Songs Of The Week #5: MinneSarah & TCDroogsma

Bob Mould, Divine Fits, The Grates, and Pony Trash...

Hey everybody! Welcome to Songs Of The Week #5. Yet again we asked regular contributors MinneSarah & TCDroogsma to give us their thoughts on last week's Song Of The Day podcast from 89.3 The Current.

As we've mentioned many times, this is a free song given away each day by The Current. If you enjoy free music be sure to click here and subscribe to the podcast. It's worth every penny.

Only four songs this week thanks to Labor Day on Monday. Kids, what'd you think?

Bob Mould – The Descent (from the album Silver Age)

MinneSarah:

     Ahhh, this song reminds me of Rev105.  What's that, Bob?  You've found the secret to time travel?  Awesome.  This song is not off the beaten path, if anything it beats the path down further Mould road.  It is kicky, guitary, and even the lyrics are nostalgic.  I wouldn't want to listen to a Bob Mould that didn't sound like this.

TCDroogsma:

     It seems weird to me to describe each new Bob Mould single as the aural equivalent of putting on your favorite old sweater.  I mean, this is the same guy who wrote "Black Sheets Of Rain."  Still, Mould has reached the same point as Morrissey, Westerberg, Springsteen, etc... where you can pretty much guess exactly what his new single will sound like before you even here it.  However, just like those artists, that doesn't mean the single will be any less awesome.  Much like "The Silence Between Us" and "I'm Sorry, Baby, But You Can't Stand In My Light Anymore," (the lead singles from his last two albums), "The Descent" doesn't offer anything new, but if it ain't broke...

Final Score: MinneSarah - 3.5/5

                   TCDroogsma -4/5

Divine Fits – Would That Not Be Nice? (from the album A Thing Called Divine Fits)

(Editors Note: If contributors Justin Meyers & TCDroogsma somehow defied science and had a child it would look exactly like Britt Daniels.  Frreal.) 


MinneSarah:
     
     The beat of this song is pretty low key.  This is the lead singer of Spoon, right?  Well, in any case, he croons that he wishes he was in Minneapolis, so that is a good thing, I guess.  I like the bassline and the shakey percussion, it even has dreamy keyboards that fuel the transitions.  There is nothing wrong with this song, in fact, there is nothing that would not be nice about this song.  However, how to put this delicately, Spoon sucks.  So therefore, this also sucks.

TCDroogsma:

     Like just about everything in life, the main question to consider when dealing with side projects is, "What are my expectations?"  If you've followed Spoon at all over the last 15 years (and let's be real, if you're a white person between the ages of 25-40, you're at least somewhat aware of them), then you know that Britt Daniels is far too much of a perfectionist to create a side project in which he freaks the fuck out.

     
 "Would That Not Be Nice?" is essentially a really good Spoon b-side.  This is not a band thing.  They catch a real nice groove and Daniels sells the hooks as best he can.  Personally, I hate the phrase, "would that not be nice?" but that's no big thing.  Still, this one grew on me each time I listened to it.  Plus, I'm morally obligated to give any song with the phrase, "I wish I was in Minneapolis" at least a 3 of 5.

Final Score: MinneSarah -2/5

                  TCDroogsma -3.5/5

The Grates – Turn Me On (from the album Secret Rituals)

MinneSarah:

     This song has an unmistakable start with some strong vocals.  I hear this song's start on the Current, and immediately I turn the volume down.   The guitar and drums weave in and out of a 90's vibe, which is much appreciated.  They added in tambourines to take away what joy I was gleaning from the upbeat guitar and drums.  It's no secret here that I'm not a huge fan of female vocals, and apologies here, but this song really "grates" on me.  I gave it an extra half point because repeating the chorus in talking words reminds me of Placebo.  Minus the vocals, this song could be pretty good.

TCDroogsma:

     As the week went on I started liking this one more and more despite the fact that it is completely devoid of an original thought.  Musically they do a nice job of breaking up the sounds.  The dancy vibe during the verse gives way to a nice drop-out for the chorus and then a rock n roll bridge.  Whoever arranged this song deserves a hell of a lot of credit.

     Still, this one never really jumps out above background noise.  The hooks are good but not great and the lyrics are kind of vapid.  I don't mean to sound like an asshole, but I'm willing to bet this is the best song on Secret Ritual.  That's not a bad thing, I guess, but it's not a good thing either.

Final Score: MinneSarah -1.5/5

                  TCDroogsma -2/5

Pony Trash – Down To The River (from the EP Pony Trash)

(Editors Note:  Sorry for the lack of audio.  Our usual embedding site is on the fritz and this song has not found it's way to YouTube yet.)

