1.New England Patriots (3-0) Week 4 opponent: Bye Week
2.Green Bay Packers (3-0) Week 4 opponent: San Francisco 49ers
3.Arizona Cardinals (3-0) Week 4 opponent: St. Louis Rams
4.Denver Broncos (3-0) Week 4 opponent: Minnesota Vikings
5.Cincinnati Bengals (3-0) Week 4 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs
6.Buffalo Bills (2-1) Week 4 opponent: New York Giants
7.Atlanta Falcons (3-0) Week 4 opponent: Houston Texans
8.Carolina Panthers (3-0) Week 4 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
9.Seattle Seahawks (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Detroit Lions
10.Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1) Week 4 opponent: Baltimore Ravens
11.Minnesota Vikings (2-1) Week 4 opponent: Denver Broncos
12.Dallas Cowboys (2-1) Week 4 opponent: New Orleans Saints
13.New York Jets (2-1) Week 4 opponent: Miami Dolphins
14.Oakland Raiders (2-1) Week 4 opponent: Chicago Bears
15.New York Giants (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Buffalo Bills
16.Indianapolis Colts (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars
17.Baltimore Ravens (0-3) Week 4 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers
18.Kansas City Chiefs (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
19.Miami Dolphins (1-2) Week 4 opponent: New York Jets
20.Houston Texans (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Atlanta Falcons
21.San Diego Chargers (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Cleveland Browns
22.Philadelphia Eagles (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Washington Redskins
23.Detroit Lions (0-3) Week 4 opponent: Seattle Seahawks
24.St. Louis Rams (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Arizona Cardinals
25.Cleveland Browns (1-2) Week 4 opponent: San Diego Chargers
26.Tennessee Titans (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Bye Week
27.Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Carolina Panthers
28.Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Indianapolis Colts
29.Washington Redskins (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
30.San Francisco 49ers (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Green Bay Packers
31.New Orleans Saints (0-3) Week 4 opponent: Dallas Cowboys
32.Chicago Bears (0-3) Week 4 opponent: Oakland Raiders
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
2015 Week 3 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers
Quarterback
MVP: Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
The ever-reliable Rodgers gave his owners a beautiful parting gift for Week 3 last night. Rodgers had another special performance at Lambeau Field as he carved up the Chiefs defense for 333 yards and 5 TD's. Rodgers hot start should continue as the Packers travel to the Bay Area to face the struggling 49ers in Week 4.
Honorable Mentions: Andy Dalton (Bengals), Tyrod Taylor (Bills), Cam Newton (Panthers)
LVP: Teddy Bridgewater (Vikings)
The offseason mancrushes fantasy analysts (myself included) had for Bridgewater has proved to be completely unwarranted so far in 2015. Bridgewater put up the weakest performance of his underwhelming year to-date, throwing for a career-low 121 yards, 0 TD's and an INT on Sunday afternoon against the Chargers. The most alarming part of his horrid performance was the fact that offensive coordinator Norv Turner only chose to pass 24 times with both of the Chargers top corners out of the lineup with injuries yet the Vikings still won the game handily. Unless the Vikings change their conservative, run-first offensive philosophy, Bridgewater will have little-to-no-fantasy value moving forward.
Dishonorable Mentions: Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Colin Kaepernick (49ers), Matthew Stafford (Lions)
Running Back
MVP: Devonta Freeman (Falcons)
Chalk this one up as the surprise of the week. Freeman- a popular late-round flier in this year's fantasy drafts- picked up his first start of the year in place of the injured Tevin Coleman on Sunday afternoon against the Cowboys and put up absolutely ridiculous numbers in the process. Freeman shredded a Cowboys run defense that was ranked 1st in the league coming into Week 3, putting up an absurd 193 total yards (141 rushing, 52 receiving) and 3 TD's on 35 touches. This inhuman performance should allow him to hold onto the starting job for the interim, but the famously streaky Freeman has to prove he can perform on a consistent basis before his owners can feel comfortable locking him in as a weekly fixture in their starting lineups.
Honorable Mentions: Joesph Randle (Cowboys), LeGarrette Blount (Patriots), Chris Johnson (Cardinals)
LVP: C.J. Anderson (Broncos)
Another week, another disappointment from Anderson. Anderson failed to get anything going against the Lions soft run defense as he gained a measly 27 total yards (18 rushing, 9 receiving) on 9 touches. Anderson is further solidifying his status as a major fantasy flop with each passing week and until him or his inexperienced offensive line can show some signs of life, he'll be nothing more than a low-end RB2 or FLEX option.
Dishonorable Mentions: Justin Forsett (Ravens), Jeremy Hill (Bengals), Jonathan Stewart (Panthers)
Wide Receiver
MVP: A.J. Green (Bengals)
After letting Tyler Eifert and Marvin Jones lead the way in the first 2 weeks of the season, Green reestablished himself as the Bengals number 1 option in a big way in Week 3. Green torched the Ravens top corner Jimmy Smith all game long on his way to a career-high 227 yards and 2 TD's on 10 receptions. Green has a solid chance to go off again in Week 4 when the Bengals take on a Chiefs secondary that has gotten slaughtered by the Packers and Broncos wideouts over the past 2 weeks.
Honorable Mentions: Steve Smith Sr. (Ravens), Julio Jones (Falcons), Randall Cobb (Packers)
LVP: Andre Johnson (Colts)
There is no one in the NFL that I sympathize with more than Johnson. Despite playing with a legitimate franchise quarterback for the first time in his career, the 34-year old future Hall-of-Famer and longtime underrated receiving dynamo has been nearly invisible in his first 3 games as an Indianapolis Colt. Johnson was held out without a catch on a single target in the Colts victory over the Titans on Sunday. Johnson has looked sluggish all year long and is losing more and more targets to fast-rising second-year receiver Donte Moncrief and rookie speed demon Phillip Dorsett. Unless Johnson finds a definitive role in this offense or suddenly regains his ability to consistently separate from receivers and wreak havoc from sideline-to-sideline, he'll be the 4th-or-5th option in the Colts passing game and be nothing more than a desperation play for fantasy purposes.
Dishonorable Mentions: Torrey Smith (49ers), Anquan Boldin (49ers), Markus Wheaton (Steelers)
Tight End
MVP: Greg Olsen (Panthers)
Week 3 saw Olsen finally living up to the immense hype that surrounded him heading into 2015. Olsen roasted the Saints horrendous defense the entire afternoon, putting up 134 yards and 2 TD's on 8 receptions. Olsen is the clear go-to-guy for quarterback Cam Newton and as long as he's operating at full speed, his absurd amount of targets (25 over the past 2 weeks, which is comparable to what star wideouts Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham Jr. and Demaryius Thomas have seen over the same frame) will make him a threat to go off every week.
