1.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jameis Winston, quarterback (Florida State)
It took me a long time to be sold on Jameis Winston as the number one pick and part of me is still skeptical that the Bucs will pull the trigger on a quarterback with a defensive-minded coach in Love Smith running the show. However, Lovie is coaching for his job right now and his best bet for keeping it is to take a chance on a potential franchise quarterback in Winston.
2.Tennessee Titans: Marcus Mariota, quarterback (Oregon)
In all my years of following the NFL Draft, I can't think of a more polarizing prospect than Marcus Mariota. Despite all of the uncertainty in how his style of play will translate to the NFL, there seems to be enough teams that believe in him to solidify his odds of being a high draft pick. While theTitans hold this pick right now, I don't believe they'll be the team that drafts Mariota with this pick. They're reportedly smitten with second-year quarterback Zach Mettenberger and given the overall lack of talent currently on their roster, they are a prime contender to trade this pick to the highest bidder to collect more picks later in the draft.
3.Jacksonville Jaguars: Dante Fowler Jr, outside linebacker (Florida)
For a second straight year, the Jacksonville Jaguars hold the pick that should help dictate the course of the entire first round. There's a lot of different directions they could go in on both sides of the ball, but Dante Fowler Jr. is the best player available that fills one of their needs. He's a pass rushing demon with a ridiculously high motor that should give the Jaguars the explosive presence on the edge that they've lacked throughout head coach Gus Bradley's tenure with the team.
4.Oakland Raiders: Kevin White, wide receiver (West Virginia)
Quarterback Derek Carr had a pretty impressive rookie campaign in Oakland working with a group of average wideouts. To help Carr take his game to the next level, they need to go out and get a top-level receiving prospect in this draft. West Virginia prospect Kevin White fits that bill to a T. His size (6"3, 215 lbs), top-end speed (4.35 40 at the combine) and immense yard-after-catch ability makes him an ideal candidate to be the immediate number one wideout on the upstart Raiders.
5.Washington Redskins: Leonard Williams, defensive tackle/end (USC)
The Washington Redskins may have spent a lot of attention on the defensive line in free agency by bringing in Terrence Knighton and Stephen Paea, but Leonard Williams has too much potential for them to pass up. Williams has the versatility to play anywhere on the line and a potent combination of power and explosiveness to make an immediate impact on a Redskins defense that desperately needs playmakers.
6.New York Jets: Vic Beasley, outside linebacker (Clemson)
First-year head coach Todd Bowles arguably likes to blitz more than any coach in the league and the Jets currently lack a top-flight pass-rusher in their linebacking corps. While there's ample talent edge-rushing talent available at this spot in this draft, Vic Beasley makes the most sense here. He doesn't have the character or consistency issues of the other remaining top edge rushers on the board and his almost inhuman burst off the snap makes him an ideal candidate to flourish in Bowles' blitz-dependent defensive scheme.
7.Chicago Bears: Amari Cooper, wide receiver (Alabama)
The big question for the Bears with this pick is whether they want to go with a defensive player to tighten up their 30th-ranked unit from a year ago or a wide receiver to replace the recently traded Brandon Marshall. Alabama wideout Amari Cooper is the best player available at this pick and would give the Bears another polished receiver to put alongside established star Alshon Jeffrey.
8.Atlanta Falcons: Alvin "Bud" Dupree, defensive end/outside linebacker (Kentucky)
The Falcons are in desperate need of a pass-rush after finishing with a league-low 22 sacks a year ago. Edge-rushing specialist Bud Dupree would be a very solid piece for the Falcons to build their pass-rush overhaul around. Aside from an ability to get to the quarterback, Dupree also possesses the versatility to drop back into coverage and lineup at multiple different spots on the field if needed, which is sure to woo new Falcons head coach Dan Quinn-who relied heavily on versatility during his tenure as the Seahawks defensive coordinator over the past two seasons.
9.New York Giants: Brandon Scherff, guard/tackle (Iowa)
The Giants offensive line was a bit better in 2014 after a tumultuous 2013 campaign, but Eli Manning still faced a lot of pressure and their run-blocking was sporadic at best. Brandon Scherff is a run-blocking machine with adequate pass-blocking ability who could come in and immediately start at either guard spot or right tackle and help this o-line get back on track after back-to-back shaky seasons.
10.St. Louis Rams: DeVante Parker, wide receiver (Louisville)
The Rams have quietly built up a very gifted roster through the draft the past few seasons. The one spot where they still need serious improvement is wide receiver, especially since 2013 first-round pick Tavon Austin has failed to live up to expectations thus far. DeVante Parker would give new quarterback Nick Foles a big, reliable target who is an absolute terror to defend in the redzone. Parker could very well serve as the piece that pushes the Rams from being perennially on the cusp of making the playoffs to a legitimate contender in the NFC.
11.Minnesota Vikings: Trae Waynes, cornerback (Michigan State)
If I was a gambling man, I'd say the Vikings are the team that's most likely to trade their first-round pick due to their recent history and the fact that their top needs (interior offensive line and defensive tackle) can easily be addressed later on the draft. However, this mock doesn't account for trades, so assuming they stay with this pick, I think they'll select Trae Waynes. Their corner depth is kind of lacking and pairing a bruising press corner like Waynes with the rapidly-rising Xavier Rhodes could give the Vikings one of the most deadly corner tandems in the NFL.
12.Cleveland Browns: Danny Shelton, defensive tackle (Washington)
The quickest way to fix a terrible rush defense (the Browns were ranked dead last against the run a year ago) is to go out and get a big body to plug up the middle of your defensive line. At 6'2, 339 lbs, Danny Shelton is exactly the type of man to fill that role. Along with his imposing physical presence, Shelton has surprisingly great short-area speed for his size and has a knack for making plays from sideline-to-sideline, which is exactly what the Browns need to turn around their porous run D.
13.New Orleans Saints: Randy Gregory, outside linebacker (Nebraska)
In my eyes, there's no player harder to gauge in this draft than Randy Gregory. His athleticism and ability to rush the passer and defend the run with equal proficiency got labeled as a top five pick-caliber talent, but his inability to add weight to his 6"5, 235lb frame and positive marijuana test at the Combine has dropped his stock significantly in the past couple of months with some scouts around the league thinking he'll slip as far as the late 20's. I believe he'll end up going somewhere in between. Given their severe lack of talent in the front seven and vocal desire to select defensive players in this draft, The Saints are very likely to take a chance on a potential blue-chip prospect in Gregory.
14.Miami Dolphins: Ereck Flowers, tackle (Miami)
The Dolphins have brought in a number of receivers and corners for workouts leading up to the draft, but I still believe their greatest need is on offensive line. Ryan Tannehill has taken a beating the past few years and the team is going to need to start really investing in their offensive line to protect their newly-minted franchise quarterback from getting eviscerated almost every time he drops backs to pass. Ereck Flowers is a raw prospect who might not be ready to start at tackle right away, but if you give him a couple of years to develop his game on the interior line, he could blossom into a truly great tackle.
15.San Francisco 49ers: Arik Armstead, defensive tackle/end (Oregon)
The 49ers lost so many impact players on defense to retirement and free agency this offseason that it would be an absolute shock if they didn't take a defender with this pick. With his mammoth size (6"7, 292 lbs) and flawless fit in the 49ers three-defensive tackle scheme, Arik Armstead is a potential powerhouse defensive lineman that could very well make up for a lot of the crushing losses the 49ers have had over the last couple of months.
16.Houston Texans: Nelson Agholor, wide receiver (USC)
With Andre Johnson now out of the picture, the Texans are going to need another receiver to put alongside third-year standout DeAndre Hopkins. While there are much flashier wideouts with higher ceilings still on the board, Nelson Agohlor is an incredibly polished receiver with excellent route-running ability that fits Bill O'Brien's possession-based scheme perfectly.
17.San Diego Chargers: Todd Gurley, running back (Georgia)
During Phillip Rivers tenure with the Chargers, they've always had a workhorse back they could lean on. The top two backs currently on their roster are either too small (Danny Woodhead) or too inconsistent (Branden Oliver) to be elevated to bellcow status. Todd Gurley has the size, power and elusiveness to be a 20+ carry back in the league and would be a godsend for a Chargers offense that heavily leans on the run game.
18.Kansas City Chiefs: Cameron Erving, center/guard/tackle (Florida State)
The Chiefs had holes all over their offensive line last season and have gotten even weaker after center Rodney Hudson- their lone standout in 2014- departed for the Raiders in free agency. With his starting experience at every spot on the offensive line during his time at Florida State, Cameron Erving can be plugged in wherever he's needed and become an immediate starter.
