Why The Carolina Panthers Are Legit Super Bowl Contenders

There is only a month left in the NFL's regular season and the playoff picture is finally starting to solidify. In terms of Super Bowl contenders, you're hearing teams like the Seahawks, Broncos, Patriots, Chiefs, Saints and 49ers tossed around frequently. The one team that is noticeably missing from these early Super Bowl predictions that deserves to be right in the thick of things is the Carolina Panthers. People are starting to take the Panthers more seriously because of their current seven-game winning streak, but I still don't feel like enough people are viewing them as realistic contenders to hoist the Lombardi Trophy this year. Here are the six reasons why I believe the Panthers are amongst the frontrunners to win Super Bowl 47.

Defense: While you can get by with a subpar defense and win a title (The 2012 Ravens and 2011 Giants), it doesn't hurt to have a great defense. The Panthers defense is currently ranked third in the league and for good reason-they're stacked with talent across the board. Charles Johnson and Greg Hardy are one of the most productive pass rushing tandems in the league, reigning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Luke Kuechly is quickly becoming the most dominant inside linebacker to enter the league since Patrick Willis and their secondary full of unknown young players and a couple of journeyman veterans have quietly become one of the most effective secondaries in league. Their showing against the 49ers was beyond impressive holding them to 151 total yards (including a mere four yards in the fourth quarter) and picking up six sacks against a 49ers offensive line that is arguably the best in the NFL. The defense may lack the big names and flash of the 49ers and Seahawks, but with their ability to consistently get to the quarterback and force turnovers, they're every bit as talented.

Running Game: The Panthers rotation of running backs and mobility of quarterback Cam Newton has proven to be very successful all season. Each one of their backs brings something different to the table and are rotated so frequently that it makes them nearly impossible to game plan against. DeAngelo Williams is quick and has great vision, Mike Tolbert is one of the most dangerous short-yard backs in the league thanks to tendency to score whenever he gets in the redzone and Jonathan Stewart is essentially a hybrid between Williams and Tolbert with a lot of power and solid speed. While their running backs are rock solid, Newton is the easily the most lethal rushing threat on the Panthers roster. Whether it's a designed run or improvised scramble on a broken pass play, Newton's size and incredible speed makes him a severe matchup problem for opposing defenses. Their rough matchup with the Patriots was an especially strong showcase of Newton's running ability as he extended numerous drives that led to points by running for first downs. Newton's rushing ability combined with a rare example of a running back committee that works makes the Panthers a force to be reckoned with on the ground.

Ability to Come Through in the Clutch: The last few games have shown the Panthers ability to win games in clutch situations. The 49ers game was capped off with an interception by Drayton Florence while the Patriots and Dolphins victories were picked up thanks to big plays from Newton in the latter stages of the game. In the Patriots game, Newton rushed for two huge third down conversions to extend a late fourth-quarter drive that ended with the eventual game-winning touchdown pass to Ted Ginn Jr. The comeback in the Dolphins game last week was even more impressive since the offense was asleep for the first three quarters. Newton threw a perfect pass to Steve Smith on a 4th and 10 on their own 20 with just over two minutes left to keep the drive alive. The miraculous conversion gave the Panthers a ton of momentum and Newton capped off the 93-yard with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Greg Olsen to seal a 20-16 victory for the Panthers. This ability to finish games strong with late-game rallies and strong defensive stands provides a good indicator of what this team could do in the high-pressure environment of the NFL playoffs.

Cam Newton: 2013 is the season that Cam Newton has finally become a truly elite quarterback. On top of his talent, he now has the leadership, maturity and command of this team that is needed to be successful in the NFL. He has become much more patient with his throws and is throwing the ball away instead of forcing balls into double/triple coverage like he did in the past. Newton also has numerous comeback wins under his belt this year. When the team needs a play late in the game, he is there to make it. Newton's dual-threat ability also makes him an incredible asset for a big playoff push. Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson wreaked havoc in the playoffs last year with their ability to beat defenses with their arms and their legs, and there is no reason Newton can't do the same this year. Newton has proven he's the real deal this year and has all the tools to bring the first-ever Lombardi trophy to Carolina.

Victories over Tough Opponents: As I mentioned previously, they've picked up wins over the 49ers and Patriots in the past couple of weeks. They also contended with the Seahawks in Week 1 before they started clicking completely as a team and could've picked up a win if it wasn't for a late DeAngelo Williams fumble. The Panthers have two big games against the Saints down the stretch that will further test them as a team. If they can pull out a victory in at least one of those games, it will solidify their resume and further prove that they are ready for the big stage of the playoffs.

Week 12 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Philip Rivers (Chargers)
The resurgence of Philip Rivers continues. Rivers had arguably his strongest game of the season with an eye-popping 392 yards and 3 TD's on a stout Chiefs defense (it is worth nothing that their top pass-rushers Tamba Hali and Justin Houston left the game with an injury.) Rivers owners will hope he continues to come up big against tough defenses when the Chargers face the Bengals on Sunday.
Honorable Mentions: Tom Brady (Patriots), Colin Kaepernick (49ers), Alex Smith (Chiefs), Cam Newton (Panthers)

LVP: Case Keenum (Texans)
Just when you thought the Texans had a legit starter in Case Keenum, he puts up another stinker against the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars. Keenum couldn't find the end zone for the second straight week and was out-of-sync with his receivers the whole game. With Keenum's inconsistency and opponents that include the Patriots, Titans and Broncos over the last month of the season, there is no use for keeping him on your fantasy roster.  
Dishonorable Mentions: Robert Griffin III (Redskins), Matt Ryan (Falcons), Peyton Manning (Broncos), Joe Flacco (Ravens)

Running Back
MVP: Knowshon Moreno (Broncos)
With Peyton Manning having a subpar game by his standards, the Broncos needed someone to step up and Knowshon Moreno answered the call. Moreno got the ball an astronomical 37 times for 224 yards and a touchdown against the Patriots on Sunday night. Moreno continues to get a ton of touches and a has nose for the endzone making him about as valuable of an RB2 as you can have right now.
Honorable Mentions: Jammal Charles (Chiefs), Eddie Lacy (Packers),  Maurice Jones-Drew (Jaguars), Danny Woodhead (Chargers)

LVP: Frank Gore (49ers)
This caught me completely my surprise. A workhorse like Frank Gore has had strong outings against elite run defenses like the Cardinals and Panthers gets all but completely shut down by a below average at best unit in the Redskins. This isn't all Gore's fault, he only had 13 touches in the game but his 2.4 yards per carry is a bit disconcerting. Hopefully the 49ers get him more involved in the coming weeks, especially with the Rams coming up this week, who Gore absolutely smashed in their first meeting this season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Ben Tate (Texans), Matt Forte (Bears), Stevan Ridley (Patriots), Alfred Morris (Redskins)

Wide Receiver
MVP: Josh Gordon (Browns)
Bold claim alert: Josh Gordon is the most underrated wide receiver in the NFL. Gordon had another explosive outing this week against the Steelers with 237 yards and a TD. Just about every week Gordon is putting up crazy numbers, which is beyond impressive considering that he has a bunch of weak quarterbacks throwing him the ball. With Jordan Cameron slumping and a nonexistent running game, Gordon is the lone playmaker on the Browns offense and should continue to put big numbers as long as he is getting the ball.
Honorable Mentions: Julian Edelman (Patriots), Anquan Boldin (49ers), Mike Wallace (Dolphins), Brandon Marshall (Bears)

LVP: Victor Cruz (Giants)
What the hell happened to Victor Cruz? After starting the year on a hot streak, Cruz has done next to nothing in the past month or so. This week against the Cowboys is easily the most disappointing performance of the season for Cruz so far. With Hakeem Nicks inactive and a matchup against the abysmal Cowboys secondary, Cruz should've went off. Instead, Cruz mustered a whopping 27 yards and a fumble on the afternoon. Cruz has a big redemption chance against the Redskins this week, but given the fact that he has only 1 breakout game over the past month and a half, it's far from a guarantee. 
Dishonorable Mentions: Andre Johnson (Texans), Vincent Jackson (Buccaneers), Jordy Nelson (Packers), Eric Decker (Broncos)

