi recordings. The use of tape and shitty equipment and stuff really does contribute a lot to the feel and sound of their songs, sort of acting like extra instruments on their own. But live, the songs are just balls out. Crazy distortion, lots of scratching and scraping guitar sounds, barely audible vocals, but nice, crisp sounding drums as opposed to charmingly shitty and overdriven ones. Actually, at the Magic Stick, everything but the drums sounded exactly like they do on record.

God, I love this band.

Fall 2010 Mix

Ok, enough football. Let's move on to something else exciting that's going on right now: FALL. I love it. Am glad to be in it. And, with the season comes my fifth annual fall mix, the second one that I have shared on this blog.

Download it right HERE as a zip file via Mediafire.

The tracklist:

1. "The Lie and How We Told It" - Yo La Tengo
2. "I Remember Learning How to Drive" - Animal Collective + Vashti Bunyan
3. "Prima Donna" - Cass McCombs
4. "Who Found Who's Hair in Who's Bed?" - Owen
5. "Found Out About You" - Gin Blossoms
6. "Runnin'" - Emily Jane Powers
7. "Wasted Hours" - Arcade Fire
8. "A Tender History in Rust" - Do Make Say Think
9. "Strings That Tie to You" - Jon Brion
10. "I'll Never Leave You" - Rogue Wave
11. "Young Bride" - Midlake
12. "In the Kitchen" - Field Music
13. "Days" - Television
14. "It Was a Strange Time in My Life" - Jens Lekman
15. "Breathing" - Lake
16. "Meridian" - C-Clamp
17. "Bay of Skulls" - Sun Kil Moon
18. "Get a Room" - Jim O'Rourke

Please, enjoy, and let me know what you think or if there are any issues with the downloading of the file.

2010 NFL Preview: Post-Season Predictions

AWARDS
Most Valuable Player: Aaron Rodgers (QB, Green Bay)
Offensive Player of the Year: Chris Johnson (RB, Tennessee)
Defensive Player of the Year: Patrick Willis (ILB, San Francisco)
Comeback Player of the Year: Brian Urlacher (MLB, Chicago)
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Ryan Matthews (RB, San Diego)
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Ndamukong Suh (DT, Detroit)
Coach of the Year: Mike McCarthy (Green Bay)

PLAYOFFS
AFC Wild Card Round
New York Jets over Houston Texans
Baltimore Ravens over New England Patriots

NFC Wild Card Round
Minnesota Vikings over New York Giants
Green Bay Packers over San Francisco 49ers

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

NFC Divisional Round
Green Bay Packers over New Orleans Saints
Minnesota Vikings over Dallas Cowboys

AFC Championship
Indianapolis Colts over San Diego Chargers

NFC Championship
Green Bay Packers over Minnesota Vikings

Super Bowl XLV
Indianapolis Colts over Green Bay Packers

2010 NFL Preview: NFC West

Standings
1. San Francisco 49ers (10-6)
2. Seattle Seahawks (6-10)
3. Arizona Cardinals (6.10)
4. St. Louis Rams (3-13)

Most Valuable Offensive Player: Frank Gore (RB, San Francisco)
Most Valuable Defensive Player: Patrick Willis (ILB, San Francisco)
Addition With Biggest Impact: Alan Faneca (OG, Arizona)
Mr. Irrelevant: Matt Leinart (QB, Arizona)

Without question, the NFC West has to be the weakest division in the NFL. I think everyone's projected division winner is San Francisco, who have a bright future, but as of now are just a little bit better than mediocre. I'm not exactly sure what their offense is going to be like aside from run-heavy, as long as Frank Gore remains healthy. Tight end Vernon Davis finally removed his head from his ass last season and became a star, and wide receiver Michael Crabtree could be a real stud in due time. Alex Smith had his moments in 2009, but the quarterback situation is shaky. The 49er defense came out of nowhere to be incredible last year, and I don't see why they won't keep it up into 2010. Young inside linebacker Patrick Willis has emerged as not only the leader of this defense, but also perhaps the best defensive athlete in the entire league.

The Seattle Seahawks are basically in shambles. The team has no offensive skill players of note, and Matt Hasselbeck is too far past his prime to bring them up from the ashes. The defense has two strong points in talented and seasoned veteran Lofa Tatupu and potential future star Aaron Curry. Seattle could possibly have the shittiest roster in the NFL, but they will find ways to win in a bad division somehow.

Since the retirement of Kurt Warner, not only did the Arizona Cardinals decide against ex-USC Heisman poster boy Matt Leinart as the starting quarterback, but they cut him from the team as well. Very funny, and also, probably not the worst idea. However, this leaves them with Derek Anderson, who had one very good and two very bad seasons in Cleveland, to lead the team. This does not bode well for Larry Fitzgerald, the second best wide receiver in the NFL. Making matters much worse, number two guy Anquan Boldin hightailed it to Baltimore (a fantastic move for both him and the Ravens). The running game will have to pick up the slack, and I'm still on the fence in regards to how capable Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower are. The defense lost its leader in Karlos Dansby, but Darnell Dockett, Joey Porter, Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie and Adrian Wilson help make this a solid unit. Still, its going to be very hard for this team to win against good teams without Warner.

For no reason whatsoever, I really do hope that Sam Bradford, the first pick in the 2010 NFL draft, completely revives the St. Louis Rams and makes them contenders once again in a few years. And, Steven Jackson is one of the best running backs in the game today, and I'd bet that he is sick of being on the worst team in the entire league (yes, even worse than the Detroit Lions, trust me). In order to help Bradford out, the Rams need to do something, anything, about their receiving corps. Middle linebacker James Laurinaitis and free safety Oshiomogho Atogwe are worth mentioning for their individual achievements, but this defensive unit is utterly atrocious.

2010 NFL Preview: NFC South

Standings
1. New Orleans Saints (13-3)
2. Atlanta Falcons (11-5)
3. Carolina Panthers (7-9)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-14)

Most Valuable Offensive Player: Drew Brees (QB, New Orleans)
Most Valuable Defensive Player: Jon Beason (MLB, Carolina)
Addition With Biggest Impact: Dunta Robinson (CB, Atlanta)
Mr. Irrelevant: Derrick Ward (RB, Tampa Bay)

I know the 2010 NFL season has already started, and I have slacked on these posts, but I feel I must finish what I have started.