19.Cleveland Browns: Jake Fisher, tackle (Oregon)
The Browns have been looking to move current right tackle Mitchell Schwartz to guard for a while now and drafting someone like Jake Fisher would allow them to do so. Fisher has rare athleticism for a tackle (he's a converted tight end) and should only further bolster this already excellent Browns line.
20.Philadelphia Eagles: Breshad Perriman, wide receiver (Central Florida)
The marriage of Breshad Perriman and the Philadelphia Eagles just seems too perfect to not happen. Perriman's speed (he ran a 4.26 40 at the combine) and proven deep threat ability make him tailor made for Chip Kelly's uptempo offense.
21.Cincinnati Bengals: D.J. Humphries, tackle (Florida)
An interior defensive lineman or an edge rusher are very much in play here, but getting a new starting right tackle seems like the most likely course of action for the Bengals here. D.J. Humphries has been shooting up draft boards recently thanks to the precision of his footwork and generally solid pass protection skills. If ends up becoming the player many analysts expect him to be, could be the heir to the left tackle throne once perennial All-Pro Andrew Whitworth retires.
22.Pittsburgh Steelers: Kevin Johnson, cornerback (Wake Forest)
The Steelers are suddenly thin in the secondary following the retirement of cornerback Ike Taylor and safety Troy Polamalu last month. Wake Forest product Kevin Johnson is arguably the fastest rising defensive player in the draft and his man/press cover skills paired with great physicality for his size make a prime candidate to be the new number one corner for the Steelers.
23.Detroit Lions: Malcom Brown, defensive tackle (Texas)
The Lions lost both anchors of their defensive line (Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley) this offseason, so interior defensive line is pretty much a lock to be the position they address with their first pick in the draft. Malcom Brown is a very disruptive presence with a knack for dragging ballcarriers down behind the line of scrimmage who should be able to make up for some of the run-stuffing ability lost with the departure of Suh and Fairley, and is a tremendous value pick at this point in the draft.
24.Arizona Cardinals: Shane Ray, defensive end/outside linebacker (Missouri)
I had Shane Ray as high as number five overall in my previous mocks, but concerns with a lingering toe injury and a marijuana citation earlier in this week lead me to believe he's going to endure a pretty steep slide on draft day. That fall should stop with the Cardinals at pick 24. The Cardinals need another capable pass rusher to push their good defense into dominant territory and Ray is as gifted at anyone in this draft at getting to the quarterback. If Ray can keep his head on his shoulders (which shouldn't be a problem in Arizona with Bruce Arians at the helm) and avoid being hampered by injuries, he could prove to be the biggest steal of the entire draft.
25.Carolina Panthers: Andrus Peat, tackle (Stanford)
The Panthers pretty much ignored their offensive line issues in last year's draft and proceeded to pay the price for it as Cam Newton got massacred all year long. I don't expect them to make that mistake again. Of all the lineman remaining on the board, Andrus Peat seems like the best choice to fit Carolina's system. Peat has the power and athleticism needed to protect a mobile quarterback needed like Newton and is arguably the most consistently solid pass-blocker in this entire offensive line class.
26.Baltimore Ravens: Marcus Peters, cornerback (Washington)
The Ravens porous cornerback play after Jimmy Smith went down with a foot injury midway through last season came back to bite them in the playoffs when poor corner play caused them to blow two separate two touchdown leads in a divisional round loss to the Patriots. While there are a number of corners considered to be relatively comparable talents at this point of the draft, Marcus Peters stands out a little bit ahead of the rest of the pack. Peters' upside as a potential shutdown guy should be enough for the Ravens to overlook the concerns about his character (he was kicked off the team at Washington University last November after arguing with head coach Chris Petersen).
27.Dallas Cowboys: Melvin Gordon, running back (Wisconsin)
Jerry Jones said in an interview earlier this week that despite the departure of leading rusher DeMarco Murray in free agency, running back is not a priority for the Cowboys in the draft this year. Given how large of a factor Murray played in the Cowboys success last season and the fact that their current starting running back is the ever-fragile Darren McFadden, I don't believe that for a second. There's absolutely no way the thought of an explosive open-field runner with big-play ability like Melvin Gordon being on the Cowboys isn't extremely enticing to Jones. Drafting a potential three-down stud running back like Gordon significantly increases the Cowboys of repeating their success from a year ago. If Gordon is available at 27 and they don't pick him, I may go into a severe state of shock in the middle of my living room.
28.Denver Broncos: Eddie Goldman, defensive tackle/end (Florida State)
The departure of Terrance Knighton in free agency was a gigantic loss for the Broncos front seven, especially since that the only remaining defensive tackles on their roster are veteran journeyman Vance Walker and Marvin Austin and the still developing Sylvester Williams, who was the team's first round pick in 2013. Eddie Goldman possesses a similar skill-set as Knighton (big-bodied run-stuffer who disrupts the line of scrimmage and can pass-rush when called upon) and would do wonders for the Broncos depth at the defensive tackle.
29.Indianapolis Colts: Landon Collins, safety (Alabama)
The Colts are desperate for players for who can stuff the run and help out at the safety spot alongside Mike Adams, which makes Landon Collins a pretty obvious choice here. Collins is a safety with the mentality of the linebacker (think T.J. Ward) who is consistently excellent in run support and respectable against the pass. In other words, he'd be a huge upgrade over LaRon Landry, the Colts' starting free safety from a year ago.
30.Green Bay Packers: Eric Kendricks, inside linebacker (UCLA)
The Packers were so desperate for inside linebacker help last season after injuries that Clay Matthews was forced to move inside from his natural position of outside linebacker. After the release of longtime starter A.J. Hawk and departure of Brad Jones in free agency, they're even more desperate for depth at inside linebacker. Drafting an instinctive two-way linebacker in Eric Kendricks to command the middle of the field would solve this problem immediately and make this already efficient defense that much better in 2015.
31.New Orleans Saints: Phillip Dorsett, wide receiver (Miami)
After trading away lethal deep threat Kenny Stills to the Dolphins to get inside linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, The Saints have no legitimate deep ball receiver on their roster. Phillip Dorsett has the straight-line speed to step into become the Saints new vertical threat as well as the yard-after-catch ability to be a menace in the short-to-intermediate passing game.
32.New England Patriots: Ali Marpet, guard/center (Hobart)
It's been said before and I'll say it again, there is no team harder to predict the draft day actions of then the New England Patriots. When they actually hold onto their first-round picks, they almost always pick guys no one expected to be picked that high. Using that logic, I believe they'll select Ali Marpet this year. Marpet is a relatively under-the-radar guy projected by many to be a second or third picks, fills a huge needs at interior line and has the versatility to play multiple positions that the Patriots love.
Round 2
33.Tennessee Titans-Jordan Phillips, defensive tackle (Oklahoma)
34.Tampa Bay Buccaneers-T.J. Clemmings, tackle (Pittsburgh)
35.Oakland Raiders-Eli Harold, defensive end/outside linebacker (Virginia)
36.Jacksonville Jaguars-Ameer Abdullah, running back (Nebraska)
37.New York Jets-Laken Tomlinson, guard (Duke)
38.Washington Redskins-Byron Jones, cornerback (Connecticut)
39.Chicago Bears-Damarious Randall, safety (Arizona State)
40.New York Giants-Carl Davis, defensive tackle (Iowa)
41.St. Louis Rams-A.J. Cann, guard (South Carolina)
42.Atlanta Falcons-Maxx Williams, tight end (Minnesota)
43.Cleveland Browns-Benardrick McKinney, inside linebacker (Mississippi State)
44.New Orleans Saints-Jalen Collins, cornerback (LSU)
45.Minnesota Vikings-Tre' Jackson, guard (Florida State)
46.San Fransisco 49ers-Paul Dawson, inside linebacker (TCU)
47.Miami Dolphins-Dorial Green-Beckham, wide receiver (Missouri)
48.San Diego Chargers-Cedric Ogbuehi, tackle (Texas A&M)
49.Kansas City Chiefs-Jaelen Strong, wide receiver (Arizona State)
50.Buffalo Bills-Denzel Perryman, inside linebacker (Miami)
51.Houston Texans-Derron Smith, safety (Fresno State)
52.Philadelphia Eagles-Eric Rowe, cornerback/safety (Utah)
53.Cincinnati Bengals-Michael Bennett, defensive tackle (Ohio State)
54.Detroit Lions-Duke Johnson, running back (Miami)
55.Arizona Cardinals-Jay Ajayi, running back (Boise State)
56.Pittsburgh Steelers-Owamagbe Odighizuwa, defensive end (UCLA)
57.Carolina Panthers-Shaq Thompson, outside linebacker/safety (Washington)
58.Baltimore Ravens-Devin Smith, wide receiver (Ohio State)
59.Denver Broncos-Clive Walford, tight end (Miami)
60.Dallas Cowboys-Ronald Darby, cornerback (Florida State)
61.Indianapolis Colts-Stephone Anthony, inside linebacker (Clemson)
62.Green Bay Packers-Alex Carter, cornerback/safety (Stanford)
63.Seattle Seahawks-Hroniss Grasu, center (Oregon)
64.New England Patriots-Justin Hardy, wide receiver (East Carolina)
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Concert Review: Action Bronson-- Boston, MA-- April 27th, 2015
New York-based rapper Action Bronson brought something wonderful to the city of Boston last night. The rapidly rising hip-hop artist's headlining tour for his new record, Mr. Wonderful, made a stop at the House of Blues last night and it made for one of the most fun nights I've had in ages.
