2021 in Music: A Year in Review

Even with a flurry of excellent releases in the final months that improved the forecast pretty considerably, 2021's musical offerings had a shadow of disappointment cast over them that it ultimately just couldn't escape. To its credit, these deflating letdowns manifested in many different forms including artists taking ambitious swings that didn't pay off (Young Thug, Injury Reserve, A Day to Remember), artists who saw their signature formula post diminishing returns (Drake, City Morgue, Dropkick Murphys) and artists that released competent efforts that just had the misfortunate of being significantly weaker than the release that immediately preceded it (Whitechapel, Lorde, Don Toliver). While a year being full of unremarkable and/or underwhelming records isn't exactly an unprecedented phenomenon, it's been a hot minute since a year featured such a high clip of records that failed to live up to the output quality that the artists that released them have displayed in the past. 

Below, you'll find a list of every EP and LP I heard in 2021 ranked from worst to best (w/grades) and a variety of awards and superlatives that celebrate the most memorable records and songs 2021 had to offer and look ahead to what 2022 might hold. Hope you enjoy.   

EP's:

9.If I Die First-They Drew Blood (C+)

8.Yves Tumor-The Asymmetrical World EP (C+)

7.Benny the Butcher-Pyrex Picasso (B-)

6.SeeYouSpaceCowboy.../If I Die First-A Sure Disaster (B-)

5.Drake-Scary Hours 2 (B)

4.Slaughter Gang & 21 Savage-Spiral: From the Book of Saw Soundtrack (B)

3.Sunami/Gulch-Sunami/Gulch (split) (B)

2.Thank You Scientist-Plague Accommodations (B)   

1.Knocked Loose-A Tear in the Fabric of Life (B+)

LP's:

107.Trippie Redd and Travis Barker-Neon Shark vs. Pegasus (D+)

106.black midi-Cavalcade (D+)

105.Wolf Alice-Blue Weekend (D+)

104.Drake-Certified Lover Boy (D+)

103.A Day to Remember-You're Welcome (C-)

102.Pink Sifu-Gumbo'! (C-)

101.SG Lewis-Times (C)

100.BabyTron-Bin Reaper 2 (C)

99.Dropkick Murphys-Turn Up That Dial (C)

98.Architects-For Those That Wish to Exist (C)

97.Foo Fighters-Medicine at Midnight (C)

96.The Armed-Ultrapop (C)

95.Young Thug-Punk (C)

94.Nas-King's Disease II (C)

93.Injury Reserve-By the Time I Get to Phoenix (C)

92.Times of Grace-Songs of Loss and Separation (C)

91.Olivia Rodrigo-Sour (C)

90.God's Hate-God's Hate (C+)

89.24kGoldn-El Dorado (C+)

88.Yaujta-The Lurch (C+)

87.Gojira-Fortitude (C+)

86.Migos-Culture III (C+)

85.Don Broco-Amazing Things (C+)

84.Andrew W.K.-God is Partying (C+)

83.City Morgue-Vol 3: Bottom of the Barrel (C+)

82.Pi'erre Bourne-The Life of Pi'erre 5 (C+)

81.Gustaf-Audio Drag for Ego Slobs (B-)

80.Weezer-OK Human (B-)

79.Hayley Williams-Flowers for Vases/Descanos (B-)

78.John Mayer-Sob Rock (B-)

77.Baby Keem-The Melodic Blue (B-)

76.Origami Angel-Gami Gang (B-)

75.Demi Lovato-Dance with the Devil... The Art of Starting Over (B-)

74.Trivium-In the Court of the Dragon (B-)

73.Japanese Breakfast-Jubilee (B-)

72.Magdalena Bay-Mercurial World (B-)

71.Obsolete-Animate//Isolate (B-)

70.Depths of Hatred-Inheritance (B-)

69.Abiotic-Ikigai (B-)

68.Signs of the Swarm-Absolvere (B-)

67.Vola-Witness (B-)

66.Trippie Redd-Trip at Knight (B-)

65.Slaughter to Prevail-Kostolom (B-)

64.Don Toliver-Life of a Don (B-)

63.$uicideboy$-Long Term Effects of Suffering (B-)

62.Chevelle-Niratias (B-)

61.Carnifex-Graveside Confessions (B-)

60.Isaiah Rashad-The House is Burning (B-)

59.Kacey Musgraves-Star-Crossed (B-)

58.ERRA-ERRA (B-)

57.Lorde-Solar Power (B-)

56.Hail the Sun-New Age Filth (B-)

55.Rob Zombie-The Lunar Injection Kool-Aid Eclipse Conspiracy (B-)

54.Enforced-Kill Grid (B-)

53.Cryptosis-Bionic Swarm (B)

52.Diskord-Degenerations (B)

51.Born of Osiris-Angel or Alien (B)

50.Sturgill Simpson-The Ballad of Dood and Juanita (B)

49.King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard-Butterfly 3000 (B)

48.Royal Blood-Typhoons (B)

