Concert Review: Dropkick Murphys-- Boston, MA-- March 14th, 2015

Red Sox Baseball. The Marathon on Patriots' Day. Gratuitous Sarcasm. Berating any person in the city who has the gall to admit they're from New York. These are all proud traditions in the city of Boston. Saturday night marked the final night of another proud Boston tradition; the Dropkick Murphys St. Patrick's Day week shows at the House of Blues. And per usual the Murphys delivered a great performance worthy of their legendary billing.

The show got started off with Irish folk punk act Blood or Whiskey. Given that they hail from Dublin, I expected the most authentic and badass Celtic punk imaginable. I couldn't have been more wrong. What I got instead was horribly put together and downright obnoxious music from an act that couldn't decide if they were an old-timey Celtic folk or a sloppy Ramones-esque punk band. Making their jarring sound even worse was their amateurish stage presence. In all my years of seeing live music, I've never seen a signed, touring band that looked so visibly uncomfortable on stage. Everyone besides their singer seemed like they were paralyzed with stage fright and their singer, despite being very talkative, came across as very awkward with his strange mannerisms and overbearingly abrasive crowd interaction that completely clashed with the restrained nature of his bandmates. To put it lightly, Bloody or Whiskey started the showed with a noticeable thud and I hope the hell I never have to suffer through another set from them ever again.

Canada's The Mahones were up next. While they were a noticeable upgrade from Blood or Whiskey, their music just didn't really resonate with me.. The first couple of songs were decent enough, but after that, everything started to bleed together and they became very dull in no time at all. I'd be remiss if I didn't note that my indifference towards The Mahones was far from the consensus. A large portion of the crowd was singing along, moshing and just generally going crazy for a majority of their set. The Mahones are certainly a respectable, polished band, their brand of ska-tinged punk just failed to make an impression of on me.

After the two bad-to-middling openers, it was finally time for the men of the hour to perform. After the haunting intro of “The Foggy Dew” by Sinead O'Connor played over the PA, the curtain dropped and the band launched into “The State of Massachusetts” and the entire venue launched into an all-out frenzy. “The State of Massachusetts” was a rousing opener that served as the perfect start to a high-energy, set. The whole band sounded excellent and didn't seem even remotely worn down after performing two shows earlier that day. I can't even imagine the physical toll performing two full shows and a brief acoustic set in a less than 12 hour period has, so major props to the Murphys for not only being able to do it, but to not have it hinder the quality of their performance at all. Going in, I was very nervous that they were going to load the set with cuts from their mediocre 2013 LP Signed and Sealed in Blood. Thankfully, they only played four tracks from that album, including the only two songs (“Rose Tattoo, “Prisoner's Song”) on the entire record that I consider to be noteworthy. Instead, they played really even balance of older and more recent material with no one album really dominating the setlist. The setlist was generally pretty good (always nice to see them player lesser known older material like “Memories Remain” and “Curse of a Fallen Soul”), but I really wished they played more cuts from Blackout and The Warrior's Code. Hearing a combined total of five songs from those two records (two of which are permanent cornerstones “I'm Shipping Up to Boston” and “Kiss Me I'm Shiftfaced”) during their nearly two hour set was a serious bummer. Setlist nitpicking aside, Dropkick Murphys are a consistently formidable live band that is entirely worthy of the legend status they have in Massachusetts.

Side Notes:

-Dropkick Murphys had fans throws darts to choose the three rarities they'd play. Each section of the board had a different song assigned to it (the songs and their corresponding section of the board were projected on a video screen behind them) and while it took a while for people in the front to actually hit the board, it was definitely one of the coolest things I've ever seen at a show. Additional kudos go to the Murphys for jokingly putting songs like “It's Raining Men” and “Gagnam Style” on the list.

-Unlike the previous two times I'd seen them in 2011 and 2012, there was a TON of inconsiderate assholes at this show. The amount of (mostly intoxicated) people I had fall on, grope, push, etc. me and other people in my vicinity was unreal. It wasn't quite as out of hand as the August Burns Red show I went to at the House of Blues in January, but the general douchiness of many of the attendees put a bit of a damper on the evening.

-Blood or Whiskey's banjo player looked like the bastard offspring of the Boston Bruins' Zdeno Chara and Brad Marchand. My friends and I repeatedly referred to him as Zdeno Marchand for the rest of their set.