Honorable Mentions: Jimmy Graham (Seahawks), Rob Gronkowski (Patriots), Travis Kelce (Chiefs)
LVP: Tyler Eifert (Bengals)
Eifert finally hit a wall in Week 3 after his commanding start to the 2015 season. The 3rd-year tight end got suffocated by the Ravens talented linebackers and wasn't able to catch a single pass (he did have a TD reversed in the 2nd quarter) in Sunday's game. Eifert is starting to establish himself as the number 2 target behind A.J. Green in the passing game and all signs point to his hot start not being some kind of freak occurrence of vast overachieving. Look for him to rebound against a middling Chiefs defense in Week 4.
Dishonorable Mentions: Heath Miller (Steelers), Martellus Bennett (Bears), Kyle Rudolph (Vikings)
Defense
MVP: Arizona Cardinals
You rarely see the levels of dominance the Cardinals defense showed on Sunday against the 49ers. They started the game off by picking off Colin Kapernick twice and returning both of those INT's for TD's. That level of production didn't let up all game long, as they finished the night with an additional 2 INT's, 2 sacks and a safety. The Cardinals red-hot defense faces another highly favorable matchup in Week 4 against a struggling Rams offense.
Honorable Mentions: Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos
LVP: Miami Dolphins
What the hell is wrong with the Miami Dolphins defense? The addition of prized free agent defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh to an already talented-loaded defense made this unit one of the most feared in the league going 2015. Through 3 games, that abundance of talent has failed to deliver on-the-field. The Dolphins got torched by the Bills in their home opener this week, allowing 35 points and failing to register a single sack or takeaway. The Dolphins have just 1 sack and 2 takeaways through 3 games, which is simply astonishing given the fact that they have players like Suh, defensive end Cameron Wake and cornerback Brent Grimes in their ranks. They have too much talent to give up on this early in the year, but what they've shown so far is extremely discouraging for their longterm prospects in 2015. They'll look to get back on track in Week 4 against a Jets team that turned the ball over 4 times in Week 3.
Dishonorable Mentions: New York Jets, New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs
MVP: Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
The ever-reliable Rodgers gave his owners a beautiful parting gift for Week 3 last night. Rodgers had another special performance at Lambeau Field as he carved up the Chiefs defense for 333 yards and 5 TD's. Rodgers hot start should continue as the Packers travel to the Bay Area to face the struggling 49ers in Week 4.
Honorable Mentions: Andy Dalton (Bengals), Tyrod Taylor (Bills), Cam Newton (Panthers)
LVP: Teddy Bridgewater (Vikings)
The offseason mancrushes fantasy analysts (myself included) had for Bridgewater has proved to be completely unwarranted so far in 2015. Bridgewater put up the weakest performance of his underwhelming year to-date, throwing for a career-low 121 yards, 0 TD's and an INT on Sunday afternoon against the Chargers. The most alarming part of his horrid performance was the fact that offensive coordinator Norv Turner only chose to pass 24 times with both of the Chargers top corners out of the lineup with injuries yet the Vikings still won the game handily. Unless the Vikings change their conservative, run-first offensive philosophy, Bridgewater will have little-to-no-fantasy value moving forward.
Dishonorable Mentions: Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Colin Kaepernick (49ers), Matthew Stafford (Lions)
Running Back
MVP: Devonta Freeman (Falcons)
Chalk this one up as the surprise of the week. Freeman- a popular late-round flier in this year's fantasy drafts- picked up his first start of the year in place of the injured Tevin Coleman on Sunday afternoon against the Cowboys and put up absolutely ridiculous numbers in the process. Freeman shredded a Cowboys run defense that was ranked 1st in the league coming into Week 3, putting up an absurd 193 total yards (141 rushing, 52 receiving) and 3 TD's on 35 touches. This inhuman performance should allow him to hold onto the starting job for the interim, but the famously streaky Freeman has to prove he can perform on a consistent basis before his owners can feel comfortable locking him in as a weekly fixture in their starting lineups.
Honorable Mentions: Joesph Randle (Cowboys), LeGarrette Blount (Patriots), Chris Johnson (Cardinals)
LVP: C.J. Anderson (Broncos)
Another week, another disappointment from Anderson. Anderson failed to get anything going against the Lions soft run defense as he gained a measly 27 total yards (18 rushing, 9 receiving) on 9 touches. Anderson is further solidifying his status as a major fantasy flop with each passing week and until him or his inexperienced offensive line can show some signs of life, he'll be nothing more than a low-end RB2 or FLEX option.
Dishonorable Mentions: Justin Forsett (Ravens), Jeremy Hill (Bengals), Jonathan Stewart (Panthers)
Wide Receiver
MVP: A.J. Green (Bengals)
After letting Tyler Eifert and Marvin Jones lead the way in the first 2 weeks of the season, Green reestablished himself as the Bengals number 1 option in a big way in Week 3. Green torched the Ravens top corner Jimmy Smith all game long on his way to a career-high 227 yards and 2 TD's on 10 receptions. Green has a solid chance to go off again in Week 4 when the Bengals take on a Chiefs secondary that has gotten slaughtered by the Packers and Broncos wideouts over the past 2 weeks.
Honorable Mentions: Steve Smith Sr. (Ravens), Julio Jones (Falcons), Randall Cobb (Packers)
LVP: Andre Johnson (Colts)
There is no one in the NFL that I sympathize with more than Johnson. Despite playing with a legitimate franchise quarterback for the first time in his career, the 34-year old future Hall-of-Famer and longtime underrated receiving dynamo has been nearly invisible in his first 3 games as an Indianapolis Colt. Johnson was held out without a catch on a single target in the Colts victory over the Titans on Sunday. Johnson has looked sluggish all year long and is losing more and more targets to fast-rising second-year receiver Donte Moncrief and rookie speed demon Phillip Dorsett. Unless Johnson finds a definitive role in this offense or suddenly regains his ability to consistently separate from receivers and wreak havoc from sideline-to-sideline, he'll be the 4th-or-5th option in the Colts passing game and be nothing more than a desperation play for fantasy purposes.
Dishonorable Mentions: Torrey Smith (49ers), Anquan Boldin (49ers), Markus Wheaton (Steelers)
Tight End
MVP: Greg Olsen (Panthers)
Week 3 saw Olsen finally living up to the immense hype that surrounded him heading into 2015. Olsen roasted the Saints horrendous defense the entire afternoon, putting up 134 yards and 2 TD's on 8 receptions. Olsen is the clear go-to-guy for quarterback Cam Newton and as long as he's operating at full speed, his absurd amount of targets (25 over the past 2 weeks, which is comparable to what star wideouts Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham Jr. and Demaryius Thomas have seen over the same frame) will make him a threat to go off every week.
Honorable Mentions: Jimmy Graham (Seahawks), Rob Gronkowski (Patriots), Travis Kelce (Chiefs)
LVP: Tyler Eifert (Bengals)
Eifert finally hit a wall in Week 3 after his commanding start to the 2015 season. The 3rd-year tight end got suffocated by the Ravens talented linebackers and wasn't able to catch a single pass (he did have a TD reversed in the 2nd quarter) in Sunday's game. Eifert is starting to establish himself as the number 2 target behind A.J. Green in the passing game and all signs point to his hot start not being some kind of freak occurrence of vast overachieving. Look for him to rebound against a middling Chiefs defense in Week 4.
