As We Proceed Podcast

Hello all,
I am proud to announce my involvement in a new hip-hop podcast entitled "As We Proceed" with my friend Feliciano Segundo. I'd like to publicly thank Feliciano for asking me to join him in this venture. The first recording session was a blast and I look forward to having many more spirited conversations and debates with him in the future. The debut episode can be found be here(http://soundcloud.com/feliciano-segundo/as-we-proceed-episode-1-this-unruly-mess-of-pablo) and I would highly appreciate if all y'all fine people took the time to check it out. Hope you enjoy!

Chris Maitland

Track-By-Track Album Review: Kanye West-The Life of Pablo

(Editor's Note: This is a review for the initial Tidal release of the album)
The release of Kanye West's latest project, The Life of Pablo, last month was nontraditional to say the least. After nearly a year of delays and a seemingly endless amount of title changes, West announced the album had dropped on Jay-Z's subscription-based streaming service Tidal during a performance on the February 13th episode of Saturday Night Live. Less than 48 hours after releasing The Life of Pablo, West took to Twitter and went on a long-winded rant confirming that the album would only be available on Tidal- bypassing a release on all other digital and physical formats- and that the project was "open-ended" and would be tweaked several times over the coming months. The album itself is every bit as messy as its ill-conceived rollout and because of this, I've decided to take a track-by-track look at this chaotic, roller coaster of an album. 

1.Ultralight Beam: As much as I admire West as an artist, there are times where his ego gets the best of him. "Ultralight Beam" is a prime example of this phenomenon. What was clearly intended to be this sweeping, emotional track comes off as an absurd, self-indulgent affair thanks to West's pathetic attempt to sing like an R&B crooner and the ridiculously over-the-top use of a gospel choir. West's masturbatory egotrip is single-handily salvaged by a spotlight-stealing verse from fellow Chicago-bred MC and music critic darling Chance the Rapper. With his consistently clever lines and perfect flow for the moody, gospel-influenced beat, Chance injects this stale track with a much-needed burst of life. Between this and his similarly spectacular guest spot on Action Bronson's "Baby Blue" last year, it's become increasingly clear that Chance needs to drop his long-awaited follow-up to 2013's Acid Rap as soon as possible.

2/3: Father Stretch My Hands Pt.1/2: No song on here illustrates the cohesion issues that exist on The Life of Pablo better than this two-part "epic" track. The "Father Stretch My Hands" saga is essentially just West trying to cram as many clashing musical ideas as he can possibly can into less than four and a half of minutes. The highlights of this musical clusterfluck include some reliably mediocre clean singing from Kid Cudi, a disco beat that sounds like it was record at Studio 54 in 1973, a random trap hook from some 18-year old kid named Desiigner that just got signed to West's GOOD Music label, and to top it all off, West rapping about the hazards of screwing a model that just bleached her asshole. I'd be lying if I said there wasn't a few enjoyable moments amidst all the drastic, rapid tempo shifts, there's just way too much going on here for the track to amount to anything that's truly enjoyable.

4.Famous: Magic tends to happen when West collaborates with Rihanna and "Famous" is no exception to that rule. West actually raps a proper verse for the first time on the album and it results in a beautiful, punchline-filled verse that serves as a reminder of just how clever and infectious West can be when he puts forth a legitimate effort on the mic. Pair West's strong, bravado-filled verses with a memorable hook from Rihanna and you have one of the clear standout tracks on this record. 

5.Feedback: Don't look now, but The Life of Pablo appears to be gaining some traction! Behind a grimy beat that sounds like an outtake from Yeezus, West drops two quick, aggressive verses explaining how misunderstood he is as a person and artist and seemingly apologizing for some of the insane public comments he's made over the years. It's far from a classic, but it's definitely an enjoyable track that showcases West at his hungriest. 

6.Low Lights: This is basically just an extended intro to the next track "Highlights". It serves no real purpose other than to fill time.

7.Highlights: Of the songs on The Life of Pablo that actually sound polished, this is easily the worst. The combination of over-the-top autotune, piss-poor rapping from West and a guest spot from the always obnoxious Young Thug make this track completely insufferable.

8.Freestyle 4: With a title like "Freestyle 4" you'd expect Kanye to drop some serious bars here right? WRONG!! This is essentially a two-minute spoken word piece dedicated to Kanye's love of having wild sex while under the influence of various drugs with another attempt to push his label's recent signer Desiigner-who sounds exactly like the poor man's Future- at the end of the song. God damn you Kanye for getting my hopes up for some hot fire spitting and giving me this dull malarkey instead.