MinneSarah:

     I love that this song could have been made in England in the early 90's. It has a dark, marauding presence, but before that has a chance to bring you down, they temper it with some chimey, upbeat guitars.  The vocals are soft spoken, which makes them sound serious and important alongside the wailing guitars and steady drumbeat.  I don't know what is at the river, but this song makes me want to check it out.  It's probably bad - or maybe this is how you get to Bob Mould's time machine.  Let's go!

TCDroogsma:

     "Down To The River" sounds like what would happen if My Bloody Valentine was impregnated by the Revvy Horton Heat. Sweet.  The twanged-out whirlwind of guitar is the perfect canvas for some reverb-filled vocals and those 'ooh-ooh-ooh's' that you all know I'm a sucker for.  Well done, Pony Trash.

Final Score: MinneSarah -3/5

                  TCDroogsma -3.5/5

So there you go everybody. Another week in the books.

Of course, this blog and its contributors are in no way affiliated with the artists, The Current, or MPR in any way, shape, or form. The views expressed here are only those of the contributors. And again, we highly recommend that you subscribe to the podcast yourself so that you know what they're on about.

For more of MinneSarah, be sure to follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@MinneSarah). When she's not reviewing songs for this blog she's probably winning trivia.

For more TCDroogsma, he can also be found on Twitter and Instagram (@TCDroogsma). You can also check out his personal blog Caffeine &Obscenities for pictures of cats and coffee mugs. Y'know, if you're into that sort of thing.

Newest Industry also has a home on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) and on here on Facebook. Stop by and give us a 'like' if you're, say, just hanging out and killing time fuckin' with Facebook.

Ten & Six With Mike Otto: Week 1 - Jacksonville Jaguars at Minnesota Vikings (Plus Picks!)

Well, it's Week 1 people!  Let's not wait around... and here we go!

Welcome, everybody, to Mike Otto's  Ten & Six.  If you're unfamiliar, Mike is a lifelong Vikings fan and he's agreed to give us his take each week on the Vikings upcoming games.  Be sure to scroll down the blog a little further for his breakdowns of the Vikings offense & defense, and, most importantly, his predictions for the squad this season (hint: He's optimistic).

Fortunately for all of us, Mike is also an avid fan of the rest of the league.  Sure, he could just break down the upcoming Vikings games, but why neglect the rest of the league when there are so many jokes to be made? Be sure to read on after his Vikings preview for his picks for the rest of the week.

So, without further ado, let's all stop pretending to care about baseball and jump into this baby.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS at MINNESOTA VIKINGS

The season is here!  Yours truly couldn't be more excited about what's in store for the purple this year.  The bottom line in this game:  If you are gonna be a decent team this season, you CANNOT lose to the Jaguars at home to open the season.

Maurice Jones Drew will play and probably get more carries than Adrian Peterson.  The Vikings will need to hit him HARD and hit him EARLY, remind him he missed all of camp and preseason.

Three Keys To A Vikings Victory:

 Key #1:  Secure the ball on offense, create turnovers on defense.

Neither Adrian Peterson or MJD has been hit in a loooong time.  It will be interesting to see if either of them have ball security issues.  If the Vikings can create a few turnovers and limit their own to zero, they will win the game.  High & tight, AP!

Key #2:  Tackle, Tackle, TACKLE!

Missed tackles killed The Purple last year, and I want to see drastic improvement in this first game.  The first guy to make contact needs to wrap-up strong and wait for his reinforcements to finish the play.

Key #3:  Keep CP7 upright

Christian Ponder had little to no time last year.  If our line could give him an average of 4-5 seconds in the pocket it would go a very long way towards a Vikings victory.  Young quarterbacks can get flustered quickly, so it's very important to make most of CP7's drop-backs a pleasant experience.

Matchups To Watch:

Matchup #1:  Justin Blackmon vs. Vikings Secondary

If Blackmon runs wild against our 2nd level it will be a bad omen for the rest of the season.  If this secondary has improved, the rookie shouldn't be a giant factor in the outcome.  If he goes for more than a hundred or find the end zone more than once The Purple will be flirting with a loss.

  
Matchup #2: Rookie Right End Andre Branch vs. Rookie Left Tackle Matt Kalil

Andre Branch is a tall, lanky, speed rusher coming off the end.  at 6'5" and 265 lbs., he could give Mat tKalil a little trouble.  Kalil was the 3rd pick in the draft and if he wants to validate that right out of the gate he needs to dominate.  As mentioned before, keeping CP7 upright is of the utmost importance.  That starts with protecting his blindside.