Tight End
MVP: Jimmy Graham (Saints)
Jimmy Graham went off again last Thursday night against the Falcons and broke the goal post when he was celebrating a touchdown. In other words, Jimmy Graham is pretty much the most terrifying player in the league.
Honorable Mentions: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots), Martellus Bennett (Bears), Jason Witten (Cowboys), Jared Cook (Rams)

LVP: Heath Miller (Steelers)
It was a feast for the Steelers offense in a blowout win over the Browns, but Heath Miller was left starving again with just 41 yards on the day. Miller simply just has not been himself this season since returning from the torn ACL he suffered late last year and is a respectable TE2 at best with his current production level.
Dishonorable Mentions: Delanie Walker (Titans), Garrett Graham (Texans), Charles Clay (Dolphins), Tony Gonzalez (Falcons)

Defense
MVP: Pittsburgh Steelers
Hold the phone, the Steelers defense is capable of getting sacks and takeaways? The Steelers managed to get 5 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries and a pick six against the rapidly-declining Browns on Sunday. This rare explosion is almost a certainly a fluke from a defense that is normally useless for fantasy purposes.
Honorable Mentions: Baltimore Ravens, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals

LVP: Cleveland Browns
The Browns pass rush is basically nonexistent the past couple weeks and it hit a new low with no sacks on a Steelers offensive line that is absolutely horrid. The Browns weren't even able to salvage the afternoon with a takeaway. Their last 5 games have too many favorable matchups to get rid of them, but they are going to need show more consistency to warrant starting week-by-week.
Dishonorable Mentions: Chicago Bears, Kansas City Chiefs, Carolina Panthers, Tennessee Titans 

Concert Review: The Story So Far-- Boston, MA-- November 24, 2013

A very diverse pop punk/hardcore tour package headlined by The Story So Far and Stick to Your Guns rolled into the Royale in Boston last night. Though two very different styles of music were on display, the fun and passion of both scenes were fully felt throughout the night.

Heart to Heart kicked things off. I hadn't heard these guys before, but I had heard a lot of good things about them leading into the show. They're kind of an oddball mix of pop punk and hardcore, but neither end of the style is done all that well. The screaming is pretty underwhelming and the singing ranges from decent to well below average (they have 3 different vocalists.) However, they do have their fair share of cool melodies and their lead singer is hilarious. I also have to give them props for the inspiration of closing song "Forty Forty Twenty", which details the struggle of the singer's old friend that he reconnected with two years ago after not seeing her since high school. Six months after the death of her husband in Afghanistan, she was diagnosed with stomach cancer that could only be removed via surgery. The title of the song documents her odds which were 40% they couldn't remove the tumor, 40% successful surgery and 20% she dies on the operating table (her surgery ended up being successful.) When the singer was telling this story to the crowd, you could hear the emotion in his voice and how deeply this woman's situation affected him as a person. Heart to Heart definitely had their moments, but ultimately didn't make too much of an impression on me.

Rotting Out was up next. This marked my second time seeing them and further cemented why they are one of my favorite hardcore bands at the moment. In a live environment, these guys are just pure chaos. Each and every song they played has this ferocious bite to it that can't be ignored. Their music is just so angry, fast, violent and energetic that you can't help but move around and feel every ounce of the rage that consumes them. Making that feeling of anger all the more present was the banter the vocalist had in-between songs. This is a band that shares the same no bullshit agenda of the great hardcore bands of the past. They don't like how a lot of things work in the world yet still have an underlying message of loyalty and surrounding yourself with the right people that actually care about you. Even though they were only the second band to perform, Rotting Out stole the show early and was the clear-cut best performance of the night.

Such Gold hit the stage next. What stuck out about them is the fact they were the only band not from California on the bill (They hail from Rochester, New York.) In terms of their actual performance, they were just slightly above average in my eyes. The most joy their set brought me was watching their bassist's wildly out-of-sync headbanging the entire time they were playing. Their lead vocalist's voice was kind of grating and quite a few of the songs sounded pretty much exactly the same. They were certainly tight musically (especially considering their drummer left the tour right before this show to fill-in for Trash Talk and the drummer from Stick to Your Guns had only 3 hours to learn their set) and they had a couple of really catchy moments, they just they really click with me on the whole.

Stick to Your Guns was up next. Though they've played at numerous shows I've attended in the past, this was my first time seeing them. Their studio material is just alright to me, but as I expected, these guys excel in a live setting. They have a ton of breakdowns and a vast majority of them were really well-timed and really hit hard. There is also enough melody to go with the raw emotion and constant breakdowns to separate them from their peers in the genre. Making their set all the more enjoyable was the energy from the crowd and the band. The band was going off-the-walls the entire time and the crowd reciprocated that by screaming/singing all the lyrics at the top of their lungs and keeping the pits consistently active. Stick to Your Guns certainly won't be joining my list of favorite bands, but they are damn good at what they do and put on a pretty killer live show.

The reason myself and a majority of the sold out crowd attended, The Story So Far, closed out the evening. I was stoked to get to see them again after missing them at Warped Tour this past summer due to a set conflict with The Black Dahlia Murder. While not being quite as sharp as when I saw them on the Glamour Kills Tour last year, they still put on a fun show. The setlist was evenly divided between their two full-length albums Under Soil and Dirt and What You Don't See. Seeing the material from What You Don't See live made me grow a greater appreciation for that record. I had previously considered it one of the most disappointing albums of 2013 (a lot of that has to do with how high of a regard I hold Under Soil and Dirt in,) now I fully expect to form a more favorable opinion on it after this performance. What really amazed the most about this performance was how big they've gotten in such a short period of time. It was only a year and a half ago that they were playing the same room billed below The Wonder Years, Polar Bear Club and Transit. Now they're headlining and selling out the same venue garnering the same level of enthusiasm and crowd participation as The Wonder Years has at their shows. The Story So Far is one of the most important bands in pop punk right now and the reception they got last night majorly drives that point home. The blend of pop punk and hardcore made for a really fun evening that wrapped up this epic string of shows I've attended in the past month quite nicely.

Scores:
Heart to Heart 6.5/10
Rotting Out 8.5/10
Such Gold 6/10
Stick to Your Guns 8/10
The Story So Far 8/10

Setlists:
Heart to Heart included:
In Case You Haven't Noticed
Thanks for Nothing
Your Name Here
Forty Forty Twenty

Rotting Out:
Street Prowl
Suicide King
Blade of Rust
The Shoot Out
S.B.T.S
Iron-Jawed Angel
No Clue
Goddamn
Laugh Now, Die Later

Stick to Your Guns ( jacked from setlist.fm):
Against Them All
Such Pain
Bringing You Down
Empty Heads
Diamond
We Still Believe
The Bond
D(I Am)ond
What Goes Around
Amber


The Story So Far:
Right Here
States and Minds
Roam
Daughters
Stifled
Things I Can't Change
Four Years
680 South
Closure
The Glass
All Wrong
Bad Luck
Empty Space
Quicksand


Encore:
High Regard

Album Review: Skeletonwitch-Serpents Unleashed

Ohio blackened thrash demigods Skeletonwitch have earned a steadily increasing and devoted fanbase since their breakout 2007 release Beyond the Permafrost. This rabid following can be attributed to their intense yet insanely fun live performances and ability to consistently produce quality albums. Serpents Unleashed keeps up Skeletonwitch's proud tradition of consistency and will almost surely lead to them getting even more popular.

Serpents Unleashed further expands upon the melodic side that was introduced on their previous record Forever Abomination. Tracks like "Burned in Bone" and "More Cruel than Weak" have a huge old-school Gothenburg melodic death metal influence. It was cool to Skeletonwitch add a new element to their sound that goes against yet perfectly complements their thrash/black metal roots. This increased level of melody is counteracted by the fact that this is arguably the heaviest material they've done since Beyond the Permafrost. "Beneath Dead Leaves" and "From a Cloudless Sky" are flat-out evil even for a band like Skeletonwitch who has made a name off being one of the most diabolical-sounding bands in the heavy metal realm. When the music kicked in, I was fairly sure a portal to hell was going to open in my living room. I absolutely love the fact that they simultaneously got more mellow and heavy on the same record. 