The NFL seems so wide open to me this season, that I think the New Orleans Saints have just as much of a chance to repeat as chance as any of the top teams have of winning the title. Not much has changed here since last season, aside from losing a few irrelevant guys and free safety extraordinaire Darren Sharper being injured right now. Drew Brees should have no problem completely dominating teams through the air with his spread out, early 2000s New England Patriots-esque receiving corps (led by stud Marques Colston). And, the running game should once again offer a solid backup plan. The defense, while not quite incredible, should once again cause tons of turnovers and score an impressive amount of points. Everybody keeps talking about the Dallas Cowboys, but the Saints are still the class of the NFC.

After coming out of nowhere two years ago to look like one of the best up and coming teams in the entire league, 2009 was an off year for the Atlanta Falcons. I'm not sure it can be entirely blamed on quarterback Matt Ryan and running back Michael Turner being injured for a few games, but that was definitely part of it. Ryan should easily get back into the groove this year, once again throwing to Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez, and as long as Michael Turner is healthy, he should run all over everybody and find the end zone 10 to 15 times. Atlanta's defense isn't that great, but cornerback Dunta Robinson was a good pickup, and defensive end John Abraham has had incredible seasons in the past. Middle linebacker Curtis Lofton has become the leader of the D, and a few seasons this could be a formidable unit.

In spite of the loss of Julius Peppers, the Carolina Panthers' defense should still be better than it probably will be. Jon Beason is young and is turning out to be one of the absolute greatest defensive athletes in the game today, and Thomas Davis is improving with each season. It should be pretty interesting to see where the offense goes in 2010. The quarterback situation is virtually in shambles, and if Matt Moore turns out to be shit, which is very possible, rookie Jimmy Clausen will spell him, and supposedly he is NFL ready. Stellar wide receiver Steve Smith is still here, after having pretty much his worst season in 2009, and the running game is tops in the NFL with both DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart capable of running for 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers might be the worst team in the entire NFL. The only players worth a damn here are tight end Kellen Winslow, linebacker Barrett Ruud and aged cornerback Ronde Barber. Last year's big money pick-up Derrick Ward amounted to absolutely nothing, and there are no proven receivers anywhere on the team aside from Winslow. Cadillac Williams has reclaimed the starting running back spot, but that doesn't mean anything good, necessarily. I will be surprised if the Bucs win even three games.

2010 Twitter Review Session #9

(127) Mines - Menomena (Barsuk)
Like a darker, less zany repeat of 2007's album, which I wasn't blown away by in the first place. Not bad, though. (6.5/10)

(128) Say No to Love 7" - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (Slumberland)
One good and one ok song from these 80s indie popsters who soon should be all over 89X. (6/10)

(129) Disconnect From Desire - School of Seven Bells (Vagrant/Ghostly International)
Ultra dramatic, bland, unoffensive synth pop with a slight nod toward shoegaze. Way too safe. (5.5/10)

(130) Sex With an X - The Vaselines (Sub Pop)
One of Kurt Cobain's favs return from a long time of nothing to release a record that sounds just like the 90s. (6/10)

(131) Evertide EP - Wild Nothing (Warmest Chord)
Quick, awesomely produced follow-up to the totally awesome Gemini LP. Pretty much just as good. (8/10)

(132) The Way Out - The Books (Temporary Residence)
Quite beautiful sample heavy chopped up collage music. Do they still call this kind of stuff folktronica? (6.5/10)

(133) Say It - Born Ruffians (Warp)
Maligned sophomore indie pop LP is way better than most people realize. Still doesn't touch their debut, though. (7/10)

(134) Mind Altar - Deastro (Ghostly International)
Collection of self-released EPs is leaps and bounds better than last year's full length. Obnoxiously trendy, but GOOD. (7/10)

(135) Admiral Fell Promises - Sun Kil Moon (Caldo Verde)
Unsurprisingly gorgeous new effort from Koz and only his classical guitar. Not quite another Pink Moon. (6.5/10)

(136) Baltimore 7" - Tennis (Underwater Peoples)
In spite of this style getting old again, here's another lo-fi indie pop 7" that is tasteful and way catchy. (7/10)

(137) Fckyrhed - 1994! (Inkblot/Square of Opposition)
Super short and technical new sorta full length from these noodley and screamy emo revivalists. Not much variety here. (5.5/10)

(138) The Suburbs - Arcade Fire (Merge)
Indie's biggest band fake everyone out by sounding a lil' less epic yet still self-important. Totes solid, though. (7/10)

(139) Dearly Beloved - Arranged Marriage (Suburban Sprawl)
Detroit father/son duo doin' the alt-country pop thang. Decent, "Everything is Gonna be Alright" is great. (6/10)

(140) Split 7" - Best Coast/Jeans Wilder (Atelier Ciseaux)
Best Coast song is way disappointing, but the Jeans Wilder one is a very pleasant surprise. (5.5/10)

(141) The Cradle - Colour Revolt (Dualtone)
Second LP by great indie rock band with a southern touch. Unfortunately, it is a major let down. (5/10)

(142) Desktop 2 EP - Desktop (Suburban Sprawl)
Second EP from S. MI electro-pop duo. More interesting, just as soulful, but not quite as good as 2009's. (6.5/10)

(143) Root for Ruin - Les Savy Fav (Frenchkiss)
Another LSF album that sounds exactly like their last two, except with no standout tracks whatsoever. (6/10)

(144) The Orchard - Ra Ra Riot (Barsuk)
Vampire Weekend buds and their second go-around of well produced, grandiose, Tokyo Police Club-ish indie pop. (6.5/10)

(145) Frankie Rose and the Outs - Frankie Rose and the Outs (Slumberland)
Ex-drummer of Vivian Girls and Crystal Stilts. First LP of big, mid-fi indie pop is solid. (6.5/10)

(146) Candle to Your Eye - Shapes and Sizes (Asthmatic Kitty)
Asthmatic Kitty band returns with their third LP of quirky pop somewhere between Lake and Cryptacize. (6/10)

(147) Vas Deferens EP - Sirs (self-released)
More emo revivalism that is both screamy and melodic. More like Braid or a faster Jazz June. Very good. (7/10)

(148) Let It Sway - Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin (Polyvinyl)
Third LP from this charming and talented indie pop group. A few nice emo moments, too. (7/10)