9.I Love Kanye: This hilarious interlude sees West skewering his arrogance by simply stating how much he loves himself for 52 seconds. West's self-awareness is a large part of why his public antics have never bothered me and this track only further confirms that.

10.Waves: This is the song that West attributed the delay of The Life of Pablo to. After hearing the album, I completely believe that claim as the final product sounds clearly rushed and uneven. It's a shame West felt the need to slap this track together at the last minute because there are flashes of potential greatness (the stunning intro, the hook from Chris Brown) scattered throughout the duration of the song. Given the "open-ended" nature of this project, it would've been a better idea to not release it until it was actually finished.

11.FML: Just when it seemed like The Life of Pablo was a total lost cause, "FML" puts a stop to lengthy mid-album skid. The rapping from West is merely average and you once again can't help but feel that this song wasn't fully developed, but the eerie beat and haunting chorus from The Weeknd is enough to make this track a winner.

12.Real Friends: While "FML" was a step in the right direction, "Real Friends" marks the point where The Life of Pablo starts to really pick up in quality. "Real Friends" sees West addressing how focusing on his career, marriage and fatherhood has effected his other relationships in a very thoughtful, articulate manner. It's a fantastic antithesis to the mindless boasting that makes up most of this album and proves that West is still capable of creating poignant, introspective material when he wants to.  

13.Wolves: Is the version with Frank Ocean, Vic Mensa and Sia that was performed at the Saturday Night Live 40th anniversary special in February 2015 and leaked onto the internet a few weeks ago better than this one? Absolutely. Is the version featuring Caroline Shaw that appears on this record a huge step-down from the original? Absolutely not. This is an immense and thoroughly chilling track that makes better use of Kanye's dark pop aesthetic than anything on 2008's 808's and Heartbreak did. Of course I'd like to hear a properly mastered rendition of the original version at some point in time, but this current version is still mightily impressive. 

14. Silver Surfer Intermission: YAY ANOTHER POINTLESS INTERLUDE!!!! THANK YOU BASED YEEZUS!!!!!

15.30 Hours: This is EXACTLY what I wanted "Freestyle 4" to be. This is a great throwback to the fun, bullshit ad-lib tracks you would find on a number of classic hip-hop records in the late 80's and early 90's. It would've been better suited as the closing track, but it's still a solid, throwaway track that makes great use of West's charisma and knack for hilarious wordplay.

16.No More Parties in LA: The internet exploded when Kanye dropped this collab track with Kendrick Lamar back in January and for good reason; it's one hell of a song. This is an ambitious, jazzy and lyrically-dense track that would've fit in beautifully on either of West's early classics (2004's The College Dropout and 2005's Late Registration). This is the best song on The Life of Pablo by a considerable margin and I firmly believe that it ranks among the finest songs West has released over the course of his storied career.

17.Facts (Charlie Heat Version): "Facts" is everything you'd expect out of a Kanye West Nike diss song. The entire track is build around a highly-energized West taking pointed shots at the shoe giant and incessantly bragging about his massive success with rival Adidas behind a stellar, abrasive beat. It's a moronic and extremely petty song and I loved every minute of it. Bonus points for boldly citing Los Angeles Lakers forward Nick "Swaggy P" Young as one of the reasons Adidas is doing better than Nike right now (any NBA fans out there knows that this is easily the most insane and false thing West says on the entire record).

18.Fade: The success of "Fade" is a testament to how brilliant of a producer West is. The sample work and beat are so god damn impressive that it all but completely glosses over the half-assed, incomplete verses that West, Ty Dolla $ign and Post Malone deliver on this track. It's definitely a fitting ending to the wild, disjointed ride that is The Life of Pablo.

The Life of Pablo serves as a perfect metaphor for Kanye West as a person and artist. It's a ridiculously polarizing piece of art that's frequently jumps between being brilliant, incoherent, bizarre, obnoxious, fascinating and flat-out insane. West is a musical mad scientist with a frequently changing sound and while this isn't even close to being his finest experiment, you have to commend him for making such an unpolished work on any sort of level. 