Bronson's New York counterpart Meyhem Lauren opened things up shortly after 8:00. My only previous exposure to Lauren's music was guest spots on a number of Bronson's tracks. None of the verses I'd heard from him left much of an impression, so I wasn't really expecting much from his performance. After seeing him live, I now feel like a schmuck for previously writing him off as a mediocre rapper who only does throwaway guest spots. Lauren is a fiery MC who serves as a refreshing throwback to the glory days of East Coast boom bap. He brings 110% intensity to every bar he spits and with his multiple a capella verses throughout the set, proved that he's one of the most talented dudes in the game right now. The one knock I have on his set is that he didn't do a single song all the way through. While the tightness of his rapping is undeniable, his set would've even better if he didn't cut every song he did after 60-90 seconds. That being said, Meyhem Lauren still ripped shit up and I plan on checking out his entire discography in the immediate future.
After about 20 minutes of non-activity, The Alchemist came out to begin his DJ set. While his DJ'ing solely consisted of him playing snippets of songs he's produced over the years, it was pretty cool to see one of the most prolific hip-hop producers of the past 25 years serve as Bronson's DJ for this tour. After The Alchemist did his thing for about 15 minutes, Bronson came out and proceeded to effortlessly command the room for the next 50 minutes. Bronson's performance was everything a rap show should be. He played all of his material all the way through, his rapping was flawless, he didn't use overwhelming backing tracks to cover up any flaws in his delivery and he had a stage presence that emanated high-energy fun. As this was the Mr. Wonderful tour, Bronson played a ton of material from that album. His song choices were spot-on as he played every single one of the best song on the record. "The Rising", "Falconry" and especially, "Actin' Crazy" were nothing short of magical live. What also struck me about the new material was how well it resonated with the crowd. Mr. Wonderful has been out for just over a month yet people already knew the words to every single song that was played from it. It may sound really lame to some people but I love seeing that type of stuff. It demonstrates a rare level of dedication and passion for an artist's music to learn the material by hear when it's brand new. Action Bronson is without question in the upper echelon of hip-hop artists I've ever seen perform and I will make every effort to see him anytime he comes to the area in the future.
Scores:
Meyhem Lauren 8/10
Action Bronson 9/10
Setlist:
Action Bronson:
Brand New Car
The Rising (w/Big Body Bes)
Terry
Actin' Crazy
The Don's Cheek
Big League Chew
Falconry (w/Meyhem Lauren and Big Body Bes)
? (w. Meyhem Lauren)
Strictly 4 My Jeeps
Baby Blue (w/snippet from Biz Markie's "Just a Friend" at end)
The Symbol
Easy Rider
Encore:
Contemporary Man
Encore 2:
Amadu Diablo (w/extended outro featuring the chorus of Tracy Chapman's "Give Me One Reason")
Bronson's New York counterpart Meyhem Lauren opened things up shortly after 8:00. My only previous exposure to Lauren's music was guest spots on a number of Bronson's tracks. None of the verses I'd heard from him left much of an impression, so I wasn't really expecting much from his performance. After seeing him live, I now feel like a schmuck for previously writing him off as a mediocre rapper who only does throwaway guest spots. Lauren is a fiery MC who serves as a refreshing throwback to the glory days of East Coast boom bap. He brings 110% intensity to every bar he spits and with his multiple a capella verses throughout the set, proved that he's one of the most talented dudes in the game right now. The one knock I have on his set is that he didn't do a single song all the way through. While the tightness of his rapping is undeniable, his set would've even better if he didn't cut every song he did after 60-90 seconds. That being said, Meyhem Lauren still ripped shit up and I plan on checking out his entire discography in the immediate future.
After about 20 minutes of non-activity, The Alchemist came out to begin his DJ set. While his DJ'ing solely consisted of him playing snippets of songs he's produced over the years, it was pretty cool to see one of the most prolific hip-hop producers of the past 25 years serve as Bronson's DJ for this tour. After The Alchemist did his thing for about 15 minutes, Bronson came out and proceeded to effortlessly command the room for the next 50 minutes. Bronson's performance was everything a rap show should be. He played all of his material all the way through, his rapping was flawless, he didn't use overwhelming backing tracks to cover up any flaws in his delivery and he had a stage presence that emanated high-energy fun. As this was the Mr. Wonderful tour, Bronson played a ton of material from that album. His song choices were spot-on as he played every single one of the best song on the record. "The Rising", "Falconry" and especially, "Actin' Crazy" were nothing short of magical live. What also struck me about the new material was how well it resonated with the crowd. Mr. Wonderful has been out for just over a month yet people already knew the words to every single song that was played from it. It may sound really lame to some people but I love seeing that type of stuff. It demonstrates a rare level of dedication and passion for an artist's music to learn the material by hear when it's brand new. Action Bronson is without question in the upper echelon of hip-hop artists I've ever seen perform and I will make every effort to see him anytime he comes to the area in the future.
Scores:
Meyhem Lauren 8/10
Action Bronson 9/10
Setlist:
Action Bronson:
Brand New Car
The Rising (w/Big Body Bes)
Terry
Actin' Crazy
The Don's Cheek
Big League Chew
Falconry (w/Meyhem Lauren and Big Body Bes)
? (w. Meyhem Lauren)
Strictly 4 My Jeeps
Baby Blue (w/snippet from Biz Markie's "Just a Friend" at end)
The Symbol
Easy Rider
Encore:
Contemporary Man
Encore 2:
Amadu Diablo (w/extended outro featuring the chorus of Tracy Chapman's "Give Me One Reason")
Monday, April 20, 2015
2015 NFL Mock Draft 6.0 (Updated 4/20)
Note: This will be the final Monday mock draft update. My final two-round mock draft with full write-ups on each first round pick will be posted on Thursday April 30th.
1.Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Jameis Winston, quarterback (Florida State)
1.Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Jameis Winston, quarterback (Florida State)
2.Tennessee Titans-Leonard
Williams, defensive tackle/end (USC)
3.Jacksonville Jaguars-Dante Fowler
Jr., outside linebacker/defensive end (Florida)
4.Oakland Raiders-Kevin White, wide
receiver (West Virginia)
5.Washington Redskins-Shane Ray, outside
linebacker/defensive end (Missouri)
6.New York Jets-Vic Beasley, outside
linebacker (Clemson)
7.Chicago Bears-Amari Cooper, wide
receiver (Alabama)
8.Atlanta Falcons-Bud Dupree, outside linebacker/defensive end (Kentucky)
9.New York Giants-Brandon Scherff,
guard/tackle (Iowa)
10.St. Louis Rams-DeVante Parker,
wide receiver (Louisville)
11.Minnesota Vikings-Trae Waynes, cornerback (Michigan State)
12.Cleveland Browns-Danny Shelton, defensive tackle (Washington)
13.New Orleans Saints-Malcom Brown, defensive tackle (Texas)
14.Miami Dolphins-Breshad Perriman, wide receiver (Central Florida)
14.Miami Dolphins-Breshad Perriman, wide receiver (Central Florida)
15.San Francisco 49ers-Arik Armstead,
defensive tackle (Oregon)
16.Houston Texans-Jaelen Strong, wide receiver (Arizona State)
17.San Diego Chargers-Jordan Phillips, defensive tackle (Oklahoma)
18.Kansas City Chiefs--La'el Collins, tackle (LSU)
18.Kansas City Chiefs--La'el Collins, tackle (LSU)
19.Cleveland Browns-Ereck Flowers, tackle (Miami)
20.Philadelphia Eagles-Marcus Mariota,
quarterback (Oregon)
21.Cincinnati Bengals-Randy Gregory, outside linebacker (Nebraska)
21.Cincinnati Bengals-Randy Gregory, outside linebacker (Nebraska)
22.Pittsburgh Steelers-Jalen Collins, cornerback (LSU)
23.Detroit Lions-Eddie Goldman, defensive tackle/end (Florida State)
24.Arizona Cardinals-Todd Gurley, running back (Georgia)
24.Arizona Cardinals-Todd Gurley, running back (Georgia)
25.Carolina Panthers-D.J. Humphries, tackle (Florida)
26.Baltimore Ravens-Kevin Johnson, cornerback (Wake Forest)
27.Dallas Cowboys-Melvin Gordon, running back (Wisconsin)
28.Denver Broncos-Andrus Peat, tackle (Stanford)
29.Indianapolis Colts-Landon Collins, safety (Alabama)
30.Green Bay Packers-Eric Kendricks, inside linebacker (UCLA)
31.New Orleans Saints-Eli Harold, outside linebacker/defensive end (Virginia)
32.New England Patriots-Tre' Jackson, guard (Florida State)
Saturday, April 18, 2015
10 Most Anticipated Films of Summer 2015
The summer movie season officially starts on May 1st with the release of the hotly-anticipated Avengers: Age of Ultron. This year's slate isn't quite as exciting as the past few years, but there is still a number of intriguing blockbusters and indie films set for release over the next four months. Here are the 10 films I'm most looking forward to this summer.