Dishonorable Mentions: Heath Miller (Steelers), Martellus Bennett (Bears), Kyle Rudolph (Vikings)
Defense
MVP: Arizona Cardinals
You rarely see the levels of dominance the Cardinals defense showed on Sunday against the 49ers. They started the game off by picking off Colin Kapernick twice and returning both of those INT's for TD's. That level of production didn't let up all game long, as they finished the night with an additional 2 INT's, 2 sacks and a safety. The Cardinals red-hot defense faces another highly favorable matchup in Week 4 against a struggling Rams offense.
Honorable Mentions: Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos
LVP: Miami Dolphins
What the hell is wrong with the Miami Dolphins defense? The addition of prized free agent defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh to an already talented-loaded defense made this unit one of the most feared in the league going 2015. Through 3 games, that abundance of talent has failed to deliver on-the-field. The Dolphins got torched by the Bills in their home opener this week, allowing 35 points and failing to register a single sack or takeaway. The Dolphins have just 1 sack and 2 takeaways through 3 games, which is simply astonishing given the fact that they have players like Suh, defensive end Cameron Wake and cornerback Brent Grimes in their ranks. They have too much talent to give up on this early in the year, but what they've shown so far is extremely discouraging for their longterm prospects in 2015. They'll look to get back on track in Week 4 against a Jets team that turned the ball over 4 times in Week 3.
Dishonorable Mentions: New York Jets, New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs
Monday, September 28, 2015
The Best and Worst of Matt Damon
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 Martian" star Matt Damon.
Film starring Matt Damon that I've seen:
Good Will Hunting
Chasing Amy
Saving Private Ryan
Dogma
The Legend of Bagger Vance
Ocean's Eleven
Stuck on You
The Bourne Identity
Ocean's Twelve
The Bourne Supermacy
The Departed
The Bourne Ultimatum
Ocean's Thirteen
The Informant!
Green Zone
True Grit
The Adjustment Bureau
Contagion
We Bought a Zoo
Elysium
The Monuments Men
Interstellar
Best Performance: Good Will Hunting (1997)
Damon's major film debut was as strong of a first impression as you can possibly make in Hollywood. Will Hunting is one of the recognizable and celebrated big-screen characters of the past two decades and Damon's sensitive and multi-layered performance is largely responsible for that. Damon's ability to convey a wide range of emotions and make a very flawed human being so likable and sympathetic makes this performance an absolute wonder to behold.
Worst Performance: Stuck on You (2003)
Damon can do comedy well, but you wouldn't know that from watching Stuck on You. Damon completely misses the mark as a conjoined twin who's reluctantly moves to Hollywood so his brother (an equally bad Greg Kinnear) can pursue his dream of being an actor. Damon is stiff and awkward in the role and somehow manages to be the worst part of a movie that fails on just about every conceivable level.
Best Film: The Departed (2006)
In the three months I've been doing this series, this was the hardest pick I've had to make. Damon's filmography is loaded with phenomenal films (Dogma, True Grit, Ocean's Eleven, Saving Private Ryan, the aforementioned Good Will Hunting) that are amongst my all time-favorites. After some fierce internal debate, I opted to go with Martin Scorsese's The Departed. The Departed is pretty much the perfect crime drama with an engaging, multi-faceted story, lively characters, sharp dialogue that's loaded with fantastic one-liners, some well-placed moments of brutal violence and most importantly, note-perfect performances from everyone in the film's A-list acting ensemble. Scorsese's legacy is largely defined by his work in the gangster film genre and while others are bound to disagree, I think The Departed is easily the most captivating and well-crafted mobster tale he's ever crafted.
Worst Film: Ocean's Twelve (2004)
I will never forget the disappointment I felt after watching Ocean's Twelve. It was the night of my 13th birthday and my mom took me to Blockbuster after we went out to dinner to rent this. I had seen Ocean's Eleven on TNT a few months beforehand and given the fact that nearly all of the cast and crew from the original were returning, I figured the sequel would be similarly great. After watching it, I desperately wished I had chose another movie to celebrate my birthday with. How could the sequel to a movie that was so fun and well-written be so boring and inept? It's been 10 years since I saw Ocean's Twelve and I'm still perplexed by how this film turned out to be such a colossal failure. Ocean's Thirteen absolved some of Ocean's Twelve's sins of by giving the series a worthy conclusion, but that doesn't detract from how much of a soul-crushing disappointment this was.
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 "Pan" star Hugh Jackman.
Film starring Matt Damon that I've seen:
Good Will Hunting
Chasing Amy
Saving Private Ryan
Dogma
The Legend of Bagger Vance
Ocean's Eleven
Stuck on You
The Bourne Identity
Ocean's Twelve
The Bourne Supermacy
The Departed
The Bourne Ultimatum
Ocean's Thirteen
The Informant!
Green Zone
True Grit
The Adjustment Bureau
Contagion
We Bought a Zoo
Elysium
The Monuments Men
Interstellar
Best Performance: Good Will Hunting (1997)
Damon's major film debut was as strong of a first impression as you can possibly make in Hollywood. Will Hunting is one of the recognizable and celebrated big-screen characters of the past two decades and Damon's sensitive and multi-layered performance is largely responsible for that. Damon's ability to convey a wide range of emotions and make a very flawed human being so likable and sympathetic makes this performance an absolute wonder to behold.
Worst Performance: Stuck on You (2003)
Damon can do comedy well, but you wouldn't know that from watching Stuck on You. Damon completely misses the mark as a conjoined twin who's reluctantly moves to Hollywood so his brother (an equally bad Greg Kinnear) can pursue his dream of being an actor. Damon is stiff and awkward in the role and somehow manages to be the worst part of a movie that fails on just about every conceivable level.
Best Film: The Departed (2006)
In the three months I've been doing this series, this was the hardest pick I've had to make. Damon's filmography is loaded with phenomenal films (Dogma, True Grit, Ocean's Eleven, Saving Private Ryan, the aforementioned Good Will Hunting) that are amongst my all time-favorites. After some fierce internal debate, I opted to go with Martin Scorsese's The Departed. The Departed is pretty much the perfect crime drama with an engaging, multi-faceted story, lively characters, sharp dialogue that's loaded with fantastic one-liners, some well-placed moments of brutal violence and most importantly, note-perfect performances from everyone in the film's A-list acting ensemble. Scorsese's legacy is largely defined by his work in the gangster film genre and while others are bound to disagree, I think The Departed is easily the most captivating and well-crafted mobster tale he's ever crafted.
Worst Film: Ocean's Twelve (2004)
I will never forget the disappointment I felt after watching Ocean's Twelve. It was the night of my 13th birthday and my mom took me to Blockbuster after we went out to dinner to rent this. I had seen Ocean's Eleven on TNT a few months beforehand and given the fact that nearly all of the cast and crew from the original were returning, I figured the sequel would be similarly great. After watching it, I desperately wished I had chose another movie to celebrate my birthday with. How could the sequel to a movie that was so fun and well-written be so boring and inept? It's been 10 years since I saw Ocean's Twelve and I'm still perplexed by how this film turned out to be such a colossal failure. Ocean's Thirteen absolved some of Ocean's Twelve's sins of by giving the series a worthy conclusion, but that doesn't detract from how much of a soul-crushing disappointment this was.