Mike's All Purpose Flour Lock Of The Week:

Tight End Kyle Rudolph

He's going to show you want kind of year it will be right away.  6 catches, 70 yards, and a touchdown from Christian Ponder.  Wooday woop!

Final Takes:

I think the Vikes come out fast in this one with 2 first half touchdowns (1 pass, 1 run) only to come out flat in the second half and fail to get in the end zone again.  Lucky for us, the Jaguars are awful and our defense is just good enough.  In the fourth quarter, with the Jaguars driving to tie the game, our defense slams the door, creating a much needed turnover, essentially ending the game.

FINAL SCORE:

Minnesota Vikings: 20
Jacksonville Jaguars 13

... in a game that shouldn't be that close.

MIKE'S WEEK 1 PICKS:

(Editor's Note:  Michael did not make a pick prior to Wednesday night's Cowboys-Giants match for three reasons.

1. He hates Tony Romo.
2. He hates Eli Manning.
3. He hates deadlines.)

On to the picks)

New England at Tennessee

CJ 1.2K says he feels, "as strong as ever" and he's back to his old self.  That's all well & good, but, unfortunately for the Titans, there are 52 other players not named "Chris Johnson" on their team.  One of them is Jake Locker, who will be overwhelmed and under-protected.  Pats roll 35-14

Philadelphia at Cleveland

Michael Vick's flack jacket producer promises he won't get hurt this year.  I wonder if that thing protects him from drownings, electrocution, rape stands, etc... I'm guessing not.  But, since the rest of the league is more humane than Mr. Vick, he won't have to worry about any of that come Sunday.  Vick makes it through this game and the Eagles win 24-9 if only because late night weed-whacker infomercial host Brandon Weeden (known formerly as "Weedin' Weeden) is the Cleveland quarterback.

Fuck you Michael Vick.

Washington at New Orleans

Continuing the trend, RG III starts this game for the Skins.  Although I think he will have a solid debut, recording more TD's than Mike Shanahan blinks, the Skins will lose.  You just can't bet against Drew Brees at home.  Saints win 31-21.

Miami at Houston

What's this? More rookie QB's?  Ryan Tannehill is the latest, greatest Miami QB to give his best Dan Marino impression.  I put his talent level somewhere between Cleo Lemon & Jay Fiedler (poor bastard).  Houston destroys Miami 42-17.

Atlanta at Kansas City

This game got me thinking... who plays for Kansas City?  Billy Buter?  No, wait, that's baseball... hmmm... oh well.  Needless to say, there will be guys in red jerseys playing football at Arrowhead Stadium come Sunday.

For the Falcons, the Matt Ryan-to-Julio Jones combo will have its coming out party while "The Falconer" himself, Michael Turner, and Jaquizz Rodgers (my personal sleeper pick of the year) will provide the 1-2 punch on the ground.  The Atlanta Michael Turners roll 28-13.

Buffalo at New York Jets

This game is gonna be ugly, mostly due to the lack of offensive talent.  I can't wait for the first time Tebow checks into the game and lofts a perfectly thrown ball directly in to an oblivious Rex Ryan's balls.  Quit lookin' at your feet, Rex!  Pay attention!  Your boys are trying to score the 17 points necessary to win this one!  Jets win 17-14


St. Louis at Detroit

The roar has been restored!  The Lions are now the best thing in Detroit (yes, it's gotten that bad).  In all honestly, I think the Lions keep the pressure on Green Bay this year.  They'll demolish the Rams this week 35-14. 

Indianapolis at Chicago

Andrew Luck will try his luck against Mike Tice and the new-look Bears offense.  I wanted tickets to this game but the only guy selling them on StubHub was a "TikeMice" and they were twice the face price.  Bears are upset this week!  Colts win 24-20.

Carolina at Tampa Bay

In terms of QB comparison, Cam Newton is a bright, shining star in the night sky while Josh Freeman is the burning remains of a Ford Pinto on the side of the Tampa highway.  Panthers win 21-6.


Seattle at Arizona

Between John "Skull & Bones" Skelton and Kevin "Can't Justify A Contract" Kolb the Cards are doomed.  Way to ruin Larry Fitzgerald's prime, assholes.  Russell Wilson scores 2 TD's and Seattle wins a clunker 20-13.

San Francisco at Green Bay

The Packers say they expect the old Randy Moss.  They better hope they are wrong.  Moss is listed as a starter but will likely see only 20-25 plays.  Randy will find the Green Bay end zone, though, as he has done 14 times in the past, but the 49ers will fall in a close game 24-20.