While Serpents Unleashed offers up the typical thrills of a Skeletonwitch album, the band refines their sound enough to keep it fresh. Producer Kurt Ballou makes this the cleanest sounding Skeletonwitch album to-date without sacrificing the band's naturally raw, sinister sound. Ballou seems to be the go-to producer for bands who have a rough signature sound, but want it to be polished up a bit. The fact that he's able to make a band like Skeletonwitch sound so clear without taking away the vile nature of their sound is exactly why he's one of my favorite producers in metal. It also helps that the band once again stepped their game up musically. Guitarists Nate Garnette and Scott Hendrick continue to improve at solowriting and unleash some of the most furious solos of their career so far throughout the album. It also impresses me that Chance Garnette remains such a fantastic vocalist after all these years. A majority of extreme-vocalist start to lose their edge at this point in their career, but Garnette hasn't lost even an ounce of bite from his trademark low-pitched growls and high-pitched shrieks. 

It took a couple of listens to fully appreciate it, but I can now say that Serpents Unleashed is my favorite Skeletonwitch record since Beyond the Permafrost. The typical Skeletonwitch formula of catchy riffing, thrashy soloing and evil vocals is still fully in play, it's just refined with more polished production and an increased sense of melody to break up the all-out fury the music delivers. It's remarkable how consistent Skeletonwitch is as a band and unless something goes drastically wrong, I don't see that changing in the future.  Serpents Unleashed may be not be the most innovative release of 2013, but it sure as hell is one of the most ripping, lively and most importantly, best of the year.

4.5/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Burned from Bone
2.From a Cloudless Sky
3.Beneath Dead Leaves  

Week 11 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)
Trade rumors about Ben Roethlisberger should surface every week if they yield these type of results from Big Ben. Roethlisberger was in vintage form with a 367 yard, 4 TD performance leading a huge second half comeback for the Steelers over the Lions on Sunday. The last few weeks have seen a serious resurgence for Roethlisberger and if this keeps up, he'll be a solid QB1 play for owners trying to make a playoff push.
Honorable Mentions: Carson Palmer (Cardinals), Robert Griffin III (Redskins), Matthew Stafford (Lions), Cam Newton (Panthers)

LVP: Case Keenum (Texans)
The hot streak for Case Keenum has ended. After being dominant in his first 3 career starts, Keenum stumbled against a Raiders defense that is only 2 weeks removed from the Nick Foles 7 TD explosion. Gary Kubiak perplexingly yanked Keenum at the end of the 3rd quarter, ruining any chance for him to salvage his afternoon. Keenum has some money matchups down the stretch, so as long as he remains the starter, he should be a viable option if you need him.
Dishonorable Mentions: Geno Smith (Jets), Drew Brees (Saints), Peyton Manning (Broncos), Matt Ryan (Falcons)

Running Back
MVP: LeSean McCoy (Eagles)
Once again, the most dominant running back performance was from a guy (Bobby Rainey) that no one had on their roster. This week's most valuable fantasy play, LeSean McCoy, has been no stranger to dominance this season. The league's leading rusher has looked better this year, but putting up 150 total yards and 2 TD's is still not too shabby. McCoy is the focal point of the rush-heavy Eagles offense and could very well end being the most valuable fantasy running back of 2013.
Honorable Mentions: Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks), Rashad Jennings (Raiders), Ray Rice (Ravens), Chris Johnson (Titans)

LVP: Reggie Bush (Lions)
Jim Schwartz done lost his mind on Sunday. For whatever reason, he benched Reggie Bush for an extended period of time after a second-quarter fumble.  Even when he was in the game, Schwartz wasn't giving him the ball. The upstart Lions success this year can be largely attributed to Bush, so it doesn't make a whole of lot sense to only give him 12 touches in the game especially when Matthew Stafford was struggling in the second half.
Dishonorable Mentions: Frank Gore (49ers), Jammal Charles (Chiefs), Andre Ellington (Cardinals), Danny Woodhead (Chargers)

Wide Receiver
MVP: Calvin Johnson (Lions)
Only Megatron can be held without a catch in the second half and still dominate a game. Johnson's insane first half with 179 yards and 2 TD's were more enough to put him at the top of the heap again for fantasy receivers.
Honorable Mentions: Antonio Brown (Steelers), Michael Floyd (Cardinals), Vincent Jackson (Buccaneers), Harry Douglas (Falcons)

LVP: A.J. Green (Bengals)
This is just wild. The Bengals managed to crush the Browns on Sunday with star receiver A.J. Green getting held to only 7 yards. What makes this even more surprising is that Green was coming off a streak of 5 straight games where he put up over 100 yards. This weak performance really is nothing to panic about though, Green is the big playmaker in the Bengals receiving corps and is going to get a vast amount of targets every week.
Dishonorable Mentions: DeAndre Hopkins (Texans), Mike Wallace (Dolphins), Brandon Marshall (Bears), Riley Cooper (Eagles)

Tight End
MVP: Garrett Graham (Texans)
The Texans might not have done much good on Sunday against the Raiders, but Garrett Graham impressed mightily with 136 yards and a touchdown on the afternoon. With DeAndre Hopkins slumping hardcore right now, Graham looks to be locked in as the number 2 option in the passing game for the Texans, which is great news for anyone who owns Graham.
Honorable Mentions: Charles Clay (Dolphins), Delanie Walker (Titans), Rob Gronkowski (Patriots), Greg Olsen (Panthers)

LVP: Scott Chandler (Bills)
A lot of big name tight ends disappointed this week, but they were all in very tough matchups. Scott Chandler is an average tight end that couldn't take advantage of a great matchup against the Jets. Making this even more disappointing was the fact that Chandler was the most reliable receiving option the Bills had on the field with wideouts Stevie Johnson and Robert Woods both out with injury.
Dishonorable Mentions: Jordan Reed (Redskins), Jimmy Graham (Saints), Jordan Cameron (Browns), Tony Gonzalez (Falcons)

Defense
MVP: Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals blowout victory can be attested to the play of their defense and special teams. The Bengals defense put on a clinic getting 4 sacks, 3 INT's, a fumble recovery, a blocked punt and 2 defensive TD's (off of the blocked punt and the fumble.)
Honorable Mentions: Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears

LVP: New York Jets
The Jets schizophrenic 2013 campaign continued on Sunday with a blowout loss against the Bills. The poor play of the defense can partly be blamed on how bad the offense was at turning the ball over and being unable to sustain a drive, but the defense also played pretty poorly and allowed some huge plays to a Bills offense that doesn't really make big plays. The fact that the Jets defense got no takeways and only 1 sack on the Bills offense is just plain sad. If the season-long trend continues, just don't play the Jets the week after they win because they're going to get killed.
Dishonorable Mentions: Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Arizona Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts

Concert Review: Kanye West-- Boston, MA-- November 17th, 2013

What I expected to be a good time ended up being absolutely incredible and one of the most special shows I've been to this year.

My friend and I were running a bit late to the show and ended up getting there about 5 minutes before the show was supposed to start. We get in the venue and find out that our seats were roped off. After asking a couple of employees what the deal was, we were told to go to guest services to get our tickets switched out. The people in guest services explained that Kanye had "had a dream to switch the stage setup" which led to our section being blocked off because it was now behind the stage. Well Kanye's dream ended up paying off big time for me because our seats got switched from the balcony to the first row above the floor. I was rendered completely speechless. I went from having nosebleed tickets in South Boston that cost $40 to having prime seats right off the floor that were going for $180 handed to me for free. Needless to say, I would like to thank Kanye's dreaming for making this possible and may he have many more brilliant visions in his sleep for years to come.

The shock hadn't quite worn off when Kendrick Lamar took the stage about 5 minutes later. Kendrick Lamar has become my favorite modern rapper over the past year following the release of the near-masterpiece good kid, m.A.A.d city, so naturally I was pumped to get the chance to see him live. His live performance was about what I expected as he displayed his rare skill on the mic and had a lot of energy while doing so. His flow is a lot less distinct live, but it doesn't really take that much away because his delivery is still fluid and razor-sharp. He made great use of a live band that made the songs distinctly different from the studio versions. The band made the mellow moments more subtle and the upbeat moments more powerful.  The 1st verse of  "m.A.A.d city" particularly benefited from the band as the guitar intro made the dropping of the beat and the start of that monstrous verse that much more intense. It did irk me that he didn't play some of his songs all the way through (I'll give him a pass on "Sing About Me/I'm Dying of Thirst" because it's almost 11 minutes long, but the other ones he cut short could've have easily been played all the way through) and that he used a backing track instead of actually rapping on some of the really fast parts of his songs (the end of "Backseat Freestyle", "Poetic Justice".) While not being quite as impressive as his studio material, Kendrick Lamar is still a damn good performer who has claimed his rightful place at the top of the hip-hop hierarchy.