-Blood or Whiskey's vocalist sounded like South Park's impression of Russell Crowe in the Season 6 episode The New Terrence and Phillip Movie Trailer  on the show within a show “Fightin 'Round the World with Russell Crowe” when he sang.

-Blood and Whiskey brought out from Spider Stacyt The Pogues to do vocals on a song. She sang was singing this very mellow melody for a majority of the song then for whatever reason at the climax of the song she decided to let out a couple of screams that were reminiscent of Slayer frontman Tom Araya's legendary screech in the intro to “Angel of Death”. It was one of the strangest things I've ever seen and was somehow the most awkward moment in a set with no shortage of awkward moments.

Scores:

Blood or Whiskey 2.5/10

The Mahones 5/10

Dropkick Murphys 8.5/10

Setlist:

The State of Massachusetts

Famous for Nothing

Shattered

God Willing 

Going Out in Style

Good Rats

Prisoner’s Song

Jimmy Collins' Wake

Tessie

Boston Asphalt 

Wheel of Misfortune 

Vengeance (Nipple Erectors cover)

Iron Chin (The Bruisers cover)

Alcohol (Gang Green cover)

Curse of a Fallen Soul

Do or Die (w/original vocalist Mike McColgan) 

Memories Remain (w/original vocalist Mike McColgan) 

Barroom Hero (w/original vocalist Mike McColgan) 

The Auld Triangle

Never Forget

Rose Tattoo (acoustic)

I'm Shipping Up to Boston

Kiss Me, I'm Shitfaced

Encore:

Worker's Song

Skinhead on the MBTA

Takin' Care of Business (Bachman-Turner Overdrive cover)

We're An American Band (Grand Funk Railroad cover)

Movie Review: Chappie

Sharlto Copley does not get nearly enough credit for his work as an actor. With the exception of a horrid performance in Spike Lee's Oldboy remake, Copley has been consistently excellent in everything he's appeared since his breakthrough role in 2009's District 9. His work as the titular robot in Chappie is one of the most impressive feats of his career to-date. Using just his voice and the magic of motion capture technology, Copley is able to bring a level of innocence and perpetual curiosity to this character that feels very human. The fact that Copley is able to make this character so loveable and emotionally dense without even physically appearing on screen is just remarkable.

Unfortunately outside of the consistently heartwarming and interesting title character, Chappie is an absolute clusterfuck. Writer/director Neil Blookamp's shifts the narrative focus so frequently that it becomes unclear who the main character of the film really is. Chappie, Chappie's creator, a robotics programmer at a large corporation who created the robotic police force that the South African government but really just wants to make a free-thinking robot with unrestricted, human-like emotion (Dev Patel), a pissed-off co-worker of Patel's who wants his massive man-operated drone to replace the robotic police force (a mulleted Hugh Jackman in full overacting mode) and a low-life husband/wife criminal duo who kidnap Chappie and try to turn him into a street-hardened thug (hip-hop duo Die Antwoord, who are the epitome of on-screen poison) all take turns being the center of the film's attention. To say it's exhausting to keep up with all the film's subplots and character arcs would be a vast understatement. As one would probably expect in a film without a true main character, the film shifts tones at the drop of a hat, which gives it a very disjointed, incomplete feel. The implausible ending that somehow doesn't mesh with any of the 6,243,121, tones Bloomkamp explores makes this already scattershot film that much worse. The ending is so hair-brained and insultingly stupid that it makes the rest of the narrative seem competently put together.

Watching an unfocused, half-baked mess like Chappie makes you wonder how the same guy was able to create such a streamlined, original and groundbreaking film like District 9 a mere six years ago. Between this and 2013's good-but-not-spectacular Elysium, it's clear the immense promise Bloomkamp showed on District 9 was a fluke. He needs to scale back on his desire to load his films with half-assed social commentary and convoluted, over-complicated plotlines, and just make a constantly compelling and narratively coherent film that properly showcases the originality and technical competence that made Hollywood take notice of him in the first place. The inept writing and pretty terrible acting from the supporting cast is a huge blow to the overall quality, but Copley's awe-inspiring performance and a few nicely-executed action setpieces prevent Chappie from being a complete failure.

2.5/5 Stars

Best Albums of the Decade So Far (2010-14)

A few weeks ago, I posted my picks for the best films of the decade so far. (That list can be found here: http://maitlandsmadness.blogspot.com/2015/02/best-films-of-decade-so-far-2010-14.html) Today, I turn my attention to the world of music with my selections for the best albums to be released over the past five years.