Pittsburgh at Denver

Peyton Manning's comeback is complete with this game.  Unfortunately, Manning will be overshadowed when, during the 3rd quarter, Ben Roethlisberger engages in some questionable sexual contact with a 6 out of 10 in the 1st row.  Broncos win 24-20.

Cincinnati at Baltimore

Ray Lewis will dance as he enters the field on Monday night and also realize his new favorite quarterback snack - Andy "Crystalized Ginger" Dalton.  Aaaannnd... Down goes the Red Menace! Ravens win 20-10.

San Diego at Oakland

How does Norv Turner still have a job?  Is Phillip Rivers the most masculine woman ever born?  Carson Palmer is the best QB in the league at throwing 1 TD and 2 INT's, but I think that will be enough in this one.  Raiders win 27-20

Enjoy The Games!

Thank you, Mr. Otto.  For more of Mike's thoughts you can find him on Twitter as @SwervinTaters, where he'll likely be ranting like a lunatic most Sundays.

Of course, this blog is still on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) and on Facebook here.  Be sure to stop by and give us a "like" when Mike's predictions come to fruition.   

KPlow & The Fork #2: Saffron Restaurant & Lounge

Panning for gold...

Hey food fans!  KPlow & The Fork are back.  After a disappointing trip to The Amsterdam Bar & Hall, KPlow decided to stick around Minneapolis this time and check out Saffron downtown.  Be sure to check out their website here for the location, menu, and various other bits of information.  Tell us a story, KPlow...

Bad water. Joe has dysentery. You have shot 900 pounds of buffalo meat but you can only carry back 100. I think you know what I’m talking about.

Yes, folks…the one, the only, the Oregon Trail.

Well, fast forward a few years, add better graphics and you have the Yukon Trail. See here:

A computer game where you play poker, wait for the ice to thaw…oh yes, and pan for gold.

The panning for gold is immediately what sprung to mind after dining at the swanky Saffron. Riding home, I nostalgiated back to my gaming days on the Yukon Trail, where you would stake a gold claim—based primarily upon speculation from other gold seekers, and then, hope you’d strike it rich.

Well, guess what? I listened to the speculators hoping for nuggets of gold at Saffron, but instead found only flakes. Soon Twin Cities, I’ll find a winner.

For now, munch on this but, heed my advice: just because it’s in the top ten does not make it a tasty chew! :

Enter Saffron:

Vacant tables stare at us as, from giant high glass windows as the Fork and I pull up in our two wheelers around 6:30 on a Tuesday evening. We enter to find about four tables filled. The windows weren’t lying!

The hostess greets us and immediately asks if we have reservations. Ahem…we did, but I haven’t the faintest idea why we would have needed them!

After confirming we were indeed booked for 6:30, we were swiftly escorted to a decent table off to the side near the kitchen. Before our biking butts had time to hit the chairs, someone was already pouring us water. A few minutes later our waiter arrived and gave us a nervous, but thorough rundown of the menu. Things seemed to be going well!

We studied up on the menu, made some decisions and that’s when the flakes…not nuggets appeared.

First, things first, I order a Syrah…

”Ah….” Says the waiter, “unfortunately we do not have that available tonight.” Geez whiz!? You only have 5 glasses of red available and you don’t have the most expensive one in stock? With great misfortune, I got a zinfandel, tasty but not a syrah. Sheez folks, wouldn’t you think you’d have your regular wines, especially the spendy ones, in house?

Next, two appetizers were delivered. One was a squid “a la plancha,” which is a quickly grilled squid marinated in saffron, oil and butter.

The other was Bastirma, a cured beef that is seasoned and found throughout the middle east.

What went wrong? The squid was chewy and tender with the sauce tasting quite lovely. However, the squid was not crisp…or “a la plancha.” Even though “a la plancha” means quickly seared, there should have been some crunch going on. Instead, chew, chew, chew. One of the extremely stingy-sized portions, perhaps $2 of the $8 dish, was at the crisped, crunchy desiredness. No winner here.

The bastirma, the second app, was well seasoned with a paprika flair, and paired with a lovely Palestinian olive oil. The meat, unfortunately, was swimming in the oil! Yes, the backstroke, breast, and I think it was even doing freestyle.

Marcona almonds additionally adorned the plate, which were a nice touch, but the pickled ramps that accompanied it were less than to be desired. Pickled anything, especially ramps, should be delicious, but these were definitely lack luster.