47.Megan Thee Stallion-Something for Thee Hotties (B)

46.Anna Pest-Dark Arms Reach Skyward with Bone White Fingers (B)

45.Remi Wolf-Juno (B)

44.Whitechapel-Kin (B)

43.Little Simz-Sometimes I Might Be Introvert (B)

42.At the Gates-The Nightmare of Being (B)

41.Dying Wish-Fragments of a Bitter Memory (B)

40.Waking the Cadaver-Authority Through Intimidation (B)

39.JPEGMAFIA-LP! (B)

38.Cannibal Corpse-Violence Unimagined (B)

37.Idles-Crawler (B)

36.slowthai-tyron (B)

35.Vince Staples-Vince Staples (B)

34.Genesis Owusu-Smiling with No Teeth (B)

33.RXK Nephew-Slitherman Activated (B)

32.Limp Bizkit-Still Sucks (B)

31.Atvm-Famine, Putrid and Fucking Endless (B)

30.Silk Sonic-An Evening with Silk Sonic (B)

29.Lana Del Rey-Blue Bannisters (B)

28.Wage War-Manic (B)

27.SeeYouSpaceCowboy...-The Romance of Affliction (B)

26.St.Vincent-Daddy's Home (B)

25.Mastodon-Hushed and Grim (B)

24.First Fragment-Gloire eternelle (B)

23.BROCKHAMPTON-ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE (B)

22.While She Sleeps-SLEEPS SOCIETY (B)

21.Inferi-Vile Genesis (B)

20.Lil Nas X-Montero (B)

19.Doja Cat-Planet Her (B)

18.Frontierer-Oxidized (B+)

17.Steel Bearing Hand-Slay in Hell (B+)

16.Spiritbox-Eternal Blue (B+)

15.Pupil Slicer-Mirrors (B+)

14.Archspire-Bleed the Future (B+)

13.Silent Planet-Iridescent (B+)

12.Converge and Chelsea Wolfe-Bloodmoon: I (B+)

11.Obscura-A Valediction (B+)

10.Billie Eilish-Happier Than Ever (B+)

9.King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard-L.W. (B+)

8.Lana Del Rey-Chemtrails Over the Country Club (A-)

7.Rivers of Nihil-The Work (A-)

6.Tyler, the Creator-CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST (A-)

5.Halsey-If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power (A-)

4.Brand of Sacrifice-Lifeblood (A)

3.Between the Buried and Me-Colors II (A)

2.Every Time I Die-Radical (A)

1.Turnstile-Glow On (A)

Biggest Surprises:

1.King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard-L.W.

2.Silent Planet-Iridescent 

3.Mastodon-Hushed and Grim 

4.Wage War-Manic

5.Waking the Cadaver-Authority Through Intimidation 

Biggest Letdowns: 

1.Young Thug-Punk

2.Drake-Certfied Lover Boy

3.A Day to Remember-You're Welcome

4.Times of Grace-Songs of Loss and Separation 

5.Migos-Culture III

Most Underrated:

1.Halsey-If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power

2.Rivers of Nihil-The Work

3.Doja Cat-Planet Her

4.Wage War-Manic

5.Limp Bizkit-Still Sucks

Most Overrated:

1.Olivia Rodrigo-Sour

2.Nas-King's Disease II 

3.Injury Reserve-By the Time I Get to Phoenix

4.Baby Keem-The Melodic Blue

5.Magadelena Bay-Mercurial World

Top Discoveries:

1.Brand of Sacrifice 

2.Pupil Slicer

3.Steel Bearing Hand

4.Frontierer 

5.Genesis Owusu 

Top Artists That I Hope Drop an Album in 2022 (That Aren't Already Confirmed To):

1.SZA

2.Kendrick Lamar

3.Rina Sawayama 

4.Revocation

5.Moon Tooth

Most Anticipated Albums That Are Confirmed to Be Released in 2022:

1.Allegaeon-Damnum 

2.Vein.fm-The World is Going to Ruin You

3.Animals as Leaders-Parrhesia 

4.Coheed and Cambria-TBD

5.Entheos-TBD

Top 50 Songs (in alphabetical order):

21 Savage-Spiral

Animals as Leaders-Monomyth

Archspire-Drain of Incarnation

Between the Buried and Me-Human is Hell (Another One with Love)

Between the Buried and Me-Never Seen/Future Shock

Between the Buried and Me-The Double Helix of Extinction

Billie Eilish-Billie Bossa Nova

Billie Eilish-Oxytocin

Brand of Sacrifice-Animal

Brand of Sacrifice-Lifeblood

BROCKHAMPTON-Buzzcut (feat. Danny Brown)

Coheed and Cambria-Shoulders

Converge and Chelsea Wolfe-Lord of Liars

Doja Cat-Kiss Me More (feat. SZA)

Every Time I Die-All This and War (feat. '68)

Every Time I Die-Thing with Feathers (feat. Andy Hull)