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 "Pan" star Hugh Jackman.
Friday, September 25, 2015
Album Review: Lana Del Rey-Honeymoon
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This lyric kicks off the title track of Lana Del Rey's fourth studio album Honeymoon and provides a dead-on analysis of how she's viewed in the music industry. Despite all of her commercial success, Del Rey's gloomy, vintage-inspired sound and image has made her one of the most maligned artists on the planet. Those detractors will have even more ammo to attack her with after Honeymoon, which is easily the bleakest and most retro-influenced effort she has put forth to-date.
Honeymoon filters the melancholy sound of 2014's Ultraviolence through the string and synth-based production of her 2012 breakout album Born to Die. With this combination of sounds, Del Rey is able to create her most stirring tribute to old-Hollywood noir to-date. It's no secret that Del Rey has spent her entire career trying to emulate the styles of 50's and 60's pop stars such as Billie Holiday, Nina Simone and Nancy Sinatra, but this is the first time where's she been able to make something that truly sounds like it came from that era.
The production-which was handled by Del Rey and her longtime collaborators Kierion Menzies and Rick Nowels- creates a raw, nostalgic atmosphere that makes the album sound like it was recorded in a desolate piano bar in the mid 60's. The subtle and lush soundscapes subsequently brings out the best in Del Rey's vocals. The beauty and wide range of Del Rey's vocals have always been the most endearing aspect of her music, but the bare bones production style employed on Honeymoon showcases just how powerful her vocals truly are. Her performances on "Terrence Loves You", "The Blackest Day", "God Knows I Tried" and "Music to Watch Boys to" are particularly chilling and leave the listener in absolute awe of her immense vocal capabilities. In the hands of a lesser vocalist, the repetitive and barely-present instrumentation that runs through the entire record would've made this a dull and exhausting listen, but Del Rey's powerhouse vocals make Honeymoon a consistently captivating and haunting record.
Perhaps the biggest change on Honeymoon is the tone and subject matter of Del Rey's lyrics. On her previous records, Del Rey regularly wove tales of her being involved in relationships where she was treated like an object and beaten. This lyrical storytelling approach has led to her being criticized as an "anti-feminist" who promotes abusive relationships. On Honeymoon, Del Rey largely shifts her attention away from her relationships and breaks into more personal subject matter. Over the album's 13 tracks, she covers topics like trying to avoid the media scrutiny and claims that she is a no-talent fraud after her disastrous Saturday Night Live appearance in 2012 ("God Knows I Tried"), her new friends in Hollywood ("Art Deco") and embracing her newfound independence ("High by the Beach"). Even when she discusses relationships, she focuses more on the aftermath of her turbulent breakups and whether or not her partner truly loves her or not than being objectified and abused. While there's still come clunky, sophomoric lyrics along the way (the lyrics in "Salvatore" and "24" are flat-out cringeworthy), it's refreshing to see her lyrical concepts and worldview grow alongside her music.
Honeymoon may not have as many home-run tracks and massive hooks as Ultraviolence and Born to Die, but for what it lacks in flashy highlights, it makes up for with a stronger sense of consistency, maturity and cohesion. Del Rey is starting to become much more comfortable in her skin as an artist and that confidence shows with the bolder risks she took with the songwriting and production choices on this album. Honeymoon further validates Del Rey as one of the torchbearers for modern pop music and much to the chagrin of her detractors, she's a musical force that's not going anywhere anytime soon.
4/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.The Blackest Day
2.Music to Watch Boys to
3.Swan Song
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
The Best and Worst of Adam Sandler
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 "Hotel Transylvania 2" star Adam Sandler.
Film starring Adam Sandler that I've seen:
Coneheads
Billy Madison
Bulletproof
Happy Gilmore
The Waterboy
The Wedding Singer
Big Daddy
Little Nicky
Mr. Deeds
Eight Crazy Nights
50 First Dates
Anger Management
The Longest Yard
Click
Reign Over Me
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry
You Don't Mess with the Zohan
Funny People
Grown Ups
Just Go with It
Zookeeper
Jack & Jill
That's My Boy
Hotel Transylvania
Grown Ups 2
Blended
Best Performance: Reign Over Me (2007)
It's largely glossed over because of the bad reputation he's acquired after years of putting out poorly-received comedies, but Sandler is a seriously great dramatic actor. The strongest example of his rarely-used acting abilities came in Reign Over Me, where he plays a New York-based widower who lost his entire family on 9/11 and has spent the five years after the tragedy pretending his past life didn't exist in an attempt to numb the deep pain of his losses. The scene where his character finally opens up to his former college roommate and best friend (Don Cheadle) about the day where his wife and two daughters passed away is absolutely devastating. With the approach director Mike Binder took to this scene, it could've very well been overly melodramatic and disingenuous, but Sandler's powerful and deeply human performance make the scene deeply emotional and completely unforgettable.
Worst Performance: Jack & Jill (2011)
As someone who grew up with and has found a lot of joy in the films of Adam Sandler, I find it hard to severely criticize his work. He's starred in his fair share of clunkers over the years, but even in his lesser works, he tends to be at the very least passable in whatever role he's given. His performance as twin brother and sister in the 2011 family comedy Jack & Jill is the rare exception. Sandler is so god damn obnoxious (especially as Jill) in this movie that I strongly considered ripping my eyes and ears off while I was watching it. It boggles the mind how an actor that is so consistently likable could manage to play a set of characters that are so annoying and vile.
Best Film: Happy Gilmore (1996)
This pick was a no-brainer. Sandler's early filmography is full of laugh-out-loud comedies (Billy Madison, The Waterboy, Big Daddy), but for me, Happy Gilmore is easily his finest achievement. The characters are memorable, the film is quotable as hell and most importantly, the film's hilarity only increases on subsequent viewings. Happy Gilmore has been one of my all-time favorite comedies since I was a kid and I don't see that ever not being the case.
Worst Film: Jack & Jill (2011)
Whether or not you're a fan of his work, there's no denying that Sandler's name is pretty synonymous with crap movies. Hell, at least a quarter of the projects he's released in the past decade have ranged from below-average to cinematic abominations. Jack & Jill falls in the latter camp. This is a film so tasteless and moronic that it makes both Grown Ups movies look like high art. Everyone involved with this project should be embarrassed and I really wish that the Neuralyzer from Men in Black was real so I could permanently erase this disasterpiece from my memory.
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 "The Martian" star Matt Damon.