2010 NFL Preview: NFC North

Standings
1. Minnesota Vikings (12-4)
2. Green Bay Packers (12-4)
3. Chicago Bears (9-7)
4. Detroit Lions (3-13)

Most Valuable Offensive Player: Aaron Rodgers (QB, Green Bay)
Most Valuable Defensive Player: Jared Allen (DE, Minnesota)
Addition With Biggest Impact: Julius Peppers (DE, Chicago)
Mr. Irrelevant: Kevin Smith (RB, Detroit)

Once again Brett Favre pulled his old man attention whore act and had the media on his toes about whether he would retire or not. Of course he's not, duh. And, this automatically makes the Minnesota Vikings at least two wins better than they would be without him. I believe they would be playoff contenders no matter what, but Favre, despite being an old, broken man in football terms, makes them candidates to lose in the Super Bowl. This probably won't happen, but it might. Breakout receiver Sidney Rice is sidelined for the first half of the season, and that should hurt, but not too much. Bernard Berrian is capable of picking up the slack, and if Percy Harvin's head is ok, he is a stud in the making. And, don't forget that the Vikings' offense features the league's second, third or fourth best running back in Adrian Peterson (in spite of his tendency to fumble at crucial points in a game), and a touchdown machine at tight end. Their defense also happens to be very good, showcasing the best defensive line around and an already good but steadily improving linebacker corps.

Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers has turned out to be one of the premier quarterbacks in the NFL, and has a very bright future ahead of him. The Packers' 2010 season shouldn't look much different than Minnesota's. The offensive is pretty young and incredibly talented thanks to Greg Jennings and Jermichael Finley being big playmakers at their positions, and Donald Driver and Ryan Grant being consistent if not simply great. They also have a high quality defense with a decent defensive line, solid linebackers that will continue to gel and one of the best secondaries around, lead by the ageless Charles Woodson.

I don't understand why everyone is so hard on the Chicago Bears. Their situation is much better than people reason. I'm not saying they're a playoff team again quite yet, but they're not far off. Pass happy Mike Martz was smart to join on as offensive coordinator, as Jay Cutler is by far the most talented quarterback he's been able to work with since his days with Kurt Warner in St. Louis. Cutler simply had an off year in 2009. His attitude might suck, but he should be terrific in Martz's system, and I'm not just saying this because I had to settle for him in my first fantasy football draft of the season last week. Matt Forte also had a disappointing season in '09, but Martz could turn him into Marshall Faulk. The receiving corps are pretty much a mess, everyone being young and relatively inexperienced, but Martz has worked wonderful magic in something like this before. With the return of Brian Urlacher, the defensive should be solid. With the addition of Julius Peppers, if he decides to give a damn, could make them great. Lance Briggs is a terrific linebacker as well.

Ah, the Detroit Lions. My home team. As it goes before the start of every season, all of my friends that are football fans are shouting bold claims like, "the Lions will be better than the Bears," or "the Lions will win at least seven, maybe eight games!" I kind of love this, because where else does a city's football fans get excited about the possibility of a team finishing at .500, or even barely under? Unfortunately, I do not share the optimism of my friends. Not even close. I will be surprised if they win more than three games. Their schedule isn't easy, and also, the team just isn't any good. I will not deny that the Lions are headed in the right direction. Jim Schwartz made some great moves in the off-season, signing Corey Williams and Kyle Vanden Bosch to be leaders and make a disgusting defense much better. Drafting Ndamukong Suh (who analysts are saying is the next Reggie White, which is crazy to me) with the second pick in the first round was a fantastic decision, but remember in 1994 when the Cincinnati Bengals took defensive tackle Dan Wilkinson at #1? What did he do? Shit. Regardless, I have placed much more hope in Suh reviving the atmosphere of this squad than I have in second year quarterback Matthew Stafford. Stafford is showing promise, but I am very skeptical as to how long that will last. Remember Joey Harrington? I will consider Stafford a success story as long as he has a better career than Mark Sanchez, who should be horrible. Anyway, Calvin Johnson is so awesome, and I really hope Jahvid Best ends up being incredible, though its more believable that he and Stafford will spend a good portion of 2010 hurt on the bench because we have the worst offensive line in the NFL. Ugh.

2010 Twitter Review Seshion #8

(112) Cosmogramma - Flying Lotus (Warp)
Very interesting and unique collage/samples record, but I'm sorry guys, I just don't get it. Too scatterbrained. (6/10)

(113) Paul's Tomb: A Triumph - Frog Eyes (Dead Oceans)
Not nearly as good as their 2007 effort, but still decent album of chaotic guitar rock with truly unsettling vocals. (6/10)

(114) Splash - Jeremy Jay (K)
A not terrible, pretty boring jangly alt-pop record with vocal nods to Morrissey and Jens Lekman. (5.5/10)

(115) Perch Patchwork - Maps & Atlases (Barsuk)
Not nearly as cool as their previous melodic math rock style. This is folkier, less complex and less intense. (7/10)

(116) The Samps EP - The Samps (Mexican Summer)
Members of AP's HG and their appropriately short, schizophrenic and lo-fi electronic pop EP. House-y and good. (7.5/10)

(117) The Five Ghosts - Stars (Vagrant/Soft Revolution)
Their last LP was absolutely terrible, and I expected a repeat, but this actually has some nice moments. Still not good. (5/10)

(118) Innerspeaker - Tame Impala (Modular)
Totes good Australian psych-pop record with some really cool production. The drums sound so awesome! (7/10)

(119) Champ - Tokyo Police Club (Mom + Pop)
Ex-super hype band and their surprisingly solid LP #2. Sounds a lil' like Death Cab on speed or something. (6.5/10)

(120) Square Shells EP - Kurt Vile (Matador)
Subtle and beautiful folksy follow-up to 2009's critically acclaimed Matador debut. Awes melodies and textures. (7.5/10)

(121) Gemini - Wild Nothing (Captured Tracks)
Fantastic debut from young wonderkid. Like early MBV, The Smiths and The Cure, but more subtle than them all. (8.5/10)

(122) Crazy for You - Best Coast (Mexican Summer)
The songs may start to sound the same, but debut LP really does live up to the hype. Killer melodies and harms. (8.5/10)

(123) Mount Wittenberg Orca EP - Dirty Projectors + Bjork (self-released)
Lacking cool choppy rhythms band is known for. Some of vox are obnox. Still, quite beautiful. (6.5/10)