Frontierer-Heirloom

Halsey-Bells in Santa Fe

Halsey-Easier than Lying

Halsey-The Lighthouse

Idles-The Wheel

King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard-Ataraxia

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard-Pleura

Knocked Loose-God Knows

Lana Del Rey-Chemtrails Over the Country Club

Lana Del Rey-Wild at Heart

Lil Nas X-Industry Baby (feat. Jack Harlow)

Limp Bizkit-Out of Style

Lorde-Fallen Fruit

Mastodon-Pushing the Tides

Pupil Slicer-Martyrs

Rina Sawayama-Enter Sandman (Metallica cover)

Rivers of Nihil-Dreaming Black Clockwork

Rivers of Nihil-Wait

Silent Planet-Translate the Night

Silk Sonic-Fly as Me

Spiritbox-Sun Killer

Spiritbox-Silk in the Strings

St.Vincent-Down

Sturgil Simpson-Ol' Dood (Part I)

The Weeknd-Take My Breath

Trippie Redd-Miss the Rage (feat. Playboi Carti)

Turnstile-Blackout

Turnstile-Don't Play

Turnstile-Mystery

Turnstile-Wild WRLD

Tyler, the Creator-Hot Wind Blows (feat. Lil Wayne)

Tyler, the Creator-Lemonhead (feat. 42 Dugg)

Tyler, the Creator-Massa

While She Sleeps-Enlightenment (?)

Top 10 Albums of 2021

Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order):

Archspire-Bleed the Future

Converge and Chelsea Wolfe-Bloodmoon: I

Obscura-A Valediction 

Pupil Slicer-Mirrors 

Silent Planet-Iridescent 

10.Billie Eilish-Happier Than Ever:

Cementing Billie Eilish as a potential generational talent just may be the sensible thing to do after Happier than Ever. Given how smart and vulnerable the lyrics are along with the amount of new musical ground (abrasive electronic music on "Oxytocin", stripped down folk on "Male Fantasy", full blown punk on the title track) she successfully covers here without shedding the haunting downtempo pop sound that she's already mastered, it's crazy to think that this is just the 2nd LP from an artist that was 19 at the time of its release. The number of exciting possibilities that exist for her future are pretty much limitless at this point.  

Standout Tracks: 1. Billie Bossa Nova 2. Oxytocin 3. Happier Than Ever

9.King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard-L.W.:

Unlike its middling 2020 predecessor K.G., the second half of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard's microtonal saga caught me in its web right away and never let go. By combining masterfully concocted earworm hooks with rich, spacey instrumentation that's overflowing with trippy bass lines, explosive drum patterns and muddy riffs that pack a deceptively strong punch, King Gizz have made a bold psychedelic rock record that dares to be exceptionally weird and catchy at the same time.    

Standout Tracks: 1. Ataraxia 2. Pluera 3. O.N.E.

8.Lana Del Rey-Chemtrails Over the Country Club:

Following up a landscape-shifting masterpiece like Norman Fucking Rockwell is a tough ask even for an artist with a track record that's as distinguished as Del Rey's and while it unsurprisingly lacks the "holy shit" factor of NFR, Chemtrails Over the Country Club does more than enough to qualify as a worthy successor. Del Rey does a great job of balancing returns to her well-established musical comfort zones (trip hop cut "Dark but Just a Game", 60's guitar ballad "Wild at Heart") with some cool experimentation (the jazzy title track, full blown folk closer "For Free", the autobiographical art rock ballad "White Dress") that sees her further heighten the scope of her beautiful, expressive delivery by expanding her range to include more high registers than she ever has in the past.   

Standout Tracks: 1. Wild at Heart 2. Chemtrails Over the Country Club 3. Tulsa Jesus Freak

7.Rivers of Nihil- The Work:

For Rivers of Nihil, their 2018 album Where Owls Know my Name marked a proper transition from being a death metal band with prog undertones to a prog band with death metal undertones. Their new record The Work sees them expanding their foothold in the progressive music space by fearlessly and gleefully heading deep down into the genre's weirdo rabbit hole. The spoils of this descent are heard all over as the group melds minimalist keyboards and soothing clean vocals with explosions of slamming guitars, thunderous drumming and deafening screams to create an exhilarating journey that tows the line between serenity and madness.      

Standout Tracks: 1. Dreaming Black Clockwork 2. Wait 3. Terrestria IV: Work

6.Tyler, the Creator-CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST:

2021 was a very forgettable year for hip hop on the whole as about 75% of the releases I heard were varying degrees of mediocre. The lone gem in this rough lot came from none other than Tyler, the Creator. By combining the aggression and silly humor of his early material with the refined, experimental artistry he's displayed on his recent efforts, Tyler, the Creator is able to meld the best parts of these very different eras into a delightful stew and that ability to strike such a winning balance makes CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST the most deeply rewarding project he's made to date.  