The main meal was a lamb tagine, that arrived in a fanciful tagine pot, like the one seen below.

The main protein of the tagine was boneless lamb shoulder, and boy could you tell. Not an ounce of fat was in the juices. Laden with artichokes, potatoes and olives that surrounded the meat, the shoulder was flavorless and fatless! The broth was liquidy and watery and not luscious and velvety, which is what happens when fat is present. Bummer. The potatoes were a heirloom variety of the fingerling family, but the artichokes sadly were without question, from a can and very metallic. Ish!

I ordered a salad as well, but requested they leave off the dairy, which was inevitably a mistake. Entire dish ruined…darn my lactose intolerance. In all fairness, I will refrain from commenting on the salad, but again, I felt it was lacked luster.

Dessert, surprisingly was a high point. Mango curry sorbet anyone? I think yes! It definitely needed some tweaking but this was such a fantastic idea I couldn’t help but like the crazy concoction!

Like I said, work needed, but the foundation was there. A few bananas added into the mix and maybe some cinnamon, cardamom, and coriander and that sorbet would be in business.

So there you have it folks. Wahwah, another negative review. I’ll find a winner soon!

Next time nuggets, I swear!

Bad times, KPlow.  Bad times, The Fork.  Thanks for stopping by and checking it out for the rest of us.

For more KPlow, she can typically be found banging out posts for her food blog Nettlefetter.  There's also a rumour going around that she maintains a Twitter account.  More on this story as it develops.

This blog not-so-secretly maintains a Twitter account (@NewestIndustry1), be sure to check that for updates.  We're also active on Facebook here.  Be sure to give us a 'like' and we'll try to keep you up to date with all the doin's and transpirin's of our contributors.  

Ten & Six With Mike Otto: Vikings 2012 Season Preview!

Hot damn! It's a new day!

Welcome back to Mike Otto's coverage of the 2012 Minnesota Vikings. Mike is a lifelong Vikes fan and he'll be sharing his predictions and thoughts as the season goes along. As you may have noticed, we've changed the name from Purple Prognostications to Ten & Six. All will be revealed at the end of the column.

After breaking down both the offense and the defense we asked Mike to make his predictions for the season. Have at it, Mike.

FINAL PREDICTIONS

He wipes the sweat from his brow as he walks up under center, surveying the defense. Noticing the safety cheating towards the line, he looks and Percy and taps his right thigh. Hot route, baby. The ball is snapped, he fakes a draw to Adrian and lofts a perfectly thrown ball to the back corner of the end zone. Touchdown. His name is Christian Ponder.

Any football prediction is based on quite a few “what-if's,” a handful of “could-be's,” and at least 2 or 3 “pretty please's?” This couldn't be more true of the 2012 Minnesota Vikings. For a football team to succeed, everything must go right and timing is everything. For success, the Vikings offense must be perfectly in sync and the defennse must be a squad of overachieving opportunists. This team is built for close games, so, needless to say, every play will be of the utmost importance. THEY MUST EXECUTE!

Now, I will give you a brief week by week synopsis of the wins/losses and how/why they occur. Look for more detailed breakdowns of the matchups each Saturday before gameday.

(Editors Note: Mike's in-depth preview of this week's Vikings/Jaguars matchup will appear later this week.)

(Mike's Note: All season and personal stat predictions are based on Vikings players remaining relatively injury free and are subject to change over the course of the season)

Week 1: Jaguars at Vikings

Prediction: Win: 20-13

I think the Vikes will come out fast in this one but fall flat in the second half, sweating out a clunker of a game that should never have been in question

 

 Week 2: Vikings at Colts

Prediction: Win: 28-24

Andrew Luck gets his first taste of what an elite NFL defensive end (Jared Allen) can do. Adrian scores 2 while Christian scores 2. Hope is selling!

Week 3: Vikings at 49ers

Loss: 17-6

The team (and expectations) come back down to earth as we fail to get in the end zone while Alex Smith & Randy Moss connect for a game-icing touchdown

Week 4: Vikings at Lions

Prediction: Loss: 42-24

If Calvin Johnson and Mathew Stafford are both healthy, our secondary, and team in general, have no chance.

Week 5: Titans at Vikings

Prediction: Win: 24-17

Jake Locker vs. Christian Ponder. CP7 throws for 1, runs for 1, and the Vikes win a nail biter.

Week 6: Vikings at Redskins

Prediction: Loss: 31-21

Vikings are notoriously bad at limiting dual-threat quarterbacks. RGIII may have his coming out party against us.