(124) I Was Thinking... 7" - Gauntlet Hair (Forest Family)
Bad ass, very neat indie rock with raw, spacey production and nice groove. Excited about what they do next. (7.5/10)

(125) Baby Style EP - Keepaway (Lefse)
Like a poppier, less original and less good MPP Animal Collective clone. "Family of the Sun" is great, though. (6.5/10)

(126) Mare - Julian Lynch (Olde English Spelling Bee)
Gorgeous, formless and way subtle psychedelic folk from Pitchfork's new favorite lo-fi guy. I am into it. (7.5/10)

2010 NFL Preview: NFC East

Standings
1. Dallas Cowboys (12-4)
2. New York Giants (11-5)
3. Philadelphia Eagles (7-9)
4. Washington Redskins (6-10)

Most Valuable Offensive Player: Tony Romo (QB, Dallas)
Most Valuable Defensive Player: DeMarcus Ware (OLB, Dallas)
Addition With Biggest Impact: Donovan McNabb (QB, Washington)
Mr. Irrelevant: Roy Williams (WR, Dallas)

I guess the Dallas Cowboys are my least favorite team in the NFL, so it saddens me that I have to admit that they are en route to have a really good if not totally great season. I could see the New York Giants giving them some trouble as long as their running backs and defense stay healthy at least most of the season, but the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins are entirely out of the picture for reasons I will disclose in coming paragraphs. Tony Romo has developed into an outright stud at quarterback who makes few mistakes and adding rookie Dez Bryant to the receiving equation should potentially make up for the fact that Roy Williams is a baby, an idiot and simply a bad wide receiver who doesn't give two shits about shit. Miles Austin could be the best receiver in the game within the next few years. If Felix Jones continues to develop and Marion Barber remains somewhat tough, the running attack should be formidable. I was going to say that their defense shouldn't be as good as it is until I remembered that their four starting linebackers are great to fantastic.

The New York Giants had an off year in 2009 thanks to injuries to both of their talented running backs and pretty much all their defensive players who matter. Eli Manning finally sort of came into his own with his first 4,000 yard season. He cut down his number of interceptions as well, which is exactly what this offense needed. Now, it turns out that the Giants probably could be an excellent passing team lead by Steve Smith and three more young, fast and flashy receivers in Hakeem Nicks, Domenik Hixon and Mario Manningham. If Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw were to remain healthy, they should be back at the front of the pack in rushing offense. New York has also had one of the most dominant defenses in the NFL in recent years, and if their front four can get back to being consistent and healthy, combined with the way the offense is expanding, they will at least contend for a Wild Card spot, if not for the division title.

I believe that the Philadelphia Eagles' 2010 season will be much like the Green Bay Packers' 2008 one. That was Aaron Rodgers' first year starting at QB, and while his stats were impressive if not amazing, it was an awkward, transitional year. And, now they're completely sweet. With a couple years as Donovan McNabb's understudy, I definitely see a similar thing happening with Kevin Kolb's Eagles. However, like Rodgers was in '08, Kolb is relatively untested, having started in only two games last season in relief for an injured McNabb. Kolb's stats were completely sick in those two games, but they were against bad teams. I don't think anyone saw Rodgers coming right out of the gates and being as good as he has been in his first two seasons, and the same stands for Kolb. But, Rodgers is proof that it can happen. As for the rest of the offense, there are young stars (wide receiver DeSean Jackson and tight end Brent Celek) and enough potential stars in Jeremy Maclin and LeSean McCoy that this transition period might last only as long as Green Bay's did. Philly's defense, which is usually very good, seems to be a sizable weakness for the team now.

Yes, sure, the addition of quarterback Donovan McNabb instantly makes the Redskins better, however, unfortunately, he doesn't have much to work with on offense. Chris Cooley can be one of the best tight ends in the game, and when he was injured last season, Fred Davis came in and proved that he is pretty awesome as well. But, other than that, the offense is lacking. Santana Moss is an overrated, under-performing wide receiver, and the running back situation has turned into a platoon featuring two injury prone ex-studs in Clinton Portis and Willie Parker and another ex-stud who happens to have, like, the worst attitude in the entire NFL (Larry Johnson). This does not bode well at all. Thankfully for Washington, the defense has turned to be quite good. LaRon Landry and DeAngelo Hall are talented defensive backs, the linebacker corps have the potential to be completely dominant and when Albert Haynesworth's head isn't in his ass, he's the best defensive lineman around.

2010 NFL Preview: AFC West

Standings
1. San Diego Chargers (13-3)
2. Kansas City Chiefs (6-10)
3. Oakland Raiders (5-11)
4. Denver Broncos (3-13)

Most Valuable Offensive Player: Philip Rivers (QB, San Diego)
Most Valuable Defensive Player: Nnamdi Asomugha (CB, Oakland)
Addition With Biggest Impact: Jason Campbell (QB, Oakland)
Mr. Irrelevant: Tim Tebow (QB, Denver)

Since future Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson developed his Old Man Leg Syndrome last season, the San Diego Chargers became quarterback Philip Rivers' team all the way. Over the past two seasons, Rivers has proved that he is a stellar quarterback who makes few mistakes. His talent and leadership alone should be enough to help the Chargers dominate this otherwise atrocious division, though perhaps my 13-3 prediction might be a bit too optimistic. Supposedly rookie running back Ryan Matthews could be another LT, but I don't know that I buy that yet. Antonio Gates and Vincent Jackson give this team one of the NFL's best passing attacks. The defense hasn't lived up to potential the past few seasons, and that might have everything to do with outside linebacker Shawne Merriman being injury prone and also a complete psycho. If he returns to form this year, they could be quite devastating, especially with Shaun Phillips and Stephen Cooper coming into their own.

Two seasons ago, quarterback Matt Cassel was a New England Patriot and took over that offense when Tom Brady went down with a season ending injury. While I wouldn't be surprised if it was the system, staff and the rest of the offense that made him good, I still think he deserves a chance to prove he can lead an NFL team. If the Kansas City Chiefs even had just slightly better receivers, that would offer him considerable help, but alas, they really don't. Jamaal Charles came out of nowhere to rush for 968 yards in the final eight weeks of last season, and I am totally buying into the hype; he could be a star. Let's just hope the situation doesn't turn into another Larry Johnson-esque debacle. Bringing in Thomas Jones from the New York Jets to help out with the running game was a brilliant move, as he inexplicably seems to run better as he gets older. There is nothing worth mentioning defensively about this team aside from they made a great decision in the first round of the draft, picking up safety Eric Berry.

