This Year in Music, 2017

The end of the year is the time to think subjectively about the past year and determining the best creative output. I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoy the end of the year for this reason. Nothing makes me happier than seeing lists begin to fly with titles that read "Best ______s of 2017." I try to be as proactive as possible, so I can have thoughts on the year as well. So, I have opinions on this year in music! Here is my process:

Throughout the year, I checked out as much new music as I cared to based on various sites and blogs. By the end of the year, of the dozens I listened to, I had culled 33 albums that made my favorites of the year. Next, I listened exclusively to those select few and tried to sort them from there. This was enjoyable, as I had amassed (what I personally thought was) an excellent list of music. Some of the albums were not as amazing as I had remembered; others were surprisingly better than I had credited at the time. It goes without saying any of the following are worth listening. Still, I've separated them into three tiers: 'B' for pretty good, 'A' for pretty great, and 'S' for must-listen. They are listed alphabetically. Follow along, and Happy 2018!

B-Tier

Aromanticism - Moses Sumney
DAMN. - Kendrick Lamar
Halo - Juana Molina
In Spades - The Afghan Whigs
Near to the Wild Heart of Life - Japandroids
Pleasure - Feist
Ty Segall - Ty Segall

A-Tier

American Dream - LCD Soundsystem
CCFX EP - CCFX
Culture - Migos
A Deeper Understanding - The War on Drugs
Exile on the Outer Rings - EMA
Hope - Shamir
Hug of Thunder - Broken Social Scene
I Used to Spend So Much Time Alone - Chastity Belt
Love What Survives - Mount Kimbie
MASSEDUCTION - St. Vincent
Melodrama - Lorde
Playboi Carti - Playboi Carti
Rest - Charlotte Gainsbourg
Rocket - (Sandy) Alex G
Routines - Hoops
Science Fiction - Brand New
Significant Weather - Real Life Buildings
Sugar at the Gate - TOPS

S-Tier

A Crow Looked at Me - Mount Eerie
Guppy - Charly Bliss
Last Place - Grandaddy
Life Without Sound - Cloud Nothings
Nothing Special - Harmony Woods
Powerplant - Girlpool
Sorcerer - Tonstartssbandht
Turn Out the Lights - Julien Baker

Andre Drummond, Point Center

As of this writing, the Detroit Pistons are 11-6. Respectable, yet not astounding, the record is good for a top-4 spot in the Eastern Conference and a lead in the Central division. For a team originally slated for 38.5 wins, however, now projected somewhere in the mid-forties and on pace for even more, this is a fantastic start. For a team with only one playoff berth this decade, moreover, this is even better. Seventeen games is still a small sample size, to be sure, but one that keeps getting bigger.

During an especially hectic NBA offseason, the Pistons were relatively quiet. That meant mostly familiar faces would make up the lineup, players whose strengths and faults were already known to a fanbase. Few of these players would be under as much scrutiny as Andre Drummond. Signed to a maximum contract, Drummond bears much of the brunt of the team’s successes and failures. In an era when teams are largely shifting away from centers and towards point guards as cornerstones, Drummond’s max deal raised some eyebrows. It has been interesting to watch the trajectory of discussion surrounding offensive statistics since his contract year.

Two years ago (the lone year the Pistons qualified for the playoffs) the focus was on a positive stat: rebounds. The center led the league in rebounds--the first Piston to do so since Ben Wallace in 2003--with the third-most total rebounds for a season in Pistons’ history. This earned him a max contract during the offseason. The following year (as the Pistons underachieved and missed the playoffs) focus turned to historically poor free throw shooting which made him a late-game liability. His rebounding remained consistent, but the foul shots were the scapegoat for his season. Now that the team is winning games again, it is time to look for positive statistics that contribute to the wins. One stat in particular jumps out: assists.

In his first five seasons in the league, Andre Drummond cracked an average of one assist per game one time--at 1.1. This season, he has more than tripled that average to 3.4. Through seventeen games, Drummond has more assists than in any of his first three seasons. At this rate, he will hit his career best season by the middle of December. Unbelievably, Drummond trails only the two point guards--Reggie Jackson and Ish Smith--in total assists. He even led all Pistons with seven assists in the November 10 game against Atlanta.

What does this mean? The obvious answer is more points. The Pistons are currently posting their highest offensive rating in ten years (since 2007-08), in which they lost in the Eastern Conference Finals. There are numerous other factors involved, of course, but Drummond’s personal offensive rating cannot be discounted. Since Drummond is already pulling down a greater than average number of rebounds, an increase in assists shows that he has an option other than to go right back up and score. He can pass out to a wing for an open shot or look elsewhere to find weak defense.