After a decently long wait, Kanye West came storming onto the stage. I've only recently became a fan of his music thanks to his newest record Yeezus. My enjoyment of Yeezus led me to reevaluate his discography and realize that I'd been missing out on some special music over the past decade. I really didn't know what to expect from his live show, but safe to say as soon as he went on I went into an almost-trance like state. Say what you want about his antics away from music, but Kanye West is a fucking showman. He absolutely tore up the TD Garden with an almost two-hour set with consistent energy and some of the most elaborate stage setups I've ever seen. The set was broken into five parts: fighting, searching, falling, rising and finding. Each part of the setlist was accompanied with songs that West felt fit these themes which gave the set an incredible flow all the way through. The set went from a pissed-off intro ("On Sight", "New Slaves") to a dreary mid-section ("Coldest Winter", "Heartless") before ending on a very upbeat note ("Good Life", "Bound 2".) The twists and turns in tempo the set took made it a roller-coaster ride of emotional depth unlike anything I've ever seen before. Adding to the dense, grandiose nature of the setlist, was the bonkers stage setup and theatrics he had. The stage was gigantic with a long ramp that extended about halfway onto the floor, a giant circular video screen on-top and a huge mountain backdrop that served as the focal point of the stage setup. At various points of the show, West had these veiled women wearing flesh-colored bodysuits march around the stage and even pick him up during "I Am a God". It was definitely a strange thing to have as a part of show, but it added this really eerie and unique atmosphere to the performance. There was a lot of other cool side things throughout that further added to the spectacle including the pyro/light show during "All of the Lights", a yeti-like creature complete with red-glowing eyes coming out during "Hold My Liquor" and of course, a man dressed as Jesus coming out during "Jesus Walks" to pray with him (Jesus made another another appearance at the end of the set as all the veiled women and West sat in a line and bowed to him at the top of the mountain.) West capped off the night by doing one of the coolest things I've ever seen at a show by giving someone in the crowd his mic when he was walking off the stage.  Kanye is an over-the-top guy with an unlimited amount of confidence in his art and his live performance perfectly conveys that. I'll happily dole out big bucks to see Yeezus Christ again in the future. He may not be an actual god, but his performance last night sure as hell was godlike.

Random Side Notes:
-When walking to the show, my friend and I heard a taxi blaring "Angel of Death" by Slayer. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time.
-West performed most of the set wearing various bedazzled masks.  Because of this, these highly intoxicated girls that were sitting next to me thought it was an imposter and kept yelling "fuck you" and "that's not Kanye!" before eventually leaving and never coming back about 45 minutes into the set. 15 minutes or so later, West ripped the mask off and didn't play with one for the rest of the night. This provided me with a lot of entertainment because it was blatantly clear long before he ripped the mask off that it was in fact Kanye West performing, not an imposter. Cocaine is a hell of a drug...
- About 15-20 minutes after Kendrick Lamar got off-stage, an African-American lady that was sitting next to me randomly stated to a worker at the TD Garden that Kanye wasn't on-stage yet because he was running on "colored people time" and that "black people are late to their own funeral".
-The same lady kept telling my friend and I that we could get free drinks from her brother that worked at the venue. I wish I had a dollar for every time she told me to "go see Barry in section 20, he'll hook you up".
-There was this random guy on the floor who was dancing like a maniac throughout . I don't if he was intoxicated or just super energetic, but this dude was GROOVING like nobody's business for a long-ass time without stopping. God bless that man, I've never seen more colorful or spastic dancing in my entire life.


Scores:
Kendrick Lamar 8.5/10
Kanye West 9.5/10

Setlists:
Kendrick Lamar:
Money Trees
Backseat Freestyle
m.A.A.d city (2nd verse)
The Art of Peer Pressure (intro only)
Fuckin' Problems (A$AP Rocky cover, did his verse twice in a row)
Swimming Pools (Drank)
Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe (remix)
Poetic Justice
m.A.A.d city (1st verse)
Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst
Compton
Freestyle

Kanye West:
On Sight
New Slaves
Send it Up
Mercy
Power
Cold
I Don't Like (Chief Keef cover)
Clique
Black Skinhead
I Am a God
Can't Tell Me Nothing
Coldest Winter
Hold My Liquor
I'm in It
Guilt Trip
Heartless
Blood on the Leaves
Lost in the World
Runaway
Street Lights
Stronger
Through the Wire
Jesus Walks
Diamonds (Rihanna cover w/ Diamonds from Sierra Leone intro) 
Flashing Lights
All of the Lights
Good Life
Bound 2

Concert Review: High on Fire-- Cambridge, MA-- November 16th, 2013

Since the first time I heard High on Fire five or six years ago, I'd been dying to see them live. Last night at the Middle East in Cambridge I finally got my opportunity and they did not disappoint in the slightest.

Hometown supergroup Doomriders opened the night up. I'd only heard a couple of songs by them prior to last night and that was only because Nate Newton from Converge is the vocalist. Well after their performance last night, I realized that I really need to delve further into their music. Their style was really cool as they combined death metal, hardcore, sludge, classic rock and blues into one big blender. The wide-ranging sound allowed for a lot of different styles of riffs to be played and a few of them were absolutely neck-breaking (there was a bluesy riff in the second-to-last song they played that was one of the catchiest riffs I've heard in a long time.) They also displayed a level of energy that you don't really see with these type of bands. They were moving around a lot on stage and just generally having a blast performing. Capping off the set was a hilarious exchange Newton had with an audience  member who just yelled "Nintendo" when Newton was addressing the crowd. Newton proceeded to keep yelling nerdy things with this dude back and forth for about a minute. Of course being the moron that I am, I had to yell "teatherball" which caused Newton to laugh and dedicate the next song to me and the Nintendo kid. Doomriders was a whole lot of fun and a very pleasant surprise to start the show off.

Norwegian black metal/hardcore/hard rock act Kvelertak came out next. Leading up to the show I was surprised that these bands were able to sell out The Middle East. My question as to why this sold out was quickly answered the minute vocalist Erlend Hjelvik came on stage with an owl mask on to kick off "Apenbaring" and the crowd when into a frenzy. It's been a long time since I've dealt with this much of a crowd push at a show. This level of crowd insanity can be attributed to the crazy stage presence of the band. These guys have that rare level of energy that makes a room absolutely electric. Their vocalist did not stay in place for more than 10 seconds at a time, their two guitarists that I was in front of were consistently interacting with the crowd and their bassist dove into the crowd near the end of the set. It also helps that their music is catchy as hell and has plenty of punchy, mosh-worthy riffs that incited huge pits. An added bonus from a comedy standpoint was hearing the vocalist address the crowd in-between songs in broken English. He had to repeat himself at least 2-3 times before the crowd had any clue what he was saying. Just like on record, the only problem I had with Kvelertak was their vocals. I really just can't get into the vocals at all, which is especially frustrating because the music is absolutely fantastic. Nonetheless, Kvelertak are excellent performers and if you're a fan of the band, their live performance is truly special.

The moment had finally come for High on Fire. I had repeatedly missed my chance to see these guys in the past and the one time I was supposed to see them, they dropped off the bill (Mayhem Fest 2012.) I'd heard for a long time that High on Fire destroys live and after last night, I competently share that sentiment. For just over an hour, High on Fire rolled through a crushing set that spanned their entire career with basically no down time in-between songs. First off, I don't think anything could've have prepared for how loud these motherfuckers are live. I took my ear plugs out before they launched into set closer "Snakes for the Divine" and my ears were ringing by the end of the song. In all years of going to shows, I've never had that happen before. I've seen some loud bands before, but High on Fire could very well be the loudest band I've ever seen. The volume they played was not the most striking thing about High on Fire, that distinct honor would have to be vocalist/guitarist Matt Pike. Pike is easily one of the best guitarists I've seen play live. His style is so crushing and sloppy (in a good way) that you just get sucked into every note he plays. I don't know if it was just me, but it seemed like he sped up the solos live. The solos on "Serums of Liao" and the aforementioned "Snakes for the Divine" were mind-bogglingly fast and the highlights of the show for me. The setlist was dope and perfectly balanced between their fast, thrashy stuff and slow, gloomy material. Hearing tracks like "Razor Hoof" and "Baghdad" live reminded that I need to revisit their early material immediately. High on Fire are an immense live band and hopefully the opportunity arises for me to see them again before too long.