Standout Tracks: 1. Lemonhead (feat. 42 Dugg) 2. Massa 3. Hot Wind Blows (feat. Lil Wayne)

5.Halsey-If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power:

Convincing Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross to produce a record seems like quite the undertaking. Between all of the movie/TV scores they compose, their work as Nine Inch Nails and the assorted solo endeavors they've taken on over the years, they keep themselves exceptionally busy and a quick Wikipedia search will produce a very short list of projects that they've worked on outside of their primary creative endeavors. But with a strong creative vision that impressed them and unexpected gap in their schedule available on account of COVID, Halsey was able to pull it off. The 27-year-old global phenom seems to recognize the rarity of the opportunity she's presented with and used it to create a record in If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power that is overflowing with urgency, dynamism and raw emotional expression. The trio seemingly brought together by fate have that rare brand of complete creative synergy where they're able to seamlessly play off each other's strengths and have the trust and admiration for each other's musical gifts to freely experiment with genres that they don't usually operate in. Halsey sings over harsh, dissonant industrial tracks ("The Lighthouse", "You Asked for It"), Reznor and Ross make forays into pop punk ("Easier than Lying", "Honey") and folk pop ("Darling") and often times, they just meet somewhere between their respective signature electropop and abrasive rock sounds ("Bells in Santa Fe", "Girl is a Gun", "Lilith") to create material that is very visceral yet catchy. Nearly all of the experiments that stemmed from these sessions are uniquely captivating pieces of genre-bending greatness and if their schedules will allow it, they should collaborate again in the future because they really brought the best out of each other creatively.        

Standout Tracks: 1. Easier than Lying 2. Bells in Santa Fe 3. The Lighthouse

4.Brand of Sacrifice-Lifeblood: 

How can deathcore evolve in the 2020's? Well, if Brand of Sacrifice ends up dictating the trends, the answer is become unpredictable maximalist anarchy. Through the use of unusual instrumentation like glitchy electronics, sitars and orchestras samples and a behemoth of a vocalist in Kyle Anderson that excels at pretty much any harsh vocal style that can possibly be conceived, Lifeblood becomes a carnival of chaos that throws more curveballs than Sandy Koufax as well as heightens the effectiveness of the genre's classic tools (breakdowns, blast beats, unrelenting heaviness) to a borderline absurd degree.      

Standout Tracks: 1. Demon King 2. Animal 3. Lifeblood

3.Between the Buried and Me-Colors II:

Deciding to make a spiritual sequel to the album that launched them to global prominence is the best creative choice Between the Buried and Me has made in a decade. Not only does Colors II have the intricate songwriting, punishing breakdowns and stunning melodies that made the 2007 original such a groundbreaking release, it brings out a level of consistent cohesiveness, hunger and passion in them that they've have failed to sustain over the course of an entire record since The Parallax II. Whether this return to peak form has legs or was just a one off, I'm just glad that Colors II came along to prove that BTBAM could release a classic record this deep into their career. 

Standout Tracks: 1. The Double Helix of Extinction 2. Never Seen/Future Shock 3. Human is Hell (Another One with Love)

2.Every Time I Die-Radical: 

Vocalist Keith Buckley's newfound sobriety, a painful divorce and somehow even greater disenchantment with the world at large inspired a record that is as raw and heavy as anything as Every Time I Die ever made. Radical is a necessary vessel of catharsis for a man who is full of regret for the way that he hurt the people around him with his alcoholism and anger that the world surrounding him continues to be a place that breeds evil and injustice. Buckley's lyrics are as potent and biting as ever, and his brother Jordan and fellow guitarists Andy Williams inject his brutally honest words with the monstrous edge they need to really hit home. Given how masterfully they were able to execute material that was so deeply personal to Keith pushes Radical to the top of Every Time I Die's increasingly impressive discography.       

Standout Tracks: 1. A Colossal Wreck 2. All This and War (feat. '68) 3. Thing with Feathers 

1.Turnstile-Glow On:

As silly and hyperbolic as it is to say about an album that is barely over 4 months old at the time of this writing, Glow On feels like the kind of record that's going to cement legacies with its impact. It's one of those records that people are going to remember where they were when they heard it for the first time, get lyrics from their favorite track tattooed on them and use as the inspirational fuel to start their own bands. It's the work of a band that's found a way to boldly expand their sound by incorporating stuff like shoegaze, new wave and Latin rock into it without ever losing sight of the Baltimore hardcore ethos that bred them. It's a love letter to punk's past and the blueprint for its immediate future. It's the most energetic, creative, hooky, sick groove-filled and endlessly relistenable album I heard in 2021, and I can't thank Turnstile enough for bringing into the world when they did.  

Standout Tracks: 1. Blackout 2. Don't Play 3. Mystery

Jessica Chastain Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked"-where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand assorted superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of Jessica Chastain-whose latest project "The 355" is in theaters now.

