Now this is a supergroup to my liking! Having members of Mastodon, Soulfly, Dillenger Escape Plan, and the Mars Volta, there was really no way this album wasn't going to be win. That being said, while the songs rock, you can tell that it was cobbled together from pieces that each band member brought and not written as a collaborative effort. Max Cavalera provides the base for most songs, so it's generally pretty heavy... but with three vocalists, the emotion runs the gamut from screamo to singing to straight up hardcore. Hurray for metal!

4.0/5 - This is a great debut, with awesome riffs and hooks. Hope that the next album is a bit more collaborative and a bit less Soulfly.

This EP is short and sweet trance-y electronica (with a bit of dubstep thrown in). While not the most sophisticated music in the world, all of Signal Path's albums are free, so it's totally worth it. Recommended for Dave.

2.5/5 - Fairly average for electronica, but not a bad listen.

So after so after reviewing so many albums from the year 2000... time to graduate, to 2001 (BUT JUST FOR ONE RELEASE, NOSTALGIA TRIP OVER). And what better album to review than Lateralus? While the nostalgia side of this album will always remind me of the class assignment where we made a video of Macbeth (at least half the soundtrack was this album) and the concert where they came up to Anchorage and I almost threw up moshing so hard to Schism, this album is pretty brilliant on its own merits. I honestly can't believe this album hit #1 on the Billboard Charts, given the average song length, proggy song structures, and general inaccessibility (this is a journey of an album!). But I'm glad it did, this is an incredible album. While there are fewer five star tracks than I remember, as a cohesive whole this album just works. Great to go back and listen to this one again.

4.5/5 - Just shy of a true classic, because it is a tad overwrought.

Peace be upon the godheads Brotman and Sinegal.

Shadows Fall started with Phil Labonte (who would quit and join All That Remains to much longer lasting popularity... to this day, even). This is the first release with Brian Fair and his metal dreadlocks of fury, and the Brian Fair shouty style of later releases is subdued in favor of a more death metal growly approach, which firmly sets this release in the melodic death metal territory, rather than the metalcore of subsequent releases. While the next two albums are far superior to this album, there are some tasty riffs and generally well-written songs, but nothing that stands out as truly memorable.

2.5/5 - Average melodic death metal/metalcore album.

Early in their career, Nonpoint was like a more (nu-)metal version of Rage Against the Machine. Statement is a pretty raw release with a lot of energy, which is most of the charm (since the lyrics and music aren't really very sophisticated). It's bookended with it's best songs, although the in between is better than I remembered it to be. Overall, for nu-metal, not a bad release and a good stepping off point for their next album (which turned out to be their best).

3.0/5 - Good rap-infused metal.

Much like the last album, it's probably been about a decade since I listened to this album. It's a bit more abrasive than I remember, but there are still a ton of standout tracks. The Mars Volta rose from the ashes of this band immediately after this release... and essentially took the elements I liked about this album to more interesting places and then to fairly boring prog (oh well). Still a fun listen, a lot of energy!

3.0/5 - Good album. Just a bit too abrasive. Might be the mastering.

I had no idea what I was clicking on. I was pleasantly surprised.

The usage of middle names had me thrown a second before I recognized it. I only rarely think of the boy's full names unless there is some sort of parental anger involved. Plus it's not like Deacon responds to even his first name if he's trying to get away with something. I feel that this is accurate.

Congrats to Dave and Elizabeth. Yet another member of the the Haz a Babby Club

Congrats you guys! So happy for you!

Well, I'm pretty sure it's been about a decade since I listened to this album. At the time, I remember listening to it for the hits (So Fresh, So Clean and Ms. Jackson primarily) and not really enjoying hip hop much. Nowadays, I enjoy beats much more than I once did, and you could almost call this a progressive hip hop album. While this album is the high point of collaboration between Big Boi and Andre 3000, some later material is probably better (I'll have to give it a relisten sometime to see).

3.5/5 - Very good album. The interludes are a bit much, but the songs are mostly great.

This was sort of an interesting listen. For a debut album, it's actually pretty good - David Draiman has a unique vocal style that is utilized well. However, the singles have not held up over time. Voices and Down with the Sickness are both pretty dumb songs, and the others don't fair much better. That being said, the non single tracks are mostly pretty interesting, and keep this album from falling down as far as, say, Infest ;)

2.5/5 - Pretty typical numetal fare that has not really stood the test of time.

They score wickets in that one, right? Or is it touch downs? Field goals, maybe?

Oh, there are shirtless men hugging one another at the end? Yep, it's goals. Now I remember.

Brazil opens the World Cup in strange fashion. In a 3-1 win over Croatia, Brazil scored all the goals in the match.