Scores:
Doomriders 8.5/10
Kvelertak 8/10
High on Fire 9/10

Doomriders included:
Come Alive
Grand Blood

Kvelertak included:
Apenbaring
Mjod
Braune Brenn
Spring Fra Livet
Kvelertak

High on Fire:
Fertile Green
Razor Hoof
Fury Whip
Madness of an Architect
Cometh Down Hessian
Eyes and Teeth
Fireface
Rumors of War
Baghdad
Serums of Liao
Slave the Hive
Snakes for the Divine
 

Week 10 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Drew Brees (Saints)
Drew Brees's performance on Sunday was even insane by his standards. Brees looked like a man possessed completing 83% of his passes for 392 yards and 4 TD's in the Saints 49-17 beatdown of the Cowboys on Sunday night. Brees has been the most consistent QB1 this season not named Peyton Manning and I'm sure he'll continue to make his owners happy for the rest of the season.
Honorable Mentions: Robert Griffin III (Redskins), Peyton Manning (Broncos), Nick Foles (Eagles), Russell Wilson (Seahawks)

LVP: Philip Rivers (Chargers)
Philip Rivers didn't play too bad against the Broncos on Sunday putting up 216 yards and a touchdown. That being said, everyone expected more with Rivers on a hot streak and a Broncos secondary that has allowed a ton of fantasy points to quarterbacks all season long.
Dishonorable Mentions: Andrew Luck (Colts), Eli Manning (Giants), Colin Kaepernick (49ers), Cam Newton (Panthers)

Running Back
MVP: Pierre Thomas (Saints)
No you are not imagining things, a Saints running back was the most valuable fantasy running back this week. The Saints managed to run all over the Cowboys all game long with Pierre Thomas putting up the most impressive numbers with 111 total yards and 2 TD's (1 rushing, 1 receiving) I wouldn't get too excited for the Saints rushing game to make a resurgence though. They play some really tough run defenses (49ers, Seahawks, Panthers twice) down the stretch and it can not be stressed enough how bad this team is at running at the ball most weeks.
Honorable Mentions: Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks), Adrian Peterson (Vikings), Darren Sproles (Saints), Andre Brown (Giants)

LVP: Chris Johnson (Titans)
A week after C2J returned to vintage form against the Rams, he reverted right back to the new, lackluster C2J. He somehow managed to only gain 30 yards (2.5 yards per carry) on the league-worst rushing defense of the Jaguars. Johnson continues to disappoint and despite a few strong moments, can't develop any momentum this season. Johnson is a low-end RB2 moving forward and continues to show he can not trusted to perform consistently.
Dishonorable Mentions: C.J. Spiller (Bills), Matt Forte (Bears), Eddie Lacy (Packers), Fred Jackson (Bills)

Wide Receiver
MVP: Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)
Good ol' Demaryius "Bay Bay" Thomas was Peyton Manning's weapon of choice this week. 3 of his 7 receptions were touchdowns and pretty much carried the team to victory over the Chargers on a slow day for most of the Broncos receiving corps.
Honorable Mentions: A.J. Green (Bengals), Tavon Austin (Rams), Brandon Marshall (Bears), Riley Cooper (Eagles)

LVP: Wes Welker (Broncos)
The normally effective Wes Welker was held to a measly 21 yards against the Chargers weak secondary on Sunday. Demaryius and Julius Thomas got all the attention from Manning, leaving Welker and Eric Decker to put up poor numbers. This performance shouldn't be much to fret for Welker owners though. This offense is absolutely loaded with talent and Welker will get more than his fair share of opportunities to shine the rest of this season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Victor Cruz (Giants), Keenan Allen (Chargers), Eric Decker (Broncos), Dez Bryant (Cowboys)

Tight End
MVP: Julius Thomas (Broncos)
Julius Thomas did most of his damage on a 74-yard touchdown catch in the 1st quarter, but in a week where most tight ends disappointed, it was more than enough to make him the best fantasy play of the week.
Honorable Mentions: Jordan Reed (Redskins), Delanie Walker (Titans), Brandon Pettigrew (Lions), Antonio Gates (Chargers)

LVP: Jimmy Graham (Saints)
For a normal tight end, 59 yards in a game would be a perfectly fine game. For Jimmy Graham, it's an off-game. Graham's numbers are especially disappointing considering that the Saints had a field day with the Cowboys defense on Sunday night. In Graham's defense, he is playing hurt, but for such a dominant player like Graham to not put up double-digit fantasy points is a big letdown.
Dishonorable Mentions: Greg Olsen (Panthers), Martellus Bennett (Bears), Garrett Graham (Texans), Vernon Davis (49ers)

Defense
MVP: St. Louis Rams
The up-and-down Rams defense put up one of their most dominant performances of the season in their surprising blowout victory over the Colts. The defense gave Andrew Luck and co. hell with 5 takeaways, 3 sacks and a defensive touchdown on the afternoon.  
Honorable Mentions: New York Giants, Oakland Raiders, Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals

LVP: Tennessee Titans
Sunday was not kind to the Titans, who gave the Jaguars their first victory of the season. The defense was a big part of that managing only 3 sacks and 2 takeaways against a team that has been very generous to fantasy defenses all season long.
Dishonorable Mentions: Indianapolis Colts, Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins

Concert Review: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis-- Boston, MA-- November 8th, 2013

As with most nights in the month of November, The TD Garden was packed and loaded with passionate fans making a lot of noise. This excitement wasn't for the Bruins or Celtics though, it was for Seattle MC Macklemore and his producing partner Ryan Lewis, who brought down the house in their first major-arena performance in the city of Boston.

The night kicked off with Mississippi rapper Big K.R.I.T. (short for King Remembered in Time.) K.R.I.T. was my primary reason for attending this show and he didn't disappoint. He's an incendiary performer and his bass-heavy production shook the room louder than any of the other artists on the night (his DJ also uses a turntable that looks like a Cadillac, which is completely badass.) Unfortunately, very few people in the room cared about his set. The crowd skewed younger due to the success of Macklemore's radio hits and someone with such a heavy southern-tinge to their music like K.R.I.T isn't going to crossover well with that crowd. He tried his hardest to get the crowd riled up with heavy interaction and trying to start chants, claps, etc, but it was to relatively no avail. It also doesn't help that K.R.I.T.'s style of music is much more suited for a smaller venue. I have no doubt with his energetic stage presence and monstrous production that he would tear it up in a club setting (Hearing "Country Shit" at one of his headlining shows would be INSANE.) Nonetheless, K.R.I.T put on a pretty great set and did the best he could be considering the circumstances.

Talib Kweli came on pretty much immediately after Big K.R.I.T. left the stage. I've never really been too big on his music, but with all the contributions he made to hip-hop with his work in Black Star and his solo career, I was still intrigued to see him. Kweli showed with his surprisingly brief 35-minute set why he is a hip-hip icon. His delivery was fluid and crisp and be brought this level of intensity to his verses that caught be my surprise for a guy that is known primarily for his calm, conscious style. His set took a bit of a brief awkward decline when he invited collaborator Res on-stage to perform a cover of "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac. Res does have an excellent voice, it was just very confusing to burst into a Fleetwood Mac cover in the middle of a hip-hop show. Kweli quickly recovered with last few songs of the set, including a fiery rendition of his most known song "Get By" with stunning work on the hook by Res. Aside from the brief Fleetwood Mac speed bump and the fact that he cut a lot of his songs painfully short, Kweli put on a great show worthy of his hip-hop legend status.