Jessica Chastain's Filmography Ranked:

17.The Tree of Life (F)

16.Interstellar (D+)

15.Miss Sloane (D+)

14.The Debt (C-)

13.It Chapter Two (C-)

12.The Zookeeper's Wife (C)

11.Ava (B-) 

10.The Eyes of Tammy Faye (B-)

9.A Most Violent Year (B)

8.Zero Dark Thirty (B)

7.The Help (B)

6.Crimson Peak (B)

5.Dark Phoenix (B+)

4.Take Shelter (B+)

3.The Martian (B+)

2.Lawless (A-)

1.Molly's Game (A)

Top Dog: Molly's Game (2017)

Aaron Sorkin picked the perfect project to make the transition into directing with Molly's Game. The biopic about Olympic skier turned underground poker kingpin Molly Bloom and her subsequent legal battles gave Sorkin an organically electric crime drama that was filled with magnetic characters and confrontational courtroom scenes that amplified his snappy quips and fiery monologues. Add a career-best performance from Chastain as Bloom and some terrific supporting work from Idris Elba, Kevin Costner and Jeremy Strong to the mix and you have a hell of a debut that Sorkin hasn't quite matched with his follow up efforts thus far.  

Lowlight: The Tree of Life (2011)

Ugh, this fucking movie. Terreance Malick's extraordinarily pretentious, meandering musing on the meaning of life tested the limits of my patience and love for the cinematic artform in a way that only a handful of films ever have. Even the mere mention of The Tree of Life is enough to conjure up the deep-seeded disgust I felt watching scene after scene of abstract nature shots, Sean Penn staring out the window of his office building and Brad Pitt yelling at his kids while Chastain stood in the background looking very concerned. May this be the last time for a long time that this atrocity enters my mind or appears on this page.   

Most Overrated: Interstellar (2014)

The post-Dark Knight trilogy output of Christopher Nolan has left me pretty cold and disappointed overall. However, the only film from the stretch that I really dislike is Interstellar. Courtesy of clunky writing that relies far too heavily on cheesy melodramatic theatrics to tell its story and horrific pacing that makes every scene feel at least twice as long as it actually is, it manages to fail as both a space movie and a family drama.

Most Underrated: Take Shelter (2011)

I saw Take Shelter for the first time a little over a month ago and am pretty disappointed in myself for waiting 10+ years after its release to check it out. It's an exceptional film about the treatment of people with mental illness set behind the backdrop of a potential dystopian event that features exceptional performances from some beloved character actors (Michael Shannon, Chastain, Shea Whigham) and a terrific ambiguous ending that can be interpreted as either vindication for the protagonist's steadfast beliefs or further evidence that they're severely ill.      

Most Slept-On Guillermo del Toro Movie: Crimson Peak (2015)

After being completely underwhelmed by Nightmare Alley, I've spent a fair amount of time thinking about the unsung greatness of Crimson Peak. Basically, everything Nightmare Alley inexplicably didn't posess (menacing atmosphere, visual flare, clever symbolism, characters with sketchy moral compasses, an ensemble cast that is firing on all cylinders from top to bottom), Crimson Peak has an abundance of. Perhaps time will lead to a mass revaluation or I'm just the leader of the fan club for this widely forgotten gothic horror/romance, but nevertheless I love Crimson Peak and will continue to sing its praises whenever del Toro's work or related films are brought up.  

Most Unfortunate Horror Sequel: It Chapter Two (2019)

It: Chapter Two really had everything going in its favor. Everybody responsible for the great original installment (director Andy Muschetti, writer Gary Dauberman, Bill Skarsgard's horrifying Pennywise) and a group of great, charismatic actors (James McAvoy, Chastain, Bill Hader, James Ransone, Isaiah Mustafa) had been tapped to play the adult versions of the protagonists. Somehow, the execution still got super bungled (save for Skarsgard-who was once again excellent). Muschetti and Dauberman often undercut the intended scary moments with bizarre jokes (the "Call Me Angel" needle drop in a key scene is an all-time "what the hell were they thinking?" moment) and an overreliance on cheap CGI creatures, all of the adult actors seem completely disconnected from the themes of the material (the lasting impacts of trauma and what happens when you're forced to revisit it, endurance of childhood bonds) and the ending's mix of sheer ridiculousness leading into half-assed earnestness is extremely hard to swallow.  

10 Most Anticipated Albums of Winter/Spring 2022

10.FKA twigs-Capri Sun (January 14th)

9.Mitski-Laurel Hell (February 4th)

8.Shadow of Intent-Elegy (January 14th)

7.Veil of Maya-TBD (TBD)

6.Coheed and Cambria-TBD (TBD)

5.Animals as Leaders-Parrhesia (March 25th)

4.Entheos-TBD (TBD)

3.Vein.fm-The World is Going to Ruin You (March 4th)

2. Allegaeon-Fuego (February 25th) 

1.The Weeknd-Dawn FM (January 7th)

Also Intrigued By:

Earl Sweatshirt-Sick! (January 14th)

Enterprise Earth-The Chosen (January 14th)

Fit for An Autopsy-On What the Future Holds (January 14th)

EarthGang-Ghetto Gods (January 28th)