10.Slow West (5/15): Westerns are a sadly under-served genre, so on the rare occasion Hollywood decides to release one, my interest is naturally piqued. With a completely foreign cast headlined by Michael Fassbender and Kodi Smit-McPhee and a quirky humor-filled trailer, Slow West looks to be a very unique take on the classic American genre.
9.Southpaw (7/24): The overly melodramatic trailer and the presence of director Antoine Fuqua-who hasn't made anything noteworthy since 2007's Shooter- doesn't exactly inspire confidence. However, I can't help but be intrigued by a project that was written by Kurt Sutter (Sons of Anarchy) and stars Jake Gyllenhaal, who has been nothing short of spectacular in every film he's starred in of late.
8.Dope (6/19): I'm a sucker for both coming-of-age stories and films about hip-hop and since Dope is a combination of both of those, I'm doubly excited about it. The overwhelmingly positive reviews from Sundance in January and the excellent trailer that was just released only further solidifies my anticipation for this film.
7.Spy (6/5): The previous pairings of Mellisa McCarthy and director Paul Feig has resulted in the creation of two of the finest comedies (The Heat and Bridesmaids) of the past five years. Based on the trailers and great word-of-mouth from early screenings, there's no reason their third collaboration can't continue their trend of comedic excellence.
6.Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (7/31): The Mission Impossible series got back on track with 2011's Ghost Protocol. With most of the cast from Ghost Protocol returning, an intriguing premise and a trailer loaded with impressive stunts, Rogue Nation has a good shot of keeping this long-running franchise's recent resurgence going.
5.Avengers: Age of Ultron (5/1): Like most of the world, I absolutely loved The Avengers. With the return of all of the essential personnel from the original on both sides of the camera and the addition of the always-great James Spader as the titular villain, the sequel is primed to be another epic triumph in the superhero genre.
4.Trainwreck (7/17): Amy Schumer's comedy is really hit-or-miss for me, but the fantastic ensemble cast (which includes Bill Hader, Brie Larson and Vanessa Bayer) paired with the absolutely hilarious trailers give me faith that her big-screen acting/writing debut could be a major success.
3.Fantastic Four (8/7): I know it's mildly crazy for me to be more excited about this than Age of Ultron, but hear me out. Lead actors Miles Teller (Whiplash), Michael B. Jordan (Fruitvale Station), Kate Mara (House of Cards), Jamie Bell (The Adventures of Tintin) and director Josh Trank (Chronicle) are some of the most promising young talents in all of Hollywood. Those gifted up-and-comers paired with a script penned by veteran screenwriter Simon Kinberg (X-Men: Days of Future Past, Sherlock Holmes) gives Fantastic Four a beyond legitimate chance to be the next groundbreaking comic book film.
2.Straight Outta Compton (8/14): There are few genres in Hollywood that are more sporadic in quality than music biopics. That being said, if there's a musical group whose story is practically a guarantee to make for captivating cinema, it's prolific hip-hop trailblazers N.W.A.. The trailer is amongst the best I've seen all year and the DIY approach the film took by casting unknown actors to play the members of the group and shooting on location in N.W.A's hometown of Compton, California makes me very optimistic about the film's chances of being good.
1.Ted 2 (6/26): Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane defied the odds by creating a consistently hysterical and oddly touching film about the misadventures of a foul-mouthed, pot-smoking teddy bear and his human best friend (Mark Wahlberg). Sequels to standout comedies with outlandish premises like Ted are always a risky proposition, but McFarlane is as capable of anyone in the business of striking comedic gold and the first film was too funny for me to be anything less than stoked about the sequel.
Also Interested In:
Maggie (5/8)
Pitch Perfect 2 (5/15)
Poltergeist (5/22)
Tommorowland (5/22)
Aloha (5/29)
San Andreas (5/29)
Entourage (6/5)
Jurassic World (6/12)
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (6/12)
Inside Out (6/19)
Big Game (6/26)
Terminator: Genisys (7/1)
Self/Less (7/10)
Ant-Man (7/17)
Irrational Man (7/24)
Paper Towns (7/24)
Pixels (7/24)
The End of the Tour (7/31)
Vacation (7/31)
Masterminds (8/7)
Dark Places (8/14)
The Man From U.N.C.L.E (8/14)
Criminal (8/21)
Sinister 2 (8/21)
Sleeping with Other People (8/21)
Hitman: Agent 47 (8/28)
10.Slow West (5/15): Westerns are a sadly under-served genre, so on the rare occasion Hollywood decides to release one, my interest is naturally piqued. With a completely foreign cast headlined by Michael Fassbender and Kodi Smit-McPhee and a quirky humor-filled trailer, Slow West looks to be a very unique take on the classic American genre.
9.Southpaw (7/24): The overly melodramatic trailer and the presence of director Antoine Fuqua-who hasn't made anything noteworthy since 2007's Shooter- doesn't exactly inspire confidence. However, I can't help but be intrigued by a project that was written by Kurt Sutter (Sons of Anarchy) and stars Jake Gyllenhaal, who has been nothing short of spectacular in every film he's starred in of late.
8.Dope (6/19): I'm a sucker for both coming-of-age stories and films about hip-hop and since Dope is a combination of both of those, I'm doubly excited about it. The overwhelmingly positive reviews from Sundance in January and the excellent trailer that was just released only further solidifies my anticipation for this film.
7.Spy (6/5): The previous pairings of Mellisa McCarthy and director Paul Feig has resulted in the creation of two of the finest comedies (The Heat and Bridesmaids) of the past five years. Based on the trailers and great word-of-mouth from early screenings, there's no reason their third collaboration can't continue their trend of comedic excellence.
6.Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (7/31): The Mission Impossible series got back on track with 2011's Ghost Protocol. With most of the cast from Ghost Protocol returning, an intriguing premise and a trailer loaded with impressive stunts, Rogue Nation has a good shot of keeping this long-running franchise's recent resurgence going.
5.Avengers: Age of Ultron (5/1): Like most of the world, I absolutely loved The Avengers. With the return of all of the essential personnel from the original on both sides of the camera and the addition of the always-great James Spader as the titular villain, the sequel is primed to be another epic triumph in the superhero genre.
4.Trainwreck (7/17): Amy Schumer's comedy is really hit-or-miss for me, but the fantastic ensemble cast (which includes Bill Hader, Brie Larson and Vanessa Bayer) paired with the absolutely hilarious trailers give me faith that her big-screen acting/writing debut could be a major success.
3.Fantastic Four (8/7): I know it's mildly crazy for me to be more excited about this than Age of Ultron, but hear me out. Lead actors Miles Teller (Whiplash), Michael B. Jordan (Fruitvale Station), Kate Mara (House of Cards), Jamie Bell (The Adventures of Tintin) and director Josh Trank (Chronicle) are some of the most promising young talents in all of Hollywood. Those gifted up-and-comers paired with a script penned by veteran screenwriter Simon Kinberg (X-Men: Days of Future Past, Sherlock Holmes) gives Fantastic Four a beyond legitimate chance to be the next groundbreaking comic book film.