Film starring Adam Sandler that I've seen:
Coneheads
Billy Madison
Bulletproof
Happy Gilmore
The Waterboy
The Wedding Singer
Big Daddy
Little Nicky
Mr. Deeds
Eight Crazy Nights
50 First Dates
Anger Management
The Longest Yard
Click
Reign Over Me
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry
You Don't Mess with the Zohan
Funny People
Grown Ups
Just Go with It
Zookeeper
Jack & Jill
That's My Boy
Hotel Transylvania
Grown Ups 2
Blended
Best Performance: Reign Over Me (2007)
It's largely glossed over because of the bad reputation he's acquired after years of putting out poorly-received comedies, but Sandler is a seriously great dramatic actor. The strongest example of his rarely-used acting abilities came in Reign Over Me, where he plays a New York-based widower who lost his entire family on 9/11 and has spent the five years after the tragedy pretending his past life didn't exist in an attempt to numb the deep pain of his losses. The scene where his character finally opens up to his former college roommate and best friend (Don Cheadle) about the day where his wife and two daughters passed away is absolutely devastating. With the approach director Mike Binder took to this scene, it could've very well been overly melodramatic and disingenuous, but Sandler's powerful and deeply human performance make the scene deeply emotional and completely unforgettable.
Worst Performance: Jack & Jill (2011)
As someone who grew up with and has found a lot of joy in the films of Adam Sandler, I find it hard to severely criticize his work. He's starred in his fair share of clunkers over the years, but even in his lesser works, he tends to be at the very least passable in whatever role he's given. His performance as twin brother and sister in the 2011 family comedy Jack & Jill is the rare exception. Sandler is so god damn obnoxious (especially as Jill) in this movie that I strongly considered ripping my eyes and ears off while I was watching it. It boggles the mind how an actor that is so consistently likable could manage to play a set of characters that are so annoying and vile.
Best Film: Happy Gilmore (1996)
This pick was a no-brainer. Sandler's early filmography is full of laugh-out-loud comedies (Billy Madison, The Waterboy, Big Daddy), but for me, Happy Gilmore is easily his finest achievement. The characters are memorable, the film is quotable as hell and most importantly, the film's hilarity only increases on subsequent viewings. Happy Gilmore has been one of my all-time favorite comedies since I was a kid and I don't see that ever not being the case.
Worst Film: Jack & Jill (2011)
Whether or not you're a fan of his work, there's no denying that Sandler's name is pretty synonymous with crap movies. Hell, at least a quarter of the projects he's released in the past decade have ranged from below-average to cinematic abominations. Jack & Jill falls in the latter camp. This is a film so tasteless and moronic that it makes both Grown Ups movies look like high art. Everyone involved with this project should be embarrassed and I really wish that the Neuralyzer from Men in Black was real so I could permanently erase this disasterpiece from my memory.
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 "The Martian" star Matt Damon.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
2015 Week 2 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers
Quarterback
MVP: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers):
Roethlisberger was able to put his middling week 1 performance behind him and put on a show for Steeler nation in their home opener against the 49ers on Sunday afternoon. Roethlisberger decimated the 49ers rebuilt defense, putting up 369 yards, 3 TD's and a pair of 2-point conversions before being benched in garbage time. The scariest part about this performance was that Roethlisberger is that he was able to shred through the 49ers D without star running back Le'Veon Bell and lethal young wide receiver Martavis Bryant (they're both currently serving marijuana-related suspensions) in the lineup. Once Roethlisberger gets Bell back next week and Bryant back in Week 5, he should be nearly unstoppable for the rest of the season.
Honorable Mentions: Tom Brady (Patriots), Cam Newton (Panthers), Colin Kaepernick (49ers)
LVP: Andrew Luck (Colts)
2015 has not been kind to the 2014 fantasy MVP so far. Luck followed up his stinker in Buffalo last week with an even-shakier performance (250 yards, 56.8 CMLP %, 1 TD, 3 INT and a lost fumble) against the Jets in primetime last night. The Colts terrible offensive line has given little-to-no-time to go through his progressions and facing the stout Bills and Jets defenses out of the gate is about as rough as it gets for a quarterback who is frequently under pressure, but Luck has to stop forcing balls into tight coverage and learn to take a sack or throw the ball away when pressure collapses the pocket. Luck has a good shot of redeeming himself in Week 3 when the Colts travel to Nashville to take on a Titans defense that has a below-average pass-rush and just got carved up by Johnny Manziel.
Dishonorable Mentions: Drew Brees (Saints), Sam Bradford (Eagles), Phillip Rivers (Chargers),
Running Back
MVP: DeAngelo Williams (Steelers)
Williams apparently drank from the fountain of youth before signing with the Steelers this offseason. The 32-year former Carolina Panther was able to replicate his success from Week 1, putting up 92 total yards (77 rushing, 15 receiving) and 3 TD's on 24 touches. Williams' workload will be scaled back when Le'Veon Bell returns from suspension in Week 3, but given the piss-poor depth at running back, his fantasy owners should retain him as a solid bench option who can be relied on to start if needed.
Honorable Mentions: Adrian Peterson (Vikings), Dion Lewis (Patriots), David Johnson (Cardinals)
LVP: Jeremy Hill (Bengals)
2nd-year back Jeremy Hill has been one of the most reliable fantasy backs since he took over as the Bengals starting back last November, so it was inevitable that he was going to throw up a stinker sooner or later. However, Hill didn't just throw up a typical stinker, his performance in Week 2 is one for the fantasy lowlight annals. Hill gained just 39 yards on 10 carries on a Chargers defense that got leveled in Week 1 against the Lions and was yanked in the 3rd quarter after fumbling twice. In most leagues, Hill's rough day netted his fantasy owners negative points. Despite backup Giovani Bernard's strong performance in relief of him on Sunday, Hill's starting job shouldn't be in danger and he should continue to be a rock-solid weekly RB1 option.
Dishonorable Mentions: Lamar Miller (Dolphins), Ameer Abdullah (Lions), Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals)
After 2 straight middling seasons, Fitzgerald appears to be back in dominant form. Fitzgerald accounted for over half of the Cardinals receiving yards and total points, putting up a ridiculous 112 yards and 3 TD's on 8 receptions, in Sunday's contest against the Bears. The Cardinals may have a talented pair of young receivers in John Brown and Michael Floyd, but all signs point to Fitzgerald being the top wideout and best fantasy option on the team this season.
Honorable Mentions: Antonio Brown (Steelers), Allen Robinson (Jaguars), Julian Edelman (Patriots)
LVP: Keenan Allen (Chargers)
Oh the plight of Keenan Allen. A week after logging a 15-catch, 166-yard game, Allen put up a paltry 16 yards on 2 receptions and had a costly early fumble in the Chargers loss to the Bengals this past Sunday. Allen is the uncontested number 1 option in the Chargers passing game, but his erratic play makes him one of the biggest boom-or-bust fantasy plays around.
Dishonorable Mentions: Mike Evans (Buccaneers), Charles Johnson (Vikings), Rueben Randle (Giants)
Tight End
MVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
Another week, another freakish performance for Gronkowski. The centerpiece of the Patriots took advantage of every linebacker and defensive back the Bills trotted out to cover him and put up an even more impressive performance (7 receptions, 113 yards, 1 TD) than he did in his masterful week 1 outing against the Steelers. Gronkowski is one of the biggest matchup problems in the league and with the Jaguars soft defense coming to Foxboro in Week 3, there's no reason to believe that he can't put up even bigger numbers than he did the past 2 weeks.