After a half-hour or so wait, the moment had finally come for Macklemore & Ryan Lewis to perform. Unlike the first two performers who seemed a bit out of place on a such a big stage, Macklemore seemed right at-home on a huge stage. Even though this is his first time doing a large-arena tour,  he seems like he's been performing in large venues for years thanks to his larger-than-life stage presence. The giant personality he shows in his music is amplified even further when you put him in front of a huge crowd and it just makes for a great show. As you expect with the content of his music, he's a very heartfelt and emotional guy when he talks in-between songs, but what really made his banter special was his sense of humor. The clearly-made up, long anecdotes he had before "Thrift Shop",  after "And We Danced" and at the end of the set when he was thanking/introducing his band were absolutely hilarious and showed a side of him that you haven't really seen outside of the lyrics to "Thrift Shop". The most special aspect of the show though was the insane crowd reception. I can only think of a handful of times in the approximately 70 concerts I've been to where the crowd was going that nuts during a performance. Whether it be casual fans that only know "Thrift Shop" and "Can't Hold Us" or diehards that were before he became a superstar, Macklemore fans have an almost unrivaled level of enthusiasm. The setlist was pretty unsurprising containing all the hits that have made him so famous, but there was a few nice surprises along the way with "My Oh My" and a freestyle set to "Float On" by Modest Mouse. Macklemore may not be the most flashy or technically impressive MC in the world of hip-hop, but his energy, honesty and incredible work ethic make him a great artist/performer. 

Scores:
Big K.R.I.T. 8/10
Talib Kweli 8/10
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis 8/10

Setlists:
Big K.R.I.T.:
Country Shit
4eva n a Day Theme
Talkin' Bout Nothing
My Sub Part II
What You Know About It
?
My Trunk
Hometown Hero
I Got This
Just Last Week
REM

Talib Kweli included:
Rocket Ships
Too Late (Reflection Eternal cover)
Dreams (Fleetwood Mac cover by Res)
Get By (w/Res)

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis:
Ten Thousand Hours
Crew Cuts
Life is Cinema
Thrift Shop (w/Wanz, but he was totally lip-syncing)
Otherside
My Oh My
Same Love (w/Mary Lambert)
Freestyle (set to the music of "Float On" by Modest Mouse and featuring a brief tease of "Make the Money in the middle)
Can't Hold Us (w/Ray Dalton)
White Walls
Wing$

Encore:
And We Danced
Irish Celebration
Can't Hold Us

Album Review: Eminem-The Marshall Mathers LP 2

Whenever an artist makes a "sequel" to one of their classic albums, I tend to cringe. This move tends to mean the artist in question released an album that didn't go over well with their fanbase and is trying to recapture excitement amongst their fans by making their next record a sequel to the record that is the best-received amongst their fanbase. Enter The Marshall Mathers LP 2, which sees Eminem trying to recapture his roots as a hardcore hip-hop artist as a way of apologizing to his fanbase for his last record, Recovery, which was far more pop-based than anything he had done before. Unfortunately,The Marshall Mathers LP 2 not only fails to come anywhere near close to the quality of the original Marshall Mathers LP, it also fails to work on its own merits.

What I found ironic while listening to The Marshall Mathers LP 2 was how well the song titles suited why the album failed. It's almost as if Eminem knew the album was a dud and just left subtle clues to the listener to figure out how and why the album was a misfire. This may sound bat-shit insane in theory, so let me explain.

"Rhyme or Reason": This title can not only be applied to the album, but the song itself. Is there any reason for Eminem to start rapping like Yoda on a track that's supposed to dead serious? What about making a bunch of tired pop culture references that stopped being funny before the original Marshall Mathers LP came out? Yep there's certainly no rhyme or reason for it and this was only the first strike of many against Eminem's comeback attempt.

"So Much Better": Eminem is "So Much Better" at writing hooks than this. This is the man that has come up with some of the catchiest and most triumphant choruses in the history of hip-hop with tracks like "My Name Is", "The Real Slim Shady", "Without Me" and "Lose Yourself". The hooks on The Marshall Mathers LP 2 are lacking to say the least. Every hook on this album is either something dull from Eminem himself or some robotic-sounding female vocalist saying a few words before Eminem goes back to rapping. Honestly the only hook that works on this album is from Rihanna on "The Monster", which is actually catchy and earns the dubious honor of being the only hook that managed to stay in my head after I was done listening to the album. The lack of Eminem's signature anathematic hooks honestly might be the biggest failure of The Marshall Marshall Mathers LP 2.

"Survival": The Marshall Mathers LP 2 is the work of a man that is desperate to survive and stay relevant in the modern hip-hop scene. Of course, Eminem's best strategy is try to recapture the fond memories of his most celebrated album The Marshall Mathers LP. The thing is that this attempt to recapture his roots is so lazy and fabricated that it just fails. The smart-ass, royally pissed-off rebel of his early days is gone. He's 41 years old now and those emotions have completely wavered over the past decade or so since he was crafted his seminal pieces of work. Watching him to try to recapture his energy and tone of old with songs like album opener "Bad Guy" (which is a direct sequel to Marshall Mathers LP standout "Stan") "Rap God" and "Evil Twin" is just kind of sad. There's a handful of clever lines in each of these tracks, it's just that they're overshadowed by the contrived nature and overall sense of familiarity in the songs. He seems to think if he raps fast and calls people obscene names that some kind of time machine will open up and he'll king of the rap game again, but that's just not the case. As Liz Rodrigues croons on the hook to "Survival", hip-hop is survival of the fittest and in 2013, Eminem is officially dead.

"Legacy": Eminem spends all of "Legacy" rapping about his legacy and contributions to the rap game. I had a smirk on my face the whole time he was spitting bars about how he is in control of the lasting impact he leaves on the hip-hop world. If he wanted to preserve his legacy, he would've stopped making music after The Eminem Show. His last four albums have been an odd cross between parody of his former self and a man who has gone soft and bought into the pop-rap movement. He continues to further tarnish his legacy with each new release he puts out and The Marshall Mathers LP 2 does a great job reaffirming this.

"Berzerk": Eminem must've gone "Berzerk" if he thought he could actually sing. This is the man once opened a track by saying "Yo I can't sing": He should've stuck to his guns on that one. On "Stronger Than I Was", he spends almost the entire song singing. Eminem isn't a rapper like Kid Cudi or Mac Miller, who have decent voices and can get away with singing from time to time with no issue at all. Listening to Eminem sing is absolutely agonizing to listen to and could be considered by law enforcement as a new torture device to get prisoners to talk.

"Brainless": Spending a lot of time singing isn't the only "Brainless" thing about The Marshall Mathers LP 2. The once sharp and biting MC is getting lazier and lazier with his lyrics. Some of the doozies on this album include "Even Helen Keller knows life stinks", "The art of MC'ing mixed with da Vinci and MC Ren and I don't mean Stimpy's friend bitch." and of course, "I'm bout to clean house yo I'm Lysol, now I'm just household." The old Marshall Mathers would probably shake his head at what the 2013 version of himself is writing. Adding to the "Brainless" theme of the album is the absolutely abysmal production throughout the album. There's maybe 1-2 beats on this record that are even listenable. A majority of the beats are either boring or just plain sloppy ("Berzerk is one of the worst beats I've heard in my entire life. The fact that an icon like Rick Rubin was able to produces something so messy and obnoxious is mind-boggling. Don't even get me started on the sampling... ) I have complete confidence that almost anyone on the planet could come up with something better dicking around in Garage Band for a couple of hours

"Evil Twin": The "Evil Twin" Eminem speaks of in this song could easily be inserted as a metaphor for the last decade of his career. Since the release of Encore, it seems like a different man (or evil twin) has taken the reigns of Eminem's music. The man who once made classics like The Slim Shady LP and The Marshall Mathers LP is now producing shit that struggles to even be listenable, let alone classic. Eminem was an excellent rapper who was among the best to ever do it , his evil twin can't even hold a candle to modern rappers who don't take themselves seriously (i.e. Waka Flocka Flame, A$AP Rocky.)

The Marshall Mathers LP 2 is the musical equivalent of a middle-aged man returning to his college fraternity 20 years after graduating: There's a few laughs and a little bit of nostalgic fun to be had, but it's mostly just sad and reeks of desperation. Eminem tries to prove he's back in hip-hop's in-crowd by rapping at a high speed and constantly hurling around vulgar insults like back in-the-day, but his heart just isn't it in like it was back then. He's desperate to get back on-top and win back his old fans with this record and it just fails big time. It's sad to watch an artist that was so groundbreaking and authentic back in the day become so lazy and phony later in his career. The Marshall Mathers LP 2 once and for all buries Eminem's career and credibility in the hip-hop business. As far as I'm concerned, Eminem needs to finally retire before he further embarrasses himself. He is the past of Detroit hip-hop, Danny Brown is the present and future and the sooner Mr. Mathers realizes this the better it for the hip-hop community.