It's hard to imagine the Oakland Raiders ever being good again. The staff seems to have no idea how to draft. Nabbing quarterback Jason Campbell from the Washington Redskins should definitely improve the situation there, but it's not like he's great or anything, so only slightly. Zach Miller and Michael Bush are talented, but aside from that, this offense just sucks. Losing Greg Ellis and Kirk Morrison hurts their defense. Defensive end Richard Seymour is a great leader but isn't by any means a statistical monster. Neither is corner back Nnamdi Asomugha for that matter, but that's only because he is so good at his position that quarterbacks rarely throw towards him.

Last year I predicted the Denver Broncos to go 2-14, and they ended up opening the season with a 6-0 record before only winning two out of the final ten games. However, I'll go ahead and say that this year they really should be terrible. No more Brandon Marshall drama, but that also means no more pure talent on that offense. I think Kyle Orton is a fine quarterback, and adding Brady Quinn as backup wasn't such a bad idea, despite the fact that he has been awful so far in his career. Running back Knowshon Moreno could end up being pretty good, but I don't think anything more than that. Drafting Tim Tebow in the first round was one of the stupidest moves I could imagine. But, maybe we're all wrong about him. Outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil took his game to the next level last year by accumulating 17 quarterback sacks, and their secondary is old but pretty awesome thanks to Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins.

2010 NFL Preview: AFC South

Standings
1. Indianapolis Colts (14-2)
2. Houston Texans (9-7)
3. Tennessee Titans (7-9)
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11)

Most Valuable Offensive Player: Peyton Manning (QB, Indianapolis)
Most Valuable Defensive Player: Mario Williams (DE, Houston)
Addition With Biggest Impact: Aaron Kampman (DE, Jacksonville)
Mr. Irrelevant: Kerry Collins (QB, Tennessee)

The safest bet one could make for this coming season is that the Indianapolis Colts will win the AFC South. Sure, the division is becoming more competitive thanks to the Houston Texans' phenomenal passing game and the resurgence of the Tennessee Titans over the past few years. However, the Colts will continue to be several notches ahead of them as long as they have Peyton Manning as their field general. Ol' premature grandpa Joseph Addai helps make their overall running game pretty much crap, but Reggie Wayne can still be considered a premier receiver, and the rest of the corps are young and improving. Somehow, this makes their offense just sick. The defense isn't half bad with Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis as their defensive ends and Bob Sanders returning from injury (yet again) at free safety bodes well for them as he can completely disrupt an offense on his own (almost in the same way that Troy Polamalu can). They made it all the way to the Super Bowl last year, and nothing has really changed. And, Manning needs to win at least one more championship to go along with those incredible stats to make him the greatest quarterback of all time. What can't that happen this year?

The Houston Texans are another team with a totally boss passing game and nothing to write home about in regards to running the ball. Matt Schaub has emerged as a Pro Bowl quarterback, and Andre Johnson is without question the best wide receiver in the game right now. These facts, along with the support that receiver Kevin Walter and tight end Owen Daniels (who, before getting injured mid-way through the season, was playing better than every other tight end in the league, and there are a lot of really good ones) offer suggest that the Texans may finally squeeze their way into a Wild Card spot. Two years ago, running back Steve Slaton could have been Rookie of the Year, but last year was terrible for him. I'm not convinced anyone else they've got can be any better. The team's secondary is pretty bad, but the rest of the defense should soon become dominant. Mario Williams potentially could be the next Reggie White or Bruce Smith, and DeMeco Ryans and second year man Brian Cushing are two of the best linebackers around. There is no way this team can compete with Indianapolis just yet, though.

Last season was pretty insane for the Tennessee Titans. Opening up with an 0-6 record with Kerry Collins leading the team (when the year before he led them to 13-3, the best record in the NFL), then finally giving Vince Young another chance as he led the team to an 8-2 finish. Young is not a statistically impressive QB, but he sure knows how to win games. The only other thing that is special about their offense is running back Chris Johnson, who already has unseated Minnesota's Adrian Peterson as the best RB in the game. His rushing of 2,000+ yards may have been an over-intensive work load in today's NFL, but his numbers will continue to be gaudy, and he has quite a career ahead of him. Their defense is not what it was two years ago, but Stephen Tulloch, Cortland Finnegan and Michael Griffin have shown flashes of brilliance. There's a chance that the Titans could break out and have a great year, but I think it is more likely that they will simply be mediocre.

The only thing the Jacksonville Jaguars have going especially great for them is running back Maurice Jones-Drew, who finally got the chance to prove that he is capable of being the main guy in town. Quarterback David Garrard could have been great but has really blown it the past few seasons, and all the passing game's really got is receiver Mike Sims-Walker, who only seemed to want to play during the first half of the season. Here is another defense but used to be great but is now on the border of being atrocious. Aaron Kampman was a smart pick-up for Green Bay, as he excels in a 4-3 system, but other than that, expect offenses to score quite a bit on these guys.

2010 Twitter Review Session #7

(94) More Songs - Grown Ups (Big Scary Monsters)
Mathy pop punk with terrific emo tendencies. Don't hate me for being into the quality emo revival. (7/10)

(95) Heaven is Whenever - The Hold Steady (Vagrant)
Overrated bar-rock band gets cheesier and worse. "Hurricane J" is best song they've ever written, though. (5.5/10)

(96) Memory Map - Holiday Band (self-released)
Fantastic debut from Bloomington's newest all-star band. Angular, complex and really fun guitar pop. (8.5/10)

(97) Compass - Jamie Lidell (Warp)
Very cool, modern and at times even futuristic R & B/soul, with subtle electronic flourishes in places. (6.5/10)

(98) Congratulations - MGMT (Columbia)
Straying from the electronic pop sound that got them big, this is a neat nod to psychedelic 60s pop that sometimes fails. (6/10)

(99) Outlaster - Nina Nastasia (Fat Cat)
Gorgeous, wonderfully orchestrated folk tunes that should be awesome if only there was more to grab my attention. (6/10)