Honorable Mentions: Tyler Eifert (Bengals), Heath Miller (Steelers), Kyle Rudolph (Vikings)
LVP: Jimmy Graham (Seahawks)
Graham's transition from the pass-happy offense of the Saints to the run-first offense of the Seahawks hasn't exactly been smooth so far. That transition hit a new low on Sunday night against the Packers as Graham was only targeted twice and made 1 grab for 11 yards. Given the makeup of the Seahawks offense, Graham just can't be expected to put up the numbers fantasy owners grew accustomed to when he was with the Saints.
Dishonorable Mentions: Zach Ertz (Eagles), Martellus Bennett (Bears), Ladrius Green (Chargers)
Defense
MVP: Denver Broncos
The Broncos defense come out and turned out a lot of head on Thursday night with their play against the Chiefs. The Broncos picked up 4 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries, 2 INT's and a touchdown against an offense that is widely regarded for how well they take care of the football. The Broncos defense has been nothing short of superb in the first 2 weeks of the season and with the talent they possess at every position group, they should be able to keep it up as long as they stay healthy.
Honorable Mentions: Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots, New York Jets
LVP: Baltimore Ravens
I don't know if it was because of the loss of Terrell Suggs or they just underestimated the Raiders offense, but the Ravens defense looked absolutely awful in Week 2. They mustered just 1 sack and 1 interception in their shocking upset loss in Oakland on Sunday afternoon. Until they prove they can be perform without Suggs in the lineup, they're a shaky fantasy play at best.
Dishonorable Mentions: Miami Dolphins, St. Louis Rams, Carolina Panthers
MVP: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers):
Roethlisberger was able to put his middling week 1 performance behind him and put on a show for Steeler nation in their home opener against the 49ers on Sunday afternoon. Roethlisberger decimated the 49ers rebuilt defense, putting up 369 yards, 3 TD's and a pair of 2-point conversions before being benched in garbage time. The scariest part about this performance was that Roethlisberger is that he was able to shred through the 49ers D without star running back Le'Veon Bell and lethal young wide receiver Martavis Bryant (they're both currently serving marijuana-related suspensions) in the lineup. Once Roethlisberger gets Bell back next week and Bryant back in Week 5, he should be nearly unstoppable for the rest of the season.
Honorable Mentions: Tom Brady (Patriots), Cam Newton (Panthers), Colin Kaepernick (49ers)
LVP: Andrew Luck (Colts)
2015 has not been kind to the 2014 fantasy MVP so far. Luck followed up his stinker in Buffalo last week with an even-shakier performance (250 yards, 56.8 CMLP %, 1 TD, 3 INT and a lost fumble) against the Jets in primetime last night. The Colts terrible offensive line has given little-to-no-time to go through his progressions and facing the stout Bills and Jets defenses out of the gate is about as rough as it gets for a quarterback who is frequently under pressure, but Luck has to stop forcing balls into tight coverage and learn to take a sack or throw the ball away when pressure collapses the pocket. Luck has a good shot of redeeming himself in Week 3 when the Colts travel to Nashville to take on a Titans defense that has a below-average pass-rush and just got carved up by Johnny Manziel.
Dishonorable Mentions: Drew Brees (Saints), Sam Bradford (Eagles), Phillip Rivers (Chargers),
Running Back
MVP: DeAngelo Williams (Steelers)
Williams apparently drank from the fountain of youth before signing with the Steelers this offseason. The 32-year former Carolina Panther was able to replicate his success from Week 1, putting up 92 total yards (77 rushing, 15 receiving) and 3 TD's on 24 touches. Williams' workload will be scaled back when Le'Veon Bell returns from suspension in Week 3, but given the piss-poor depth at running back, his fantasy owners should retain him as a solid bench option who can be relied on to start if needed.
Honorable Mentions: Adrian Peterson (Vikings), Dion Lewis (Patriots), David Johnson (Cardinals)
LVP: Jeremy Hill (Bengals)
2nd-year back Jeremy Hill has been one of the most reliable fantasy backs since he took over as the Bengals starting back last November, so it was inevitable that he was going to throw up a stinker sooner or later. However, Hill didn't just throw up a typical stinker, his performance in Week 2 is one for the fantasy lowlight annals. Hill gained just 39 yards on 10 carries on a Chargers defense that got leveled in Week 1 against the Lions and was yanked in the 3rd quarter after fumbling twice. In most leagues, Hill's rough day netted his fantasy owners negative points. Despite backup Giovani Bernard's strong performance in relief of him on Sunday, Hill's starting job shouldn't be in danger and he should continue to be a rock-solid weekly RB1 option.
Dishonorable Mentions: Lamar Miller (Dolphins), Ameer Abdullah (Lions), Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals)
After 2 straight middling seasons, Fitzgerald appears to be back in dominant form. Fitzgerald accounted for over half of the Cardinals receiving yards and total points, putting up a ridiculous 112 yards and 3 TD's on 8 receptions, in Sunday's contest against the Bears. The Cardinals may have a talented pair of young receivers in John Brown and Michael Floyd, but all signs point to Fitzgerald being the top wideout and best fantasy option on the team this season.
Honorable Mentions: Antonio Brown (Steelers), Allen Robinson (Jaguars), Julian Edelman (Patriots)
LVP: Keenan Allen (Chargers)
Oh the plight of Keenan Allen. A week after logging a 15-catch, 166-yard game, Allen put up a paltry 16 yards on 2 receptions and had a costly early fumble in the Chargers loss to the Bengals this past Sunday. Allen is the uncontested number 1 option in the Chargers passing game, but his erratic play makes him one of the biggest boom-or-bust fantasy plays around.
Dishonorable Mentions: Mike Evans (Buccaneers), Charles Johnson (Vikings), Rueben Randle (Giants)
Tight End
MVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
Another week, another freakish performance for Gronkowski. The centerpiece of the Patriots took advantage of every linebacker and defensive back the Bills trotted out to cover him and put up an even more impressive performance (7 receptions, 113 yards, 1 TD) than he did in his masterful week 1 outing against the Steelers. Gronkowski is one of the biggest matchup problems in the league and with the Jaguars soft defense coming to Foxboro in Week 3, there's no reason to believe that he can't put up even bigger numbers than he did the past 2 weeks.
Honorable Mentions: Tyler Eifert (Bengals), Heath Miller (Steelers), Kyle Rudolph (Vikings)
LVP: Jimmy Graham (Seahawks)
Graham's transition from the pass-happy offense of the Saints to the run-first offense of the Seahawks hasn't exactly been smooth so far. That transition hit a new low on Sunday night against the Packers as Graham was only targeted twice and made 1 grab for 11 yards. Given the makeup of the Seahawks offense, Graham just can't be expected to put up the numbers fantasy owners grew accustomed to when he was with the Saints.