2.Straight Outta Compton (8/14): There are few genres in Hollywood that are more sporadic in quality than music biopics. That being said, if there's a musical group whose story is practically a guarantee to make for captivating cinema, it's prolific hip-hop trailblazers N.W.A.. The trailer is amongst the best I've seen all year and the DIY approach the film took by casting unknown actors to play the members of the group and shooting on location in N.W.A's hometown of Compton, California makes me very optimistic about the film's chances of being good.
1.Ted 2 (6/26): Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane defied the odds by creating a consistently hysterical and oddly touching film about the misadventures of a foul-mouthed, pot-smoking teddy bear and his human best friend (Mark Wahlberg). Sequels to standout comedies with outlandish premises like Ted are always a risky proposition, but McFarlane is as capable of anyone in the business of striking comedic gold and the first film was too funny for me to be anything less than stoked about the sequel.
Also Interested In:
Maggie (5/8)
Pitch Perfect 2 (5/15)
Poltergeist (5/22)
Tommorowland (5/22)
Aloha (5/29)
San Andreas (5/29)
Entourage (6/5)
Jurassic World (6/12)
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (6/12)
Inside Out (6/19)
Big Game (6/26)
Terminator: Genisys (7/1)
Self/Less (7/10)
Ant-Man (7/17)
Irrational Man (7/24)
Paper Towns (7/24)
Pixels (7/24)
The End of the Tour (7/31)
Vacation (7/31)
Masterminds (8/7)
Dark Places (8/14)
The Man From U.N.C.L.E (8/14)
Criminal (8/21)
Sinister 2 (8/21)
Sleeping with Other People (8/21)
Hitman: Agent 47 (8/28)
Friday, April 17, 2015
Album Review: Death Grips-The Powers That Be Disc 2: Jenny Death
After their inconsistent experiments with straight-up electronica on 2013's Government Plates and psychedelic pop on 2014's Niggas on the Moon, Jenny Death marks a return to the group's abrasive hip-hop/punk roots. The absence of constant musical chaos played a large role in the disappointment of their previous two albums, so to have the sense of danger and unpredictability return to their music here was beyond welcome. True to Death Grips' no BS mission statement, Jenny Death comes out of the gate full steam ahead with "I Break Mirrors with My Face in the United States". With the trademark psychotic yelling vocals from Stefon "MC Ride" Burnett, spastic drums from Zach Hill and thumping synths from the group's secret weapon Andy "Flatliner" Morin, "I Break Mirrors with My Face in the United States" is a no-holds-barred adrenaline rush that puts the listener in a vice grip and doesn't let go. Later tracks such as "Why a Bitch Gotta Lie", "Pss Pss" and "Centuries of Damn" manage to build upon the tone set by "I Break Mirrors with My Face in the United States" by delivering listeners a series of powerful tracks that are pretty much guaranteed to destroy any speaker system they're played on. However, of all the slabs of aggression Death Grips drops on Jenny Death, "The Powers That B" is definitely the strongest. The drums are loaded with a metal-esque intensity and the synts drops hit so hard that they might cause electro/dubstep fans to shed tears of joy.
Making punk-infused experimental hip-hop is nothing new for Death Grips. Where Jenny Death distinguishes itself from the rest of the band's catalog is with its use of guitar. Adding guitars to the fold for the first time in their career allows the group to experiment with genres such as post-rock and shoegaze. Guitars appear on just a little under half of the album, but the group gets the most out of every note. The ambient guitarwork on "Beyond Alive", "Turned Off" and the instrumental finale "Death Grips 2.0" offer a nice contrast to the unfiltered aggression Death Grips typically serves up. The majority of Death Grips' compositions are still driven by keyboards, synthesizers and drums, but it was nice to hear finally hear some guitars in the mix, and they'll hopefully continue to experiment with them on future releases.
The creative fire of Death Grips was definitely wavering for a while, so it's great to see Death Grips come back with a vengeance on Jenny Death. When they're on their game like they are here, Death Grips is easily one of the most exciting and unpredictable musical groups in the entire music industry. While I doubt they'll ever release another earth-shattering masterpiece like 2012's The Money Store ever again, they're certainly capable of continuing to put really solid records for years to come. Jenny Death has helped me rediscover why I loved Death Grips and that fact alone makes this album worthwhile
4/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.The Powers That B
2.Centuries of Damn
3.Turned Off
Monday, April 13, 2015
2015 NFL Mock Draft 5.0 (Updated 4/13)
1.Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Jameis Winston,
quarterback (Florida State)
2.Tennessee Titans-Leonard
Williams, defensive tackle/end (USC)
3.Jacksonville Jaguars-Dante Fowler
Jr., outside linebacker/defensive end (Florida)
4.Oakland Raiders-Kevin White, wide
receiver (West Virginia)
5.Washington Redskins-Shane Ray, outside
linebacker/defensive end (Missouri)
6.New York Jets-Vic Beasley, outside
linebacker (Clemson)
7.Chicago Bears-Amari Cooper, wide
receiver (Alabama)
8.Atlanta Falcons-Bud Dupree, outside linebacker/defensive end (Kentucky)
9.New York Giants-Brandon Scherff,
guard/tackle (Iowa)
10.St. Louis Rams-DeVante Parker,
wide receiver (Louisville)
11.Minnesota Vikings-La'el Collins, tackle (LSU)
12.Cleveland Browns-Danny Shelton, defensive tackle (Washington)
13.New Orleans Saints-Malcom Brown, defensive tackle (Texas)
14.Miami Dolphins-Trae Waynes, cornerback (Michigan State)
14.Miami Dolphins-Trae Waynes, cornerback (Michigan State)
15.San Francisco 49ers-Arik Armstead,
defensive tackle (Oregon)
16.Houston Texans-Breshad Perriman, wide receiver (Central Florida)
17.San Diego Chargers-Jordan Phillips, defensive tackle (Oklahoma)
18.Kansas City Chiefs-Andrus Peat, tackle (Stanford)
18.Kansas City Chiefs-Andrus Peat, tackle (Stanford)
19.Cleveland Browns-Ereck Flowers, tackle (Miami)
20.Philadelphia Eagles-Marcus Mariota,
quarterback (Oregon)
21.Cincinnati Bengals-Randy Gregory, outside linebacker (Nebraska)
21.Cincinnati Bengals-Randy Gregory, outside linebacker (Nebraska)
22.Pittsburgh Steelers-Kevin Johnson, cornerback (Wake Forest)
23.Detroit Lions-Eddie Goldman, defensive tackle/end (Florida State)
24.Arizona Cardinals-Todd Gurley, running back (Georgia)
24.Arizona Cardinals-Todd Gurley, running back (Georgia)
25.Carolina Panthers-D.J. Humphries, tackle (Florida)
26.Baltimore Ravens-Jalen Collins, cornerback (LSU)
27.Dallas Cowboys-Melvin Gordon, running back (Wisconsin)
28.Denver Broncos-T.J. Clemmings, tackle (Pittsburgh)
29.Indianapolis Colts-Landon Collins, safety (Alabama)
30.Green Bay Packers-Paul Dawson, inside linebacker (TCU)
31.New Orleans Saints-Eli Harold, outside linebacker/defensive end (Virginia)
32.New England Patriots-Tre' Jackson, guard (Florida State)
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Concert Review: Decibel Magazine Tour-- Boston, MA-- April 10th, 2015
Decibel Magazine has a long track record of sponsoring diverse and talent-loaded tour packages. Their most recent tour featuring At the Gates, Converge, Pallbearer and Vallenfyre,which rolled through the Royale in Boston, Massachusetts on Friday night, proved to be yet another booming success for the metal magazine.
Vallenfyre got things started bright and early at 5:30. I'd never listened to their music nor I had I heard any positive or negative buzz about them before they took the stage, so I was going into their set completely blind. Fortunately, Vallenfyre ended up being pretty solid. They played a style of death metal that was a nice combination of atmospheric gloom and brisk, Cannibal Corpse-esque sloppiness. The one common denominator between both sides of their sound was an aptitude for strong riffs. No matter what subgenre of death metal you're playing, memorable riffs are a must to be successful and Vallenfyre delivered in spades in that department. It also helped that their vocalist Gregor Macktintosh is an absolutely hilarious frontman. All of his between song banter was fantastic with a mid-set rant about the disco lights at the venue standing out as the highlight. After this performance, Vallenfyre has definitely gained a new fan in me.