3.5/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.No More Parties in LA
2.Famous
3.Wolves

2016 NFL Mock Draft 2.0 (Updated 3/21)

1.Tennessee Titans: Joey Bosa, outside linebacker/defensive end (Ohio State)
2.Cleveland Browns: Carson Wentz, quarterback (North Dakota State)
3.San Diego Chargers: Laremy Tunsil, tackle (Mississippi)
4.Dallas Cowboys: DeForest Buckner, defensive end (Oregon)
5.Jacksonville Jaguars: Jalen Ramsey, cornerback/safety (Florida State)
6.Baltimore Ravens: Vernon Hargreaves, cornerback (Florida)
7.San Fransisco 49ers: Myles Jack, inside/outside linebacker (UCLA)
8.Philadelphia Eagles: Ezekiel Elliot, running back (Ohio State)
9.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Leonard Floyd, outside linebacker/defensive end (Georgia)
10.New York Giants: Darron Lee, inside/outside linebacker (Ohio State)
11.Chicago Bears: Ronnie Stanley, tackle (Notre Dame)
12.New Orleans Saints: Eli Apple, cornerback (Ohio State)
13.Miami Dolphins: Mackensie Alexander, cornerback (Clemson)
14.Oakland Raiders: Reggie Ragland, inside linebacker (Alabama)
15.Los Angeles Rams: Jared Goff, quarterback (California)
16.Detroit Lions: Jack Conklin, tackle (Michigan State)
17.Atlanta Falcons: Shaq Lawson, outside linebacker/defensive end (Clemson)
18.Indianapolis Colts: Kevin Dodd, outside linebacker/defensive end (Clemson)
19.Buffalo Bills: Jarran Reed, defensive tackle (Alabama)
20.New York Jets: Andrew Billings, defensive tackle (Baylor)
21.Washington Redskins: A'Shawn Robinson, defensive tackle (Alabama)
22.Houston Texans: Corey Coleman, wide receiver (Baylor)
23.Minnesota Vikings: Josh Doctson, wide receiver (TCU)
24.Cincinnati Bengals: Laquon Treadwell, wide receiver (Mississippi)
25.Pittsburgh Steelers: William Jackson, cornerback (Houston)
26.Seattle Seahawks: Taylor Decker, tackle (Ohio State)
27.Green Bay Packers: Sheldon Rankins, defensive tackle (Louisville)
28.Kansas City Chiefs: Will Fuller, wide receiver (Notre Dame)
29.Arizona Cardinals: Emmanuel Ogbah, outside linebacker/defensive end (Oklahoma State)
30.Carolina Panthers: Noah Spence, outside linebacker/defensive end (Eastern Kentucky)
31.Denver Broncos: Paxton Lynch, quarterback (Memphis)

The Best and Worst of Miles Teller

The "Best and Worst" series profiles the best and worst work of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week I take a look at the filmography of "The Divergent Series: Allegiant" star Miles Teller.
 
Films starring Miles Teller that I've seen:
Footloose
Project X
21 & Over
The Spectacular Now
That Awkward Moment
Divergent
Whiplash
Insurgent
Fantastic Four 

Best Performance: The Spectacular Now (2013)
The Spectacular Now was the film that made realize that Teller is one of the best young actors on the planet right now. As Sutter Keely-an 18-year old alcoholic jock who falls in love with an artsy loner (Shailene Woodley)-Teller showcases a tremendous emotional range and the type of commanding screen presence that only the all-time greats possess.

Worst Performance: 21 & Over (2013)
Teller has proven a number of times (Project X, That Awkward Moment, Footloose) that he has the chops and timing required to thrive in the comedy world. However, you wouldn't know that by watching 21 & Over. With his turn as the obnoxious, unfunny co-protagonist Miller, Teller manages to be the worst part of this well below average comedy 

Best Film: Whiplash (2014)
Damian Chazelle's Whiplash is not your average music drama. It tells the story of a 19-year drummer (Teller) at a prestigious New York music conservatory and his relationship with the hot-headed, but well-respected leader of the school's jazz band (J.K. Simmons in an Academy Award-winning role) with the intensity and white-knuckle suspense of a thriller. There's little doubt in my mind that this rousing, electric masterpiece will go down as one of the seminal films of the 2010's. 

Worst Film: 21 & Over  (2013)
I will admit that I'm a person that's very easily amused by vulgar humor. I can honestly name the amount of R-rated comedies that have been released in the past decade that I disliked on two hands. Scott Moore and Jon Lucas' 21 & Over is one of them. 21 & Over basically rehashes The Hangover (which Lucas and Moore had a hand in writing) without the obscene, clever gags and talent-loaded cast that made that film a winner.


Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". Next week, I'll take a look at the best and worst work of "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" star Ben Affleck

Album Review: Flatbush Zombies: 3001: A Laced Odyssey

New York-bred hip-hop trio Flatbush Zombies are proud outsiders. At a time where most of the current hip-hop landscape consists of trap and radio-friendly pop acts, their eccentric, drug-fueled brand of hip-hop defies any traditional categorization. After two successful mixtapes (2012's D.R.U.G.S. and 2013's BetterOffDead) and a collab EP with fellow Flatbush rap group The Underachievers (2014's Clockwork Indigo), Flatbush Zombies have finally taken their long-awaited plunge into the world of studio albums with 3001: A Laced Odyssey, which is easily their most demented and surreal effort to-date.

3001: A Laced Odyssey is quite possibly one of the most apt album titles of all-time. This album is basically an insane, deranged journey through the minds of three zany, creative dudes whose lives/careers have been both aided and hampered by hallucinogenic drugs. Armed with a series of off-kilter, minimalist beats and an even more abstract take on their traditionally odd rapping style, Meechy Darko, Zombie Juice and Erick "The Architect" Elliot have created a chaotic hour of music that practically begs to be heard under the influence of mushrooms or LSD.

Flatbush Zombies decision to take their music in a more psychedelic direction is an absolutely brilliant one as it gives 3001 the clear sense of focus that their mixtapes often lacked. With a cohesive vision in place, all three members of the group are able to elevate their rapping to the next level. The opening trio of tracks ("The Odyssey", "Bounce", "R.I.P.C.D.") do an excellent job of establishing the tone right out of the gate with the trio dropping abrasive, high-energy verses that highlight each of their unique eccentricities and perfectly complement the hazy production. There are still some choppy verses here and there ( most notably Juice on the aforementioned "R.I.P.C.D." and Elliot on "New Phone, Who Dis?") but for the most part, they sound much more confident and polished now that they've taken their druggie personas to the next level.

The downside to their new direction is that Elliott's production, which has been an integral part of the group's appeal since their inception, isn't nearly as dynamic and impressive as it was on their first two releases. Aside from the beautiful mid-song beat switch in "Trade-Off" and the grimy flash of 12-minute closing epic "Your Favorite Rap Song", most of the beats on 3001 are damn near impossible to distinguish from one another. This record desperately needed an an all-out banger like BetterOffDead's "Drug Parade" or sleazy R&B track like "TP4" to break up the repetitive nature of the record's trippy, lo-fi production. The production is far from bad and it definitely plays an essential part of establishing the record's psychedelic mood, it just largely lacks the experimentation and grit that made Elliott's past work noteworthy. 

This record also further exposes the wide gap in talent between Darko and his bandmates. While Elliot and Juice have steadily improved their rapping since D.R.U.G.S. was released they are still light years behind Darko in terms of technical ability and charisma. Darko is an unhinged hip-hop monster whose fiery presence injects a healthy dose of sinister energy into every track he appears on. While Elliot and Juice are certainly respectable rappers, they lack the lethal flows and devilish wit that make Darko a star. This talent divide has been present since day one, but 3001 marks the first time its emerged as a problem due to the baffling decision to give Darko less amount of time on the mic than his bandmates. On about half of the record, Darko takes a back seat to Elliot and Juice. Unsurprisingly, these tracks ("A Spike Lee Joint", "This is It", "New Phone, Who Dis?","Good Grief") lack the excitement and danger of the songs where Darko is more prominently featured. The group dynamic goes a long way in making Flatbush Zombies one of the most exciting up-and-coming acts in hip-hop, but they won't reach their full potential until they give their most interesting member more time to shine.

3001 may have its fair share of flaws, but it's still a batshit insane musical journey that is absolutely worth embarking on. Even when they release a song that's too goofy or half-baked to work, their bizarre, bold style ensures that the proceedings never get dull. Flatbush Zombies' career is trending upward and I'm really excited to see what the future holds for them. 

3.5/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.The Odyssey
2.R.I.P.C.D.
3.Trade-Off

Movie Review: 10 Cloverfield Lane

 

Sorry to crush you soul Cloverfield fans, but J.J Abrams wasn't being truthful when he referred to 10 Cloverfield Lane as a "blood relative" and "spiritual sequel" to the 2008 sci-fi smash that grossed over $170 million worldwide. Aside from a vague marketing campaign that doesn't disclose the plot and Abrams' involvement as a producer, there are next to no similarities between Cloverfield and this film. While the film may not be the sequel Cloverfield fans we're hoping for, 10 Cloverfield Lane is an excellent standalone film that bristles with relentless tension and unnerving suspense.