Dishonorable Mentions: Zach Ertz (Eagles), Martellus Bennett (Bears), Ladrius Green (Chargers)
Defense
MVP: Denver Broncos
The Broncos defense come out and turned out a lot of head on Thursday night with their play against the Chiefs. The Broncos picked up 4 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries, 2 INT's and a touchdown against an offense that is widely regarded for how well they take care of the football. The Broncos defense has been nothing short of superb in the first 2 weeks of the season and with the talent they possess at every position group, they should be able to keep it up as long as they stay healthy.
Honorable Mentions: Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots, New York Jets
LVP: Baltimore Ravens
I don't know if it was because of the loss of Terrell Suggs or they just underestimated the Raiders offense, but the Ravens defense looked absolutely awful in Week 2. They mustered just 1 sack and 1 interception in their shocking upset loss in Oakland on Sunday afternoon. Until they prove they can be perform without Suggs in the lineup, they're a shaky fantasy play at best.
Dishonorable Mentions: Miami Dolphins, St. Louis Rams, Carolina Panthers
Monday, September 21, 2015
Concert Review: Rocky and Tyler Tour (A$AP Rocky/Tyler, the Creator)-- Lowell, MA-- September 19th, 2015
In the world of modern hip-hop, you seldom see major rappers go on tour together. The reasons as to why this is are unclear and the end to this unfortunate trend doesn't appear to be anywhere in sight. On the rare occasion multiple hip-hop heavy-hitter decide to team up for a tour, you need seize the opportunity because it's a special occurrence that's only becoming more rare as time goes on.
2015's drought of major hip-hop package tours was put to end last month with the announcement of A$AP Rocky and Tyler, the Creator's co-headlining tour fittingly titled "The Rocky and Tyler Tour". The month-long trek, which also features opening acts Danny Brown and Vince Staples, kicked off this past Saturday at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell in Lowell, Massachusetts and delivered a highly convincing argument as to why major hip-hop tours need to happen more frequently.
While the night was fantastic on the whole, it got off to a bit of a rough start. The combination of a long line to get into the Tsongas Center and traffic on the way to the venue caused me to miss a majority of Vince Staples' set. Staples has been near the top of my must see list since I heard his Mac Miller-produced mixtape Stolen Youth two years ago and my desire to see him has only increased since the release of his brilliant Def Jam debut Summertime '06 in June, so being forced to miss a majority of his set was really disappointing. Fortunately, the three songs I was able to see were enough to prove that Staples is a great performer. The overpowering beats kind of drowned out the vocals at times, but Staples raps with a ton of passion and his songs pack the same wallop live as they do on record. Staples is the most promising up-and-coming rapper in the game right now and I really hope that I will get the chance to see a proper set from him in the near future.
Danny Brown hit the stage about 15 minutes after Staples wrapped up his set and just like the previous times I've seen him, he absolutely killed it. Brown's tremendous technical ability and precision on the mic and commanding stage presence basically ensures that all of his shows will be great. I was a bit concerned that the crowd wouldn't be as into him as the previous two times I'd seen him (this was the first time I've seen him live where he wasn't headlining), but those concerns proved to be unwarranted, as the crowd exploded into a full-on frenzy as soon as he launched into set opener "Dope Song". Brown was clearly very aware of the type of crowd this tour would attract and loaded the set with the hard-hitting, electronic-influenced trap cuts from his last album Old. The decision for Brown to tailor his set to the young, party-happy fans of the headliners was a stroke of genius that ultimately led to him getting a crowd reception that rivaled Rocky and Tyler's for enthusiasm and intensity. The lone outlier in Brown's in-your-face set was the chilled-out "Grown Up", which was a very pleasant surprise as its a fantastic song that he rarely breaks out live. Brown is one of the standard-bearers for live hip-hop acts and even on a tour that's as loaded with talent as this, he was the clear standout.
Tyler, the Creator was up next. I'm not nearly as into Tyler as I was once was, but since his group Odd Future was the first hip-hop show I attended back in October of 2011, I have a bit of a nostalgic soft spot for his music. Like his music, Tyler's live performances are erratic and batshit insane in the best possible way. Tyler runs around the stage like a crazy person, regularly alters the lyrics to his songs to make stupid jokes and screws around with different vocal deliveries for his own amusement. In most situations it would be extremely annoying to watch an artist drastically deviate from their studio material, but for Tyler, it's a large part of why his shows are so much fun. His setlist was much better than expected, largely because he didn't play any of the weaker cuts from his ambitious, but very disjointed new album Cherry Bomb. The equal attention paid to his aggressive raps ("Deathcamp", "Yonkers", "Domo23") and his more mellow, R&B jams ("Fucking Young/Perfect", "IFHY", "PartyIsn'tOver/Campfire/Bimmer") gave the set a nice balance and showcase the largely overlooked musical diversity that has driven Tyler's last couple of releases. Tyler, the Creator may not be the most skilled rapper or tightest live performer in the game, but he's an incredibly entertaining artist whose lack of pretension and carefree attitude makes him stand out in the crowded modern hip-hop landscape.
A$AP Rocky put an end to the surprisingly quick set changovers of the rest of the night by taking over 30 minutes to set up after Tyler finished up. However, the wait proved to be well worth it as Rocky put on a seriously fantastic show. The first couple of songs ("JD and "Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2") saw Rocky relying a little too heavily on backup from his counterparts in the A$AP Mob and backing tracks, but once he took center stage on "M'$", he was incredibly sharp for the rest of the set. The clear highlight of his set was closing song "Holy Ghost", which was performed largely a capella. Rocky flawlessly hit both verses of the song with no beat and managed to make this already massive song even more immense in a live setting. Rocky is largely praised for his production and ability to craft memorable choruses, but stuff like this proves that he deserves just as much as praise for his abilities on the mic. The only problem with Rocky's set is that he spent way too much of his short set time (he was on stage for approximately 45 minutes) doing songs with the A$AP Mob. The entire mid-portion of the set was dedicated strictly to A$AP Mob tracks. While I am a big fan of Rocky and Ferg,who no longer regularly performs with Rocky due to the success of his solo career, the rest of the A$AP Mob members (Twelvvy, Nast and Ant) just aren't very good and with them getting most of the spotlight on the group tracks, it put a serious damper on the momentum of the set. Because of the abundance of A$AP Mob material in the set, Rocky only ended up playing seven of his own songs (eight if you include his verse from A$AP Ferg's "Shabba"). If Rocky set's was over an hour, I would have far less of a problem with this, but Rocky's choice to spend so much of his short set time on material that's vastly inferior to his solo stuff was frustrating. Aside from the extended A$AP Mob interlude in the middle of the set and lack of "Peso" in the setlist, A$AP Rocky put on a really fun show that vastly exceeded my expectations.