2 Chainz-Dope Don't Sell Itself (TBD January) 

Korn-Requiem (February 4th)

Rolo Tomassi-Where Myth Meets Memory (February 4th)

Venom Prison-Erebos (February 4th)

Jack White-Fear of the Dawn (April 8th)

Rosalia-Motomami (TBD)

2021 NFL Power Rankings: Week 18

 =previous ranking

1.(1) Green Bay Packers (13-3) Week 18 opponent: Detroit Lions

2.(2) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (12-4) Week 18 opponent: Carolina Panthers

3.(4) Los Angeles Rams (12-4) Week 18 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

4.(3) Kansas City Chiefs (11-5) Week 18 opponent: Denver Broncos

5.(7) Buffalo Bills (10-6) Week 18 opponent: New York Jets

6.(8) Arizona Cardinals (10-6) Week 18 opponent: Seattle Seahawks 

7.(10) Tennessee Titans (11-5) Week 18 opponent: Houston Texans

8.(5) Dallas Cowboys (11-5) Week 18 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

9.(9) New England Patriots (10-6) Week 18 opponent: Miami Dolphins

10.(11) Cincinnati Bengals (9-7) Week 18 opponent: Cleveland Browns

11.(6) Indianapolis Colts (9-7) Week 18 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

12.(12) San Francisco 49ers (9-7) Week 18 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

13.(13) Los Angeles Chargers (9-7) Week 18 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

14.(15) Philadelphia Eagles (9-7) Week 18 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

15.(17) Las Vegas Raiders (9-7) Week 18 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

16.(16) Baltimore Ravens (8-8) Week 18 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

17.(14) Miami Dolphins (8-8) Week 18 opponent: New England Patriots

18.(20) New Orleans Saints (8-8) Week 18 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

19.(23) Pittsburgh Steelers (8-7-1) Week 18 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

20.(19) Minnesota Vikings (7-9) Week 18 opponent: Chicago Bears

21.(18) Cleveland Browns (7-9) Week 18 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

22.(21) Denver Broncos (7-9) Week 18 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs 

23.(22) Atlanta Falcons (7-9) Week 18 opponent: New Orleans Saints

24.(24) Washington Football Team (6-10) Week 18 opponent: New York Giants

25.(25) Chicago Bears (6-10) Week 18 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

26.(26) Seattle Seahawks (6-10) Week 18 opponent: Arizona Cardinals 

27.(27) Carolina Panthers (5-11) Week 18 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

28.(28) Houston Texans (4-12) Week 18 opponent: Tennessee Titans 

29.(29) New York Jets (4-12) Week 18 opponent: Buffalo Bills 

30.(30) New York Giants (4-12) Week 18 opponent: Washington Football Team

31.(31) Detroit Lions (2-13-1) Week 18 opponent: Green Bay Packers

32.(32) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-14) Week 18 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

Week 17 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2021 Edition

 Quarterback

MVP: Joe Burrow (Bengals)

It was one thing for Burrow to thoroughly dismantle a helpless Ravens secondary that he had already exceled against earlier in the year. It's another entirely to shred a Chiefs defense that has been playing lights out for the past couple months. Burrow posted video game numbers (446 YDS, 4 TD, 10 Rushing YDS) as he led the Bengals to a 34-31 come from behind victory and clinched the Bengals their first division title since 2015. Even with his relative lack of rushing stats, Burrow should be in contention for a top 5 QB slot in next year's drafts.

Honorable Mentions: Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Tom Brady (Buccaneers), Dak Prescott (Cowboys)

LVP: Jalen Hurts (Eagles)

Playing mistake-free football in a winning effort just isn't good enough for people who were banking on Hurts to erupt against a Football Team defense that had allowed the most fantasy points to QB's coming into this week. Hurts' very pedestrian 214 YDS/44 Rushing YDS/0 TD effort surely burned a lot of people who got within striking distance of a title in part due to his steady dual-threat output at a non-premium price (he was the 10th QB drafted on average in most leagues). With the Eagles very likely to add more offensive weapons in the offseason and his status as the next potential franchise quarterback in Philly seemingly solidified after a pretty impressive 2021 campaign, Hurts' stock should be on the rise in 2022.

Dishonorable Mentions: Matthew Stafford (Rams), Derek Carr (Raiders), Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins)

Running Back

MVP: Rashaad Penny (Seahawks)

Don't adjust your eyes folks, the top running back during fantasy championship week was indeed a guy who felt like he was on the cusp of washing out of the NFL entirely as recently as a couple months ago. The Seahawks 32nd string running back who has infamously failed to live up to his billing as a 1st round pick ran around, past and through the lowly Lions defense-for a grand total of 170 YDS and 2 TD's on 25 carries while also adding 2 catches for 15 YDS. After a couple of strong performances in the past few weeks in relief of the injured Chris Carson and Alex Collins, it'll be very interesting to see what the next move for Penny ends up being.  