Week 7: Cardinals at Vikings

Prediction: Win: 27-14

John Skelton and Kevin Kolb. That is all.

Week 8: Buccaneers at Vikings

Prediction: Win: 28-13

I think the Bucs will be a terrible team this year. Vikings handed them a game last year. That will not happen this time. The squad scores 4 TD's and the outcome is never in doubt.

Week 9: Vikings at Seachickens

Prediction: Win: 31-28

Imperative the Vikings come out with a win here. I think the Seahawks are a playoff team, but the Vikings match up well against them. Gonna be an exciting game won on a Blair Walsh kick as time expires.

Week 10: Lions at Vikings

Prediction: Loss: 35-31

The Vikings play them a lot tougher this time around, but Megatron is just too much to handle. Tough loss. 31 points should be enough to win, but not this time.

Week 11: Bye

Please nobody get arrested.

Week 12: Vikings at Bears

Prediction: Loss: 17-14

The Vikings are historically an excellent team coming out of the bye, but two consecutive divisional road games will change that this year. This Black & Blue Division contest will be close, but late Viking drives will stall, leading to the loss.

Week 13: Vikings at Packers

Prediction: Loss: 31-24

After a third consecutive hard-fought divisional game ends in a loss, a 6-3 record has suddenly become 6-6 and a season hangs in limbo. I can see the Strib headline now, “Limbo At Lambeau.”

Week 14: Bears at Vikings

Prediction: Win: 20-14

Another imperative Vikings victory. Time is now to stop the bleeding on a three game losing streak. The season will go one of two ways this week and I think this beam wants it bad. Vikings win behind two CP7 TD's

Week 15: Vikings at Rams

Prediction: Win: 24-20

Could be a let-down game for the purple. If they have the competitive fire I think they do they will maintain focus and squeak out a victory.

Week 16: Vikings at Texans

Prediction: Win: 27-21

A lot of the “experts” have the Texans in the Super Bowl. This is crazy to me. Can you remember a time that Arian Foster, Matt Schaub, and Andre Johnson were all healthy at the end of the year? No? That's because it doesn't happen! Two of them will be out for this one and the Vikings will win.

Week 17: Packers at Vikings

Prediction: Win: 35-34

Questions abound in this one! Will Packers' starters be playing? Will the Vikings be fighting for a playoff spot? Will AP be healthy? Yes, yes, and YES! Vikings win!

FINAL PREDICTION: 10-6

Hey hey! Now it's time for my predictions regarding Vikings statistical leaders in the major categories!

 Passing Yards: CP7 – 3,000

Passing Completions: CP7 – 375
Passing Completion %: CP7 – 62%

Passing TD's: CP7 – 22

Passing INT's: CP7 – 16

 Rushing Yards: AP – 1,100

Rushing Attempts: Toby Gerhart – 240

Yards Per Rush: AP – 5.0

Rushing TD's: AP – 14

Receiving Yards: Percy – 1,050

Receptions: Kyle Rudolph – 85

Receiving TD's: Kyle Rudolph – 11

Yards Per Reception: Jerome Simpson – 18.0

Receptions Of 20+ Yards: Jerome Simpson – 16

Sacks: Jared Allen – 18

Tackles: Chad Greenway – 150

Tackels For Loss: Kevin Williams – 12

Passes Defended: Antoine Winfield – 14

Interceptions: Chris Cook – 4

Fumbles Forced: Harrison Smith – 3

Fumbles Recovered: Chad Greenway – 5

Defensive TD's: Harrison Smith – 2

Kick Return TD's: Percy – 1

Punt Return TD's: Jarius Wright – 1

So that's my thoughts on all that jazz. In summary, I think the Vikings success or failure this year will come down to 5 things. And they are...

FACTOR #1: Non-Divisional Record

I have us going 2-4 within the NFC North, so a stellar record against non-divisoinal opponents will be essential to a winning season. Non-divisional opponents of the Vikings look weak to me and this bodes well for our favorite squad.

FACTOR #2: CP7

This team will go as Christian Ponder goes. If he can stay on the field while keeping his TD total above his INT total the Vikes will be fine. Don't expect a 2-1 TD/INT ratio just yet, but he will improve.

FACTOR #3: The Secondary

They were terrible in 2011. If the additions of rookies Harrison Smith and Josh Robinson can even get the secondary toward an 'average' performance this year it will pay dividends in the Win column.

FACTOR #4: Adrian Peterson's Health

Without him in the lineup, CP7 TD's go down while his INT's go up. Our points per game take a GIANT, SEASON-CHANGING hit without him and the defense has less time to rest. These are all bad things. Fingers crossed.