Pallbearer was up next. With just a mere two albums under their belt, Pallbearer has already become one of the most critically-lauded metal bands of the past 15-20 years. Despite the heavy hype around them, Pallbearer has never really clicked with me and, their performance here did nothing to change my mind. Their music was actually more grating and lifeless in a live setting than it is on disc. Every song they played in their three song, 30-minute set was so plodding in nature that it felt like they were on the stage for a fortnight. Not only is their music extremely boring, they also had a god awful sound mix. I've heard in the past that they purposely bury their vocals in the mix and that certainly seemed to be the case here. Their mix was pretty much entirely guitars and drums with the vocals only occasionally piercing through. However, it was a probably a wise choice for them to hide the vocals because they sounded horrible at the few points of the set where they were audible. Pallbearer is one of the most overhyped bands in metal today and their underwhelming performance here only further confirmed that.
After Pallbearer had put me into a monotony-induced coma, I needed something to pick me back up. Thankfully, there is pretty much no one better at injecting life into a room than Converge. Their impact as a defibrillator for the heart of the crowd was felt within seconds of them starting set opener "Eagles Become Vultures". "Eagles Become Vultures" incited the first pits and crowd-surfers of the night, and put an abrupt stop to the alarming stillness that had plagued the room for the past hour. The energy and passion level from both the band and crowd didn't let up as they ripped through material from their two most recent records, Axe to Fall and All We Love We Leave Behind, at a breakneck pace. While the entire set was captivating, the closing duo of tracks from their 2001 classic Jane Doe served as the evening's finest moment. "Concubine" was chaotic even by Converge standards while "Jane Doe" is an 11+ plus epic that reenforces just how gifted they are at tempo changes and incorporating melody into their music when called upon. Converge never fails to bring tornado-like destruction to the stage and it's never less than thrilling to watch.
After a 20-minute-changeover, it was finally time for At the Gates to hit the stage. Their 1995 masterpiece Slaughter of the Soul was one of the records that got into extreme metal during my early high school years and it remains one of my all-time favorite albums to this day. Despite my love for At the Gates, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about the quality of their live show. This is a band that just recently reunited full-time after disbanding twice and they haven't done a full U.S. tour since their first-reunion tour in 2008. Those doubts were erased as soon as the band came thundering onto the stage with "Death and the Labyrinth". The whole band sounded excellent and they were visibly excited to be performing together again. The setlist was primarily devoted to material from Slaughter of the Soul and their 2014 comeback album At War with Reality. The Slaughter of the Soul material was clearly the highlight for me, but the material from At War with Reality sounded significantly better live than it did on record. "Heroes and Tombs" and "The Circular Ruins" were particularly great and managed to hold up surprisingly well against the standout tracks from Slaughter. Unfortunately, I did have to leave the show a little bit early (At the Gates had 7 songs left when I departed) in order to make it back to my hometown to see my friend's band play. Despite the fact that I had to leave before they finished, it was still a distinct pleasure to finally see At the Gates live and I really hope that I will get another chance to see them in the near future.
Scores:
Vallenfyre 7.5/10
Pallbearer 4/10
Converge 9/10
At the Gates 8.5/10
Setlists:
Converge:
Eagles Become Vultures
Dark Horse
Aimless Arrow
You Fail Me
Trespasses
All We Love We Leave Behind
Predatory Glow
Reap What You Sow
Cutter
Worms Will Feed/Rats Will Feast
Concubine
Jane Doe
At the Gates (partial):
Death and the Labyrinth
Slaughter of the Soul
Cold
At War with Reality
Terminal Spirit Disease
Raped by the Light of Christ
The Circular Ruins
Under a Serpent Sun
Windows
Suicide Nation
Heroes and Tombs
Nausea (left during this song)
Vallenfyre got things started bright and early at 5:30. I'd never listened to their music nor I had I heard any positive or negative buzz about them before they took the stage, so I was going into their set completely blind. Fortunately, Vallenfyre ended up being pretty solid. They played a style of death metal that was a nice combination of atmospheric gloom and brisk, Cannibal Corpse-esque sloppiness. The one common denominator between both sides of their sound was an aptitude for strong riffs. No matter what subgenre of death metal you're playing, memorable riffs are a must to be successful and Vallenfyre delivered in spades in that department. It also helped that their vocalist Gregor Macktintosh is an absolutely hilarious frontman. All of his between song banter was fantastic with a mid-set rant about the disco lights at the venue standing out as the highlight. After this performance, Vallenfyre has definitely gained a new fan in me.
Pallbearer was up next. With just a mere two albums under their belt, Pallbearer has already become one of the most critically-lauded metal bands of the past 15-20 years. Despite the heavy hype around them, Pallbearer has never really clicked with me and, their performance here did nothing to change my mind. Their music was actually more grating and lifeless in a live setting than it is on disc. Every song they played in their three song, 30-minute set was so plodding in nature that it felt like they were on the stage for a fortnight. Not only is their music extremely boring, they also had a god awful sound mix. I've heard in the past that they purposely bury their vocals in the mix and that certainly seemed to be the case here. Their mix was pretty much entirely guitars and drums with the vocals only occasionally piercing through. However, it was a probably a wise choice for them to hide the vocals because they sounded horrible at the few points of the set where they were audible. Pallbearer is one of the most overhyped bands in metal today and their underwhelming performance here only further confirmed that.
After Pallbearer had put me into a monotony-induced coma, I needed something to pick me back up. Thankfully, there is pretty much no one better at injecting life into a room than Converge. Their impact as a defibrillator for the heart of the crowd was felt within seconds of them starting set opener "Eagles Become Vultures". "Eagles Become Vultures" incited the first pits and crowd-surfers of the night, and put an abrupt stop to the alarming stillness that had plagued the room for the past hour. The energy and passion level from both the band and crowd didn't let up as they ripped through material from their two most recent records, Axe to Fall and All We Love We Leave Behind, at a breakneck pace. While the entire set was captivating, the closing duo of tracks from their 2001 classic Jane Doe served as the evening's finest moment. "Concubine" was chaotic even by Converge standards while "Jane Doe" is an 11+ plus epic that reenforces just how gifted they are at tempo changes and incorporating melody into their music when called upon. Converge never fails to bring tornado-like destruction to the stage and it's never less than thrilling to watch.
After a 20-minute-changeover, it was finally time for At the Gates to hit the stage. Their 1995 masterpiece Slaughter of the Soul was one of the records that got into extreme metal during my early high school years and it remains one of my all-time favorite albums to this day. Despite my love for At the Gates, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about the quality of their live show. This is a band that just recently reunited full-time after disbanding twice and they haven't done a full U.S. tour since their first-reunion tour in 2008. Those doubts were erased as soon as the band came thundering onto the stage with "Death and the Labyrinth". The whole band sounded excellent and they were visibly excited to be performing together again. The setlist was primarily devoted to material from Slaughter of the Soul and their 2014 comeback album At War with Reality. The Slaughter of the Soul material was clearly the highlight for me, but the material from At War with Reality sounded significantly better live than it did on record. "Heroes and Tombs" and "The Circular Ruins" were particularly great and managed to hold up surprisingly well against the standout tracks from Slaughter. Unfortunately, I did have to leave the show a little bit early (At the Gates had 7 songs left when I departed) in order to make it back to my hometown to see my friend's band play. Despite the fact that I had to leave before they finished, it was still a distinct pleasure to finally see At the Gates live and I really hope that I will get another chance to see them in the near future.
Scores:
Vallenfyre 7.5/10
Pallbearer 4/10
Converge 9/10
At the Gates 8.5/10
Setlists:
Converge:
Eagles Become Vultures
Dark Horse
Aimless Arrow
You Fail Me
Trespasses
All We Love We Leave Behind
Predatory Glow
Reap What You Sow
Cutter
Worms Will Feed/Rats Will Feast
Concubine
Jane Doe
At the Gates (partial):
Death and the Labyrinth
Slaughter of the Soul
Cold
At War with Reality
Terminal Spirit Disease
Raped by the Light of Christ
The Circular Ruins
Under a Serpent Sun
Windows
Suicide Nation
Heroes and Tombs
Nausea (left during this song)
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Movie Review: Furious 7
Like any good sequel, Furious 7, takes the strength of its predecessors and raises them to the next level. In the case of Furious 7. raising things to the next level means making the action sequences even more jaw-dropping and over-the-top than they were before. With stunts that range from dropping cars out of an airplane to jumping speeding cars from skyscraper to skyscraper, it's safe to say the filmmakers succeeded. This series has long left behind the concept of realism and honestly, it's much better for it. The cartoonish action sequences have made the Fast and Furious franchise a unique grand-scale spectacle and elevated the series to heights of exhilaration that the earlier films couldn't even dream of matching.