2010
1.The Dillinger Escape Plan-Option Paralysis
2.letlive.-Fake History
3.Kvelertak-Kvelertak
4.As I Lay Dying-The Powerless Rise
5.Intronaut-Valley of Smoke
6.Deftones-Diamond Eyes
7.Overkill-Ironbound
8.High on Fire-Snakes for the Divine
9.The Sword-Warp Riders
10.The Contortionist-Exoplanet
Honorable Mentions: Kanye West-My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Nas & Damian Marley-Distant Relatives, Volbeat-Beyond Hell/Above Heaven, Son of Aurelius-The Farthest Reaches, Decrepit Birth-Polarity

2011
1.The Black Dahlia Murder-Ritual
2.Revocation-Chaos of Forms
3.Protest the Hero-Scurrilous 
4.Unearth-Darkness in the Light
5.Fallujah-The Harvest Wombs
6.Machine Head-Unto the Locust
7.Mastodon-The Hunter
8.Born of Osiris-The Discovery
9.Skeletonwitch-Forever Abomination
10.Fleshgod Apocalypse-Agony
Honorable Mentions: The Story So Far-Under Soil and Dirt, Danny Brown-XXX, Obscura-Omnivium, All Shall Perish-This is Where it Ends, Last Chance to Reason-Level 2

2012
1.Between the Buried and Me-The Parallax II: Future Sequence
2.Death Grips-The Money Store 
3.The Faceless-Autotheism
4.Sylosis-Monolith
5.Every Time I Die-Ex Lives 
6.Lamb of God-Resolution
7.High on Fire-De Vermis Mysteriis
8.Periphery-Periphery II
9.Kendrick Lamar-good kid, m.A.A.d city
10.Lana Del Rey-Born to Die
Honorable Mentions: Coheed and Cambria-The Afterman: Ascension, Dying Fetus-Reign Supreme, Thank You Scientist-Maps of Non-Existent Places, Converge-All We Love We Leave Behind, God Forbid-Equilibrium

2013
1.Revocation-Revocation
2.Killswitch Engage-Disarm the Descent
3.The Dillinger Escape Plan-One of Us is the Killer
4.Protest the Hero-Volition
5.Battlecross-War of Will
6.The Ocean-Pelegial
7.Skeletonwitch-Serpents Unleashed
8.Hope for the Dying-Altheia
9.The Black Dahlia Murder-Everblack
10.Run the Jewels-Run the Jewels
Honorable Mentions: Danny Brown-Old, The Safety Fire-Mouth of Swords, August Burns Red-Rescue & Restore, Kanye West-Yeezus, State Champs-The Finer Things

2014
1.Revocation-Deathless
2.Fallujah-The Flesh Prevails
3.Unearth-Watchers of Rule
4.Every Time I Die-From Parts Unknown
5.Run the Jewels-Run the Jewels 2
6.Freddie Gibbs & Madlib-Pinata
7.Behemoth-The Satanist
8.Royal Blood-Royal Blood
9.Job for a Cowboy-Sun Eater
10.Animals as Leaders-The Joy of Motion
Honorable Mentions: Alterbeast-Immortal, Goatwhore-Constricting Rage of the Merciless  Monuments-The Amanuensis, Beartooth-Disgusting, Body Count-Manslaughter      

Top 10 Remaining 2015 NFL Free Agents

The NFL free agency period officially beings tomorrow, but there was a flurry of activity over the weekend that took away from a lot of the suspense the start of free agency typically brings. A number of the biggest names set to hit to open market either re-signed with their respective teams (Randall Cobb, Devin McCourty, Jerry Hughes) or agreed in principle to huge contracts (Ndamukong Suh, Byron Maxwell, Jeremy Maclin) to play elsewhere in 2015. The onslaught of signings over the weekend doesn't even include the likes of Justin Houston, Dez Bryant, Demaryius Thomas and Jason Pierre-Paul, who were all given the franchise tag last Monday. Despite the fact that a majority of the loaded 2015 free agency class are already locked up, there's still a bevy of talent available that could drastically improve a roster for the upcoming season. Here are my picks for the 10 best free agents still available.  