FACTOR #5: Rookie Kicker Blair Walsh

As I previously mentioned, this team is built for close games. That being said, we CANNOT leave any points on the filed. Blair Walsh and whether or not he makes his kicks could be the difference between 10-6 and 6-10. I think the kid makes 'em when he needs to. For fuck's sake, he better!

So, in my mind right now, 10-6 is possible, but the Vikings can't have a single let down (especially outside of the division). I have us at 8-2 against non-division opponents and anything short of that won't get the job done. At 10-6 we will be fighting for the final wild card spot because I have the Lions at 11-5 and the Packers at 12-4. No promises from this guy on the playoffs.

Management seems to believe that the worst thing for this team would be a head coaching change. I think Leslie Frazier's job will be safe as long as he tallies at least 6 wins this year. There are a couple big name coaches without a team and you can believe that's in the back of Frazier's mind.

He wipes the sweat from his brow as he approaches the bar. He sees the bartender cheating towards the pretty girls at the other end and signals to Travis to take the table in the common area. The server lofts a perfect coaster toss on the table and asks what we'll have. Touchdown.

My name is Mike Otto.

Indeed it is. Thanks to Mike for dropping by the blog to drop purple knowledge bombs on us. For more of Mike you can find him on Twitter (@SwervinTaters)

Of course, this blog is on Twitter as well (@NewestIndustry1) and on Facebook here. Stop by and give us a 'like' for Ponder's sake!

Songs Of The Week #4: MinneSarah & TCDroogsma

The Antlers, Dan Deacon, Lydia Loveless, Alt-J, Ben Rosenbush & The Brighton...

Hey everybody!  We're back with Songs Of The Week #4.  Again this week we've asked MinneSarah & TCDroogsma to give us their thoughts on last week's batch of The Current's Song Of The Day podcast.  As we've mentioned many times, be sure to go here and subscribe to the blog yourself.

Alright, kids.  What did you think?

The Antlers - Crest (from the album Undersea)

MinneSarah: 

     This song is pretty downtempo, but I like how it starts with the drums.  I wonder if Tricky got together with Morphine and Jeff Buckley if this is what would have come up? Maybe? It's sort of boring and drones on for an under four minute song.  Here are three places you would get the maximum enjoyment of this song:  walking home in the rain from the grocery store, on a boat at sunset but the sky is cloudy, on the KIDS soundtrack (they dealt with some real stuff, for kids).  They get an extra half a point because I seem to recall they are on Frenchkiss Records which usually always has exceptionally good taste.

TCDroogsma:

     I really like the vibe this song has going. The instrumentation in the song has a really cool 'film-noir' type vibe to it, especially the distant trumpet sound.

     Lyrically, it's fine, but the real problem with the song lies in the fact that the vocal melody never seems to materialize. Now, for the record, I'm a big fan of bands like Supergrass & E-LO, bands that stack hooks on hooks on hooks. There is some virtue in stepping back from the microphone and letting the instruments sell the song, but I feel like this song is one killer chorus from being a real gem. Still, I can appreciate this song for what it is rather than what it isn't. Plus, it definitely gets better with repeated listens.

Final Score: MinneSarah - 2.5

                  TCDroogsma - 3 

Dan Deacon - True Thrush (from the album America)

MinneSarah:

     More is more.  I said that last week with that Leisure birds track, but this time it's too much.  The weird baby and backward talking vocals is doing nobody any favors.  Only Missy Elliot can pull that off.  There is so much going on in this song, it actually makes me nervous.  It did when I heard it the first time, and also after three glasses of wine.  Don't do drugs, kids.  Or do, maybe you would get this song and could explain it to me.  I do enjoy the uptempo-ness of this song.  Places you could listen to this song:  A fireworks party (don't blow your hand off), an elfen toy factory (Matel go real hard), a waterpark where there are dogs in sunglasses present.

TCDroogsma:

     When I was in New York I actually had a bit of a Dan Deacon phase (yeah, it was a strange time in my life). His album Bromst & Spiderman Of The Rings got the most plays. Part of what made them great was the fact that they were relentless. Everything all the time, everything all the time!

      With “True Thrush” he seems to have taken a step away from that attitude and landed somewhere closer to Dosh on the musical spectrum (although the Daffy Duck vocals, his trademark, do turn up). I actually really enjoy this song, but I'm not totally sure if someone who's completely new to Dan Deacon would 'get it,' y'know?