(100) Together - The New Pornographers (Matador)
After four solid and at times fantastic power pop albums, New Pornos release their first complete dud. (6/10)

(101) Deathbed Plus 4 EP - The Ponys (Matador)
Chicago-style garage punk band returns after an extended break with an EP that shines every once in a while. (6/10)

(102) Chroma Cannon - Prizzy Prizzy Please (Joyful Noise)
Bizarre, bad ass experimental punk from Bloomington dudes. Sometimes obnoxious, but really really fun. (6.5/10)

(103) Rooms - Rooms (self-released)
Poppy emo with some nice, subtle intricacies. Unfortunately, every song sounds the same. (5.5/10)

(104) Shadows - Teenage Fanclub (Merge)
Long running power pop band release first album in five years. Is solid and features three fantastic songs. (7/10)

(105) King of the Beach - Wavves (Fat Possum)
I LOATHED 2009's Wavves album. On 2010's, the tempos are sped up and the production is cleaner, making it totes great. (8/10)

(106) Expo 86 - Wolf Parade (Sub Pop)
On LP3, Krug and Boeckner's songwriting styles finally mesh, however unfortunately with disappointing results. (6.5/10)

(107) Everything Purple - 800 Beloved (Moodgadget)
Surprisingly impressive melancholy 80s-style indie pop from Detroit, w/chorus-y acoustic guitars and everything. (6.5/10)

(108) Sweet Release - The Americas (self-released)
Two-piece math rock with American Football guitars and Davey von Bohlen-esque vocals. Not as good as I'd hoped. (6.5/10)

(109) Beach Fossils - Beach Fossils (Captured Tracks)
More lo-fi, summery guitar pop with low key vocals, faster tempos and sparse yet shimmering guitars. (7.5/10)

(110) The Living Breathing Organ Summer - Child Bite (Joyful Noise/Forge Again)
While other releases of theirs have had more stand out tracks, their third arty and raw LP is their best yet. (7/10)

(111) Mirror Image 7" - Ducktails (Shdwply)
Two more trippy psychedelic instrumentals from Real Estate's M. Mondanile. Interesting textures, quite beautiful. (6.5/10)

2010 NFL Preview: AFC North

Standings
1. Baltimore Ravens (12-4)
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7)
3. Cincinnati Bengals (8-8)
4. Cleveland Browns (2-14)

Most Valuable Offensive Player: Ray Rice (RB, Baltimore)
Most Valuable Defensive Player: Troy Polamalu (SS, Pittsburgh)
Addition With Biggest Impact: Anquan Boldin (WR, Baltimore)
Mr. Irrelevant: Jake Delhomme (QB, Cleveland)

It hurts me to say that with Ben Roethlisberger sitting four to six games thanks to sexual assault charges filed against him, my Pittsburgh Steelers don't really stand a chance of winning the AFC North, let alone nabbing a playoff spot in an American Football Conference that, while even stronger, should continue to fall victim to parody. This year, and potentially for years to come, the AFC North title is for the Baltimore Ravens to lose. I wouldn't feel so strongly this way if it wasn't for the brilliant addition of maligned Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Anquan Boldin. Boldin probably is a little overrated, and even if he stays healthy for an entire season (which is unlikely), won't be as good as the top tier AFC receivers when he's the team's number one guy. But, he can only help a team that was already headed in the right direction. In his rookie year, quarterback Joe Flacco lead the team to the AFC championship, then last year showed gaudier statistics. He's got to be ecstatic to have the younger, more explosive Boldin to throw to, though journeyman Derrick Mason is the definition of consistency and performing above expectations year in and year out. What a mega-bonus that Ray Rice quite possibly is the most talented running back in the NFL. Not only is he amazing in the ground game, but he sure knows how to catch a shit-ton of footballs and make plays. Last year was no fluke, and his numbers should be absolutely ridiculous this time around. Future Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis and ball hawking free safety Ed Reed (who may or may not be on the verge of retiring) make the Ravens defense a little old, but you couldn't ask for better leaders on the field. That defense is still one of the best in the entire NFL, and not that the offensive pieces are really coming together, their first Super Bowl appearance since after the 2000 season when they annihilated the New York Giants shouldn't be too far off. Just not this year.

I don't think the Steelers will lose every game that Roethlisberger doesn't play, but it'll be tough. Hopefully backup Dennis Dixon can perform at least as well as he did in the one game he played last year, which was against Baltimore, so that Byron Leftwich doesn't come in and screw everything up. The infamous Pittsburgh running game was revived a bit last year thanks to the surprisingly outstanding performance of Rashard Mendenhall, but they have become a passing team now, and they really need Roethlisberger to be successful at it. The loss of Santonio Holmes hurts, but Mike Wallace could pick up where he left off, and Hines Ward almost seems to be getting better as he gets older. The Steelers always have one of the league's top defenses, but they took a step back last year. However, linebackers James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley and strong safety Troy Polamalu still make them tremendously dangerous.

There is no way the Cincinnati Bengals can repeat what they accomplished last year, which was a 10-6 record and the AFC North crown. Sure, they were embarrassed by the New York Jets in their final regular season game, and then again in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. It was still an impressive outing for a team that is usually pretty bad. I don't think they'll return to being bad again this year, but they won't be great. Quarterback Carson Palmer's arm continues to falter with each passing year, and Chad Ochocinco isn't getting any younger (IS getting more and more hilarious, though). Running back Cedric Benson came out of nowhere to have a career year. He could have rushed for 1,500 yards if a hip injury hadn't required him to miss two games. Their defense made some huge strides last year, and defensive end Antwan Odom (who led the league in sacks before suffering an Achilles tendon tear), linebackers Rey Maualuga and Dhani Jones and cornerback Leon Hall make them pretty formidable. However, I'm not convinced that they are good enough on either side of the ball to win quite like they did last year.

The Cleveland Browns are another team to add to the list of potentially worst teams in the NFL in 2010. Their quarterback situation is much better than it was last year, though the way Jake Delhomme played in the playoffs following the 2008 season and all of last year, I hope they're not expecting much. That could have been the stupidest move in the 2010 off-season. I have more faith in former Seattle Seahawks backup Seneca Wallace. Joe Thomas is one of the best offensive lineman in the league, but one awesome guy on the line isn't going to save this offense. Running back Jerome Harrison broke out at the end of last year, rushing for 550+ yards in his final three games, which is completely insane, but he is unproven. The defense could become solid as the squad learns to play together, but I'll be surprised if that actually happens. Joshua Cribbs is the best return man in the game right now. So, there actually are more positives for the Browns than I realized, but there are too many enormous questions that if they don't work out the right way, 2010 will most likely be a disaster for this team.