Scores:
Vince Staples 8/10
Danny Brown 9/10
Tyler, the Creator 7.5/10
A$AP Rocky 8/10
Setlists:
Vince Staples (last 3 songs):
Norf Norf
Senorita
Blue Suede
Danny Brown:
Side B (Dope Song)
Smokin' & Drinkin'
Lie4
Handstand
Break It (Go)
25 Bucks
Dubstep
Grown Up
Attak (Rustie cover)
Dip
Tyler, the Creator (missing 2-3 songs):
Deathcamp
Tron Cat
PartyIsntOver/Campfire/Bimmer
Keep Da O's
Jamba
Domo23
IFHY
Fucking Young/Perfect
Yonkers
Smuckers
Tamale
A$AP Rocky:
JD
Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2
M'$
L$D
Goldie
Hella Hoes (A$AP Mob cover)
Shabba (A$AP Ferg cover)
New A$AP Twelvy Solo Song
?
Wild for the Night
Jump Around (House of Pain cover)
Holy Ghost
2015's drought of major hip-hop package tours was put to end last month with the announcement of A$AP Rocky and Tyler, the Creator's co-headlining tour fittingly titled "The Rocky and Tyler Tour". The month-long trek, which also features opening acts Danny Brown and Vince Staples, kicked off this past Saturday at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell in Lowell, Massachusetts and delivered a highly convincing argument as to why major hip-hop tours need to happen more frequently.
While the night was fantastic on the whole, it got off to a bit of a rough start. The combination of a long line to get into the Tsongas Center and traffic on the way to the venue caused me to miss a majority of Vince Staples' set. Staples has been near the top of my must see list since I heard his Mac Miller-produced mixtape Stolen Youth two years ago and my desire to see him has only increased since the release of his brilliant Def Jam debut Summertime '06 in June, so being forced to miss a majority of his set was really disappointing. Fortunately, the three songs I was able to see were enough to prove that Staples is a great performer. The overpowering beats kind of drowned out the vocals at times, but Staples raps with a ton of passion and his songs pack the same wallop live as they do on record. Staples is the most promising up-and-coming rapper in the game right now and I really hope that I will get the chance to see a proper set from him in the near future.
Danny Brown hit the stage about 15 minutes after Staples wrapped up his set and just like the previous times I've seen him, he absolutely killed it. Brown's tremendous technical ability and precision on the mic and commanding stage presence basically ensures that all of his shows will be great. I was a bit concerned that the crowd wouldn't be as into him as the previous two times I'd seen him (this was the first time I've seen him live where he wasn't headlining), but those concerns proved to be unwarranted, as the crowd exploded into a full-on frenzy as soon as he launched into set opener "Dope Song". Brown was clearly very aware of the type of crowd this tour would attract and loaded the set with the hard-hitting, electronic-influenced trap cuts from his last album Old. The decision for Brown to tailor his set to the young, party-happy fans of the headliners was a stroke of genius that ultimately led to him getting a crowd reception that rivaled Rocky and Tyler's for enthusiasm and intensity. The lone outlier in Brown's in-your-face set was the chilled-out "Grown Up", which was a very pleasant surprise as its a fantastic song that he rarely breaks out live. Brown is one of the standard-bearers for live hip-hop acts and even on a tour that's as loaded with talent as this, he was the clear standout.
Tyler, the Creator was up next. I'm not nearly as into Tyler as I was once was, but since his group Odd Future was the first hip-hop show I attended back in October of 2011, I have a bit of a nostalgic soft spot for his music. Like his music, Tyler's live performances are erratic and batshit insane in the best possible way. Tyler runs around the stage like a crazy person, regularly alters the lyrics to his songs to make stupid jokes and screws around with different vocal deliveries for his own amusement. In most situations it would be extremely annoying to watch an artist drastically deviate from their studio material, but for Tyler, it's a large part of why his shows are so much fun. His setlist was much better than expected, largely because he didn't play any of the weaker cuts from his ambitious, but very disjointed new album Cherry Bomb. The equal attention paid to his aggressive raps ("Deathcamp", "Yonkers", "Domo23") and his more mellow, R&B jams ("Fucking Young/Perfect", "IFHY", "PartyIsn'tOver/Campfire/Bimmer") gave the set a nice balance and showcase the largely overlooked musical diversity that has driven Tyler's last couple of releases. Tyler, the Creator may not be the most skilled rapper or tightest live performer in the game, but he's an incredibly entertaining artist whose lack of pretension and carefree attitude makes him stand out in the crowded modern hip-hop landscape.
A$AP Rocky put an end to the surprisingly quick set changovers of the rest of the night by taking over 30 minutes to set up after Tyler finished up. However, the wait proved to be well worth it as Rocky put on a seriously fantastic show. The first couple of songs ("JD and "Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2") saw Rocky relying a little too heavily on backup from his counterparts in the A$AP Mob and backing tracks, but once he took center stage on "M'$", he was incredibly sharp for the rest of the set. The clear highlight of his set was closing song "Holy Ghost", which was performed largely a capella. Rocky flawlessly hit both verses of the song with no beat and managed to make this already massive song even more immense in a live setting. Rocky is largely praised for his production and ability to craft memorable choruses, but stuff like this proves that he deserves just as much as praise for his abilities on the mic. The only problem with Rocky's set is that he spent way too much of his short set time (he was on stage for approximately 45 minutes) doing songs with the A$AP Mob. The entire mid-portion of the set was dedicated strictly to A$AP Mob tracks. While I am a big fan of Rocky and Ferg,who no longer regularly performs with Rocky due to the success of his solo career, the rest of the A$AP Mob members (Twelvvy, Nast and Ant) just aren't very good and with them getting most of the spotlight on the group tracks, it put a serious damper on the momentum of the set. Because of the abundance of A$AP Mob material in the set, Rocky only ended up playing seven of his own songs (eight if you include his verse from A$AP Ferg's "Shabba"). If Rocky set's was over an hour, I would have far less of a problem with this, but Rocky's choice to spend so much of his short set time on material that's vastly inferior to his solo stuff was frustrating. Aside from the extended A$AP Mob interlude in the middle of the set and lack of "Peso" in the setlist, A$AP Rocky put on a really fun show that vastly exceeded my expectations.
Scores:
Vince Staples 8/10
Danny Brown 9/10
Tyler, the Creator 7.5/10
A$AP Rocky 8/10
Setlists:
Vince Staples (last 3 songs):
Norf Norf
Senorita
Blue Suede
Danny Brown:
Side B (Dope Song)
Smokin' & Drinkin'
Lie4
Handstand
Break It (Go)
25 Bucks
Dubstep
Grown Up
Attak (Rustie cover)
Dip
Tyler, the Creator (missing 2-3 songs):
Deathcamp
Tron Cat
PartyIsntOver/Campfire/Bimmer
Keep Da O's
Jamba
Domo23
IFHY
Fucking Young/Perfect
Yonkers
Smuckers
Tamale
A$AP Rocky:
JD
Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2
M'$
L$D
Goldie
Hella Hoes (A$AP Mob cover)
Shabba (A$AP Ferg cover)
New A$AP Twelvy Solo Song
?
Wild for the Night
Jump Around (House of Pain cover)
Holy Ghost
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