Final Score: MinneSarah - 1

                  TCDroogsma - 3.5 

Lydia Loveless - Can't Change Me (from the album Indestructible Machine)

 
MinneSarah:

     Alright.  I don't like twangy songs, female vocals, or most things in general.  However, the lyrics to this song are fantastic.  "That's gonna change how you feel about me, baby, but it won't change me" is akin to my favorite White Stripes song, "Ball and a Biscuit" (yes, I like 7 minute songs sometimes) in which Jack White proclaims, "it was the other two that made me your third, but it's my mother that made me the seventh son."  I love lyrics that are drunken "you don't know me," and "I'm nobody but in relation to myself."  Every lyric in this song is my favorite. "But i swear that every hangover is gonna be my last, and it looks like only whiskey's gonna kick my ass and have me still come back."  Yeah, I like it.  "Being good is killin' me inside."  Places you could listen to this song include:  The Turf Club, Lee's Liquor Lounge, and surprisingly, The Amsterdam.

TCDroogsma:

     It's appropriate that this song came out during State Fair week because that's exactly what it sounds like. I know nothing of Lydia Loveless except this song, but she is definitely giving off that 'country girl gone bad' vibe. Of course, with a name as constructed as 'Lydia Loveless' I have a hard time believing that vibe is anything but constructed as well.

    She has a great, Neko Case kind of voice, but these 'You don't know me!' lyrics are straight out of an episode of The Jenny Jones Show. If she was actually the drunken spitfire she's pretending to be in this song she never would have gotten her ass to the studio to record it. There's nothing wrong with building up a fake persona in pop music, but Christ, make up something original.

Final Score: MinneSarah - 4

                  TCDroogsma - 1 

Alt-J - Fitzpleasure (from the album An Awesome Wave)

MinneSarah:

     No.  I like the epic transitions in this song, but ummmm, does anyone else realize, these aren't real lyrics?  Like this isn't English, this isn't Spanish, this isn't Klingon.  This guy is singing in what those little magnetic hair heads guys sing in.  That is not a compliment.  The saving grace is that the rest of the song sort of sounds like a Chris Martin/Bono mashup, so yeah.  Not happy.  Epic transitions.  Where could you listen to this?:  Shopping at the mall in an ironic grandpa sweater and a backpack, Manu Chau's son's third birthday party, the beaches of Jupiter (I am so confused). 

TCDroogsma:

     Have you ever been listening to a hip-hop track and thought to yourself, “Damn, this beat bangs. Too bad the rapping is terrible?” Well, welcome to the indie-pop version of a Common album.

     The instrumentation on this track is fucking awesome. It builds and crumbles all based on that rib-rumbling bass line. Unfortunately, the vocals are the worst kind of hipster weird-for-weird's-sake bullshit (copyright Moe Scizlak). Take the brutal singing off this track and it's a 4 of 5 song. As it stands, you're looking at 2 of 5.

Final Score: MinneSarah - 1/5

                  TCDroogsma - 2/5 

Ben Rosenbush & The Brighton - This Fire (from the album A Wild Hunger)

 
MinneSarah:

     Nobody told these guys that Mumford and Sons aren't really all that. I don't blame them, that is some popular musicness.  But that doesn't make it good.  I'm not a fan.  This is very chimey, and droney.  Hipsters may give this fantastic marks.  I am bored.  It actually sounds better than Mumford and Sons, there I said it.  Places this would sound good:  a fire, that show with Dennis Leary about Firemen, the Winnipeg Folk Festival.

TCDroogsma:

     If we rounded up every singer-songwriter Minnesotan who uses nature as a metaphor for their personal life and put them all in one place I'm pretty sure it would be the third largest city in the state. Mason Jennings would be the mayor.

     Frreal, is there an assembly line at MPR studios that keeps spitting these things out? Jesus....

Final Score: MinneSarah - 1/5

                  TCDroogsma - 0/5

There you have it, everybody.  We hope you enjoyed these songs and, again, strongly suggest that you subscribe to the podcast yourself.  Be sure to check out the poll to the right and cast your vote for the best song of the week.

As always, this blog and its contributors are in no way associated with any of the acts above, The Current, or MPR.  We just have a lot of time on our hands.

For more of MinneSarah you can find her on Twitter (@MinneSarah) and Instragram as MinneSarah.  She's currently debating the merits of changing her name to all caps like DOOM.

For more TCDroogsma he can be found on Twitter (@TCDroogsma), Instagram as TCDroogsma, or over at his own blog Caffeine & Obscenities.  If you like pictures of donuts or cats, or if you like people who use swearing as a crutch for their limited vocabulary, you should check those out.

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