2010 Twitter Review Session #6

(78) Settings EP - Tanlines (True Panther)
Upbeat and really fun electronic pop with that ever so popular African influence showing its head. Good stuff. (7.5/10)

(79) Civil Like the War - Those Transatlantics (Gangplank)
The long wait is over, and despite line-up changes, here is another quality album from one of MI's best. (7/10)

(80) My Love Will Follow Me 7" - Vivian Girls (Wild World)
Sixth 7" features fantastic garage-pop song w/barber shop harmonies and a so-so Chantels cover. (6.5/10)

(81) Color Your Life EP - Twin Sister (Infinite Best)
Very cool, challenging pop music in the vein of Broadcast or even a mid-fi Stereolab in places. (7.5/10)

(82) Kairos - White Hinterland (Dead Oceans)
Casey Dienel did the epic Guaraldi-esque piano thing better than this now popular form of synth-infused pop. (6/10)

(83) At Echo Lake - Woods (Woodsist)
Another year, another lo-fi psychedelic pop album from Woods. The production here is better, but the songs are not. (6/10)

(84) Before Today - Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti (4AD)
Not album of the year, but very cool, soulful lo-fi pop album. "Round and Round" rules HARD. (8/10)

(85) Infinite Arms - Band of Horses (Brown/Fat Possum/Columbia)
I was surprised to find that this isn't TERRIBLE. In fact, it even has some of BoH's best songs yet. (7.5/10)

(86) Blue Sky, Raging Sun - Berry (Joyful Noise)
Quirky, complex, piano driven indie pop. The talent here is undeniable, but it's pretty easy to loose interest quickly. (6/10)

(87) Destroyer of the Void - Blitzen Trapper (Sub Pop)
2008's Furr blended Blitz Trap's fun indie pop with their southern rock leanings perfectly. Not so much here. (5.5/10)

(88) Never Mine 7" - Brilliant Colors (Slumberland)
Had high hopes for this Slumberland Recs all-girl punk band. These two songs are fine, just not great. (6/10)

(89) Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles (Fiction/Last Gang/Universal Motown)
Second album of dark, huge synth pop from boy/girl duo. First half is painfully obnoxious, second half is eh. (4/10)

(90) The Black Dirt Sessions - Deertick (Partisan)
Boring, insincere, slightly haggard Americana/alt-country from a young dude who's cig-affected voice sounds fake. (3/10)

(91) Tommy - Dosh (Anticon)
Andrew Bird drummer does the melodic, experimental, mostly instrumental groove-jams thing really well. Fantastic drummer. (7/10)

(92) The Drums - The Drums (Island/Moshi Moshi)
Sparse yet driving and fun, new wave-infused summery hipster pop. "Let's Go Surfing" is song of the year thus far. (8/10)

(93) Everyone Everywhere - Everyone Everywhere (Tiny Engines)
Early 2000s-style emo done damn well, in spite of the album's lack of dynamics. Loud and poppy. (7/10)

2010 NFL Preview: AFC East

I know it's still June and all, but since I'm finally almost ready to post my lists of favorite albums of the past decade, this blog should be busy over the next couple months. So, I have decided to go ahead and talk football a bit early this summer. I also will do it over seven separate posts, covering each division on their own, and then a final post-season predictions post. Let us begin with the AFC East.

Standings
1. New York Jets (12-4)
2. New England Patriots (11-5)
3. Miami Dolphins (8-8)
4. Buffalo Bills (2-14)

Most Valuable Offensive Player: Tom Brady (QB, New England)
Most Valuable Defensive Player: Darrelle Revis (CB, New York)
Addition With Biggest Impact: Brandon Marshall (WR, Miami)
Mr. Irrelevant: LaDainian Tomlinson (RB, New York)

As much as I hate to admit this, I cannot imagine the New York Jets not winning this division. In spite of an overrated, under-performing rookie quarterback in Mark Sanchez, they proved last year (and a little bit the year before with Brett Favre at the helm) that they are a quality team. They've had a tremendous off-season (even though they lost perennial Pro-Bow guard Alan Faneca to the Arizona Cardinals), adding former shutdown corner back Antonio Cromartie, ex-Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes (who will be suspended at the beginning of the season) and aging but still talented linebacker Jason Taylor. Oh yeah, and future Hall of Fame inductee LaDainian Tomlinson, who, at the age of 31, has ran himself into the realm of irrelevance. And, their defense was already stacked. With the addition of Holmes, they now have a potentially dangerous group of receivers, and if Mark Sanchez turns out to be worth a damn (I'm not convinced he will, nor do I want him to be), they could be even better than I expect. If not, he just needs to cut back on his terrible throws and interceptions, and the running game and defense should take care of business.

As long as Tom Brady is their quarterback, the New England Patriots will make the playoffs. They don't have a proper running back, and they're defense has gotten too old, but Brady won his three Super Bowl titles before the Randy Moss and Wes Welker days, when he was throwing to a bunch of bums like Deion Branch. Granted, their defense was better back them, but having a much higher powered offense sort of makes up for that. While Brady will still throw for 4,000 yards and 25 to 30 touchdowns (even with Welker possibly out for the season), I believe his and head coach Bill Belichick's window for a return to glory is now closed.

It seems that the professional writers of print NFL preview magazines have a lot of faith in the Miami Dolphins' assumed starter, ex-Wolverine quarterback Chad Henne. All I can say is he wasn't terrible, and if newly and awesomely acquired wide receiver Brandon Marshall keeps his attitude in check, he automatically makes Henne better. The Dolphins have a decent defense, a good offensive line and a great, though aged running game, and could be a playoff contender if it weren't for the two teams above them. If they were in the NFC West, they would win that division easily.

I don't have much to say about the Buffalo Bills. They are a bad team who just might be the absolute worst team in the NFL now. They may have intelligently drafted hyped Clemson running back C.J. Spiller back in April, but their offensive line is absolutely no good. This is going to be a terrible year for Bills fans.