2/5 Stars

Week 9 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Tom Brady (Patriots)
Nick Foles clearly put up the most impressive performance of the week with his record-tying 7 TD performance against the Raiders, but the odds that anyone played him this week are slim to none. With Foles out of the picture, that leaves the one and only Tom Brady as the most valuable fantasy quarterback of Week 9. Brady ended an almost season-long slump and looked like the Brady of old with a 432-yard, 4 TD performance in the Patriots bashing of the Steelers on Sunday. Brady, who looked out of sync with his wideouts for much of the year, finally looked like he was on the same page as his receivers leading to the type of huge output that people have come to expect of Brady over the years. Brady owners hope the momentum of this performance will continue after their bye week in Week 10. 
Honorable Mentions: Nick Foles (Eagles), Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers), Andrew Luck (Colts), Case Keenum (Texans)

LVP: Robert Griffin III (Redskins)
RG3 had a good game with 279 passing yards and a 71% completion percentage in the Redskins victory over the Chargers on the Sunday. The problem is that he failed to get into the endzone, making it a bad game for RG3 from a fantasy standpoint despite his solid play in the real game.
Dishonorable Mentions: Alex Smith (Chiefs), Matt Ryan (Falcons), Andy Dalton (Bengals), Terrelle Pryor (Raiders)

Running Back
MVP: Zac Stacy (Rams)
The Rams have finally found their running back. After a mightily impressive performance against the Seahawks last week, Stacy proved it wasn't a fluke by carving up the Titans defense for 177 total yards and two touchdowns. With Kellen Clemens starting at quarterback, Stacy is going to continue to get a heavy volume and should be a solid RB2/borderline RB1 for the rest of the season.
Honorable Mentions: Chris Johnson (Titans), Adrian Peterson (Vikings), Stevan Ridley (Patriots), Giovani Bernard (Bengals)

LVP: Ryan Matthews (Chargers)
After somehow putting up back-to-back 100 yard games, Ryan Matthews reverted back to his disappointing ways. Matthews put up 34 yards on only 7 carries on a Redskins defense that can't stop anything. This performance wasn't so much Matthews fault as it was the lack of running the Chargers did on Sunday, but it's disappointing nonetheless for anyone who started him this week.
Dishonorable Mentions: Ray Rice (Ravens), DeMarco Murray (Cowboys), DeAngelo Williams (Panthers), Jammal Charles (Chiefs)

Wide Receiver
MVP: Andre Johnson (Texans)
Well hello dominant Andre Johnson haven't seen you in a while. Johnson came out of his Matt Schaub-induced coma with 229 yards and 3 TD's (his first of the season) on Sunday night against the Colts. Those numbers probably would've been even better if Texans head coach Gary Kubiak didn't collapse at halftime, which emotionally took the team of the game in the second half. New starting quarterback Case Keenum has a strong rapport with Johnson and appears to have strongly revitalized the Texans passing attack. With the emergence of Keenum and a pretty easy schedule down the stretch, Johnson could be in-line for a huge finish to the season.
Honorable Mentions: T.Y. Hilton (Colts), Aaron Dobson (Patriots), Riley Cooper (Eagles), DeSean Jackson (Eagles)

LVP: Dez Bryant (Cowboys)
Can anyone figure out Dez Bryant? For the second time in a month, Bryant has put up underwhelming numbers against a poor secondary. Bryant is still a WR1 lock every week, it's just that he puts up more stinkers than guys like Calvin Johnson, A.J. Green and Brandon Marshall. If you're a Bryant owner and could somehow swindle a trade for Green or Marshall before the trade deadline, I'd absolutely do so.
Dishonorable Mentions: Terrance Williams (Cowboys), Steve Smith (Panthers), Vincent Jackson (Buccaneers), Josh Gordon (Browns)

Tight End
MVP: Jimmy Graham (Saints)
Jimmy Graham massacred another team's defense for over 100 yards and 2 TD's. Typical day at the office for Graham, who has shown time and time again that he just can not be stopped.
Honorable Mentions: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots), Tony Gonzalez (Falcons), Jason Witten (Cowboys), Greg Olsen (Panthers)

LVP: Jordan Cameron (Browns)
I don't know how the Browns managed to win a game in which both Josh Gordon and especially Jordan Cameron got shut down, but it somehow happened so kudos to them. Gordon at least had a few grabs, Cameron was all but completely shut down registering only a single catch for just 4 yards on the day. This is definitely a fluke for Cameron, who is the most dangerous weapon the offense has aside from Josh Gordon. After the team returns from bye in Week 11, Cameron will continue to be a must-start TE1.
Dishonorable Mentions: Antonio Gates (Chargers), Heath Miller (Steelers), Jordan Reed (Redskins), Martellus Bennett (Bears)

Defense:
MVP: Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs were amazingly held without a sack, but thank to Bills quarterback Jeff Tuel the defense still had a glorious afternoon on Sunday. The Chiefs managed 3 takeaways and a pair of defensive scores to narrowly remain undefeated going into their bye week.
Honorable Mentions: Miami Dolphins, Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers

LVP: Seattle Seahawks
The stingy Seahawks defense did not look all that stingy on Sunday against the Buccaneers. The team remarkably got zero takeaways and only 3 sacks on a lowly Buccaneers team that has struggled to take care of the ball all season long. At least they managed to avoid the upset with their late comeback which led to an overtime victory. The Seahawks D have a chance to redeem themselves this week against a suddenly turnover-happy Falcons team.
Dishonorable Mentions: New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Cincinnati Bengals

Concert Review: Death Angel-- Cambridge, MA-- November 2nd, 2013

The city of Cambridge, Massachusetts was invaded by thrash on Saturday when Death Angel and friends rolled into town. In typical thrash show fashion, this lineup made for an evening full of constant energy and fun.

By the time I got to The Middle East, I missed local opener Lich King. I've heard a lot of good things about them so I'm kind of bummed I missed them, but considering the strength of the touring lineup, it didn't really deter too much from the evening. Instead, my evening started off with Chicago thrashers Diamond Plate. Diamond Plate is one of those bands that don't really do anything me for on record, but in an a live environment they absolutely destroy. I honestly forgot got how good their guitarist is. There were numerous times during the set where my jaw was on-the-floor because of the solos he was playing. They also have some nice Pantera-esque grooves to break up the speed of their music, which makes their music that much more crushing and powerful. Diamond Plate set the tone for the evening with a frenzied  and incredibly enjoyable performance right out of the gate.

Battlecross hit the stage next. These guys have been my top discovery of 2013 with their perfect blend of thrash and Gothenburg melodic death metal. Just like when I saw that Mayhem Fest earlier this year, Battlecross mightily impressed live. Their energy is infectious and the whole band just sounded amazing. Kyle "Gumby" Gunther goes balls-out on vocals and is a hilarious frontman who gets the crowd completely into the set (At one point in time, Gumby was thanking all the bands on the tour and said "Who are you guys here to see?" before thanking Death Angel and someone in the front yelled "Battlecross" and he just said no and made them apologize for not saying Death Angel.) Musically, the whole band is just mind-blowingly talented. Both guitarists ripped and bassist Don Slater was audible in the mix the whole time, which was badass because he is fantastic and deserves some love. Adam Pierce from All Shall Perish is filling-in on drums for this tour and did a great job going a bit out of his comfort zone with Battlecross's music. The setlist was pretty much the same as it was on Mayhem Fest, but "Never Coming Back" and "Beast" from War of Will were nice additions and set closer "Push Pull Destroy" is amongst my favorite live songs ever. I really hope these guys do a headliner in the near future, I need to see them for play longer than 25 minutes.