Director James Wan picks up right where previous director Justin Lin left off by brilliantly capturing all of the film's mind-boggling mayhem. Lin had done such a great job directing the previous four installments of this series that I was skeptical that anyone could duplicate his success, but Wan proved to be more than up to the task. Wan, a veteran horror director responsible for recent hits Insidious and The Conjuring, had never directed a major action film prior to this, but you'd never know that with the veteran-like proficiency he shows in directing the constant combats scenes here.
The chemistry and general likability of the cast are just as essential to Furious 7's success as the action sequences. The rapport Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges and Tyrese Gibson have built up over the years of making these films is truly remarkable. Diesel's character Dom Torretto regularly preaches about how his team is his family and as a viewer, you can tell that closeness amongst the group continues well after the camera is turned off. Series newbies Jason Statham and Kurt Russell as the film's primary antagonist and a nameless FBI agent that hires Toretto's crew to retrieve a priceless piece of advanced new technology respectively both prove to be natural fits within the cast and add even more to the camaraderie surrounding Furious 7. Most long-running film franchises have well-matched casts, but the genuine, family-like bond of this entire ensemble of actors is unlike anything I've ever seen in modern Hollywood.
Above all, Furious 7 is a love letter to Walker, who tragically died in a car accident on November 30th, 2013. While a majority of the film had already been shot prior to his death, the narrative was clearly re-framed following his untimely passing. The way the filmmakers chose to handle Walker's character's future in the franchise was perfect, with the final scene in particular serving as a genuinely moving tribute to his life and the legacy he left behind. Walker's success as an actor was largely defined by this franchise, so its only fitting that his last on-screen appearance was in a Fast and Furious film. Furious 7 may be a flat-out ridiculous film with no shortage of plotholes and unnecessary melodrama, but it's also a near-perfect action film that made for one of the funnest viewing experiences I've ever had in a movie theater.
4.5/5 Stars
Monday, April 6, 2015
Concert Review: Revocation-- Cambridge, MA-- April 5th, 2015
Easter Sunday is a spiritual day for Christians as they celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Metalheads in Cambridge, Massachusetts celebrated with their own spiritual gathering of sorts this Easter Sunday as death-thrash titans Revocation returned to their hometown for a headlining show at The Middle East Upstairs.
Local band Coagula opened the show. I'd never heard of them prior to the show, but considering the mediocrity of a majority of the bands in the Massachusetts metal scene at the moment, I wasn't expecting much from them. Within seconds of the start of their performance, Caligula proved me wrong. Their energy level was through the roof and their grimy hybrid of crust punk and thrash (they reminded me a lot of Trap Them) was pretty damn infectious. Coagula was a really solid opener and managed to restore some of my faith in the Massachusetts metal scene.
The second local opener, Sexcrement, came out shortly afterwards. These guys have become notorious in Boston-area metal circles because they have go-go dancers and strippers join them on stage during their performances. The use of scantily-clad women as part of their stage show may sound like a stupid gimmick, but Sexcrement is no joke. These dudes play some of the tightest, heaviest and badass brutal/slam death metal I've ever heard. The pig-squealing vocals are top-notch and each song is loaded with an abundance of memorable riffs. Their set was honestly one of the most pure fun performances I've seen in quite some time. For my money, Sexcrement is the best local band Boston has to offer at the moment and I will continue to be elated anytime they open a show.
The first national act on the bill, Black Crown Initiate, took the stage after a roughly 15 minute setup period. These guys have been on the road constantly since the beginning of last year, but this was somehow the first time I'd seen them. Outside of the puzzling choice to open the set with "The Malignant"- which is arguably the most melodic song in their entire catalog, Black Crown Initiate put on a pretty solid performance. Just like on record, the biggest strengths of their live shows were the performance of vocalist James Dorton and drummer Jesse Beahler. Dorton's powerful vocals carry the death metal side of their sound and Beahler is one of the most gifted, unique and underrated players in the genre today. On the downside, their choice to open with two of their slower songs was pretty questionable considering the nature of the other bands on the bill and their relatively restrained stage presence drained some of the absurdly highly energy level Sexcrement had established before they took the stage. That being said, Black Crown Initiate is still a very good live band. Between their work ethic and remarkable cohesiveness for a band that's still in its relative infancy (they formed in 2013), I have little doubt that Black Crown Initiate will be a fixture in the extreme metal genre for years to come.
After a pretty quick sound check, it was finally time for Revocation to take the stage. One of the perks of living in Massachusetts is getting the opportunity to regularly see Revocation (this show marked the seventh time I've seen them. Despite getting frequent chances to see them live, this was somehow only the second time I got to see them headline. Getting the chance to see them headline again paired with the fact that the Middle East Upstairs- with a capacity of under 200 people- is the smallest venue I've ever seen them perform in, made this the best Revocation show I've ever seen by far. Further solidifying the quality of this show was the absolutely sensational setlist. They played a majority of the best material from their most recent album Deathless as well as longtime set staples ("No Funeral", "Dismantle the Dictator") and a couple of prime cuts from their back catalog ("Leviathan Awaits", "Bound by Desire"). As a self-admitted Revocation fanboy, I especially freaked out over "Leviathan Awaits"- which has been one of my favorite songs by them since the release of Existence is Futile in 2009. Considering the fact that pretty much entirely ignore playing material from Existence is Futile live, I figured there was pretty much zero chance I would ever see them perform "Leviathan Awaits" live, so it was completely surreal to actually hear them play it. The only minor complaint I have about their set is that they played pretty much the same exact new material (save for the set opener "A Debt Owed to the Grave") that they played when I saw them open for The Contortionist in February. While the four repeat songs from Deathless were amazing, I would've loved to hear some of the other material from Deathless such as "Scorched Earth Policy" and "The Blackest Reaches" that I hadn't previously seen live. Petty complaints aside, Revocation put on a ballistic, technically-flawless and consistently exciting show that is the standout performance amongst the plethora of standout performances I've seen them give over the last four years.
Scores:
Coagula 7.5/10
Sexcrement 8.5/10
Black Crown Initiate 8/10
Revocation 9.5/10
Setlists:
Sexcrement included:
Glory Hole Casserole
Beef Curtain Call
Colostomy Bag Condom
Black Crown Initiate:
The Malignant
A Great Mistake
The Fractured One
To the Eye That Leads You
Stench of the Iron Age
Revocation:
A Debt Owed to the Grave
Deathless
Madness Opus
No Funeral
Invidious
Labyrinth of Eyes
Bound by Desire
Dismantle the Dictator
Witch Trials
Leviathan Awaits
Empire of the Obscene
Local band Coagula opened the show. I'd never heard of them prior to the show, but considering the mediocrity of a majority of the bands in the Massachusetts metal scene at the moment, I wasn't expecting much from them. Within seconds of the start of their performance, Caligula proved me wrong. Their energy level was through the roof and their grimy hybrid of crust punk and thrash (they reminded me a lot of Trap Them) was pretty damn infectious. Coagula was a really solid opener and managed to restore some of my faith in the Massachusetts metal scene.
The second local opener, Sexcrement, came out shortly afterwards. These guys have become notorious in Boston-area metal circles because they have go-go dancers and strippers join them on stage during their performances. The use of scantily-clad women as part of their stage show may sound like a stupid gimmick, but Sexcrement is no joke. These dudes play some of the tightest, heaviest and badass brutal/slam death metal I've ever heard. The pig-squealing vocals are top-notch and each song is loaded with an abundance of memorable riffs. Their set was honestly one of the most pure fun performances I've seen in quite some time. For my money, Sexcrement is the best local band Boston has to offer at the moment and I will continue to be elated anytime they open a show.
The first national act on the bill, Black Crown Initiate, took the stage after a roughly 15 minute setup period. These guys have been on the road constantly since the beginning of last year, but this was somehow the first time I'd seen them. Outside of the puzzling choice to open the set with "The Malignant"- which is arguably the most melodic song in their entire catalog, Black Crown Initiate put on a pretty solid performance. Just like on record, the biggest strengths of their live shows were the performance of vocalist James Dorton and drummer Jesse Beahler. Dorton's powerful vocals carry the death metal side of their sound and Beahler is one of the most gifted, unique and underrated players in the genre today. On the downside, their choice to open with two of their slower songs was pretty questionable considering the nature of the other bands on the bill and their relatively restrained stage presence drained some of the absurdly highly energy level Sexcrement had established before they took the stage. That being said, Black Crown Initiate is still a very good live band. Between their work ethic and remarkable cohesiveness for a band that's still in its relative infancy (they formed in 2013), I have little doubt that Black Crown Initiate will be a fixture in the extreme metal genre for years to come.