10 Cloverfield Lane is a prime example of the benefits of not knowing much about a film prior to watching it. A lot of the enjoyment to be had here comes from the constant chaos and unpredictability of the narrative and if they had disclosed significant plot details in the trailer, I'm not sure if the film would've been as effective. While I clearly can't get into much detail without ruining the central mystery that drives the film, the film's largely claustrophobic setting and the relentless uncertainty that surrounds the plot allows ample time for the skeleton crew of actors (the film only features three major characters) to show off their wide range and tremendous ability. Mary Elizabeth Winstead once again demonstrates why she is the most unheralded young actress in Hollywood right now with her striking turn as the film's reluctant heroine, relative newcomer John Gallagher Jr. strikes gold as the film's comic relief and moral compass and John Goodman is equal parts terrifying and sympathetic as the mysterious man who built the bunker the three main characters are held up in. Strong acting is essential to making intimate films like this work and as evidenced by their terrific work here, Winstead, Gallagher Jr. and Goodman all seemed to have a perfect understanding of that unwritten rule. The film does lose a bit of steam with its completely absurd and unfitting climax, but the sheer strength of everything else leading up to it makes the messy conclusion forgivable. With its constantly thrilling narrative and remarkable acting across the board, 10 Cloverfield Lane is the first film of 2016 that managed to leave a strong impression on me.

4/5 Stars

2016 NFL Free Agency Recap

With a majority of the big names off the market, it's time to reflect on who came out on top and who faltered in free agency this season. Here are my picks for the best and worst moves of the 2016 NFL free agency period.

Biggest Winners: Oakland Raiders
The Raiders have suddenly become one of the most intriguing up-and-coming teams in the league after their impressive 2015 campaign and that newfound relevance allowed them to bring in a number of the best free agents on the market this offseason. Not only did the Raiders bring in a lot of top-end talent without getting themselves into cap hell, each player they signed either bolstered one of their established strengths (Kelechi Osemele, Bruce Irvin) or fixed a major weakness (Sean Smith) that existed on their roster.
Runners-Up: Chicago Bears, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles

Biggest Losers: Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins may have just brought in a new general manager, but the horrid personnel decisions that have plagued then for much of the past decade appear to have reared their ugly head once again in 2016. The Dolphins made a series of baffling decisions (choosing to acquire the aging and rapidly deteriorating Mario Williams over re-signing the younger and far more productive Oliver Vernon at defensive end, trading back in the draft to acquire oft-injured inside linebacker Kiko Alonso and the bloated contract of underperforming cornerback Byron Maxwell from the Eagles, cutting top corner Brent Grimes with no viable backup plan in place, letting top offensive contributors Lamar Miller and Rishard Matthews walk without giving them legitimate contract offers) that made zero sense for a team that desperately needed stability and additional talent after a highly disappointing 2015 season. 
Runners-Up: Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Denver Broncos

Best Individual Signing: Sean Smith to the Raiders (4 years/$40 mil/$20 mil guaranteed)
When you look how insane the deal that only other big-name corner (Janoris Jenkins) that hit the open market got (5 years/$62 mil/$27 mil guaranteed), you get an excellent idea of just how much of a value signing this is for the Raiders. Smith is a legitimate shutdown corner that's still in the middle of his prime at 28 going on 29 and with the Raiders ferocious front seven in front of him, he should continue to be every bit as good as he was during his time with the Chiefs.
Runners-Up: Danny Trevathan to the Bears, Kelechi Osemele to the Raiders, Lamar Miller to the Texans

Worst Individual Signing: Brock Osweiler to the Texans (4 years/$72 mil/$37 mil guaranteed)
After the horrific play of Brian Hoyer led to them getting bounced from the playoffs last season, it's hardly surprising that the Texans felt the need to make a change at quarterback going into 2016. However, giving top dollar to a quarterback in Osweiler who has less than 10 career starts and highly benefited from having one of the greatest defenses of all-time hold opponents to an average of less than 14 points per game is a move that reeks of desperation. This is the type of signing that causes mass regime changes if it backfires and I wouldn't be surprised if this rash decision leads to both general manager Rick Smith and head coach Bill O'Brien getting ousted from the Texans by the end of the 2017 season.
Runners-Up: Chris Ivory to the Jaguars, Mario Williams to the Dolphins, Coby Fleener to the Saints 

Best Player Still on the Market: Ryan Fitzpatrick (quarterback)
There is a handful of teams that are still in the market for a starting quarterback and the only one available right now that doesn't have a considerable amount of red flags attached to them is Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick isn't exactly a superstar, but as he proved with the Jets in 2015, he can be a viable starter when put into the right system.
Runners-Up: Donald Penn (tackle), Evan Mathis (guard), Russell Okung (tackle)