10.Nick Fairley, defensive tackle (Most Recent Team: Detroit Lions)
Nick Fairley may not have the consistency or pass-rushing ability that his former Lions teammate Ndamukong Suh has, but when he's on, he's one of the most dominant defensive tackles in the NFL. You're definitely taking a gamble if you sign Fairley, but it's a gamble that could pay serious dividends for a team in need of interior line help.
Possible Destinations: Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, Oakland Raiders, Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots

9.Mike Iupati, guard (Most Recent Team: San Fransisco 49ers)
Mike Iupati is coming off a bit of a down year in 2014, but that shouldn't effect his ability to pick up a relatively hefty contract this offseason. He's one of the most consistently dominant run-blocking offensive lineman in the NFL and would be a huge help for any squad looking to establish a power-run game. 
Possible Destinations: San Fransisco 49ers, Denver Broncos, Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks, Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots
  
8.Michael Crabtree, wide receiver (Most Recent Team: San Fransisco 49ers)
With Randall Cobb and Jeremy Maclin off the board, the value of Michael Crabtree has skyrocketed in a so-so free agent wide receiver class. Crabtree is coming off a subpar season with the 49ers and has a lengthy injury history, but when he's healthy, he's one of the league's premier possession receivers who could flourish if placed in the right system. 
Possible Destinations: Oakland Raiders,Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, St. Louis Rams, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans


7.Rodney Hudson, center (Most Recent Team: Kansas City Chiefs)
If I were to pick a most underrated player in this free agent class, it would be Rodney Hudson by a long shot. Hudson has been a rock for The Chiefs over the past few seasons and while his desire to become the highest-paid center in the league will more than likely not be met, whoever ends up with him is getting an elite center who excels in both rush and pass blocking. 
Possible Destinations: Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, Oakland Raiders, Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins  


6. Bryan Bulaga, tackle (Most Recent Team: Green Bay Packers)
The offensive line class is very thin this year-especially at tackle- which makes the value of veteran with starting experience on both sides of the line like Bryan Bulaga that much higher. Bulaga has been been productive for the Packers for four seasons and while he's not an elite tackle, he's a consistently reliable player that can come in and immediately bring stability to an o-line in need. 
Possible Destinations: Green Bay Packers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills, St. Louis Rams, New York Giants, Tennessee Titans, Carolina Panthers

5.Terrance Knighton, defensive tackle (Most Recent Team: Denver Broncos)
With Ndmuakong Suh already off the board, Terrance "Pot Roast" Knighton is now an even hotter commodity than before. Knighton is one of the disruptive run-stuffers in the league and has the versatility to play in either a 3-4 or 4-3. With a steep drop off in talent in this free agent defensive tackle class after him and Fairley, good ol' Pot Roast should become a very wealthy man within the next 48 hours.
Possible Destinations: Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, Chicago Bears, New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Detroit Lions, New York Giants, Washington Redskins

4.Torrey Smith, wide receiver (Most Recent Team: Baltimore Ravens)
Torrey Smith announced yesterday that he would not be returning to the Baltimore Ravens in 2015. This means that some other lucky team will be getting the services of (arguably) the most lethal deep threat in the NFL. Any team with available cap space that's in need for a speedy, vertical threat is probably going to make a serious run at Smith.
Possible Destinations: San Fransisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders, Chicago Bears, Seattle Seahawks, Carolina Panthers, St.Louis Rams, Philadelphia Eagles

3.Greg Hardy, defensive end (Most Recent Team: Carolina Panthers)
Greg Hardy has made headlines for the all wrong reasons of late with his domestic abuse case that got him placed on him commissioner's exempt list and forced him to miss all but one game in the 2014 season. Even with all of his baggage, Hardy should be a valuable asset to some team once he is reinstated to the league in the coming months. Prior to his suspension, Hardy was one of the most dominant pass-rushers in the NFL, picking up an astonishing 27 sacks in his last 33 games played. Any team willing to give the troubled Hardy a chance could be very handsomely rewarded.    
Possible Destinations: Atlanta Falcons, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, Oakland Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cincinnati Bengals, New England Patriots

2.Julius Thomas, tight end (Most Recent Team: Denver Broncos)
Julius Thomas is not an elite multifaceted tight end a la Rob Gronkowksi or Greg Olsen. However, the man is a potent redzone threat that can catch the ball with the best of them and that will be more enough to get him paid in free agency. Of course, there are questions about whether or not he can produce away from a Peyton Manning-led offense, but I believe his nose for the end zone and the general lack of quality tight ends around the league makes him well worth the risk.
Possible Destinations: Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders,Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons, Seattle Seahawks, Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals

1.DeMarco Murray, running back (Most Recent Team: Dallas Cowboys)
DeMarco Murray stunned football fans everywhere by staying healthy for 16 games and running for over 1,800 yards in 2014. While I doubt Murray will have another season like last year ever again, he is a reliably productive two-way back with great vision and an ability to shed tacklers with ease. His wildly productive 2014 campaign paired with an otherwise average group of running backs available on the open market means Murray should get a whole of lot suitors for his services prior to tomorrow's official start to free agency.
Possible Destinations: Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts, Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Minnesota Vikings (if they don't plan on retaining Adrian Peterson), Carolina Panthers, Oakland Raiders

Other Notable Free Agents
A.J. Hawk, inside linebacker (Most Recent Team: Green Bay Packers)
Adrian Clayborn, defensive end (Most Recent Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Ahmad Bradshaw, running back (Most Recent Team: Indianapolis Colts)
Akeem Ayers, outside/inside linebacker (Most Recent Team: New England Patriots)
Alan Ball, cornerback (Most Recent Team: Jacksonville Jaguars)
Andre Johnson, wide receiver (Most Recent Team: Houston Texans)
Anthony Spencer, defensive end (Most Recent Team: Dallas Cowboys)
Antonio Cromartie, cornerback (Most Recent Team: Arizona Cardinals)
Antrell Rolle, safety (Most Recent Team: New York Giants)
B.J. Raji, defensive tackle/end (Most Recent Team: Green Bay Packers)
Bernard Pollard, safety (Most Recent Team: Tennessee Titans)
Brandon Graham, outside linebacker/defensive end (Most Recent Team: Philadelphia Eagles)
Brandon Spikes, inside linebacker (Most Recent Team: Buffalo Bills)
Brian Hartline, wide receiver (Most Recent Team: Miami Dolphins)
Brian Orakpo, outside linebacker (Most Recent Team: Washington Redskins)
Brooks Reed, outside linebacker (Most Recent Team: Houston Texans)
Bruce Carter, outside linebacker (Most Recent Team: Dallas Cowboys)
Buster Skrine, cornerback (Most Recent Team: Cleveland Browns)
C.J. Spiller, running back (Most Recent Team: Buffalo Bills)
Cary Williams, cornerback (Most Recent Team: Philadelphia Eagles)
Cecil Shorts III, wide receiver (Most Recent Team: Jacksonville Jaguars)
Charles Clay, tight end (Most Recent Team: Miami Dolphins)
Charles Tillman, cornerback (Most Recent Team: Chicago Bears)
Chris Canty, defensive end (Most Recent Team: Baltimore Ravens)
Chris Culliver, cornerback (Most Recent Team: San Fransisco 49ers)
Chris Johnson, running back (Most Recent Team: New York Jets) 
Chris Myers, center (Most Recent Team: Houston Texans)
Clint Boling, guard (Most Recent Team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Cortland Finnegan, cornerback (Most Recent Team: Miami Dolphins)
Cory Redding, defensive end (Most Recent Team: Indianapolis Colts)
Curtis Lofton, inside linebacker (Most Recent Team: New Orleans Saints)
Da'Norris Searcy, safety (Most Recent Team: Buffalo Bills)
Dan Connolly, guard (Most Recent Team: New England Patriots)
Dan Skuta, outside linebacker (Most Recent Team: San Fransisco 49ers)
Dan Williams, defensive tackle (Most Recent Team: Arizona Cardinals)
Darren McFadden, running back (Most Recent Team: Oakland Raiders)
Davon House, cornerback (Most Recent Team: Green Bay Packers)
Denarius Moore, wide receiver (Most Recent Team: Oakland Raiders)
Derrick Morgan, defensive end (Most Recent Team: Tennessee Titans)
Dominic Raiola, center (Most Recent Team: Detroit Lions)
Dwight Freeney, outside linebacker/defensive end (Most Recent Team: San Diego Chargers)