Truly, Croatia looked like the stronger team throughout the first half, and definitely in the last 15-20 minutes of the game. If they had scored all of their chances in the end, Croatia would've won.

A strong attack by Croatia 11 minutes in yielded some sloppy defending by Brazil, scoring on themselves.

Later in the first half, Brazil evened the game with a perfect-placement goal. Truly, it seems like the Croatian goalie wasn't paying attention and didn't cover in time.

In the second half, Croatia certainly wasn't helped by the referee. A Brazilian forward threw a dive while handling the ball in CRO's penalty area, fooling the referee into giving a PK. Go-ahead goal despite the keeper getting to the shot. Any other professional keeper in the world, with two hands on a ball like that, would've stopped it.

Croatia had lots of strong attacks as the game wound to a close, and another strange call by the referee stopped up an attack that had Brazil's goalie out of position, fallen on the ground. What would've been a goal by Croatia to even it had a mystery foul called by the referee to stop up the play.

As Croatia was running out of steam, they gave up on a Brazilian counterattack. Again, the goalie seemed not quite professional as he blew the timing on his leap to stop the ball. It was really a shot that you'd expect any professional goalkeeper to stop.

Croatia blew their chances. They'll need to stop up their mistakes to make it out of group stage this year. Even if they'd tied the game, you could still make a Caddyshack-inspired Cinderella Story joke out of it.

Mexico vs Cameroon 6/13 8am AKDT

I caught the game ~20 minutes in. Apparently Mexico had a goal called back in that time. I haven't looked into that incident, can't comment.

I did see the second called-back goal by Mexico. On Mexico's corner, the sideline referee didn't quite pay attention, or doesn't quite understand offsides, but made a horrible call. Should've been a goal.

The game went into 0-0 at halftime.

In the second half, Mexico strung together a beautiful play, threading some defenders and taking a great shot. CMR's goalie had a beautiful, great save, but was only able to parry the ball. A trailing Mexican offender was able to finish the rebound off the keeper to score the goal.

Mexico was definitely the better team, but perhaps didn't take Cameroon's offense as seriously as they should have. Cameroon had some great chances.

Spain vs Netherlands 6/13 11am AKDT

Final: 5-1 Netherlands

After the final whistle, one of the commentators: "Even as an underspoken Englishman: 'Wow.'"

In the first half, it seemed an even game. Spain even went up first on a penalty kick.

Van Persie scored the first of his goals just before halftime with a great run up and a header right over the goalie. Beautiful play.

Going into the half, 1-1, I don't think anyone, even the Dutch, were expecting what happened in the second half.

Shortly after the second half began, Robben got the first of his goals, on a beautiful passing play to put the Dutch on top 2-1.

10 minutes later, the Dutch scored again on a scrum in the goalie box. One of the offenders blooped in a goal in the middle of it. After the goal, you could see the Spanish give up and not put as much effort into the game.

Which led to the Dutch running away with it. Two more goals would be scored, one each by Van Persie and Robben, to yield a blowout game. You could tell that after the 3rd goal, Spain kept participating in the game, but stopped trying for it.

The Spanish had some high expectations, but perhaps Netherlands was waiting for their revenge after the 2010 World Cup final.

What a blowout.

Hahaha, SCROAT.

Relevant:

Very Cool!

It comes out in Xbox One. That's the best (only) argument I've seen for getting an xbox one if Dave would teach me how to use it.

Also trying to figure out a way to get it for the library.

Played through this. Pretty fun, and an intriguing insight into Inupiat storytelling.

Well. This is going to be awkward getting up to get my lunch from the lunchroom.

YES. JOIN ME IN NOSTALGIA.

There Will Be Ben Folds.

My fantasy is that Bill Watterson is hitchhiking between towns, paying surprise visits to his favorite modern comic artists. He shows up one day. They have a nice dinner, and in return, Watterson does a guest strip for them. The next morning he is gone, as quietly as he arrived.

Also, he solves mysteries and sundry problems had by the people he meets between guest strips.

AND CONSTANT SORRROOOOOOOWW FILLED HIS DAYS

So this actually isn't much of a nostalgia listen, but it was still released in 2000 and I was a fan of constant sorrow (obvs). However, my interest in folk has increased over time, so I thought I might give it a shot, especially since I enjoyed the movie (already almost 15 years since it was released... fuuuck). This is a solid compilation of more traditional folk/country. While I would rather bust out an Avett Brothers album if I'm feeling like a need some banjos and Appalacian culture, it is enjoyable. And I'm still a fan of constant sorrow ;)

3.0/5 - Good album for those days you're relaxing and drinkin' up moonsh- beer.