First things first: this isn’t Super Collider 2, thankfully. Aided by newcomers Chris Adler and Kiko Loureiro, Dystopia sees Megadeth righting the ship: in this case, a return to the radio-thrash of Countdown and Youthanasia as the basis for Mustaine’s songwriting. There are killer guitar parts (“Dystopia”, “Bullet to the Brain”); flashy solos (“Death from Within”, “Conquer or Die”); and overall memorable songwriting (“The Threat is Real”, “The Emperor”), a welcome distraction from Dave’s cringe-worthy lyrics and high school-level rhymes. Despite that, Dystopia isn’t a bad record per se but it’s not particularly interesting or essential, either.
Month: January 2016
Hundred Word Reviews: David Bowie | ‘Blackstar’
He hired a free-form jazz band. He sings, “Where the fuck did Monday go?”, and sings in the language from “A Clockwork Orange”. He opens the record with a 10-minute mutating pop gem. This is David Bowie making music for himself and all the while giving no fucks. Blackstar may be Bowie’s weirdest album—which is saying something—and it’s easily his best in 35 years. Saying goodbye is certainly a morbid note to leave on, but what a note it is: “I’m not a pop star/ I’m a blackstar”. Indeed your are. Your genius will be missed.
A Word on the Packers’ 2015 Season
Tomorrow, the Packers play the Redskins for the Wild Card spot. Depending on the outcome, their season continues or ends.
I don’t know what will happen in the playoffs for the Packers. We can only wait to find out. I, much like all of Packer Nation, hope they win. I always want my team to win.
What I do know, however, is this: whether our season ends tomorrow or not, we all have to admit that this season has been one for the books. It’s been a helluva ride, with most excitement since the 2010 season.
I think my brother Todd said it best a few weeks ago: the heart-attack Pack is back. Perhaps not fully, but there are shades of HAP this season – including shades of Favre-esque, last-minute hurrahs.
From the good (the hail-mary against Detroit) to the bad (the embarassing loss to Arizona), it’s been a thrill-a-minute for sure. Whether you define this roller-coaster as “fun” is up to you – but I certainly do.
Explain how we went from 6-0 to 10-6 any way you want. The media certainly has, with plenty of blame to go around. And even if we didn’t get the Division title this year, we still have five titles under McCarthy – including four straight. That’s not nothing. This season hasn’t been the best, to be sure. But it’s still been one for the books. The highs approached the Heavens and the lows descended towards Hell.
And, you know what? I don’t think I’d have any other way. After all, Packers football is the closest thing I have to a religion.