Hakeem Nicks, wide receiver (Most Recent Team: Indianapolis Colts)
Harry Douglas, wide receiver (Most Recent Team: Atlanta Falcons)
Henry Melton, defensive tackle (Most Recent Team: Dallas Cowboys)
Ike Taylor, cornerback (Most Recent Team: Pittsburgh Steelers)
J.D. Walton, center (Most Recent Team: New York Giants)
Jabaal Sheard, defensive end (Most Recent Team: Cleveland Browns)
Jake Locker, quarterback (Most Recent Team: Tennessee Titans)
James Carpenter, guard (Most Recent Team: Seattle Seahawks)
Jared Odrick, defensive end/tackle (Most Recent Team: Miami Dolphins)
Jason Worlids, outside linebacker (Most Recent Team: Pittsburgh Steelers)
Jermaine Gresham, tight end (Most Recent Team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Jimmy Wilson, safety/cornerback (Most Recent Team: Miami Dolphins)
Jordan Cameron, tight end (Most Recent Team: Cleveland Browns)
Justin Forsett, running back (Most Recent Team: Baltimore Ravens)
Justin Tucker, kicker (Most Recent Team: Baltimore Ravens)
Karl Klug, defensive end (Most Recent Team: Tennessee Titans)
Kendall Langford, defensive tackle (Most Recent Team: St. Louis Rams)
Kendrick Lewis, safety (Most Recent Team: Houston Texans)
Kenny Britt, wide receiver (Most Recent Team: St. Louis Rams)
Lance Briggs, outside linebacker (Most Recent Team: Chicago Bears)
Lance Moore, wide receiver (Most Recent Team: New Orleans Saints)
Louis Delmas, safety (Most Recent Team: Miami Dolphins)
Malcolm Smith, outside linebacker (Most Recent Team: Seattle Seahawks)
Mason Foster, inside linebacker (Most Recent Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Mathias Kiwanunka, defensive end/outside linebacker (Most Recent Team: New York Giants)
Matt Moore, quarterback (Most Recent Team: Miami Dolphins)
Michael Vick, quarterback (Most Recent Team: New York Jets)
Mike Adams, safety (Most Recent Team: Indianapolis Colts)
O'Brien Schofield, defensive end (Most Recent Team: Seattle Seahawks)
Owen Daniels, tight end (Most Recent Team: Baltimore Ravens)
Percy Harvin, wide receiver (Most Recent Team: New York Jets)
Pernell McPhee, outside linebacker (Most Recent Team: Baltimore Ravens)
Perrish Cox, cornerback (Most Recent Team: San Fransisco 49ers)
Pierre Thomas, running back (Most Recent Team: New Orleans Saints)
Rahim Moore, safety (Most Recent Team: Denver Broncos)
Ray Rice, running back (Most Recent Team: Baltimore Ravens)
Reggie Bush, running back (Most Recent Team: Detroit Lions)
Reggie Wayne, wide receiver (Most Recent Team: Indianapolis Colts)
Rolando McClain, inside linebacker (Most Recent Team: Dallas Cowboys)
Roy Helu Jr., running back (Most Recent Team: Washington Redskins)
Ryan Matthews, running back (Most Recent Team: San Diego Chargers)
Sean Weatherspoon, outside linebacker (Most Recent Team: Atlanta Falcons)
Shane Vereen, running back (Most Recent Team: New England Patriots)
Sharrece Wright, cornerback (Most Recent Team: San Diego Chargers)
Stefen Wisnewski, center (Most Recent Team: Oakland Raiders)
Stephen Paea, defensive tackle (Most Recent Team: Chicago Bears)
Stevan Ridley, running back (Most Recent Team: New England Patriots)
Steven Jackson, running back (Most Recent Team: Atlanta Falcons)
Stevie Brown, safety (Most Recent Team: New York Giants)
Tramon Williams, cornerback (Most Recent Team: Green Bay Packers)
Trent Cole, outside linebacker/defensive end (Most Recent Team: Philadelphia Eagles)
Tyvon Branch, safety (Most Recent Team: Oakland Raiders)
Vince Wilfork, defensive tackle (Most Recent Team: New England Patriots)
Walter Thurmond, cornerback (Most Recent Team: New York Giants)
Will Hill, safety (Most Recent Team: Baltimore Ravens)