It also means he is more confident handling the ball at places on the court other than below the basket. This makes him more effective in the eventual pick-and-roll. He can receive a pass and look to set up a play--or get it to someone who can--extending the shot clock.

The increase in assists has led to a higher turnover rate, which is to be expected. This season, Drummond is nearly doubling his career average in turnovers. Short of watching every possession, it is not easy to determine how many turnovers are direct results of attempted assists, but 22 of his 57 turnovers have come from bad passes. It is safe to assume several of these are related to more aggressive passing.

Of course, one statistic is far from enough to determine the success of a team--or even a player. But it is a part of the story: more assists makes for a more well-rounded player. And if Andre Drummond can keep up this level of offensive efficiency by adapting this new role, the Detroit Pistons are better for it.

Superb-organism

I am typically an album listener. Some people are songs-first, then explore the album. It’s just a personal preference, but more often when I listen to a band, it is usually because I had heard of an album and wanted to check it out. I know it is uncommon; most people hit on songs on the radio and then turn to the albums for more. I mean, this is the purpose of the radio single. This is why it was unusual for me to learn of this group who, to my knowledge, has only put out three individual songs.

The band is called Superorganism, and before you try to do a search, believe me, it is not easy to come up with information on them. I have seen this sentence quoted several different times online, so I will do the same here: “Superorganism are a new group made up of a 17-year-old Japanese girl named Orono who lives in Maine and 7 other people who live in London.”

Now, since the band’s auspicious debut, this has proved mostly an in-joke. Much more information is available, and it seems the band just may prefer to occupy this mysterious status. Sort of, the less information I know about the band, the more intriguing the songs become. Most of the articles I tracked down (there are, like, three) seem to echo the same thoughts: this nebulous group puts out some addicting songs. That much we do know.

I love all three songs and have continually rotated them. I really can’t decide which is my favorite; all three have spent some time as that designation at one point or another. I enjoy them so much, I have tried them in every possible order (6 combinations) to see what works best for me. I suppose one upshot to take is that this exploration can be more rewarding than listening to an order set by an album. ANYWAY, naturally, I have thoughts on all three:

“It’s All Good” Of the three songs, this is the one that sounds like it would be the most likely to be on the radio. It has all the qualities of a pop song that appeals to a mass audience. This may sound demeaning, but it’s not meant to be. I only mean that it would be easy to rope in the widest array of listeners with this track, more so than with the others. Complete with what sounds like a full chorus and about twenty different instruments, the song is so happy, it’s impossible to listen to once.

“Nobody Cares” This is the one that I find running through my head hours or days after listening to it. This does not necessarily mean it’s my favorite, but its jaunty pace gets inducted in my head more often than I care to admit. Like the predecessor, happiness oozes from this song. Of all three, this is also the one where you should track down the video. It’s as trippy as it is joyous.

“Something for Your M.I.N.D.” To my mind, this is the crown jewel of the three. Without question, this is the most infectious song I have heard in 2017. As with any good thing, my discovery of the songs has a story. I missed finding them when they first hit the Internet big in the early spring. Instead, I found out about them five months later on a music blog. When I went to find the song I had missed, however, it was nowhere to be found. The Spotify entry was present but not active. The YouTube video was fuzzy with a dead link. I even checked the wild--SoundCloud--and the band's page was empty. Not being able to find it nagged at me, and I was reluctant to let it go. It didn't help that any article I found about the song could not write about it without talking how addicting it was. So, over the course of a few months, I searched for it from time to time to see if there was any new information. This song was taking on mythical qualities. When I finally found it, I was hooked almost instantly. The electronic beat pulses throughout and seems to feel better on each listen. Needless to say, the payoff was unbelievably sweet.

It sounds like a cliche, but I really cannot wait to see what’s next for this band. I’m hoping for the album, of course, (currently rumored for early 2018) but at this point I would take just one more song as fantastic as these first three. They are currently touring with about a half dozen other songs which, if they have been released, are tucked away on some corner of the Internet I haven’t found as of the time of this writing. I honestly cannot remember the last time I was this excited about a new band. Take the nine minutes and fifty-three seconds to listen to these three songs, and then join me in anticipating what is to come.

Best Thing I Did Last Week: Read The Man from the Train

I don’t read true crime. I watch a popular true crime TV series, and I get scared. I overhear a true crime podcast, and I hear strange sounds in the apartment. But I, like so many other people, cannot help but be fascinated by such stories. The popularity of the genre cannot be understated. Why is the true crime section is so huge at most public libraries? Or why does it seem like there is a new unsolved crime documentary every other month, and seemingly everyone has watched it? Despite my weak constitution, I still devour the documentaries and follow up on the stories because they fascinate me. This was part of the reason I picked up my first true crime book.