Boston's own technical death metal/thrash act Revocation were next. This was the third time I've seen them since July and once again, they killed it. The setlist was hardly different than at Summer Slaughter in August, but with a band that performs as well as Revocation it doesn't really matter. There was some sound issues during "The Hive" and "Teratogenesis", but they were fixed by the time they played "Fracked" and the band barreled through the last four songs of the set flawlessly. Once again, the hometown crowd was absolutely raucous. I'm really glad these guys are finally starting to gain a bigger following. They've been pumping out consistently excellent records for years and with all the exposure they've gotten on various major tours, it's paying off and I couldn't be happier to see these guys succeed. Revocation delivered all the technical proficiency and whirlwind energy that I've come to except from their live performances. Out of all the Massachusetts metal exports, Revocation shines the brightest.

3 Inches of Blood was up next. It's been two and a half years since the last time I've seen these guys live and I honestly forgot how good they are. Their brand of corny, traditional heavy metal is just an absolute blast to listen and leaves you with a big grin the entire time they're on stage. Vocalist Cam Pipes still sounds amazing and somehow hasn't blown out his voice after all these years belting out his signature high-pitched vocals night after night. This set was particularly enjoyable for me because they dusted off a couple of rarely-played tracks off my two favorite albums of theirs, Advance and Vanquish and Fire Up the Blades. "Demon's Blade" and "Crazy Nights" are two songs that I never expected them to play live and fit in nicely amongst similarly blistering set staples like "Deadly Sinners" and "The Goatrider's Horde". Hopefully it won't be another two and a half years before I see these strapping Canadian lads again.  

Death Angel closed out the evening. I'm going to be completely honest, Death Angel is one of the old-school thrash bands I hadn't really given the time of day in the past. There really is no good reason for it, I just never really bothered to check out them out. Well over the past couple weeks when I finally did check out their stuff and especially after seeing them perform last night, I realized I fucked up big time. Death Angel is damn near perfect thrash metal. They've got an almost punk-level of energy, ripping guitar solos galore and unique vocals from Mark Osegueda. Their live performance was absolutely stunning. They sounded exactly like they do on record and had a commanding stage presence that was reminiscent of other classic thrash bands. Unfortunately as great as they were, I had to leave early to catch the last train out of Cambridge so I had to leave about halfway through their set. The entire show was just an absolute blast and served as a reminder why thrash will be always be my favorite genre of metal.

Scores:
Diamond Plate 8.5/10
Battlecross 9/10
Revocation 9.5/10
3 Inches of Blood 8.5/10
Death Angel 9/10

Setlists:
Battlecross:
Man of Stone
Breaking You
Never Coming Back
Force Fed Lies
Beast
Flesh & Bone
Push Pull Destroy

Revocation:
The Hive
Teratogenesis
Fracked
Invidious
Dismantle the Dictator
No Funeral

3 Inches of Blood:
Metal Woman
Deadly Sinners
The Goatrider's Horde
Crazy Nights
Demon's Blade
Leather Lord
Look Out
Battles and Brotherhood

Death Angel (partial):
Left for Dead
Son of the Morning
Mistress of Pain
Fallen
Relentless Revolution
Claws in So Deep
The Dreams Calls for Blood
Seemingly Endless Time (left during this song)
                

November in Film

November ushers in the fall/winter film season with a number of blockbusters, Oscar-contenders, family fare and a number of mid-budgeted films on the schedule to make for one of the most diverse months of the year. Here are my thoughts on all of November's wide releases.

Films I want to see:
6.Ender's Game (11/1): I haven't read the book and the trailers haven't blown me away, but there is enough talent in the cast and the premise is intriguing enough to get me to check this out.

5.Homefront (11/27):Jason Statham fights a bunch of drug dealers that kidnap his daughter led by James Franco? Sound like a good time at the movies.

4.Last Vegas (11/1): Look like the less crude, more sane geriatric version of The Hangover. The trailers are all pretty damn funny and seeing guys like Morgan Freeman and Michael Douglas do comedy for the first time in a long time is more than enough to get me to see it.

3.Oldboy (11/27): The remake of the highly-acclaimed Korean film is arguably the most bitched-about movie in film circles this year. Having not seen the original and being open-minded towards American adaptions of foreign films after the triumphs of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Let Me In, I'm very excited for Oldboy. Spike Lee has a great chance to return to form and the cast including Josh Brolin, Samuel L. Jackson and Elizabeth Olsen further bolsters its potential. 

2.The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (11/22):I thought the first Hunger Games film was just pretty good, but I'm really stoked about this installment. The trailers make it look epic and the addition of Phillip Seymour Hoffman to the cast is absolutely awesome. The odds are forever in this film's favor to improve on the first installment.

1.Thor: The Dark World (11/8): The next chapter in the Thor saga looks pretty insane as most of it's spent on Asgard opposed to Earth. The return of Tom Hiddleston as Loki in a hero role and an expanded role for Natalie Portman makes this sequel even more intriguing.
 
Films I'm not sure on:
The Book Thief (11/8 limited, 11/15 wide): I haven't seen the trailer, but I don't really enjoy films about the Holocaust so I'll probably avoid it.
Delivery Man (11/22): Looks a bit different than other recent Vince Vaughn films, which is certainly refreshing. However, the film doesn't really look all that funny. If the reception is good, I'll end up checking it out.

Films I have zero interest in:
Free Birds (11/1):Though the concept of Woody Harrelson as a talking-turkey is certainly amusing, I'm going to steer clear of this pretty horrible-looking kids film.

About Time (11/1 limited, 11/8 wide): I hated Love Actually and this look exactly like Love Actually with time-traveling.

The Best Man Holiday (11/15):I will fully admit this looks better than it sounds on-paper, but it still doesn't look enough for me to want to go out and see it.

Frozen (11/27): I'm not exactly the target audcience for a Disney princess movie.

Black Nativity (11/27): Ditto except replace Disney princess movie with African-American musical with strong religious undertones.

Movie Review: The Counselor

Quite simply put, I was in shock after watching The Counselor. Not shocked because it was a great film but shocked that a Pulitzer-Prize winning author managed to write a film with such an amateurish screenplay.

Cormac McCarthy, author of acclaimed novels such as No Country for Old Men, The Road and Blood Meridian, wastes a wildly talented cast and director in his first original screenplay. If I didn't know better, I would've thought this was McCarthy's first time writing anything. The script has pretty much no focus or point at all. Over the course of nearly two hours, only a handful of relevant events to the story occur and even when they do, they are kind of vague and left me feeling kind of lost.

McCarthy essentially outsmarts himself by overcomplicating things. McCarthy focuses solely on implementing symbolism and crafting flashy dialogue , while throwing character development and the presence of a gratifying (and present) storyline to the wayside. No amount of symbolism or sharp dialogue can substitute for an actual plot and The Counselor spends its entire duration proving that point. Due to this lack of plot, what we're left with is the title character (Michael Fassbender) having a series of conversations with Mexican drug lord Reiner (Javier Bardem) and his associate (Brad Pitt) about getting into the drug transportation business. They warn him against it, but of course he doesn't listen and the deal ends up going wrong when the drugs get stolen at the U.S. border by a rival cartel. Once the deal goes wrong, the conversations turn to how the parties involved are going to get out unscathed. These events somehow chew up almost two hours and left me saying "that's it?" when the credits rolled. These characters are so empty and one-dimensional, that you could not care less when bad things start happening to them. On top of that, the setup for the bad events is so prolonged and uneventful that when shit starts to hit the fan, you've already clocked out on the film.

To counteract the lack of things going on, McCarthy tries to keep the audience awake by inserting filler scenes that are so absurd you have to pay attention. One scene in particular documents Reiner's psychotic girlfriend (Cameron Diaz) randomly having sex with his car (Trust me watching Diaz straddling the hood of a Ferrari is not even remotely sexy, it was just flat-out bizarre.) While he succeeded in keeping me awake by doing this, it only made the messy writing of this film even worse. These scenes detracted even further from what little semblance of a plot that is present and are a very cheap attempt to generate some kind of shock value from the viewer.

The only positive thing I can say about The Counselor is that it could've been worse if it wasn't for the cast. Javier Bardem puts 110% into his performance as the eccentric Reiner and Cameron Diaz does her most inspired work in years as Reiner's sociopath girlfriend. It's a valiant effort from the main cast, but at the end of the day it still can't save this film from falling flat on its face. McCarthy singlehandedly sinks The Counselor with a dud of script that takes a film that could've been one of the year's best and instead makes it one of the most forgettable.

2/5 Stars