Album Review: Purity Ring-Another Eternity

Over the past couple of years, electropop act Purity Ring has been working tirelessly to prove that their musical arsenal expands upon the trap-inspired pop that drove their breakout 2012 debut LP Shrines. Their multi-genre ambitions have proven to be quite successful as they've collaborated with everyone from underground hip-hop darling Danny Brown to electronic music superstar Jon Hopkins and released popular covers of songs by Soulja Boy and Lady Gaga in the time since Shrines was released. Their hotly-anticipated second record Another Eternity sees the Canadian duo further widening their musical range without abandoning the sound that put them on the map.

As an album, Another Eternity is the epitome of a grower. The compositions here are for the most part far more subtle than anything on Shrines, which means it takes multiple listen before the intricacies of each song to sink in. Once the scope and impact of these tracks are fully realized, it becomes evident that this is the most creative and consistently enjoyable material has produced in their career thus far.

Purity Ring doesn't waste any time establishing the musical melting pot vision they had for this record. Within the first five tracks, they explore alternative R&B ("Heartsigh"), syrupy mainstream pop ("Push Pull") and ambient electro with hints of pulse-pounding house music thrown in good measure ("Stranger than Earth"). This stretch of Another Eternity does a great job of exposing a level of versatility that's largely been buried in their prior material.

The increased offerings away from the electronic genre shine a spotlight on just how fantastic the vocals of Megan James are. Her vocals are often masked by robotic vocal effects , but the cleaner approach taken on the aforementioned "Push Pull" and "Heartsigh" allow the raw, authentic beauty of her vocals to shine through. James is as capable of a vocalist as there is in the pop genre and this album is the perfect showcase of just how truly talented she is. Producer Corin Roddick also goes out of his wheelhouse by showing that he's capable of producing tracks that contain more than densely layered synth lines and thumping bass. Roddick's production here is predominantly based around mellow synths and snare drums, which creates a haunting, dream-like atmosphere that remains consistent throughout the album's frequent genre changes. With his work on Another Eternity, Roddick proves to his critics that he's far more than a one-dimensional electronic music producer. 
 
The more nuanced style and level of experimentation establishes a welcome sense of diversity in Purity Ring's music, but there's no denying that they're still at their best when they're making pure synth pop track. The psychedelic abrasiveness of Roddick's production paired with the abstract beauty of James' vocals on these tracks makes for a special listening experience that aren't duplicated on their journeys away from the genre. The trio of synth-driven bangers ( "Flood on the Floor", "Dust Hymn", "Sea Castle") that appear on Another Eternity are intelligently placed in succession on the second half of the album to maximize their impact. The pure visceral force of these tracks is astonishing and makes for 12 of the most invigorating minutes of music to be released in the early part of 2015. It's a damn shame that there isn't more synthpop songs on Another Eternity because just about every other song on the album fails to match the heights that are reached on these three tracks.

Another Eternity reflects the work of a more mature, adventurous version of the Purity Ring the independent music world fell in love with a few years ago. While their experiments don't always end well (particularly on the obnoxious "Bodyache" and one-note bore ironically named "Repetition") the fact they're willing to take so many risks is refreshing in a time where pop music is becoming more and more bland by the day. Walking a fine line between dance-friendly, synth-driven electronic music and radio-ready pop is difficult, but Purity Ring has the creative drive and consistently strong production values to make it work.


3.5/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Flood on the Floor
2.Sea Castle
3.Stranger Than Earth       

25 Most Anticipated Albums of 2015

It may only be the beginning of March, but there hasn't really been a whole lot of exciting new music thus far in 2015. Thankfully, that doesn't appear to be the case for the remaining nine months of the year. Here are the 25 albums (tentatively) slated for release in 2015 that I'm most looking forward to.

25.The Story So Far-TBA (Release Date: TBD Spring/Summer)
24.All Shall Perish-TBA (Release Date: TBD)
23.Migos-Y.R.N. 2 (Release Date: TBD)
22.Meshuggah-TBA (Release Date: TBD)
21.Nas-TBA (Release Date: TBD)
20.Faith No More-Sol Invictus (Release Date: May 17th)
19.Chance the Rapper-Surf (Release Date: TBD)
18.Nile-TBA (Release Date: TBD Summer)
17.Mac Miller/Pharrell Williams-Pink Slime (Release Date: TBD)
16.State Champs-TBA (Release Date: TBD)
15.Gojira-TBA (Release Date: TBD)
14.Deftones-TBA (Release Date: TBD)
13.Riff Raff-Purple Panther/Peach Panther (Release Date: June 1st)
12.Kanye West-So Help Me God (Release Date: TBD)
11.August Burns Red-TBA (Release Date: TBD)
10.Action Bronson-Mr. Wonderful (Release Date: March 24th)
9.Parkway Drive-TBA (Release Date: TBD)
8.High on Fire-TBD (Release Date: TBD)
7.Lana Del Rey-Honeymoon (Release Date: TBD August)
6.Obscura-TBA (Release Date: TBD Summer)
5.Lamb of God-TBA (Release Date: TBD)
4.Battlecross-TBA (Release Date: TBD Summer)
3.Kendrick Lamar-TBA (Release Date: TBD)
2.The Black Dahlia Murder-TBA (Release Date: TBD)
1.Between the Buried and Me-TBA (Release Date: TBD Summer)