Honorable Mentions: Najee Harris (Steelers), Devin Singletary (Bills), Darrel Williams (Chiefs)

LVP: Dalvin Cook (Vikings)

Stacked boxes on account of Sean Mannion's complete inability to play quarterback at the pro level paired with hilariously negative gamescript for nearly 4 full quarters led to a spectacular flop from Cook (9 CAR, 13 YDS) this week against the Packers. While it's hard to precisely provide a 2022 outlook for Cook given his tendency to miss time every season and the potential of a new head coach coming in that isn't as high on running the ball 30 times a game as Mike Zimmer is, he should land somewhere near the top of the 1st round for the 3rd straight year. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Ezekiel Elliott (Cowboys), Javonte Williams (Broncos), D'Andre Swift (Lions)

Wide Receiver 

MVP: Ja'Marr Chase (Bengals)

After Tee Higgins ended up being the primary beneficiary of Burrow's explosion last week, the MVP baton was passed over to Chase this week. The likely Offensive Rookie of the Year made the Chiefs secondary (particularly Charvarius Ward) look downright helpless for 4 quarters as he posted an 11 REC/266 YDS/3 TD line that allowed him to break Justin Jefferson's record for the most receiving YDS ever by a rookie. Chase already looks like one of the best WR's in the league after 1 season and will almost certainly be joining his former LSU teammate Jefferson as a 2nd round pick in next year's fantasy drafts.

Honorable Mentions: Amon-Ra St. Brown (Lions), DK Metcalf (Seahawks), Davante Adams (Packers)

LVP: Marquise Brown (Ravens)

2021 was a nice step forward for Brown as he played with more consistency and cut down a bit on the drops that killed him during his previous 2 pro seasons. However, Week 17 wasn't his finest hour as he caught just 3 passes for 28 YDS and lost a fumble in a Ravens loss to the Rams. Brown will be on the WR3/4 borderline to start 2022. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Chase Claypool (Steelers), A.J. Brown (Titans), Jaylen Waddle (Dolphins)

Tight End

MVP: Noah Fant (Broncos)

Fant ended a pretty extended quiet stretch with a solid 6 REC/92 YDS/TD outing in an otherwise very poor showing by the Broncos against the Chargers. Whatever veteran QB lands in Denver this offseason will determine where the athletic, yet erratic Fant ends up on the TE1 scale.

Honorable Mentions: Rob Gronkowski (Buccaneers), Mark Andrews (Ravens), Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

LVP: George Kittle (49ers)

Neither Trey Lance nor Kyle Shanahan wanted anything to do with Kittle in Sunday's contest with the Texans. The stud tight end had just 1 catch for 29 YDS and 1 carry for 6 YDS in a very weird game where the 49ers started off playing terribly and finished very strongly. Finishing the fantasy season with 66 REC/900 YDS/6 TD's in 13 games, Kittle's 4th round ADP from this season should remain intact next year.

Dishonorable Mentions: Gerald Everett (Seahawks), Hunter Henry (Patriots), Pat Freiermuth (Steelers)

Defense/Special Teams:

MVP: Bears

The helpless Giants offense temporarily made the pretty average 2021 Bears defense looks like the wrecking crew they had in 1985. Bumbling former Bear Mike Glennon and horrible coaching by the Joe Judge/Freddie Kitchens stooge squad made life very easy for Sean Desai's group as they logged 4 sacks, 2 FUM REC's, 2 INT's and a safety in a 29-3 laugher. Their pass-rushing viability and the strong possibility of having an improved secondary next season should put the Bears D on the borderline of being draftable in 2022.   

Honorable Mentions: Saints, Titans, Rams

LVP: Buccaneers

It took a ballsy final drive by Tom Brady for the Bucs to avoid being upset by the F'n Jets on Sunday and a poor showing by their defense was a big reason why that shocking outcome was so close to coming to fruition. Todd Bowles' group mustered just 1 sack and a fumble recovery while allowing 24 points to a Zach Wilson-led offense that has been beat up on by the majority of their opponents this season. Despite their decent overall numbers, this group proved that the dominant play they displayed during last year's postseason run was a fluke with their middling performances for most of this season. Barring some free agent upgrades to their secondary and pass-rush, they should be considered nothing more than a low-end starting option in 2022.  

Dishonorable Mentions: Chiefs, Cardinals, Dolphins

10 Most Anticipated Movies of Winter/Spring 2022

2021 saw some normalcy return to the movie marketplace as theaters, proper Hollywood blockbusters and massive film festivals pushing awards contenders all made a full return after their COVID-induced sabbaticals. Will 2022 follow suit or will the big picture industry implications (less movies in theaters/more releases on streamers, production delays, etc.) COVID caused start to resurface? Only time will tell. 

What we do have at the moment is a January-April slate that has its share of intrigue with slasher favorites (Scream, Texas Chainsaw Massacre) and the Caped Crusader (The Batman) making their comebacks as well as some buzzy indie directors (Robert Eggers with The Northman, Daniels with Everything Everywhere All at Once) tackling the biggest scaled films of their budding careers. 

