Everything We Need

Kanye dropped a very small, short album, "Jesus is King" as a follow up to 2016's "Life of Pablo." Obviously, Yeezy felt like he needed to atone for his past or something considering all the religious involvement in the album. Anyhow, the album had a number of pretty sweet beats, but while there were flashes of the brilliant Kanye, there was also a lot of puzzling and disjointedness. Ultimately, the album fell a bit flat for me. One of my favorite tracks (due mostly to the beat) was "Everything We Need."

As for fantasy football, it was a sweep! I won in all four leagues, even my last-placed autodraft joke of a league. I had huge weeks in redraft, while I luckily played a very poor week for my friend in a big matchup in dynasty. I now sit in first, second, fourth and 10th in my four leagues.

As for photos this week, please enjoy these playoff football and volleyball photos here.

Recommit

I hate to say this, but after the first listen, the new Jimmy Eat World album, "Surviving" has one word that accurately describes it--boring. Now, as a big fan of JEW, I know that subtle brilliance could be at work here. I was not in love with "Invented" when I first listened to it, and now it's my favorite JEW album of all time (with "Bleed American" a close second). However, boring, or "meh" was all I felt in the first listen. I intend to listen again, and hopefully JEW is not falling down the Weezer path. Cross your fingers.

Anyway, in fantasy football I won in my main two redraft leagues, pushing me to 5-2 and 6-1, respectively. I am still in third in my traditional league, and am still on top in auction. I got crushed in dynasty with a bye and injury-plagued lineup. I face another bye and injury lineup this week in a key matchup with another 4-3 team. Wish me luck.

I have a pretty big gallery of photos to enjoy here.

Easter is Cancelled

I rediscovered one of the bands that brought me one of the anthems of my youth, The Darkness. There mega hit, "I Believe in a Thing Called Love," which came out back in 2003, was seminal in my high school and college memories. The band's latest album, "Easter is Cancelled," could also produce similar feelings. Though the album is all over the place, it somehow works. There are a smattering of genres involved, and lyrics get a little cheesy and dorky at times, but the listener never knows that they are going to get from one song to the next. The title track, for instance, "Easter is Cancelled," could easily be confused for an Iron Maiden track. At times during the album I thought I was listening to a Flight of the Conchords song. There are hints of Queen, Boston, the Rolling Stones and others all throughout the proceedings. Then of course there is the incredibly strange, "Confirmation Bias," which plays just like a David Bowie tune. This album is nuts, but I really like it. I've listened to it four times already, and I'm guessing there will be more. It's far from perfect, and some tracks are skippable, but all in all, I was surprised.

As for fantasy football, I won in three out of four leagues, and now stand in first, third and fifth place in said leagues. I'm back in last in autodraft though :( I also pulled off a nice trade in dynasty, landing Browns second-year running back Nick Chubb, which could really give me a chance to contend this year, and going forward really.

I have several photos to share from Football, soccer and
cross-country. Please enjoy them here.

Bleeding White

It has been awhile since I absolutely trashed an album, but this week that ends. I recently listened (and I use listened very generously) to the Avett Brother's new album "Closer Than Together," and I had several issues with it to be sure. First of all, a number of the songs are like that one on Juno, you know that genre of folk/indie that uses too many big words that are spoken over a bed of happy music. Now, that can work, maybe once, if it's done well. It wasn't done well here, and it wasn't done well over and over. The album was too political for my taste, but that doesn't always turn me off completely as long as the music is there or a great singing performance resurrects the album. None of that was here. The track "Bleeding White" was a poor man's attempt at The Black Keys, and the song "New Women's World," was a homeless man's Ben Folds. Another note, and I'm not sure what song it was from or if it was multiple songs, but this is not slam poetry, it's music. Treat it as such. In closing, Avett Brothers, YOU SUCK.


Anyways, I had another mediocre week in fantasy football. I won and am now in first place in my auction redraft league, and in my autodraft league. However, I lost in my other two leagues, one due to injuries, but  the other was completely due to lineup mismanagement. That dropped me out of playoff contention and into sixth place out of 10. I have a bundle of RB and WR 2/3 types and no clear leaders. I want to trade for something better, but all of those bundle of players are young and could eventually become No. 1-types. I think my best bet is to hang on to my players and plan for the future.

Please enjoy the photos in the sports gallery from Sept. 26-Oct. 1. here.

Oh! Darling

This week marked the 50th anniversary of the Beatles' iconic album "Abbey Road." A deluxe edition of the album dropped on Spotify with all the iconic tracks among others and several demo versions of the songs. Obviously, it is fantastic. One of my favorite track is "Oh! Darling." The Beatles are amazing, and did so much for music.

As for fantasy football, I won in two of my four leagues, losing in dynasty and my autodraft league. That pushes me into 2nd (Auction league) 3rd (snake redraft) 4th (dynasty) and 10th place in my leagues. I have a big matchup in Auction. It's going to be a tough week with the Lions on bye, and all the stock I have in Kenny Golladay and Kerryon Johnson. Wish me luck.

As for photos, I have a gallery of photos to share from girls soccer, volleyball and football from Sept. 19-24. Enjoy.