After a pretty quick sound check, it was finally time for Revocation to take the stage. One of the perks of living in Massachusetts is getting the opportunity to regularly see Revocation (this show marked the seventh time I've seen them. Despite getting frequent chances to see them live, this was somehow only the second time I got to see them headline. Getting the chance to see them headline again paired with the fact that the Middle East Upstairs- with a capacity of under 200 people- is the smallest venue I've ever seen them perform in, made this the best Revocation show I've ever seen by far. Further solidifying the quality of this show was the absolutely sensational setlist. They played a majority of the best material from their most recent album Deathless as well as longtime set staples ("No Funeral", "Dismantle the Dictator") and a couple of prime cuts from their back catalog ("Leviathan Awaits", "Bound by Desire"). As a self-admitted Revocation fanboy, I especially freaked out over "Leviathan Awaits"- which has been one of my favorite songs by them since the release of Existence is Futile in 2009. Considering the fact that pretty much entirely ignore playing material from Existence is Futile live, I figured there was pretty much zero chance I would ever see them perform "Leviathan Awaits" live, so it was completely surreal to actually hear them play it. The only minor complaint I have about their set is that they played pretty much the same exact new material (save for the set opener "A Debt Owed to the Grave") that they played when I saw them open for The Contortionist in February. While the four repeat songs from Deathless were amazing, I would've loved to hear some of the other material from Deathless such as "Scorched Earth Policy" and "The Blackest Reaches" that I hadn't previously seen live. Petty complaints aside, Revocation put on a ballistic, technically-flawless and consistently exciting show that is the standout performance amongst the plethora of standout performances I've seen them give over the last four years.
Scores:
Coagula 7.5/10
Sexcrement 8.5/10
Black Crown Initiate 8/10
Revocation 9.5/10
Setlists:
Sexcrement included:
Glory Hole Casserole
Beef Curtain Call
Colostomy Bag Condom
Black Crown Initiate:
The Malignant
A Great Mistake
The Fractured One
To the Eye That Leads You
Stench of the Iron Age
Revocation:
A Debt Owed to the Grave
Deathless
Madness Opus
No Funeral
Invidious
Labyrinth of Eyes
Bound by Desire
Dismantle the Dictator
Witch Trials
Leviathan Awaits
Empire of the Obscene
2015 NFL Mock Draft 4.0 (Updated 4/6)
1.Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Leonard
Williams, defensive tackle/end (USC)
2.Tennessee Titans-Jameis Winston,
quarterback (Florida State)
3.Jacksonville Jaguars-Dante Fowler
Jr., outside linebacker/defensive end (Florida)
4.Oakland Raiders-Kevin White, wide
receiver (West Virginia)
5.Washington Redskins-Brandon Scherff,
guard/tackle (Iowa)
6.New York Jets-Vic Beasley, outside
linebacker (Clemson)
7.Chicago Bears-Shane Ray, outside
linebacker/defensive end (Missouri)
8.Atlanta Falcons-Bud Dupree, outside linebacker/defensive end (Kentucky)
9.New York Giants-Malcom Brown, defensive tackle (Texas)
10.St. Louis Rams-Amari Cooper, wide
receiver (Alabama)
11.Minnesota Vikings-La'el Collins, tackle (LSU)
12.Cleveland Browns-DeVante Parker,
wide receiver (Louisville)
13.New Orleans Saints-Randy Gregory,
outside linebacker (Nebraska)
14.San Francisco 49ers-Arik Armstead,
defensive tackle (Oregon)
15.Miami Dolphins-Trae Waynes,
cornerback (Michigan State)
16.Houston Texans-Jaelen Strong, wide
receiver (Arizona State)
17.San Diego Chargers-Danny Shelton, nose tackle (Washington)
18.Kansas City Chiefs-D.J. Humphries, tackle (Florida)
18.Kansas City Chiefs-D.J. Humphries, tackle (Florida)
19.Cleveland Browns-Ereck Flowers, tackle (Miami)
20.Philadelphia Eagles-Marcus Mariota,
quarterback (Oregon)
21.Cincinnati Bengals-Jalen Collins, cornerback (LSU)
21.Cincinnati Bengals-Jalen Collins, cornerback (LSU)
22.Pittsburgh Steelers-Landon Collins, safety (Alabama)
23.Detroit Lions-Eddie Goldman, defensive tackle/end (Florida State)
24.Arizona Cardinals-Melvin Gordon, running back (Wisconsin)
24.Arizona Cardinals-Melvin Gordon, running back (Wisconsin)
25.Carolina Panthers-T.J. Clemmings,
tackle (Pittsburgh)
26.Baltimore Ravens-Breshad Perriman, wide receiver (Central Florida)
27.Dallas Cowboys-Todd Gurley, running
back (Georgia)
28.Denver Broncos-Andrus Plat, tackle (Stanford)
29.Indianapolis Colts-Eric Kendricks, inside linebacker (UCLA)
30.Green Bay Packers-Kevin Johnson, cornerback (Wake Forest)
31.New Orleans Saints-Maxx Williams, tight end (Minnesota)
32.New England Patriots-Marcus Peters, cornerback (Washington)
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Quick Movie Reviews: Insurgent and Get Hard
Insurgent: Of the slew of dystopian YA novel adaptions that have hit theaters since the first Hunger Games film was released in March 2012, 2014's Divergent was easily the strongest. Shailene Woodley was excellent in the lead role, the action sequences were well-crafted and above all, the film was gripping as all hell. The second installment in the franchise, Insurgent, has pretty much the same strengths as the original, except this time the proceedings are more efficient. The one glaring problem with Divergent was that it took a bit too long for the main story to develop and made the film run 15-20 minutes longer than it probably should've. With the setting and stakes of the film's world now firmly established, Insurgent is able to get right down to business, which allow this to be a more briskly-paced and action-packed film than its predecessor. Woodley is once again the driving force of the film with her fantastic performance as the film's heroine Tris Prior, but Theo James, who plays her love interest Four, gives a substantially better performance than he did the first time around. There's a real budding chemistry between Woodley and James that should only grow stronger in the final two films of the series. The only thing that really bugged me about Insurgent was the ending. Given the extremely tidy note this ends on, I have absolutely no idea how they're going to drag out this narrative for another two films. Insurgent more than likely won't silence any of the original's detractors, but fans of the series should be very pleased with this thoroughly entertaining sequel.
3.5/5 Stars
Get Hard: I'd be lying if I said Get Hard isn't one of the most juvenile, predictable and occasionally wildly insensitive comedies to be released in recent memory. That being said, it's still pretty damn funny. The first 30-35 minutes are pretty shaky with very few jokes actually landing, but once the relationship between James King (Will Ferrell), a yuppie executive who's been sentenced to 30 years in prison for embezzlement and fraud and Darnell Lewis (Kevin Hart), a parking garage attendant who lies about being previously incarcerated to King and is subsequently hired by him to prepare him for life behind bars, develops in the second half of the film, the laughs are pretty consistent. The cliche-ridden (cue dozens upon dozens of prison rape and blow job jokes) screenplay from Key & Peele writers Ian Roberts and Jay Martel and Tropic Thunder scribe Ethan Cohen (who also directs) is rescued by the talent of its two leading men. Ferrell and Hart work great together and their collective comedic prowess makes this material far more effective than it should be. While Get Hard is undeniably weaker than expected, the electric presence of Ferrell and Hart are still enough to make it worth a watch.
3.5/5 Stars
3.5/5 Stars
Get Hard: I'd be lying if I said Get Hard isn't one of the most juvenile, predictable and occasionally wildly insensitive comedies to be released in recent memory. That being said, it's still pretty damn funny. The first 30-35 minutes are pretty shaky with very few jokes actually landing, but once the relationship between James King (Will Ferrell), a yuppie executive who's been sentenced to 30 years in prison for embezzlement and fraud and Darnell Lewis (Kevin Hart), a parking garage attendant who lies about being previously incarcerated to King and is subsequently hired by him to prepare him for life behind bars, develops in the second half of the film, the laughs are pretty consistent. The cliche-ridden (cue dozens upon dozens of prison rape and blow job jokes) screenplay from Key & Peele writers Ian Roberts and Jay Martel and Tropic Thunder scribe Ethan Cohen (who also directs) is rescued by the talent of its two leading men. Ferrell and Hart work great together and their collective comedic prowess makes this material far more effective than it should be. While Get Hard is undeniably weaker than expected, the electric presence of Ferrell and Hart are still enough to make it worth a watch.
3.5/5 Stars
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