The Man from the Train, by Bill and Rachel James, is a heart-pounding, yet humorous study on a presumed serial killer whose crimes have been unsolved for over a hundred years. That’s right: one hundred years. Now, the other reason I picked up this book, admittedly, was the author. Possibly you recognize the name, Bill James, from something other than true crime¹. For years, I had been a fan of his pioneering of baseball statistics.

Although this is not James’ first foray into true crime, it gives him a chance to use his research and analytical skills to attempt to solve this century-old murder. The amount of research the father and daughter team complete is just astounding. Think about it: the crimes would have been reported by local newspapers--and that’s about it. This was about forty years before TV and eighty years before the Internet, so news didn’t get around very fast. Despite working with biased, racist, and incomplete primary sources, they are able to compile a laundry list of crimes with several similarities that lead to a certain conclusion.

It is only fair to allow you to discover that conclusion, as the authors are very careful not to lead in one way or another. They state their ideas clearly, but want the reader to arrive at their own in due course. And you will form an opinion after seeing the purported evidence (an opinion which, in all likelihood, will be similar to the authors). There is nothing misleading about the details presented. Instead, they are upfront when presenting both information as fact and information as conjecture. That information may shape you, but it does not force you to agree with the authors. There is room for interpretation--albeit not much room.

Finally, the book is actually hilarious, or as hilarious as a book about an axe murderer could be. If you are familiar with Bill James' work on baseball statistics, you are probably familiar with his distinctive voice. The tone is almost conversational, addressing the reader directly, joking casually about incompetent law enforcement, or openly criticizing racist accusations of the early 20th century America. Not that they don't take the story seriously, but the authors make light when they can, surely appreciated in this gruesome, tragic story. If you are new to true crime, this is a great book to start. If you are a longtime fan, you won't be disappointed either.

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1 Briefly, Bill James wrote articles and books asking new questions about baseball performance. He invented new stats as a way to measure and compare players, ultimately publishing his Historical Baseball Abstract, the sacred text to baseball and statistics nerds. If you’ve read Moneyball or seen the film, you know who this is.^↩

2018 Detroit Lions Preview

This could be an interesting year for the Detroit Lions. Poised to be the strongest professional team in the city, a playoff berth would be a nice response to a solid year from last year. 

Matt Stafford got paid this offseason. The nine-year veteran became the highest paid quarterback in the history of the league. He definitely deserves it. He is an elite quarterback, with years of experience and solid targets in Golden Tate, Marvin Jones, and the exciting, young Kenny Golladay. The issue is whether or not he will be protected on the line. The biggest tragedy¹ in Detroit sports this year--and I don’t think I’m over-exaggerating--is losing last year’s first-round draft pick, offensive tackle, Taylor Decker to a shoulder injury. As a rookie, Decker started all 16 games last season, and his injury leaves a huge hole in the line. There’s a chance he may be able to return for the playoffs, but the Lions will have to get to that point without him. 

The quarterback isn’t the only spot the offensive line needs to protect, though. For the first time in a long time, the Lions have a bit of a running game. Ironically, the first time the Lions don’t have a newly drafted “next Barry Sanders.” But they should be just fine with the pieces they have. Ameer Abdullah looks healthy at last and Theo Riddick is available to reel in screen passes in the short backfield. Of course, their skills are all dependent on whether the offensive line can create some running lanes. 

Basically, this entire season may hinge on the success of the offensive line. Do you still think Taylor Decker’s injury is overrated²? 

After earning a wild card playoff spot last season followed by an early exit to the Seahawks, can the Lions return to that stage this year? Sure, but there are a few problems with that, most prominently, the team in Green Bay. The Packers have had the keys to the NFC North for several years, and for the Lions to guarantee a spot, they have to top them. If they can’t, they will have to compete for a wild card against a tough NFC South with three (four?) playoff contenders³ and a perennially difficult NFC East. 

As the Lions have one of the hardest schedules I can remember in recent years, it will not be easy. They have to make it through a slightly weakened but still decent AFC North division, which should be good for two wins. The Lions also have to play the aforementioned NFC South, who has supplied the last two NFC Super Bowl opponents (and the last two league MVPs). All four of those games will be trials, so I would be overjoyed to split those games. If they can scrape out 10 wins, they should have a good shot. Unfortunately, as hard as I try, I can only come up with 8 or 9. We will need to rely on more Matthew Stafford late-game magic for hopes of returning to the postseason.

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1 Deaths, notwithstanding. I don’t want to be morbid here.^↩
2 The most underrated tragedy is Malik Monk not falling ONE more spot in the NBA Draft.^↩
3 Not to mention three or four elite quarterbacks.^↩