Also Looking Forward To New Material From (All Release Dates TBD, unless otherwise noted):
A$AP Rocky
Anthrax
Born of Osiris 
Cattle Decapitation
A Day to Remember
Death Grips-The Power That B Part II: Jenny Death (Release Date: March 31st) 
Earl Sweatshirt
Flatbush Zombies-It's All a Matter of Perspective
Four Year Strong
Frank Ocean
Hate Eternal
Incubus-Trust Fall (Part A) (Release Date: March 24th)
Jay Rock
Juicy J-Pure THC: The Hustle Continues
Mac Miller
O.T. Genasis
Pusha T-King Push 
Reflections
Rob Zombie
Rotting Out
Royal Thunder-Cracked Doors (Release Date: April 7th)
Soilwork
Slayer
The Sword
Testament
Veil of Maya
Volbeat

Movie Review: Focus

After being one of the most consistently bankable actors from much of the 90's and 2000's, Will Smith has recently fallen on hard times. He hasn't starred in a film that's reached $200 million domestically since 2008's Hancock and more importantly, his last few films haven't been panned by critics and audiences alike. After a multi-year hiatus from starring in quality projects, Smith has gotten his groove back with the breezy crime caper Focus.

Focus centers around the life of veteran con man Nicky "Mellow" Spurgeon (Smith). Spurgeon has swindled and stolen millions of dollars over his two decades in the business thanks to his fast hands, brilliant scheming and ability to never waver from his deep web of lies. During a trip to New York, a young woman named Jess (Margot Robbie) attempts to seduce and hustle Nicky, which proves to be wildly unsuccessful. Months later, Jess tracks down Nicky in New Orleans to seek professional advice, which forces Nicky to reluctantly take her under his wing and shows her the tricks of the trade. Jess joins Spurgeon and his team as they execute a series of major scores in the Big Easy during the week of the Super Bowl, and during that time Jess falls madly in love with Nicky. Despite having feelings for her, Nicky doesn't want to have love interfere with his work and quickly cuts off contact with Jess after their work is complete.

Three years later, Nicky is embarking on one of the biggest cons of his career in Buenos Aires, Argentina when billionaire Formula One team owner Rafael Garriga (Rodrigo Santoro) hires Nicky to pose as a disgruntled engineer for his racing team and sell a bogus engine component to a rival owner (Robert Taylor) that will slow down his cars ahead of the upcoming championship race. Everything is going smoothly until he's at a pre-race party and he discovers that Jess is dating Garriga. For the first time in his career, Nicky begins to lose focus and soon the entire con is in jeopardy due to Jess' awareness of his calculated methods.

From the snappy dialogue to the beautiful locations, Focus oozes a vast level of cool that makes the film incredibly fun to watch. Writer/directing duo Glenn Ficarra and John Requa have created a slick, engrossing world full of colorful characters that only becomes more interesting as the film progresses. As you would probably expect with a film centered around the art of deception, the twists pile up as the film goes on and you never get a sense of whose playing who until the dust finally settles in the final five minutes of the film. A film with this many sudden plot turns could've been really messy, but Ficarra and Requa's intelligent, well-constructed script makes sure that never becomes the case.

The clever writing and striking cinematography gives Focus a solid outline for success, but its the work of its two leads that push the film from pretty good to truly great. Smith and Robbie are perfectly tailored for the film's suave nature and have an effortless chemistry that just explodes off the screen. The likability and charm that defined Smith's early days as an actor is on full display in Focus. Smith is visibly having a blast in this role and his confident performance here reminds audiences everywhere just how electric he can be when given a role that properly showcases his talent.

While Smith showed the world he's still got the same charisma that made him a star 25 years ago on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Robbie is showing the film world that she has the makings of a bonafide superstar. Robbie had a supporting role in 2013's The Wolf of Wall Street as Leonardo DiCaprio's second wife, but Focus is her first chance to truly be in the spotlight and she just crushes it. Robbie has that quintessential Hollywood "it factor" that floors you from the moment she first appears on screen. She is a fearless performer who embodies each character she plays and has the range to convey dramatic depth and comedic sass with equal dexterity. If she ends up becoming an A-lister in the future, her success should be linked back to her tremendous performance here. Focus is a witty, entertaining ride that serves as a stellar showcase for the talent of its cast and crew, and far exceeds the quality of films you typically see in the early months of the calendar year.

4/5 Stars