2010 Twitter Review Session #5

(63) The Wonder Show of the World - Bonnie "Prince" Billy & the Cairo Gang (Drag City)
More slightly boring but gorgeous folk songs from Will Oldham. I'm ignoring some great lyrics, aren't I? (6/10)

(64) Forgiveness Rock Record - Broken Social Scene (Arts & Crafts)
Worst BSS record yet. HATED it at first. It totes grew on me. Some outright jams, three TERRIBLE songs. (7/10)

(65) Subiza - Delorean (True Panther)
Truly great dance/electronic pop from Spanish group. Big, bright, emotional and danceable w/some great house moments. (8/10)

(66) Spirit Youth - The Depreciation Guild (Kanine)
Solid new wave/synth pop from TPoBPaH drummer plus buds. Somewhere between a brighter M83 and Pains... (7/10)

(67) Shame, Shame - Dr. Dog (Ant-)
Very good, well produced pop/rock album. Consistent all the way through. Every song is memorable. (7.5/10)

(68) Simple Science EP - The Get Up Kids (self-released)
They're back, and this is probs about as good as one could expect. Face it, it's not 1997-1999 anymore. (6.5/10)

(69) Pigeons - Here We Go Magic (Secretly Canadian)
LP #2 of weird, psychedelic pop tunes. Features full band this time. Is louder and just as good as the first. (7.5/10)

(70) This is Happening - LCD Soundsystem (DFA/Virgin)
Didn't want to like this, but can't resist. Douchey dude is awes producer, and most of these songs are GOOD. (7/10)

(71) Apparitions - Light Pollution (Carpark)
Half-way decent, dark, huge and futuristic sounding indie pop. Not the most memorable thing, though. (6/10)

(72) Nothing Hurts - Male Bonding (Sub Pop)
The latest good Sub Pop band. Catchy and gnarly sounding punk rock from the UK. Everything is done about right. (7.5/10)

(73) Completely Removed - Medications (Dischord)
This might be the best thing these two brainy DC punks and ex-Faraquet dudes have done yet. Poppy, yet SO complex. (8/10)

(74) High Violet - The National (4AD)
Expected this to be REALLY boring, but nope, it's another National record. Moody, driving, subtle and just fine. (7/10)

(75) La La Land - Plants and Animals (Secret City)
Didn't expect much here, so was pleasantly surprised by this album's solid indie rock. Has a nice swagger. (6.5/10)

(76) Volume Two - She & Him (Merge)
Maybe I should be ashamed to admit this, but the latest Zooey Deschanel/M. Ward collab is darn good! (6.5/10)

(77) Small Black - Small Black (Jagjaguwar)
New Jagjaguwar act presents a more gnarly entry loosely based in the chillwave sub-genre, with mediocre results. (5.5/10)

2010 Twitter Review Session #4

(43) The Brutalist Bricks - Ted Leo and the Pharmacists (Matador)
Not a HUGE fan of his punk infused, politically charged Costello-meets-Thin Lizzy power pop, but this is quite good. (7/10)

(44) Rough Frame - The Art Museums (Woodsist)
Another new Woodsist act that sounds more 80s post-punk than 60s psychedelic or 70s classic punk. They aight. (6.5/10)

(45) Sun Was High (So Was I) 7" - Best Coast (Art Fag)
Not as fantastic as her first 7" of 2010, but still, good enough. Mid-tempo punk w/Beach Boys harmonies. (6.5/10)

(46) Witches - Fur (Waaga)
I was under the impression Fur was supposed to be one of those chillwave acts. This is darker and not nearly as good. (5.5/10)

(47) No Mas - Javelin (Luaka Bop)
A very fun, sample-heavy and surprisingly great electronic pop album with plenty of memorable moments. (7.5/10)

(48) The Juliets - The Juliets (self-released)
I'm over this orchestral style of indie pop, but The Juliets make a valiant and satisfying effort w/their debut. (6.5/10)

(49) To Bed to Battle - Look Mexico (Suburban Home)
Seemingly young band unfortunately matures from interesting, fun, jangly emo to over produced, prog-emo. (6/10)

(50) Big Echo - The Morning Benders (Rough Trade)
Horrible name, surprisingly great record, despite sounding mostly like a poppier version of Grizzly Bear. (7/10)

(51) Have One on Me - Joanna Newsom (Drag City)
Unsurprisingly, this 3xLP is completely overwhelming. Gorgeous, but too long and too easy to loose interest. (6/10)

(52) Clinging to a Scheme - The Radio Dept. (Labrador)
A very good if not totally great 80s indie pop record, at times bringing to mind The Cure at their very best. (8/10)

(53) The Golden Archipelago - Shearwater (Matador)
Decent, innovative and dynamic orchestral rock from former Okkervil River dude. A bit too dramatic for me, though. (6/10)

(54) The Wild Hunt - The Tallest Man on Earth (Dead Oceans)
I don't really get what's so special about this guy. Wow, he plays folk music and has a weird voice! (5.5/10)

(55) Travellers in Space and Time - The Apples in Stereo (Yep Roc/Simian/Elephant 6)
Pretty great synth-heavy, futuristic pop album with a lot of nice melodies and chord progressions to love. (7/10)

(56) Massa Hypnos - Awesome Color (Ecstatic Peace)
A mix of art, noise, punk, 70s rock and GRUNGE. Not surprised that Detroit people like it, but they're wrong. (4.5/10)

(57) East General - The Bitters (Mexican Summer)
Gross, lo-fi punk from one of the Fucked Up guitarists. Not as good as I hoped, features one totally sweet song. (5.5/10)

(58) Swim - Caribou (Merge)
Still getting over the switch from psychedelic to electronic pop, but when your record's still this good... whatevs. (8/10)

(59) I Will Be - Dum Dum Girls (Sub Pop)
Another lo-fi, all female garage-pop band. This is pretty solid with one awesome song, but they're no Viv Girls. (6/10)

(60) Fang Island - Fang Island (Sargent House)
Really fun, melodic, sorta mathy and punk-infused guitar rock. Has one real sweet jam, can be irritating in places. (6/10)

(61) August in My Mind EP - The Fresh & Onlys (Captured Tracks)
More psychedelic pop/rock from this SF group, only slightly more polished, concise, not quite as good. (6.5/10)

(62) Plastic Beach - Gorillaz (Virgin)
First mainstream pop album I've been able to get into since Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. Surprisingly brilliant. (7/10)