It needs to be noted that Netflix hasn't revealed any of the release dates for their latest monster film slate past mid-February and the theatrical slate is very much in flux as a result of the current Omicron wave and smaller studios holding back on dating some of their titles due to older audience's current reluctance to go see things with a crowd in the middle of a pandemic, so this list isn't even remotely concrete or complete. Now that all of the obligatory housekeeping is out of the way, here are the movies currently set to release over the next 4 months that I'm most excited to watch.

10.Everything Everywhere All at Once (March 25th):

While Swiss Army Man failed to live up to the absurd brilliance of its premise, the latest effort from Daniels looks too gleefully strange and unique for me to not once again be intrigued. 

9.Scream (January 14th):

The legacy Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson left behind with Scream is one of the strongest in the history of horror films. As challenging as it is for anybody to separate themselves from the shadows these two icons will forever cast on the franchise, there's no one more qualified to reimagine Scream than Matt Bettinelli-Oplin and Tyler Gillett-who previously made the elite horror comedy Ready or Not- and the enthusiastic endorsement from Williamson is a positive early sign that their new vision is a winner. 

8.The Outfit (February 25th):

Graham Moore finally ends his long absence from the industry after winning the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for The Imitation Game back in 2014 with his directorial debut that has one of the most quietly strong acting ensembles of the year headlined by Mark Rylance in a (sadly) all too rare leading role and appears to be a good old fashioned crime drama/thriller that uses a claustrophobic setting to generate suspense.   

7.Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (April 8th):

The whole band that made the 2020 original (director Josh Fowler, writers Pat Casey and Josh Miller, Ben Schwartz, Jim Carrey, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Lee Majdoub, Natasha Rothwell, Adam Pally) a very pleasant surprise is back for more and classic Sonic characters Knuckles and Tails (voiced by Idris Elba and the original game voice actor Collen O'Shaughnessy respectively) are also along for the ride this time around. Hopefully more silly, lighthearted fun will ensue.

6.Ambulance (April 8th):

After taking the big Netflix bag to make his most excessive film ever in 6 Underground, Michael Bay is back to blowing shit up on the big screen just as the Good Lord intended. Ambulance boasts the look/feel of his more high-octane, contained projects from the 90's and the trio of Jake Gyllenhaal/Yaya Abdul-Mateen II/Eiza Gonzalez is among the strongest group of actors to ever lead one of his films, which makes me pretty optimistic this will be on the hit end of the always volatile Bay spectrum. 

5.Jackass Forever (February 4th):

Jackass played a pretty significant role in shaping my comedic tastes growing up and it'll be a bittersweet experience to see nearly all of the surviving original crew reunite for one last round of causing themselves tremendous physical harm for the amusement of others.

4.The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (April 22nd):

Nicolas Cage plays Nicolas Cage in this meta satire about a down-and-out Nicolas Cage being brought into be an FBI informant after he's hired by a drug kingpin (Pedro Pascal) to hang out and reenact scenes from his old movies for his birthday. If this movie delivers on its pretty much limitless comedic potential, it could lead to the mainstream resurgence that Cage has long deserved.  

3.Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre (March 18th):

As an outspoken fanboy of both performers, Jason Statham and Aubrey Plaza starring in the same movie is a literal dream come true. The fact that they're coming together to play the leading roles in a Guy Ritchie-penned-and-directed spy comedy somehow makes this unlikely pairing even more exciting. If this doesn't deliver the goods, I may never forgive Mr. Ritchie for wasting this dream team.  

2.The Northman (April 22nd):

In terms of both size of the production and genre, The Northman is completely different from anything that Robert Eggers has done previously. Considering the impressively singular vision and immense skill he displayed on his past films (The Witch, The Lighthouse) along with the incredible group of actors (Alexander Skarsgard, Nicole Kidman, Ethan Hawke, Claes Bang, returning collaborators Anya Taylor-Joy and Willem Dafoe) he's collaborating with on this Viking revenge movie, the odds of him rising up to the daunting challenge at hand are very good.

1.The Batman (March 4th):

I've been all in on The Batman hype train as soon as Matt Reeves was announced as the director back in 2019. That anticipation managed to hit an even more preposterous level when the stunning first teaser trailer dropped at DC Fandome in August 2020 and has remained there ever since. Everything from the cinematography to the tone to the casting choices appears to be impeccable and I couldn't possibly be more confident that this film will end up being something really special.  

Also Plan on Seeing:

The 355 (January 7th)

The Fallout (January 27th)

Home Team (January 28th)

The Requin (January 28th)

Moonfall (February 4th)

KIMI (February 10th)

Blacklight (February 11th)

I Want You Back (February 11th)

Dog (February 18th)

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (February 18th)

Uncharted (February 18th)

Studio 666 (February 25th)

Turning Red (March 11th)

The Lost City (March 25th)

The Contractor (April 1st)

Easter Sunday (April 1st)

Morbius (April 1st)

Thirteen Lives (April 15th)

65 (April 29th)

Memory (April 29th)